What-If Bardock Convinced the Sayains: Season 2, Chapter 12

Fathers in Need! A Spark of Hope Revealed

At Capsule Corp, Krillin and Trunks gather around Bulma at her desk. All are eager to see the results of Bardock's Medicine Analysis.

Trunks hanged over Bulma, looking directly at the screen. His hand on the desk is anxiously tapping away. "Hmmm…"

He begins to lean in, concentrating on the loading bar inching its way to completion. "How can this be more nerve-racking than watching Bardock dying?"

By his side, Krillin looks up at him, taken aback. "Trunks!"

Trunks straightened up. "Well, I'm right, aren't I? The medicine he got didn't work, and we're here looking at it like it's part of some huge conspiracy!"

"W-well, we shouldn't jump to any conclusions," Krillin reassures. "Maybe it was just some bad luck we got for this batch."

"Unlikely," Bulma says, with most attention towards the screen.

Trunks looked down at mother, unconvinced. "How can you be so sure?"

Bulma thumbs over to her side, towards another table. On top, it has multiple bottles of the same heart medicine given by Trunks and Kholba. Next to them, a large monitor was flashing what appeared to be data. Something that needed a little clarification for our two fighters.

Bulma broke her concentration on the screen for a moment to look up at the suddenly silent Krillin and Trunks. With Krillin being the only one of them clueless.

Bulma notices Krillin, face palms, and lets out an exasperated sigh. "Basically," she begins in a slow and steady tone. "Over there is the data and results of medicine working on patients from the future. It was included in the briefcase that held all of the medicine. A present from future me, no less! So that I could mass produce it on hand if we ever ran out. And according to the data, there were little to no signs that the medicine was ineffective against the virus."

"Okay, what is it that we have then with Bardocks case?" Trunks prompted.

"Well, we're about to—" Immediately, Bulma turns back to the screen as the loading bar finally finishes. "Ah! Here we go."

Sheets of paper begin to flow out of a printer from across the room.

Bulma pushes off from her desk and wheels over to examine the results. "Hmm… Whelp, there you have it! Sugar pills." She declared.

Krillin and Trunks look at each other. "Sugar Pills? They both say.

"Well, that's what the results are telling me." Bulma digs into her coat, pulls out a new Medicine Bottle, and tosses it to Krillin. "Better get going! No more time to discuss this now."

Krillin takes a moment to process. "Oh, right, I'm on it!" Krillin runs out of the room with a new purpose.

Trunks follow behind but then stops at the door.

He turned back to Bulma. "Hey, mom?"

"Oh, y-yes?" She said awkwardly, still fresh in the realization of Trunk's identity.

"Can you tell me… What is it that my father is trying to accomplish?" Trunks asked.

Bulma raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Well, I'm no Saiyan, but it looks like he's trying to prove himself."

"To who?"

"To himself."

Trunks thinks for a moment and then heads back out the door. "Alright, thanks for the help. Keep us posted!"

Bulma tried to say something back to her son, but he was out of the room.

"Be careful," Bulma said under her breath.

Back with Piccolo, he keeps close behind this Kudza character with his arms crossed.

They've been flying for over an hour and haven't been going at their top speed, something that shouldn't have been a problem, but he was pressed for time to find these three other androids. Androids that Kudza claims only he could trace.

Piccolo get up closer to Kudza. "Why aren't we picking up the pace? We need to find these things before any other islands get blown up or worse!"

"Listen!" Kudzu turned his gaze away from his tablet and gave Piccolo a look of annoyance. "This tracker I'm holding is being held together by weak welding, glue, and duct tape! We go any faster, and this thing could shake itself apart!"

"I thought you said you were from the future?" Piccolo said mockingly.

Kudzu returns in kind. "Yeah, a post-apocalyptic one! Not every resource available there can create something as specific as this! Hell! I somehow managed to piece this thing together in a cave with only a box of scraps! So, don't fly there dictating me how to do things. I'm doing the best I can here!"

Piccolo tried to get closer to examine the tablet he held, but Kudza pulled it back ahead of himself.

From what Piccolo could observe at a glance, the tablet did look like a mishmash of entirely different parts. But then again, Piccolo was no engineer like Bulma, so what did he know!

Other than this, however, Piccolo did manage to pick up on a mishap Kudza gave to his narrative. He had told Piccolo that he'd had been working with humanity in the future to rebuild. So why wouldn't there be resources available to Kudza for making a sturdier tracker?

Piccolo kept this to himself as he continued to fly.

In the sky, Trunks catches up to Krillin.

"Oh, hey! Did your mom keep you held up?" Krillin asked.

"Oh, no, it was nothing much."

"Okay, then let's pick up the pace back to the Lookout!" Krillin said with urgency.

Trunks followed behind for a few minutes. But his mind was elsewhere. He was thinking back to his father on Amenbo Island and the Lookout, comparing both times to how Vegeta was at his highest and then, not long after, at his lowest.

"He has a lot to prove, huh?" Trunks thought.

