Chapter 1. Bardock Saga Part 1
Planet Kanassa,
Age 732
Bardock always considered himself an oddity among the Saiyan race. One reason being that, though he lacked the kind of control that the Elites had, he could always remember everything that happened when he was in Oozaru form. The constant desire to rub his newly formed scar seemed proof enough of that.
The rest of his squad failed to notice him doing this, too wrapped up in their own discussion of what they remembered from last night's attack. Even the usually attentive Gine seemed distracted by something other than her husband for once. She kept looking around the city ruins they currently camped in, nervously eyeing every fallen corps that surrounded them. It was no wonder that she was soon to retire from the military and join the meat distribution center.
"Say Bardock, how's that kid of yours? Raditz is his name, right? I hear he inherited your dad's hair."
The mention of his father was enough to rouse Bardock from his thoughts. He turned towards his second in command with a look that was both angry and confused. "My dad died a long time ago, Toma."
Gine finally came back to reality as well and gave her husband a mild glare. "He was asking about Raditz. You should be thankful that others are noticing our son's progress."
Bardock scoffed in reply. "I guess you could call it that. At six years old, most of us here were already farther along than he is. Doesn't that worry you? Aren't you afraid that he'll end up like-?"
It was then that a hand burst from the ground and seized Gine's wrist. This caused her to let out a frightened scream that further separated her from other Saiyan women. A tall and very ragged looking Kanassian soon followed and looked her over with wide eyes. "You're the one."
The alien's free hand reached out, only for Bardock to swoop in and kick him away. The Saiyan the turned to his wife with a look that was equal parts concern for her safety and annoyance at having to once again come to her rescue. "Get back to our ships and wait for us there. This won't take long."
Gine nodded silently and gave Bardock an affectionate squeeze of the hand. He looked away so she would not see the blush this brought to his cheeks. "Go!"
Once his wife had flown out of sight, Bardock turned to address his squad. "Looks like one of these pests still has some fight in him. Which one of you knuckleheads wants this one?"
Celipa, the squad's only other female, stepped up. "Let me have him. He deserves to see what a real Saiyan woman is capable of."
She powered up to her fullest as she said this and launched herself at the Kanassan, landing a punch that made him stagger backwards. He responded by turning his attention to a large rock beside him and narrowing his eyes in concentration. Celipa raised an eyebrow as she observed the rock slowly begin to lift off the ground and float there. The Kanassan then turned his attention back to her and the rock was suddenly flying in the same direction at high speed.
Celipa calmly fired her signature Hunting Arrow attack, instantly destroying the projectile and continuing on until it struck her attacker. He hadn't even finished screaming when she appeared directly in front of him and began squeezing his throat. An evil smirk crossed her face as she lifted him into the air.
"So, you're a psychic like that runt, Guldo huh? I guess that means I shouldn't give you the chance to hold your breath then." Celipa proceeded to unleash a spin kick that sent the Kanassan flying, then reappeared above him to spike him into the ground. She hovered above the new crater she had made with a bored expression on her face.
"How lame. I bet even Guldo would have put up a better fight. What do you think, Fella-?" Celipa soon found herself contorted in pain, unable to move as the Kanassan climbed out of the crater and spat in anger.
"You filthy beast woman! This technique was considered deadly among my people and our best means for dealing with the likes of you! As an ape, you were too strong to restrain, but now? How do you like feeling as helpless at those you slaughtered!?"
Celipa could only reply in pained gasps as she struggled to breathe. A sadistic smile crossed her attacker's face as he prepared what could only have been the final blow. It was then that the Kanassan found himself bombarded by a barrage of ki blasts from both Toma and Toteppo. Their assault was enough to break his concentration and release Celipa from his psychic hold.
Once his squad mate was wounded, but alive and safe on the ground, Panbukin rushed in and tackled her assailant. Toma then launched his Flame Ballet attack and ignited the Kanassan's body in a burst of blue flame. Bardock watched all this in silent approval until he heard his scouter beep and watched it display their enemy's still rising power level.
The Kanassan was indeed alive, grinning sadistically despite his blazing body. He studied the Saiyan squad with blank glowing eyes and kept his gaze on Toteppo for a long minute while the latter tended to Celipa. That was when Bardock stepped into view beside Toma and assumed a fighting stance. This actually made the psychic warrior laugh out loud.
"Yes, I see now. Thank you, Bardock, it's all become very clear." The Saiyan gasped when he heard his own name. "How did you-?"
"What? How did I survive?" The Kanassan chuckled again. "Oh, I won't for much longer I'm afraid. This energy transmutation technique can only keep me alive a while longer so that I can bestow my gift."
"What the hell are you babbling about!?" Bardock snapped even as he began gathering ki for an attack. The Kanassan ignored him.
