It's been long enough for this update! I have ideas on how I would like to conclude the story, but I'll admit, I'm having a tough time developing the chapters between now and then. It's tricky getting what I want out lately!
I do not own DBZ, DB, DBGT, or the new Dragon Ball Super.
Overcoming the Past
Lena, Bulma, and Chi-Chi shared dumbfounded looks.
"Goku?" Both Lena and Bulma questioned aloud.
"No," Chi-Chi dismissed their confusion, "that is not my husband."
"Obviously," the newcomer agreed as he carefully speculated the prey he had been sent to fetch.
The black-haired one reminded him of his own kin and shared an eerily similar trace of scent he thought he had long forgotten. The other two were much more interesting. The one with bright, pale blue hair presented a sharp look of malice, very reminiscent of his once powerful king; while the other female took his breath away. Her beauty was certainly uncanny, but that was not what took him off guard. Her eyes shared the same deep shade of green found only in one other person he had been in contact with in his life time. Her aura matched the murdered mate of his eldest son which would explain quite a bit of what was happening to him now. Even so, those attributes were still not what amazed him the most.
Oh no, it was inside her that left him speechless. She was a miracle of his people.
"Catsearia?" He questioned the tired blonde.
"Yes, she's some where in here," Lena rolled her eyes and pointed to her brain with one hand and her heart with the other.
"I sense her with you, deeply hidden and submerged behind the ki's of those," he agreed and pointed to Lena's abdomen.
"...those?" Lena whispered, hiding her stomach behind clenched fists. She fell faint once more from the overwhelming truth that dawned on her brightly again.
"Hold on one moment!" Bulma began her feisty verbal attack, "You can't just barge in here with your crazy talk looking like my dear friend Goku! You better explain yourself!"
"I have no idea who this Goku is or have any interest in him unless it has something to do with why I've been brought back into a newly rekindled mess," he answered dryly.
"Kakarot," Chi-Chi solemnly chimed in, "is his Saiyan title. Goku is his Earthly name. He's my husband, or mate, and has fathered two sons of his own with me. I'm assuming your grandchildren, Bardock?"
Bardock remained silent as he processed this, dare he admit it, startling news. His race had found a way to survive after all. Now, it was being threatened again.
"Seeing that your people are compatible with my superior race, did any others make it to Earth and mate with your kind?" He asked smugly.
"I'll have you know that the prince of your superior race found me perfectly suitable for not only hooking up with, but for life-long commitment as well!" Bulma pitched in.
"I find that...challenging to believe. Perhaps a little spice and unruliness was what he needed. Did you produce an heir in the process of this permanent relationship?" The senior Saiyan inquired further.
"As a matter of fact, we did. Our son, Trunks, was responsible for Frieza's original demise," Bulma boasted.
"Well I wouldn't expect any less. I can feel the burn of the bite marks from each of you when I arrived, but I though I was imagining it. What of she, Catsearia's host? She has been graced with twins; an extreme rarity among us. Is it possible that her mate is the same?"
"Her name is Lena. I do not think Raditz would find it an honor and I'm not certain if she would be pleased for me referring to that crazed beast as her mate. Whatever their relationship is, they do seem to care for one another though," Chi-Chi explained.
The intimidating father-in-law looked ready to spaz at in moment. Good spaz or bad spaz, the ladies couldn't decide.
"I..it is only fair and logical that he should have this opportunity. But, he's brutally stupid at times...however he does know responsibility..." Bardock mumbled to himself as the girls returned their attention back to Lena.
After several minutes, Lena awoke uncomfortably for the second time that day-night-evening or whatever time it was in this strange new world.
"Let me understand. I am for certain pregnant and with twins?" She asked for the upteenth time.
"Yes," the three around her answered exasperated.
"I'm pregnant with two half-Saiyans who also belong to Raditz?" She asked again.
"Yes!" They exclaimed with obvious annoyance, "Unless you had other one night stands in the meantime," Bulma added and winked.
"But...but...I'm not ready for children!" Lena finally admitted.
"Maybe you should have thought about that before making rash decisions," Chi-Chi spat.
"Excuse me, but that was what birth control and the back up pill was for, you know! I'm sorry for being dramatic, I really am. I'm just scared. I had my doubts about carrying one of these wildlings inside me and now I know that there's two! What if they break me, no when will they? Not to mention that I will be the size of a whale! A whale, dear Kami," Lena continued to ramble as her friends leaned in to comfort her.
