Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of the associated characters. Therefore, I am not making any money. And I ask how would I?

OK, this chapter is slow, but without this slow insignificant part you would be lost. So I guess it isn't insignificant after all. Jeez, I thought two chapters over Easter weekend would be enough to sate Lunar Eclipse's fans. Wrong! Oh, well. Thanks for reviewing and keep on reviewing. If not I'd think it wasn't getting any hits and take it down. Mwahahahahaha! J/K. Enjoy.

Chapter 11: The Message

The little gnome watched them with little beady eyes. Nick knew by the clothes it wore that it was one of his brother's. He knew that he better answer the group; knowing that angering anyone of them could be dangerous.

"That thing," he pointed to the sitting figure, " is a gnome." What do you want?" It turned its ugly head towards him.

"I's haven an urgent mezage from your brother, Lord Lupine. He sayz that yous must come back to de castle. If yous do not, yous punishment will bees worsed. Yous muss also brings the Infected. I supposed to come back with yous." It stopped talking and shifted uncomfortably. Obviously it didn't like all the attention it was getting. Most of the expressions were of surprise or curiosity, except for the death glare (Vegeta of course).

"Why does the Council want the Infected?" Its head drooped a little in thought.

"Mees do not know, dey just say they wanted dem." Nick let out a sigh, what was he going to tell those guys? Bulma cleared her throat suggestively. He waved them into the next room. "You stay here." He said to the little creature. Being careful of the debris, he made his way into the room.

As soon as he entered the room Bulma rounded on him. "What is this Council and why does your brother want us?" Bulma demanded. Her hands were on her hips and the look on her face said 'cough it up now or pay the consequences'.

He sighed. "My brother is the head of the Council. The Council makes the laws for Faye and other magical beings. I broke one of the Council's laws by biting you. Normally I would be punished. But since this my second offense and I bit two of you, well that's punishable by death. I don't know why my brother wants you, they've never asked for Infected people before. But I really don't want to find out why."

"Well we're not in trouble are we? I mean we didn't do anything, did we?" Bulma queried.

"No, you just got bitten, although you did show yourself to your friends. But, I don't think they'll hold it against you since you're new at this." Nick offered. He hoped it helped to extinguish some anxiety.

"Why would they kill you for biting people. I could see punishing you, but death? Man, that's harsh!" Krillian exclaimed. Nick smiled. He might as well tell them as much as he could, if they were going to trust him he'd have to open up. Besides, they needed to know more about the world their friends had just entered.

"Remember the witch trials and burnings? Vampire Hunters, Werewolf Slayers, ecetera. The Council took over to help save as many magical beings as possible and did their best to make every last one of them look like a figment of human imagination. And they did a very thorough job on it, most humans don't believe in my kind. They made laws that helped to keep it that way. And they enforce those laws with a passion. Occasionally there is a mistake made or a scene where a hunter catches up with one of us, but they cover it up. If they didn't enforce those laws we would be found out, and, well, you know human nature." Nick shrugged. "I should probably go, I might be able to talk them into leaving you alone. They do give us a last request." Looks of shock and appallment filled the room.

"You will not! You can stay here! I mean, you have the second most powerful being on Earth right in Capsule Corporation!"

"Onna…" Vegeta growled warningly.

"And an impenetrable alarm system to boot! Let them come and get us!" Bulma practically screamed. Nick weighed the pros and cons. He'd get to live longer and maybe he could become more powerful and eventually defeat his maniacal brother. But if the Council got hold of him, well you can only die once, right? Nick nodded to Bulma in agreement. He would stay.

"But about that alarm system, well I got through it fairly easily." One look at Bulma's face… "I could help improve. You know, find a way to detect magical beings. New project for the world's smartest genius." Bulma smiled. With an unwanted conflict avoided, Nick relaxed a little.

He called in the little gnome. "Umm…I didn't catch your name…"

"Pip, sir"

"Pip, go tell your master that I'm not returning."

"No sir, Pip waz told by me master not to return without yous! Master will kill me if mees comes back with out yous!" The little Faye was nearing hysteria at this point. Nick sighed in defeat; he wasn't about to let the little guy be terminated but it all came down to one person.

"Bulma, can Pip stay with us? No doubt he is telling the truth. My brother is an asshole and merciless." Nick said that with a little heat. Bulma looked down at the little critter in disgust.

"Is he even house broken?" Most of the Z-Senshi laughed, Nick sweat-dropped, Vegeta was still glaring, Piccolo sat in the air with his back turned, Bulma scowled at the laughing bakas, and Pip looked on in extreme confusion.

"Well I guess he is, he did live in the castle. My brother is really weird about those kinds of things. Everything has to be spotless," Nick said after the laughter died down. Most of the tension had left the air.

Bulma sighed, "I guess he can stay. But if he destroys anything he's out!" Nick once again nodded in agreement.

"You can stay here Pip. Just don't get into any trouble."

"Yes sir. Pip will be a good elf."

"Where should he stay?" Nick asked.

"In one of the spare rooms. Just pick one. I have no idea where we're going to get outfits to fit the little guy." Bulma thought for a moment. "I don't think it would be a good idea to bring in a designer or tailor in to see him. I've lost too many because of Vegeta, what would a gnome do?"

"Dear, I could make him clothes. I've always wanted to start back with my sewing. But with your designers and stuff I never got a chance." Everyone turned to see Mrs. Briefs standing in the doorway, usual smile adorning her face. "Oh! He'd look so cute in a pair of shorts with little dinosaurs! I'm going to go get my stuff to take his measurements! I haven't been so excited in years!" She walked off, leaving everyone staring at her back in confusion.

Yamcha turned to the group, " I was just thinking guys, should we collect the rest of the Dragonballs just in case?"

Bulma in turn turned to Nick. "What was it that you wanted the Dragonballs for?"

"To wish back the moon, why?"

"Because, we transformed last month under a full moon!"

"How did the moon get back, the Dragonballs are with us and it takes a whole year for them to regenerate?!" Yamcha exclaimed in bewilderment.

"Well there are other ways to make wishes, the Dragonballs aren't the only way. Question should be who wished it back and what are their true intentions. I think we should get the Dragonballs just in case. Especially since I have the feeling that my brother is somehow involved in this." Everyone agreed.

Bulma looked on as Nick led Pip towards his room. If they kept this up the Z-Senshi would double before the end of the year. She could never say her life was boring. She walked to the lab to retrieve the Dragon Radar.

Vegeta watched everyone leave. "Add another midget to the group. Why not, we already had two." Vegeta growled in disgust.

"Actually Vegetable Head, we had three. I think you forgot to count yourself," Bulma taunted, quickly running to her lab.