Goku: Think she's still mad?
Chichi: Goku you get down her this minute!
Gohan: Yup, still mad.
LilAngelLady: I'll just roll the disclaimer and we can go finish watching Kenshin.
Goku: Sounds good to me.
LilAngelLady: I don't own, have any right or affiliation with Dragonball Z, it's creator, distributors, or producers. Also I'm yet to see the Bardock special so if I fudge some things up (besides those adapted for plot purposes) forgive me. Upon completion of seeing aforementioned special I'll edit if need be. Thanks and enjoy!
Goku: Who's Bardock?
LilAngelLady: AAAhhh... No one... Forget I said anything... *fears she may have now altered the time-space continuum*
Chapter Ten: Silent Meditations
Vegeta sat quietly with his eyes closed facing a vast grassy plain as he sat upon a cliff. Thousands of thoughts raced through his mind but they all came back to the same question. How? How could she be that strong? How could she just naturally gain that kind of power without training? It wasn't fair. He worked all his life to be that powerful to be the strongest in the universe and here she just waltzes in and crashes him. He almost had it; he was right there; but something held him back. It was that damn goddess! She was the one who prevented him from breaking through that barrier of power. Well if that's how she's going to be then why bother? He could attack her; try to kill her. But what's the point? She gave him life she can end it... He slumped back and drifted off into sleep as night rolled over him. He had a dream that night which was seldom and often bad. But this dream was different.
"Vegeta. You are one of my strongest creations." A voice crept into his head as Nanakia appeared. A child form of Vegeta looked on wide-eyed. "Why, why do you think I would hold you make from that which you desire most and are capable of obtaining? I wouldn't. I am more proud of you than many Saiyans even more so then Goku. You have come so far in your life from a scared and weak boy to a might warrior with bad intent to a strong warrior with an intent more pure. If of anyone of my creations I could make better and strong, it would be you. You have the never-ending drive to be better and for it you will one day be rewarded. But if you stop now, you will never have the power you seek. You must also however, seek the intent in which you want this power. When you have reached the right intent, you will gain the power. The, and only then." Nanakia said slowly moving around Vegeta as she spoke. When she finished she reached out and put a chain around his neck. The chain held a pendent very much like Kaykora's with the exception that it had a monkey shape clutching the sapphire-like stone.
"I never turned my back on your race, Vegeta; they stopped believing in me. When a creation stops believe in its creator, the creator can no longer help them. If I couldn't help you, then what need was there for me to stay? So now that you have seen me and believe in me, take this pendent and protect me and I will protect you. It was the pendent that was passed down in your family for generations before you and I hope for generations to come." Nanakia responded gently as she placed the chain around the youngster's neck.
"When will I know I have the right intent?" The child squeaked.
"Oh you'll know. Trust me, you'll know." Nanakia said smiling a gently poking the child's nose. "I will always be with you when you need me Vegeta. Please don't be to proud to call upon me." She mused as she faded away. Vegeta snapped up and grasped at his neck. Sure enough there was the pendent.
"I have a lot of thinking to do..." Vegeta whispered grimly.
Kaykora looked out over the mountains, which she was flying over. It seemed like a good place to hide. She knew they would come looking for her and would find her eventually but for now she needed to think and be alone. A lot was going through her mind and a lot need sorted out.
Kaykora came to rest in a grassy valley between two high rugged mountains and under a tree she sat in quiet meditation going over the events of the past few days in her head. As she did so she noticed a strange breeze that seemed to only be blowing around her. It took a few moments for Nanakia's words to re-register in Kaykora's head.
"Hello? Is someone there? Spirit Guardian, is that you?" She called out to the air looking around as if she was trying to find a starting point and follow it.
The breeze died down and there was a familiar sounding voice above her. "Well that depends, are you Kaykora?" It asked playfully in a sort of older tone.
Kaykora looked up and groaned. "How did you find me so fast, Goku? I was trying to meditate and think." She whined.
