Chapter 10: Saiyan Legends

-d-b-z-

Gohan took advantage of the different perception granted to him by his high power level and considered his options faster than the rest of the room could even start thinking. Ekel had already finalized his blast, meaning that even if he knocked him out, he would still have to take care of it, too, or risk the station's integrity. Using a solar flare would immobilize the super-charged Saiyan long enough, as well as any unwanted spectators, but he could only rudimentary perform it and thus he didn't have enough time.

Instant Transmission would be ineffective, too. While teleporting was spontaneous, focusing was not. Knocking him out, then running and intercepting the blast would need enough time and a high enough power level that would blow up every scouter in the station except his own. The only choice was to raise then lower his power level too fast for the devices to register, but not high enough to leave traceable residue behind.

Gohan raised his power to a sixth of its base max, super-speeding towards Ekel that seemed immobile to his eyes. Even though Leryce had started moving before him, he casually passed her without her noticing. Reaching Ekel, he jabbed two fingers inside the ki ball, channeling his own power and diffusing it, while simultaneously and very gently chopping at the older Saiyan's neck. Not a second after he had started moving, he dropped his power back to its initial level.

What he hadn't calculated, though, was the two females that were heading towards his position, too fast to perceive their target had been neutralized. Before Ekel's unconscious body could reach the floor, Leryce and the Icean collided with Gohan, all three of them going down in a pile of graceless limbs.

"Ow", complained the Icean, trying to disentangle herself from the others while nursing her forearm.

Leryce, wiping a trickle of blood from her forehead, glared at Gohan, or at least tried to. "As soon as the world stops spinning, you are going to tell me exactly how much of your strength you are hiding", she groaned.

Gohan, who was the least hurt since his ki was still higher than theirs, laughed nervously at that, helping them both up and returning his power level back to 2500, his resting strength. "And then, you are going to explain how you can push it back so low and so fast", went on the Icean, her face between frown and disbelief.

"Can we not stand in the middle of the place while we are at it?" asked Gohan, suddenly self-conscious. The other two glanced around them and saw the source of the hybrid's uneasiness. The patrons that had not been drawn to the fight, those that had stopped fighting when they were told to, as well as all station personnel were gawking at the three of them, not sure what had just happened, only that they had been saved from probable demise.

The Icean flushed at that, reflexively replacing her hood, while the older Saiyan steadily glared at the crowd. "Nothing to see here, folks", she barked, prompting everyone to get back to their own business. Leading the way, she returned to her counter, leaped behind it, and turned to face the two children that had followed.

The Icean talked first. "Well, Gohan, why don't you start talking", she asked, trying and failing not to sound excited.

Gohan regained his wits and smirked. "You can start by telling me your name."

Her eyes went wide at that and she blushed furiously, the effect enchanted by her purplish-white complexion. She reflexively fiddled with one of the petite horns framing her face. "Sorry about that", she apologized somewhat meekly, so unlike the other Iceans Gohan had met before. "My name is Glacia", she declared somewhat formally after clearing her throat. "Thank you for standing up for me", she added.

The hybrid shrugged. "I knew you are much stronger than those posers, but it was obvious you didn't want to attract attention."

Leryce nodded. "Indeed. The only two in this station that are stronger is Gohan and myself. No one else should be able to even touch you."

Glacia seemed mortified at that. "Are these new types of scouters?" she asked urgently. "Can they trace hidden strength?"

The two Saiyans glanced at each other and laughed. "Nah, we are just using our senses", chirped Leryce. "From what I have seen, it's a very rare skill to have."

Gohan nodded. "It's obvious you started hiding your energy recently. It's enough to trick most scouters, but not someone that has been doing it for years. Ki-sensing comes naturally as you learn to hide better."

"So don't worry too much about being traced. I have been doing ki-sensing for decades and Gohan here is a true prodigy since even I can't tell how deeply his power runs", finished Leryce, causing Gohan to laugh awkwardly.

"So, how deeply does your power run?" asked Glacia bluntly, her previous embarrassment forgotten.

