Chapter Three of "The Realtor Affair" by Melinda-chan
Radu woke up from his cot and put on his orange gi (martial arts robe). He made a few stretched and after eating the leftover rice from the pot, he went outside. The yellow sun had barely risen in the sky then. Radu then went to the community fire.
The fire wasn't on, of course, but there were two boys that were wrestling with each other on the ground close to it. One was a small boy with spiky black hair, similar to Radu's own hair. The other one had long lavender hair, which ended in a ponytail. A little black-haired boy watched them do this.
"Hijiki-kun! Wakame-kun! Konbu-kun!" Radu yelled. All the boys stopped what they were doing and looked at him.
"So it's the Kakuan," Hijiki smirked. Radu puffed up his chest, trying not to look intimidated.
"My father is Tubar, the greatest of all the chieftains of the true Saiya race!" Radu said out loud. At first the boys looked weirdly at him. However, the two older boys laughed at him.
"We cannot dispute that you're the son of Tubar, but don't think that because you're his son means that you can become a part of our group" Hijiki sneered.
"I want to fight you, Hijiki" Radu said.
"You want to fight me?" the lavender-haired boy replied. He then smirked. "If you think you finally can beat me, then bring it on!" At that Hijiki turned yellow as he turned Super Saiyan. So did Radu. Wakame and Konbu ran away from them, knowing fully what may happen if they stayed too close to the Super Saiyans.
"Hyahhh!" Hijiki yelled.
"Ahhhhh!" Radu screamed. They then went at each other.
The two other boys watched from behind a rock as the two yellow-haired Saiyans spared with each other. Though Radu showed much speed, Hijiki quickly dodged each blow. This made Radu even more irritated and he tried to quicken his blows.
'Dammit to hell!' Radu thought. 'Maybe if I went up one level…' The question was, could he achieve Super Saiyan Level 2 without exhausting himself?
"What's the matter? You look like a little tired" Hijiki said with a sarcastic tone at the end. "Maybe I should put you in for a rest-" And with that, he started to aim his fist for Radu's face.
"Super…Saiyan…2!" Radu yelled out. Hijiki stopped not sure how to respond now.
Electrical currents appeared all over Radu's body as he felt greater power inside him. He felt even stronger than ever.
"He…he did it!" Hijiki said in disbelief. The other boys looked on in amazement as Radu successfully achieved Super Saiyan Level 2.
"Now that I have achieved it, I can really show you my power!" Radu said. He then proceeded to slam his fist at Hijiki's face.
"Nice try, but you're still slow," Hijiki said, smirking. He blocked Radu's fist and went up the air.
'I feel so tired and weak all of a sudden' Radu thought. He then felt his muscles gave out on him. 'Oh shi-' he then fell down on the ground.
"I knew it! He couldn't hold it for long! Let's get him, boys!" Hijiki ordered. At once the boys came out of the rock and started to kick Radu and spit on him. Hijiki laughed.
"You might be powerful but you're still stupid! You're like a Kakuan! You'll never be a warrior like your father!" Hijiki said out loud. He turned to the other boys. "Let's find another kid. Fighting Radu is too easy." The other boys laughed as well. They then departed.
'Dammit,' Radu thought. 'What is wrong with me?' He tried to lift up his head. 'I feel like they kicked my skull too. What's wrong with me?'
"Get up, son," a deep voice alerted him to another presence.
"What do you want- oh Father!" Radu saw it was indeed his old man. He slowly got up from the ground. "I'm so sorry Father! I must have ashamed you! I'll try not to fail you again!"
"What are you talking about? You did me proud of reaching Super Saiya Level 2 before the other boys in your age group. When the time comes for you to become a true Saiya warrior, you'll be better prepared than the rest. Continue to develop that level and I can guarantee you that when the time comes, you'll have no rival." At that, Tubar started to walk away.
"Father! How can I develop my skills when I cannot use them against my rivals now? They even called me a Kakuan!" Radu said, cataching up to him. The old man looked down at him.
"First of all, you cannot develop your powers if you do not practice them! I advise, my son, that you go to the desert to practice your level of control and power. That way, you will be ready when you need to," Tubar said.