The man hopped down and laughed. "First of all, I'm not Goku. Second of all it's easy to find someone when you're dead."
Upon closer examination Kaykora realized the man before her clearly wasn't Goku. He was similar in appearance only with a white gi and a scar across his face. His skin had a slightly brown tinge and his hair shined with streaks of brown.
"B... But... Ba ba ba..." Kaykora stammered. "He can't be can he?!"
"Ahhh... No, no, no. If there is one thing I CAN tell you it is that Goku is DEFINTELY NOT your father." The man said almost spastically.
"Well then... huh?" Kaykora was clearly confused.
"Come on walk with me and I'll explain everything." The man said extending a hand and helping Kaykora up. They began making their way slowly over the narrow plain of the valley. "My name is Bardock and I am Goku's father as you might suspect. I don't suppose you remember your aunt do you?" He began. "You see your Aunt Galana was about 20 or so years older than your mother; equally as kind and beautiful as well. One day she landed on my planet right outside of my home for one reason or another we never did figure."
"Wait a minute. So that makes you my uncle, and Goku my cousin, so Gohan is my second cousin?" Kaykora sat down by a stream and stared at it in disbelief. A fish stopped its swim downstream and stared at her a moment before continuing on.
"Yes I suppose it would had me married..." Bardock sighed, a forlorn look on his face.
"What happened?"
"Married my Uncle." Bardock said with a laugh and a smile. "My Uncle was the head of the Elite Saiyan Guard and my Father was the second in command. They were instructed to capture and kill your Aunt but could never bring themselves to do it. My uncle married her and they had a daughter no one knew about. My uncle had to claim she was adopted in order for her to live." "WAIT!!! So I am this related to Goku and Gohan?!" Kaykora exclaimed standing up.
"Vaguely and only by marriage." Bradock sighed. "My cousin being more like her mother than her father had a sweet and caring personality. I loved her dearly and was enraged when Frieza killed her." Bardock said his expression fading to sadness. "He was afraid of her power. I joined the Elite Guard and took on in my Father's legacy. I was only a second-class Saiyan; I could never hope to rank as high as my father but to strong to pass off to Conquests. I vowed to protect my people from Frieza and his ruthlessness. In the end though, I failed."
"What do you mean?" Kaykora asked as they both say down by the stream.
"When the boy was young, Frieza came to claim him saying that he was the price of Frieza's protection or something to that effect. Vegeta went with Frieza but the King vowed his revenge. He took the Elite guard and went up to reclaim his son and defeat Frieza. I foresaw the end of the planet at Frieza's hands and decided to do something about it. I thought I could, but it wasn't me it was Goku. My first son luckily was weak and instantly enrolled in the Army under the Conquests Division. Goku however, was much stronger than his older brother. I concealed his true power and was thereby able to enroll him into the Army as well." Bardock continued on with a deepening sadness in his voice.
"So you sent him out to keep him alive..." Kaykora said understandingly.
"I did. I wonder if it would pain him to know that..." Bardock trailed off and looked toward the sky.
"Here let me look in your eyes." Kaykora said quietly. Bardock looked at her and she stared deep into him. Pictures flashed in her head as her own eye went blank and glazed over. Bardock looked at her strangely but never looked away. Kaykora blinked and snapped out of the trance. "You became more powerful than anyone ever expected. They held you down though making sure to keep you in your second-class rank and never letting you rise above. It was you who put the fear of Saiyans in Frieza." She whispered looking away.
"Perhaps so. If that is the case I'm responsible for their deaths with my foolish actions." Bardock said sadly.
"No they would have self-destructed eventually anyways, the Goddess had left long before then. She knew it would come when my people left." Kaykora said standing up. Her white, mid-calf length, long sleeved over shirt flowed in the gentle breeze revealing the knee length black shorts underneath. "Maybe Frieza just sped up the process."
Bardock stood up. "Maybe. I still can't help but feel like it's my fault."
