Chapter 25: Mutant
Vegeta let his statement sink in fully, finally striking home in that idiot Kakarot's brain as he watched his son approach. In a way, he loved the torment that the thought must have caused the younger Saiyan, after all, he had committed his entire life after his first visit to Earth to besting him. But at the same time, he had grown quite fond of Gohan, nearly as much as his own son, and he could only imagine what he would have felt if Trunks had gone so far astray from what he'd expected of him. As it was, Gohan had gone far beyond what the prince had ever imagined him being, and loathe though he was to admit it, none struck more fear into him than the Demi. It was no wonder to him that the boy's fool father would be a little put out by the change.
He chose to try and placate the Saiyan, imagining in his head what the woman would say if she found out he was torturing him instead; Vegeta you... Complete and… total… fucking dickhead! He gets one day back and you have to go and be your stupid shitheaded princy self! Now what do you think Gohan is going to do to you? You just had to go and ruin his one day he had with his father! He smirked at the thought of her tirade, had he acted on his impulses. But no, she had done her work on him well over the years. Damn woman has made me soft… In spite of himself, even the thought of doing such a thing stirred a deeply buried feeling of guilt, mostly for the effect it would have on the eldest Demi-Saiyan.
"Gohan is still the good guy Kakarot, I can assure you of that." he said in a slightly softer tone. "He's done all he can to fill your shoes in your absence, and as much as I regret to say it, he has surpassed the both of us in his role. He's made a strong guardian for this planet, rendering all your old friends effectively as useful as that afro'd idiot up there in the boxes."
Videl huffed, scowling and crossing her arms at him with an irritable glare, "You know, despite my problems with that 'afro'd idiot', he is still my father. Be nice."
Vegeta mimicked her posture, sneering down at her, "Or what girl? I admit, to think that that buffoon contributed to make you is hard to believe, considering he took a dive in the shallow end of the gene pool…" He internally applauded himself for the irritable roll of her eyes the subtle compliment-slash-insult earned, "But disregarding that, you couldn't hurt me if you wanted to. I trust you are aware of our heritage now that you and the brat are mated?"
Her eyes snapped wide open and her jaw dropped at the statement, catching him off guard. He didn't let his own surprise show however, keeping his face neutral. Are they not? The boy has been at her for weeks now, what the hell is he waiting for?!
"M-mated?" she stammered out nervously. "What the hell does that mean? Married? We're too young for that!"
He disregarded her stammering, startling her by stepping in close and glaring at her neck on both sides just to confirm his thoughts. Sure enough, there was no mark on either side.
"Wha-… What the hell Vegeta? You find anything interesting I need to know about, or should I just kick you between the legs now?" she yelled furiously, covering her neck with one of her hands and shaking a fist at him. He halted his inspection, quirking an amused eyebrow at her fiery statement. She really was a feisty one, and immediately he felt the respect for her resurge in him. Truly, they boy had picked a good mate. Now if he would only make it official and do the damn deed! Then it occurred to him that she didn't know of their mating rituals, "So, he hasn't told you about us yet then?"
She crossed her arms, obviously in discomfort and self-consciousness. She glanced around the room nervously, making sure that their conversation wouldn't fall on unfitting ears, "I know that you and Goku are Saiyans – the last two full blooded Saiyans – and that Gohan and the other three are hybrids. I know a bit about your transformation, but only from what I've seen Gohan do and… From the Cell games."
He stood straight, glaring into her eyes with a smug expression. She wasn't as familiar with Saiyans as he had predicted, but neither was she completely ignorant. She seemed contemplative for a moment, looking between his smirking face and Goku's distant expression, hesitating with a question clearly bursting to come forth, "Well, spit it out girl!"
She started at his statement, caught off guard by his harsh tone, "It's… something you said earlier… About Gohan? You said he was the most powerful in the universe… I mean, I know he's strong, but…"
He couldn't help but chuckle at her words. Surely, she had to have known of how powerful he really was? But then, she had only known him for half a year, and who knows how long she'd actually known about his lineage. He smirked and planted his hands on his hips, "Here's your history lesson for the day girl. Gohan. Is. A. Legend. Killer. Within his own rights, he is a legend himself. Years ago, when his uncle came to this planet, he was the one to deliver the blow that would start his downfall, at four years old. When I arrived, it was he who ultimately toppled me from my position as the Elite Saiyan at age five. He fought off the most powerful tyrant in this galaxy and many of his minions at age six. He fought with, on more than one occasion, the Super-Saiyan of legend; The second time, overpowering him and killing him at age sixteen. And he fought Cell at age eleven, who I am still disgusted to say, was literally a combination of all the most powerful beings that were on this planet at the time, including all of us Saiyans… So no, I do not exaggerate when I say that he is the most powerful being in the universe, and every time he fights, win or lose, he only gets stronger. He has the ability to wipe out entire star systems in one go, so..."
A thick silence reigned over the group after his speech. None had heard him speak so passionately about anything besides his own ego. But he was more intrigued by her reaction to his statement; nothing. Nothing at all was what she showed for the information that had just been dumped on her. It was like someone had simply hit the "off" switch on her. He grinned deviously and continued, "You should feel proud of yourself girl, you've managed to tame him."
"That's enough Vegeta…" The low growl ate away at his amusement quicker than a ki blast from the same man who had uttered the dangerously toned words. He stepped back from the girl, composing his face into the best neutral glare he could and turned his attention to Gohan. Just as every other time the boy had said anything to him in such a menacing manner, an unbidden sense of panic jolted through his stomach, but he fought to ignore it, "Tell me boy, why haven't you done it yet? You know as well as I that you shouldn't fight your urges… Surely you remember that from our discussions?"
His glare was unrelenting, his crossed arms and stock-straight back giving away no hint of backing down, "We're not going to talk about this right now Vegeta, now…" He strode closer to the short prince, sending the urge to flee from him to the fore-front of his mind. But he held his ground, stubbornly glaring right back just like he always would. When Gohan's voice came again, it was surprisingly less menacing, though no less serious, "If you're done with your class for the day, you've got the next fight your highness. I don't know how powerful this guy is, but if Shin is any indication, he's probably pretty tough. Call it a hunch, but don't play around with him…"
"I don't need your advice on how to fight brat," spat Vegeta venomously. "I've been doing it since before your father was even conceived."
