Hiya!

Long time no see, it seems. This summer hasn't been very productive for me. But hopefully I can speed up during the school year, without the laziness of summer hazing my brain.

In other news, chapter 3 of this story is up and ready, so I'll post that with this. Review responses can be found at my Livejournal. Links aren't allowed here, so just go to my author page and click on my homepage. Just look for the entry titled 'Review Responses' on Friday, August 20 (the date is at the top of each entry). There will be a link in parentheses, most likely reading '(Sabireru Responses)' that you can click on to go read.

Sorry to have to do that, but a friend of mine recently got a story deleted for 'script format' even though she didn't have any in the story. It seems they took the review responses as script format. I'd rather not risk that with any of my stories. So please go read the review responses, and tell me if you can't reach the page or something. I'll see how it goes this chapter and if it's too much of a problem I'll just find some way to do it on here anyway.

Alright, I'll stop jabbering and get on with it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z… Or much anything else, for that matter.

Last time!

"I guess it was kind of serendipitous, then?"

Not many people had a story like his- and I had a feeling that it was bound to get more interesting.

And I wonder if I should even wake up, because if I do, I'm bound to continue this trend. I've never done anything… Besides failing.


Sabireru: Chapter 2

Atrocities


Sand was a curious element. Abrasive little particles, shifting and flinging themselves into the wind each moment. But forming, on a larger scale, smooth paths of wind-swept dunes… And when heated, becoming the most beautiful of forms, clear and pure glass.

From coarse to perfect. What a stupid planet.

He settled into the lee of the towering dune and continued to scowl over the sea of specks. Sand, sand, and more sand… Of course, the best thing about this place was the absence of humans.

Humans and traitors…

How he despised this pathetic rock! Of course, that was why he had destroyed it in the first place. It had felt good, as far as he recalled- releasing the energy that had led to the planet's demise. As usual, it had all been in vain. The kid he had managed to get rid of came back; the planet he had gladly disposed of reappeared. Had he the chance, he would've gotten rid of those stupid Namekians as well for creating those accursed Dragonballs in the first place.

Of course, those accursed Dragonballs were why he breathed in the air of the living. He cast aside that little fact.

…It was astounding how many stupid things had cropped up in the universe as of late… And they all seemed to choose to get in his way.

The reason of all this was, of course, that forgetful moron Kakkarot. No one else could possibly be as blameworthy as that blithering idiot. It was why he ended up on the traitor's doorstep for the first time, why Raditz had met his demise (small loss there, the sibling resemblance was astounding)… And to believe he had, at one time, hoped to make him a decent warrior! Kakkarot had the makings of the perfect fighter, but any Saiyan blood within the man was wasted by his Earth upbringing. It simply figured that his son would be first to become the Legendary. The first Legendary in the thousand years was an Earthborn infant throwing a temper tantrum over his own demise.

And now Bardock was able to attain the state, too.

The good news never ended.

How was it possible? How was it that the two men who had completely revoked their lineage could become the one thing he, Vegeta, crown prince and the epitome of Saiyan blood, deserved the most? What had he done wrong?

Did all things Saiyan have to be given up before the Legendary state could be reached?

That would explain the brat's early ascension. He never acted Saiyan anyway. At least Kakkarot displayed a bit of the thirst for battle- why it took him longer, perhaps? It also explained Bardock's eventual success…

Or maybe it was the simple fact that, of the four, he was the only one whom Enma would send to Hell without a second thought. Maybe a pure soul – or a purified soul, he corrected – one that did not possess a vindictive nature but merely did acts of justice… Maybe that was what made a Legendary.

That was ironic, considering the Saiyans' nature.

He wondered, idly, if the Legendary from a thousand years back had been very popular with the rest of his kind.

"Vegeta."

No, he mused, bringing back a thought from a few seconds before. The good news never ended.

Bardock stood before him with a relatively becalmed expression, sharply contrasting the deep-seated hate he had displayed a couple days before. Of course, they were in a completely different situation now; obviously his elder had worked up a bit of self-control within the past forty-eight hours and decided to finish their previous confrontation. There was no child to protect here. Just a prince, a traitor, and an ocean of sand.

The prince smirked. "Come back for a rematch?"

A twitch of annoyance was his reward; the new "control" only went so far. Perhaps not so much had changed, past the scenery. But Bardock regained his cool, allowing only a tad of irritation to convey through his voice. "You can't stay here."

