Chapter Forty-Two: This is the Time
"This is the time
That we let it go
These are the words
That will take us home
Singing the song that's inside us all
If we don't open our eyes
We're walking blind…"
This is the Time (Ballast) - Nothing More
DBZ
Seripa anxiously drummed her fingertips across her abdomen as she reclined back on a stiff padded bed covered only by a thin sheet, her gaze stubbornly locked on the blinding white wall to her right. She was forced to listen as Mejai hummed an odd tune to himself, the telltale clinking and clanking of medical tools sounding out as he moved about the small exam room.
His indifference to the unfortunately necessary task was beginning to grate on her nerves. Though she supposed it was for the best in the end. Her only other option for relevant medical expertise was Berik and he'd already expressed his displeasure at performing an abortion. She really didn't need to have him silently judging her throughout the process. It was bad enough as is without adding that to the mix.
She sighed and turned her head to stare up at the luminous ceiling—absently noting, not for the first time, that she still had yet to see a single light fixture in the entire ship—trying to block out her thoughts. It was too late in the game to be second-guessing herself and backtracking her decisions.
I have to do it she told herself. I have to be able to fight on Earth. My sister is countin' on me…It occurred to her that the Earth might not exist by the time they arrived. Frieza was already there, after all. Though the Ginyu Force had been dealt with and the Galactic Band Alliance had several squads there to serve as defense, there was no one on Earth to defend against the Ice-jin tyrant. She might kill her unborn child and not even have a reason to fight once they arrived to Earth, or to the space where the Earth once occupied…
She glanced sideways at Mejai to see him standing over a table against the far wall, curiously looking between an open medical book and various tools laid out on the tabletop. She sighed quietly, wishing suddenly that Bardock was there beside her. Or at least Amotto. But they had decided to go squeeze in some Super Saiyan level training while Zether and Falmer had gone off to work on Falmer's ascending.
Everyone was ascending but her. She looked at the ceiling again, a feeling of self-deprecation coming over her. She'd pushed herself harder than any of the others since the aggression had begun, hard work and effort—combined with blind luck at times—having granted her power she'd never dared thought possible just a couple of years ago. She'd trained with the others, pushing her body to its limits trying to break through the Super Saiyan barrier. So long as neither of the ascended Saiyans transformed, it was Seripa that was the definitively strongest Saiyan aboard the ship.
So why hadn't she transformed yet? Amotto and Seluri, the latter being rather reluctant, had ultimately decided on trying to anger her and Bardock in order to make either of them ascend. Anger had indeed worked for Bardock, though not in a fashion anyone could have foreseen. Unfortunately it had yet to yield any acceptable results for Seripa.
Seripa would definitely agree with anyone that described her as a volatile woman, but she'd never really had a temper. She'd been angry with Bardock and the others in their squad more times than she could remember, but she'd never experienced the kind of over-the-top frenzied rage that was supposed to trigger the initial reaction that would ultimately lead to becoming a full-fledged Super Saiyan. She'd never really had much cause to express outrage of that caliber. Not even when she'd learned of the deaths of Tooma, Panbukin, and Totepo, nor when she'd watched Frieza kill Bardock and destroy her homeworld.
Of course she'd been angry; she remembered that vividly. But she also remembered knowing that anger wouldn't change anything about her situation, so it had nearly burned out before eventually becoming kindling for her determined resolution to destroy Frieza. Granted she'd thrown herself into the mix with a sort of reckless abandon, her resolve negating her reason a majority of the time.
She supposed she just had excellent self-control. Maybe she had no choice but to follow through with the Cleric training? Perhaps that was her one option for ever becoming a warrior of legend?
Then again, how far along into her pregnancy was she? A couple of months at most? Maybe at this point it was just a primal instinct keeping the unborn safe from the overloading rush of power that transforming would inevitably bring forth?
She found herself glancing at Mejai again. She frowned as he continued poring over that accursed book.
"I'd like to get this over with sometime today," she found herself seething out.
The self-proclaimed "Ancient" Saiyan looked around at her in obvious amusement. "Patience, Sav'ta. I'll get around to the mutilation in a few minutes."
She cringed and looked at him in disgust. "Do you have to make everythin' a joke?"
Mejai gathered the book up and turned to face her, saying, "Yes, actually. You've no idea how boring things get after living as long as I have. It's necessary for me to find the humor in everything; otherwise I may just go mad."
Seripa gave him a wary look. "How do you know you haven't gone mad already?"
"Hm." He looked down at his book again and without looking at her, replied, "For starters, you're all still alive."
She scoffed and shook her head. "You're no killer."
