2022 – Updated this one, too. Just minor grammar and formatting.
As the fighters settled down for the final battle of the day, Vegeta was thinking over the fighters they had seen so far. He had to admit, the different fighting styles seemed fascinating, the Amazonian training seemed similar to the training he had, and wondered if there was some way they could see what they go through in order to train, so they could try it themselves. Goku mentioned wanting want to focusing on his Ki attacks, trying to replicate some of Akuma's attacks, sans the 'Soul Destroying' part. While he wouldn't admit it, this one fight intrigued him the most out of the four they had seen so far. The previous fighters seemed to rely on magic and technology to overpower and dethrone their opponents, but this one seemed to be much more about physical combat, something the Prince of the Sayians was very interested in seeing. He also came to the conclusion that if he was ever going to be able to determine who would win a fight, he couldn't just go off of brute strength or sheer tenacity. Like a true warrior, everything had to be considered. Bulma on the other hand was still thinking back to the old man who had brought this to her in the first place, coupled with Goku and Vegeta's stories about Jared and some sort of mystical figure named Scorch, she felt… Uneasy. Sure, their lives involved mystical fighters who could turn into super-beings, energy attacks which could level planets, and a giant pink monster which was currently hanging out with them, but there was something about the idea that other dimensions entirely, with creatures that could snuff them out as easily as they'd get a drink of water that left her nervous. The one thing she had counteracting this fear was that the old man didn't seem to be that kind of being, much rather wanting to help them. And according to Goku, Scorch was a laid-back choco-holic who just wanted to talk rather than kill, kind of like a non-violent version of Majin Buu…
"You guys alright?" Gohan asked, seeing the thoughtful looks in their faces.
"What? Oh, I'm fine honey." Bulma replied dismissively, and Vegeta seemed to come back down to earth. Shaking his head and nodding in agreement. Hitting 'Play' the episode began with the always awesome guitar riff showing the Death Battle Logo.
"Capcom will go down in history for creating some of the deadliest warriors who have ever thrown a punch, but only a few can ever compare to these hulking Leviathans of strength." Wiz said, getting right to the point as the camera pulled back, revealing a vast array of different fighters. Some of the more noticeable ones were a small kid in all blue with an odd helmet and a canon for an arm, a man in a white gi and red headband, a woman with bat wings, green hair and something else quite noticeable… but finally, the two fighters in today's battle appeared. "While they've never officially met, they're rivalry is legendary."
"Mike Haggar, the Mayor-Elect of Kicking Ass." Boomstick said, followed by an image of a shirtless, muscular man in green pants with a belt-suspender over his left shoulder.
"And Zangief, Russia's Red Cyclone." Wiz added, followed by an image of the other man with a Mohawk, beard, several scars on his body, and a red wrestling suit.
"So, we've got a Mayor fighting a Russian." Mr. Satan spoke. "Wasn't there a movie with a similar premise?"
"Yeah, but the dude wasn't mayor, just a boxer." Roshi replied.
"Ah."
"But more importantly, it seems to be a match of pure strength!" Goku exclaimed excitedly.
"He's Wiz and I'm Boomstick."
"And it's our job to analyze their weapons armor and skills to figure out who would win… A Death Battle!"
Mike Haggar
(*Cues: Muscle Bomber/Saturday Night Slam Masters - Mike Haggar (Original CPS1 Arcade Version*)
"In this corner, standing at six foot seven and weighing in at 266 pounds, 30 of which is for his badass 'stache – Mike Haggar!" Boomstick announced like a typical wrestling announcer as Mike Haggar grabbed a man and piledrived him into the ground.
Mike Haggar
Full Name: Michael Duncan Haggar
Nationality: American (Scottish Background)
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 266 LBS
Has A Daughter He Would Decimate Entire Street Gangs To Save
Mustache Is 100% Badass (Mr. Satan agreed with the last two points)
"Michael Duncan Haggar began his journey as a professional wrestler at Slam Masters and a 'Champion Street Fighter'." Wiz explained. "Pretty much that means he was cracking skulls both in the ring and on the streets. Eventually, he turned his attention to the streets of his home, Metro City. What had once been a thriving city was now desolated and overrun with gang violence and corruption."
The fighters watched, slightly disheartened at the sight of how truly depressing Metro City was. True to Wiz' analysis, gang were breaking into stores and homes, attacking innocents on the street, and making life a living hell for everyone.
"Why do you think people do such horrible things?" Videl asked, saddened.
"Some people do it out of desperation, some do it out of anger, and some do it just for fun." Tien reasoned, slightly agitated.
"So, Mike did the most logical thing… Become the Mayor of Metro City! Then he decided to deal with all this crime, and where most other politicians would just create new laws or sit around on their asses all day doing nothing of value, Mike took matters into his own hands… Literally."
Everyone watched as Mike grabbed a street thug, then proceeded to slam him into a brick wall, leaving the thug dazed. Mike then grabbed him by the leg and threw him full force into several other members before jumping and elbow-diving onto them.
"Too bad there aren't more badasses in office…"
"True." Trunks agreed.
"What do you think would happen if either of our dads got into office?" Goten asked aloud.
"The world would be destroyed." Piccolo flatly answered almost immediately. "No questions about it."
"What makes you say that?" Goku asked, while he wasn't interested in politics, he didn't think would be that bad.
"The second someone said something that sounded like a challenge, Vegeta would probably kill everyone, hell, the only way he'd step down is if the government decided to nuke us all… and then you'd kill all of them for threatening you."
"You really think I'd be that aggressive against a force far weaker to…" Vegeta began with a retort but trailed off as he began to remember a few things that had happened.
"And as for Goku, you'd be in there for two days. Max." Piccolo continued. "You'd be on board at first, then when you found out you can't just fight people to deal with problems, you'd quit and we'd all wind up right back here."
"Yeah, that sounds about right." Goku conceded with a shrug. "Too bad there aren't political systems that settle their differences through physical combat. If there were. Then their leaders would be the strongest there were, and they'd probably be better leaders."
"It's rare to find someone who's physically and mentally strong and also isn't corrupt to their core." Yamcha dryly added.
"True." Vegeta nodded, he knew probably better than anyone what it was like to have a corrupt leader. "Or is a puppet for someone else."
"Mike Haggar is a former Professional American Wrestler who specializes in grabs, holds, twists, and quick strikes to disorient and overpower his opponent. Leaving them open to either being choked out or being thrown." Wiz stated as footage of Mike taking on another man in a ring played, showing him grabbing a man and pinning him to the ground, then picking him up and slamming him onto the ground, dropping himself.
