Previoius disclaimers, etc. apply.  Not a lot of action in this part, but some explanations are needed and oh yes, one more very important character to the plot will arrive at the end of  Part III.  *____* telepathic communication between characters

THE TWO PRINCES

By Katreve

Part III

"And this is my, husband, Vegeta," Bulma finished introducing everyone from her reality to the newcomers from the various future dimensions. 

She smiled trying for normalcy in a situation that was anything but normal.

Vegeta was sitting with his arms crossed, his routine scowl in place, but his body was rigid because he couldn't talk and he couldn't move.  Something was holding him back, and the angrier he became, the more he seemed to be pressed down.

Marai Trunks spoke while eyeing his father, "Father, if you try to calm down, you'll find that K'tarai will let you speak and move.  But if you let yourself rage and fume, you're only going to be kept ….huh…tied down.."

"Trunks," spoke his mother (the future version), "Perhaps you had better do the honors and introduce everyone in our group.  And explain about the K'tareen a bit too."

"Oh..sure…" but a large rumbling sounded interrupted him and everyone looked to the source. 

Goku smiled weakly and placed one hand on his stomach and raised the other in the air, "Sorry,  I understand that everything going on here is vital to the safety of, oh, I don't remember all the worlds or universes you mentioned Dende, but I am really hungry.  Unless you put something in my stomach, it's going to be interrupting this meeting quite a bit and besides I'll never be able to fight without some food."

"Actually I wouldn't mind something else to eat," mused the braided boy, from one of those other dimensions.

"You just ate two hours ago," growled the dark-haired boy with deep blue eyes, who was called Heero Yuy.

"So, all this jumping around from one reality to another, future to past….it takes a lot out of you."

"Hey, I like the way you look at things," grinned Goku. 

The blond boy, previously introduced as Quatre, sighed and turned to Bulma, "We're going to be stalled until at least these two get something to eat."

Chibi Trunks, still sitting in the middle of the conference table, jumped up and yelled, "Birthday cake…more birthday cake.  I had two you know and there's plenty left."

Heero looked over to the boy on the table and shook his head, "I still can't get over the fact that that is your younger self, Trunks," he spoke to the tall lavender-haired prince, who stood next to the blond prince, Quatre.  He continued, "Even though he looks like you, he seems a lot more….huh…"

"Unruly, undisciplined…." Said the younger Bulma, "Well you can thank his father for that."

Vegeta had been concentrating on his breathing, trying to calm himself down enough to at least be able to speak, and decided here was as good a time to try and respond as another,

"What do you mean undisciplined.  That boy has excellent fighting skills and is…"

"And he's spoiled rotten, by you, by his grandparents and probably by me too.  And I believe he had far too much sugar today.  Should have known better."

"Am not spoiled rotten, right Goten." Chibi Trunks took a flying leap off the table and landed next to where Goten was sitting, still awed by the presence of Goku.

Future Bulma looked at her younger self and said, "If you'll have some food brought in, my Trunks and I will try and get everyone seated and calm down the chibi ichi if we can."

Chi Chi and Videl stood up, "We'll help too." Chi Chi looked over at the girl standing with the newcomers and said, "Would you like to help us too,  huh…we don't believe we know your name yet."

The girl, Relena, looked astounded, "Me….help to serve food.  Do you know who I am?"

"Well of course not," Chi Chi snapped, not liking the girl's attitude one bit, "I just said we haven't been introduced."

"Me, serve food?" Relena was like a broken record, still too stunned by that horrible concept.

Chi Chi shook her head and waved her away as she followed Bulma and Videl who had already left the conference room.  Fortunately Chi Chi knew there was help in the kitchen, still cleaning up probably, so that they should be able to pull something together in the way of chow pretty fast.  She knew it would have to be plenty to satisfy Goku…she smiled to herself, if nothing else, this threat or whatever it was had brought her Goku back to her again.

Still in the conference room, Chibi Trunks was continuing to have a problem calming down, "Hey watch Goten…." He began when suddenly he was picked up off his feet by Marai Trunks and sat down rather firmly in the chair between Piccolo and his father. 

"Hey, chibi me, you have a role to play in our mission to take care of the Deamonwrai.  If you sit still and be quiet while we bring in food for everyone, you'll hear what it will be."  Marai Trunks said.

