Chapter One-Hundred-And-Three: Rojal And Dedron Vs. Zarbon

Downstairs in the hotel lobby…

"KA-BOOM!"

An explosion had erupted in the elevator shaft, and the hotel employees had ordered an evacuation. Calmagians and Astorians were frantically trying to flee the hotel, but Lieutenant Balboun, Toria, Hazel, Natala, and Gohan had formed a search party to look for anyone who was trapped upstairs. Cirono, the Calmagian telepath who had warned them about General Norbrook's treachery, was going to accompany them, but when he heard from a CRP officer that the remaining members of the Ginyu Force were nearby, he abruptly left to go help fight them instead, despite the warnings from both Gohan and Hazel about how dangerous the Ginyu Force was.

But Cirono was determined. The Ginyu Force and others like them had been terrorizing the people of Calmag for long enough. He knew that the Ginyu Force was as strong as the strongest Astorians on Calmag, if not stronger, but he had to do something. There were enough people searching for those left behind. It was time for him to go.
He slowly made his way through the dark hotel lobby and out into the cool Calmagian night.









In the elevator shaft…

"Not back, Astorie!" Zarbon grunted, after barely surviving Dedron's second Mirror Shield attack. Thanks to Dedron's last two Mirror Shield attacks, Zarbon had taken a little damage, and his handsome appearance was now disheveled, with his green hair tangled, and his nose bloody. "But it's not good enough!"

But the last two attacks had been good enough to tear two enormous, man-sized holes in the sides of the elevator shaft, just barely avoiding the cables. Dedron had cleverly diverted Zarbon's devastating attacks to the sides of the elevator shaft walls.

Dedron laughed arrogantly. "Don't be so sure, pretty man! I was just warming up!" The confident, husky Astorian prince was standing on the roof of the elevator. He looked at Zarbon and sneered, "Are you sure that you're not really a lady posing as a man, because if you are, you're doing a pitiful job of it!"

Zarbon growled, as he crossed his arms, "Enough with the insults, Astorie. Why don't you save yourself and your friends the trouble and hand over Princess Tayla to me at once! If you do, I promise that I will let and the others live for a little while longer before we clear this wretched planet."

"Forget that!" Dedron declared. "If anyone's going to make Tayla's life miserable, it's going to be me! Sorry, pretty lady, but I still have plans for her, and you don't figure into them. Now why don't you get your cute little bottom out of here and go back home and primp! You have quite a few hairs out of place. If those last two attacks were the best that you had, you better give up now; even the monkey who calls himself Prince Vegeta put up a better fight than you did!"

Zarbon clenched his fists; he put up enough with insults about his excessive grooming and preening habits, and he didn't need a chunky Astorie boy adding to them. "You'll pay for those remarks, Prince!" he hissed. "Prepare to die!"

Rojal, who was standing near Dedron on the elevator roof, added, "Go ahead, because Dedron and I here are ready for you! He won't be facing you alone, and not even you can take on two Astorian Princes of Chloe!"

"Very well then," Zarbon told Rojal smoothly. "My next blast will destroy you, your cocky friend, and everyone else in this shaft! Not even your pathetic Mirror Shield attacks will be able to stall them-"

"WAIT!"

Rojal and Dedron turned around to see Kekron climbing out of the elevator hole that Dedron had made earlier. "Kekron, what you are doing here?" Rojal demanded to know.

"You three can't fight here," Kekron pointed out. "Another blast from any one of you could kill us all. You three have to take this fight to another place, preferably outside of the hotel."

"Stay out of this," Dedron snapped. "We know what we're doing."

"No, Dedron," Rojal told him. "Kekron's right. We have to take this fight elsewhere. Another blast from that pretty boy up there, and he'll kill us all, including Tayla. Speaking of her, is she awake yet?"

"No, I'm sorry," Kekron told them. "She's not. Caline and Naykiar have been shouting at her to awaken, but it's all been in vain. You two go on and take Zarbon with you; we'll figure out something."