"Now there's a man who knows what he's doing." Mr. Satan remarked. "He clearly knows what he's doing if he's able to pull off a sitout full nelson atomic drop."
"…are you making that up?" Android 18 asked, not sure if what the wrestler had said was real, or was some sort of move the Z Fighters made up.
"No, it's very real. You grab someone from behind and bring them up before driving them tailbone-first into the mat. In some circuit's it's considered illegal, and it's easy to hurt yourself while doing it as you yourself have to drop to the ground. I've known a few fighters who hurt themselves trying that move on someone who far outweighed them."
"Did that ever happen to you?" Android 18 asked.
"Once or twice, you got to stick the landing, that's the main concern." Mr. Satan replied.
"He's also of Scottish background and damn proud of it! And why wouldn't he be? The Scottish are not only known for their sheer tenacity and relentless ness in war, but to them, throwing telephone poles is a pastime!" Boomstick added in his energetic way. "He's even got a Scottish flag at his gym!"
"And at least he dosen't wear one of those skirts…" Wiz added.
American Wrestling Moves
Suplex
Holds (Camel Clutch, Crossface, Headsiccors, STF, ect)
Twists (Can Be Used To Throw Enemies Into The Air)
Quick Strikes
Submissions
Tie-Ups
Armlocks
Armbar
"It's also believable that he has trained in Scottish Backhold Wrestling, which oddly enough focused on bear hugging your opponent, followed by maintaining your power while throwing theirs off hilt. Thankfully, at least he dosen't wear one of those skirts…" Wiz added.
Scottish Backhold Wrestling
Much More Focused On Pure Strength and Balance Rather Than Technique (Goku and Vegeta seemed interested at that)
Also Focused on Pressure and Grappling To Keep Opponents Disoriented
Men Wear Kilts With Their Clan Tartans On Them While Fighting (Goten and Trunks laughed at the 'skirts')
No Safety Equipment Used During Matches (Chi-Chi didn't like this and shot Goku a look that said: "No.")
Moves Often Involved Dropping One's Opponent Onto The Ground In A Body Slam
"Wiz, kilts were a sign of loyalty and strength." Boomstick groaned, speaking to Wiz as if Wiz didn't know something. This surprised everyone watching, but then again, Boomstick had shown bursts of intelligence before. "Highlanders wore them as far back as the sixteenth century and used them to conceal weapons and to make it so they could move faster on the battlefield. Above all, they were a sign of one's Clan, and in some cases, Royalty."
"Who are you and what have you done with Boomstick?" Wiz flatly asked.
"And can he stay?" Videl added, hopefully.
There was an audible belch followed by the sound of a beer being opened.
"What was that?" Boomstick asked.
"Never mind…" Wiz muttered.
"Mike's also got an awesome set of special moves, ranging from Suplexes to Back Flip Drops to Body Splashes, to his own personal invention, the Spinning Clothesline Lariat, and fearsome and badass move that will ensure anyone close to it will be making their dentists very happy in the near future." Boomstick continued with listing off Haggar's moves.
"You're gonna try those, aren't you?" Gohan asked his father, already knowing the answer.
"Yup!" Goku replied with a smile. "New ways to fight means new ways to win!"
"Not exactly, but I get what you're going for." Yamcha shrugged.
Notable Moves
Suplex
Piledriver
Pipe Smash
Back Flip Drop
Body Splash
Spinning Clothesline Lariat
"And when Zangief copied his Spinning Clothesline Lariat, he turned right around and copied Zangief's spinning piledriver, so… I guess they're even?" Wiz continued where Boomstick left off.
"I've gonna have to try that…" Mr. Satan mused, watching Haggar perform a spinning piledriver, launching himself into the air and then slamming into the ground.
"Hey, let's give it a shot later." Goku replied with a smile, before fist-bumping him.
"On top of all that, when Mike's not overpowering opponents with sheer manliness, his weapon of choice is a steel pipe, perfect for bashing skulls up close or throwing ling distances. C'mon! He's a mayor that kicks ass and recycles!"
"Even after being elected, Mike Haggar continued his rigorous training, never letting himself get out of prime fighting shape." Wiz stated.
"BY PILEDRIVING SHARKS!" Boomstick shouted, shocking everyone as Mike Haggar indeed piledriveing a shark into the ground.
"Don't any of you DARE think about trying that!" Chi-Chi suddenly scolded pretty much everyone, but was mainly looking at Goten and Trunks.
"You gotta piledrive bears to get any sort of result!" Roshi Chi-Chi angrily glare at him and most of the fighters laugh, Roshi however just shrugged in a 'Wat'cha gonna do?' way.
"From the looks of it, this happens to be a Bull Shark, one of the deadliest known sharks, they can grow up to eleven feet long and weigh over five hundred pounds." Wiz explained in his scientific way, as a diagram of a shark appeared with a chart.
Bull Shark
Most Commonly Found in Africa, But Has Been Found Wherever There's Warm Water
Very Aggressive, Far More Violent Than Most Sharks
Can Survive In Fresh Water
Can Grow to Nearly Eleven Feet
Tends To Swim In Shallow Waters
"Piledriveing these beasts shows Mike's Scottish Backhold Style as he's able to hold them still against their thrashes, which are believed to be powerful enough to snap bones, as he drives them into the ground."
"But aside from being an ass-kicking Mayor, he's also an ass-kicking father! So, there was this gang called the 'Mad Gears' and they were all like "Hey, we wanna do illegal stuff." And Mike was all like "Piss off!" so Mad Gear went, "Okay. We're kidnapping your daughter." And Mike responded with: "Then I'm gonna fuck every last one of you up!" and proceeded to do that. Brutalizing his way through the entire gang to save his daughter!"
Everyone watched as Mike seemed to be in a stand-off with a man wearing an orange shirt with huge shoulders and blue pants wielding two sais.
"Just you and me Sodom." Mike cracked his jaw. He had clearly been through a lot, but refused to slow down. Not when someone he cared for was on the line…
"You cost me everything! My gang, my followers, my honour!"
"What kind of monster kidnaps a kid and then claims he has honour?" Bulma asked miffed. "Isn't that kind of hypocritical?"
"Something tells me this guy never had honour to begin with." Trunks commented, clearly thinking that 'Sodom' was pathetic.
"What the hell do you know about honour?! You're not even Japanese! And do you really think that kidnapping and extortion brings that!?"
"You are and old man and a fool. This place shall be your resting place!" Sodom's words were intimidating, but his voice, was kinda pathetic. It was higher than Sodom probably realized, and sounded way too much like someone trying to sound tough.
