Chapter 8: Recovery

A/N: A little delayed with this chapter but I got it out within a reasonable level of time. More fun to be had as we progress through this story and a little more backstory and developments in our relationships.

Oh… son of a bitch… Kakarot felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. Intense burning pain, it came just as he regained consciousness. Or maybe it caused him to regain consciousness. A hell of a headache, he could feel it from the top of his head and splitting all the way down to his toes. Then just to add a cherry to all of it he could feel the pain in his jaw. Why the hell aren't I in a regen tank? Noting that he was on his back and not suspended in a healing solution.

He was hurting the most in his face and the last thing he could recall was him and Broly punching each other full force. His fingers curled and he felt the sheets of a bed, his body rolled and as he did he felt something cool fall from his forehead as a wet slop hit beside him.

A chair moved and Kakarot was aware that he wasn't alone. "Are you finally waking up?" The voice that came closer he instantly recognized. Then a hand came and touched his shoulder and pulled him onto his back gently, though he could resist he felt too much like shit to even move. "Hey, are you awake?"

Kakarot only let out a series of muttered curses in a half groan half grunt. "Yep you're definitely awake. So how are you doing there?"

The fact I haven't opened my eyes or tried to tell you. What do you think!? Kakarot thought dismally as the washcloth was reapplied to his head. It was so cool and alleviated some of his pain though his headache was still wishing that she might just rear her hand back and knock him out.

"You know you're so much nicer when you're like this. No sass, no touching of my ass like normal. You almost are acting like a regular person from my world." The voice laughed, almost mocking him. "Your father wanted me to tell you something once you gained some semblance of coherence. So can you tell me if you're listening?"

Here… Kakarot's hand turned over and curled to expose a single exposed middle digit rising up from his palm. "Charming. But if don't you want your misery to continue you'll drop the attitude."

His cheeks flushed with annoyance and pain, mostly pain. Between death and staying like this, he was seriously considering death. But he did drop his objections from his palm just relenting to the living hell was currently in.

Chi-Chi found herself amused, and a little thankful that she had wound up being the one to look after Kakarot. Sitting back in a chair of Kakarot's private quarters Chi-Chi had been mostly lazing about herself. There weren't any major issues that she needed to handle. She'd mostly just been cleaning him up and alleviating some of his pain. But not most of it. Hopefully she could address some issues with him and be the bearer of some not so good news in the process. "You've been out for a day, your father brought you home and wasn't too pleased with how you or Raditz acted while at the palace. So he's having you both stay like this for the next couple of hours to teach you a lesson. Once the timer I've set is up I'll take you to the rejuvenation chamber, but we have a few other things to go over before then. So now that I have your full attention can I start?"

A weak grunt escaped from Kakarot and Chi-Chi just giggled at how much pain he was in. "Firstly, you will be taking the purge team on a new assignment." Kakarot's hand clenched in response to her words to which she could tell he didn't want to hear. Bardock was adamant about teaching his sons a lesson, what exactly he hoped to teach them by not letting them heal was beyond her. "But since I've been assigned to watch over you I have a deal to make with you, if you agree to it, this little timer won't exist and I'll take you to the chamber right now. If you don't then you can wait the few hours like this."

Kakarot grunted absently and Chi-Chi's face shifted to more serious as her brows fell into a stare and her lips pressed flat. "Firstly you will not continue to grope me while I'm working around the house. Quite frankly it's annoying that you only do it to me." She grumbled, "So that's going to stop, I don't need to be fondled. You want to touch me that's alright but I'm not an object," Even though he couldn't see her she put her hands on her hips "You got it?"

"Second, if you ever- and I mean ever- try and sell me like Raditz I will report every single stupid thing you do to your dad, from you eating from the pot, dirting up my washed floors, and most annoyingly having me put away your dirty clothes from the floor to the hamper. I mean really, the hamper is right next to the door can't you just toss them in there instead of leaving them on the floor?"

It was never ending with him, he was a grown ass man yet she was picking up after a 'elite' like he was five. What the hell was with that?

"Lastly, I actually need some help and this will be a benefit for you and me. So if you agree I'll share with you the last stipulation, because it'll require a saiyan to get things going."

