The New Age Empire v2: Book 3

June 20th, AA 001

~Chapter 3: Granted Wishes~

No one knew how long it had taken them to reach the upper levels and really no one cared. As long as they were free from their inprisonment it could take an eon or two. The one who led the way varied with the general group mood. When Bardock became too annoying they would let him lead if only to stop him from accusing everyone of the death of Vegeta-sei. When he was at last quiet Vegeta-oui was allowed to take over again. That system worked for many moments and everything was fine.

Time was not the only thing they had lost count of. The levels of Hell went by very quickly at the pace that they travelled and, again, no one had even bothered to keep count. The saiya-jin could tell that they were close escaping because the level of torment they saw wasn't as bad as what they had been going through on a daily basis. It was almost gentle by comparison.

In the beginning, soon after the destruction of Vegeta-sei, there had been millions of saiya-jin. Short ones, tall ones, fat ones, thin ones; they had come in almost every possible shape and size imaginable. There was even talk of creating a new saiya-jin empire, one that would dominate Hell and force the demons, ogres, and Hell-beasts into slavery, but those hopes were soon dashed by the breaking of the people.

Prior to contrary belief not all saiya-jin were top-notch warriors. There were a lot of weak ones throughout the classes but the reverse was also true. Unfortunately a pretty large percentage of the saiya-jin race consisted of the weak-minded ones. They were gone within a short period of time. The minds of thirty-five thousand were destroyed almost immediately. That left the strong-minded and the even stronger-minded.

The ogres and demons became creative. They began asking questions that they knew no one knew the answers to. You were cut for every second that you hesitated with a poison-tipped blade and cut even more for every answer that you got wrong. The poison wouldn't kill but would keep its victim in constant state of extreme pain. The elite saiya-jin figured out a way to confuse the torturers by always repeating the questions back. This left fifty.

The ones that remained were patiently waiting in their underground cell for the final breaking, the one that would put an end to the mighty saiya-jin race. A short while before Furiza and several other incredibly strong people had appeared in Hell and had taken over. The remaining saiya-jin were herded into a smallish cell underneath their own village and a well was constructed around the entrance to hide it. There Bardock launched into his tirades and there they waited for inevitable.

Before their torture, before another saiya-jin was mentally broken down into his basic elements, Son Goku had come to the rescue. He and two saiya-jin hybrids had literally ripped the cell door from its hinges and set them free. After the once-caged saiya-jin were sure that Furiza wasn't around to stop them, they started their journey to ask Enma-sama for resurrection.

"I swear, Bardock, if you say one more word about the destruction of Vegeta-sei I will maim you." Vegeta-oui didn't even turn around to address him but continued to climb the Stairway to Heaven. All thought that they had only a small chance to recover their lives but no one would ever know for sure until they had tried.

***

"Good day Creator," said an ogre in flowing robes before bowing. "How goes your mission?" Katrinka sighed and looked away. It was all the answer that he needed. "I see..." "I'm still documenting all of the Thief's powers. That alone might take some time." She shook her head. "But we don't have any to waste."

"You will triumph," he told her as he moved on. "You have to."

"I know."

She led them to the administrative section of Heaven, not even bothering to comment along the way. Every being they passed bowed respectfully but Kat barely noticed. More people and places passed by until finally they approached an official looking building with a small female ogre sitting at a reception desk.

"How may I- Oh hello Kat! I didn't expect you back so soon."

Katrinka smiled weakly. "Neither did I. Where are my parents? I would like a meeting with them."

It took only a moment for her to look in the appointment book. "Kathy's doing transistions and Appuru's in a meeting. Is this urgent?"

A nod. "Very much so."

"I'll put it through immediately and tell them to come to your office. Should only take a few moments."

"Thank you, Dailia. You're a big help."

The wait for the elevator took some time so it was perfect for questions. Kat watched the glow of the numbers as the car went down floors and told them everything that they wanted to know.

