Dragon Ball Z: Dynasty

Written by: Feraligreater328 and StevenBodner

Edited by: StevenBodner and SparkerLightning

A/N: This is the second of three "short" chapters. These ones might be short, but I hope they're entertaining and informative. This is a storyline that I've been wanting to write for a while, so I hope it keeps you all engaged!

Chapter 117: Goodbye Earth

At Capsule Corp...

Bardock sat in a rolling chair in Bulma's workshop, patiently waiting for the scientist to return to her desk. In the corner of the room, Bulma was fiddling around with what Bardock had asked her to construct for him. The scientist mumbled to herself as she twisted a fine-tipped screwdriver. Whatever she was working on was delicate.

As he waited, Bardock tossed a Capsule from hand to hand, nervously fidgeting in his chair. Bardock enjoyed peace, but quiet always bothered him. A lack of noise in his life usually meant that something was up or someone was hiding something.

But then, finally, Bulma returned to her desk and sat her rotund behind into her desk chair. She and Bardock looked to one another, Bulma with a catty smile on her lips. Bardock flinched. "What...?"

Bulma snickered and then threw the item she was working on at the older Saiyan: a pair of thick handcuffs with a red sensor installed between them. Bulma pointed to them. "Proper restraints for ki-enabled prisoners. I took the rudimentary design from the Frieza Force tech you brought me and mixed it with the sensors took from Dr. Gero's arm. Now, instead of simply muting the flow of ki throughout the body, this one sucks it all up and stores it, actually making the cuffs stronger and more endurant if the person wearing them tries anything."

Bardock held them up, one cuff hanging from his thumb. "Right. Thanks, Bulma."

The older Saiyan stood with a nod and turned to leave. Bulma placed her chin into her palms. "Don't be too rough with poor Gine, kay~?"

Bardock stopped dead in his tracks. He turned with a confused look on his face. "What?"

Bulma winked at him. "Never took Gine for being into the dark stuff, but...~"

Bardock shuddered, his face turning bright red. "Wh-What the hell are you talking about?! I'm not going to use these on Gine!"

Bulma gasped, but then she smiled again with a catty chuckle. "Well, Bardock~ I didn't realize we had that much in common~"

Bardock screamed in the shrillest voice that Bulma had ever heard emerge from his mouth. "Gine and I aren't perverts like you and Vegeta!"

Bulma laughed out loud, tipping backwards and falling out of her chair as she snorted and chuckled. Bardock stood there, shuddering in place with a waft of steam coming off the top of his head. After Bulma finished her laugh, she stood and pushed herself back to her feet. She took a sip of tea from her mug and stifled a laugh. "Okay Bardock, I'll bite...why exactly do you need those handcuffs if not for a bit of fun with Sweet Lady S&M?"

The older Saiyan looked annoyed. He glared at Bulma and she smiled back at him. Eventually, Bardock smiled. "You know...I've formed a lot of strong relationships on this planet since I started living here. But...uh..."

Bulma cocked her head. Bardock cleared his throat, stepping forward and grabbing the scientist into a tight hug. "Love you, Bulma. I mean that."

A tad nervous, Bulma returned the hug. "Love you too, Bardock. Is, uh, is something wrong? See a vision or something...?"

Bardock and Bulma broke the hug and Bardock turned to walk away. "Nah. Just been...thinkin'...lately. And I just felt like I needed to say that. Just ignore me or whatever."

Bulma took a deep breath and sighed, thinking about the contents of that Capsule gripped in Bardock's fist. She sipped her tea and then called after him. "Bardock, you be careful out there! My kids need both their grandfathers!"

Bardock stopped, but then he gave a friendly wave of his hand and left. Bulma sighed. "Men..."

Days later, on Mt. Paozu...

Bardock stood in the ankle-deep snow of Mt. Paozu, wearing his thick rubber boots and his overalls. After so much time, the older Saiyan was finally attending a responsibility he had been putting off. The paintbrush stroked up and down the side of the chicken coop, applying white primer to the weather-treated wood. Paint flecked from the brush and splattered against Bardock's bare chest, poking out from beneath his denim outerwear and he sighed. "Shit, man. I guess I shoulda worn a shirt under these..."

