BOOK I
"There's Always A Way, Until You Give Up"
Tale Eight ---Saiyajin Firstborn---
Rating: T
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He turned, to see Parz working on all sorts of tranquillisers and adjusting the test tubes that were placed upon the belt he had strapped across his torso. He held a stunning rifle in his left arm, and a large syringe needle strapped to the inside of his right wrist.
Parz smirked, finding Gular's puzzlement rather amusing. "It's not as hard as ye think, lad…" he assured Gular, "Inject a tran-quillisin' fluid into the ar-tery o' the neck in one quick thrust. Then, as the Saiyajin is drifting out o' conscious-ness, ye insert the needle and extract a test-tube of blood from one of the upper arms. Ye can find the veins o' the arm at the in-side near the el-bow. As far as I know, they're bluish on Saiyajin."
The black haired soldier laughed, took another needle, screwed a test-tube he took off his belt into it, then tossed it to Gular.
Easier said than done… the boy thought.
Still quite dumbfounded, Gular caught the syringe needle and looked at it in stupefaction. He knew what he had to do, but he had never given much thought as to HOW he had to collect the blood sample.
Parz opened the hood of the space vessel and rushed out. Before he left Gular's sight, he turned one last time. "If I don't make it back before sunrise," he spoke, "leave without me!"
Gular nodded. "Good luck, Parz!"
In the distance, Gular heard Parz laughing. "Lock," he said mockingly, "I dun need no lock!"
Parz needed no luck for Parz needed strength, or perhaps he even needed cunning, to outsmart these Saiyajin.
Gular looked down to his hand-palm in which he still had the needle clenched. He opened his hand, looked at the empty test-tube, then closed his hand into a tight fist and rushed out of the vessel, eager to get this mission over with.
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The night wind blew softly, carrying off pods and seeds to the outskirts of the world. This world was different from the one Gular was used to. Despite the lack of nutrients Chikura-sei suffered from, his home world seemed much more lush than this planet, Vejiita-sei. Sole vegetation existed of brittle bushes and tall grass of which leaves and stems were covered with rows and rows of jagged thorns. Gular could tell there were animals in the vicinity, both carnivorous as well as herbivorous.
Even though the composition in the air of oxygen and other gasses was very different, as was the gravity, Gular had no trouble moving and rushed to where –as far as he knew- the palace of Vejiita-sei was located.
It did not take long before the first signs of civilization appeared at the horizon. A massive collection of walls, roofs and roads formed the outskirts of a municipal of some sort. Centred in this massive metropolis were the compounds of a colossal, erect building. Gular had always thought of his Ryuuguu to be the greatest stronghold he had ever seen but compared to the Saiyajin Palace, Ryuuguu was but a measly dwelling.
He would have to enter the city unnoticed, and more than that; he had to sneak into the palace and gather a blood sample of the Royal Family's firstborn. He swallowed, and held on tighter to the cloak he had on when the cold breeze that blew at the border of this city made him shiver.
Gular knew he wouldn't have too much trouble in passing the Saiyajin guards, even if they looked to be carrying a device that could register approaching life-forces. The device covered one of their eyes and from what Gular could tell it read the energy emitted by any living creature. He reckoned that as long as none of the guards pointed the device directly at him, there would be enough Saiyajin in the city to distract them from his presence.
In any case, he would have to risk it.
He pulled the cloak tighter, its cap pulled close over his face, his glistening eyes that betrayed his Chikurajin night vision hidden in shadows.
As he had approached the city's outer walls, he concentrated on his breathing and pulled his hands near his chest, almost meditating. Then, he bent through his knees, jumped up an astounding length to barely grasp the upper edge of the thick fortification wall.
He was in the city! Now however, the hardest part was still ahead of him.
Moving in the darkness of shadow, and slipping in between walls of buildings and abandoned barracks, he was soon to reach the palace of Vejiita-sei.
