QUEST FOR POWER 2:

CHALLENGE KINGDOM

By Konrad

PART 3

"What are you doing?" Sulfus sternly demanded.

Gasping audibly, Cerion stumbled back only to find herself restrained by Sulfus' tail wrapped tight around her waist. She could only stare back at the Kosajin.

"What's going on?" He demanded again, his brow furrowed.

The Goddess opened her mouth to respond but, instead of an intelligible word, all that came from it was a pathetic choking sound. It was Sulfus' turn to be surprised. He abandoned his grip on her wrist and waist.

"Cerion, are you alright? What's wrong?" he asked more softly.

Cerion bit her lip suddenly. Sulfus noticed the moisture climbing up in her eyes, as if the sound of his voice brought her pain. She quickly turned around and, with one arm, leaned against the closest wall.

"I was... going to do something bad. Very bad." she replied flatly, her voice hoarse.

"Huh? What could be that bad?" Sulfus lightly mocked. His small grin disappeared when he saw her stiffen at his approach. What was she about to do? And she'd feel guilty enough to try to wake me up to talk about it? He reasoned. "Well, whatever it is, I can never think bad of you. I trust you."

"R-Really? You don't hate me after what happened with the Power Stone?" Cerion replied, whipping her head around to face Sulfus. The Kosajin held a breath when he saw streams of tears run down her cheeks.

"I would always stand by you." he stated softly. To that, Cerion drew a big breath and wiped away her tears.

"Eh, stupid tears." she said, her voice back to neutral. It was Sulfus' turn to sigh in relief.

"Yeah, now let's relax as we head to my home planet." Sulfus chuckled as he took a step towards the door. He stopped momentarily. "I always wanted to show you my home."

Sulfus left without turning around to see Cerion's blush. It was just as well, his face reddened too.

- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

"I won't repeat this, Djoukien. Join me." Cooler stated, his finger pointing directly at the Saiyan in front of him.

"But, Boss!" Djoukien pleaded. "You don't have to do this."

"I wouldn't have to do this if you just went with it. So let's do this the hard way, shall we?" Cooler retorted.

With that, a beam of energy shot forth from his fingertip. Djoukien barely managed to dodge it with a roll to his left. The blast erupted behind him, hurling chunks of rock at great speed. Shit, is he serious?

"I don't want to fight you!" Djoukien yelled out as he charged the Kosajin, avoiding several more blasts aimed at him.

"Then perhaps you shouldn't…" Cooler started as he swung his arm at the Saiyan. Instead, he found nothing but air. "What?!"

He automatically raised his other arm behind his head in defence, barely parrying a kick to his head. He spun to swing again but Djoukien had already blurred past him once more.

"Amazing, you're even faster than before!" Cooler said aloud in wonderment, struggling to keep up with the Saiyan's speed. He then chuckled. "Well, not that it matters…"

Djoukien alternately flew and spun above Cooler's head. Catching the Kosajin off-guard by appearing ahead of him, he nailed him with a kick to the face. Cooler stumbled backwards slightly only to regain his composure in an instant. Damnit, I didn't affect him more than that?! Djoukien cursed mentally as he landed on his feet. Immediately he charged at Cooler again.

Cooler threw a punch Djoukien but the incoming Saiyan ducked and spun rapidly underneath his arm. Djoukien extended his own arm into a punch, successfully connecting with the Kosajin's chin. There! That should open him… What the…?! Cooler's tail quickly wrapped itself around Djoukien's neck, abruptly putting a stop to his offensive as well as his forward movement. The Saiyan gagged violently and gasped, trying in vain to free himself. Instead he found himself lifted in the air by a smirking Cooler before being brutally slammed into the ground.

"Well, you've gotten stronger then I remember. You could be a useful lieutenant just like back in the days. I really would regret killing you."

"Doesn't look like I can do much to stop that though, huh?" Djoukien stammered as he struggled to get up. Cooler's smirk was replaced by a frown.

"I despise theatrics and drama. Still, use your sense of honour and logic. Tell me again, child, what do you owe me?" Djoukien didn't respond, he simply stared at the imposing Kosajin. "Djoukien!" Cooler growled. The Saiyan sighed and stood up fully. He locked his gaze with Cooler's for a few moments, seeing if he could return his cold stare, but he finally gave up, lowering his eyes solemnly.

"You… You took a few dozen Saiyans away into safety before your brother could kill them. You saved my people… including the folks who would later become my parents." Djoukien finally responded, downtrodden.

"So you see, you and your people owe me your lives." Cooler pointed out plainly. "Is that not enough to get your loyalty?"

"Yes, it is!" Djoukien hastily added. "But… but it's not just that, Boss."

"Oh? Then explain."

