Chapter Text
The Dead Zone was an apt title for the realm Garlic Junior had been thrown into. The dark dimension was filled with nothing but the stench of death. It was once believed that anything that ever rotted was actually being drawn into the Dead Zone, before sciences began to understand the process of decay. Which left Garlic Junior wondering what the source of that smell was.
Regardless of the scent that permeated everything, Garlic Junior was waiting. Kami had betrayed him, throwing him into the Dead Zone as punishment for his attempts to seize the title of Guardian, but he was far longer lived than Kami could ever imagine. His father, his previous incarnation, had used the Dragon Balls to grant himself immortality. Kami had given him an 'out', a method to escape, but it was just a way for Garlic Junior to euthanize himself and let his soul enter the cycle of reincarnation.
He refused. There was another way out. He just had to wait. And there was one thing Garlic Junior had in spades.
Time.
Goku was still Earth's greatest hero, in spite of his failure on Planet Namek. He could lament how Frieza was ultimately so strong that no amount of training Goku had gone through had mattered, but he wasn't going to dwell on it too much. All Goku could do was train so that the next guy wouldn't get one over on him.
Raditz was still off in space, a couple months after their last contact with each other. Goku just had to have faith that he was still okay. He was a Super Saiyan, strong enough to beat Frieza, so he was probably fine.
He was flying to Kame House with his family in tow on the Flying Nimbus, to celebrate a family friend's birthday. "Hey, Goku!" Parsley called out, flying alongside them. "And Miss Chi-Chi and Gohan. I got an invite from Krillin, figured I would come along. How are you all doing?"
"Pretty much fine." Goku said. "I'm starting to get back into the swing of training, and... Chi-Chi, you said Gohan's doing good with his stuff?"
"Yes, I did. Gohan's been really interested in zoology lately," Chi-chi said, and Parsley politely nodded along. She probably didn't get it that much better than Goku did. Like, he understood what zoology was, and he was proud of his son's growth, but he didn't necessarily get too much about what Gohan (or Chi-Chi) was talking about when they got into the specifics.
"That is good to hear," Parsley said, finding an opening to change the subject. "If you need any assistance with Saiyan child-rearing, I'm always open to help. I never raised anyone, but I at least do know what it was like growing up as a Saiyan."
Chi-chi nodded. "You probably just want to talk to Goku, don't you?" She said, and Parsley sighed.
"Was I that obvious?" Parsley asked. Chi-chi nodded. "Apologies. I do not mind discussing the first human-Saiyan hybrid, but I was here to see Goku."
He was her only particularly close friend on Earth, besides the Herbosians who followed her. She seemed fond of Nappa, and she got along with Krillin and Yamcha, but he was the only one she seemed to feel close to. "Well, have at it. We can fly to Kame House just fine, if you two want to talk." Chi-Chi said.
"I'll catch up soon." Goku said, stepping off the Flying Nimbus. Him and Parsley stopped in the air. "So, how's it been on Earth?"
"Surprisingly comfortable. After a talk with that weird blue dog," Parsley said, and Goku remembered the King of Earth. He hadn't seen him in a while, not since the whole thing with King Piccolo. "We got settled in. I've even managed to get a few humans to come and learn our teachings."
Goku nodded. He had heard about what happened to them, and could only feel sympathy. The Frieza Force was basically the same as the Red Ribbon Army. Bullies muscling people out of their homes.
"But that wasn't what I was here to talk about." Parsley said. "I wanted to apologize. For hiding the truth about your mother."
"You didn't know for sure, right?" Goku asked.
"No. But I still hid it from you. I really wanted to tell you, but I never had a comfortable moment." Parsley said, staring down at the ocean below them. "Gine was a kind soul, a defective through and through. Her son deserves to know that much."
"It's fine, Parsley." Goku said, floating closer to give her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Raditz is gonna bring her back, now that he knows. All's well that ends well."
Goku was happy to know he had family still alive. While he never thought much about his parents when he was young, he had started to think about his family more after Gohan was born. He was getting older, or at least that's what Chi-Chi said last time they ended up talking about it.
"I suppose that is the case." Parsley said. "Would you believe me if I said that I still wake up fearing Frieza's going to be right outside my door? Twenty cycles later and I still feel like a scared little girl."
"He was the worst of the worst." Goku said. Really, Frieza was. The only one of his enemies he hated more was the Demon King Piccolo, the first one, because he killed Krillin. He couldn't imagine living in fear of Frieza for so long, wondering if tomorrow might be the day that he'd come back to finish them off.
"I-indeed. Now, how about we head to that party?" Parsley suggested. "I've never met this Turtle, but Krillin spoke of him as a man of great character."
Turtle was a pretty nice guy, so Goku figured that description was right. They took off, ready to attend Turtle's thousandth birthday.
Vegeta blocked a hammer fist from Nappa, cracking the desert ground beneath him, then swept Nappa's leg out from under him. Nappa brought up his arms, blocking Vegeta's follow-up punch and being sent tumbling across the ground.
