a/n: We're winding down a bit! I never really thought I'd ever finish this. But look! More fighting coming, action and some more weirdness I couldn't help throwing in…I'm like that most times. ENJOY!
Thank you to EVERYONE who has continued to review…I know I'm a hard person to get along with but…I really appreciated the cards. Just kidding.
---
The weary group of misfits in the path of the dead had continued on. Aragorn could feel a sense of urgency in the air the further they went and knew that, finally, they were coming closer to where they needed to be.
Legolas was an ever-present force behind him, a welcome reprieve from the oppressive cold that was always in front of him. Gimli had grown use to the cave, though he was still leery. Aragorn was thankful. The dwarf's comfort had made him quiet, and along with that came the opportunity for the other's to relax--however minimally.
The only one of the group to stay entirely off balance was Goku. But he had taken much of Vegeta's discomfort away by remaining quiet about his own. Vegeta could still feel the man, stiff as a board, as he walked beside him. The ouji hated for Kakkarot to be so put off, but he was still too prideful to speak comforting words to him.
"Kakkarot..." He started. Goku tensed beside him for a moment before a quiet breathy laugh escaped him.
"Yea, 'Geta?"
"..." Vegeta scowled into the darkness, he shouldn't have bothered starting--he didn't have it in him to finish. "Nothing."
Goku frowned into the dark, a little confused but mostly still too creeped out to worry on it.
So they walked in silence behind everyone and with every step they took Vegeta felt progressively worse for not being able to calm the jittery nerves of his mate. He couldn't speak to him, but he had never been very eloquent with words anyway. So Vegeta did what he was best at, physical impression.
A warm, solid hand closed around Goku's wrist. He jumped in his skin and whoofed a sigh of relief when he recognized it as Vegeta's. He smiled down at where he could see Vegeta's outline. The hand slid down until Vegeta locked his fingers with Goku's.
"'Geta?" Goku's eyes widened in surprise--pleasant though it was. Vegeta grunted beside him and the fingers tightened fractionally for a second and Goku nodded, a small pleasant smile on his face.
"Alright back there?" Aragorn called. He hadn't heard much for the past half a mile but Goku's questioning voice made him pause.
Goku smiled into the dark and sighed. "Fine."
"The darkness no longer bothers you, Goku?" Legolas asked from somewhere in front of them.
"A little," His large hand flexed around Vegeta's, "but I'm feeling better." Vegeta smirked into the darkness.
The cave before them widened into a deep cavern. The darkness remained until they stepped from the narrow path into the great mouth. Cracks and fissures in the cavern walls and ceilings leaked in blue light. Great motes of dust hung in the hazy light and muted it further. Saiyajin eyes narrowed and took in the surroundings with amazing accuracy. Vegeta could feel the start of a headache behind his eyes as they were assaulted by the new light after so long in the darkness. From the looks on the others they all felt the same.
Aragorn began walking slowly into the center of the cavern, hand gripping the hilt of his sword with white knuckles. His unease gave rebirth to Goku's and the saiyajin suddenly missed the contact he had with Vegeta moments ago in such a great wave of anguish that he nearly cried.
Vegeta and Trunks were walking side by side, eyeing the stalagtites and stalagmites with their noble glares. Only Gimli remained by Goku's side, struck again by the intense emotion that racked the saiyajin third class. The dwarf only began to walk slowly away from him when he felt a physical stir of the air around the taller man, a warmth and solidity that did not come from the air of the cave.
Trunks looked over his shoulder as he felt Goku power up slightly and saw the look of panic stretched onto his face. He elbowed his father and ignored the look of anger shot at him when the prince stumbled, instead he pointed at Goku and felt his father tense.
"Kakkarot..." Vegeta spoke quietly, it echoed along the high walls despite it and everyone slowly turned their heads to the saiyajin.
"I don't like it, 'Geta..." Goku spoke so softly Vegeta barely heard him. Goku shivered and the other saiyajins felt him push his ki out around him like a blanket of security.
Vegeta set his hand on Goku's forearm and stared up at him. "There isn't anything here, Kakkarot."
Slowly, Goku nodded, eyes trained on the high walls searching for something only he could sense. "There are...and they're angry." He whispered, too oblivious in his searching to see Aragorn tense and Vegeta pale.
"Who are?" Trunks asked, eyes wide and searching the places Goku looked.
"The dead." Goku said, eyes snapping finally to Trunks and then Vegeta.
"Kakkarot you've been to other world, why are you scared of ghosts now?" Vegeta asked, slightly mocking to hide his true curiousity and anxiety.
