Yarrow and I had led the way through the sky, me following just shortly behind and everyone else a distance back. I was thankful for the wind, as though I was already wearing a tee shirt and the heat of the day was fading, I was still in a rather thick pair of trousers not ideal for intense heat or humidity. It had dusted off a lot of the dirt that'd been coating me, too.
We'd chosen to leave Ravi's ship behind for now. (I'd been concerned that capsuling it might cause more damage once it was released again and had to resettle, but she hadn't so much as said a word since our last conversation, so there'd been no argument about what ought to be done.) I didn't know exactly where we were going, but when I expanded my senses, I could detect a cluster of lifeforms some distance away that mere animals or plants couldn't create on their own.
When Yarrow finally began to descend, it was near the slopes of a large mountain range, volcanic by the looks of the smoothness at the peaks. As we flew down and touched ground between the trees, he spoke, the sun dappling through the leaves overhead as we moved.
"There was a call for us to return to Planet Vegeta," he said. "Some of us just didn't make it there in time, some of us ignored the order. I guess the PTO didn't want to wait to entrap us on the planet before destroying it, so they just started executing whomever they could get their hands on. Of course, most of us here now were the ones with the strength to survive."
"This planet was formerly a military oasis of sorts, during the time when our people had not yet settled upon Planet Vegeta," Raab added. "I was one of the first to remember this place, but I left so that I could find and guide other survivors here. Your father was nowhere to be found. That is why I took it upon myself to support Yarrow when I found him. It was thought by most that you, Your Highness, had lost your life fighting the usurper before the planet was destroyed. It would have been unwise to simply wait on the slim chance of your father's return. Duty to what is left of our race was paramount over my personal feelings on the matter."
"So it was you who created this… haven. I don't begrudge you for trying to make a solution while I was gone. I would've done the same in your position," I said.
"Correct. It was I who led the first group of survivors here." Raab's expression remained as stern as ever. Judging by his aura when calm, he must've had similar strength to Yarrow, and the lines in his face spoke of many years of experience.
"Considering both my father and I were gone, anyone strong enough could've put themselves up to be king. You didn't want to?" I asked.
"It is as I said. My duty to my race is not to lead them, unless circumstance were to force leadership upon me."
Yarrow piped up once more. "It's been a very strange time. In the wake of hearing what happened on Planet Vegeta, I went there to retrieve my sister. I feared the worst after searching through the chaos and not finding her. Parts of the city had entirely collapsed, and I'd been just about to give up and leave when she returned. Completely unharmed, somehow. She'd said the building fell atop her during what she says was your battle, but when she'd awoken it had been that very morning. In fact, it was said many people were climbing out from the rubble unharmed and standing up from where they lay in the streets, after several days at that. As if the dead came back to life! Can you imagine?"
"Strange indeed," I replied, and then our destination ahead of us caught my eye.
We were walking into what looked like a shipyard of some kind, with vessels both large and small resting between the vegetation or entwined with its upper boughs. However, stretches of fabric, scraps of repurposed machinery, and other such signs of habitation also decorated the area, around the ships themselves or linking between them. As we moved closer, there were many additional structures as well, some built from metal pieces and others from natural materials, like logs, or a combination of both. All appeared to be makeshift shelters—no doubt for the Saiyans moving about the camp, a few noticing our approach.
"Yarrow! And Kassav! You've returned!" someone said.
"How went the battle?" another followed. "Did you really bring prisoners?"
"Not prisoners, Turinip! New recruits!" Yarrow answered.
"We'll introduce you later!" Kassav added.
Nobody was flat-out running up to us, but people were stopping what they were doing, waving or gawking at our troupe as we walked through. Though most of the Saiyans I could see in the vicinity—no, all of them—were grown men.
"Where are the other women?" I asked. "Or children?"
"Selry is the youngest person on the planet. There… is one younger child among Molokia's followers. But most of the youth were on our home world when it was destroyed, and no others we know of already deployed into military pursuits were strong enough to make it this far," Raab elaborated as he strode up next to me. "As for the women, including the planet as a whole, there are about fifty."