Bardock continued to stroke his brush up and down the side of the coop, thinking back to the hot months in the fields and the fate of all of his undershirts. Each one getting ripped off of Bardock's torso like wet tissue and each one being thrown into the trash.

"Screw that! I'm not making Gine wash that! I'll just go buy more work shirts!"

Bardock sighed out of his nose. "Goddammit. I'm an idiot..."

The older Saiyan closed his eyes as he continued to apply primer, taking in the ambient noise of peaceful Earth all around him. Unlike his loving wife, Gine, Bardock had never been dead-set on a peaceful life on Earth. Such things were transient and fleeting. Comfort could be stolen away in a heartbeat. Hell...he could be back in Hell tomorrow for all he knew. It happened in the Future.

All alone with his thoughts, Bardock began to reflect. What was his purpose here? He wasn't born on Earth. He didn't gel with human society like Gine did, getting along with people and going through the daily doldrums of Earth life. What was his place really meant to be?

He was a soldier. He knew that much. A 24/7 killer sent out to slay those his commanders told him were against them. And he was good at it. And he enjoyed it. The Bardock of old was no different than the Vegeta of just a few years ago. Hell, even his reasons for a change of heart weren't even his own. He had been told that the enemies of Earth, of the Z-Fighters, of his family were his enemies, and he had been dispatched just like before to take them out. That's how it had always been. Bardock was to go out and slay his foes. That was his peace.

But this peace. This quiet, Earth peace...it didn't settle with him and now he felt lost. He tried to fade in Hell, but couldn't due to Gine. And now he was here for Gine. But what was here? This little farm on this little mountain on this little planet in this little solar system? Bardock had waged wars on hundreds of planets bigger and more important than this.

So, what was this?! What was this life Bardock had landed into?! And what was this feeling it brought into his chest?!

Bardock opened his eyes. "...what am I doing here?"

And that question wasn't asked with spite or with malice. It was just a simple, empty question. Bardock tried to look within for his purpose. His momentum. The thing that surged in his mind to keep him going and keep him active. And he found nothing. No purpose. This had...never happened to him before. But he wasn't empty. That weird hazy warmth in his chest persisted and he still couldn't pinpoint what the hell it was.

Bardock continued to paint, pressing his right hand to the side of the barn as he applied primer to the little crevices between the trim of the chicken coop. As he stroked, he gazed down at his hand and his mind began to wander.

The older Saiyan was never the most emotionally expressive person when it came to other people. Instances of him telling someone he loved them, like he did Bulma, were rare and often took him by surprise. An instance of his mouth working faster than his brain could process. Bardock's main method of expressing that he cared was often something that he himself didn't fully notice. He offered a hand, using his strength as a means of expressing how he felt. Holding up those he held dear with all his might and occasionally giving them the push they needed to go forward. Bardock stared at his hand and pictured in his mind all of the people who had been offered it: Gohan when he was still little, Toma when he was laying on the ground and dying, Kakarot inside his Attack Ball bound for Earth, Raditz in his lowest youthful moments, and Gine once Bardock had realized how much he actually loved her...

...and then he glanced over at his left hand, his dominant hand by necessity, and memories flickered of the only person ever to grip that one. In contrast to his right, which only drummed up feelings of warmth...his left hand felt cold.

The paintbrush clattered down into the paint tray below and Bardock flopped onto his butt in the snow. He looked over his handiwork, making sure the coats were even. The older Saiyan squinted and scratched the side of his head under his bandana. "Shit...painting white primer in the snow probably wasn't the smartest..."

As Bardock sat there, feeling the cold wind blow over his face, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He focused on the warm feeling in his chest and began to introspect. Within Bardock's soul, he always felt these intense, negative emotions: emptiness, self-loathing, a general lack of direction. And yet, now, all of this was fading. He could feel it fading. His security blanket of despair was unraveling and being replaced by something else he couldn't quantify.

