Author's Note: DBZ is not mine. Hi everyone! I really wanted to keep a consistent schedule with my writing, but my grandmother passed away last week. I had to take care of some things. Hopefully, I can still bring you more chapters and continue with this story. Please read and review, I would like to take suggestions as well. If you review, I could also give you a mention!
Enjoy!
Chapter 8: The Tournament
Trunks was ready. He was prepared to win. He was prepared to show his kingdom the true power of their future king. He looked at himself in the mirror as he dressed himself in his fighting clothes. He wore a dark blue, black almost, body suit with black boots and a black tank top over it. He put on his black training pants over the suit as well. As he made eye contact with himself, he felt a tug at his heart. Trunks closed his eyes and shook his head. He forced himself to not go there. Not today. Enough was enough. He noticed that his eyes were still red from last night. Sighing, he tied his hair into a formal, low ponytail. Trunks grabbed the white cape from his chair next to him and stepped out of his room.
The crowds were loud, each side cheering for their own. This tournament was grand and exciting. It has been 8 months since the announcement of the tournament, and every participant has been training for this moment. Each side had 8 competitors, a total of 16 of the strongest fighters in both kingdoms. Each competitor had to fight for the right to participate, and they each proved their worth. An announcer turned on the microphone at last, "Greetings both kingdoms! I have the greatest privilege of being your announcer for this grand and marvelous tournament hosted by the great, King Goku!" The crowd from Kakarot cheered while the Vegetans respectfully clapped. "Now, we have to go over the rules and history of the tournament one last time before our fighters can begin their stretches!" The crowd grew silent.
"This tournament has been a tradition in Kakarot to determine who shall be the next king when King Goku is no longer with us. When King Bardock took control of this land, he wanted his people to all have a fair shot of becoming king or queen. Therefore, he created this tournament where his eldest son would participate for the throne. Should he win, the bloodline continued to be royal, but should he lose, a new bloodline would take over. King Goku won his tournament for his family, and now Prince Goten will participate in this tournament to fight for the throne!" Everyone cheered again. The crowd was insane. "Now, for the rules!" The crowd grew silent once more.
"Rule number one! There shall be no killing of any civilian within the tournament's borders. This border goes past the arena by 10 miles. Please, respect each other and take strong consideration when fighting." Everyone whispered to each other, wondering if someone would really dare to kill another during a match. "Rule number two! This area has been chosen for its neutrality. This means that none of us are Kakarots nor Vegetans. We are all neutral here, and there shall be no promoting either kingdom." Everyone thought this was fair. They were here for a fight, not a war. "Rule number three! Participants will be selected at random to fight one another, one at a time. This means that there is a strong possibility you will be fighting someone who is from your own kingdom. Because of neutral territory, this was the only way to make it fair game." Fine by everyone as well. "Rule number four! Fighters! In order to successfully win a match, you must knock your opponent out of the ring and onto the ground below. Otherwise, they are still in, regardless if they are conscious or not. In the case both opponents fall out of the ring, they will both be disqualified as decided by both kings." Trunks stood next to the fighters now. Each one of them were listening intently, not noticing his arrival. Good. "Rule number 5! The victor shall be granted any wish so long as they agree to a sparring match against King Goku!" People were now confused. This was not a previously mentioned rule. Trunks knew about it from his father, but it was not public knowledge. Whatever. He can take the king of Kakarot. "Rule number six! The final rule! The victor of this tournament will be crowned king of Kakarot if they so wish! Yes, this is optional!" The Vegetans laughed at the idea of someone not taking the throne, but the Kakarots seemed pleased with the idea of keeping the bloodline with Goku. "Fighters! People! We shall begin the tournament in one hour!"
The microphone turned off and everyone began talking amongst each other. It was then that the fighters noticed the prince of Vegeta. One of them smirked and walked towards him. He had orange hair and was 6ft tall. He had a very muscular build under a full, black Gi and white boots. Trunks continued to look ahead at the arena. "Well, look here, men. The prince of Vegeta," more men started to face him. Another man, much shorter than him with a bald head, similar black GI and white boots stepped forward. "He's no prince here, Recoome. Just another pretty boy." They all laughed. "You're right Guldo!" Trunks paid no attention to them. Then, Recoome stepped closer, "What? Are we too low of a level to even receive acknowledgement?" Trunks shrugged. He had no business with them.
"C'mon guys, leave him alone. We're all here on good terms." Trunks didn't recognize the voice, but he knew who it was. The men immediately stood up straight and backed away from Trunks. "No need for that, we're on neutral grounds." He then walked over to Trunks. He was about his height with short black hair and was wearing an orange GI. His GI had the royal mark of Kakarot and a white cape around him, guaranteeing who he was. "I'm sorry about that." Trunks turned to face him. "No need for apologies. I'm Trunks."