Still smiling sardonically, he felt the corners of his eyes wrinkle with dark mirth. "What, would you prefer I stay with those filthy humans? You may do as you like, but I will not stoop so low as that."

"I didn't come here to listen to your whining, you fool!" He snarled, posture suddenly whirling from benevolence to belligerence. "You cannot stay on this planet. This is why. With what is coming soon, we don't need begrudging royalty whining at our backs! The human Bulma has a ship ready to get you out of here. It's either that, or you try to get stronger to help us."

"Help you?" He repeated dully. Outrage flared at the back of his mind – this third class ordering him around – but those last words were much more intriguing.

"You heard what the future kid had to say." A twinge of something had crossed the traitor's face, Vegeta noted. Was it humor? What was so humorous about that? "We could use an extra hand, but if you don't want to, we don't care. Leave. Get out of here. You've destroyed it once- I'm sure my son's family would be all too pleased to see you go."

The mist of curiosity had dissipated from his mind, replaced with the usual ire. "You're disgusting. A native, you. I almost thought well of you, defying Freeza for so long – almost considered putting aside your cowardice – but you've proven to be no more Saiyan than your weakling grandson."

"There is no point to prove here, Vegeta." At least he hasn't become as docile as Kakkarot. "A traitor to ghosts- what is that? I have performed an act of cowardice in the eye of dust. You are no more royal than the sand beneath our feet, Prince. So you can either accept this fact and join us, or you can get the hell out of here."

"Traitor."

"Enough of this," Bardock scoffed, disgusted. "You cannot be reasoned with. Bulma's ship is ready whenever you are." He turned his back, heading up the curvature of the nearest dune.

"TRAITOR!"

Bardock found his face slammed into the sun-scorched grains, a pain searing across his back. In sheer, instinctual retaliation, he pulled back, left arm snapping out to slam into Vegeta's side; the minute his assaulter fell back, he pulled into a standing position, stance defensive.

The "prince" was shaking with fury, cheeks flamed a deep cherry. "You… filth! You may have forgotten it, but I will not lose what my father has created! Traitor! To forget everything of our culture! I will keep it alive, if you will not! Filth! Traitor!"

"Clinging to an old faith will get you nowhere. You are hated, Vegeta. All of us are, for what we have done- didn't you realize? Those above us hated us, those below us hated us. What you cling to is more filthy than any blood traitor could ever be… Proclaim it as you wish, you are the prince of nothing, as I am the traitor to nothing. I don't know how you got to this planet – I suspect that moron Dende had something to do with it – but we will not put up with your idiocy." He straightened, expression fierce, voice barely above a guttural growl. "Make your decision, Prince, and maybe you'll realize that we are being hospitable compared to the rest of the universe."

Vegeta clenched his jaw. Though slightly dulled, the fury at the back of his throat boiled away. He could feel the heat upon his cheeks still. "I refuse to remain among humble warriors and loyal traitors."

"Then Bulma will be expecting you tonight. You can eat there, and get supplies; then we wait for you to be out of here." Bardock turned away.

Uncertainty, something he hated even more than this scum before him, was suddenly present…

"Perhaps…"

The elder Saiyan twisted, appearing blandly interested. A slight movement along the jaw line was the only giveaway of the pureblood's inner anger as he subtly gritted his teeth; it soon subsided into the overall aloofness.

"Perhaps I will stay."

No shift in expression from Bardock.

He found himself feeling quite small before this low-class warrior. It was not a feeling he welcomed.

A minor reaction; the upper right hand corner of Bardock's mouth twitched in something akin to intrigue. "I could help you train, become one of the Legendary."

Vegeta stared.

"Well, stay or not, I'll be at my son's house if you want to speak with me." For the third – and final – time, Bardock turned and made his way to the top of the sand dune. With a quick flash of ki, he was in the air and arcing into the cloudless sky.

The sand parted easily, but then threw up a grinding resistance as Vegeta slammed a fist deep into it. Why the hell did I do that?

"Why the hell did I just do that!?"

He had to remain calm, he reminded himself. Must keep a level head.

I'm the last of the real Saiyans, they're all fakes, they are.

I will pretend to be cozy with them.

I will learn how to become a Legendary.

…Then I will defeat them all…

The wind poured over the camber of the desert, showering him in biting grain. He gave a bitter smile.


