Ugh... What was that... incessant... wailing? Was that a baby?

'He's a feisty one alright, listen to him wail. That's the Spirit!'

'Look he's making Paragus' son cry!'

The dark figures looking down on him started laughing. At him. He wanted to punch them, but he couldn't move, and everything around him was blurry. The shadowy figure's laughter became darker, and Broly recognized him all of a sudden.

'Kakarot!' he furiously roared. And that darn wailing didn't stop either!

Only a dark smile appeared on his evil face, and like out of nowhere he was holding a dagger. He was confined, and no matter how hard he tried to struggle, he couldn't get up. Fear struck him as he watched Kakarot raise the dagger.

'I am not... gonna let you... get away with this!'

"KAKAROOOOT!"

With a shock Broly finally woke up from his nightmare. It had felt so real. He'd swear he could still hear the echo's of a crying child. Where was he anyway? Only now he realized he was lying in some kind of icy coffin. How did he get there? And why were his abdomen hurting so much?

In a flash he remembered everything that had happened. How Kakarot had punched him in the gut, how he couldn't find Kakarot after that, how he had fled in the space pod, and then crash landed here. Wherever here was.

He got up out of the ice a bit too fast, causing him to feel very lightheaded. He had to wait until the world stopped spinning around him. Apparently, his body didn't like being frozen in a glacier for... well, however long he had been in there. It could have been days, maybe even weeks. He felt weak and exhausted, but his incredibly loud stomach gave him renewed vigor and purpose. He could only hope there was life on this planet. He had to find some form of civilization, otherwise he would starve to death. When he felt good enough, he took off to the sky.

"And then this guy that I barely even know comes up to me out of nowhere and says 'I love you'. Can you believe that?"

Videl merely muttered, but it was enough for Erasa to keep chatting. Honestly, she loved spending time with her best friend, but she wasn't really following the story. Her attention diverted to some kind of commotion on the other side of the Restaurant.

"But sir, you can't come in here without a reservation, I'm afraid I must..."

"I said give me some food!" a very tall, muscular guy roared. He angrily slammed his fist on the counter, scratch that, through the counter. Suddenly every one in the building was quiet, and cheesy as it may sound, she'd swear you could hear a pin drop. Even Erasa was silent, and that was unheard of.

"What seems to be the problem?" Videl had jumped out of her chair and was now standing in the middle of the crime scene. Though she was only half the size of the troublemaker, she wasn't afraid of anything. She was the daughter of mister Satan, for crying out loud! This was her one free day where she could kick back with her friends. No school, no crime fighting, or so she had hoped.

"Miss Satan! This... this... Hooligan thinks he can just waltz in here dressed in those rags, without even having a reservation, and he expects me to simply let it happen!?" the angry waiter heatedly said. "He doesn't even look like he has any money."

The tall guy only growled in response. He certainly was an interesting character, not wearing a shirt, his pants had tears and holes in 'em, and he himself was covered in cuts and bruises. But the most menacing thing were his eyes. 'They're... empty. Hollow. Hopeless. I've seen that frustration.' She'd recognize it anywhere. 'Been crossed, and lost, and told no.' For some reason, she could sympathize with him, she even felt sorry for him. Any other day she would've kicked some serious butt. Why did she have to be in such a 'nice person' mood?

"He's my guest. Just bill me for anything he orders, and the broken counter."

"B-but, Miss Satan..."

"Just let it be!" She had no patience for all this. All she wanted was some peace and quiet for once. Was that too much to ask for? She sighed deeply as she let herself fall back in her chair.

"Wow, you're in a good mood today, Videl. First you bring me to this fancy restaurant, and then you even stand up for a total stranger!" Erasa's smiled was followed by a wink. "I mean, he is a real cutie and all..."

"Save it, Erasa. People around us are whispering enough as it is."

Erasa was about to say something, but her attention went to something behind Videl. She turned around, only to see the strange guy with a huge tray filled with tons of dishes.

"I guess I should say thank you."

"Yeah... don't ment- Are you going to eat all that?"

He sniggered. "I already told the guy to make seconds." Both girls were gaping at him. They had to see this.

"You can come sit with us!" Erasa said, before Videl could say anything.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but finally sat down with them. Videl couldn't help but stare at this man. He was so... mysterious. She had to find out absolutely everything about him. Their eyes got huge when they saw the incredible speed and skill with which he worked his food into his mouth. Did he even taste anything like this? The girls weren't the only ones staring, more people started pointing fingers and whispering behind their backs. What had she gotten herself into?

"What happened to you anyway? You look like you walked out of a war-zone."

"Oh, don't mind Videl. She's just very... straightforward." That comment made Erasa receive a scowl, but luckily she had a pretty thick skin. "But we're really interested in what happened to you."

"It's complicated." Broly grumbled in between bites.

"Pretty please? We've got time, you know."

