"Come on, Broly! Focus! Hit me like you mean it!" Paragus yelled as he sparred with his son.
I watched the fight from afar, unsure if I should be impressed by Broly's skill that he has despite his young age or mortified because Paragus was training his two-year-old son like a fully grown soldier. I wasn't even sure if I still had the heart to care about it.
It only took around half a year before Paragus was ready to start training Broly, meaning Broly was now two, and I was now physically four coming up on five in a month or so, yet still had the soul of a man in his mid-twenties. That was still an awful feeling, by the way. Turles had gone for his mission and wouldn't be back until the end of the year, but in his place, Bardock seemed to be sticking around for a bit longer, too. Something about waiting for the rest of his team for his next mission or something. I didn't really care. My focus was completely on Broly at the moment.
Despite being so young, he was a little monster. In nearly every spar he and Paragus had done up until now, he always managed to do something that could have caused serious injuries to Paragus. I'm lucky I found such a secluded area for him to be trained in; otherwise, he might have blown up the city or the royal castle with a stay energy blast. He didn't mean to, which was apparent after every spar when he would give a humble apology, which in of itself was strange to me as well. It was clear right from the get-go that I was right in assuming Broly couldn't control his power. Especially when he got mad. He had some incredible skill and learned faster than anyone that I had ever seen and fought in ways I hadn't seen from other Saiyans, making use of his entire body to brawl and even send out energy blasts instead of just focusing on his hands for that, but once he snapped (which is honestly a pretty normal thing in battle, let's be real) all that skill was mixed with power that could destroy mountains.
The only reason Paragus hadn't died yet was because of his vast experience and Broly's small size compared to his large, fit, adult body. And once Broly went berserk, he would lose any and all reason and focus, making it easy for Paragus to knock him out with a swift blow to the back of the neck. It also helped that Paragus wasn't weak either, sitting at 7,500 in terms of power level. He wasn't a mid-class warrior or a colonel for nothing. Even being at a power disadvantage, he still comes out on top. It's almost inspiring to me. Almost.
Paragus did give make a suggestion, albeit a bit reluctantly, that perhaps we could obtain or create a shock collar of something to help keep Broly under control just in case, but I shot it down immediately. Broly was a threat to us all, yes, but that didn't mean I was going to treat him like a rabid dog. Besides, I already had a fix in mind for Broly. I just needed more time and data.
Speaking of data, I was getting a lot of it. Despite having Paragus train in the middle of the Saiyan wasteland thousands of miles away from the city, I managed to bring a bunch of equipment that let me obtain a lot of info to play around with. My purple-lens scouter let me see just how much Broly's power fluctuated, which was a lot. His power level was constantly going up and down as he fought. It usually kept a slow, upward trend that would waver or jump down whenever he lost focus or started losing ground, but once he got angry, it just kept spiking higher and higher with no chance of returning to normal. My scouter was constantly at risk of blowing up in my face if I was honest, but thankfully it never got to that point.
I also made detailed notes of how Broly fought. Every movement, every action, every twitch, I jotted down. I was very meticulous about the whole thing. If I'm being completely frank about this whole project, I didn't truly know what I needed for this idea I wanted to make. From what I could tell, what I thought up hadn't been done before, at least not in the way I was thinking of. And despite my experience with technology, I was still only four years into this world's rules and unique properties that I had to learn and play around with. So since I was venturing off into unknown territory, I figured I should just make note of everything since I didn't know what would and wouldn't help. It's actually been more fun than I expected. I feel like a real scientist.
Still, some of the things I took note of did help me cement a few things. Namely, I figured that before I work on my own personal project that perhaps I should make something to help Broly. If I can make something for him and it manages to work, Broly could potentially have full control of his power. Granted, he would be a bit weaker since his power wouldn't be in constant flux, nor would his emotions make his power skyrocket to uncontrollable heights anymore since he would essentially have a limiter to prevent him from losing control, but I doubt Broly would mind that. Broly was a pretty good kid, all things considered. Quite, yes, as well as a bit reserved. He didn't seem like the fighting type, but every time he sparred with Paragus, he seemed to enjoy himself before he went berserk. He always seems to lament the fact that he loses control and nearly kills his father while training, too, so he'd probably want control over power.