The silence quickly followed as Chi-Chi watched Kakarot for a response. Of course she didn't expect one right away. "I'll give you a minute, but if you want the pain to end sooner you can just say yes or give me a sign that you agree. If not you can just flip me off again." Chi-Chi stated smugly as she grabbed a nearby book, she had found some interesting novels from other worlds in the Library area of Bardock's house. It was generally untouched, but she figured no one would mind if she read a few if they weren't being used after all.

Chi-Chi licked her finger tip as she pulled over the next page quietly reading until she heard a muffled grunt. "Hm?" She stated as the saiyan mumbled something, "What did you say?" She couldn't quite hear him.

Kakarot didn't want to say it. He didn't want to give up on his favorite new past time. But laying here in misery for what he could assume would be hours if not days, depending on his father's mood, wasn't pleasing either.

Yet he'd be honorbound to accept Chi-Chi's demands though humiliating to him as a man, these punishments were nothing that his father couldn't make far worse if she complained about it. Even afterwards he'd be have to follow her terms, he couldn't just dismiss them. If he did then his right to maintain his pride and honor as a true saiyan would be forfeit.

A little suffering or a partial humiliation?

Weighing the options, Kakarot made his choice. "F-Fhh-Fahh-fahhhine." He managed to barely spit out. It hurt even more to talk.

He heard something get set on the table and then she came over towards him. "Good answer, now come on." Chi-Chi then picked him up from the arm and put him up and over her shoulder. The heavy saiyan wasn't too bad for her to carry. She had been working for them for a few months now.

"Alright once you wake up I'll tell you about my little request." Chi-Chi added to which Kakarot slumped his head. His arm pointing attempting to tell her to just go, he didn't care he just wanted this to end.

[***]

On another section of the world stuck in a more comfortable outfit, a large white lab coat, jeans and a green tank top was the future scientific prospect of the saiyan empire. And one who was currently annoyed by the added glory of having to deal with the prince of all dickheads. No that would be too nice, the prince of all Assholes.

"You call this garbage a lab? Hah, I've visited battlefields in better condition."

Speaking of the devil himself, Bulma turned around to glare at the prince who was looking over her well 'organized' lab. "You know, Vegeta, if you just came here to bitch then why don't you just leave. How and where I set up my facility is my business. If you are here to build the gravity machine then by all means proceed-!" The capsule corp heiress gestured with her hand to her lab to which the saiyan prince snorted.

The saiyan prince who was not at all pleased with being sent to basically be a laboratory rat, due in no small part to his own mother. She wanted to teach him humility, a rare thing for him, but also patience, diplomacy, and looking beyond the present. It was these flaws she wished to correct. Wearing nothing more than his standard training armor and blue spandex, the prince was without a majority of his royal flair.

But it didn't mean he wasn't going to bitch and attempt to act like he even remotely enjoyed being put next to a pathetic and frail weakling. "Despite what you think, wench, I am more than scientifically gifted than what you can comprehend. As saiyan royalty I am above all in terms of my mental and physical capabilities." Vegeta said dismissively.

"Oh really, you understand the gravitational physics of a compressed reactor that amplified gravity within a field and are able to build a device that can do that without the entire area being ripped apart by several layers of gravitic forces acting upon it? Because if you do I'd love to hear your thesis about it, since it is how I am here." Bulma threw her nose up arrogantly at the prince who didn't even show a hint of an emotional response.

"I wouldn't know how to replicate your designs, but are you of understanding how to create abilities, techniques and measuring what would be effective. My mental prowess isn't around building tools, or machines. Though I have no doubt I could if I wished, but my goal as a saiyan is to be first and foremost a true warrior, the best warrior of my people." He looked at Bulma with a sneer, "for example I know the distance between you and I down to the millimeter, room temperature, humidity, and know how much force to put into an attack and maximize its effect with the most minimal of cost. How and where to place my blows to cripple an opponent." He held up a single finger to her, his bladed stance towards her was arrogant. "I understand and focus on things that your mind cannot comprehend and you think that a few toys are enough to impress me?"