"This is the administation building for Heaven. All those who keep the realm running smoothly have offices here. I didn't want an office but kaasan made me." The elevator dinged and they all stepped inside, barely fitting. "Heaven is divided into three main sections: Administrative, Residential, and Recreation. The residential section is the largest but, at least in my opinion, the recreational is the most enjoyable. Having a good time in the administrative section is like getting your teeth pulled." When the car stopped on the fifth floor she led them down three dark green carpeted halls to yet another elevator. It was decorated with golden trim and there were no numbers to indicate the floors. She inserted her Time Key into a small lock and the door opened silently. It alone led to her office.

The color theme consisted of her favorite colors of black and dark gray though there was a little touch of red and white thrown in. A black lacquer desk with a black leather swivel chair stood in front of a huge window and two couches and a coffee table set on one side. She told them all to sit and opened the heavy curtains to allow light.

"You can get in contact with Chikyuu if you want," she told them. "I don't know how long it'll be before you'll be able to speak to them all again."

"Call the palace and get the onna on the phone then. I want to see if she's handling everything."

Katrinka hit a button on a remote that revealed a large monitor set into the wall. She stared at it for a moment, eyes unfocusing, and soon Gohan's face appeared on the screen in realistic color and size.

"If you need something I don't think we can help you... Oh! Konichi-wa minna." He smiled. "Good to see you."

"Is something going on?" Goku asked more than a little worriedly. "You're not been attacked or anything are you?"

"Chikyuu is fine, Tousan, but Tale-sei isn't. The Kamoku-jin are attacking them and we don't have anyone here to send there. On the bright side, though, Kallen said that she would take a sizable force over. They made her a commander so she has the authority now."

"Tell them that we're all rooting for them," Goku said. "I wish that I could do something more."

"They should be able to get through this without a serious decrease in their population. Kallen called back just a few minutes ago to say that she would bring clerics and mages. Tale-sei doesn't have enough fighters to win without magical help." He looked down for a brief moment. "I sent Bulma-san to bed. She was looking stressed. Both the Namek-jin and the Lyz'da also need assistance. I'm going to have Videl take over for a while so that I can do more work in the lab. We need more people who are able to help on this planet." They talked for a few moments more and the call was disconnected.

Something buzzed and continued to do so until Kat pushed a red button. "Yes, Dailia?"

"Kat your parents are on their way. We also have a bid for resurrection at Enma-sama's. He told me to tell you that he's strongly considering saying yes."

"On my way." Kat released the button and smiled. "Must be important people if Enma is going to agree. He *never* agrees with anything or anyone. Stay right here and I'll be back before you know it."

"We do *not* have forever," Vegeta said to her. "*All of these side trips you're taking is wasting time."

"I have a mission, Vegeta, but I also have a regular job. This doesn't all just go away when something more important comes along as much as I would like it to. Resurrection is my buisness seeing as I'm the Creator. Once they get too dead for the dragonballs it becomes my responsibility." She hit another button on her remote before disappearing into a portal with an order. "Be kind to my parents. I mean it."

" 'I mean it'," Vegeta mocked. "Who does she think she is anyway?"

"The ultimate giver of life," a woman with flowing red hair said as she approached them. "She's the ultimate taker as well."

"You must be Kathy," Goku said as he stood and bowed. "I'm Son Goku."

"Yes," she said. "I know. He is Vegeta and these are your children." She glanced at everyone for a brief moment but her cold blue eyes lingered on Vegeta the longest. "You don't understand who she is and what she is capable of."

Vegeta smirked. "You sound afraid. The parents aren't supposed to be afraid of the child."

"She is our child, yes," Appuru said as he joined them. He was a very tall but thin saiya-jin with spiky jet-black hair and intelligent eyes. "But she is *always* the Creator first. You haven't heard the story?" There was a lot of head shaking.

"Eons and eons ago at the start of the universe there was only one god and her name was Kaitlyn. She had come from a realm full of creator gods who all had something original to call their own but Kaitlyn did not for everything was claimed. She searched and searched for many millennia for a place to call her own and finally discovered one place of chaos that had not been claimed. Kaitlyn set about taming the chaos, which also took millennia, and then created satellites and stars.

