Flameraven: Who says it will be Gerald? :c)
On with the story!
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"And just where do you think you are going, your majesty?" Roger heard the planet rumbling voice of Nappa behind him as he was headed out the window."
"Well, I thought I might go on home now." Roger said over his shoulder.
"This is your home now, at least for the time being." Turles said walking up.
"The people expect you to stay here, sire." Bardock said.
"Also, we cannot adequately guard you if you're living in the 'burbs'" Raditz teased.
"I'm not in any danger fellas, really." Roger said dismissively
"Oh no you don't!" Nappa said. "That's what King Vegeta told us and someone shoved a poisoned knife in him!"
"Besides, Yambia has already been told and is packing to come here until King Vegeta returns." Bardock said grinning.
"Face it bub, until Vegeta returns you are The King of all The Saiyans." Turles announced dramatically.
That's when the full impact of that statement hit Roger like a ton of bricks. His knees got just a little wobbly.
"I'm King…?" Roger said weakly.
"What do you think this has been all about?" Turles smirked. "Yes, for the time being you are King."
"When Vegeta gets back I go back to being just plain Roger, right?" Roger asked.
Bardock scratched the back of his head and exchanged furtive looks with the others.
"You know, I forgot about that." Bardock grinned. "Under the old tradition, Vegeta would have to challenge you to moral combat to regain his throne."
"Yeah that's right!" Nappa smiled. "Should be an interesting fight, huh?" Nappa said.
"Roger is pretty strong, what do you think Turles?" Bardock said.
"My money is still on Vegeta." Turles said.
"That's right! The betting will be intense, won't it?" Nappa's eyes fairly gleamed.
"Guys, really I'm serious…" Roger started.
"Don't worry Roger, you will be a hero! You will be remembered with great honor!" Turles said. "I will prepare a place for you in the Hall of Heroes!"
The four Saiyan jokesters gave Roger the Saiyan salute as they were headed toward the throne room door.
Bardock spoke in quieter voice. "I don't know Turles, Roger is pretty strong, and he hasn't really let loose with that mystic level yet. I think Roger will put up a hell of a fight."
"Hmmm… You're right about that. Perhaps I should bet on Roger." Turles mused. "I'll have to see what odds the bookies are placing on the fight outcome."
"True." Bardock said.
"C'mon fellas! I'm serious!" Roger tried once more.
The four Saiyans exited the throne room just as Yambia and several people carrying luggage came in.
"You assholes! As King I should get more respect!" Roger called.
Gales of laughter could be heard from the hall.
"What's wrong lover?" Yambia asked curiously.
"Nothing serious. Vegeta may have to kill me, and I AM THE KING OF FOUR BAKAS!" Roger yelled.
Another bout of laughter came from the hall.
"Oh… Well okay." Yambia wasn't sure what to think. "Anyway, I was in the business district a little while ago doing some shopping when Romaine came and introduced himself, like I didn't know him already, and said he was the Queen's personal body guard, and told me to come with him immediately. He starts calling me 'Your Highness" and treating me like I'm fragile or something. Quite frankly my dear, I don't really think I'm cut out to be Queen. Romaine tells me to pack and guards our house until I do, the big lug won't leave! He's outside the door with the others!"
Another round of laughter with an additional voice reached their ears.
"Five bakas." Roger mumbled to himself.
Roger had had enough. He stormed to the door and flung it wide open.
"Alright you chuckleheads! Get in here now!" Roger ordered with an authority that Vegeta would be proud of.
Bardock, Raditz, Turles, Nappa, and Romaine stopped in mid-sentence.
After a bit of a pause they all filed back into the throne room with a simultaneous and strong. "Yes your highness!"
"Is something wrong my king?" Bardock asked.
"That's what I want to know! What is so wrong that five of the strongest fighters on this planet feel the need to station themselves outside of my door?" Roger looked at each one of them. "What is so wrong that one of you practically kidnaps my mate and drags her here?"
"It's for your safety sire." Nappa said.
"I hope our jesting has not offended you sire." Romaine said.
"No, never mind that. I just don't seem to recall that Vegeta got this sort of protection." Roger said. "What are you not telling me?"
"Vegeta should have had this kind of protection!" Nappa wailed.