Mejai looked at her and silently arched a green eyebrow. "The fetus I'm about to abort would disagree."
"Oh that…that doesn't count," Seripa replied awkwardly, shifting uncomfortably on her perch. She absently gripped her stomach and looked away.
"You've killed countless," he said as he approached her side, "and yet an unformedfetus makes you squeamish?" He grinned and put his hands to his hips. "That's pretty funny."
Seripa jerked her head around and shot him a glare. "There's nothin' funny 'bout death!" she said snappily.
"Oh, I agree," he said, still grinning at her.
"Then why are you so amused?" she demanded in frustration.
"Honestly? Because you've already cited several choice reasons for terminating your pregnancy. The cons outweigh the pros here, and yet you're beginning to second-guess your decision." He paused and gave her a measuring look. "Ah…You're worried about being judged, aren't you? It's not my comments that are upsetting you; you're judging yourself and perceiving my jests to be judgmental remarks?" He chuckled and gave a slight shake of his head.
Seripa could only stare sullenly at him. He'd more or less hit the nail on the head, whether she wanted to admit it or not. Though she viewed her reasons for the abortion as necessary, she still hated herself for going through with it. She'd experienced several pregnancies with Kakarrot being the one success, but she'd given each babe the chance at life every time. This time around she couldn't help but feel as if she were cheating this one out of the same chance. What if this one survived and gave Kakarrot a sibling? What if this was the last time she could ever experience a pregnancy…?
She sighed and looked away. "O' Ancient One," she mumbled sarcastically, "How do you judge me?"
Mejai chuckled and touched a hand to her head as he dropped down to her eye-level. She looked up at him in surprise to see him giving her a sympathetic knowing look. "I judge none on moral quandaries, Sav'ta. You live and learn just as we all do in this great big universe. You may survive a hundred or more years, but know that to the universe you will always be an ignorant child. We ALL are and will be children throughout our time alive, as we will always make mistakes." He smiled warmly, taking on an odd paternal appearance in that moment. "The universe is set and balanced, every action producing a set reaction that will never change. We, unfortunately, do not share in that luxury. We have no way to know what action will produce which reaction when we make our decisions, and we often stumble around blindly trying to get things 'right.' But there is no right or wrong answer to how we live in this universe. In the end, it's all about perception.
"And what I perceive right now is a young woman that wants to please everyone so badly that she's forgotten how to please herself."
Seripa blinked at Mejai in stunned silence.
"But…what…?" she uttered, finding herself more or less speechless.
The ever-enigmatic man grinned and dropped his hand from her head as he straightened back up. "I'm good at reading between the lines. Decide for yourself what you want to do here."
"But even you said I should stay out of the fightin'!"
He nodded his agreement. "True, I did suggest that. I still advise that you avoid fighting if you decide to keep the child, but fighting is your choice and not mine. The same goes with your current dilemma: your child; your choice."
"Are you tryin' to change my mind about this?" she demanded bluntly, frowning up at him suspiciously.
"It doesn't affect me one way or the other whether you do or don't do this, Seripa. I have nothing to gain either way, so why would I try to affect your decision on the matter?" He arched a brow in amusement as he folded his arms and smoothly fell into leaning against the wall.
"That'd be like askin' why you're even helpin' us in the first place," she scoffed in reply, which made him laugh. "I don't know what the hell to think about you, Mejai. You're an out of place ornament to me. On one hand there's a group of warriors who share a common interest in wanting to take down the Cold Regime; on the other hand there's…there's you." She screwed up her face, looking at him in what appeared to be disgust. "You're just…here. You don't belong here, but you help us anyway." She gestured her arms wildly, indicating the whole of the ship around them.
"I mean, really come on! Who in their right mind would just say 'hey, let's use my super-secret starship to go help your friends!'?"
Mejai laughed. "I'm pretty sure I didn't s-"
"You tried to help Bardock with his visions!" she interrupted rudely; she didn't care. Her face lost all expression and she looked at him. "As if it were second-nature. And you were amused the entire time…Do you actually enjoy helping people that much?" The instant the thought had struck her, it had made a simple kind of sense. Too simple to be the case, but it seemed to…fit the way Mejai acted. She'd been suspicious of him. The way he casually interacted with everyone, freely offering his advice and assistance. In the long months that she'd spent around him he'd never asked for anything in return, though he never offered any information regarding himself. But he never acted as if he were really hiding anything by dismissing notions or avoiding questions. He always flat out refused, but he did it in the best ways usually.
"Or should I continue to be wary of every action you take?" she asked when he didn't answer.
