AN: This one is a bit angst for Bardock
Internal Struggle
Videl ran like hell screaming her head off through the jungle. The two-star Dragon Ball in hand and a seventy-two foot man-eater worm just busted out the ground behind her. Diving again making another attempt to swallow the girl whole, Videl jumped missing the iris mouth as it burrowed again.
"WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU GUYS!" she screamed as the mound followed in her wake.
Trees upturned as the mound sped up going around and the worm popped out in front her. Videl jumped back into the canopy leaping around trying to avoid getting eaten at every turn. Glad to see a familiar face as Chichi gathered her ki. Videl sped her way jumping behind her as her teacher unleashed a wave piercing through the creatures' mouth and the back of the head.
Breathing heavily Videl still had enough strength to hang onto a branch. "Arigato Sensei." She said grateful.
All of sudden the ground beneath them erupted—there was more than one after her. The worm jumped up strait for the girl, "VIDEL!" Chichi cried.
Krillen shoved Videl out of the way and was engulfed by the worm, "Krillen-san!" Videl said shocked and flew off seeing the worm was still after her.
It dove again and shot out the ground. Videl flew higher with the worm closing in, and suddenly saw a blond tail and wrapped around her small waist getting plastered back to back. Bardock shot his ki right into the mouth of the worm going straight through the anus obliterating the thing.
"That was close," She breathed being release and screamed again.
"Now what?" Bardock inquired turning to the girl. Maybe that last blast of Ki was bit much the ends of her hair was fried.
Krillen flew up with worm guts all over him. He apparently survived the blast unharmed and surveyed the girl, "Hey it not that bad, being bald."
She started crying.
"What's going on?" Chichi asked and gasped seeing her Pupil and tried to put on a convincing smile, "Um… it's not that bad."
Videl sniffled trying to see it from Chichi's point of view grabbing one of her pigtails, sadly… it crumbled away.
OoO
Bulma stepped out of the way with scissors in hand, smiling proudly at her work, "So what do you think guys?"
They weren't sure what to say, until Bardock spoke up. "She looks like a boy." Chichi elbowed him for the comment. "What? One of my old teammates has hair that short. At least you're not a Saiyan, it'll grow back."
Videl sighed depressed, then got angry. "This is all your fault, you know!"
"You volunteered kid."
She tried to argue but folded her arms and grumbled. "Bakayaro"
"Videl!" Chichi scolded.
"Well that's two down," Bulma noted, "and by the time we have all seven of the Black Star Dragon Balls your hair should be back to its original length, Videl."
"Enough," Bardock was getting tired of the subject, "how far until the next Dragon Ball?"
Bulma went to the Capsule no. 1 ships computer typing in a few commands, "No more than a weeks trip away. Even so I'm getting tired of being cooped up in here. Why don't we stick around at least for overnight and find a place to rest up?"
"You just want to go shopping again," Krillen said.
"Yeah well it's better than being stuck in here with you guys all day!"
"We could use a break," Chichi agreed.
"Just for overnight," Bardock said heading out, "But we're not spitting up."
OoO
Later that night…
"-MEH…HAHHHH!" Goku released his signature attack point blank into Kakarot's chest.
The King of all Saiyans cried out in his father's ear while the wave tore through him. Bardock tightened his grip on Kakarot holding him still. It was tearing him up inside having to bring an end to his youngest son's life…
"Kakarot!" Bardock sat awake in a cold sweet, bumping his head into Krillen's bunk.
"What is with this Kakarot guy?" Krillen groggily asked having been rudely awakened.
"What?" He asked confused seeing Krillen hanging over the side. Now I know why I don't sleep, Bardock tore the covers off leaving the room to be alone.
All ready used to Bardock's rude behavior Krillen just shrugged it off taking no offense. "None of my business I guess," and went back to sleep.
Leaving the inn, it was the same no matter where he'd gone. Being haunted by his decision when ever he closed his eyes, made it hard for Bardock to find rest anywhere.
"Even if you could go back in time, would you really do things differently?" Bardock heard Kakarot's taunting voice again, "How would that benefit those that were suffering?"
"What are you doing still up?" Chichi asked pulling him back to reality.
It was odd for him running into her alone on the street. "I could ask you the same," He countered.
"Still having nightmares?" she guessed with a sad smirk.
That one caught him off, "You knew?" Chichi only nodded saying nothing, "the others?"
"They don't know. That's just how you woke up after the Dragon Balls had scattered."
"I see," Bardock tried shaking off the returning exhaustion. "You still haven't said why you're up."
"I tried contacting Turles again," Chichi gaze sadly fell to the floor, "He hasn't found anything on my brother's yet."
"Why do you refer to them as siblings?"
"Why do you keep having dreams about the same guy?" figuring she'd play around with him.
Bardock growled, "Forget it!"
"I didn't mean to offend," Chichi nervously backed away. "Gee, we'll have a hard time working together with an attitude like that!" She smiled, trying to make herself friendly. "Anyone ever tell you, you need a sense of humor?"
"Yeah… so..." he said monotone. Remembering him asking the same thing, did they really have to remind Bardock so much of Kakarot?
Right at that very moment it started raining. Coming prepared Chichi took out her umbrella, "Need some cover?" She offered.
"No thanks." Bardock said, preferring the comfort of the rain. Then smirked, "Why are you being such a charity case, anyway?"
Chichi only smiled taking no offense, "it's only common courtesy." She paused, "care to join me?"
He wasn't about to let her go by herself seeing what happened on the last planet. "Sure."