Another cold, January wind blew and brought with it a flurry of smells and sounds. The sounds of screaming were replaced by grandkids playing in the snow. The smells of blood and death were replaced by Chi-Chi's winter cooking and the smells of coffee and cinnamon from a freshly baked pie. Fleeting flurries of snow went whipping around and landed in Bardock's hair, speckling it with a pristine pure color. "How did things end up so...quiet? Is this...is this good enough...?"

In his heart, next to that warmth, Bardock knew that the answer was yes. But then, in his brain, the words of Bojack and his minions rang with a sharp screeching echo. An image of a young Saiyan boy with only a single arm to his name appeared in Bardock's vision. The boy turned and smiled and Bardock shivered. He glanced over in his workshed, next to an apple tree that he and Gine had planted together a couple of summers ago. The door was slightly ajar and within, sitting on his worktable, Bardock caught a fleeting glance at the Sealed Flower Pot. The ki-restricting handcuffs that Bulma had made for him were lazily thrown on top. Bardock started to stand, but then he heard a set of footsteps approaching behind him.

As the older Saiyan turned, she sat down in the snow next to him with a steaming thermos gripped in her hand. Bardock stared at her and felt his heart thump all the way in his throat. All of this deep thought that he had been sucked into for the past few days...none of that resonated with him as much as the sight of her. Her gentle eyes, her genuine smile, her tiny frame distracting from just how strong in spirit she was. With his mind clear and left to wander, Bardock had been stricken every time he had scene Gine lately. He was lucky to have her.

Gine chuckled. "Some hot coffee, Love?"

Bardock took the cup lid from the thermos and took a sip. "Thanks. Cold as Frigem IV out here..."

Gine shook her head with an easy-going smile and drank directly from the thermos. "Nowhere is as Cold as Frigem IV. As least Earth sees the Sun more than once a year."

Gine sighed. "Maybe I was a bit too harsh about wanting this done. We could have waited until spring..."

Bardock shook his head. "Nah. Needs to be done before we go and buy the chickens. Painting with them trotting all around would be a pain in the ass."

The older Saiyan couple sat in the snow together, sipping their coffee and admiring Bardock's handiwork. Bardock looked over at Gine, the placid little grin on her face, and thought back to so long ago. Whenever Bardock went back to that time in his mind, he always focused on how he felt. The surging rage and broken despair of that moment...but Gine was crying too. She was crying her eyes out as Fasha tried to comfort her. Gine was a loving person. She cared about Turles with all her heart. Bardock sighed and glanced away from her, the guilt of having not shared Bojack's words with her eating at him.

Bardock grumbled. "Thank God Piccolo is tight-lipped..."

Gine's head jerked towards her husband. "What?"

Bardock flinched, quickly downing his coffee. "Nothing. I was mumbling about what I need to do from here. The primer needs time to dry, so I have time to clean up and mix the two shades of red we got together. Damned Earth fowl are too picky about where they live..."

Gine knew that Bardock was hiding something, but she also knew that prying him would only serve to make him more protective of whatever secret he was hiding. Gine stood and brushed the snow off of herself. "Just take a break, Bardock. The primer is enough for today. Go inside. Warm up. Relax~"

The word relax, ironically enough, made Bardock tense up. He cracked his neck. "Nah, if I come in then this'll never get done. Gotta stay on task."

The older Saiyan looked down at his wife. "You need to go in though. Keep at your studies. This is your last semester before they give you that education paper thingee, right?"

Gine chuckled. "My degree?"

Bardock nodded. Gine smiled. "You're gosh darn right it is. I'm excited~"

Bardock smiled. "I'm...excited for you, Gine. You're gonna be a great teacher..."

Gine leapt up and pecked her husband on the cheek. "Don't work yourself too hard, okay?"

Bardock waved her off and turned back to the chicken coop. "Yeah yeah yeah..."

