DRAGON BALL NEXT
Episode 2
Mistery Figher! Who is this young man!?!
-Wow, you really changed the face of the tournament, Bulma-, Chi Chi said, looking at the structures of the new grounds as they climbed the stairs to the balcony from which they could see the preliminary fights. It had been a surprise to see that Capsule Corporation was the new and only sponsor to the Tenkaichi Budokai. Thanks to Trunks' enterprising mind, they had turned the tournament into a major television event, which explained the many cameras set in strategic places near each ring. However, thanks to Bulma's position in the company, they could see the fights from a VIP spot on top of the preliminary coliseum.
-Yup. It cost quite a bit of cash, but we're getting all of it back from t.v. rights only-, Bulma said, smiling- and if you count all of the merchandise and tourist money (remember, we own the hotel and the airline), we're actually doubling the profits!
Videl was shocked at the amount of money Bulma was talking about. Chi Chi, who wasn't all that concerned about money, continued to inspect the buildings. Most of them were hard concrete and steel, very different from the old brick ones from the past tournaments. The cameras were all protected by a bubble of steel-hard glass, which Bulma had said was covered with an electromagnetic field to avoid ki-interference. The technicians had been confused at this, but Bulma knew that when the saiyans fought, something like that was bound to happen. Aside from that, nothing much had changed, except there was now a large machine attached to the roof with four video displays that looked in four directions. They all showed the results of the fights and, thanks to salvaged saiya-jin technology, showed the power levels of the fighters at every point.
Finally they reached the end of the stairs, and were showed to three very comfortable seats, next to two more where Dr. Briefs and his wife were waiting for them.
-Ah, hi girls!-, the world's foremost scientist, now retired, greeted them.- You're just in time, because the first fight is about to start! And look, that friend of yours is there, the serious one with the three eyes!
Puzzled, Bulma looked where her father was pointing, a close-by ring where a young man in black was facing a taller, broader man in green. She was surprised to see the fighter's face, or more importantly, his head.
-Oh! Look, girls, it's Tenshinhan!
-Hey, you're right! He hasn't changed a bit, has he!-, Videl said.
-None of them ever do, really, except for Krillyn-, Chi Chi laughed.
-I kind of pity that kid he's fighting. He looks kind of wimpy, don't you think?-, Bulma said. The other women nodded in agreement. -Yeah, Tenshinhan is gonna make short work of him-, Videl said. They paid more attention to the fighters when the referee turned to them. They saw him give the signal. Their eyes all opened up like soup plates in a second.
-WHAT THE...!-, they all exclaimed in unison.
-WHAT THE...!-, the referee exclaimed. As soon as Tenshinhan and his opponent moved, they both seemed to disappear. The ref only heard the blows being dealt at jackhammer speed all around him, including the air. Confused, he turned to ask where they had gone, when he noticed that the people who had come with the three eyed fighter were moving their eyes in the same direction, with concern written on their faces, except for the short one with the spiky hair, whose only expression was mild amusement. What...they can see them!?!
-Pan, pay good attention to this fight!-, Gohan said without taking his eyes off the fighters.- This is amazing!
-Huh? Why, dad? Those two are moving really slow.
-That's not it. Tenshinhan's improved a lot in this past few years.
-I'd say he's stronger than a new Super Saiya-jin, don't you think, Trunks?- , Goten said.
-Yeah, but that kid's blocking his every move without breaking a sweat!-, his best friend answered.-Who the heck is he!?!
Back at the fight, moving at incredible speed, Tenshinhan was asking himself the same question. He'd trained incredibly hard these past years, and here this kid, who was young enough to be his grandson, was taking everything he threw at him with a smile on his face. Almost as disturbing was the fact that his fighting style was very familiar.
The tryclops sent a kick to the youth's face, which he blocked with one hand and countered. Ten didn't even see the punch which with the young man drove all the air out of his gut. He fell to the surface of the platform, and only managed to turn himself around and float at the last minute before he crashed. Staggering to regain his breath, he turned up to see the young man floating above him, still smiling. It was a strange smile, one devoid of all pride or conceit, just filled with excitement.