"Shut up, Earth women. I cannot concentrate with your babbling. Your voices are high-pitched, almost song like compared to what I am used to. It's distracting," Bardock explained to the confused faces.
The so-called Earthlings ogled at the man as they silenced themselves. All Saiyanjin raised on Planet Vegeta must be bossy and demanding. Even so, they seemed to find humans entertaining.
"As far as Frieza is concerned, he will need to be terminated again. To do so successfully, the best course of action is to play along with his rules. You will all be faced with uncomfortable situations, but if you follow the lead of those around you, it will ensure your preservation of life," he informed.
They nodded without argument. How could they not? As far as they were concerned, he was the father of Goku and Raditz and had as much need for their continuation as their lovers back home did. He also seemed familiar with their location as well as with their enemy. The only uncertain factor was the android, Sixteen.
"Um, Bardock," Lena whispered as she neared the brawny man nervously.
"Hmm?" He acknowledged.
"Do you know of a robotic humanoid that goes by 'Sixteen'?"
"Yes, he used whatever technology manifested by you and the fickle spirit within you to manipulate time as well."
"So, you think Catsearia played a role in my ability to invent?"
"Absolutely. I have no disbelief in the fact that everything about you is a result from her. You simply did not exist until she saw to it."
Lena was nothing until Catsearia saw to it? Did this mean that she was another creation; invention of this female's desperation to prolong her race, and that she was simply a reservation concocted by the genius of Raditz's previous mate?
"Catsearia was a mastermind of survival. She was not a fool and there was a time I confessed to her of my foresight of the decline of our people. She took it seriously unlike most and lo and behold, here you are. Her backup plan; her success, her greatest invention; life."
Bulma and Chi-Chi had long since eavesdropped into the quiet conversation as he elaborated.
"You must know by now, from her memories at least, that she was not all Saiyan herself. She used this knowledge of her heritage to study other races to see which ones could also be compatible with our kind, or at least discover the other half of herself. Thanks to Raditz and the information he gathered and provided her personally regarding the planet his own brother was sent to demolish, Catsearia learned of humans."
"Okay, I'm following," Lena said to urge him on.
"She cultivated the human DNA Raditz was able to steal from one of the several labs Frieza had consisting of the genetic makeup of other beings he would use for his own benefit. Through this process, she came to the conclusion that she shared your people's DNA coding. Apparently her mother had her own agenda at the time, luckily for us. Now that Catsearia found compatibility, she began preparing for a back up vessel to hone her own spirit in case the rest of the female Saiyans were wiped completely away, making sure that if she were to lose her own child that one could still be made otherwise."
Lena remained speechless to let the news of being a lab-made baby sink in. After several minutes, she finally mustered up the courage to ask more questions.
"This may seem like a silly question with all things considered, but what made her choose my physical attributes?"
"I guess all females are the same. Vain. She wanted you to mirror our strongest. She found that humans could posses gold hair and green eyes without physical manifestation or 'power-ups', so she made sure that her design would be one of the appearance of a Super Saiyan."
"That makes sense. But, I'm still not sure about a few other things."
"Such as how you were achieved?" He asked.
"Exactly."
"She split her own DNA from blood samples to implant her mother's Saiyan genes in with the male human's she used to make you."
"Does that mean-"
"Yes, you are very similar to their spawn," Bardock said, nodding to Bulma and Chi-Chi.
The two women gasped and looked wearily at Lena.
"Does this mean she could have, I don't know, gone crazy and increased her own power to go up against our Z Fighters back home?" Bulma inquired, appearing impressed and at unease at the same time.
"I do not know what a Z Fighter is, but she could have gone up against the average Saiyan since her DNA was replicated from Catsearia who could hold her own," Bardock replied.
"She kept your existence in secrecy and sent you off before you matured. Your own memories would have started then," he added to Lena.
"Oh, the orphanage."
"Whatever that is, sure. We've wasted too much time, we need to think of temporary disguises that you three can use to get into the lair. Once you are in, you'll have to use your own wit to last until your mates arrive. I do not have doubts that they will, as I have faith in my sons."
Time ticked by as they discussed options for going incognito.
Bulma clapped her hands in success. She tossed out a capsule containing makeup and other cosmetics.
"A wise business woman never leaves home without emergency makeup!" She cheered.