"Right, because that's helped you in so many occasions…" droned Gohan sarcastically.
"Bah! Shut up!" came the short Saiyan's retort. He let the frustration fuel him, storming away from the group and tugging on the fighting gloves he had donned for the fight irritably. He knew Gohan was right about his past performances, though he'd never admit it. Despite his tactical genius, which he was proud to say was one of his most defining features, he had made critical errors in many of his battles. The worst of which still haunted him to this day: Not killing Cell when he had the chance to, before he had absorbed that damned blonde android. He'd never let the boy know it out loud, but he intended fully on following his advice. This Kibito character was an unknown, completely unpredictable. He would indeed need to be brought down quickly if he was to get to his fight with Kakarot.
*ACROSS THE ROOM*
"Master, this is not going to work. We still don't understand what those two are after. More than that, the green one already knows who you are. This is getting more and more precarious the longer we go." muttered Kibito urgently.
Shin clasped his hands behind his back, furrowing his brow and watching Vegeta grumble to himself as he made his way towards the entrance. They were indeed treading on thin ice as it was, but their situation was dire, "Yes I understand your worries Kibito, but we need to flush them out of hiding. I've got a hunch that they will need energy, and these Saiyans… I was planning on finding a way to get Goku to transform, and in the process, force their hands. But if we can get another target…"
"Is that wise?" scoffed Kibito. "Vegeta has not been known for his cooperative nature. You yourself saw this over the course of his life. It is unlikely that he will simply transform because I ask it of him. Worse, it might clue them in to our intentions."
"Kibito we don't have many options left." admitted Shin despairingly. "We're running out of time, and I'm sure that Babidi will have… alternate plans set in motion. Even if my assumption about Yamu's and Spopovich's mission is incorrect, there is bound to be a backup plan buried away in that monster's head. We need to force his move before he can outmaneuver us. We have to act!"
The words rang true in his partner's head; that much he was certain of. But he knew what could result of action he was requesting from his tall bodyguard. Not one to give up entirely in the event of a failure, he continued, "If Vegeta does not transform for you, then… We need to get Goku to transform, and I've got a hunch that the prince is the best way to convince him to do so. I will leave that call to your judgment if the time comes. Though I am fully aware you could win easily against him in his base form, this mission matters too much for that now."
"Now, ladies and gentlemen, for the final match of the first round… We have two newcomers to the world martial arts scene: Vegeta and Kibito!"
He took one last look to his pink friend, nodding to him reassuringly. The giant of a man inhaled deeply, focusing ahead of him to where his opponent was already making his way to the ring, "What if this doesn't work? Surely Spopovich and Yamu are aware of our presence. What if they flee?"
"Then we shall give chase, and hope they lead us to the wizard. But I doubt they will until after they've gotten what they come for." Murmured Shin.
With a defeated grunt, Kibito clenched his fists and began making his way out to the ring, carefully avoiding the glare of one Gohan Son. Masking his uncertainty, he strode confidently into the ring to face off against the Saiyan prince. The announcer did his usual routine, introducing the fighters to the crowd with all the information he knew, or in this case, the lack thereof. But neither of the fighters were paying him any attention, sizing each other up with their respective glares. Kibito summoned his resolve, crossing his arms before him and doing as the supreme Kai requested of him, "Vegeta… Show me your super-Saiyan form."
A visible jolt of surprise shook the Saiyan prince, and immediately his expression became fierce. He cocked his head to the side to take in the tall pink man from a different angle, and crossed his arms defiantly, "How…? You know of the legendary transformation? What is it to you?"
"That is inconsequential now. Just show me your true power."
Vegeta continued to glare at him for a moment, wincing irritably when the gong suddenly sounded. Neither of them moved for a moment, and Vegeta chanced a quick look towards the waiting area, his face an impassive mask. His eyes returned to the pink giant, and his face cracked into a smug sneer, "No, I don't think I will…"
His arms uncrossed and he glowered up at the pink man, his shoulders hunching as his ki skyrocketed. The veins in his arms bulged with the sudden increase of blood flow as his heart rate climbed with his temper, "You think you can just come in here and tell me, the prince of all Saiyans, what to do? Oh no, I will beat you, and I will do it WITHOUT giving you the satisfaction of seeing me need to transform to do it!"
Kibito wasn't entirely sure if that last comment was actually directed at him or not, considering what he could feel going on in the Saiyan's mind. But before he could act on it, Vegeta let forth a blue-white aura and lunged towards him. Kibito stepped back into a defensive stance, determined to get through to the Saiyan yet. If I cannot get you to transform on request, I'll just give you a reason to.
Vegeta's initial attack was swift, even quicker than Kibito could have previously given him credit for in his base form. The straight punch directed towards his sternum nearly mad contact before he managed to redirect it with a block of his elbow. He snapped the same arm that he had blocked with forward in a hammer-fist directed at the Saiyan's exposed face, only to have him duck under it and forcefully drive his shoulder up and under his rib cage. Kibito grunted in pain as the air left his lungs before he took advantage of the smaller man's vulnerability. He grabbed the short Saiyan around the middle, trapping his arms at his sides and flipping him up so that he was inverted, enveloped in a bear hug.
"Augh! Put me down, you great big ape!" yelled the furious Saiyan.
Kibito quirked an eyebrow at that, a fleeting flash of amusement toying with his mind. To be called an ape by one who literally was an ape of sorts… The irony was palpable. Dismissing the statement without another thought, he growled and dropped his weight to his knees, slamming the short man into the tile with a loud thud and a grunt.