"Though she now had something to claim she still felt alone and empty. Kaitlyn then began to create living beings in many different sizes, colors, and species and gave them free-will so that they would be able to shape their own destinies and not walk preset paths. The Creator made plants, animals, and water to sustain the life of her people so that they would have even more people and she would never be lonely again."

"How is Katrinka also the Creator?" Mia asked.

"Hold on," he smiled. "I am getting to that part. In just a few hundred generations the People became too numerous in number for Kaitlyn to manage alone. She summoned more beings, lesser gods, to her universe for help. Then she appointed the Kaioshins, the Dai Kaio, the Kaios, and the Kamis to rule over the four sections of the universe, the galaxies, the solar systems, and the planets respectively.

"Millennia passed and with each one Kaitlyn felt more and more detached from her people. She made an important decision to turn herself into a spirit and enter the body of one unborn child that the new High God, or Dai Kaioshin, had chosen. Katherine, the guardian of the dead, was a trusted friend and she gave one man the great honor of fathering the child. Thus Katrinka was born and does not remember anything she had done as the Creator."

"The expression on her face was *very* amusing indeed," Kathy laughed. "She didn't believe us at first but then why should she?"

"So *that's* what she meant by 'it's a very funny story'," Goten said with a shake of his head. "She has a weird sense of humor."

"So we've noticed," Kathy said dryly. "Kaitlyn was *never* that goofy."

Appuru suddenly laughed, elicting strange looks from everyone else. "The day Vegeta-oui took her in for us was very amusing. Would you like to hear the tale?"

"Sure!" V.J. said. "It'll help pass the time, anyway."

"We arrived at the royal palace on Vegeta-sei very late that night..."

***

"Who is the bidder?" Katrinka asked as she stepped before Enma's desk. "Did they save several planets from total destruction?"

"No, Kat. They are the saiya-jin and they have done nothing physically to deserve it."

She blinked. "Then why do you think they should get it?"

Enma sighed. "Look at them as the Creator and not as a demi saiya-jin woman. Furiza, Kold, and several others have reduced their number from millions to just fifty. They should get *something* for just going through that and coming out the other side minds intact."

"I see..." She turned around to look at the bunch of them. "I am Katrinka better known as the Creator or the Time Warrior to most folks up here. I'm the one you find when it becomes too late for resurrection by the dragonballs."

"You are going to grant us our wish?" Vegeta-oui asked, not really thinking that she would. She smiled slowly and brought up her hands.\

"This will explain everything." Her hands began to glow with a soft yellow light as she walked over closer to them. Vegeta-oui and several others had time to think, 'This is going to hurt...' before she was upon them. She sent the glow over to them, taking part of her immortal life and giving it to the small group of saiya-jin. After it had dissapated they looked around in confusion until they noticed that they were now haloless.

"You did it!" Bardock said, really surprised. "I didn't think we had a snowball's chance in Hell."

She turned away from them and that was when they saw her red-furred tail. "You may all be saiya-jin but I happen to half that anyway. I shared sympathy with you. No one deserves torture by the creative hands of Furiza." She opened a portal. "But remember to be grateful for all of your days. What life I gave I can also take away." Kat vanished with a flash of light and Enma-sama turned to the group with a neutral face.

"Where would you like to go?" he asked.

There was much glancing between the saiya-jin and finally one of them spoke up. "We can't go back to Vegeta-sei because it doesn't exist anymore. Can you send us to Chikyuu-sei? To wherever Vegeta-ouji lives. We want to join his empire."

"He's not in at the moment but talk to Son Gohan. He's the only official besides the queen still around."

"Still... around? Don't tell me that they're dead!" Vegeta-oui said with a shout.

Enma laughed. "No, Vegeta. They're only on a mission. A very important one at that." He pushed a button on his desk and shouted one word into it. "Kami!"

Dende appeared a split-second later. "You rang?" He made sure not to waste any time. Enma-sama had no excess love for gods of planets.

"Take these saiya-jin to the palace. You know which one."

"Okay, sure." Dende motioned them over. "Now stay together. There's so many of you that it's going to take a lot of effort."

