Chapter 2

 

The huge wild cat jumped down from the roof and landed smoothly on the protruding tree brunch. Another jump and it was standing on the smooth marble floor of the palace balcony. Another moment and she was rubbing herself up against the leg of her unseen master much like a house can. Vegeta smiled down at the tiger like kitty, stooping he picked up the snow white cat that was nearly half his size, 'Well kitty,' He said that as he stroked her gently, 'it looks like we have company.' He said as he made the cat face the round spacecraft that had landed just beyond the palace gates. 'Come out, come out who ever you are.' whispered Vegeta in tone boarding on lunacy as most of his attention was fixed on the rounded craft.

The door of the craft slowly slid open and a ramp extended out. But nothing stepped out of the darkened craft. The moments would have appeared longer had Vegeta's anticipation been high. But he was not expecting anything. He told himself that it was probably some scout from the other planet trading fractions or something like that. Here to see if the rumours about Vegitasei was indeed true and perhaps try and claim it for his home world. Vegeta had galactic cable as well, he knew the stories that went around about Vegitasei. Fortunately most of them were of such a nature that it actually made space travellers go out of their way to avoid Vegitasei. But every now and than a brave soul decides to explore Vegitasei. Every now and than Vegeta got to kick the crap out of something other than the practice robots. But this, Vegeta felt, was something entirely new. His curiosity was peeked at that but not his expectations. The moments passed away like moments.

Goku was the first to come out. He stumbled out of the craft and fell on his knees. The gravity getting to him though he prepared himself for the increase. But he didn't mind. He would have dropped down on his knees regardless. He touched the soft and underneath him with eagerness that amazed even him. For a brief moment he buried his hands in it. Just feeling the tiny particles press against his skin. He grabbed a fist full and brought it up to his face. He opened his palm and straightened it out and watched the sand slid down his hand and arms, slowly, almost like a gentle caress from soft loving hands, 'I am home.' He whispered.

The sand swirled and blew up grit around him. Running a hand through his hair the wind grabbed and blew his scent over the palace wall to the gaping Vegeta. The musky Saiyain smell lingered in the sensors just inside his nose, there was no doubt about it. He was a Saiyain. But how? How did he escape the curse? Could it be…? Vegeta knew that at the time of the curse only one Saiyain infant was on a mission. Could he be that child? He would have to be. There was no other explanation for this. But yet… why did it take him so long to come back? Why was he feeling something… off about him? There was something about his facial expression that was so not Saiyain. Vegeta closed his eyes and shook his head. Perhaps it was the distance. Saiyain eyes were good but not that good. He opened his eyes again and blinked. Behind the unknown Saiyain stood a female. Vegeta smelled the air again. Yes, she was definitely female but she not Saiyain. No Saiyain female would ever have blue hair that shone so bright when the light touched the soft looking strands. Nor would she have such big bright blue eyes that sparkled like gems under the ancient sun of Vegitasei. Vegeta shook his head and looked again. No it was not an illusion she was really there and he could see every little detail of her physique. There was nothing wrong with his eyes. A gorgeous female and a Saiyain with an odd expression had arrived on Vegitasei, 'By the spirits of Vegitasei,' whispered Vegeta, 'this is interesting… very interesting.' The cat meowed in agreement.


He felt him the moment the ship landed on the planet. The Ki was high. Much higher than anything he could attain at that moment. If he wanted to he could show him and Bulma what awaited them in the next life. The thought however did not worry Goku. Somehow he felt protected, he felt safe. He felt as if a pact existed between him and planet and the planet itself would rise to protect him if the need arouse…

'I have had enough.' Sobbed a teenage Bardock as he kneeled in front of a clear pool of water in a stone temple overrun with cobwebs erected to Vegitasei itself but forgotten years prior. 'I can't do this anymore. I can't handle the visions, I can't handle my destiny. They laugh at me, call me weak, she doesn't even look at me anymore, I am not weak. I have the highest Ki on the planet. I am an elite with a battle power of 10,000. Yet I can't show it to them… I can't…' sob, 'do anything with it but use it avert the things I see in my blasted visions but no one knows its me. Someone else always gets the credit. I am sick of it. I have had enough. Take away my "gift" of sight. I don't want it anymore.'