"What is the second thing?" Radu said.
"Come with me," Tubar commanded. So Radu did. He took a good look at his old man as they walked back to their house. His father was a chief for a reason- his big, bulky muscles, his wide girth, his steady, strong gait and his sharp, black eyes would be enough for all of the Saiya clans to believe that he was a Saiya chief. The gentle wind blew some of his spiky, black hair down causing him to brush it away from his face. Radu straightened up, trying to be like him in his posture.
"What do you want to talk about?" Radu asked in a low voice.
"Go inside," Tubar ordered. Radu then went inside. His father put down the entrance screen. "Sit down, my son." Radu complied, going to the middle of the room to do so. "Did you have any food today?"
"Just a little rice," Radu replied.
"You should not skimp on the eating if you can help it" Tubar told him. "If you do not have enough energy, you'll not be able to win." He then went to the hearth at the upper left corner of the house. He opened the pot. "I see that your mother and Nori left some soup too." He then lifted up the ladle from the pot and put a big heap of soupy rice inside an earthenware bowl. He then took a pair of chopsticks from a bowl and put it atop of the bowl. "Eat, Radu."
"Thank you, Father" Radu said. He immediately started eating. Tubar sat down with him. He waited until Radu was finished eating before he spoke.
"I have to tell you something," Tubar said.
"That was a good meal, Father," Radu said.
"Thank your mother and your older sister when they come back" Tubar said. "In any case, I have to tell you something. You must not tell anyone else because it will affect your status."
"And what is it, Father?" Radu said, feeling a little nervous now.
"The reason why they called you a Kakuan is because they're right" Tubar said. At that, Radu dropped his spoon.
"What do you mean I'm really a Kakuan?" Radu said. "All of them had to leave when Prince Kalle bought Veta for-"
"I did not say our family was pure Kakuan!" Tubar said. "You see, your great-grandfather, my grandfather, took a Kakuan as a wife."
"No way!" Radu said. "You mean we really have Kakuan blood in our veins?" At that, he cringed.
"Don't feel like that, my son. I'm very sure she was a beautiful and strong woman. You know, some consider the Kakuan women to be more intelligent than the men," Tubar said.
"But why did he not take a woman from one of the Houses of Vegeta, rather than a…subject?" Radu had to swallow before he said the last word.
"Radu, you should realize that while we do consider ourselves to be separate than the Kakuans, there was no rule forbidding marriage with them. After all, they sometimes were our allies. Therefore, it made sense that a few from both sides would take mates from the other side" Tubar said.
"But why did Great-Grandfather pick…" Radu could not finish his question.
"How am I suppose to know? Turpin was a great man and I'm sure that Mochi was a very good woman. In fact, it was probably her blood, which explains why our family is known for our great power and strength. I do hear hybrids can be more powerful than whole Saiyas. After all, Great Father Vegeta and Kakarrot took humans as mates and our race did not suffer as a consequence," Tubar explained.
"But they didn't have a choice…" Radu started to say.
"Well, you now know the truth," Tubar said. He got up. "If I were you, I'll train in the desert very soon. You're only fourteen, but it'll be a few years when you have to earn your warrior status and be a real man."
"You mean you want me to go to the desert now?" Radu asked. "I have not done my morning exercises yet-"
"If you have plans for today, do them. But tomorrow, I want you to go to the desert and train. Think of it as a test of your limits. See how far you can go without totally exhausting yourself," Tubar advised him.
"Oh yes, Father!" Radu nodded. They then left their home. Almost at once, they saw two tall blue-haired women looking at them. They had big earthenware jars on their right shoulders.
"Mother! Nee-chan!" Radu yelled out.
"My wife, how was the trip?" Tubar said out loud.
"Oh fine as usual," the big-muscled woman replied.
"If that's the case, I'll make an announcement. Radu reached Super Saiya Level Two today!" Tubar told his wife and daughter.
"We did detect a great power surge from the direction of the community fire" Radu's mother said. "We didn't know who it was, though. Just to think it was my own son!"