"Goten." The two men shook hands in greetings, surprising everyone in the room. They didn't expect the two princes to get along. Both wearing their white capes, a sign of peace, they stared outside towards the arena. "I believe the princess of Vegeta is also joining us today?" Trunks nodded. He then saw Goten reaching into his pocket and looked down. "She is, but she takes forever to get dressed." At that moment, the doors opened to reveal the princess with blue hair. Her beauty was well known and sought after within their home. She was wearing a dark blue training GI, similar to Trunks's with a white cape, but she had dark red boots with a dark red belt wrapped around her waist. Her hair was in two French braids that were wrapped around the two sides of her head and made its way to the back in a tight bun. She had given herself bangs, Trunks noticed, that covered the side of her face.
Trunks smiled at her, "Welcome, Bulla." She smiled, blushing slightly when she noticed Goten. "Well, hello." Goten nodded and greeted her formally. Trunks noticed their odd interaction and would question Bulla about it later. The microphone turned on once more, "Sorry for the interruption, but the Royal families have arrived at their designated areas!" Everyone cheered and the microphone turned off again. He then pulled Bulla over to the side. "Why are you late?" Bulla pulled her arm away. "You think I can pull this off in only an hour? It takes time to look this good, brother." Trunks rolled his eyes. "This is not a beauty contest, Bulla. Why are you wearing makeup?" Bulla crossed her arms. She had black eyeliner and red lipstick, along with some foundation. It was simple but looked beautiful on her. "I am the princess of Vegeta. I am expected to look pretty."
"Whatever. Please take this seriously. We have been training almost nonstop for this." Bulla waved her hand and nodded. "Of course. I want this too." She was serious. Trunks then moved away to return to his original spot but noticed Goten was gone. He then felt something pull at him from inside. His body tensed up almost at the feel of it. It felt familiar. *What?* He looked behind him and saw a fighter in a weird outfit, with a mask on. Something told him to take the vacant seat next to them. They still had about 45 minutes before the fight, so he didn't see the harm in figuring out who this was and why he was getting such a strange feeling from them. He also noticed he couldn't read their ki. *That's such a high-level skill* Sitting down, he noticed the fighter move slightly away. "I'm not going to bite." He said jokingly. The fighter then sat up straight and looked ahead. This person was oddly dressed. They had on a royal purple mask with a gold trim that hid most of their face. Their black hair was visible but short. Their outfit was a white gown with a lavender body suit underneath. They had knee high, white boots, which made Trunks think this was a female fighter.
"What's your name?" The fighter stayed quiet. He was getting nowhere with her. He turned to face Bulla who was smiling. Trunks rolled his eyes. It was not what he wanted. He noticed that the fighter was gripping her gown. "I'm surprised you wore a gown for a fight. Won't that restrict you." They shrugged. He still felt tense around her but wasn't sure why. "Trunks?" He looked up immediately and found his sister surrounded by three men. Great. Trunks stood up, "Excuse me." The fighter nodded.
He marched over to the men and pulled them back, standing in front of his sister who looked annoyed. "Hey watch it! There's no fighting before the tournament." Trunks smirked. "The rule is you can't kill." Bulla gripped his arm. "What are you doing?" she whispered. The man looked extremely upset now. He was very tense. Trunks looked confused. "Move it, pretty boy. I saw her first." Trunks moved Bulla behind him. "Excuse me?" The man was about to punch him, but he moved them out of the way. "Enough!" Everyone looked back and found the match coordinator with his arms crossed. He was here to announce who would be fighting who. Trunks immediately moved him and his sister away from the group. "What happened?" Bulla shook her head. "I don't know. They just surrounded me and started asking if I was taken." Trunks shook his head. "Screw them."
"If everyone could please take a seat while I draw up the match bracket." Trunks took Bulla's hand and walked over to the back, away from everyone. He noticed the female fighter had moved to another seat with another man, leaving two vacant seats for him and his sister. "Who's the girl?" She asked. "No one. I just had a weird feeling about her." Bulla nudged his arm with hers playfully. "Ohh, is it time for big brother to find his mate." Trunks's eye twitched a bit. He clenched his fist. Bulla backed off. "Sorry. I know we get tense about it, but you seem way worse than what father explained." Trunks shrugged. Once the coordinator finished, he had half of the group pull a small ball from a box. Each ball contained a number that represented another person. They were then handed a number to pin on themselves. "Whoever your number is, that is who you will fight. I will note it down now."
He moved towards his board and requested names. After a short while, they finished. The list followed:
Mighty Mask vs Tien
Launch vs Jeice
Valese vs Krillin
Trunks vs Recoome
Yamcha vs Marron
Guldo vs Goten
Bulla vs Vicente
Garen vs Burter
Trunks noticed he would be fighting Recoome. *Easy win* he thought to himself. As he analyzed the matchups, he realized this would be an easy win, at least up until he would have to fight Goten or his own sister. He also noticed the name, 'Mighty Mask.' He assumed it was the female fighter from earlier. He wondered how much of a fight she could put up. Bulla was getting excited. "I was so worried we would have to fight each other." Trunks chuckled. "Well, if you beat Goten, we probably will." Bulla looked at the bracket list once more and grew serious. "I might have to fight Goten?" Trunks nodded. "You should do well against him. If we do go against each other, you know the plan." Bulla nodded. Trunks will take the win.
