Dragonball Z: The Catalyst
Act II:
Chapter 25: The Sons of Bardock
"NOW!"
As soon as Ginyu returned to his original body, he hung in the open air in shock, turning to look up at the two saiyans now looming behind him.
Normally, Raditz didn't get along with Vegeta. Normally, Raditz would sooner attack Vegeta than help him, but in that moment he appeared next to Vegeta, outstretching his hand, just as Vegeta did.
"Goodbye Ginyu," Vegeta said with a devilish smile.
"I am the great Captain Ginyu-!" before the alien could complete his maddened ramble, the two bolts shot out, hitting his body as purple turned to black, black turned to ash, and the ash blew away in the wind.
"Daddy!" Gohan could be heard below, running towards the injured Goku.
Turning his gaze to Vegeta, Raditz growled quietly, almost sneering.
"I suppose we should prepare for Frieza, shouldn't we Prince?"
He could see the equally uncomfortable Prince looking back, his own scowl apparent. "Yes, that would be wise, wouldn't it?"
After Frieza is dead, you are next, was all Raditz could think to himself as he stared at the smug, arrogant bastard. For now though, I need to get Kakarot healed, I could use some armour, hell, I could use a shower... and I need to figure out what the hell just happened to Turles.
"Do you know what happened to Turles?" Raditz managed to ask Vegeta, who looked down at his 'comrade' with a questioning glance.
"Ginyu?"
"Apparently it wasn't."
"Well, let's hope he's dead, it'll mean more wishes for the rest of us," Vegeta remarked offhandedly.
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"Bardock."
"Hey, always a good sign when somebody knows my name," Bardock remarked, walking over to Turles, seeing the family resemblance immediately. "Are you sure you aren't Kakarot? I'm pretty sure you look just like him. I've been trying to communicate with him ever since I died. It worked a bit at first, but-"
"I can assure you, weakling. I am not Kakarot. Now what the is going on here? Why did I keep seeing you, why was I getting visions of Frieza and some useless fools on-" Turles was cut off.
"Couldn't help it, to concentrate on who I want to talk to, I've got to bring up memories and events that were related to my meeting them. Which is strange, because I was bringing up events that were related to Kakarot and-"
It was infuriating even talking to this weakling, as far as Turles was concerned. His arms crossed as he looked about. What was the point of being here right now? If this was real, he'd have already caved this saiyan's skull in for daring to interfere with his mind.
"I told you before, I am Turles, soon to be Lord of the Universe," he informed Bardock.
It took a second, Bardock looking into Turles's eyes before becoming almost cold himself, and then smirking.
"I know you now. Well, disappointment never cease disappointing."
"Oh? And what do you mean by that?"
"You were supposed to die either at the hands of Cooler, and if not him then Kakarot. In fact, you should be dead right now in either scenario. I'm kinda surprised, that's something new."
The pause was awkward, uncomfortable.
Dead? The Catalyst hadn't been lying then. He knew about Cooler, but Kakarot? That weak willed fool couldn't harm a fly. Sparring everyone he ran across. How could he have killed him?
"I'd be dead? Hardly, how can I die when I possess the power of the Tree of Might?"
The world slowly started to warp around him, his eyes tracing in all directions. He recognized this place... well, he recognized what it was.
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Huge walls of tree were all around him, above was the succulent fruit of the Tree of Might. Around him were the husks of fruit, he'd been consuming it, he could tell. But looking up, something strange was happening with the remaining fruit, it was as if their power was being... drained?
"TURLES!"
Turning about, Turles saw none other than Kakarot. Standing there looking bloodied and bruised, his clothing nearly annihilated. Smirking, it was clear he'd been in a fight.
What happened to you Kakarot?
He tried to speak but the words wouldn't come out. What the hell? He couldn't shift his eyes, he couldn't move.
"Not you again, how did this happen?"
That was his voice but he didn't say that.
"I have the power of the nature in me, and I am going to stop you. I won't let you take our world away for your own greed."
The two stared at one another, immobile, like stone, neither moving as their intense glares focused on one another. They hadn't even known one another to be brothers, to have even been cast from the same egg, split in two in the womb.
Turles raised his hands, focusing all his might, feeling a surge of energy far greater than he'd ever felt before. Just as he did, Kakarot raised his right hand, a blue orb forming around it.
Focusing forward, the Calamity Blaster fired away, just as the Spirit Bomb was flung back at him. The two forces met, and within seconds the Calamity Blaster was completely overwhelmed, cast aside as if it were nothing.