Sodom twirled his Sais around before taking a fighting stance, Mike however just face palmed.
"Right, because you're so terrifying. You haven't done anything right since this all began! You even messed up the kanji on your shirt!" He pointed out.
Sodom paused and then looked down at his shirt. The fighters took one look at it and realized he had messed that up and they all lost it, laughing uncontrollably at his idiocy.
"HE DID!" Roshi laughed.
"OH SHENRON! IF THAT HAPPENED TO ME I'D WELCOME DEATH!" Vegeta howled uncontrollably. It was odd to see the normally scowling fighter laughing, but it made everyone else laugh even harder.
"HOW CAN HE BE THAT STUPID!?" Krillin laughed. "C'mon! I've dealt with some stupid criminals during my time as a cop, but that's ridiculous!"
"I… that's unbelievable…" Tien shook his head with a smirk on his face. "How do you screw up that badly?"
"I…er…uh… ENOUGH! Surrender now, or your daughter dies!"
Mike's eyes widened as he saw his daughter being held to the ground with weapons pointed at her. Her left eye was bruised and she had some blood around her mouth. She seemed to have put up a struggle, but she was still beaten down. Mike's eyes narrowed dangerously, and he gripped his pipe.
"Oh boy…" Mr. Satan huffed. "That's the ticket…"
"Well, that's how you piss someone off." Videl rolled her eyes, knowing this wasn't going to end well for Sodom.
And as if to prove her point, Sodom suddenly had Mike's pipe thrown into his face, cracking his nose. Sodom stepped back clutching his face, as he yelled in pain. Mike rushed forward and grabbed Sodom before jumping and slamming Sodom into the ground. The other Mad Gear Gang Members watched in shock as Sodom spun around and got up, drawing his Sais and swung them towards Mike, who side-stepped them and grabbed Sodom's left hand and twisted it. There was another sickening 'Crack!' and some of those watching winced as Sodom's cries of pain were cut off by Mike elbowing him in the jaw. Sodom growled and kicked Mike in the leg, making him fall to one knee, but then punched Sodom right in the gut, making him double over in pain, he then grabbed Sodom's head in a guillotine, preparing to kill him.
"Hold on man! You don't want to kill him!" A younger man shouted from the side.
"Why?! Why should I let this asshole live?!"
"So, someone in prison can kill him?" Yamcha shrugged, not seeing why Mike should spare Sodom.
"Because he can't be a mayor and a murderer?" 18 retorted, stating the obvious.
"You beat him! He's done, he's going to jail and any respect he ever had is gone. Killing him is the same as letting him win!"
"How much does anyone wanna bet if he spares him the Sodom will try and kill him immediately?" Goku asked rather passé, remembering a time when sparing an enemy led to him being attacked moments later.
Mike growled, then let Sodom go. He fell to the floor and gasped for air. Mike looked to the other gang members who all looked disgusted with Sodom and began walking away, dropping their weapons and some pulling their bandanas off, trampling them as they left.
"Despite his rigorous training and determination to protect those he loves, Mike hasn't been able to sustain his training due to his job as mayor. Because of this, Haggar tends to use fighting moves from an older time and hasn't been able to train against many other wrestlers. While his move set could be seen as 'outdated' to some, it can't be argued that it's no less effective than it was when Mike began his journey." Wiz explained as more footage of Haggar taking on thugs was shown.
"Hm. That could be his downfall." Gohan mused. "I'm not saying his moves are unreliable, and we still need to see who this 'Zangief' guy is, but if Haggar had to prioritize work over training, he could be at a disadvantage."
"You got a good point kid." Roshi nodded.
"At least some people are willing to put responsibilities before training…" Chi-Chi muttered, casting a side glance to Goku, who seemed completely oblivious.
"But damn if it still dosen't work!" Boomstick concluded.
"Mike Haggar, the candidate who puts PEOPLE first!" the Announcer declared. Mike then yelled angrily and punched a bald eagle that was perched on his arm, obliterating it and leaving only a few feathers.
"Oh." Android 18 remarked, slightly taken aback by that.
Zangief
The doors closed and everyone decided to keep watching. This time, a tall, muscular man wearing wresting trunks appeared. He seemed abnormally ripped, with veins noticeable everywhere. He seemed even more ripped than Roshi's Max Power form.
"Standing at seven feet tall and three-hundred-and-fifty-pounds, the Russian Beast known as Zangief is one of the strongest and heaviest combatants on the Street Fighter circuit." Wiz began his introduction as the fighters got a good look at Zangief.
"I wanna fight him." Goku said with child-like excitement.
"And as a testament to his manliness, check out that shin hair!" Boomstick added as they saw that yes indeed, Zangief had hair covering his shins, sticking out of his boots.
Zangief
Full Name: Zangief…
Height: 7'0"
Weight: 350-400 (Depends On Game)
Nationality: Russian
Professional Wrestler
Icon To Soviet Russia
Fights With A Teenaged Girl Named Rainbow Mika
"Zangief, much like Haggar, began as a professional wrestler who specialized in pushing and pulling techniques to throw his opponents off balance. He prefers being up close and personal to his opponents rather than fighting from afar."
"Wait… What's his last name?" Boomstick suddenly asked, drawing attention to the fact that Zangief had no last name.
"Well… It… Jocelyn couldn't find it…." Wiz admitted sheepishly.
"What the hell?! Why are we paying her if she can't even do her job!?" Boomstick exclaimed, slightly angered.
"Who's Jocelyn?" Goten asked.
"I think she's their intern." Chiaotzu replied. "At least, that's what they've implied."
"Screw you Boomstick! Capcom never revealed it!" An angered woman's voice called from off screen.
"Get back to work!" Boomstick barked back.
"Go FU-"
The adult's eyes twitched as the screen suddenly cut to static with the words, We're experiencing technical difficulties, we'll be right back! Appearing above an image of two chibi people. One of them had white hair and a lab coat with a robotic arm and the other one wore a red plaid vest with a can in his hand. They seemed to be looking at a destroyed computer as some cheery music played. Thankfully, the kids seemed to have missed what was being said.
"What were they trying to say?" Trunks asked confused.
"Anyone answer's that, I'll break your arm." Vegeta said aloud almost immediately.
"Aw, c'mon dad! It can't have been that bad!" Trunks insisted.
"Kid, there's some things you don't want to know. This is one of them." Vegeta replied.
"But-"
"No."
"Aww…"
Finally, the screen cut back to Zangief fighting a man in a white gi.