-This is incredible. I can't believe the power you have-, Ten said, reflecting the youth's smile.-I obviously am not a match for your speed and strength-, he straightened himself up, and reassumed battle stance-, so it's time to use my new techniques! Are you ready?
The young fighter's eyes lit up, and his smile broadened.
-Ah! I knew you were holding back on me! Come on, show me what you got!
Gohan was also surprised. Oh, man! Tenshinhan's always the one with all the incredible techniques! I wonder what new powers he's developed. Whatever it is, It's bound to be an eye catcher.-Pan, don't take your eyes off Tenshinhan!-, he said out loud. Pan nodded. She'd heard stuff about this old guy, about all the weird moves he'd come up with. Time to learn something new,. Even Vejiita's eyes increased their focus.
-HAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!-, Ten roared. His ki became apparent in a green aura of light that surrounded him, as his every muscle tensed. The ground began shaking immediately, and the whole island went into a panic as entire buildings wavered before the mighty warrior's display. All cameras focused on him, and they might as well have, because all other fighters stopped their own activities to see Ten's fight. A crowd had formed around their ring, and a couple of fighters quit after seeing the triclops' power.
-Heh, my money's on the one with the three eyes!-, an old man said in Satan City, watching his tube.
Ten's body lit up suddenly, and a flash of light filled the room, forcing everyone to cover their eyes. When the light had dimmed, Gohan looked at them. He face-faulted when he saw the young man wearing shades and reading a manga magazine.
-Say, are you about done yet?-, the youth asked, turning to look at him. His eyes broke right out of his glasses when he saw towards Ten.- YAAAAAAHHH!!!
The rest of the z-warriors almost had a similar reaction. Tenshinhan was surrounded by a group of eight Tenshinhans, except these were made of light, and looked like ghosts.
-I picked this one up from Gotenks...
-YOU THIEF!!! HOW DARE YOU STEAL OUR FAVORITE MOVE!!!-, Goten and Trunks shouted at the same time in rage. Pan's jaw had dropped to the floor. Vejiita just lifted his eyebrow. Gohan had seen this one before, and was really excited.
-GO, PHANTOM ARMY!!!-, Ten shouted. All of the ghostly Tens flew towards the youth, who in turn took to the air. The ghosts followed after.
Ten has really improved, Gohan thought. This is the move that Gotenks used to beat up Majin Buu once. I wonder if it's as powerful as his... or theirs... or whatever!
The youth was now in trouble. All of the ghosts were attacking him in midair, though he was doing an excellent job in dodging them. Then one foot struck him on the stomach, and the responsible ghost exploded like a barrel of gasoline, knocking every normal person back. All of the remaining doubles joined in, and the resulting explosion sent those who hadn't fought in at least one world-shaking battle flying.
Ten looked at the cloud of smoke. Did I do it?, he thought.
The cloud dissipated, and the young man was still there, coughing out the smoke. His hair was standing up, and his face was all black save for his big bug eyes.
-Whoa...kaff...crispy, man...kaff!
The whole gang was now officially stunned, even Vejiita. The youth was a LOT more powerful than any of them had ever thought. I can't believe it!, Vejiita thought. How can a human be so powerful!?! And this is only a bit of this brat's power!
The young man dropped to the ring. Vejiita followed with his eyes, and finally recognized what had seemed so familiar about the boy. He smiled evilly. This is going to be REALLY interesting, the prince of the saiya-jin thought.
-That was SO COOL!-, the mysterious youth said, brushing the ashes from his face.- Do you have any more of those techniques?
Tenshinhan forced a smile, disappointed that his new move hadn't even made a scratch on the boy. Who is he!?!, he thought.
-You are incredibly strong, my young friend. I can't believe I'm going to use this technique-, he said, and again started to power up. He closed all his three eyes, and concentrated.
-Huh?-, the young man said. Did he have one too many bowls of chili last night, or had his opponent actually turned into two guys?
