Hello! Guess who's back! It's been a very long time. I was shocked to find out I ended the previous story in 2019! But I'm back for now. I hope you're all happy and healthy. For anyone who wants to know, me and my family managed to stay away from covid. It's a miracle and I'm really grateful for it.
I will create an ending for all my stories. I will not let them stay unfinished. The characters deserve more than that. Please be patient with me. Inspiration has been hard to find lately.
Let's do this!
Chapter 1. Nightmares Return.
Fourteen-year-old Gohan smiled as he used his energy to create a wave in the water. The slave children laughed as they rose with the water. Gohan couldn't help but enjoy the cheers. He was happy he could organize this day in the pool for them.
The pool wasn't usually used for fun. It was there for training. However, Gohan asked Vegeta if he would let the slaves use the pool just to have fun. Vegeta was hesitant at first, saying he didn't want to spoil the slaves, or they would start to expect this kind of treatment. Gohan was persistent though. He kept bringing the subject back up, saying the slaves needed some fun and that being able to relax occasionally would improve their overall performance. Eventually, Vegeta gave in and told the youngster to organize the afternoon. They would be allowed to play for a few hours. But that was all Gohan needed.
And it was worth all the work.
Gohan felt a presence and ducked just in time to avoid getting splashed by Tobney. The older warrior laughed as Gohan tried to splash him back. The two got caught in their own little fight for a moment until Gohan ceased fire in order to catch his breath. The two swam to the edge of the pool and grabbed on to the stone platform so they could rest.
The screaming and laughter filled the room as the slaves played around. Some were pushing each other down and splashing each other. Others were tossing a ball around. Three boys were having a race halfway across the pool. Others were curled up on the chairs while drinking lemonade and eating chips.
Gohan smiled as he watched three boys race passed them. Sianna followed them while yelling. "Don't run! You'll fall!"
Tobney leaned on the concrete with his lower arms and looked up at her. "Let them run. They'll survive a fall."
Sianna stopped and met his eyes. "And who is going to comfort them when they do fall?"
The older warrior shrugged and showed her a grin. "I can play the part of the big brother any time."
Sianna rolled her eyes. "Somehow that doesn't really comfort me."
"This was supposed to be a relaxing day for all the slaves, Sianna." Gohan cut in. "That includes you."
"Yes, so come and get into the pool." Tobney invited. He gestured in the general direction of his best friend. "I mean, Gohan's half-naked." He ignored Gohan's dark gaze. "That should get you so hot you'll have to cool off in the pool." The glares he received from his friends in response to this comment fueled his grin.
Sianna looked to Gohan. "Do you ever feel the urge to drown him?"
"Constantly." Gohan responded meekly.
"If only you were strong enough to do that." Tobney returned cheerfully. Gohan raised his eyebrows as he looked to Sianna. She briefly met his gaze, and he could see the sparks in her eyes. She enjoyed this kind of bickering.
"Is that a challenge?" Sianna placed her fists on her hips.
"Definitely." Tobney responded, grinning at her.
"Well then." Sianna cracked her knuckles. "Who am I to turn down a challenge from a worthy opponent." Tobney and Gohan widened their eyes as she jumped over their heads, pulled her body into a ball and made a splash as she landed in the water.
The two boys shielded their heads with their arms and closed their eyes to avoid getting water in them. Before he knew it Tobney felt two hands on his head, and he was pushed under water. Gohan laughed as he watched Tobney's shocked face being submerged by the water. His hands briefly waved above the water as Sianna pushed him down. Quickly, they found their way to her waist and, kicking against the water to push himself up, he managed to push her up and away from his body.
Sianna gave a shocked shriek as he managed to throw her off him and she landed in the water a few feet away from them. Tobney coughed while he wiped the water from his eyes. Gohan couldn't help but grin. "She really got you there."
"It was a lucky shot." Tobney returned, brushing his hands through his short blue hair.
"Yeah right." The two warriors looked to Sianna's direction as she emerged near them. "Keep telling yourself that."
Gohan felt the corners of his mouth move up as he eyed the female warrior. Tobney could feel the same thing as he studied their friend. "Nah," Tobney's locked onto Sianna's gaze, "I'll show you."
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Gohan opened his eyes and blinked for a moment. His body felt cold, and he shivered. The youngster felt disoriented, but it all came back to him very quickly. The spiked coffee. His former comrades betraying him. The way he'd had to feel how his friends were tortured. Gohan looked around in the white cell. He could feel the cold settle in his heart as he remembered his wonderful dream. This memory that seemed so far away. These good times that were over. Still, he closed his eyes. He had to cherish these memories. They might be over, and the situation was different now, but these moments were still present in his mind. And that would give him strength.