Watching as her husband went back to work, Gine began her walk back to the house. As she walked, however, a snowball whizzed right in front of her face. She looked over and saw Gohan playing with the various kids. Ranch, now a toddler, was waddling through the snow and throwing handfuls of it at her cousin. Baby Goten and Baby Chika, both of them having started to try and walk, simply followed behind with happy giggling.

Gohan looked over. "Hey Grandma Gine! Wanna play?"

Ranch turned and cooed. "Gramma! Gramma!"

Gine smiled. "Grandma has a bit of studying to do for her lecture tonight. But...there is someone else who would probably want to play~"

Gohan cocked his head. Gine pointed with her thumb towards Bardock. The eldest grandchild nodded and, as Gine walked away, the four kids quietly sneaked up behind their grandfather. Bardock was lost in his work and unaware. So, it came as quite a surprise when a perfectly packed snowball crashed against the back of his neck. He turned and the older Saiyan found his grandkids all standing there. "Wh-Wha-"

Ranch giggled and picked up a heaping handful of snow, tossing right into Bardock's chest and making him stumble back. Bardock grumbled, sounding annoyed. "You little..."

But then, a smirk spread across his face. The older Saiyan stood into a crouch position and scooped up two handfuls of snow. He compressed the handfuls into tight little spheres and then threw them, nailing both Gohan and Ranch right in the face. And then, as the two started to get up, Bardock ran in and yanked them each off of the ground before power-bombing them both back into the snow. Bardock roared at the top of his lungs. "You brats need to wake up earlier to dethrone the King of-"

Two massive piles of snow crashed into Bardock's face and sent him crashing back. In the confusion, Gohan and Ranch both stood and ran for the nearby trees. Bardock sat up with a playful smirk on his face. "Little bastards~ I'll-"

Bardock watched as Baby Goten fell onto his face in the snow. He quickly got to his feet to help, but assistance was quickly made unnecessary. Baby Chika waddled over to her little brother and helped him to his feet. The two twins held each other's hands and fled into the trees alongside their older peers. Bardock watched as they ran off, flashing back once more to his own childhood.

Bardock smiled wide. He remembered what Gine had told him about Chika. Sworn to secrecy, Bardock was told about Chi-Chi's horns. About her heritage. And about the hereditary demonic will passed down to the females in Chi-Chi's bloodline. He thought about Chi-Chi's fears that Chika would be harmed or scorned for what she was...but then he saw Goten holding her hand. "She'll be fine..."

Bardock sighed. "Just like when Turles and I..."

Before Bardock could fall too far back into that rabbit hole of thought, however, a snowball came shooting towards his face. The older Saiyan easily dodged and gave a wicked chuckle. "Looks like ol' Grandpa Bardock needs to teach you kids a lesson!"

And then, with a pep in his step, Bardock ran into the trees after his grandchildren.

That evening, at Goku and Chi-Chi's house...

After a long day of snowball fights and painting, Bardock and his grandkids all walked into Goku and Chi-Chi's home and took their places at what appeared to be quite the stacked dinner: various roasted meats, steamed vegetables, plates upon plates of rice, a massive pot full of ramen, several jellies, multiple breads, at least a dozen desserts, and so much more. They all sat steaming on the table as the family gathered around.

Raditz and Blue Launch sat on one end of the table, Blue Launch eagerly picking up her shivering tot and stripping away her outside jacket. Raditz was sullen, but looked over at his daughter with a sad sort of love in his eyes as she reached for a biscuit.

Next to Raditz was Gine. She was wearing her reading glasses and going over notes that she needed to review for her test that evening. Bardock sat next to her and she smiled, grabbing a teapot from the center of the table and pouring Bardock a cup. At the end of the table sat the massive Ox-King, chuckling and talking to Goku as the Saiyan prematurely stuffed his face.

