We left the port soon enough. We restocked and picked up some new recruits. A few people had died during the last mission, but that was simply a fact of life. Those creatures allowed us to properly blood our people as I was told. A fair trade for the loss. Especially with the drastic increase in capability of the survivors.
Father's improvements grew faster when we sparred. I broke him down and he healed back better in every way. Doc was unhappy with how badly I beat him, but Father never complained. If anything, I could see that same desire in him that I had. The one to improve, to strengthen. Even as he tempered those flames with his will.
He spent more time in meditation to take control over those new emotions. Though, that doesn't really matter. What does matter is that we arrived on the planet. The trip itself was rather short. Especially since I had been able to resume sparring with father and now had a new hobby, on top of my piano lessons to fill my time.
In orbit around the planet was a tattered space station. The back and forth between Helmsman and their commander told us all we needed. Apparently, the natives were able to make limited orbital attacks. A fact that only made me more excited.
The planet itself wasn't much to look at. Not even when we landed, though I had to admit skyscraper sized trees were interesting features. Though, I was looking in from the outside. When we landed with a flood of shuttles on the ground, I finally had a chance to see how insane the jungles truly were.
In a way they functioned like the rainforests did. Each layer of the jungle had its own working ecosystem from what I could surmise. It was also obvious that we were being watched. Something none of us spoke about when father and his friends went with me on the very first shuttle down.
I ignored the talks between father and the head of the facility. Only barely catching that these metal deposits were far more valuable than anyone had told us. I couldn't get a lock on anyone in the forest. I could sense the vague animals within, but their ki was so interconnected that trying to separate them was like finding a single thread amongst a bundle of them.
In the midst of our conversation, I felt something. On instinct I swung out, slamming my fist into an incoming arrow. I frowned as I felt a small connection. A single person fleeing. I moved before anyone could say anything. Blasting through the foliage and winding my way through the maze of branches and roots.
I caught a glimpse of the figure as I caught up. It was humanoid. Root shaped hands, a body as if made up of roots twisted together into the shape of a man. It wore simple leaves on its body. Mud and dirt coating its frame.
The moment our eyes met its body twisted as if boneless, like a tree branch twisting in the wind. It levelled a bow nearly as high as it was tall in my direction. I avoided the arrow that shot out with ease, but at the cost of my forward momentum. It then landed on a branch and stuck fast to it as it moved around in a bewildering manner. All the while it continued to shoot arrows at me. I followed as closely as I could. Slamming aside arrows instead of wasting time trying to dodge them.
When a short clearing, a brief open spot between us appeared I gunned it. I rocketed forth, the air around me exploding as I slammed into it. With a single fist I slammed it through the foliage into the ground below, yet still it tried to move. Borrowing gravities force I slammed down into it. Finishing it off with a series of stomps until it finally died.
It bled a sap like substance. It's body more of a plant mimicking humanoid functions then completely human. I gripped the limp body and made my way back. The moment I stepped into a clearing a contingent of soldiers had their weapons levelled at me.
I wasn't concerned and continued moving until I saw father and the base leader running over. The base leader stared at the body in my hands in shock.
"You killed one!? You mean you actually killed one of those fuckers!?"
"They're not that tough, but they do know how to run."
He spluttered at that then took a moment to calm down.
"Alright, I'm convinced. Do whatever it takes to defend our guys. We'll get to work mining wholesale as soon as we can."
The soldiers surrounding me put their weapons down confused and only dispersed when the camp leader started yelling at them. The camp itself was more like an isolated airport in the middle of a jungle. The only real building was a massive central building covered in turrets and defensive weapons.
The whole building was beat up. Gouges and massive dents covered it from top to bottom. I sighed… I didn't like the idea of being stuck for so long.
"Rettas?" I turned. "Yes, f-Master." I corrected myself. I was sure his friends already caught on to his changes already, but I didn't want to make it too obvious. Nor weas I comfortable being obvious about our newfound connection.
"If you don't want to be here, I think we can handle it."
I looked over him and his friends. Clearly, I wasn't buying that.
"The captain doesn't think we can deal with a few guerillas." The elderly green man said.
"Mm… didn't realize we were so disgraceful." The robed woman said.
Before I could even say anything, they burst into motion. Within minutes they come back with new bodies.
"We've been dealing with shit like this all our lives." The elder.
"Assassins. Spies. Thieves." The robed woman added tersely.
Well, shit. They even beat me out. Not to mention, the casual ease showed decades of experience, experience I couldn't scoff at.
"Fine. I'll be going into the jungle then."
That rewarded me with strange looks as I took off my cloak, helmet and armor pieces. Leaving me in just my skinsuit with gloves and boots.