"I had wanted to give this gift to your wife. I read her mind and knew that, even as an ape, she was not like you all. She deserved a chance to escape her fate and find peace. Since you ruined that, you shall be cursed!"
The Kanassan rushed towards Bardock and leaped behind him before he could react. The Saiyan then felt himself be jabbed in the back of the neck, but felt no real pain. His opponent looked satisfied none the less.
"It is done. Now, you are cursed to know the fate of your people and powerless to stop it, just as I was!" The Kanassan began laughing maniacally and Bardock's always volatile temper flared.
"SHUT UP!" The enraged Saiyan launched a full power Riot Javelin that obliterated his foe once and for all. Some of the gore ended up staining his dark green armor. Panbukin suddenly slipped beside Bardock to admire his leader's handiwork.
"Instant Barbecue! Let's hope that takes care of these freaks for real this time huh?" That was the last thing Bardock heard before everything went dark.
…
In his dreams, Bardock could see Planet Vegeta as it appeared from space. Hovering above the Saiyan home world was the personal ship of King Cold. The king himself sat in a chair atop the ship and was smiling.
But King Cold looked far different than he had on the few occasions that Bardock had seen him. He was wearing a scouter and if possible, seemed even crueler than usual. His smile alone reflected that and this smile only got wider as he raised his hand and extended a finger to the sky.
A tiny sphere of crimson ki formed on the tip of this finger and rapidly grew to immense size. The King Cold impersonator casually flicked the orb at Planet Vegeta and it struck the world head on while he laughed out loud. All Bardock could see after that was his home being reduced to ash.
That was when the Saiyan's eyes snapped open and he found himself floating in a healing tank. Gine and six year old Raditz stared back at him from the outside with worried and fearful expressions. Chief scientists Malaka and Planthorr looked almost as concerned from their place at the computer counsel. Bardock was used to scenes like this after rough missons, but this one felt different. Why?
…
"You really should rest, Bardock. They say something was different about your readings after you were discharged from the healing tank." Bardock merely rolled his eyes at Gine's concern as he went through his nightly training routine in their yard. Would his own mother have fretted over him so much if she were alive?
"I'm stronger now, that's all. You know that happens when we recover from tough fights. I'm sure Celipa got the same readings while she recovered."
Gine scowled at her husband's nonchalant attitude. "She's stronger all right, but that's it for her. Malaka said your brain waves looked different in the readout. I did some research on the Kanassans and it mentioned them being able to transform the minds of other somehow. What happened after you got hit?"
This was finally enough to give Bardock pause. He recalled his dream and how vivid it felt, how real. "He was stronger than I thought and managed to knock me out. Nothing happened except that I had a weird dream, Now, don't you have some meat to prepare somewhere?
Gine let out an exasperated sigh, but turned to leave without further comment. Raditz watched this all from his hiding place and waited until his mother was out of sight before running up to join his father. "Can we spar, Daddy?"
Bardock looked down at his long-haired son and gave a curt nod. "Try to keep up, kid." Raditz nodded excitedly and the two took fighting stances before charging at each other seconds later.
Father and son began exchanging blows at a rapid pace, but this only lasted a moment before the former knocked Raditz through the wall of their house. Gine often scolded Bardock for such rough treatment towards her only child, but he dismissed her. No true Saiyan grew up soft.
He walked into the house and found Raditz laying on the kitchen floor. "Get up, kid. Don't tell me you're finished already?"
Bardock started to kick his son in the side, only to be caught off guard by something that flashed before his eyes. For a brief moment, he thought he saw Raditz as a grown man being handed a strange fruit by someone who looked very much like him. Was that…Turles?
The shock was so great that the Saiyan stumbled backwards as if struck and gripped his head like he had a migraine. What was that? It couldn't have been real, especially if Turles was there. His brother had been missing for years ever since he went searching for that damned magical tree!
My, my, Bardock, what an estranged family you have. This new voice caught Bardock off guard and he began looking around the room franticly. "Who's there!? Show yourself!"
A cold and rather familiar laugh answered these demands. I am afraid that's not possible. You yourself made sure of that when you killed me.
Bardock's eyes widened. "You're the Kanassan!? How!?"
You may call me Toolo, or rather what's left of him. I'm another part of the curse you bare. Bardock scoffed now. "What's this curse you're babbling about?"
As I said, you shall know the fate of your people and be powerless to change it, just as I was. What you see may not occur for some time, but it will happen. Fate cannot be altered.
Bardock seethed with rage as these words echoed in his mind. He just barely noticed the small hand touching his arm. "Daddy, what's wrong?"
Raditz was looking at his father with a concerned expression that made him look so much like his mother. He also looked far less damaged than many adults who'd taken that same punch from Bardock in the past. All this would usually have filled Bardock with emotions he'd be quick to deny, but instead he felt anger because the memory of what he'd seen was fresh in his mind.