"Cause, 'Geta, these aren't just ghosts...they're...I dunno...unsettled." Goku's eyes bore into Vegeta's, begging him to understand. "In otherworld the ghosts knew where they were, they had a place to be, even in HFIL. But here, they're stuck somehow."
Careful of his wording, Aragorn spoke from the center of the room. "He's right. This is the hall of the dead. The souls here are trapped for being treasonous to the ruler of Gondor centuries ago. They can only be free to travel to Valinor when they have righted their wrongs and kept their promise."
Vegeta frowned hashly and Goku looked oddly relieved in his panic--at least now he knew he wasn't going crazy. "Come on Kakkarot." Vegeta gripped him by the elbow and ignored the new flare of energy as they stepped into the center of the room to join the others.
"What now?" Trunks asked quietly, eyes still skittering among the shadows.
"Now, friend, we come to claim their debt." Aragorn said.
Trunks' eyes rose to his hairline and he looked over at Legolas to see the elf had not been affected by the statement. For a moment, the demi thought he had mistook the meaning of the man's words, but suddenly Aragorn strode forward from them.
The ranger pulled his sword from its sheath with a sheer ring and stared off into the darkness. He held the blade aloft and spoke in a voice that was strong and resonant in the cool chamber. "Let those that lie here in burden come and keep their promise. The King of Gondor beckons you, and when your trials are done may you rest in peace."
The echoe of his voice died and they stood in quiet contemplation. Aragorn nodded his head, and returning the blade to his side began walking toward a far wall. The others followed like obedient dogs, too unsure to do much else. A new corridor met them and inside it was further pitch darkness that sucked the heat from their bones.
They followed the ranger for a quarter hour, Legolas behind him and the demi-saiyajin beside him. Goku was trailing again with Vegeta at his side. The ouji was staring ahead of him incredulously. "That was it? All this travel for him to speak to the walls and walk on?" The prince snorted and crossed his arms over his chest.
Beside him, Goku was breathing shallowly. "That's not all that happened, Vegeta..." His voice was a whisper, as though he were afraid of others hearing him.
The saiyajin prince looked up at him oddly. "What are you blathering about, Kakkarot?"
"Behind us, 'Geta," Goku closed his eyes tightly for a moment, "they're following. A lot of them."
"What are you talk--" Vegeta trailed off as he turned his head to see. Behind them a haze of something was indeed following obediently. In the darkness it looked like a fine mist or low fog was rolling silently along. Now and then the shifting mass looked like it had hovering faces and stretching arms. Vegeta looked incredulously up at Goku and then back once more to whatever followed. He breathed, 'Kami', and took hold of Goku's hand again--this time he wasn't sure if it was for Goku's comfort or his own, and he was too prideful to think about it.
---
Piccolo became aware of the outside world when a warm lap full of something plopped soundly on him. At first he was too upset with himself for allowing his senses to diminish so badly to let someone sneak up on him, then he was a little curious about just who would have the gall to sit in his lap in the first place.
He opened his eyes and was not as nearly surprised as he thought he would be when he looked down at the curly haired head of Peregrin Took. "Pippin..." Piccolo rumbled.
The Hobbit looked up at him in faux surprise, "Oh, Piccolo, I didn't see you there." A large cheesy grin soon filled the boyish face and Piccolo rolled his eyes.
Pippin stood up and stretched. "Gandalf told me to fetch you. Apparently we'll be moving on soon." A small stitch of fear raced down the Hobbit's spine and Piccolo saw it screw up the boy's face.
"Where is Gandalf?" Piccolo asked, hoping to get Pippin's mind off of his fright.
"In the other room with Lord Faramir." Pippin smiled and ran off.
That was easier than I thought. Piccolo smirked. He stood up and soon followed the bundle of movement into the other room and nodded to the two men there.
Gandalf smiled grimly at him and motioned him to them with a hand. "I trust you had a good rest."
Piccolo shrugged. "It was fine."
The wizard nodded. "We will need to travel soon. The sooner we get to Gondor, the better."
Faramir motioned them with him and spoke as they walked. "I've taken the liberty of getting provisions--meager as they are--and a fresh horse for you Master Namek."
Piccolo frowned. "There is no need."
"Nonsense." Faramir spoke sternly. "If we are allies in this, then they are given to you freely."
"I don't want them." Piccolo growled.
"But they have already been retrieved for you." Faramir snarled.
Gandalf sighed and ran a hand down his weary face. "Enough." He turned to Faramir, "What he means, Faramir, is that he does not need steed or food."
