Chapter 11 – Decisive Numbers

She didn't stay with her brother and Videl like she said she would. Like she was going to give up her position in the line so easily. No, she was the next in line and they were so much further back waiting still for the new machine to be brought it. Besides, she didn't want to feel like the third wheel.

Finally, after what must have been twenty minutes worth of waiting… or maybe forty minutes… or maybe even an hour, the machine was up and ready. Chiri wasted no time, concentrating her energy once more and managing a score of one hundred and ninety nine. She was out within a flash, rushing past the entrances into the stadium and leaping through the doorway into the first restaurant she came across. No one but staff were here. "Is this one of the restaurants the competitors can use?" She asked.

"Yeah, do you have your number card?" One of the staff members asked.

Chiri picked the number from her wristband and showed it to them, getting the green light to sit herself down at one of the tables overlooking the make-shift streets no one seemed to be wandering down. She had no particular need to go and watch the Junior Division because she knew how it would end up. Besides, it was being broadcasted on the televisions in the restaurant so she had no need to head out into the stands. Why bother when she had all this space to herself alongside an all-you-can-eat buffet?

It was oddly nice having all this time to herself, away from the others. It was a bonus that the restaurant itself was practically empty, save her and those who worked here. The staff were very efficient taking away her used plates at the pace she was cleaning the food from them. She would often spend time on her own back home, wandering through the forest or the nearby mesas, passing across the many streams and rivers lining the local area. But it was something different spending time alone in a place full of people. She'd never really gone through any towns or cities on her own, without family or friends before. It was an odd rush that made her feel older and more mature. It gave her a rush that made her want to do this more often.

"Excuse me, miss," One of the waiters had made their way over to her table. "Before you order anything else, can I just check that you have enough money to pay for this?"

Chiri stared as the question sunk in and swallowed hard.


"Where have you been?" Gohan asked incredulously.

'Washing dishes and being yelled at. I didn't know we couldn't eat for free!' Like Chiri was going to tell him the truth; he'd rat her out to their mother and then she'd kill Chiri. Or at the very least, give her a whole load of chores to do for several months and take away a lot of her free time. "Nowhere," was her response. Gohan's expression – whilst his eyes were hidden behind his dark glasses – remained static and disbelieving.

"Too bad you missed the boys' fight," Goku smiled. "Those two are really something."

"Yeah," Chiri rolled her eyes, feigning disinterest. It looked like the match had only just finished but Chiri knew what'd happened, having sensed it all from back in the kitchens. Goten had at one point transformed into a Super Saiyan and so had Trunks. She could see who the victor had been, the lavender-haired child still standing in the middle of the tournament ring. 'Too bad, Goten…' She shook her head silently and exhaled.

"Now for a special exhibition match," The announcer – the guy with the blond hair and shades that'd spoken to them earlier – was stood in the centre of the arena next to Trunks, a microphone in his hand. "As previously stated, the winner of the Junior Division will have the opportunity to take on Mr Satan! So here is the man you've all been waiting for - please give it up for our champion, Mr Satan!"

The deafening roar from the crowds below was overwhelming, Chiri almost lost her balance. Clutching onto the railing, she steadied herself and watched as the man himself strode out of one of the hidden entrances and out onto the ring.

"This is just awful," Krillin sighed. "Hey, you guys fancy getting a bite to eat?"

"Yeah!" Goku was quick to answer.

Chiri didn't follow, having already eaten but now wanting to avoid heading anywhere near to that restaurant. The group were quickly confronted by a baffled and insulted Videl. "Don't you think you ought to watch this match? He's the world champion. Don't you wanna study his technique?"

"That's a great idea!" Gohan sounded way too enthusiastic for Chiri's liking, probably trying to score points with her or something. The way he was acting whenever Videl was around was irritating at best; he was way too agreeable with her, even if the idea was stupid.

"Nah, we'll be alright," Goku shook his head, continuing to wander off. "See you guys later."

The group left. Chiri watched them go with envy. She was not going to be the third wheel, stuck with her suck-up brother and his girlfriend-who-wasn't-apparently-his-girlfriend. She begrudgingly turned her attention back to the ring below, watching with disinterest as the taller fighter approached Trunks, then jumped back a few seconds later, then shrunk feigning an injury or something. This was pitifully dull to watch. She had to go and find something different to do.

Trunks approached the champion, who leant down and inched the right side of his face closer to the child. Trunks lightly tapped the man and sent him soaring clean off his feet, slamming into the wall at the edge of the grassy perimeter. Chiri wasn't at all surprised Trunks had beaten him, she wasn't surprised he'd smacked Mr Satan across the arena. This was all dull and predictable. "… Well there, I watched for his techniques." She muttered dryly towards her brother and his shell-shocked friend. "I'm going." And so she took off in a run, leaping over the top of the stand and landing upon the roof of a lower part of the building. There she leapt from roof to roof of several other buildings, settling in the top of one of the palm trees dotting the main walkway for the fighters.


