In the deepest reaches of the cosmos, the Southern Galaxy was under assault.
It was a realm far removed from the "Northern Galaxy" where Lisette and her friends resided. The star systems of the South, once as vibrant and dense as the Milky Way, were being systematically extinguished by the hand of a single destroyer.
The inhabitants had not stood idly by. Heroes had risen to defend their homes; the planetary gods of a thousand worlds had stood their ground. Yet, the man slaughtered them all. He dismantled their civilizations with a casual cruelty that defied reason. Every weapon, every fleet, and every desperate prayer was met with overwhelming, one-sided violence.
Ultimately, even the King of that sector—the South Kai—had descended from the Other World with a host of legendary heroes to subvert the threat. They were cut down and erased as if they were nothing more than static in the wind.
The man responsible was the Legend itself.
The ancient Saiyan whispers of a warrior who loved only blood and slaughter were true. He was the embodiment of the Saiyan race's primal urge to conquer. For now, his fangs were not yet bared toward the Northern Galaxy, but the moment of their meeting was drawing near.
***
Following Cell's erasure of Cooler's core, Lisette hovered amidst the groaning, collapsing bulkheads of the Big Gete Star.
Her senses confirmed that Trunks, Piccolo, and the rescued Namekians had already successfully evacuated. Only she and Cell remained within the mechanical planet. Both were shielded by barriers, ensuring that the structural collapse wouldn't so much as smudge their clothes.
Having fully restored her energy with a Senzu Bean, Lisette calmly searched through the wreckage.
"What are you looking for?" Cell asked, his arms crossed. "This place won't hold together much longer."
"Just a moment. There's something I need to find."
Cooler was defeated, but leaving now would be leaving a seed of doubt. This location was outside the jurisdiction of the North Kai; if Cooler's soul remained here, it wouldn't be guided to the Other World. It would linger in this sector of space as a vengeful spirit.
Lisette wasn't optimistic enough to ignore a ghost of Cooler's magnitude. She worried he might possess a new host or manage to manifest a physical form through sheer malice. To her, "one in a million" was a probability, not an impossibility.
She didn't technically have the power to hunt ghosts, but she had seen souls in the Other World. She narrowed her eyes, focusing her divine sight on the "frequency" of the air around her.
To her surprise, it worked better than she could have imagined.
In the heart of the dying machine, she spotted a flickering, translucent entity radiating pure hatred: the soul of Cooler. Acting on instinct, she reached out. Her fingers didn't pass through the mist; she felt a solid, cold resistance as she firmly grasped the spirit.
"I... I can actually touch it," she whispered.
"I see," Cell mused, watching her. "It's 'there,' isn't it?"
"You can't see him?"
"No. To my eyes, you are clutching at empty air. I cannot perceive or touch the dead."
Lisette stared at the struggling phantom in her hand. "What is this? How am I doing this?"
"In my estimation, it is a manifestation of your authority," Cell explained. "In this era, your power as a God is reaching its zenith. You have ascended to a higher stage of divinity, granting you abilities that were previously impossible."
"I haven't done anything to increase my 'God' powers, though," Lisette countered. "I've just been training my martial arts and techniques. My energy makes plants grow faster lately, but that's about it."
"The thoughts of mortals hold power," Cell said. "Just as hatred can manifest as a Ghost Warrior or fuel a machine like Hatchiyack, the reverse is true. Trillions of lives across the galaxy now offer you their worship and faith. You have grown as a God because you have become an object of universal devotion."
Lisette tilted her head. She remembered the "Goddess" religion that had formed on Earth, but she hadn't realized how far it had spread.
"You've spent the last few years flying across the stars, dismantling the remnants of the Frieza Force," Cell continued with a smirk. "The worlds you liberated now pray to you. The energy of that faith... it likely exceeds even the power Hatchiyack drew from the Saiyans' grudges."
"Oh... I suppose I did do that," Lisette muttered.
"If you learn to harness this faith, you could reach a realm beyond even the Supreme Kais," Cell said, placing a hand on her shoulder. His eyes shone with a dangerous conviction. "You could become a truly unique existence—one capable of restoring everything that was lost!"
Lisette shivered and brushed his hand away. "You're overestimating me, Cell. I'm not built for that kind of pedestal."
She wanted to change the subject. Between the collapsing fortress and the unsettling intensity in Cell's gaze, she wanted out.
***
After exiting the Big Gete Star, Lisette reunited with the strike team and the rescued Namekians.
