A/N: Hey Guys and Gals! I'm back!

School has been taking up much of my time and believe me when I say it hasn't been easy. Luckily, one more semester and I'm a college grad. But yeah, apologies for the delay. I had a good portion of this chapter done for weeks but got sidetracked with so much. But luckily, this week gives me time to setup the next arc and future chapters. So before we go into the story, I want to get some things off my chest.

1) I've recently picked up Assassin's Creed Odyssey and believe me when I say it is a gem. I've barely gotten started and I already like the game due to all the weapons and armors being presented. Plus from my initial observation, the game is similar to Syndicate in terms of offering Characters a different way to play. Plus Spartans are awesome! So yeah, I plan on giving a more thorough review once I've gotten a good feel on the characters and gameplay.

2) The Final Season of Fairy Tail is up and although it is subbed, I've enjoyed it so far. But it's based off the Manga like every other series so I highly doubt the show will stray too far away from what we're expecting. Especially when it comes to Natsu and Lucy. Yes we understand he's not a romantic in any way shape or form. But some closure would be nice. If Natsu and Lucy would kiss and be done with it I would be satisfied. Anyways, expect me to get the season pass for the show once it's dubbed.

3) Fairy Tail 100 Year Quest is the Sequel to Fairy Tail as I said before. Truth is it won't be incorporated into this story but will be incorporated into my other one which is big. And by big I do mean huge. I'm hoping Mashima brings the fans closure with regards to Natsu and Lucy at some point. That's all I want. And for everyone who's been finding a way to ready the Sequel online... thoughts on the Gajeel and Levy development just message me so we avoid spoilers.

4) My thoughts on High School DXD... why? Incredbile powerful characters who are subjugated to the fact the entire series is nothing but glorified fan-service. Yes I'll admit that there are so many beautiful girls in that show but they waste their time on a pathetic loser like Issei. He's done nothing but react to every single situation and his sole goal is just to have a bunch of women. That's his sole reason for getting stronger and quite honestly the goal is a load of BS. True he wants to protect his friends and family but his glaring goal of trying to be a harem king kind of supersedes it. Plus I just downright don't like Issei in general. Compared to every other Anime hero, Issei is weak in power and in character. Reason why if I ever go through with doing a DXD crossover, I'm showing the little rat no mercy. There will be no harems but there will be romance and intrigue.

5) I got ideas for a crossovers involving Roxas, Axel and Namine from Kingdom Hearts. Plus I got ideas for crossovers featuring Final Fantasy characters that don't often get to shine on the site. Come on guys, let's give our favorite characters some love!

Last thing, my profile has been updated with a Preferred pairings list. That's right, any pairings I prefer will be featured in all my fics and I will only make changes if I see the need for it.

All that said, let's get you into the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.

Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.

Sometime Later

Era

Magic Council HQ

You the reader are probably wondering where we are in the story? Time for a helluva good recap.

You see…

It all started when the Father of Goku went on a suicide run to stop Frieza from blowing up his world and avenge his team. Even despite the odds of imminent death, Bardock fought on. In the end, Frieza beat him and killed the Saiyan race with just a flick of the wrist. Of course as you know the story doesn't end there.

A mysterious figure, who Bardock guessed was a Saiyan, has saved him at the very last second and sent him here to Earth Land on a very important mission. Aptly, the Saiyan Rebel proceeded on the only way he knew how by gathering as much information as possible. He also ran into a fun loving group of oddballs or 'fruitcakes' as he so named them. This group is known as Fairy Tail, the strongest wizard guild in the kingdom of Fiore, one of several nations (or countries if you prefer) on the Eastern most continent Ishgar.

In the span of a few weeks, Bardock has settled in nicely while also building a reputation for himself. His recent deeds include beating five Vulcans in under 30 seconds (a deed mainly known to those at Fairy Tail and the town of Magnolia), aiding in the destruction of the Dark Guild Eisenwald and singlehandedly defeating Lullaby, a demon from the Book of Zeref.

Of course, making an impact as big as he did was bound to get attention. And who might notice our warrior from another universe? The glorious geezers of the Magic Council! Although to be fair, not everyone on the council was the definition of old. Because as of now you had two of the younger members conversing about recent events following the meeting with the rest of their fellow councilman.

"Well that was entertaining. I've never seen the council so shaken up before. If the threat to their power was something, the mention of that man was entirely different." A feminine voice said.

Sitting behind a desk in a rather spacey office was a young man with blue hair, a red tattoo over his right eye, wearing a long sleeve button up shirt with an ornate design on the collar. His aura emanated one of dominance, cockiness and what most women in his presence would amount to suave. This young man was Councilman Siegrain, one of the Ten Wizard Saints and the 10th seat of the Magic Council.

"It matters not. Fairy Tail has once again done things in such a grand fashion and not only that, defeated an etherious created by The Black Wizard himself. The old farts will do all they can to save face." Siegrain said with a smirk.

Sitting across from him, wearing a shortened version of a kimono with purposely longer sleeves is a young, beautiful (she is drop dead sexy okay) woman with dark purple hair and red eyes that are close to crimson. This woman's name is Ultear Milkovich, 9th seat of the Magic Council and where her loyalties lie is clearly an unknown.

"Even so I'm rather curious myself. This man was a complete unknown until recently. And those abilities he showcased are nothing to scoff at either." Ultear stated with smile.

Siegrain let out a chuckle as a response. The man was the youngest member of the council, the youngest wizard saint and a very deadly politician as well as tactician. He had secrets among secrets and a plan that could very well change the world. For now he would simply bide his time and play his role to perfection.

"Is the interest in this 'Bardock' personal or professional Miss Milkovich?" The blue haired man said as he propped his chin on his interlaced fingers.

"Purely professional I assure you." Ultear waved off.

At this, Siegrain merely hummed and shrugged it off, turning around to view the scenery.

("Although… the council did give me the assignment to escort him personally. Maybe being alone with a man like him wouldn't be too bad.") Ultear thought with a growing smile.

Meanwhile

Morning

Magnolia

Fairy Tail Guild hall

Ah yes… the rambunctious guild known as Fairy Tail.

Fresh off of their victory, Fairy Tail's strongest team and Fairy Tail's resident Saiyan were welcomed home by thunderous applause and shouts of praise. Bardock somehow managed to not get mobbed by the crowd but did enjoy the rather generous offer of food that was served.

To everyone's shock and surprise, Bardock ate everything in sight and even beat Natsu in a food eating contest. It was almost as if the man was a bottomless pit. If they only knew the truth…

Anyways, sometime before the party ended, Natsu had made the announcement that he and Erza were going to have a fight one on one. Bardock had left after getting his fill of food so he wasn't there when the announcement had happened nor was he able to witness the chaos that broke out due to Cana willing to take all wagers and bets for the fight that would happen the very next day.

Once everything died down, Natsu with Happy by his side, escorted Lucy back to her apartment. Since they first met, Natsu and Lucy had been getting rather chummy of late, despite the fact the Fire breather had too much energy for her to handle at times. Still they couldn't deny they were becoming good friends despite all the craziness they experienced together. During the Everlue job, Natsu had even come to defend Lucy's beauty when the man with the ugliest mustache on the planet insulted her. After Lucy dealt Everlue the knockout blow, she rewarded Natsu with a hug and a thank you for backing her up to which his usual reply was the 'Dragneel grin'.