His eyes met hers and he grinned. "It never suits a Saiyan NOT to be wary. Now!" he declared loudly, making her jump. "Abortion or no? What's it going to be?"
Seripa met his gaze as she made her final decision on the matter. After a moment she sighed and sat up, swinging her legs around to hang off the side of the exam bed.
"I'll pass."
DBZ
Bardock stepped quietly into the quarters he shared with Seripa to find the room darkened and his mate already fast asleep. He shut the door and stood still as his eyes rapidly adjusted to the sudden darkness. He watched the thin blanket rise and slowly fall with each breath Seripa took.
With no small amount of reluctance Bardock tore his gaze from his mate and moved towards their washroom, silently closing the door behind him before switching on a light. He stepped in front of the mirror and looked over his scuffed and bruised face silently. Finding only superficial markings he turned and activated the hot water in the shower, setting it an optimally steamy setting for his Saiyan blood. As the steam began to waft around him Bardock removed his battlejacket and his underarmor, tossing them in a pile below the sink.
He stepped in beneath the steady deluge and was greeted with a heated liquid pleasure that almost instantly loosened the knotted muscles up and down his back, as well as across his shoulders. He tilted his head back and kneaded his fingers into the muscles of his neck, his gaze locked on a fixed point where the wall of the shower and the ceiling met.
From the moment he'd entered the washroom he'd let muscle memory take over as his mind couldn't help but to go back to that conversation with Zarbon. His vision had shown explicitly what would happen when his brother faced the Ginyu Force…and yet that had not happened. Instead his brother had risen up and beaten the Ginyu Force alone, even going so far as to kill Captain Ginyu himself.
A crease marred his stern brow and his eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. While he was more than pleased with the altered outcome, he couldn't understand HOW it had changed so drastically without any apparent influence. He hadn't personally done anything that would have changed such a soon-to-occur event in so dramatic of a way. Had he?
The only theory he had was that he was slowly losing his mind. He'd already found out that the Kanassan hadn't been speaking to him for a while, if ever he had been in the first place. Talkin' to yerself…Next these visions are hallucinations. What if that was it, though? What if everything was?
"That's it," he found himself murmuring under his breath. "This is all a dream…Frieza killed me…" He'd just known that the Pool of Life thing was too good to be true.
Wasn't it? It certainly was ridiculous. And it's not like he'd ever believed in things like gods, magic, and resurrection. Bardock was a realist, he lived for the present. The future had been nonexistent to him before that fateful day on Kanassa. He didn't worry about what ifs or whether or not he'd die going into a mission. He kept his focus on what was going on in front of him, whether in battle or not. He was fairly certain that's what kept him alive on missions that scared even the Super-Elites of Frieza's Planet Trade. There'd been times that Bardock's entire squad should've been wiped out, but they'd all managed to come back alive from every mission.
So everything from the point of his resurrection had to be a hallucination! He could very well still be alive and frozen in fear of Frieza's massive Death Ball flying towards him and his planet, all of this just a trick his terror-addled mind had cooked up to distract from the obvious truth of his approaching demise.
"This is real."
Bardock gave a start, jerking around in surprise to look for the source of that voice. He lost his footing, his feet slipping out from under him so he landed hard on his back. He scrambled up into a crouching position directly under the shower head, liquid heat pounding into the back of his neck.
"Who's there?" he demanded.
The shower door slid open and Seripa, dressed in a simple pull-over that touched her knees, looked down at him with raised eyebrows. "Who else would it be?"
He blinked up at her in surprise, clearly at a loss for words. He'd been expecting the return of the Kanassan to shed some light on his latest vision. He'd actually been hoping for it, to be honest.
"What're you doin' in here talkin' to yourself?" she asked as she reached a hand out to deactivate the water. It immediately ceased its flowing and she looked down at him again.
He scowled and stood up, his water-logged hair plastered to the sides of his face. "I'm just thinkin' out loud."
Seripa arched an eyebrow dubiously and folded her arms. "Oh yeah? Thinkin' about maybe being dead?" She scoffed and shook her head. "Afraid to say it, Mate-of-Mine, but this ain't no dream. It's all-too real."
He glanced away with a frown, but sighed. As bad as he wanted to argue, and as much sense as it made, he was just too tired. Not so much physically as he was mentally, though. Between sparring with the sharp-witted Amotto keeping him on his toes, analyzing and reanalyzing his vision over and over again, and having to put up with Mejai's elusiveness and Zether's attitude, Bardock was done arguing for the day.
"You're right. This ain't a dream," he agreed. "I just wish it was." He stepped past her to a cabinet by the sink and pulled out a towel, which he immediately buried his face in in a showing of drying his face and hair.
