TYTANIA CHRONICLES - A Dragon Ball AU

Elio

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TYTANIA CHRONICLES
(A fantasy/sci-fi AU for the Dragon Ball series)
Part I: The Trial of Heroes

Premise:

Approximately one thousand years ago, an unknown entity had caused havoc to the universe, destroying everything including the Other World, the universes, and all that connects to it- except for the legendary warrior, Son Goku, the deities Zeno, Beerus and the Supreme Kai of Time, the Angel Whis, and the Super Dragon Balls. With the help of the Super Shenron, Goku was able to have every being reborn make the whole universe start anew - but as a result, the Shenron had given more than what his powers allowed, and vanished from the face of the world. Goku, on the other hand, was reborn - as are all his enemies and allies, but at a price most terrible: none of them will ever remember him, or what he would mean to them. Goku was also reborn with his memories & knowledge intact, and was given the task to investigate the being responsible for destroying the old Universes.


Thanks to that, the universe was reborn anew. Many past enemies are reborn as good people (with the exception of a few), and the new world oversaw the rise and fall of whole civilizations throughout the galaxies; its most glorious one yet being the birth and rise of Tytania, a kingdom run by the rough but noble Saiyans. Magic, alchemy and weapons are now more widely used, but there are still those who remember and uphold the ancient ways of martial arts and the usage of Ki. 

However, an unknown evil lurks the prosperous land, seeking nothing more than gain the power that had destroyed the past evil - and use it to their own twisted advantages. With new powers and new adventures, it's up to Goku and his (reconnected) friends and allies to ensure that this last universe remains safe and protected.

Genres:

Alternate Universe/Fantasy/Sci-fi

Commentary:

I've had this AU since I was 14. It's been 13 (it will be 14 considering I turn 27 this year) years now, and this AU has seen numerous expansions and revisions as I add in new stuff to it; it used to just be an AU that's highly influenced by Final Fantasy, but somewhere down the line I discovered Dragon Quest and Chrono Trigger, and made a LOT of revisions based on those two games, their lore and world building, and try to make them as cohesive to the Dragon Ball universe as possible. Down the line, there was also Dragon Ball Super, Heroes and Xenoverse to consider -- all of these provide me with a lot of information and new characters to add to and fit into this very extensive AU.

This AU's seen about three attempts at roleplay and one fanfiction that never got past the third chapter before it was somewhat lost for good, and numerous first-draft comics that never saw the light of day. Over the years, I've also lost a lot of notes and worldbuilding I've done up until 2009. I kind of regret not keeping them all in one place, but the good thing about this at least is that I can now build up on this AU with the knowledge and experience I've gotten over time also. 

If you have any commentary/suggestions, or just want to say you like the story, you can do so in this thread!

++++++

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Whatever you might have known about us, and what we had been, the fights we've fought and the destinies we carved for ourselves -- forget it. That's old history, history long erased when this new universe was created. We're not who we used to be any more. Now our paths are leading into new destinies and new adventures -- adventures that even I never thought I'd embark on. 

My old story is a bedtime story told to kids aspiring to be heroes now. But I know everything about it is true. Let the old man that took care of me tell you that story of mine now.

My name is Goku. This is how it all began.

A long time ago, longer before Tytania was born, before its rise to power, before it was even the kingdom it is today, the universes were twelve in total. Save for a Tournament of Power, the twelve universes existed parallel to each other in peace and harmony, going on with the course of their fates as dictated by their respective gods.

This peace did not last long.

One day, each of the universes heard a single, monstrous shriek from the heavens. The scream could be heard from every corner of each universe, even in the most remote areas. Then, complete silence. Every living being stayed deathly still, wondering with terror what the scream was and where it came from.

Then all of a sudden, the scream resounded again. But this time, everyone managed to look up all at once, and saw that there was a large, scathing tear in the skies, and from it a terrifying creature emerged, so monstrous it was that none could ever describe it. And none even survived to be able to tell this – as the creature ripped itself out of the tear in the sky, it shot out beams of black light – a beam so powerful it wiped out entire galaxies all at once.

There was no stopping the creature. With every shriek, and every move, it destroyed everything regardless of where it exists in the realms. Gods and mortals alike perished under its tyranny, many of which did not even stand a chance. In an attempt to save what they could, the surviving Gods of Creation and Destruction and their angels dispatched as many people as they could to a safe haven, and devised a single plan: gather all its strongest warriors that were still alive in the seventh universe, and attack the creature with all their might. The seventh universe was chosen as their final rendezvous point as it was the universe that remained standing during the Tournament of Power.

Leading them, the one rallying all of them to action, was a Saiyan that throughout most of his life had beaten all odds and broke through all limits. Even at the face of imminent destruction, he vowed to keep the universe safe at all costs, even his life if he must.

The war was long. So long it felt almost endless. In its wake, nearly all of the seventh universe was destroyed, and many good warriors and gods perished. But even so, with every attack thrown at it, the monster weakened, and with the passing time, even it grew weary. As the battle waned, only two warriors and their God of Destruction remained standing against the beast. The monster launched a desperate attack on the legendary Saiyan warrior – only for his friend to push him aside to safety, and the friend bore the brunt of the monster’s single beam, erasing him completely from existence.