After a quick conversation and a good night, the trio separated to their respective homes for a night of rest before the next day came. Gray went home with barely any clothing and contemplated on recent events. The Ice mage never really knew what to make of Bardock. His initial observations like everyone else were 'intimidating', 'confident' and 'strong'. But he could never imagine how strong Bardock was without witnessing it in person. Once he did, Gray was thrilled to have him in the guild and for once actually thought of thanking his rival for bringing him here. He snorted at his own suggestion before going into a peaceful sleep.

The Redhead knight of Fairy Tail had very much enjoyed the festivities despite the gnawing feeling she and possibly the other members of her impromptu team might have to answer to the Council soon. Of course, Mira pulled her away from her negative thoughts with her favorite delicacy… Strawberry Cake! Erza had this overwhelming weakness for a lot of sweets, mainly Strawberry Cake due to the fact she grew up on the stuff (there are many theories of what sweets do to a young woman's body, Erza has more than proven it is no longer theory but fact… in a good way of course).

Other than indulging on her obsession of the greatest sweet in the world (in her opinion obviously), she conversed with her guild and recounted the events which unfolded when her and the team fought Eisenwald. Even after hearing firsthand accounts from Natsu, Happy, Lucy and Gray a great majority of the guild still had a hard time believing that the mystery man known as Bardock was simply that strong. He could have easily decimated Eisenwald's ranks by himself but showed great restraint by letting the rest of team have some fun. After enjoying some more cake and idle conversation, Erza made her way to Fairy Hills, the all female dormitory for Fairy Tail. That night, Titania couldn't help but let her mind wander on the many things that occupied it.

First was the fight she promised Natsu. She loved the young man like a brother, same as Gray. Erza had always seen herself as the big sister figure to both the rivals known as 'Fire and Ice', keeping them in line when their shenanigans got out of hand or destroyed her precious cake. As a role model and S-Class mage, Erza saw great potential for growth in both boys but had seen that Natsu had a higher potential of the two, him being a Dragon Slayer and all. But given Natsu's rambunctious and fiery nature, he would have a hard time harnessing that potential if he didn't train seriously enough. Erza shoved that thought to focus on what really bothered her somewhat.

It was the unknown warrior with a scar, unique armor and a stylish bandana that also occupied her thoughts. When she first met the man she was immediately put off by how standoffish he seemed. She didn't even hear much about him upon her return because her sole focus was on having the numbers to stop Eisenwald (yet she somehow hears about Lucy doing a mission with Natsu… weird). Despite not knowing or even trusting him, she let him participate in the battle to keep Eisenwald from killing innocent people. It paid off and she was immediately impressed by his skill and show of power nearly beating an entire Dark Guild by himself while also beating a demon that was one of Zeref's creations. However, she did have lingering doubts due to the man's… well with the shape Erigor was in following what everyone knew was an unfair fight, Erza was more or less on edge. To have enough power where you can punch off someone's limb? It couldn't have been normal magic.

Speaking of… what was Bardock's magic anyways? In her earlier conversations with the trio of Natsu, Happy and Lucy she discovered that Bardock, according to them, didn't use magic at all. To make things even more confusing, even he didn't know what to call it except 'his energy'. Not wanting to dwell more on the issue of the guild's newest member, she allowed herself to be taken into the dream world.

Going back to the resident Saiyan… Bardock decided to stop by the guild in the morning for more of Mira's awesome cooking (he couldn't help himself the night before due to his metabolism) and possibly finding himself a job to go on. Before he could do any of that, Makarov called him into his office for something akin to a mission debrief. Upon entering, the Saiyan Rebel couldn't help but pity the old master for the amount of paperwork he suffered through on a daily basis, especially with the council breathing down Fairy Tail's neck every waking moment.

The two men engaged in somewhat friendly conversation talking about the party, certain members of the guild and the Eisenwald incident. Without any warning, the friendly, relaxing atmosphere got tense once they both got down to business. Although Makarov was pleased with Bardock for backing up Erza and her team, he was a bit disturbed by what Bardock had done to Eisenwald's ace. Bardock didn't show a hint of regret, stating that Eisenwald was lucky he was holding back or the members of said Dark Guild would have ended up in the dirt six feet under. Makarov vehemently stressed that Light Guilds like Fairy Tail don't kill their enemies unless absolutely necessary to which Bardock replied "A Noble sentiment but stupid". Bardock then went on to lecture that he was a warrior and a former soldier, living by the age old rule of survival "Kill or Be Killed". Before exiting the office, Bardock stressed to Makarov that he would keep the brats of Fairy Tail safe by any means and if they mean anything to the elder Dreyar, the Saiyan would have the final say.

So now with everything said and done, Bardock was enjoying the many helpings of breakfast Mira could cook up for him.

"Damn…" Macao muttered.

Meanwhile, the rest of the guild stared in awe, disgust and rather sick fascination as someone other than Natsu cleaned out the kitchen. Bardock had become a literal vacuum for food since last night. Especially once everyone... repeat EVERYONE heard his stomach grumble. Hell, the man wasn't even embarrassed at all and just commented on how hungry he was. Many were worried that due to Bardock's Bad Boy-ish personality he would lack table manners and Mira might have to reprimand him. Even a bigger shock came when he had some manners in saying 'Please' or 'Thanks'.

"Where in the hell is he putting all that food?" Wakaba wondered aloud.

"Who knows? One thing is for sure though, that guy got better muscles than us." Macao replied as he scratched his goatee.

"No kiddin'…" Wakaba said before taking a puff of his cigar.

Nearby some were keeping count of the plates the Saiyan was going through. Murmurs broke out that he would break his own record from last night after beating Natsu. Meanwhile Mira had come back and bless her heart, had the most angelic smile on her face despite the fact she could be worked to the bone cooking for one of her new favorite patrons.

"Oh my! I guess we were hungry now weren't we?" She said with a giggle.

Bardock patted his now full stomach after he stood from the table. He let out a content sigh before helping Mira with the dishes.

"Thanks for the food Mira. I owe ya. Your cooking is pretty incredible." Bardock complimented.

After successfully getting all the dirty dishes to the sinks in the back, the two walked back out to the bar. She placed a hand on his right shoulder before giving it a good pat. While doing so, she noticed the man was built like granite. She envied how great a shape he could stay in even with all the food he ate.

"Well I'm glad you liked it! If you ever want more, don't hesitate to ask!"

He grunted and smirked at the offer. The Saiyan could obviously get used to Mira's heavenly cooking. Although he knew it wouldn't last long if he didn't start getting paid soon.

"I'll keep that in mind but you know I hunt for myself right?"

"Even so, if you ever want to eat here our doors are open."

To that, Bardock let out a short chuckle before taking a seat at the bar. He honestly could get used to this. This place reminded him a lot of home other than the fact this place was occupied by fruitcakes and weak excuses for enemies.

"Sure."

"Just one warning though."

Behind the serene smile that was Mirajane the angel… was the hidden, sinister smile of Mira the She-Devil. She may not be an active mage anymore but by god the sexy minx sure could send shivers down a man's spine… in both good and bad ways of course. However, Bardock was not phased when the bartender and waitress brought out her dark aura.

"Yeah?" Bardock prompted with a raised eyebrow.

"No sneaking food out of storage like Natsu. Otherwise there will be… consequences." Mira warned with the most sinister yet serene smile.

