Bloodlines VII
Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon belong to people other than me, and I make no money from this work of fanfic, which is for entertainment only, and no money is made at all.
Death wasn't anything like he'd thought it would be. In fact, Bardock had only given the most vague of thoughts to death- his people didn't have any set beliefs about it. In fact, he'd pretty much thought that it was closing your eyes, then nothing.
The last thing he'd expected was to be standing in line somewhere, surrounded by what looked to be a lot of very fluffy clouds.
"Hey, why do you get to have your body?" someone asked, and he looked over to see some huge alien with a horn in the middle of its head, staring at him.
"Because I asked that he be allowed to keep it, at least for a while," said a regal, commanding voice. The blue thing paled, and stuttered an apology, and scurried away.
Bardock whipped his head around, and stared.
"Serenity…" he whispered, and then realized it wasn't her.
Her, who? He couldn't remember.
It was a tall, graceful woman, hair as silver as sun lit clouds. She was dressed in a gown of silver white, which fit her like a sheath. Without thinking, or realizing he had even done so, he had sank to one knee, head bowed before this goddess like woman.
"Rise, my Daughter's Champion," she whispered, and smiled at him. At that moment, he could have thrown himself to the ground and worshipped her. The words she spoke had no meaning to him.
Her hand rested lightly on his head.
"A good man," she whispered. "You did what I asked of you, and more. Worn and weathered, turned by fire into the finest steel, yet you still had a heart." She shook her head, looking amazed.
Then she grinned, oddly impish. "Not for my sake, though, but out of love for my daughter…"
He felt himself drowning in her eyes. The pain that had been lurking in the back of his mind was being eased and soothed by her presence. It was a balm that almost filled the empty space in his heart.
Talking his hand, the glorious woman led him away.
"Bardock!" called a voice. Looking up from his half daze, Bardock realized he was in a beautiful wilderness- a field, with trees and mountains in the distance, and his friends were there.
Of the goddess who led him there, there was no sign.
"Bardock…" whispered a voice, and he turned, to see his mate…
"Bara!" he exclaimed, and ran to hug his beautiful Saiya-jin mate.
"I missed you so!" she whispered into his ear, as they both cried. The rest of Bardock's crew joined the reunion, and they wept, all of them, grateful to be together again. Time stood still, as friends and lovers were reunited. They sat, and started to talk, remembering their lives together. The sun was pleasantly warm, a refreshing breeze blowing, as they recounted the events of their lives…
"Yeah, you remember the time that you let that alien bite you in the ass, Bardock?" laughed Bara, sitting beside him.
He choked. "Yes, and you will never let me forget it!" he snorted, and they all laughed again.
Even as he laughed, he looked around, wondering why it felt like something was wrong. There seemed to be a gap in his group. One that shouldn't have been there; silently he counted heads. Everyone was there…
Why did everything seem so odd, all of a sudden? It was like there was a piece of his heart gone…
Holding his mate to him, he took a deep breath, getting her scent again… The smell was wrong.
Half panicked, he reached out to feel her through their bond, but it wasn't there any more…
Now completely panicked, he stood up, looking around at all of them. Little things started to click in his mind. Scars from mate's face were gone, as were others from his team. Reaching up, he felt his own face… and the scar was gone.
"What's going on?" he yelled, looking around. He then realized that they had been talking for what HAD to have been hours, and it was still daylight.
The others blinked at him, looking confused. "What do you mean?"
"None of us have scars! I can't feel you, Bara, and it hasn't gotten dark yet!" Looking around, he noticed that none of the plants and animals was from Vegeta-sei.
Confusion settled on all of their faces. They started to look from one to another, hoping that somehow one of the others would know what was going on.
"What were we doing before we got here?" asked Seripa, haltingly. They all were confused.
Toma answered. "We were on our way to Meat-sei…"
"Yeah, I remember that, but I remember fighting them as well," answered Seripa, shaking her head. "And then… and then…" Her eyes went huge and round.