Before Gohan could conjure an appropriate answer, the other Saiyan stopped him. "No, a more important question is what prince Vegeta is to you? I know you let his name slip during the fight."

Glacia forgot her own question and turned to regard him with interest.

Gohan sighed. "Prince Vegeta is… an ally. That and an occasional sparring partner. And before you ask, he doesn't want to be found."

Leryce sighed. "I guess he wouldn't. When I heard the rumors that Frieza killed him on Namek, I wasn't sure whether to be happy or sad."

Gohan thought about that. "I know Vegeta has done many horrible things and truthfully I first met him as an enemy, but why did you feel like that?"

The bartender thought about that. "I have always considered the prince a victim. He was put under Frieza's control way too young. There were many Saiyans that fled before planet Vegeta was destroyed, some as soon as the truce with the Icean Empire was signed. We made sure to stay under Frieza's radar, hiding away when his soldiers, including Vegeta, passed through. We weren't sure about his intentions or his loyalties, you know."

Gohan frowned. "I can't blame you. When I first saw him, he couldn't be trusted. He changed, however, after he witnessed Frieza's death. He actually settled down and has always been bitter thinking his whole race is extinct."

"That bastard Frieza has done way too much damage", spat Leryce, before she glanced at Glacia. "No offence meant", she apologized.

The Icean snickered at that. "Don't worry, it's not like my race thought any better of Frieza." The raised brows that met her statement prompted a weary sigh. "My people are very devoted to the ruling family. The Cold reign has been long and very prosperous and tradition demands we follow the royal family no matter the circumstances. King Cold was a cruel leader, but he knew how much he could push the people. He was an evil diplomat. Frieza, however was just a spoiled, barely controlled psycho. He abused his power and would kill anyone speaking against him. Most Iceans hated him with a passion. If he hadn't been killed by the legendary Super Saiyan, we would have somehow done it ourselves."

"The legendary Super Saiyan?" asked Gohan, feigning interest.

Leryce nodded gravely. "Everyone has heard the rumors. The legend is very old, but true nonetheless. They say that after the Super Saiyan killed Frieza, he reappeared in the eastern part of the galaxy and started destroying world after world. None could match him and few survived, but he disappeared again soon afterwards. They even say the Kais themselves interfered."

Glacia sighed. "I heard his name was Brolly or something close. I would have liked to see a Super Saiyan, but he'd probably kill me on sight."

Gohan barely managed to hold back his laughter. "Who knows, there might be more than one Super Saiyans out there, not all of them insane."

Glacia smiled at him, while Leryce regarded him thoughtfully. "You know, I happen to know most of the Super Saiyan legends", she provided, drawing the others' attention. "I'm much older than I look and my old master taught them to me."

Both children beamed at that, proving how young they were despite their power. "Do tell!"

The older Saiyan smiled a bit nostalgically. "Very well. But I must warn you, the name should have been the 'Super Tsufrians' instead."

Glacia blinked. "Weren't the Tsufians a race that fought and lost against the Saiyans?"

Gohan nodded. "I heard they became extinct."

She shook her head at that. "History and legend are usually a chaos of clashing events that can be ordered or changed in many different ways, but I believe my version is as close to the truth as you'll ever hear."

-d-b-z-

In the beginning, planet Vegeta didn't have a name and the people didn't call themselves something special because they were not aware of other worlds or races. However, they were named Proteans by later historians.

The Proteans were a recently evolved race, having a very basic social structure. They were all banded together in one great tribe, because while they were strong, the beasts around them were stronger, with hides that endured all by the sharpest of swords and all but the strongest of ki blasts. Back then, the Proteans were like all mortals, subject to the punishment of time with their bodies withering and their minds weakening five generations after they were born.

The Protean leader, wise and strong as he was, died after making the tribe powerful and numerous, leaving in his stead twin heirs to jointly rule the people. The first brother was Saiyah. His body was tall and powerful and fast, while his mind was sharp. The second brother was Tsufriah. His mind was his most lethal weapon, keen and razor-sharp like a blade flooded with ki, while his body was strong and agile.