On the other side of the table, Goku was shoving handfuls of food into his face. He and Ox-King were laughing about something. Gohan sat in the chair next to Goku, joining into the conversation. The boy took to it like a duck to water, saying something that made Goku and Ox-King both break out into bellowing laughter. Chi-Chi emerged from the kitchen, giving Goku a pinch for starting to eat before everyone else. Goku grumbled and Chi-Chi attended to the children. She picked up Baby Goten and slotted him into his highchair. Then she picked up Baby Chika and slotted her into hers, adjusting the bonnet wrapped around her head to make sure the sides of her head were hidden.

Chi-Chi, herself, was wearing a thick scarf around her head with the knot tied against her forehead. She sat down and shoved her fingers underneath, scratching her head before declaring that everyone could begin.

The meal began and everyone tucked in, enjoying the food with laughter and gusto. Bardock looked around and watched everyone. Blue Launch was feeding her daughter as Raditz watched on. Gine was dipping into the ramen and trying to avoid staining her notes. Ox-King bit into a massive roast on a bone and Goku did as well, the two continuing on with their conversation. Gohan ate as he fed his baby brother and Chi-Chi ate as she fed her daughter.

It was...serene.

Bardock watched as his family went about their peaceful lives, no harm and no strife in sight. And that warm feeling began to burn in his chest once more. Bardock flashed back to everything he had experienced with these people since he was revived. And those long-lost thoughts he had been having seemed to fade.

Bardock took a massive spoonful of rice and flopped it onto his plate with a small, reserved smile. Maybe...it was better to leave old ghosts buried in the past.

That night, Bardock and Gine's house...

Bardock and Gine both laid slumbering in their bed, both still as stones. Bardock snored and shifted around while Gine remained still, her hand placed across her husband's bare chest. As Bardock tossed and tumbled, his hands flopped all about. And, as if by predetermined fate, eventually Bardock's thumb managed to snake its way beneath his bandana.

It wasn't comfortable to sleep with that thing constantly wrapped across his forehead, but Bardock didn't really have a choice here. That bandana was the only thing blocking out the visions of the future that seemed to be having a negative effect on Bardock's brain. Unfortunately for the older Saiyan, the cloth wasn't glued to his skin, nor was it anchored in any way beyond a simple knot at the back of his head. So, with only minimal force from Bardock's entrapped thumb, the bandana was easily snagged right off.

Within Bardock's head...

It seemed like any old dream at first. Bardock was floating in the vacuum of space. The star twinkled all around him in the inky backdrop. Bardock stared at the Earth from his place, floating in the heavens. He looked upon that little, blue marble that he called home with quiet awe...

...and then the Earth began to crack apart. Not the entire surface, but a simple crack going right down the middle. The surface of the Earth split into a shape somewhat resembling the letter "M", lava gushed from the newly-formed fissure like a bleeding wound. And then, the Earth burst into pieces and the explosion seared into Bardock. He tried to withstand the force, but it was too strong. Bardock looked out into the flaming shockwave around him and saw all of his friends and loved ones being burned away, utterly helpless to help themselves. And then he and all of them were vaporized all at once.

Back in Bardock and Gine's house...

Bardock sat up with a warm and sticky sensation going all the way the sheet covering him up. He sat up and found his bandana, laying in a crumpled heap on the pillow next to him. Bardock checked the cloth to make sure that the tech Bulma put into it wasn't damaged.

And then, Bardock turned on the lamp on his bedside table to see a massive puddle of blood that had surged from his nose. Bardock wiped the sweat from his head and groaned. He remembered his and Piccolo's conversation before about there being no upper ceiling in the universe. Bardock growled under his breath. His mind was made up. "I... I have to go..."

Down by the chicken coop...

*BOOF*

The dust cleared and sitting there, right next to the ruby red chicken coop, was the Capsule Attack Ball that Bardock had asked Bulma to give him. The older Saiyan, dressed in his armor from the Cell Games, popped open the door to the ship and set two items within: the Sealed Flower Pot and the Ki-Restricting Handcuffs. Bardock took a deep breath and sighed. "Okay, it's time to-"

"It's so like you to leave without saying 'goodbye'..."