"Probably, but there is something else, isn't there Bardock?" Roger fixed Bardock's eyes with his own.
"Yes, there is." Bardock said.
"Well spill it!" Roger demanded.
"You heard Peppern out there. His view of you is not uncommon. Look Roger, we know you are as real a Saiyan as any one of us. We trained and fought side-by-side, but there are many that still don't accept you as one of them." Bardock said. "And until they do, you're going to have problems."
"There are many people that have waited a long time for Vegeta's rule to end, especially since they learned that there is no viable heir to the throne. Since word got out that Prince Trunks refused to be king, many families have dreamed of installing one of their own as king." Turles explained further.
"They might use the people's lack of faith in you as an excuse to challenge your position. With Yambia as your only family currently with you, if a large family challenged, you would have problems. I know that you two are quite strong, but we should be here just in case." Romaine finished.
"So you are my family?" Roger smiled.
"Well, sort of." Turles said. "We are the Royal Guard after all. There are others as well."
"Others?" Roger asked.
"Saiyans loyal to Vegeta, and yourself, that don't wish to be named yet." Bardock answered.
"I see." Roger decided not to push the issue.
"So who appointed Romaine there to be my body guard?" Yambia hitched a thumb at the big Saiyan.
"Well, I've always been the Queen's guard, but Queen Bulma was a… well… a bit hard to work for." Romaine said.
"She told you to keep away from her, didn't she?" Yambia smirked.
"Well… Yeah." Romaine was red in the face.
"Okay, I guess that's it then. Nappa, you and Bardock will be my personal body guards, Romaine will be Yambia's…" Roger started.
"I don't think I need…" Yambia started.
"Perhaps not, but Romaine will be your bodyguard." Roger said. "Things have changed since Bulma went with Vegeta."
"Turles, Raditz, you two will be in charge of palace security. See to it please." Roger said.
"Yes sire!" The pair bowed low.
"Everyone is dismissed." Roger commanded.
Everyone saluted and headed for the door.
"Oh, and gentlemen?" Roger called. Everyone looked back.
"Try not to make your king the butt of your jokes? It looks bad." Roger smiled.
The five men smiled and left for their perspective duties.
"Finally! Some respect!" Roger thought to himself.
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"So just where the hell are we?" Hercule Satan asked. "It's a bit nippy up here! You would think that being dead and all would have some benefits! Like not being able to feel pain, or cold, or something!"
"That's what you get for keeping your body. All you get is that ring around your head." Piccolo smirked. "That's why people that go to hell get keep their bodies. You can't really torment anyone if they can't feel it."
"I guess you have a point there." Mr. Satan thought.
"Ummm… Piccolo, I hadn't noticed before, but he doesn't have a ring around his head anymore." Uub said.
"What?" Piccolo turned to look at Mr. Satan who was looking up.
"Neither do you." Uub looked above Piccolo's head.
Piccolo looked up. "What the hell does this mean?"
"Are we alive again?" Hercule said looking at his hands.
"I don't know!" Piccolo answered.
"What does this mean?" Piccolo thought to himself. "We are cut off from all energies to and from The Mortal Realm and from Other World. Is this dimension treating us as living beings?"
"Remember what the old wizard told us? He said that people can't die natural deaths here, and even if they could, they have nowhere to go and nothing to do. Somehow, when we entered this dimension, the physics of the place would not accept that anyone with a physical body could be dead, so you're alive." Goku said in a sudden flash of insight.
"It makes sense, in a weird sort of what I suppose." Piccolo said.
"What happens when we get out of here?" Hercule said.
"No way of telling." Piccolo said.
"Since you're now alive, and our dimension supports life, I would imagine that you would be alive when we get back." Uub said thoughtfully.
"Man! I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do to my loyal fans." Hercule said excited about living his life again.
Piccolo arched an eyebrow at Hercule. "You think that's wise? People aren't exactly that understanding where coming back from the dead is concerned."
"I guess you're right." Hercule said wondering what he would do after this was over.
"So what happens if we get killed here? Savalia said we couldn't die a natural death, what happens if we get killed in a fight or something?" Uub asked.
Goku and Piccolo exchanged glances.
"I'm not sure I want to know." Piccolo said. Uub didn't push for any further information.
