FanFiction.Net - unleash your imagination
Jade Tatsu
Author of 26 Stories |
Thanks to Sylvia-san and Eva-san for pre-reading.
If you don't understand the words I have used, go to my web page and check out the translation file. I will post it to Fanfic net, but not until I have finished Empire's Heir! That's going to take a while.
:: :: Means that the conversation is telepathic.
..
Chapter Four - The Invitations Arrive ..The Present: Chikyuu - Year 789
Goku led the flight of four as they made their way to what had become known as the 'Son Training Grounds.' The Son house was isolated, a very long haul for those who could not fly but this hinged on being well nigh impossible to get to without flying. And even if someone did come here with the aid of a flyer, there was the question of landing. No, the Son Training Grounds, surrounded as they were by deep crevasses and shear cliffs were about as private as you could get.
Goku landed lightly on a pinnacle and the others followed suit, landing so that they faced him. They were all dressed almost identically, although their colors showed slight variations in allegiance. Goku had on loose hakama, tucked into his boots and a sleeveless gi. He didn't have an undershirt now since it was the very fabric itself that was weighted by Kaio-sama. His wrist bands, for example, defied all analysis and weighed in at an astonishing five tonnes, each. There simply was no natural substance that could do that so it was a bit of mysticism from the other world. The rest of his clothing was similarly weighted and he was therefore forced, every second of every day, whether awake or asleep to expend ki energy to ensure he wasn't hurt and that he didn't damage things. It was all in the name of training and if needed, Kaio-sama could remove the weight instantaneously. The power up he got from that still made his head rush. His colors were a rough homespun brown and blue. He wasn't fighting anyone, so declaring loyalties with his clothing was not important.
Goten was dressed in his normal orange gi and pants. His undershirt was a dark navy to match his boots, belt and wristbands. He'd tied a string through his hair to keep it back. Unlike a pure Saiyajin's his hair kept on growing and he'd allowed it to grow so that it was nearly half way down his shoulder blades. His clothing was weighted slightly but by more conventional means and while a normal human would have found the weight deadly, Goten found it to be annoying. But he'd decided a while back, the next time he and Trunks had one of their mock serious play fights he was going to give pretty boy a lesson and this was the only way he could think of training without alerting Trunks. He could easily pass off today's sparring match as a one off practice with his father, if Trunks came asking. So without actually being able to spar, his clothing was his only alternative. Oh yeah, the surprise would make up for all the annoyance. He hoped.
Pan was dressed as a mirror image of her grand sire, except she did have an undershirt. She was growing up after all. She was ten years old and had to retain her modesty, even if she was with family. Or people close enough to be family. Her clothing wasn't weighted, over her stringent objections. Although her father had been compliant, her mother had nearly hit the roof at the suggestion. "You're a growing girl, Pan-chan, and wearing such things could stint your growth." She had been adamant and so Pan did not have weights in her clothing on a regular basis and she was severely disappointed with her mother about that! How was she ever going to defeat Goten-jichan if she didn't train continually?
Uub was dressed in attire that was customary for 'warriors' of his race. It wasn't feathers and animal skins everywhere but rather a vest, loose pants and boots. His vest hung open but there was one tie on it. It showed off his chest and was elaborately embroidered. His mother and sisters had done the work. They were so proud and had made him several. His head was shaved except for his mohawk. He was rather proud of it. Like Pan but for different reasons his clothing was not weighted.
"Shall we begin?" Goku invited.
He received nods all round.
"Yosh', Uub," he said, looking at his student. "I'd like to watch Goten and Pan so you can do some kata's." He looked back at the other two. They had fallen into combat stances at his announcement. "Hajime!"
"Hajime..."
Piccolo heard the word clearly from his vantage high in the air. He knew no one down there could see him. He'd chosen his position carefully so that he was shadowed by the sun and even though he was spending ki energy to remain aloft, the amount was minuscule and he had dampened all other traces of his presence. It was barely possible that Goku knew he was there but if he did he'd given no sign and Piccolo was prepared to wait, at least for now. He'd come for a specific reason and he was going to see what he wanted.
