Its official! I'm taking the summer off after this season finale! Sorry, but summer and all it demands takes up all of my time. I'm starting college in a month, and my family is going on a camping vacation. Don't worry, though. When I come back this fall, it'll be with a vengeance!

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*****************Episode 46*****************

** End of the Line; Bardock's Biggest Decision **

The paper that stabbed into Cole's doorway held the name of a deserted planet, Biideshk. It was on this planet that Bardock now stood, alone, seeking the whereabouts of his friend and mentor, Captain Cole.

The time: Two days after Cole departed Vegetasei for his battle against Sir Rubaru. It had taken Bardock that long to arrange for his ship to fly him and to escape the protests of his fellow crewmates. They had insisted that, if Cole survived, he would fly home himself.

But Bardock now knew for sure Cole would never be flying home.

~~When the sirens flash is gone

~~And we're left to carry on

~~All the memories are too few

~~When the pastor's music plays

~~And that casket rolls away

~~I could live again if you

~~Just stay alive for me

The destruction of an entire continent lay before him, land either destroyed or overturned all around. Ki and element energy scorched areas randomly. If any plant life had grown, not even the memory remained.

Amidst the rubble, Bardock sensed his master's ki. No clear sign of a body could be found, but Bardock had witnessed/caused enough destruction on other planets to recognize the smell of burnt, rotting flesh. He sifted through whatever lay closest to him, refusing to believe Cole could be dead. Frantically, panicking, he jumped from heap to heap.

~~Please stay now, you left me here alone-

~~It's the end of the line

~~Please stay, I can make it on my own

~~Make it on my own

~~It's the end of the line

After hours of searching, he came across the largest crater. In the center stood two forms of blackened rock. As Bardock moved in, he noticed the smell of burnt flesh grow stronger. He reached out to touch one of the figures, but as soon as his finger grazed the solid ash, the figure disintegrated.

~~Now that you are dead and gone

~~And I'm left to carry on

~~I could never smile cause you

~~Won't stay alive for me

Bardock's arm, still outstretched, shook from terror. The forms were all that remained of Cole and Rubaru, cremated by an overload of power. The black statues' faces were so charred, each was indistinguishable from the other.

Out of shear shock, Bardock dropped to his knees, breathing hard, trying to get over the immense alarm. Some of the dust took flight, and Bardock accidentally inhaled some. Coughing and sputtering in horror, he took off as quickly as he possibly could.

'Water,' was his only thought. 'Must find water!' As if water could wash away the smell and rinse away the ash! Desperate, to get rid of the taste, and realizing what he just breathed in, he became violently sick beside a nearby tree.

~~Please stay now, you left me here alone-

~~It's the end of the line

~~Please stay, I can make it on my own-

~~Make it on my own

~~It's the end of the line

After turning his stomach nearly inside-out, he rested his forehead against the tree. "Why," he said aloud, his voice shaking dangerously. "Why did this happen?!"

No tears fell from Bardock's eyes. His sorrow was beyond tears. His eyes were exhausted from his grief over Zucina. And now, hardly a month after her death, he faced that of his best friend and mentor.

"WHY!?!" Bardock screamed out into the heavens.

~~Finally, your final resting day

~~Is without me

~~I weep, and think of brighter days

~~What about me

His mind searched for someone to blame, someone to take his rage out on. Rubaru was dead. Tora! Tora was the last to see him before he left! Yes, yes! Tora's the one who should have stopped him! Tora's FATHER killed his best friend! Tora . . . Tora . . .

Bardock fell to his knees and beat the ground with his fist, causing a near cave-in, cracks forming. He couldn't blame Tora! He was all he had left! He just wanted to pain to stop! Zucina! Cole! Gone! How could he blame Tora for Zucina? It must have been him, Bardock! He was responsible for their deaths! No one else!

~~You can't take back, the one mistake

~~That still lives on after life it takes

~~In that one day, that changed our lives

~~And bitter memories are left behind

The wind picked up, bouncing off his flaring ki. A deep, gentle voice broke behind him. "I am sorry for your loss, Bardock."

Bardock did not have to turn around. He had only heard the voice once before, but it was unmistakable. "Erutan," he spat into the ground. "Go away! Leave me alone!"