His friend’s sacrifice was not in vain – his resolve to protect what was left strengthened, the warrior unleashed all of his power, and together with the god, fired a powerful blast that the beast could not deflect, even with its hellish black beam. The monster was flung back into the black tear it had emerged so long ago, and with the power of the Angels that survived, sealed into the tear with their godly magic. Even then, it took a toll on them; those whose powers have been drained enough from ensuring everything did not fall apart in the wake of the battle, or ensured the survival and longevity of the warriors as they fought, died from having their powers used up completely, and only one of them survived, weary and full of sorrow as he grieved for his fallen colleagues.

The battle was won, but now almost nothing remained. All that survived was the universe’s god of time, the god of destruction and his angel, the masters Zeno, masters to the god of destruction, and the warrior himself. No god of creation survived the hellish aftermath. Heartbroken by how much was lost in the battle – one that took thousands of years – the warrior rested himself, weary and unsure of what to do next. Aside from the gods that survived, he was all alone. There seemed no way going forward now, until one of the two Zeno mentioned that they still had something to salvage: seven magic orbs that, when invoked, summons a powerful dragon capable of granting any wish. But the Zenos warned the warrior that there may not be enough power for all the universes to be revived; doing so will cause the orbs to disappear forever, and there was no telling if or when the beast would break free. If he chooses to go forward, there was another thing that he must take into account: in order to compensate, the dragon would have to take his power to make it happen. There would be no telling how he would end up when he was reborn.

Without hesitation, the warrior agreed. The dragon was summoned before them, and as they deliberated on the wish for a final time, the warrior turned to the surviving gods, and told them what he wanted – he wanted to be reborn, and that any goodness in his heart be used to make any of his enemies reborn as good, kind people. The angel warned that all his friends would not remember him when he’d be reborn again, to which the warrior only nodded in response, smiling.

“Anything’s better than being all by myself.”

With a smile and final goodbyes, the warrior made his wish. The dragon then lowered itself, beckoning the warrior to mount on its head, and flew away from the gods as they set to work, disappearing together with the magic orbs.

The gods and the angel, with sadness and renewed hope, watched at the edge of the ruined universe as small sparks of light shone down from the black void of the heavens, bringing with it new life and new resolve for the last universe.

++++

After old Gohan had finished, the little boy remained silent, wide-eyed in wonder. “Did that really happen?” he asked, finally. (Gohan was starting to become worried that he might have spooked the kid a little.) “Like, is that known history?”

The old man only laughed heartily. “If it was, it’s a wonder someone survived to even tell the story to start with!” With a grunt, old Gohan got up, sauntering over to the kitchen – consisting of only a sunken fireplace and a blackened pot placed over it – and, with careful hands, took off the lid of the pot and ladled some water for their tea. “No, boy, it’s only a bedtime story, but it’s a story people usually tell to kids who need hope,” he continued, handing over the tea to the boy. “I felt like you needed to hear it.”

The cup of tea felt warm in the boy’s hands. Gently, he blew into the cup to cool it down, or at least attempt to, before taking a small sip. The tea was still too hot to drink, and very bitter, but at this point he was already quite used to it.

“Grandpa,” he spoke, looking up to Gohan. “You really think Master Roshi’s gonna be able to teach me about martial arts? I feel like you’re able to teach me better.”

Although obscured by his bushy mustache, the boy could still see the smile on the old man’s face as brushed his hair with a frail hand. “My dear Goku,” he said finally, with a small hint of sadness, “I’ve taught you everything you could. You’re old enough to receive training from him now, I think – Master Roshi is my master after all, and he has far more to teach you than I ever could.”

“I just don’t like the thought of leaving you behind.”

“Pish posh, you’re coming up with excuses now eh!” Gohan admonished – but there was a light tone to it, and the ruffling that followed was enough for Goku to know that his grandfather was just being playful. “This old man is going to be fine! You can always come back here any time, and I’ll drop by from time to time to check up on you!” He paused for a moment, studying the boy’s features. Then, he places a finger on Goku’s chest.

“But even if we’re far apart, I’ll always be right here, in your heart. As long as you hold on to that, we’ll always be together.”
 
CHAPTER 1: THE MILLENNIAL CELEBRATION
(image to come soon)

Notes: A special thanks to @"Grey Star"  and @Panich for helping me beta read this chapter! Please let me know what you think of this chapter and what you'd like to see next in the review thread! I apologize that it's very long, I wanted to establish the setting of Tytania in particular in this chapter so people can have a better idea of what kind of world this story is set in.​

Morning was beginning to rise over the horizon as a new day began, overseen by the regal towers and glittering domes, marking the palace of the ruler of Tytania. The sun’s warm light shone through every street, every window of the immaculate houses in the still-sleeping city of Delcadar, although there were already people out and about preparing for the day’s activities. It would seem like any other normal day, naturally, but the decorations that had been placed on the lamps, walls and anywhere else that they could be mounted on. Beautiful, beautiful banners were hunghanging on pillars and draped over balconies, posters advertising the Millennial Fair and all of the fun and entertainment it could offer for the next week were all indicators that this day wasn’t going to be any ordinary day.
 
