I do not own Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, or Dragon Ball Super. I only own the original characters that I create.
Red Moon - Kalafina
The Mask
Chapter 8
Bardock entered the house of silence, no one was home. He had been out for awhile and didn't come home. He just went to a nearby pond and sat there until the sun went down. As he walked in, Bardock noticed that the lights were off, making the house look pitch black. He wandered through the kitchen and up the stairs that led to his bedroom. Bardock opened the door and saw that Goku was sitting on the bed with the light on. Worry was written across his face as he looked down at his lap. Had he been worried about Bardock? He tapped the door frame and Goku looked up and sighed out of relief. Goku stood from the bed and walked over to Bardock and gave him a hug, the action was completely unexpected by Bardock. As he looked down at his son, he raised an eyebrow, "Something wrong, Kakarot?" He saw that Goku had worry filled eyes, "Where are the others?" He didn't feel them when he came in the house. Goku stepped away from Bardock, "They went to go visit Chichi's father, the Ox-King. They won't be back until Sunday." Bardock then furrowed his eyebrows, "And you stayed here? Why" Bardock asked Goku who just looked at him. Goku wandered to the bed and sat down, "You didn't come home, so I thought I'd wait for you. I was getting worried when the sun went down..." Goku then gave Bardock a weak smile.
Bardock removed his bandanna and placed it on the dresser, "I was fine... You didn't need to wait for me... I would've come home eventually." He looked back to Goku with a soft smile and began to remove his long-sleeve shirt. It had been getting on his nerves, that, and it was dirty. Goku looked at Bardock and noticed that he was dirty, "Have you been fighting? Your clothes are dirty... You have a bruise too?" Goku was at Bardock's side in no time to examine the bruise. Bardock shrugged him off and scoffed, "It's nothing I can't handle..." Bardock knew he was lying to Goku and himself. He honestly didn't know what to think about Toma... He raised his head when Goku began examining him with interrogating eyes, "I know you can handle yourself..." Goku's voice was gentle, "I was just worried, you know, about you." Bardock felt his heart skip a beat, and he smiled at Goku with fondness. He went across the room and threw his shirt into the hamper while saying, "You shouldn't worry about me, I'm old. I should be worried about you." They exchanged a short-lived laugh and smile.
There was a silence until Goku spoke up, "Chichi told me that you were acting strangely earlier... Like you were worried? She said that you needed to check and something and left. She was worried because you never came back." Goku then gently picked up the bandanna and felt the material, "I felt your energy spike then drop. I was worried sick. I also felt another energy with you... It felt strange. Your energy wavered in its presence. It's like you knew who it was. Who was it?" Goku then placed the bandanna on the dresser to look at Bardock. He didn't answer, but Goku wanted an answer, and he was going to get it. Goku then walked to Bardock, "We're... family, right? Who was it that was with you? Was it an old friend? A foe? Should I be concerned? Were they good or bad? Did they try to hurt you-oh, wait, you have a bruise. Then, why did they hurt you?" Goku began interrogating Bardock with question after question. Bardock sighed and ran his hand through his dirty hair, "I don't want to talk about it right now... I just need some rest right now." Bardock was tired and confused. He needed the rest. And as Goku sighed in defeat, Goku gave Bardock a sad smile and exited the room, "If you ever want to... you know, talk? Just know... I'll always be here to listen." Goku then shut the door, leaving Bardock alone in the room with his thoughts.
Bardock heard the sound of Goku's boots trail down the hallway with every step on the old wood floor that would groan from the weight. He dropped down on the bed and sighed loudly, he just couldn't tell Goku, he just couldn't risk it. He risked enough in his life already, why would he risk his family? He rubbed his face and felt the dirt under his fingernails. He sat up and looked down at his dirty hands. Dirty... that's what he felt, dirty. He felt dirty for keeping secrets from his son. And, not matter how hard or fast he could scrub at the dirt. He knows that it would never fade from his heart and soul. It was there to stain him forever. Bardock clenched his fists to point of digging his nails into the palms of his hand and drawing blood. Then, he replayed Toma's words in his mind, "I missed you... I'll see you again soon...". But, when would soon be? Another problem placed ever so harshly on Bardock's shoulders. He stood up from the bed and walked over to the hamper and removed the extra articles of clothing. He tossed his pants into the hamper and kicked his shoes towards the closet door where they landed with a thud. He didn't bother taking a shower, he was too tired, and had way too much on his mind. So, he slipped under the sheets, turned off the lights, and fell asleep with a head full of problems.