~~You can't take back, the one mistake

~~That still lives on after life it takes

~~In that one day, that changed our lives

~~And bitter memories are left behind

"You mustn't blame yourself for Cole's death," said the wise Elemental behind Bardock. "He chose his own path. Cole's heart was never pure to-"

"Don't you DARE speak bad of him," Bardock screamed, and he stood to face the being. But he faced only air. The old voice filled the whole of the space around him. "Cole allowed himself to be controlled by rage since he was a child. He dedicated his life to perfecting his father's technique more for revenge then for the art, as he originally intended."

"But, he taught it to me," Bardock yelled into space. "He taught me so that I could continue it right! He . . . He cared about me! He was a good man! A great man! He . . . He . . ." Bardock swallowed painfully, and sank back into the ground. The hurt within his heart made him fit to burst. He prayed desperately for an end to the hurt! He needed it to stop!

~~Please stay now, you left me here alone-

~~It's the end of the line

~~Please stay, I can make it on my own-

~~Make it on my own

"Go on, Bardock," came to voice once again. "Continue your rage. Your feelings are what build your spirit. And what a pure spirit it is! This is why Una has chosen you to train Cole's son. But you must let it loose, not carry it inside."

"I don't care," Bardock whispered, half to Erutan, half to himself. "I don't care about anything anymore. I jus' wanna die. I want it all ta stop. An' I can be with Cole and Zuni-chan again.

~~Please stay now, you left me here alone-

~~It's the end of the line

~~Please stay, I can make it on my own*

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[Commercial Break]

* - Offspring - The End of the Line

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Bardock closed his eyes. Never, NEVER before did he want to die so strongly. Even as his mother beat him, his sister taunt him, his peers kick him around as a child, he had never considered death. The thought of ending his own life seemed wrong; simply impossible! But now . . . . it would be so easy to overload with ki until he exploded. His emotions already had a start on overloading his heart.

He opened his eyes, filled with an eerie calm. 'That's right,' he thought. 'Cole died because of an overload. I can too! It'll be easy! I'll just . . . .'

A piercing bright light blinded him. He quickly shielded his eyes, feeling they'd burn if he did not. He prepared himself instinctively for a fight, when a warm, comforting sensation swept over him. The light, instead of burning him, soothed his entire body. Dying, so close and favored only a moment before, drained away.

"Open your eyes, young man," a melodious voice rang.

Bardock did as he was commanded without questioning, and before him stood a fantastic sight for any mortal eye. Floating before him was a magnificent, glowing, white lady in a flowing white gown with long, golden-blonde hair. She had gold eyes and a sparkling crown. Her large, shimmering, transparent wings, far too powerful in appearance for her delicate figure, flapped gently, and great puffs of dust formed from their force.

As this was only the second celestial being Bardock had met, his breath hushed as she graced him with a smile. Personally, I believe my dear Angala dulled down her looks. If she had chosen to appear as her true self, the shock may have killed Bardock!

"Good Sayin Bardock," she sang, "my mistress wishes you to accept her utmost sympathies, but you must understand. Life in this realm was only the beginning of Cole and Zucina's true purpose. My mistress sent them to you in order to prepare you. Sayin Bardock, you were created for the purpose of teaching the future Justice Elemental; an honorable task indeed. All life lessons must be experienced in order to properly pass them down. Learn from the mistakes of Cole, and do not harbor rage so it festers in your heart, tampering your judgment. Learn from Zucina, and take life in proper perspective, not simply day after day."

Angala floated closer to Bardock, laying a soft hand on his left cheek. "More importantly learn from your mistake, and move on. Dwelling on the past will never change it. Look towards the future. The son of Cole has been born. His mother died in the process, fully aware she was unfit for childbirth. Yet, as a faithful mate, she consented to bare the offspring of Cole, and forthcoming Elemental of Justice. Do not choose to end your life before your true objective has yet to be realized."

"I," Bardock started, trying to find the right words, "I just … want them back …"

Angala gave another smile, and Bardock felt slightly comforted. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. Suddenly, Bardock had a vision of Cole and Zucina with large, black, bird-like wings. "As a reward for aiding you, Una-sama, my mistress, granted your friends positions of honor within the other realm. They may keep their bodies if they agree to fight alongside my mistress whenever summoned."

"Will … will I see them again someday?"

