Here the next chappie...very easy to write. I hope you like it because this is kinda an important chapter...

"It's the beginning of the end", hehe (for certain people)

i dont really know how to end this story...its a bit early to think of it but i dont want it to be a predictible ending, or a film ending...just an ending where people can think about.

Alright just read it and enjoy.

(Thanx for the reviews by the way)

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon, with the sun hanging low in the sky and radiating a warm, orange light. The light shone faintly on the roofs of the building.

Gohan walked in a slow pace through the main street, while he let the sun caress his skin and let the cool, early evening breeze blow through his pitch-black hair.

Around him he heard the crowd chatting with each other and the children play. He saw busy slaves doing groceries and the foreign merchants yell their prices through the street.

Under king Vegeta, the wealth and prosperity of his people had grown a considerable amount. You could notice it immediately. Every year the houses became better, there were more sorts of food available and for a fair price and the beggars and pickpockets had almost completely disappeared. More merchants from different cultures came to the capital of Vegeta to sell their weird stuff and more elegant buildings were built. Yes, you could say Tauvega was at its highest peak so far and economists predicted that the economy would grow more every year. That is, if the empire was maintained.

Gohan remembered reading some old books from writers who lived two centuries ago. Tauvega was still a poor city back then. The houses were build of some type of dried mud, the streets were sandy, there were beggars and drunks everywhere, fights broke out in every street, the citizens were penniless and starving. All until they started to conquer other planets. Since they expanded the empire, the economy grew progressively better from then. And now, Tauvega was the center an entire empire, which counted over 150 worlds. And all of that in less than 200 years.

Gohan still looked around in awe every time he came in Tauvega. It was a magnificent city, with elegant brown and white buildings. The pavement was of a light brown brick, which covered up the sandy underground.

In the distance, Gohan could see the high tower of Surma, which was a place to honor the deceased heroes. Surma had been one of the most celebrated warriors of all. She wasn't the strongest but she had been cunning and wise, qualities that where now considered almost as important as strength and courage. The tower was white and the roof was made of Tolesian gold, the best gold in the universe. Practically everything was made of resources from other worlds, because planet Vegeta had very little natural resources. Brick, wood, paint, metal, all of it came from planets that were conquered by the Saiyans.

Gohan looked at a Saiyan mother and her children across the street. She didn't wear the traditional armor anymore and neither were her children. They wore comfortable robes.

In fact, most of the Saiyans wore robes, in all sorts of colors. Blue, red, purple, green, yellow, black and colors Gohan had never even seen. Apparently, the armor wasn't necessary anymore, because it had been decades since the planet was under attack. They didn't have to be prepared for battle anymore. No doubt the strength of a lot of Saiyans had been decreased by the lack of training. Only militants trained these days.

As Gohan walked through the streets, some Saiyans recognized him. Many people pointed, stared and waved at him.

"Mom, did you see him, it was general Gohan". He heard a young boy say enthusiastically to his mother.

To his dismay, he also saw some young women practically drool at him. He rolled his eyes and started to growl. It was always the same story. Because he was mateless and part of the elite, he was a very desirable bachelor. He ignored them and walked to the end of the street to the market square.

On the square, that had been packed with Saiyans this afternoon for his and his men's arrival, was now a huge market. They sold everything a Saiyan needed, from food to weapons, from books to clothes, they even sold slaves. He looked around a few shops. His eye was fixed on a stall where weapons were sold. He looked at the swords, bows and other weapon he had never seen before. He was told by the merchant that the weird weapons were called 'guns'. He had all sorts of them, 'rifles', 'carbines', 'handguns'. He explained how they worked and that they were the mightiest weapons of the galaxy called 'Milky way'.

"So they just aim at someone and shoot?" Gohan asked the merchant.

"Yes, and they instantly die when the shot is aimed well. But only the weak races die of them, it can't harm a Saiyan. The bullets can't penetrate our skin and we can catch them before they hit us. These are for slaves, they are deadly afraid of it." The merchant replied with an evil grin.

Gohan examined a carbine, before handing it to the salesman again.

"It seems that not much strength is needed to use it." He said.

"No, no strength at all, only a good aim."

Gohan Hmpfed, before replying.

"A weapon should never be stronger than the man that is carrying them."