-THAT's the move he can't believe he's using?-, Pan said, annoyed. The ghosts HAD been cool, but this move even Bra could do. She turned to her dad, and was surprised to see his eyes widened in surprise. Obviously, she was missing something. She concentrated hard, and was shocked when she felt the twin Tens' ki. They're the same!, she thought, bewildered. Normally, duplication techniques divided your ki in the number of clones you were producing. Tenshinhan had found a way to really multiply oneself, not divide.
The youth's jaw had dropped to the ground. Quickly he picked himself up. He was really excited now.
-This is incredible! There's two of you!-, he said. The z-warriors almost fell to the ground. Obviously the young man had never seen Tenshinhan become four people at the same time.
The three-eyed men didn't answer. They just launched forward, surprising the youth with their ferocity. The twins were attacking with incredible intensity. However, their opponent wasn't bothered in the least. He just blocked and dodged like there was only one of them.
-This is pretty amazing, but I want you to show me another one!-, the youth said. He suddenly became a blur to everyone, much to even Vejiita's surprise, and he seemed to become two himself when he kicked both Tenshinhans at the same time. The beaten warriors fell to the ring, but picked themselves up in midair, put two fingers to their foreheads and disappeared, to EVERYONE's astonishment.
-That... that's dad's teleport move!-, Goten stuttered. Trunks nodded.
Man, this Tenshinhan's really somethin', Pan thought. Daddy and Vejiita have been trying to do grandpa's teleport, but here this guy beat them to it, and he's a regular human!
-Huh? Where'd he go?-, the youth said, puzzled. Suddenly, one of the Tenshinhans reappeared before him, and another behind, kamehameha poses ready, surprising their opponent.
-HAAAAAAA!!!!-, the twins shouted, blasting forward with their energy attacks. The explosion was even bigger than the ghosts', and the walls actually cracked a bit near the blast.
The Tenshinhan were panting heavily. they'd used a lot of energy on the kamehameha to make sure they got their target. Yet, when the smoke cleared, the boy was still standing, unscathed. Or more like his image, which faded.
-No...!!!-, they exclaimed, but too late, as the clone that had appeared behind the boy was suddenly hit from behind with brutal force. The other one could only watch his double rocket to the ground outside the ring for a second before the young man blurred into vision just inches away from him. He couldn't even see the attack, he only felt the savage blow dealt to his chest, and lost consciousness.
The second Tenshinhan crashed against his counterpart on the ground and they fused back into one person. Tenshinhan slowly came around, and staggered to get up. He looked up to the young man who had just defeated him. The youth had come down to the surface of the ring, and was looking at him in a way that made him understand what had seemed so familiar about him. Their smiles reflected each other.
-It was a great fight-, the youth said, joining Ten outside the ring, and offering the older man his hand. Ten smiled and they shook hands.
-Yes, it was. You have surprised me today. I really thought that last attack would at least hit you.
-Well-, the young man said, thoughtfully-, the problem was that it was pretty obvious what you were going to do. Teleport gets old really fast, Tenshinhan.
-I guess it--WAIT A MINUTE! You know about teleport!?! And how do you know my name, anyway!?!
The youth looked surprised. He put a hand on the back of his head and smiled sheepishly.
-Oh, well, I, uh, I saw some old footage of the Cell games, where Son Gokuu did it a couple of times! Besides-, he pointed at Ten's forehead-, how the heck do you miss a three-eyed guy?
Tenshinhan wasn't quite satisfied with the answer. He looked at the youth suspiciously. A large sweatdrop formed on the young man's forehead, and he began to laugh nervously. -I guess...-, Tenshinhan said, smiling again. He didn't buy the youth's story, but he'd just have to wait for the truth to slip out eventually. He knew there was something the young man was hiding, and it was something big, whatever it was.
Whew, did I just dodge a bullet, the mysterious young man thought.
-Hey, Ten!-, a voice called from the other side of the ring. Gohan and the others walked towards them.
-What a great fight, Tenshinhan!-, Pan said, hugging the taller man.
-Yeah, your techniques are awesome!-, Goten said, giving him the thumbs up.