A new resolve then sparked in the boy's eye as he went up to Krillin's side. "Krillin!"

"Huh?"

"I'm going to go find my father. Go on without me!"

"HUH?!"

Without another word, Trunks rockets off to the east and into the distance, leaving Krillin alone flying in the sky.

Krillin blinked and then sighed to himself. "Saiyans, not much of communicators, are they?"

Trunks flies through the sky, widening his senses to narrow in on where Vegeta might be.

He had always heard the tales told by both his mother and grandmother about Vegeta's escapades and battles. How he would be the first on the frontlines during the rebellion, break down fortresses, and go through soldier after soldier to complete the mission for his people. It sounded like a tale of some righteous freedom fighter, and Trunks had idealized Vegeta for that.

But Trunks is now beginning to realize that maybe his family had been sugarcoating the truth. Possibly for his own sake. Because now, after witnessing Vegeta's actions for just one day, Trunks sees a man desperately trying to reaffirm his own view of himself. Royalty that can't afford to be in the wrong in the eyes of an endangered species.

Trunk's mother in this timeline might be right on the money with her intuition.

But before he could think more, Trunk's brought back to reality as he begins to feel his father's power off in the distance. "It'll be trouble if we allow Father to go on like this. I need to get him out of this immense weight he's put on himself. He needs to realize that he doesn't have to be alone in this. He can rely on others because if not—" Trunks remembers the following moments before and after Super 13 had crushed Vegeta's left shoulder. "Well… I hope we'll all be able to survive his overwhelming desire for self-gratification and approval."

Trunks powers up and continues into the wastelands.

Krillin arrives at the Lookout and rushes into the temple. He ran up to Bardocks current chambers, where Goku and Raditz waited outside the door.

Goku's the first to notice his friend. "Oh, Krillin!"

Raditz is the next to see him, and he immediately straightens up with eager anxiety. "Do you have it?" He asked.

Krillin rummages through his gi and pulls out the bottle. "Yep! Right here! And this time, it's the real deal."

"Wait, what's that supposed to—!" Raditz didn't have time to finish as Krillin pushed past the two and into the room, knowing full well that time was of the essence.

The door opens. Both Kholba and Cassava turn to see Krillin. "I've got a replacement batch!"

Kholba's eyes widen as she brings forward her hand. "Here!"

Krillin tosses it over, and Kholba immediately opens it up and brings out a single pill. But before she can put down Bardocks gullet, Cassava grabs her arm.

Kholba looks up at her, and Cassava asks. "Are you sure this will work this time?"

Kholba hardens her expression. "The alternative is worse, isn't it? So what other options do we have?" she said plainly.

Cassava down at Bardock for a moment and closes her eyes. She lets go of Kholba, and she administers the medicine.

The room goes quiet. A few minutes pass. The only sounds were the heavy breaths of Bardock lying on the bed.

Goku was leaning into the room, shifting uncomfortably. "Um, how long is it going to—"

But before Goku could finish, the panting Bardock suddenly erupts into screams of agony as he begins to thrash around violently in the bed. His arm immediately went to clutching his chest.

Both Cassava and Kholba, horrified, take Bardock and try to hold him still. Though Bardock was unconscious, this was proving to be an endeavor for them.

Cassava frantically looked over to the three boys just standing there at the door. "What are you morons doing. COME HELP NOW!" Cassava yelled, very irritated.

The two sons didn't need to be asked a second time. They rushed over to the bed and helped restrain him. "We got him!" Raditz loudly said.

Kholba and Cassava pull back to let the Son brothers do the work.

Kholba let out a heavy sigh of relief before Cassava went up to her and pushed her against the wall, holding her with her arm at her throat. "I thought you said the medicine was supposed to help!" Cassava growled.

Kholba reorientated herself and strained against her mother's force. "It is." She said uncomfortably. "This happens when a patient takes the medicine while the virus is in their system. It's—it's not a pretty process in these cases, but this reaction proves that the medicine is currently at work."

Cassava's eyes were like daggers as she pierced her daughter's eyes. After that, Cassava eases up against Kholba and backs off. "How long will it take for this to pass?" Cassava asks with a gentler tone.

Kholba rubs her throat. "It's hard to say. It could be a week or a few days. Cases like this are different for everyone. But right now, it's safe to say that father's going to recover."

"A week?!" Raditz overhears the two and comes over after Bardock had settled down slightly. "We might not even have that much time with those Androids running around!"

"But that's not the biggest issue right now, is it?" Cassava cuts in. "Even when Bardock's recovered, there's no guarantee that he'll be strong enough to face these things. If only we had more time—" Cassava stops.

A realization hits her like a bolt of lighting.

She remembered her tour of the Lookout on her first day as Guardian. Mr. Popo had brought her to the entrance of a chamber. A chamber that he explained that he had the capability of… That's it!

"The Hyperbolic Time-Chamber!" Cassava exclaimed.

All in the room look at her, with Goku being the one that recognized the name most.