Seripa gave a slight start and peered at him curiously, which he tried to ignore. He couldn't see her, but he could practically feel her gaze on him. He fought against shifting in agitation and tossed the towel to the countertop by the sink.
"You never tell me I'm right. You feverish?" she asked with a hint of amusement.
He turned and gave her an annoyed scowl. "I'm glad you're amused while I'm over here feelin' like I'm goin' crazy."
"Only now?" She flashed him a teasing grin. "I figured out you went crazy a long time ago."
Bardock grimaced at her jest and shook his head. He knew she could tell that he was getting irritated, but to be fair that was a normal response for him. "I'm bein' serious here, Woman!" he growled half-heartedly.
He sighed and shook his head. "Never mind. It doesn't matter."
"Apparently it does." He glanced at her to see that all evidence of mirth was gone from Seripa's face and replaced with solemnity. He arched an eyebrow.
"I can see that somethin's botherin' you, Bardock," she said with a roll of her eyes at the look of apparent confusion he was giving her. "So out with it." She paused and then scowled. "And save us both the headache by not bein' stubborn."
Bardock couldn't help but to smirk at her. He should have realized what she was trying to do the second he saw her smiling. He chuckled and shook his head slowly. "For once I'll give in."
"Good." She gave him a once over and smirked. "Get dressed first. We don't need any more distractions."
With another shake of his head and a grin firmly in place, Bardock quickly fetched a pair of shorts before moving to sit on the bed as Seripa joined him. She sat down beside him and eyed his bare chest curiously.
"It's not as distractin'. I guess it'll do," she murmured as he met her gaze.
"I could always slip on some armor," he suggested. "Maybe that'll help your focus."
"Are you kidding? Hell no! That'd only make it worse," she said with a wrinkle of her nose and a scowl. "Besides that'll just piss me off later on. The less you're wearin' the better."
Bardock arched an eyebrow. "That so?" Was he going to object? Nope.
"Yes." Her response was firm, her gaze locked on his. "I've got some frustrations. Takin' them out on you after this little talk is how I'm gonna vent them. Got it?" It wasn't a question.
"You won't catch me complainin'," he said with a grin.
"Good. Now out with it. What's on your mind?" She folded her legs and leaned back to rest on her elbows, but she never took her eyes off him.
"I guess I should just spit it out, huh?" He frowned and looked down at the floor beneath his feet.
"That'd be best, yeah."
"Yeah." He paused. "I don't think…my visions are real. At least not anymore. I don't know how to say it, but…" he trailed off and shook his head. What could he say now? Had ANY of his visions been real at all?
"This have somethin' to do with what happened to Turles?" Seripa asked coaxingly after too many silent seconds.
Bardock shrugged, his earlier feelings of frustration washing over him again. "Gah…" he exclaimed quietly. "I don't honestly know. I just…what ended up happening wasn't what I saw in my vision. But…why? Is this a sign that I'm losin' my mind finally? How do I know that any of what's happened since I 'came back' has actually happened?"
Seripa responded by leaning forward and pinching him. HARD. She even dug her finger nails in for good measure, which produced an immediate yelping response from Bardock who quickly clapped a hand over the offended spot. He gave her a pointed look of confused irritation.
"The hell was that for?!" he demanded hotly, rising from the bed to tower over her.
She eyed him coolly and resumed her reclining position. "You felt that. You're not dreamin'." She smirked at the instant dumbfounded look that came over his scarred face.
After a moment he seemed to regain his composure and he folded his arms across his chest and he gave her a measuring look, apparently considering her odd words of wisdom.
"Even if this is real, that doesn't explain how my vision was so wrong." His frustrated scowl returned and he glanced away. "That's the issue here anyway."
Seripa gave him a shrug. "I can't say, Bardock. Not honestly anyway. But if I HAD to say…well, maybe you're seein' possible futures. Turles is unpredictable anyway, and you weren't there to physically affect how the battle would turn out based on your actions. Your instincts impacted the vision and showed somethin' that you expected would happen."
She lifted a hand to tap her chin thoughtfully for a moment. "Yeah, that seems reasonable. But maybe ask Mejai. I think he'd be able to give you a better answer."
Bardock didn't answer at first. He stared at her as he considered her words. They seemed…plausible. But there were still other factors to consider. In his vision he'd seen only three Ginyu Force members, but there'd apparently actually been four. Plus there was the issue of Frieza appearing in his vision, whereas he hadn't actually appeared on the battlefield.