Up close, this Saiyajin fortress was even greater than he had first thought. The walls were thick and fortified, covered in spikes of some sort of metal alloy that seemed to be dispensed as the building's shield.
He would have to come up with a scheme in order to enter the fortress safely. Namely, he could not afford being discovered, and he would have to be able to look around to find the King's firstborn.
He looked about him, his lit-up eyes searching. Gular needed a disguise, as he was too noticeable with his profound horns that arched up out of his skull, and his blazing red hair.
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In the darkness of night they moved in almost unison, these two small groups of guards marching silently in opposite direction.
None of them wore helmets or any other armour that would enable Gular to conceal his horns, thereby hiding the biggest disclosure of him not being Saiyajin, of him being an intruder.
He skulked without sound, treading softly around the palace compounds. He searched for a way to sneak into the palace but what if no opportunity would arise?
As he began to wonder about other possibilities of achieving his eventual goal the dancing flame of a torch caught his attention. Casting shadows upon a nearby tent, that was part of the barracks situated to the west of the palace the flame danced ceaselessly, burning with dominion. The shadow. The shadow was the key! He followed the sinister shapes of a man inside his tent, a man who walked in tiny circles, and eventually sat down, taking off what seemed a helmet!
It would be a matter of time. All Gular needed was a little more time. Confidently, he approached the tent, his hand gripping one side of the cloth hanging in front of the tent's entrance.
"Hey!" a voice behind him hollered, "Who are you?"
Shit. He had been discovered. In a whirl, Gular turned and punched the unfortunate soldier as rigidly as he possibly could without killing him, or worse… alarming the other soldiers.
The soldier fell back, losing his balance, and was knocked against a rather odd looking tree, it seemed a tree that was made of stone, at least, to Gular it seemed that way as it wore but grim downwards hanging leaves that were more dead than alive. The only sound the poor soldier emitted, or seemed to emit, was the cracking of his skull.
He was dead; he had to be. Nobody could survive such blow to the head, so hard that one could hear the cracking of his skull.
Gular didn't understand. From what Parz had told him, and the few things he had picked up from Darken, Saiyajin had strong bones, and could break rocks with their heads. Then why had he just heard such loud cracking of bone?
He turned around, unable to face the corpse of the youthful soldier anymore.
The tearing sound of something breaking filled the night sky once again, causing Gular to frown. He turned his head slightly, trying to listen more closely.
Then, the old tree dropped, landing its rock hard trunk on Gular's head.
His eyes grew to large proportions and he stared for a moment.
"Ichichi!" he yelled eventually.
Alarmed by the sudden noises, the officer in the tent ducked his head out to look what was going on. For an instant, Gular and the officer stared at each other dumbfounded.
Then, Gular forced a smile, hoping the officer wouldn't cry the alarm just yet. The red haired boy focused, trying to read the officer's thoughts.
What he read did not soothe him the least as the officer was planning to wake all soldiers, to look for other possible intruders, wanting to kill them all.
Gular did not want to kill the Saiyajin but saw no other way. He stepped aside, and let the heavy tree fall, on top of the unfortunate commanding officer.
Luckily, the Saiyajin proved to have a skull less fortified than Chikurajin and he was knocked out immediately.
The few options he had were either to tie the two unconscious Saiyajin up or leave them be, down for the count as they were. When tied up other Saiyajin might discover them in next to no time, and call for the alarm at the spot. If he would leave them under the tree, others would simply assume the tree had taken them by surprise, right?
He walked into the tent, taking the helmet that still lay on the desk, as he had seen in the shadowy shapes earlier. He looked in the small locker and noticed the officer had more than just one outfit. He took a regular one, and dressed up as a Saiyajin officer.
Then, Gular rushed out of the tent, moved out of the two out cold soldiers' way quickly, and approached the palace gates soon after.
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The metal put up gate was enriched with moulded statues and foundries of monstrous creatures crushing everything underneath their feet as they danced in a moonlit night sky.