"Oh please, that is nothing. Your people haven't even split the atom, the effect of nuclear fission and fusion are still absent from your libraries. All of that power and strength are pale to the power of acuric radiation that unleashes a mini sun on its target." Bulma countered, though admittedly she wouldn't have placed the prince to be that acute of his explanation. She had seen the Queen to be such a brilliant mind. But who had exactly shown this to the prince who appeared more brutish at first glance and far less regal in the sparse interactions they'd have since now. "My creations are meant to push our lives into the future, change the way people live, and that's far more impressive than anything you can possibly imagine.

Blue and obsidian eyes glared into the other. She refused to back down to the prince and Vegeta did not see her as anything less than dirt.

Fertile dirt at least, there's something that can be gained from this even if she is an annoying shrieking wench.

"Now if you're done, let me get back to my job and finishing up the gravity chamber… but If I do finish it I would be concerned." Bulma's tone shifting to a more mocking. Looking back to Vegeta with a grin on her face. "All that extra gravity," She looked him up and down. "It might make you shorter."

The prince's face went red, "Fucking wench, you had better hope I do not become King. Because you will suffer for these insults against me."

"Blah, blah, blah, go do whatever prince things you do and let a real genius work." Bulma waved him off dismissively only aggravating the prince further.

"Gladly, I'd sooner be stuck in a tar pit than deal with your hideous visage for too long." Vegeta shot back finding a small chink in Bulma's armor.

"Oh please, I am the most beautiful woman on the planet and you know it, it's just a shame you are just too short-sighted see it." Bulma countered, well aware of her own beauty. It's more than likely saiyans just weren't used to it. Or that's how she put it to herself anyway.

"If by beautiful you mean horribly disfigured, terrible coloring, not an ounce of muscle, and a voice that makes saiyan children cry, then of course I'll agree with you that part." Vegeta felt a smirk creeping up on his face as Bulma whirled about to point one of her screwdrivers at him. So that's her weakness? This may not be so boring after all.

"Oh so now we fancy ourselves a comedian, huh? Is that really the only thing you've got, Mr. Prince of all saiyans?" She was getting a bit heated, no one would dare call her ugly.

"I'm no comedian but you'd be a great clown, all of that horrible makeup and horrible odors. Perhaps you could be a court jester with all that crap applied to your face?" His smirk was growing as Bulma's face turned red with irritation.

"You are such an asshole." Seeing that proud smirk on the prince's face she knew he was goading her. Giving nothing more than a "hmph" She made her way back to her quiet spot in her lab and slammed the door behind her. She couldn't wait for her family and her employees to make it here. It was going to be a long couple weeks without them.

{***}

Gine was outside of her little home getting a solid stretch in. She'd been feeling a little to pent up recently and just wanted to get her limbs out and moving, though as she examined her backyard she had to look at all these 'changes' that were happening. They had been small at first but looking at them now, she had to admit she liked them.

I actually like them. The flourishing colors behind her house were different and provided a pleasing aroma, the usual dusty and arid area had a bit of flourishing life. She could see the lizardmen who worked just beyond the first set of hills, their once muddy and murky waters were more crystal blue than ever, the suns of Vegeta-sei reflected off its waters like the sparse lakes and oceans.

But as the sprawl was also pleasing the tropical feeling of green palm trees and the large blue and yellow skinned lizard creatures saturating themselves within the water looked like little saiyan pups at play.

The massive Sarus though approached Gine, his sunken reptilian features gave him no ability to express emotions that she would understand. The ground was softly trampled with his visible indentations as he came beside her.

But Gine was an observant woman, "No need, our little caretaker's ideas are actually looking quite well and you and the other skinks appear to be enjoying them as well." Holding up her hand to bid him to stop.

The heavy Saraus, three times Gine's size and mass, still took a knee. "Offer thanks, remind us of home it does."

Gine reached out and gently ran her fingers over its large more dinosaur style snout to its large billowing plume on yellow feathers on the back of its head. "Your loyalty is why you are rewarded, your people do excellent work. So it's only proper that you receive some benefits from your service."

