DISCLAIMER:  It's after 3am and I'm dead tired an I been waiting for FFN to pick up its pieces… so I just gonna say, I don't own DBZ!!!

Authory bit thingy:  Yay the gap is closing the gap is closing!!!!   I'm not writing whole chapters now jus closing bits and pieces an polishing them to a shiney glow!!  This is a nice chapter I think, although you readers may differ on your opinions but I'll never know cos I got no reviews! -_-  (This time in my ORIGINAL NC-17 post, I had 8.. and I really miss em!)  Enjoy this long chapter, it gets kinda a BIT spicy!!

VOICES (In Ones Head) by `InSaNe`/Schizophrenic Eggplant

Part 3.  Chapter 16 –  Trouble in Paradise.

I don't know how long it had been, minutes, hours.  I picked myself up off the floor on the other side of the room, which now resembled a bomb site.  Where the bed was, a fair sized crater now sunk into the floor.  In the middle sat a dazed little boy with a slightly blackened face.  On my hands and knees I crawled over to the edge of the crater.

"Veg?  Vegeta??"  Feathers from the pillows still floated around, some had landed in the prince's upswept hair, and charcoal chunks that used to be a bed and lush bedspread were strewn miscellaneously about the room, and nearer to the prince, radiating from the centre of the crater, was a starburst of pure carbon and ash.  Not a sound came from the boy, who could have been in some state of shock brought on by overload.  It was my fault, well, only partly.  There was no way I could have comprehended the maximum amount of ki he contained at that stage, I only assumed he'd had enough that his body could have coped with but I was wrong.  I waved a hand rapidly in front of his glazed eyes.

"Veg… wake up!! Snap out of it!!"  I shake him gently but firmly by the shoulders.  Still nothing.  I went to shake him harder, but then I heard him breathe again, which was a good sign, although it was shallow and quick.  His eyes were no longer misted over, but he wasn't looking AT things, more like THROUGH them.  During his panting, I made out the staggered words he said.

"That… was… unbelievably… AMAZING!!"  As if waking up from a long sleep, he stood up and stretched, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Prince Vegeta?  You alright in there?"  We both sighed.  It was Nappa.  "The scouters went crazy all over cos they picked up a huge reading so I came to check it out."  The scouters!  Oh shit.

"Nappa, this is none of your concern.  I merely had a disturbing dream."  Vegeta spoke back sharply.

"But prince…" Nappa whined in his gravely tone. "the scouters read five thou—"

"You are loyal to me, am I right Nappa?"  Vegeta cut Nappa off.

"Why yes, my prince, to the end."

"Good.  I'll tell you a little secret then.  And if you tell anyone, even my father, I'll rip all your limbs from your torso including your head, which in its last 20 seconds of life will stare at your detached body parts and that will be the last thing you see."

"I understand my prince, but your father is the king and he kinda outranks you and if he asks me –"

"You are no longer in my father's charge, since he assigned you as my personal guard, it is only me you answer to now.  Get that?"

"Uhh… sure, Prince Vegeta.  Now come on, tell me the secret!" Nappa sounded like an excited puppy would if it could talk.

"Alright.  You know that number you said, that the scouter was reading?"

"Yes, five thousand?  That's real high, maybe the scouters are on the blink."

"No, they aren't Nappa, and that is the secret.  You should be careful not to tell anyone, because that was no idle threat I gave you.  Get the scouters recalibrated anyway, to erase suspicion."  Nappa spluttered from behind the door.

"But, five thousand??  For a child that's impossible!!  Even stronger than your fa—"

"And that's all the more reason you should keep your mouth shut!!!  If I find out you've blurted anything about this, you know what'll happen."  We both heard Nappa gulp audibly from the hallway.

"Ok, my Prince."  Nappa sighed.  For about a minute he stood there, his loud breathing could be heard by the both of us.

"You can leave now Nappa." The breathing paused.

"Uh.. yeah." He grunted and his heavy footsteps faded away.  Then they returned, and a more gentle, hesitant knock sounded upon the polycarbon fibre door.

"Prince Vegeta?" The young royal breathed in deeply, then out.  That didn't help his irritated tone of voice though.

"What is it NOW?" He asked impatiently.

"…What's a torso?"  Needless to say, we both fell over sideways. (Anime style!)

*****       ****         *******

After that dose of stupidity, Vegeta and I pulled ourselves to our feet silently, and he made a move towards the door.

"Where are you going, Veg?" I enquired.

"I'm hungry, so I'm going to the kitchen to raid the pantry."  I guessed he'd need replenishment after that impressive and destructive display of ki. 

"What if you get caught?"  Vegeta gave me a 'don't be stupid' glare.

"I'm not afraid of Nappa or anyone else.  Are you?"  He raised his eyebrow in a challenge.

"Ha, as if!!  I'm invisible remember!"  The door opened with a small creak.  He looked up and down the hallway.

"Coast's clear!  Race ya!!"  He sprinted off and the door slammed in my face.  Charming! 