Their hour was over. It was time to start. Everyone was warmed up and ready to go. Each contestant walked to the middle of the arena. It was a large, white platform with individual square tiles. Everyone cheered at the contestants, half from Vegeta and half from Kakarot. "Everyone! These are your fighters!" One by one, he named each fighter. The crowd was extremely loud when they named the two princes and the princess, but they were confused when Mighty Mask was announced. He noticed his father stand in his box up top and walk out. After 5 minutes, he saw him in the announcer's box and whisper something in his ear. Kakarot showed up a few moments later. The three men were talking. Everyone started to grow silent. "What do you think they're talking about, brother?" Trunks shook his head and crossed his arms. "I'm not sure. I'm assuming it's about Mighty Mask." Bulla was confused.
The two kings returned to their respective boxes, and the announcer spoke, "So we had a slight mix up with the signup sheets. It appears we have two contestants that are not from either kingdom. They are both from a small village outside of Kakarot and Vegeta borders called Satan. "I thought this tournament was for the kingdoms only?" Trunks was confused as well. "I thought so too."
"It was decided by both kings to allow them to participate, deeming it fair." The crowd then grew excited once more. They just wanted entertainment. "Now, if all but the first two contestants could kindly return to the waiting room." Everyone but Mighty Mask and Tien left.
The two fighters moved across the arena, facing the other. Tien was a disciplined, reclusive, and heavily devoted martial artist from Vegeta. He stood proudly in his green GI pants, shirtless, and black boots. He was tall, bald, and had a third eye in the center of his forehead. Tien is a descendent from the Three-Eyed people. They were a race that used to control the area that was now Vegeta. Their race gladly allowed King Vegeta to take over as long as their people were welcomed and allowed to practice their beliefs. Tien spoke, "Why do you wear a mask in a tournament that decides the future king of Kakarot? Shouldn't the people know their potential king?" Mighty Mask stayed quiet and got into a fighting position. Tien cracked his knuckles, "Very well." He got into his own fighting stance. "Fighters! You may begin!" At the moment the microphone turned off, Tien dashed forward. Mighty Mask stayed in position, waiting for his attack. When Tien got close, he appeared behind Mighty Mask and went to sweep their legs. Mighty Mask jumped and landed behind him, then immediately karate chopped his neck. Tien's eyes widened then closed as he fell onto his knees. He then fell forward. The crowd was in shock. Trunks and Bulla moved closer to the window in shock as well. Mighty Mask then grabbed Tien by the back of his pants and dragged his limp body outside of the arena platform. The crowd was silent. A medic appeared to check on Tien. They then gave a thumbs up after reading his pulse. "Mighty Mask is the winner!" The crowd slowly clapped and then cheered, excited to know who this warrior was. Mighty Mask then walked back inside. "Next contestants!"
Trunks stared at her as she stepped inside. She turned to look at him and smirked. Trunks got chills. Something wasn't right about this person. He felt cold looking at her now. "Trunks, snap out of it." He heard Bulla's whisper and looked forward. Launch and Jeice were up next. "Do you know them?" Trunks shook his head. They must both be from Kakarot. "Fighters begin!" The two fighters immediately started throwing punches and kicks to one another. Launch had purple hair, and a green shirt with khaki shorts. She had her hair tied up with a red ribbon. Jerice had white hair and an orange tint to his skin. He had a black body suit and white boots. Jeice punched Launch hard in the face. She stumbled back, wiping the blood from her face. Before she could move forward, she stopped. She then started making a funny face. The crowd was confused now. What was going on with her ? She then let out a sneeze, which caused her hair to turn yellow. She smirked at her opponent. Her attitude was now completely different. "Wait, Launch!" Jeice seemed to understand what had just happened, as did some of the other Kakarot fighters. Launch did not hold back as she kicked and punched Jeice with a fury. Jeice was no longer fighting back, only defending. Then, she kicked Jeice in the face, far enough to make him fall out of the arena. The match was over. "Launch is the winner!" The crowd cheered again.