Although she could be counted within the growing number of fruitcakes he knew, Bardock thought very fondly of Mira. Sure, during his life the only people that treated him with true kindness or even great respect were Gine and his team, but to experience something of this level was refreshing. And even though she was subtly threatening him, he decided to go along and nod in understanding.

"Well, I'm off!" The white haired beauty chirped.

As she left, a mug of ale and a bottle of water was right in front of her Saiyan customer. Once he saw Mira run off, he turned his gaze towards his drinks. He let out a somewhat content sigh as he allowed himself to relax a little.

("Damn. She sure is something. Reminds me of someone I knew once.") Bardock mused internally.

Of course the Bar-Maid had reminded Bardock of his true love and caring wife Gine. Of all the times he saw her, there was always that smile she had. And to boot she had a bubbly personality paired with an attitude that exuded someone that didn't take any mess. At first, she was just the perfect mate. A being who simply could carry Bardock's genes in order to further the survival and existence of the Saiyan race. But as time progressed, he saw Gine as something more. For so long Bardock was just a ruthless soldier who only cared about eating, sleeping and his team. When she entered the scene… things changed and possibly for the better. Don't get things twisted though. Bardock would still slaughter populations if ordered to but at the same time he had grown a heart. And the primary cause was the woman he could call his wife. Not a mere mate like all other Saiyans. Bardock could in good pride and joy say he found someone he was willing to spend his life with. And with some spark of happiness, Bardock could say each day that he had a home to go back to. Truth was Gine was all he ever needed… well her and his sons.

During Bardock's little trip down memory lane, someone got his attention by tapping him on his sleeve covered forearm. Letting out a curious hum and glancing to his right he took in the sight he saw.

"Hey there." A feminine voice greeted albeit flirtingly.

Sitting there with a sultry grin was Cana Alberona. As usual she wore capri jeans, black sandals and one of her many bikini tops. Today's order included a green and orange striped bikini top with blue strings. Bardock could tell the woman was attractive and was quickly deciphering if she was about to flirt with him or was trying to. Spend enough time with Fasha and you tend to read women well when it comes to flirting. He gave Tora hell when he couldn't tell she was into him. Fun times…

Speaking of fun, Cana with a grin still present, took a stool and hopped, literally hopped over next to Bardock. For some odd reason, the Saiyan couldn't help but wonder what the girl was thinking. He knew she was different from the other women of Fairy Tail he had come in contact with so far but he didn't know how different.

"Name's Cana. Don't think we've talked to each other yet handsome." Cana greeted as she stretched out a hand.

Yep. She was definitely going to flirt with him. If his heart weren't tied to another's he would think the whole thing over. His ego got a boost because after all the hell he had been through… he still got it!

"Bardock. If you haven't heard from the kid yet, I'm surprised. He loves to run his mouth among other things." The man said, giving a brief shake of her hand.

"Oh I know who you are. Everyone does." Cana said as she retracts her hand to steady the keg in her grasp.

To this statement, the warrior merely grunted and went back to drinking his ale. The stuff was nowhere near as good as the brew Saiyans cooked up but it had a great taste to it. Cana set her keg down and leaned over, propping her elbows on the bar and her head on her interlaced fingers. If anything she looked like a smitten schoolgirl.

"First you save Macao's crazy butt from some Vulcans, then you beat an entire dark guild almost singlehandedly and to top it all off you go blow away an entire league hall with a demon on top. Tell me something…"

As she trailed off, Fairy Tail's resident drunk got a little too close for comfort and whispered in the Saiyan Rebel's ear.

"Is that strength just for fighting or do you reserve it for 'other things' too?"

At the suggestive response, Bardock blinked several times before letting a low chuckle.

"Hey! What's so funny?" Cana playfully pouted.

The Saiyan took a sip of his ale before giving a response.

"Nothing. Just… you remind me of a good friend I used to know." He said with a smirk.

"Really?" She asked curiously.

To this he gave a simple nod and continued to smirk away.

"Yeah."

Bardock took another sip and Cana waited until the right moment to see what he meant. Fortunately or unfortunately, she got her response.

"That and if my wife were here, she'd kill both of us."

"What?! Why both of us?! And what do you mean wife?!" Cana shrieked.

Now this was just downright hilarious. It wasn't Bardock's first time at the rodeo and it sure wouldn't be the last. But he sure was getting a kick out of Cana's reaction to the fact he indeed was married. Even though some details were left out intentionally.

"You for flirting and me for going along with it. Oh yeah… I am married by the way." Bardock stated with a smirk still evident.

At this statement, a dark cloud hung over Cana has she groaned and whined at what she believed was a lost opportunity. Not only that, she was hoping not to face the wrath Bardock's betrothed. Said Saiyan had done this little dance before. Even when people knew of him and his family, there were Saiyan females willing to take their chances. And every time he would just shoot them down and warn them of how scary the mother of his sons was. This was never more true when Bardock had his squad over and they made a mess of his home. Gine may not have been a true Saiyan warrior but she could still strike fear in the hearts of even the strongest of men. In the end, Bardock learned his lesson that day… as the Earthling saying goes 'Happy Wife, Happy Life'.

"I'm kidding. My wife would actually like you." Bardock said before taking another sip of ale.

"Jerk." Cana said with a mock pout of anger.

At that response the rebel let out a short chuckle before turning his gaze downward. He stared at his reflection in his drink before several images of Gine popped in his mind. When the images came, he let slip something he was meaning to keep to himself.

"That is… if my wife were alive right now…"

And just like that the atmosphere soured. Cana was surprised to hear that Bardock was even married to begin with. But it was also shocking and disheartening to hear that Bardock's wife was no longer in the world of the living. Although she was hoping to learn more about the man, her subtle teasing and flirting (really not all that subtle) had unintentionally brought out a bad memory and unwanted heartache.

"Sorry…" Cana sincerely apologized.

"It's fine. I just hope wherever she is… she finds peace."

Bardock honestly didn't know whether or not his wife was alive or if she was off world when Frieza got paranoid and wiped out the Saiyans. He wanted to believe that she saw the betrayal coming like he did but that thought was squashed. Since he was able to settle down after coming to Earth Land, he played through all the possible scenarios and only two stood out: that Gine somehow survived thanks to his mysterious ally… or she died when Planet Vegeta was turned into space dust.

Deep down he held onto the first option even though he knew it would be easier just to believe the second. He never wanted to have false hope and after the experiences he went through as a soldier, the lesson stayed with him. Meanwhile, Cana had noticed the somewhat melancholic tone in Bardock's voice and the slightly pained look in his strong onyx eyes. Quite possibly the strongest man in Fairy Tail had also suffered heartbreak just like she did. She may not know the details of what happened in his life to make him suffer a loss like that but a part of her wanted to. After all, Bardock was a member of Fairy Tail. And being a member of Fairy Tail also means being a part of a family. So instead of wanting to be his lover, she would more than happily be his friend.

"Can I ask you something?" Cana prompted.

"Sure."

"When I'm not making bad decisions while drinking, could you tell me about yourself sometime?"

At first the Saiyan was taken aback by the request. Here he was in another universe, surrounded by what amounted to the strangest people he had ever met. Fairy Tail for sure was a bunch of fruitcakes and even so they did a lot of good for their kingdom. They were all strangers to him… or at least he thought so. In a short amount of time, he had earned a reputation amongst them and the citizens of the kingdom. In a short amount of time he had been able to say he could call these lovable oddballs comrades. Despite everything he went through before, Bardock even thought of, hoped mind you, that he would one day call them all… friends.