'Be careful Bardock of what you ask.' Chimed the voice of the planet in his head, 'I can bind your gift but I will also have to bind your power for your power was granted to you to be used in conjunction with your visions. Give up your visions and you give up your Ki and truly become the third class warrior with poultry Ki of 500 that you are required to play. You power Bardock will remain bound as long as your gift of sight is bound. Are you ready to be a total weakling?' she demanded.

Bardock thought carefully about it, 'Yes I am. Take away my power, take away my gift of sight and take away my memories as well. I will be what they think me to be. A third class warrior who can never rise beyond a Squad Commander. But at least I'll be happy. At least she will care for me when she sees that…'

'When she sees what kind of ruthless killer you can be when you don't have to feel the pain of others every time you take an innocent life.' Vegitasei completed the sentence for him. 'Is that really what you want Bardock?' she demanded.

'YES.' Screamed Bardock, 'Yes.' He whispered a heart wrenching whisper precariously laced with doubt. 'But please for my years of faithful service grant me one boon. Make sure my yet unborn son is always protected, while he is on your soil.'

'Very well.' She said, 'But mark my word just before doom descends upon Vegitasei you will get your gift of sight and your high Ki back and you will know, you will remember how you could have prevented it all if you weren't such a spineless, love sick coward.' A flash and Bardock lost all consciousness. She cast her mind far into the future and saw Bardock's two correction three sons. He had only asked her to protect one. She decided than she would protect Kakarott. He was the only one worth protecting.

The projected female image of the planet disappeared as Bardock slowly pulled into consciousness. What was he doing here? If any of his training squad members saw him here it would effectively end whatever prospect for a career he had. He might even lose his life. Getting to his feet Bardock scrambled away as fast as he could towards the training camps. His destiny, his real power, his real gifts forgotten in favour of a woman who wanted nothing more than to just fit in.

She pulled her mind away from the past and wondered what it was with Bardock and Kakarott and women who didn't liked being respectable. Chichi reminded her a lot of Kakarott's mother. All Chichi really wants is to be respectable, to not have the neighbour make snide comment behind her back. Send her son to a respectable school and make him all good and proper and respectable and if she has to stifle his natural inclinations to do so, so be it. At least Chichi would not stand in the way of Kakarott's destiny. Kakarott's mother made Bardock give up his. But in the end, she acknowledged, it came down to personality. Despite all his love there are certain things Kakarott would not allow his wife to change about him. Despite all his flaws Chichi pretty much accepted Goku for who he was. His mother never could accept his father in his true form so Bardock become something he wasn't in order to get her. The prince, on the other hand, will have to become his true self in order to get the blue haired female who had already caught his eyes.


Bulma stepped of the craft slowly tugging at the gravity bracelet to make sure it was fastened and operating properly. 'Are you sure you don't want one of these?' she asked Goku.

'I am sure. I need to get used to the gravity.' He replied confidently. 'Bulma please stay close to me. I don't like the feel of this place.' He confessed.

'What do you mean you don't like the feel of this place?' asked Bulma a touch of worry colouring her voice.

'There is an aura of depression surrounding this place. Depression mixed with hate and anger. I have never felt anything like it before. It's… disturbing.' Said Goku. What he did not tell her was that the aura he was feeling was being generated by the other Saiyain. The Prince? Yes it would have to be the Prince, no one else would have Ki that high. He had no doubt about it. 'Just stay close. Please.' Goku begged.

'Okay.' Agreed Bulma, 'Well, lets start with the place. Come on.' so saying ran towards the palace, her eyes bright with excitement and an almost child like curiosity.

Goku grinned, 'So much for staying close.' He muttered as he ran after her. In all the excitement of planet-fall he did not noticed that at least for awhile the shadows had stopped their whispers.


Nothing in the palace was locked. Everything was open and Bulma felt as if she was kid in a candy shop, not only was their all sorts of technology lying around everywhere the palace was filled with the most exquisite things. From what Goku had told her she had imagined Saiyains to be absolute brutes. She would never have imagined that one of their castles would have such wonderful things. 'They are spoils for other planets.' Came a deep smooth voice, 'My people did not create such things but they did plunder them.'

'O I see.' She said, than stopped. Slowly she turned around no one was, not even Goku. 'Who… who said that?' she demanded. No answer. With her legs trembling in fear she ran out of the room, 'Goku! Goku where are you?' she called out.

Suddenly she ran into something that felt like steel thickly padded with the softest down. 'Bulma are you alright?' demanded Goku urgently.

'A voice… I heard a voice but no one was there.' Said Bulma near hysterics, 'Goku I think there is ghost here.'