"I admit, I'm impressed Vegeta. You managed to hit me. Don't worry, it won't happen again." said Kibito during the following lul in combat. He tried to force as much malice and venom into the words as he could, knowing full well the pride of the Saiyan race. If there was one thing he had always admired of the primal species, it was the raw determination and desire to win that fueled them. And Vegeta was a prime specimen of a Saiyan, with several past instances showing exactly how prideful the prince was. If there's one way to make him transform, it should definitely be a blow to his ego.
The prince pushed himself up from the hard tile, snarling at the tall pink man. He had definitely struck a chord in him, now it was time to see if it would bear fruit. Kibito readied himself for the onslaught, and come it did. Vegeta shot forward again and again, attacking with all he had, while Kibito countered and sent him back time and time again. But for the life of him, the Saiyan would not transform. Deciding that a change of tactics was in order, Kibito went on the offensive. He transitioned flawlessly, mid-fight, into a completely different style of fighting. Vegeta staggered backwards, countering the attacks as best he could. His eyes darted back and forth, searching for a solution to this new predicament, "Why. Won't. You. Trans-form?"
Kibito could barely contain his frustration. Despite outward appearances, his mind was not nearly as calm and collected as his masters. After all, he was significantly younger than the Supreme Kai, and had not mastered the mental control that the short purple man held.
Vegeta's demeanor changed for a moment between attacks, and Kibito saw something click into place in his eyes. Realization of defeat perhaps? Maybe it would be just a little more until the short man gave into the urges that were clearly plaguing him. He pressed the attack, tapping into the reservoir of ki he had at his disposal and pushing a little harder on the prince, forcing him to the edge of the ring. He swung a left, a right, and then another left, and much to his surprise, Vegeta didn't even attempt to change direction. Something felt off in the actions of the prince, and he soon found out why. Suddenly, right as Kibito thought his strike would hit home, he wasn't there anymore. Kibito felt him reappear directly behind him and felt a cold shock as he realized that the short man had simply leapt over him with a little bit of ki control.
He growled fiercely and spun, throwing his fist out in a back-handed strike aimed at where he assumed the prince's head would be without drawing even more of his strength, only to find it sail straight over the spiky black hair as the prince crouched down. Suddenly, he was open, with his entire front exposed to his opponent. Vegeta smirked with the impending victory and shot up and forward, slamming his fist under Kibito's jaw with a mighty upper-cut. Sure, maybe the prince hadn't transformed, but he still packed one hell of a wallop, one that Kibito was sure to be feeling later. He floated backwards, contemplating his next move as time slowed to an impossibly slow rate. Vegeta and Goku. Supreme Kai believes that Vegeta will make Goku transform, or the other way around. Loathe though I am to just… lose… Perhaps he is right. Just let it-
His thoughts were sharply cut off when a ball of ki slammed into his gut, detonating with a thunderclap and sending him plowing into the ground below. During the instance that he had been contemplating what he should do, Vegeta had decided for him. The screams of the crowd slowly began to refocus over the ringing in his ears. His sight came back just as quickly to see the Saiyan glaring down at him arrogantly, "I told you pinky, I will not transform because you ask of it. I'm guessing now that you knew of the transformation because of Kakarot, but since you do, you should know full well what we are capable of… A word of caution: Don't fuck with us."
With that stated, he turned and quietly left the stage under the watchful eye of the crowd. The announcer seemingly jumped back to life, hopping up on the stage and waving his arm towards the retreating form of the prince.
"Well ladies and gentlemen, you just saw it yourselves! With a rather explosive ending, Vegeta knocked Kibito from the ring in what could only be described as a David and Goliath type match! Don't under-estimate the short ones folks, they're proving to be top competitors today!"
*IN THE WAITING AREA*
Gohan carefully inspected everything he just witnessed, replaying it in his mind. Vegeta had won, there was no doubt about it, but it felt wrong. He was curious to know what had gotten the prince all fired up before the round had even started, and carefully scrutinized every detail he could imagine. Kibito was a fantastic fighter, of that there was no doubt. His technique rivaled that of Shin's, though in the brief glimpses of the tall man's ki he could grasp, he was significantly stronger than the shorter man. Though, at this point it was still just speculation. Yet if it were true that he was that much more powerful, then how had Vegeta won with so much apparent ease? Something just felt off about the whole situation. He glanced over to where Shin was and was rather surprised to see him wearing a cool smile. Okay, that's weird, his friend just got beaten with ease, and he's smiling… Too much coincidence, it had to have been planned.
He glanced at the bracket, curious as to the turnout that these events would bring. His eyes locked onto Goku's name momentarily, scratched next to 17's on the bracket. Then Bardock, and now Vegeta. But why want him to fight me? What do they have to gain by having him fight me? Unless they want him to fight with dad? But even then, unless they want to demolish the island, there's no reason for it. Gah, this is fucking irritating! What the hell do they want?
"Kakarot. Brat. Come here now." The gruff voice of the prince pulled him from his musings, but served to blacken his mood further. He could feel the throb of his headache starting to get worse as he glared at him irritably. But obviously he had something to tell them, and so he joined his father and the shorter Saiyan. The prince glanced around and dropped his voice, something flashing in his eyes that Gohan had rarely ever seen; Concern. "The big one wanted me to transform."
The simple statement sent a jolt down Gohan's spine, and immediately his eyes found their way to the large pink man as he made his way back inside to stand with his partner. Sure, it kinda made sense that Shin and Kibito would know about the transformation, after all, they had come here looking for a Saiyan. Specifically, the first Super Saiyan of this generation. But there was absolutely no reason for any of them to transform here, not to mention that it was downright dangerous. Goku on the other hand didn't seem surprised in the least, sighing heavily and planting his hands on his hips, "I had a feeling that was part of the reason they were after me. I'm by no means the best fighter that was in otherworld, but I certainly had the upper hand in the power department. They probably want us to transform for a reason though… I wonder why."
Gohan nodded in agreement, fitting another piece of the puzzle into place. Shin and Kibito wanted one of them to transform, and what better way than to pitch a pair of Super Saiyans against each other in a tournament? But then, Ria had transformed earlier in the ring, hadn't she? He voiced his concerns, trying to fit the pieces together as he went, "They can't just be after a Super Saiyan though, or something would have happened when Ria transformed. They couldn't be after the levels beyond, could they?"