In fact, today was a momentous day, for both this grand kingdom and the world. Today was the beginning of the new millennium, and a new era of prosperity, power and strengthened bonds; Tytania’s 3rd millennial anniversary.
 



 Light shone brightly in the spacious, grand room as the sun started to rise. On the windowsill, the figure that was sleeping quite peacefully started to stir. Sleeping on the windowsill wasn’t really the best idea when your window is in full view of the rising sun over the horizon, but it also had the best view of the entire expanse of the kingdom, and at night one can see the stars in full view in the sky. 
 
There came a knock on the door. “Your Highness?” a muffled voice called out.
 
“Mmmh.”
 
“The King has asked for you to join him and your brother for breakfast.”
 
At this, the figure rose. He was still not entirely awake, his flame-like hair in disarray as he rubbed his eyes. “Be right there in a minute,” he said, before lying down again.
 
Not even a few minutes after that he got up again, slowly. “You still there, Goya?”
 
“Yes, sir,” came the answer.
 
“What day is it today?”
 
“It’s May 9th, your Highness.” There was a slight pause. “Will you be joining us soon?”
 
“Yes, I will, just give me another five minutes.”
 
“Of course, sire.”
 
The person laid himself down again, hearing footsteps moving away from the door. He closed his eyes. “May 9th…” he muttered. “Hm… the Millennial Celebration…”
 
Almost at an instant his eyes shot open and he got up immediately, as if something had jolted him awake. “Oh no! It’s the Millennial Celebration! I’M GOING TO BE LATE!”
 



 
King Vegeta appeared utterly unsurprised seeing his elder son bursting through the door in an almost haphazard way, as though being chased by a horde of zombies in his wake. “Calm down, the address doesn’t start until 10,” he said matter-of-factly, taking another sip of his tea. Tarble was already up and about, quietly eating his 3rd helping of his breakfast. Without a word, the elder prince sat down at the table next to his father, setting himself down for breakfast.
 
“So,” King Vegeta began, “now that the Millennial Celebration begins today, the Trial of Heroes will surely follow. You will be participating, won’t you, Vegeta?” He set down his cup, leaning forward to hear what his son had to say. “I have full confidence you will come out on top as the champion of the tournament.”
 
“Mm, I guess I am,” Vegeta answered, taking a bite of the stack of hot pancakes that had been set before him by Goya, the butler that had woke him up earlier. “I heard the line-up of fighters this time around are tough and well-trained. But I think I can beat them all.”
 
“You think?” Tarble asked softly. They both looked at him. Tarble immediately looked down. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound rude, but… I think you shouldn’t be so humble, brother.”
 
“Nah, you’re right, I shouldn’t be. I just think there’s a chance someone might be able to beat me, is all.” He finished the last of the pancakes on his plate, after which Goya wordlessly took the empty dish from him and set another one immediately, this time filled with fresh egg rolls – the elder prince’s favorite. “The King had personally requested to have these prepared for you, Your Highness,” Goya spoke.
 
“Oh, now this is exactly what I needed!”
 



 
By 10 a.m., the city of Delcadar was bursting with activity and entertainment as everyone joined in on the beginning of the festivities surrounding the Millennial Fair. Merchants from all over the realm had already set up shop in the main square, peddling various unique wares from the rarest arcane tomes of Meridia to the latest gadgets and technology from Guardia’s Capsule Corporation. And as always, the famed weapon-makers of Tytania were also present, selling their most prized and powerful arsenal to anyone looking to level their playing field with a strong, bona-fide Saiyan weapon.
 
On one corner of the square, there was a particularly eye-catching display being set up. On one end of the other endarea, a humongous pink robot was undergoing a final tune-up and check before it would be ready for operations. A sign on the entrance of what seemed to be a fighting ring – gaudily painted with bright red and green, and decorated with way too many paper stars – advertised: “COME CHALLENGE GATO V. 3.0! BUILT BY FAMED PROFESSOR PARAGUS AND HIS SON BROLY! NOW WITH 500 MORE BATTLE MODULES AND THREE NEW AND MORE DIFFICULT COMBAT MODES TO CHOOSE FROM!!!!” No doubt the handiwork of the lime-green young lady helping with the check-ups.
 
“Hey Cheelai, pass me the tablet, will you?” the Saiyan standing behind the robot called out. He was tall – exceedingly so – with messy shoulder-length hair that was tied haphazardly and a scar just above his left jaw – and wearing standard-issue Tytanian Science Ministry garbs, except the lab coat was tied around his waist to reveal a skin-tight black tank top instead. He was doing some final tuning on the robot’s core processor, ensuring no dust remained and the coolant was sufficient so the processor wouldn’t heat up too fast.
 