"Fifty? Out of five hundred?" I said. I didn't get to explore that line of questioning further, however.
"Your Highness," Yarrow said as he looked at me expectantly, "I think it'd be best if my lieutenants and I showed you and your chief lieutenant around, so that you can be familiar with how we run things. Arula can take your companions. However, we first want to announce your presence among us properly. Some are already bound to guess who you are, but a bit of theatricality will really drive home that you've returned, no? Once we've done that, we'll show you where you can clean off from our battle, and procure you some proper accommodations," he said.
"… Yes, of course," I replied.
"Excellent. I'll go round everyone up, and my lieutenants will take you to… well, where we round people up when we need to speak about things. And then I suppose it won't be my responsibility anymore, will it?"
"Actually, if you're up for the task, I'd like you name you my First Lieutenant," I said. "You've helped lead these people so far, and your strength is an asset." That, and he knew the survivors here more personally than I did, and it'd be easier to gain their trust by aligning myself with the leaders they were directly familiar with.
"Oh! Well, you—eh, Your Highness—I'd be happy to, if you'll have me." He inclined his head for a moment in a slight bow. "But if you don't mind me asking, I assumed that woman was your First Lieutenant?"
"Ravi? Ah, no, no she's not."
He waited in silence for a long moment, presumably for a further explanation that I didn't give. Then he shrugged.
"As you say, Your Highness. If you're looking for others, I'd be happy to recommend you my own two lieutenants, or I can give further suggestions..."
"I'll consider it," I told him. He nodded, gestured to Raab and Kassav to show me where to go, and then was on his way.
I hadn't actually considered what to explain my companions as to the survivors. Of course, I could just dismiss them as regular soldiers, but I hadn't thought that anything more complicated than that would matter until now. I had full confidence that my friends could all take care of themselves, if it came down to it, but if I could make it less of a problem through my own actions…
I mulled it over as I followed Yarrow's lieutenants through camp. Inquisitive eyes stared at me as we walked, but I did my best to ignore them.
There were some powerful Saiyans on this planet, and even though Goten was strong, he couldn't hide that he was a half-blood and unlike me, didn't have a royal father to excuse that factor. I didn't want to put a target on him—if I gave him a higher station, people would be more hesitant to try anything. Although he'd gotten stronger during our training in the Time Chamber, his strength had plateaued at some point during. He'd become more precise in controlling the ki he had already, but his father was also still just a Super Saiyan and he was stronger than Goten. So was someone like Yarrow, and presumably others, including this Molokia figure.
Bardock would be fine no matter what happened, I assumed. Able to see the future, sense people's intentions, and he was a Super Saiyan too.
Daikon was stronger than the average third-class, but he was the weakest of our crew, and weaker than several of the Terracotta survivors we'd met so far. And presumably, his tattoos were some kind of hallmark of his time in slavery, so there was no telling if someone might recognize them eventually. Any Saiyan who'd dared to let themselves be a slave—it wouldn't bode well for him if he was discovered. But I supposed he had Ravi, the way Goten had me.
Well, maybe not the exact same way. She'd protect him if he was in danger, but not if it was a fight he'd started himself, like he had with me after stealing my sword. Although maybe she would've stepped in if she'd been right there. Watching me about to stab him through the skull.
"So," Kassav's voice cut through my thoughts. "Are we fired?"
I blinked. The two Saiyans had led me into a wide clearing, empty save the flattened turquoise grass beneath our feet and the large cluster of boulders a little way off. We were headed for them, Raab walking silently and Kassav walking backwards, staring at me.
"I mean, it's not like we were doing this for money, but I'm curious to know. You're king now, so you'll be appointing your own lieutenants, right? Aside from Yarrow, you're not going to need more than one or two," she said.
"I'm not king. My father's king. And while I probably won't need you serving directly under me, there's no need to completely depose you. You said you were Commander of the Lower Forces, right? What exactly does that entail?"
"I'm in charge of the weakest Saiyans or those who can't or don't fight at all. Help them train, get them medical attention if they need. The stronger ones are under Raab's care. And, uh… I'm also in charge of our doctor. And I help the women around here. So few of us, y'know."