So then what was he left with to consider? Was his mind also working in what he'd expect the Ginyus and Frieza to do based on his minimal knowledge of them? So he wasn't seeing visions of the future so much as he was making assumptions? Well that was a depressive line of thought.
He scowled, because none of that had anything on the physicality of his vision. He'd actually been there; he'd felt his brother's entrails as he was blown apart. And before his untimely demise Turles had even seen him, as well as Frieza and the Ginyus. Were his visions being replaced with vivid hallucinations? He voiced as much and Seripa grew pensive, her usually smooth brow lined with wrinkles of consideration.
"No…Well, I don't think so anyway." She sat up abruptly and frowned at him. "What if your power is getting stronger? What if instead of just seein' the future, you're goin' to the future?"
Bardock gave her an uncertain look. He wanted to disagree. But then Mejai had suggested something similar to that. What if his power WAS becoming more developed? He had been working to focus his mind anytime he had a vision, and had actually succeeded in viewing the futures of a few people. Others, like Seripa, he'd had little to no success with. But even so, he was practicing. So maybe it was beginning to become more powerful in ways he did not yet understand?
He growled absently. He certainly hoped that was the case, though. Maybe eventually his power would begin to answer his questions, or at least provide him with better information regarding the things he would come to see. He could infer all he wanted into anything he saw, but no matter what he was always going to be making an assumption on what he saw and what it meant.
It couldn't keep going this way that much was certain. He couldn't let his foreknowledge overwhelm and control him, because he refused-REFUSED-to let himself be driven mad by his power. And it hit him in that moment; he knew what he had to do the next time he had a vision. He was going to see things that would confuse and disorient him. He would see chaos all around, death and widespread destruction, and rampant bloodlust. These things he was more than used to facing in person, his normal visceral response helping to direct his actions and responses to the differing situations.
In the past he could just block the things he'd experienced out of his thoughts once his business was finished. But with the inclusion of his awesome new ability to see the future, his mind was no longer safe from having to absorb things that he didn't want to think about or accept. He'd done his business as a Purger, eviscerating and massacring billions. He'd had to accept it for so many years and he had, carrying out his missions quickly and efficiently. He took no more time than necessary to get the job done, preferring not to have to drag it out needlessly.
He looked at Seripa and for a fleeting instant he saw a vision of her lying lifeless, her body in two pieces, superimposed over her tangible form on the bed. Despite himself he reached out to grip her knee and she gave him a curious look.
He'd seen the deaths of the ones he cared about the most. He'd seen multiple possibilities of how they could do, something he'd managed to block out of his mind for years before gaining the power of foresight. With the ability to see possible future outcomes, for the first time he was finding himself having to actually confront the fears he'd denied for so many years. And it was only after he'd already lost so many people that had held meaning in his life that he was realizing all this. He wanted to kick himself.
He could lose Seripa in the coming battle. That was a far worse fate to him than dying; he'd always known that. He'd just…never thought about it. But that was the key, he realized. His thoughts, the more confused they'd become and the more frustration he'd felt, it had all distracted him from experiencing the visions. He'd seen them, but they'd been so…different…than his visions of Planet Vegeta exploding that he'd become wary.
He couldn't let that happen again, that had to be the answer here! He had to keep his focus the next time he had a vision. He just had to!
Seripa stared at him in silence for a long while, clearly curious as to what was on his mind. But when he maintained his stoic silence, all the while staring at her as if he'd never seen her before, she couldn't resist looking down at his hand on her bare knee.
"I hope that grip you got goin' there means this conversation is over," she all-but purred suddenly, her violet eyes lifting to burn into the coal of his.
Bardock, clearly lost in his own thoughts, blinked and glanced down at where he still had a firm hold of her knee. He grinned and met her gaze slyly. "Not by a long shot, but I don't mind takin' a break…"
It never occurred to him to ask Seripa about her planned procedure.
DBZ
Why did I let him drag me here? Falmer lamented to himself as he eyed Zether in his red-eyed black-haired form warily. "This is a bad idea," he warned futilely for what seemed to be the thousandth time. Once his brother had set his mind on something, there was no deterring him.
His younger brother chuckled and cracked his knuckles in preparation. "Nah, it'll be fine. You wanna get stronger right?"
"Well yes…" Falmer began hesitantly, "But I am admittedly wary. The Beast just seems so…uncontrollable. I mean I remember everything I did while transformed, but it feels as if it was not me…Gods, I hope it was not me," he finished in a concerned murmur.
Zether chuckled. "It was and it wasn't, bro. When you became the Beast you unleashed all of your primal instincts and boiling rage at once."
"But…I was not angry," Falmer countered.