Cheelai passed the tablet to the Saiyan, who then booted up a holographic display of GATO 3.0’s blueprint. “Hmm…” he mused, zooming into the blueprint of the core processor, and looking back at the physical processor again, then gave the tablet back to Cheelai as he started to tinker with the processor a bit more, adjusting some wiring that seemed out of place from the blueprint. “And…. Okay, there we go!” he said, closing the lid protecting the core processor and screwing it securely. “Ready to go when the main event starts!”
 
“Lookin’ good, Broly,” Cheelai grinned, admiring her friend’s handiwork. Her lime-green skin gave her away that she was a Mystic, and like Broly, she was also wearing her uniform in the same fashion as her Saiyan partner. “All the construction followed the blueprints exactly too – your old man’s gonna be proud when he sees this!”
 
“Assuming he’s even going to see it in the first place,” Broly replied. He moved over to the table set up next to the robot and began packing up all his tools. “Probably gonna be even busier for the next few days, what with the new teleportation devices expected to be fully operational by –”
 
“Whoa whoa, now hold on a second,” Cheelai interjected, throwing her hands up. “What teleportation devices? And why didn’t Lemo tell me all of this?”
 
“He probably forgot. Besides, the devices aren’t supposed to be general knowledge until the launch later after the royal address.” Broly packed in the last of the tools and closed the lid. Then, he pressed on a button that was hidden on the side of the tool box. With a small click, the tool box suddenly explodedexplodes into a puff of smoke, and when it cleared, in its place was a small capsule with a lime green label on it. “In any case, Dad’s been working on those teleportation devices to accommodate for the traffic coming into Tytania. He thinks it’ll be a better alternative to the rest of the public transport we have.”
 
“Has he already tested it though?”
 
“I spent months working on them with him, even tested it many times over. It works pretty okay. In fact –”
 
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of cheering and roaring from the main square. The ring was obscured by trees and bushes all over, so they had no idea what was going on over at the square, but the incessant cheering and resounding chants of “LONG LIVE THE KING!” was indication enough for them that the royal address was about to begin.
 
“Speaking of launching, aren’t you supposed to be there with –” Cheelai began, slightly concerned. But whatever she was about to say, she dropped it almost immediately, after seeing that Broly was already making a dash towards the main square. Shrugging her shoulders, she reached for her bag on the table, and also made her way towards the crowd. “Whatever am I gonna do with that big airhead?”
 
 



The main square was already jam-packed with people, most of them Saiyans, but with some Mystics and humans joining in to hear the King’s address. To be able to see the King of Tytania was an opportunity that couldn’t be missed by anyone, especially considering the royal family of Tytania rarely show themselves unless for official affairs.
 
While the mayor of Delcadar was delivering her welcome speech, already standing by the podium on the stage was the King, with both his Princes and the butler Goya standing by him. To his far right of the stage, there was a man with short, spiked hair and an impressive mustache standing proudly. He wore a very regal suit, the only giveaway of him being part of the Tytanian Science Ministry being the lapel pin on his blazer. Just below it, there was a name tag with the label “PARAGUS” on it.
 
Discreetly, Broly moved from behind the stage to this man’s side, already changed into a matching suit that he was supposed to wear for the address. “Sorry I’m late,” he whispered to the man. “Last-minute maintenance.”
Paragus turned to him. “Fashionably late, I presume,” he replied, nodding. “How’s the robot coming along? Everything in order?”
 
“Yep. Wanna see it in action a little before you go back to work, Dad?”
 
“Would not miss it for the world.”
 
“And now, I present to you, his Royal Majesty, the XVth King of Tytania, King Vegeta the XVIth!” the mayor declared, graciously moving from the podium as the crowd cheered on and gave a thunderous applause.
 
The King stepped towards the podium gracefully, shaking the mayor’s hand warmly before turning towards the crowd. “Thank you, venerable Mayor,” he began, giving the mayor a nod. “Citizens of Tytania! It is a great honor to be standing here before you today, in celebration of Tytania’s third Millennial Anniversary. As you may already know, this entire month, all of the realm will be joining us together to celebrate this joyous occasion.”
 
As the King continued his speech, Vegeta watched the crowd with interest. Sure, most of them were Saiyans, but there were plenty of humans and Mystics in the crowd, all coming from every corner of the world to be here for the Millennial celebration. There was a small bit of pride welling up in his heart to know that he was alive to be able to see this.
 
“In accordance with this Millennial celebration,” King Vegeta continued, “Tytania will be host to the 100th Trial of Heroes – and this time, it will be a special one.” At this, some of the warriors gathered there began whispering in excitement. “In addition to the standard tournament procedures, the preliminaries will test each participant’s endurance and survival – there will be a set of challenging trials that will take place…” At this, there was a whirring sound, and the audience stared mesmerizingly as a small, empty table was lifted up to the center of the stage. As the table was secured in place with a resounding click, the King turned to Lord Paragus, who nodded, fishing out a small remote control that had only a red switch on it. With a single click, the table’s surface glowed with a blue light, and from it, a large holographic display was projected for all to see. It was a stadium of sorts, surrounded by a port that was immediately recognizable as Tytania’s main port of Luca. The stadium itself was as grand as the port itself: two large curved metal structures formed the outer dome of the stadium, and the stadium itself was shaped like a semi-dome, glided with white and rose gold. At another press of the switch, the metal structures began to move in an oscillation, surrounding the stadium with various images – first, it was a lush forest; and after another oscillation, the stadium seemed to be filled to the brim with water; and after, it gave the illusion of a barren desert wasteland. The crowd began to gasp and gawk in absolute admiration and they began chatting excitedly to one another at this marvel of technology. Both Vegeta and Broly looked at each other, knowingly.
 