"Well, all my life I've been a mercenary for you and your buddy Dudan and it was great and stuff. But now that I'm dead, I want to do things differently. The killing thing… well, I did it for you guys, but I guess I just want to try something else. Things are different now…" Djoukien's musings were interrupted by Cooler's scoffing.

"What's so different about death from life now that you've experienced it?" Cooler questioned. "Aren't we the same as before?! I am the same Cooler in death as in life. Look around you, everyone who died merely go on to a 'second life' here where everything is the same."

"No!" Djoukien countered. "Not everything is the same. If we die in the afterlife, then there's nothing left. This is the last chance we get to make something right. Maybe I should've seen this before… but I don't know why we should do the same things this time around. Things are different and maybe we should be different too!"

"But there is no difference." Cooler hissed. "This isn't some fairy tale where you can magically wish for good. Our lives are set early and that's how it goes."

"So you're telling me that if I died here against the demons, it wouldn't have made a difference?"

"Of course not! I only rescued you for the same reason I rescued your parents long ago. Because you could be useful to me as a subordinate."

If that's so and you really didn't change, then why did you bother rescuing the kids too? Djoukien mused.

"I suppose I can't be your subordinate anymore as I don't want to be a mercenary no longer." Djoukien stated. Cooler's eyes widened briefly before narrowing again, as if the Cold Prince would rather slit his own tongue than admit to being shocked.

"Very well then." Cooler replied. "If you won't join me, then I won't let you live."

With that, Cooler charged up his power. Djoukien wondered what the Kosajin was going to do when a frost hit his skin. What the hell? Did the temperature just drop?! Djoukien thought as he looked around nervously, a cold abruptly settling in on the area. He brought back his attention to his former Boss, who was now surrounded in a hazy blue aura that flowed all over his body like water. The cold seemed to emanate from him. Djoukien closed his eyes shut tight. This time I'm a goner for sure…

Shrill infantile screams came to Djoukien's ears, surprising him. That certainly couldn't be Cooler attacking. He opened his eyes to find the pinkish green boy he had rescued earlier standing in front of him, staring defiantly at Cooler, both arms extended as if to prevent passage to the Saiyan. Djoukien looked up to notice that the boy's sister had latched on to the legs of a stunned Cooler. Meanwhile, the demon-worker Og was looking on nervously from the side.

"W-what is this? Didn't I tell you to get out of here along with these brats?" Cooler yelled, furious.

"I-I'm really sorry, S-sir." Og stammered before swallowing. "But these kids insist on Djoukien living… and me too!"

"If you wish to forfeit your life…" Cooler growled menacingly.

"Og, get the hell out of here!" Djoukien yelled frantically. "Tell the kids I'm fine or something but for Kami's sake, don't get hurt in this!"

"I can't! Well, they just knew something was wrong and they'd never believe it. They won't let you two kill each other… and I won't either!"

"Stupidity. And I bothered to rescue you!" Cooler hissed, raising a hand towards Og.

"KOOH-LA!!!" The desperate girl at Cooler's legs screamed drawing his attention back to her. Her eyes were sparkling with wetness, her tiny lips trembling as she pleaded with the Kosajin in the only way she could communicate with him.

"Blasted child!" Cooler cursed loudly as his arms twitched slightly.

"KOOH-LA! Kooh-La! Kooh-La…" the girl continued with a lowering voice until unable to hold it anymore, she started to cry freely.

"Damnit…" Cooler muttered. He dropped his arm and sighed heavily. After a moment, he finally picked the girl up and brought her to his face. She stopped sobbing long enough to return his gaze, an inquisitive expression on her face. "You're a pest, you know. But anyways… Djoukien!"

"Eh?" Djoukien replied confused. He couldn't believe his eyes but it looked as if Cooler lost the murderous glare he had a moment ago. Could it be that he's back to having a stick up his butt as usual?

"Take Og and these brats away. And this time make a complete job of it." Cooler stated.

"You mean it, Boss?!" Djoukien almost yelled, relieved.

"Sir?" Og called out to be sure.

"Yes!" The Kosajin bellowed. "Now go before I regret this." He looked at the girl who kept a curious expression on her face, questioning him silently. When Cooler nodded solemnly, she erupted in a beaming smile and flung her arms around his neck.

"KOOH-LA!!!" She jubilated. Her brother pumped his fists also and jumped in the air.

"Whatever. Just leave."

Smiling, Djoukien gathered Og and the kids in his arms, hopefully for the last time today.

"One last thing." Cooler stated. "I'll let you follow whatever path you choose. But if it brings you to interfere in my own plans, then I will kill you without hesitation next time. And while I would like to believe like you that things change, I'm afraid it's not that simple."

"I think it can be. But anyways, thanks for everything, Boss." Djoukien replied, smiling, before taking off. Things change… you can change too, Boss.

- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

"Damnit, where the hell is he?! BRAT!!!" An irritated Saiyan Prince called out loudly.