-Hey, do you think you could show us how to do that new duplication thing?- , Trunks asked. From behind him, Vejiita grunted something like "not bad".
-Indeed, an excellent fight, Mr. Tenshinhan-, a voice called from behind them. They turned to see a bulky, dark man with a black mohawk and a gentle look on his face, dressed in a brown vest and white pants.
-Uubu!-, Gohan said, and greeted his friend. Vejiita also turned to the young man, who happened to be the reincarnation of one of their most powerful foes, without the evil side to him.
-Hmph. Didn't feel you coming, runt.
-I was hiding my ki, Mr. Vejiita-, Uubu said, knowing that his politeness annoyed the saiyan prince greatly.- I wanted to see the fights and then surprise you with the results of my training, but it is I who was surprised. Are there no news about master Gokuu?
-Nothing. Seems like he's gone for good-, Gohan said, looking sad.
-I see.- Uubu turned to the young man, who was digging into his pockets and pulling a chocolate bar.- Well, it seems we have a new friend. What is your name, pal?
-Huh?-, the young man said. Everyone was now looking at him, so he put the candy back in his pocket, smiled and waved.- Hi, my name's Akira! Nice to meet you all!
-Hi, I'm Son Pan!-, you-know-who said before her dad could open her mouth, much to his surprise. She started pointing at people.- This guy with the mohawk is Uubu, this tall guy is my dad, Son Gohan,- Gohan waved-, this is my uncle, Goten, and the one with the lavender hair is our friend, Trunks-, the disastrous duo flashed v-signs-, you already know Tenshinhan, and the short one with all the attitude over there is Vejiita.
-Well, hi to all of you! Man, you people are all really tough! I'm gonna have a lot of trouble if I want to win this tournament!
-Who said you'd win?-, Vejiita said, finally opening his mouth. He glared at the young man, who only looked at him blankly with his mouth shaped like an "o". Finally he smiled and put his hand on the back of his head.
-Ah, well, I guess I'm just gonna have to wait and see, right!-, the youth said, and laughed heartily. Vejiita felt challenged, but somehow knew that the young man hadn't meant anything, so he just kept quiet.
Suddenly, a loud rumble filled the dome, scaring everyone. They all turned to the source, who was looking at his stomach.
-Oh, man, I'm starved!-, Akira said. The z-warriors all blinked, and started laughing. Pan wiped a tear off her face. Now I realize, she thought, why I felt like I knew him somehow. Except for the short hair, everything about him, his face, the way he talks, the way he moves...
Gohan had put a hand on Akira's shoulder. The youth smiled at him.
...his height, his build, even that stupid-but-nice look on his face sometimes...
Goten and Trunks slapped him on the back at the same time, causing him to drop his candy bar.
...he looks just like one of those old pictures of grandpa Gokuu!
-Well, I guess I'm gonna have some breakfast now! Hey, mister!-, Akira yelled at the referee.- Can I have something to eat? I'm really hungry!
-What? You want food?-, the ref said, confused.- Go to the restaurant, boy! It's that way.
-Thanks! Well, I'll see you guys around!-, he said, and ran in the direction the ref had pointed in.
-Man, what a weird kid!-, Trunks said. Goten nodded.
-Yeah. But I couldn't sympathize more...my stomach is growling, too!
-Jeez, Goten, you had three helpings at the hotel just an hour ago!-, Gohan said.
-Hey, it's hotel food, bro! I'm used to mom's dishes, not a couple of scrawny eggs and bacon strips!
-Well, then, follow that other brat and go stuff yourself!-, Vejiita said. All the food talk was making him hungry. He turned to Uubu- Tell me, runt, will we be fighting each other in the preliminaries?- The dark-skinned man shook his head.
-I'm afraid not, Mr. Vejiita. It would appear we are all in different groups, so we won't meet until the second round.
-Feh. Well, I guess you can all count yourselves lucky-, the saiya-jin taunted. Pan rolled back her eyes.
At the VIP balcony, everyone was still recovering from the shock. Bulma looked at the last readings from Akira's final attack.
-Girls, look at this!-, she said. They all did. Videl's eyes opened wide.
