Once Upon a Dream

Part Seven

When the disorientation faded away, they noticed that they were standing upon a grassy hill dotted with pale lavender wild flowers that overlooked a vast city. The city itself looked a lot like one you would find back on Chikyuu, as a matter of fact so did the scenery, but Kat believed that they were on ancient Vegeta-sei.

"How can you be sure?" Bulma said. "Wait a minute..." She stared hard at the buildings and tiny people below. "There's something different about everything."

Goku nodded. "For one, this planet has a kami."

"You're kidding!" Bulma said.

He shook his head. "I've spent the most time with kamis and gods like Kaio-sama so I can sense their energy pretty easily."

"But that's not what's so different, is it?" Bra asked Kat. The older woman shook her head.

"Iie, it isn't." She closed her eyes briefly. "There are a lot more kis on this planet for one."

Trunks nodded in agreement. "You're right."

"How about we quit wasting time and finish this mission so I can go home?" Vegeta asked with immense impatience. He had even took off from the ground and headed for the city.

Bulma stood there, hands on her hips. "I can't believe he just left me here! All of you can fly!"

"I believe it," Kat shrugged. "V-chan has always had a one track mind."

"Don't worry about it. I can carry you." Goku picked her up easily. "We should follow Vegeta, he can get into all kinds of trouble by himself." They all took to the air, flying fast to find Vegeta. It wouldn't be good to have people mad at them so soon.

***

Vegeta looked around in awe at his surroundings. For one, the buildings were all made of semi-transparent blue crystal that shimmered in the afternoon sun and the streets were made of crushed quartz. The second reason was the people themselves.

They did not look like any saiyan Vegeta had ever seen before in his lifetime. They were tall and thin, much like the branches of a willow tree. Their hair was still as black as coal but it was straight and as fine as Bulma's. Some had their hair woven into intricate plaits that glittered with multi-color beads made of glass but most just let it hang loose about their faces. They wore robes of muted colors of gray or blue and some had embroidered patches on the right side that seemed to indicate something. Maybe it was status? Vegeta shook his head. It didn't really matter much to him.

The other six landed right beside him with about the same amount of wonder. The people slowly began to crowd around, halting whatever tasks they had been involved in.

"This is so weird," Bra said to herself even as one of the 'saiyan' moved forward and spoke. The words weren't like anything anyone had ever heard save Kat. It didn't even sound like the language she had spoke before. The language the woman spoke in was a combination of singing and words, melodious and beautiful.

"What is she saying?" Bulma asked curiously.

"She is asking who we are and what we're doing here. She knows that we aren't native to the land around us because we look and dress differently." Kat paused. "How in the world do I know what she's saying?!"

"I would ask you the same question," Vegeta strode forward. "Listen here! We can't understand you so speak in a language that we know!"

The woman blinked and jumped back as if physically struck. Vegeta looked at her, confused, and turned to his friend as if to say 'what now?'.

"There has to be some way for you guys to communicate with each other." Kat thought a moment. "Actually, I don't think I can do anything."

"Can you at least ask them to take us to their leader?" Goten asked as Trunks snickered.

"That sounded so stupid! Do you think you're a little green man from Mars?"

"Boys!" Bulma snapped. "This isn't helping the situation."

"I think I can ask them to find someone that speaks more than one language. Then we might have a chance."

Suddenly the sea of people parted and one lone man stepped through. His black hair was graying at the temples and his had a different kind of path on his robe. He also carried a case that he tapped as he stepped in front of Kat.

Her brow wrinkled. "What is in it?" She asked in their language.

The man responded and pulled something free. There were lots of them.

"Oh wow! He's just solved our problem!"

"What?" Bra asked. "What problem did he solve? What's in the case?"

"Those small things are translators." She took one and fastened it to her ear to demonstrate. "You put one on like this and it alters your brain waves slightly so that you are able to speak and understand their language. He says that they are the only ones to speak it in the galaxy so they had to come up with these." She removed the translator and handed it to Vegeta. "Try it!"

"The galaxy?" Goku asked as he fixed the small device onto his ear. "They can travel in space?"

"Yes we can sir." The man closed the case and handed it to one of the men standing just behind him. "I am Odin, master of the Communications Guild."

"Guild?" Bulma said to herself.

But Odin heard her anyway. "Yes. We have many of them that help society. There is the Farmer's Guild, the Merchant's Guild, the Metalworker's Guild, the-"

"We get the point!" Vegeta shouted, cutting him off. "Can you take us to your king or whatever?"