The polished walls of Raikou's two-storey villa echoed Vegeta's voice tremendously well, carrying it throughout the opulent building. Around the corner of one of those walls, Yoshuro hid in fear for his health.

"I need someone to spar with!" Vegeta continued yelling, unaware of the Jubian's presence. He disappeared behind a corner.

"Oh man, if he has to use me as a training bag again, I won't live." Yoshuro mumbled nervously as he peered from his hiding place. "Where the hell are Gohan and 18 when you need them?!"

"Hey you!"

Yoshuro couldn't help but emit a small yelp. Cautiously and slowly, he turned his head around. There standing behind him was Vegeta. The Saiyan's eyes were open wide as he practically bore his gaze into the nervous Jubian.

"You there! I want to train and I need a punching bag." Vegeta stated simply.

With a loud undignified scream, Yoshuro jumped to his feet and sprinted away from the Prince. Unfazed, Vegeta immediately gave chase.

"Get back here! I will not be deterred from my training!" He yelled.

"Are you out of your mind?!" a panicked Yoshuro retorted. "I'm not a good fighter. Heck, I'm not a fighter period! I don't want to spar with you, get away from me!!!"

The two men darted through Raikou's rural mansion. If they cared, they probably would've stopped to admire its attractiveness as they ran by. The insides of the mansion were almost exclusively covered in shining marble. The walls, the floors and the ceilings, polished to perfection, resembled intricately decorated mirrors. Frescoes of twisting vines, exotic flowers and strange wildlife adorned every room and chamber, accompanied by numerous lavish paintings and sculptures.

Not that either Vegeta or Yoshuro could be bothered to bask in their surroundings at the moment as they raced throughout the villa. The Jubian almost ran into a wall as he was finally cornered, out of breath.

"Ha! Now then..." A satisfied Vegeta spoke as he approached a panic-stricken Yoshuro.

"I don't want to be a punching bag again!" The Jubian whined.

"Don't be such a wuss, I won't kill you!"

"Vegeta, come on! Stop harassing the poor man." A woman's voice called out.

Vegeta cringed and turned to see Raikou and Tenshinhan approaching. The Saiyan's attention distracted, Yoshuro took the opportunity to dart off.

"Damnit!" Vegeta cursed.

"This is the second time in two days we've caught you trying to 'spar' with Yoshuro." Tenshinhan chided.

"So what?! Without Kakalotto's brat around, he's the only one available to train with." Vegeta countered.

"What the hell are you talking about?! He's a civilian, you can train with me or Tenshinhan." Raikou observed.

"I don't know you well enough. And I hate 'Three-Eyes'." The Prince growled, to the Triclops' irritation.

"Yeah, I love you too, shorty." Tenshinhan mumbled under his breath. How did Goku and Piccolo ever manage to keep this bastard in line?

"Where the hell is the brat anyways? And the Android for that matter?" Vegeta vociferated as he stormed out, with Tenshinhan and Raikou closely behind.

"What?! They've been out since yesterday with Aurora to help her unite this planet. Don't you remember what Raikou told us?" Tenshinhan replied.

"How could I remember something like that?! I'm too busy training and looking for clues about the Saiyans." The Prince grunted his disdain.

"Yes, you've been doing a lot of searching in the four days you've been here." Raikou said, her voice drowning in sarcasm.

"So what is it that Gohan and the Android are doing with that girl anyways?" Vegeta inquired, half-bored. He settled for resting and loitering on a porch overlooking the backyard of Raikou's posh residence. Isolated as it was, large plains stretched out as far as the eye could see, with sparse woodlands and hills in the horizon.

"I don't want to repeat the same things!" Raikou whined.

"So, um, the Kosajin are divided into, um, Clans…" Tenshinhan started.

"The Ice, like King Cold and his children for instance, the Lightning, such as myself." Raikou added as she nonchalantly inspected her hand. "Then there's the Fire, the Wood, the Water, the Ground and the Wind clans."

"Right, right. An incredibly powerful Kosajin can actually use the element he or she was born in. Like Raikou here use lightning attacks as a weapon, like when she nearly blew up our ship."

"Yes, I remember that swell time." Vegeta snorted sarcastically.

"There are legends concerning our origins." Raikou said. She smiled with contemptuous satisfaction at her polished fingernails. "It is said that our ancestors, the original Kosajin… the very, very first ones, that is… had the powers of all of the elements. Then they had descendants and the powers were spread amongst them, then the clan division followed."

"So what does this have to do with Gohan and that brat partner of yours?" Vegeta asked.

"Watch your mouth." Raikou hissed with a glare aimed at the Saiyan.

"The Kosajin are very aristocratic, Vegeta." Tenshinhan added. "Each clan is ruled by hereditary lords and families."

