Chapter 2: Saiyan Rage
The sunlight of Bardock's mind dipped into the dark pool of unconsciousness. This had become a common practice since his ungraceful landing on Earth. His injuries, though healing, were agonizing if he put too much strain on his body. Once he'd fully lost control, memories and thoughts began to flood in. Like a dam being thrown open, faces of his former saiyan brothers and sisters haunted his mind. The phantoms of his past tried to drag him down into the depths of his soul. He felt himself slipping.
As he was dragged into the inky sludge of his mind, he watched as a small figure began to walk towards him. Like it was made of smoke, the figure floated along the ground and taunted Bardock's shivering conscious. A hollow laugh echoed throughout the cavernous cave. Bardock recognised the laugh. And then the rage begun to burn.
The fire in soul screamed out and forced him to his feet. Throwing off the demonic memories, Bardock shakily rose up and readied his fists. The cackling monster stared down at the quivering saiyan. Bardock rushed forward, driven only by his ferocious fury, and launched a blue ki blast directly at the shadowy figure. The smoke dissipated. But the laughter remained.
Exploding into a cacophony of hellish provocations, the laughter resonated with the inner sanctum of Bardock's body. Maniacally, he searched for the source of the taunting phantom. His efforts were in vain. The laughter wouldn't stop. Finally, the figure returned, throwing off the shackles of the shadowy mist. Bardock's tormentor grew in size, continuing his devilish laughter. Now it was impossible to deny who it was.
Frieza.
Kakarot's unending crying tore Bardock from his nightmare and back into his forest home.
"God dammit, Kakarot! Can't you stay quiet for one second, you little shit," Bardock yelled, wincing in pain.
A moment of silence. Bardock was tired of his son's unsaiyan-like bawling. It was nearly unending. Along with Bardock's nightmares, the crying was beginning to take its toll on his psyche. He needed space for himself.
Throwing on his damaged armour and scouter, Bardock rose to his feet and began to stretch. Kakarot looked at his father with confusion strewn upon his face.
"You're going to need to look after yourself for a while, Kakarot. Maybe you'll learn how to act like a saiyan…"
Before Kakarot could cry out in protest, Bardock flew up into the air and began to fiddle with his scouter.
"Alright, let's see if I can't find some sort of challenge on this planet… Damn, only 220. Well, guess I've have to make do."
After turning off his scouter, Bardock sped off through the sky.
Kami had not slept since the incredible fighter had landed on the planet. He stood at the edge of the lookout, quivering in fear. Mr. Popo stood by his nervous master, attempting to comfort his close friend. But it was no use. A cool wind blew through the trees and shook Kami's old bones. Mr. Popo insisted,
"Kami, please. You must go inside… If you stay outside any longer, you will catch your death!"
Kami stood silent, deep in thought. The power was beginning to move. Fast.
"Mr. Popo, you need to get inside now,"
Kami warning, his voice shaking from the deathly cold. There was no point protesting, Mr. Popo could hear the seriousness in his voice. His shivering sped up but Mr. Popo didn't think it was from the cold. He turned around and ran back into the central building of the lookout. After a moment, Kami felt the power standing right behind him.
"So… You've finally come."
Bardock was not expecting the most powerful person on this miserable mud ball to be a namekian. Finding an alien other than him and Kakarot on the planet startled him. But the power was nothing to be afraid of. He was just an old man.
"How the hell did you know I was here, old man?"
Kami weakly spun around and stared down the phantom that haunting his mind. Blood was caked onto his armour and face. Scars told the story of a broken and beaten warrior that had survived many horrifying battles. Strength earned through the fires of combat, Kami thought, who is this man?
"What do you want with our planet?"
Both men stood tall at each other. This conversation was beginning to test Bardock's patience.
"I can assume that you can feel how strong I am, right, old man?"
Kami stoicism didn't falter.
"You probably know that it's not a good idea to piss me off."
All Bardock got in response was a glassy look. The namekian's standoffish nature made Bardock's blood boil. He needed some sort of display. Without breaking a sweat, Bardock released a small, invisible wave of energy, sending Kami flying back.
That got the old man's attention.
Kami's heart felt like it was about the beat out of his chest. Though he was aware of the warriors power, seeing it up close was mind-boggling. He'd never felt anything close to this level of strength in all his years being the guardian of Earth. Painfully, Kami rose to his feet and hoarsely spoke,
"What do you want, monster?"
All he got in response was laughter.
"Don't worry,old man. I have no plans to kill you….yet,"
Bardock spoke with a devious smile on his face.
"Let's just say, I'm a resident of your planet now, so if you just leave me alone, I won't kill anyone."
There was no point fighting this weak, old man. Though he would eventually take over this planet, his training of Kakarot took centre stage.
The old man shouted out as Bardock turned to leave,
"So what do you plan to do then?"
All he got in response has a short laugh before Bardock shot up into the air and flew away.