"You haven't given off your power for so long we forgot what it felt like" Nori said. She then laughed. "I was afraid that when you turn seventeen, you'll be grouped into a group of girls just so you have a better chance of winning."
"I'm stronger than you think I am!" Radu countered.
"Well, it sure didn't last long" Nori said. "I bet you couldn't hold it for long. You probably got so exhausted that the rest of the boys beat you up when you finally couldn't hold it anymore."
"Hey! I-" Radu started to say when he stopped. A black-haired man dressed in a brown tunic and pants appeared, running toward Tubar.
"Mizuna, speak!" Tubar commanded.
"The Middle Way group from Veta had sent a few of its members to us," Mizuna told him. "They want to talk about the arrival of the Realtors with us."
"Tell them we're aware of what have happened and take them to my house as soon as possible" Tubar ordered. Mizuna bowed.
"As you commanded," Mizuna said. He then ran off to do his bidding. Tubar looked at his wife and daughter.
"Toma, Nori, gather all the women and older girls and say to them, 'We have guests from the Middle Way of Veta. Chief Tubar wants us to make a lunch feast for them," Tubar said.
"Of course!" Toma said. Nori nodded. They then put down their jars on the ground and ran off.
"They left the jars behind" Radu noted.
"Well, you want to be strong, don't you?" Tubar said. "Pick up those jars and put them inside the house. We will need them for the guests."
"Ugh…" Radu couldn't help but say.
"Do you think that being hospitable is only for women?" Tubar asked his son.
"Oh no Father!" Radu said. "It's just that, I didn't think I would be carrying water jars for guests!"
"A true warrior will offer his best for his friends and allies," Tubar said. "Change your attitude fast, Radu, or you'll end up sharpening tools and weapons and mending Radita suits like all of the other male non-warriors who cannot fight. Power is not the only mark of a true warrior. Remember that."
"Yes Father," Radu said. He then lifted up the two jars and put them inside the house. "They're very heavy. I didn't think that water jars could be so weighty."
"Now you understand why our women are so strong," Tubar said. He then laughed. "When you get married, remember that your wife would have likely be carrying water jars since she started blooming, so be sure not to anger her."
"I will remember that Father" Radu said with a sweatdrop on his face. Just then they saw a shadow come over the entrance.
"Great Chief, our guests have arrived," Mizuna announced.
"How many are there?" Tubar asked.
"Four sir," Mizuna replied. "There is a man and a woman, and a younger man and woman, or I should say an older boy and girl."
"Interesting" Tubar said. "Let them in Radu, prepare the guest mats and the bowls of water and washcloths. You can use the fresher water from the jars."
"Yes Father," Radu said. He then went to work.
"Chief Tubar welcomes you to the village!" Mizuna yelled to the outside. "Come into his great house and accept his hospitality!"
At once, Radu saw the long-haired man. He was dressed in a white suit with golden buttons on the front. It appeared to be made for formal wear. Radu put down a towel and a bowl of water for him. The man sat down before them and helped himself.
The next person that came in was a woman. She too had on a white suit but with silver buttons on it. She had long, braided blue hair, which Radu found very intriguing. She sat at a spot close to her male companion. Radu offered a towel and a bowl of water to her, which she accepted. The next person was a younger male, likely still a boy. His suit was white as well (was that the preferred colour in Veta nowadays? Radu wondered), but his lavender hair was cut very short. He saw down next to the woman. Radu once again put down a towel and a bowl of water. The boy looked confused until the woman whispered something into his ear. He then proceeded to wash his face and lands. Did the course of hospitality change or does it exist at all in the city? Radu wondered.
It was then that he saw her.
Her black hair was done in a bun, wrapped in a golden ribbon. Her dress was a lively dark blue, which complemented her dark eyes very well. Radu kept looking at her.
She looked at him. He felt a lump in his throat. And then-
"Radu! Stop looking at her like that and prepare the bowl and towel for her!" his father said out loud.
"Ah yes!" Radu responded like a robot and put the bowl and towel in front of her. She promptly helped herself.
"Shall we begin now?" Tubar said. "My wife, daughter and the rest of the women are preparing the feast that we're having in your honour, so they'll not be able to come before them."