"Ah!" His brother was grinning now. Falmer couldn't help but to grimace in response. "But that, my dear brother, is where you are wrong."
"Do tell," Falmer replied sarcastically, but with an air of defeat. Even if he could prove Zether wrong, as long as his brother thought himself right Falmer would still lose the argument.
"You were angry, man. You'd just woken up after having been killed," Zether's emphasis of the word, coupled with his casual excitement piqued Falmer's interest.
That's right, I was killed…
"You were more than angry, you were livid. And not only that, but Ryo had tried to kill the woman you love! Tell me you weren't angry!" he challenged with a laugh.
"I hate to admit it, but you're right," Falmer replied with a sigh. "That does not make this a good idea, though. And suddenly I find myself wondering how I actually survived all that…" He frowned and looked at his younger brother curiously. Truth be told he hadn't given it any thought since his awakening and subsequent ascension to madness.
Zether just shrugged. "I don't have all the answers, bro."
Falmer was quiet for a moment as he regarded him. "I do not think you understand. I was dead."
"Yeah, I've heard about that. But you obviously weren't, 'cause you're here now."
"I had not even a trace of vital signs, Zether." He'd been told as much by Berik when he initially questioned his survival. The Jynn-jin scientist had been unable to offer any explanations at the time. He'd attributed it to not knowing anything of Gylderian physiology, but now Falmer was questioning his own knowledge of his species inner workings. "I did not have a pulse, and had been dead for more than an hour. I should not be here…"
"Neither should I," Zether replied grimly, his gaze falling briefly to the off-white floor of the training room. "And neither should Bardock. When you really think about it, none of us should be here right now, Falmer." He looked back up and gave his brother a smirk. "But here we are. So why question it?"
"Perhaps we should question it, though. Personally I wish to know more of these 'Aguatians' that brought you back from death. If what that woman, Vvalania, said to you is true, then why are they not here now?" He lifted his arms and gestured around vaguely.
Zether frowned. "Yeah, that's actually a good question. She mentioned the 'final battle with Frieza' and how Amotto and I will play vital roles. Amotto especially," he muttered thoughtfully, his eyes shifting in the direction of her power. "She made claims alluding to foreknowledge of coming events and how certain individuals will impact those events. Three of the individuals she mentioned happen to be on this ship at this current moment…" He blinked and looked at Falmer sharply. "Oh hell, could this be it?"
Falmer frowned as he considered the situation. "I do not know. Bardock perhaps, but not me."
Zether suddenly scowled. "Damn it, you changed the subject again."
Falmer smiled. "I suppose I should have refrained from uttering the 'B' word. Even so he may be able to answer these questions. He, too, was brought back through machinations of the Aguatians."
"Bleh, don't remind me. I still say-"
"-that Tettuce should have been brought back, yes I know. You will have to let that go sooner or later, Zether. These things are not for us to decide."
"Okay, then what gives these Aguatians that right? 'Guardians over the universe' my golden ass. If that were true then they'd be here now offering us some sort of advice, wouldn't they? I mean really. Why put their trust in lesser beings with the stakes as high as they are? Aren't they afraid we'll screw this up? That we'll fail?"
"As if you would believe in failure," Falmer scoffed with a roll of his eyes.
Zether was quiet for a moment. Long enough for Falmer to look at him in concern. Finally he spoke, his tone quiet, "Maybe if I hadn't already fought Frieza once would I think that we had a shot at winning. Right now I think we're screwed, even with two 'Legendary' Super Saiyans." He shook his head slowly. "He made short work of us on Jynn-jin 13. He took down three Oozarus like it was nothing, two of them at the same damn time. I'm supposed to believe we have a chance little more than half a year later?" His gave another, firmer, shake of his head. "I highly doubt it, Falmer."
"I see," Falmer said slowly. "So…So that is why you want me to rise above the Beast, is it?"
Zether shrugged and quipped, "Hey, the more the merrier. It doesn't change the situation, but it sure as hell can't hurt the odds."
"True. The odds are stacked against us. And that is putting it lightly..." He grimaced and eyed his younger brother sourly. "Alright. Fine, you win. I will attempt to ascend."
Zether's blood-red eyes lit up and he flashed a wide grin. "That's the spirit! Let's turn you into a Kin Slayer!"
Falmer cringed. "Eh...can we please change those names? Anything will be better than 'Beast' and 'Kin Slayer.'"
Zether shrugged again. "Fine by me. Honestly I'd have done changed them if I could think of anything else to call them."
"Why not just keep it simple and call them 'Super Gylderian' one and two?"
Zether grimaced in distaste. "No. Hell no even. The less I have to be compared in any way to a Saiyan, the better."