"I see. Provided you're good at what you're doing, you can keep responsibility of the women and the Lower Forces. You can stay the Survivor of Bullshit, too."
She grinned, her completely unburned tail curling in the air. "What do you know, some people around here do have a sense of humour."
"Until Frieza is destroyed and the natural order of the Saiyans is restored, you should not call yourself the survivor of anything," Raab commented dryly.
Kassav rolled her eyes. "See what I mean? He gets bad this time of day. Old, cranky, and tired." She gestured with her chin up at the sky, where the sun was almost low enough to start dipping past the peaks of the mountains.
"I believe you should appoint Kassav a lieutenant of her own, Your Highness, as she clearly needs someone else to mind her tongue for her," Raab said.
And that was the point that I kind of tuned them out and let them get further ahead, glancing around the clearing and back the way we'd come.
The tall, bluish trees shimmered in the light of the late day, and the sky behind them had the barest hints of orange near the horizon. Goten and the others were already partway across the field, led by Arula, and additional Saiyans were already making their way in as well, on foot or by flight.
And sure enough, most of them were already staring or pointing at me.
I'd almost forgotten what it was like to be an object of curiosity—like four months with humans and so long in the Time Chamber before that had made me forget what being a prince was like. On Earth, I'd only ever gotten passing glances in the streets, if any look at all.
But I stuffed away the part of me that missed my temporary anonymity, because it wasn't going to do me any good here. I wasn't going to be back among humans until Gohan and Videl's baby was born, if we were lucky enough to keep our promise, which was…
Hm. How far along was she now? Based on when she'd called, she had to be… five months along, or six? How long had it been since we'd left Earth at this point? Four months? It felt like ages since I'd seen Mom and Bulla. My grandparents. Tarble. And Father—gods, almost two and a half years now for me. Not quite so long on his end, though.
I hadn't tried to telepathically contact him in a while. I wondered if he ever thought of me. If he did, he no doubt saw me as those couple years younger than I was now. Not that I'd changed drastically, but I did look a bit different. I wondered if he'd notice, when I finally saw him again. Maybe he wouldn't, if my hair got that long again—
"Having an existential crisis over here?" Goten interjected as I noticed him sidle up next to me.
"How long have we been in space?" I said, crossing my arms. We kept both our voices low, so that our conversation didn't carry too far on the breeze.
He raised an eyebrow. "I don't know if you've noticed all this organically produced air we're breathing, but we're not in space."
"You know what I mean."
"Alright, alright." He inhaled thoughtfully, then expelled it. "Um, three and a half, four months?"
"Yeah, that's what I thought." I nudged him with my elbow. "You want to be one of my lieutenants?"
"What?"
"My lieutenant. While we're here. I offered Yarrow a position, but you and maybe someone else would help. You already give me advice all the time, anyway."
He just looked at me, eyes wide, so I went on, staring at the growing crowd of Saiyans slowly gathering in the clearing.
"Do you remember, back on Planet Vegeta, when we were on that rooftop and we talked about exploring the universe? The prince and his vassal? Right before I told you I had a sister? I mean, that seems like forever ago now, but I meant what I said. I've always seen you as my right-hand man."
"Yeah, I remember," he said slowly. "Kami, that does seem like a long time ago." He looked down at his boots. "You really have always seen me that way, huh?"
"Of course," I said, not really sure what he was getting at.
When he lifted his head, he gave me a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I don't think I'm really cut out to be your lieutenant, though. Sorry."
My heartbeat slowed down, like I'd breathed out and not in for too long. "You don't want to?"
"If you have Bardock and the survivors here, you don't really need me. I have the same expertise on anything as you do. So I don't see why I'd be useful as your… assistant."
I didn't know what to say. I never thought he'd refuse.
By the time the rest of reality came back into focus, there was a horde of a few hundred Saiyans filling the clearing around us, several feet of space left between where I stood and where Goten was now walking to, closer to the rest of the crowd.