With nowhere else to go, Vegeta had chosen to stay on Earth for the time being. It was easier than trying to hunt Raditz down, and gave him time to actually prepare. Vegeta intended to surpass Raditz and become a Super Saiyan himself, and that meant training.
Him and Nappa were staying at the Capsule Corp headquarters, after Bulma so graciously hosted them on the grounds of 'keeps Vegeta from subjugating local wildlife', though they weren't allowed to train there. One too many walls had gotten smashed, and she put her foot down.
Vegeta watched as Nappa picked himself back up. Nappa wasn't the strongest Saiyan on Earth, but he was his most loyal vassal. He'd rather train with Nappa than either of Kakarot or Parsley, no matter how much he might be losing out on further growth.
"You're only getting faster, Vegeta." Nappa said. "Even though you're holding back."
Nappa's words were true. Vegeta held back while training with Nappa, as to avoid killing him. Nappa was actually growing more than Vegeta was, relatively speaking. "So I am." Vegeta said. "Ready yourself. We go another round."
Vegeta would keep pushing. He'd turn Nappa into a worthy training partner, and soar to greater heights. That was his goal, now that Frieza was gone. The remainder of the Cold family was going to meet their end at Raditz's hand, and then Vegeta would defeat Raditz with his own two hands.
He couldn't claim revenge for his people, his father, but he could at least become strong enough to stand atop the universe.
Kami sensed him quickly. His power may be hidden with magic that kept it from the honed senses of the Saiyans, but the Guardian of Earth wasn't going to be deceived so easily.
"Garlic." Kami said, not even turning to face him. "The Makyo Star must have allowed you to free yourself from the Dead Zone."
"Garlic Junior. I am not the same man you sealed away all those centuries ago, Kami." Garlic said, and Kami turned to see... a far more diminutive creature. The Makyan he knew had been taller than Kami, but this one was the size of a child. "But I carry the same hatred." Just like Piccolo, Garlic had created a successor to himself. A self-induced reincarnation, to prevent himself from going mad in the emptiness of the Dead Zone.
"I'm going to destroy every single thing you fought to protect." Garlic Junior said, not moving from his position. "Don't worry, you won't die. I won't let you take the easy way out."
"And what makes you think that I'll just... let you." Kami said, realizing what had happened. That darkness he was only now sensing, this encounter was a distraction from it. "You wouldn't."
"Oh, but I would. I mean it when I said I'd destroy everything you sought to protect." Garlic said, then laughed. "Now, let's get you squared away. Can't have you running off and ruining the party!"
Kami didn't run. He stood his ground, attempting to fight valiantly to the last moment, but ultimately fell victim to Garlic Junior's magic. It was... rather humiliating, especially since the magic performed left him sealed in a bottle. A glass bottle, easily seen through but inescapable for the Guardian of Earth.
"I am sorry, Kami." Popo said, already sealed within the bottle the same way Kami had been. "He struck without warning."
"It's not your fault, Mister Popo." Kami said. "Garlic has been planning this for a very long time. No amount of caution could have saved us."
"Then... has he won?" Popo asked.
"No, not yet." Kami said, letting himself crack a small smile. "He hasn't met Goku yet."
Parsley shook Turtle's flipper, greeting him and crouching down to meet his eye level. She hadn't realized that Turtle would be, well, a turtle. Saiyans shared names with Earthly vegetables, a lot of assorted aliens within the Cold Empire had shared names with Earthly fruit, she just assumed he would have been some guy with the name of a common genotype.
"You're quite the polite lady." Turtle said. "I heard the Saiyans were all crazy warmongers, but you seem alright."
"Oh, no, they pretty much are." Parsley said, letting go and looking up at the evening sky. They were on the beach, since Turtle liked it there. "I'm what they call a 'defective', a Saiyan who lacks the kind of bloodlust so common among our people."
"Horrible thing to call a person." Turtle said. "You wanna talk about it?"
"Not particularly." Parsley said, smiling. She always kept up a smile, but these days it was becoming more and more genuine. Less faking it and more making it, as the saying goes. "I'm curious, what does the life of turtle your age entail?"
"Mostly just a lot of sitting around, watching the world." Turtle said. "Nothing people like you and Goku would find interesting."
Parsley sat down. "Perhaps. But a boring thing isn't a bad thing." She said. "I had to learn this when I became the leader of the people of Herbos. Following Yamoshi's teachings is one thing, but actually maintaining and protecting a community requires patience."
Turtle nodded. "Sure you don't wanna talk to anyone else? It might be my birthday, but you don't gotta hang out with me."
"Eh, it's not like anyone's going anywhere. Krillin invited me, but he's off diving." Parsley said. "And I don't think I like the old man's... vibes."
Turtle chuckled. "He's... an acquired taste, especially for a lady." He said. Parsley actually wasn't sure what the deal was with Master Roshi. She sensed ill omens from him, and steered clear whenever she and him were in the same location (which was roughly four times total).
Parsley never did manage to figure out what those ill omens were. Krillin just laughed and told her staying away was probably for the best, even though he seemed really fond of Master Roshi otherwise.
Well, she supposed it didn't matter. Whatever sordid secrets the old man held, they weren't hers to dig into.