"Why do you yell so? You frightened poor Alissa." Odin was genuinely curious.

"There's something I've noticed Vegeta, these people *never* raise their voices." Kat told him. Then she apologized. "You've got to ignore him, Odin. He's always like that."

"Did you call him Vegeta?" He asked. Kat nodded. "That is the name of our king and his son."

Vegeta's eye brows shot up. "Are you kidding?"

"No sir. You even look like them a bit. But what substance did you put on your hair to get it to stand that way?"

"It's natural baka," Vegeta snorted. "I don't use silly human hair care products."

He nodded. "Yours too?" He said to Goku and Goten.

"Yep! It's been that way since I was a kid."

"You two are clearly related. You look so much like each other. The same goes for you, Vegeta, and the lavender-haired boy." He cleared his throat. "Do you have business with King Vegeta?"

Kat nodded. "We would very much like to speak with him Odin. If it's not too much trouble of course."

He smiled. "No problem at all. He invites the people of his world and any visitor to it to have a talk with him. I shall take you to the palace." He turned to the side and spoke softly to the man next to him. The man nodded and slipped away.

"We will have transportation in a few moments."

"May I ask you a question?" Bulma said.

Odin nodded. "Yes you may."

"How much technology do you have on your planet anyway? Is it a lot?"

"Well, I can't say if it is because I have no one to compare it to. We just develop what we can to make our lives and someone else's a little easier."

Bulma smiled. "That's so kind of you."

"Oh give me a break," Vegeta muttered. "All of this 'kindness' is making me sick. And I'm descended from these people?"

Bulma elbowed his hard in the side, her smile becoming strained. "Shut up Vegeta. We don't want to make our hosts angry with us." She said this in Japanese.

"I doubt they know the meaning of the word 'anger'." But he quieted anyway.

Soon a carriage made of the same blue crystal that the buildings were, stopped beside them. The white horses nickered and tossed their heads restlessly, ready to leave.

"They have technology, but we ride in a horse-drawn carriage?" Trunks asked incredulously. Bulma silenced him the same way as his father.

"It's sort of like the middle ages meets Men in Black," Bra observed.

The small group climbed into the carriage and as soon as Odin saw that they were comfortable, he motioned to the driver. With a sharp sound and a gentle slap of the reins, the carriage was off.

People of all shapes and sizes stopped their work to stare at them as they rode past. Curiosity was apparent on everyone's faces from the young to the old, the very tall to the very small. Soon the tall buildings faded away to be replaced by smaller structures that indicated single family houses. After rounding one last bend, they were placed at the edge of a small, crystal clear lake.

"Sirs and madams," the driver spoke, "the castle is just across the water. You can board the boat and it will not take that long to reach the palace. Farewell."

The exited and began to walk down the brick path towards the small dock.

"These people are so nice!" Bulma said in awe. "I'm having a hard time believing that you came from them, Vegeta. Son-kun yes, but not you."

"Vegeta can be kind if he wants to," Goku told her and everyone. "He just doesn't want to."

"Well thank you for your analysis Doctor Goku!" The saiyan in question said sarcastically.

There were already two other people already there waiting for the boat. They both had patches that featured a red shield with a blue crest. The two men looked up and the one on the left nodded.

"Good day to you. Are you headed to the palace as well?"

Kat nodded. "We wish to speak with the king."

"Ah yes," He removed his hat, a gray thing topped with a bright red feather, and bowed low to her. "I am Lord Cosmos, his majesty's royal advisor. My companion is of House Royal, nephew to the king."

Kat smiled. "Then you are what I'm looking for."

His expression changed to one of puzzlement. "I am?"

She nodded. "You see, my friends and I are visitors to your world. We would like to take up residence and we need someone to show us the ropes."

"Show you the ropes..."

"What she means, Cosmos," the tall man on his right said, "is that they need to learn our way of life."

"Gavin, you young people and your slang." He shook his head and smiled. "I'll be honored to milady."

"Actually," Gavin shot him a pointed look, "it would be best if *I* were the one to give the tour and the lessons. I am, after all, young. That's more than you can say, eh Cosmos?"

The other man's brows drew down into a frown for the moment before his expression cleared into one of strained politeness. "Yes, of course."

"I sense hostility..." Trunks whispered to his sister. She nodded.

"I wonder what happened."