"Why the heck do I put up with this…" Wiz muttered audibly. "Wait a second… Is this thing… Agh! Uh… Zan… Zangief also specializes in Sambo, a form created as a mixture of wrestling and marital arts. It incorporates tactics from Vikings, Tartars and other deadly warriors, making him a combatant with an arsenal from all over the world!"
"Oof, I know what that's like…" Mr. Satan muttered. "Believe me, you always wanna make sure the camera's off before you let your true feelings out about anything. If you don't, then it can be… awkward… to say the least."
"Is that why you don't have any Canadian fans?" Videl asked, and her dad seemed to react to the question. His eyes darting around nervously as he tried to find an excuse to get out of talking about one of his biggest mistakes…
"I… uh… um… Sambo! I'm glad more wrestlers than just me know about it! Heh, heh…" He finally spoke again.
"You don't know what it is, do you?" Krillin asked.
"I'll give you fifty zeni to stop talking." Mr. Satan muttered.
"Done."
Sambo
Abbreviation For SAMozashchita Bez Oruzhiya, Which Literally Translates To "Self Defense Without Weapons"
Developed In The 1920's
Mix of Wrestling and Martial Arts to Form a New Style (Vegeta, Roshi and Goku were interested in this.)
Uses Tactics From Vikings, Tartars and Golden Horde
Grappling, Groundwork, Throws and Submissions Prioritized
No Leglocks or Chokeholds
"Er… huh…" Roshi muttered, as if realizing something. The colour from his face seemed to drain somewhat as well.
"What?" Piccolo asked, noticing the change in the old man's face.
"That… That's also a really racist slang term…" Roshi hissed under his breath. Thankfully, only Tien and Piccolo seemed to hear it and they both raised their brows in surprise but thankfully said nothing.
"There may not be any chokeholds or leg holds, but his groundworks, grappling moves and submissive attacks are second to none!" Wiz concluded as more demonstrations of Zangief's impressive moves were shown.
"Hey, when this is done we should try that!" Goku said excitedly.
"Some of this seems familiar, I think Frieza had us train in a way similar to this…" Vegeta mused. "You think there's a book on this or something?"
"There's the internet." Gohan simply replied matter-of-factly.
"Ugh… What did I miss?" Boomstick groaned, as if he had left the room or was knocked out. "Aye, anyhow. Zangief's more notable moves include his legendary Double Lariat, his Atomic Suplex and a wickedly powerful backhand called the Banishing Flat, it's so powerful it can destroy or deflect attacks made of pure energy! And Zangief developed this specifically to deal with projectiles. ZANGIEF. HATES. PROJECTILES!" Boomstick put plenty of emphasis on the last three words.
"Agreed." Buu and Mr. Satan nodded as they took drinks.
Special Moves
Double Lariat (Copied From Mike Haggar)
Flying Power Bomb
Atomic Suplex (This interested Mr. Satan)
Body Splash
Banishing Flat (Goku and Krillin wondered if this was possible to learn, as it could prove to be effective if fighting someone with Ki abilities)
Spinning "Screw" Piledriver
The fighters watched Zangief's moves being used on an assortment of fighters, and they all seemed very effective, with his opponents being launched away, beaten into the ground or tossed out of the ring.
"What kind of vitamins is this guy taking?" Krillin couldn't help but ask aloud.
"I'd be amazed if he didn't use steroids…" Android 18 added, still amazed by Zangief's almost inhuman strength.
"But Zangief's signature move is the spinning piledriver, which he learned after getting caught in a cyclone while piledriveing a bear." Wiz stated as if this was no big deal.
"WHAT!?" Was collectively shouted, tones ranging from shock, to disbelief, to amazement, to 'I'm so trying that later!'.
"No. No! NO!" Bulma said shaking her head and slashing her hands through the air. "That's it! I've seen a LOT of weird things in my life, but THAT is not possible!"
"Really? THAT is where you draw the line?" Vegeta asked skeptically. "You see people shooting energy beams and coming back to life, all while fighting aliens on the regular and THAT is too much for you to believe?"
"As much as I can't believe I'm saying this, Vegeta's right." Android 18 commented. "I mean, my brother and I are androids and your son came back from the future to fight a bug creature that drains the life out of people. What's so hard to believe about piledriveing a bear into a cyclone?"
"Because… because… because it's all too damn convenient." Bulma finally admitted, seeming to get a grip on what she was trying to say. "I'm not saying he can't perform a move called a spinning piledriver, and I'm not saying he can't wrestle a bear, but fighting a bear and getting caught in a hurricane which just so happened to launch him in a way that taught him a new fighting move just seems… unbelievable."
"Yeah, as believable as a wrestler defeating Cell…" Piccolo muttered under his breath.
"Something tells me she's about to be proven wrong." Goten mused to Trunks, his tone oddly hopeful.
"Oh, definitely." Trunks nodded in agreement.
Everyone watched as two figures suddenly flew out of a cyclone, one of them being a bear and one of them being… Zangief. The Russian fighter grabbed the bear and then piledrove it into the ground before, making a huge impact. After a few moments of silence, Zangief stood up and looked around shocked.
"Hm." The large wrestler nodded and then walked off.
"But…" Bulma wanted to say something, and everyone looked to her to see what she was going to say. "…forget it…" She finally muttered.
"That might be one of the most badass things I've ever heard!" Boomstick exclaimed.
"Definitely!" Goten exclaimed in amazement.
"I feel like I've been doing this all wrong…" Goku said a bit wearily, feeling inadequate for some reason.
"That was both unbelievably stupid, yet also kind of amazing." Tien commented. He found Zangief to be an interesting warrior for his style and strength, but his constitution seemed to be on a whole another level!
"How did he not get torn to shreds in the cyclone?" Roshi asked, scratching his head. "His fortitude is most impressive."
"Buu could do that!" Majin Buu shrugged.
"Sure, you could just pull yer'self back together. Zangeif's… human. I hope." Roshi mused.
"Actually, wrestling bears is part of Zangief's training, and apparently he's done it since he was a kid. He claims to wrestle grizzly bears, but that's probably wrong because they aren't native to Russia. More likely he wrestles Ussuri brown bears which… well, to be blunt, are usually twice the size of grizzly bears and can weigh up to nearly a ton." Wiz continued as images of the snarling beast were shown, with a chart showing the height, weight and claw length of the bear.
Ussuri Brown Bears
Up to 1500 lbs
Twice As Large As Grizzly Bears
Rarely In Packs, Preferring Isolation
Feed On Siberian Tigers (this shocked and slightly horrified some of the fighters)
Mostly Vegetarians Though
Oddly Relaxed Around People, Having Been Recorded Walking Right Up To Them And Not Harming Them
One Of The Largest Bear Types
Zangief Occasionally Wrestles Polar Bears
"HOLY SHIT! He piledrived one of those things into a tornado?!" Boomstick exclaimed in amazement, summarizing most of what the fighters were thinking.