"You better soon," Dedron told him. "Tayla's been sleeping long enough; she needs to get her scrawny behind up!"

"Leave her alone, Dedron," Kekron ordered. "She saved your life earlier from Vegeta! If it weren't for her, you wouldn't be alive right now! Father told me everything before he left!"

"Enough with the talking," Zarbon's voice commanded them. "If you Astorie boys are going to continue this useless battle, I suggest that you do so now. I'm growing impatient. I'm becoming eager to finish off the fat boy here, now what in the world-"

Zarbon's words were cut off from a sudden punch from Dedron, who had flown up into the air like a cork coming out of a bottle of champagne. Dedron began punching and kicking him, with Zarbon matching him blow for blow and kick for kick.

"Dedron!" Rojal screamed. He cursed under his breath, mumbling, "We were supposed to take this fight somewhere else!"

Kekron clenched his fists. "Dedron's going to doom us all!"

Caline's frantic voice called from inside the elevator, "Kekron! What's going on up there?"

"Everything's under control, don't worry," Rojal lied to her, answering before Kekron could. "You and your brother keep trying to wake up Tayla. Be careful not to touch that dome."

While Rojal was speaking to Caline, Zarbon had sent a hard punch to Dedron's chubby face, a punch that sent him crashing into the wall. Dedron sprung off of the wall and landed a kick in Zarbon's abdomen, a kick that dented his stomach flanks. Zarbon then responded by punching the side of Dedron's neck, but Dedron sent a mighty blow to Zarbon's ribs through his armor. Zarbon screamed in pain, but then he recovered quickly and smiled, coming up with a new strategy.

He flew back away from Dedron, and Dedron followed him. He allowed Dedron to land all of the kicks and blows that he wanted upon his handsome body. Dedron landed many sharp blows to Zarbon's face and chest, and a powerful roundhouse kick from him nearly broke Zarbon's jaw. Zarbon only responded with a minimal of self-defense. Zarbon's nose was bloody, and his face was covered with bruises, but he allowed Dedron to beat up on him. Dedron triumphantly kicked Zarbon in his torso, crotch, and legs, and then he landed a roundhouse kick to Zarbon's jaw.

"'Bout to give up, pretty lady?" Dedron asked in a sickening, cloying voice.

Rojal and Kekron watched Dedron assault Zarbon, and Kekron was concerned. "Rojal," he spoke worriedly. "Zarbon's much stronger than the average Astorian, and we all know that Dedron hasn't had his Awakening. How is he able to take Zarbon on so easily? Why isn't Zarbon fighting back like he should?"

Rojal was worried too, and then he remembered one of Dirkan's pre-battle talks. "Sweet Orchida!" he gasped. "I know what Zarbon's doing!"

"What's that?" Kekron asked, more alarmed than ever, as he and Rojal stood on the roof of the elevator.

Rojal moaned, "Zarbon's deliberately holding back! He's going to let Dedron pound and kick away at him until Dedron uses up all of his strength! He's waiting for Dedron to run low on his ki and strength, and that's when Zarbon will strike back at full strength! Dirkan said before that some warriors have used that method before, on both sides!"

Kekron cried, "Then Dedron has to stop and back off before it's too late!"

Rojal screamed to Dedron, "Dedron, stop! Zarbon is holding back on purpose!"

"Dedron, watch out!" Kekron shouted.

Dedron landed a hard punch into Zarbon's face, which sent Zarbon crashing into the wall of the elevator shaft. The hulky Astorian grinned. "Relax, you two! I have this under control! Too bad Caline isn't watching this! In fact, I can't believe that everyone feared Zarbon so much-"

Before Dedron could speak another word, a smirking Zarbon, who had been laying flat against the smooth wall of the elevator shaft, opened up his palms and shot out a huge burst of pale green light from his well-shaped hands. Dedron screamed, as the huge bolt of ki crashed into his huge body like a tidal wave of light.

"DEDRON!" both Kekron and Rojal shouted.

