Disclaimer: I own nothing, all I own is...... I'll get back to you on that.

A/N- I think I'm seriously gonna cry. I've only gotten eight reviews so far and everyone's getting mad at me for not making Videl a major part of the story yet. I promise she will be though, I just don't want to rush the entire plot and sory and so far most of what has happened is important later on. I'm probably going to discontinue this story if no one seems to be interested in it. I'd hate to do that though since I think that the plot is going to be very interesting later on, probably one of the best ideas I've ever had for a story. Oh well.

This isn't the most interesting chapter, but it accomplishes what it needs to I guess.

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The Deception of a Whisper

Chapter 4- My Supposed Promotion

"Killed?"

            "All of them."

            "And what of the maboroshi girl?"

            "… I don't quite know for sure.

            "You lie."

            "Well I've heard that the prince has been dissuading her."

            "What do you mean…"

            "That's enough!" came the bellowed voice of Major Tinim as he silenced the room and called the guards to attention. "The Colonel has waited long enough for your blithering tongues to wear down and become of no use to you so that he may put in a word. Now shut up!" He scanned the rows of soldiers for anyone who would dare to try his word and was pleased to find that none did. Stepping back, he nodded for the Colonel to assume his rightful command once more as he aligned with the other officers at the front.

            Colonel Kakarrott took his forward position and inhaling a deep breath began, "I'm sure you are all aware of the commotion caused in the Foreign Affairs room yesterday. Despite the action you are forbidden to converse about the obvious and will be held accountable for any rumors started about the incident. The only thing you may concern yourselves to know is that one race broke into a fight over delegations and that the prince decided to resolve the fight himself as preparation for his years of responsibility ahead. Beyond any other circum…."

            The Colonel's speech was cut short as the heavy door to the congregational area was blown away in a sudden, small explosion and the crowned prince himself strided into the room without a word sulking in all his royal glory. All present in the room quickly took a knee with bowed heads awaiting his decree. In a swift motion, the prince hooked his hand in an upward swing signaling the group to stand. With calculating eyes he scrutinized the battalion before he came to a set conclusion and executed his motives. He pulled the mechanical scouter from his face and held it tightly at his side as another white-gloved hand directed its way towards a stocky, mid-aged Saiyan in the center of the room.

            "You," he instructed flatly in his low, raspy voice. "Come with me." He then directed his attention to a taller and more affixed guard towards the front and continued with a quick gesture of his hand in the man's direction, "You too."

            The two soldiers quickly paced after the prince in his stately step through the cleared doorway, down the barren corridor, and out of sight leaving the majority of the battalion in a slightly curious and almost frightened state. Murmurs erupted from within the room once the crimson cape that trailed at the prince's heels had fully escaped their vision.

            Trying the calm the frantic guards, Colonel Kakarrott raised his hand and in an affirming motion sent a small ki attack into the middle of the crowd. The short explosion silenced the wary guards as their attention was once again set upon the Colonel whose stare had taken upon a tainted and infuriated gleam. His mouth curled against his face in a vehemenent snarl and a low, chilling growl vibrated deep in his throat and rattled through his gritted teeth.

            "No one gave you the order to converse among yourselves!" he spat angrily. A whisper drifted into his sensitive ears and his hand instantly marked the culprit as another bright ball jutted from his outstretched, index finger and hit the man full force in the chest.

            The man was knocked onto his back; the outer casing of his armor severely damaged as the attack hit him and sent his body sliding a few feet. With a forced impulse, the wounded guard lifted his head from the ground to peer at the still snarling Colonel. The entire company watched appeasingly as the man picked himself up and too his feet ready at attention except for his limp left arm, which had been used to try and break his fall and now swayed uselessly at his side.