Was all these Saiyajin thought of derived from the need for destruction they seemed to hold so dearly?
Gular shuddered at such consideration. He coughed once, getting the attention of the soldiers standing guard aside the gate. Both saluted him and opened the gateway without asking questions.
The disguised Chikurajin entered the courtyard without trouble, then walked up to one of the entrances, preferring the smallest as the enormous stone gates in front reminded Gular of the entrance of Ryuuguu, the one only royalty descended of Ryuujin could pass through. He figured same applied for this entrance, and decided on taking a smaller one. If he would be looked upon strangely for entering the small entrance he would just use the excuse of not wanting to wake the king unnecessarily.
As he was walking through alleyway after alleyway, moving passed immense halls and empty chambers; Gular knew he would need a guide.
After passing the same sleeping palace guard for the third time, he decided to wake him.
"Soldier, why are you off guard?" he scoffed.
The guard woke up with a shock, and took position straight away.
"Sir! It won't happen again, sir!"
Gular narrowed his eyes. And cracked his knuckles, only to frighten the poor guard more.
"Please, sir… I beg of you…"
The soldier's grovelling was almost funny to watch but Gular had more important things to tend to. "I came to check on the King's firstborn."
The guard stared at Gular. "His firstborn? Why her? Why not his son?"
Gular coughed. He didn't understand but knew what orders Darken had given him. He had explicitly told him to collect a blood sample of the Saiyajin Royalty's firstborn, none other. "I've been given strict orders, soldier. I am to check up on the King's firstborn infant. I am only given orders, just like you are," he explained, not quite understanding what the soldier himself was talking about. "Take me there. Hayaku!"
"Kashikamari-mashite! Yes, sir!"
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Uyra still couldn't sleep. She worried about her brother, she worried about too many things, she knew. What was she to do? Her brother had fallen victim to the treacherous, manipulating Overlord, and there seemed nothing Uyra could do.
What had happened? How could it ever have happened? Uyra didn't know, nor did she understand.
Why had he left without saying goodbye? How could so much have changed in such short time span? She wondered what she had done wrong.
She had tried for so many years to give Gular the life he had deserved. Gular had always protected her, guarded her. And now, without word, or any indication she had been able to pick up, he had left, he had abandoned her.
And it hurt; it hurt to know her brother wouldn't come back for her.
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Knowing his disguise had fooled the guard, Gular was lead into the vast corridors of the stronghold with no further hesitation. As the keeper of the King's Royal Guard accompanied him, he marched through the arched corridors within a maze of galleries and chambers before reaching the dormitory hall.
Gular profited of the guard's obvious fear of his officer. It provided him with a greater chance to not be discovered. Even though he had hidden most of his hair, and his horns, he still had fiery red eyes he could only half hide behind the odd looking instrument that provided him with a ton of information on every living creature.
He was in luck that he had the Chikurajin ability of deciphering nearly every possible language he was presented with; unfortunately, such knowledge did not include reading such unknown language. He presumed it were basic facts such as weight, strength, et cetera. He didn't care, he was glad the device hid his eyes at least somewhat.
"Sir, this is where the Saiyajin no Oujo sleeps. Are you certain your orders include the Princess, and not the Saiyajin no Ouji instead?"
Gular sighed. He wondered why the guard was talking about the Saiyajin Prince all the time even though he had been given orders of taking him to the firstborn. "I told you to take me to the King and Queen's firstborn. Is or is not the firstborn the Saiyajin no Oujo?"
"Yes sir. Princess Kaiyl is the firstborn, the Saiyajin no Ouji is the second child the King and Queen had. I'm deeply sorry for questioning your authority, sir. It won't happen again."
"Good."
Gular didn't want to admit how confused he actually was. There were two children, obviously. A boy and a girl; the girl was the eldest but everyone seemed to hold the prince in much higher regard, or at least worried a lot more about the Prince than about his sister.