"SOMEONE HELP ME!" Dedron cried in terror, as the ki blast from Zarbon engulfed his heavy body, burning him, as he fell back against the cable that was holding the elevator in mid-air. His mouth was open wide, as his body burned from both within his body and outside it. A scorched, near-unconscious Dedron fell off of the cable and started falling rapidly towards the bottom of the elevator shaft, like a meteorite falling to the surface of a planet.

Rojal frantically leaped off of the elevator shaft and dived after Dedron, as Dedron's now-unconscious body fell towards the bottom of the shaft. Dedron fell almost ten floors before Rojal finally managed to sweep himself up under his friend's body and catch him in his arms. Dedron moaned with relief, managed a gargled thank-you to his friend, and with the blue irises of his eyes rolling to the back of his head, he passed out.

"Dedron!" Rojal cried, trying to rouse his closest friend, as he stood mid-air in the elevator cradling him in his arms. Dedron's face was red and blistery on his left side, and his left eye was already swollen. His shirt had been burned away, and there were two long, puffy, sickening white blisters running along his wide chest. His right nipple was burnt black, and he was barely breathing, his chest fighting for every breath of air.

Zarbon looked down at them from above, expressionless, with his arms crossed. His tattered cape floated behind him, a wave of pale cloth. Finally, a triumphant smirk crossed his good-looking features, as he said, "Now, do you see that it is foolish to challenge me? Even the half-breed monkey who called himself Bendros couldn't stand up to me, and I'm afraid he's having a private session with Enma Daiou at this moment. So sorry that I had to dispose of him so quickly; he did put up a good fight before I eliminated him for him.

Rojal's jaw dropped, as he held Dedron close to him. He looked up at Zarbon, horrified. "You killed Bendros?"

"He's not here to help you now, is he?" Zarbon asked

Rojal clenched a fist and shook it at Zarbon the best that he could. His face contorted into an angry, menacing expression. "You'll pay for that, you bastard! And you'll pay for what you did to my best friend!"

"Then come collect your payment," Zarbon responded coolly, with an amused smile.

"And so I shall!" Rojal hissed, as he flew towards Kekron and landed on the roof of the elevator. He gently handed Dedron's unconscious body over to a horrified Kekron, who took their injured cousin into his arms. "Take care of him, Kek, please," Rojal told him quietly.

"I will," Kekron told Rojal as bravely as possible. Slowly he floated down into the hole that Dedron had created earlier, carrying Dedron with him back down into the elevator.

Caline and Naykiar cried out when Kekron brought Dedron's inert form back into the elevator and laid him tenderly on the floor. "Keep watch over him, please," Kekron told them. "I need to go help Rojal."

"Help Rojal fight?" Naykiar asked Kekron in alarm. "You're not a warrior or a soldier! How do you expect to stand up to Zarbon? You couldn't take him before when he kept all of us hostage!"

"He's very brave," Caline spoke up for her champion. "And he saved me from both Balair and Norbrook." She tiptoed over to Dedron's body, with an expression of pity on her young, pretty face. She had never liked Dedron much, but she felt sorry for him at that moment. And he had held out for a long time against Zarbon, something that very few people had been able to do.

She knelt down beside Dedron and pulled out two blue Bright Healer rose heads. Quickly, she tore off some of the petals and began to dab them to Dedron's many wounds and burns. She gently felt along his huge, muscled legs for any wounds that were hidden by the burned and tattered pants left on his body, starting from his feet all the way up to his stomach. She then felt him convulse when she lightly touched his flat stomach. Caline slowly and hesitantly peeled down his pants to just above his crotch, and she winced when she saw a horrible gaping blister that had already busted open. Curls of white skin were at the edges of the softball-side wound, and there were patches of blackened flesh surrounding the open injury. Caline began to squeeze as much healing oil as she could out of one of the rose heads, hoping that it would be able to help. When a layer of rose oil had been applied to Dedron's wound, she lightly began to spread it with one small white finger.