“Tytania’s most powerful structural design and technology, together with the joint combination of Hyfanua and Meridia’s most powerful magic, and the architectural brilliance of Guardia,” the King resumed, “all have joined forces together for the past five years to bring you this marvel of engineering and a symbol of our Kingdoms’ unity.” The holographic display was zoomed in, and the crowd had a clearer picture of each and every one of the stadium’s state-of-the-art facilities. “This is where our Trials will be held. You’ve seen how the structures change the landscape within the stadium with every orbit. That, my friends, is how the preliminaries will be different.” The King paused for a moment, studying the crowd’s eager reaction. “I am sure it will provide an enthralling challenge to all of our brave warriors that will be taking up the challenge.”
 
“You can say that again,” Broly muttered to himself.
 
“This is, however, not the only marvel of engineering that will be available for this celebration.” The King turned to Paragus again with a nod. At this, Paragus smiled, knowing what to do. With another click of the switch, the display changed instantly, and the image of the stadium was instantly replaced with what seemed to be a miniature version of it, except here, the metal structures were encased within a pod, shaped like a half-moon, and at the entrance of this pod was a computer terminal that had a series of images and map coordinates in them, showing the locations of each coordinates that some recognize to be the locations of Aerodromes around the globe. “Paragus, if you would do the honors?” King Vegeta said, gesturing to him.
 
“Thank you, your Majesty,” Paragus began, stepping forward next to the display. “Ladies and gentlemen, what you are seeing here is Tytania’s latest breakthrough in transport.” Another click of the switch displayed the full name of the project to the crowd, titled “TYTANIA SCIENCE MINISTRY #080 – INSTANT TELEPORTATION DEVICE”. Some members of the crowd gasped in wonder. Broly took notice of Cheelai in the crowd, who had her mouth open in amazement, and he grinned.

“These teleportation devices are already fully operational and are being used right now in every Aerodrome in all Kingdoms. It is the fastest way to travel as of now, faster than our rail link.” Paragus paused for a moment – “Pause for effect…” he thought to himself – and continued: “But rest assured, it is safe to use the device, and there are little to no side effects, as we’ve also had the assistance of the brightest minds of the Yardrat people, whose unique technique of Instant Transmission was what inspired this device in the first place.”
 
“There will also be a special display here in this fair, where attendants may test them for themselves,” Paragus continued. “The devices will be placed separately on one end of the square to the other, and my trusted friend Lemo will be overseeing the display. Please do not hesitate to approach him or my son –” He gestured towards Broly, who bowed to the crowd – “if you have any questions. I hope you will make full use of them in your journey to and from home, as this is the best Tytania has to offer yet.”
 
The crowd broke into applause as Paragus bowed, and turned towards the King. “Your Majesty, over to you now.”
 
King Vegeta smiled, bowing slightly at Paragus before he turned back towards the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, and esteemed members of the floor,” King Vegeta boomed, his voice a little higher, and his arms outstretched in a gesture of welcome. “Please, enjoy this entire month of festivities and excitement, and welcome to Tytania!”
 
At this, the crowd cheered, louder than they had been, with many of them, Tytanian and non-Tytanian alike, screaming “LONG LIVE THE KING! GLORY TO TYTANIA!” in sheer enthusiasm and pride. The King bowed graciously, taking a step back from the podium and shaking the hand of the Mayor again, and to the master of ceremonies. He, before he, the Mayor and the Princes were ushered to the back of the stage by Goya and Paragus, with Broly following close behind. As the master of ceremonies began delivering the closing remarks for the address, behind the stage, refreshments were already provided as well as some seats, and Goya set to work seating them all as he and the other servers at hand began to work.
 
“Congratulations on the stadium, your Majesty,” Paragus began, patting the King’s shoulder. “It’s truly a sight to behold.”
“Now now, Paragus, you know you’ve had a hand in its construction as well,” King Vegeta remarked. “None of this would be possible if you haven’t overseen to it yourself. To be able to do this and those devices – that’s a feat not many would even take up in the first place.”
 
Paragus chuckled. “Those devices wouldn’t have been completed on time if Broly hadn’t worked overtime making sure they’re ready to go by the time the Celebrations began,” he said, nodding to his son, who was already busy stuffing himself with the sandwiches being served. “Your Majesty, he may not seem like it now, but those hands of his are as talented at working with machines as they are in combat. I’m confident that there will be no better replacement than him when I retire.”
 