Lena and Chi-Chi gave her worthy high-fives and the three began discussing options in detail as their communication became rapid and higher pitched. Bardock raised an eyebrow as he regarded their unusual interaction and memorized their names. That was when Chi-Chi turned her attention to him. She returned an eyebrow raise before speaking in her bossy manner he would soon learn about first-hand.
"Do you think you can find the armor left behind from our original captors? I know we can't keep up the act as guards, but it will at least help us get in hopefully."
"Yes, a very strategic idea. I'll go search for those and will return shortly," he agreed and left the optimistic trio behind.
"I think you should be Jeice," Bulma suggested as she held up temporary bleaching powder towards Lena, "your hair is the lightest and this will make it white. We can also use this red lipstick to paint your face!"
"Okay mate," Lena giggled and took the powder.
"Holy shit, you guys!" Bulma cried out.
"What?!" Lena and Chi-Chi matched yelps and looked at the mouth of the cave.
"Not over there, here! Can you believe I also had a capsule for clothes too?! I guess I may have grabbed it in case I wasn't feeling cute at the party and wanted to change without going back inside the house."
"Damn it! You need to be careful screaming like that. It's not healthy for Lena to be startled like that right now," Chi-Chi scolded.
Bulma shrugged her shoulders sheepishly and released the capsule. Lena shifted through the wardrobe and found red tights she could use for her exposed legs to help sell the disguise. Bulma smiled as Lena's success and turned her attention to her other friend.
"Chi-Chi, I'm afraid that you will have to pose as Guldo."
"What, wait, why do I have to?" Chi-Chi spat, her sneer darkening.
"No offense, but I can pull Burter off better than you. I can tease my hair enough to cover my neck so that it looks blue. I can use whatever is left from the bleach Lena has to make the center of my hair yellow in color. My beautiful locks may be AWFUL when it's done, but it is only for a short while though," Bulma said as she defended her reasoning.
"And what about your arms?" Chi-Chi challenged.
"I'll just wear this blue long-sleeved blouse under my armor," Bulma countered.
"Ugh! I don't want to be a toad man," Chi-Chi pouted.
Bardock returned in the midst of the arguing and sat each armor next to each woman and noted that the one called "Chee Chee" was not changing into her costume or painting her face.
"Since you are not doing anything, will you please inform me about what happened on Earth prior to you showing up here?"
Chi-Chi presented half of a smile and informed the newly acquired father-in-law all of the events leading up to this point. He listened attentively to her which was something she was not used to with Goku.
He appeared intrigued at her notion of having two grand children now and with the hope of two more on the way. He explained that the majority of Saiyans didn't live long enough to see younger generations thrive, much less have the luxury of having six living descendants (that of course including the two in Lena's womb).
The conversation darkened when she asked a bit more about Catsearia and what became of her. He said it was not his place to tell, so she left it at that.
"So! What do you think?" Bulma asked as she and Lena twirled in their fully assembled disguises.
"Pathetic, but possibly not as pathetically stupid as the aliens we will come across will be. What about her?" Bardock shot their looks down and pointed to his younger son's wife.
"She will need to wear this under her suit. Since she's taller than the frog thing, she will have to walk with a squat when we get closer to the station," Bulma laughed and handed the frog suit to Chi-Chi.
"Why the hell is that even in the clothing capsule?" She snapped and snatched it from her now rolling-on-the-ground-with-profuse-laughing friend.
"I'm honestly not sure! Vegeta may have tossed it in there as a prank against me. I once had a bad experience with frogs a long time ago..." Bulma trailed, lost in her own thoughts while Chi-Chi scowled.
Lena patted her dear friend once she had the armor over the ridiculous costume. Bardock nodded his head in approval and motioned for them to follow. Lena stared at the back of his hair as he led the way and wondered if one or both of her little ones will share the same look Bardock, Goku, and Goten had when it came to hair styles, or if hers would even have black hair at all. Either way, it helped distract her from the deep purple haze of air around her.
~Earth
Raditz sat sulking in Lena's garage, basking in her ever-fading scent. His superior, Vegeta, paced around the room grumbling about women being imbeciles. Goku stood in front of several of Lena's robots, machines, and other inventions with his hand resting on his chin as he stood still in deep contemplation.
"Vegeta, do you mind keeping it down? Your stomping is making me lose focus," the youngest of the trio said towards the angering leader.
"You have the brain of a cane toad*! My stomping has nothing to do with your inability to formulate a decent plan!"
"At least I'm thinking of ways to get them back which is more than what you're doing. All that you have achieved is accomplishing a bad attitude," Goku countered.