Bulla looked at Trunks. "Looks like this will be an interesting tournament after all." Trunks nodded. He paid no attention to Launch as she returned to the room. She was still angry and was giving attitude to anyone who looked at her. "She could probably help out that urge, Trunks." Trunks glared at Bulla for even daring to make such a comment. Granted, she didn't know, but she should not be poking fun at this time. Trunks closed his eyes as a small memory hit him of that night, of her smile. He clenched his fists. *Not now!*
"Next up, Krillin and Valese!" Krillin was rather short for a warrior, he was bald and had an orange GI, similar to Goten's but not of royalty. Two strange features were that he had no nose and six dots on his forehead, the mark of a monk. Valese was from Vegeta and was strong , but she still needed more time. She was dipsy at times, which can cause her downfall, but she did have a strong sense of strategy. Once the match began, Krillin attacked Valese with a swift blow to the gut, making Valese cross her arms around her stomach and stumbled back. He then kicked her in the face, making her fall to the floor. Bulla scoffed. "I don't know why father insisted on picking her." Krillin smiled at her. "No hard feelings right?" Valese scowled and kicked Krillin off his feet. She then immediately grabbed his shirt and threw him out of the ring and into a wall. "Hold on folks! He is not on the ground yet!" Krillin grew angry and pushed himself out of the hole in the wall. He then jumped back onto the ring. Everyone was surprised at the jump. No way could a human do such a thing. Valese was too much in shock that she backed away, but it was no use. Krillin got to her and punched her hard. Valese called out, "I'm done! Please!" Krillin stopped. "You have to step out of the ring." Valese agreed and just jumped out! The Vegetans were all disappointed, Bulla rolled her eyes and no longer watched, King Vegeta was shouting in his box until the queen quieted him down.
Next up was Trunks and Recoome. Bulla wished him good luck. He didn't need it. Recoome was an idiot, and Trunks had a lot of rage left inside of him. He needed luck in holding back, not winning. Recoome was now laughing. "Looks like it's you and me, pretty boy!" He then danced on his side of the arena. Trunks stood still. "Ready! Begin!" Trunks stayed in placed as Recoome came after him. He tried landing a punch on Trunks's stomach, but he didn't flinch. Recoome was in shock as Trunks smirked at him, his eyes shifted in color. Was that right? Suddenly, Recoome freaked out at what he saw. The crowd was confused as he started backing up. Trunks walked over to him. "I'm sorry, Prince Trunks! I'm sorry!" Trunks cocked his head. "What are you apologizing for? Fight." Recoome shook his head. Trunks sighed in frustration and kicked Recoome in the face, barely moving his own body. Recoome fell back. Trunks appeared behind him and picked him up, making him stand. He then punched him in the back. Trunks grabbed his head and brought his back down onto his knee. At that moment, Recoome lied flat on his stomach. Trunks kicked him once more, making him go flying out of the ring. "What an excuse of a fighter." There was a huge cheer from the crowd as the beloved prince beat his opponent. He smiled and waved at everyone, forcing himself to keep up his appearance. "Prince Trunks is the winner of this round!"
Trunks walked back and stood next to his sister. "You might want to adjust your hair." Trunks looked at his reflection and found his hair out of place by just the slightest bit. He ignored it. He watched as Yamcha and Marron stepped into the arena. "How has Marron been on her training?" Bulla said, "She is definitely stronger than Yamcha." Trunks laughed. Yamcha may have hope for himself, but he wasn't strong. Marron was of an elite class in Vegeta. She trained almost as hard as Trunks and Bulla did, and she would probably be at their level if she were a Saiyan. Marron was found outside the Vegetan border as a young infant. When asked where her parents were, she uttered the words, "18?" The words meant nothing to the guards and nothing to Marron now. She was a proud Vegetan who wanted to prove herself. Her conviction is what allowed her to climb the ranks.
As soon as the match began, Marron kicked Yamcha out of the ring. The fight was over in less than 5 seconds. The Vegetans were not surprised, but the Kakarots were. Marron was definitely one of the toughest here.
Guldo and Prince Goten were up next. From Kakarot, it was expected that the two had a plan to let Goten win. Surely enough, once the match started, Guldo tried to throw some kicks and punches, Goten dodging each one. He then smiled and punched Guldo in the face. The punch was strong enough to make Guldo fly out of the ring. Goten walked over to the edge and called out, "You okay, Guldo?" Guldo nodded and then fainted. Goten winced as he realized he may have punched him too hard. Bulla cheered along with the other Kakarots, making Trunks stare at her. "You're cheering for him?" Bulla calmed down a bit. "Sorry, I am getting excited." Trunks disregarded it as Goten came back inside. He nodded at him in approval. Goten did the same.
It was now his sister's turn to go up against one of their own. "Go easy on him, Bulla. You know the plan." Bulla nodded. She stepped into the ring with Vicente, another proud warrior from their Kingdom. It was a shame they had to go up against each other, but they both didn't mind. He will gladly take the fall for her to win. Vicente was Bulla's formal teacher and dancing instructor. He taught her how to use dance as a fighting style. The uniqueness of the technique allowed Bulla to have the advantage since most would not know how to counter it. Vicente was also a proud Vegetan that grew up poor and made his way up by displaying his loyalty to his clientele. Bulla discovered his dancing class once day while she was sneaking into town. She wanted to dance ever since, and her father could not say no. It was then that the King realized Vicente was also a fighter, and he knew his daughter needed to learn how to defend herself.