Chibi Trunks swung his head around to look up Marai Trunks, "Really, can I fight…like…."

"You'll hear shortly.  Look at Goten, how quiet and good he is being.  If he can do it, surely you can."

"Oh Goten can be just like me when he wants to.  He's just bowled over by his dad."

"I'll bowl you over too, if you don't be quiet."  Growled Vegeta.

Chibi Trunks frowned and crossed his arms, but he said nothing further. 

Vegeta continued, "If you or that fur ball on your shoulder could keep me from moving and talking, how come you couldn't make him sit still and be quiet?"

Marai Trunks smiled slightly, "Oh so you've realized that this is K'tarai," he moved his hand up to pet the small white cat on his shoulder.  "Perhaps she impressed you with who she is.  Well, K'tarai chooses whom she will exercise her powers on, not me.  I guess she did not choose to curb Chibi Trunks' enthusiasm.  After all, she is partial to me …huh …to both of us I guess."

Future Bulma interjected, "As long as we're on the subject of the K'tareen, why don't I explain a bit about them while we wait for the food."

Another large rumble sounded and Bulma looked over at Goku. 

He shrugged and grinned again, "You mentioned that word…you know f-o-o-d."

Another large rumble sounded, and the braided boy called Duo Maxwell laughed out loud, "I guess your stomach can spell too."

A number of the group, though not all, started to chuckle. 

Bulma smiled a little to herself, the tension between everyone was easing just a bit.  She continued speaking and hoped Goku's stomach would remain quiet for a while longer, 

"Well, the K'tareen are the two white …felines…on the shoulders of Trunks and Quatre.  I found the stone tablet which we now call the 'prophecy stone' and the next thing we knew these little white cats appeared.  They are from yet another dimension and seem to know all about the Deamonwrai.  The K'tareen communicate telepathically with the Princes, K'tarai is linked with Trunks and K'tree is linked with Quatre.  Though from what Trunks tells me, now that the links are established there can be, if necessary, four-way communication between the two K'tareen and the two princes.  The K'tareen can also make impressions on the rest of us, if not actually establish telepathic communication.  That is probably how you realized, Vegeta, that K'tarai was the one who was restraining you when you were trying to fly off the handle earlier."

Vegeta muttered, "I don't know how I'm supposed to put up with two of you, one is hard enough.  Talk, talk, talk…."

Future Bulma heard what he said very well, but chose to ignore it.  However, she thought she should turn further explanation over to her grown son.  She looked at him and he picked it up,

"Yes, well….the K'tareen worked with me and mother to build a device that helped transport the other visitors from another future reality.  K'tree knew that her prince was from that reality and as soon as we had them through the first transportation, she contacted him telepathically and let him know what was happening."

Gohan lifted his hand and caught Marai Trunks' eye, "You and this other boy, Quatre, I believe, took all that these K'tareen communicated to you without question?"

Marai Trunks laughed a bit as K'tarai stood on his shoulder and batted his bangs a bit but then answered simply, "Yes, at least I did."  He glanced at Quatre, who shrugged and said just as simply, "Of course."

 "Can we sit down or something?  Do you think they realize we're not contagious or anything now?" complained Duo.

"I want to take a seat too," said Goku who was also still standing,  "Come on over here fellas, there are empty chairs.  I say that anyone who is as hungry as me has got to be OK."

"You're still too trusting, Goku," said Piccolo.

Goku just laughed and went over and pulled out an empty chair.  Duo followed him easily enough with a huge grin on his face, "About your hair…huh… Goku wasn't it?"

"Yeah and about yours, why do you let it grow so long that you have to braid it?" Goku came right back.

Marai Trunks looked at Quatre, who nodded, and then they too sat down, Trunks next to Goku and Quatre next to Duo.  The other boys and the girl, Relena stood back still.  Heero was scowling almost as much as Vegeta.  //Quatre and Duo are too trusting just like that weird big green guy said.// 

Another youth, the silent one whose bangs covered one eye, hesitated briefly but then went to sit next to Quatre.

 //Figures// thought Heero //Trowa would sit next to Quatre before someone else could.  Wonder what he thinks of this telepathic thing between Trunks and Quatre.//  Then Wufei joined the others though he shot suspicious glances at everyone he could just so they would know he still wasn't sure if they were trustworthy.  Heero still would not sit down.