"Shut up and get to bed, boy! I've no time for someone who spars as poorly as you! Come see me again when you can take a real beating."
Bardock left the house and took to the air without another word. He didn't want to chance eventually regretting his actions if he lingered too long. He soon flew over the capital city and spotted his usual tavern. The Cold Force grunt who ran the place was usually willing to give him a couple dozen free rounds once properly threatened and the best way to do it was going through the back entrance.
The minute he landed, he felt a sudden surge of weakness and collapsed to his knees. Someone had emerged from the alley behind him and grabbed onto his tail. He cursed himself for forgetting his scouter and for not having conquered this crippling weakness yet. It would doom all Saiyans if they weren't careful.
"Okay old man, nice and easy. Just hand over your valuables and this will be all over soon." A teenage Saiyan female emerged from behind the tavern dumpster and pressed a knife to Bardock's throat. She had a hairstyle similar to his own and a far too cocky smirk on her face.
Even weakened, Bardock looked her in the eye without fear. "So, the rumors about a street gang are true. It figures that only punk kids would be cowardly enough to grab someone else's tail. What's your name, brat!?"
"My name is Caulifla," the girl sneered, "and you're gonna remember it. My gang and I are gonna take Planet Vegeta for ourselves one day soon and not even King Cold will stop us!" Bardock simply smirked and began to laugh at the punk's bravado when he suddenly saw her looking much older and having a bizarre black "M" on her forehead. She proceeded to power up and her hair stood on end, turning a brilliant gold while her eyes turned turquoise.
Bardock blinked and the world returned to normal. Now he knew the things he was seeing couldn't possibly be real. After all, there was no way in hell that the punk girl before him could be the Super Saiyan of legend.
Deciding he'd had enough of being a victim, he gathered what strength he could and powered up. This proved enough to force whoever held his tail to release their grip and he rose to his full height, easily slapping the knife from Caulifla's grip. "You were saying?"
Caulifla growled in response and launched herself at the older male Saiyan. He easily blocked every one of her attacks and was unphased by the one free shot to the jaw he allowed her. He responded to this by calmly flicking her across the forehead and sending her into the wall.
"You've got spunk, girl. It honestly reminds me of me at that age. There may be a real future for you if you get some strength to back up that attitude."
Caulifla merely scowled and started running away. Bardock watched her go with a shake of his head and turned his attention towards the alley. "Now, let's see who else is in this little gang of rejects."
All he saw was another teenage girl. She was weak and timid looking compared to Caulifla, but the only one who could've grabbed his tail. She backed away even as Bardock tried to approach her. "Say, aren't you Colonel Paragus' daughter?"
This actually made the girl tremble. Bardock had never seen anything like her. Before he could say more, both heard Caulifa's voice: "Come on, Kale!"
Hearing this name caused Bardock to once again see an older version of the Saiyan before him. She also seemed to become a Super Saiyan, but was far different than Caulifla with huge muscles, blank white eyes and green hair. She let out a roar of rage and launched herself at a male Saiyan who looked very similar. He also had a black "M" on his forehead.
By the time this vision had ended, the one called Kale had vanished. Bardock suddenly felt overcome with exhaustion and barely managed to stumble into the tavern. He thought he saw Toma and Celipa seated at the bar and tried to call out to them before his world went dark once again. This time, he had no strange dreams.
Bardock awoke the next morning in Toma's bed and was greeted by him, Celipa, Gine, and Raditz. They had all been ordered to the royal palace of King Vegeta III alongside every other Saiyan for a special assembly at the behest of King Cold himself. It was there that the self-proclaimed Emperor of the Universe actually announced his retirement. The Cold Force would henceforth be under the complete control of his youngest son, Lord Frieza.
As Lord Frieza proceeded to launch into a speech about the advanced model of scouter that his scientists had developed as a "gift" to his new subjects, Bardock's blood froze in his veins. King Cold's son was the one he'd seen destroying Planet Vegeta in his dreams. Could this mean…? His thoughts were interrupted by Toolo's dark laughter in the back of his mind.
End Part 1 of Bardock Saga
Power Levels:
Bardock:
8, 2335{before zenkai}
12,355.5{after zenkai}
Toma: 6,230
Pambukin: 4,235
Toteppo: 4,150
Celipe: 3,500{before zenkai}, 5,250 {after Zenkai}
Gine: 1,000
Toolo: 1,100{normal}, 3,000{ki conversion mode}
Raditz: 800{kid}
Caulifla: 850
Kale: 200{Calm}, unknown{hidden power unleashed}
Author's note:
What ifs used:
1."What If Bardock invaded Kanassa early?"
2. "What if Kale and Caulifla were born in Universe 7?"
3. What if Kale was Broly's older sister?"
This fic's Broly will also be a fusion of his original and current incarnations. He will be born alongside Goku in this universe.