"There's no need for such a feast, I assure you," the strange man said. "We are only messengers for the Middle Way."
"A messenger from your group is treated like a honoured guest in my clan," Tubar said. "But first the formality! Tell me your names!"
"I am Kurin of the Trunks line, a guard under Princess Gotena, but a member of the Middle Way," Kurin said, then bowed in the proper way.
"Fair enough," Tubar said, bowing in return. He then turned his attention to the woman. "Who are you, woman, and the younger ones that came with you?"
"I am Fukita, also of the Trunks line. My family is of no importance. But my husband, Parni, was a teacher of the Super Saiyan martial arts. He even taught the former Prince and his son, the Heir Prince. When Princess Gotena came into power, he decided to go to self-exile. My children and I are still living in the city while I prepare flowers for a business. This is my son Kusuta," Fukita said.
"I am Kusuta," the lavender short-haired boy said. "I am a musician apprentice for the royal court. Ah, there's nothing else to say about me."
"And what about the girl? Whose daughter is she?" Tubar inquired.
"She's my daughter" Kurin replied. "She's only thirteen years old, but I feel she could join this trip."
"Welcome to my home and my clan," Tubar said. "In Turin's name, I extend my blessing to all of you. Our women are preparing the feast so tell us if there is any news before we go there."
"You are aware of the Realtors' return?" Kurin asked.
"Ack! Yes, I'm afraid we heard it from our radio transmissions that the Realtors had returned. I suppose they want a new deal?" Tubar asked.
"We do not have what they want," Kurin said. "And I'm very sure that you do not have that number of warriors anyway."
"Neither would we give them to the Realtors" Tubar said. "Prince Kalle wanted the warriors to conquer planets for him, but most were never heard of again. I do not want our warriors to face such a risk without a certain guarantee of returning."
"How is your trade planets doing?" Kurin asked. "There's still a demand for Radita suits?"
"Our trade planets are doing very well," Tubar replied. "We notified them of the arrival of the Realtors. Needless to say, we had a very long discussion about the implications. We agreed to send large shipments of Radita suits to four planets that are the greatest of our trading partners: Aprox, Gensu, Quoy and Radilla. A ship in Gensu will be equipped with invisibility shields so we may get away with this without the Realtors knowing."
"What are the chances of you actually getting away with this?" Kurin asked. All the others had their heads laid low, knowing the seriousness of the talk.
"We do not know about the technology the Realtors may possess" Tubar replied. "Gensu is the most advanced of all our trading planets in technology and they assure us that their shields are not sold to planets that are not part of our alliance. Still, we know we are taking a big chance because we do not know the knowledge the Realtors may possess about such things."
"The Radita suits" Kurin said. "How much power can they absorb and throw at an enemy?"
"Our best ones can do 50,000 units of power," Tubar said with a little pride. "But it requires months of preparation to make. We usually sell suits of only 10,000 units. Most species are only capable of using that much power anyway, even in their best warriors."
"We Saiyans can generate almost a hundred million units," Kurin said. "It's no wonder we're feared."
"I should introduce my son," Tubar said. He then saw Radu looking at Venita. "Son! What are you looking at?"
"Father!" Radu immediately snapped out of his trance and looked back at his man.
"Kurin-san, Fukita-san, Venita-chan and Kusuta-chan, this is my only son Radu," Tubar said. Radu stood up and bowed.
"I hope you like it here" Radu said.
"Thank you. I do have a son of my own. His name is Kuri" Kurin said. Kusuta now had a sour expression on his face.
'Kusuta-chan?' the lavender-haired boy thought in dismay.
"Where is your son then?" Tubar asked. "Is he still a baby or a toddler?"
"Oh no," Kurin answered. "Daikon-san and I decided to put only four in our group, so when it was decided which child of mine shall accompany me, Venita was more willing to go. Besides, she's the newest member so I felt this trip would be more beneficial for her."
"Perhaps, but I would be worried about your son if I were you" Tubar said. "To choose your daughter over your son for want of experience is one thing, but cowardice would never be tolerated in any member of my village, boy or girl, man or woman." Kurin kept silent.
