A soft, eerie wind blew throughout the countryside; dust and dirt picking up with every mild gust in the empty expanse that was the Diablo Desert. The day was a hot as any other, and any caught unaware of the dangers of the desert would themselves unexpectedly ravaged by the unforgiving sway of nature. Rhapsody, a young girl from a peaceful, mountain forest, was one such individual. For all of her life, while she had heard of the many natural differences that spanned the planet, she had never seen them; the mountainside her village rested upon and the forest that surrounded it was all she ever knew. Leaving her village and finding herself whisked away to a random part of the planet was difficult enough, but the many differences and wonders she saw would quickly become hazards to her due to her lack of knowledge and understanding.

The vast ocean she flew over some time ago was one such hazard; so in awe by its beauty and expansiveness, Rhapsody couldn't help but to fly its length to see just how far it went. Hours of flying left her exhausted however, and attempting to return to shore had become impossible as she found herself lost, surrounded by ocean. She had plummeted to the water that time, and may have been left to her fate if luck hadn't seen fit to have a fishing vessel sail by at the moment of her lacking strength. While this was a story for another time, the story of Rhapsody's life had now led her to the desert, where her obliviousness would cause her issue yet again.

The sound of a wooden wheel rolling upon a dry and flat rocky terrain would be the first thing Rhapsody heard as her eyes began to flicker open. The light of the bright sun caused her to immediately wince, while the heat of the desert caused immediate discomfort. Her eyes would twitch as she heard movement beside her; until finally, Rhapsody would come to her senses as she fully awoke and attempted to rise.

"She's awake!" A small voice would whisper in an excited manner, causing Rhapsody to immediately snap to attention.

"Who-!?" Rhapsody would reply; cutting herself off as she nearly toppled back over in her attempt to rise.

"Shhhhhh! The guards will hear you!" The same voice would speak up, revealing herself as a small girl as she approached Rhapsody and began to assist her.

Chains bound Rhapsody's form, with her hands and legs each bound by cuffs, and her wings tied tightly together. It was an uncomfortable setup for certain, but also a curious one as Rhapsody had no recollection as to how she ended up in such a situation. The little girl, no older than twelve, had helped Rhapsody into a seated position; Rhapsody listened to the girls words and remained silent, looking over the area around her to assess her situation.

"I'm glad you're okay! Hehe, you were asleep for a long time!" The little girl would say as her little brown tail swayed about happily.

Overlooking the area, it was clear she was still in the desert; she recalled being dropped off at the deserts edge by a kindly old man and his strange vehicle. He had warned her not to get lost and wished her well, however getting lost was exactly what she did; the heat and sun had gotten to her, and from there she remembered nothing else. She had walked and flew for hours in the desert, it was an easy assumption for her to make that she had unfortunately passed out in the sun. All she could do was sigh and be thankful that she was rescued, it seemed that ever since she left her village, her strength had been reduced; rather than dwell on her lacking ability however, she would turn her attention to the little girl who offered her conversation.

"Thank you very much." Rhapsody would whisper with a kind smile, "My name is Rhapsody, who might you be?" She'd ask curiously, taking notice of not only the small girl but the other few who also sat and slept within their moving confines.

"I'm Sorallay!" The girl would respond enthusiastically with a sharp grin, "I'm an elite Saiyan warrior!!" She'd nearly yell, before quickly covering her own mouth and quieting herself down.

The two would look over towards the driver of the wagon they sat in, as well as to the guards that rode nearby upon strange creatures; with no reaction to be had from either, the two would give a small sigh of relief before continuing their conversation with caution.

"Sorallay, the Saiyan, hm?" Rhapsody would respond, curious as to what exactly a Saiyan was, "Please tell me Sorallay, where exactly are we? And do you know how I came to be in this cage??" she would ask curiously as she looked over the area once again.

From her perspective, Rhapsody found herself trapped within a rather large cage being pulled atop a wagon. She was confined with an assortment of others, ranging from small children to teenagers. A good distance away from their cage was another being pulled by a separate wagon, though from what Rhapsody could tell, the other wagon had only adults within its cage. If there were more cages ahead of them, Rhapsody couldn't tell; but both wagons had a guard following behind at a short distance. As well, the wagon seemed to have a thin and mostly tattered brown cloth atop it to protect from the sun; it had merely been bad luck that Rhapsody had slept directly beneath one of the holes of the cloth before.

"We're in a cage, duh!" Sorallay would respond with a snicker, "You were asleep on the desert ground and the wagon stopped so they could load ya in!" She'd explain, "Heh, are ya stupid or somethin'? Ya can't just sleep in the middle of the desert y'know!" She'd laugh, eliciting a small laugh from one of the other children nearby.

Looking over the children, only a few were dressed in proper attire; much like Rhapsody and Sorallay were. The rest seemed to be minimally garbed in plain, khaki colored shirts and shorts. There was an evident difference between the disposition of the differently garbed individuals; it had Rhapsody labor a guess that those in similar clothing were in the cage prior, while those in their own clothes like Rhapsody and Sorallay were brought into the cage only recently.