The smaller skinks dove into the clean water and burst outwards, despite the humid temperature the lizardmen were capable terraformers, on a minor scale and maintained a balanced water supply, of course as civilized creatures they kept their home clean and did not treat it as a dump.

Owner and servant stood there quietly, admiring the beauty for a moment, the dancing palms, green foliage, plants and scene one could find only in nature.

Yet as they did they were joined by another figure who had just come from dropping off her charge into the rejuvenation chamber. She made her way outside, finding the lady of the house and the Sarus leader beside her.

With Bardock off on business with his purge team, the house was peaceful as the two sons were going to be spending their day recovering. "Afternoon, Gine, enjoying my recommendations?" Chi-Chi asked approaching her other side as the Saurus bowed his head out of respect for her.

Gine laughed amused with her more headstrong caretaker. She wasn't like the others, Chi-Chi didn't completely bow her head, nor did she not bite her tongue when asked, she shared her opinion when she felt it was morally wrong to her beliefs. Loyal as she should be as a caretaker, but also honest. It was a rare thing from alien races. "Indeed I am as is Kroq and all of his fellow lizardmen. They are quite happy with the results."

Chi-Chi smiled to which the lizard nodded his head in agreement, "Well I am glad, back when we had to ensure a fishing village flourished we did small things which made the big things more evident. Once we removed a lot of the clutter and added more nature to it things were better for everyone," Her brown eyes scanned over the image of a small pool, though small in terms of what she was used to, it was roughly half the size of an olympic swimming pool. There was an abundance of fresh water but more importantly clean water being filtered through plants and added sediment. Nothing too expensive, especially for Bardock, who could consider it a drop in the bucket. "Oh yes, Gine, Kakarot is set up for recovery, that wound to his face though is still quite a sight."

"I could imagine the full force Broly hit him with was devastating. The two of them were more heated than they should've been, no doubt Paragus is furious with Broly as well." Gine released a sigh and rested her cheek on her hand. "The poor boy."

Chi-Chi had been curious herself about the so called 'poor boy', "Broly isn't like other saiyans, is he?" She asked looking to Gine who slightly nodded her head but continued to look forwards. "When I talked with him he seemed very centered but also looking for something, but I don't know what he was looking for."

"Broly, my nephew, son of my cousin. He was born with incredible power, but did not know how to use it. They sent him on a purge that was even harder than Kale's, his father believed that he could succeed where no saiyan adult had. Sadly he was captured upon his landing, he did not bear witness to the moon and awaken his true powers. He was tortured as a child, starved, given no time to rest, he endured pain that made the wounds they received the other day nothing more than an itch. By the time he was recovered the damage was already done, Broly never regained a true fighting spirit. His mind was lost within himself, not willing to move beyond all the suffering he went through for years." Gine let her head fall back as she looked upwards towards the sky of Vegeta-sei. Her eyes fell closed and she shook her head. "Broly needed care, unlike Kale who was weakened by disease. Broly's wounds never properly healed, even for a child he needed to be looked after and built back up. But his father… that fool Paragus only sees his son as weak and endlessly tries to beat the saiyan into him. Paragus is obsessed with rising in rank, perhaps one day he wished to be King but unfortunately without a mate and his son's apathy he's probably going to remain the fourth of the houses."

"Is it really that bad for Broly to be like that?" Chi-Chi asked, other saiyans seemed to accept their fellow brothers and sisters oddities. What made Broly such an outlier? Even Kale was treated with respect, though the girl was thinner than her own body and about as strong. Was there any reason to be so, so hurtful?

"Of course," Gine said much to Chi-Chi's surprise. "Broly is an elite he is expected to be one of the greatest of our planet's children. To watch him be lost, to not seek purpose or grow beyond what had weakened him. Were it on a lesser class of saiyan it wouldn't be as embarrassing, but then the child never would've survived." Gine brought a hand to her stomach. "In the future when I finally am graced with my third child I will wish of them the very same that I do all of my sons, but if they were to fall like Broly. I would not wish to see them again, I would rather see my own blood perish than be twisted into that." It wouldn't be long she could feel her body becoming ready to bear children again. It took time, all saiyans needed was time. There was a sensation within her body, the same one she felt before having both of her other children. It won't be long. Gine smiled with the thought of having another chubby saiyan child, granted the child would be placed within an incubator. It would make everyone proud, though she would love to gift her mate with another. The sign of a proper mate was to help birth as many offspring as possible. Of course, only the best would be allowed.