"I have a feeling there's something fun to fight inside."
Father scoffs, "Sure, have fun Captain. We'll make a big mess if we need you."
"Sounds good."
I didn't say anything else as I began to walk to the forest. It didn't take long to get far in. Almost as if the forest was sucking me in. Devouring me whole. The forest was alive and breathing. I could feel the countless eyes watching me. The hungry predators. The inquisitive gazes.
It was easy to just fall into the rhythm. To fall back into my primal instincts as I moved through the forest. Memories of my first world, Mm… Of Rettas's first world. A jungle world much like this. Of years spent playing keep away. After every fight huddling in a tree or small hiding place. Struggling to stay quiet as predators lurked.
Hunted by the inhabitants. Hunted by the wildlife. A stranger by all means. Unwanted. Abandoned. Her only hope of ever being recognized predicated killing them all. Genocide. Planetary annihilation. For a child it was hard, no, for anyone it would be hard. It didn't matter if she was a Saiyan or not. Finding yourself in a strange place with no other option but to kill. It did something to you. It changed you, altered your perceptions in a way.
Were Saiyan's nurtured to be monsters? Or was it truly their nature? Moving through the foliage. Acting out those old days as I creeped along the branches. Connecting with this body's original owner.
Mud covered me, cloaking me. Leaves stuck to my form as I trudged through mud. The sounds of those hunting me echoed in the foliage as I hid and moved. I could have killed them. Burnt my way through the forest. But that wasn't how you dealt with trauma.
I was strong, but I wanted to experience these feelings again. Or, more accurately, to understand what the original Rettas had felt as a child. This notion hadn't hit me until I saw it on the ground. The way the air smelled. The sound of the jungle. A part of me truly wanted to understand what it was Rettas felt in those days. To connect with her, understand her.
Days passed as I moved from place to place. Migrating ever so slowly to an unknown destination. I fed off what I could. Hiding from predators. Immersing myself in her childhood memories. It rained often and often left me soaking and cold. The moon above was more than often hidden by the dense foliage. I was never comfortable. It was always cold as I kept my ki buried. I always was hungry. Bugs harassed me at every step. Constant fear kept me from ever having a truly restful sleep.
I bided my time. Counting the days. Watching the moon change phases until it came close to time. I waited until it became full. My final hope. When it finally came, it was like a light in the dark.
The memories of a child desperately seeking salvation. A method to turn it around. Gazing up at the moon in prayer and awe. In that moment the young Rettas had come to realize something. Something she rarely admitted. She realized just how beautiful the full moon truly was.
Her first transformation was filled with fear. She lashed out at everything and anything. As I did. Waking terrors that hid beneath. Ancient creatures, massive trees in the shape of beasts. I fought uncaringly. Immersing myself in the past. Wishing I could reach my hand out to my past self. To comfort her. To be there for her. I wasn't sure why, but… it felt right. Even then, I felt as if I couldn't do so if I didn't understand what she went through.
In comparison. My own childhood was nothing. I often felt alone and stranded. But Rettas was truly alone. Even when she went back home after finishing her mission. Her dream, her hopes of being recognized were dashed.
No one came to greet her when she landed. No messages or hugs. No words of praise. Only the words of how weak she still was and another mission. Anger and frustration filled her as she clenched her fists. Tears streaming down her cheeks.
She would do better. She swore. She would make her parents proud. She told herself. Wiping her tears, she went to her next mission. Once more facing the terror of being ostracized and hunted. Only to return to the same cold reception. Like a carrot constantly dangling in front of her, only to always fall short. Even then, she never truly gave up. Not even as she took her final mission that led to me taking her body.
Again and again, she repeated this cycle. Never receiving even, the simplest of praises. There was no future for Rettas. Perhaps that was why on her last mission she had let me take control so easily. Why even now she sat docilely within me.
It was clear to me that she's been with me the whole time. Huddled within me. watching and waiting. She hadn't fought me back or cursed me. My promise, and my accomplishments since taking her body no doubt crushing what little hope she had left. I was a better Saiyan than her. No doubt she thought I could accomplish our wish in her stead. Getting the acknowledgement of her parents. Even as she clung to me. Desperately wishing to hold what it is I was building. Yet, never daring to try. It was something I only recently came to realize. That she was my shadow. Watching me from her hiding place.
Admonishing herself. Cursing herself. Hiding herself away. Wishing that I had noticed her and finished her off. A weakness to what she believed was a true Saiyan.
That child is still trapped in that forest. The rain was falling and soaking her to the bone. Shivering as she bit down her tears. She watched as I lived out her first life. Replicating her actions and motions. She knew I was strong. So, seeing me degrade myself like this confused her. Made her question me.