"And these strange bindings?" Rhapsody would ask as she held out her hands, "I seem to be the only one with these, but I see you all have a similar device around your necks."

"Your cuffs?" Sorallay would respond, "We're captured, dummy! Gonna be made inta someones slaves if we can't break outta here!" She'd continue excitedly, seemingly enjoying the experience, "Don't worry, once we're at their camp, we'll be bustin' outta here!" She'd say as she slammed her fists together, "Just gotta get these stupid dampeners off; don't try nothin' crazy till we do! Looks like you have a dampener on too." She would warn as she tugged at the power dampener around her neck, pointing at the metal ring Rhapsody wore around her own neck.

Rhapsody had been in such a rush ever since leaving her village that she had never taken the chance to properly slow down and examine herself. While she may have stopped regularly on her adventure to tend to proper hygiene, she made the experiences as short as could be; now with no other choice however, Rhapsody had finally been made aware of what exactly she wore. She'd lift her hands up to the ring around her neck; she'd been vaguely aware that it was there, but it never gave her any discomfort so she hadn't cared to try removing it. The ones who captured her likely believed it was a power dampener, and must have thought she was a potential slave attempting to escape someone else. Binding her hands, legs, and wings must have been to prevent a second attempt.

Rhapsody and Sorallay would continue to converse as the wagons continued through the desert; they would speak further about their situation, before inquiring into the history of one another. While Rhapsody's own history was brief, Sorallay had a much more traveled journey in spite of her age. She had traveled planet after planet along with her father, Vocalo; the two had fights, ate food, and enjoyed their adventures ever since leaving their home world. Arriving on Earth had simply been a new adventure; a computer error of their ship had caused them to crash, and they had immediately found themselves beset upon by the slave traders.

There were many aspects to Sorallay's story that Rhapsody simply didn't understand, but the same could be said about their situation. She hadn't any idea what a slave even was, but conversation with the children who had been with the traders for extended periods had clued her in somewhat. The matter became simple to her, the traders were the bad guys here, and the slaves were innocent individuals captured against their will. Unfortunately, with how she found herself bound, there was little Rhapsody could do; to add to that, Sorallay dissuaded Rhapsody from trying anything, confidently explaining how quickly they'd be free once her father managed to escape his power dampener.

Eventually, the conversations shared between the group would come to an end; the wagon would be upon the home base of the slave traders, the brown cloth's would be removed from the cages, and the doors would be opened as a small group of guards began to force the children to disembark from the wagon.

"Alright, outta the cage kids." A plain looking guard would say as he opened the cage door; being immediately attacked by Sorallay as she leapt at him with a kick.

"HYAAHH!!!" Sorallay would cry out as she aimed for the mans face; only to find her foot grabbed without issue, "Lemmie go you cad! You can't treat an elite lik-!!" She'd continue, until having her tail grasped by the man and falling limp.

"Haha! Lotta grit with that one, she'll make a fine addition for the auction!" Another guard would exclaim as he approached; a rather burly individual compared to the first guard.

"Not too smart though, power dampener and an exposed tail?" The first guard would remark as he lifted the girl with a sigh, "She'll fetch a good price, but she's destined to die front line in a battlefield no doubt."

"Excuse me." Rhapsody would chime in, moving herself as best as she could to the exit of the cage to place herself between the rest of the children and the guards, "Please, would it be too much to ask that you release us?" She'd request kindly, "Surely, capturing your fellows who share this world with you and forcing them into a life of servitude isn't what your worlds guardian would want, yes?" She would explain, hoping the guards would see reason, but unfortunately being met with a hearty laugh from the burly guard.

"PFFFFFT, TAAHHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!" The burly guard would burst out with, leaning forward in an exaggerated manner as he laughed, "Ohhhhhh, that's a good one kid! Worlds Guardian? That some kinda super hero ya watch or somethin'?" He'd question rhetorically before quickly reaching out to grab Rhapsody by the arm and pull her out the cages exit, "Where'd ya guys pick this one up from? She don't look like no street urchin!" He'd ask the other guard as she looked Rhapsody over; lifting her into the air by her arm to get a proper look at her, "Dressed pretty fancy, some nobles kid no doubt. Ha! She'd net us WAY more than that Saiyan!"

"Dunno why, but she was passed out in the middle of the desert." The first guard would explain as he attached a clasp to Sorallay's tail and tossed her into a smaller cage, "She has a dampener on, so I think another crew nabbed her and she escaped; we gave her water and put her with the kids, but as to where she came from? No idea."

"Z'at so?" The burly guard would respond as she rubbed his beard-stubbled chin, "Tell me girly, whats your name? Your family name that is, if ya ever wanna get home, ya better hope they still want ya and are willin' ta pay!" He'd laugh, only to receive the silent treatment from Rhapsody, "Oho? Strong willed and all that? Snobbish to boot I'll bet, how old are ya kid? Ya get along well with the rest of the class here?" He'd continue, laughing as he teased Rhapsody with his question.