"The finalists for the Senior Division have now been decided. Can all entrants for the Senior Division please make their way to the qualifying area, where a board will now display the final contestants and their scores."

Chiri opened her eyes. How long had they been closed for? Jumping down from the tree she'd settled into, she darted down the pathway, down to the qualifying area as instructed. It didn't bother her that she was on her own in a mass of people, it didn't bother her where the others were. She knew they'd all qualified.

Reaching the area, her eyes peered past those who'd reached the board before her, many muttering things under their breath. As promised, she'd qualified. Everyone else in their group had also qualified. She snorted when she spotted Vegeta's name on the board, under the score column a note merely read: Unconfirmed due to breaking machine. She couldn't imagine they'd deny him access in fear of their own lives, having witnessed what he'd done to that machine.

"Can I have your attention please?" An official spoke over the loud speakers once more. "If your name is on the board, could you please step this way with your ticket number on hand."

Chiri stepped forward, ticket in hand. The official didn't take a second glance at her which only confirmed that if she really tried, she could sneak into age-rated movies without suspicion. "… Alright, number ninety one has registered. Welcome to the Budokai. If you could follow the path back down towards the arena and take the next left into the court, you will receive more instructions as to what to do next."

So she did as instructed, passing through the groups of unqualified fighters and rushed down the main path, turning left into a small entrance between two tall walls. It was almost as if when she'd stepped over the threshold, all the sounds of the crowds had mysteriously vanished. A couple of officials stood in the small square but apart from them, she was the only one here.

"Oh, that was fast!" The blond announcer from before appeared, approaching her. "Goodness, it'll be interesting to see how the Budokai will turn out this year. You're one of Son Goku's friends, aren't you?"

"I guess," Chiri raised an uncertain eyebrow. "What do you mean, it'll be interesting?"

"Oh, I don't mean anything bad about it," The man was quick to defend himself. "It's been so long since this tournament has seen some incredible battles such as the ones Goku and the others used to compete in. It's been very dull since he stopped competing but now, knowing you guys are here, it makes my heart beat with excitement! All those light attacks and flying about and the horrifying, fast-paced sparring that'd take place. It's been too long since we've had real excitement here."

Chiri was taken aback by his response. "… I see… Earlier, when you asked them not to destroy the ring…?"

"I'm surprised you don't already know but the last final Goku competed in was against Ma Junior," The announcer explained. "Ma Junior went so far as to destroy the ring with some kind of light beam. That was an intense fight, I was certain that Goku was going to die with all the damage he sustained, but somehow he made himself fly and head-butted Ma Junior from where the ring had once been. It was a terrifying but thrilling battle."

"Huh…" Chiri folded her arms. She'd have to question Piccolo about that later.

Other competitors were starting to make their way into the arena, so the announcer quickly left. Two pale-looking men passed through the threshold. One of them was a lot bigger and chunkier than the other, who seemed more serious and composed. Then came a large, fat man. Then a man with a naturally pretty face and blond hair that travelled down to his shoulders. Another two men appeared – these two made Chiri double-take. Aliens: that was the only way she could describe them. The taller one had his white hair brushed back over his shoulders, had reddish skin and a very stern look. The other was half the size of the first. His eyes pierced through her as if he could see into her soul and knew all of her darkest secrets. His pale lilac skin and mysteriously stylish hair made him look almost punk-like but the clothes he and his apparent comrade wore made them look royal and important in some way.

"Hey, you got here fast." Krillin's voice cut through Chiri's thoughts, almost making her jump out of her skin. She spun on the spot to see him and the rest of their group – Gohan and Videl included – approaching them. "Where have you been anyway?"

"Don't matter," Chiri responded. "You guys took your time eating."

"Hey, this is Goku we're talking about!" Krillin snorted cheerfully. He took a small step closer and whispered, "by the way, don't mention anything about Saiyans in front of that Videl person. Gohan'll clobber you if you do!"

"Of course he will," Chiri responded dryly. Though recent events had taught her the hard way that this was indeed true.

"Ok, it looks like almost everyone is here," The announcer smiled, bringing the microphone to his lips. "Alright, here's how the next lot is going to work. Each of you will be called forward to pick a number; the number you will choose will decide what match you will take part in during the Budokai. For example, if I were to get number seven, this would place me in match four against the individual who were to pick number eight. Unfortunately Mr Satan cannot be here to pick a number, so I shall choose for him on his behalf."

And so, one by one, each contestant was called forward to pick a number from a box. When Chiri was called, she had the joy of choosing number sixteen. Dead last. She sighed and resigned herself to the thought that she'd be half asleep by the time her match came up.