"HA! Told you!" Roshi laughed.
"Wait, I thought bears mostly ate meat." Goten said, confused.
"They've omnivores, but some species of bears are known for eating more plants than they do meat." Chi-Chi explained. "While it wasn't a Ussuri, a bear did come near when I was young…" Everyone now turned and looked at her, shocked. "What? Have I not told you about this?"
"No." Was collectively stated.
"Oh… well, when I was young, I was out in the woods and a black bear began following me. I didn't notice it at first but eventually it sort of cornered me in a clearing surrounded by fallen trees. I didn't know what to do so I panicked, which in turn startled it."
"What happened?" Bulma asked, shocked at this.
"I dropped my bag and it took my lunch, then left. It must've smelled the meat I had and thought I was trying to feed it." Chi-Chi sheepishly answered. "It didn't seem like it wanted to hurt me and left after it got done eating. I didn't see it as I left either."
"Wow…"
"Mom… why didn't you ever tell us about that?" Gohan asked, surprised.
"I guess it never came up." She replied with a shrug. "But for your own safety don't any of you go out and try and fight one of them, or any type of bear for that matter!"
"You really think a bear cold prove a challenge to us?" Vegeta replied cockily, his sense of arrogance and strength clearly showing.
"It can tear your face off in less than three seconds." Chi-Chi shot back, and Vegeta didn't reply.
"Actually, fighting bears is perfect for his Russian Wrestling style." Wiz proceeded to explain. "It forces them off balance and allows Zangief to have control over his opponent, something which he prioritizes in a fight."
"And despite looking like someone who'd break your neck if you look at him wrong, Zangief is the exact opposite." Boomstick remarked. "He's a kind and good-natured man. He apparently has a good sense of humor and is unflinching in his loyalty to his country. Despite what you might be thinking, and despite his portrayal in the movies, he's not a villain. Hell, he even joined a tournament run by a terrorist organization to prove to a bunch of school children that not only did he still have his groove, but that they too could be fighters like him one day."
"Hey… that's the bad guy from the tv!" One of the kids exclaimed.
The fighters saw (and then started laughing) at a picture of Zangief with a purple-skinned man in a headlock, giving the camera a thumbs-up.
"Awesome! Nobody beats the red cyclone! He's the best!" Another kid added.
"Aw… that's really sweet." Videl smiled at the scene.
"Yeah, sometimes the best fans are the kids, the actions you take can leave a big impact on their lives." Mr. Satan reminisced on some of the fans he had met.
"Like being a pathological liar?" Tien muttered to Piccolo who rolled his eyes in agreement.
"Well, Zangief puts his country above all, and is fiercely loyal to it. Always fighting for the honor of his homeland rather than any form of personal gain. He's frequently been hired by the President to be the official fighter representative for the country." Wiz continued with his facts as images of Zangief and a man who they assumed was the president appeared.
"We need one of those." Goku commented.
"However, despite his extreme strength and durability, Zangief is somewhat dimwitted, much more a follower than a leader, a brute forcer than a strategist. He prefers instinct over reason."
"Sound familiar?' Gohan remarked, looking over to his dad.
"Yeah, yeah…" Goku sighed sheepishly.
"All the more reason to get the hell out of his way, though!" Boomstick quickly added as Zangief jumped into a ring and the crowd went wild.
"My iron body is invincible! So, beware!" Zangief declared.
The doors then closed and Bulma paused the video.
"This one's pretty hard to predict if I'm being honest." She remarked. "Mike seems to have the advantage through more tactful moves, but Zangief seems to be physically stronger."
"Well, in the case of Rouge and Wondy, it didn't matter who was stronger, just whose moves were better." Roshi mused. "But if I had to guess, I'd say Mike's got this one."
"If Zangief can piledrive bears and survive cyclones and yet Mike can only piledrive bull sharks, Zangief should be able to endure any of his attacks, and be able to return them with twice the force." Goku explained his thought and more than a few of the fighters looked a little shocked by his sudden rational thought.
"Kakarot's right." Vegeta finally nodded. "Can't believe I just said that… but Zangief probably has the advantage due to his prolonged training and endurance. Didn't they say that Mike had to stop training due to his job?"
"But like they said, Zangief's a man who relies on brute force, Mike seems to strategize as he fights." Krillin countered. "Plus, Mike has his pipe, and while I'm not saying that'll tip the scales in any way, Zangief does hate projectiles, it could keep him distracted long enough for Mike to rush him."
"I'm with Krillin on this one." Trunks nodded in agreement.
The rest weighed their options and reasons for believing it would go one way or another, and in the end, there was a decent split between votes of Zangief and votes for Haggar. Unlike Akuma and Shang Tsung or even Boba Fett, both fighters were likeable, they both seemed to have a strong sense of justice and a drive to fight for a good purpose. Now more than anything, they wanted to know who was going to win.
"Alright, the combatants are set, it's time to end this debate once and for all." Wiz declared.
"IT'S TIME FOR A DEATH BATTLE!" Boomstick yelled.
The doors then closed then re-opened, showing metro city. Zangief was walking down the street with his red cloak on, seeming to cast glances around at the city. He seemed somewhat disappointed with it all. Meanwhile, Mike Haggar was walking towards him in a green suit, giving him and odd look, as if unsure if this man was a threat or just a passer-by. The two passed by one another, time seeming to slow as they looked to one another but seemed to keep walking. After a few more steps, they both stopped, seeming to look forward, but clearly somehow looking back.
"Who are you? You with the Mad Gears?" Mike asked with a warning tone to his voice.
"I do not know of these… Mad Gears you speak of. I am the Red Cyclone from Russia." Zangeif spoke, pride and respect clear in his tone.
"Well what brings you all the way out here Cyclone?" Mike asked, a bit less on edge now.
"I have heard stories of man from Highlands who protects this city with his bare fists. To do that he must be a man of great strength." The Red Cyclone answered, honestly.
"You some sort of hitman here to kill him?"
"Hitman!? You disgrace me with such accusations, you should learn to hold your tongue!"
"Oh boy, here they go…" Trunks muttered, rolling his eyes.
"At least they sort of have a reason to fight, I guess." Chi-Chi thought it over.
"Sorry pal, didn't mean nothing by it. It's just you can't be too careful these days, what with the gang infestations and the threats of Shadaloo everywhere you go…"
"Da, that is true." Zangief nodded.