Sparing the brunette a glance, he saw her with a hopeful, much for cheerier smile than what she had before. Even though the flirtatious nature in her smile from before was genuine, the one sporting her lovely visage was just as much so. He offered her the smirk he sometimes sported on his hardened face and raised his mug as to toast to a new deal. One she would happily oblige to. Without wasting any time, the card user grabbed her own mug, already filled with liquor from her keg and raised next to Bardock's own mug filled with ale.

"You got a deal Miss Alberona."

Their mugs clanked, signaling a toast and an agreement. They both took a drink from their respective mugs before Cana let out a content sigh, feeling much better from her earlier slip up.

"Welp! I'm going to go swig this down before the fight!" Cana chirped as she stood up.

"Fight?" Bardock questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Cana gave him an incredulous look before she slapped her forehead in realization.

"Oh right! Guess you weren't here when the announcement was made."

She quickly recovered before setting her keg down next to nearby table. She placed her fists on her hips and gave a gleaming grin so typical of her.

"Natsu and Erza are having a friendly match outside the guild in an hour. And the bets are already lining up!" she exclaimed, clearly excited.

Bardock was already out of his seat and walked over in front of her. He crossed his arms and looked her dead in the eyes while she looked down at him with a grin still present.

"Don't know why you're so excited. Erza's going to win anyways." Bardock stated with a shrug.

"Oh I know! Not only will she win but she'll be making me a lot of money!"

"That's not what I meant. Her power is greater than Natsu's right now."

At this Cana could only let out a sigh. She then sat cross legged on the edge of the table as she leaned back on her hands.

"Everyone knows that. I just doubt he knows it for his own good. One of these days that fire breathing idiot is going to get hurt picking fights he knows he can't win." Cana said somewhat tiredly.

"Then maybe he should train more." Bardock said in response.

"What like you?" Cana prompted with a raised brow.

To this the Saiyan merely let out a chuckle. It was awfully humorous to think that a Dragon Slayer could withstand the punishment Bardock put himself through. Even with the enhanced strength and reflexes, Natsu wasn't up to the durability of a Saiyan. Saiyans were a warrior race whose bodies were made to be downright tanks with enough speed and agility to rival that of the fastest vehicles as well as land animals. In short, if Natsu wanted to be strong he needed to work for it but in no way would he reach Bardock's level. And there's no way Natsu would last a day doing the training regimen Bardock put himself through. If the pink haired teen could do it then Bardock would be rather impressed with the boy's willpower.

"Nah. My workouts would be hell to anyone, including him." Bardock stated with a smirk.

"Damn. That tough huh?" Cana chuckled out.

He chuckled again as he walked past her towards the door. He stopped halfway before glancing over his shoulder ending the banter with one last statement before leaving.

"You have no idea."

1 Hour Later

The Saiyan Rebel had decided to do a quick workout to burn off some of his meal before deciding to head back and watch the fight. Also in the time he was training he had worked on his Ki sensing abilities as well as Ki suppression skills as well. The Saiyan Rebel had a keen tactical mindset when it came to dealing with opponents whether it be with overwhelming force or simply outsmarting them. He quickly figured that factoring in his overall Ki abilities would play a role in his mission.

Bardock was also working on additional Ki related abilities he had learned simply through his dreams and visions. His son and his son's allies were quite resourceful while also having the increasing potential for growth in many areas. They had a chance against Nappa and Vegeta. Albeit it was a small chance but a chance nonetheless. So Bardock pressed on incorporating some moves while dismissing others. The Saiyan would do a test run on these new moves on his first job to test their effectiveness.

That first job would come after he sees this fight the whole guild was interested in. In honest he thought it would be good to watch and gauge the potential of the people he was going to be working with for the foreseeable future. He knew the whole guild wouldn't last against him if they all came out at him whether it be together or in waves, but he was going to humor himself and see what they were capable of. Fairy Tail's strongest team didn't disappoint him when they stopped Eisenwald but they didn't impress him either. The fruitcakes that were possibly Fairy Tail's best assembled team couldn't exactly live up to the name on their first assignment together. To be fair, Bardock could take some of the blame for the fact he stole their thunder in certain aspects. He beat Erigor, destroyed the demon, or etherious as they were known as, called Lullaby and could have easily defeated the entire Eisenwald guild on his own.

The press had been running with similar thoughts to the Saiyan's own. The press and the citizens commended Natsu and the others for their efforts but a slight majority that was turning into an overwhelming majority of credit going towards Fairy Tail's newest member. He prioritized staying out of the spotlight so he wouldn't make himself an easy target. If these mysterious enemies were as strong and if not stronger than he was, the press wasn't helping him one bit by doing all the bragging he disciplined himself to never do (although if he were in a good fight he would enjoy it because after all it's in his blood). In short… Bardock hates the spotlight and he has no need for fame because it just attracts the enemy.

With the fight fast approaching, Bardock decided to seek out familiar faces and walk the rest of the way back to the guild. Although flying didn't take away huge amounts of energy from him, he was aiming for a distraction or someone to strike conversation with. Which is why he found himself walking between Lucy and Gray at the moment.

Lucy was a sweet girl, a bit naïve too. She had her annoying habits too but she had a kind heart. Bardock could tell from day one since they met the Celestial Mage was hiding something. Whether or not her secrets and background were going to be a pain to deal with later was to be determined. In terms of magic power or power in general, she was the weakest link and he could easily tell the girl had self-esteem issues primarily in that regard. He noticed it when he tagged along to rescue Macao and definitely could tell when he beat both Erigor and Lullaby not too long ago. If she wanted to be the best wizard possible and impress that fire breather she started to get attached to, she was going to have to work her ass off or get thrown to the wolves.

Gray was different or as different as he could be given what Bardock had seen. The boy's clothes magically disappeared at random only to be briefly explained as a stripping habit he picked up from his teacher. Speaking of, in the brief conversations when Gray's teacher was brought up, there was the noticeable flash of sadness in the Ice wizard's eyes. Most didn't see it but Bardock did. Other than an unspoken past, Gray was always one to maintain a cool demeanor but also show his friendly side as well. But his calm and coolness went out of the window whenever Natsu was around to aggravate him. If he could be easily provoked by a rival, who is to say that an enemy can't easily provoke him as well. Bardock was well known for his temper as well as his energy but since coming here, he'd got a good handle on it. If only Tora and the others could see him now…

The trio was only several minutes away from the guild and they had walked in comfortable silence since Bardock met up with the blonde and raven haired teens. Lucy knew Bardock was a good man but she rarely had a chance to strike up a good conversation with him. Gray didn't feel like possibly getting on the wrong side of a man who could rival the master or Fairy Tail's Ace while also carrying the same type of authority as Erza. After all, Bardock could have handled the Eisenwald incident by himself and the scary part was the man was still holding back.

"So Bardock?" Lucy prompted, breaking the silence.

"Hm?"

"Who do you think is going to win? I know Natsu and Erza are both strong but from what I've heard-"

"Erza." The Saiyan stated bluntly.

The Saiyan Rebel strode tall not even bothering to take in the reactions of his companions. Lucy let out a nervous chuckle at his immediate response, simply because she thought the man would believe in Natsu more. Gray on the other hand just sniggered because although he was friends with the Dragon Slayer, they were rivals first and he always enjoyed seeing the fight happy boy get knocked down a few pegs.