But in order to help Broly, which would help me figure my own stuff out, I need to figure out specifically what's wrong with him. I had guessed it might have been some kind of mutation before when I first saw him, but I wasn't sure. Now though, after a few weeks of seeing Broly in action, I might have another theory. Or perhaps an improved theory would be a better way to describe it. From what I can tell, Broly always loses control once he reaches a certain threshold of power. Typically it happens when he reaches around the 10,000 area, which is ten times what he usually sits at whenever he's not training, obviously being 1,000. Once he hits that 10,000, his power will no longer go down and climb higher and higher, yet he starts losing his mental capacities.
Being frank, the whole problem sounds like what happens when a Saiyan transforms into an Oozaru. After arriving back on Vegeta, I did some research on the form, which only justified my belief that I should never use it. Upon looking at a full moon, Saiyans undergo a transformation due to overexposure to something called blux waves that are produced from the full moon, or so some reports on the form state. Their bodies shift and morph into giant apes, and their power levels increase to ten times what they normally have. However, nearly all Saiyans except for a few lose their mental capacities once they transform, turning into raging monsters that can only destroy what's in front of them, which isn't an issue considering it's a form that's only used during raids and conquests.
Some Saiyans can apparently train themselves to retain control after they transform, yet that's usually reserved for elites and high-ranking soldiers, typically ranging from a few mid-class to some high-class warriors. A low-class warrior who can control his Oozaru form so far is unheard of, though considering what the form is and how difficult it seems to be to gain enough control to not go all King Kong as soon as you transform, I'd say that makes sense.
Still, it's strange that Broly's loss of control seems to be paralleling with the Oozaru transformation's loss of control. As soon as his power rises ten times his comfortable, nearly stable base, he loses all control and enters that berserker state. It's almost like he's someone gaining the power of the Oozaru form without needing to transform into it. And he doesn't even have his tail anymore, making it even more impressive. Of course, it would be impressive but isn't, considering he has no control over it and probably isn't even intending to do that in the first place.
Which begs the question: How is he doing that, and why? How can he pull power from the Oozaru form without transforming if that is the source of this sudden power growth he experiences? And if that is what Broly is doing, why is he the only Saiyan who has been able to do such a thing before now? Again, the answer might still be a mutation, but what kind of mutation? Once I have those answers, that's when I'll be able to make my move.
"Perhaps I should draw some blood from Broly and see what I can find out through that." I muttered as I continued watching the spar.
It went just like most other spars. Paragus was starting with the basics, and Broly picked them up faster than we had expected. Still, he was inexperienced. No matter how fast he learned, Paragus had a lifetime of fighting behind him. Power can only do so much against pure skill, I suppose. As if to prove that point, Broly, who had seemed to just go into his Berserker state if that spiked-up hair and piercing angry eyes were any indications, thoughtlessly rushed at Paragus while charging bright green energy orbs in his hands. Paragus, having seen this tactic dozens of times from his son in the past month alone, just sighed before doing what he always did to avoid this attack.
Broly in this state was faster due to his much greater power, yes; but Paragus always got out unharmed by blasting the ground to create a large dust cloud that acted like a smokescreen. Predictably, Broly rushed in, missed since he couldn't see anything, and then Paragus would grab Broly's head and slam it into the ground before the child had any idea what was happening. Then, before Broly could get back up, Paragus jabbed his hand into one of Broly's pressure points in the back of his neck. The blow was so strong and fast that Broly could only let out a loud cry of pain before falling unconscious. Crisis averted, yet again, thanks to debatable child abuse. Huzzah.
"Man, Broly is really quick on the uptake, but once he snaps, that goes out the window a bit." I groaned as I shook my head.