"It's not everything happens for one reason or another. I'm sure of that." Kaykora smiled at him then hopped over the stream and followed it down to a lake. Bardock followed looking on as Kaykora took off her over shirt and boots then run head long into the lake.
"Well over 130 years old and still a child I see." Bardock mused laughing as Kaykora shot up out of the water.
"I'm just 12 at heart!" Kaykora happily exclaimed as she made her way to a rock outcropping and climbed up. "Come on the water feels great!" She beckoned from the top.
"Umm... I'm dead..." Bardock said laughing.
"Sorry I forgot." Kaykora laughed then jumped into the lake.
Bardock stayed with Kaykora for a few days there in the wilderness. Much of the time they spent talking and laughing as he spoke of his Son and Grandson's adventures in great detail. The rest they spent quietly relaxing with Kaykora often lost deep in thought.
"I guess I should had back." Kaykora sighed and looked off toward the direction she'd came a week before.
"Yes that would probably be a good idea." Bardock nodded.
"Are you coming with me?" Kaykora asking looking eagerly on her spirit guardian.
"It's my job to follow you around and make sure you're ok and you don't get in trouble now." Bardock said with a smile. Kaykora smiled back then hopped into the air and took off in the direction of Capsule Corp. "Kaykora!" Bardock called from behind. Kaykora stopped and looked back on him. "You can't under any circumstance tell anyone about me." Kaykora nodded then took off again.
Vegeta decided it was time to end his hiatus and return home. As he streaked through the sky he picked up Kaykora's energy signature and began to move towards her. As he came close he sped up the pace and in front of her. When Kaykora saw Vegeta in front of her she slowed to a stop. Vegeta stared at her a moment before he spoke. "Where are you going?"
"Back to Capsule Corp. to let everyone know I'm alive." Kaykora said simply.
"We've got training to finish." Vegeta said grimly. Kaykora nodded and followed Vegeta back to the city. Bardock sat off to the side of the chamber quietly observing their intense training session.
Chichi: Goku you get down her this minute!
Gohan: Yup, still mad.
LilAngelLady: I'll just roll the disclaimer and we can go finish watching Kenshin.
Goku: Sounds good to me.
LilAngelLady: I don't own, have any right or affiliation with Dragonball Z, it's creator, distributors, or producers. Also I'm yet to see the Bardock special so if I fudge some things up (besides those adapted for plot purposes) forgive me. Upon completion of seeing aforementioned special I'll edit if need be. Thanks and enjoy!
Goku: Who's Bardock?
LilAngelLady: AAAhhh... No one... Forget I said anything... *fears she may have now altered the time-space continuum*
Chapter Ten: Silent Meditations
Vegeta sat quietly with his eyes closed facing a vast grassy plain as he sat upon a cliff. Thousands of thoughts raced through his mind but they all came back to the same question. How? How could she be that strong? How could she just naturally gain that kind of power without training? It wasn't fair. He worked all his life to be that powerful to be the strongest in the universe and here she just waltzes in and crashes him. He almost had it; he was right there; but something held him back. It was that damn goddess! She was the one who prevented him from breaking through that barrier of power. Well if that's how she's going to be then why bother? He could attack her; try to kill her. But what's the point? She gave him life she can end it... He slumped back and drifted off into sleep as night rolled over him. He had a dream that night which was seldom and often bad. But this dream was different.
"Vegeta. You are one of my strongest creations." A voice crept into his head as Nanakia appeared. A child form of Vegeta looked on wide-eyed. "Why, why do you think I would hold you make from that which you desire most and are capable of obtaining? I wouldn't. I am more proud of you than many Saiyans even more so then Goku. You have come so far in your life from a scared and weak boy to a might warrior with bad intent to a strong warrior with an intent more pure. If of anyone of my creations I could make better and strong, it would be you. You have the never-ending drive to be better and for it you will one day be rewarded. But if you stop now, you will never have the power you seek. You must also however, seek the intent in which you want this power. When you have reached the right intent, you will gain the power. The, and only then." Nanakia said slowly moving around Vegeta as she spoke. When she finished she reached out and put a chain around his neck. The chain held a pendent very much like Kaykora's with the exception that it had a monkey shape clutching the sapphire-like stone.