"?!"
When the orb hit him it was just... pain. It felt like every cell in his body, ever atom, was burning. It was like being wiped from the universe a particle at a time. A scream echoed from his throat as he felt this power surging through him, burning him, destroying him... killing him.
Suddenly, it shot him upward, sending him through the core of the Tree of Might itself, the tree fracturing and breaking under the power of the attack. All Turles could feel was his pain, and all he could hear was his own screams.
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Kakarot's body floated inside the blue liquid, in the healing chamber next to him, Turles started to float as well, though there was no signs of physical injury. Vegeta had remarked that something was off with Turles's brain waves.
Still, now that Krillin, Gohan, Raditz, and Vegeta stood in the room, it was uncomfortably silent.
"Is my dad going to be okay?" Gohan managed to ask.
It was clear from the look on Gohan's face that he was concerned, and rightly so given how brutal the beating Raditz and Turles gave him. They were surprised he was able to talk even before passing out.
Vegeta for his part just looked back at Gohan with irritation, but nodded. "He should be fine. In the meantime-"
"-We are going to go get on some armour, and probably take some showers first," Raditz remarked, turning to Krillin and Gohan. "Follow me."
"I didn't say you could go, Raditz," Vegeta's voice from behind was mocking, Raditz could feel the grin on Vegeta's face. "Ask your Prince for permission to leave."
Something almost broke behind Raditz's eyes. The Saiyan's fist couldn't tighten anymore than it was. If he pressed any harder he'd draw his own blood from his palms. It was everything he had in that brief second to keep his energy suppressed and not destroy the medical centre, though there was a mild rumble.
Gohan and Krillen backed away from the large saiyan as they felt his aura flickering around him. Vegeta would have known as well, and he slowly let a satisfied grin appear across his face.
I'll have your blood on my hands yet, Vegeta.
"When this is over Vegeta, I'm going to send you to Hell to have a chat with Nappa. I'm sure that stupid ogre could use some company down there."
With that, Raditz walked out of the room, with the sound of Vegeta's chuckles following him.
"Uncle Raditz, didn't you used to work with Vegeta?" Gohan asked quietly, looking almost half scared to ask.
"I did."
"Why'd you stop?"
The lack of an answer said it all, as the room slid open leading to the showers.
There was no reason to tell anyone why, it didn't matter to them. It was something none of them were built to understand.
"Get in."
"Hey, wheres Bulma anyway?" Krillin asked.
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"AHHHHHHHH!"
Turles's lungs felt like they were being exploded as his scream continued.
"Yea, that looked painful," Bardock observed. His son trembled, trying to get up off his knees.
The pain was still there, it was still covering every inch of his body like a fire. How? How had this happened? Struggling even to put his hand out, he managed to finally start to rise, still trembling as he did.
Kakarot.
Kakarot had killed him. He felt it, he experienced it even. The only reason he was alive was because of the interference of others. It was a bitter feeling, to be killed by one's own brother.
"Why?" he finally managed. "Why did you try to contact Kakarot?"
"Because I needed to tell him about what happened to Planet Vegeta, about his race, his heritage. I needed to tell him to avenge me. It is Kakarot, who will defeat Frieza."
Something felt... hollow... with those words. Turles looked ahead with a bitter glance, trying to find his own words to speak, but none came. If Kakarot was indeed his brother, than he had little doubt this was his father. A father who had so little faith in him, that he believed Kakarot would defeat Frieza.
I am the strongest of the saiyans. I will kill Frieza.
"I already know what happened to the saiyans. I am more than capable of killing Frieza. I have the power to crush anyone who gets in my way. I am superior to Kakarot."
"Right now, I'm more confused as to why you are here. What are you even doing up there?" Bardock questioned bluntly.
"I was working with Vegeta to gain eternal life, when we ran into my supposed nephew, a human, Raditz-"
"Raditz? That name sounds familiar."
Confusion was written across Turles's face as Bardock questioned who Raditz was. Raditz was the only one of any of them who had even met Bardock. Yet somehow he knew Kakarot and not Raditz? Perhaps this was all some delusion and he was really going insane.
"My elder brother," was the short answer.
Bardock seemed to think for several minutes, before memories came flooding into him.
"Isn't Raditz also supposed to be dead?" he almost growled, his eyes locking onto Turles.