The aliens surrounded them, offering a chorus of gratitude. They shook hands with Lisette and Trunks; Piccolo was treated like a returning hero, and even Nappa looked uncharacteristically sheepish as he received their thanks. Cell had vanished, apparently heading back to Earth on his own.
"Don't mention it," Lisette smiled. "We all have to look out for each other."
She meant it—mostly because she intended to ask for their help if things ever got truly desperate for her. Still, she felt a profound sense of relief. By saving New Namek, she had secured a major "safety net" for the future. As long as the Namekians lived, the Dragon Balls remained an option.
"Besides," she added, looking at her right hand. "This was partly my fault for not finishing him off properly the first time."
In her grip, the soul of Cooler continued to thrash. Since no one else could see it, it looked like she was just staring at her palm. Even the psychically sensitive Namekians didn't seem to notice.
"You have our eternal gratitude," Elder Moori said, bowing deeply along with his people.
Lisette returned the gesture, while Trunks rubbed the back of his head, blushing. Piccolo let out a satisfied grunt, and Nappa just stood there, still trying to process the concept of people being happy to see him.
"We're heading back to Earth now. Stay safe," Lisette said.
She opened a Gate and stepped through. When they arrived back at the Lookout, Gohan and the others rushed to meet them.
As the excitement died down, Nappa muttered quietly to himself, "...Not bad. Rescuing a planet and actually getting a 'thank you' for it... it feels alright."
Lisette smiled. Even the most stubborn thugs could change. But then she remembered the future Trunks had described—a world where all of this was gone. She sharpened her resolve. She had removed two major threats: Mecha Frieza and Metal Cooler. But Broly, Hatchiyack, and Bojack were still on the board.
The real war was just beginning.
***
A few days later.
While waiting for Goku to recover from the heart virus, the warriors returned to their private lives to continue their training. Since the Androids were no longer a threat, the temporary refugees at the Lookout had departed. Krillin and Piccolo had been tasked with "monitoring" the Androids at their island log house—though rumors suggested Krillin and 18 were getting along quite well.
Lisette spent her days sparring with a "Virtual Metal Cooler," refining her tactics against massed opponents.
According to her knowledge, the next threat should be Broly. He was the ultimate wall—the one who had slaughtered almost everyone in the dark future. Goku was still bedridden, but it was nearly time to suggest the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to the others.
Suddenly, a telepathic voice echoed in her mind.
'Guardian of Earth. Can you hear me?'
"King Kai?"
'A catastrophe is unfolding. A grave threat is approaching your planet as we speak.'
"Again?" Lisette sighed out loud. "Seriously?"
'Listen to me! Long ago, there was a space pirate named Bojack. He and his Hera Clan ravaged the four galaxies. We, the four Kais, managed to seal them away on a planet at the edge of the universe. But recently... the South Kai was killed. With his death, the seal has been broken.'
"...How did he die?"
'The Legendary Super Saiyan attacked the South Galaxy. But that's a problem for the South; focus on your own! Bojack and his crew are heading for the planet with the best resources in the North... Earth.'
"Of course it's Earth," Lisette groaned.
'Fortunately, Earth has defenders like you. I'm counting on you to save the Northern Galaxy!'
Lisette had expected this, but the timing was frustrating. If Broly was active, then Paragus wouldn't be far behind. She needed to deal with Bojack's crew before the Saiyan threat arrived. She didn't want to be caught in a pincer move between the Legendary Super Saiyan and the Hera Clan.
She reached out to the others telepathically. It was time to mobilize.
***
📖 Worldbuilding & Lore Notes
Bojack Unbound
The 9th Dragon Ball Z movie. It is unique among the films for fitting relatively well into the series' canon, taking place during the seven-year gap after the Cell Games. In this story, the timeline is shifted, and the threat arrives much earlier.
Bojack
The leader of the Hera Clan. He is often debated in power-scaling circles regarding his strength relative to Cell. While usually a ruthless pirate, in this fic, he is portrayed as someone who knows how to read the room—even if that means using his own subordinates as shields.
Zangya
The female member of Bojack's crew. Very popular among fans, she was the only woman in Bojack's crew and met a tragic end when her boss used her as a human shield.
Gokua
A swordsman in Bojack's crew. He is often compared to a "dark version of Crono" from Chrono Trigger.
Bido & Bujin
The remaining members of the crew. Bido is the powerhouse, while Bujin uses psychic "threads" to bind his opponents—a tactic they use to set up Bojack's finishing blows.
***
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