"My dearest princess." Bulla nodded in acknowledgement. As soon as the fight began, Vicente stepped forward, Bulla swiftly kicked her leg up and brought it back down onto Vicente's head, bringing him down. She waited for him to stand. Once he did, he tried punching her multiple times, Bulla gracefully dodging each one. Trunks smiled. Everything his sister did was done with beauty and purpose. He was definitely proud of her in that regard. Finally, Vicente threw one more punch. Bulla caught his arm with both hands, turned around, and threw him over her, making him land on his back. It was one swift motion that the crowd stared in awe. Vicente smiled. "Go ahead, princess. I am so proud." Bulla smiled. She picked him up and slowly placed him on the ground. The crowd was so happy now to see such a kind warrior. Bulla waved her hand in the air in victory. She turned to face her parents who were both smiling at her and then at her brother who gave her a thumbs up. She then waved at who he thought was him but as he turned to face behind him, he noticed Goten put his arm down. *Something is up between these two. Great.* Trunks knew this meant trouble for them later. Bulla walked back inside and hugged her brother.
Garen and Burter were up next. Garen had the male version of what Mighty Mask was wearing, a dark purple body suit. He had a white GI over it and black boots with dark brown hair and green eyes. Burter was very tall with a black body suit, black boots, and very dark blue hair, dyed unevenly. "Make sure you watch this Garen guy. I have a feeling he'll be your opponent." Bulla nodded and kept focused on him.
"Fighters! You may begin!" Garen threw himself at Burter, who waited for the blow. He then tried kicking Garen, but Garen jumped over his kick, and landed on his shoulders. With his hands, he grabbed Burter's chin and pulled back, making both of them fall onto their backs. Garen now had a grip on Burter's neck with his legs. Kakarot's crowd was calling out Garen for using such a hold while the Vegetans were curious about where these fighters were from. Burter was trying to call it quits, but Garen waited until he knocked out. Once he went limp, he stood up and tossed Burter out of the ring, ending the match. The announcer spoke, "Garen is the winner! He used a legal move citizens!"
Garen dusted off his clothes and walked back into the room. Trunks was confused. Both of them were quick and used simple knock out moves, meaning they couldn't be that strong. Bulla should definitely win so long as she kept her distance. "We will now take a short break! Come back in 2 hours!" Everyone stood from their seats and headed outside where food vendors were just finished setting up. There were also a few activities for people to enjoy while they waited for the next set of fights.
Trunks and Bulla decided to grab some lunch before their next fight. The two found Mighty Mask and Garen in the same line as they were. "Still wearing a mask, I see." Bulla commented. If they were refusing to reveal themselves, then they are probably trouble. "We can't let them win. I don't trust them." Bulla agreed. They got their food and walked past them, completely ignoring them. When Trunks and Bulla got to the front to grab their food, Goten came by. "Hey guys! Didn't know you guys favored meat." Trunks and Bulla looked at him strangely. Goten blushed. "Sorry, it's just that we try not to eat meat." They still looked confused. "Well you know, cause of the whole sai-" Bulla covered his mouth with hers. Trunks glared at him, grabbed their food, and moved away. "Are you trying to get caught?" asked Bulla. Goten scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to."
As they ate, Trunks asked, "You don't eat meat?" Goten shook his head. "We try not to on most occasions, saving it for special occasions." Bulla took a big bite out of her chicken leg. "This can be considered special." Goten shrugged. "What do you guys think about the two strangers?" Trunks swallowed. "We were hoping you had some insight on them."
"Sorry, I know nothing about them, and neither does my father, but he welcomes all challengers." Trunks nodded. His father explained that that would one day be the downfall of King Goku, his desire to fight anyone. "Well, we should get going-" Trunks said as he stood up. Bulla grabbed his arm. "Really? Why are you in such a rush?" Trunks glared at her and took his arm back. "Bulla, this isn't a game." Bulla pouted. "Fine. Stay, but I'm leaving." He left.
"What's with him?" Bulla shrugged. "He hasn't found his mate yet, so I'm assuming it's that." Goten looked confused. "I'm sorry. What?" Bulla looked at him and cocked her head. "You know, that whole 'Saiyan' thing we go through to find a mate? Don't you get headaches at night and get all grumpy?" Goten still looked confused. "I mean yeah, but I don't get like him." Bulla was confused. "Well, you might next year since you're about a year younger than him." Goten looked a little scared. "That is deeply concerning if that's an actual thing." Bulla nodded. She then smiled at him, and he smiled back at her. "I'll be here when you need me though." She said.
Trunks walked the area, throwing away his plate once he was done. He didn't understand why he was so upset. *It should have worked. I did what I was supposed to do. Why do I still crave this?* Trunks put his hands in his pockets. As he continued to walk, someone bumped into him. It was a younger woman. "Oh! I am so sorry, Prince Trunks." Trunks put up a fake smiled and waved it off. "No need to apologize. I was not watching where I was going." The woman giggled. "Let me make it up to you, my prince." Trunks winced, stopping himself from showing it too much. The words hit harder than he had expected. "It's okay. I already ate." She giggled once more. "Well, actually, I was hoping to make it up to you another way." She then had this sexual vibe coming from her. Trunks looked at her; she was attractive and all, but he felt nothing for her. He can only think of her. "I'm sorry, but I have to go." He walked away, leaving the woman to pout.
