This fic is about a character that is vital to the Dragon Ball series and yet is rarely recognized. He is not a fighter but he isn't just a supporting character. He is the Tournament Announcer. He and the other characters belong to Akria Toriyama.
The Announcer's Lament
By Maria Cline
My name is Annou Ciere Sr. It's an odd name that just happens to be mine. When pronounced a certain way, most people would say 'Announcer'. I guess someone up there called it my pun name. Ever since I was a little boy, I loved to call out what was going on. I was a radio DJ, a referee, and even a talk show helper. But, then I founded a role that would be my destiny. When I was twenty, I gained the great honor of being the Touranment's announcer. The pay was mediocere and I often get other jobs announcing other events but the title was good. Every person who watches the Tournament, especially the fighters, recognized me as the Tournament's announcer who wears a nice black suit and matching sunglasses.
Every five years, I gained the honor of being the Tournament's announcer. At the 21st Tournament, I can remember that is the one that changed everything. I was the Annoucer there and there were the usual group of tough fighters who had went through the preliminaries. That's when I met one unique boy. He was half my size but just have a massive punch. I didn't know why but he was special. I could see it in the boy's eyes as he came up grinning.
Every tournament I see him in, seem to have that feeling. Every time, something wild and exciting happened that just seem to make it fun and deadly. There was just this feeling that one has when something unexpected happens that no one would expect.
But, then something horrible happened. Goku didn't show up for the Tournament. I didn't panick but I was stunned to watch fighters who can't fly or fire blasts fight. None of the old warriors came, not even Jackie Chun. There, that was when I met Mr. Hercule Satan and his daughter Videl. They were strong and powerful at least compared to the other fighters. But it wasn't the same.
Just a couple years later, the Cell games started. I watched the TV in anticipation to see the fate of the world. I didn't like just watching from a distance. I had gotten used to seeing things up close and personal. Still, I watched as the ones I knew to be powerful warriors came up. Krillian, Tien, and Piccolo, I recognized immediately. A few I didn't recognize. There was one, however, that seem so familiar. He had gold hair and green eyes with a very familiar looking outfit. That was when I recognized him as Goku. I didn't know why he dyed his hair yellow and was wearing green contacts but I still know that he was our only hope.
After some fighting, the television went blank and I suddenly felt so helpless. What can I do? I can almost feel the blasts in the air and the panic in the city. Still, I sat in my chair until the news finally picked up what happened.
Hercule Satan defeated Cell. I didn't believe it as the parades came in Hercule's honor. I growled in frusteration as I slamed the TV with my remote again. As the Tournament's announcer, I knew about the world strongest fighters. I know who was stronger. While Mr. Satan was strong, strong enough to beat me up, he was no match for those like Goku.
I thought at the time that Goku will show up for the next Tournament. That he will set things straight for what was going on. He did but no one saw him fight. For some reason, he and the other fighters left and leave the Tournament dangling. Hercule won that Tournament again. That was when I knew, the Tournament can never be saved.
Over the years, I watched helplessly as the Tournament sunk deeper and deeper to different lows. I tried my hardest to be enthusiastic about everything but it was still dull to me. Before Mr. Satan, I never knew who will win. Now, it was all a big joke. Mr. Satan wins with Mr. Buu as second every tournament for several tournaments.
Now, I bet that you were wondering why I didn't just tell the world about this. I can't. I know that as the Offical Announcer of the Tournament, I have contacts with the media all over the world and they know that I do tell the truth. And it would be a snap to gather up the evidence. But... I can't tell them or anyone. Mr. Satan paid me a great deal of money for keeping my mouth shut and a great retirement plan. But, he didn't know that I wouldn't have told anyone anyway.
If I told the world that the Tournament was rigged, then that will kill the Tournament. I know, that sounds stupid but it's true. Remember that scandal with Micki and Vicki, the popular singers who were caught faking their music? It ruined their careers and their lives. It also caused the music world to go into a spin. Every artist find themselves proving that they are genuine and yet people still have a hard time believing that every other musician is true. If I tell everyone what happened, the Tournament and all of their fighters will be dishonored. Mr. Satan's family, Videl, Pan, and Gohan, Goku's son and Hercule's son-in-law, were true fighters who fight very hard but they would be dishonored too. That is something I can never forgive myself for.
I can't hate the fighters for losing the Tournament. Most of them don't have true careers and rely on money won from Tournaments to survive. Mr. Satan just give the real fighters money to throw the fight and they needed it.
Of course, I try to convince the true warriors to fight for real but it was impossible. Goku, the one who have the most chance of winning, couldn't bear to win over Hercules since he was Videl's father-in-law. Gohan and Videl were married. Tien and some of the other fighters were very weak against Goku and Mr. Buu. Vegita, one of the strongest warriors I have ever seen, tried very hard to defeat the rest but kept on losing to Buu. I develop a certain fondness for Vegita and those who fight to win. But, they eventually just gave up. I didn't blame them, this Tournament became a big joke to them, with the King of Jokers as the pretend hero of the world.
After the last Tournament, I was tired. I loved the Tournament but seeing it weaken and mutated to bizzare proportions was too much for my soul to stand. I remembered the tournaments that were simpler, not as much flash. Where fighters fight just to prove themselves, not for profit. Where one man doesn't throw the fights for his own glory and to save his own hide. I find myself longing for that type of Tournament again.
So, I finally retire. I gained a good amount of money over the years, especially with that retirement package. I will miss the thrill of being on the ring with the strongest of the world fighting just a few feet away. But, I'm just tired of this charade.