"You too huh? I just think that moron loves a beating. And today it's gonna be a violent, quick beating." Gray smugly said with a lopsided smirk.

"No, you're wrong about that. That's not why he wants this fight, from where I can see at least. In some ways he's like me." Bardock answered without hesistation.

"How so? You're clearly smarter than he is and stronger. So how in the world do you think he's like you?" Gray inquired with a slight frown.

Lucy tilted her head slightly, thinking along somewhat similar lines. Her mind of course was deducing what Bardock had meant. She had somewhat of a clue to what Bardock meant but she wanted to see what his reasoning was.

"Like me, the kid loves the idea of a good fight. Him being a Dragon Slayer means, that he learns from battle to battle in order to improve. However…"

The two stared inquisitively at the warrior, waiting a few seconds in slight anticipation. If they could take away anything from the conversation, they were steadily learning more about their newest member, but Lucy had an advantage in that department due to her, Natsu and Happy learning a bit of Bardock's origin story. Plus it was an insight into the man's wisdom as a warrior which could benefit them both down the line in case a dark guild reared its ugly head again.

"Natsu still lacks the necessary tools to make him a better fighter and an even better warrior."

"Which is?" The Ice mage pushed with a raised brow.

"Training, Discipline, and a Killer Instinct. Natsu just doesn't have the necessary foundation to maintain the growth he needs to exploit all his hidden potential as a Dragon Slayer." The Rebel explained.

"Killer Instinct?" Gray questioned with narrowed eyes.

"Hidden potential…?" Lucy murmured to herself.

To this, the spikey haired man simply nodded. These were young, innocent teenagers who used abilities that were tiers below Ki. He honestly shouldn't be telling them this stuff. They were young people who used their magic to help the common people. He used his power to help slaughter whole populations on alien planets and not bat a damn eyelash. But they hadn't seen what he'd seen nor witness what he witnessed. He was slowly giving them the necessary wakeup call on how the world really works. An insight into the age old mentality of 'kill or be killed'.

"You see, there are going to be threats out there that are way too dangerous for you guys to just imprison or let live to kill you another day. There are threats that are going to do whatever it takes to win a battle or even a war with minimal effort. Although I highly doubt that many of your enemies are smart enough to want to do that." Bardock added.

"And who exactly are 'our' enemies?" Gray asked, sparing the Saiyan a glance.

"Dark guilds and enemies from other lands to be precise you strip happy freak." Bardock retorted with some amusement.

In short amount of time she had known him, Lucy never thought Bardock was capable of making fun of someone, let alone with a straight face. If she could guess, he was hiding a smirk underneath that scowl painted on his visage. His jab at Gray got her to giggle while the raven haired teen looked offended and sputtered a response. Bardock simply went on and finished his explanation.

"Anyways, the point is Natsu can be a lot stronger than anyone here if he's willing to put the work in. It's just a matter of if he takes protecting his precious family seriously enough. If he's not willing to do whatever it takes in order to save lives then he won't last long as a wizard and will likely die. Simple as that."

And like that silence hung over the trio. The entire conversation went from a somewhat lighthearted to serious. Lucy was honestly starting to feel skittish at what the entire explanation meant for her and everyone at Fairy Tail. Was it really going to end up being like this? She heard of Fairy Tail's reputation of being in the most crazy situations possible and she found herself in one even before becoming a member. Back in Hargeon, she remembered all too well what Bora and his cronies were trying to accomplish with her and those other girls. Fiore wasn't the perfect kingdom nor was it the best land to be in. However, she had studied and learned about the neighboring lands and the other continents and when it came down to it, Lucy counted her lucky stars for being in the situation she was in. The Kingdom of Fiore was her home and she was more than thankful for the fact that there was an overwhelming amount of good people out there that outnumbered the bad. And some of those good people were her very own guild mates.

Gray was thinking of something different. He honestly, questioned what Bardock had been through to see things the way he did. The Ice mage knew that the man was a warrior and undoubtedly a cunning tactician. This was someone he could learn a thing or two from. Gray lived a simple life since the two most tragic days of his life. Being a part of Fairy Tail meant finding a new home and a new family to call his own. But something deep in the raven haired teen's mind told him that just doing his everyday routine wasn't enough. He needed to learn how to defend his family and survive the harsh realities that sometimes hit with wanton authority. And if anyone could teach him how to be a better fighter… a better protector… it would be Fairy Tail's newest member, who was in the running for the strongest person in the guild.

Several minutes had passed and the trio was now approaching the guild hall. In front of the majestic building that housed the most rambunctious guild in the kingdom was a large crowd, mainly made up of every single member of the guild plus some civilian onlookers. As they made their way through the crowd they were greeted by a group of familiar faces. There was Mira, Elfman, Happy, Cana and all of Team Shadow Gear, waiting for the fight to start with some interest and eagerness. At the sound of footsteps, the Barmaid turned around and beamed her angelic smile.

"Hello Everyone!" Mira greeted brightly.

"Hey Mira! You here to see the fight too?" Lucy greeted back with her own smile.

"Just curious as all. By the way, what's with the looks guys? Did I miss something?" The angelic demon asked with a cute tilt of her head.

The Saiyan Rebel led the other two mages to an open spot that perfectly situated them right behind one of the combatants… Erza Scarlet, The Fairy Queen herself. Bardock took note that she had an aura of confidence and determination, even if this was just a measly exhibition match. Bardock stood in the middle with his arms crossed, Lucy to his right standing next to Mira and Gray, hands in his pockets standing next to Team Shadow Gear.

"Not really." Bardock grunted out.

"Bardock was talking about how Flame Brain could be much stronger than any of us here if he quit being lazy and actually decided to work hard." Gray answered with a side glance.

"I could go with how manly you and Natsu are but I draw the line at strong. Because if you want to know who's one of the strongest in Fairy Tail-" Elfman said before being cutoff.

"It ain't you trust me." Bardock stated as if it were a fact.

The big guy couldn't help but deflate at the bluntness. Plus to make things worse, the statement was true. Mira just chuckled and rubbed her brother's back out of comfort while Lucy gave a nervous laugh. It was at that moment everyone's favorite blue fur ball decided to make himself known. He walked closer from Elfman's side to stand between Lucy and Bardock.

"If anyone should be considered for strongest in Fairy Tail I put my money on you Bardock." Happy chimed in.

"Not really interested in the title but thanks." The Saiyan nodded in response.

"Are you kidding me? If anyone could be considered for strongest in Fairy Tail it'd be Laxus or Mystogan." Jet said giving his opinion.

"Don't forget the old man too." Droy adding his two cents on the topic.

Laxus? Mystogan? Apparently he was kept out of the loop when it came to big time names within the guild. He knew the old man was strong, leagues above most of the members. Then he heard murmurs of the guild's supposed ace, who apparently could match if not be somewhat stronger than the old man. It didn't tell him much given he could outmatch everyone max power and win in seconds but still the information was somewhat useful. He hoped this ace was still training to get stronger, it would be fruitful for future events in case things went to the scale of apocalyptic.

"I don't know boys. Erza is definitely the strongest woman in the guild." Levy told her teammates.

Then the lovely bookworm turned her head slightly, warm eyes settling on a certain soldier.

"And from what I heard, I think our new friend over here is pretty strong too. Right Bardock?" Levy stated with a friendly wink.