As he tried making his way back to the waiting room, he found Garen right outside the doors. "Excuse me." He said as he tried going between them, but Garen stopped him. "I'm sorry," he said in such a deep, smooth voice. "But I cannot let you in." Trunks raised an eyebrow at him as if daring him to try and stop him. "Mighty Mask is doing a quick change. She will be out in a second." Trunks complied and moved out of the way. He crossed his arms as he stood waiting for this person to walk out. "So where are you two from?" he decided to ask. Garen looked at him as if he had stolen something from him. "Yes?" he asked.
"You really are something, Trunks." Trunks glared at him. "If you don't want to say, then by all means, just say so." The two grew quiet. After a few minutes, Trunks was growing impatient. "Why is she taking so long?" Garen glared. "Don't speak as if she matters to you." Trunks was confused. Why was this guy so upset? Before he could speak, Mighty Mask stepped out. She now had a red GI with a red mask and a gold trim around it. Her belt was gold as well, her boots black. When she saw Trunks, she immediately looked away. "Ready?" Garen asked. Mighty Mask nodded and took Garen's extended arm. That made Trunks angry. He felt himself tense up as she grabbed onto him. *What the hell?* He wanted to go and grab her and take her away from him, but he didn't know why. Then it dawned at him as he looked at her from behind. Sticking out from her back pocket was a piece of orange cloth…
As it was now time for everyone to settle down once more, Bulla arrived in the room before anyone else could. She found her brother sitting down alone in the far back. She noticed his head was somewhere else. "Trunks?" He immediately looked up and saw his sister with concern in her eyes. He stood up and greeted her. "How was your date?" Bulla was confused. "Sister, please. I know you have something going on with Goten. I just want to know how you managed to even meet him?" Bulla blushed hard now. "It's not like that, okay. We're not even together." Trunks raised an eyebrow at her. "I swear! We just met today. We had a… moment." Trunks was now confused. "Wait, is he your?" she punched him hard. "No! At least I don't think so. He didn't even know about mating when I brought it up." Trunks rubbed his arm as he watched more people enter the room. "Well just make sure you stay focused." Bulla nodded, annoyed that he would think that of her.
"Alright, good citizens of Kakarot and Vegeta! It is now time for the next set of fighters to come on down!" The fighters stepped onto the arena. "We know the victors of the last rounds and will commence in order!" The fighters bowed at the audience and took their leave. "If everyone could please look to the center of the stage!" Everyone did so as a large box-like thing was now in the center on the arena, hanging from a large wire. Suddenly, the people could see a bracket of those who won and lost, and those who were going to fight next. Everyone was indeed surprised. "This was completed by none other than Queen Bulma of Vegeta! She calls this the Television! Here you will see who is up next!" The bracket now showed:
Mighty Mask vs Launch
Krillin vs Trunks
Marron vs Goten
Bulla vs Garen
"Fighters! Return to the waiting room, all except for Mighty Mask and Launch!" Everyone did as they were told. Trunks looked back at Mighty Mask, who caught him staring. She looked away again. He felt a tug at his heart. It couldn't be her, could it? Why would she come here, knowing he would be here?
Launch still had her yellow hair, which meant she was still in her mean attitude. This meant Mighty Mask might have an actual challenger. "She'll win." Trunks stated. Bulla looked at him. "Who?" Trunks gestured at Mighty Mask. Bulla was confused. "How do you know that?" As those words came out, the fight began. Both girls went for each other. Launch ducked a blow from Mighty Mask and came back with her own punch. Mighty mask dodged the punch, and kicked into Launch's stomach, causing Launch to spit out. Launch was getting angrier now. "Oh, now you've done it!" As Launch ran towards Mighty Mask, Mighty Mask leaped into the air. People were staring at her in awe now as she landed ever so gracefully behind Launch. "What are you?!" exclaimed Launch, but as she was about to run towards Mighty Mask again, she stopped. She made a funny face again. The crowd of Kakarot started chanting 'no, don't do it!' But it was no use. Launch let out a small sneeze, and her hair was back to purple. Her demeanor far different now. "Huh?" She looked almost confused. She turned to see Mighty Mask and was now too shy to do anything. Mighty Mask stepped forward as Launch prepared herself for a fight. However, Mighty Mask wasted no time. She vanished and reappeared right behind her, knocking her out using the same move she used on Tien. Launch fell onto her face, and Mighty Mask threw her out of the ring. "Mighty Mask is the winner!" Everyone but Trunks and Bulla cheered.
"You might fight her, Trunks." Trunks ignored his sister. He didn't want to fight her. "Trunks?" He looked at her, blinking away his thoughts. "Are you okay?" Trunks nodded and watched Mighty Mask return. This time, she smiled at him, proudly. He was too confused to smile back, making her look away.