Raditz tilted his head. "The hypy-what-now?"

"It's a chamber that exists in another dimension where time runs faster than it does in our world." Cassava explained.

"Okay, but what does that mean for us?" asked Raditz, not fully comprehending the revelation.

"One day out here, one year in there, meaning—" Cassava smiled a little. "We have access to a full two years worth of training per person entering the chamber!"

"Wha—REALLY?!" Raditz says, shocked, now fully comprehending the revelation. "Where has this been for the past three years—wait." Another realization hits Raditz as he begins to turn slowly towards his brother. With a slightly nettled expression. "Where has this been for the past three years, brother?" Raditz enunciated with slow rising fury in his voice.

Bardock had finally calmed down enough for Goku to pull away. "Oh, well…" Goku's attention was now fully back on the group.

And before he could answer, another voice piped up from the doorway.

"Because it was risky," said Mr. Popo.

He was standing in the doorway with Gohan and Vitella peeking in from the side from behind.

Krillin, who had not noticed the genie right next to him, suddenly yelped and jumped back a bit.

Raditz's attention turned to Mr. Popo now. "What do you mean risky?"

"I doubt Cassava would have remembered me telling her, but it's risky because the chamber can have a severe mental toll if one isn't prepared. During his childhood, I even sent in Son Goku to train." Mr. Popo put it bluntly.

"Yeah, I could only survive in there for a month before walking out," Goku confirmed.

Cassava snapped her fingers. "Oh, yeah, I do remember you mentioning that before, Mr. Popo." Cassava points to Goku. "But that was then, and this is now, so you better be prepared!" Her finger goes to Raditz now. "Both of you!"

Raditz is surprised. "Wha—me? I thought only one person could go in."

Kholba crossed her arms. "No one said that, brother."

"To be precise, a maximum of two can be present while training in the chamber." Mr. Popo explained.

"Oh, well then," Raditz looked over to Bardock lying in bed, still slightly wincing from the chest pains. Raditz makes a tight fist with newfound resolve and turns to his brother. "Let's do it then, Kakarot!"

Goku stayed silent for a moment, his head now held low in thought.

Krillin tilts his head. "Goku?"

Goku raises his head back to the group. "I think we should let Vegeta know about our new plan."

Raditz twitches. That newfound resolve is now shaken. "THAT—" Raditz attempts to bring his voice back down. "Why?"

"I mean, think about it. A day goes by, we come out, maybe save the day, and Vegeta finds out that we hid this away from him. How do you think he'll react? Not good, I'll bet, and besides, it wouldn't be fair!"

At first, some wanted to protest this but thinking about it more, and for whatever mystic force is at play here, Goku made a very valid point.

It wasn't enough that the prince was having an existential crisis, but if they went behind his back and took a power boost advantage that he was unaware of? The potential fallout afterward would be intense, especially for those caught in the background. If it even reached that point! But ultimately, it would fall to the queen, as this was her prodigy the group was considering.

All turn to Cassava, looking for an answer. One that she wasn't entirely sure of either. Due to his recent actions, would it even be a good idea to give Vegeta access to MORE than he already possessed? But then again, they are in desperate times.

Cassava closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Go find my son." She told both Raditz and Goku.

Although Raditz was against this, he had to comply with his queen. So he looked over to Goku, and both nodded. They make their way out the door and head off to find Vegeta.

Once the boys had left, Cassava leaned and slid down the wall to the floor, exhausted from this long day. Kholba had followed her mother's lead, sitting now at the edge of Bardock's bed, slumped over. Krillin, feeling out of place and somewhat reading the room, decided to excuse himself along with the eavesdropping Vitella and Gohan in toe.

The only two royals left in the room take a breather.

Cassava looked over to her daughter. "Hey,"

"Hmm?"

"Sorry about holding you against the wall like that earlier. Not very becoming of a mother. At least according to human customs." Cassava said while quietly saying the last part to herself.

Kholba lets out a sigh. "It's normal to be angry. But, honestly, I would be surprised if you weren't. You were always the most expressive when it came to family. Or at least my future mom version of you. Stars! That's weird to say aloud."

Cassava gave a slight chuckle. "Do I really get that soft in the future?" She asked.

"Actually…" Kholba shakes her head. "No, never mind. It's not important now."

This response wanted Cassava to press further but decided to leave it as is.

"..." Kholba began to think, holding her head up with narrowed eyes

"What is it?" Cassava asked.

"The Hyperbolic Time-Chamber… Interesting that you've never brought it up in my future. Maybe you just forgot, but it would've been the perfect place to develop the medicine more quickly—!" Kholba's eyes go wide, and she bolts up to her feet.

Cassava tenses. "What's wrong?"

A smile comes on Kholba's face. "If time moves faster in there then, why don't we take Bardock in to speed up his recovery?!"

Cassava's eyes widen, and she bolts up from sitting as well! "Apparently, you inherited both me and Bardock's smarts!" She said with pride. "Let's do it!"