"So, are you still disappointed?" Turles shot back with a half smirk, enjoying the irritation and disbelief his 'father' was experiencing. "It would seem you are ill informed as to the fate of your children. Perhaps you are wrong about Kakarot being the one to defeat Frieza."
The words were smug, arrogant, prideful, and ill informed.
"You're so arrogant you can't see past you're own power. Kakarot is far more powerful than you are, Turles. Kakarot earned his strength."
"My power was earned, you weakling. I fought for it. I slaughtered billions to achieve what you see before you. Kakarot is no saiyan. He is a weak fool, who has somehow managed to increase his power level, and little else."
"Kakarot however, survived. You and Raditz were supposed to be nothing but food for the worms by now."
The bluntness of the remark made Turles's eye twitch almost. He'd never spoken to Raditz in their brief acquaintance about their father, it'd never been an issue, and Raditz had never brought it up.
"Oh? Well now that I'm busy not feeding worms, I'll just have to disappoint. I will kill Frieza, old man, and after I'm done with that, perhaps I'll kill Kakarot," Turles declared confidently, smirking after he did. "I am just as powerful as that weak minded fool, but I have the true spirit of a saiyan warrior. He is nothing."
"No, not really. You are much, much weaker than Kakarot. Kakarot has something inside of him you do not. The best you could ever dream of is to live long enough to watch him avenge our people. He will be something, he will be remembered. You Turles, will be left dead. You'll have no legacy, people will not remember Turles. If you are lucky, they might remember that you were Kakarot's brother."
Turles froze at the words. So according to this oracle he was going to simply be a man left to stand by and watch in disgrace as his brother defeated Frieza? How did he know Raditz was supposed to die? Hell, how were they having this conversation? It was clear, he was losing his mind. That was the only explanation.
"I can see now. I can see what's changed. I don't know how its changed, but it has. Kakarot will defeat still defeat Frieza. You will not."
"I've heard enough you broken old fool," Turles evenly snapped. "What makes Kakarot different than me? We're the same, the perfect copies of one another, only he is weaker because-"
"He has something to protect. You Turles, you are so shallow you even stole your power; you never earned it, like it or not. Just as when you were born, you stole the life of your mother," Bardock froze for a moment after the last words came out, his eyes locking onto Turles like steel bars. "Just as you stole the identity of Commander Ras. Just as you stole your cruiser. You've never earned anything in your life, you've never experienced loss. All you have experienced is an absence of real value. You are everything a third class warrior is expected to be. Kakarot is different, he's something more than you'll ever be Turles. You are a mistake, a broken off piece of Kakarot that-"
Rage filled the void around them, as purple energy drew up around Turles, many multiples the power of Bardock.
"Get out of my mind!"
"Just a heads up, you're not going to be immortal either."
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Quietly, Bulma just let the back of her head rest against the tile of the shower behind her head. She'd been in here for over a half an hour now, ever since she learned this ship had running water. It'd been weeks since there was real, running water, real modern convenience.
As soon as she could, she'd eat as much as she could, she didn't care if the food was alien.
Water beaded on her skin and she just sighed, enjoying the sensation. Goku was going to be alright at least, all she had to do was avoid that monster in the chamber next to him. If he was 'bored' and came across her, it could quickly turn into a nightmare. Idly she rubbed her hand where Turles had broken it less than a day ago.
Goku's twin couldn't be any more different if he tried.
Finally, standing up, she reached out for a towel. The entire shower room had become completely misted with steam for some time now. Her eyes were closed as she just enjoyed the hot warm, moist air. Instead of finding a towel, her hand grabbed a... face?
Standing there, stoic as ever, looking as if he was in mid walk, was none other than Vegeta, whose head now turned fully to look at her. Fear gripped her as she realized who it was, her heart pounding. The Saiyan just looked confused, until he smirked.
Bulma screamed.
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Turles's eyes flashed open in the medical tank, blazing with hatred as the tank started to bubble with his energy.
"Turles?"
It was Kakarot's voice.
Not another one, what now?
Turning his head towards the medical pod, Turles scowled at the favoured son. The son destined supposedly for greatness, sat in the tank next to the would be corpse's.
"What is it, Kakarot?"
It was his first attempt to speak to anyone like this, he didn't even realize Kakarot could speak inside someone's head. Was he like Bardock then?
"We're going to have to work together to stop Frieza. You and Vegeta are the strongest, though Raditz isn't that far behind. When Frieza arrives, it will be up to you three to hold him off until we figure out a way to stop him."