            The Colonel issued a diminutive snort towards the guard before addressing the entirety of Saiyans before him slightly repressed but still seething, "Aww, now we're quiet so I suppose that now I can actually start my real declaration." No comment was heard. "The king and his personal round of advisors have issued a new standard for all of his palace guards to abide by. From now on, all activity within the palace that you should or may hear of is to never be spoken upon once the incident is past unless addressed to do so by an officer or royal family member. It is classified. Just as is customary with all other laws passed on a monarchy account such as this, discipline for not sustaining the decree is justified in the same manner as everything else. I assume you all know the consequence."

            Looking out upon the crowd of nervous listeners, his snarl twitched and turned itself into a malicious grin that only those on the safe side of situational irony can best bestow upon their features. "No one?" he asked almost cheerily. Still the stark faces passed no sign of recognition for the implied question. They didn't know. To this the Colonel let out a single chuckle and requested in a quick, smooth voice, "Perhaps you could enlighten us, Captain?"

            Allowing his own crooked grin to penetrate his usually sardonic features, our dear Captain Gohan answered, "I do believe that the consequence is a death warrant, Colonel." His eyes expectantly burned at the thought as each word he spoke ended with a bitter ring that deceived the former, soft syllables before it.

            "Any questions?" the Colonel eagerly asked.

            One, white-gloved hand protruded from the heights of the men in front of him. He nodded at the man for him to continue with the question, but once the baffled man had even begun to utter his question, a streak of bright, scorching light descended upon him incinerating his clothing and a majority of his skin. The clicking of boots against the metallic floor approached his useless body only to stand a few inches away from his head.

            The Colonel looked down upon him nonchalantly before asking, "Anyone else have a question?"     

            No reply.

            "Good, now we're learning," he stated readjusting the hem of his spotless gloves. "And one more thing before I let you all go to your posts: always remember that you are all expendable." With that, he pointed his grim finger towards the already dying man and shot him through the face leaving nothing but a bloody, singed crater in the man's head. "No body likes to see a dead body looking at them," he commented nonchalantly. He then turned his gaze back to the company once more with his sinister glare. "You were all to have memorized your palace rules before even coming. I refuse to repeat day one again, and anyone who does will share your comrade's fate." With a final ki attack, the entire carcass was cremated leaving only the remaining ash of the man on the floor.

            All eyes stared in shock as the ash was sifted about by the contours the breath each man expelled created. Kicking the last of the cinders, the Colonel ordered, "Go to your posts, this assembly is over."

            With a quick, synchronized solute, the men obeyed, shaken slightly by the display of order and discipline. As the last soldier filed out the doorway, Gohan felt a weight on his shoulder noting it as his father's hand. The older man walked parallel to him having already restrained him from leaving and stood still, a serious expression plastered about his face.

            "Tomorrow the guards switch stations," Kakarrott's substantially quieter voice mentioned.

            "Yes, we do."

            "Where are you stationed today?"

            "Sector twenty-one, east, post two."

            "And tomorrow?" the edge in the Colonel's voice was discerning making his younger counterpart curious and at the same time suspicious.

            "Sector nine, east, post eight. Why may I ask are you interested?"

            His father stood there silently for a moment as though weighing his words before answering the impending question, "I am going to be rearranging the posted shifts by order of the king himself. I've decided to post you at sector thirteen, north, post ten."

            Quirking an eyebrow in interest, the Captain questioned, "The Throne Room?"

            Kakarrott nodded.

            "I thought that was a post only for more accustomed guards who had been working in the palace for at least five years. I've hardly even been here one year if you include by palace proximity time as well."

            To this the older man nodded. "I understand what you're saying, but after the prince's incidents lately and other things I'm sure I do not have to mention to you why the king has been becoming particularly picky about escorts and sentinels when it comes to his spontaneous, little heir and his activities."

            Gohan chuckled lightly looking at the dent in the wall created by the flying door understanding completely what was being inferred. "I assume he's been generating a good deal of mischief lately with his little fits."

            An agreeing sigh escaped the Colonel as he reached out a gloved hand to stroke his tensed temples. "More than you could ever imagine."

            Gohan looked at his father inquisitively, but before he could produce his question, the older man cut him off, "I assume you understand your new orders, and if you don't have anymore questions, then you may return to your designated post."

