A/N: Warning: slight cursing

Time Distorted

BY MARA ROBERTS

Chapter 2

Campfire

Year 686

Mie watched Gohan – Kakorott, now, she reminded herself – dozing off by the fire. He's changed so much since we came back in time. He's not so serious all the time, much more lighthearted. Joking, even. But why? He should be afraid. Is this his way of whistling in the dark?

She shifted her position so as to be lying on her back, hands resting under her head. Is it because he is meeting his namesake? And why was he worried about Bardock? I'm sure the Saiyjin already knows something about us. Did Goh- Kakorott forget what I told him about Time being imprinted on his memory?

She turned her gaze to the stars and studied their orbits, reaching out with her mind to feel the caress of Creation that existed in all things. It comforted her, strengthened her. This is what she was fighting for. Maybe that was why Kakorott was so at ease. He had seen his family again, however briefly, when Mie brought him to the past.

They had to fight, because there was no one else. Despite what she had told Kakorott about this mission being given to her to make up for the mistake with Bardock, that was only half of the truth. If Shin Kai were to become involved, things would not go well. He had told her that his presence alone might awaken Buu, since he was the only Kai Buu failed to kill so long ago. Buu's destructive nature would drive him out.

There were other reasons, of course.

Kaio-sei

where time does not exist

Mie ran to greet her elder, Shin Kai, laughing at his expression when he spied the dandelion wreath in her hands. She gave him a hug and draped them on his head. She was so happy there, on the world of the Kais. It seemed whenever she left she got into trouble. Mischief, Shin liked to call her. He often teased her that 'Mie' was a shortened parody of 'Oh, my, what has she done now?'

She looked into his face. The smile was there, but no teasing glint graced his eye.

"Elder Kai, what troubles you?"

"Well, for one, I'm not that old," he replied, attempting to disarm her with charm.

She didn't laugh. His eyes were still empty.

"Please. What's wrong?"

"I have to set you a task, my darling grandchild. A mission I myself cannot accomplish."

"What?" she had laughed. "That's not a very funny joke… You're not laughing. You're being completely serious, aren't you?"

He could only nod.

"What do I need to do?"

"Do you remember the stories I would tell you, about Bibidi and his monster Majin Buu?"

"Yes, you would threaten me with absorption if I didn't get to bed on time. It was always a funny story."

"It wasn't," he said quietly, almost to himself.

"What?"

"It wasn't a story," he said more clearly this time.

Mie drew back out of his embrace, before burying her head in his shoulder. "Oh my stars. I'm so sorry, Elder. I'm so sorry."

"Bibidi has freed himself and attempts to revive Majin Buu. I need you to stop him. I would do it myself, were I able."

"Why aren't you?"

"You see me as an omniscient being, as all the Kais before me were. But I am not. Mie, I was never fully trained before Bibidi showed up. And I have developed all the abilities I am going to and it is not enough."

Mie nodded. Abilities were gained throughout childhood and adolescence. Everything else had to be taught.

"And there is nowhere I can go to learn everything else. You know the risk of trying to learn without Intuition."

She did indeed. Were they lesser beings, the risk would not be so great and they could explore to their hearts content. But the Universe rode on their well-being. And if they should make the most miniscule of mistakes, it would have to affect somewhere. Matter could never be truly destroyed, nor Time, nor anything else the Kais must learn to control. Yet, with Intuition, the gift that resides within all beings great and small, the Kais can explore where that gut-feeling takes them, knowing with learning what it is they need to do. It has always been through Intuition that the greatest discoveries had been made, as well as the most devastating.

"Was Buu created through Intuition?"

"Yes. Bibidi is lacking in many ways, so his Intuition balanced this. Thus he grew bitter, and used his gift to punish. Unfortunately, he is also an idiot. He does not realize the repercussions to himself and his desires. He does not want to hear them. We have tried to show him, by dreams and nightmares, yet they only make his hatred burn stronger. He feels that if he must lack something, everyone must lack everything. Including the gift of Existence."

"But Mie. Your Intuition can balance his. Intuition can respond to Need, and you are young. You can defeat him, Mie. Just trust your Instincts."


And instincts were why she had dragged Kakorott into this. For all he was a mortal, he was so much like her. His Gifts and Intuition balanced his losses in life. Eventually Need would bring out even more of his abilities, of this Mie was certain.

A Sleepy Inn

Year 686

Several towns away from where Mie drifted off to sleep, a young man awoke with a start. He had a dream again, a dream that he knew wasn't a dream. It was of a young girl at a campfire, that he sensed – in his dream – wasn't too far from where he was. Of course, that was silly. It was just a dream, he reminded himself.

And that was where the dream got interesting. It had flashed to a white room, where time seemed to lag behind. Or rather, ahead, of what was normal. And there was a man, and a flash of gold, and a voice. The power responds to a Need, not a Desire. And then the room burst into gold, into fire, and he woke up.