Brilliant pink was bursting across the cerulean-stained sky, followed by orange and yellows of the brightest hue; trees were suddenly transformed from jade giants to golden towers. A soft wind was pulling gently at his ear, whispering the secrets of the grasses and the leaves.

The boy was sleeping through it all.

Pity, Goku thought rather indifferently. An afternoon of watching had mellowed him out at first, but had then taken on a more melancholy tone. Here he was, back on Earth, the place he had strived for for such a long time… But nothing was really all that better. Gohan was down for the count, and that brought down the spirits of everyone around him; the wife that Goku had not seen in years was dedicated to the task of healing their son, the future second son that Goku did not know he would have was both extremely shy and nearly as set on seeing Gohan to a full recovery as his spouse. Of course, it was easier to remove a silent two-year-old from a room than a highly resolute middle-aged mother.

I hate this.

Gohan shifted, mussing the blankets pulled so neatly to his chin. For a breath, a despondent mind imagined his thoughts had been conveyed to the young boy, but then intelligence took over and a hand reached automatically for a nearby vial. The amber liquid within glinted gently, promising some slim hope for those who grasped it.

The child shifted again. A look of distress began to creep its way across what had been an unperturbed expression. With a sigh, the father got to his feet, knowing all too well of what was likely to come; though he had already seen it several times over the past few days, his stomach knotted once again. His fingers grew taut about the ocher object.


It was happening again; he could feel it in his bones, even if he couldn't hear it this time.

He almost felt guilty, leaving Gohan behind while he was sick, but this was an emotion that was easily pushed aside by other matters. Among these was the fact that he could not stand to hear, once more, what he had heard over the past few days- the thing that was stealing his brother away.

The trees seemed to be growing larger with the fall of the sun, stretching their nimble limbs out to the sky which was just beginning to reveal its star-studded nightshade. A nagging voice in the back of his head – one that had taken on the timbre of his older brother's guardian bird – reminded him to return home. The woods were no place for a baby such as himself.

For a baby, most would remark on his level of awareness. Bardock would easily note it as the product of generations of early beginnings – this unique ability to perceive at such a young age was key, for it was what had allowed the Saiyan race to send their infants on missions straight from the cradle. Even before their first birthday, many Saiyan children had destroyed whole cities.

Goten did not know, nor care, about this awareness. All he cared about for the moment was the fact that he was as far away from his past family's house as he could possibly be, and that there were no monsters nearby that were in the mood for a young halfbreed entrée. Usually he would not fear the shadows, because usually there was nothing to fear save a deer or harmless raccoon, but he also was usually accompanied by Icarus, his brother's dragon, or Sarua, his brother's guardian. Or his brother himself.

He settled into the nook of an oak tree's tangled roots, a thick network of ligneous cords unearthed by the wash of past rains. They held easily under his meager weight. Perhaps here, no monsters would look.

He'd asked the future boy – no one had ever told him the boy's name, all he knew was that the boy had come from his own time – about his real brother. The Gohan from his world, the one that was his true brother… Not the one who lay back home, fighting some foreign illness.

The boy had said that he was sleeping.

Goten found this very difficult to believe. The boy had also said that, since his older brother had brought him here, sixteen years had passed. He was supposed to be eighteen years old- two years older than the future boy. He had scrunched up his nose at the idea. Older than his past brother? Older than the strange, purple-haired future boy? No way.

How long had Gohan been sleeping?

Sixteen years was a long time to sleep, if it had been that long; the future boy had not specified how long. Just said he had been sleeping.

'He's been sleeping a long, long time, Goten.'

It made no sense.

A stick cracked.

Suddenly pulled from any daydreams, Goten slammed his back against the solid oak, heart quickening. There was nothing to fear, right? Just… forest animals. No monsters. No such thing as a monster. The hurried thoughts weren't really soothing his panic, though, but feeding it; another twig was shattered, resembling a gunshot to his overly sensitive ears.

No monsters…

Rustle. Snap.

Goten screamed.


"You look like you're enjoying life, Dad," Goku noted in unusual sarcasm as a rather harried-appearing Bardock trudged in the door.

Chi-chi was placing a bowl of rice upon the table; Goku already sat in his usual place, leaning back upon two spindly chair legs. Having already hassled him twice about the precarious balance (and him forgetting within seconds each time), the matron settled for a highly irritated glance in the Saiyan's direction. He returned a joking grin.

Pushing a rather terrified looking child in front of him, the elder managed a half-smirk in his son's direction. "The last thing I needed was to have a kid scare the hell out of me while I was looking for him."