The twin could had laughed. The mighty Kakarot was telling him the obvious, only he omitted that he would kill Frieza.
"Well Kakarot, I am certainly glad for your input, but there won't be any need to hold off Frieza. I will kill him. Then I will rule the universe, perhaps if you are lucky, I'll let you survive long enough to have a place within my new Empire."
Kakarot just seemed to be irritated from his tank.
"You don't even know how to read Power Levels. You'll be blind without Vegeta, Raditz, Krillin or Gohan. Here, let me help you."
There was a scowl in the other tank, as Turles slowly reached up to remove his face mask and leave. He didn't want to hear anything else from-
Suddenly, the world started to expand, he felt himself almost reaching out and tasting the power in the air around him. It was complete chaos, he could sense Raditz? Vegeta? The boy? And the midget? Funny, he couldn't sense the girl... no wait... the insignificant one over there.
In all this however, he then knew something was going on...
"How dare you enter my mind, Kakarot?!"
"Hey, I'm just trying to help you out Turles. We're all in this together. If we work together we can do this. If we don't, we'll fail. After this is all done, I hope you reconsider what you have planned, I don't want to have to stop you. We're brothers, I'm sure Raditz will want to come back to the Earth, and if-"
"Don't even bother, Kakarot. Until today I had no idea you even existed, until a few minutes ago I had no idea that you were supposedly important. We'll see if you can live up to your pathetic expectations or not. But I can assure you, I'd sooner kill myself then get stuck on some backwards planet with mewling people with no power. I've heard of the Earth, I was intending to eventually go there myself to finish the job you never even started."
Finally, Turles pulled his mask off, liquid draining from the tank. He felt... revitalized, rested, powerful.
"I hope you don't, Turles. Because then we'd have to fight. And I'd win."
Events replayed in Turles's mind at the words, events he'd lived through only minutes ago. Bardock's vision of his death played through his mind once again.
When the orb hit him it was just... pain. It felt like every cell in his body, ever atom, was burning, being wiped from the universe a particle at a time. A scream echoed from his throat as he felt this power surging through him, burning him, destroying him... killing him.
Turles felt something cold coil around his gut in that very moment, pulling himself from the regeneration tank, he looked at Kakarot, knowing in that moment he could kill him.
No, for now, I need him alive. Even though I hate to admit it. If Bardock is right, and I am wrong, then he's the one who will stop Frieza.
Despite this, Turles felt a moment of shame that he was even considering it. His own strength might... fail.
And then a woman screamed.
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Slipping on a new undersuit for the first time since before he went to Earth, Raditz felt relief of having familiar clothing. It wasn't the usual style he wore, but he didn't care anymore. The full black body suit covered him, and the Mark III armour slipped over his body easily enough. It was only a cuirass and paulrdons, not the extra leg plating, but he didn't care. Thankfully he'd managed to track down a set of gauntlets over gloves, though sadly for boots he was stuck with fabric instead of his old greaves.
Still, he recognized himself again for the first time in a long time, as a Saiyan warrior.
Behind him, he heard giggling as Gohan started to jump about, wearing the elite suit he'd managed to find, almost the same as his own save for a blue undersuit and gloves.
"You look the role kid," he assured him, smirking.
Gohan beamed with the approval, flexing his arm and checking out the armour excitedly.
"I bet we could totally take Frieza like this!"
"Don't let it go to your head," Raditz immediately cut off. "More protection is helpful, but Frieza is not going to be stopped by a little armour. To stop Frieza will take everything you've ever had."
If we can stop him.
It was then, everyone froze, hearing Bulma scream.
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This woman is insufferable.
Bulma was currently attempting to make herself look decent, trying to use her hands.
"What are you doing here woman? This is my bathing facility. Go use the one that your friends us-"
"Help! Somebody help!" Bulma screamed, causing Vegeta to become further annoyed.
Of course, it hasn't dawned on him to realize human customs of decency, or the fact that Bulma had been assaulted by Turles earlier.
"Listen here, woman. I have had enough of this shrieking idiocy! You will stop immediately or-"
"Bulma?" A small voice asked, as Gohan rounded the corner, followed by Krillen, and finally followed by Raditz.
And now the weaklings are here. Perfect, this is exactly how I wanted to spend my time.
"... Really Vegeta, really?" Raditz questioned with a raised brow.