The three of them were lost in their own thoughts for a moment, contemplating the bizarre duo and their intentions. One thing that they all agreed on without needing the others' verbal consent, was that they would not transform just because those two desired it. Then Gohan noticed, just barely out the corner of his eye, a most peculiar sight; Spopovich looked like he was suddenly brain-dead, sitting on the bench with limp limbs and staring off into nothing in front of him with his mouth hanging open slightly. Yamu on the other hand, was apparently arguing with the wall, talking animatedly in hushed tones that were too quiet for him to hear. On top of that, it appeared that Shin also had taken notice of the one-way conversation, and was glaring… yes definitely glaring at the duo.
"Now onto the second round of the championships! We have the winner of our first match, Krillin, versus Shin! Fighters, get on back out here!"
He banished the thought from his mind, deciding he would follow his father's lead in encouraging the short ex-monk, who appeared a shade paler than normal. They rejoined the main party, most of which looked at the three of them quizzically, but didn't voice the question they all wanted to ask. Immediately, Gohan felt the warm presence of Videl scoot close to him again, brushing her shoulder against his arm as she came to rest next to him. He smiled softly, glad just to have her presence with him here. His mind was so clouded and his frustration was running rampant. It was soothing to have her scent and her calming ki next to him.
He sighed, clapping his godfather on the shoulder as he passed before him, trudging towards the exit to the room like a man being sent to the gallows, "Hey, give him hell Krillin. You can take him."
Krillin paused, considering him with a sad smile before continuing on his way out the door after Shin. The gathered Z-fighters clustered around the windows, watching his progress out to the ring carefully. Videl settled herself against him slightly, to the outside of the group, leaning against the window frame with her shoulder against his and a curious expression on her face. He already knew what was coming, but it still sent a chill through his limbs, "What Vegeta said… Is it true?"
He didn't look at her, instead choosing to watch his godfather as he squared off against Shin in the ring, "Which bit?"
"What do you mean, which bit? I don't doubt for a second the stories he spouted, all the enemies, including himself. You already mentioned that to me. But this… insane idea that you are… I mean the whole universe?" she asked incredulously.
A sense of dread flooded through his veins at the tone in her voice. He wasn't prepared to tell her that little detail just yet. He didn't think she was ready to know that yet, and it showed in her voice, at least to him. But the cat was already out of the bag, no sense in trying to hide it. "As we know it…? Yes, actually. Until recently, that title belonged to Broly. He was the legend that Vegeta spoke of, hence why he called me a legend killer."
An uncomfortable silence settled over them, and he could feel her eyes boring into the side of his head, but he dare not turn to look into those cerulean orbs. He feared what emotions would be evident in their gaze. Fear. That's the last thing he wanted her to feel about him, especially since that day; she had really thought he was going to kill her.
"And… the other bit?" she continued hesitantly. "He said you were capable of destroying star systems?... I mean I saw the ki blast your dad did on that footage, and it was enormous…" She trailed off, leaving it open for him to explain. The gong out in the ring rang forth, and the match began. But he wasn't really watching, despite his desire to support his godfather and try to learn something about Shin.
He considered how to say what she needed to hear in the most effective way, "That wave, the super Kamehameha, was capable of destroying this planet Videl… And the one I used to-… to finish Cell, was magnitudes more powerful than that… Vegeta wasn't exaggerating, I have the capability to destroy this entire solar system without a trace."
He unfocused his eyes, staring into nothing as the words left him. He knew she was going to treat him like an unexploded bomb now, why wouldn't she? He had just told her, quite plainly, that there was nobody in the universe who could stand up to him. He couldn't bare the silence any longer though, and turned his gaze to meet hers. He had expected fear, maybe a flinch as his eyes connected with hers. But he had never in his wildest dreams imagined that she would be amused. Yet here she was, a smile on her lips and laughter in her eyes, with her eyebrows arching up into her messy short hair. He felt slightly abashed, wondering if she hadn't taken his words seriously, "What?"
She shook her head from side to side and gripped his upper arm, holding herself against him and clearing her throat, "Oh… nothing… Just wondering how, of anyone in this entire universe, little old me caught your eye. I mean, after all, I'm just a little human girl on a tiny ball of dirt in this universe…"
Relief flooded him. That she was making light of the magnitude of the bomb that had been dropped on her spoke for the girl's rational mindset. He let out the breath he was unintentionally holding and nearly gave in to the urge to laugh, "Well, if I remember right, you came after me actually."
She rolled her eyes irritably and nudged him in the side with her elbow, "Yea, yea. Whatever. Just remember, Mr. Universe, that this little Human girl will still whip your ass any day, one way or another."
Suddenly, a burst of ki caught his attention before disappearing rapidly again into its usual un-readable form. His eyes snapped to focus on the short purple man in the ring, cutting the rest of the world from his senses.
*IN THE RING – MOMENTS BEFORE*
Krillin wiped the nervous sweat from his brow using the wrist band on his right wrist and glared at his opponent, doing his absolute best to contain the apprehension building in his gut. Shin was the epitome of apathy, his face betraying absolutely no sign of emotion as he waited patiently for the round to begin. Krillin could hear the announcer talking, but wasn't hearing a word he said. In his mind he was going through all the things he'd seen Shin do against Piccolo, trying to measure just how tough an opponent he was really facing. Okay, so Piccolo said he's far more powerful than we imagined. But Piccolo exaggerates sometimes, right? I mean, he didn't seem that strong when Piccolo fought him, it just looked like the big guy had an off day! Still, all the same, I'd better not hold back against him. Just remember everything you've trained yourself for Krillin, you have a prize to win so you can finally get away from Roshi! Yea, just remember the prize!