After a few minutes, he found himself walking across other stalls again. He looked around, watching for some interesting goods when he heard an uproar somewhere close from where he was standing. Gohan looked around, and being guided by his strong hearing sense, he soon found out where the noise came from. Apparently it came from somewhere near the fountain in the middle of the square. Since he had nothing to do except for strolling around, he decide to take a look.

Standing near the fountain was a middle-aged women and an tall but old man, both Saiyan.

"Oh, go away, you're driving me crazy with your ridiculous questions. Go bother someone else, you old pest." The woman yelled to the man, but the man was not about to leave.

"But, madame," He answered, "I only asked why all dogs are identical."

"I have enough of you. Go, go, GOOOO." Having said that the woman turned around and walked away, relieved he finally received the message and stopped following her.

The man remained there stoical, while several people around him started to snicker and whisper. The tall man had dark grey hair, wrinkles around his eyes and on his forehead and he was wearing brown robes. Gohan immediately smirked when he found out who it was.

As soon as the man saw Gohan, a smile crept on his face and he instantly walked to him.

"Well, well, if it isn't our young Gohan. How do you do, boy?" He reached out his hand and Gohan shook it firmly.

"Very well, old man."

The two men smirked at each other, while other Saiyans around them started chatting and buying stuff again. Gohan looked at the man whom he just greeted. His name was Brand and he was one of the king's counselors. He knew Brand for a few years and he found out he was a very eccentric man. When he first met him, Brand asked all kinds of strange and quite dumb questions. Gohan answered them all but they became trickier and trickier. Later he found out that the man just played dumb. In the course of the conversation Gohan realized by the questions where the weak points in his reasoning was. He got stuck and finally he realized what was right and what was wrong.

And that was exactly Brand's goal: to let people see there weak points and let them improve those through their own insight, insight which he called "insight from within." By playing dumb, he forced other people to use their own sense. And it was brilliant.

From the moment Gohan realized why Brand was playing so dumb, he liked him, though many people thought he was annoying. Brand sought out conversation, whether it was on a ball or a market, he talked to everyone. Or rather, he asked questions to everyone. He didn't make any difference between child or adult, Saiyan or no Saiyan, elite of common, he believed everyone had the same amount of sense. So every free minute of the day, he talked to children, merchants, slaves and so on. Gohan asked Brand once why he did it, but he didn't know either. He just vaguely said that something inside of his mind made him no choice. He talked about some sort of voice.

When Gohan saw the robes Brand was wearing, he shook his head in disapproval.

"Brand, old friend, why in the world are you wearing these garments?"

Brand looked at his robes, which hung around his body very loosely. They were sepia-brown and all ruffled. The older man smiled heartily.

"Haha, young friend, when are you going to learn that men can only be happy if they adopt an independent attitude towards such convenient and fragile things such as fine clothes and shiny armors. How many times must I make it clear to you?" Brand said between chuckles.

Gohan laughed too. This was Brand exactly, always cheerful and happy with what life has given him.

"But you know", Gohan started, though he knew it was useless, "You could at least wear a cloak."

"Why, so the world may see I am part of the elite?" Brand replied spreading his arms at the word 'world'. "No, Gohan, I need only a very few things to satisfy myself with."

By now the men started strolling around the market.

"So, Gohan." Brand continued the conversation. "I heard you've done well at Tasshik."

Gohan let out a chuckle before replying.

"I never expected you to be the next to compliment me for my victory."

"Who says I was going to, I didn't say that. I'm just happy you came back in one piece, it wouldn't encourage the acquaintance if you returned in your coffin. It would be such a shame, since I rather enjoy your company. It pleases me that you do not suffer from stupidity and delusions of grandeur, where so many people in certain high circles suffer from."

"Well, thank you for the compliment. It thought you wouldn't give me one, but…"

"Oh, I have nothing against complimenting, quite the contrary, to be honest, but you'll never find me complimenting someone for gaining a victory in a war which was, if you allow me to say it, started for the sake of expanding an empire."

"Those were orders."

"I know that very well, and I do not blame you for following them. I blame those who have ordered you."

"You don't oppose the king now, do you?" Gohan asked sarcastically, though he enjoyed the conversation. Every time Brand opened his mouth he proved what an interesting person he was.

Brand lay a hand on the younger man's shoulder, and squeezed firmly in it.