There was no time for me to try calling after him or reason with him further because Yarrow had returned, alighting down from the sky onto one of the boulders behind me. I followed suit, levitating until my boots touched solid stone. The surface was nearly flat on top, although it looked like it'd naturally worn that way, rather than having been carved or blasted to make an even surface. It was wide enough to fit several people standing side-by-side, so the two of us atop it had plenty of room.
From my new vantage point, I could see they'd been pretty accurate in estimation of their numbers. A few hundred Saiyans were clustered before me, some staring, most talking amongst each other in an incomprehensible din; a sea of mostly dark-haired, unkempt men in their prime. The faces familiar to me were dispersed through the gathering. Bardock was near Goten by the front, as were Raab and Kassav; Daikon and Ravi were roughly in the middle (and had been given a small berth of space by those around them); Selry, Yan, and Arula were close by and off to one side and—the latter waved at me. Huh. Okay.
My arms were crossed, so I humoured her and lifted my hand a little in response. She smiled.
"I think that's everyone," Yarrow said next to me. I drew my attention back to him as his eyes scanning the area until they landed on me. "Shall we begin?"
I nodded, facing back to the expanse before me. I uncrossed my arms and took a deep breath.
"Saiyans!" I called out.
The clamour around me dimmed, then faded altogether. Everyone's eyes were on me. It was quiet enough to hear the breeze rustling the treetops.
"Some of you may know me, and some of you may have only heard of me in passing. I am the Prince of All Saiyans, son of King Vegeta. My name is Trunks. I know many of you thought I was dead, and I did nearly lose my life fighting the Saiyan rebel that attacked Planet Vegeta. I left to regain my strength, not knowing what Frieza had planned and not realizing that my father would fail to stop him. I want to apologize for my absence, and for failing to return sooner to prevent what the Cold family has done to us. But I've returned now, having brought other survivors I found on my journey here, and we're here to stay. And in my father's absence I will serve as your king until he returns, and give my strength so that we can bring our people back together."
I gestured to the man next to me. "I defeated your leader Yarrow in combat to prove that I'm worthy of the mantle my birthright gave me. I spared his life because of what he's done for you survivors while I was away, and because no more Saiyan blood should be shed unless necessary. As I understand it, we are still divided and there is another man claiming leadership elsewhere on this planet. When I find him, I will defeat him and offer him the same choice that I offered Yarrow, and that I offer all of you. Follow me, and I swear upon my own life that not a single one of you will be harmed. Third-class or elite, woman, man, or child, able or disabled, weak or strong. Saiyan, alien, or half-blood. All of you."
Sweeping the area with my gaze, I confirmed that I still had everyone's attention. I took in another breath and stepped forward a little more, a little further from Yarrow.
When I exhaled I powered up, releasing more and more ki until the ground trembled and pure energy crackled over my body, Ascending to my strongest state. I figured it was only fair to demonstrate that I meant business before I continued, and I could see that I'd achieved the desired effect—a stir had run through the crowd, gasps and murmurs audible, though its focus was unquestionably still honed on me.
"And if anyone has any doubts about my strength or my conviction… they are welcome to fight me one-on one and see for themselves," I finished before releasing the Ascended form, my hair drifting back down in my peripheral vision.
I sensed Yarrow step up next to me, then.
"He speaks the truth," he said. "I fought him and gave my surrender. I've relinquished all of my responsibility as your leader, and I chose to serve the Prince—our King Regent. I have the confidence that he can and will defeat our enemies." Then he was looking directly at me and he inclined his head. "Allow me to demonstrate my loyalty. For all of us that accept to prove it."
And then he was moving, kneeling down as he'd done before, but this time in front of everyone.
But he wasn't the only one. As I looked back at the crowd, I could see people beginning to kneel, a slow chain reaction moving through the throng.
Well, I hadn't expected that. But bowing they all were, individuals here and there at first but now large portions of the multitude following suit, like dominos.
I fought the twinge of discomfort at being the centre of such a silent expanse of deference. It reminded me of my coming of age ceremony, only now all these people were so much closer, and there was so much more riding on my shoulders.
And then, as I stared over the ocean of people, a pair of familiar dark eyes stared back from the middle of the display, their owner standing tall.
Out of the hundreds of Saiyans, she was the only one.
Ravi was still standing.