Hello everyone! I used to have a mailing list, but I lost it in a hard drive crash a few weeks back. The list notified people of when new chapters were uploaded. I've since been too lazy to rebuild the list. Vaarj wants the list back, which is fine, so if you want to be on the list then please email me at jdjunkmail@earthlink.net and I will add you to the list. Or, leave me a message when you review. Thanks!
On with the story!
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"Okay old man, what is this place and who are you?" Piccolo said, obviously irritated.
Piccolo and the others had reappeared in a small clearing in a very dense forest. Judging from the ki he sensed from the town's people, they had traveled about a hundred miles from the town. In the middle of the clearing was a perfectly round rock, granite of some sort, cradled in a wooden stand. Through the trees along a partially overgrown path stood a small wood cabin with a thatched straw roof.
"This is my home." The old wizard smiled. "You would do well to learn some patience Piccolo."
"How do you know my name?" Piccolo's eyes narrowed in suspicion as he set Goku down on a log, preparing to fight.
"I've been watching you sense you entered this dimension." Savalia said as he lifted his crystal equipped hand and pointed it at the large granite globe. The crystal glowed and the globe seemed to clear, then images of Piccolo and crew appeared just as they had entered this dimension.
"Your energy emanations were impossible to miss for anyone that can detect such things." Savalia walked toward them, engaging each one with a sharp gaze as he passed. He stopped in front of Uub.
"Interesting... " The old man mused "A reborn demon."
He stopped in front of Buu.
"I'm not entirely sure what you are, but you are tied in with the other somehow." The old man motioned towards Uub.
He stopped in front of Mr. Satan.
"What are you doing here with these others?" Savalia asked.
"I help them, when I can." Mr. Satan said. "I've pulled them out of jams before!"
"He Buu's friend!" Mr. Buu said almost threateningly.
"I see..." The wizard moved on and stopped in front of Piccolo.
"Evil turned to good! A rare find you are indeed!" The wizard seemed almost gleeful. "You have a wondrous fighting spirit!"
"And you..." The wizard moved to a position in front of the weakened Goku. "You're one of the two men of legend. You have come at last. I feel the power in you."
Goku looked at the wizard weakly. "I'm glad you can, I'm sure as hell not feeling it right now. What men of legend?"
"The two men that will rid us of evil, and reunite the seven dimensions." Savalia said. "If the towns people had known it was you, they would have treated you like royalty. Many of them stopped believing in the legend millennia ago."
"How old are those people?" Piccolo asked.
"It's part of the curse. We are cut off from the normal space/time continuum. Nobody ages here except the crystal holders, and not even they can die a natural death" Savalia said. "Immortality without rest is a curse. These dimensions are completely cut off; sealed would be a better term. There is no heaven, no hell, no check-in stations, no way to die, no where to go and nothing to do even if you could die."
Savalia looked ruefully at the palm of his hand and at the crystal.
"Who are these crystal holders?" Uub asked.
"Great and very powerful wizards. Three Evil, three Good, and one Evil beyond compare." Savalia said. "I will no longer be the one carrying this crystal after today though."
"What do you mean?" Goku asked.
"I mean that I am to turn over this crystal to the man of legend that reaches me." Savalia said. "If you encounter an evil crystal holder, you must defeat him and take his crystal. Only with the six original crystals can you complete your destiny."
"Our destiny?" Hercule asked.
"To free all the people in the seven dimensions." Savalia said. "In a time so long ago that many could not even comprehend it, these seven dimensions were one with each other, and with, what you call, the mortal plane. Seven priests ruled this part of space whose ancestors walked with the Ultimate Kai himself. After The Ultimate Kai withdrew from the mortal realm, those priests began to second-guess The Ultimate Kai's word and plan, substituting their own wants and desires into the pure word. In our arrogance, we justified all manner of atrocity."
Savalia's head was bowed in shame.
"One among us even convinced us that it was, by divine right, The Ultimate Kai's plan that we rule the universe. His name is Bachlorx. He is a terribly powerful wizard whose crimes are too numerous to recount." Savalia cringed.
"So, you attacked the rest of the universe?" Piccolo said.
"Yes. We attacked with vast armies and the full might of our powers. Billions died. Entire species wiped out. All in the name of our religion." Savalia said.
"Except it wasn't that easy, was it?" Piccolo said.
"No! Four of us were not acting in the name of our beliefs, but for wealth and power. Bachlorx was the worst!" Savalia was brushing back the tears. "The three of us that still had a small spark of justice left in them begged for deliverance from Bachlorx blood curse!"
"So, the Ultimate Kai sealed you up away from the rest of the universe and away from each other?" Uub stated.
"Yes. He left one thing, one small glimmer of hope." Savalia said pointing at the base of the stand where the granite globe sat. There was a small clay tablet with writing.
The tablet read:
"Read here and know that your imprisonment will be long.
Those days will end on the day all evil is purged from you.
Wait for the day two outsiders of great power arrive.
They shall be your deliverers."
Piccolo thought for a moment. "How do you know that Goku is your deliverer?"
"I just know." The old man said smiling.
