Chapter 26
Last time on DragonBall AF, the last match of the first round took place. Goshin narrowly defeated Jensai after being incapacitated by one of her psychic attacks. Now, the first match of the quarterfinals begins, Goku vs. The Slayer.
"WOULD GOKU JR. AND THE SLAYER PLEASE REPORT TO THE RING AT THIS TIME!"
"Better win Goku," said Vegeta, "I really want to fight you again!"
"Heh, I know I will," said Goku, "you just better make sure you win!" Just then, the Slayer walked quickly in font of him. He looked very menacing. He was practically 8 feet tall and had yellow eyes. His black hair was slicked back and he had a sneer on his face.
"Just remember you have to get by me," he said coarsely. Goku just looked at him as the Slayer didn't turn back and continued on to the ring.
We'll see about that, thought Goku. But now, both fighters were in the ring, and the match was ready to begin.
"All right ladies and gentlemen!" yelled the announcer. "The first match of the quarter finals is Goku Jr, who defeated Ken Shinhan in a the first match. And his opponent will be the Slayer, who defeated Narg in the second match with a crushing blow to the head! Fighters take your battle poses!"
BOOM
"FIGHT!"
Goku and the Slayer stared each other down. There was about a four foot height difference between them, but Goku wasn't afraid. Suddenly, Slayer bolted to the left side and Goku saw easily where he was heading. This guy's not fast, he thought. I sense no ki coming from him. Him and that Narg guy must just be regular fighters, that's why their fight was good. Unfortunately, I'm gonna have to end his winning streak.
Goku moved directly in front of his competitor and every time he moved, he moved directly in front of him. The Slayer was becoming anxious. "How can a punk kid like you be moving so fast? Stay still so I can stop and hit you!"
SIGH "Sorry about this," said Goku,as he clubbed his fist into his jaw and sent the Slayer immediately down to the ground. Soon, the announcer noticed he wasn't moving.
"He's out, out cold!" he replied. "Goku has won again and will move onto the semis!" The crowd went crazy as Goku held up his fists in triumph and walked back to the waiting area.
But before he could meet with his family, Papaya Man was waiting for him on the walkway to the entrance.
"That was a great match Goku," he said, "but I'm afraid you won't be able to fight Vegeta in the semis. Hopefully I'll see some more spectacular fighting from you." Then Papaya Man walked away from Goku and into the ring for his match.
Goku turned around and yelled to Papaya Man. "What? What are you talking about! HEY!" But the champ paid no attention, so Goku walked into the waiting area.
"What'd that guy just say to you?" questioned Vegeta.
"It was weird," Goku said solemnly. "He said that I wouldn't be facing you in the semis."
"What!" exclaimed Vegeta. "That windbag doesn't know what he's talkin about. I"m gonna floor him, and then we'll see who's talking."
"This will be a most interesting match..." said Goshin.
"Fighters, get ready!" yelled the announcer. Papaya Man bowed his had towards Vegeta.
"The best of luck," he said.
"Just fight," quipped Vegeta. Papaya Man chuckled to himself.
"FIGHT!"
Instantly, Vegeta disappeared into thin air, and Papaya Man quickly followed. Soon, all that could be seen to the untrained eye were two blurs as if they were moving at the speed of light. In reality, Vegeta was moving across the entire stadium floor while Papaya Man was trying to keep up.
Then, Vegeta turned around without warning and let off a small ki blast. "HYAH!"
Papaya Man quickly deflected it, and in that second that Vegeta was left unguarded, he was able to punch Vegeta directly in the gut, sending him falling towards the ground.
The crowd's roar was reaching a deafening boom as the fight started to get good. "OOO!" exclaimed the announcer. "It seems Vegeta has been hit, but we can't be sure! These fighters are moving at unimaginable speeds!"
Papaya Man touched down as Vegeta was already starting to get up. "You bastard!" said Vegeta. "I'm NOT losing this match! Goku's mine, ya here me! I've trained too long to lose to someone dressed up in a Halloween costume from Value City! AHHH!" He then charged at Papaya Man and started giving him a flurry of punches. But the champ was blocking every single one of them. Vegeta grew irritated and started rising into the air, now kicking him as well as punching him. But Papaya Man was still matching him blow for blow as they rose higher and higher into the air duking it out.
"AHHH!" screamed Vegeta and he powered up with his white aura all around him, but still he couldn't land a punch on Papaya Man. Now Vegeta was starting to grow tired, and he was slowing down. Papaya Man took this opportunity, and got in four blows into Vegeta's stomach and swiftly kicked him in the head sending him towards the ground.
But Vegeta wouldn't stay down for long. He stopped himself before hitting the tile and quickly shot back up to the waiting Papaya Man.
"FINAL SHINE!" A look of surprise came over Papaya Man's face as the immense blast rose up towards him. Papaya Man covered himself with his arms, but the wave engulfed him and everyone in the arena was blinded.