“As do I,” the King replied, taking a glance at his elder son; Vegeta had seated himself next to Broly, and they started talking about the upcoming Trials and how excited they both are for it. After a while, Tarble, who had been silent the entire time, quietly went to his father’s side. “Father, could I... could I go catch up with my friends?”
 
“Do you need any escort?” King Vegeta asked.
 
“N-no, I think I’ll be alright on my own,” Tarble answered.
 
Broly and Vegeta also stood up to meet their fathers. “Hey Dad – and your Majesty,” Broly said, bowing slightly. “We heard some of the new participants are going to be at the station later, is it okay if Vegeta and I go and meet them?”
 
Tarble nodded. “Caulifla told me about it also. She, Cabba and Kale will be there to see them also. They asked me if I wanted to join.”
 
King Vegeta laughed. “Eager, aren’t you? Well then, Paragus – what do you say?”
 
Paragus mulled on this for a moment. “Well, I suppose Broly can be excused just this once… I’m sure Appule can replace him for the time being.”
 
“Sweet!” Broly interjected. “Thanks Dad – and thank you, Your Majest –”
 
“Broly,” King Vegeta interrupted. “You are my wife’s nephew and therefore you’re my nephew as well, there’s no need for formalities. ‘Uncle’ would suffice.”
 
“Well, okay, uh. Uncle it is,” Broly said, grinning. “I promise to bring Vegeta back in one piece!”
 
“Be home in a bit,” Vegeta spoke, waving to his father and to Paragus before all three of them left, Tarble trailing behind the two older Saiyans as they made their way to the station. Only the King, Paragus and Goya remained, the butler remaining silent as he stood quite still before his King.
 
King Vegeta let out a sigh. “As I was about to say… you have your Broly, and I have my Vegeta.” He said, taking a sip of his tea. “Vegeta is still a bit of a work in progress, but by god, Paragus, I look at how he’s grown, and the way he carries himself…” He sighed.
 
“Almost like his mother.” He fell silent, lost in thought.
 
It was a longing and a silent grief that Paragus understood at once. Gently, he placed a hand onto King Vegeta’s shoulder. “After all this time, you still mourn for her…?”
 
“I suspect you feel the same about Chive, as I do with Niku.”
 
They were both silent for a while. “My friend,” Paragus began, his voice soft, “I know the feeling far too well. I look at Broly, and I could see so much of Chive in him. I…”
 
Noting their silence, Goya spoke up, “My lieges, if you need to be by yourselves, I will take my –”
 
“No, it’s fine,” Paragus said, shaking his head. “Look at us, sad old fools missing their wives on such a joyous occasion! Chive would have scolded us for brooding like this.”
 
“I dare say Queen Niku would also do the same and join her sister in the admonishing, Sire,” Goya offered, a ghost of a smile on his lips. At this, the King and the Lord laughed, all their sadness forgotten for that one moment.
 


 
The train station, located just a few blocks away from the square, was already packed with people alighting and boarding the trains by the time Broly, Vegeta and Tarble arrived, with Cheelai, who had been waiting for them just outside the back of the stage prior, tagging along with them to see the participants for the Trials. Of all the platforms though, only one was cleared for a specific purpose, and they made their way there. On the platform, some guards were stationed to separate the crowd from the platform. Upon seeing the Prince, they began to part, only for Vegeta to hold a hand up wordlessly. “We’re waiting for some more of our friends,” he said. They nodded, and resumed their position.
 
“So, Tarble, you gonna be joining these two for the Trials?” Cheelai asked.
 
“Uhm, I’m not sure if I’d be able to,” Tarble answered, craning his neck forward in search of his friends. “Besides, the minimum age of participation is 18, so I’m not exactly qualified. Are you going to?”
 
Cheelai guffawed. “Who, me? Nah – I’m not built for fighting! Not interested in it anyway!”
 
“You’re a dab hand with the gun though,” Broly remarked. “You sure you don’t want to?”
 
“If I had to be pit against folks like you and the Prince, I’d be dead ten seconds into the fight,” Cheelai replied, hands at her hips. “So no thank you!”
 
Vegeta laughed. “Either way, I’m sure there will be strong fighters joining, so I’m excited to see who they’ll be and who we’ll be going up against.”
 
“Say, did Turles ever tell you he’s coming?” Broly asked.
 
“He did, he just didn’t really tell me when he’s coming.” Vegeta grimaced a little. “Hard to tell with that guy. He’s always been a little mysterious.”
 
“Oh, you guys are here!”
 
The small group turned to see three young Saiyans behind them, about the same age and height as Tarble, except the girl who spoke to them was a bit taller than the rest. One of them had a similar hairstyle to Tarble, while the other girl standing meekly behind the tall girl had a single lock of hair over her face, and the rest tied into a ponytail. The tall girl had spiky, unruly hair, and had a very large grin on her face. “Thought you slowpokes weren’t gonna make it(,) considering how long the address was!”
 
“Hey, Caulifla!” Broly greeted with an equally large grin. “Looks like we beat you punks to it this time!” He gave Kale a wink. “My sister didn’t give you any trouble, did she?”
 