"Isn't that... cruel? I mean does every saiyan have to be like all the rest?" Chi-Chi pressed further earning a curious glance from Gine.

"It is what we are, Chi-Chi, one saiyan people, of one heart and mind. We can't have weaknesses or separate individuality in our people. If saiyans all thought different, lived apart, and did not respect our traditions and history." Gine explained as she looked back towards the lizardmen. "Imagine if for a moment," her eyes flicked to the Sarus beside her. "If I may use you as an example."

"Of course," The lizard said bowing his head.

"Chi-Chi this world is not like your own, you and I have spoken briefly about it and I do not blame you for having the mindset that you do, you come from a free people, a world embraces many things but that is a good and bad thing. To have so many people thinking freely creates radical identities and that is not how we saiyans are. We saiyans are born and raised to think as one people, the only true difference between saiyans is rank. But any saiyan can earn a rank provided they have shown pride and strength for our people. It is why Bardock earned his place as an elite and I as his mate support him, though his sons are currently not always of that mindset. Given the chance to surpass their father they would and eventually both of us hope know it will happen," Gine smiled, "To us it would only make us proud as their parents to see our sons become stronger and take up the mantle that was paid for by blood sweat and sacrifice."

Chi-Chi watched as Gine pulled up her shirt to reveal several jagged scars on her sides, these were new ones that the caretaker had yet to ever witness. She slowly lowered it back down as she looked at her with a solid focused stare, unflinching and unblinking. "You have seen the massive four foot cleaver in the main hall Chi-Chi?"

She nodded back to Gine, how could she not? The thing was the size of her torso and proudly displayed like a trophy like many of the other skulls and animal appendages in the main entryway.

Like most saiyans they believed in demonstrations of power. "I do."

"That weapon was used to inflict those injuries to me, but once I recovered I killed the beast who wielded it by chopping him in half. Though Shugesh and Boros like to joke and talk about all of the times that they fought to save my mate, I was the one who never left his side. I took one of those vile green skinned alien's blows to my side to save Bardock's life. After that moment they all called me the butcher, the woman who breeds with the red scar. Referring to my Mate's scared face and red bandanna, which I accepted and took pride in. Though you may not have the same understanding of saiyan culture you need to know that it is because we value each other and our way of life." She shifted position to look at Chi-Chi squarely. Though equivalent in size, the saiyan elite had years of demonstrating her status and even she made the earthling hesitant to speak against her words and remind her where she was.

"Can you tell me with certainty, caretaker, that what you saw on your planet was a pure life? That there were not days where you wished that everyone understood one another? Because I have traveled to no other world, where people stood like we do." Bringing a hand to Chi-Chi's shoulder, the grip not one of dominance but to show she was not angry or displeased with her. "The lizardmen who work here obey the Sarus without question. If each one did not they would not nearly be as effective as they are now. They work together and survive because they respect their roles in life and position. Much like Saiyans. We have a duty to ourselves and world." Gine's hand cupped Chi-Chi's cheek, "You are pure hearted Chi-Chi and it is not something I look down upon, you treasure life and seek the betterment of those around you. But there are somethings that you can not change and our saiyan ways will not be one of them. Give our world more time and you will understand, you've yet to be here half a year." With a gentle pat the female of the house gave her a smile.

Chi-Chi stared at Gine, merely looking at the woman in a different light. But she bowed her head, "Sorry if I offended you I was just-"

"Do not worry Chi-Chi, I do not mind. You simply do not know us saiyans because you are not one of us."

[***]

He was locked up to the wall, the clatter of heavy dampeners were on his wrists, neck, waist, and feet. Each one was of a heavy design intended for use on powerful saiyans who were having trouble maintaining balance as they went through puberty and overall maturity. The dull gray sunken room had been occupied many times, the heavy grooves in the floor where a pair of feet stood and rotated just in front of where Broly was held.