"That's because I knock him out before he can learn after he enters that wrathful state." Paragus frowned as he picked his child up in his hand. "I always need to make sure to end the fight the moment he enters that state. Should he ever learn while in it, it'll be harder to knock him out of it, further risking our safety and his."
"You don't need to explain it to me. I get it." I told him as I jotted the last bit of my recent notes down before closing my journal.
Yeah, I had a journal. Once again, Saiyans have books and paper and all that. It's just most of them are too busy fighting to think of things like writing and literature, and the other half are too stupid to be bothered or care. So I have plenty of paper to use for note-taking.
"Well, I suppose that's enough training for the kid for today." I said as I grabbed my bag and started digging through it. "I guess now's the perfect chance to test this stuff out. I've been putting it off long enough. Might as well bite the bullet now."
"Hm?" Paragus seemed curious at that as he narrowed his eyes at me, only to be mildly confused when I brought out a standard Cold-I mean, Frieza Force Blaster. Damn, why do they always gotta change the names of things right when I'm getting used to things?
"Alright. Let's see if I understand how this thing works." I muttered as I attacked the blaster to my arm and plugged the wire into my scouter.
"What are you hoping to accomplish with a weapon like that?" Paragus asked with a raised eyebrow.
"What? Not a fan of laser guns? Cause I'll be honest, I'm still trying to suppress a smile at the thought that this sort of thing is the norm around here." I told the colonel with a smirk.
"No, I have nothing against guns or weapons. I have a blaster myself. I just don't see what use it would be for you. Most Saiyans don't even need to rely on them because their power is greater than what the gun can provide them."
"That's because they don't bother to improve upon it." I shot back as I messed around with the blaster, ensuring it was secure and fit properly on my arm. "From what I heard, most Frieze Force soldiers are armed with them and do decent work with them as their primary weapons. And this is just the basic model. They have access to better ones. Perhaps I can manage to haggle some of the new models from transports. What I wouldn't do to get my hands on those newer models." I muttered the last bit of that as I got up and stretched my arms. "Alright. Time to test this thing."
I got up and moved so that I was facing a faraway stone formation. Paragus was standing behind me, Broly still in his hands. He didn't seem to fully grasp how important this test was, yet he kept watching out of curiosity. Meanwhile, I was starting to sweat bullets. This was nerve-wracking. No, this was more than that. I could feel the dread in the air now as I raised my arm towards the rock formation.
I can talk big and all about Broly and the data that I have obtained, and I might even be able to help give Broly an outlet of control over his power. But that's all just a side quest if anything. My main goal is still only for myself. If I can't help myself if this test doesn't produce adequate results. If this test ends in failure, then even if I succeed with Broly, it all will be for not. My life will unquestionably be over. It would be meaningless. That's why this test was so important. It had to work. I needed it to work.
"Please. Give me something. Anything…!" I gave a silent prayer as I gave a final gulp before pressing the fire button on the blaster.
At first, there was nothing. I almost gave into despair right then and there. But then, the gun gave a slight hum before firing a blast right at the rock formation. The white blast hit dead on, blowing the rocks up like they were nothing. I stood there motionlessly for a while, just staring at what had happened, before both of my arms shot up as I gave a proud, relieved yell.
"Yeah! It works!" I screamed in a victorious voice as I hopped around like an idiot. "It works! It works! I'm on the right path! This can work! I'm a genius! Hahahaha! Those monkey bastards won't know what hit them! Hahahaha!"
Proof. This was the proof that I was on the right train of thought. That this project really could be the answer to everything. I was right. I had been dreading this, fearing that it wouldn't work and prove that I was wrong and that this hope was for nothing. But now that I know that it's founded and that there is real hope for this to work, my doubts are weaker. This was a great step forward.
"Orion, why are you so ecstatic about the blaster working? It's a blaster. It's supposed to fire a shot like that. It's no different than other blasters I have seen." Paragus told me in a confused tone.
"Really? No different? It's completely the same?" I asked, even more giddy than before.
"Y-Yes. At least, not any different from what I could tell from that demonstration."
"Perfect!" I shouted as I shot my fist up into the air again. "This is so perfect; it's almost suspicious! It went exactly how I hoped it would."