All of a sudden a woman came to the door.
"Toma, my wife, is the feast ready now?" Tubar asked in genuine surprise.
"It is not yet finished" Toma replied. "But the woman felt our guests could use a little tour of our village until it's done."
"An excellent idea!" Tubar said. He got up. "A tour of the village would be a good way to pass the time until the feast's ready. Mizuna, prepare the way!"
"As you wish," the younger man said. He then went to the door. "All of the company of Kurin and Tubar, follow me!" At that, everyone got up and left the house. Radu stopped at the exit, thinking about what has been said. He then felt a bump behind him. It was the dark-haired girl!
"Oh I'm so sorry, uh, what's your name again?" Radu asked.
"Venita," she replied.
"Uh, Venita, I'm so sorry for stopping," Radu said.
"That is all right. Your father is the leader of the Old Way, right?" Venita asked him.
"Oh no! He's only the leader of the Mt. Paozu clan," Radu replied. "There are other chiefs and clans as well."
"How does your chiefs get selected?" Venita asked.
"All of the top candidates get together and fight and the winner can become the chief," Radu replied. "He also has to show leadership and courage as well."
"RADU! YOU CAN TALK TO HER LATER! IF YOU DAWDLE, YOU BOTH WOULD BE LATE!" Tubar's voice boomed at them.
"Yes Father!" Radu yelled back. He then went back to Venita. "Let's go now." At that, he and Venita caught up with the rest of the company.
"You see, Kurin-san, when Princess Gotena came into power and dissolved the army, many of us felt that we could not live under her rule" Tubar said. "Instead of rebelling, which would have been treason, we decided to move out and live off the land and train. Since there were too many people, we split off and formed different clans throughout the land. We are of the Paozu clan."
"So you left rather than stage a revolt, you say?" Kurin said. "You know that you would have the support of a lot of people if you did so."
"And go against the surviving member of the Direct Line?" Tubar said. "Such a thought will never enter my head or my heart. Princess Gotena may be going against the traditions of our ancestors and mocking the heritage of her royal family, but now that her father and brother can't be found, she's the rightful ruler of Veta. Besides, even if we do have some supporters, the majority will side with her. And the last thing I would want is a civil war."
"Excuse me," Fukita said. "But do you know which clan my husband Parni belongs to?" At that, Kusuta, who was looking very bored, suddenly became attentive.
"That name is not familiar to me, Fukita-san," Tubar said apologetically. "It's not the name of any chief or any messenger of the clans at least. I do not wish to sound negative, Fukita-san, but it's possible that he could have joined the bandits, or even be dead. You never know out here."
"I see" Fukita said. Both she and Kusuta had their heads down. "Well as long as we do not know he's dead, there's still hope."
"We are close to the community fire. Let us go there," Tubar said. At that, everyone walked to it. Radu looked at Kusuta, wondering if Kusuta ever remembered his father. He looked only twelve or thirteen.
"This is our community fire. You're welcome to sit close to it," Tubar said to all of the guests. They then saw what was roasting over the fire. Radu felt his throat tightened. From what he heard, the citizens of Veta do not eat meat.
"What is that?" Kusuta asked as he pointed at the hunk of meat.
"It's a deer, I believe," Tubar replied.
"You're cooking a living creature! How horrible!" Venita exclaimed. Radu felt like hiding in embarrassment. Why did his father had to show them the meat now?
"I assure you that the animals were already dead by the time we took them to the spit" Tubar said. "I know that the children would not be willing to eat the meat, so we brought out many of the vegetables that we have stored."
"You grew them yourselves?" Kurin inquired.
"Of course," Tubar replied. "Both the animals and the vegetables we either raised or tamed."
As the hour passed by, more men and women came, bringing not only more meat, but also fish, seaweed and many types of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms and potatoes. Everyone now watched as the women prepared the spits and set up the plates.
"We do not use food utensils except for spoons and knives," Tubar explained. "Spoons are used mainly for soups and stews and knives for extra tough meats or to make portions smaller. As you can see here, we prefer to skewer our foods. Anything that is dropped to the ground, we rinse with water and give to the animals or use as fertilizer for the plants. Any food left over we give to the sick and the guards, who can't be here. We often create extra for that purpose."