"I never turned my back on your race, Vegeta; they stopped believing in me. When a creation stops believe in its creator, the creator can no longer help them. If I couldn't help you, then what need was there for me to stay? So now that you have seen me and believe in me, take this pendent and protect me and I will protect you. It was the pendent that was passed down in your family for generations before you and I hope for generations to come." Nanakia responded gently as she placed the chain around the youngster's neck.
"When will I know I have the right intent?" The child squeaked.
"Oh you'll know. Trust me, you'll know." Nanakia said smiling a gently poking the child's nose. "I will always be with you when you need me Vegeta. Please don't be to proud to call upon me." She mused as she faded away. Vegeta snapped up and grasped at his neck. Sure enough there was the pendent.
"I have a lot of thinking to do..." Vegeta whispered grimly.
Kaykora looked out over the mountains, which she was flying over. It seemed like a good place to hide. She knew they would come looking for her and would find her eventually but for now she needed to think and be alone. A lot was going through her mind and a lot need sorted out.
Kaykora came to rest in a grassy valley between two high rugged mountains and under a tree she sat in quiet meditation going over the events of the past few days in her head. As she did so she noticed a strange breeze that seemed to only be blowing around her. It took a few moments for Nanakia's words to re-register in Kaykora's head.
"Hello? Is someone there? Spirit Guardian, is that you?" She called out to the air looking around as if she was trying to find a starting point and follow it.
The breeze died down and there was a familiar sounding voice above her. "Well that depends, are you Kaykora?" It asked playfully in a sort of older tone.
Kaykora looked up and groaned. "How did you find me so fast, Goku? I was trying to meditate and think." She whined.
The man hopped down and laughed. "First of all, I'm not Goku. Second of all it's easy to find someone when you're dead."
Upon closer examination Kaykora realized the man before her clearly wasn't Goku. He was similar in appearance only with a white gi and a scar across his face. His skin had a slightly brown tinge and his hair shined with streaks of brown.
"B... But... Ba ba ba..." Kaykora stammered. "He can't be can he?!"
"Ahhh... No, no, no. If there is one thing I CAN tell you it is that Goku is DEFINTELY NOT your father." The man said almost spastically.
"Well then... huh?" Kaykora was clearly confused.
"Come on walk with me and I'll explain everything." The man said extending a hand and helping Kaykora up. They began making their way slowly over the narrow plain of the valley. "My name is Bardock and I am Goku's father as you might suspect. I don't suppose you remember your aunt do you?" He began. "You see your Aunt Galana was about 20 or so years older than your mother; equally as kind and beautiful as well. One day she landed on my planet right outside of my home for one reason or another we never did figure."
"Wait a minute. So that makes you my uncle, and Goku my cousin, so Gohan is my second cousin?" Kaykora sat down by a stream and stared at it in disbelief. A fish stopped its swim downstream and stared at her a moment before continuing on.
"Yes I suppose it would had me married..." Bardock sighed, a forlorn look on his face.
"What happened?"
"Married my Uncle." Bardock said with a laugh and a smile. "My Uncle was the head of the Elite Saiyan Guard and my Father was the second in command. They were instructed to capture and kill your Aunt but could never bring themselves to do it. My uncle married her and they had a daughter no one knew about. My uncle had to claim she was adopted in order for her to live." "WAIT!!! So I am this related to Goku and Gohan?!" Kaykora exclaimed standing up.