“No, she’s alright, as always,” said the boy. “Say, Tarble – after this we’re going back to the Fair, you wanna join us? Heard the Guardia food stalls are great!”
 
Tarble smiled for the first time on that day. “That – that’ll be great, Cabba,” he said. “I’d like to –”
 
“They’re here!” Someone called out from the crowd, and they all turned their attention to the approaching train. It was a small train, with fewer coaches and differently colored than the others, marking it as a train specially employed to carry participants of the Trials safely to Tytania. As the train screeched to a halt, the guards began moving into formation, giving the small group entry to the platform, while some of them began stationing themselves before the entrances.
 
“Remind me again why this one is special?” Broly asked Vegeta.
 
“These guys are the cream of the crop of their respective Kingdoms – they’ve been specifically singled out and chosen to represent their Kingdoms for the Trials, although anyone else who wants to join can do so freely, just that they have to sign up individually,” Vegeta answered. “It’s… kind of pointless if you ask me, but that’s just how it is.”
 
“So, snobs?” Cheelai asked.
 
“Not really, no, but we’ll just have to see.” The doors of the train began to slide open, and out came the special participants for the Trials. There were quite a number of them; a group of humans wearing what seemed to be their weekend best walked out of the first coach with their bags packed – leading the team was a scruffy-looking short kid in full adventure gear (‘No nose?’ Broly thought), followed by a boy and a girl that looked identical to one another, a taller boy that looked like a ruffian, with scars that ran over his right eye and his left cheek, and right after him was a boy with three eyes, followed closely by a very pale-looking child that was casually floating along the three-eyed boy. They stood by, taking tally of everyone before they lifted their bags and started to make their way.
 
From the second coach, some Namekians alighted. From the way they dress, it was very clear that they were a high-ranking member of Meridia’s Knights of the Spire, one of the most elusive military forces known to Tytania. But one of them stood out; instead of the immaculate white gear of the other two, his ensemble is all black, the blazon of the Knights on his shoulder guards gleamed in silver instead of gold. FollowingFollowed after was… a strange crew, to say the least. Just upon alighting, the group began to assume position, before they flashed a synchronized pose that seemed to embarrass the Namekians a little, but was a bit impressive to the Saiyans looking on. Tarble looked on in interest as he noted the red-faced boy among the group, younger than the others, who also noticed him and flashed him a cheeky smile. As the group eased from their pose, another person walked out just as the doors closed behind him – he bore the same look as the red boy, except his skin was a brilliant turquoise and he had blond hair. He trailed behind his coach mates with a look of disdain on his face.
 
And in the final coach, only one alighted. He was tall, a bit more dark-skinned than most other Saiyans, and his hair was spiked in different directions. He wore a white, slightly furred coat, a cropped tank top and slim fit slacks, with boots that reached up to his calves halfway. His weapon was tucked neatly to his side. Broly and Vegeta’s faces lit up immediately as they recognized who this person was.
 
Vegeta stepped forward to welcome the participants, assuming his role as the Prince quite easily. “Hello,” he began, as everyone gathered before him and the others. “Welcome to Tytania. Meeting you all is a great honor.”
 
“As do we, your Highness,” one of the Namekians replied, kneeling down in respect towards the prince, with the others following suit. Vegeta grimaced slightly at the gesture – this was…definitely not what he was really expecting.
 
“Please, there’s no need to be formal around me,” he said finally, as they stood up again. “We’re going to be equals in the Trials after all, so uh… think of me as your friend, alright?”
 
“And am I supposed to also do the same?” the Saiyan remarked, stepping forward. “Long time no see, Vegeta.”
 
“Same to you, Turles,” Vegeta replied with a smile. “Glad to see you could make it.”
 
“And the only rep for Wyntre Tytania!” Broly chimed in. “Didn’t think you had it in ya, huh?”
 
“So uh,” the scarred boy piped up. “You know each other already?”
 
Vegeta nodded. “Yes – Turles here is a friend. Cousin, actually, because our moms are related.”
 
Some of the Namekians began to quietly confer with each other, before turning to the Prince. “Your Highness,” one of them remarked, the same one who had spoken up earlier. “Please excuse us. We need to make sure our accommodation is ready. Piccolo will remain here to represent us.” Vegeta nodded, and the white-clad Namekians left, leaving behind the black-clad one that he assumed was Piccolo.
 
Then, another person bade his leave. “Beggin’ your pardon, Sir,” the person said. He was a tall man, his skin tone a milky purple, with a set of horns on his head. “We should also make our leave. Jeice’s the one you should be meetin’ anyhow – we’re here to escort ‘im since he’s only a kid. But my boys and I also gotta make sure our place’s all ready.”
 
“Of course, please go on ahead,” Vegeta answered, smiling. At this, the man and some of his team bowed and left, leaving behind only the boy and the blond man.
 
Broly clapped his hands. “So,” he said, “why don’t you guys tell us where you’re from and everything? Sure, we could do that later in the ball tomorrow but we both uh, we’d rather we get to know each other, you know?”
 