He swallowed past the nervous lump in his throat, steeling himself against his rebelling body, and dropped into his usual stance; a blend of Turtle form and the Western Monk's style. Shin's neutral façade dissipated as his expression took on an amused air, and he settled into his own bizarre stance. They only stood there for a moment before the gong sounded, leaving a ringing sensation in the ex-monk's ears.
Krillin went on the attack immediately, opening wide the tap on his ki and sending forth a dim white aura. The energy filled his limbs, and he immediately sped right by Shin's defenses, getting in extremely close to the purple man before he could react properly. Krillin's fist found it's mark, striking Shin under the chin, snapping his head up and sending him stumbling backwards. Krillin was so stunned that he had hit so easily that he hesitated. Realizing his narrowing window of opportunity to keep up his advantage, he pressed on, but too late. Shin's eyes found him again, and his face set determinedly with a confident smirk.
Krillin's punches came in just as fast, but Shin effectively countered most of them before they could reach their intended target. Quickly realizing that he was getting nowhere, he shifted his attack, favoring the lightning fast kicks and softening blows of the monk's form of fighting to the Turtle school's heavier strikes. Shin did not immediately catch the change, and Krillin was rewarded with several hits to the short man. A quick punch to the ribs, a kick to the inside of the thigh, a back-hand to the side of the head; none of his attacks were particularly powerful, but combined, they began to take their toll. Shin shifted backwards with the attacks, his eyes concentrating on every move with a steely glint. Krillin noticed the edge of the ring approaching fast, and unleashed the full potential of his ki, forcing the dam open as far as he could. He rained down his lightning fast attacks, focusing on his opponent and making the attacks hit home more and more often. He felt a bubble swell in his chest as they got closer and closer to the edge of the ring, and dared to think that he had it in the bag.
Then Shin flipped on him one-eighty. Between attacks, he took his opportunity to drop back out of range of Krillin's over-extended kick, and thrust his hand forward in a claw with a loud "HAA!". Krillin felt the force of the ki-wave strike him in the chest, forcing him back several feet before he could regain his balance. The invisible ki wave had done its job well, and Krillin growled in irritation. Darn! I was so close too! Okay keep it together Krillin, you've done it once, you can do it again.
He squatted further down in his stance, coiling his legs to spring forth and resume his attack, eyeing his opponent for any further weaknesses he could find as they both regained their breath. Shin however, took matters into his own hands, spreading his feet to a horse-riding stance, with his fists planted at his sides. His brow furrowed, and for the first time, Krillin could clearly see the man's ki, if only for a split second. Crap-crap-crap! Where in the world did all that come from?! Has he been playing me this whole time? Oh, this is about to get really ugly!
A burst of air slammed Krillin in the face, making him wince and raise his arms before him in an attempt to deflect most of the gust. When he dropped his hands enough to see his opponent, Shin had let forth a red aura, and was squatting back into his normal stance. A chord of recognition rang in the former monk's head, but he didn't have time to think about it, as Shin suddenly went on the offensive. Where Krillin had the advantage before-hand, Shin now quickly surpassed him. His eyes tracked most of the purple man's movements, but they were so alien and erratic, he was unable to guess accurately where each attack was going to come from.
He staggered back, dumbfounded by the sudden explosion in speed. Each block sent a jolt up the limb that met his attacks, and Krillin found himself quickly running out of energy. In a desperate bid to get some relief from the onslaught, he slammed his ki downwards, shooting into the air and panting in an attempt to regain his breath. He glared down at Shin, who narrowed his eyes up at the ex-monk before squatting low. Krillin felt a pang of fear as he realized what the purple man was about to do, and attempted to get his guard up in time.
Shin shot skywards towards him, faster than Krillin anticipated and leaving a faint red streak behind him. Not one to be outdone, Krillin sent a preemptive kick down towards Shin, predicting where he should have been. But Shin simply rolled under the attack, flipping himself over in mid-air and connecting with a hard kick right between Krillin's shoulder blades. The force of the kick sent him flying towards the ground like a meteor, and with a pained yelp, he made contact. He hit the tile towards the edge of the ring, cracking it with the force of his impact before bouncing once and rolling to a stop in the grass outside the ring.
*IN THE WAITING AREA*
Gohan stared hard at the form of his godfather, who had finally stopped outside of the ring. He waited a moment to be sure that he was alright, and immediately felt relief flood him when the short fighter stood and brushed himself off with a downcast expression. The crowd was going absolutely nuts, marveling at the show they had just witnessed. Or rather, the show that they had tried to witness. Krillin was already famous for the fight he had with master Roshi back in the twenty-first tournament, where the two of them moved faster than the spectators could track. But the show they just put on for them was far beyond what he was capable as a thirteen-year-old. The audience didn't need to see every attack though; they could feel the force in their gut every time the two of them made contact. The lights, the flying, it all made sure the crowd was entertained.
But for the Z-fighters, all they could do was carefully watch Shin, who had momentarily slipped up and revealed his ki. The depth of the energy at his disposal was mind-bogglingly huge, and Gohan wasn't entirely sure whether or not even his own was as expansive. That wasn't what immediately stuck out in the demi's mind however, it was how the short man used it. The boost in strength, the drastic increase in speed, the red aura; he'd seen it all before. He glanced up at the purple being and instantly felt his face twist into a snarl. The kaio-ken technique. The fighting form of the Kais. I was right, I have to be right! Piccolo knows it too, that's why he wouldn't tell me who he is!
Apparently, his thoughts were obvious, because Goku grasped onto his shoulder firmly, catching his attention and forcing him to lock eyes with his father. Long gone was his care-free expression, replaced by the rarely worn grim scowl he only wore in desperate situations, "Hey! Don't even think about it Gohan! I already know what you're thinking, and we don't know that for certain!"
"Dad, it's the kaio-ken!" he responded angrily. "He's a kai, you have to see it too."
Goku shook his head, his eyes darting towards the subject of their discussions, "We don't know-"
"Ask piccolo! He knows, and now I know!", he growled, jerking his shoulder out of his father's grasp.