"Wasn't o' purpose," Goten mumbled, clambering monkey-like into his designated chair. It was easy to spot; several pillows were stacked within the seat to ensure that he could reach the table.

Chi-chi briskly pushed his chair in. "You shouldn't go wandering off like that, Goten! There are things in that forest much, much bigger than you, half-Saiyan or not…" She began putting down utensils and plates. "The last thing we need is you getting eaten up by some wild animal… Supposed to be watching over you…" By this point, her mumbles became indiscernible.

Bardock shook his head; he had long before come to the conclusion that his son had selected a psychopath for a mate.

"This looks good, Chi!" Goku cried, losing his former sarcasm in the sight of such delicacies.

His spouse sent him a fierce look. "Wait for me to get you all served before you dig in, you black hole…"

Unaware of the goings-on, Goten stared idly in the direction of the dark room past the kitchen's warm lights. Moonlight was pouring in the open window, shrouding an avian figure upon the desk chair with misty dove.

He glanced up at his past mother. "Sarua havin'?"

"Having… what? Dinner?" Chi-chi glanced off-handedly into her son's room. "I guess not."

Looking troubled, Goten slid off his chair (with none-too-little grace) and trotted into the darkness.

She almost considered berating him – opened her mouth to do it, too – but decided better of it. Father and son chose to glance curiously after, but thought nothing else of it.

Picking up a pair of chopsticks, Bardock started somewhat-casually, "Vegeta went to Capsule Corps. today."

"Oh, good, that rat is leaving?" Chi-chi queried anxiously.

"No- he's going to help us. I think."

Goku seemed to brighten slightly. "He could be a strong ally! I mean, he was my equal for quite awhile – but I wasn't using my ki as much back then. I think he could really become a Super Saiyan."

"Super Saiyan," Bardock snorted. "Legendary, Kakkarot…"

"I don't see how it can be that Legendary if there've been three within the past few years… One of which was a seven-year-old!"

"That would've been a thing to see. The first Legendary in a thousand years, and I missed it…"

Goku began to eye his food once more. "Well, only the King of the Afterlife saw that one… C'mon, Chi-chi, can't we eat yet?"

"Goten!" She called; the child did not reply, nor return to the doorway. Sighing in defeat, she took her seat. "I guess so."


Sarua stirred restlessly when the child entered the room. Sounding quite cranky, the guardian murmured, ((Shouldn't you be at dinner?))

Goten cocked his head, staring at the bird with a certain level of naiveté. "Shouldn't 'ou?"

((Human food? No, I already ate. Now it's your turn.))

He ignored this and stared at the boy whom slept, almost peacefully, on the nearby silver-strewn bed. A damp cloth had been placed across the boy's forehead, chilling the fever that the stricken body had created in hopes of eradicating the virus. It had slowly risen over the last few days, but failed to do much more than cause Chi-chi to worry all the more.

Goten leaned close to his older brother, searching for something that Sarua could not unearth – he mumbled something under his breath, then slowly sank to the floor between desk and bed and sat there in silence, arms wrapped around his knees.

When Chi-chi glanced in a few hours later, he had fallen asleep, head leaning against the softness of the mattress. She imagined he would be upset if she moved him; she settled for draping a blanket around him and separating his left shoulder from the hard frame of the bed with a pillow.

And there he slept.

Sarua wondered for days afterward what the child had said, but supposed only Gohan knew that. Somehow, the bird knew that Gohan had heard his brother's whispered statement.

He hoped that – whatever it had been - it was enough to ensure that one day, someday, Gohan was going to wake up.


Finis Chapter 2


Alright! Finally finished. Sorry this took so long… And it's so short. But Chapter 3's a doozy, that should more than make up for it.

As I said at the beginning (I'm sure some of you skipped it), you can find review responses at my Livejournal account, which is linked on the homepage of my author page. All five of them… But thanks to you five for reviewing! It was cool to hear people's thoughts.

So, here we go with Chapter 3 preview (unnecessary as it may be):

"…Why'd you leave me?"

The fever is gone.

"Now why would he be in Bulma's lab, I wonder?"

"He nearly died."

"Doesn't want to, not yet."

If this kid gets his way…

I will not live to see tomorrow's coming.

So that should be relatively interesting, ne?

I've got four chapters to post tonight, so I better get rolling! Hope you enjoyed the read.