It didn't make sense! Then again, what did Gular know of the Saiyajin? He had seen there were both men and women in the army, yet in the palace itself he had only seen male guards. Was this but a coincidence? Why was the soldier so hesitant in taking him to the firstborn? Gular wondered, and more, Gular worried.
"Sir," the guard behind him suddenly started, "This is where the firstborn sleeps, I know this. Further down the hall is where the Saiyajin no Ouji sleeps, next to the Saiyajin no Ou's quarters."
Gular glared at the guard. Even though he was pleased to be given such information, he needed to keep up the appearance he was a commanding officer for a reason. "I know that, you idiot. Did I give you permission to talk?"
"No, sir."
"Then shut your mouth," he snapped, trying to keep his voice down. "Go back to your post. And don't let me catch you off guard again or you won't live to tell, understood?"
The guard nodded, bowed before his superior, and marched away in a firm, frightened stride.
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The red haired Chikurajin looked at the iron-gripped door. There was a creature painted on it, surrounded by light and explosions.
It looked like a Saiyajin but its hair stood up and shone golden. The creature looked powerful, yet graceful altogether. And more than that, the creature was female!
That had to be the reason the guard was so nervous when he mentioned the firstborn, the Saiyajin Princess. She was just like this creature; she was different, she was strong.
This also had to be the reason Darken had asked for the firstborn's blood sample so specifically.
And that was why the door was so heavy, and kept closed with a thick chain and padlock.
Slowly, he examined the lock, then his eyes shot fire, and the locket melted underneath his touch, unlocking the heavy doors.
He entered the darkened room; sole light a small chandelier hanging from the ceiling, near the window.
In the colossal bed that made up centre of the room, lay a tiny Saiyajin child under a mosquito net. She was asleep as she held her eyes closed, relaxed, her chocolate-brown tail curled up around her as if she were an animal.
Young Gular approached the girl and noticed her peaceful face, her gentle breath, stirring her almost black hair.
Gular swallowed, and took the needle he had been keeping all that time. He tried to remember something about blue veins, and a quick thrust. He knew he was forgetting something. Damn it. He most definitely knew what he had forgotten. He had forgotten to take the tranquillising gun with him! Shit.
He clenched the small cork that had protected the tip of the needle thus far, between his teeth, pulling the needle out.
He searched for a vein on the girl's left arm, then pulled her arm closer to be able to use the needle he was still holding.
In a flash, the child's black eyes flew open, gazing up at him questioningly. She still looked at him sleepily but was obviously very much awake.
In shock, Gular threw his arm back, hiding the needle behind him. He inhaled sharply, and swallowed the cork without thinking.
His eyes grew, and he gagged, trying to get the cork down his throat as he was unable to cough it back up.
The child still looked at him, sitting up calmly.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
Gular blinked, not knowing what to say or do. The Saiyajin girl narrowed her eyes, and by the looks of it prepared to scream. In an instant, Gular strangled her voice by pressing his firm hand against her mouth. "I… well I…" He gagged a second time, finally able to free himself of the cork that was beginning to choke him. The cork flew across the room, shot against the chandelier, and shot back, coming straight for Gular, knocking him over.
The girl still stared, then giggled. "You're silly," she said.
The Chikurajin got up, rubbing his head. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," he muttered.
The girl laughed again. "Are you an angel?" She whispered, her voice revealing no fear. "Are you sent to take me to my Okaasan?"
He was confused, and had no idea what to say. Her pitch-black eyes were locked on his, and she gawked at him, waiting for an answer. Her hair wasn't as dark as he had first thought it was, in fact, her hair was a deep shade of carmine, and for a little girl she had quite a head of hair.
"Are you an angel?" she asked a second time, growing somewhat impatient.
Not knowing what he should do, and realizing what utter moron he was by forgetting to take the stun gun with him, he nodded. "I am. But I can't take you with me unless I have a sample of your blood."
The girl frowned. "I don't believe you," she said confidently, "My Kaachan never told me that."