He watched as Pan and Goten both leapt at the word. They had both jumped with a slight angle towards each other. About one hundred metres into the air they meet. It was a little hard to tell how high they were from above. Piccolo noted absently that Goku hadn't bothered following them with his eyes. He was keeping track of them in a different way. At the apex of their jump, they meet in attack. Pan had tried to hit Goten's midriff with her elbow but had been blocked by his knee. The move left her open to an attack from his hands but she managed to pull back in time.
Goten didn't overextend his failed attack which brought a brief flash of disappointment to Pan's eyes. She'd been hoping to catch him off guard. Truth be told, the weights he'd placed on his arms were slowing him down and Pan was much faster than he remembered. As they began to fall, he followed up with a kick but she dodged back and swung her own feet around. He blocked with his forearm and then twisted, trying to grab her ankle but she pulled out of his reach, turning her body and trying to kick him with her other foot.
They both pulled away and landed on two facing pinnacles before they began a complex game of chase, the leader moving so rapidly that only those who trained could see them. Piccolo followed them with his eyes, watching as they flickered between the rocks jumping from place to place and exchanging the lead as they sought to gain an advantage over the other.
After several minutes of intense movement and the collapse of several rock formations, causing great amounts of dust, it became obvious that neither was going to gain an advantage by the game, so they closed again. Piccolo watched as they exchanged a blizzard of punches and kicks countered by blocks. They aren't too bad, Piccolo concluded. Although, he thought as Pan landed a couple of hits, Goten needs to increase his endurance with those weights. He almost heard Goku come to the same conclusion when he heard Goku call for the combat to cease.
Goten and Pan came to hover in the air in front of Goku. Goten was panting slightly although Pan was as bright and bubbly as always.
"Okay, Pan-chan, Goten, that's enough for now," Goku began.
"But Ojiichan..!" Pan objected in a high voice.
Goku held up his hands. "Pan-chan, it's enough for now. Goten, you need to practice a bit more," Goku said with wide eyes.
"Yeah, I know, Tousan. I've just begun with the weights," Goten managed to say with a weak grin.
Goku nodded. "Okay, go and do some endurance training. Pan-chan you can do some sparring with me."
Goten nodded and lowered himself to the ground before he disappeared, pushing himself as fast and as hard as he could. Pan smiled, if anything, even brighter than before. She fell into a combat stance. At Goku's slight nod she began, calling out her battle cry.
Piccolo looked down. A cross punch and kick combination. Goku blocked and dodged easily moving back off his pinnacle, allowing Pan to press her attacks. It was normal for Goku. He always allowed his opponent to show him all of their moves. Although this was hardly serious, Goku could defeat Pan without even trying. Still, she did have some interesting moves.
She tried a fly kick followed immediately by a small ki ball. Neither got through Goku's defenses. He just dodged the kick and flicked a minuscule amount of power with one finger at the ki ball to destroy it. The moves themselves were standard but what made them interesting was the way she combined them. The fly kick had effectively hidden the movement of her hands so that the ki blast was released at relatively close range. If she was fighting someone she could defeat it would be a quick way of winning. He knew from experience what an unexpected ki blast could do. She was definitely her father's child. Her skills could come from no one else despite her mother's aspirations.
"Good, good, Pan-chan," Goku's voice floated up to him.
She paused briefly to smile in acknowledgment before she declared, "You haven't seen anything, Ojiichan!"
Piccolo shook his head. Here I thought Goku might be getting better as a teacher. Shame on me. She shouldn't have been allowed to let her guard down. Not even for an instant. Not even for praise. Goku should know that such lapses could be deadly and have acted on her lapse. Better to strike now than let someone kill her later. Gohan would never let me hear the end of it if that happens so I'd better give her some realistic training. I've always known Goku was incapable of it.