"Orion, please explain what is so great about this little test you just did. I can't fathom how this could be so monumental to you."
"Well, I guess I can explain a bit to you." I told him, unable to remove the smile on my face as I spoke. "You know how these blasters work, right?"
"Of course. Blasters like yours and mine take the shooter's energy and fire it out through the gun instead of using normal outdated ammunition. It is a fairly simple weapon."
"Your description, while a bit simple, is still correct. These ray guns are typically used by weaker soldiers in the Frieza Force who can't properly use their energy like other, stronger soldiers. So to help them perform as efficiently as others, these weapons take their energy and amplify it to match a higher standard. It allows these soldiers to use their energy to fire blasts that are much stronger than what they could create on their own, and some even help the soldiers fly."
"Yes, I have heard all of this before, so why-?"
"Did I ever tell you what my power level was?" I asked him, cutting him off.
"N-No. I don't believe you have."
"Well, it's zero."
"H-Huh? What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said. My power level is zero. The big 'O'. Lower than a one. Null. Zilch. Not even good enough to show anything on a scouter. It's that bad." I told him. "That's why I was sent out as an infiltration unit after birth. I was deemed completely useless."
"W-Wait, but a power level of zero is completely impossible, isn't it?"
"I am living proof that it isn't, and your son is already breaking the laws of nature with his power level. I don't think we're allowed to question power levels anymore. I just chalk it all up to power levels being complete bullshit anyway since I hate them on a fundamental level for ruining my entire life." I told him nonchalantly. "Either way, I'm super, super, super weak. Weaker than any other Saiyan you'll ever see. So weak, I could barely walk on this planet before coming back from Monmaasu."
"How are you able to walk then? Planet Vegeta has gravity ten times stronger than most other planets. Shouldn't you still have great difficulty moving if you were that weak?"
"You would think that, wouldn't you? And to be fair, that was a concern of mine, too, as I was heading back here. Yet here I am, pretty much fine with it now. I mean, I still feel the stronger gravity, which is pretty irritating, but I can move from point A to point B. Why do you think that is?"
"I…I do not know."
"Me neither. That's why I plan on figuring that out. I already have a theory about it. One that aligns with what I'm learning about myself and Broly."
"Broly?"
"Yep. Damn, I'm gonna have to pay Nion back after this is all said in done, aren't I? I'm starting to think she was completely right in her assessment about how similar Broly and I are than I ever thought possible." I sighed. "But back to the blaster, do you see why I'm so ecstatic now?"
"Yes. It makes sense now. With a power level so low it's nearly nonexistent, it should have been impossible for the blaster to pull any energy from you to make a shot equal to other blasters. I wouldn't have thought it possible for you to even fire a shot at all, period."
"Bingo! That's another point of contradiction for me and my power level. How was I able to fire that blaster with such power? How was I able to fire a shot with it at all? It's another point to the theory I have." I said before a frown crossed my lips. "Still, it's not enough. I still need more evidence before I say I'm right about this. One more test… But what could work?"
"It seems that you have a lot to think about now." Paragus said before he looked up at the sky. "We have been out here for a while now. I think it would be best for us to return and rest for the rest of the day."
"You can do that. I want to figure this out completely before the day ends." I tell him.
"Overworking yourself and overthinking this will not help you solve anything. By how excited you just were, I can tell this has been worrying you for a while, perhaps since we first made this deal of ours. I don't know the exact details of this project that you're working towards, but in my experience, sometimes it's best to rest your mind and body before attempting to attack a problem again. Perhaps after a short break, you'll be able to think of another angle to attack this issue from."
"You're being oddly supportive and helpful today." I noted with a suspicious glare. "What, did you eat something strange before we came out here or something?"
"Hmph. Take my advice or don't. It hardly matters to me. Do as you please if you so wish." Paragus huffed as he put on the cloak he wore while we were traveling here. Can't have anyone noticing who he was, even when Turles's place was pretty far away from anyone with connections to the King. "I will be heading back now. Good luck with whatever you do." With that, he flew off, the sleeping Broly still in his hands. I just shook my head as I watched him fly off.
