The Ballad of Neo-Serenity
"..."-Portrays speech
Bardock had decided to get a little training in before made himself some breakfast. His sons wouldn't be awake for a few more hours and Celipa was probably still in bed. He threw another powerful punch at an invisible opponent, dodging to left soon after. His attacks seemed to become more vicious with each passing moment as thoughts shuffled through his head.
*Ok, how am I gonna tell her this? Why do things have to be so complicated all the time?! "Alright, Celipa I love you, but I think we should end this relationship because I'm not in love with you. "Yeah right, Bardock, that's really smooth. And perhaps after you finish explaining yourself AFTER she punches you in the mouth. How could I do this to her? I'm such a bastard; I've loved and trusted her for years and now this. Why did I wait so long? What the hell was wrong with me? Now she's going to take this really hard, try to beat the shit out of me, and never speak to me again.* Bardock sighed and levitated to the floor. He knew what had to be done and there was no use avoiding it. Gathering his courage, he clenched and unclenched his fist. *Alright, be strong and don't snap if she hits you.* With that last thought, Bardock left the large training hall to find Celipa.
After a moment of searching, he found her in the kitchen. Bardock's eyes widened and he suddenly wanted to bang his head against the wall. *She's making me breakfast. Damn you Celipa, don't you realize you're going to want to strangle me by this afternoon? I can't do this now. I'll do it after breakfast, a pissed off Celipa on an empty stomach is not someone I want to mess with.*
"Hey there", she said softly. Celipa walked up to her third class general and wrapped her arms around his neck as always. Reaching up on her tippy toes, she gave him a soft kiss on the lips, and slowly dragged her tongue along his bottom lip. Celpia found it odd that he returned her embrace, but not her kiss. The kids sat around the table, eagerly scarfing down what Celipa made. It was mix of meat and something to the effect of rice. Vejitasei had recently started importing Earth spices and some foods. However, Celipa couldn't be bothered with the traditional foods of slaves and was glad she decided to cook. Bardock couldn't cook for his life and this mornings breakfast would have been different roasted meats or something frozen.
He was listening to Celipa talk about her latest purging mission with Toma, Panboukin, and Totepo. Toma had assumed leadership after he had been promoted. Listening to Celipa, Bardock realized how much he loved her voice and how much he would miss her.
"Bardock? BARDOCK? Have you heard one word I've said?" Celipa yelled with a scowl on her face.
"Yes, I heard you. You were talking about your mission." After a moment of silence, Bardock said, "Celipa, I really need to talk to you...alone. It's very important and it can't wait." Celipa looked puzzled and then with much confusion in her voice, "Alright." Bardock gave a quick glance at the boys, who had stopped shoveling food into their mouths. Bardock snarled, "You brats stop being nosy and get the hell out!" A moment after, Bardock's sons still sat stock-still. Bardock slammed a large fist against the table and make the boys jump. Quickly gathering their plates, they left the large dining hall. Not sure where to begin, he sighed. "Celipa, I have to tell you something� "
"WHAT?! SAY THAT AGAIN!"
"I said I love you only as a friend and this isn't going to work." Celipa's face was full of shock and pain, which quickly turned to anger.
"YOU BASTARD, YOU WAIT UNTIL NOW TO TELL ME THIS? AFTER ALL THESEYEARS OF MY LIFE I'VE GIVEN YOU, YOU JUST DROP ME LIKE THIS?! YOU SONOF A BITCH, YOU USED ME. I'LL KILL YOU." It was then that Celipa lunged at him and caught him with a hard sock to the jaw. Bardock stumbled back, but he was ready for her when she came at him again. He gently, but firmly held her wrists to stop her. It was then that she began to pummel his legs, thighs, and midsection with brutal kicks. Gritting his teeth in pain, he rasped, "Celipa stop kicking me. Let's talk about this."
"KICK YOU? I'M TRYING TO BUST YOUR KIDNEYS, YOU LOWLY BASTARD." Celpia continued to try to pound Bardock to the ground. She had gotten her hands free and was now recklessly attacking him. Bardock managed to dodge and block most of them, but she still got a few good hits in.
"I'm so sorry Celipa."
"SHUT THE HELL UP! I HATE YOU, YOU SNEAKING, LYING, USING PIG." Bardock knew Celipa had every right to be angry, no furious, but he was still a Saiyan after all. He knew there was only so much he could take.