As he began to straighten himself to interrupt their training there was a disturbance in the air beside him. He spun to face it but by the time he turned it was gone. The only thing his sharp Namekian senses could detect were rapidly dissipating eddies in the air. Something had been there. He cast his eyes down to the combatants on the ground just in time to see Goku look back to Pan. But his eyes had definitely been cast in his direction. Piccolo snarled slightly but allowed himself to descend from the sky. So Goku had known he was there all along.
As he moved he saw that Goku had decided to make a stand against Pan and was now blocking her attacks. But he wasn't giving ground. Goten was involved in a complex set of jumps and twists and turns. Even from this distance Piccolo could hear his breath whistling in his throat. Uub was moving through a complex kata. It almost looked like he should be wielding some sort of weapon. Maybe the curved sword of his people. Piccolo shrugged. Whatever Goku was teaching him, it wasn't really his concern. He only wanted to know Uub's potential and how far he had progressed.
He stopped about two metres above the pinnacles. Uub, Goten and Pan continued their movements although Goku glanced in his direction and gave him a nod. After Pan finished a particularly vicious set of punches and kicks Goku deliberately turned to him with those damnably innocent eyes and absolutely vacant smile.
"Was there something you wanted, Piccolo?"
The question might have sounded challenging but this was Goku. He got straight to the point.
"You still lack the heart to train people," Piccolo responded.
At his words Pan tensed but Goku waved one placating hand in her direction.
"Really?" Goku's expression did not change. "What do you suggest then?"
Piccolo closed his eyes briefly as he lowered himself to what passed for the ground. He had to remind himself every time he dealt with Goku that this was someone who only picked up subtlety in battle. The rest of the time you practically had to hit him with a plank to make him understand. It was a small consolation, though, that Kami had had the same problem.
"As I told your son, many years ago," Piccolo began elaborating. "You are too soft to be able to train anyone effectively. You let them have too many openings."
"Ojiichan does not!" The scream was followed by the speaker, barreling at Piccolo as if shot from a cannon. Small hands were fisted, glowing with ki and raised to attack. The eyes, they looked like eyes from long ago, the soft lines became harsh from concentration, sparking with determination. The little teeth were clenched together in frustration and she growled. It was so like long ago but this time the result was different.
Piccolo looked, almost lazily, at his on coming opponent and only at the last instant did he raise his hand to grab her wrist. He held Pan up at arms length and returned her snarl, showing off his much larger and far sharper canines. He looked up at her with contempt. What was I thinking? Her father's child! She's only her Ojiichan's child.
She was intimidated only for an instant before she realised her predicament and began to struggle in his grasp. She punched at his arm with her free hand and tried to twist herself to kick at his body. Piccolo took her abuse without flinching. He barely felt it.
"This is exactly what I mean," he said to Goku, ignoring the looks he was getting for the other two. Pan tried a chop at his shoulder and ended up trying to nurse her hand. Piccolo's muscles were hard. And his shoulders were covered by his cloak and the weighted structure he wore. Trying to hit him there had not been her best move. "Uncontrolled and undisciplined and with too many openings in her attacks."
His words brought a new round of struggling from Pan. She added her voice this time. Piccolo winced slightly at the volume but did not release her. It was the only reaction he'd shown so far. "Let me go! Come on! Fight fair...!" It continued along those lines. Piccolo ran his eye over her once more before he looked back at Goku. Perhaps Gohan had taught her some manners after all. She was shouting, yes, but she wasn't cursing him, yet.
"Well?" Piccolo questioned. Goku's expression and demeanor hadn't changed and he wanted to get something!
Goku didn't move, nor did he seem to be worried. He was just watching.
"Pathetic," Piccolo added and tightened his grip on Pan's wrist. It finally brought a reaction but not one he wanted. For her part, Pan toned down her struggles slightly, while Goku narrowed his eyes in speculation. His ki and stance did not change. The reactions came from beside him. He'd been aware of Goten and Uub but now both were making their presence felt. Goten's ki was a familiar power but what was surprising was the speed and ease with which Uub's power was rising.
