The Ballad of Neo-Serenity
"..."-Portrays speech
Radditz made his way down the corridor to a vast chamber his family dubbed "The War Room". This is where Bardock spent most of his time, planning battle strategies and planet take-overs. "The War Room" was unlike any room in the mansion, where as almost every other room was white, this one was made of a grayish black marble. Maps of various galaxies and war plans by the hundreds would be on desks and hanging on walls, while a huge computer with thousands of missions on file stood at the far wall. Although it was often the gloomiest room in the mansion, it fit Bardock's Saiyan attitude perfectly and was practically his sanctuary, beside the training hall.
Radditz stepped into the room silently and watched his Otousan examine a holographic map of the Polarian solar system. His Otousan reached out and touched a small dot on the map, which evolved into a huge holographic planet. When the large planet's stats started to pop up, Radditz decided to speak up.
"Otousan, I got Serenity settled in." Bardock didn't even bother to turn around to acknowledge Radditz statement. "Well? What do you want me to do with her?!" Turning around with an irritated look on his face, Bardock said, "I don't know, just keep her out of my way!"
Radditz sat in a chair near by and propped his elbows on the table, ignoring the many papers under them. "What do you plan to do, avoid her the whole time she's here? Incase you haven't noticed, she's going to be here for the rest of her life."
"You don't know that! She'll only be here until the Ou finishes his little power trip and tires of this idiotic game."
"Don't be so sure he will tire of it, Otousan. He really hates you, besides the Chikyuu-jin onnas were sent here for a reason remember?" Bardock turned back to his holographic map and tried to look like he was concentrating.
"If you think for one minute that I am going to bed a little girl for the sake of pleasing that no good Ou's cause, then I should kick your ass right now!"
Radditz sighed, "She's not a little girl, Otousan, she's nineteen."
Bardock came to sit with his son, convinced he wouldn't leave him alone until they talked, "Why must you always contradict me?", he asked wearily.
"I'm not contradicting you, I just want to help you. Talk to me, Otousan! I'm not a little boy anymore, anything you say I'll most likely understand."
"Why are you so desperate to get me and that onna together?"
"To be honest, when you were with Celipa you weren't the happiest I ever seen you, but you were a hell of a lot better than you are now. Like it or not everyone needs someone, even you Otousan." Bardock rubbed his eyes in a tired gesture, the day was only half way through and already his mind was spent. Unlike most Saiyans, Bardock was unusually smart when it came to mental battles rather than physical. He just wasn't used to putting out so must brainpower and emotion all at once.
"She's too young", he finally replied.
"I already told you, she's nineteen. The legal mating age is at least seventeen, so what's the real problem?"
"That IS the real problem, she's just a child in her mind. Not in body, but in spirit. She talks just like a brat, I could hardly get her to shut up on the way over here. It's always "why?" and "how come?", I mean she acts just like a child."
Radditz pissed Bardock off with one simple phrase, "Didn't seem like that to me, when I talked to her."
"Rrrrr! I don't care what she seemed like to you, she seemed like that to me damn it! Besides she doesn't want me, she knows what her supposed duty is and would do anything to avoid doing it!"
"How do you know she doesn't want you?" Bardock's patience began to dissolve quickly and he felt as if he would lose it at any moment.
"Radditz she spent the last week on a slave ship, she probably saw hundreds of her people raped and murdered before that, I doubt she'd want to hop into bed with anyone, a Saiyan no less."
"Maybe you can get her to like you. I had the same problem with a Zapheren onna, so I-"
"It's just through one ear and out the other with you isn't it, Radditz. I don't want her to like me, I'm her master and she's my slave. She'll cook, clean, and watch Turles and Kakarotto. And that's it, not another word about it." Radditz opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly cut off by Bardock. "And if that's about your Okassan, I suggest you shut your mouth and not touch the subject. Your Okassan has nothing to do with it." Bardock stood up and went back to the map he was studying, signaling that his part of the discussion was over.
"You know-", Radditz started as he walked to the door. Bardock snorted, "Hn. If you want to play matchmaker, do it somewhere else, I'm busy." Radditz bowed his head as he left, so his Otousan could not see the sly smile on his face. As soon as he slammed the heavy door behind him, he whispered, "Maybe I will, Otousan, maybe I will."