Her smile brightened, Bardock had to look away. Not very many women could affect him like this, sending a sharp sting throughout his body, fireworks as they call it. Chichi however took it as disgust folding her arms a bit pissed.
She led the way.
"The kids not too pissed off?" Bardock started more as small talk.
Chichi was surprised expecting Bardock to only be a silent companion, "She'll get over it," and smiled, "don't worry. I'm just glad I won't have to report to her father she died by a worm."
"Never catch a Saiyan being that overprotective."
"Still, when it's your only child you want to preserve your only means of immortality," Bardock snorted offended. Chichi was unsure of what to say next bringing an awkward silence. Stealing a glance, "Does this have anything to do with your nightmares?"
"Another lifetime not worth going into," Bardock said surprising himself he didn't blow up at the question.
"Huh…" Chichi said confused.
"Why exactly do you refer to them as brothers when there is no relation?" Bardock asked again attempting to stay away from telling his own tragic history.
Turned away from the beautifully drizzling sight, Chichi admired another one next to her. "It's a bit of a long story."
"We have the time."
"All right then. I guess you could say I've grown up along side them." She returned her gaze on the rain in front of her and smirked. "I met Yamcha first. We had a real bad run in with each other after I had cut off a dinosaurs head."
Quirking an eyebrow, Bardock wondered if he heard her right.
"I thought he was another attacker so I attacked him. Only… he knocked me out." Chichi sighed at her childhood defeat, "But he came back saying some weird things, like proclaiming his love as an apology. He runs off, I meet Bulma and she gives me a ride to Master Roshi's. I later train with him. When I returned home to help put the fire Yamcha was there again. After he helps us out my Father goes and asks if he wanted to marry me?"
"Seems he's been trying to marry you off for a while now," Bardock said at the lighter mood.
"Yes, it sure does seem like it. Yamcha declined, much to my relief, saying I was young enough to be his younger sister. But since he was afraid of Bulma at the time we saw him off and on. I later trained with both Krillen and Yamcha under Master Roshi. I had to hide all of his dirty magazines in order to get some respect. Tien and Choutzu were taught under Master Roshi's rival Master Crane. Our rivalry ended when Demon King Piccolo resurfaced. After getting rid of him, Piccolo was spat out through an egg.
"We dealt with him again and Krillen was better prepared this time. But he didn't finish him off, showing Piccolo compassion.
"All of us later fought Cell, but what was confusing is how he said he was searching for his perfect form. Saying he was hunting down two androids call Seventeen and Eighteen." Bardock swallowed at those names, Kakarot's right hand people, "We'd become a powerful team by then. Videl took care of Cell but her father shamelessly took credit. It was sometime after that we first met…" Chichi trailed off, catching herself recovered, "Well… that is… when you came to Earth and everything around it."
"You're not that great at telling stories are you?" Bardock said matter-of-factly.
"Uh-" Chichi blushed embarrassed, "Well I did just summarize."
"It's all right. I'm no better myself either."
"Oh!" Chichi then remembered, reaching into her shirt, "by the way I meant to give this to you while back."
Bardock quirked an eyebrow getting the wrong idea, as Chichi pulled out a piece of Parchment, "oh." he said disappointed.
She huffed, "What'd you think I was doing?"
"Do you really want to know?" he asked smirking.
Chichi said nothing not wanting to provoke an answer she all ready knew. Bardock opened the frail Parchment in the safety of the umbrella, taking a breath remembering the blunder on the Lookout.
"The missing piece," Bardock safely tucked it away into his wrist band until he could return it with the other scrolls. "Thanks."
"I'm not sure what it can do now, but it might help out our situation."
"We could us some manner of good fortune."
"Say, when this is all over and if we have time? How about I show you our planet, Earth?"
"Seems like a fair trade considering I've been showing you the universe."
"So, is that a yes?"
Bardock had a playful smirk, "Why not?" he gave his cryptic acceptance.
"Also," Chichi called his attention, "I've been meaning to ask… why did you wish the Earth back?"
"Falls into stuff not worth going into," he said, smirk disappearing, not wanting to go further into it.
"Well," she folded her arms, "you'd think a member of Earth deserves to know how her planet came back." trying to goad him.
"I'm telling you to just drop it," Bardock lowered his voice.
"Why?" She narrowed her eyes challenging him, "So you fixed something that Jerk did. That's nothing to be ashamed of."
Bardock narrowed his eyes at Chichi, even to this day nobody insults his son. He tightly placed a hand on the bold woman's shoulder, wincing more out of fear than anything. "His name was Kakarot and he didn't destroy Earth." Bardock brought his index and middle to his forehead taking her back to the inn. "I did." And let go.
Chichi backed away in disbelief then steeled herself, "You're joking… right?"
"Not one for humor, remember?" Chichi was stunned, "still trust me now?" Bardock asked, mentally kicking himself for revealing the truth.
"Actually… I do." It was her turn to confuse Bardock, "you trusted me enough to tell the truth. I know it might be a while before we can actually fully trust each other. But we have to give each other a chance… for Earth… maybe even the entire Galaxy. So what do you say?"
Bardock was silent for a moment, "I'd say put the umbrella away," he smirked, "we're indoors."
Chichi laughed putting the umbrella away, "Good night Bardock-kun."
Bardock quirked an eyebrow, "What does that mean anyway? The kid said something earlier that I didn't understand either."
"Um, she is a kid after all. Does that really matter?"
"Not really, no. Good night then."
A/N: Newly revised! Good night!