The Saiyan let out a chuckle at the compliment. In the short time he had been at Fairy Tail, he found Levy's knowledge and book smarts pretty much invaluable. The amount of information stored in Levy's brain could be equated to the archives he stumbled upon sometimes when not on missions. Plus, she grew on the guy. She was the full package in what a young man would want in a woman. And he indeed did say that she would make some guy a very lucky man one day. Their relationship blossomed as he was a mentor and parental type figure to her while she was the duckling under his wing.

"Yeah. Thanks Levy." Bardock replied with a smirk.

Now, the downside of having such a good relationship with the bluenette were her obsessive bodyguards Jet and Droy. Levy had confided in Bardock how much she had come to trust them and regarded their adoration for her nothing more than puppy love. True, she did get annoyed when their antics got out of hand but she knew they meant well. So after the friendly back and forth concluded, Jet and Droy sent their best glares towards the Saiyan Rebel, who shrugged it off.

Back to the makeshift fighting ring…

Natsu and Erza stood face to face at a good distance. The Dragon Slayer didn't even notice that the rest of their team plus some other notable members were standing behind his opponent. He was going all in on this fight and he didn't need to turn his attention away from his goal.

The pink haired teen traded banter with his scarlet haired opponent before getting into a stance. Erza on the other hand decided to mix things up and call upon one of her armors that was best suited for the occasion. A brief shine of light momentarily blinded everyone and when the light died down, most were rather shocked at what they saw.

Standing tall and glowing like the sun, Erza was wearing armor that was dark red predominantly, but also sported orange and black parts, with the first ones being shaped like flames and the second resembling Dragon's limbs. It was basically made up of three different parts: the revealing breastplate with Dragon like wings attached to it, the orange gauntlets and the Dragon claw shaped greaves. Not only that, Erza's hair was tied into a pair of high, long pigtails. This flashy but effective Ensemble was her Flame Empress Armor, an armor made to deal with all magic that was fire based.

"Oh man!"

"It's her Flame Empress Armor!"

"Not a good sight for Natsu!"

Said Fire breather paid no heed to the supposed seeds of doubt that were spreading amongst the crowd. He had all the confidence in the world to fight the opponent before him and he wouldn't stop until he won. Sure it was an exhibition against someone he considered like his sister but still he wasn't going to back down. Natsu wanted so desperately to prove himself time and time again and would not stop until he was satisfied. He had high goals for himself both as a mage and as a person. But both goals mixed so well that at some point Natsu hit the button in his life that simply said 'Fuck it'. Natsu wanted to be an S-Class, defeat all the strongest members of his guild (and any guild in general), go on a century quest like his idol Gildarts, reunite with his dragon daddy Igneel and… one day settle down with that special someone. Little did Natsu know, fate was more than happy to grant that last one but only in due time.

So while Natsu was shaking in his sandals in excitement with that 'Dragneel Grin' of his, Happy stood tall and serious with his paws clenched tight making fists. Bardock somehow found it odd how the loveable fur ball had that look on his face. In some odd fashion it made Bardock proud that Happy could sport a 'war face' better than the other guild members. In even odder fashion, Bardock couldn't for the life of him figure out when in the hell he found the fish loving feline loveable. This guild was rubbing off on him and in a good way. Of course the Saiyan drew the line at where the influence turned into insanity. He vowed never to be like the oddballs he surrounded himself with due to how much insanity one could take.

Anyways, Happy strode over to where Cana was and said…

"I'd like to put my money on Erza."

"Wise choice my furry friend!" Cana exclaimed with her usual gusto.

"That traitor!" Lucy yelled in comical shock, pointing a finger.

It really wasn't too surprising to be honest. When it's all fun and games, Happy is truly the life of the party. Bardock saw this coming and just turned his attention back to the fight.

"I haven't gambled much in my life but I will say he's a smart man or cat in this case." Bardock said.

"I'd just stay out of this and wish them both the best." Lucy sighed out.

"You're even more innocent than I thought." Gray commented with a side glance.

Before she could respond, Lucy's cheeks were turning slightly pink as if she were embarrassed about something or saying something she wouldn't normally say. With half lidded eyes, the celestial mage turned her attention away from her two male companions, hoping they wouldn't question her on what she would say next.

"Well I wouldn't bet money but the truth is… I'm cheering a little more for Natsu." Lucy uttered loud enough for only a few people to hear her.

Bardock's eyes shifted over while his stern visage remained, as if to make sure he heard her right. He already knew that the both Natsu and Lucy were close but this was the first sign he had seen where she was displaying anything in terms of affection. It wasn't his business and he didn't really care much but it did make him nostalgic seeing the teenage runaway display her feelings for her teammate.

Gray who was oblivious to the fact that Lucy was developing a crush on his rival, looked at her as if she had two heads on her shoulders. Mira hummed a happy tune as she was already playing matchmaker in her head. The barmaid figured that Lucy and Natsu could use a good push when the opportunity presented itself. She also figured to sit back and observe to see how the chains of love developed between her longtime friend and new best friend. Lastly, Levy caught wind of Lucy's words and recoiled a bit before her usual smile widened a little. Her fellow bookworm had a crush on Natsu Dragneel! Like Mira, she planned on making sure to give the two mages a push in the right direction hoping that Natsu's dense nature wouldn't make things end in disaster.

Lucy was going to turn her attention to the fight but couldn't help but be nervous by the reactions of her friends once she got a good look.

"What?" Lucy asked glancing around.

"Begin!" Makarov exclaimed with a drop of the hand.

And they were off!

Natsu shot forward with flame covered fists hoping to connect with a few jabs to the body. Erza dodged each attempted punch with side steps before summoning her sword. Titania aimed a non-lethal blow with her sword against Natsu's torso only for him to perform a limbo move and counter with a kick. Said kick was then caught by Erza's armored forearm. She then gave her own counter, finally connecting a hit against Natsu with a solid blow using the hilt of her sword.

The force of the blow sent the Dragon Slayer off skidding to the side before he regained his stance. Not deterred in the slightest, Natsu ignited his feet this time as well as his hands before launching himself into the air with a leap. Erza covered her own swords in flames, leaping up and deciding on meeting her friend halfway.

("I figured as much. She has several different armors to call on. On top of that she has many weapons stored in her 'Requip Space'.")

Bardock simply stood by analyzing the fight and the two fighters. He already surmised how strong the two were and how much potential both had if they properly utilized. This was just another demonstration for the Saiyan Rebel to file away. Crowd noise and the comments of the people standing around him were tuned out as he focused primarily on his own thoughts.

("This armor must guard against fire based attacks. Effective as long the opponent is below or at her level of power. This means she has similar armors in her arsenal, each guarding against a specific element or magic type. Which could also mean she has armors that specialize in certain areas of combat.")

Neither of the combatants were showing clear signs of fatigue, despite the number of blows each got in on the other. Natsu's blows were precise but he was taking more than he was dishing out. It was a testament to his will and durability that allowed him to keep up with one of Fairy Tail's best.

("If Natsu were much stronger than her, they could be dead even with her armor being a factor. That wouldn't be the case without it though… in theory.")

For every attack a counter… For each counter a retaliation… this was what fighting was about when it wasn't life and death. This was a good ol' fight Fairy Tail style. Although neither fighter was smiling, everyone could feel their excitement and their joy in this moment. For Bardock, he let his gaze hone in on the salmon haired teen and process all his thoughts before asking himself…

("Which begs the question… how far can he go?")