"I see no reason to respond to you respectfully when you show such disrespect yourself!" Rhapsody would exclaim, "You MUST understand that what you're doing is wrong here, yes!? Please, release those you've captured, and allo-" She'd plead, before being cut off by the burly guard as he quickly took hold of her mouth from beneath her jaw with his massive hand.

"That's enough outta you, 'fraid I can't do none of that girly!" The burly guard would respond in a serious manner before moving over to drop Rhapsody down beside Sorallay's cage, "You lot are our meal tickets, and ain't no guardian come 'round ta rescue any of ya! So sit down, and keep shut, lest ya end up in a worse situation than ya find yourself in now." He'd say coldly, "We ain't need ta send ya back to your family if ya ain't willin' ta tell us who, plenty'd be willing ta pay for a winged beauty like yourself." He'd finished with Rhapsody before turning his attention back to his fellow guard, "Auction 'er like the rest, we'll say she's sixteen, that looks about right. Till then, lock 'er with the rest of the adults, let 'er get an idea of how 'accommodating' we've been to the little runaway till now." He'd order, before finally leaving the area behind and allowing the rest of the guards to handle the situation.

Rhapsody hadn't even been allowed the time to check on Sorallay's condition; the small girl had appeared significantly weakened with her tail now bound, something that left Rhapsody overly concerned for the girls health. Another guard had come and taken Sorallay's cage away without delay, and Rhapsody herself had been forcibly escorted in the opposite direction towards where the adults were held. As she was moved through the base, she was able to get a good look at the location; a rather large operation of slave traders doing business inside a hollowed out mountain. There were few buildings that sat within, but they were most likely meant for the traders to conduct their business; besides the buildings, several areas seemed dug out and lined with bars for containing the prisoners that were to be sold off as slaves. Rhapsody had been led to one such location dug into the cave walls, a holding cell where she was quickly tossed inside.

"Have fun with yer bunkmate, girly! Kaahahahaaa!!" The rude, scrawny guard would remark before quickly leaving the scene, "Don't let 'em rough ya up too much, you're our valuable cash cow!!" He'd continue with a laugh before disappearing out of earshot.

Rhapsody meant to question what it was the guard meant, however her ears would twitch, quickly alerting her to the presence of another behind her that began to move about. Rhapsody would turn quickly, falling over as she still found difficulty moving with the chains that bound her. As she looked up however, she would see the silhouetted form of would could only be described as a beast; standing around seven feet tall, muscle bound, and with a massive mane that stretched from its head to the ground, Rhapsody could only concluded that the guards words meant she'd been tossed into a cage with a savage animal.

"Please! Creature of the cave, while I might look it, I assure you I'm not food!!" Rhapsody would exclaim quickly, only to be met with a large hand as the creature emerged from the shadows, "W... what??" She'd question, hesitantly taking the hand and quickly, but delicately, being lifted back to her feet.

"Tch, the nerve of 'em, tossin' a little girl like you into the cell like that." The man would speak with a deep, hoarse tone, "Name's Vocalo kid." He'd say with a short laugh, "Heh, don't worry, while I may lookit, I assure YOU, I ain't gonna eat ya." He'd explain with a sharp grin before stepping back and looking over the girl.

"Vocalo?" Rhapsody would question, "Oh! You're Sorallay's father then!" She'd say excitedly, prompting a hearty laugh from Vocalo as he then began to rub and ruffle Rhapsody's hair.

"Haha! That I am kid! Ya must be a friend of hers, eh?" Vocalo would answer, "The hell'd ya do ta get thrown in here? This ain't the side for the kids... ah, hell!! This mean Sorallay got her ass captured!?" He'd question with a heavy sigh, "That damn girl, musta thought she could storm the base without me and got caught." He'd think opening as he tail slammed into the ground in frustration, "Well whatever, whats done is done. For now-" He'd remark with a grin before reaching out towards Rhapsody's hands and grabbing at both of her cuffs, "Keep yer mouth shut n' grit your teeth kid!" He'd say before suddenly pulling Rhapsody's arms away from each other at full strength and causing the chains that bound her cuffs to snap.

The disposition and attitude of the man hardly afforded Rhapsody a moment to get her own words in; he spoke quickly and aggressively, before Rhapsody had even realized it Vocalo had broken the chains of the cuffs upon her hands and he'd taken to lifting her up to escort her to the single cot in the room.

"What!? Wait, how!? Sorallay told me that the power dampener on your neck stole all your strength?" Rhapsody questioned as Vocalo placed her down on the cot and proceeded to snap the chains that bound the cuffs around her ankles.

"Pft, you think some little toy is gonna shut me down?" Vocalo would remark, "Sure I'm feeling a bit less than usual, but you ain't gonna turn off the strength in these muscles with this thing!" He'd exclaim proudly.