Within minutes, the wounds on Dedron's body, including that one on his stomach began to slowly disappear, as if they had never existed to begin with. Unfortunately, Caline's Bright Healers could not revive Dedron, and so he still lay unconscious. But at least his bodily injuries were completely healed.

She looked up worriedly at Kekron, who had been deviating between watching her treat Dedron and watching Rojal up above fly into the air to challenge Zarbon. Finally, Kekron heard Rojal scream.

"NO!" Rojal's voice from above cried out in horror, as Kekron quickly left the elevator through the hole that Dedron had made. He flew up into the air to see Zarbon mercilessly punch Rojal in his face and torso. Rojal was able to meet most of his blows, but Zarbon had quickly decided to go to full strength and finish off Rojal quickly.
Rojal's fist crashed into Zarbon's jaw, but Zarbon retaliated swiftly by kicking Rojal in his crotch. He then slammed his fists repeatedly into Rojal's stomach, while Rojal vainly tried to punch him in his face.

Then Zarbon butted his head into Rojal's chest while punching him hard in his stomach again. Zarbon was fighting at full power now, and Rojal didn't stand much of a chance anymore. Before Rojal could react, Zarbon flew up above him, clasped his hands together into fists, and then, with both fists together, Zarbon slammed his fists into the back of Rojal's back. Rojal tried to recover, so he could retaliate, but before he could do so, Zarbon punched him hard in the back of his head. Dizzy and disoriented, Rojal still tried to steady himself to fight his opponent, but then Zarbon landed an uppercut on his jaw and slammed his other fist into Rojal's throat. Rojal choked and gasped for air, as Zarbon began to punch him in his chest and stomach again. Then Zarbon shoved his fist into Rojal, knocking him out once and for all.

Kekron stood on the roof of the elevator again, with his fists clenched, as he tried to figure out a way to help Rojal without getting them all killed. But before Kekron could carry out whatever plans to help that he had made, Zarbon seized Rojal by his collar and flung him down below. Rojal's unconscious body fell to the elevator roof, collided into Kekron, and sent both him and Kekron crashing through the roof of the elevator-almost right on top of Dedron and Caline!

The two boys would have fallen onto Dedron, had it not been for Caline and Naykiar, who both quickly dragged Dedron's heavy body out of the way. Kekron fell down onto his back, with Rojal falling down upon him. Rojal's body rolled off of Kekron and onto his right side. Rojal's unconscious form was now lying pressed against the side wall of the elevator.

Naykiar and Caline ran to Kekron and Rojal, as Kekron struggled to sit up. Caline threw her arms around Kekron's neck, as she looked over at Rojal. "Are you okay?" she asked worriedly. "And is Rojal still alive?"

Kekron slowly reached over to feel for a pulse on Rojal's tall neck. A soft pulsing beat greeted the pad of his index finger, and Kekron breathed a sigh of relief. He put one arm around Caline and patted her back. "We'll be okay," he tried to assure her, as Caline still clung to his neck. She finally released him to go treat Rojal's wounds with what rose petals she had left.

"I wouldn't waste those rose petals on him, if I were you."

Caline looked up to the hole in the elevator roof and screamed when she saw Zarbon's face peering through the hole of the elevator roof. Kekron abruptly jumped to his feet and clenched his fists again.

"Leave us alone!" Kekron ordered him. "You've already hurt enough people, and Tayla's not able to fight you right now! Go away!"
Caline hurriedly left Rojal after treating his wounds with what rose petals she had left, and she flung herself onto Kekron again, clinging to him tightly, pressing her face into his chest. Kekron kept one arm around her, as he shook his fist at Zarbon.

Zarbon laughed, as he bent down closer to the hole. "You should tell Princess Caline not to bother treating those boys, for it's not likely they're going to live anyway. And from what little I know of you, boy, I know that you have little fighting ability. Why don't you just let me come down and take Princess Tayla back with me, and I may spare you, Princess Caline, and that other boy with you. You all don't have a chance of defending her at this point, and you all know it. Surrender the girl to me now, and I will leave."

