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To Win A Royal Heart By Kami Kaze Part 3 After they had basic armor assigned to them, they were led outside the fortress to one of the many barracks surrounding it. Bardock was as silent as possible, only saying what he needed to as he explained any rules and regulations they needed to know. “You will both sleep here tonight until the tests tomorrow.” He said softly, motioning to a bunk against the wall. Goku blinked, stepping forward towards his father. “Tests? What kind of tests?” He asked warily. Bardock looked at Goku and snorted softly. “They will test you to see if you are indeed a high level warrior of the first class…which I doubt. The same goes for your son. They will test him separately as he is thought as being lower than yourself. I will be here to get you at sunrise.” He said, turning without another word and walking out the door. Goten and Goku glanced around the abandoned barracks…they were the only two there. “Well…this must be a holding barrack or something, wouldn’t you say, Goten?” Goku asked, not noticing his son’s panicked stare. “DAD! What the hell is going on? What’s happening? Why are we surrounded by saiyans, I thought they were all dead!” Goten nearly screamed, grabbing onto the front of his father’s gi. Goku laughed nervously, removing his son’s hands from his shirt. “Oh yea! Well son, we’re surrounded by saiyans, because we’re on Planet Vejita; and as far as I can tell, that little box sent us into the past somehow…because, as you know, there is no Planet Vejita in our time.” He explained, stripping his gi off and tossing it onto the bottom bunk. Goten stared at him as if he were crazy. “How can you be so calm about this, dad! How are we going to get home!?” Goten shrieked, then silenced as his father scowled, raising his index finger to his lips. “Goten, I know this is scary, but we’re going to have to work our way through this without causing any more suspicions. No one can know who we are or where we’re from, it’s too dangerous. Now…son, you’re going to have to really open up your saiyan side, and, as I said earlier, act the part. This is a warrior race, and you are part of it, so try not to show that gentleness too much, eh? The same goes for me. We really have to fit in here, because we’re here until we, or the folks back home, figure out how to get us back!” Goku explained to his son with somewhat of a severe expression that softened as Goten hung his head with a sigh. Goku motioned to him to strip, then turned his back on his son and walked to the door that led to a small row of shower stalls. “Hey, so what did you think of your grandfather?” Goku called over his shoulder as he flicked the light on in the shower room. Goten had just finished slipping out of his pants, his head jerking upwards quickly before he tossed his pants aside and followed his father quickly. “Grandfather…you mean…that Bardock guy…he really is your father?!” Goten exclaimed, then puffed his cheeks out in thought as Goku nodded and smiled. “Wow…this is just too strange, don’t you think, dad?” He asked, stepping under the shower just before he pushed the small knob, hot water spraying out upon his tired, sore muscles. “Yea…but I have a feeling it will get stranger.” Goku said softly, his eyes slightly unfocused as he too stood under the steaming spray. The next morning, Goku was busy doing finger push-ups on the floor as Bardock strode into the barracks, his foul mood evident by the deep scowl that marred his visage. Goten was just pulling his issued boots on, which earned a snort from his grandfather. “You were expected to be ready.” He said, glaring at the young man. Goten stared at him briefly, then stood with a nod of his head. “Yes sir. I’m ready now.” Goten replied, watching his father stand stiffly, not being used to the slightly restrictive saiyan armor. “Good. Lets go.” Bardock replied, stepping out of the door, Goten and Goku following closely behind him. They stepped out into the morning light, immediately accosted by the sounds and visuals around them; warriors milled about the area, not only saiyan, but other strange alien forms that neither father or son had ever seen. He led them into the fortress again, and this time, they went straight for a wide set of stairs centered in the middle of the court. Goku let his eyes roam the court, and for the first time, noticed a large dais situated on the far left wall, just opposite of the hall they had walked down the night before. On the dais was a throne of sorts, though a dark and dreary one, seemingly made from a dark silver-gray metal. Goku’s mouth opened as a sudden thought shocked him. He got another shock when he suddenly slammed into Bardock’s back. They had reached the top of the stairs. “Ah! Oh, sorry!” He said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was looking at the throne over there.” He explained, ignoring Bardock’s glare. The look softened slightly as Bardock’s eyes moved from Goku to the throne. “That is where King Vegeta sits during our meetings and indoor festivals.” Bardock explained, turning