"MY GOODNESS!" screamed the announcer. "In an amazing twist, Vegeta has released something massive from his hands and it seems to have wiped out our champ! Wait! In the clearing smoke I think I- yes it's actually him! Papaya Man is still alive, and there's not a bruise on him!"
The crowd cheered for joy as what the announcer said was true. His costume was partially torn, but he was left uninjured by Vegeta's attack. "Well Vegeta," said Papaya Man, "you are capable of great power. If we weren't confined to this arena I' sure you wouldn't be holding back as much as you have already. But then again, I've been holding back as well."
"You're out of you're mind!" replied Vegeta. "You're just bluffing!"
"I guess you'll have to learn the hard way, young Vegeta," said the champ. And with that, a pink light began to emanate around his pointer finger, and he aimed it directly at Vegeta.
"OH CRAP!" yelled Vegeta as he sensed the amount power in the beam. Quickly, Papaya Man shot it and Vegeta could not move in time as it pierced through his arm. "AHHHHHHHH!" hollered Vegeta in agony.
"Hey!" yelled Celery from the stands. "You can't do that to my son! I'll show you!"Rupan had to hold her back as Master Roshi, Bra, and Pan looked on. "Stop it Celery!" said Rupan. "He can't hear you! We just have to hope Vegeta can pull out of this."
"That may be hard to do," said Master Roshi. "That Papaya Man has a very strong ki, and a familiar one at that. The boys must have felt it already, but I don't know if they can stand up to it!"
"You've got to be kidding me!" answered Celery as she looked back down at the ring.
Vegeta was kneeling on the ground, holding his arm in obvious pain. Blood was flowing from the open wound down his left arm. Papaya Man still was floating in the air, waiting. The announcer ran to Vegeta. "Hey, are you all right kid? You can call the match whenever you want to," he said.
"Grrrrrrrrr," growled Vegeta, "I'm not giving up!" And with that he shot back into the air, knocking the announcer to the ground with the force of his lift-off. The only thing was, was that he had flown pas Papaya Man and kept ascending into the air, so far up that all anybody could see were just two tiny dots and couldn't make out any details. Papaya Man quickly met him face to face again.
"For my friends' sake," said Vegeta, "I said I wouldn't let anybody see me go Super Saiyan. But now since no one can see me..." He instantly turned into a Super Saiyan and smirked. "Now what?"
"I think you need lessons still in knowing your opponent," he replied. Promptly, Papaya Man disappeared and appeared again right behind Vegeta and cocked his fist, ready to punch him. Just as he was about to strike, Vegeta disappeared as well. Immediately he reappeared behind Papaya Man to punch him, but then Papaya Man disappeared as well and Vegeta punched only an after image. This went on for about half a minute before Vegeta finally connected with the back of Papaya Man's helmet. His helmet broke into pieces and he looked straight at Vegeta, who's face was now in shock.
"Wait!" he exclaimed. "I've seen that face, in a photograph before! But how can you still look the same after all this time! I know who you are! You're- UFF! HACK!" Before Vegeta could finish his sentence, Papaya Man knocked the wind out of him and he changed back into a regular Saiyan.
"Sorry," he said, "you weren't supposed to find out my identity just yet, and I can't have you telling the others either." Vegeta just floated there with his hands over his stomach, unable to speak, blood dripping from his lips. "This might keep you off your feet for a while, but it's for your own good. Please, forgive me."
Then to Vegeta's horror, who couldn't even find the strength to move, Papaya Man raised his clenched hands into the air and struck Vegeta in the skull, sending him to the awaiting ground outside the ring.
BOOOOOM!
The impact shook the entire ground and left a cratertwo timesVegeta's size. He had been knocked unconscious, and laid there. The announcer ran to him and saw that this was true. "Vegeta is out of the ring! Papaya Man has won! But where is he?" Just then, Papaya Man was floating back towards the earth, with a new mask on that he had just materialized. Then, the crowd went ecstatic. But the paramedics soon rushed out to check on Vegeta.
"Vegeta!" yelled Celery, and she ran down the stairs and jumped onto the grass towards her son.
"He seems to have blunt trauma to the skull. We have to get him to the hospital ASAP," said the EMT. Goku and the rest of the Saiyans ran towards Vegeta and heard the news as well.
"Damn it!" said Goku. "If I only had some Senzu! How could this guy do this!"
"I don't know Goku," said Goshin, "but you're facing him in your next match."
Papaya Man looked on from afar. I'm sorry Vegeta, he thought. I'm sure you'll be OK, a blow like that isn't enough to kill you. I just hope you find the heart to forgive me later. And with that, he walked slowly back to the waiting area alone.
In a horrible twist of events, Vegeta now has to be rushed to the hospital! But who is Papaya Man? What shocked Vegeta so much? Find out in the coming chapters of DragonBall AF!