The short, noseless boy nodded. “Sure! I’m Krillin,” he began. “And this guy with the scars and all is Yamcha, and that’s Tien,” he said, gesturing to the scarred boy and the three-eyed boy, “and here’s Chiaotzu,” Krillin continued, pointing to the pale kid next to Tien.
 
“It’s an honor, your Highness,” Tien said, bowing, with Chiaotzu following.
 
“Oh uh, please call me Vegeta.”
 
“Very well then, Vegeta.”
 
“And I’m Lapis,” the boy with black hair that looked similar to the girl beside him spoke. “This is my twin sister, Lazuli.”
 
“Pleased to meet’cha,” Broly said, shaking the twins’ hands. “I’m Broly.” He turned his attention to the Namekian standing behind them. “And you?”
 
“I think you already can tell who I am already if you were paying attention.”
 
“Eh?”
 
The Namekian sighed. “Piccolo.” He looked at the red-faced boy. “This is Jeice, I believe.”
 
“And the youngest to join in the Trials,” the blond man spoke up. Jeice only nodded, rubbing his nose sheepishly. “Oh, forgive me also – I am Salza.” He gave a bow to the two Saiyans. “I am this boy’s guardian.”
 
As the older crowd chatted with each other, with Vegeta and Broly introducing them to Cheelai, Caulifla whispered to Tarble. “That Jeice guy looks like our age,” she said. “If that kid can get in, who’s to say we can’t?”
 
Jeice looked at the group behind Vegeta and Broly, and immediately made a beeline towards Tarble. As he stood in front of him, he held out his hand. “Jeice,” he said, grinning. “Nice to meet’cha.”
 
Tarble blinked for a few moments before receiving Jeice’s hand and shook it a little. “Tarble. I’m Vegeta’s brother. This is Caulifla, Kale and Cabba,” he said, introducing the others to Jeice. “Uhm… Salza said you’re the youngest to join this Trial?”
 
“Yep!” Jeice answered, standing proudly. “Cap’n Ginyu’s trained me specifically for this, and I bested everyone!”
 
“We thought only those aged 18 and above can enter,” Kale said.
 
“Oh, y’didn’t know?” Jeice asked, surprised. “They got rid of the age limit this year. Anyone can join in if they can prove themselves.”
 
At this, Caulifla looked at the others excitedly. “You guys hear that!” She said. “That means we can sign up!”
 
“But signups are closed –” Cabba interjected.
 
“Tomorrow!” Caulifla interrupted. “We can still sign up now while we have the chance! Tarble you HAVE to join this time, I insist! We can go to the food stalls later after we sign up!”
 
Tarble hesitated for a moment. “I…”
 
“Come on, it’ll be fun!” said Cabba.
 
Jeice tilted his head to one side as he observed Tarble. “O-okay,” said Tarble, finally, “I’ll join.”
 
At this point, the older group had started to disperse, with some goodbyes (and an acknowledging nod from the largely silent Piccolo)), and bade their leave to their respective places. “Jeice,” Salza called out, “we are leaving.”
 
Jeice turned to the awaiting Salza, and then back to the group. He placed a hand on Tarble’s shoulder, almost as though reassuring him. “See ya later. Food stall, yeah?”
 
“Oh, uh…okay.”
 
Jeice nodded, then waved at the others before making his way to Salza and leaving with him.
 
Whatever Caulifla or his brother were saying after that, or the ensuing excited conversation that they had, was lost on Tarble as they left the station. The warmth of Jeice’s hand on his shoulder was still lingering as Tarble was lost in thought.
 
It felt as though he had just made a connection with someone very special.
 


 
The crowd at the square showed no signs of waning as the day drew to a close, as the fair promised many surprises and charms in store for the coming night. The main attraction of it all seemed to be the food stalls, where various cuisines that included food never seen outside of Guardia itself making their mark among the people of Tytania itself.
 
A young man was seen walking amidst the crowd. No one really noticed him. Those who did thought he looked familiar, but the moment they took a second glance, he was gone. Someone might have said something, a whisper to their partner – “Doesn’t he seem familiar?” they might ask. But they turned again, and the boy was gone.
 
The boy stopped at the center of the square, where a large bell secured by a sturdy stone arch was erected in memory of the first Kings of Tytania. It was said that the bell only rang for two occasions: one at the end of every millennium, and another when the Kingdom was at war.
 
It was said the bell’s ringing could be heard all across Tytania, and echoes of it can be heard as far as the northern regions of the world, to the deepest trenches of Hyfanua.
 
The boy took off his hood, revealing spiky hair that stuck out in every direction, and fair, brilliant hazel eyes. He stared in wonder at this monument, remembering very vaguely how he once heard it ring when he was a child. And how his grandfather used to tell him that the bell rang for months on end, without stopping, due to some sort of civil war.
 
“If you ever find that bell,” old Gohan told him, “You’ll find your home. The place where you really belong. Go to it, my boy, and reclaim yourself.”
 
“Well, Grandpa,” he said to himself, “I think I’m home now.”






 
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