"Ah! Then you can bend those bars or break that gate which holds us!" Rhapsody would exclaim happily, "We can escape and take to rescuing the others!" She'd continue, prompting Vocalo to begin rubbing at the back of his head with an awkward smile.

"Ehh, well... maybe this device is makin' me feel a little weak, not sure I could pull all THAT off at the moment." Vocalo would laugh awkwardly, "But, before all that, you haven't answered my questions! What're ya doin' here? And how's my little Sorallay holdin' up?" He'd ask with a serious expression before taking to checking out the clasps that held Rhapsody's wings together.

The two would spend the time together conversing about the situation that had occurred, with Vocalo further explaining the events that led he and his daughter to Earth and his later incarceration. The two had escaped a planet called Vegeta, their home world, due to the conquest of an organization who sought to weaken the Saiyans as a whole. Unfortunately, escape didn't make them free of that organizations rules; the two were hunted down, and forced to escape to planet after planet. Vocalo had kept the severity of the situation from his daughter for the time, but the organization had finally caught up with them during their most recent escape; which was what led them to crash landing on Earth.

While Rhapsody found the whole explanation of other worlds difficult to belief, she had no reason to think that Vocalo would lie to her so extravagantly. The whole idea left her feeling a bit of culture shock, but not so much so that she couldn't continue her conversation with the man. She had explained her own origins, and the reason for her journey; though unfortunately, Vocalo was just as unaware as any other she met when it came to matters involving the mysterious Guardian that she sought. As the two continued to speak, moving on to topics involving a plan of escape, they would begin to her movement from back near the center of the traders base.

"Damn, we might be too late." Vocalo would curse as he rushed the gate and began to pull at the bars, "Sounds like... they've started the auction!" He'd remark through grunts as he tried to pull the bars of their cell apart; but sadly, to no avail.

Backing away, Vocalo would kick the bars in anger before dropping down and sitting upon the ground in a defeated display. Rhapsody would quickly join beside the incredibly large man, placing a hand upon his should and offering him a kind smile as she attempted to alleviate his worries.

"I'm certain Sorallay will be fine!" Rhapsody would say confidently, "Eventually a guard will come to remove me from your cell; Sorallay attempted an escape in at a similar moment, with your size, can you not attempt the same?" Rhapsody would ask curiously; taking note of the strength Vocalo used to break her chains.

"Heh, I like yer enthusiasm, but the guards aren't likely ta open that gate if I'm not in my bed." Vocalo would sigh, "Sides that, they all got blasters ta stun the goods if we get outta line. The one who don't simply don't need 'em." He'd remark, standing back up and scratching at the back of his head as he tried to come up with an alternate solution.

Things seemed dire, and it was only a matter of time before the two would find themselves separated without a chance to think up a proper plan of escape. The guards had already proven that they weren't against getting violent, and even combined, Rhapsody and Vocalo lacked the strength to break the gate of their cell.

"Damn it, sorry I couldn't at least get those clasps off yer wings." Vocalo would say as he examined the lock of the gate, "Things are on tight, and I don't wanna hurt ya tryin' ta get 'em off. If I at least had somethin' I could fashion inta a makeshift key, I could attempt pickin' the lock ta those clasps and this gate." He'd say with a sigh, "Least then YOU could escape... damn collars ain't lettin' us even use are energy, so it ain't like I'd be blastin' outta here even if I COULD escape."

"Energy?" Rhapsody would question, "You seem plenty energetic to me, what do you mean?" She would question curiously as her head tilted slightly.

"What? Y'know, energy! Power and what not, I think a lotta people call it Ki, but it's that stuff inside that lets ya throw your hand out and BAM!" Vocalo would explain while he motioned his example, "Power! Right at yer finger tips! Ain't ya ever used your energy like that before? If they collared ya, they musta scanned somethin' from ya." He'd explain, gesturing to the collar around Rhapsody's neck.

"Ah! They didn't place this upon me though, this is mine." Rhapsody would respond with a smile, "Or well, I think it's mine? Anyways, it has no way of being removed, so-" She'd explain before being rushed upon by Vocalo as he came uncomfortably close in order to examine the collar.

"The hell d'ya mean they didn't-?" Vocalo would question as he lifted Rhapsody's hair and looked all around the metal band, finding it to have no power dampening devices attached to it, "It's just... metal? Feels soft, cold, but it ain't even got no way ta take it on and off!" He'd relay in his observations, "It ain't welded on or nothing, how the hell you'd get this around your neck!?" He'd question, finally backing away from the girl.

"I unno." Rhapsody would shrug, maintaining her oblivious smile.

"Pfft, haha! You sure are a mystery kid! I ain't sensin' no power from ya tho, so either this collar is holdin' me back or you ain't got a lick of power to ya." Vocalo would laugh as he moved to sit down upon his cot, "Guess even if we get the damn thing open, we ain't soon fightin' are way out, are we?" He'd finish, deciding to lay down and think about what to possibly do next, "Guards are gonna be here soon no doubt, best we not cause 'em any trouble. You can at least get some preferential treatment if ya don't rile 'em up."