"Annoying old man. Sometimes I can't get a read on him. Cares for his son, yet beats him to a pulp like a military recruit. Seems to distrust me yet gives me advice. Is a Saiyan and displays similar behavior, yet also can be decent company at times." I groaned as I held my head in my hand. "Pain in the ass, that's what he is. And why does he get to fly away? How unfair is that?"
It really was, considering the blaster I had was a model that did not help the user fly. God. Damn it. Someone out there really wants me to stay grounded for now. Urggggggggh…
Whatever. I guess it would be nice to go home and take a nap. I've been too busy with everything lately. Working on this project, helping Paragus and Broly with their new, secret life, working at the castle, avoiding my coworkers, who are still absolute pricks-it's been a lot all things considered. Maybe Paragus is right. Not like I have any idea what other tests I could do to prove my theory right now, anyway. Might as well nap and figure it out later.
But that means going home. Which meant potentially running into Gine, whose kindness I might never get used to from a Saiyan. It also meant potentially running into Bardock, who I've been avoiding like the plague as well. He seems to want to talk to me, but I'm not having any of it. I have nothing to say to that man.
But worse than either of those two, I could run into that punk Raditz. Gine and Bardock let that little rat out of the pod a while ago, and he's already learned how to walk, speak, and be a general pain in the ass. The two-year-old brat is nothing like Broly, who is shy, reserved, and respectful. Raditz is a little ball of brashness and Saiyan ego that wants everyone to how great he is. It really doesn't help that out of all the Saiyans that could have been picked, Raditz was chosen to go on missions alongside the prince once they're able to. Raditz somehow understands the implications of that, and that just makes him even more insufferable.
I'm pretty sure I hate that little bastard, especially after he realized I was physically weaker than him despite being older. That just became another point of prideful boasting for him, and at times makes him think he can get away with doing whatever he wants to me, despite my two/three-year difference from him. Maybe I can shoot him with this blaster now that I know for a fact I can use it with no issues. Perhaps I can convince Gine that it was an accident or something. I'm smart, I can figure something out. But the idea of killing just left a bad taste in my mouth, and it being killing a child made it worse. No, I couldn't do that, no matter how much Raditz made me want to do it. Hope that idiot gets shot through the chest someday in the future.
Still, it's not like I have many other places to go. With a sigh, I resigned myself to my fate as I walked back home. It took a while since I traveled on foot, but I eventually made it back home. After taking a deep breath, I walked into the house and quickly looked around. No one to be seen so far. That's good. Perhaps Gine is still at work. Raditz has taken to hanging out with others his age lately, too, and maybe Bardock has mission stuff to do. That would be nice if it worked out like that. Now relieved, I took a step forward and-
"Orion."
"Oh goddamnit." I cursed. Of course, things wouldn't work out so perfectly for me. Of course Bardock was just waiting around the corner like a creep. Why not? "Do you need something, Bardock?" I asked in a pointed tone that didn't faze Bardock at all. He just kept staring at me before he finally responded.
"Follow me."
"Huh?" I could only make a confused noise as the Saiyan warrior started walking out the back entrance of the house. Bardock didn't even phrase it as a question or a request, so I didn't think I had a choice in the matter.
Groaning, I followed Bardock out of the house. I saw the man standing in the middle of what could be considered our backyard, though 'yard' wasn't really accurate in the slightest, considering it was just miles of rocky land. I didn't even know how much of it we actually owned. What are the Saiyan laws and policies on home ownership and land ownership? Eh, that's not important. What was important was how Bardock stared at me with a completely serious expression as I got closer to him.
"So why did you need me to be out here with you?" I asked him again.
"I wanted to test you and your strength."
"My strength. Right." I sighed at hearing the word while rolling my eyes, but my eyes widened when what he had just said fully clicked in my mind. "Wait, what do you mean test-?"