"You couldn't take her," Kekron retorted. "Just how do you plan to get her out of that dome? Not even we can do it. Even you can't carry that bed of hers very far before you wear yourself out. And she doesn't want to come with you; why force her into a life of servitude under Frieza? Surely, not even you can be completely happy working for that monster."

Zarbon gnashed his teeth, for Kekron's last sentence had struck a nerve. It was true that he didn't always like the evil dictator whom he had worked under for many years. In fact, he had openly opposed Frieza at one time when Frieza had decided that he wanted Chestra for himself. Chestra and Zarbon had escaped Frieza for a short time and went into hiding before they were found again and brought back. Zarbon knew that he was lucky that Frieza had allowed him to live and be with Chestra, but he had never forgiven Frieza for trying to come between them. He no longer idolized his lord, although he continued to do his bidding. And he certainly didn't need some Astorie boy reminding of this!

"My feelings about Frieza are no concern of yours," Zarbon snapped. "Now, I'm coming down! Get out of my way, and let me get to the girl!"

"Caline, you're going to have to go to Naykiar now," Kekron told her firmly, as he eased her out of his arms. As Caline began to back away, Kekron stood up, tall and steady, trying to brave as possible.

"If you want Tayla, fine."

"WHAT?" both Caline and Naykiar cried in horror.

"Why?" Naykiar demanded to know of Kekron. Tayla was important to the Astorian people; how could Prince Kekron just give her up like that. Naykiar knew that they didn't have a chance of protecting Tayla now, but still-

Caline's eyes filled with horrified tears. How could this boy that she had come to trust and admire betray her best friend? How could Kekron just give up Tayla? Caline looked at Kekron in utter disbelief and horror. Kekron noticed Caline's devastated expression, and tears came to his eyes, but he couldn't comfort her now.

Kekron said quietly, evenly, looking straight into Zarbon's golden eyes, "If you want Tayla, that's fine. But you will have to get by me first." Caline was openly relieved at these final words, as the tears flowed down her face. She reproached herself privately for having so quickly lost faith in Kekron; she should have known that he wouldn't have just given in like that. She favored Kekron with a grateful smile. Naykiar was also more at ease now, and he flashed Kekron a brief smile.

Zarbon snorted contemptuously. "You Astories and monkeys have a lot in common, do you know that? Neither of your races knows when you're fighting a losing battle, but if you insist on challenging me, young man, I will accept. But before you stand off against me, I suggest you kiss your little blond girlfriend goodbye, because your next five minutes will be your last."

"Don't be so sure," Kekron told him as steadily as possible, even though he knew that Zarbon was right. What in Kami Orchida's name had he been thinking? He looked at the blue dome where Tayla still lay, and then he looked over at the worried faces of both Caline and Naykiar. He then looked down on the floor at the unconscious bodies of Rojal and Dedron, and he sighed heavily. Both boys had been stronger than he had been, and neither one could even come close to holding off Zarbon for long. What chance did he, a mere Technician with limited fighting skills, have?

He swallowed hard and stood up straighter than ever.

*Caline, Tayla, everyone, I'm sorry. Caline, Tayla, I'm sorry that I can't do more to protect you two… *

"I'm ready," he told Zarbon quietly.

Zarbon smiled. He'd kill the boy with one punch or one ki blast easily.









Outside, on the cables that was holding up the elevator shaft in mid-air, a spark emerged from one of the wires, and smoke began to stream from the cable. Quickly, the spark grew into a small twist of orange fire, and the cable holding up the elevator began to burn slowly. Wires and metal strings began to unravel, as the cable began to steadily burn away.







Outside the elevator shaft…

Lelina and Petalia were screaming down into the elevator shaft in vain when someone suddenly crept up behind them. The visitor had no ki that could be sensed, but Petalia heard him breath, and she slowly, fearfully turned around. The lovely girl was relieved to find out that Bendros had returned. She nudged Lelina, who also turned around. Both girls were happy to see Bendros Sahara once more.