"What creature does not need food or ease in travel?" Faramir looked at Piccolo skeptically. "Surely even you tire from running, and it is still a good distance to Gondor."
"I don't." Piccolo snapped, trying not to get angry with the Lord but his irritation was already roughed up so easily by the man that it was hard to smooth it back down. "I have my own methods." Gandalf gave him a disproving look and Piccolo sighed through clenched teeth. "Though I appreciate the offer."
They had reached the stables during their argument and Faramir nodded as he climbed onto his horse. Piccolo waited for Gandalf to mount Shadowfax before he handed the wizard Pippin.
The Hobbit's eyes grew wide and took on a remarkable likeness to puppy eyes. "Can I fly with you, Piccolo? Even for a while?"
Piccolo grinned. "When we're away from here and on safer ground."
The Hobbit smiled wide and settled into Gandalf's loose hold. "Alright!"
Faramir looked at them both as though they had lost their mind and heeled his horse into motion. By the time they had made it to the gates, the majority of those that were in the city were mounted and waiting for them. Piccolo walked along beside, eyeing all of the others that were crowding around him.
"We ride for Gondor." Faramir called loudly to them. A small cry of affirmation went up among the others and the horses began to ride out, led by Gandalf. Piccolo stood still, feeling the air whip around him as horses and riders moved swiftly past. The Lord Faramir looked back at him and grinned. "We can return for a horse, Namek."
A rather toothy smirk was returned to him, and Faramir was startled at how feral it made Piccolo look. "No need." Piccolo's deep bass growled out to him, and he pulled his horse to a stop to watch as the Namek lept into the air and flew past him in a cloud of dust.
"Incredible." Faramir mouthed. He watched as Piccolo grew into a speck in the air before he moved his horse into a run and moved through the throng of riders to Gandalf's side.
---
They rode to nightfall and further. Only when the moon was high and full, and they rested at the bottom of the mountains on the lee side, closer to Gondor, did they stop to rest. Campfires were lit but kept low at Gandalf's request. Sauron would have noticed their quick movement and would be curious about their shift, he didn't want to attract the demon's attention any more than he had to--at least not now.
Piccolo was set away from everyone else--per usual--and was preparing to settle himself for the night and be on guard without the telltale signs but destiny wasn't about to let him. As his eyes closed, Pippin walked carefully over, shuffling his small feet and twiddling with the edge of his cape.
"What's the matter, Pippin?" Piccolo asked quietly.
The Hobbit shrugged, looking at his feet and shuffled a little closer. "I've never been alone at night." He smiled shakily. "Usually I've got Merry..."
Piccolo shook his head and sighed. "So you want to sit with me."
Pippin's blue eyes were wide and hopeful. "Could I? I promise not to be noisy and I'll sit still."
Piccolo raised an eyebrow in disbelief. He mulled it over and supposed that it wouldn't hurt. He hadn't planned on sleeping or meditating tonight. Not in a bunch of strangers who kept eyeing him like he had just dug himself out of a grave and touching their weapons secretly. "Fine."
The Hobbit bounded at him and hugged him as far as his little arms could reach around Piccolo's broad chest. Suddenly, as though remembering himself, he stepped back and cleared his throat, suppressing a grin. "Sorry."
It quieted a bit after that. Pippin sat beside Piccolo on his bedroll and shivered as he pulled his cloak further around his body. Piccolo frowned down at the quivering bundle. The Hobbit caught his eye, "Can we start a fire?"
"No." Piccolo automatically answered.
"Why not?" Pippin sat up quickly. "Everyone else has one, and it's fairly cold."
Piccolo raised an eyeridge. "You can survive without one. We don't need the extra attention."
Pippin looked at those people that sat a distance from them and realized for the first time that they were all facing Piccolo and he, not one person had their back to them, and they were all at least ten yards away. He looked back up at Piccolo with a slightly worry creased face. "They don't seem to trust us."
Setting a reassuring hand on Pippin's head, Piccolo ruffled his curls. "Not you, Pippin." The Hobbit looked at him with slightly guilty eyes. "Don't sweat it kid. This is old territory for me."
Pippin plopped onto his back with a sigh. "They just don't know you, yet."
Piccolo repressed a grin. He crossed his arms over his chest and levitated from the ground two feet, warily eyeing the people nearest him that began to murmur. Slowly, the masses were falling asleep, only a handful lay in the darkness listening to the area around them. Piccolo kept his sharp hearing on the sky, listening for the Nazgul or--Kami forbid--Freeza. He checked the area around him with his ki and relaxed minimally when he found nothing beyond a few animals high in the mountains.