"Are they going to fight or talk?!" Vegeta suddenly exclaimed, a little annoyed they weren't fighting yet.
"It is sad though, that city can have such a pitiful leader that common thugs can simply seize control."
Mike's eyes twitched noticeably in anger at that remark, but he seemed to be doing his best to keep his composure nonetheless.
"Huh… Well, considering the state of Russia until 91, perhaps it's better to be free yet somewhat chaotic than crime free but living in a borderline dictatorship. "
"Ooohh… That hurt." Yamcha grimaced.
"That should get this fight going." Bulma commented, before taking a drink
Zangief yelled in anger and tore his cloak off, tossing it to the side.
"YOU SPEAK OF FREEDOM WHEN THE STREETS RUN WITH THE BLOOD OF THE INNOCENT!? YOU ARE AS WEAK MINDED AS THE LEADER OF THE HELLHOLE!" Zangief roared.
"YOU WANT THE LEADER? WELL, YOU'RE TALKING TO HIM, DRAGO!" Mike retorted, fired up and ready to rumble.
FIGHT!
"Let's go Haggar!" Videl cheered.
Mike replied by flexing and promptly tearing his suit apart, leaving only his suspender and pants. Some of the fighters (and the women) were impressed by this sudden display of pure strength.
"I've gotta talk to Janice about getting an outfit I could do that with…" Mr. Satan mused.
The two ran towards one another and grabbed one another in a hold, both trying to maintain balance and overpower their opponent.
"Now kiss!" Goten called, making Roshi and a few others laugh. Only to notice that Zangief and Haggar were staring each other directly in the eyes. "Wait. Are they actually gonna-"
Before Goten could finish his question, Zangief yelled and threw Haggar behind him, Mike however spun in the air and landed like an Olympic gymnast before going on the defensive as Zangief shot forward and began unleashing his fearsome fists at the mayor. However, Mike was able to block Zangief's attacks and even delivered a harsh gut punch for the Russian's troubles before grabbing him and piledriveing him onto the sidewalk. The mayor then brought his fists down onto Zangief's head, but the Russian took the blow and countered with a powerful uppercut to Mike's jaw, making him take a few steps back and quickly regain his surroundings. Zangief then used his double lariat but Mike merely ducked and grabbed Zangief by the leg, flipping him into the ground and then hitting him with his own double lariat.
"Oh, the painful irony…" Android 18 smirked.
Zangief was taking hit after hit after hit from the move and when Mike stopped, not only did Zangief seem disoriented, above all he and Mike both seemed shocked.
"How did you…" Both men asked at once.
Not waiting for an answer, Zangief jumped forward once again, he grabbed Mike and then performed two Suplexes in a row, before pulling off a signature spinning piledriver, sending Mike flying off screen, groaning in pain. Zangief just laughed.
"I am a steel pillar of strength! You are but a sparrow's egg, I shall crush on thigh!"
Mike groaned and noticed someone had left several led pipes lying around on the ground. Without missing a beat, he grabbed one and hurtled it full force at the still laughing Zangief who was smacked right in the face with it, making an audible Clang!
"Ooohh…" Several of the fighters groaned, feeling the impact of the pipe as Zangief stood there, as if he was frozen suddenly. Only for him to growl audibly, as if he was very angered. This time, when the second pipe came towards him, he used his banishing flat to smack it out of the sky, seeming very angered now.
"I! HATE! PROJECTILES!"
"Well, good thing I prefer to dispense justice with my fists then." Mike quipped.
Zangief rushed Mike who dodged this time and hit the wrestler hard in the back with his pipe, Zangief yelled in pain and turned to hit Haggar, who dropped to one knee and hit Zangief in his knee, bringing him down as well. Mike then jumped up and backhanded Zangief with the pipe across the face, a decent amount of blood shooting out of Zangief's mouth.
"That's gonna hurt like hell in the morning…" Roshi moaned, cringing at the sight.
"Had enough?"
Zangief's only reply was to spit a tooth out onto the ground.
"Sh-"
Zangief grabbed Haggar and smashed him into a newspaper box, then into a building's wall, then held him against it and unleashed a flurry of punches until the wall itself gave way and Mike went through it.
"How much can these two take!?" Goku exclaimed. "This is insane!"
"This is amazing!" Vegeta added, clearly enjoying the much more 'brawn' fight. From the looks of it, he was right in assuming Zangief would win.
Zangief was then grabbed by Mike and thrown through a reception desk. The Scotsman grabbed a chunk of wood and used it like a blunt object against Zangief before grabbing him and performing a back-flip drop. Zangief finally roared in anger and punched Mike, aiming for his nose but hit his forehead, pushing him off. Zangief and Mike once again locked in a struggle for balance, but Zangief once again overpowered Haggar and dragged him across the ground before throwing him into a wall, then kicking him through it.
Suddenly, the scene cut to a lanky teenager with dirty blonde hair wearing a beanie and a noticeable scar across his left eye quietly standing in an elevator. He wore a green shirt with a yellow frog-like design on it and cut-off of jean shorts. On his back was a backpack and he wore a key around his neck, with a tattoo partially obscured by his shirt. He was sipping on an iced coffee and seemed to be listening to the elevator music. There was the sound of faint, yet very heavy impacts outside. As the doors opened, Zangief yelled as he was thrown into the wall right next to the elevator, the teen didn't seem shocked, but simply poked his head out and saw the two shirtless men fighting. The both paused and looked at him, Mike holding Zangief in a headlock. He took a sip form his drink and sighed.
"Yeah, I'm not dealing with this." He muttered. He then pushed a button and the elevator doors closed and Zangief and Haggar returned to their fighting.
"I'll give that guy credit, he handled that a lot better than I think most people would've." Tien shrugged.
"Honestly that was pretty funny." Krillin laughed. "I can only wonder what it's like for the people who live near us who don't know what's going on whenever a bunch of flying guys with laser start fighting in their cities."
The scene cut to outside of the building and Zangief and Haggar seemed to be going up the levels of the hotel, passing by the windows constantly trading blows and kicks with one another. Suddenly, a couch was thrown out a window on one level, then a television, then a coffee maker. All the while, Zangief's anger seemed to be rising.
"-JECTILES!"
Suddenly, an orange sphere was thrown through a window. A few of the fighters saw it, and looked to one another shocked.
"Was that…" Gohan began.
"It couldn't…" Vegeta mused.
"I… What…" Yamcha shook his head shocked.
"What?" Bulma asked confused, not having seen what everyone else had. There was silence for a few moments, then Yamcha shook his head.
"Nothing."