It seemed that Vocalo had fallen into a defeated attitude once again, though he didn't stop trying to think of a plan. For the moment, he was more concerned with ensuring Rhapsody was treated as well as she could be treated; for Rhapsody however, she was less concerned for herself and more concerned for the prisoners being auctioned. Torn from family and friends, stolen away off the streets and forced against their will to serve another without the freedom to decline. If what Vocalo said about other words was true, then Sorallay could have been easily sold to another and taken from Earth; if that happened, would the two ever be able to see each other again? It was a scenario Rhapsody refused to accept; now fueled with the conviction to escape and rescue the others, Rhapsody would take to examining the door herself.

Strong metal bars, with only a single weakness; a simple lock that held the gate upon the cell. The hinges of the gate were well made, and set outside the cell; if anything, it showed that the guards took care of their belongings. It was possible that Vocalo could have tackled the gate several times to either break the lock or the hinges; but that would have no doubt attracted the guards to stop him. Rhapsody focused as best as she could to come up with a solution, knowing the two had to escape lest the criminal traders get away with their scheme; she held a hand to her chest above where her heart would be, and thought back to the animals she'd once freed in the forest.

The experience back then was harrowing; she did battle with the vengeful spirit of a bear, and successfully managed to return its spirit to whatever lie beyond. The how of the matter was mere luck however; in her hand she had held a weapon shaped as a key, and by its own power it had unlocked the chains that bound the bear to the realm of mortals. That same weapon was also used to unlock the cages of the animals that Rhapsody had protected however, but upon rescuing her father, the weapon had vanished. Now, looking upon the lock of the gate before her, Rhapsody wished for that weapon once more; not to do battle, but to free she and Vocalo, and to have the chance to rescue all those who found themselves prisoner within this mountain.

Closing her eyes, Rhapsody would feel something building up within her; while her left hand rested center upon her chest, her right arm would raise and she would splay her fingers out before her. She could feel it, the magic of the forest, a magic similar to that of the village Elders, but one that was very much all her own. The magic called for her, wishing to be found; she hadn't a need for it before, however now, she needed it more than ever. With a deep breath, Rhapsody would remember its form, she would remember the magic she felt when she used it once before, and would remember the adrenaline and power she felt when she did battle with the bear spirit. Then, with a flash of light, it would appear-

"Keyblade..." Rhapsody would whisper as a light flashed before her outstretched hand; quickly grasping the grip of the handle as the weapon appeared. As she did, the magic of the keyblade would emit a light that enveloped Rhapsody's form, unlocking the cuffs upon her wrists and ankles, as well as the clasps upon her wings. Finally, Rhapsody's wings would be allowed to stretch, and their true size and power would be on full display.

"The hell!?" Vocalo would exclaim, rising out of his bed quickly to take sight of the girl's sudden display, "How'd you get them cuffs off!?" He'd question, but before he could receive an answer, Rhapsody would continue her task.

Not wanting the power of the weapon to fade, she'd act quickly; holding the weapon before her as she'd done before, the keyblade would shoot a light from its tip towards the lock of the gate. With a soft click, the lock would be undone and the gate would sway open slightly and casually.

"Kid... you- How did you?" Vocalo would question with a baffled expression.

"No time! We must make haste!" Rhapsody would explain quickly, "I know not how long this power will last, and I must free all those I can with it!" She'd state as she ran towards the gate, giving Vocalo a confident nod as she placed her hand upon the bars.

"Heh, you're damn right! Ain't no time for talk, it's time for action!" Vocalo would yell, slapping his massive hands to his face and rushing after Rhapsody, "You get them gates open kid! I'll go make a distraction! Hehe, send anyone that can fight my way!" He'd say with a grin as he referenced and earlier plan; with the two giving a nod to one another in agreement, they would make their escape immediately.

Upon exiting the cell, the two would make for opposite directions; Vocalo would turn left and head down the hall towards the center corridor of the base. While Vocalo may have been without his powers, he was still a rather large and strong individual; trained in the Saiyan Army, he could easily make use of a blaster. Many of the guards themselves were not Ki users, so an ambush for him to acquire some gear was simple, and once armed, his distraction could begin and a plethora of guards would concentrate on his position.

Rhapsody on the other hand had turned right, continue down the hall of cells and unlocking gate after gate with her keyblade. Plenty had already been awake and had escaped their cells quickly, those who weren't were roused by the commotion and would give chase after Rhapsody once they rushed out of their cells. The steadily forming group would finally come to a stop upon reaching another intersection; from here, Rhapsody would relay the plan and send those who could fight back in Vocalo's direction. With a guard having previously been defeated and locked away in a cell by the group, those without the means to fight would take up Rhapsody's task and continue unlocking cells in the adult ward of the operation, continuing the plan. Meanwhile, Rhapsody herself would take to rushing through the facility and towards the opposite side through the many sprawling corridors.