"STOP IT! I WANT TO TALK TO YOU!" Celipa drowned Bardock in curses from languages he had never heard before. Then he saw the corners of her eyes glistening with tears. Reaching out a hand, he tried to soothe her. "Celipa, I..."
Her voice was soft and quivering now, "You wanted to talk, so talk."
Sighing Bardock said, "I love you like a friend, but not a lover. I thought I could love you as a mate. I tried so hard to, Celipa, I really did. But I just can't do it, I'm sorry. I thought as the years went by things would change, but I still feel the same about you."
Celipa looked even more pissed then before. Gritting her teeth, she ground out, "You didn't seem to have a last night when you were fucking my brains out."
"I know and I was wrong, not just about last night, but all these years." Celipa was still in disbelief.
"This is about Kodelka, isn't it? I cared for her too, but that doesn't mean you can't bond again. You have to let her go and stop living in the past. She wouldn't�" Bardock held up his hand, signaling her to stop.
"I have accepted Kodelka death long ago. Yes, I still ache to hold her, but this isn't about her. Think about it, Celipa. If we really had something all these years, we would have bonded by now." Celipa knew he spoke the truth. There had been times when Celipa wondered why they had not bonded and why Bardock never made the attempt to try. There were two types of bonds, one is the mating bond and the other is a friendship bond. One can bond with a friend that they for and trust with their lives. It was rare to come by in the Saiyan world, but Bardock and his team are friendly bound. You could tell what the other was thinking and sometimes if they were in trouble. A mating bond was more complex than that. A bond had to be psychological before it could official. One could telepathically link to their mate, hear their thoughts, and feel their pain. It was sealed with one night of passion and a bite on the female's neck. Celipa felt only their friendship bond strengthen, but there was no mating bond forming on either side. She knew their relationship was over, even before it started, but she still didn't want it to end. Deep down she'd known this day would come, but she buried the thought quickly.
*I don't want to be alone again.* "Why wasn't I able to sense your thoughts Bardock?"
"I put up mind shields. I couldn't have you find out that way, I needed to tell you myself." Celipa hugged herself and promised herself she wouldn't cry.
"All those years ago, I thought we had something."
"I did too. But, I was widowed and you got dumped by that asshole. We were lonely Celipa and loneliness makes you do odd things. You don't mean for people to get hurt, but they do eventually." Celipa walked to the huge window to her right and stared at the vast, green terrain. A smile tugged at her lips as she watched Radditz and Turles spar. Kakarotto was nowhere to be seen, which was a sign he was up to no good. He had always been a prankster and it had gotten him plenty of beatings from Bardock and his brothers.
"I thought you loved me."
Bardock sat in a large green chair, covered with something close to velvet, yet softer. "I do, just not like that. Don't you see, it's because I love you that I'm doing this. I want you to be eternally happy, Celipa. This relationship is going nowhere; we both know that. It's not good for either of us to live a lie. I can't give the kind of love you need. We just weren't meant to be." Celipa was silent and just stared.
*It's truly over now. I'm all alone again. No one ever wanted me, but Bardock. Now I'm going to row old and die and bondless, mateless, childless woman. Kami, why me?* Bardock had read her thoughts and felt he should tell her the truth.
"Toma loves you know." Celipa veered around and her were widened in shock.
"What?!"
"Why do you think we rarely talk to each other? I stay close to everyone in the team, except him and I drifted apart. Why do you think that is? I was jealous he wanted you and he was jealous I had you. After you told everyone we were getting together, Panboukin and Totepo told me that he was going to tell you that he loved you."
"You kept that from me all this time? What the hell is wrong with you?" Celipa hissed, "I thought there only two people who truly knew you Bardock, Koldelka and me. But now after having this one talk with you, I realize that I don't know you at all. After all these many years, I feel as if I'm only getting to know who you truly are now." Celipa sighed and shook her head, "Goodbye Bardock."
"I'm sorry Celipa, I truly am." Celipa walked out the door and whispered in his mind, *So am I.* Bardock didn't want things to end like this, but he realized no matter what he said things would not get any better. Bardock looked towards the window and saw a streak of Celipa's energy fly by.
In Chapter 6, what did happen to Serenity?