Broly sighed. What was it with him and girls? And food. He couldn't say no to either. Alright, fine. But it would be better if he didn't tell them everything. "I remember I crash-landed in the middle of nowhere, and then next thing I know, I woke up in a block of ice."

"Wow, no wonder you're so hungry! You should count yourself lucky, you know. You could have ended up looking a lot worse. Do you need to see a doctor?"

"No, I feel fine." he muttered. "But..." He got an idea. "My memory is a little vague. What planet is this?"

"You're on Earth of course! Are you suffering from amnesia? Maybe you should see a doctor..." Erasa was completely shocked. Videl on the other had, hadn't said much this entire time, but she thought this was all just very peculiar. He was hiding something.

"Earth..." Broly clenched his fists. Something dark had entered in his eyes, Videl noticed. He abruptly stood up, not even having finished all of his food. He already ate more than the girls combined would eat in a week's time, mind you, but still. Apparently something more important had come up.

"Wait, where are you going?" Erasa chirped.

"I'm looking for a man named Goku. I don't suppose you've heard of him?"

Both girls silently shook their heads. Broly growled. "Thanks for the food anyway."

"Wait! I think I can help you!" Videl didn't know why, but he just looked so lost. She wanted to be nice to him. He looked at her expectantly, with his black, captivating eyes. Why did she feel nervous around him? "Well... I work with the local police-force. I'm sure we could find some records there."

Broly had nothing else to go from, so he accepted their help. I mean, they weren't half as bad, giving him food and, who knows, maybe they could actually help him find Kakarot as well. Earth. How ironic. Just when he thought he could take it easy and get back to full health. But apparently an easy life wasn't meant for him. He had a job to finish, and he had silently vowed he wouldn't rest until Kakarot was dead.

"By the way, my name is Videl, and this is my best friend, Erasa."

"Broly."

"Alright, Videl, I've got three possible matches for the name 'Goku'."

"Thank you, officer." she said, while taking the files from him. "Broly, do you recognize any of these?"

He took a look at all of them, but shook his head every time. "It's not him."

"That's strange... Shouldn't every one be registered in those files, officer?"

"Well... There was one more match-up, but I didn't give it to you, because the man doesn't live anymore. But I'll print it out for you, just a second."

Both girls and Broly were waiting intently for the paper to be printed. Erasa was clearly enjoying the suspense, it was like she was on a little crime-fighting adventure. Broly couldn't help but grunt when he recognized the upside down picture that was slowly being printed. It was him.

Videl assumed they found the man they were looking for, judging from Broly's livid expression. She grabbed the paper, and starting scanning through it.

"Let's see here... Son Goku... Married and two kids, yada-yada... Wow, look at this! He's the former champion of the 23rd World's Martial Arts Tournament! And, what's this?... It says he took down the Red Ribbon Army all by himself when he was a little kid! My gosh!... Oh, but it says here he passed away seven years ago, during the Cell games..."

"What?" Did Broly hear her right? He died seven years ago? That couldn't be, how could he have escaped from the collision with the comet? He was sure all the space ships had been destroyed during their battle... But what if?... And could it be that Broly was... that he was...

"Is something wrong, Broly?"

"I've... been frozen... for seven years?" He slowly sank to the floor in despair. This couldn't be true... Seven years, plus those years in his father's control... Half of his life had gone by before his very eyes, and there was nothing he could do about it. Not that it really mattered. Now that Goku had paid his debt with his life... And since Dev... His life was now empty. He had no reason to live anymore.

He hadn't noticed Videl sat down next to him, holding his cold arm in her warm hands. "Broly, I won't pretend I have any idea of what you're going through right now. I mean... seven years... If that's really how long you were frozen in a block of ice... Everything you knew must have changed. But Broly, you can't give up. Please. You've got to be strong."

For some reason, her words and warmth inspired him, gave him hope again. The dark cloud of desperation that had formed in his heart was clearing away like fog in the sun. She was right. He couldn't give up. 'I don't back up, I don't back down. I don't fold up and I don't bow. I don't roll over, don't know how. I don't care where the enemies are, I can't fall back, I came too far.' No, he would choose to live and let go. For her, because that's what she would've wanted.

"So... Do you have any idea how old you are?" Erasa wasn't kidding when she said Videl was very straightforward.

"My memories are clearest from when I was still eighteen. After that, everything is blurry."

"So that's why you look older, you're like, what? Twenty-five now? But you still feel like you're eighteen... I'm sorry, I feel so bad for you."

He wasn't lying, but he didn't tell her she was a bit off either. Those years that were stolen. He wanted them back. And here was the perfect opportunity. He could start over again. Do things right.

"Oooh!" Erasa squealed, looking like she had the most brilliant idea ever. Both looked at her, wondering what was going on in that mysterious mind of hers.

"You should come to high school with us!"