"That I cannot say. Perhaps your paths will cross once again. Considering the ever-lasting bond you share with them, I find it highly likely." She held him close. "I know this is much for a mortal to undertake. Death is not easy for any good being, mortal or not. But the point is to carry on with what is most important."

Bardock sniffed and wiped his eyes on Angala's gown. "It sure ain't easy. Almost unbearable!"

"But you understand?"

.

.

Fasha punched the wall of the hospital, denting it. "It's not fair," she screamed. "Its just not fair!"

Tora put a hand on his mate. "Yeah, well, Sprouta's dead, and the kid has such a low power, he may not be allowed to live."

Panbukin growled. "It don't make no sense! Cole had to be at least as strong as the toughest first class! How could his kid be a power level of one!?"

"Irrational or not," stated Malacca, a doctor in the hospital, "it is a fact."

"And by Freiza's policy," continued Epson, another doctor, "any child born and orphaned as a third class must be put to death."

"He ain't orphaned."

All of them turned to see Bardock standing in the doorway, dirty and disheveled, but with a smile on his face. "Cole placed me as his mentor. His last wish was fer me to teach his son his techniques. Well, I'm willin' to keep that promise."

"Bardock," Tora whispered in awe. His bud had been an emotional zombie for the past month. How could he smile now?

"I do not understand, lieutenant," said Epson.

"That's 'captain,'" Bardock corrected. "The boy has been placed into my team since his dad found out he existed. "S'far as I'm concerned, I'm responsible for him."

"But," sputtered Malacca, "you have a first class son of your own! Why adopt this third class?!"

"This 'third class' happens to be the son of my late mentor, and I am to be his." He folded his arms and cocked an eyebrow towards Tora and Fasha. "'Course, I'll need help raisin' him. Guys, you can't have kids, so …"

Fasha's eyes lit up and she grabbed her mate's arm. "Tora and I will help raise him, won't we Honey?"

Tora stared at his best bud, now his captain. "Is it really right for me to? I mean," he touched his white scarf, once having belonged to Cole, "its not-"

"Quit lookin' to the past, Tora," chuckled Bardock. "All grievances between your bloodline and Cole's are forgotten!"

Tora smiled too. "Well, then if its on the up-and-up, I'm game!"

Bardock looked toward Totepo and Panbukin. "Willing to teach the kid the ropes of our team?"

"We taught you alright, didn' we," laughed Panbukin. Totepo held up to fingers [peace sign].

"You didn't teach us shit," claimed Fasha.

"Pardon me," said Malacca, "but if the boy is to live, a name is needed."

"How 'bout 'Cole,' after his dad," suggested Panbukin.

"Or Carimu," added Fasha. "I've always liked that name."

"Naw," said Tora. "That's a geek's name! How about 'Bardock,' since he's saving his life!"

"Too confusin'," said Panbukin.

Bardock did not listen. He thought about what Angala had said about moving on. 'Yes, it will be hard,' he thought. 'The ache in my heart is still there. But at least I now know they're at peace.' He pictured their smiling faces clearly in his mind. 'I'll never forget them, but I won't let that stand in the way of living my own life!'

Totepo stepped forward and signed, "The captain may have saved the boy's life, but instead of being named after him, the boy should be named by him."

"Good point," said Tora. "Well, Captain Bardock? Any ideas?"

Bardock nodded. 'The past may not be dwelled on, but it oughta be revered. And I'm pretty sure what Cole would have named his son.'

"His name," Bardock stated with finality, "is Chile."

.

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~~It's my life, it's now or never

~~But I ain't gonna live forever

~~I just want to live while I'm alive

~~It's my life, my heart is like an open highway

~~Like Frankie said, I did it my way

~~I just want to live while I'm alive

~~It's my life

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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hey! Bardock here!

Season 3 begins two zurals later, or almost five years in Earth terms. Tora's my official lieutenant, and Chile's growin' like a weed! The kid is just a bundle of energy that's hard ta keep track of! One thing I'll say for him, he acts more like a son to me then Radditz!

Next time on DragonballBC: Five Years Later; Hi! I'm Chile!

Fun Fact - I only JUST started getting inti Yu-Gi-Oh! this past month. I'm not talking about that American dubbed shit, but the original Japanese! Its infinately better! Kind of like DBZ FUNimation compared to its original.