left down a wide hallway. Another three flights of stairs and what seemed like miles later, they stepped through an open doorway into a large domed room; the room was filled with a couple dozen people, with one line of men off to the side, facing the middle of the room, which was cleared of any objects. “This is where you’re test will be, Goten.” Bardock said to him before making his way to an official looking man who was writing something on a pad of paper. The man glanced up and nodded once at Bardock’s words, then cast a glance over his shoulder at Goten. Bardock motioned for him, and waited until Goten was being signed in before returning to Goku. Goku waved to his son, silently wishing him well. “He will do well, I’m sure of it.” Bardock stated as they walked from the small training hall. “Though I’m not so sure of him being a second class…” he added stiffly before they made their way up three more flights of stairs. Soon echoing voices could be heard and the wall on their right opened to expose a large training hall with eight balcony levels for viewing pleasure. Only a few people stirred on the battleground floor, though there were hundreds, maybe even thousands in the balconies. Goku followed Bardock in slowly, his eyes wide as he turned around in a circle to see everything around him. “Wow…there’s…a lot of people here…” Goku said, swallowing. Bardock grinned. “Yes…everyone who is important, and even some who aren’t important come to watch the first level testing. Even King Vegeta and the Prince. No one wants to miss seeing a possible Elite fight.” At this, Goku’s breath caught, as at that exact moment, his eyes settled upon a curtained area two balconies up. There, next to a very obvious King Vegeta, was a younger version of the Prince Vegeta he knew so well. Goku’s heart wrenched at seeing his prince, as he had already began to miss him as of this morning; he and Vegeta would would be sparring right now if he hadn’t have gotten himself in trouble. He had come to love the time he spent with Vegeta and felt they were bonding in a special way. He had even heard Vegeta refer to him as a friend once; and for some reason, even thinking back to that time made his heart melt, though it seemed strange for him to have such a reaction. What was even stranger was that Vegeta, high up in the balconies, was staring right at him. How could he get close to the Prince when he was just a commoner? Goku had very little hope that he could. “There are three basic tests.” Bardock’s voice interrupted Goku’s thoughts, jerking his eyes hesitantly away from Vegeta’s young face. ‘Kami, he must only be a teenager!’ Goku thought silently before giving his father his undivided attention. “The first test, you will be paired with another testing subject. You will fight him with everything you’ve got. If you win, you will move on to the next test. If not, your power level and abilities will be judged accordingly, and your level will be determined. If you win…then you move onto test number two, which is when you will be tested against another who has passed the first test. If you win, you will be looked over by the doctors afterwards to determine how healthy you still are and how much more you could take. If they determine you able, you go to test three; anyone getting this far will most likely be claimed as an Elite Saiyan Warrior.” Goku listened carefully, nodding slowly. When Bardock stopped, he gave the man a curious glance. “And what is test three?” Bardock smirked. “You don’t think you will actually make it that far, do you? Not many do, so don’t get your hopes up. But, since you asked… Test three, you fight the Prince’s defender; his bodyguard.” Goku blinked, casting a glance back up to Vegeta; the young man’s eyes were now busy watching a scuffle break out not far from where Goku stood. “Why would they have that as a test?” “Because only the top Elite get a chance to serve as Defender to Prince Vegeta. They must be either not far below him in power and skill, or above him; and there is none above him with the exception of the King himself. Even so, it is rumored that the big announcement at the next festival will be that Prince Vegeta has surpassed his father. I wouldn’t be surprised, you should see him fight, he’s ruthless and cunning.” Goku nearly laughed out loud. If Bardock only knew what Goku knew! Vegeta would surpass anything these saiyan’s had ever seen! “Ah…I see. So what happens when one defeats the Defender?” Bardock snorted loudly. “Dream on, Goku. That rarely EVER happens. He’s had the same Defender since he was five years old; not that he’s ever really needed one, but, it’s Royal Standard. If one were to actually beat the Defender, that man would take the Defender’s position.” A small smile turned the corner of Goku’s mouth. There was his key to getting near Vegeta. He MUST win against the defender…he WOULD win. His back straightened as if a steel rod had replaced his backbone, his eyes narrowing, calculating the power and skill of all the men in the small line. All those that stood in his way. Guest Main Page / Chapter 2 / Chapter 4 |