The strength given to him by the memories of his dear friends would make him strong enough to face anything.
Part of him missed being asleep. It took him away from the current situation. He could leave the world in which he was imprisoned, waiting for Vegeta to do whatever the man was planning to do to him.
What was Vegeta planning on doing? He figured the man would either kill him or enslave him again. Would Vegeta enslave him again?
The half-Saiyan leaned his head back against the wall behind him. What would that be like? Could he really live with having to be subordinate to Vegeta? What would that be like? He vaguely remembered having to rub Vegeta's feet, answering the scouter anytime a day and sleeping on a mattress in the closet. It had been years since he was Vegeta's subordinate and even longer since he was a slave. He could hardly remember what it felt like to be a slave.
Another part of him figured Vegeta would have to kill him. Enslaving him again would make no sense. Years ago, Vegeta enslaved him in order to use him as a soldier. His years as a slave taught him how to be subservient for when he had to be Vegeta's second in command. Unfortunately, this never made him as obedient as Vegeta wanted him to be. As the years went by, he was taught how to be a soldier. He was steadily introduced to the tasks a commander had to fulfil. He could still remember what that first meeting was like…
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The sixteen-year-old half-Saiyan looked up to Vegeta. "A meeting? Me?"
The Saiyan prince met his gaze steadily. "The fact that you find it so difficult to grasp the concept of a meeting makes me wonder if it's a good idea to make you go." The glare he received in response to this remark made the corners of his mouth twitch. He did like pushing the half-Saiyan's buttons. "Please don't think too much of it. I have a more urgent matter to attend to so you're just a replacement."
Gohan's eyes moved to Comora. The second in command didn't seem surprised by this message. The half-Saiyan could feel the responsibility of this meeting weighing on his shoulders. Part of him wanted to decline. He'd never been in a meeting. What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to say? What if he said or did the wrong things? Could he make Vegeta look like a fool just by doing something wrong?
On the other hand, meeting the eyes of the two warriors in front of him, he recognized the challenge in their gaze. Back down, I dare you, they seemed to say. Give us a reason to say you're weak.
Part of him wanted to sigh out loud. He should have expected this meeting was a challenge when Vegeta told him he had something to discuss with both Comora and Gohan.
"Fine." Gohan looked back to Vegeta. "I'll do it."
"Of course you'll do it." Comora's voice cut in from besides Vegeta. "'Yes master' is currently one of your most beloved phrases, isn't it, kiddo?"
Vegeta's smile widened in response to the way in which Gohan pressed his lips tightly together in order to not retaliate to this comment. The boy had a hard time controlling his temper, but he was getting better and better at it. "Good, so, let's prep you for the meeting."
"But first," Comora finished his coffee and now held up his empty cup, "I would like a coffee. What about you, lord Vegeta?" The Saiyan prince nodded in agreement while he pulled up files on his computer. "Good thing we've got a slave who can bring us anything we need whenever we want it, right rookie?"
Gohan met his taunting gaze head on. "Aren't you lucky, sir." He got up and grabbed the cups from the table before walking away to fill them again.
Vegeta glanced sideways while he transferred the needed files from the computer to the projector on the desk. "Got that out of your system?" he whispered to his second-in-command.
"Yes." Comora leaned back on his seat while he crossed his arms over each other. "Teenage boys need to be kept down or they'll get too cocky, especially Saiyan boys."
Vegeta chuckled. "Sure, it has nothing to do with that fact that you like holding the kid in check."
Comora shrugged casually. "What can I say?" He watched as Gohan returned with three coffees on a serving plate. "Strong wills are so much more amusing to break."
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Back in the present, Comora could feel a chill run down his spine as he remembered this meeting. Somehow, he was reminded of this meeting as he watched the footage of Gohan sitting in the prison cell.
He'd been watching the kid for a bit now, wondering what the boy was thinking. The Saiyan warrior just woke up from a slumber and was now staring up at the ceiling.
"We present to you," Comora blinked and turned around to be faced by his comrades, "our royal slave, fallen from grace and here to serve you." The twenty-seven-year-old slave was pushed forwards while this was said. The youngster was wearing a general slave attire, but the main attribute was the collar around his neck. The collar was black with silver spikes. The attribute was connected to a leash that was currently in Suno's hands.