"Furiza's elites," she whispered, voice starting to shake. "They said they had come to help, and we let our guard down…"
Toma nodded, slowly, his face looking shell-shocked. All around, the crew wore similar expressions.
"We've got to get out of here," someone whispered, and as a group they moved, scouting, each one knowing what the other would do. However, Bardock did not see the sad look that she threw him.
"Hey, Bardock!" shouted Seripa, and pointed up. Above them- how it got there, they had no idea, was a vortex.
"I guess we go through it?" Toma yelled back, and headed towards it.
"But we don't know- oh, damn, what's the point? Let's go!" Bardock roared, and powered up, he and his crew shooting up and through the portal…
The whole universe seemed to go TILT, then spin like a washing machine. Then they were spat out… somewhere.
Bardock hit the ground, causing a small crater to be formed. The crater got larger as his crewmates all fell on top of him, with a following secession of booms.
No one said anything, as they just moaned and grumbled, twitching and looking around.
"Where are we?" mumbled Seripa, looking around.
Bara blinked. "I think we are at the Grand Kai's," she said, in a tone of wonder.
"How do you know that, Bara?" asked Bardock, rubbing his head, and looking around.
"Never mind that, what's going on over there?" asked Toma, struggling to his feet and picking up Seripa, who smacked him for falling on her.
Bardock had now stopped seeing the little birdies, and was able to pay attention to the sounds the others were paying attention to. It was dull roaring…
"I guess we go there?" asked Bardock, grunting and getting to his feet. Everyone looked at him and nodded. They seemed to be somewhere… That had a large crowd. All around them were people, who held themselves like fighters.
"Man, its an arena!" called Toma to his leader, over the massive din. Bardock looked back at him, and nodded.
"Welcome," said a familiar voice, and Bardock turned, eyes widening.
"YOU!" they all screamed, looking at her, while the woman smiled benignly.
All but Bara, who smiled faintly back at her, and knelt.
"Your majesty," she whispered, eyes sad.
"Lady Rose," Serenity murmured softly, and tilted her head up. "I know this has been hard for you."
The lovely Saiya-jin woman sobbed softly. She was not given to displays of emotion, though this was not a usual case.
"What the hell is going on here?" roared Bardock, looking back and forth between his mate and the tall woman, that he vaguely remembered for some reason.
"I hope you can forgive them," said the moon goddess said softly, placing her hand on Bara's head.
"What is there to forgive?" she said softly, eyes red. "She saved him from coming with me- let him live longer, and was able to redeem us. The price is a pittance…"
Serenity closed her eyes. "I know the pain you feel…"
Looking up, she beckoned them over. "There is someone you should meet, Bardock. You may all come with me, if you wish."
Without seeing if they would follow, Serenity walked to the arena, and the group of explorers just shrugged at each other.
"What the hell have we got to loose?" asked Seripa, and they saw Bara had already trotted off after her.
The area opened up into the massive arena, and they saw warriors there- two, one an alien of a type they had never seen before, and the other was clearly a Saiya-jin.
He looked very familiar.
The entire troop looked at him in shocked surprise, reaching for scouters they didn't have to take readings of this guy's power- seeing him do things that was for them, basically impossible.
Then he burst into flames, hair turning gold, eye's teal like a summer's sky.
It was that which triggered Bardock's memory completely- gold hair.
"KITTEN!" he barked, and the last few moments of his life paraded themselves before him, and he snarled.
"Where is she? Why did you take our memories? What is going on?"
"Peace," Serenity answered. "You remember who I am, do you not? You are dead, as am I. However, unlike you, I am a goddess who took mortal form. So I have a few… perks." Her lips quirked. "My daughter…" Pain filled her as she said that. "I could not deny her life. The goddess of the moon, I was to undergo all of her aspects, as the maiden, and then birthing my beautiful daughter, become mother, and in death- become the Crone, she who leads to the afterlife. Then begin the cycle again."
"Lady," said Toma, in annoyance. "That don't mean crap to us, and what does that have to do with the kitten?"