"I'll leave that to you to decide."

Brand let Gohan's shoulder go and continued to walk through the crowd, with Gohan following closely.

"You know", Brand said when Gohan was walking next to him again. "So long as there are Saiyans, there will be war."

"Well, that makes me feel good about myself."

"And I always tried to teach the king to make the best decisions, but it was no use. I seem to be unable of teaching anything, I can only make them think. And if the king doesn't use his sense, the wars will continue to rage."

"And yet you continue to advise him."

"I guess I still have the desperate hope somewhere hidden deep within my heart that he will find the insight."

Suddenly Brand stopped at a foodstall, which had all different kinds of foods on it.

"Look at that, Gohan, how many things exist that I don't need!"

Gohan laughed by of the old man's remark. He knew he was right, one could live if he only ate simple things and still be happy. Brand was right in many thing, but Gohan couldn't be persuaded to adopt a lifestyle where he could only eat bread, meat and vegetables. He loved food way too much.

Amused by Brand, he watched him pick up a bar of chocolate.

"Excuse me, dear sir." He said to the merchant, who had a blue skin and looked freighting much like a fish who had legs. "Could you tell me what this is?"

The merchant looked at the bar and cocked his brow. He turned to Brand again and looked at him as if he were mad.

"That's chocolate, sir."

Brand studied the bar as if he had never seen it before, while Gohan watched the conversation while he crossed his arms across his broad chest and with a small smile curling around his lips, curious to see how this conversation went.

"What do I do with it?" Brand eventually asked, after studying the bar.

Now the fish-like creature looked at the old man as if he was totally out of his mind.

"Well, what do you think?" He answered. "You eat it a'course."

"Why do I eat it."

"Because it tastes good."

"So does meat. But why should I eat this instead of meat? It's not cheaper. Is it healthier?"

The fish-like merchant scratched his head.

"No, I don't think so." He eventually answered.

"Does it contain special vitamins I need?"

"Ehhhm…No."

"Then why again should I eat it."

"Because some people like it."

"But is not really healthy?"

"Yes."

"Then why do you sell this to me and not the meat? Why do you put these bars in a place where I can't miss it and why do I have to search the stall to find the meat?"

The merchant thought about that for a while, before he shrugged and removed all chocolate bars from their prominent place and put the meat there instead.

Gohan bust in laughter when he saw what Brand managed to do with just asking questions. The man was truly brilliant, unseen anywhere before.

Brand bought a few pieces of meat, before they heard a shrieking yell. Gohan turned his head to find out where the yell came from. It came from a little boy, perhaps only ten years old. It was an earthling, that you could see immediately. The boy was being separated from supposedly his mother by a bulky Saiyan.

Gohan watched the sight without any feelings of compassion towards the boy and his mother. They were slaves, in the end.

Brand joined Gohan to the place he was standing now and also watched the sight.

"What do you think of slavery Gohan?" Brand asked out of the blue.

Gohan thought for a while before answering.

"I think everyone has a purpose for society and I think the purpose of human beings is serving us, as our purpose is protecting the empire, that of the Rundeons in building things that don't have their equals and so on."

Brand thought for a while before asking another question.

"Gohan, in what way do we resemble to plants."

Although Gohan couldn't imagine why this question was relevant, he thought about it nonetheless. It would probably mean something in the end.

Now what do plants and Saiyans have in common?

"We both grow." Gohan eventually answered.

"Exactly and what more?"

"……….We both need nourishment."

"Yes, and do you agree with me that animals also share these resemblances?"

"Yes."

"Alright, and now I ask you: in what way do we resemble to animals, beside needing the nourishment and the ability to grow."

"Animals and Saiyans can both move around."

"Very good. And answer me this: in what way do we resemble to humans, apart from all the abilities you already mentioned."

Touché. He was good.

"Alright, alright, let's see. Well, we can both think."

"And an animal not? You need to be more specific."

"Fine….Okay, we can both think rationally."

"Exactly, Gohan, you are right. And do you agree with me, that if we couldn't think rationally, we would all be like animals."

"Yes."

"And do you agree with me that thinking rationally is the key to create a society."

"I suppose so."

"Then, how do Saiyans and humans differ if you forget the unimportant features? Why are we truly different?"