*Gong!*

The sound of a large gong being struck brought Bardock out of his thoughts. Not only that, the boisterous crowd was now brought to small whispers instead of loud cheers.

"This fight is now over."

Stepping forward with a small squad of Rune Knights was frog like humanoid wearing robes. This frog person also wore a strange hat and bore the symbol of an organization that very much disliked Fairy Tail. That little detail did not go unnoticed at all by the crowd.

"Hey isn't he with…"

"The Magic Council is here?"

"No way…"

The messenger of the Magic Council walked forward with two guards flanking his sides. He came to a stop at the left side of Erza, who turned her body more in order to properly address the person more if her suspicions were correct.

Bardock had a clue as to why the council was here and once again tuned out the useless chatter so he could focus on his objective. Plus in his previous line of work, the man had seen many things and not all of them were pretty. On the bright side, the frog wasn't the ugliest being he had met in his lifetime. That honor belonged to Dodoria.

"Are you Erza Scarlet?" The Messenger prompted.

To this the Scarlet haired wizard gave a nod. Satisfied with the confirmation, the messenger opened a scroll containing what appeared to be a court order. Bardock knew he was going to have to step in at some point, so he opted to wait.

"By order of the Magic Council, the S-Class mage known as Erza Scarlet is under arrest pending her current charges and will be facing a trial for her recent actions." The messenger decreed.

The Fairy Queen could only recoil slightly in shock and surprise. For her part she knew the Council would drop the hammer down on Fairy Tail for the guild's recent escapades. But she didn't think it would come so soon and especially during her fight with Natsu.

Shock, confusion and downright horror were the reactions of most of the crowd including Lucy, Gray, Mira, Levy and even Cana. Natsu on the other hand…

"Say what?!"

Was more than enraged at this… which meant in order to prevent chaos from breaking out courtesy of the resident hothead, the Lost Warrior finally made his move.

Phasing out of existence between Lucy and Gray, subsequently shocking both at the sudden move, Bardock decided on the direct approach to this stick situation. He phased back in right in front of the messenger, scaring him and the guards who were with him. Erza recoiled again this time at the sudden appearance of the scarred face Saiyan. Natsu momentarily forgot his rage as his brain attempted a reboot trying to see where this whole thing was going. Everyone else in the crowd stared dumbfounded at the fact they saw one of their newest members pulling off a disappearing act and reappearing so suddenly.

"Tell me something frog man…"

Bardock's words rang clear through the people who were closest. His intimidating frame towered over the frog creature/person as he took a few steps forward, standing at full height and leveling the unfortunate messenger with fiery glare. All the messenger could do was shake uncontrollably while the guards were terrified stiff.

"What exactly are these charges?" Bardock asked with an edge in his tone.

"The charges will be discussed when she meets with the rest of the council."

A new voice broke Bardock's attention and he lifted his head to level his gaze on what he planned on being his next victim if necessary. Bardock's time as a soldier taught him to be ready for anything. You get ambushed? Fight your way out. Full moon out? Be ready to maximize the carnage in your Great Ape Form. Aiming to give a better future for your youngest son? Send him away while you aim to save your race from genocide. Get sent to another universe? Improvise like all the other times.

So when Bardock redirected his eyes from the messenger to the source of this new voice, he was a bit surprised but hid it well. Standing there with a squad of Rune Knights behind her along with four carriages was a dark purple haired female that looked roughly late teens or early twenties. She wore a shortened, lavender kimono with a black sash that showed off most of her legs… those creamy, sexy legs. The sleeves that covered her arms were purposely longer than they needed to be, so there's that. Another thing to note was the fact the young woman held a crystal orb with both of her non-visible hands close to her stomach. To compliment the entire ensemble, the young woman wore a white headband in her hair, which was tied into a loose ponytail.

If her overall appearance didn't throw him for a loop, the smile she was giving him sure did. The way she smiled felt off and even her aura felt off. This woman was like a VIP and on top of that she had power. Not enough to really be a danger to him but enough to see she was a threat if things broke down.

"Who the hell are you?" Bardock asked as he narrowed his eyes.

The woman strode forward ignoring whatever reactions she was drawing out of the crowd. Makarov had hearts shooting out of his eyes while a small trail of bloody snot hung from his nose… perverted SOB. Macao and Wakaba weren't fairing any better as both were howling and whistling like idiots. Ultear's alluring appearance had bewitched most men and youth in the crowd, hell even some women found Ultear's sexiness appealing to the eyes. Lucy, Mira, Levy and Erza eyed the female newcomer in pure curiosity as to who she was and where they had seen her before. Gray on the other hand studied her appearance due to the fact from deep in his subconscious he knew someone that very much resembled her. But how was that possible? At this point it was anyone's guess.

At this point the crowd watched with eagerness, anticipation and anxiety as the woman came, literally within a foot of Bardock. Right away she quickly eyed him up before giving him her most charming smile. The Saiyan could tell she liked what she saw. Again, a boost to his pride knowing women could find any bit of him attractive despite the fact he was a brutal bastard and had this roguish personality that made the opposite sex quiver. Fasha and Tora did joke that had he not met Gine, he would have become a great lady killer as much as he was a career soldier.

"Forgive me for the lack of a proper introduction handsome." The woman purred.

Bardock was once again spot on in his assessment that this woman clearly found him attractive. Not only that, she seemed to act flirty in order to get him around her pretty little fingers. Although flattered, her feminine wiles wouldn't work.

"My name is Ultear Milkovich, 9th Seat of the Magic Council." Ultear greeted with a slight bow.

Ah. So that's who she was. Ideas and theories were already forming in his head as to why she was here and why the Council would send one of their own to find him. And as soon as all the questions hit, most of them he answered in his head already. Meanwhile many of the guild members who heard her greeting immediately paled. The Council doesn't do social calls, let alone send one of their seated members to fetch persons of interest. Due to the fact one of them would talk to Bardock personally was an even bigger shock. A relative newcomer doesn't get this much attention.

"And other than Erza Scarlet, I've come here to escort you personally Bardock. The Council has taken great interest in you and your abilities. Your feats against Eisenwald and Lullaby have given them enough reason to at least have an audience with you." Ultear explained diplomatically.

Erza changed back to her regular armor and walked to stand by Bardock. Said Saiyan crossed his arms and posed the one question no one should ever ask in this situation.

"And if I refuse?"

Erza spared her fellow guild member a glance with a hidden message. Bardock was aware of what the redhead was trying to convey and jotted it down with shit he already knew. He had the situation handled… or as handled as possible. Ultear frowned at the obvious response.

"Well… if you won't come along then the charges against Miss Scarlet will only be more severe. As will yours." Ultear said in all seriousness.

So now he had charges too? Typical politicians. The ball was now in his court as the saying goes. Something in his gut told him the Council simply wanted answers while giving Fairy Tail a slap on the wrist. While another part of him was saying someone on the Council or maybe most of the Council in general wanted to screw him and Fairy Tail over. His leftover paranoia following the fallout with Frieza and Frieza's army had made him wary of most authority figures. This was no different.

Bardock tilted his head forward and closed his eyes for a moment, clearly analyzing the situation. He hadn't been arrested his entire life up until now. Sure he had been reprimanded by superiors on the rare occasion of misconduct and even been captured by the enemy (sometimes as a ruse for infiltration and other times for being careless). He had to tread carefully, because even though he was essentially the alpha dog when it came to power, power doesn't mean a thing when you're in prison. However, he was confident no prison could hold him and he was absolutely sure he wouldn't stay locked up for the sake of his mission. There was too much at stake.