Their rule was just and benevolent like the rule of the father before them and each gathered many supporters trying to follow their separate paths and excel. However, the two brothers were too different in mind and wit, the one tactical, the other intellectual. Unconsciously they tried to be better than their twin, soon quarreling and arguing and fractionating their people.

The critical point was reached when the goddesses of the Moon and the Sun descended to look for worthy mates among the tribe. The two brothers dueled for their favor, for one possessed the pale beauty of the moon and the other the stunning radiance of the sun.

They fought and fought for three days and three nights without pause, their people watching them with shock and awe. Saiyah was stronger, but Tsufriah was smarter and in the end they proved to be equals, both losing consciousness and falling into sleep's dark grip and exhaustion's bitter mercy.

When they recovered, they looked at each other with sadness. They knew that even if blood and womb and love were shared between them, they could not risk their people because of their selfishness.

The Sun goddess stood at Tsufriah's side and he chose to walk to the west, following his new mate's Star. The Moon goddess took Saiyah's arm and he marched to the east, hurrying towards the Moon's birthing place. Both brothers glanced behind and beheld each other for one last time, tears unwiped and hearts aheavy. Their battlefield had left a scar on the land just as it had left on their soul. Tsufriah vowed that he and his descendants would never venture east of their field of glory and bitterness, while Saiyah swore his own would never step on the west lands. The Proteans were sundered in half, each half following one king and one goddess.

The years passed and the two kings that were brothers grew old and died at exactly the same hour, proving that even destiny may not sever the strongest of bonds. Their mates, eternal goddesses beyond the reach of time, mourned and cried. They left presents to their children that would never fade regardless of the generations flying by. Divine beings as they were, they allowed their divinity to disconnect the sundered Proteans from the weave of time, making their life-span to last millennia.

The Sun goddess glanced at her people one more time, the people that now called themselves Tsufrians. The west of the world was rich and green, causing them to wane in body while they trained their minds. However, should any Tsufrian strive to maintain his power high and should any trained Tsufrian face overwhelming odds, they were given the gift of the golden power, their goddess making their hair golden as her Sun and their eyes blue like thunder.

The Moon goddess hailed her people one more time, the people that now called themselves Saiyans. The east of the world was barren and harsh, causing them to wane in mind as they trained their bodies. However, the beasts of the east were larger and hungrier and the Saiyans struggled. To help them survive, their goddess gave them the gift of the beast, changing their tails to trap the light of her Moon and increasing their size and power, while changing their eyes to red to reflect the color of the sky in which her Moon hung and the fire that was their spirit.

Their work done, the two goddesses left to meet their mates again in the world beyond, but they were never forgotten. As for Tsufrians and Saiyans, they kept the pact for eons untold and populated their respective halves, the first forming a large kingdom while the second separating into small nomadic tribes.

However, the peace did not last, for the world was spherical and the west of the west was the east of the east. Meeting after so long, the two people that were once one eyed each other with mistrust and hostility, and thus the age of innocence ended.

-d-b-z-

"And that's the most accurate and condensed version", finished Leryce, satisfied she still held their attention.

"Goddesses?" inquired Glacia a bit disbelieving.

The older Saiyan shrugged. "They could have been anything, from stranded ancient aliens to Kais to mere symbols. The two people did have common roots, however and this version of legend was the same in both cultures before they met again."

Gohan rubbed his chin. "If the 'golden power' was a Tsufrian trait, how did the Saiyans acquire it?"

The bartender smirked. "That's another, much longer story, which happens to be historical fact. The short version is that Vegeta the First that united the Saiyans and conquered the Tsufrians was in fact a Saiyan-Tsufrian hybrid. His father was the king of the strongest Saiyan tribe and his mother the second child of the Tsufrian king. Her older brother tried to kill her after their father died, because she had been declared the official heir, despite being younger."

Glacia nodded. "That's not strange for my culture. Frieza was younger, but he was declared the Cold heir because of his power."