Lord Cosmos was pretty tall and wore his hair in a single ponytail down his back. It seemed that long hair was the style for both men and women. Gavin, however, wore his loose except for two parts on each side of his face that were encased in ornamental jewelry. It seemed that it was a mark of his status. Besides the patch of course.

The boat silently slid across the water to dock itself near them. It was fairly large, easily able to accommodate everyone. They all boarded and one of the people working for the king used a long wooden pole to push it away from the shore.

Bra looked down into the clear water, marveling at the colorful fish that swam along with the boat. The bright oranges, blues, and reds of the tropical fish were enhanced by the clarity of the water and with the brilliant sun beamed down upon it, it made it look as if they were sliding along glass.

"This place is so peaceful," Bra sighed as she absently trailed her finger through the cool water. "I love it here."

"Don't get too attached Bra-chan," Trunks whispered to her. "We're going to have to leave eventually."

"Hai, I know. Don't remind me." She sat back in her seat and sighed. "How are we supposed to save these people anyway? They look perfectly fine to me."

Kat put a finger to her lips. "Shh Bra. We'll talk later."

The palace came into view, all shining white marble with gold trim. It was large and impressive, more like two houses than one. Cosmos heard Bra and Bulma sigh at it's beauty and he chose that opportunity to tell them about it's construction.

"The Royal Palace has over one-hundred separate rooms. It was created over a period of years, in the early ages, so it has been standing here for centuries. It was Alvadar's greatest accomplishment, if I do say so myself."

"He sounds as if he knew the man personally," Kat whispered to Gavin.

"Oh he did. It was his grandfather."

Her eyes widened at that one. "Grandfather? Are you sure?"

He nodded. "Yes. You sound surprised."

"I am. I didn't think someone could live that long!"

"Alvadar died of some strange illness so he was only one-hundred and thirty."

Vegeta's eyes widened so much his frown lines were all but erased. "O-one-hundred and th-thirty?"

"Your people live to be that old?" Goku asked. "Wow!"

"The average is around one-fifty give or take a few years."

Vegeta was still in a state of shock as Goku pulled him from the boat. He blinked rapidly and looked around. "Imagine that Kakarott. If I don't die again in battle, I can live to be over one-hundred years old."

"That's a really long time," Goku agreed. "I wonder what I can do in fifty years. Maybe start a business."

Vegeta looked at him in shock and then burst into loud laughter. "You wish Kakarott!"

"Hey, I'm not as stupid as I look." He said as they walked into a large room with two twin stairways going to the second floor. There were two doors, one on each side of them, and one large door in-between the staircases.

The floor was made of highly polished marble and rich red carpet spread from the entranceway to the double-doors and up each staircase. A really nice crystal chandelier hung above the center of the main hall and it held hundreds of real wax candles. Gavin gave a wry smile and pointed to where Bulma's gaze was fastened.

"There is a boy that comes in daily just to light the candles."

Bulma turned her eyes to him. "Oh really?"

He nodded. "It's a pretty well paying job."

"If you kind people would follow me," Cosmos interrupted, "I will show you to the antechamber where you can await the king's summons. He's a very busy man."

"I see. Thank you very much," Kat sat down in one of the overstuffed chairs. He bowed stiffly and Cosmos left.

"What is your name, milady?" Gavin asked her. "I apologize for not asking before."

"It's Katrinka," She smiled. "And I'm sort of the speaker of this little group." Bulma elbowed her husband when he moved to disagree.

"Katrinka..." He kneeled and took her hand. "What a lovely name." He kissed it gently and stood once more. "I hope to see you around our fair city. Farewell." He departed then, after one last smile over his shoulder. As soon as he was gone, Kat let out a huge breath.

"Oh wow!"

Bra laughed and elbowed her playfully. "Only one day in town and you already have men lined up!"

Trunks smiled too. "And here I thought I would have a chance!"

Goten rolled his eyes. "You wish."

"Whatever Goten. When's the last time you had a date?"

His best-friend blushed. "That's not the point."

"Ha! You can't even remember!"

"Can too! It was last week. With Mia."

"Trunks blinked, confused for a moment, but then he laughed. "C'mon Goten. Doing a college assignment together is not a date."

"Boys, shut up now!" Bulma silenced them quickly. "You two can't go anywhere without getting into an argument."

"Can too!" They cried in unison.

Kat just smiled. There were thoughts of Gavin dancing in her head and thoughts of what she could do to said Saiyan. She sighed and settled deeper into the chair.

It might be a long wait.