"Vaguely and only by marriage." Bradock sighed. "My cousin being more like her mother than her father had a sweet and caring personality. I loved her dearly and was enraged when Frieza killed her." Bardock said his expression fading to sadness. "He was afraid of her power. I joined the Elite Guard and took on in my Father's legacy. I was only a second-class Saiyan; I could never hope to rank as high as my father but to strong to pass off to Conquests. I vowed to protect my people from Frieza and his ruthlessness. In the end though, I failed."
"What do you mean?" Kaykora asked as they both say down by the stream.
"When the boy was young, Frieza came to claim him saying that he was the price of Frieza's protection or something to that effect. Vegeta went with Frieza but the King vowed his revenge. He took the Elite guard and went up to reclaim his son and defeat Frieza. I foresaw the end of the planet at Frieza's hands and decided to do something about it. I thought I could, but it wasn't me it was Goku. My first son luckily was weak and instantly enrolled in the Army under the Conquests Division. Goku however, was much stronger than his older brother. I concealed his true power and was thereby able to enroll him into the Army as well." Bardock continued on with a deepening sadness in his voice.
"So you sent him out to keep him alive..." Kaykora said understandingly.
"I did. I wonder if it would pain him to know that..." Bardock trailed off and looked toward the sky.
"Here let me look in your eyes." Kaykora said quietly. Bardock looked at her and she stared deep into him. Pictures flashed in her head as her own eye went blank and glazed over. Bardock looked at her strangely but never looked away. Kaykora blinked and snapped out of the trance. "You became more powerful than anyone ever expected. They held you down though making sure to keep you in your second-class rank and never letting you rise above. It was you who put the fear of Saiyans in Frieza." She whispered looking away.
"Perhaps so. If that is the case I'm responsible for their deaths with my foolish actions." Bardock said sadly.
"No they would have self-destructed eventually anyways, the Goddess had left long before then. She knew it would come when my people left." Kaykora said standing up. Her white, mid-calf length, long sleeved over shirt flowed in the gentle breeze revealing the knee length black shorts underneath. "Maybe Frieza just sped up the process."
Bardock stood up. "Maybe. I still can't help but feel like it's my fault."
"It's not everything happens for one reason or another. I'm sure of that." Kaykora smiled at him then hopped over the stream and followed it down to a lake. Bardock followed looking on as Kaykora took off her over shirt and boots then run head long into the lake.
"Well over 130 years old and still a child I see." Bardock mused laughing as Kaykora shot up out of the water.
"I'm just 12 at heart!" Kaykora happily exclaimed as she made her way to a rock outcropping and climbed up. "Come on the water feels great!" She beckoned from the top.
"Umm... I'm dead..." Bardock said laughing.
"Sorry I forgot." Kaykora laughed then jumped into the lake.
Bardock stayed with Kaykora for a few days there in the wilderness. Much of the time they spent talking and laughing as he spoke of his Son and Grandson's adventures in great detail. The rest they spent quietly relaxing with Kaykora often lost deep in thought.
"I guess I should had back." Kaykora sighed and looked off toward the direction she'd came a week before.
"Yes that would probably be a good idea." Bardock nodded.
"Are you coming with me?" Kaykora asking looking eagerly on her spirit guardian.
"It's my job to follow you around and make sure you're ok and you don't get in trouble now." Bardock said with a smile. Kaykora smiled back then hopped into the air and took off in the direction of Capsule Corp. "Kaykora!" Bardock called from behind. Kaykora stopped and looked back on him. "You can't under any circumstance tell anyone about me." Kaykora nodded then took off again.
Vegeta decided it was time to end his hiatus and return home. As he streaked through the sky he picked up Kaykora's energy signature and began to move towards her. As he came close he sped up the pace and in front of her. When Kaykora saw Vegeta in front of her she slowed to a stop. Vegeta stared at her a moment before he spoke. "Where are you going?"
"Back to Capsule Corp. to let everyone know I'm alive." Kaykora said simply.
"We've got training to finish." Vegeta said grimly. Kaykora nodded and followed Vegeta back to the city. Bardock sat off to the side of the chamber quietly observing their intense training session.