The amount of times someone had stood in that groove marked floor was beyond counting, and it had only been one man. One lone man, parent, and alleged father for hours at a time until the once blue tiled floor was now a dark splotched gray. The walls were covered in splotches from being repainted and repaired but never would they be the same smooth stone that they had been before.

The long silence, the sheer boredom that a saiyan endured would be maddening to any normal saiyan. Being isolated and unable to move, fight, eat as they wished would be a drain upon many a mind. Where minutes might seem like hours, hours becoming days, and days becoming weeks and so on. A lack of everything that made a saiyan a saiyan. Yet Broly, he found it… peaceful, of course he could do without the beatings and starvation, but it was quiet.

There wasn't all of the noise, the bells and whistles. When the ringing bounced around in his head like rock in a tumble dryer, having to bear so many nights where all he heard was just screaming. The kind that made the hair stand up on the back of your neck, when the only sound is the guttural aftermath of fear where logic did not control anything, pure instinct and pure fear. Those dread filled nights were the worst especially in the beginning.

Broly had lost his mind during those long streaks, he wound up screaming until he passed out from lack of oxygen. Only then was he granted a short reprieve until he was electrocuted back to alertness. Of course the electrocution traveled up his trail turning the already unbearable torture into hell because there was nothing worse. There was no greater pain they could inflict upon him.

It shattered him and he knew it. But he did not know what he was supposed to be beforehand, what he had become were two entirely different things. For all the genetic programming, and mental training that all saiyan young endured during their incubation within bionic wombs he couldn't recall any of it. A millennia of saiyan evolution could be undone with months of hellish torture.

But then, not all of what made him saiyan was gone. He felt some of the yearnings that saiyans had, though muted by comparison to that of his brothers and sisters. Some of them having appeared only recently.

'Chi-Chi… you haunt my mind like my nightmares. But I do not wish to have you leave them, I recall your touch as vividly as my beatings. I think about your smile and how you sat beside me, where it wasn't about you following orders as a slave. I was able to see beyond that mask that you wear of the comfortable slave. There is more to you and I can't explain why. Why do I want to see you? The idea of touching your hair makes my body warm. I would give up all my position if I were to have you as my own and I can't understand it.' The raven haired female was entrancing, sure she might not have been the most beautiful of women he'd ever seen but that was beyond his mind. She was still an attractive female, but everything else drew him to her was beyond that physical pull. But it didn't hurt either.

(The Balcony meeting)

"Earth was so nice, you'd have loved it before everything changed. We used to have the best views," Chi-Chi fixed her hair not seeing the way Broly's vision fixated upon her. "We had rolling red skies with seas of blue and purple just before it, or the way our sun would crack and roll between the clouds before the night sky was blanketed in stars. We had so many it was like someone released an entire mess of lightning bugs into that black sky." She sighed, fond of her many childhood memories.

"You had bugs that created lightning? Sounds like your world was more deadly that I had imagined." Broly said amused with the idea of small insects producing lightning. What a sight that would be.

Chi-Chi laughed, "No, no, not real lightning, we just called them that because when they would fly up into the air they would have their bodies glow green below their wings. It was when they were trying to attract mates they would just go around." She smiled and just looked back outwards over the balcony railing. "I remember being a little girl and trying to catch them, as they just flew all around and glowed. I was so caught up in all of it."

Broly found himself chuckling. "Why? Intending on finding a mate?" The image of a young Chi-Chi trying to grab at some small insects that glowed a green color, who would imagine such a foolish thing for any living thing to do. It would only make them vulnerable targets for predators.

Chi-Chi rolled her yes but smiled, "No-!" She stated so matter of factly, "I wasn't trying to find a mate I just wanted to catch some. Of course I couldn't fly and I wasn't nearly the martial artist I used to be. It was just such pure fun and I wish I could go back to those days where I would be trying to catch fireflies.

Simpler times, happier times, back when she felt free. That childish innocence was so nice and she never saw it here on Vegeta-sei. "You saiyans probably think it was just a waste of time huh, no fighting, or insane challenge?" Looking to Broly as her feet slightly rocked over the ledge.