'Ghosts.' Goku laughed a hollow laugh that Bulma had never heard from him before. 'There are many ghosts here. What are ghosts but shadows of the living and this place…' he looked around with eyes over cast with sadness, 'this place is full of shadows.' From the corner of his eyes he saw a faint shadow of a creature with flame top hair. It was a brief image and than it was gone. But his Ki sensing senses was still picking him up. The other Saiyain. 'Bulma you can go explore the other rooms. I don't think the ghost will follow you.' Bulma nodded her curiosity getting the better of her fear she left without a fuss.

'You presume to speak for your Prince, Kakarott.' Came the voice. 'I am amazed.'

'I knew you wanted to speak to me Vegeta.' Said Kakarott, 'I knew you wouldn't follow her.' he looked towards the area were he could sense the Ki, 'I hope you will not hurt her.'

Vegeta laughed, 'What is she to you that you are so worried for her safety? If I am not mistaken she is an earthling. I thought you were supposed to clear that poultry planet of all its sentient life form.'

'Well I didn't.' said Kakarott, 'All its sentient life form is still very much alive.'

'What!' screamed Vegeta. 'You failed you infant mission?'

'Not intentionally.' Admitted Kakarott, 'I hit my head shortly after landing on the planet. I forgot my mission and my identity. I became Goku, Son-Goku. In fact I am still Goku. I care for Bulma because she is one of my oldest friends. I have a human wife called Chichi and a half-human son Gohan. I love them both. I care for them both. I am the unofficial protector of Earth and would give my life in its defence.'

'Than you are a traitor.' Yelled Vegeta. Kakarott could see a Ki sphere being gathered, 'As such you deserve nothing but death.'

He did not flinch, 'O sure destroy the only other member of your race that's not in limbo. Go ahead kill me I am sure you are just itching to be alone.' Sarcasm dripped from every word he uttered. The gathering Ki energy snuffed. But Goku found himself being slammed against the wall, hard.

'Do not, I repeat do not think for one moment that I can not handle being alone. I can. For the last twenty years I have lived here alone with nothing but my cat, lizard and bird. I can go without you.' Goku did not have to be able to see him to know that a cruel smirk was curving his lips as he said, 'Besides I said I would kill you. I never said anything about the gorgeous girl. I think I will keep her as a sex pet. Use that beautiful body of hers when I want to and kick her aside when I have had my fill. What do you say to that traitor?' challenged Vegeta.

'Bulma,' said Kakarott calmly, 'would jump of the highest battlement and smash her gorgeous body to pieces before she lets her body become the subject of your violence. When push comes to shove, Vegeta, Bulma does not fear death. Besides you won't hurt her, you are too… intrigued by her.'

'Whatever gave you that idea?' demanded Vegeta slamming him into the wall again.

Kakarott laughed, 'Simple here I am a full-blooded Saiyain who is not in limbo but while I am standing out in the hallway waiting for you to speak to me. You go into the room with her and begin to talk to her. Strange no.'

Vegeta let go of his shirt. Goku managed to gain his balance before he hit the floor and struggled up. 'I have never seen anybody with blue hair. That's all.' muttered Vegeta.

'Sure whatever you say.' Said Goku with a stupid grin. Vegeta growled. Goku laughed, 'Don't worry too much about it. She has an effect on people.'

Vegeta did not say anything. He was curious about her. He admitted to himself and for more reasons than her blue hair. He remembered only imperfectly the last female he had seen. He had seen lots of pictures but their was something entirely different about seeing a picture and seeing a real life females. Plus she was pretty… no she was beautiful. A tad loud but beautiful. He felt weird around her. He wondered if he the feeling he was feeling was what he read as being lust? It must be for as he was taunting Kakarott with the idea of keeping her as a pet he actually found the idea more than appealing. Vegeta shook his head to clear it, 'Tell me.' commanded Vegeta, 'Does the shadows speak to you?' he asked softly.

'Yes.' answered Kakarott. Noticing for the first time the lack of voices in his head, 'But they seem to have stopped since I arrived on Vegitasei.'

'It's the sun.' he stated flatly. 'It drives away the whispering shadows. But when it sets they will be return with all their woes and all their anguish.'

'I don't want them to return.' Said Goku. 'They are driving me mad.'

A blood chilling chuckle, 'They have already driven me mad…'

* * * * *


Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 3