Goku was looking pointedly at Piccolo, although his smile had changed and was almost a condescending smirk. But despite that there was still an openness in his face and demeanor, an openness he never lost. "Well what, Kamiccolo?" he finally designed to answer.
Piccolo's eyes bulged at the answer, both in surprise and anger. He was so annoyed he released Pan. She didn't fall. Instead she twisted to land on her feet and then jumped forward to land beside her Ojiichan. She promptly hid behind him, looking around his leg and grasping at the fabric of his pants. She was still only ten years old, after all.
Goku ignored Piccolo's snarl of anger as he continued. "Pan-chan is still learning. She has openings because she still has much to learn about combat." His face became slightly serious. "But some others would be more of a challenge to you, Piccolo."
"Humph! I'd imagine so," Piccolo dismissed the entire matter. "And that's what I really came for," he added, turning to examine Uub who was glaring up at him. Uub's ki was causing swirls of dust to rise in the air around him. It was a powerful aura. The boy almost looked to be glowing yellow with his power, almost like the aura of a super saiyajin except this was a steady glow, not the usual flame pattern. Goten's flame aura was burning around him but he hadn't made the full change yet.
::Pan-chan, daijoubou ka?::
::Ojiichan!::
::Pan-chan?::
::Aa, Ojiichan.::
::Good. Piccolo wasn't going to hurt you.::
::I know, shikashi...:: She looked around Goku, glaring up at Piccolo.
::He shouldn't have said those things about you!::
::Haha!:: Goku's amusement passed through her. ::Daijoubou, Pan-chan! That's just Piccolo.::
"If you've finished your conversation..?" Piccolo looked back at Goku through narrowed eyes as Uub powered down a little. "How powerful is he?"
"It's okay, Uub!" Goku called down. He had one hand gently resting on Pan's head.
"Well? I've felt you training. I'm surprised at times that the whole world hasn't felt you training but I haven't been able to lock on to his power level. So what is it? If Chikyuu's future rests in his hands, I think I deserve to know."
Goku shrugged at the question. "He's a bit above Super Saiyajin Two."
"Above?" Piccolo's brows raised. He looked surprised. "Vejiita doesn't know?"
"We haven't told him." It was Goku's turn to dismiss something. "I don't relay things to him. If he wants to know he could come and ask."
"He won't be happy."
"He doesn't have to be happy," Uub said forcefully as he floated level to them before he landed on a pillar. He hadn't fully powered down yet.
"Humph! I guess not," Piccolo agreed with a slight grin, looking over at him. "Want to demonstrate?"
Although the question was directed at Uub the surprise caused Goten to loose that power he'd gathered. It blipped out sending small puffs of dirt into the air.
Uub jerked back in surprise. "Huh?!?"
"And here I thought Chichi's influence might have given you some semblance of a brain to accompany what Son's taught you. It's all very well for him to say that you don't have openings but I won't believe it until I see it. And for you, just being above Super Saiyajin Two is weak!"
Before Uub could act on the insult, Goku imposed himself between them. "Now, now, Piccolo, Uub," he glanced at each of them as he said their names. "Super Saiyajin Two is on track."
"On track?" Goten finally joined the conversation.
"Uub hasn't reached his full power yet because he's not fully mature," Goku's expression became uncharacteristically thoughtful. "I mean he was pretty powerful at ten years old, but as he has gotten older he has gotten more powerful and it hasn't all been in response to training. It's probably some sort of safety control. After all, he didn't know how to use ki until I showed him and he's only been able to learn things once he understands the consequences."
Piccolo nodded. Amazing. It sounds like Son came up with a workable explanation but only he would call Uub's power level when he was ten 'pretty powerful.' It was enough to hurt him even if he wasn't a Super Saiyajin. The rest of us call power like that overwhelming. "That may well be but I still want a demonstration,' he insisted.
Uub just heaved a sigh but Goku brightened at the prospect of cutting loose for a little in a fight. "You don't want to fight?" Piccolo questioned.