Her boots swaying as a warm breeze rolled over the palace. Causing the small lines and gathered banners around the walls to flap. The quiet peace was something she'd often missed. Though unknowingly so did Broly.

"Would you like to see your world again?" Broly's question surprised Chi-Chi as she looked at him. Her brown eyes shining with some measure of hope. That the world she remembered would still be there for her.

Yet as quickly as it arrived that spark of life that was free from the world of voluntary servitude disappeared with the reality what would be her life. The hope that she might return to her home world was there, but there was also the fact that she might go back to a place that she would no longer recognize.

The idea of going back home to a place that was nothing like her memories, that might be one day destroyed and forever tarnish the good times she had.

Would it be better to just them be a memory? Chi-Chi sighed, "I don't know, but I wish I knew the answer to that, Broly. A part of me wants to go home but the other part of me doesn't." Her gaze fell towards her lap, interlacing her fingers the human caretaker merely wondered if there would even be a home to go too? "Kind of a strange thing isn't it?"

"No."

"No?"

"Wanting to enjoy the good times, that I can understand. Before you knew the hardships, It's not a strange thing." He looked at her, their eyes finding some measure of comfort in the other. "I can't remember much of my past, I often times wish to forget it. The way I was shaped wasn't ideal, but if that was the price then I welcome change. I see myself differently and no one likes that, no one likes that I enjoy sunsets, peaceful views, and books."

"Really? You read?" Chi-Chi's surprise made the saiyan roll his eyes. Giving her an annoyed look, "Sorry, I just didn't imagine that you'd be that way? What types of books are you in to?"

Broly shrugged, "Mostly whatever I can get my hands on. But maybe you'd like one?" Broly drew out a small brown parcel from underneath his armor and handed it to Chi-Chi. "It's nothing special just a book of old saiyan legends."

"Oh no," Chi-Chi said holding up her hands. "I can't accept that, it's your property." But Broly moved his hand to pull he hands flat and set it into her own.

"I have it memorized and I think you'd enjoy it more than me at this point. By your reaction you were someone who liked books as well?" Watching as the small woman pulled the book back and set it behind her breastplate secured away and obviously protected.

Chi-Chi smiled, "Thank you." Looking at this saiyan, the son of Paragus in a way that perhaps no one else had before. Reaching out to touch his thigh appreciatively. " You really are not like any other saiyan i've ever met."

"I'll take that as a complement." Broly said as his eyes watched her hand and how it touched his leg, wishing that he wasn't wearing pants to feel her fingers on his skin once again. "If you find me any good books let me know, my father does not permit me to read them. So the ones I have are kept hidden."

Chi-Chi pulled her hand back and shook her head. "Well that's not right, you should be able to enjoy yourself and on Earth it's expected to enjoy reading. Especially our children, they need to read and when I have a chance I'll read with my own children someday. But I've got a few years until then." Chi-Chi sighed as she looked to Broly who softened his expression.

(Back to present)

That memory lived with him, that soft earthling with gentle eyes and a love of books and beauty of the world. Broly's head dipped down hiding his face as the doors to his holding cell opened up. Just keeping the small peace to himself, the image of a young woman sitting at his side.

Heavy footsteps marched forwards, along with the heavy unfurling of a long wound object and landing on the ground. It dragged along the smooth stone like a serpent's tail, heavy leather banded around a metallic chain. The hand that grasped it was adorned with a golden bracelet that looped through his fingers.

Broly remembered how she smiled at him, how she talked with him. Telling him how he was different and how she enjoyed all of the things that he did in some manner or fashion.

The hand drew backwards and then snapped forwards without a moment's hesitation. The loud crack slicing through the skin and allowing him to bleed but providing no true physical damage, but its intent. Pain… lots and lots of pain.

His face flinched and the lines of pain appeared with every single strike. But between each burning lash he was back there, on that balcony. And for the first time in a long time, he felt something stirring within himself and it was all because of her.

A simple slave from house Bardock, a woman named Chi-Chi.

R&R

Kerghan