Tobney regained his footing but then lowered his gaze to the ground. His cheeks were bright red from the embarrassment he was having to live through. Funnily enough, it made him look healthier as he was usually very pale.
Comora tilted his head sideways as he placed his fists on his hips. "So, you decided to go with the standard slave outfit?"
"Yeah." Suno responded. "Made sense. The rest looked good on him, but it felt like too much of a hassle to think about what he is going to wear on a daily basis. This makes everything a lot easier."
"Fair enough." Comora stepped closer to the group until he was standing in front of Tobney. The youngster kept his gaze lowered, frowning. Comora reached out to cup his chin and forced the warrior to meet his eyes. "So, you decided we're going to keep him?" he asked the rest while he met Tobney's fiery gaze.
"Yep, we figured we couldn't miss him. And we've needed a slave for a while now." Itoro shrugged as he spoke. "Why not, right?"
"I agree." Comora couldn't help but smirk as he met the fire in Tobney's eyes. He could feel the intense desire to break this strong-willed gaze. And what better way to do that than to enslave someone? "So, kiddo, get used to the words 'yes master', why don't you?"
Tobney's blue eyes focused on his eyes. A small smirk appeared on his face. "Yes, master," his voice sounded rough, broken from all the screams he let out earlier that day, "but don't get used to the words, Comora. Authority doesn't tend to last long here."
Comora's expression changed to one of confusion for a moment. The man briefly wondered how Tobney could still look this strong. He wasn't used to Tobney staying strong for so long. On the other hand, it posed a new challenge for Comora and his men. And he was not one to back down from a challenge.
The man grabbed Tobney's chin roughly, making sure to pinch just a little bit harder than necessary. "I tamed you once. I'll do it again."
"Good luck." Tobney's response was brief but the youngster continued to stare into Comora's eyes.
Suno lowered his gaze for a moment, managing to hide a smile. Comora released the slave before standing up straight. Tobney lowered his eyes again. He was still exhausted from the beatings he received that day. He needed to conserve his energy.
Comora's gaze moved from the youngster to his comrades. They all gave him uncomfortable stares back. For a moment, he wondered if they were up for this. While torturing the youngster felt like fun back in the days, it just felt awkward now.
"Okay, guys, let's move this back to our common room." He motioned to the doorway. The others obeyed him and moved to leave the room. For the briefest moment, Tobney looked up to meet Comora's gaze and the man could have sworn he noticed a smug expression on the youngsters' face.
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The room was quiet except for a soft gentle music that was playing from a small white radio in the corner of the room. Grey book closets leaned against the walls. Some brightly coloured covers promised amazing stories in one enticing phrase while others simply stated their true nature in the same fashion.
A young woman was sitting at a silver-coloured desk in the middle of the room. Her golden eyes were focused on the screen as her slender fingers were typing away on the keyboard. Her dark hair was pulled up into a simple knot.
Her computer was turned towards her and the screen was divided in several squares. Each screen contained a person that was staring back at her. One of the aliens was talking, relating his newest findings concerning an ongoing investigation they were currently holding.
Lizis followed the conversation and made notes in order to remember the most important facts. "Great. Thank you, Ris." She saved her file and focused her golden eyes on the people in her call. "That concludes our meeting. I suggest we meet again in two weeks in order to discuss the results of the upcoming tests. Also, Koin, I need someone to join me on the meeting with the investors later this week. My assistant will send you the details."
"Yes, milady."
"Great. Thank you all for your contributions. Enjoy the rest of your day!" Lizis managed to show a smile as she ended the conversation. She hated these online meetings. Still, it was difficult to meet in person as all her co-workers were on different planets. So this was how they had to do it.
The young woman got up from her seat and moved up her arms to stretch them. Deciding to extent the stretch to her entire body, she yawned as she let her muscles stretch out while spreading her arms. She needed coffee.
Lizis left her office and headed for the kitchen. She could have gotten a coffee machine for in her office, but she chose not to. These trips to the kitchen were good for her. It gave her a reason to stretch her legs and take a brief walk. Otherwise, she would stay in her office all day, only getting up to cross the few meters to her coffee machine and back to her desk.
Lizis smiled at and greeted the servants in the kitchen and headed for the coffee machine. Her father often told her she could order the servants to bring her coffee. She would counter that statement by giving the exact same reason as why she was opposed to having a coffee machine in her room; she liked the walk to the kitchen.
Waiting for her coffee to brew, Lizis grabbed her phone and checked her messages. The young leader briefly skimmed through them to estimate how much time she would need to answer them.