-Jeez, what the hell is this kid! Ten million, without even trying hard!?!
-Hmm... and he's fully human, too...-, Dr. Briefs said, rubbing his chin. Bulma wondered what was going through her dad's head.
-Looks like the boys are in for some competition this year!-, Chi Chi said concerned.
All the fights went on without any sort of surprises. Each of the z- warriors (including Akira, who the group seemed to consider one of their own) beat their opponents with nothing more than a mere tap, which either sent them out of the ring or knocked them out cold. One thing that Gohan noticed and made him anxious was the fact that Pan was getting awfully chummy with Akira. They seemed to be together wherever they went, even eating together (with happened to be very often with this kid). The physical distance between the two seemed to get shorter by the minute, too, until they were only inches away when they walked. Gohan knew his attitude was uncalled for, since his daughter was now twenty, (he and her mom had started dating a long time before that age, for Dende's sake) but he just couldn't help thinking of her as his little girl. He figured having daughters was punishment for being a man.
-So your dad's really tough, huh?-, Akira said, munching at a corn-on-the- cob.
-Yup, he's about the strongest guy out there! Well, except maybe for Vejiita and Uubu... they're pretty tough too...-, Pan said thoughtfully.
-I thee...-, Akira answered, gulping down a large piece of steak.- Mm theally dookin' thrwarths to f---fighting with them-, he finished after swallowing. Pan was actually a little concerned at his manners.
-Man, I'm gonna have to polish you off a bit...-, she muttered.
-What?
-Nothing-, she said, smiling. The way he ate only reinforced the impression she'd had earlier.- You know...
-Hmmf?-, he said through a mouthful of rice.
-You really remind me of someone...
Suddenly, Akira gagged and started coughing. Startled, Pan jumped to his side.
-Ghakk...I need a drink...-, he said, tears welling in his eyes. He gulped down a carton of juice. Pan shook her head at his clumsiness.
-Next fight, number 23 vs. Number 85! Would the fighters please approach ring number 7?-, the a.v. boomed. Pan got up.
-Well, that's my number. It's my last fight in the preliminaries. You comin'?
-In a minute. I want to finish this up.
Pan rushed to the ring. Her dad was waiting for her there. A tall, dark skinned fighter was on the ring, arms crossed in front of his chest, wearing large shades and looking smug. Another loser, she thought.
-Pan-, her father said.
Pan turned to him. He had a serious look on his face, one she hadn't seen in a long time. -What's up, daddy?-, she asked.
-Pan, fight this one with all your power, from the start, you hear me?-, Gohan said, concern oozing from his voice. He turned to look at the fighter.- I have a really weird feeling about this guy.
Pan looked at her opponent. She didn't really sense that much power in him, but then again, her dad was a lot more sensitive to ki than her. Maybe he saw something she didn't.
-Right-, she said, and jumped into the ring. She examined her opponent further. His skin wasn't just dark, it was actually a dark, olive green. He didn't have a nose, and his hair, long and thick, which she had thought at first glance to be in rastas, were actually some kind of darker tentacles which spread from his head. The man (or whatever) smiled a malicious smile, showing Pan a mouth full of sharp, shining teeth. What the hell is this guy?, she thought.
The referee gave the signal. The strange man didn't even change his position, while Pan fell into fighting pose.
Dad said to fight this guy full out, she thought. Alright, then, time to shoot the works.
The young woman started gathering her energy. The shockwave she produced was even stronger than Tenshinhan's, and again the whole dome turned its attention to her.
Pan reached Super Saiya-jin level, her hair and eyes turning the consequent colors. She expected the guy to freak out at this, but all that showed that he'd seen her was that his smile grew wider.
Huh? He's pretty calm... Guess dad was right after all. Fine, all the more fun to fight!, she thought, and launched towards the fighter with a battle cry.
PAN'S FIGHT!!! WHAT COULD GOHAN'S STRANGE FEELING MEAN!?!
Episode 2
Mistery Figher! Who is this young man!?!