"Bendros! You're okay!" they shrieked.

Bendros's battle gi was torn and tattered, and he looked somewhat exhausted, but he had no apparent wounds, for they had been healed with some of the oil from Caline's roses. He started to greet the girls, but then he smelled a slight acrid smell of smoke. His Saiyan genes enabled him to detect scents ten times better than his pureblooded Astorian counterparts.

Petalia turned back towards the elevator, and she screamed when she saw that the cable was on fire. "Bendros! The elevator cable is burning! And Dedron, Kekron, Rojal, Tayla, and Caline are still trapped inside that elevator!" She and Lelina had been watching the battle between their brothers and Zarbon the entire time.

"Move aside, girls!" Bendros ordered both Lelina and Petalia, and both girls did his bidding, as he pushed past them towards an emergency case holding a water hose. Bendros punched the glass out with his fist, and he ignored the bleeding cuts on his fists, as he dragged out the heavy water hose. He then noticed a spigot below the fire emergency case and turned it on with his free hand.

"Stay near that spigot!" he ordered both Lelina and Petalia, as he gathered as much of the hose in his arms as he could. "When I say turn it off, do so!"

Bendros held onto the hose steadily, a rapid burst of white water shot forth from the hose and towards the burning cable. Within a minute, the fire on the elevator cable had been extinguished, and a long, gray puff of dirty smoke emerged from the scorched cables. Lelina panted, as she turned off the hose.

Bendros heaved a sigh of relief, but his relief soon turned to worry.

He felt Zarbon's ki too close to the trapped occupants in the elevator.

And the sudden increasing of…Tayla's ki?










A glow of soft, pale blue light streamed into her mostly closed eyes, as she was able to hear voices for the first time in a while. She could hear the strong, steady voice of Kekron telling someone that he was ready. Ready for what?

And then she heard Zarbon's menacing chuckle, and her small, slight body trembled. He was still after her? She then heard Caline crying and begging Zarbon not to take Tayla away or harm Kekron, but she then heard Zarbon tell the Calmagian princess that her pleas were of no use.

Her eyelids felt heavy, but gradually the heaviness began to ease, and her saucer-shaped eyes slowly peeled open, revealing doll-like irises the color of rich mahogany. Her button nose twitched, and she emitted a yawn, as she stared up into the clear blue dome that had been protecting her during her sleep and healing.

Despite her grogginess, she felt almost completely reenergized, thanks to Aunt Toria's healing spell. The sleepiness began to dissipate, as she felt her ki return to her in full strength. She felt reborn, in a new body and a new spirit. She had not felt this strong or this well in a long while.

She began to sit up slowly, lowering her head, so she would not brush against the ceiling of the healing dome. But it would not be necessary for her to duck, for at that moment the blue dome ceiling began to fade away into nothingness, as if it had never been there to began with.

Her time of hibernation had ended.


A/N: Now that Tayla's awake again, Zarbon may have a harder time taking her away than he thinks. But does Tayla really stand a chance against one of the most powerful of Frieza's Top Elite Officers? Even Bendros, Rojal, and Dedron had been unable to defeat him, but don't count Bendros out yet. Can he and Tayla defeat Zarbon, or will Zarbon be the one who gets the honor of bringing Tayla to Frieza?

And will the other occupants in the elevator survive? Or will they be destroyed before Tayla has a chance to battle Frieza's Head Commander?

And where are Shalila, Dirkan, Bajal, and Raakon? They are about to face down the remaining members of the Ginyu Force, and Raakon has gone back to find Gorna. Cirono is on his way to help Shalila and her family. Will he be able to help? And do Shalila and her family really stand a chance against the Ginyu Force members, even though Ginyu is out of the picture?

And whatever happened to Gorna? Is she still alive? Will Lektron and Alora, who are still in the castle, find her in time?

Stay tuned!

Gooden boden fro noy

Sawnya