"Are you being serious right now?" Falmer couldn't help but to laugh. "It is not as if they have ownership over the word 'super.'"
"Whatever. Either way it ain't happening. I'll stick with 'Beast' and 'Kin Slayer' before I call either of them 'Super' anything."
"Didn't you want to call the first form 'Super Beast?'" Falmer pointed out.
Zether scowled and narrowed his eyes. "Didn't we come here to train?"
"Oh hell." Falmer sighed. "Yes, we did."
"Then transform. Right now." The currently black-haired man shifted his stance and brought his fists up. "It's time to get this show on the road."
"At least one of us is ready," Falmer grumbled as he widened his stance and narrowed his eyes. No amount of reluctance would deter his brother. At this point all he would succeed in doing is irritating Zether, and while that was not really a bad thing to do, Falmer was still anxious to be through with this scenario. He had a monster sleeping inside of him and he didn't want it there anymore. If transforming and conquering the power was his only way to defeat the Beast, then he had no choice but to go forward.
He focused on the power that lay in wait, narrowing his concentration until all he could see was the power waiting to be called forth. He could feel it building up inside of him, threatening to burst forth in an uncontrollable explosion of raw ferocity.
The air around him shifted and his silver aura erupted to life, his power rising to its base peak. It surged skywards, rising far beyond anything he'd ever thought himself capable of. Months of harsh training on Fracture (holy hell that name really caught on) with his overzealous brother had pushed his limits in ways he never thought possible. He'd far surpassed his father, Spark, Tettuce, and even the Flazerian lord, Ryo.
He closed his eyes against the coming transformation and pushed his ki higher, reaching for that well of power that yet lay dormant.
Zether whistled appreciatively. "Damn, bro. I knew you'd gotten stronger, but shit!" He chuckled and Falmer briefly cracked an eye open to glance at him with a slight smile.
With a sickening popping sound his muscles bulged as his aura intensified. His ki continued to swell, but he was nearing the peak of his potential with no sign of his transformation beginning. Though it was a relief to not feel the darkness of his Beast subconscious, he was admittedly frustrated with the prolonged power-up.
"I do not understand," he said as his power leveled off. His tense muscles relaxed and he opened both eyes to regard his brother in confused curiosity as his silver aura
"Why'd you stop?" Zether asked with an arched brow.
"I have reached my full power." He shook his head and looked down at his silver-enshrouded body. "I cannot seem to transform."
"That's because you stopped powering up, dumbass," Zether replied with a grin. "You've gotta push beyond your limitations and overcharge your body before you can transform. Just keep pushing your ki higher and you'll transform before you know it."
"Is it really that simple?" Falmer queried dubiously.
"Yeah. But once you start, don't stop for anything. The Beast will awaken in your mind, but all you gotta do is focus on going even higher. Just push for the power beyond the Beast and it'll never regain control again."
"I am not sure I want that voice in my head again," Falmer murmured warily.
Zether rolled his eyes. "Look, if it makes you feel any better I'll knock you out if you lose yourself. I'm far and away the superior fighter in both strength and skill, so the Beast doesn't stand a chance. Just chill out man and go with it."
"Oh, you will take me out before I can kill anyone. What a relief," he replied sourly. This was sounding worse by the minute.
"It should be a relief, bro. If it were any of the others, they'd probably go ahead and kill you. You never can tell with Saiyans, you know." He shrugged as he flashed another of his annoying grins.
"Better them than Frieza. The Saiyans would at least kill me quickly."
"Falmer, seriously, what's your deal?" Zether asked with a groan. "Why all the negativity?"
"It does not help matters that this is more than likely a suicide mission. How exactly am I supposed to react to all this? I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand I succeed in overcoming the Beast and die against Frieza; while on the other I could just as well lose myself to the Beast and become that monster again. Maybe even for good this time." He shook his head with a rueful sigh. "Either way I lose. So forgive me if I am not as eager as you would like me to be."
Zether grimaced and scratched the back of his neck as he regarded his brother thoughtfully. "Okay I can see how this would be unappealing to you, but you can rise above the Beast and control your form. Confidence is key, man."
Falmer eyed Zether silently, an unreadable expression on his face. After a few moments he opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a loud beep.
"Hailing everyone, Mejai speaking."
Two breathless voices groaned as Falmer and Zether exchanged a glance. Falmer's aura faded to nothing and he glanced towards the wall-mounted intercom.
"This better be good!" Seripa snapped, her voice shaky.
"Oh it is," Mejai replied, his tone amused. "This won't take long, then you two can carry on."
"Get on with it!" Bardock growled in annoyance.