Bulma raised a brow confused but turned back to the tv as it zoomed in through a window. Mike and Zangief's fists hit dead-on with one another, creating a noticeable shockwave off of the force exerted. Mike then kicked Zangief square in the chest and sent him back, landing near an elevator door which then opened, and the teen from earlier looked out. Without saying anything else, he hit the button and the doors closed as Zangief grabbed a chair and used a double lariat to gain momentum to throw it at Haggar, who blocked it but was noticeably bruised, as was Zangief. They were both breathing heavily, seeming hurt, but neither one wanting to admit to that.
"C'mon Haggar! Bring him down for the city!" Hercule boomed.
"It's pretty hard to tell who's in the lead here…" Piccolo remarked. "They're both strong enough to hold their own, it's probably more an endurance test than anything now."
Mike threw several punches at Zangief, who blocked and countered them all, and then Zangief tried the same thing to the same result. The two fighters seemed to realize that they weren't going to get any results this way and Zangief suddenly rushed Mike again, grabbing him and smashing through a window. Everything seemed to slow down as the two flew out form the top of the building. There was a close up on both the men's faces, there was fear. There was pure determination.
"Wow they're up way higher than I thought…" Trunks murmured.
The glass seemed to sparkle in the sunlight, there was no music, no sounds, nothing. Until Zangief's fist went straight across Mike's face. The burly bear-fighter began unleashing a flurry of punches onto Mike's face, who flipped over as they were falling and did the same thing. The duo grabbed each other and began spinning, both attempting to pull off the most badass piledrive in existence. As they continued vying for dominance, they got faster and faster, eventually the fighters couldn't tell who was who in the blur, and all they could hear aside from the rushing wind was the angered yells of the two fighters. Suddenly, the blur slammed into the ground, creating a devastating shockwave which destroyed several nearby windows and made a humungous THOOM!
"Is… is it over…?" Goten finally asked, amazed at what had just happened.
"Who won?!" Roshi exclaimed.
Zangief was breathing heavily, but finally opened his eyes, the camera then revealed he was holding Mike Haggar, or rather, what was left of him. The top half of the mayor was crushed into the crater they made upon impact. Zangief stood up and laughed victoriously.
K.O.!
"Yes!" Vegeta yelled. "Victory!"
"That was not how I was expecting this to end." Tien admitted, somewhat surprised.
"Now that was a fight!" Goku stated, having thoroughly enjoyed the fight.
"Aw hell, he at least put up a damn good fight." Mr. Satan admitted, slightly disappointed Mike lost, but also able to know that it wasn't a total curb-stop fight.
"Sigh… A great man has fallen today…" Boomstick sighed, rather somberly, as if losing someone near and dear to him.
"Haggar and Zangief's move set appeared similarly matched, and while many of their attacks could work as counters to one another, Zangief was almost one hundred pounds lighter and thirteen years younger." Wiz solemnly explained, a very disappointed tone noticeable in his voice.
"Wow, they seem kinda sad that Mike lost…" Chi-Chi said, surprised by both their tones.
"Yeah, but can you blame them?" Trunks remarked.
"He lived a long productive life ruling Metro City… Protecting the streets and keeping the beaches safe from rouge sharks…"
"Sharks don't normally attack people, much rather they're scared of them." Bulma remarked at Boomstick's last point.
"I think he's in the grieving process." Goku replied.
"On top of that, Zangief has been training his entire life, whereas Mike had to focus more on work than training, and his moves were form an older time so he didn't know how to react to some of Zangief's moves." Wiz continued.
"I'm gonna miss that manly mustache!" Boomstick exclaimed sadly.
"Because of his youth and training, Zangief had a slight edge over the Mayor of Metro City…"
"Poor Haggar… The bastard might be tough enough to wrestle sharks, but I'm pretty sure that there's a nearly one-thousand-pound difference between a bull shark and a Ussuri Brown Bear… Not to mention the lethality factor and double the size of Zang's bears. And if Zangief was fighting these things since he was a kid, Haggar didn't stand a chance."
"That's a fair point." Piccolo conceded with a nod. "Seems like Goku had the right idea. They can trade blows all they want, but if Zangief can easily return everything Mike hands him, it was only a matter of time before he was overpowered."
"He did put up a good fight though." Wiz remarked, and all of the fighters agreed.
"That he did." Boomstick agreed. "Zangief just found his window of opportunity."
"Puns. Woo." Bulma flatly cheered.
"The winner is Zangief." Wiz concluded.
Bulma hit 'stop' on the remote and everyone got up, cracking their joints after sitting for a while.
"These are really fascinating." Roshi commented. "All these different fighters, there different styles, there's so much we can learn."
"The good and the bad." Tien agreed. "Still, I'm heading out, call me if we're gonna watch more of them, I'm interested to see where this is going."
The fighters bid Tien farewell as he left with Chaoztsu (who I didn't forget about, I just didn't know where to put him sorry) leaving the others. Goten though he saw something and saw an orange-tinted light slink past the window, but when he blinked, there was nothing. Shaking his head, he looked to Trunks and smirked.
"Wanna train?" He asked.
"Totally!" Trunks exclaimed excitedly, and the two ran off outside.
"So, what are you guys planning on dong now?" Goku asked, looking around the room.
"The kid's got the right idea." Vegeta answered. "With what we've seen, we should try and train in more diverse ways."
"Alright." Goku nodded as the two Sayians and Piccolo headed outside. "Sambo?"
"Sure." Vegeta shrugged.
Piccolo stopped when he got outside, feeling like he was being watched. He suddenly turned but saw nothing, he was left with an uneasy feeling, and this wasn't helped when he suddenly realized he was holding a book called 'The Way Of SAMBO: A Guide for Beginners to Masters'.
"Huh." He commented, flipping through it. It was exactly as the title would suggest, it was a guide on the different forms and moves used in SAMBO. "Hey guys, come have a look at this."
As Goten and Trunks sparred, Trunks froze when he saw something off in the distance.
"Uh… Goten… Who's that?" He asked, pointing over Goten's shoulder.
Goten turned and saw an orange figure with his back turned who seemed to be looking off into the distance. It turned around and looked right at them. IT was hard to make out who or what it was, but it flashed them a hand sign, either 'Peace' or 'Rock On' then disappeared into thin air.
"Do you think…" Trunks began.
"Maybe…" Goten finished.
Miles away, a flaming figure emerged from behind a tree and sighed audibly, cracking his neck and picking up a laptop.
"Okay… Geez… I'm sorry…" Skorch muttered. "Let me get through some reviews first, then I need to tell you all something. Also, if I don't respond to your review here, know I've read it at least three times. I'm just choosing some of the more 'reviewable' reviews if that makes sense." He muttered the last part before sitting down.