Goku spun him around so that they were face to face, grasping his shoulders in an even harder grip, "Okay, so he might be a Kai, I got it. But so what? What are you going to do, take out your anger on him? He's not the Grand Kai Gohan, I met him personally and Shin is someone entirely different."
The words struck home, and Gohan could feel a sense of let-down and hollow fury. He had spent so many years wallowing in his hatred of the Grand Kai that he had automatically painted Shin with the same brush. He couldn't find it in him to do anything to the purple man, no matter how much he wanted to. Not one to totally drop his guard, he latched onto any of his hatred that was left, but relaxed his tense muscles as he watched Shin make his way back to the waiting area, "Nothing… Yet. He's not free yet dad, I'm still going to be watching him. One wrong move though, and…"
"And what? Gohan please, you heard what he said. When he leaves, I leave with him." Goku pleaded desperately.
Gohan growled in the back of his throat irritably and spat, "I know!" Gohan scowled and rolled his head back, cracking his neck as he fought to control his raging mind. A thick silence settled over them as the others watched for his reaction with bated breath. He inhaled deeply and slowly let out his breath, lowering his head again and taking in his friends. All of them were either watching him apprehensively, or pretending not to be aware of the conversation at all. He turned his head to look once again at Shin, who had paused momentarily at the entrance to the room, and was watching him carefully through narrowed eyes. They clashed momentarily, and Gohan attempted to see through the mask that Shin had over his ki once more before relenting with a heavy sigh, "Fine… For now."
The Z fighters let out a collective sigh, glad that the threat of an imminent explosion had passed. Gohan crossed his arms and turned away from them, looking back out the window and mulling it all over in his head. He vaguely felt Krillin's ki pass him as he went to settle himself on a bench, massaging the back of his head and getting fussed over by 18.
"Hey Gohan, I gotta ask…" began Goku tentatively. "Your other name you're using; Bardock? I'm curious as to where you got it from."
The demi raised an eyebrow and looked at his father out the corner of his eye, puzzled by the change in subject. It didn't really surprise him that his father had wandered off to something else already. He always seemed to do that when the tension was thick, wherever he went. It was just one of the many ways he would lighten the mood with his presence. "Vegeta described the last moments of the Saiyan race, and of my Saiyan grandfather. I figured it was appropriate for me to use your father's name as my alias since I would be wearing some of Bulma's modified Saiyan battle armor."
Goku nodded with a knowing smile, one that unconsciously made Gohan smile weakly beneath his mask, "I met him you know… while I was in otherworld?"
Gohan was a little surprised by the statement, as was Vegeta apparently. The prince pushed himself away from his place against the wall where he had been watching their interaction, "You met your father in otherworld?"
Goku grimaced slightly at the question, scratching his head nervously and staring off into nothingness, "Well not really otherworld… I got sent on missions to hell a couple times, and most of the Saiyans were there…" That brought on a heavy silence as those present considered the implications of that statement. But Goku bounced back quickly, shrugging it off and grinning, "But besides the gloomy décor, I got to meet Bardock! Actually, I met a lot of them, now that I think about it. I met my mother, Gine, and King Vegeta."
Gohan couldn't help his amused chuckle at the stunned expression on the prince's face at that, "Wait, you met my father as well?"
"Yea!" said the deceased Saiyan excitedly, holding up a finger for all the names he rattled off. "My dad, mom, King Vegeta, Raditz, Nappa, and a few other Saiyan elites that worked with my father before they died all helped me. I didn't even realize I needed their help until I got there, but they gave it!"
Some of those names sent a jolt down Gohan's spine, especially his uncle's. Memories of that day, trapped inside the Saiyan space pod welled back up in him, and he glared at his father incredulously, "Wait, you mean to tell me that your brother, the same guy who tried to kidnap me and kill you, willingly helped you? And you let him?!"
Vegeta seemed just as awe-struck as the young demi, and looked expectantly at the dead Saiyan. Goku just shrugged nonchalantly and said, "Well yea. To be honest, once all the Saiyans were reunited in hell, they sorta… what's the word I'm looking for… Repented? Of course, some of them were already trying to make up for their evil ways before they died. King Vegeta and my parents tried to remove themselves from Frieza's servitude and turn their lives around, but it was too late. And considering that Bardock and Vegeta are the only other Saiyans in otherworld that have gained the ability to go super, they pretty well keep the rest in check. Raditz didn't really have a say in the matter."
"My father can transform?", asked Vegeta numbly.
"Hehe, yea!" giggled Goku, his eyes looking at some mental image as he said it. "It's pretty funny too, since he's got that beard. It changes color too!"
Gohan snorted at that, amazed that of all the things Goku had taken away from the encounter with the Saiyans in otherworld, he remembered that their facial hair changes colors when they transform. Vegeta nodded, his eyes growing distant at the new bit of information. Videl shifted her weight to his other side, looking up at him and his father curiously. He looked back at her, raising an eyebrow in silent question to her puzzled glare. She noticed his look and chuckled sheepishly, "Sorry Gohan, I'm just trying to imagine you or… well any of you three with a beard. I mean, I've never seen a trace of facial hair on you, and Vegeta…? I could see him with a moustache, but I think that just matches his personality."
Gohan smirked at the mental image of the Saiyan prince smiling evily and twirling a thin moustache around his finger menacingly like they did in the movies. "Well, it's pretty easy to get rid of hair if you have ki. Trust me, we're more than capable of growing facial hair, but just like you cutting your hair short, it's easier to fight without. Who knows, maybe someday I'll let it grow out, see how it looks?"
She seemed to consider his explanation for a moment, but was quickly pulled out of her thoughts by the loud feedback from the microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the second match of the second round! Would Videl and Spopovich please make their way to the ring?"
The name of her opponent brought Gohan right back to the present issue, and he cast his gaze towards the behemoth, who stirred suddenly from his position on the bench across the room. He thought about what the large man had done in his first round, and felt a slight uneasiness wash over him. Videl noticed his stern glare, and nudged him in the ribs, "Hey, don't worry about it, I can handle this guy. I'm sure of it!"