Leryce went on. "The Tsufrian heir fled the capital and was rescued by the Saiyan chieftain. The story gets a bit descriptive after that", she added to the other's embarrassment, "but the short version is they mated and actually formed a mate-bond, very rare even back then. Their first son was Vegeta the First, the same one that united the Saiyan tribes and attacked the Tsufrians during the full moon."

Gohan frowned. "A Super Saiyan is far stronger than an Ozaru", he noted. "And the Saiyans would have little control if the full moon came out every four hundred standard years, as the legend goes."

The other Saiyan beamed at that, taking the cue to continue. "Planet Vegeta's moon was very large. Even a half moon, that happened every forty standard days or so, was enough to trigger the transformation. It didn't last long enough for large-scale conflict, though. The Saiyans didn't have enough time to attack while the Tsufrians didn't have the numbers. The full moon lasted twenty days and it was still barely enough to overrun both the Super Tsufrians and their advanced military."

Gohan nodded with comprehension. "I take it not all Tsufrians were exterminated."

Leryce sighed. "Two thirds of the race either died in battle, were executed or committed suicide. Vegeta changed the planet's name from 'Plant' to his own and named himself king. He also made laws that subtly encouraged interbreeding with the remaining Tsufrians. Needless to say, there are no 'pure' Saiyans left and the Tsufrians have been assimilated, something that increased the new race's average power level."

The Icean girl appeared thoughtful. "Vegeta, being a hybrid himself, wanted to forge an even stronger race."

Their storyteller smirked. "He had good reason, too. Vegeta the First is the only recorded golden Ozaru."

-d-b-z-

Gohan entered his ship and sighed. He would have liked to spend more time on Ratcor, but Glacia had slipped away after a while and he had to resume his journey. Leryce had made him promise he would visit again, threatening to bisect him if he forgot about her. His Saiyan side had found that touching.

His pockets full with lots of exchanged galactic credits, he hailed the station's control center and disengaged, continuing through the giant nebula and very carefully following the marked path. If he were to stray deeper inside the hazardous cloud, his craft could very well dissolve.

His hopes for uneventful passage collapsed like sand towers when another ship approached and hailed him. In any other occasion, he could have tried to evade them, but within the lethal nebula, he decided to try for a civil solution. "This is Icarus II, state your business", he exclaimed.

One of the screens lit up, the face of an adult Icean appearing on it. "What is this? Where is your captain, kid?"

Gohan suppressed a scowl at that. "I am the only one on board, sir, and this is my ship. How may I help you?" he replied in his most polite tone.

The Icean seemed taken aback at that, regaining his wits after a full three seconds. "We are the IGF, that's Icean Guardian Force in case you were born under a rock. We have full jurisdiction to board and inspect your craft in the name of the Icean empire."

The hybrid sighed. He wasn't sure what kind of inspection that would be or what was considered illegal according to Icean law, but he also didn't want to attract unwanted attention to his person. It would be easier to deal with them on board of his own ship should they prove hostile. "Very well, IGF. I am highlighting the airlock hatch."

The Icean craft carefully closed in, extending a flexible tube similar to the one on Ratcor station. He decided the system was very convenient when one has to deal with thousands of different spacecraft models, each sporting different boarding hatches.

From the airlock emerged two Iceans in black and red uniform. "Impressive craft, kid", started the first, his tone prompting immediate distrust. "I wonder where it was constructed."

The demi-Saiyan frowned. "What exactly will you be looking for, sir?" he inquired, wanting to finish this fast.

The second sighed, glaring at his companion, then turning to smile at Gohan. "Normally, we would simply scan your cargo for any illegal substances, but these days we are also searching for an Icean criminal. Female, about your age, red shells, green natural armor. You wouldn't happen to know any such person, do you?"

Gohan tried to avoid shifting nervously. It was obvious they were looking for Glacia. "Never seen anyone like that. What did she do?"

The first Icean snorted while scanning the ship with his scouter. "No weird substances, no other lifeforms", he noted, sounding disappointed.