What was that anyway? I'd say I was dreaming of Super Saiyjins, except you have to be an Oozaru to transform. I guess I just miss my family. I searched for them… when I was dead. But of course, I wasn't really dead, was I? Because if I were, how could I be alive today?

Another vision sparked at the corner of is eye, but Bardock studiously ignored it. He refused to go crazy. His Saiyjin pride would not bend to insanity. But if only I could figure out what happened, where I am, how do I get home, and most important of all, where is my family?

He sighed. This was one battle he knew he could not win. Because, despite all the evidence otherwise, he knew he had been dead, before he was whisked to wherever here was. Here, with its lack of technology; here with its lack of familiar stars. Here, with its strange peace and lack of fighting that was so refreshing to the Saiyjin warrior. And that was why he had to keep moving. He could not afford to relax, not ever, because if you relaxed, you let your guard down. And when that happens, you die. No, a Saiyjin warrior must never grow soft. Perhaps, despite all the strange happenings he would somehow be summoned home again. And he would need to fight.

And so while on this strange and strangely peaceful planet, he searched out all the trouble he could find, fighting the strongest of warriors, the worst of villains. Villains were better than heroes, Bardock had decided. They'll use anything and everything against you. Heroes are held back by their blasted honor. As if there's ever honor in bloodshed. At least, not honor of the sort that heroes believe in.

He sat back down on the mattress and gave up thinking. Before long, he rolled over and was back to sleep.

Campfire

Year 686

Dawn whistled over the horizon, waking Kakorott with its golden light. Birds sang of the morning dew. The boy sat up, feeling refreshed. Stretching his muscles he roused himself out of his nest of tall grass and ambled over to the pond. Kakorott reached his hands in the water and scooped some out, drinking some and washing his face before finding a bush. On the way back he passed Gohan, who was just now making his way to the pond. Mie was starting up a new Ki-induced fire, which had gone out during the night.

"Go get some more firewood. We'll eat first, then continue on," Mie instructed. Kakorott nodded and went to do as told.

After they had breakfasted on tea and rice balls the scuffed out the flames before looking expectantly at Mie. Somehow or other, she seemed to be the one in charge. Gohan was a little irked, but she somehow demanded obedience. He didn't question the instinct; he just knew it was right.

"Bardock has not yet begun to move," she said. Kakorott nodded. This was nothing new; he had already searched out his grandfather's Ki. It was relaxed, as though he were sleeping.

"He's an hours walk away, if he stays still, which I doubt. We'll have to put on a heavy pace," she continued.

Telepathically, so Gohan wouldn't hear, Kakorott sent Mie a question. Why don't we just fly there or something?

Gohan is probably being watched. We don't want to give anything away. I made sure this morning to take out a scouter, so Bibidi would not know we could sense Ki. We'll not use abilities unless they are commonly found in the Universe. Ki weaponry is alright, and Ki-enhanced speed, but that's about it.

Can he hear us?

Unlikely. If he knew about Bardock he would have tried to use him already, and we would have sensed that. When Bibidi controls a mind, they have a great increase of power. So don't worry.

Gohan eyed them through his peripheral vision, but neither noticed, or if they did thought nothing of it. After all, why should he not be wary? He had no cause to trust them.

Although Gohan's mental abilities did not rival the others', he had picked up on some of their conversation. They had not thought to cloak it outside of a three-foot radius. Gohan didn't understand. How could people fly? And what else could they do? They spoke of Ki attacks as though they were easy to create, not as exhausting as Gohan knew them to be. And while Gohan had always been able to somehow estimate how strong his opponents were in battle, how could they tell from so many miles away? How could they put energy into their speed? What was a scouter? Just whom had he allied himself with?

He shook his head. He would find no answers to his questions that way. The only answers were with these people, and to learn about them he had to observe.

A Bustling Inn

Year 686

Bardock roused a little after dawn, as he slept in a south-facing room. He stretched and dressed, placing all his belongings back in his pack, and then capsulated it. These capsules were strange devices, and apparently were not common either. As he went down to breakfast he mulled over the event that left him with yet another strange tale, and an equally strange parting gift.

Forest Trail

a year ago

Bardock had been rambling down a path. There was no need to hurry, there never was. He almost missed the excitement of his youth, but he certainly did not miss the pain that accompanied it. No, he'd take slow and secure over that, any day.

It was on was such aimless walk to find a challenge that Bardock heard the strangest noise from about two miles away. Curious, he levitated over the trees and shot off to find this distraction. Perhaps whoever was making this racket would be a worthy opponent.

It was only when he was ten feet away and once again on the ground that Bardock saw the environment… waver. There was no other way to describe it. There was a sphere with about four feet diameter, and all mass in it was affected. There were miniscule explosions that created a giant racket. He stepped closer and noticed a man standing behind it, moving nervously, obviously distressed at the situation. Suddenly the man pressed a… distortion… on the side of the sphere, and it vanished.