Before anyone could say or do anything, Savalia turned and brought out a fine edged katana and with one whack cut through his arm just above the wrist. The now lifeless hand with the crystal fell to the ground. Everyone gasped in shock.
"Get the crystal." Savalia told Piccolo as he wrapped his bloody stump of an arm in part of his cloak. "There is a shoulder bag over on the table in my cabin, put the crystal in that"
Piccolo nodded at Uub who flew in to retrieve the bag. Piccolo cautiously picked up the crystal, which was still embedded in Savalia's now severed hand, and gingerly separated the crystal from the hand. With a sickening, crunching noise, the crystal came free. Piccolo threw the hand away in disgust.
"What do these crystals do exactly?" Piccolo asked.
"They are a source of great power. They are also keys from one dimension to the next of the seven." Savalia said.
"Do you feel that power up in the mountains?" Savalia collapsed to one knee.
"Yes." Piccolo said.
"That's where the door is. That is where you want to go next." Savalia's breathing was ragged now. "But be warned, the door is guarded."
"Naturally." Piccolo frowned. "Are you alright?"
"I am free at last!" Savalia's final words before his body crumpled into dust.
"I thought he said you couldn't die here?" Hercule Satan said.
"His body was aged beyond belief, without the power of the crystal it just turned to dust. No telling what happened to his spirit, but I don't sense him anywhere." Goku said.
Uub returned with the bag that Savalia described. "Man! You should see that guy's house! It's like something out of a Dungeons and Dragons game! Where'd he go anyway?"
"He's there." Buu said pointing at a pile of dust on the ground.
"Oh..." Uub answered.
Piccolo took the bag from Uub and placed the crystal inside, he handed the bag to Mr. Satan. "Here, keep this safe."
"You can count on me!" Hercule said as he snapped to attention and gave a sharp salute. "Nothing will happen to this while I'm on the job!"
Piccolo smiled. "I wouldn't trust just anyone. Okay then, our goal is to use that key to go to the next dimension and ultimately find our way out of this place. For lack of any better plan, I suppose we trust Savalia and go to that door he was talking about. Anyone with a better plan should speak now."
After a few moments of silence Piccolo looked from face to face. "Okay then, the door it is." Piccolo turned to Goku.
Goku smiled. "You know, you're one hell of a taxi cab." Goku said as he stood up on shaky knees.
"Don't get too comfortable. The meter is running." Piccolo smiled back.
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"What do we do next?" Jessica said after breakfast was finished the next morning. "The bad guy is dead but we are still trapped in this funky dimension."
Vegeta had been contemplating that very thing all morning. "I'd say that we have to investigate that cave where stumpy came from yesterday. How's Chi-Chi?"
"Not good." Bulma said. "She's getting weaker and this cold isn't helping. If she doesn't come around soon, I'm going to have to feed her through an IV."
"Okay, do that if you must. Take her back into the house and keep her warm. Gerald you stay here and stand guard while Jessica and I go and investigate the cave." Vegeta ordered. For once nobody questioned him.
Gerald helped Bulma carry Chi-Chi into the house and came back out and began patrolling the area. He increased his ki to keep himself warm.
"Okay brat, let's go." Vegeta said with a smirk.
Jessica was too cold to argue.
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Roger decided that if he was going to do this, he'd better do it right. With Bardock, Raditz, Nappa, and Turles on his flanks, he walked in and sat down in Vegeta's throne.
The results were immediate. Every council member jumped up and started yelling, waving their fists in the air.
Roger sat watching in a nonchalant way for almost a full minute. "SHUT UP!" he roared as he let his ki flare wildly.
The entire hall got deathly quiet.
Roger looked at the faces of each and every member. "King Vegeta has instituted changes in the way the Saiyan government is run over the years. One of those changes was the creation of this very council. You have the right to speak and be heard here without fear of reprisals. However, if everyone is speaking, then nobody is listening, so we need to follow the established procedures for debate. Is that clearly understood?"
A low murmur between the members then silence. "Thank you. The floor recognizes Peppern."
"Well to put it succinctly Roger Carlson, who the hell died and made you king?" Peppern asked.
Roger smiled. Peppern was a pain in the ass much of the time, but he did care about his people, and was genuinely loyal to Vegeta.
"To answer your succinct question, nobody died and made me king. At least, not yet and hopefully not for a very long time to come. However, Vegeta has taken on a very dangerous mission and a possibility exists that he may not return. He has, in that event, named me as his successor." Roger explained.
"Can you prove this?" Peppern persisted.
"Bardock?" Roger asked.
Bardock and Raditz stepped forward. "Esteemed council members. My son and I bear witness to Vegeta's verbal declaration of succession. Additionally, Vegeta left written instructions on the matter. If it pleases the council, I will present them to you at this time."
"Proceed Bardock." Peppern was a man with a strong moral compass. What was right was right, what was wrong was wrong, and there was little gray area in his life. Gray area tended to confuse him. He and Bardock were long time friends, and he trusted Bardock as much as he trusted any man.
Bardock presented the document to Peppern, stepped back and issued the Saiyan salute, which Peppern returned. Bardock took his place by Roger's side again.