"This has dispelled all of the things I have heard about you," Kurin said. "I didn't think you were true barbarians, but I never thought you would be so hospitable and kind to us." Tubar laughed at that.
"Every ally is like a brother to us," Tubar said. "You should know that true allies are hard to find, so you try to keep the ones that you do have. And everyone loves a feast." Now it was Kurin's turn to laugh.
"I suppose that's true," Kurin said. "But you're right. True allies are hard to find."
"How do you people get all this food?" Venita asked Radu.
"Among those that went with us we're gardeners and food growers," Radu explained. "They took not only their clothes with them, but also took seeds and plants. They, in turn, taught other people to grow things. In our village, it's the women that do the farming, while the men do the animal raising and hunting."
"But why does your village need to raise and hunt animals?" Venita asked him. "Does not the plants that you eat is enough?"
"Well, I'm not sure," Radu answered. "You see, we do a lot of physical activity, and I don't think that plants would have the protein and fat needed for many of the things we do. I can't remember all of the foods I ate when I was a little kid but I'm sure that the people in the city would have more food than we do." Venita became silent, not knowing how to respond to that.
Suddenly a horn blared.
"MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN, COME TO TUBAR'S FEAST! ALL WARRIORS STAY FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING THAT WILL OCCUR AFTER THE FEAST!" Mizuna shouted with a loud voice. He then blew the horn again.
Needless to say, it wasn't long before most of the village came to the fire. Both Kusuta and Venita were busy talking to the other children, while Kurin and Fukita talked with the adults. Radu tried to stay close to Venita as possible, avoiding Hijiki, Wakame and Konbu. He felt a bit irritated when Venita talked with another male his age, though he tried not to look jealous. This did not escape his father's attention, however.
Mizuna suddenly blasted his horn again, signifying the start of the feast. As the hosts, Tubar, Radu and the warriors helped the guests get what they want. Everyone else then got served. By the time it was over, the women were collecting the leftovers and putting them in baskets so that they could give the food to the guards and the other non-attendees that couldn't go to the feast. Radu felt a bit of pride as they did this. He looked at Venita. She looked a little bored.
The horn the blared.
"WARRIORS, COME TO THE EDGE OF THE FIRE. EVERYONE ELSE, PLEASE STAY OUTSIDE OF THE ASSEMBLY. NO ONE BUT THE WARRIORS CAN SPEAK WITHOUT CHIEF TUBAR'S CONSENT!" Mizuna shouted with a loud voice. He then blew the hair again.
At once, mothers with children and babies went away, as well as the older people. This left almost everyone else- the warriors- at the site of the former feast. Radu saw that Hijiki, Wakame and Konbu remained as well. Radu could stay since he was the son of the chief, but why were they staying? He did not like the feeling that he was getting from this.
"Radu! Come with me now!" his father yelled.
"Yes Father!" Radu then got up and looked down at Venita. "I have to go with Father now! I shall come back when I can!"
"I'll be fine, Radu!" Venita said. Radu went back to his father. He was smiling.
"I see that you're entertaining Kurin's daughter. If you like, I can talk to Kurin and I can arrange-" Tubar started to say.
"It's okay, Father" Radu said. "She's too young anyway."
"A few years from now wouldn't be so bad-" Tubar said.
"Father!" Radu yelled.
"Chief Tubar!" Mizuna said.
"Yes, Mizuna, I am coming!" Tubar said. He then turned back to his son. "Come with me, Radu. You shall be at my right side."
"Yes Father" Radu said. He then followed his father to the center of the fire.
"My guests, please go to the left of me," Tubar said. So Kurin, Fukita, Kusuta and Venita walked to the center and stood by Tubar's left side. Radu felt his heart beat harder when he saw Venita go close to him. Was his father right about his unsaid suggestion? He turned his head away. He can't think about it now.
"WARRIORS, FOUR PEOPLE FROM THE CITY HAD COME TO OUR VILLAGE! THEY ARE MEMBERS OF THE MIDDLE WAY! LET CHIEF TUBAR WELCOME THEM!" Mizuna yelled.