Shit, he thought. What should I tell her?
"Well," he began, "your mother probably thought you'd be scared of needles."
The child looked at Gular and at the needle he revealed, narrowed one eye, raising an eyebrow. She folded her tiny arms. "I'm Saiyajin, I'm not afraid of anything."
Gular took in a gust of air. Can't beat that, now can I? He thought.
"Suppose you're an angel," she continued fearlessly, "why would you wear a Saiyajin uniform of just above average commanding rank?"
She smirked mischievously, knowing she had him cornered.
She sure is a wiseacre… Gular had but one option. He had to try, what else could he do? He calmly took off his uniform, showing the child his native's warrior-attire, his fiery red hair, and his arched horns.
The girl could do nothing but stare at him in astonishment for the first few moments.
Then a smile appeared on her tiny face.
"Sugoi! You really are an angel, aren't you?" she spoke enthusiastically.
"I sure am," Gular responded. "Now, will you let me take a blood sample, so we can go?"
She shrugged, thought for a moment, then nodded. "What's your name?"
"Watakushi wa Gular no Ryuujin, being of light. And you are Kaiyl, princess of the Saiyajin," Gular spoke with confidence.
The girl gasped in awe. "How did you know my name?" She looked at Gular, even more revered than before, yet there was still some form of suspicion in her dark eyes. And Gular wondered just what it was, why she simply did not trust him. She was only a little girl, she couldn't possibly tell right from wrong!
"Like I told you, I am an being of light, an angel."
"Where did my mother go? Why hasn't she come back? Take me there?"
Gular was taken aback by the amount of questions the girl fired at him, and knew he wouldn't have much more time left.
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The man sat up in his bed, frowning. He rubbed his small beard with his hand, then rubbed his face. He yawned. Now what? He thought.
He got up, sliding his feet into his slippers. He took the robe that hung by the closet, next to the immense bed. He was certain: he had heard voices across the room. This wasn't a dream! There was an intruder in the palace, he was sure of it.
He looked at the crown that rested onto the especially furnaced pedestal, and smirked. He wasn't the King for nothing! He would show these lowlife scumbags what he was made of.
He stretched, his tail unwrapping for the first time. The tall man cracked his knuckles, and wrapped his tail around his waist again.
Stepping out of the door, he looked to his right, then to his left, and decided to check up on his son first.
He smiled as he looked at the ornamented door. The painted Super Saiyajin reminded him of how magnificent they actually were. He himself was the descendant of the last Super Saiyajin to have ever roamed the universe. He, the King, was stronger than his father had been, and his son would be stronger than him. He rested his hand upon the door; his fingers sliding past the picture of such powerful Super Saiyajin, blowing up planet after planet. The power to destroy a universe: would his son ever find such power slumbering inside of him?
The king read the stories told in these ornaments, understanding it would be but a matter of time until he would find out. Would he still be around to witness the strength of his son, the Saiyajin no Ouji? Or would he, alike his father, die before he'd be able to?
King Vejiita had never achieved the legendary status of Super Saiyajin, and he knew it was beginning to sound like Super Saiyajin was just a myth. He knew this wasn't true, he saw it in the eyes of his son, whose power would surpass his one day.
The sound of a girl laughing caught his keen sense of hearing. He frowned. His daughter was awake again; he wondered when she ever slept for more than an hour straight.
He sighed, and decided to tuck her back in. She needed so much attention and worse, she needed so much love it made him sick to his stomach. Why was she so sensitive? Why didn't she take more after him, or after her brother? Why did she have to be the spitting image of his late wife?
He swallowed as he approached the door, looking at the ornaments that enriched the massive hallway. He halted in front of a tapestry, his eyes locking onto the images almost frantically, searchingly even.
What was this man looking for? Why did he worry so much?
Super Saiyajin, slaughtering dragons and other mythical creatures. What did this mean? He looked upon a small woman, his ancestor, he knew. She stood tall, despite her shortness, and had her hands raised up to the sky. Her hair golden, her body bulking with strength, why did this Super Saiyajin of olden times remind him so much of his daughter?