"Hey, have you ever seen someone so powerful, so terrifying, that you always fear they'll be after you? Even after they've died?" Parsley asked. She couldn't shake the fear that Frieza was going to come back, despite having no reason to think this in the slightest. As powerful as Frieza was, there was no chance he survived a planet exploding on top of him after all the fighting he'd gone through.
"Most of the people here remember King Piccolo." Turtle said. "Master Roshi still has nightmares of him, sometimes. He always plays it off with a laugh, but..."
But he, and everyone else who lived through it, would always remember the horrors they were put through. Parsley had met the Namekian Piccolo, but her understanding was that this 'King' was a different character.
"You're not alone. I'll lend a flipper, if you need one." Turtle said.
Parsley patted his shell. "You really are a man of great character. I think I am fine, at least for now. It's likely just nerves. I've been through much, including re-homing the people of Herbos." She said. "My heart will ease as time reminds me that Frieza is gone, that there is no more threat to the remains of the Saiyan race."
"Hey, Turtle! You ready for your cake?!" Master Roshi called out, and Parsley stood up.
"Mind carrying me?" Turtle asked, looking up to Parsley. "I can walk over, but..."
Parsley giggled, lifting Turtle over her head. He was fairly hefty, but Parsley was a Saiyan. She could lift a mountain, a single turtle was nothing.
Vegeta rested, eating roasted dinosaur with Nappa beside a campfire. They were done training for the evening, since only so much could be done before they'd burn out.
"What was it like, subjugating Planet Plant?" Vegeta asked, just to make conversation. Stewing in his own weakness may have been able to motivate him, but it was also dreadfully boring.
Nappa stared at him like he'd grown a second head. "It... it wasn't as fun as you'd think." Nappa ended up saying. "You know how Parsley talks a lot about how the 'strong should destroy the strong'?"
Vegeta groaned. Nappa had grown soft thanks to Parsley's influence, or at least she was a contributing factor to said softness. Vegeta was willing to tolerate it, since Nappa was still doing his work, but that didn't mean he'd like it. "Get on with it." He said.
"Looking back on it, Planet Plant was boring. The Tuffles were nothing but a bunch of wimps." Nappa said. "There was no glory to had, no triumph. It wasn't a hunt, it was a slaughter."
It was busywork. Nappa was a traditionalist Saiyan, born before the birth of Planet Vegeta. Where planet-conquering, the glory of subjugating the lesser, was instilled into Vegeta-born Saiyans from birth (including Prince Vegeta himself)... that was not the case for the old generation from Sadala.
They were the Saiyans most interested in the core ideals of glory through combat. It was something Vegeta came to realize about his own views on the Saiyan race, thanks to the defectives. His feelings on what Saiyans should be weren't universal, even when it came to his own companions there were differences he never realized.
Nappa was a Sadala-born Saiyan, with all the trappings that implied. He was duty-bound to follow his father's orders, and thus Vegeta's orders. He sought glory in battle above all. Conquest was valued, but secondary. He was a soldier, a general, and a warrior.
Raditz was the son of a low-class, brother to a defective. He was concerned predominantly with keeping himself and his family alive, and was now seeking the vengeance that Vegeta failed to achieve. He was a hero, an angel of revenge, and a survivor.
Kakarot was a defective who spent his life on this backwater rock. He was only interested in the battle itself, finding concepts like heroes and villains to detract from the thrill of combat. He was a martial artist, a fighter, and a rival.
Parsley was a defective through and through. Peaceful at heart, only enjoying combat as a sport, and spent more time chasing a form of spiritual enlightenment rather than anything 'Saiyan-like'. She was a sage, a pacifist, and a thorn in his side.
Vegeta himself was stuck in a crossroads. He was the Prince of All Saiyans, the son of the King Vegeta, born a super-elite. Vegeta believed his place was to stand atop the universe, to become the strongest Saiyan, and then he would be worthy of becoming the King of the Saiyans. He was an heir, a prince, and should have been the Legendary Super Saiyan, but couldn't figure out what his path really was.
Unfortunately, Vegeta couldn't simply write off everyone but him as wrong. Kakarot and Raditz were both stronger, and Nappa and Parsley had been stronger than him at one point or another. If only by the Saiyan virtue of might making right, he could not dismiss their views.
He had to acknowledge them. If he just rejected their views outright with no thought, he was no better than Frieza. A man with a weak heart, unworthy of any amount of strength.
"Vegeta? You okay?" Nappa asked. Vegeta had been spending too much time lost in thought.
"I'm fine, Nappa." Vegeta said. "I was just thinking about how to surpass the sons of Bardock."
"I saw Bardock in action once." Nappa said. "If you want me to tell the story."
"Sure. I suppose your stories are more interesting than listening to the fire." Vegeta said.
Vegeta wasn't sure what exactly his answer was, to his own future. He had to grow stronger, in heart and body. He had to become a Super Saiyan. That was obvious.
But what that entailed, and what he would do with that power... Vegeta was unsure. It would be easy to say that he'd conquer the universe, but none of that held much appeal. Nappa was right about one thing.
Subjugating weaklings was boring.