Explosions, blaster fire, and yelling could be heard in al directions; with the sound of approaching footsteps, Rhapsody would rush up towards the ceiling and remain quiet as a patrol of guards rushed underneath. It was clear that Vocalo's distraction was working well, and with the added help of reinforcements he was receiving, escape seemed incredibly plausible. The guards Rhapsody came across lessened more and more, and her path to the cells that held the children became an even easier venture than she thought it would be. She was soon upon the cells and there was a noticeable difference in the layout of the corridors and upkeep. Rocky walls had been replaced with actual carved stone, and the floor became tiled and more akin to a facility than the inside of a mountain.

"Now, which way would-"

Rhapsody's ears would twitch as she heard familiar voices in a nearby room; cutting her off mid-sentence as she rushed towards the door and used her keyblade to unlock the deadbolt. Within the rather large room was an equally large group of children dressed in the simple khaki colored clothing as the other previously captured children. The group looked confused as Rhapsody entered, and with good reason; the room looked less like a cell, and more like a mix of a nursery and classroom. It became a bit more clear as to what the guard had meant before about the treatment between the adults and children, but as taken care of as the kids seemed to be, that didn't make them free.

"Hello there!" Rhapsody would begin with a bright smile; having taken notice of the worried expressions of the children, "It's nice to meet you all, my name is Rhapsody!" She'd introduce, "How would all of you like ta take a nice trip out of here?" She'd ask softly, causing one of the teens to speak up, feeling suspicious of Rhapsody's arrival.

"You don't look like one the guards, what do you think you're doing?" The teen girl would say harshly, "Don't you know if ya cause trouble then they'll throw you into one of the dirt cells!? Get outta here before you get us ALL in trouble!"

The teen stood a good few inches taller than Rhapsody, but it was clear that she was no older than around fifteen. Rhapsody's own height and build certainly did her no favors in gaining the respect deserved to an adult unfortunately, but there was little time to sit around and attempt to curry favor. As such, Rhapsody would take a deep breath before looking into the girls eyes with a serious expression and adopting a serious tone as she began to speak again.

"I'll have none of that!" Rhapsody would begin, puffing out her chest and splaying her wings to draw the attention of the children, "If you wish to remain behind, then you are very much free to do so! But if you're looking to leave this place, then now is your only chance! I and the others on the adult side of the facility have begun are escape, and now they're distracting the guards and giving the rest of us the chance to escape!" She'd explain firmly, gaining hopeful faces from the majority of the children, "Now then, if there's nothing else to say, then drop your things and follow me! We're getting out of here!"

While of few of the teens and some sibling pairings were apprehensive about fleeing; well aware of the consequences as they were should they have been caught, plenty of the other children were more than happy to leave as quickly as they could. They would begin rushing out the door, and as more of the children left, the feeling of peer pressure would cause the remaining to do the same. Rhapsody gave a sigh of relief that the children didn't argue with her further, and as they continued down the hall, they would unlock door after door and bring more along with them. All seemed to go smoothly, even as the massive group came upon a lone guard who roamed the hall. Being as lax and safety oriented as the children's ward was, the guards that patrolled were unarmed; and even being adults, they were no match for a swarm of over a hundred stampeding kids and teens.

It wouldn't be long before the group of children would find themselves reunited with the escaping adults; no matter how much Rhapsody searched however, she caught no sign of Sorallay. The guards that had posts outside the facility in the vehicle bay had all been dealt with, and the escapees had begun loading into the trucks meant for traveling back to the city. The vehicles looked even stranger to Rhapsody than the wagon she had rode on, but she was more concerned that Sorallay hadn't been found. Inquiring with the group of children from the wagon she'd been brought on and with the group of adults who stood guard, she came to learn two things. Before the escape, a group of children had already been taken to auction; while secondly, the battle back at the bases center still waged. Rhapsody had no other choice, and bid the group to escape while they had the chance, while she herself returned to the battle where Vocalo stood his ground.

"GAH!! Damn it!" Vocalo would shout as he dropped down behind cover, grasping at the blaster burn upon his shoulder, "Rat bastards aren't lettin' up!" He'd shout as he aiming his blaster out from behind fire to provide suppressive support.

"That girl was headin' for the children's ward, she got the rest of us out so keep it up man! She's sure ta get your girl outta here with the rest of 'em!" One of the escapees would shout to Vocalo as he continued firing upon the guards.

The fight had been even before the guards had gotten their bearings, however as more reinforcements for the guards arrived, things quickly became one sided. Vocalo and the escapees found themselves pinned down, they were out numbered and out gunned, but they held their line regardless in order to give Rhapsody the time she needed to free the remaining prisoners. It seemed like things would only worsen as the fight dragged on, but strangely enough, the blaster fire from the enemy side would suddenly cease.

"VOCALO, YOU BASTARD!!!!" A booming, deep voice would shout out, "Quit hidin' you coward and show your ugly mug!!" The voice of the previous burly guard that had teased Rhapsody would continue as he came out of the main building of the traders camp with a laugh; standing front and center without any fear of being shot.

