Chapter 3

The preliminary rounds dragged on all day, and the days were long in this strange in-between world with its heat, the orange light and the billowing smoke everywhere. To Piccolo's surprise, Team Schneckigel did astonishingly well. So good that they actually advanced to the next round.

Although he was able to save face to the last as a stoic sour pot, who had absolutely no desire for something as silly as volleyball, Piccolo was in truth less and less able to evade the atmosphere on the pitch. She reminded him of how he had participated in the World Unarmed Martial Arts Championship to destroy Son Goku.

He enjoyed measuring himself against others and he enjoyed playing with Gotenks. Not that he ever admitted that to anyone. Especially not in front of himself.

Piccolo, who was up to his chin in the hot bath water, a towel on his face, sighed comfortably. With Kami's dried up vegetables, he really owed that to his battered body!

Jumping around in the sand all day long and facing all sorts of opponents, ranging from 12-armed squids to black holes and half-naked muscle men who were only clad in loincloths and left nothing, absolutely nothing to the imagination, was his challenge Tribute. Not to forget the rough-legged Amazons of the Double Horse Head Galaxy, which Piccolo and Gotenks would have pounded almost unsharpened into the sandy ground. It was, and Piccolo had to admit it with no envy, to Gotenk's sole credit that they had emerged victorious in this last game on the first day. When his strength waned, Gotenks was still jumping around like a rubber ball.

A very provocative rubber ball.

Under other circumstances, Piccolo would have taken the chance immediately and made use of the double bed, which was large and wide and inviting in the middle of the bedroom, but the way things were he was too exhausted to lift a finger. Of course, he hadn't missed Gotenk's encouraging glances, which had wandered back and forth between him and the bed like the looks of a dog between a sausage and his master. Piccolo laughed at the comparison and sank deeper into the water.

His sensitive ears twitched and caught the distant sound of bare feet on tiles.

"What the ...?"

"Bomb!" Shouted Gotenks, jumping up and pulling his legs up.

"NO!"

It was too late. With a loud splash, the spherical fusion landed in the bathtub. Water, foam and Namek were thrown high in the air, landed on the tiles, and washed smoothly out of the bathroom.

"Goteeeeeenks!"

After the last sixteen and quarter finals, the Saiyan and Namekian were now more in the semi-finals. It had become a little cooler under the orange sky, but the audience was boiling over. Piccolo thought he could feel the vibrations from the stands over the sand to the soles of his sensitive feet.

Maybe it was Gotenks jumping up and down next to him.

"Nervous?" Piccolo questioned.

"I was! I told you before, Piccolo, we are the best and the greatest. And sexy too. But you don't want to believe me," Gotenks responded.

Gotenks glanced at him from the side and caught a glimpse of a smile that tried to sneak away from Piccolo's lips.

"Aha! So you're having fun after all!" Gotenks laughed, threw an arm around the sulky Namek's shoulder and gave him a quick kiss on the bald head.

"Stop that. We don't have time for something like that now!" Piccolo responded with a huff.

Gotenks nudged him playfully with his elbow and fluttered his eyelashes.

"You're right. The tournament is much more important. I don't even suggest rolling around naked in the sand and making love hard and unrestrained here in the square in front of the spectators. Please, what do you take me for?" Gotenks whistled, pulled Piccolo on the antenna and strutted coquettishly to the front of the net.

Piccolo's libido lazily opened one eye and raised its snout, scenting. He shouldn't be able to rest through the entire semifinals.

Fortunately, the spectators did not notice Piccolo's growing excitement at all. Instead, they were completely caught up in the fast-paced and exciting games on the pitch and could hardly hold back in their enthusiasm. Gotenk's goofy cheering dance, which he still performed before every game, had actually won the hearts and tentacles of the audience.

"Was it really that surprising?" Piccolo wondered as he and Gotenks fought a demanding match against gemstone ladies that could well be described as a battle. Everyone with an eye in their head had to admit that it was wonderful to see Gotenks enjoying this game, how his muscles worked under his skin, how his strong legs kept finding support in the sand and catapulted him into the air, that dust and sweat just flew.

Lost in thought, the Namekian's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a shout.

"Piccolo, watch out!"

WHAM!

A stray ball hit the Namek straight in the face. He saw asterisks and fell over backwards.


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