Her confident statement did nothing to quell the uneasiness he felt, but looking into those excited cerulean orbs, he couldn't bring himself to tell her otherwise. He nodded, trying to compose his face into a reassuring smile, "Yea, I know you can… Just be careful okay?"
She nudged him playfully and began making her way out to the ring with an excited grin, "Stop worrying about me! I'll be fine." With that, she strode out into the sunlight and the uproarious cheers of the crowd, followed from a distance by Spopovich.
"So Gohan… You and Videl, are you two–" began Goku, obviously suppressing his excitement at the idea. Gohan rolled his eyes, "We're not mated, if that's what you mean."
"Well… Do you want to be?" asked his father, slightly crestfallen. The question forced a sigh from him. Deep down, he automatically knew the answer to that, and it was a definite yes. But then there was the part of him that always held back, no matter how much he longed for it. No matter how many times he tried to tell himself otherwise, there was a constant fear that she would be brought in harm's way if he continued down the way they were on now. He couldn't even bring himself to explain to her the full extent of what it meant to be married by Saiyan standards, even if it didn't apply to him, being a half-breed. As happy as his fleeting moments with the girl had been the last week, he still didn't want to make her a target. If they were to be together, she most certainly would be, and he would be powerless to do anything about it. "I don't know dad. I really don't."
Goku hesitated, obviously unsure of what to say. "… Well… For what it's worth, I like her. I think she'd be great for you."
Gohan took a deep breath, not responding to his words outwardly. Goku searched his son's face for a few moments, allowing the silence to settle. The gong sounded outside, and all of their attention was brought back to the ring suddenly.
*IN THE RING*
Videl sized up her opponent, sitting back in a defensive posture and allowing him the first move as the ring from the gong subsided in her ears. The crowd was deafening, but she shut it out. The only thing that mattered was the monstrosity before her. Okay, think this one through. He's definitely improved a lot since last time, or he wouldn't have beaten Killa so soundly… He's got at least two feet on you, and probably close to three hundred pounds of weight advantage… Think, what do you have? You're fast, and you've been trained for a long time to hit sensitive areas. You know how to use ki to improve your strength. If absolutely necessary, you can fly, and you can throw a ki blast. So… outmaneuver and wear him down it is then!
No sooner had she come to that conclusion than did Spopovich make his move. His brown hair flew backwards over his shoulders as he stormed towards her, one arm retracted for a punch and a snarl on his face. Videl matched his action, lunging forward quickly and darting beneath his outstretched arm before he had time to react, throwing a quick one-two into his exposed side and darting back out of reach as he spun on her. She furrowed her brow, slightly annoyed that her two punches seemed to do absolutely nothing to him. He just dropped his shoulder and pounded towards her yet again, completely disregarding any technique. Yet again, she dodged out of his reach, wary of the arms that were stretched towards her, and this time finished off the maneuver with a hard round house kick that hit him right above the kidneys.
"Ouch! That has to hurt folks! Spopovich has taken a brutal kick to the back and is struggling to regain his balance!"
Videl backed off again as he rounded on her once more, seething through his teeth and glaring at her with hollow eyes that sent a shiver down her spine. Okay, that is horrifying! I get the feeling that if he gets a hold of me, it's all over. Looks like I made the right decision on how to deal with this bozo. But he's significantly slower than me, maybe I should push the offensive now.
He didn't give her time to decide, as he rushed her again. She side-stepped, brushing aside the heavy punch he flung at her, and used the momentum of his swing to counter-balance herself as she swung up on his outstretched arm. As soon as her body arced high enough, she used a little bit of ki control and flung herself over the limb, using a combination of ki and gravity to kick the behemoth hard in the back of the head. His eyes blanked and he slowly fell forward as Videl landed on her feet behind him. With a loud thud, he face-planted into the tile, coming to a halt a moment later. She breathed heavily, forcing the oxygen into her lungs to recover from the little bit of ki manipulation she had used, and glared down at him, waiting for him to budge.
"Oh and Spopovich goes down after yet another impressive attack from Satan City's heroine! One!… Two!... Three!... Four!... And Fi-"
The crowd screamed even louder as Spopovich stirred, an audible growl emanating from his throat as he pushed up from the ground, leaking blood from his nose onto the perfectly white tile. Videl watched, sickened, as he turned to face her, his broken nose twisted off-center from his impact with the ground. Before anyone could stop him, he reached up and grasped the protrusion and jerked it back the other way with a loud pop. Videl tasted bile on her tongue at the spectacle, staring at him in open disbelief. Okay, he's definitely tougher than I gave him credit for… A hit like that would have knocked most fighters out cold for hours! And what was that with his nose?! Gross!
He began breathing faster and faster, hissing through his teeth and snarling at her. She settled back into a defensive stance again, awaiting the charge she knew was coming. Like an enraged bull, Spopovich roared in anger and full on sprinted at her, coming at her quicker than she anticipated. She leaned backwards, allowing his wide hook to pass just above her chest, ruffling her shirt as it passed over. Continuing with the motion, she planted her hands and flipped over backwards, kicking the man below the chin as she went. She planted her feet firmly and took her opportunity to strike.
She let out a battle-cry, jumping high into the air so that she was nearly level with his head, and swung her leg around hard. The kick hit him full on in the side of the face while he was still staggered and off balance, and his head snapped around sharply. Too sharply, in fact.
There was a loud, sickening snap that rang through the air, pulling an audible wince from the crowd. Spopovich turned with his head, spinning around and falling forward onto his chest with a thundering boom. Videl landed lightly and gaped at the spectacle before her. Spopovich's face was looking up at the sky, but the rest of him was front to the dirt. The shock of what she had just done wore off quickly, and she again tasted bile in her throat as waves of nausea threatened to claim her. She dry heaved, pinching her lips shut with her fist, and averted her eyes from the scene while the crowd fell into a hushed tension.
