"Father!" Vin rushed into the royal room where his father was just finishing a deal with an elite saiyan. "Father, you have to hear this!"
"What is it Vin? Can't you see I'm busy?" King Vegeta was obviously irritated. And no one wanted him irritated.
"Father, Vegeta has a dragon and he has the scars to prove it!"
"What? A dragon? Let me see." Angry he got off his chair and stomped after Vin who joyously led the way to Vegeta's room. Where Nefleign and the dragon already left and Vegeta had another new shirt on. King Vegeta stormed in with Vin close behind. Vegeta spun around to see who the intruder was then bowed quickly realizing it was his father.
"To what do I owe this visit Father?"
"You have a dragon, where is it?"
"I don't know what you mean, Father. But would you please come back to your senses. This isn't like you and I would never own a dragon." *But Nefleign does…* he added privately.
"Vin tells me you have a dragon and he has never lied. Now you…"
"I'm not lying Father. I don't have a dragon!" *I hope Nefleign and Shinto Li are okay. * His eyes mistakenly switch to his window.
Vin looks over to the window, notices it's open, and frowns. "They went through the window, didn't they?"
Vegeta started to stutter, "N…n…no Vin. What m…makes y…you say t…that?" He looked completely nervous.
Vin glared. "They did. I can tell by your tone of voice!" He walked over to the window and looked out. He saw Nefleign crawl through her own window. Turning around he glared at Vegeta, "Don't lie to me, Kid Brother! Father, they're in Nefleign's room."
King Vegeta looked disappointed at Vegeta and walked out. Closing the door after Vin, he locked it and looked at Vegeta. "You know this is for your own good. Don't complain, brat, or it'll get worse. Got it?" He turned and walked after Vin.
Prince Vegeta just stared shocked at the door. First Vin rats on him, ("Curse my older brother!") then his father gets mad and was going to get madder. That and he may never see Nefleign again. His eyes widen at this last thought and he instantly turned toward the window. Smirking he walks over and crawls out. "Their biggest mistake." He thought. Carefully crawling along the wall of the castle to Nefleign's room he knocks on the window. Nefleign carefully peeked through the curtain and opened the window. Shinto Li was cooing behind her as Vegeta crawled in.
"What's up Vegeta? You usually don't crawl through my window. Something wrong?" Nefleign asked.
"She's too young to be dragged into my family problems! But she has to get out of here!" He quietly stepped over to the door and looked out the window. Sure enough, his father and brother were walking down the hall. Vin looking like an arrogant b*****d. Vegeta turned around, "Nefleign, we have to get out of here right now. Vin knows about Shinto and is coming with father right now! We have to leave."
Nefleign screwed up her face. "Man, Shinto doesn't know how to fly yet."
"We do!"
"Oh yeah."
"Come on." Vegeta pulled her over to the window and they climbed out together. Shinto Li quickly followed. He somehow knew of the danger and was very quiet. "We have to sneak down to the ground. Father will chase our ki levels with his scouter. We must be careful. It's slick. Let's go."
Nefleign started following him down, but being only seven she slipped on the stone and lost her handhold. Starting to fall she gasped and reached out for Vegeta, who caught her at the last moment. She looked down at the 300-yard drop and whimpered. Vegeta tightened his hold on her hand and resumed climbing. Nefleign hurriedly looked around for her friend. Shinto Li was nowhere to be seen. Nefleign grew scared; it was one thing HER life was in danger, but her friends? Beware. A coo behind her made her twist in Vegeta's grasp, nearly making HIM fall. Shinto Li, flapping his wings, which have somehow grown to a yard in length in a few minutes, was flying right behind her, inviting her to grab a hold of his paws.
Vegeta, above, was too busy concentrating on holding on to the wall to notice Shinto Li. He lost his footholds and couldn't keep up his handhold very long. Grunting he swung Nefleign toward a ledge as a last effort. She landed safely, but he lost his grip and fell into the darkness. Nefleign, breathing hard, cried out. Not caring if anyone caught her. She knew Vegeta wouldn't get hurt, but the thought of him getting caught was unbearable.
"Hullo, Nefleign." Came the cheery voice from behind her. Nefleign started and thought some stranger snuck up behind her. Then she recognized the voice as the teasing leer that Vegeta used to use on her when she lost the spar. This was often.
She narrowed her eyes and turned around. Vegeta was sitting on Shinto Li's back. The tiny dragon had actually gotten bigger. "What?"
"Dragon's grow fast, don't they? Get on, hurry!" Nefleign quickly climbed onto the back of her friend and put her arms around Vegeta waist so she wouldn't fall down. However, there was one downside to the dragon being bigger. He could now be seen. Nefleign nearly fell off as Shinto Li was forced to dodge a blast from a guard on the ground. Vegeta's hand shot down and grabbed her wrists to keep her from letting go.
They safely got to the ground and took off toward the rural side of the city while Shinto Li drew attention in the skies. Nefleign chanced a look behind her to see how Shinto Li was doing when she ran into something. "Oof!" She fell to the ground.
Alekstar look at the saiyan that just ran into him. She couldn't be over seven. He wondered what was wrong. He knelt and picked her up. "What's wrong? Shouldn't you be watching where you are going?"
"Put me down!" She yelled.
Alekstar stared at her in amusement. "Hey, you're that girl who one the tournament a several months ago."
Nefleign looked up at him, amazed that he actually remembered. Saiyans usually go from one winner to the next. Therefore, Nefleign's glory didn't last.
"Yeah, you are." He set her down. "You're pretty strong for your age. What are you running from? Anything I can do to help?"
Nefleign shook her head. "I don't think so. We're in trouble, serious trouble. We have the royal family after us."
"We?"
Just the a voice came from behind him, "Nefleign!" Prince Vegeta skidded to a halt around Alek and stared at him, "Oh, it's you."
"Prince Vegeta!" He looked seriously shocked.
"Yeah? What of it? Come on Nefleign, we have to go." Shouts came from the palace guards a mile back. "We have to go, NOW!"
"Right. Bye!" She called to Alek and ran back the way Vegeta came from. Alek could do nothing but sit there. A few minutes later the guards came and asked if he had seen the prince and a little girl. Alek pointed down the other road to the Suburbs. Then ran off when the guards disappeared.
"Who was that guy, Vegeta?"
"I caught him teasing a little girl. The one you fought actually. He's trained in speed. I've seen him fight before. Good fighter, Elite even. I think he came from a lower level family though. Like you."
"What was his name?"
"My name's Alekstar, Nefleign, but everyone calls me Alek."
Vegeta and Nefleign jumped at the sound of the boy's name. He was standing next to them, casually, as if he'd been waiting for them.
"He must REALLY be trained in speed." Nefleign gasped.
Alek laughed, "yeah. You won't have to worry about those dorks anymore." He jerked his head toward the palace. "They won't get here for a while. But I know a place you can stay. Come on." They followed him.
A few minutes later they stopped, "You can stay here for now. No one ever comes here. Except me of course." He grinned and gestured over to the alleyway. Nefleign ventured in and realized with surprise where she was.