Moving out of an armory room with dozens of armor and body suits, Serenity blew out a sigh of irritation. After Radditz failed to come back after an hour, Serenity began to get hungry and decided to find the kitchen on her own. She thought she could retrace her steps back to the main room, but she had to admit she was hopelessly lost. Every corridor she went down led to another and seemed to never stop, so she decided to start opening doors and looking around. So far she had seen five spare bedrooms, something close to a weight room, and an odd room like nothing she had ever seen before. It was as big as, if not bigger, than the main room and it was completely bare. Serenity would have mistaken it for a storage room if it hadn't been for its walls, which were made of a thick, strong looking metal. Completely baffled, she had closed the door and went back to her search. Finding nothing else but spare rooms for storage and such, Serenity silently wondered why Bardock wanted a mansion so huge if he had nothing to do with the space. Coming to another door further along the hall, she decided to go in and have a look around. What she saw surprised her immensely, a room like nothing she had ever seen made her eyes widen. Just as the main room had been made of the purest white, this room was made of the most beautiful gray and black marble stone she had ever seen. Maps of solar systems and galaxies she had never heard of hung upon the gray and onyx wall and more were scattered on numerous amounts of desks and tables. Taking a small step into the room, she gazed around the room full of battle tactics and invasion plans. It was then that she realized this was the only room in the house (that she knew of) that was completely Saiyan. She now could truly believe that these were the blood thirsty Saiyans she had known, cruel beings with nothing but sex and violence on their minds. Not that she couldn't believe these people were true Saiyans, they never seemed to have anything of sentimental value and Saiyans certainly weren't the sentimental type. It's just she never had proof of that all Saiyans were the same, hard and conditioned for battle since they were old enough to walk. She now realized that all Saiyans love to fight and become the greatest of warriors, even those as old and diplomatic as Bardock. As she began to spin around to leave the room, a startled gasp escaped her lips. To her right was Bardock himself with his back turned, studying some sort of hologram. Serenity tried to tip toe out, but she froze when he began to speak.
"Radditz, I thought I told you I was busy!" When his son didn't answer, Bardock turned around and saw who had been sneaking about. "What are you doing here?", he asked gruffly.
Serenity had the courage to shrug and replied, "Just exploring." Bardock crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her, "Well, do it somewhere else." When he quickly turned his back, Serenity decided to try and speak with him. She had a feeling she would not see him much.
*O.K. Serenity, say something witty.*
"Hey Bardock, you're really loaded." *How did that come out! Note to self, think about what you say before you say it!* However this did catch Bardock's attention, who turned to stare at her with a puzzled look on his face. "You know, really rich." Serenity clarified. Bardock looked at her as if she was the stupidest person in creation and she began to squirm uneasily under his gaze. Serenity could feel her cheeks become hot with embarrassment and she suddenly began to feel as dumb as the general's look told her she was. Trying to act unphased by the awkward moment, she decided to try directing his attention to another subject.
"I really want to thank you for the room and clothes you gave me. They're lovely and I wasn't expecting such good treatment." Bardock snorted.
"Hn. You expect too much of me, little girl. Know this, I only accommodate you because I was obligated to. And the only reason you were given such comfortable living space is so you wouldn't bother me!"
"If you didn't want a mate, then why did you ask for one!"
"I didn't, the Ou forced you on me! I already had a mate and I don't need another, especially a weakling like you!" Serenity ignored the last comment about her being a weakling, she knew it was true. Compared to his people, she was nothing short of a porcelain doll in height, bulk, and strength. But that's not what hurt Serenity, the sight of Bardock's pained eyes at the mention of his dead mate did. Serenity had people on Chikyuu that she loved and lost, so she knew exactly how he felt. Just like he felt he didn't need another mate, she felt she didn't need another boyfriend.
"Radditz told me of her death, I'm very sorry. You certainly must have loved her a lot." Bardock's eyes flashed dangerously at her and Serenity took a step back at the malice she saw there.
"Radditz, huh? Well then, he shouldn't have told you! Kodelka is none of your concern."
Serenity took a few steps forward, "I was only trying to be polite, on Earth-"
"Well this is not Chikyuu, this is Vejitasei and on Vejitasei politeness is minding your own business. You can learn that the easy way now or the hard way later on."
Serenity was startled by his harshness, *Whoa it doesn't take much to set you off, does it? Maybe giving my sympathies wasn't such a good idea after all.* "I'm sorry I mentioned it Bardock-san, please forgive me." After a moment of silence, she continued, "What will be my job here, Bardock-san?" Bardock's face lost its anger and contorted to one of irritation.
*Doesn't this girl ever shut up?!* "To be a serving slave of course." Serenity had a good idea what a serving slave was, so she saved herself the embarrassment of asking what it truly was. A question had been plaguing Serenity ever since she got to Bardock estate. She had heard an answer from Radditz, but she needed to hear one from Bardock's own lips.
"Are you...gonna make have your children?", she quickly blurted out. Pulling his lips into a snarl at the girl's accusation, he couldn't help feeling insulted. Bardock knew he was a lot of things, but a rapist and an etchi hentai wasn't one of them.
"Are you so eager to become my whore?", he spat. Serenity's face reddened in both anger and embarrassment.
"No, I just want to be prepared for-"
"Listen and listen good, I won't touch you nor do I want to because #1: you're weak, #2: compared to me, you're a child, and #3: I already have three brats of my own. One is a grown man and the other two are more than a handful now. What the hell makes you think I want another one?! Now leave me alone, there's nothing more to discuss!" Serenity looked at Bardock's back, which was now turned and contemplated how much sense his reasons made. Having nothing more to say, she left the room and started down the hall again. However, she wasn't looking into rooms anymore, she was buried in her own thoughts. The silver haired girl knew Bardock didn't like her and it was a strong possibility he hated her. Hated her for stirring up bad memories, indirectly calling him a hentai, and intruding on his territory. She knew deep down inside that she didn't hate Bardock, but she didn't like him either. Serenity slowed her walking to snail like pace and wondered how it was possible to dislike him so much and feel a sliver of disappointment that he didn't want her at the same time.
Chapter 13, Serenity finds the kitchen and...and...well, I'll come up with something! ^_^;