"It's not that. It's just that Goku-sensei and I don't spar much. It tends to be too destructive on the environment. And Goku-sensei is a little ah... more energetic in a sparring session than I like."
"Don't worry Uub. Chichi'll kill me if we damage the ground around here so we won't power up that much." Despite the restriction Goku was still excited.
"Okay, Goku-sensei," Uub agreed, rising into the air.
"Yosh'." Goku rose into the air to face Uub.
They fell into combat stances facing each other. Goten and Pan backed off a little. They did stay together to give each other what little cover they could. Piccolo just stood there with folded arms looking up at them. After a minute or so he gave a slight nod and the two leapt at each other.
They meet with a flurry of kicks and punches and then ascended straight up. Piccolo followed them with his eyes. Uub's style looked, at least from what he'd seen so far, to be a mixture of all the styles Goku had ever seen.
After they'd risen for a couple of hundred metres they parted, circling around before closing again. They began to speed up until they were moving so fast that it looked like two lines of color, one red, one yellow, were criss crossing each other in the sky. Except where these lines crossed there was a thunderous detonation and an almost visible shock wave sent out. But while the battle was fast, it was relatively low level. Neither combatant wanted to do much damage.
Piccolo watched as Uub tried a complex combination of punches. It was a combination he'd seen Goku use frequently. It had even been used against him. But Goku blocked each move and launched his own combination of punches and kicks. Uub countered with one of Vejiita's combinations. Piccolo's lips quirked. Vejiita was not going to like this one bit. Still Piccolo could live with the Saiyajin no Ouji's displeasure. He imagined Goku could as well.
Above the combatants but unnoticed by anyone a star flashed in the afternoon sky. It shimmered briefly before it disappeared, blending back into the sky.
Piccolo's eyes narrowed. The combinations were becoming more and more complex as the two of them sought to outmaneuver each other. This was a fight of skill rather than brute power. The two of them dropped back down to the ground, hovering over it as they continued to exchange blows. The dust swirled away from them and they began to weave in and out of the rock pinnacles. Goku's expression was happy. His eyes were bright and a smile was on his face. Uub's expression was slightly more serious, his brow creased in concentration.
About five hundred metres above the combatants a small object hovered in the air. It was a spherical, silver orb with a couple of antennas, which had blinking lights on their ends. It blipped to itself a few times and on a small display screen numbers scrolled. In the corner though there were symbols which read: Location: Chikyuu
Co-ordinates: Mt. Paozu, 439 East District
Target: Son Goku - Searching. Finally the numbers finished scrolling and a new line displayed, blinking several times: Target: Son Goku - Acquired
Initiating Mission Objectives: 1. Contact Son Goku. With that the machine began to descend.
Goku had cornered Uub against a rock face. In a battle of skill, experience was an important asset. And experience was something Goku had plenty of.
Uub narrowed his eyes and upped his power level a little. He unleashed a flurry of kicks and punches that drove Goku back. Goku didn't look concerned at this, if anything his smile became happier at the punishment Uub was inflicting. After a few moments, he raised his power level and matched Uub blow for blow. They slowly began to rise out of the rocks again. But for the moment, Piccolo didn't care. That was one of his moves Uub had used! Goku had the nerve to teach his combinations! Never mind Vejiita not liking Uub's training. He didn't like Uub's training!
"Are you Son Goku-sama?" The question was polite but hardly one expected on the battlefield.
"Che!" Goku exclaimed, jumping back even as Uub did.
Piccolo, Goten and Pan all snapped to attention at the voice and turned towards the sound.
The little droid just hovered in the air with its monitor facing Goku. It extended one spindly arm and waved. "Are you Son Goku-sama?" It questioned again.
Goku looked back at the little machine. Mechanical devices were not his forte and while it didn't feel threatening it was impossible to tell with inorganics. Still, he nodded with that sweet smile of his, "Ore wa Son Goku."
"Good, good." The little droid seemed to nod. "Then I have an invitation for you." A little flap on its top popped open and it began to project a hologram.