He didn't give me any time to think. He just lunged at me and threw a punch aimed right at my face. It was only because of the reflexes I had gotten from fighting Turles that let me dodge the attack. Turles always tried to do that same thing whenever we started a spar.
My eyes were now bulging out of my socket as everything started moving like it was in slow motion through my perspective. I was just staring at Bardock's fist as I jumped out of the way like I couldn't believe this was happening, which I couldn't. That's when reality went back to normal speed, and I saw movement from the corner of my eyes. Reflexes kicked in once again as I brought my arms up to block the kick Bardock sent me. The blow connected, and I could feel my arms screaming in agony as I was pushed back several feet away from the soldier attacking me.
Just from that alone, I could tell he was holding back a lot. Bardock was a soldier, one that was quite strong from what Gine told me about him. A blow from him should have broken my arms at the very least, if not completely popped them off my shoulders. But that blow only made me lose all feeling in my arms, which is marginally better. So Bardock isn't trying to kill me. That's comforting in a strange sort of way.
"D-Do you mind telling me why you just decided to attack me!?" I yelled at the man angrily.
"As I said. I want to test you. I'm not really one to speak with words, so I figured talking with our fists would be better." He told me as if it were the simplest thing in the world.
"That's the most backwards logic I have ever heard! If you just wanted to talk, then talk! Don't try to lay me out for nothing!" I screamed.
"This is the fastest way for me to learn what I need to about you and your growth. So shut up and fight like your life depends on it."
"It kind of does, actually!" I shouted back as Bardock rushed at me again.
I was gonna die. Again. This is where it was gonna happen.
I had to push that thought down further as I continued to dodge and block attacks from Bardock. Even while holding back, I could only barely keep up. It was only thanks to the muscle memory I had begun to build up with Turles that I could last so long. But it wouldn't stay like that. I was already getting exhausted just from this level of exertion. This is nothing like the spars with Turles. With Turles, I was prepared and could predict him. He was strong, but not so strong I couldn't work around his strength. And with him being only as tall as an eight-year-old kid, the height difference wasn't so great. Bardock, on the other hand, was dozens of times stronger and faster compared to Turles, as well as being a fully developed adult male who was much taller than me. Even with him holding back, this fight was like I was being pitted against the giants on Monmaasu again.
After eating another kick to the side that sent me toppling over again, I began to struggle to pick myself back up again. That's when a thought hit me that made me feel stupid for what had happened for the past few minutes. I have a freaking gun. Why don't I just use it?! It's not like I care about whether Bardock gets hurt or not. It would leave a sour taste in my mouth if I killed him, but I could get him to stop without fatally injuring the man. So why haven't I done that yet?! I thought about it for a moment, trying to come up with a possible reason not to shoot Bardock, only to come up empty. So…
"Screw this!" I shouted before pulling out my arm blaster as Bardock flew at me for another attack.
I attached the device to my arm in one swift motion before aiming at Bardock and pressing the fire button. Without any hesitation like my first shot, the blaster immediately shot out a beam that was aimed right at Bardock's legs, so as not to kill the man. Bardock seemed surprised when he saw the blast, but it didn't stop him from dodging the blast entirely like it was nothing. He then continued his rush at me, kneeing me in the gut before yanking the blaster off my arm as I flew away from him. As I gasped for air from having all of it knocked out of my lungs, Bardock examined the laser gun with interest before tossing it aside.
"That was a clever trick, pulling out a blaster like that. Against another opponent, that could have won you the battle. Good to know you have a good head on your shoulders and aren't weighed down by pride or arrogance. You aren't above using tricks or dirty tactics to get out of a situation, which'll keep you alive. That's good. Unfortunately, none of that will work against me. Only real strength can overcome someone like me." Bardock said calmly as he raised a hand aimed right at me. "So, show me that true strength you have."
I watched on with mild horror as Bardock charged a ball of energy in the palm of his hand before shooting it right at me. I couldn't move to dodge due to still reeling from the blow to my gut and from the pure shock I was being hit with at that moment. Fortunately, it didn't seem like Bardock was aiming right at me since the energy blast hit a few feet in front of me. Still, the blast created a large explosion that hit me. It sent me flying again, knocking me back even father and depriving me of more stamina.