Again, that enigmatic smile. "It does." Her eyes clouded. "As a mortal goddess, I would have been reborn- but because of the attack of Metallia, I sacrificed my chance at rebirth for my daughter, so that she might continue her life with her friends, and get another chance at a peaceful life…"
"So- so she was reborn?" Bardock said softly, eyes narrowed, still looking at the young warrior with that oh so familiar face. "And- my son?" he said.
"He has died, but not before leaving two children of his own."
Everyone in that little circle looked at her and yelled "WHAT?"
A silly giggle escaped the woman's lips. "Your son, my grandson, has saved his home many times, and was the strongest warrior of his generation- only surpassed by HIS son. It was he that brought about the defeat of Furiza, and beat Prince Vegeta easily."
Bardock gaped, and Bara smiled faintly. Nothing had been mentioned of the children she had borne, and she really didn't want to know. They had never been given the chance to change like she had after her death, had been raised pure Saiya-jins. Her heart ached, knowing that…
"Most people are sent to heaven, hell, or cleansed of their memories to be born again. I thought you might like a chance to settle things before that. I owe you that much, for your aid."
"Kitten…" Bardock stated. "Can I see her again?"
Serenity looked at him and shook her head. "She has been sent to her home universe. She will be reborn in the future, to live peacefully."
"Peaceful my ass! Your people couldn't protect her then, what makes you think they could now?" he demanded, getting into her face.
"There is no way to truly know the future," she answered calmly. "However, she has become a warrior from her time with you- those instincts will still be with her. Her senshi have become more powerful from their experiences. We were caught unprepared. There is also the matter that no Saiya-jins exist in that universe. Their magic should suffice."
Bardock was about to reply scathingly but was interrupted by Serenity gesturing. "I assume you wish to meet your son, the Super Saiya-jin?"
The scout was once again caught flat-footed, and could only nod. Trailing behind the lady in silver, they made their way down to the arena, where two short, beetle like people were arguing with each other, while the fight continued.
"PIKKON WILL WIN!"
"GOKU WILL WIN!"
Approaching them, Serenity cleared her throat.
She was ignored. Raising an eyebrow, Serenity cleared her throat again, trying to get their attention.
When she was yet again ignored, she waved her hand, and abruptly the two beetle people were dumped on their heads.
"Wah, wah?" they exclaimed, and looked up at her, antennae bent and mangled from the fall. "OH! Serenity!" cried one, the bluer of the two.
"Hey, who is this hussy?" said the other, and Bardock's eyes twitched. He was about to straighten him out when Serenity herself turned to him, and locked him with a too polite smile.
"East Kai," she answered," always a pleasure." She then gave him a LOOK that would have withered granite. He swallowed hard and shuffled away. He looked terrified.
"We are here to see my grandson when he has defeated Pikkon," she said graciously, and then turned to look back at the tournament, where Goku had just used his super kaioken, and blasted Pikkon…
"I think he is about ready to come over now!" said the North Kai, automatically shuffling over to do her request. Bardock was impressed. Apparently, even dead, this woman commanded great respect.
Blinking he looked up, and saw the vision he had been given before death, come to visit him in vivid color.
"Hey, are these the people you said wanted to meet me, King Kai?" said a bubbly voice of a young man. Looking into that face, Bardock was struck by the similarities between his son and himself- and his son and Serenity. Love of life, innocence, intelligence that wasn't immediately recognizable, and kindness, all there.
"Yes, they are. This lad here," he pointed to Bardock," is your father, and that stately lady there," he pointed to Serenity," is your grandmother."
Goku's eyes widened to the point of nearly bugging out of his head. "Really? COOL! Its great to meet you! Man, you look just like me!" he exclaimed, rushing up to Bardock and looking at him from all angles, plainly amazed at the similarities.
Bardock was hard put to restrain his laughter.
"Hey, aren't grannies supposed to look older than you are? I mean, Grandma, you look younger than I do!"
The queen smiled at him. "I have been dead for a while now, Goku," she answered him, amused, and lovingly.