"Many, huh?" Vegeta muttered. "This isn't many compared to the ones we've lost by the hands of Furiza and his minions."

"I'm sorry," Dende said, feeling slightly sad. He had experienced fear, pain, and death by Furiza himself. He could relate.

"Don't be. We're not going to let our hatred of him make us give up any hope for living." Dende smiled tentively and took them all to their destination in Satan City.

***

"Just jump, Magori. It's not that hard with one rope." Pan told him from the sidelines. Bra had one end of the jump rope while Jakina had the other. "Do you need me to show you again?"

"Iie, I think I have it." The rope came around and he was startled by the appearance of a large group of people. Tripping over the rope, he fell to the ground. "Who are they?"

"I have no idea," Pan said while backing away. "TOUSAN! THERE'S SOME WEIRD PEOPLE OUT HERE!"

"Hi Dende!" Jakina said cheerfully. "Who're they?"

"These are the saiya-jin that have just gotten resurrected by the Creator. She thought that they deserved it."

"Oh? You met Kat-chan?" Gohan appeared at the front door and almost had a heart-attack.

"What are a bunch of saiya-jin doing on the front lawn?" he asked in confusion. "I could have sworn that Raditzu and Nappa were dead."

"They aren't anymore!" Pan began to walk around them slowly, examining everyone. She stopped at Bardock. "Why do you look like Goku-ojiichan and Goten-ojisan?"

"I am Bardock," he said as he kneeled down to her level. Gohan was tempted to grab his daughter and run far, far away. "Kakarotto's father. You must be my great-granddaughter."

She nodded. "I'm Son Pan. That's my tousan over there with Magori, Bra Briefs, and Jakina Briefs." She saw Vegeta for the first time. "I guess the girls are your granddaughters then."

"I have more family?" Vegeta asked. "Does Vegeta have a mate?"

"Yep. Bulma-san's taking a little rest right now since these people are driving her insane."

"She is ningen?" Pan nodded and he didn't know how he felt about that.

"Are they bonded?"

Pan had no idea what that was and neither did anyone else. She shrugged and turned to her tousan for help.

"Come with me. You should be hungry since you haven't eaten in over forty years." He shook his head. "Finding enough food for fifty saiya-jin and four demi-saiya-jin is going to be rough."

"We could go hunting," Nappa suggested.

Gohan protested immediately. "NO! I mean," he continued in a quieter voice as they walked through the throne room, "most ningen consider that uncivilized. Vegeta-san has an image to protect."

"Not even being here is *really* helping things," Vegeta said sarcastically. "There should be fanfare and a great feast."

"If we knew that you were coming then there would have been something ready." The saiya-jin took the numerous seats around the table but there were still lot standing. The kids and Gohan went to find more chairs just as ChiChi and Videl emerged from the kitchen.

"Videl," ChiChi said slowly as she eyed the large group. "am I going insane or do you see all of the saiya-jin too."

She younger woman nodded. "I see, ChiChi-san, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I believe."

"Are one of you Bulma?" Vegeta asked.

Both shook their heads, still not believing. Gohan chose that time to reappear and then tried to exit again once he saw his wife and mother's faces.

"Son Gohan!" Then said in unison, sounding remarkably alike.

"Kaasan, Dende brought them here. I had *nothing* to do with it." His eyes darted between the two. "You have to believe me!"

"Look, he's afraid of two ningen women," Raditzu whispered with a laugh. "Demi-saiya-jin are pathetic." Before he could say another word, his mother was standing beside him.

"Are you insulting my son?" ChiChi asked as she raised her frying pan. "You *don't* want to insult my son."

"What? Are you going to do something about it?" The fying pan came down with great force upon his skull. Raditzu cringed and jumped away from her.

"That *hurt* lady!"

"My name is Son ChiChi!" She hit him again. "You will address me with respect!" He ran from her and she chased him, yelling all the way.

"That is why we're all afraid of her," Gohan said solemnly. "She is insane."

All had new found respect for Goku, Goten, and Gohan for having put up with her for so many years.