"Up next! Krillin and Trunks!" Trunks readily stepped onto the arena with Krillin on the opposite end of him. Krillin looked ready. Trunks knew he was more than ready. "Sorry, your highness, but I cannot allow a Vegetan to take the throne." Trunks chuckled. The crowd grew quiet as if they knew this would be a fight worthwhile. "Ready! Begin!" The two lunged towards each other, punches aimed for each of their faces, while they each dodged the other. Trunks was surprised this little guy can hold his own, but this was nothing still. As Krillin kept throwing punches at him, Trunks blocked or dodged each blow with ease. He turned just the slightest to face his sister, only to find Mighty Mask next to her. She was watching him…
Trunks suddenly went flying across the arena, stopping at just the edge. The crowd was going crazy for him to stand. Trunks shook his head. *Dammit* He looked up at his father, watching his face get filled with disappointment. He can't let this guy win over a distraction. Now enraged that he was distracted, Trunks got up and launched himself at Krillin, throwing his own punches at him. Krillin could barely keep up with him. Krillin vanished and reappeared behind Trunks, but it was no use. Trunks vanished and appeared behind Krillin now, who was in shock. Trunks kicked Krillin on his back, causing him to stumble forward and hurt like hell. He then grabbed Krillin and punched him in the face hard, over, and over until he was bleeding profusely. At this point, the medics blew their whistles, signaling Trunks to stop. Trunks continued to beat Krillin into the ground, he had no reason to stop. Before the medics could get to him, Trunks let out a small growl and threw Krillin out of the ring. The medics rushed towards Krillin. Everyone stayed quiet as they waited to see if Krillin was still alive. Trunks knew he was, since he can read his ever so faint ki, so he walked back to the room.
Bulla just stared at him in complete shock. "What the hell, Trunks?" He shrugged. He had so much anger at the thought of Mighty Mask being who he thought she was. "He'll live." Shortly after, the announcer came back on. "Krillin is alive, which means Prince Trunks is the victor of this round!" The Vegetans cheered loudly, while the Kakarots were in full concern over Krillin, the King's best friend. Trunks, of course didn't know this until he received message that King Goku wanted to speak with him. Trunks accepted despite his sister's protests.
King Goku stood firmly in an orange GI and white cape. "Prince Trunks." Trunks nodded at him, bowing. "I understand the rules state one shall not kill, but-" Trunks stopped him. "I did not kill, Krillin. I understand he is your best friend, but that does not stop anyone from fighting as allowed. If he were my sister, I would still fight the same way." King Goku looked deeply upset now. "Trunks. Do not make me ban you from this tournament." Trunks shrugged. "I did nothing wrong." He then left, leaving King Goku confused and concerned.
When Trunks returned, Bulla hugged him. "What is wrong, brother?" Trunks held onto her hands. "The fight got to me. I'll be okay." At least for now. "How is Marron holding up?" Bulla turned to face the fight. "She is fighting the prince of Kakarot. She lost the moment the fight started." As she finished those words, Goten knocked Marron out of the ring. She held her own rather well, but it was no use. Trunks felt concern for her. She wanted to beat the prince just to prove she should be captain of the guards. They noticed her walk angrily away, while Goten returned to the room.
"Bulla, remember." She nodded. "Keep my distance. Got it." Bulla walked out onto the arena alongside Garen. The two then split off and faced each other. Bulla cracked her knuckles, far from lady-like. She was serious now. Garen smirked. "Sorry, princess. There is no room for mercy here." Bulla chuckled and got into a fighting stance. "Fighters! Begin!" Garen launched himself at Bulla, screaming as if powering up his punch, Bulla just barely dodged it. She was surprised at how quick he was. Next, tried kicking her, but she jumped away. *Keep your distance* she reminded herself. She watched him launch himself again, except this time she launched herself as well. When he was about to grab her arm, she immediately jumped up and cartwheeled over him, then spun and kicked his back, pushing him even further. The momentum making him almost fall out of the arena. Garen growled and leaped forward to attack Bulla. She waited for him. At the right moment, she took a deep breath and waited. She predicted his next attack. He appeared right in front of her, then behind her. She stayed still, waiting for his kick. As she felt his ki nearing hers, she vanished. Garen's kick hit air, making him stumble. He looked around, unable to find her. He then decided to look up and found her right above him. She aimed her foot at his face and knocked him down. Bulla smirked as she stepped away, knowing this wasn't over. Garen stood up, wiped the blood off his face and grinned. His sinister smile almost scared Bulla.
Suddenly, he vanished and appeared right in front of her, making her take a step back. He caught her by the wrist, spun her around, kicked her legs loose, and locked her in a grip, her own arm wrapped around her neck. Trunks stopped himself from stepping in. This was her fight, she won't lose, he won't kill her. Garen laughed as Bulla tried to break free. She was starting to panic once she realized she could no longer breathe. Would he really kill her? She spun her body around, but that only made the situation worse. He was able to sit on her now. Quickly, she grabbed her cape and wrapped it over her head. The crowd was freaking out now at the thought of the princess's death. The medics were blowing their whistles, but Garen wouldn't stop. As the medics arrived, they were pushed back. They all fell out of the arena. Trunks had enough. This guy was going to kill her. He looked over at Mighty Mask, who also looked concerned. So, it's not her idea? He was about to step out of the room until he felt Bulla's ki spike. *Oh no…* Trunks thought. *She can't do that here!*
Bulla was starting to freak out. She couldn't breathe. Her vision went white as a blinding pain shot through her arm. She let out a scream as Garen broke her other arm, still using her left to choke her. Tears streaming down her face, she only had one choice left.