Raditz sighed as the two continued their pointless banter. He could honestly care less about what becomes of his younger brother's mate, or of what may happen to Vegeta's whore. It was the thought of Lena's fate that weighed heavily on his shoulders, mind, and heart.
Yes, he was vicious. Yes, he was malicious. Two characteristics made even more prevalent from losing his first taste of love. Now, he was presented with a second bite and was starving. Was he becoming softhearted? His time spent with Lena was significantly short yet his entire universe was wrapped around her.
Was it because she was carrying his second attempt at making a child? Was it simply because she shared a part of Catsearia? No, if he were being honest with himself, it was because she embodied peace and hope. Here, he could think of a future. Here, he was not under constant attack. Here, he was safe. Here, Lena was safe.
He ran his fists through his mane of tangled hair in frustration. If only there was a way to just poof to her.
Oh, shit, he thought as the answer hit him.
"Kakarot. I've learned quite a bit of your success and the dominance of power you've developed. Is it possible that you have also learned the ability of Instant Transmission?"
"Oh, yeah, I sure did!" Goku answered gleefully.
"How could I have let that slip my mind?" Vegeta grumbled.
"The only trouble is that I would need to pin point one of their ki's and I'm having trouble with that and need quiet," Goku sighed.
"Tch! Why didn't you just say so?" Vegeta smarted and stomped to the wall opposite of Raditz. He leaned against it with his arms across his chest.
Vegeta continued to scowl at the ground as if his anger would drill a hole into the cemented floor. Raditz smirked and closed his eyes to focus on the delicate fragrance of his lost love before it would vanish entirely from the building.
He felt like he was in a dream, swimming in her essence when he suddenly found her radiantly glowing ki.
"She's there," he faintly murmured and pointed.
"That's great! If only I could sense them too. Then, I could take all of us there."
"Show me how the transferring process works now. I refuse to waste this chance!" Raditz demanded anxiously.
"Okay, if you think you can handle-"
"Of course I can, you impudent brother of mine!"
Goku smiled, patted Raditz on the shoulder respectfully, and motioned for him to follow. All the while, Vegeta grimaced inwardly. How is it that he couldn't locate the thorn-in-his-side woman, but this weakling had no problems finding his own plaything? He wasn't one to let anyone best him, so he too followed the larger of his race outside.
"It's simple," Goku began as Gohan, Trunks, and Goten appeared to speculate. Trunks looked solemn as if he had just dried his face from any embarrassing tears he spared for his missing mother and sweet Aunt Lena.
"All you do is this and then focus on the ki of your target," he went through the motions and disappeared only to reappear within a flicker of a second beside his own eldest son.
"I got it," Raditz said and transferred himself flawlessly to where Goku was immediately.
"Wh- What?!" Vegeta began his sputter of shock along with the others except for Goku, who apparently held no surprise in his brother's abilities, "I know that this low-leveled, weaker-than-a-saiybaman, piece of Saiyan scum DID NOT succeed an advanced technique with such ease! I'll be damned if-"
"You already are damned, you mini asswipe!" Raditz roared, "I've wanted to bash your arrogant little face in ever since you forsook your own people out of deceit that no one else would have fallen for!" He thought of Catsearia's face the second before she was blasted, the face that had left him with countless nights of unrest and released his pent up anger on Vegeta.
He landed a single, closed fist on top of Vegeta's head, planting the short Saiyan into the ground as if he were a nail in a wall.
"I have tolerated all that I can from you, you narcissistic, loud-mouthed, egotistical little man. I may have fallen from the power I had ages ago, but I am still the son of Bardock and brother of Kakarot and should be revered for the abilities I will have no trouble reviving. I will save Lena if it is the very last thing I do!"
Goku blinked in awe as everyone else nodded their heads in agreement. It was long since time for Vegeta to face someone who isn't as easy-going as Radtiz's brother.
"You still sense her, big brother?" Goku smirked and pulled Vegeta from the ground.
"More than ever," Raditz returned the smirk.
"All right. I trust you," Goku said as he and Vegeta placed a hand on each of Raditz's shoulders.
Raditz closed his eyes, placed two fingers on his forehead, focused, and transmitted them to where their kidnapped beauties should be waiting.
~A/N- If you are unfamiliar with a cane toad, please entertain me and check them out. Apparently they are on the list of the dumbest animals and...well... they're pretty hysterical in their habits. I hope you found this chapter decent!