Naruto the Hedgehog 99 - I think story is good so far. As for the thing about them being fictional, well you, or rather Hercule gave a possible answer at the beginning of the chapter. So, it would, in a way, be like someone writing about it as it happens, rather then it happens as it's being written. Does that make sense? I not too sure.
"Yeah, I guess in a way that what could be 'real' in one world could simply be seen as a 'comic' in another. But still. How exactly would you guys react if all this was a comic and I wasn't an author but rather a character who believed he was? Mind warp…" Skorch commented, thinking it over before suddenly waving his hands in front of his face.
Antgigi4 - I love stories like this and is glad that someone took the mantle. As for changing some of the battles, it's okay if it's only a few. Keep the regular order for battles and as for the DBZ battles, Herc did give a possible explanation and if looked at a rational standpoint, you still exist in your universe and the universe where you're a comic doesn't really change or affect who you are.
"Again, fair point. And don't worry! I don't plan on changing the battles too much, the fights themselves, yes, but the outcomes? No."
Gamelover41592 – Excellent work on this chapter and looking forward to the next Death Battle :)
"Thanks man! That means a lot!"
yoshi3000 - Ah yes, this is the kind of fic I've been hoping to see continue. For my suggestions, I'd say Afro Samurai vs Samurai Jack, I think Yamcha and Gohan would totally dig it as they used to be swordfighters.
"I know, right?!" Skorch laughed. "Afro is one of my all-time favourite fictional characters, and while I'm sad he lost, they had a decent reasoning for it. Regardless, I think Yamcha and Gohan and maybe even Trunks will dig it. And something tells me Vegeta's gonna be interested in the sacred headbands…"
LifeByTheCreed – Good work so far, keep it up!
"I plan to, and thanks!"
StrongGuy159 – Awesome two chapters, continue please.
"Well, here we are! Hope you enjoyed this one."
ultra-owner – Yoshi is the coolest dino I'd want as a pet, much safer too.
"Yeah, I think Yoshi's smart enough to be housebroken already as well. It'd be pretty annoying to have to replace the carpet every time Riptor uses the bathroom…" Skorch mused thinking it over. "And also, with Yoshi you'd have your own theme song playing wherever you went! That'd be awesome!"
Conz16 - The ones I want to see is Solid Snake vs Sam Fisher because I wanna see Bulma's reaction to their weapons, Otocon and technology and Wolverine vs Raiden for Bulma's reaction and the android's reaction to Raiden
"Oh dude. How do you think 18's gonna react to Jack? Fear? Jealously? Honestly, I think if her brother sees him he's gonna be kinda jealous at all his weapons and feats… Also, yeah, Bulma's going to be interested in all of Snake and Sam's gear. Hell, I think even Yamcha would be interested in Wolverine's 'Lone Wolf' deal... Okay, one more then I need to talk."
thewhittywhy – I am honestly wondering how you'll handle Goku vs Superman.
"Hooooooooooooooooooooooooo boy…" Skorch let out a long, long sigh. "I'm already working on it. Sort of. Mostly just notes more than anything, but I think I've got a plan and it should satisfy both sides of the argument. But do you guys have a second?"
Skorch fidgeted for a moment, like a child trying to explain something embarrassing to a parent, he sighed and a bit of smoke wafted out from his mouth.
"I'm sorry. I really am. This took way longer than I expected, and I don't really have any excuses. First there was Christmas, then life caught up, then I got sick, and then… I guess honestly, I got scared. This story has become so much more than I ever expected, and before you all start panicking, don't worry. I ain't going ANYWHERE anytime soon. I guess when it comes to characters reacting to Death Battle fics, there's not only the task of translating the Death Battles to text, and often re-writing whole sections so you don't get in trouble, but also writing the characters reacting properly. I'll admit to it, I didn't grow up watching Dragon Ball, but have been binging it like crazy recently. So, there were a few days where I was scared to write because I felt like I was going to screw it up and anger you all. That a Goku would be too dumb or Vegeta would be too arrogant. It wasn't the fear if getting angry reviews or dealing with fanboys that scared me. For a few days, I couldn't write even three sentences before leaving out of some odd form of anxiety (I'm okay, don't worry.) But eventually, I sat down and asked, 'Am I afraid of the hate I'll get if I make a mistake?' After re-reading every review, I found the answer was quite the contrary, I finally figured out that what was scaring me was the fear of letting you guys down, of not giving it my all and not creating the best story I could for you all. That to the die-hard, long-time fans of Dragon Ball, it wouldn't be good enough. This isn't a pity post, this isn't me asking for you to all back off with your criticism or whatever, hell, keep your comments coming, discuss the good and the bad. I want to get better and provide the best content possible. Also, before you ask, I'm not looking for a co-writer as writing actually helps me personally but thank you for the offers! It means a lot. So where do we go now? Well, I guess that the only way I'll ever get over this fear is if I keep trying, I know deep down there's gonna be a stinker of a chapter or two, but the love you guys have given me has helped me come to the conclusion that regardless of a mistake or two, I can rely on you guys to be an endless source of positivity and a motivation to write. So, if you wanna help, keep the reviews coming! Don't be afraid to be constructively critical, and believe me, a little bit down the line, I will be needing everyone's help. As for next time? Well, we're jumping forward a little bit… and a new face is going to join the Z Fighters, as well as the fact that the next battle is a mystery… But after that, I'll be putting a poll up so you can vote for the next battle. But in conclusion, let me once again say thank you for everything. For enjoying the story, for putting up with my delay, and if you're looking to support me, go check out my other works, and I've got a twitter now, NTorch yeah, I messed up the registration but whatever. Follow me on there and I'll update how things are going on the next chapter. Now one last thing, thanks to everyone who's been suggesting the next battle and to the guests who suggested I watch 'Death Battle Debunked' or suggested other Death Battle Reacts Fics so I can see how to handle some… unfavourable outcomes, that's been helpful for some of the fights such as the dreaded Garra vs. Torph fight… and thanks to WargishBoromirFan, MrGoodyTwoShoes, DoctorWhoDat and anyone else who shot me a message telling me I needed to fix the formatting for this story. I took it upon myself to do that, and hopefully they're fine now. As you can tell, I added a lot, took out some stuff, and fleshed out the fight. Hopefully it's all good now. As always, I hope you all enjoyed the story, and keep your fires burning bright, and I'll see you all next time! Later!"
Skorch then disappeared into smoke, heading out to find the newest 'guest' for the next battle. Unaware that he had been seen…