Bardock gasped and turned. He looked up to the top of the chicken coop and saw Gine sitting there, framed by the full moon. The chilling, nighttime wind blew her lace nightie to the side, but she held it down with her tail to stay decent. Bardock and Gine stared at one another in silence, and then Gine gently slapped her left hand down on the empty stretch of roof next to her. "Something is wrong with you. And I try my best not to pry into your business...but we clearly need to talk..."

The older Saiyan stood firm. But he realized that he couldn't just glare his way out of this one. Gine was looking at him with no hint of anger or annoyance, but genuine concern. Bardock couldn't hide what he had learned from her anymore. And so, he spoke bluntly and to the point. "Turles is alive."

Gine flinched, her eyes going wide. Seeing the look on his wife's face, Bardock nodded. "I suppose I will take a seat. I have a lot to tell you..."

One explanation later...

Gine nodded. "So that's what happened with that Bojack guy, huh?"

Bardock nodded. There was a long pause. And then, with determination in her eyes, Gine glared over at Bardock. "We'll leave tomorrow. I'll dust off my armor. I'll get a ship from Bulma. We'll leave together and we'll find him, wherever he is!"

Bardock held up his hand. "Gine..."

Gine continued on. "He's alive! After all this time, he's alive and out there! And he probably thinks we're dead because of what Frieza did to Planet Vegeta! That can't stand! Poor Turles doesn't deserve to be out there all alone! He needs his friends! His family! He needs us!"

Bardock shook his head. "Gine..."

Gine leapt up. "As a matter of fact, there's no time to lose! I'll have to apologize to Bulma, but I'll go to West City right now and-"

Bardock shouted. "GINE!"

Gine flinched. Her eyes were wide with shock. Bardock rarely, if ever, yelled at her like that. She looked down at her husband's face and saw an unsure frown on it. Bardock side and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry. I didn't mean to...to yell at you. I just..."

Gine sat back down, looking confused and even a little hurt. "Y-You don't want me to go with you...? Why?"

Bardock frowned. "I..."

The two of them stared at one another. Bardock studied every contour of his wife's face. It was a face that he knew he could trust. And so, Bardock spoke openly and honestly. "I've been thinking a lot, Gine. That's why it took this long to tell you. We...I..."

A pause. Then he continued. "We lost Turles when he and I were 17, Gine. I'm in my fifties now. That's...that's four decades, Gine. We don't know if he's even the same person he was when we knew him, he might have-"

Gine shook her head. "Bullshit!"

Bardock gasped. Gine rarely used profanity that extreme. But the look on her face was stalwart. "We both know Turles and the type of person he was. He would never change like that! He was..."

Gine looked at Bardock's face, seeing the pain in his eyes. She lowered her voice. "You're...you're afraid that he'll hate us...that he'll hate you. You're...afraid that he'll think he was abandoned-"

Bardock quickly cut her off. "He was abandoned!"

Gine snapped back. "But not by us! We can't control what Parsl did! We didn't even know that Parsl did it until it was too late!"

The two of them fell silent again. Gine tried her best to stare Bardock down and make him give in. But it quickly became clear that he wouldn't budge. Bardock lowered his head. "If he hates us...if he hates me...I don't mind if he kills me. I failed him. He deserves his revenge for that. I couldn't bring myself to hurt him, even if he tried to hurt me..."

Bardock raised his head. "I don't know what I'd do if he was angry and tried to hurt you though, Gine. I just...I don't know..."

Gine was stunned silent. Her tightly gripped fists soon loosened and she placed her hands into her lap. After a long silence, and a lot of thinking, Gine finally spoke. "How long, Bardock?"

Bardock spoke back. "If I'm right about where I think he is...no more than a year..."

Gine closed her eyes and shook her head. "Unrealistic. Space is a big place. A year is...just unrealistic..."