It was strange. Seeing a powerful beast act like a harmless animal. A wolf pretending to be a sheep.
Perhaps, I did this because of the familiarity we shared. As if Rettas was me in different circumstances. In my life I had always felt different. An outsider looking in. Watching my peers talk and laugh. Like a shadow amongst the living, I stuck around.
I fit into groups not because of choice but necessity. Kids have friends. Kids do things. Even my own parents to a degree, I never felt quite connected with them. My mother, up until she died had seemed like a saint, but I rarely remembered much of her. And my own father had became nothing more then a simple machine working himself to death…
A ghost traveling through life. Aimless, powerless… Hopeless. I went to school. Went to college. Graduated with a variety of degrees. Even managed to make it as some people claim. Only for everything to collapse.
I didn't much care when I had to work at a convenience store. When the years began to pass by, and I found myself constantly turned down as the world slowly declined. I stood at my spot. Watching like I always did. People treat me as nothing more than an NPC. It was strangely fitting. Comforting to be in that situation.
Then he came. The second he stepped in I felt something odd. The moment our eyes crossed I felt as if he truly saw me. It wasn't love I felt. Nothing of the sort. Only a primal fear. His offer of power, I rejected with a punch. At the time I wondered why, but I think I understand a bit. Wandering this forest. Remembering the life Rettas led.
It wasn't just power I had sought. It wasn't just control. It wasn't a myriad of things. But what of Rettas? How did she fit into these plans? Had she accepted a deal as well? If so, what had she wished for? Was it a hug? A single word of praise. I never felt like she was truly unwilling. It was too fitting for it all to work together.
Could she have simply wished that she could make her parents proud?
I was certain weeks, if not months had gone by as I huddled in a dark corner. I could feel the forest begging to thrum. The shadows whispering. The natives were doing something interesting in response to the mining. I knew I couldn't be here forever. But before that…
In the absolute darkness I opened my arms as if to wrap them around someone. It was cold, but I felt a warmth in my arms.
"Thank you."
I whispered into the shadows. For this chance. I thanked her. For this moment. She didn't reply. The shadow was still watching me as she huddled into her corner. I sighed and stepped out, the moment done. I wouldn't wallow anymore. Instead, I would show her. Just how different we were now.
Once I came out a hunting party showed up. Our eyes met. They glared at me mockingly as they lowered their spears. Only to change into fear as I slammed forward. I blasted the leader's head off. Goopy sap spurting out of its neck as its body stood still. Before the others could react, I ripped them limb from limb.
I held nothing back as I rip and tore. Destroying hunters and prey. Ripping trees with my hands, and finally transforming once more. My hand extended to the moon as if in prayer. I would make the planet quake. I would make them in turn fear us.
For I am Rettas. And I will be the strongest. If not for me, for the young girl whose body I now inhabited. So, on this night. The forest cried in agony. All for the sake of a single girl's wish.
I would become a true Saiyan.
…
A council. A gathering of kin. Word had spread of the invaders. Their efforts to dig up the heart blood of the planet were thwarted by their warriors. At least until most recently. New invaders, foreigners from beyond the stars arrived. Bringing with them warriors capable of flying and shooting blasts much like the avatars of the great trees.
Worse still, one of them dug deep into the forests. Hiding among the trees. Terrorizing the ecosystem. Even now the world screams in agony as they destroy it. They had already killed one of the great guardians. Something that all within the network lamented. This time was much worse though. They didn't hold back as they ripped into the forest. Killing as they went.
Like a mad beast.
"This can't go on."
An elder spoke. We all knew the same.
"We must choose an avatar."
An avatar for the great tree. The tree at the heart of the world.
"She's making her way here."
We could sense it. The invader's power like a blazing sun.
"She would kill our planet. Kill our people. For what ends? Wealth? Ambition? Greed?"
We didn't know, but the world screamed as they dredged deeper. It wouldn't be long before they touched upon the heart trees core. A true avatar must be chosen. We couldn't stop them. Their new defenders were leagues stronger than our own. Even as we moved the forest to aid us it did little.
They stalked among the trees, hiding themselves amongst our own kin. Killing our people in droves. Massacring all who even try to attack or repel them. This couldn't go on.
Avatars of the lesser trees could barely compete with those monsters. A cunning strategy. To send one to the very heart of our people.
"An Avatar will be chosen. The invaders purged and fed to the trees. And once more. All will be well."
An agreement was made. We gathered our people in preparation for the ritual. For the second time since our existence, the heart tree will bear a fruit.