"That voice... no, no way in hell!!" Vocalo would shout, rising up and glaring down the man immediately, "Onnius!? You sonunva-!"

"SHUT IT!!!" The burly man, Onnius, would shout, "Look at this fun little get together you planned, and ya didn't invite your old friend ta join ya?" Onnius would remark with a hearty laugh.

"Bastard, you're no friend of mine, TRAITOR!!!" Vocalo would shout, "You betrayed your King, your people, and joined up with the USD!!! The hell makes you think-"

"And YOU betrayed your King by runnin' away!! Damned coward, don't you begin to judge my actions!!" Onnius would reply, "Heheh, but don't worry friend, I know how we can pay each other back!" He'd continue, lifting his hand to reveal a device he held and pressing a button upon it as he aimed it at Vocalo.

First a beep, then a heavy click, and the power dampener around Vocalo's neck would be released and fall to the ground. Vocalo would rub the area around his neck before giving a sharp grin; slamming his tail into the ground, he would finally power up and glare down Onnius with a sinister expression.

"Wrong move, friend!" Vocalo would say before taking into the air; before he could gain any distance however, Onnius would reveal what he held hidden behind his back.

"I'd settle down if I were you!!" Onnius would shout, holding out Sorallay by the tail before him, causing Vocalo to hesitate, "Lest ya don't have a care about what happens to the kid!" He'd say with a laugh, "No wait, YOUR kid, right?" He'd continue, taking his blaster out and aiming it at the still weakened Sorallay.

"Sorallay!!" Vocalo would shout, "DAMN IT, LET HER GO!!!" He'd shout up towards the man, becoming more and more enraged.

"Sure, sure! I'll let her go!" Onnius would respond, "In fact, I'll let ya both go, and you can be free to continue your cowardly life of being on the run! Heh, but first... first, I'll need ya to do somethin' for me!" He'd state as he moved the blaster closer to Sorallay's head, "Or else."

"OKAY!" Vocalo would shout, "Name your damn price! I'll do it, just... just don't hurt Sorallay damn it!!" He'd continue, dropping to the ground slowly and powering down reluctantly.

"Gooooooood! Good, I'm happy to hear it my friend!" Onnius would say with a sharp grin as he lowered his blaster away from Sorallay, "Well then, lets make this quick!" He'd continue, "Vocalo, kill everyone in this room! Oh, the prisoners to be more precise." He'd laugh, "Haha, I know I gotta be rather specific with my orders when it comes to savages like you!"

"The hell!? Kill them, why!? Aren't they prisoners you intend to auction off for profit?" Vocalo would question, "I can make 'em return to their cells, or-"

"DID YOU NOT HEAR ME!?" Onnius would shout as he held Sorallay out above him, "Kill those prisoners or else I kill the girl!!" He'd shout, "You can go after the other cattle later, there's plenty to make a profit from!"

Vocalo would clench his fists as he looked upon Sorallay, before dropping his gaze to the ground in defeat. He couldn't close the distance to rescue his child fast enough, which left him with no other choice. Agreeing to Onnius demands, Vocalo would turn around and slowly make his way towards the escaped comrade who had initially tried to encourage him about Sorallay's safety. Now, he found himself looking down the barrel of the blaster of that comrade who wasn't afraid to shoot to ensure his own safety; for the fully powered Saiyan however, these blasters would be no more dangerous than a pea shooter.

"You don't gotta do this man, we can find another way!" The escapee would plea, looking between Vocalo and Sorallay, understanding his position completely, "I... I got a little boy, don't leave him without a father, please."

"I'm sorry..." Vocalo would respond with a heavily pained expression, prompting the escapee to open fire upon him to no avail.

Grabbing the blaster from the mans hand, Vocalo would toss it aside and lift the man into the air by his neck. Witnessing this, many of the escapees had begun to shuffle back in an attempt to escape; knowing what fate had in store for them should they remain. Onnius had already taken to ordering the guards to take up positions to impede any escape, which left the group with no other choice. Vocalo would squeeze the neck of the man slowly; the man would fight back, slamming his fist into Vocalo's arms and kicking at the man, but slowly he would find himself weakening as his consciousness started to fade. Onnius would laugh at the display, taking joy in the slow manner of the mans death, but keeping his blaster held firmly in hand in case Vocalo tried any funny business.

"YES!! Just like that Vocalo! Just like old times, yeah!?" Onnius would laugh, keeping Sorallay held high in the air, "Do 'em all like that one, make it slow and painful, make 'em regret trying to esca-"

Suddenly, the sound of metal clanging against a hard surface filled the air, bringing everyone to a surprised stop. The power gust the pushed the wind with the beat of Rhapsody's wings as she flew high to the upper levels of the hollowed out mountain; but most importantly, the sight of Onnius as he rubbed the back of his head with an expression of rage.

"How's your head so hard!?" Rhapsody would question as she flew upwards, feeling her arm shake from the impact of her keyblade against the mans head.