"Greetings Son Goku-senshi," The projected alien began. It had two huge eyes and an almost iridescent red skin. It was a very unusual color for a lizard. "I represent the Organising Board of the Interstellar Budokai..."
"Budokai?" Goku questioned.
The recorded message ignored the interruption and continued. "This year's event is to celebrate the galaxies liberation from the Cold Regime and since you, Son Goku-senshi, defeated King Cold and his sons, it is only right that an invitation be extended to you."
When the droid stopped Goku blurted, "But I didn't!" One hand scratched at the back of his head in confusion.
"I don't understand," the little droid deviated from its programming.
"I didn't defeat King Cold. I never even meet him."
The droid sweat dropped. "You are Son Goku-sama? The Saiyajin who fought and defeated Freeza on the Planet Namek?"
"Yeah," Goku nodded.
"Then are you not also the Saiyajin who defeated King Cold and Cyborg Freeza a standard Chikyuu year later?"
"Nope, Trunks did. I was going to but he got there first. I did defeat Kooler though."
"Ah..." Several lights began blinking on the droid and numbers began to scroll over its screen once again. It bleeped a couple of times to itself before it seemed to come to some sort of decision. "We were not fully aware of the situation here. My invitation is still valid, since you did defeat Freeza and Kooler."
"Invitation?"
"This unit's purpose is to invite Son Goku-sama to the Anniversary Budokai. The Budokai is to celebrate twenty five years free from the Colds and so an invitation has automatically been extended to you and to the warriors of Chikyuu."
"Great!" Goku was excited about the prospect of a fight, any fight.
"Not so fast Son," Piccolo interrupted. "We need more information before we go traipsing across the galaxy."
"You're right! We'll have to see Bulma about a space ship," Goku agreed, completely missing the more serious point of Piccolo's warning. "We should get everyone together first." He looked over at the droid. "Can you wait for a bit? That way you can extend your invitation to everyone."
"Certainly."
"So you've got an invitation for an Interstellar Budokai for the Saiyajin no Ouji," Bra asked the droid which was following her down the corridors of the Capsule Corp. building. She'd found it outside, dodging the security bots, bleeping all along that it had a message for the Saiyajin no Ouji. She'd disabled the bots, although she had made sure that they were still on hold, she wasn't a complete idiot, and had gotten the story from it. After that, she'd decided to take it to her father to see what he made of it. If he didn't like it, he could destroy it easily enough and he seemed to like destroying bots. Okaasan complained enough about the number of bots he destroyed.
"That's right. I'm here to extend an invitation to Vejiita-ouji. Thank you for taking me to him and for turning off those security bots. We're all mechaniods so I don't know why we didn't get along."
"Haha! They're security bots!" Bra exclaimed. "They're programmed not to let in unknown mechanoids. Capsule Corp.'s competitors would love to get spy bots in here!" She looked around. "He'd just in here," Bra said, moving to an intercom switch which was next to a door marked 'Danger: Keep Out.' Above it a light flashed, '650 G.'
"Otousan?"
"What is it?" Vejiita snarled. "You should know better than to interrupt my training Bra."
"But there's a message for you."
"I don't care what Kakarotto wants. He can wait." Vejiita closed the comm.
"Perhaps I should handle this, Bra-san," the messager droid spoke to Bra before she reopened the comm. "I have been programmed with Saiyajin protocols." It had taken forever to find the protocols which were over fifty years old but it appeared it would be worth it.
"Go right ahead," she invited. "But can you withstand 650 gravity's?"
"Err... No..." The droid looked with what passed for bashfulness up at the door. "So that's what that light means."
"It does indeed. Do you want to try talking to him?"
"That might be best." The droid went over and activated the comm. channel. "Vejiita-ouji, I have a message from the Galactic Council for you."
"You're a Galactic Messenger?" The question though still harsh was Vejiita's equivalent of raging curiosity. He had vaguely heard Bra talking with something, and since he couldn't sense anything, that something had to be inorganic and the voice that had just spoken to him had the tinny quality that mechanical voices had. Not to mention the fact that it was calling him Vejiita-ouji. No one on this planet would ever call him that.