A ping from the coffee machine made her look up. She grabbed her coffee and leaned against the counter while she turned her attention back to her phone. Pulling up the newsflash, Lizis's eyes widened at the first message she saw, and she instantly released her coffee.
The cup shattered the instant it met the floor. Servants looked up in shock but Lizis only had attention for her phone.
A young woman with flossy white hair curled up in a bun approached her. "Please let me clean this, mistress."
Lizis was distracted as she nodded slowly and stepped aside. "Sorry, I just… I'm sorry." She muttered as she gave a vague look to her slave.
The slave smiled in response. "Would you like me to make you a new coffee?"
"Yes, thank you, Sin. Bring it to my office." Lizis headed out the room and walked back to her office. There she fell on her chair and looked up the newsflash on her laptop. The headlines jumped at her.
"Lord Vegeta Takes Army Back."
"The Uprising Returns: Lord Vegeta and General Comora Retake the Army."
"Chaos in the Army After Hostile Takeover."
Lizis clicked on one link and opened the article.
"Lord Tobney, Lord Gohan and General Sianna disappeared after a hostile takeover. Sources say they were poisoned. We currently have no information about their wellbeing."
Lizis frowned as she opened another link.
"No information about their current situation." She muttered before going to another article. "Nobody has seen the three warriors yet. ARGH." She closed the laptop in frustration. "What the hell is going on!?"
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Gohan tried to push his finger under the collar around his neck in order to scratch the sensitive skin there. He wasn't used to constantly having something so close to his skin there. He couldn't move the collar though, so he gave up and lowered his hand. He honestly didn't know why he kept trying to get under the ki-bond.
He wasn't sure what was worse; sensing how Sianna and Tobney were tortured or not sensing them at all. All the power levels had been stable for a while now. He wasn't sure how long it had been since Tobney was taken out of the room. He didn't know if the others would be coming for him too. And he hated not knowing what was going to happen.
Luckily, he didn't have to wait long because the others were eager to come to him. The door opened and Comora entered first. The man looked bigger than Gohan remembered him to be. He was followed by his team. The other warriors seemed excited to see him again.
Gohan figured they were coming to pick him up for something. Comora opened the door and stepped back so the rest could get in.
Gohan didn't have to get up as the warriors were eager to help him up. Suno and Itoro got there first and their hands reached out to grab his wrists. The half-Saiyan let it happen. He had no reason to fight. And frankly, after sitting in his room and enduring the sensation of his friends being tortured and not being able to do anything about it, he didn't mind the distraction.
Suno and Itoro pushed his hands behind his back and metal bonds were clicked around his wrists, tying them together. Gohan looked up when Comora approached him. "Lord Gohan." Comora's hand reached up to grab Gohan by his chin. "Hurts to fall from your pedestal, doesn't it?"
Gohan's eyes met his. "I don't think I fell from a pedestal this time, Comora. I'm not the one who betrayed my closest comrade."
Comora released Gohan's chin by pushing the half-Saiyan's face sideways. "You guys think you're better than us because you have your so-called morals. Well, let me know when those morals help you escape from the ki-bonds." The man looked to his subordinates. "Let's go, guys."
Gohan was taken to the slave quarters. There, his former comrades released him from the bonds and told him to change into the white shirt and pants that slaves usually wore. The half-Saiyan did this without complaining. He figured obedience was the best option right now.
After tying his hands behind his back again, the group took their charge to one of the conference rooms. Gohan was suddenly very aware of his heartbeat as he saw all the reporters and cameras. They were going to announce that Vegeta had taken over the army already? How long had it been, a few hours?
A silence fell as he entered the room. Eyes followed his every move while he was guided to the front of the stage and forced to kneel there. The half-Saiyan couldn't bear to look up and meet the eyes of all the people there.
Slowly, people started to whisper to each other. Some reporters tried to get Gohan's attention, but these attempts were quickly shut down by Suno. Apparently, Suno had been assigned to watch over the half-Saiyan.
The half-Saiyan was distracted by a second falter in the conversations. Gohan glanced sideways when Tobney was forced to kneel next to him. A hand landed heavily on Gohan's skin and curled around his neck. "Not a whisper or you'll both be sorry." Comora murmured this to them before releasing them both.
It wasn't long before Sianna was dumped on Tobney's other side. Gohan figured Vegeta wanted to make sure everyone knew the three usurpers had now gotten a piece of their own medicine.