            Stepping in front of the Colonel, the Captain quickly gave him a respectful, Saiyan salute placing his fisted hand over his heart as though thrusting a knife through his armor and left in the silent hum of the corridor's phantom whispers.

~*~

            A few small taps echoed softly from his titanium door alerting him to the incoming visitor whose tanned face suddenly poked through the small crevice that allowed light to seep somberly into the plain, gloomy room. The boy immediately spotted his elder brother lying in his navy bodysuit upon the small bed, an arm swung over his eyes while the other sat comfortably upon his stomach and a single leg laying limply over the side of the bed allowing his foot to slightly brush across the cold floor.

            "Gohan?" the boy began closing the door behind himself and walking over to the edge of his brother's bed taking a timid seat at the foot.

            "You're supposed to be in bed," came the muffled groan of the indisposed captain failing to move from his present state.

            "I know," Goten softly agreed watching as his brother's arm slid from his eyes to behind his head exposing a curious look.

            "What did you do this time? Break Dad's scouter again?"

            An indignant scowl appeared on the younger boy's face causing the elder to smirk. "I didn't do anything."

            "Then why are you in my room, kid?"

            " I wanted to ask you a question."

            "Then ask me and go away," Gohan replied in annoyance.

            Goten looked a bit squeamish as he adjusted his posture on the side of the bed, his face faulting and drawing anxious lines as he thought for a moment gaining his brother's interest once more.

            Gohan sighed out his vexation at being disturbed and pushed himself into a sitting position on the bed, legs out-stretched and leaning against the wall. "What is this all about, Goten?"

            The miniature replica of their father glanced at his brother's stern face before whispering under his breath, "Girls."

            "What about them?" Gohan asked cocking an eyebrow at his brother.

            "How do I get them to stop liking me?"

            Taken aback by the question and not quite knowing how to respond, Gohan could only say, "Why are you asking?"

            "Because at the academy they're always bothering me and trying to grab my tail." At the mention of his tail, the furry thing unwound itself from his waist and set itself comfortably in Goten's hands.

            "Girls are trying to grab your tail already? Aren't you only eight years old?"

            The sleek, brown hairs on the boys tail frizzed out in aggravation as he angrily replied, "I'm nine!"

            "Oh yeah, sorry," Gohan responded quickly calculating his brother's age in his head. He sighed and began, "That's actually a good question. All I can really tell you is that when I found out a way, I'll tell you."

            Goten released his own sigh of defeat and nodded looking back at Gohan who was still leaning sleepily against the wall on his bed. The younger boy's solemn face slowly curled into a mischievous smirk as a thought brought itself into his head. Watching the turn on Goten's face, Gohan suddenly realized what the kid was thinking and mimicked his smirk leaning forward on the bed and folding his legs beneath himself.

            Their elbows pressed into the thin mattress as their right hands sought the others and with a mutual nod of their heads began to fight against the other's force to press the opposing side's arm to the mattress. About a minute passed as the brothers continued to arm wrestle until the slight give that Goten's arm allowed against Gohan's finally gave the older brother the advantage he needed to win. Beaten, the younger of the two gave a quick humph before standing up off the bed.

            "I never beat you," he pouted crossing his arms about his slim chest.

            "Hey, don't worry about it, kid. That was the longest you've ever lasted against me. Besides," he called to the retreating figure, "it's my duty to beat you at everything being your older, wittier, more attractive brother and all."

            A small ki blast hit him in the shoulder causing him to slightly flinch while laughing at the rebellious youngster before him. "I'm just joking, kid."

            "I know," Goten said quietly. "Good night, Oniichan."

            "G'night, Otochan."

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A/N- Please please please please please review. If I don't get like 12 reviews I'll start crying really, really hard (spoiled aren't I?) Lalalalalala, anyways, if ya'll don't like this story or story idea much, vote for a new story, I have several original ideas for them. Ja ne.