"Hai, Vejiita-ouji."
The gravity light blinked out and an instant later the door opened, revealing a sweat covered Vejiita. He looked over at the droid and his eyes widened slightly. "You really are a Galactic Droid." He looked back at Bra. "I'll forgive it this time but don't interrupt my training again."
"Hai, Otousan," Bra agreed with deceptive mildness.
"You must forgive Bra-hime, Vejiita-ouji," the messenger droid insisted. "It was I who asked her to show me where you were but perhaps I can offer you something more interesting than training." The sentence was almost a ritual when dealing with Saiyajins. If they'd been involved in a fight - when weren't they? - when you interrupted them the surest and quickest way to avoid being blasted into oblivion was to offer them a better fight.
"I'm listening," was Vejiita's terse reply.
A little hologram appeared on the top of the droid. "Greetings Vejiita-ouji." The whole droid dipped as a bow. "It is my pleasure to invite you to participate in an Anniversary Budokai. It is to celebrate 25 years free from the rule of the Colds. A milestone, I'm sure you as the Saiyajin no Ouji will recognise. If you choose to participate, there are a few rules which must be abided by."
"What are they?" Vejiita growled. "Wait! What about power levels? Most competitions are too restrictive."
"Many Saiyajin have said that. I'm sorry Vejiita-ouji, but there will be power level restrictions, although the exact upper limit has yet to be determined. It will be decided upon once all the competitors have gathered and will be calculated as a percentage of their average power level."
"Che!" Vejiita rolled his eyes. "Weak then," he surmised.
"There is one exception to this rule, Vejiita-ouji. In the final battle, if both combatants wish to have the power level raised then it will be allowed, providing that spectator safety is still assured."
"That could be interesting although I doubt it. What about the rules?" he asked in a bored voice.
"The main rule is to honor the beliefs of the one who has allowed this celebration to come to pass." Apparently the droid knew the dangers of saying Son Goku's name around Vejiita. Or perhaps it was the mere mention of anyone who was stronger than the Prince. Saiyajin could be docile enough in the presence of those more powerful but once they were out of the way... You bet to hope you hadn't insulted them and Saiyajin had long memories. "This rule merely states that you may not kill your opponent. Killing your opponent will result in your immediate disqualification. Killing an official will result in disqualification, a fine and a prosecution."
"Then the fights can't be interesting!" It appeared for the moment, Vejiita had missed the Goku reference.
"So you will not attend?"
Vejiita formed a ki ball and held it up. If the droid had been a man he would have been gripping it by its throat. "I didn't say that," he snarled at it. "Any other rules?"
"There are a few," the droid responded. It seemed to gulp. "If you say 'Mercy' your opponent wins. If any part of your body touches the ground outside the ring, again your opponent wins and if you are knocked out for a ten count, your opponent wins. Apart from that, any style or any technique within the power level rule is allowed."
"Am I the only one from Chikyuu invited?"
"No Vejiita-ouji. Your invitation is in the name of Vejiitasei. However an invitation has been extended to some warriors of Chikyuu."
"Who?"
"The only definite invitation has been issued to Son Goku, however his invitation is general to Chikyuu."
"Kakarotto!"
"I do not understand."
In the background Bra was waving her hands frantically at the droid, trying to warn him away from that subject.
"Son Goku is Kakarotto! I should not have to explain." The ki blast from earlier brightened in intensity.
"Ah..." The messenger droid made the noise. "We were not aware of the situation on this planet." It began diplomatically with the standard excuse. A mechanical it might be but it did have an interest in remaining whole. "My invitation is not general. It is to the Saiyajin no Ouji and to them alone. It has been issued independently of any and all invitations extended to Chikyuu's warriors."
Vejiita looked somewhat mollified. At least, he let the ki ball fade. But the droids explanation was not the whole reason for this. He was thinking Bulma might like to play with its technology. Besides which, the blasted machine hadn't told him where or when this Budokai was to be held and he'd need the woman to make him a ship so that he could get there. Rules or not, he might as well remind the universe who really were the strongest warriors in the galaxy.