The gentler alien sighed again. "Her crimes are top secret, I fear. Not even we know what they are. Since everything seems to be in order we will leave you now."

The ruder Icean had other designs. Taking his partner to the side, he started whispering. "Now, wait a moment. The tech on this thing is good and he's just a kid. Perhaps we could make some profit here. He is obviously from an unregistered planet, seeing how he evaded that question. Think of the rare products he could be carrying, things not even the scouter can recognize."

Gohan, of course, could hear him quite clearly. Even though the second Icean seemed reluctant, he decided to give them an incentive to leave. Using a tiny bit of his power, he remotely pressed a sequence of buttons on the console behind him. The lights went red while the gravity jumped up to one hundred times standard inside the whole craft."

The two officers collapsed on the floor, gasping under the weight of their own bodies. "What is going on?" demanded one of them.

The gravity went back to normal for a moment, then jumped up again. Gohan schooled his face into an apologetic visage. "Sorry about that. The gravity stabilizer is malfunctioning, but I couldn't replace the parts on Ratcor."

"Why aren't you down here?" demanded a very stressed Icean.

The Saiyan shrugged. "I have an antigravity implant that lets me ignore the bulk of the force. A bit crude as a solution, but I make do", he lied, hoping none of them possessed real technical knowledge.

The gravity let up again and the two Iceans scrambled to their feet. "Right. As I said, everything is in order so we'll take our leave now", declared one of them, right before they mutually decided it was high time they left. In fact, only their pride stopped them from bolting back to their ship as fast as possible.

Gohan chuckled at the spectacle, turning to face to his side. "Are you alright back there?" he asked very plainly, trying not to appear concerned. At the same time, he turned off the gravity fluctuation program.

A horned head peeked from behind a stack of crates. "Ok, how could you tell this time? I'm pretty sure I hid much better than last time."

The Saiyan smirked. "Sure you did. I'd have to be really close to sense you. I'm surprised you can drop your level to zero. You reflexively powered up when the gravity went up, however."

Glacia, the apparent stowaway, sighed at that. "So much for hiding from you. It's all your 'malfunction's' fault", she responded critically, making it evident she knew it was a ruse.

Gohan quirked a brow. "And what would a wanted criminal want on my ship."

The tiny Icean looked away at that. "Many saw me on the station during that little brawl. I had to leave very fast and it's pretty easy to hack the station's security doors", she confessed sadly, not denying the accusation.

The Saiyan decided to be blunt. "What did you do?"

He winced a bit as she flinched under his peering eyes. "I was born", she whispered, very reluctant to elaborate. Her spiraling depression turned into confusion as she snatched an item Gohan had thrown to her, a hot sandwich. Her questioning stare only revealed Gohan eating another similar treat.

"These are edible", commented Gohan nonchalantly. "Or should be. I know next to nothing about Icean metabolism. Anyway, they are called 'sandwiches' and you must unwrap them first. No need for cutlery, you just…"

"I know what they are!", she snapped very embarrassed, tearing the wrapping away and biting with a vengeance. She calmed down when the taste reached her brain. "These are good", she marveled.

Gohan shook his head. This could prove very interesting, very fast.

-d-b-z-

Scouter corner:

Gohan: 12,000,000

Gohan (suppressed levels): 180,000 – 2,000,000 - 2500

Leryce: 170,000

Glacia: 130,000

Glacia (hiding): 0.8

Ekel (supercharged): 300,000

IGF Iceans: 35,000

-d-b-z-

And thus I have made my addition to the Dragonball mythos. I tried to use a story-teller style during the goddess story and I'm eager to hear opinions. Leryce is not from 'Le rice', although I guess I get bonus points for double pun. It's actually from celery, while 'Ratcor' is from carrot.

I've heard somewhere that when your reviews include death-threats for updates, you are doing really well. While I was a bit late, I'm frequently distracted by other things. Hopefully, my next update won't be another half a year late...

Review for fun and profit!