After the dust settled, Bardock could see me just lying there in exhaustion. After a moment, I regained the feeling over my arms and legs and began struggling to push myself back up. After a few agonizing seconds, I managed to push myself up to my knees. I could feel bruises scattered across my arms from blocking Bardock's strikes, and now there were slight burns from his energy blast covering uncovered areas on my body as well. It hurt, but not as much as my pride did.
Once again, I'm in a position where I can't do anything. Once again, I'm on my knees in pain while someone much stronger stands over me. Judging me. I can see it in his eyes. Those narrow, black orbs didn't show a single sign of compassion toward me. He doesn't care. In fact, I'd go so far as to say he's disappointed at what he's seeing. It disappoints him that a weak, pathetic child like me is his child. He can't even bring out an iota of anger at my display. All he can feel is indifference. It's like I'm not even his son.
Why do I care? I'm not his son. I was just born into this second life in the body of the one who biologically could be considered his son. But that's not who I am at the core of who I am. That's not in my heart nor my soul nor my mind. He's all but a stranger to me in everything except name. So why does that look in his eye infuriate me? Why do I find myself feeling an absolute loathing towards that expression?
Because I hate how this man sees me under his perception of what he thinks my strength is. He only sees a weak child in front of him. He doesn't care that I might be smarter than him. He doesn't care that I have plans for the future. All he cares about is my power, and he's judging me based on what little power he sees. Just like every other damn Saiyan on this planet. That's why I can't stand monkeys like him!
"S-Stop…looking at me with that condescending look, you piece of shit!" I found myself screaming as a new burning determination began pumping through my body, pushing me to get back on my feet with shaky legs. That seemed to get something out of Bardock since his expression shifted to intrigued one as I gave him a death glare. "You and your people me sick! I swear with every fiber of my being that I'll make you all suffer! You think you're all hot shit because I'm so much weaker than you all! Fine then! I'll show you that 'true strength' you wanted to see!"
No longer thinking clearly at this point, only being driven by hatred and rage now, I had my hand shoot up to aim at Bardock as a new feeling started to course through me. A feeling of energy and power began pooling into my arms and hand. It didn't even register in my mind when a small, glowing white and purple ball began to form in my palm as I aimed it right at the Saiyan in front of me. The ball grew and grew, slowly spinning as it grew and picking up speed as it did. Once the ball was as big as it was gonna get, a pure, manic smile spread over my face.
"DIE, SAIYAN!" I screamed as I let loose the energy, gleefully watching as-
Riiiiiip!
That's when I heard a sort of ripping sound come right out of the arm that held my energy ball. The moment that happened, I felt pain far greater than what Bardock had inflicted on me. The ball of energy dissipated into nothingness quickly as I let out a scream of pure agony. I fell to my knees once again as I cradled my arm. I couldn't move my hand or my forearm. I could still move my shoulder, but any movement caused a significant surge of pain to shoot through my arm. I could feel tears pricking at the tips of my eyes as I stared at my arm in both disbelief and frustration. What just happened!?
"Seems that was too much for your body."
I gasped when I looked up and saw Bardock standing over me. I was about to yell angrily at him again, but I stopped when I saw his eyes. While they were still hardened like a soldier's, they didn't seem as cold or callous as before now that he was right in front of me. He seemed almost concerned.
"Wh-What do you mean?" I growled out the question as I looked away from Bardock's eyes.
"You seemed to have torn the muscles in your arm and hands by trying to fire a blast like that." Bardock answered simply. "You were foolish, trying to overexert yourself like that."
"Overexert…?" I repeated before what he said hit me. "Wait…so the reason my arm is like this is because of that blast I tried to use?" I questioned as I looked down at my arm again.