Pippin knelt beside him and sighed deeply.
"What is it now, Pippin?" Piccolo glanced at him before returning his gaze to the masses before him.
"I can't sleep." Pippin frowned. "Can I...can I sleep with you?" Piccolo gave him a queer look and Pippin began to fidget. "Normally, Merry lays with me and we share a blanket. I haven't slept alone since I left the Shire...but I felt safe there." He lowered his eyes.
Piccolo stared at his bowed head and grimaced. He had the worst soft spot for these Hobbits and they knew right where to poke him to get him to crumble. The Namek gathered his strength and vowed he would say no until Pippin looked up at him, blue eyes dewy and Piccolo caved.
"Fine." He grumbled.
The Hobbit sighed happily and stood up, climbing up into Piccolo's lap with his blanket clutched in one fist. Piccolo watched him in a daze, not expecting Pippin to plop onto his legs and snuggle down to sleep. The most he was expecting was for the boy to lean against his legs maybe, or ask for his cloak to sleep in.
"Pippin."
The Hobbit let out a contented, 'hmm' and Piccolo rolled his eyes. When he removed his cloak and tucked Pippin in with it, the Hobbit was already asleep.
Soft footsteps fell and Piccolo tensed, having been prey to Pippin's sweet disposition he didn't stay on the alert. Faramir's scruffy face smiled at him as Piccolo looked up, and the Namek relaxed minimally.
"I thought you might be thirsty." The Lord held out a canteen and Piccolo took it from him with a nod of thanks. Faramir smiled at him, "I knew you must have a need for something."
Faramir hunched down beside him and took the flagon when Piccolo was finished with it. He looked out among the people that had stayed so far away. "Do not worry about the others. They have a fear of you, but they will not attack you."
Piccolo snorted.
Standing with a slight groan, Faramir gave him a flicker of a smile. "Rest. Gandalf wants us to move at first light."
Piccolo watched him move off into the campsite and fade into the others there. He looked up into the alien sky and saw a smattering of stars. It reminded him of a time on the roof of Theoden's castle in Edoras. Piccolo closed his eyes with a sigh and thought of Legolas. Fair hair fluttering in a breeze and whipping around his face, brilliant eyes sparkling. He grinned into the night and sighed deeply, it rumbled out of his chest and he watched Pippin sleep. He was becoming a hopeless case. If things kept up this way he was bound to start being cordial to Vegeta.
---
The morning star was barely starting to stain the horizon when Gandalf began to move through the groups of men to rouse them. Those that had set down to sleep as soon as they had settled had gotten four hours of rest. All others that sat up for a time were lucky to have better than an hour and a half.
Piccolo looked down at the snoring bundle in his lap and gently shook Pippin awake. "Come on, kid. It's time to go."
The Hobbit mumbled and rolled over, falling onto the ground and sitting up in surprise. He blinked sleep fogged eyes at Piccolo and then laughed at himself. "What a way to wake up. I'm used to the ground now," he made a face, "so rolling over never has much worry about falling off of something." He grinned and stood up with a grunt.
Piccolo shook his head as the boy prattled on while looking through his sack and coming up with an apple to eat. Even Gohan as a child didn't speak so much after first waking up, he didn't quite understand where the Hobbit go his thoughts, and the energy to present them, from. Then again, the Namek always did find most talking frivolous. Most people only talked about the obvious or about things with very little importance anyhow.
Gandalf motioned to them when he saw them moving about and within the next hour all groups of men had been awakened thoroughly, fed marginally, and mounted for travel. The horses took off and Piccolo told a reluctant Pippin that he was to ride with Gandalf again today. They were closer to Gondor--no longer than midday to arrive by Gandalf's word--but he had an uneasy feeling that something was going to happen.
The sun had finally lifted off of the horizon and was just warming the air when Piccolo's premonition came at him with a powder blue face and trailing green hair.
Below him, Piccolo watched the men move along at a fast and steady pace. He could just make out Pippin waving to him from the back of Shadowfax and the Namek only shook his head. The boy suddenly began to wave both arms back and forth, almost as though he were panicking. Before long, Piccolo saw Gandalf stop quickly and the aged wizard looked up to where Pippin was pointing violently while tugging on Gandalf''s robes.
Half of the men below stopped as their leader did. Piccolo frowned and came to a stop. The thundering of hooves quieted tremendously and he could finally barely hear Pippin's calling voice over the noise.