Trunks watched as his sister let outa vicious scream of pain. Everyone watched as Garen crushed her right arm with his leg. This had to be illegal. As Trunks opened the door, a guard appeared. "I'm sorry sir, but you will be disqualified if you leave." Trunks growled at them. "Do you think I care right now? Move!" The guards moved, but that's when he saw Bulla lift her body and take over. She managed to kick him off of her, cape still around her face. *Cover?* She attacked him, blow after blow, using her sense to find him every time. Garen tried holding her off, but it was no use. She was way stronger now. He was not prepared for this. Bulla immediately let her power drop as she removed her cape and wrapped it around Garen's body, completely immobilizing him. He struggled to set himself free, but she wasn't having it. She punched him in his teeth, knocking a few out. She then grabbed him with her nonbroken arm and walked over to the edge of the arena. "No! You can't do this!" Bulla chuckled, tears still falling from the pain in her arm. "Shut up." She then threw him into the air, and swiftly spun around to kick him in the gut and land him on the ground. Everyone was so amazed; they couldn't even cheer this time. Bulla looked over to the announcer's box, waiting for him to speak. The announcer stumbled to turn on his microphone, "There you have it everyone! Princess Bulla has secured her victory!" That's when the crowd finally filled the arena with cheers and screams of happiness. They were all proud of her. Trunks was so proud of her. The medics immediately went over to her, despite their own injuries.
They gave her an anesthetic for the pain, as well as an ice pack. "I'll be okay." The medic smiled at her. "You cannot continue like this. You fight the prince next." Bulla's smiled disappeared as she realized the medic was right. There was no way she could win against him. They then took her to the emergency room where previous losers were. They were all healing from their injuries. Bulla was seated next to Marron, who was in way worse shape than she was.
Trunks fought back tears at how proud he was of Bulla for making it through that. Granted she used her Saiyan abilities, but she was left with no choice, and no one saw. Reading ki was also a Saiyan only ability as well, so no one could have noticed.
"Okay everyone! Settle down. We have the next set of fights next! Look at the screen up there to see how the next matchups will go!" the screen then displayed who would be fighting who:
Mighty Mask vs Trunks
Goten vs Bulla
*Here we go* Trunks thought. There was no way he could fight her. He knew she wouldn't give up. The only way to beat her would be to end her up like Marron. He just couldn't. "I'm sorry father." Trunks whispered to himself as it was now time for him to step into the ring.
Mighty Mask was already there waiting for him. She immediately took a fighting position. Trunks took off his cape. If Garen thought to use it, so could she. "This is it folks! Mighty Mask versus Prince Trunks!" The crowd's screams grew louder and louder. People even had Mighty Mask masks already. This was insane. Trunks took a deep breath. "Ready? Let the fight begin!" Trunks took another deep breath, focusing himself. He couldn't win, but he also couldn't lose.
They both stood their grounds for seconds, almost a whole minute went by of them staring at each other. Trunks made eye contact with her, hoping she would realize that he knew. It had to be her. After that minute passed, Mighty Mask lunged forward, ready to punch him in the gut. Trunks took a simple step back, making her miss. She then tried upper cutting him, but he dodged again, this time taking two steps back. Mighty Mask grew impatient. They vanished and appeared behind Trunks. The crowd gasped, wondering if this match would end as soon as the others. Once Mighty Mask went for the move, Trunks sighed. He grabbed her hand, completely stopping her. Mighty Mask's eyes went wide. She knew she messed up using that move against him. He spun around, ever so carefully, making sure to not hurt her. He then stared right into her eyes. Mighty Mask glared at him. She tried taking her hand back but couldn't. She struggled and struggled, but he wouldn't let go. "Let. Me. Go. Trunks." She growled. Trunks then leaned in and whispered in her ear. "It's Prince Trunks, remember?" Mighty Mask's eyes went wide again as realization struck hard. She tried kicking him in the groin, only for him to stop it with his knee. "This again?" He mused. Mighty Mask had enough. Trunks's hand started to burn. *A ki blast? Well that's interesting* He let go just before she could release it. Mighty Mask stumbled back as the ki blast recoiled on her. She fell onto her back, causing her mask to slip off. The crowd went silent at this point. Trunks walked forward. As Pan lifted herself up, mask no longer on, Trunks finally saw her… and he had no words.
Phew! Glad I was able to finish this sooner than expected! I have already started chapter 9. I got sick, so I had all of two days to write this chapter. Hope you guys enjoy! Please read and review! Make sure to also follow my Facebook page sonpanbriefs for updates!