"Well, we are physically a lot stronger…"

"You're not listening. That is an insignificant feature. Do you not think that we, in fact are basically the same? We can both think rationally, we can both speak, we can both feel. Why are they any different?"

Gohan thought about that and came to the conclusion that the old man tricked him again.

"And if they are not different from us," Brand continued, "then why do they have the purpose to serve us?"

In his heart Gohan knew he was right. But how do you remove ideals that are so deeply rooted in one's heart. How can you persuade someone to believe otherwise on a topic so difficult and dangerous as slavery.

Gohan never thought about the supposed unfairness of slavery. He was grown up with it, he didn't know any better. He was taught that human being were inferior to Saiyans and that it was their task and duty to obey them. Why else didn't they have any special talents?

Saiyans were so strong and humans so weak. Of course humans served them, they were bound to serve them, born to serve them. As everyone was who was weaker than a Saiyan.

"I think you've made a mistake, my friend." Gohan began, while Brand cocked his eyebrow. "I think you greatly underestimate the significance of our power, it is certainly not an unimportant feature. Most certainly not. And it IS the biggest difference between Saiyans and humans, a difference that defines why we are of two races and not one."

Brand sighed and looked at the younger man anxiously. This wasn't the first time his questions didn't work in making someone adopt different beliefs, but he had expected Gohan to be more sensible than that.

"I hope, no I pray, Gohan, that one day you will look past these views that have made us one of the weakest races in the galaxy. I will pray for you every day, starting now."

And there, in the middle of a crowded market, Brand got to his knees, closed his eyes and started to mumble some inaudible words. People who crossed this place, stopped to watched the sight with cocked eyebrows and some snickers. Gohan began to snicker too, Brand was such a moron. Starting to pray at the middle of a market. Amazing how he seemed to be oblivious of everyone.

After a few minutes Brand rose again, indeed totally oblivious of the snickers of the people surrounding him, and walked over to Gohan again. When he reached Gohan he put his hand on his shoulder and gave him a look which was supposed to be encouraging.

"I must go now Gohan, I have to go to my mate, she probably waits for the meat." Brand said

"Don't you have slaves to do the cooking?" Gohan replied jokingly.

"They are free from their chores in the evening."

"Seriously?"

"I'm perfectly serious."

"Haha, what's next, paying them to do their chores?"

"I actually already do."

"What?" Gohan couldn't believe what Brand was saying. Was the man totally out of his mind. Giving slaves a salary?

Upon seeing Gohan's face, Brand moved closer to Gohan to say something to only him.

"Mark my words," He whispered, "it's the future."

With a wink he turned around and walked away from him, leaving Gohan who stared at his back as he left.

The sun had now almost set and the horizon was pink and orange.

After Brand left, Gohan strolled about the market some more, since the market closed at seven. He thought about the conversation with Brand, the coming evening and the inevitable confrontation with the princess, and about the next day, when he would set out for Alderyn. He sighed deeply, as he watched the sky. He saw that Vega already shone faintly.

Suddenly someone fell at his feet. Gohan looked at the creature lying on the ground before him, and it seemed to be a female earthling, and saw that she could only be an unsold slave. She was wearing filthy brown robes, with holes and tears in it, her feet and hands were chained, her skin and raven hair were full of dirt and she was awfully skinny. Gohan, who found this not any different than usual, was about to walk around her, when the slave got up to her knees, and, startled that someone stood in front of her, looked up to meet his face.

If this was any other slave, Gohan would have kicked her aside and scolded at her for having the nerve to make eye contact with him, something that was forbidden for an unsold slave. And he was about to, until he caught her eyes.

Her eyes were cerulean and clear, shaped beautifully like almonds. They lit up her grey and dirty face, like the stars that lit up the dark night sky. Her eyelashes were dark, shiny and long, matching perfectly with her perfect eyes.

She had, by far, the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. They reminded him of the skies of Aurora, with it's never-ending, cerulean skies. And the Coronian oceans, with it's bottomless depths. And the mists of Meissa, mysterious and enchanting.

Suddenly, as he gazed into those orbs, something happened inside of him. Something with his heart. A strange feeling, unfamiliar to him. Like his heart jumped three feet and beat uncountable beats a minute. And the stress, which was gathered all these years in his chest, disappeared. He could breathe again.