The Saiyan Rebel opened his eyes and took a glance over to Erza, seeing her keep a calm composure. There was a hint of worry behind her brown eyes but he felt as though it was misplaced. Then he shifted his gaze to the lovely Ultear who was waiting patiently for his final answer. He had thoroughly planned out what to say when asked certain questions. He couldn't give too much away but he also couldn't outright tell the Council everything. If it came down to it, he'd bust himself out and keep Fairy Tail out of the way as much as possible.

"Why not. Let's get this over with." Bardock decided with a shrug.

"Whoa what?!"

Natsu was at Bardock's side in an instant. And from what many could tell, the young man was visibly frustrated and angered. No one could blame him for feeling this way given the Council's history with Fairy Tail.

"Bardock you can't be serious?! You and Erza don't have to take this crap lying down!" Natsu shouted.

Bardock hadn't lookws Natsu's way yet as he was still keeping his gaze trained on Ultear who seemed to be enjoying the attention. She allowed a sly smirk to play on her face as she found the warrior's hardened eyes charming in a sense. Deciding to give his first companion of this weird world an answer, the Saiyan cocked an eyebrow and turned his head to look at Natsu directly.

"Who said I was?"

That obviously threw Natsu for a loop and his moment of frustration was replaced by confusion. Bardock… the guy who was undoubtedly the baddest man in all of Earth Land wanted to get arrested? It broke whatever logic ever existed in the Dragon Slayer's brain. Bardock simply ignored Natsu's mental (and somewhat philosophical dilemma) and turned his eyes back to the Councilwoman.

"Look it's probably nothing serious. Might as well see what these old bastards want with me anyways. It's not like I got anything better to do other than train my ass off." Bardock explained.

"But-"

As soon as the word left Natsu's mouth, Bardock's snapped back over and leveled Natsu with a glare. Unlike the glares Erza gave the others, this one was different. When Erza levels a glare it's more akin to that of a mother or big sister scolding their family for their reckless antics. When Bardock levels a glare… it's the equivalent of a commander addressing his subordinate. The Saiyan's glare may have not had any royalty to it but to the others observing the exchange it felt like it. And to top it off, Bardock seemed a bit angered at the unnecessary attempt at help he didn't need. Makarov gulped, nervous as he felt the commanding aura of the veteran warrior leak a bit.

"No buts kid. Stay out of this. Understood?" The Saiyan commanded as he narrowed his eyes.

The fire breather lowered his head and all tension left his body. After having a good fight interrupted, having to deal with this left him with a bad taste in his mouth. Worse off, Bardock pacified him so easily and it hurt him. He knew Bardock trusted him but he felt like he could do more for a man who was quickly becoming a mentor. Natsu was not a big fan of the council and he didn't shy away from saying so. But deep down, Natsu knew he had to play by the rules so his friends wouldn't get hurt. So for now he backed down.

"Aye…" Natsu muttered in response.

To everyone in Fairy Tail this was surprising and shocking. Adding on to that it was somewhat disheartening. Everyone knew of Natsu's good hearted nature to go out and help a friend or even a civilian. He was always the best example of those who follow their hearts, damned the consequences. Sure they got onto him for his reckless behavior at times but they never held it against him. So imagine how they feel when one of the newer recruits pacify Natsu and not like how Erza does it. When she pacifies her longtime friend, it is out of concern and safety. When Bardock did it just now, it was more along the lines of threatening and a need to do things his way or face his wrath.

"Good." Bardock grunted.

Natsu walked over to the crowd and stood next to Lucy. She offered a comforting rub on his back to which he accepted without any visible response. Bardock gave a curt nod to Ultear letting her know he was ready.

"Excellent. Follow me please." The Councilwoman said.

A group of soldiers came to Erza and immediately placed magic sealing cuffs on her wrists. There was no sign of malice or ill-intent from the men; they simply carried on respectfully as they were doing their job. Before entering one of the carriages, Titania sent an assuring smile towards the members of her team which most of them returned with the exclusion of Natsu. Not seeing her little brother smile back made her a bit sad. She would make a note later to bring it up with Bardock later.

Bardock approached the other carriage with Ultear and some Rune Knights behind him. One knight standing in front of the opening to a carriage was shaking as he nervously placed magic sealing cuffs on Bardock who only looked on with a hidden message that said 'Really?'. Ultear clearly got that message wrong and approached the Saiyan Rebel to ease what perceived was some fear.

"Just a security precaution to make the old farts feel safer. Rest assured, I-"

"Don't worry about it." Bardock interrupted.

Ultear was slightly taken aback and looked at the warrior, studying him. Now she realized she misjudged his 'predicament' and was willing to press on to avoid addressing her blunded. But to be safe…

"Are you sure?" Ultear prompted.

"Tch. Yeah." Bardock scoffed in response.

To this Ultear let out a chuckle as Bardock boarded his assigned carriage with zero issue. The voluptuous Councilwoman then motioned for the soldiers to go to their assigned carriages. One squad was assigned was designated to the lead carriage. One was assigned to security detail guarding Erza. Another squad was assigned as rear guard with another carriage. Confusingly, one leftover squad had simply assigned drivers to Bardock's carriage while the rest could go back to HQ on horseback. The purple haired mage turned her attention briefly to the crowd and Fairy Tail in general.

"Thank you for cooperation." Ultear said with a short bow.

After that she got inside Bardock's carriage and the escort left without a hitch. Unbeknownst to Fairy Tail and Bardock in particular, a mastermind was already making moves behind the scenes. The first of Bardock's new enemies would be coming sooner than anticipated.

A/N: Not too much action in this chapter. That won't come until a few chapters later. My main focus is on character interaction until the Galuna Arc.

So Bardock is going to meet with the Council. Both will get first impressions of each other and let's just say... it will be interesting. Although I like Jellal becoming a good guy later, him as a bad guy I liked too. Which is why when Bardock gets into the same room as him, things will get heated. Also as far as I'm concerned, if I didn't pre-determine pairings, Ultear would have had a shot with Bardock. But I will have fun messing with the dynamic between the two in this story regardless.

Bardock is building a bond with Fairy Tail. Will it be personal? Or will it be strictly professional? I know for a fact things will get complicated between Bardock and his new allies come The Phantom War. In addition to that, Team Natsu will get to learn something new that gives them new perspective during the Galuna Arc.

After this and the next two chapters, there will be an original chapter leading into the Galuna Island Arc. I said previously that I wouldn't feature DBZ villains until Tower of Heaven but I changed my mind. I won't reveal who it is yet but you will get hints during the Original Chapter I have planned. For Hardcore fans it's a true blast from the past. I'll leave it at that.

Bardock's Move set:

Full Power Energy Wave

Riot Javelin

Power Ball

Final Revenger

Super Energy Wave Volley

Rebellion Spear

Vortex Crusher

Spirit of Saiyans (In Progress)

Explosive Wave

Kiai (Technically New)

Meteor Combination (Technically New)

Great Ape [Transformation]

Kamehameha (In Progress)

Solar Flare (In Progress)

So there's Bardock's moves up until now. Believe me when I say he'll have more before the story is done and that is a long ways away. As always leave a comment or criticism at your leisure. I thank all of you for following, reading or viewing the story. You guys rock!

See Ya Later!