"As you already know, the Realtors came back," Tubar said. "They requested to Princess Gotena for four thousand Saiya warriors. Of course she turned them down." At that a few in the audience started to whisper. "Mind you, I'll never offer any of our warriors to them." At that, almost all of the warriors nodded in agreement. "I'll now let Kurin, the leader of the group, to speak. At that, Tubar gestured to Kurin, who now took centre stage.
"I am Kurin of the Trunks line of the House of Vegeta," Kurin said. "I am a guard of Veta. My house stores all of the armour and weapons my father refused to hand over when Princess Gotena ordered everyone to do so-" at that, some from the crowd shouted "Yea!" which made Tubar motion them into silence. "I have put them in display for a selected few to see. I also made a small profit from teaching martial arts to a few people though this is also forbidden. I am married and I have two children." He gestured to Venita. "This is my daughter Venita." Radu saw the eyes of the younger male warriors go to her and he felt himself go red in his face.
"I also have a son named Kuri, but he chose not to go with us for this trip" Kurin continued. "Now that I am done with the formality, I'll get to the point. First of all, how many of you are familiar with the Realtors' first visit to Veta?"
"Yay!" all of the warriors shouted in unison.
"We left only a decade ago," Tubar told him. "Most of us know the history regarding Prince Kalle and the deal with the Realtors. And our children know it too."
"I see" Kurin said. "Well, as you already know, the Realtors, most of them new members, arrived last week. Needless to say, they were not welcome with open arms."
"I am Burori, son of Burokki, a son of a former butcher, a descendant of Bra of the Vegeta Line," the young male said. "What you told us, we already know. We get the latest news over the radio. What we want to know is what the ruler of Veta is planning to do about them."
"If you want to know what she is going to say this evening, I cannot tell you that. Not even her personal assistant does not know what she will say," Kurin said. "But I do know my group has a plan." At that, a few in the audience became more attentive.
"What sort of plan does your group have in mind?" Tubar asked.
"A plan to go see Lady Tana," Kurin said. "But we need a volunteer from your group first." At that, a commotion occurred from the audience.
"You may speak," Tubar said to a dark-haired male who had his hand up.
"I am Shallot, son of Arula," the man said. "How is the Lady involved in this and why do you need one of us?"
"Lady Tama is the only one alive now that remembers the Realtors' first visit," Kurin explained. He then saw many in the audience nod in agreement. "A member of our group have already met her and she has agreed to help us."
"That is good news," Tubar said. "She'll be a good ally. But you didn't answer his question."
"Lady Tana apparently told our member that she wants a member of the Old Way to go to her place. I do not know the reason, but it may be important," Kurin said.
"Lady Tana has the reputation of planning well ahead before acting. Very well, I trust in her. Is there anything else we need to know before I take action?" Tubar asked.
"I can only tell you that Princess Gena had arranged to meet with the Science and Technology Board today and that she plans on having a press conference this evening," Kurin said. "That is all."
"Then I got nothing else to say," Tubar said. He then looked at the crowd. "So who is going to offer himself or herself and come with the Middle Way group and go to Lady Tana?"
A few whispered to one another, but none spoke up to offer himself or herself for the job.
"Very well I shall decide who it would be," Tubar said. A few tense minutes later, he opened his mouth again. "I shall now pick the one that will represent us. It shall be-" he then swung his finger at the right of him. "- my son Radu!"
"What!" Radu said. "Father, I'm not a warrior!"
"Did Lady Tana said that she wanted a warrior?" Tubar asked Kurin. Kurin shook his head.
"Not that I'm aware of," Kurin replied.
"Then it's decided!" Tubar declared. He then put his hand on Radu's left shoulder. "I announce that Radu, son of Chief Tubar of the Paozu clan, shall represent us to Lady Tana!"
"Yay!" all of the warriors, plus Hijiki and his group, yelled in unison. Radu sighed.
"Then it's settled! Radu shall go to Lady Tana!" Tubar said. "Now that is decided, this meeting is now over. Go back to your normal affairs. You're now dismissed." At that, the warriors began to disperse. Radu looked at Hijiki. The other boy smirked.