It didn't take much for Vegeta to notice the look of disgust on Raditz's face, clearly thinking he'd attempted to give in to some baser urge. He could hardly imagine himself getting involved with such a sensitive, clearly ignorant creature.
To Vegeta of course, it was clear the woman was now embarrassed.
"Stop being in here, everyone out! Get out now!" Bulma ordered.
Within almost ten seconds, Vegeta, Raditz, Gohan, and Krillen were standing outside the door, though Vegeta angrily had his arms crossed.
So I have to wait for her to finish to use my own facilities? This is ridiculous.
"So Vegeta, it looks like I wasn't the only one interested in seeing these humans," Turles chuckled, walking ahead, brushing his thumb over his own cheek a moment later, unconsciously rubbing where Bardock once had a scar. "You really should act more mature."
With disgust boiling in his stomach, Vegeta scowled at Turles.
"Please, I don't allow myself to be controlled by base needs like you third class warriors," he remarked, smirking at Raditz as well. "Some of you even betray your loyalties over such primitive feelings."
The truth was, Vegeta was testing him, and loving every second of it. Raditz needed him, and he knew it. Their battle with Frieza was going to take all they had, whether they were immortal or not. But the best part of it was watching Raditz try to restrain himself. However, that restraint began to break after the last comment. Raditz taking a furious step forward. His hands readied for blood and battle.
"Now, now Raditz, we wouldn't want to-"
Turles had also moved in from the front.
"I would suggest you remember not to anger both of your saiyan counterparts at once, Vegeta," he reminded grimly, staring down at him.
Turning his head to Raditz, he just glared.
"You, don't go near Vegeta or say anything. And you" he looked at Vegeta. "Do the same for Raditz. If we kill each other, Frieza will kill the remainder of us. So cease this childish feud until you have time to kill one another, as right now neither of you do."
You presumptuous bastard.
Vegeta glared back hatefully at Turles, his teeth clenched as he was ordered by a third class.
To say that their alliance had been torn apart now, would be very accurate. Even in that moment, forced to capitulate to his 'ally' Turles, Vegeta now only thought of one thing.
I will become immortal first, Turles. And then we will see how quick you are to use that authority of yours.
Everyone in the room was silent as Vegeta glared at Turles, and Turles stoically stared back.
The door slid open next to them as Bulma stepped out, finishing getting dressed in a Planet Trade uniform, replacing her heavily worn clothes, clearly trying to get used to it her eyes looked ahead, seeing the two saiyans locked in a battle of wills, however, she noticed right away that one was Turles.
Freezing for a moment, she quickly jumped behind Vegeta, and then behind Raditz, once she realized she'd jumped behind Vegeta.
"It's him!"
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A/N: Huge news.
I will be updating this Friday. But after this, The Catalyst will be a once a week update. Every Friday.
The decision has been made because I want to keep up to date with The Long Road, and my newest story, which will be going live tomorrow. That story is call The Perfect Monster. It's going to be very different from anything I've written so far.
So, for those who read both stories, my new update schedule is this-
Sunday week 1: The Long Road
Friday: The Catalyst
Sunday week 2: The Perfect Monster
Friday: The Catalyst.
So the Long Road will be updated twice a month, and so will The Perfect Monster. However The Catalyst will be updated 4 times a month on average.
Reviewers:
Jason9000: What a rush hey?
Demod20: Thanks for the review. I sincerely appreciate it as always Demod20.
Fightingchampion: I'm always looking forward to the next update. I liked Turles's new armour, even if Turles didn't like it lol
Mystic Milli: Thank you for the review, as always. tips hat
Full Power: Thanks Full Power. And the shit is most certainly getting ready to go down.
Super Vegetarott: I was really conflicted about adding it or not. But I decided against it, I didn't feel it added anything to the story to include it.
Dark Impaler: I realize he's awesome, just not everyone else has yet ;)
Ness: Trust me, when the Dragon is summoned, its a complete shit-show.
Luke: There are always updates my friend :)
DaOneInDaCorner: Answered view PM.
Coldblue: Tien Yamcha and crew? Don't expect huge changes to them, they aren't really that important to the story. :(
Raditz and the Android's Saga? Dunno, you'll have to read.
Will Turles die fighting Frieza?: You know I can't answer that.
Will Piccolo become stronger to compete with the Saiyans? Can't tell you.
What is the Limit of Raditz's power level at the end of the story? Raditz will be no stronger, or weaker, than Raditz.
Frieza's appearance: Keep reading, you'll see ;)