Bardock lowered his head in shame. "I'm so sorry, Gine. I'm sorry that you have to deal with a selfish husband like me. I-"

Gine wrapped her hand around his, gripping it tight. Bardock gripped back with just as much strength. Gine was calm. "I am your wife, Bardock. Just as you've always supported me and stood by my side, I will support you and stand by yours. You want to leave in the dead of night? Avoid explanations and having to debate with everyone who wants to tag along on this endeavor? I'll be here to speak on your behalf. And I will be here to wait for you. No matter what."

Bardock's eyes cracked open and he looked over to Gine. His loving, loyal wife was illuminated by the moonlight. Her eyes radiated a strength that Bardock wished he could replicate. Gine didn't have the highest power level, but nothing in this life was strong enough to knock her down. Bardock spoke in a hushed tone. "I'm lucky to have you..."

Gine cocked her head. "What did you-"

Another unorthodox action. Bardock reached out and grabbed Gine by the back of her head, pulling her in and pressing his lips to hers. Gine was taken by shock, but eagerly fell into the smoldering smooch, holding her husband tight and feeling his warmth against hers. The kiss broke off and the two of them looked away from one another. Gine was flustered, her face bright red, but she appreciated every second of that from her otherwise reserved husband.

As she heaved in and out hot breaths, Bardock spoke. "I can't promise a year. I can't even promise two years. Or three. But...I can promise you that I'll be back, Gine..."

Gine smiled. "I never doubted that for a moment, Bardock. Not even once."

Another long silence. And then, Bardock spoke once more. He pressed his hand to his chest, feeling that surging warmth within. He finally realized what he was. "I'm happy."

Gine nodded. "I know. Hearing about Turles after all of this time is-"

She turned her head and her words ceased. Bardock's lower jaw quivered, glowing streams streaking down his cheeks and dripping onto the roof of the chicken coop. Bardock spoke again, his voice wavering. "I'm happy, Gine. This life on the Earth...with you...with our kids...and our grandkids...and all of this peace..."

A small sob escaped Bardock's throat and he gripped his fists tight. "I'm so goddamned happy..."

A long life of misery, of being a soldier since birth, of terror and pain, of damnation, and so much more. And now, Bardock finally felt that feeling that he had never felt before. A small bud had been planted within the day he had been revived, and now that bud had bloomed. Bardock was happy.

Moving quickly, Gine reached up and ran her fingers beneath Bardock's eyes. She wiped away those things that Bardock hated to shed. And then she kissed him again, tenderly and lovingly. The two of them stared into each other's eyes and Bardock nodded. "I'll be back. No matter what. I promise."

Gine pressed her hand to his cheek. "Not 'I'll' be back. 'We'll' be back. I look forward to seeing the both of you again, smiling and content. The three of us deserve to have this happy life together...so bring him home, okay?"

And so, with their goodbyes said, Bardock got into his ship. The hatch closed and the Attack Ball began to hover. It hovered higher and higher into the air and Bardock looked down upon Mt. Paozu. He saw Raditz's house. He saw Kakarot's house. And he saw his and Gine's house. And finally, next to the chicken coop, Bardock saw Gine standing there. He dragged his hand across the viewing glass one more time, and then watched her vanish from sight as the ship took off.

On the ground, Gine gripped her hands tightly in front. A single, shining tear ran down Gine's cheek and fell onto the ground. She spoke, clearly fighting a hitch in her voice. "I'll wait for you, my love. No matter how long it takes..."

In the space outside of Earth...

Bardock heavily sighed, placing the Sealed Flower Pot between his legs. The older Saiyan pressed a few buttons on the control console and then leaned back, closing his eyes as the jets of cryogenically refrigerated air began to seal him into a long, deep slumber. He pictured that volcanic symbol cracking across the Earth and gritted his teeth. "I should have told her..."

But Bardock quickly pushed that thought from his mind. His thoughts went elsewhere as he was slowly pushed into a deep slumber. A feminine voice echoed in his mind. "The West Galaxy is where freedom is! That's where we should go to escape this hellish life!"

Bardock growled under his breath. "Let's hope your words resonated...Tursa..."

And then Bardock finally froze into a deep sleep, a dream of the past starting to play in his mind.