He didn't realize it himself, but slowly he was pulled into those orbs, mesmerized by the secrets within. He forgot the world around him, his reality. Time stopped, space was erased. Now those eyes were his reality. And difference and inequality were not important any more in this reality. The only things that mattered were he and the creatures eyes.

How could anything be important now? No mission tomorrow, no princess tonight, no worries ever, only he and the endless depths. How could he ever escape from those eyes? How could he ever want to escape from them? Even when they were gone, pulled away from him, they would hunt him forever. In his dreams, in his thoughts…he could never forget them.

He was so lost in the creatures eyes that he couldn't tear his gaze away from them. So beautiful, so incredibly beautiful, that even the most beautiful, valuable, sparkling, rare jewel couldn't compare to them. Never.

After a few seconds, that had felt like an eternity, he woke up from his trance by someone yelling very loudly.

"How dare you look at him, you filthy animal." The voice of a rather bulky saiyan sounded. It was the slave trader, that probably owned her. The slave, who still sat on her knees, didn't move a muscle, she only looked startled at Gohan.

When the slave didn't respond to his yells, the slave trader revealed a whip. Gohan's eyes widened in horror. He was about to whip the slave. The slave however, didn't seem afraid. She just closed her eyes.

The slave got three lashes, the one more painful than the other. Unconsciously, Gohan felt his rage increasing with every lash. He never disapproved the beatings the slaves received when they were disobedient. What other way was there to punish them, but physical intimidation? But now, while he saw the blue-eyed female get whipped, it seemed so animalistic and cruel.

But then he saw that the slave didn't seem to be affected by the beating, which he found very peculiar. Usually, when a slave gets a beating from a Saiyan, they screamed or at least twitch their faces in agony. He knew this because he had often been a witness. But this slave only had a frown on her face and had her eyes closed, like she was untouched. But she must feel the pain. No-one who undergoes a beating of a Saiyan could say afterwards it hadn't hurt at all, especially not such a fragile creature like this slave.

By now, the slave trader recognized Gohan and he quitted the beating. The Saiyan stared at the general in awe, before speaking.

"General, do accept my apologies for the behavior of my slave." He bowed clumsily. "I assure you, it will never happen again. I did not notice that you were walking on this square, and that you were only a few meters in front of me. Otherwise I would not have thrown that savage to the ground before your feet. And that she had the nerve to make eye-contact! You can trust I will not let this go unpunished. These slaves are getting bolder by the day and the disgrace they bring to their rightful owners! I swear, if I not die by the sword tomorrow, I will surely die by the humiliation of owning such property."

Gohan didn't hear a word the man was saying. Instead, he watched the slave, who seemed to be staring absently to something on the ground, more intently. She would have been more pleasing to look at, if she was fed and bathe properly. This slave just looked really bad, too thin, too dirty, too…unappealing. And yet there was something about her. Gohan couldn't place it, but there was something about her air, her posture. It made her being not so ugly.

By now the man was done talking and Gohan tore his gaze away from the slave. The man bowed his head and mumbled a goodbye, while he pulled the slave to here feet and away from Gohan. Gohan stared at them as they went, the slave trader in front and the slave with a bowed head behind him. She looked behind her one last time, letting Gohan have one more stare into her eyes, before turning her head away from his gaze quickly.

Gohan remained there in the middle of the now almost deserted market. He thought about the things that just occurred. Had that really happened? Has he really been enchanted by a slave's eyes?

Those eyes...

So beautiful…

So incredibly beautiful…

How could he ever forget?

Alright, there she is, our videl...thought she was the princess, didn't you? D

No i have someone else for that part. I just figured: if i make her a slave, how complicated will their love be? Very complicated, im gonna make this a melodrama like story, not those typical romances. It's gonna be complex and emotional people, especially for our general

And i just have to put some philosophy in it. I've made Brand the saiyan version of Socrates. (google socrates if you really dont know who it is)

Im gonna put a lot of characters in it by the way. I hate those stories where all the characters are superficial and only gohan and videl not. And i also dont like it if they are or entirely good, or entirely bad. Like the bad guy is entirely bad. People like that don't exist. I think we are all gray.

How do you like Gohan. Isn;t he cool. Wanna make him some sort of bad guy. I love bad guys

Okay, im gonna stop talking now

R&R please