Goku wasn't paying attention to her words the, just looking back and forth between the queen and Bardock in confusion. "You don't look all that much like your mom, Dad," he said in confusion, scratching his head.
"I am your mother's mother," Serenity responded, and Goku brightened, and then frowned again.
"My mother? Why did I never think of her…" he muttered, eyes narrowing, thinking. "Where is she? You both died when Vegetasei was destroyed, didn't you? I've wanted to meet you both, talk to you, for a long time now."
Bardock found him was choked up.
"You've done well, boy," he said huskily. He wasn't used to expressing his feelings.
Looking into those dark eyes, regret washed over him, of years missed, of never getting the chance to be what they SHOULD have been.
Serenity watched the exchange silently, the grinned as Goku suddenly glomped onto Bardock, hugging him with all his strength.
"Its good to meet you, Dad," he said, bruising his ribs.
Hesitantly, not sure how he would be received, Bardock circled his arms around the young man, holding him like he would break.
Goku let go, and sniffed loudly. "Where is Mom? I'd like to meet her too," he asked, looking around.
"She has gone on to be reborn, Goku," Serenity replied. "Her destiny has yet to be fulfilled, and she must do this, for the future of her universe."
Goku frowned. Ignoring the greater implications of the queen's statement, he wondered," So, I'll never meet her?"
Serenity gave him an odd look. "I don't know."
"Why not?" he asked, puzzled. This woman seemed so wise, how could she not know?
Patiently, she explained her tale, about how his parents met, what they were originally going to do to his mother, and the end destruction of Vegetasei, and his mother's last minute rescue of him, sending him to earth.
"So, I really AM an Earthling!" he declared, and Serenity smiled widely at his enthusiasm.
"Yes, dear, in every way that counts."
"I'm a Prince too?" the young Saiya-jin asked, brow furrowed. Serenity nodded.
"COOL! That means Vegeta doesn't have a reason to pick on me anymore!"
Serenity took in the expressions of surprise on their faces, and laughed. "He was dropped on his head as a child- but it doesn't mean that much, ne?" Walking over to the young man, she kisses his forehead, and a crescent moon briefly appeared.
Smiling into his eyes. "Your Saiya-jin blood is strong, but I think mine has a tiny edge," she said, almost like a blessing.
"What about Kitten?" Bardock snarled, drawing the attention back to him. "You honestly can't believe that those dinky little girls are enough to protect her!"
Serenity raised a graceful eyebrow. "Would you follow her there? Be born anew, and forget who you are where? That would be the price of following her."
Bardock drew himself up- he always felt like he had to look up to see her, even though they were of a height.
"I would do that even if it cost me my soul. I'd willingly leave behind what I was, all of it, its not much to loose, to get the chance to protect her."
The others looked at him… their expressions were those of tired, battered warriors.
"Bardock… don't we deserve a chance to rest?" asked Toma softly. Bardock looked at him like he was insane- then really looked at them. He realized that they had all been through a kind of hell. Himself included. However, that didn't stop him.
"I can send you to be reborn," Serenity said, almost diffidently. "You will get the chance to decide your own lives, differently than you were here. If you need them, you will regain your powers. But only then."
"I'll do it," Bardock said without hesitation. A gentle hand took his- and Bara smiled.
"Someone has to keep you out of trouble- and I would like to thank this kitten in person."
The rest of his crew sighed. "You'll need more than that, Bara- it would take a herd of mad Oozaru to keep HIM out of trouble," muttered Seripa.
"You all would be reborn?" asked Serenity, surprised. There were nods all around.
"Send us wherever, Lady," Toma added. "Sitting around dead doesn't really suit us."
Then Serenity laughed. It was beautiful, like silver wind chimes, and she seemed to glow.
"Then be well, all of you, and good luck. Perhaps, after this, we will meet again."
The light seemed to get brighter as they stared at her. Bardock realized that it wasn't really coming from anywhere in particular, but increased until it was blinding.
Wincing, he put up his hand to shield his eyes, and the sound of the crowd faded, like in the distance, though he couldn't remember moving…
"What…?"
Then nothing.
To be continued.