This made Radu mad.
All of a sudden Radu felt someone's hand inside his own hand. He looked at the left of him. It was Venita! She smiled. He smiled back.
Something told him then that everything would be all right.
"Why did you pick me, Father?" Radu asked. They were now in their house, packing his clothes into a bag.
"Radu, I did want you to train in the desert, right?" Tubar asked him.
"Yes. So?" Radu said. He put in a pair of sandals into his bag.
"So instead of going to the desert for your training, I thought it'll be more suitable if you trained with Lady Tana instead," Tubar said. "Prince Turin went to her place and look how powerful he became!"
"Yeah!" Radu said.
"There is another reason why I want you to go," Tubar said. His voice was lower than before.
"What is that Father?" Radu asked, sensing something more serious was going on.
"You saw the looks on their faces when I asked if any of them would go with Kurin's group to Lady Tana," Tubar said. "They imagine themselves to be warriors, but a true warrior would not hesitate to accept a challenge and go into the unknown. They forgot the true meaning of courage." He then looked at Radu. "Are you ready now?"
"Yes Father" Radu said. He then put his bag over his right shoulder.
"Remember to make me proud," Tubar said. "If you remember that, you'll be fine."
"Thank you, Father," Radu said. "Tell Mother and Nee-chan that I hope I won't take long."
"Do what you need to do," Tubar said. "I shall give you a feast when you return." At that, Radu hugged him. "Urk! Son, act like a warrior at all times!"
"Yes Father!" Radu said. He then left, walking toward the hovercar. Venita was waiting for him. He smiled. There were two people at least that had faith in him. He only hoped that he could have faith in himself.
End of Chapter Three
I will now include another name list for those who may wonder about the new names. As well, I'll put more information on the Old Way and the "barbarians." I'll hopefully put more information on the past in the next few chapters. Dragon Ball Z was created by Akira Toriyama and is distributed by Viz and Toei Animation. Please do not forget to review!
Name List
"Radu"- Condensed form of "Radittsu," from "radish", and is also the original name of Goku's older brother.
"Hijiki, Wakame, Konbu, Nori"- Types of seaweed, or sea vegetables. Nori is used in sushi and is known as laver in some countries. Konbu is used in soups and stocks.
"Turpin"- from "turnip."
"Mochi"- rice flour cakes, commonly eaten at New Year's.
"Toma"- from "tomato"
"Mizuna"- a Japanese leafy vegetable.
"Parni"- from "parsnip."
"Burori"- from "broccoli."
"Burokki"- from "broccoli."
"Shallot"- a part of the onion family.
"Arula"- from "arugula," a leafy vegetable.
Descendants of Vegeta always had to contend with the two sides their original parents represent. Vegeta represent the old "Saiyan" way while Bulma represent the new "Earth" way. Since all Vegetans have both Saiyan (or Saiya) and human blood, some have argued that there must be a balance. According to the Vegeta Chronicles, Trunks carried on his mother's business, but was able to become a Super Saiyan by the time he reached the age of eight. It seemed that human genes posed no problem to Saiyan power. As the generations went by, it was apparent that most preferred the new way. During that time Earth didn't suffer from any major disasters so most were content not learning the old way.
Historians up to Gena's time blamed this slacking attitude to the ability for the Acelians to take over Earth without any great resistance. During Gena's time it was thought that the Acelians attacked important places first before invading, so no real resistance could take place; likely both things happened. In time, the Super Saiyan became a mere legend again. It was only during Torin's time that the Saiyans started to stress the Old Way. Torin himself believed that every male Saiyan should be a warrior. The horrors of the Acelian occupation made this viewpoint more acceptable. By the time the Realtors came, Prince Kalle was able to offer two thousand Saiyan warriors to them in exchange for the planet. The Old Way in Veta came to an end when Gotena, his granddaughter, started the New Way which advocated trade and arts for the people rather than power and strength. A split occurred, and a number of those that preferred the Old Way left for the hills. Despite the difference in viewpoints, the "barbarians" have not posed a problem for Gena and relations between them and the city have been cold but peaceful.