"You damn brat-!" He'd yell, before taking notice of his empty hand, "Wha- the child!?" He'd question frantically, looking around for Sorallay.

"DAD!!!!" Sorallay would shout from Rhapsody's arms as, with Rhapsody having successfully unlocked the clasp upon the little girls tail, "KICK HIS ASS!!!" She'd shout excitedly, still as upbeat as ever about her current adventure.

Onnius and Vocalo both would look up in awe and dismay, with each knowing was was next to come. Vocalo set the man he held down gentle, releasing his neck and allowing the man to gasp for air. Tears nearly came to Vocalo's eyes, but with a deep breath he would steel himself and turn to face Onnius; whispering to the man behind him as he stepped away.

"Truly, I'm sorry for... what I would have done." Vocalo said to the escapee firmly before lifting his head and glaring up towards Onnius.

"I understand man." The escapee would cough in response, "Just make 'em hurt, give 'em one for me." He'd continue with a grin as he reached over for his blaster on the ground and took back behind cover.

"You've got it!" Vocalo would shout, before finally rushing at Onnius once again; unfortunately, Onnius had planned a quick escape and had fallen through a blast resistant trap door before Vocalo could reach him.

With that, the battle would proceed much as it had before; however, the scale of battle would quickly tip into the favor of the escapees. Vocalo had been freed of his power dampening collar, and his daughter was safe; he was free to run amok throughout the facility, and that was exactly what he did. Without hesitation, Vocalo had taken down each and every guard, beating them within an inch of their lives while he moved; he would blast each and every cage and containment, absolutely destroying the base of operations for the traders as the rest of the group of escapees fled down the halls. Until finally, all had been released and the escapees were free and outside the mountain with supplies and vehicles in hand to make it across the desert.

None had seen Onnius throughout the escape, but it was fair to assume he was long since gone. Luckily, Rhapsody and Sorallay had picked up the device he dropped and with it had managed to remove any others who also found themselves with power dampeners around their necks. Parents were reunited with children, but it was clear that there were many more who'd unfortunately be left alone. The operations of the slave traders had gone on for quite some time before this point, and it was unlikely that those who had already been sold off would be found any time soon. Still, the group were able to count their blessings this day that they had managed to escape.

While the majority had taken to returning to the city with haste, keeping themselves armed in case of an ambush; a small group remained to deal with the remaining traders and any who would return to this base. It was then as Rhapsody conversed with Sorallay and Vocalo that the trio saw one of the traders exit, coincidentally, the same man who had captured Sorallay and placed the clasp upon her tail prior. Hearing this, Vocalo was quick to rush the man; grabbing him by the neck, Vocalo saw fit to snap his neck for endangering Sorallay, only to hesitate as Rhapsody took hold of Vocalo's arm.

"Please! You don't have to do this! Sorallay is safe!" Rhapsody would plead, gesturing over towards Sorallay.

"You'd defend this bastard!?" Vocalo would shout, "She's safe now, but she coulda been killed!" He'd continue as he tightened his grip, "I'm a Saiyan, one life, especially of a lowly bastard like this, doesn't mean shit to me!"

"DAD!!" Sorallay would shout as she quickly approached and joining Rhapsody in taking hold of Vocalo's arm.

"You too!?" Vocalo would question, "But... but he!" He'd say with a groan before finally giving up and dropping the man, "Fine. If it's what my little girl wants, I'm just happy you're safe." He'd say with a smile as he knelt down and lifted Sorallay up into a hug.

"Of course I'm safe! You were here!" Sorallay would cheer, "Hehe, and Rhapsody too!" She'd say with a sharp grin.

"Kid-" Vocalo would begin as he looked towards Rhapsody, "No, Rhapsody." He'd say, correcting himself, "You're a fine young woman, thank you for rescuing Sorallay, I don't know how I could possibly repay you." He'd continue, giving a small bow of his head.

"Payment? Never!" Rhapsody would reply, "Don't ever think you'd need to repay me for helping others, if you do, just remember that you helped to free everyone that was trapped here!" She'd explain, "That's plenty payment enough in my opinion!"

The concept may as well have been foreign to Vocalo, with the years he lived both as a soldier and mercenary, payment for services was only natural; but he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. All he could do now, was continue to thank Rhapsody for her help; she wouldn't be someone that he would soon forget.

The group would continue conversing before taking to small patrols around the mountain; they would apprehend any escaping slave traders as well as any traders who had arrived from their abductions without the knowledge of what had occurred at their base. Eventually, all the traders would be rounded up besides Onnius, and late into the evening, the authorities would arrive from the city thanks to the groups that escaped earlier in the day. Upon locking up the traders, the authorities would help escort the remaining escapees back to the city where they would offer aid to those in need. From here, Rhapsody would bid farewell to Sorallay and Vocalo; while it was another day that she'd failed to learn anything more about the Guardian of Earth, Rhapsody at least took solace in the fact that she'd managed to help so many, and was quite happy that she'd managed to make new friends along the way.