"What is that? Piccolo! Turn around!"
In a flash, Piccolo felt for ki and his eyes widened in recognition at the same moment a hardened body barreled into his back and drove him straight at the ground. As he lay in the crater and groaned as he sat up quickly, he recognized the caramelized voice of Zarbon as the alien laughed at the crater's edge.
"Well, well...what have we here?" Zarbon posed with his hands on his hips as he watched Piccolo extract himself from the hole. "Far from home, aren't you Namek?"
Leaping out of the ditch, Piccolo scowled at the pretty blue face. "I was wondering when you would show up."
"Did you miss me?" Zarbon grinned.
"Like a crippling disease." Piccolo spat.
The same irritating laugh rippled and Piccolo tensed. They eyed each other warily over the crater rim. Far beyond them Piccolo could hear the hundreds of men murmur to each other. Go on, Piccolo thought. Get out of here.
Unfortunately, Gandalf was not telepathic. Piccolo could hear Shadowfax moving through the other men and hundreds of horses turning to watch. Onyx eyes bore into gold, hoping to Middle Earth's gods that Zarbon didn't attack the others. There were no dragon balls on this world to bring these people back.
"Master Namek, what is going on?" Gandalf's strong voice rang out to him. Piccolo didn't dare to glance over, afraid to take his eyes off of Zarbon for a moment.
"Get out of here." Piccolo growled out, tensing as Zarbon raised a hand but only used it to push his braid from his shoulders.
Zarbon laughed again, eyes now trained on the troops beyond Piccolo. "It never fails does it, Piccolo? Always new weaklings to guard. I don't know why you bother."
"Who are you to dare call me and my men weak?" Faramir called.
Piccolo ground his teeth, For the love of... "Go on! You don't know what your asking for!" Piccolo spat, eyes flicking quickly to Faramir and then back again to Zarbon.
Faramir recognized the anger in the biting tone and felt his own anger responding quickly. "You have not seen me or my men fight either, Master Namek. Perhaps you think we are unable to handle ourselves."
With a groan of frustration, Piccolo prepared to snap at the Gondorian lord again, but Zarbon moved in a blur beyond him. Piccolo growled and leapt ahead. The blue alien was headed directly toward Faramir with one large blue fist cocked back. Piccolo dove in time to catch the brunt of the blow on his shoulder. He flew backward through the throng of horses twenty feet before coming to a skidding stop still on his feet.
Zarbon was standing with his fists on his hips, laughing at Piccolo's act of heroism. "Come on, Piccolo. Let me teach the worm a lesson on talking to his betters."
Piccolo flew forward grasping Zarbon by the front of his shirt and hauled him so that they were face to face. "You're going to let them go. Besides, you're going to have enough trouble keeping up with me."
The blue faced alien snarled and heaved Piccolo by the chest, but Piccolo's hands only tightened further in Zarbon's shirt collar and the alien was tumbled with him. Piccolo pinned him to the ground and snarled down at him. Gold eyes danced with mirth and Zarbon laughed. Piccolo released one hand and curled his hand into a meaty fist that drove straight forward into Zarbon's mouth.
Blood spurt from busted lips and Zarbon howled in frustration, kicking Piccolo's bulk from his body and into the air. He quickly followed after and both of them came to death grips and rabbit punches.
Below them, Gandalf quickly gathered the troops and made them move. "Make haste! We know not what we are hindering here, and these creature's strengths are far beyond your comprehension."
It didn't take very much to get them to move, though some moved far more reluctantly as they wanted to watch the amazing match and know who the new creature was. A stray ki blast that was reflected fell at their feet and blew a crater into the earth big enough to swallow three horses and the straglers soon found their need for flight.
Only Faramir and Gandalf paused longer than the rest. The aged wizard watched their Namekien friend with a hardened gaze. Pippin was clutching at Gandalf's robe, eyes wide and shaking from fear so badly he was making Shadowfax uncomfortable. Looking to Faramir and then back up to the warrior, Gandalf spoke quietly. "Come, Faramir. There is naught we can do here but be casualties to forces beyond our control. I only hope Piccolo can come to us in one piece...he has already been close to death."
Pippin swallowed hard, eyes now losing sight of the fighting couple as their movement picked up seed. Gandalf moved Shadowfax away and Faramir reluctantly followed. The Hobbit strained his neck to check the skies and he was favored with a glimpse of Piccolo before he moved out of sight again. The Hobbit turned forward again, mind whirling. And to think I was worried for Merry…