She was so different from him and his son that he couldn't even begin to fathom what drove her. All his daughter seemed to care for was to play, she was so gleeful and energetic that he couldn't handle her, and had no idea what to do about her. She didn't even seem Saiyajin. Her talk of angels and starshine made him want to hurt her.
She didn't emit much more energy than an average lowclass infant, a puny lowclass baka! Why had the Gods punished him by giving him a child so weak? But why, why in the name of the Gods, did his daughter remind him of the first Super Saiyajin?
He laughed. The thought alone was preposterous, so what if she looked a lot like the early Super Saiyajin, she was by far different in attitude. His son Vejiita, the Saiyajin no Ouji bore the right attitude and would undoubtedly become a Super Saiyajin one day, fulfilling the ancient prophecy at long last. And this was the exact reason he had not named his firstborn, his daughter, Vejiita. For only the heir to the throne, he or she who bore the power of eventually becoming a Super Saiyajin would be fit carrying such name.
He turned again, listening more closely. He was certain! His daughter was talking to someone! He knit his brow and marched further down the hall, straight to Kaiyl's bedroom. He halted right in front of the door, examining the padlock that had been forced open. He bared his teeth, and tried opening the door. As he proved unable to open the door regularly, he began knocking on the door aggressively.
"Kaiyl! You'd better be in there alone!"
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Gular's eyes flew in the direction of the massive door and he turned his head for a moment, his upper lip shaking nervously. There wasn't any time left!
Fretfully, the red-haired Chikurajin looked at the girl opposite him.
By the look in his eyes she knew Gular feared the Vejiita no Ou. She smiled. "That's my otousan," she said, "He gets angry a lot."
Just as the King attempted to open the door forcefully, Gular jumped up. He grabbed an oversized chair and blocked the doorknob by putting the chair underneath.
Hopefully, this action would buy him at least enough time to take the blood sample he needed. Debacle truth was he needed more than just time to take the blood sample as his orders also included taking the sample back to his homeworld. He knew he shouldn't be thinking of it right now but how could he ever escape?
He no longer cared what the child thought, whether she was afraid. She was only a child, therefore she couldn't do a thing to stop him, right?
Agitated, he grabbed her arm, and pressed the inside of her elbow, searching for a vein.
The upset, almost shocked look in her eyes didn't help Gular much, and for a moment he hesitated. The red haired man was shaken back to reality by the constant rumbling at the door. In a quick vigorous thrust, the needle protruded the child's pale skin. Why was she so pale anyway? All other Saiyajin Gular had seen had a tanned, bronzed skin. Didn't she ever go outside? He looked worriedly at the test-tube filling up with a dark shade of crimson blood. Suddenly, he was confronted with a force blowing him away, away from the girl, across the room. He was knocked back against the far wall and he gazed at the child confusedly.
Her face was taut with rage and bewilderment, and she looked upon him as if he were a bug needed to be crushed. Her tiny body shook, and energy seemed to flow from her crazily. She screamed, her cry a mixture of fear and fury.
Feverishly, he looked beside him, looking into the enraged face of a tall, raven-haired man.
Behind this man, lay the remnants of what used to be a door, a chair, and walls indicating a barrier between dormitory and hallway. In the distance, the tapestries blew, and Gular caught the image of a Saiyajin slaying a dragon in a flash. Then, his eyes rested upon the man in front of him, and slowly, the boy looked down onto the needle he was holding. There was no time to think things through, there was no time to attempt an explanation, there was no time for anything. The King had entered. And by the looks of it, Vejiita no Ou was not pleased, his still clenched fists pounded, blood rushing through his veins. Oh no, Vejiita no Ou was not pleased, at all.
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Author's Note: I like cliff-hangers.
Ah and if you ever wondered: ichichi means ow-ow-ow : )
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