"Why you… I'll catch up!!"  I yelled and took off after him, not bothering to open the door.  He wasn't a slow youngster, his legs were a blur as he ran down the corridors, knowing where to go almost off by heart.  He ducked left and right down the passages, and I caught him when we were nearly at the large kitchen.  There was no-one around so Vegeta flung the pantry doors wide, and feasted upon various foodstuffs in vast quantities.  I helped myself to some preserved meats, much to the dislike of the woman in my head. 

::  I'm a vegetarian!! ::  I resisted the urge to play on that particular pun.

~ So?  I'm not! ~  After chewing on the limb of meat, I found some dried fish.  ~ Better? ~

:: Slightly.  Fish is OK, although it doesn't look like any of the fish I've seen… some sort of sea creature.. Oh well, it's not my stomach at least… :: 

In the meantime, Vegeta was literally swimming in the huge chest fridge.  His face was covered in some brown spicy sauce, and he peered over the top of the cold storage.

"There are some pies made of Torzian flesh somewhere, they're going to be tomorrow's dinner.  I can't find them and I have a craving for some! Aaargh!!"  He dove in amongst the cold food and rustled around loudly.

"Veg!  Stop making all that noise!" I warned.  He couldn't hear me through the plastic and paper packaging, which eventually ended up being thrown over the side of the fridge in his quest to find the treasured pies.  The clamour it created was like a giant reptile storming the palace in contrast to the silence of before.  My dread became all too clear as signs of other life became apparent and I froze like a nocturnal mammal in headlights when the kitchen became flooded with light.  I quickly dropped the food I was holding, making it look like it just fell off the shelves.  Rather that than having it suspended in mid-air.  Could it get worse?

"Found them Jeenie!!" A triumphant cry from an elated Saiyajin prince with a messy face, holding up his round edible trophies.  "Hey!  Why'd you go turn the lights on…?  Oh…"

The realisation sank in, first, when he looked at my face and my failed attempt to get him to shush as soon as he surfaced, and secondly when the individual investigating the ruckus located the source of disturbance and entered the doorway, and he wasn't amused.  It was Daikon, the twin brother of Nappa, although you wouldn't think it.  Standing at just under six feet, his abundant spiked black hair adding another half a foot to his height, he took up only most of the doorway.  Vegeta's instinctive reactions kicked in and he leaped out of the fridge and ran up to the imposing Saiyajin.

"Out of my way, first class scum!!"  He barked in his semi high-pitched voice.  The prince barely came up to Daikon's knees.  Nappa's intelligent brother glared down at Vegeta and smirked a little.

"No can do, prince.  Your orders are overridden by the king, who has set a curfew in place for all palace members save his guards, and special instructions to keep you confined to your quarters.  We had to do this without you knowing of course, that's why we weren't placed directly outside your door, but we're around.  I've been tracking you since you turned left on corridor D." Vegeta's face grew red, as if he was going to burst with rage, but instead he made a run for it through Daikon's legs.   The prince was small and fast, but he was no match for Daikon's honed speed. 

"Hey!! Lemme go!!  Let me go at once!" He complained at four feet from the ground, dangling by his arm.  I followed Daikon and his unhappy cargo along the corridors to meet with the king who would deal with the delinquent. 

"Ha!  You think my father will do anything?  He doesn't care!  He'll probably just shout at me and send me to my room again!  You're wasting your time, just let me go and I'll see myself back to my room…!!  No wonder you're only 1st class, Nappa at least listens to me!"  At this, Daikon stopped, composed himself and bundled the prince under his arm before resuming. 

"I would rather make my way up through the ranks by using my head for something other than a battering ram, prince.  And with all due respect, keep your incessant shouting minimal.  The king is in one of his 'moods', I've heard, and it's not a good one."  This sent Vegeta yelling on another tangent, and this time obscenities were hurled, but they merely vaporised on contact with the guards no-nonsense manner, as he continued his march towards their intended destination – King Vegeta's private chambers. 

Daikon buzzed the intercom, and the speaker crackled to life.  An iris of a tiny camera whizzed into life and zoomed and focused on the patient guard.

"Daikon.  Why have you interrupted my…"  He paused to silence giggles that obviously weren't his because he wasn't known do that sort of thing, and there was more than one. "…business?  You know I told you not to bother me unless it was something important." 

"I apologise that you are busy, Your Highness, but I feel this Is important.  You see, it involves the prince –"

"What has the brat done now?  If he's disobeyed me by leaving his quarters I'll skin him alive!" Vegeta snorted from under Daikon's arm.  The guard increased his hold on the squirming boy.

"I wouldn't be here if he hadn't done as such, my king."  The voice over the speaker growled indignantly.

"Enter.  And do not be alarmed at what you see, as a guard in my service you should become used to my activities of late." Daikon did not need to second guess what King Vegeta was referring to.  The auto-lock deactivated with a click, and the door slid open.  Daikon tried hard to turn a blind eye towards the scene before him. 