I had never done something like that before. I had never created energy like that before. I always wanted to have cool abilities like what I saw other Saiyans use, and before, I tried to see if I had those abilities. Yet failed experiments and training only showed me that I couldn't. Yet this time, I formed a ball of my own energy by using my anger as a driving force. However, I couldn't shoot it. Not without destroying the muscles in my arm in the process. If that's the case, then…
"...This is the proof." I muttered with wide eyes. "This was it. The final piece of evidence I needed. My theory is right…!" Bardock didn't seem to understand or even care about my mutterings, as he only sighed in response.
"Whatever the case, you need to get some medical help." He said.
And then, without even asking my own opinion on the matter, he picked me up in his hands. I let out an 'eep' in my surprise as Bardock started carrying me over to the hospital. I immediately felt mortified by the action as I began to struggle out of his hold, despite Bardock having started flying to get me to our destination faster.
"H-Hey! I don't need you to carry me at all! I can get there myself!"
"From what I've seen, you can't fly yet, so it would be faster for me to just drop you off there." He replied in a matter-of-factly voice.
I growled as I struggled harder. However, when it quickly became apparent my efforts were for naught, I gave up with a huff as I crossed my arms. Well, did my best to cross my arms with one working arm and one arm that I couldn't move without screaming in pain. That got a chuckle out of Bardock as he shook his head.
"Seriously. You're one strong kid."
I blinked in confusion when I heard what he said, and it took me a moment to repeat it in my head to make sure I heard him correctly.
"Did…you say strong?" I asked him in disbelief. "In what way am I strong? I couldn't even hurt you in that 'spar' of ours. I couldn't even hurt you when I cheated and used my blaster. I couldn't even fire an energy blast at you without crippling myself in the process. I don't see how any of that makes me strong."
"Well, I doubt any other Saiyan child your age would have taken all of that as well as you are right now." Bardock told me. "I'm not even sure some adults could take that arm injury with as much stride as you seem to be showing it. You even stared at it like it was the answer to some greater question once I explained it to you."
"Hmph. Like any other Saiyan would injure themselves like this. Besides, I've been through worse." I rolled my eyes, getting a frown out of Bardock.
"Even if that's the case, that still shows your strength. I'm impressed that despite how weak you are, you can still stand back up, ready to keep going with the fight and whatever happens afterward. No matter how many times I knocked you down, you forced yourself back up. Whether you get hurt or lose, it doesn't seem to faze you in the end. In my eyes, that's your real strength."
"So you're saying my strength isn't power, but tenacity? What good will that do me in the end? I'd rather have power."
"Power isn't everything, Orion." Bardock told me, nearly getting a surprised gasp out of me. "As long as you can get back up after everything and stare it dead on in the face, that's all that matters in the end. I didn't want that spar to see your physical strength. I wanted to make sure you had the strength to overcome your struggles on your own and see them to the end. That blast might have been too much for you at the moment, but you're strong enough to overcome that eventually. I can see it in your eyes. As it stands now, I don't think Gine or I have to worry about you unless you do something completely reckless." That's when he looked back down at me with a stern look and a frown. "In which case, don't. I can tell you're planning something big. Whatever it is, just make sure you don't do something stupid. Last thing your mother needs is to have a panic attack because of something you did."
I just stared at the guy like he was crazy as he finished his piece. I was still trying to wrap my head around a Saiyan that didn't think power was real strength that mattered. Even stranger was how in some strange way, Bardock seemed to care about me. What the hell is going on here?
With Bardock no longer having anything to say after that, the rest of the flight was quiet, though not an awkward type of quiet. It was a tranquil quiet that let me think about what Bardock said.
Strength to see things to the end and overcome struggles, eh?
With a small smile forming on my face, I let myself relax in Bardock's arms as he flew me to the hospital, tension now leaving my body.
Yeah. I definitely will see things to the end. That's a guarantee. I'll have to thank Bardock one day. This test of his proves without of doubt my hypothesis was dead on. Now with that in mind, I can work towards the perfect solution. Just you all wait. Things are gonna change sometime soon. This golden society built to raise the egos of the strong will soon crumble. That's when they'll finally see. My silver lining is finally here.