This is my story. I'm glad I finally told you what I can, my son. I understand how much you want to continue my legacy and I'm proud of you for that. I just hope that you will see the same magic I saw when I first did the Tournament.
Fin
The Announcer's Lament
By Maria Cline
My name is Annou Ciere Sr. It's an odd name that just happens to be mine. When pronounced a certain way, most people would say 'Announcer'. I guess someone up there called it my pun name. Ever since I was a little boy, I loved to call out what was going on. I was a radio DJ, a referee, and even a talk show helper. But, then I founded a role that would be my destiny. When I was twenty, I gained the great honor of being the Touranment's announcer. The pay was mediocere and I often get other jobs announcing other events but the title was good. Every person who watches the Tournament, especially the fighters, recognized me as the Tournament's announcer who wears a nice black suit and matching sunglasses.
Every five years, I gained the honor of being the Tournament's announcer. At the 21st Tournament, I can remember that is the one that changed everything. I was the Annoucer there and there were the usual group of tough fighters who had went through the preliminaries. That's when I met one unique boy. He was half my size but just have a massive punch. I didn't know why but he was special. I could see it in the boy's eyes as he came up grinning.
Every tournament I see him in, seem to have that feeling. Every time, something wild and exciting happened that just seem to make it fun and deadly. There was just this feeling that one has when something unexpected happens that no one would expect.
But, then something horrible happened. Goku didn't show up for the Tournament. I didn't panick but I was stunned to watch fighters who can't fly or fire blasts fight. None of the old warriors came, not even Jackie Chun. There, that was when I met Mr. Hercule Satan and his daughter Videl. They were strong and powerful at least compared to the other fighters. But it wasn't the same.
Just a couple years later, the Cell games started. I watched the TV in anticipation to see the fate of the world. I didn't like just watching from a distance. I had gotten used to seeing things up close and personal. Still, I watched as the ones I knew to be powerful warriors came up. Krillian, Tien, and Piccolo, I recognized immediately. A few I didn't recognize. There was one, however, that seem so familiar. He had gold hair and green eyes with a very familiar looking outfit. That was when I recognized him as Goku. I didn't know why he dyed his hair yellow and was wearing green contacts but I still know that he was our only hope.
After some fighting, the television went blank and I suddenly felt so helpless. What can I do? I can almost feel the blasts in the air and the panic in the city. Still, I sat in my chair until the news finally picked up what happened.
Hercule Satan defeated Cell. I didn't believe it as the parades came in Hercule's honor. I growled in frusteration as I slamed the TV with my remote again. As the Tournament's announcer, I knew about the world strongest fighters. I know who was stronger. While Mr. Satan was strong, strong enough to beat me up, he was no match for those like Goku.
I thought at the time that Goku will show up for the next Tournament. That he will set things straight for what was going on. He did but no one saw him fight. For some reason, he and the other fighters left and leave the Tournament dangling. Hercule won that Tournament again. That was when I knew, the Tournament can never be saved.
Over the years, I watched helplessly as the Tournament sunk deeper and deeper to different lows. I tried my hardest to be enthusiastic about everything but it was still dull to me. Before Mr. Satan, I never knew who will win. Now, it was all a big joke. Mr. Satan wins with Mr. Buu as second every tournament for several tournaments.
Now, I bet that you were wondering why I didn't just tell the world about this. I can't. I know that as the Offical Announcer of the Tournament, I have contacts with the media all over the world and they know that I do tell the truth. And it would be a snap to gather up the evidence. But... I can't tell them or anyone. Mr. Satan paid me a great deal of money for keeping my mouth shut and a great retirement plan. But, he didn't know that I wouldn't have told anyone anyway.
If I told the world that the Tournament was rigged, then that will kill the Tournament. I know, that sounds stupid but it's true. Remember that scandal with Micki and Vicki, the popular singers who were caught faking their music? It ruined their careers and their lives. It also caused the music world to go into a spin. Every artist find themselves proving that they are genuine and yet people still have a hard time believing that every other musician is true. If I tell everyone what happened, the Tournament and all of their fighters will be dishonored. Mr. Satan's family, Videl, Pan, and Gohan, Goku's son and Hercule's son-in-law, were true fighters who fight very hard but they would be dishonored too. That is something I can never forgive myself for.
I can't hate the fighters for losing the Tournament. Most of them don't have true careers and rely on money won from Tournaments to survive. Mr. Satan just give the real fighters money to throw the fight and they needed it.
Of course, I try to convince the true warriors to fight for real but it was impossible. Goku, the one who have the most chance of winning, couldn't bear to win over Hercules since he was Videl's father-in-law. Gohan and Videl were married. Tien and some of the other fighters were very weak against Goku and Mr. Buu. Vegita, one of the strongest warriors I have ever seen, tried very hard to defeat the rest but kept on losing to Buu. I develop a certain fondness for Vegita and those who fight to win. But, they eventually just gave up. I didn't blame them, this Tournament became a big joke to them, with the King of Jokers as the pretend hero of the world.
After the last Tournament, I was tired. I loved the Tournament but seeing it weaken and mutated to bizzare proportions was too much for my soul to stand. I remembered the tournaments that were simpler, not as much flash. Where fighters fight just to prove themselves, not for profit. Where one man doesn't throw the fights for his own glory and to save his own hide. I find myself longing for that type of Tournament again.
So, I finally retire. I gained a good amount of money over the years, especially with that retirement package. I will miss the thrill of being on the ring with the strongest of the world fighting just a few feet away. But, I'm just tired of this charade.
This is my story. I'm glad I finally told you what I can, my son. I understand how much you want to continue my legacy and I'm proud of you for that. I just hope that you will see the same magic I saw when I first did the Tournament.
Fin