"Okay then, let's go up the mountain and find the source of that energy." Piccolo said picking Goku up and wrapping his arm around his waist. "You up for this Goku?"
"Don't see as I've got much choice." Goku said weakly. "I feel like crap, but we have to keep going."
Piccolo lifted into the air followed by the others. After about 20 minutes of flying, Piccolo landed on a wide cliff on the face of the mountain.
"It's here someplace." Piccolo said.
"There." Goku pointed to a large object on the other side of the cliff. As they approached, the object appeared to be a large bronze door, with an indentation right in the middle.
"Well, I guess we know what opens that door." Uub said. "You have the crystal, right Mr. Satan?"
"Of course!" Mr. Satan removed the shoulder bag and opened it to reveal the crystal.
"LOOK OUT!" Piccolo called as a half-ton snowball hit Mr. Satan square in the chest sending him, the bag, and the crystal off and over the cliff.
"SATAN!" Buu yelled as he flung himself over the side to save his friend. Everyone else turned to face their attacker.
A small imp of some sort floated several feet above the surface of the cliff. Orbiting him were two large snowballs.
"Why have you fools come here?" The little imp said.
"Savalia sent us here to use the door to leave this dimension." Piccolo said.
"Liar! If that were so where is the crystal?" The imp grinned.
"Over the side of the cliff with the person you hit with that snowball." Uub said.
"It doesn't matter! I am the guardian of the door! You have to defeat me to use it!" The imp cackled like a mad man.
"This one's mine." Piccolo said as he floated off the ground to be eye level with the obstinate imp.
The imp cackled again. "So, you think you can beat me by yourself?"
"Can you sense the power level in other beings?" Piccolo asked folding his arms across his chest.
"Yes, in some people! And I know that I can beat you!" The imp boasted.
"Really? Feel this… AaaaaaaaaAAAAAEERRRAAAAAAA!" Piccolo screamed as he powered up. The planet began to shake. The Imp's eyes grew as big as saucers.
"W-Where are you from? Nobody is that strong! It's a trick of some kind!" The imp wasn't laughing anymore.
"I'm only warming up." Piccolo said. "I'm not even half way powered up."
"N-No way!" The imp said.
Buu flew back to the cliff with Mr. Satan riding on his back. Mr. Satan was still clutching the bag and the crystal. Buu looked decidedly unhappy. Mr. Satan was covered in snow and ice. Buu raised his ki in an attempt to warm up the fallen champ.
"Let's get to fighting already. I'm in a hurry." Piccolo said
The imp was desperate. He knew that he stood no chance whatsoever. Spying a huge overhang of snow, ice, and rock directly over everyone, the imp smiled slyly and let one of the snowballs fly directly at the outcropping. The snow had the desired effect of bringing tons of debris down towards the warriors.
"Is that the best you got?" Piccolo smiled.
Piccolo unfolded his arms and stretched them upwards towards the falling deathtrap and released his ki in waves of power. The debris and the power met vaporizing the snow and ice, and repelling the rock into the distance.
"Got anything else?" Piccolo smirked. "If not then I think it's time to say goodbye!"
"Damned you!" The imp swore as he released a beam from his pointed finger aimed directly at Piccolo's heart.
Piccolo aimed his hand at the imp and sent a ki attack in return. Piccolo's ki attack ate the imps beam like construction workers at lunchtime. The imp disintegrated and was gone in one last scream of rage and pain.
Piccolo floated down to the others. "Is everyone alright?"
Hercule wasn't quite sure, he was pretty battered and bruised, but he was a trooper. "Yeah, I can still walk if that's what you mean."
"Buu okay!" Buu said with that same goofy grin he always has.
"Yeah, fine Piccolo." Uub said.
Goku just gave him the thumbs up.
"Okay, let's see if that crystal opens the door." Piccolo said. "You still have it right?"
"You bet! I got the Hercule Satan grip of death on this thing!" Mr. Satan bragged. "Nothing gets away from me!" Hercule presented the pack for Piccolo's inspection. Sure enough, the crystal was still inside.
"Good job champ." Piccolo said as he removed the crystal from the bag and walked over to the bronze door. He studied the indentation and the crystal then placed the crystal in the indentation. The door disappeared to reveal a desert as vast and as dry as the Sahara.