"Vejiita!" A call came from one of the corridors. It was accompanied by a faint but familiar scent.
"How convenient," Vejiita commented. He wouldn't have to pry her out of the lab after all.
"Vejiita!" The call came again. Louder this time. It echoed up the corridor.
"What is it, woman?" Vejiita snarled back. The echoes set off his sensitive hearing. Hearing the thin metal paneling on the walls resonating with Bulma's voice always set his teeth on edge.
"Oh here you are," she said as she came around the corner. She hadn't lowered her voice.
"Yes, woman, here I am. Lower your voice. What do you want?" Diplomacy was not Vejiita's strong point, even when he was going to need her for something.
"Oh shut up, Vejiita!" Bulma shouted back. "You've got a message."
Vejiita winced at the noise before he shouted back. "Who's it from, woman?"
"Son-kun!" It amazed him that she could still raise her voice. "It's about some Budokai."
"The Interstellar Anniversary Budokai? I already know about it." He moved slightly so that she could see the droid.
"Oh ho! I see," she almost forgot to shout.
Vejiita suppressed a smirk at the gleam which had lit up her eyes. He could almost see the neon light behind her flashing 'New Technology! I wanna PLAY!'
"Ulp! Vejiita-ouji..?"
"What?"
"I don't like the look in her eye."
Bulma had stepped around Vejiita and was approaching the droid, hydrospanner in hand.
"What am I supposed to do about it?" Vejiita questioned as he walked off down the corridor, leaving it to Bulma's tender mercies.
"Help me!" It managed to squeal before Bulma pounced.
"Oh, Vejiita," she said, pulling the droid back towards her lab.
"You deactivated it, woman, you carry it."
"It's not that. You'd better see exactly what Son-kun and the others want. I said it would be okay for them to meet you here."
"You said what?!?" Vejiita growled, spinning around, eyes wide and a snarl on his face.
But Bulma was gone and he found himself looking at an empty corridor. Bra, the droid and Bulma had all disappeared as if they had never been there. There weren't any side rooms for them to have moved into either. It was one aspect of the Capsule Corp. building that he had never figured out. How did they disappear so fast? "Che woman! What do I have to say to Kakarotto?" he questioned the empty corridor before turning back and heading to the shower. Bulma always complained if he showed up to a meal unwashed and even if Kakarotto was coming he did want to eat. He was a Saiyajin after all and bad news was not enough to spoil his appetite.
A couple of hours later.
"Woman, where are they?" Vejiita burst into Bulma's lab, not caring how hard he slammed the doors.
"Where are who?" Bulma replied absently. She was poking various instruments into the Galactic messenger droid and was noting down measurements. The outer shell of the droid was spread out on the table and several lab bots were conducting tests on it. "This is great stuff, Vejiita!" she added.
"Vejiita-ouji, help me!"
"Oh shut up!" The reply came from both of them.
"Woman, where is Kakarotto and the rest?"
"Ara, Son-kun?"
"You said they were coming," Vejiita said tightly. She may be his mate but he was beginning to lose his patience.
"Oh, didn't I tell you? Everyone's coming, so it'll take 'em a couple of days to get here. I mean, they've got to find Tenshinhan and if Piccolo's training it could be interesting locating him. Don't look like that!" Vejiita's lip had curled at the mention of the lower level Chikyuu warriors. Bulma continued, "They'll be here in a couple of days. Now if you want to participate in this Interstellar Budokai, you better go train hard."
"Woman!"
"Was there something? Oh, there's a new set of training blocks. Umm..." Bulma began to look around for the capsule. "Ah! Here it is!" She flicked it over to Vejiita. "Train hard now, and there is some food in the fridge. Just heat it up." She turned back to the galactic droid ignoring Vejiita as he left.
Woman, you haven't heard the end of this. You most definitely have not heard the end of this.
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