Soon everyone had their matches sorted out. The horrifying match would come early, way too early for everyone's liking. Goku had pulled out number eleven, whilst number twelve had been selected by none other than the person who'd set out over the past decade to destroy him. It was Goku against Vegeta. She'd never get to take part in the tournament. Vegeta'd already destroyed the punching machine so no doubt he'd also destroy the ring!

This wasn't panning out the way she'd hoped.

"I'm so sorry!" Videl was apologising to Eighteen. "It's too bad you didn't get to take part in one match before coming up against Daddy."

'If it's anything like his match against Trunks then what's the problem?' Chiri sat herself down on the floor and folded her arms.

"You ok?" Her brother asked, towering over her now she was sitting. "You seem out of sorts." He squatted down beside her. "… How are you? Really?" His tone had changed.

"I'm ok," Chiri replied.

Gohan wasn't biting. "… No you're not. You've been distant ever since Dad arrived."

"Well why does that have to suddenly mean anything?" Chiri gruffly replied. "I'm distant half the time anyway and now because Dad's here, suddenly that has to mean something?"

Gohan sighed and rose back to his full height, wandering away muttering something under his breath.

"Right, now that all of the contestants have chosen a number, the matches will go as follows. Match one: Krillin versus Pintar. Match two: Shin versus Ma Junior. Match three: Videl versus Spopovich. Match four: Kibito versus The Great Saiyaman. Match five: Eighteen versus Mr Satan. Match six: Son Goku versus Vegeta. Match seven: Mighty Mask versus Jewel. And match eight: Yamu versus Son Chiri. May all contestants now please follow me down the path and into the waiting area. This waiting area will be where you will be required to wait for your matches. You are free to use the facilities designated to the contestants but please make sure you are back the match before yours begins, so as to cause minimal delays."

Chiri glanced over at the two pale men, in particular the shorter, leaner of the two. Something about them creeped her out but perhaps it was because they seemed to have suffered some illness that'd caused them to lose all body hair. They didn't even have eyebrows. It was the shorter one – Yamu – who she would be facing in the first round. The other man - Spopovich or something – was due to fight Videl in the first round.

The small crowd followed the announcer down the path towards the main stadium, passing through a small set of doors and through another into the main waiting area. The room itself was full of tall, small windows close to the ceiling, a small draft crossing from one side of the room to the other. Ahead of them was the entrance out into the ring, a large plaque in the middle of this entrance which seemed oddly placed.

"Right, we will give you five minutes before the first match will start," The announcer added before making his way out into the arena.


The five minutes flew by and as quick as a flash, Krillin was being called out onto the ring alongside the fat man, Puntar. The larger man was quite the gloater and more than happy to insult Krillin's height and appearance, so it came with great satisfaction to see Krillin effortlessly defeat him. Next up was Shin – who turned out to be the short, lavender-skinned man that'd caught Chiri's eye earlier – against Ma Junior – Piccolo's alias. Almost as quickly as it'd started, it'd ended. Piccolo didn't even try to fight him, merely appeared to hold a staring contest until something spooked him and he left the ring, losing.

"What was that about?" Chiri raised an eyebrow, alarmed at how out-of-character her former mentor seemed. She watched as Piccolo walked past them all, Gohan questioning him as he passed by.

"Is he really that strong, Piccolo?" Goku asked sounding serious.

Piccolo stopped. "… More than you could imagine."

"D-Don't say that!" Krillin shivered. "I'm the one who has to face him next!"

Chiri looked back that the shorter fighter, who was now also making his way back into the waiting area. The creepy smile etched across his youthful face seemed deceptive. She wanted to suddenly know more about him, as if whatever this was had been a mask, hiding some deep dark secret. It took a powerful fighter to stop Piccolo dead in his tracks the way this young man had. What was worse, Piccolo hadn't even gone to land a hit against him.

"Our next match features the former Junior Divison champion – now old enough to participate in the Senior Division!" The announcer's voice echoed off the walls of the stadium. "That's right; it's Videl!"

The crowds suddenly roared into life, you'd have thought there'd been a mass shootout or something with the way some of them were screaming in hysterics. Chiri covered her ears and watched as Videl stepped out, giving them all the thumbs up as she left. Behind her was her opponent, the chunky brute Spopovich. He looked furious, literally hissing as he passed Chiri. She gave him a dirty look as she passed, annoyed with the bad temper he seemed to have. The two made their way onto the ring as the announcer continued to babble on for the sake of the crowds, explaining the backstory of both fighters. Apparently Spopovich had been defeated by Mr Satan in the previous tournament. From the feel of his energy…

Chiri's brow fell. '… What's going on?'