Morning quickly rolled over, and Bardock was greeted by the smiling face of Goku when he awakened from his slumber. He believed this to be a reoccurring theme. From now on, he would wake and see Goku smiling down at him with joy. Bardock sat up and looked at Goku as if Goku didn't remember a thing from last. It would've been better for Bardock if did, but Goku still remember and Goku was going to put it behind them and wait for Bardock to talk if he ever so chooses to. Drawing the drapes, Goku looked back to Bardock, "Wake up! It's time to shine!" Goku was oddly happy his morning as he giggled. Bardock only groaned and sat up in bed while scratching his messy hair. Bardock looked to Goku with half-lidded eyes and outside the window where he could see the sun barely rising," The sun's barely even up... Why did you wake me so early?" Bardock complained while willing himself to get out of bed. Goku only chuckled as he tossed Bardock a red long sleeve v-neck and black pants. Bardock let the clothes hit his face, he was too tired to do anything this morning. He pulled the clothing off of his face and gave Goku and half-lidded morning glare, which only made Bardock looked like he was closing his eyes Goku laughed and walked out the room, "Take a shower! We're going over to Master Roshi's!" Gok then disappeared down the stairs to the kitchen.
Bardock sat there for a moment and thought to himself, "Who is Master Roshi?" He shook his head and stood up with a groan. Bardock felt like he had been sleeping on a bed made of rocks. He bent his back and heard the string of pops while sighing in relief. He scratched his back and stepped into the bathroom where he began to take a shower. Bardock was wide awake at this point but was still a bit on edge from running into Toma. The image of his believed to be dead friend's face flashed in his mind constantly. Bardock was glad Toma was alive, but... he couldn't believe that he is alive, and wearing a mask. Toma's mask then played in Bardock's mind too. Why was Toma wearing a mask like Bardock's? Bardock shook his head, he didn't want to think about it right now. Bardock was too on edge to think about anything right now. He lifted his head to shower head spraying water on his face. Bardock closed his eyes and hummed at the feeling of the warm water washing over him.
Thirty minutes had passed and Bardock was drying off in his bedroom and putting his clothes. Bardock stepped in front of the mirror in his room and scoffed at his attire. It was unlikely for a Saiyan to be wearing anything but armor. Bardock sighed, this would have to do for now until he could find a replacement. Goku has offered Bardock to let him wear one his gi's but Bpreferredtill preferred armor over anything else. Bardock walked over to the dresser and took the bandanna in his hands. He looked down at the bandanna, the bandanna that was soaked in Toma's blood. His not-dead-anymore friend's blood. Bardock sighed and tied the bandanna around his head and looked down at the dresser. His blood ran cold and his pupils dilated from instant fear as he looked down to see that the broken mask was laying on the dresser. Bardock then spun around to see Toma sitting on the bed, sporting his own mask. Bardock's lower back struck the dresser as he stepped back. Toma had his arms crossed over his chest, "Hey, Bardock? Miss me?" Toma waited for an answer, but only got a stare from Bardock, "What? Not gonna say hello? Not even a hug? Ouch. I thought we were friends?" Toma joked while flashing his canines in a smile.
Then Bardock spoke, "What are you doing here," He said, avoiding Toma's greeting entirely. Bardock stared at Toma, "You shouldn't be here," Bardock said quickly while walking to Toma. Bardock then looked to the open window, it wasn't open when he woke up. Toma the chuckled, "What? I wanted to surprise you. We're friends aren't we?" There was still no answer from Bardock. However, Toma wanted to hear his voice, hear Bardock's voice like he use to when they were friends, "Are you going to say anything?" No answer. Toma's smile wavered a bit, "O-okay, that's fine. I guess since you thought I was dead, that I wouldn't be here right now.." He the clasped his hands together, "I guess I'll go then. Things are pretty weird as of late... But, I'll stop by next time." Toma then placed his foot on the window and turned back and smiled at Bardock while lifting the mask to show his eyes, "Until next time, 'Dock." Toma used Bardock's nickname then leaped from the window and into the air.