Relena, the girl, stuck her nose in the air, and said with a huffy tone, "No one respects a lady anymore.  Look at all these guys sitting down without caring whether I have a chair or not."

That decided Heero, he went over and sat down next to Wufei without acknowledging Relena at all.  Finally, Gohan took pity on Relena and stood up and moved a chair out for her.  She swung over and sat, starting to talk again, "This is just so much foolishness, I don't even know why I'm here and did you hear that woman ask me to serve food, why in all my days…..ack"  her voice was cut off. 

Chibi Trunks noticed that the cat on Quatre's shoulder had just shot a glare at the girl and she was suddenly quiet.  Chibi Trunks exchanged glances with Goten who had also noticed it and the two of them started to giggle behind their hands.

Marai Trunks said, "Now before we go further I should really introduce the rest of the visitors from the second future reality.  He proceeded to do so as his mother, Dende and Korin also found seats around the huge conference table. 

Just as he finished, the doors to the conference room were opened and several people came in with trays of sandwiches, iced tea and milk, and of course birthday cake.  Finally, when all the food was served to those who wanted it, and Chi Chi, Videl and Bulma had also taken seats, Marai Trunks thought he should continue but K'tarai spoke to his mind,  *Wait, let them eat and converse with one another for a bit.  At least those who are willing to converse.  It will help them get to know each other better.*  

Marai Trunks leaned out a little to look around Goku and Duo who were yakking like they'd known each other all their lives and saw Quatre glance back at him with a little nod.  //Good,// thought Marai Trunks, //because when we tell them that there are going to be teams of two, one each of a Gundam Pilot and a Z Warrior, and that they are going to have to train each other in what they each do best….well who knows how that's going to go over.//

*Well it would appear we have one team in the making, Duo and Goku.*  Marai Trunks heard Quatre's thoughts. 

*That's true,* he responded, then K'tree telepathically communicated, *K'tarai and I don't know if the two of them should be together.  They are too much alike.*

*Oh, shit, you mean we have to team up the ones who don't have anything in common.  That's going to make it tougher yet.*

*We'll see…* thought K'tarai and both princes heaved really deep sighs.

As everyone was finished eating, even Goku, and things were being cleared off by some of the help from the kitchen, Marai Trunks dreaded having to start again.  But his little K'tarai interrupted him just as he stood up, *Wait, Trunks…Quatre….it's time to bring Chibi Quatre over.*

Marai Trunks looked over at Quatre who now stood also.  They moved quickly away from the table and conversation stopped to follow what they were doing. 

*Are you sure it's now?* Trunks questioned.  But he knew the two K'tareen were activating the device with their minds even as he asked, because he now saw a white light starting to glow in a far corner of the room.  He sighed and went forward to stand near as Quatre moved up next to him.

Within a few seconds a small figure appeared.    A two-year old toddler with white-gold spun hair and blue/green eyes expressing shock and fear stared up at Trunks and Quatre.  He was dressed uniquely in a surcoat of royal blue with seven small gold bells attached to its the hem and white silk garments consisting of a shirt and pants under the surcoat.  Little blue matching slippers were on his feet.  Tears began to fill his eyes and Quatre bent and held his arms out to the scared little boy.  The boy ran to him without question and Quatre picked him up and turned to the others.  He murmured words of comfort in the small boy's ear and the little one stuck his fist in his mouth.

"Ohhh…" said Chi Chi and she was up and moving towards the two Quatres, mother instincts on full speed ahead.  "Who is this sweet little thing?"

"This," said Marai Trunks, "is Chibi Quatre."

There was stunned silence for a moment until Marai Trunks looked at Chibi Trunks, "Here's where you come in Chibi Trunks, you and this chibi ichi are the Chibi princes and you must watch out for Chibi Quatre.  You and Goten.  And the rest of you, whoever is not chosen for the mission to fight the Deamonwrai directly, must protect the Chibi Princes because if Quatre and I, as the Princes who are to lead in the battle, fail, then the Chibi Princes will become the last resort."

End of Part III

More action next time, promise.  And the teams of Gundam Pilots and Z Warriors get chosen to fight.   Try to guess who is going to be teamed up with whom?