"Whew!" the man said, and sat down with a sign. It wasn't until the Saiyjin cleared his throat that the man noticed him. "Huh? Oh, hello there. My name is Gary Briefs. I didn't see you."

"Greetings. I am Bardock," he replied, and squatted so as to be eye level with this man, shifting his pack as he did so. He studied him silently, from his city shoes, to his once-white coat and lavender hair. "What was that thing?"

"That?" the man said, secretively. "Oh, that was one of my inventions. I hate having to come out here to the forest to work on them, it would be so much easier if I had a lab, but no one… no one will sponsor me."

He said it with a sigh, and his expression seemed to droop.

"No one, no one believes in science anymore! They all tell me its magic, light-years away, impossible and risky! They all think my formulas are caput, and my calculations inadequate. Ha! They can't even understand them, and they dare to tell me it's inadequate!"

"What is it?" Bardock asked.

"I am working on capsules that will expand with the press of a button to house many things. You know, like a carry-pack."

Bardock didn't know, but he kept silent.

"Here… surely you know the atom is mostly empty space, right?"

"Well…"

"And that if all the actual matter that you are composed of were brought together, you would be no bigger that the head of a needle?"

"Hey…"

"And thus, if we could extricate the space from the atom in a manner of inanimate objects, our loads would be much lighter."

"Uh-huh," Bardock nodded, pretending to understand.

"This was a newer model, a four-footer. I have managed to create a two-footer, though it's somewhat unstable."

"Unstable, how?"

"Oh, sometimes it will swallow things up. You'll put something in there and it will disappear. But I'm getting closer every time."

"Yes, well, I'd better be going," Bardock said, thoroughly bored. And here he had been hoping for a fight, not a brain jam!

"Thank you for listening!"

Bardock grunted in response and starting walking quickly in another direction.

>

It was later that night, and Bardock was camping in the woods, drifting off when a high pitch scream echoed off to his left, drawing him upright with a start. He was fully alert, searching quickly for any intruders. Someone ran out of the woods, screaming bloody murder. Two burly men with guns were chasing him.

Suddenly the first man tripped over a rock. The only rock, Bardock noticed, in the entire clearing. He'll never make a warrior, Bardock thought with a snort. The man seemed too frightened to move.

Then he recognized the man. It was the scientist from earlier this day. He supposed he ought to help him. Besides, maybe those two would put up a decent fight. He charged in silently. The one on the right, who was two steps behind the other, never even saw him coming.

Bardock elbowed him quickly in the head, knocking him down and out. The other half-turned at the noise. "Huh?"

He turned to face Bardock and fired. Bardock easily dodged the bullet, reached out and grabbed the gun from the man's hand, slapping him with his free hand. The man went down with a thud and stayed there, dazed.

"You can get up now," Bardock told Briefs.

"Wha? Why, thank you! You saved my life!!"

"Hmp. Think nothing of it."

"Those men were after my works. They were hired by a woman, named Gero. That bitch, she dares to call herself a scientist! All she does is steal! And I heard she worked for pirates once, helped them steal then hide the treasure in some cave." Briefs let out something that resembled a growl.

"I… was just so scared, frozen stiff!" he said, still in slight shock over his near-death experience. "Frozen… that's it!"

Bardock was confused. "What is it?"

"That's why they're unstable! Despite their lack of space, they are still compelled to move and share electrons!"

"Who are?"

"The atoms, of course! If I were to cryogenically freeze them… I bet… the capsules would stabilize! Bardock, thank you. You have helped me in more ways than one. Please, come visit me in six months." He took out a business card with his address. "I'll have gift for you, one you should find interesting. I noticed earlier that your pack seemed quite heavy. How would you like it to be weightless AND compact?"

Bardock had been about to protest that his pack wasn't heavy, he wasn't weak like these humans. But then the scientist mentioned compact, and that piqued him. His pack could hold him back in a fight. If it were smaller… and hadn't this man said something about shrinking stuff? Maybe there was something to this science after all.

So six months had passed, and out of curiosity he visited the man. He was given a tiny capsule, and told to push a button on the end. He did so and jumped back in shock. It erupted into smoke. Apparently the device had malfunctioned. And then the smoke cleared, and there right before him was a six-by-four foot container.

"Put your pack in."

Bardock did as instructed. Briefs hit a button. And the container shrunk once more in a pile of smoke, and Briefs held a capsule in his hand.

"Your pack is still in there," he said, and tossed the capsule to Bardock. "It's my way of saying thanks."

Bardock was shocked. Why, he could fit all manner of things in there: Extra clothes, a sleep-roll, and most importantly, food. He hefted the capsule. It had none of the weight from his pack. He thanked Briefs and quickly left. It was the night of the full moon. He didn't want to repay this man's kindness by trampling his house.


He shook off his head to ward off the memory, and went down the stairs to eat a small meal. He would hunt for more food, later, of course. These small meals humans ate would never fill a Saiyjin.