Since Queen Kapsikaa's demise, his king had resorted to certain methods of 'stress relief' in the form of numerous concubines, and judging by the amount surrounding the flame-haired monarch, he was, or had been and was yet to be, under a LOT of stress.   And that wasn't the only thing he was under.  Silently I counted three naked concubines, and they were the only visible ones, who knows how many there were in total, for the bedclothes were alive with what looked like a restless ocean of serpents writhing underneath.  The servants of pleasure were freaks of Saiyajin nature, mutants by their standards, for they didn't possess the musculature and hard-wearing features evident in females of their race.  Instead their features were gentle, their skin downy soft, complexions practically flawless, and their bodies were still toned, but their curves were more pronounced, and their limbs were supple and flexible which made up in some ways for the lack of excess muscle tissue.  They were docile, submissive and obedient, not to mention fragile, weak and disposable.  The chamber was thick with the heavy pungent odour of plentiful sex and scented massage oil, which assaulted the guards olfactory senses with every breath.  He took care not to let the king notice this small discomfort. 

"Explain yourself." The king said in his usual brisk manner, angling himself so he could see around the ivory body straddling him and massaging his rippling upper body.  He stared at Daikon, then at the wide-eyed boy under his arm, whose face was still smeared with some of the pantry's contents.

"Your Highness, I caught the prince rummaging through the main fridge, the pantry door was open and the kitchen's a total disaster area!  I heard him shout something but I didn't see anyone else in the vicini—" 

"It was Jeenie!  She was there too but only I can see her and no-one el—" Vegeta piped up, cutting off the first-class warrior mid-sentence, and was cut of himself by his father.

"Silence!!  Enough brat, you're in serious trouble as it is without making it worse for yourself with your outrageous stories!"  King Vegeta simmered in his bed, while his glorified whores doubled their effort to massage and continue other means of relaxation therapy.  He lay there, like he was in a bath and the water was getting cold, and he couldn't be bothered moving.  Next thing he swung himself around so he was sitting on the edge of the bed, sending the girls flying.

"Feratto!  Get these sluts out of my room and fetch me my robe!" As soon as he heard his name mentioned, a well-groomed Saiyajin appeared, tall, lean, and quite handsome.  Although his hair appeared to be in chaotic messy spikes, they were deliberately like that, there wasn't a strand out of place.   In a voice that didn't need to be too demanding, as those girls were set to obey orders on a hair-trigger, Feratto told them to clear out and go back to the recently decorated harem section.  Three lithe naked female bodies quickly left via the discreetly concealed exit at the opposite ends of the room.  Impatiently the king pushed at the ones struggling to get free of the heavy eiderdown, sending them sprawling off the bed, covers and all, and after mumbling humble apologies they daintily fled the chamber.

"Your robe, sire." The king's personal assistant and newly appointed Chief of the Harem held out the plush item of clothing.  King Vegeta stood up off the bed, and I had to conceal a gasp of awe, because although he was a total bastard, his body was remarkable – not too bulky, not too scrawny.  Every muscle was in brilliant proportion, I doubt a sculptor would ever do this specimen justice. 

::  Hmm… not a bad arse either… but, he's definitely 'look but don't touch' material. ::

~ I wasn't even tempted!  I'm admiring the form of his body, not thinking what it might've be like in the place of one of those silly hussies, which is what I assume, was on your mind? ~

:: Me?  Never!  I was only comparing notes on family inheritance and the like.   Nothing worth bothering about really, all very boring. ::

Something similar to disappointment twanged through me as King Vegeta about turned to face Daikon, because he had tactfully drawn his robe around himself as he turned to address his son and the guard, who immediately straightened his posture.

"Brat.  I am extremely disappointed in you, and something must be done about it.  Feratto!"

"Sire?"  The manservant replied, at the ready to follow his masters orders.

"Draw me a bath and set out my casual sparring armour." 

"As you command, sire."  Feratto bowed deeply before striding off to prepare the king's bath.

"Daikon?"  Nappa's twin brother snapped to attention.

"Your Highness?"

"Escort the disobedient child back to his room, dress him in battle gear, and take him to my training quarters, where he will wait for me."

"At once, my King." Daikon saluted with his right fist over his left breastplate.  The king took one last short glance at his son, and spoke in a harsh whisper.

"If you aren't outside my training quarters in exactly 25 minutes, I'll come find you, and drag you there myself.  Believe me, you don't want me to have to do that."  The prince screwed his face up in a sneer and growled, but that's all he could do. 

"You are dismissed." Both King Vegeta and Daikon with Prince Vegeta still under his arm went their separate ways. The young boy-prince wasn't fazed with the venting of his fathers anger;  he'd been through it before, gotten beaten and bruised and bounced back.  It'll be just like that again, the same old routine every time he got a little out of line.  No big deal.

But little did he know the grave situation, not fully.  There was an ominous presence stirring in chilly breezes, and it was getting stronger.  I knew I had to be there, in the kings training room, and to think at one time I never thought I'd venture there again.  Leaving my ward and his royal sire to their own devices, I got a head start on them and made my way there alone.

Next Chapter:  Vegeta vs. Vegeta…  does the Prince have a chance?  And who turns up at a crucial point?? Read on and find out!!