Vegeta appeared not long after that. At Comora's approval, cameras started flashing all around them. People counted down and activated the live connections to the conference.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, lords and ladies." Vegeta's voice sounded confident and strong behind them. Gohan was tempted to look behind him and meet Vegeta's eyes. He hadn't really seen or spoken to Vegeta since he was captured. He wanted to speak to Vegeta. He wanted to ask his former mentor what the hell he was doing. What the hell was he thinking. And what the hell was going on. Vegeta would have a field day if he heard Gohan curse that much.
While Vegeta held his speech, Gohan kept his gaze lowered to the ground. He didn't try to listen too heard as he could feel his anger rise as Vegeta spoke. The lies were difficult to bear. Vegeta told a story about the three warriors betraying him years ago and making him fall in a trap. After this Vegeta was banished to a corner of the universe. Luckily, some of his former subordinates were still loyal to him and they searched for him and helped him return to the army. Now, Vegeta had bested Tobney in a fight and taken back what was rightfully his. Gohan wasn't surprised Vegeta could make up such a story. Back when Gohan was still in the army, their public relationship was built on lies too.
The youngster made brief glances to Tobney. He wondered if slight eye-contact would be enough to be able to communicate. And he hoped Tobney was thinking the same thing. As Vegeta was speaking, Gohan could feel a gentle tingling in his head. He hoped this was Tobney trying to communicate with him.
He opened his gates to let Tobney in and desperately sent a message that he was okay, and he hoped Tobney was too. Sadly, Tobney needed eye-contact to send messages back. Tobney could only vaguely read minds while deprived of eye-contact. Weirdly, he could suddenly feel a calming sensation and he hoped this was Tobney trying to let him know he received the message and was fine too. As far as one could be fine when imprisoned.
Questions were being answered when one reporter directed the question to Gohan. The half-Saiyan looked up to meet the eyes of the reporter. Almost instantly, a club landed on his shoulder, startling him and forcing him to lower his gaze again. When did they get the clubs out?
"Gohan is not answering questions right now." Comora twirled the club and moved it up so it could rest on his shoulder.
The press conference felt like it was going on forever. What worried Gohan especially is that Vegeta deflected every question about the fate of the three warriors. He would not tell the reporters what was going to happen to them. That could mean two things; Vegeta didn't know what he was going to do with them yet or he was planning on disposing of them quietly. Gohan knew he and his friends were beloved public figures. Killing them off in public would hurt Vegeta's reputation. And Vegeta needed the favour of the public.
Just as suddenly as the press conference started, it was over. Suno approached Gohan and pulled the young warrior to his feet. Gohan realized the others were following him. Sianna and Tobney were also taken away.
In the hallway, away from the cameras, Vegeta turned around to face them. "Well, that went as well as could be expected." The man walked closer to the half-Saiyan and reached out to tousle Gohan's messy hair. "It's good to see you back in your old clothes." He teased before releasing the half-Saiyan. He made eye-contact with Comora.
"Please bring lord Gohan back to his cell." He ordered, making sure to stress Gohan's title. Gohan had to ball his fists in order to release some of the tension. "I'll take the warrior princess to her cell." Vegeta reached out to cup Sianna's chin in his hand. She pulled away from him, stepping back in the process. "and you can decide what to do with the puppy."
"Yes sir." Comora nodded before looking to his comrades. Tobney and Gohan were forced to walk in front of their captors as they all made their way to the detention centre. Gohan realized they were going to bring Gohan to his cell first and then take Tobney elsewhere. Of course, they needed to keep the trio separated or they would try to find a way to escape together.
The half-Saiyan briefly considered finding a way to escape. He knew these halls by heart. He'd lived here for years. He knew where every door they passed led to. Still, he was wearing ki-bonds and he wasn't sure how much they would suppress his power if he tried to power up. Aside from that, his former comrades hadn't beaten him up yet and he didn't want to give them a reason to do so.
"In you go." Gohan was ushered into the cell. Suno released his arms from the bonds before leaving the half-Saiyan in the cell. Gohan wasn't sure what to say as he watched the group leave. They didn't even say a word to him.
In a way, he was glad that they didn't. Considering everything that happened today, he could not find the words to convey what he wanted to say to them.
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Please leave a review and let me know what you think!
Next time on Slave Soldier.
"So, what are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see you."
"You just want to torture me."
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"How dare you!"
"Lady Kanda, what a pleasant surprise."
"Release my husband right now!"
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"Why haven't you killed him yet?"
"Killed who?"
"Gohan."
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Until next time!