"Oh my… Unfortunately, Spopovich appears to have… had his neck broken… I can't believe I'm saying this, but this means that Videl is dis-"
A loud shriek filled the air, cutting off the announcer and stunning the crowd. Videl's wide eyes searched for the source of the sound, but only found the frightened looks from the stands staring right back at her. Or rather, next to her. Her heart jumped in her chest as the giant mass of muscle started moving again. She staggered backwards in shock as Spopovich pushed off the ground with his back still facing her, and his eyes locked directly with hers. No sound came from his throat, but his jaw was working furiously and his eyes were on fire. That… is not possible! What the fuck is he?!
Spopovich stood fully, and reached up to grab himself under the chin, and around the back of his skull. His eyes shut in agony for a moment, and with a series of sickening pops and crunches, he twisted his head back around again so that it was facing the front. Several in the crowd screamed in absolute horror, and Videl was half-way inclined to join them. She fought to control her trembling hand, and dropped back into her stance once more. With the last of her adrenaline gone since she accidentally broke his neck, she realized just how tired she was already getting.
Spopovich wasted no time, charging her again. This time, she was less prepared, and took her first hit of the match. The brute drove his fist hard into the side of her head, and she slammed sideways into the tile before she could react. She looked up just in time to see his foot descending upon her, and rolled sideways to avoid it, springing back to her feet and preparing herself again. She could feel her movements starting to become sluggish, and her head was ringing slightly from the force of her impact with the floor. The giant was on her in moments, throwing extremely powerful punches down on her while she danced around him in a bid to stay out of his reach and countered with her own strikes.
She could feel herself slipping further and further into fatigue, and suddenly her hands were a lot heavier than they had been moments before. She glared at him, searching for how she was going to end the match quickly while she could still win. Obviously knocking him out was not an option, so she would have to get him to fall out of the ring. Just as she was about to put a plan into action to get the man out, he roared and flung his leg around in a round-house kick. Videl, in her preoccupied state of mind, was too slow to get the block up, and it struck her full on, halfway between her left shoulder and elbow.
SNAP!
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!", she screamed in agony. Never before had she ever felt such an intense pain. Not even the times she had been stabbed, or the time she had been shot, could compare to this. Several thousand white-hot blades plunged into her arm at once. Not willing to allow him to take advantage of her, she spun with the kick and stumbled away from him before he could follow. She gripped her shoulder, allowing the broken arm to hang limply by her side, fighting the tears threatening to flow from her burning eyes as she gritted her teeth. She panted repeatedly and locked eyes with her opponent.
Spopovich hadn't moved from his spot, and was glaring down at her menacingly with a sadistic grin on his face. Her knees trembled, her arm was throbbing, and her eyes were hazy from the wetness, but the look on his face ignited a rage-fueled fire in her gut, and she made up her mind quickly. Snarling up at him, she held her hand out to her side, palm up. He narrowed his eyes momentarily at her, apparently confused by her actions, right up until she pulled as much ki into it as she could. A faint buzz filled her ears as the blue ball formed in her hand, swelling to roughly the size of a softball. She focused hard, remembering the lessons learned through trial and error when practicing what she was about to do.
She growled in the back of her throat and stepped forward with her left leg, planting it firmly and locking her right one out behind her. She lunged her hand forward, throwing everything she had left behind the blast in her hand. It exploded forth with a crack like a gunshot, rapidly closing the distance to the wide-eyed behemoth a mere twenty feet away. The ball struck true, impacting Spopovich center-mass and detonating with a loud bang and a bright flash. Videl struggled to remain standing after the blast left her hand, and she dropped to one knee, returning her grip to her left shoulder as another agonizing wave of pain washed over her.
Smoke wafted up from the arena, blocking the view from the spectators, and flooding her nostrils with the smell of burnt flesh and cotton. She panted, glaring at the spot she had last seen her opponent, wondering if maybe she had gone too far. The smoke cleared slowly, and as it did she could just barely make out the silhouette of her opponent, still standing. She blinked past the shock that threatened to overwhelm her when he became clear, and suddenly the damage was revealed; Spopovich was bleeding profusely from the gaping hole in his chest. The skin and clothing there had been completely burned away, taking large chunks of muscle with it. Blood began to pool on the ground below him as it dripped from him, but he didn't seem to care at all. He just snarled down at her, and clenched his fists.
The screams of the spectators were completely cut off from her, and she was pretty sure that the announcer was in hysterics now, but she heard none of it. With a sickening moist sound, the hole in Spopovich's chest began to close. First, stings of muscle snapped together, then several blood vessels, then sinew. Skin began to flow over it, and she could only stand and watch in horror as his body repaired itself, just like some of the mutants from that X-Men movie she had seen. She was helpless to do anything as he began to advance on her at a full sprint. She was so tired. Nothing would focus properly. Her arm was throbbing. What she wouldn't have given to just fall asleep right there. But no, she had to stay with it! He was coming at her again, she had to act!
Too late, she managed to struggle to her feet. While she was still slightly hunched over, he reached her. She felt the hand close around her neck, cutting off her breath. She felt the waves of agony as her body was lifted from the ground forcefully. She felt the impact of his fist as it hit her in the ribs, and the resounding snap as something gave under the pressure. But she didn't know what to do about it. Her own body was rebelling against her, and her mind wasn't processing what was happening rapidly enough. Darkness began to press in around her, her head was pounding, but no sound escaped her lips. She vaguely felt herself go weightless, and realized that she had been thrown straight up into the air.
With the pressure released from her crushed throat, air flooded into her lungs, and her mind became slightly less fuzzy. Her battered body turned in midair so that she was now looking down at the ring, just in time to see Spopovich form a bright pink ki ball of his own in his hand. It was several times larger than her own, and she realized that she had absolutely no way to evade it. Even in her numbed state of mind, panic hit home. The large man threw the ball like a baseball, and she watched in slow motion as it arced upwards towards her, becoming larger and larger in her field of view.
She knew she was about to die, and her eyes shot wide in fear. One thing shot through her mind just before the ball hit her: Gohan! Where are you?! I need you! She loosed an agonized scream as fresh waves of agony filled every piece of her being, and blackness swallowed her.