"My people have at times been united, sometimes divided, with war and peace interchanging regardless of the political situation. Then a chance at real, permanent unity happened." The Kosajin said, once again finding her fingernails interesting.

"After a few marriages between the leading families, King Cold was born with the bloodline of over half the leading families. Then he married a Fire princess, Vulcania, with also about half the bloodlines. Together, they had the legitimacy to unite the clans permanently, since their kids would have all the ruling bloodlines together in them." The Triclops continued.

"Except King Cold, Vulcania and two of their kids, Cooler and Freezer are dead. So the only one left that can unite the clans now is Aurora. Not only that but King Cold having been an… unworthy ruler, the other clans probably aren't going to trust Aurora upfront. So this will be difficult." Raikou sighed heavily.

"Well, thank you for the political lesson." Vegeta growled. "Now if you'll excuse, I got things to do!"

"Like finding some long lost Saiyans?" Raikou mocked lightly.

"Would you happen to know anything about that, Raikou?" Tenshinhan inquired.

"I can handle this my damn self!" Vegeta snapped.

"No, I've never heard of Saiyans alive." Raikou responded. "But then again, if that were remotely true, it's not a surprise. After all, if anyone else knew, Freezer would've known so I'm betting Sulfus kept it as a deep secret."

"This barely helps." Vegeta commented before turning to leave.

"Vegeta." Tenshinhan called out before pausing, considering his words carefully. What should I say? I don't have any authority over him… "It's not good to me if you are dead." He finally finished.

"Like something here could possibly kill me." The Saiyan Prince boasted, half smirking but also half smiling at the friendly warning. "Whatever, I'll see you later." He blasted off, leaving The Triclops and the Kosajin alone.

"Why do you concern yourself with him?" Raikou asked.

Tenshinhan opened his mouth but paused, unsure. Was it Goku? Piccolo? How'd they do it? Raikou merely smiled back.

"Whatever, you're too nice, taking on responsibilities like that." She said. "Maybe you should be more like me and not care as much."

"But then again, if you don't care as much, wouldn't make you unreliable or untrustworthy?" The Triclops replied, frowning.

"Why, you're saying you don't trust me?" Raikou grinned as if daring Tenshinhan to question her. The Triclops nervously shook his head, eliciting a hearty laugh from the female.

What a weird one. Tenshinhan thought.

- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

"Well, what do you think?" Sulfus started, smirking proudly.

Cerion nodded in response, gazing at the vista from the window of the modest apartment they rented in Burning City. Really more of an overgrown village, or a small town, Kosajin of various sizes and colours buzzed around one of the main markets. Unlike some of the other towns of the other Clans, those in the Fire Land rarely had visitors from other species, or even from the other Clans. The towering volcano in the horizon and the gashes across the body of the land made sure of that, radiating intense heat and spewing sulphur into the atmosphere. Not that those with the dominating Fire genes minded so much.

"It's a bit minimalist, I know, but for now this would do." Sulfus said of the spartan furnishing of his new residence.

"This is good." Cerion smiled reassuringly. "I've always wanted to visit your home." Did he just blush?

"Yes, well with all my space faring, I no longer have a real home. Or anything to do for that matter…" The Kosajin muttered the last sentence as he painfully realized

"No matter, Sulfus. You'll find something to suit your skills. For the while though, you could use the downtime. Besides, I'm here to help."

"What? If it's about what happened with the Earthlings, you don't have to…"

"I'm here because I want to be here. I could never leave you." Cerion's voice dropped to almost a whisper as she approached the strong Kosajin.

"Oh… I guess we've known each other for a while, eh?" Sulfus breathed hoarsely as the Goddess put an arm on his shoulder.

"Yeah, but not well en…" Cerion paused with her lips parted. A look of puzzlement crossed her face, barely missed by the Kosajin.

"I suppose thirty years is not long for a goddess." Sulfus mock-pouted.

"Hmmm? Oh, right…" What the hell was that? The Earthlings?! "Well, get your rest and start looking for something to do. I'm just gonna go out for a little bit…"

"You sure?" Sulfus quizzed, slightly disappointed.

"As I always am." Cerion smiled as she exited the small apartment. After all that we've been through and you've forgiven me …

Once outside, Cerion breathed the lightly sulphurous air. She quickly veiled her face with a headscarf like any foreigner to the region would, even as native Fire Kosajin breathed comfortably. The town buzzed with life, busy people constantly bumping into each other. An elder almost crashed into Cerion, excusing himself, but the woman merely grumbled her acknowledgment as she barrelled into the living mass to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

I could never leave you, Sulfus but for now I must go… Cerion almost hissed to herself. It's unmistakable! That ki I felt earlier is that brat, Son Gohan. He's here, on this planet, with his Earthling friends… and another Godling?!

END OF PART THREE