"I do not even want to know," Seluri's voice mumbled.
Mejai chuckled. "At some point today the computer altered the flight plan after discovering a quicker route."
Falmer frowned. "A quicker route? How much quicker?"
"We'll arrive to Earth in just over 12 hours."
"Oh wow." Zether whistled appreciatively. "That really doesn't leave us much time at all."
"No, it doesn't. So I propose we fall back to Plan B and send the Saiyans, as well as you, Zether, into Recovery. Of course the process won't exactly be painless." Mejai chuckled and several voices growled in response.
"Hey, I'm down. What about you, Falmer?" Zether asked his brother.
Falmer shrugged. "Sure, fine. Why not? It sure beats the current endeavor."
Zether chuckled. "Yeah, maybe. But you're not off the hook, 'cause you're still gonna transform. Only now our only option is to just have you ascend during battle and point you in the right direction."
Falmer grimaced and eyed his brother with increasing ire. "If we survive all of this, remind me to kill you. Dear brother," he added coldly.
Mejai laughed along with Zether. "Don't get ahead of yourself just yet, Falmer. Frieza isn't known to be a pushover. Anyhow," he continued, changing the subject, "Bardock and Seripa, you two finish up and meet up with the rest of us in Training Room Gamma. Seluri, will you be joining us?"
Seluri sighed. "I suppose I should, though I am not sure what help I will be in this fight."
"Every little bit helps," the enigmatic man offered.
"You are right, damn you," she cursed in response. "Alright, fine. I will be there."
"Great!"
"Mejai?" a quiet voice spoke up.
Falmer frowned as he recognized Berik's voice. He saw the man so infrequently, he had a tendency to sometimes forget he was still around.
"I have something to offer before everyone goes into Recovery."
"Oh yeah? Did you finish the project you told me about?" Mejai inquired with keen interest.
"Project?" Zether said aloud. "What project?"
"Yes, Mejai, I did," he replied to Mejai first, before addressing Zether. "It is a project I started on Jynn-jin 13 to assist in my people's rebellion against the Flazerians. Unfortunately, due to limited resources I was never able to complete it. Well, not until the Saiyans first arrived on my world. As it turned out, Saiyan physiology was more…ah…equipped, I suppose, to handle what my project did to their bodies."
"Are you talkin' 'bout the nanites?" Seripa demanded suddenly, Bardock groaning in protest in the background.
"Indeed, I am. I should comment now that this complex is amazing, Mejai. I was able to duplicate my research from scratch in a relatively short amount of time, as well as hopefully improve upon the original designs."
"In what ways?" Mejai asked.
"The nanites that Seripa experienced were more or less prototypes, and apparently caused a considerable amount of pain when activated. I wish I could do better, but I can offer a 66% guarantee that the process will not be altogether unpleasant. Of course, I have only tested the process on myself. It works, too. My personal strength has more than doubled in the last week. I will admit that the process was not pleasant for me, but I believe I have corrected that. Also, I am not a warrior so my tolerance is rather sub-par," he finished with a wry chuckle.
"Um…" Seluri ventured cautiously. "I am not sure that I want to undergo this…'process.' It sounds…invasive."
"Try goin' through it without knowin' what's in store, or even what's bein' done to you," Seripa replied sourly. "Besides, no one's forcin' you. But I WILL be takin' the injections. After what it did for me on Jynn-jin 13, I wouldn't even mind if it still hurt like hell."
"I'm game," said Zether with a glance towards Falmer, who shrugged his acquiescence. Going up against Frieza, it was all or nothing at this point.
"I am loving the sound of this plan. Alright, then we'll all meet up with Berik in the Medical Bay first and have you all injected with the nanites. Am I right to assume that they will help to speed the recovery process?"
"Oh yes, by several hours if I am not mistaken," said Berik.
"Great. Inject the warriors, bring them to a state near-death, heal them up, and kick some Ice-jin tail."
"Let us just hope it is that simple," Falmer muttered to himself.
DBZ
(Hey everyone, I am really sorry this one took so long. And I know, I know. I keep apologizing but I should have had this one finished sooner. In fact, I did at one point. Unfortunately the original in its entirety was lost in a near-fatal computer crash. It took me more than a few days to get this bad boy back up and running, and unfortunately much longer for me to get the motivation to rewrite this chapter. On the plus side, though, I do have the next few chapters planned out almost to a T, so there's that. And the things I've got in store for y'all…well, hopefully y'all like what's coming. This will be the biggest battle yet.
To everyone reading and reviewing, I just want to say thanks as always. You all are great. Until next time, Individual Lies out.)