Mr. Popo, after witnessing the warrior fly away, rushed out to help his weaken master.
"Kami, are you ok?"
After being helped back to his feet, Kami replied,
"Yes, Mr. Popo. I'm fine. For now."
"So what are we going to do now,"
Asked Mr. Popo as he helped Kami take a seat on the steps of the main building.
"We must gather the masters of martial arts and prepare to do battle with this monster."
Mr. Popo was shocked for a moment but then it dawned on him. If they didn't fight, then there may be nothing left to guard.
That encounter left Bardock with a bad taste in his mouth. He'd hoped for a more enlightening answer to his questions of this new world but the old namekian wouldn't budge. Hopefully, the other earthlings would be more… inviting. But this encounter made something even clearer in his mind, Kakarot's training couldn't wait much longer. If he couldn't beat Frieza soon, then Bardock probably wouldn't last long on this planet. Something began to turn in his mind. A feeling he hadn't felt since before the destruction of Planet Vegeta. And then it took over.
Blood. Blood in his mouth. Blood everywhere else as well. Bardock saw three men standing in front of him. They were broken. Bloody. Tired. The old man. The namekian laid on the ground. With a hole in his chest. Bardock let out a throaty laugh before firing off a large ki blast at the three warriors. They darted out of the way. Pain began to run up Bardock's leg. He turned around and saw another old man. He had a rice cooker at his feet. He moved his hands. Bardock felt his body go numb. And then it all went black.
Bardock awoke stuck within the leaves of a large pine tree. The wounds in his chest had reopened, tainting the green leaves red. He was used to this pain now. It was normal. Bardock leapt up into the air and shot off like a shooting star. Another view into the future, he thought, but what the hell was happening. Bardock pushed the thoughts out of his mind. There wasn't any time.
When Bardock arrived back at his campsite, he noticed something was wrong. It was silent. Much too silent.
"Kakarot! Where are you, you little bastard?"
Worry began to build in Bardock's chest. Worry that reminded him of something else. Toma. Fasha.
Push those thoughts out, Bardock thought. He had to push forward. For everyone. Bardock flew up into the sky and frantically search for his son. He tore through the surrounding woods until he saw them. And then the red mist descended.
Kakarot, since his father had stormed off, had to find his own way to entertain himself. A bird landed on the ground next to him and began to sing a light song. Ungracefully, Kakarot tried to grab hold of the bird but it was must to quick for him. Tears began to flow. Loud sobbing echoed throughout the silent woods. It only lasted for a few moments before a large man carrying a gun walked into the clearing where the encampment was.
"Hey, Lou. There's some kid in here."
Another, much smaller man, came into the clearing as well and said,
"Well ain't that a treat. You think he'd fetch a price on the slave market?"
"No, I don't think so. He's much too young… and he ain't that pretty."
The large man picked him up and Kakarot, fearing for his life, bit the thumb of the man. He let out a resounding screech and threw Kakarot into a nearby tree.
"Dammit, Lou! The kid just bit me!"
Loy gave a small chuckle and spoke,
"You wanna take the kid along with us then, Adam? You could get some revenge."
Adam gave a evil smile and proceeded to knock Kakarot out with the but of his gun.
Lou and Adam didn't know what the hell they'd just done.
A blue and white aura began to flare over Bardock's body as he landed onto the ground. The two gunmen had only just returned their own camp and had laid Kakarot's unconscious body onto the floor. Lou turned around and unholstered the gun at his side. He stammered,
"Where the hell did you come from, you motherfucker. You better get out of here before I unload into you, bastard."
"I'm going to kill both of you."
Lou and Adam stood silently, neither one knowing what to do. Bardock's eyes began to burn with blue and white energy. Each step he took, shook the ground and the trees around him. Before they could open fire, Bardock shoved his hand directly through Lou chest. Blood dripped from the open wound down Bardock's arm and spat from Lou's mouth. He tried to scream out in pain but his neck his quickly snapped, letting out a gut wrenching snapping sound. Adam fumbled with his gun, giving Bardock enough time to dash up to him. A swift kick snapped the man's weak leg bones, forcing him to the ground. The bullets that he fired just ricocheted off of Bardock's chest. Anger flowed through his blood. And it felt good.
Adam screams were quickly silenced as he was finished much like his friend.
And it felt good. Really good. Bardock hadn't felt the feeling of a good kill in a while.
And damn did it feel good.
When Kakarot awoke, he was next to a river. Bardock was washing the blood off of his face and arms. Kakarot cooed lightly, reminding Bardock of his son's existence.
"Hey, kid. You feeling ok? Here take this," said Bardock as he laid a piece of wet cloth onto the bump on the baby's head. Kakarot pulled it off his head and began to suck on it.
"No,no,no, Kakarot. On your head it will make you feel better," laughed Bardock. He was starting to feel like his son wasn't too bad. Maybe this wasn't going to be as bad as he thought it would be.
And then the visions came back.