Peppern read through the single page instructions, ending with the King's Royal Seal and looked up. "The document appears to be authentic." He said at last. He then cleared his throat. "The Document is authentic."
A louder murmur was heard through the crowd.
"Silence!" Peppern yelled. "Roger Carlson, know that I'm not very happy with Vegeta's choice. I have never considered you a true Saiyan. You have no history with us; you are only here because you wished to be one of us. However, King Vegeta chose you to be king, and I trust King Vegeta's judgement so you must have some worthwhile characteristics about you. We are not the same Saiyans we once were King Roger, not at all. We will never accept a petty tyrant again. We have become accustomed to having a voice in our people's destiny. As king, what are your intentions?"
"King Vegeta started a process that would eventually lead to a true Saiyan democracy. My planet, my home planet, runs on such a system. The people vote, their representatives' debate and decide the issues. I have no intention of reversing or stopping that course. Your stations in Saiyan government will not be removed or detracted from, only enhanced according to King Vegeta's plan. However, I still fully expect that King Vegeta himself will be the one steering that course with you, not I." Roger's eyes never wavered from Peppern's.
"Trust has to be earned." Peppern said.
"I will make it my priority." Roger returned.
Peppern nodded and sat down.
Roger felt a visible decline in the tension in the room. "Does anyone else have a question or comment?"
Almost everyone's hand shot up.
"Okay, I know what this is probably about. If everyone will put their hands down, I will tell you what has happened." Roger started.
"Yes, the rumors are true, there was an assassination attempt made on Vegeta, which fortunately failed...
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The cave was large, and angled into the mountain at an impossibly steep angle. If Vegeta and Jessica couldn't fly, then they would have needed mountain climbing equipment have entered it. Knowing Bulma, she probably packed that as well.
As cold as it was outside, the cave warmed up to a tolerable 50 degrees Fahrenheit or so. The cave was dark, and dank, but far warmer than the outside. Vegeta sparked up a ki ball in his hand for light as the pair descended further into the cave. 10 minutes later, their feet made contact with the floor of the cavern. Vegeta and Jessica removed their foul weather gear and laid them out on a rock.
"Whew! I was sweating my tail off!" Jessica said.
"Caves stay the same relative temperature no matter how hot or cold it gets outside." Vegeta said. "I used to shelter in them quite often in my youth."
Vegeta raised his ki up far enough to light up the entire area. He was sorry he did. Several thousand of the crystallized captives were strewn about; many even embedded into the walls. Vegeta reflected on just how sad it all was. As far as he could extend his formidable powers, he could not feel a single living soul in the entire dimension.
"At least they're all free now." Vegeta said looking at Jessica who was thinking along the same lines.
The mood had grown somber as the two traveled through the large cavern. Finally they came to a dead end. A huge rock stood in front of them, it easily weighed 100 tons. In the middle of the rock was a small but strangely familiar indentation.
"That dent there, its the same shape as the crystal stumpy had in his hand, isn't it?" Vegeta said.
"Yes! That must be a door like the one we came through to get here! Perhaps it's the way out." Jessica exclaimed as she flew back to her coat to retrieve the crystal.
"Hey! Where you going?" Vegeta wondered.
"I brought the crystal with me!" Jessica yelled. Seconds later Jessica was back in front of the boulder with the crystal in her hand. It softly glowed in the dark. Jessica quickly stuck the crystal into the indentation, and the entire boulder disappeared. The scene beyond was of an extremely dense rainforest, hot and humid.
"Blast! What I wouldn't give for a nice spring day!!" Vegeta bemoaned. "I guess it's better than freezing to death."
"Bulma?" Vegeta thought through his bond.
"Hey Sweetie, what's up?" Bulma returned.
"You and Gerald pack everything up and meet us at the mouth of the cave. We appear to have a way out of here." Vegeta smirked through the bond. "And don't ever call me sweetie again!"
"Okay sugar lumps!" Bulma teased.
"Stop that!" Vegeta yelled but smiling all the same.
"Sure thing honey bunches." Bulma persisted.
"Arrrggghh!!" Vegeta screamed.
A half an hour later everything was packed up and the whole troop was standing in front of the opening looking into the jungle.
"It's like the Amazon region on Earth." Gerald said. "Nothing much for us the worry about, but the average human would be toast in such an environment."
"Let's not underestimate what we might run in to." Vegeta said. Vegeta's pride was still stinging a bit from the beating he received from Algress. He'd never dreamed he could have been beaten so easily at his power level, if it weren't for the kid, they'd all be little more than exceptionally well preserved storage batteries by now.
"Okay, well let's go then." Bulma entered the door, followed by Vegeta. Jessica started to go next, but something stopped her, a pressure on her chest. She looked down to see the macabre sight of a severed hand.
"What are you waiting on Jesse? Go on through!" Gerald said.
"N-No... I get the feeling that you should g-go first." Jessica stammered out.
"Well, okay." Gerald said as the 10-year-old bounded passed the older girl.
The hand gave Jessica the thumbs up sign just as it disappeared.