-Wow, you really changed the face of the tournament, Bulma-, Chi Chi said, looking at the structures of the new grounds as they climbed the stairs to the balcony from which they could see the preliminary fights. It had been a surprise to see that Capsule Corporation was the new and only sponsor to the Tenkaichi Budokai. Thanks to Trunks' enterprising mind, they had turned the tournament into a major television event, which explained the many cameras set in strategic places near each ring. However, thanks to Bulma's position in the company, they could see the fights from a VIP spot on top of the preliminary coliseum.
-Yup. It cost quite a bit of cash, but we're getting all of it back from t.v. rights only-, Bulma said, smiling- and if you count all of the merchandise and tourist money (remember, we own the hotel and the airline), we're actually doubling the profits!
Videl was shocked at the amount of money Bulma was talking about. Chi Chi, who wasn't all that concerned about money, continued to inspect the buildings. Most of them were hard concrete and steel, very different from the old brick ones from the past tournaments. The cameras were all protected by a bubble of steel-hard glass, which Bulma had said was covered with an electromagnetic field to avoid ki-interference. The technicians had been confused at this, but Bulma knew that when the saiyans fought, something like that was bound to happen. Aside from that, nothing much had changed, except there was now a large machine attached to the roof with four video displays that looked in four directions. They all showed the results of the fights and, thanks to salvaged saiya-jin technology, showed the power levels of the fighters at every point.
Finally they reached the end of the stairs, and were showed to three very comfortable seats, next to two more where Dr. Briefs and his wife were waiting for them.
-Ah, hi girls!-, the world's foremost scientist, now retired, greeted them.- You're just in time, because the first fight is about to start! And look, that friend of yours is there, the serious one with the three eyes!
Puzzled, Bulma looked where her father was pointing, a close-by ring where a young man in black was facing a taller, broader man in green. She was surprised to see the fighter's face, or more importantly, his head.
-Oh! Look, girls, it's Tenshinhan!
-Hey, you're right! He hasn't changed a bit, has he!-, Videl said.
-None of them ever do, really, except for Krillyn-, Chi Chi laughed.
-I kind of pity that kid he's fighting. He looks kind of wimpy, don't you think?-, Bulma said. The other women nodded in agreement. -Yeah, Tenshinhan is gonna make short work of him-, Videl said. They paid more attention to the fighters when the referee turned to them. They saw him give the signal. Their eyes all opened up like soup plates in a second.
-WHAT THE...!-, they all exclaimed in unison.
-WHAT THE...!-, the referee exclaimed. As soon as Tenshinhan and his opponent moved, they both seemed to disappear. The ref only heard the blows being dealt at jackhammer speed all around him, including the air. Confused, he turned to ask where they had gone, when he noticed that the people who had come with the three eyed fighter were moving their eyes in the same direction, with concern written on their faces, except for the short one with the spiky hair, whose only expression was mild amusement. What...they can see them!?!
-Pan, pay good attention to this fight!-, Gohan said without taking his eyes off the fighters.- This is amazing!
-Huh? Why, dad? Those two are moving really slow.
-That's not it. Tenshinhan's improved a lot in this past few years.
-I'd say he's stronger than a new Super Saiya-jin, don't you think, Trunks?- , Goten said.
-Yeah, but that kid's blocking his every move without breaking a sweat!-, his best friend answered.-Who the heck is he!?!
Back at the fight, moving at incredible speed, Tenshinhan was asking himself the same question. He'd trained incredibly hard these past years, and here this kid, who was young enough to be his grandson, was taking everything he threw at him with a smile on his face. Almost as disturbing was the fact that his fighting style was very familiar.
The tryclops sent a kick to the youth's face, which he blocked with one hand and countered. Ten didn't even see the punch which with the young man drove all the air out of his gut. He fell to the surface of the platform, and only managed to turn himself around and float at the last minute before he crashed. Staggering to regain his breath, he turned up to see the young man floating above him, still smiling. It was a strange smile, one devoid of all pride or conceit, just filled with excitement.
-This is incredible. I can't believe the power you have-, Ten said, reflecting the youth's smile.-I obviously am not a match for your speed and strength-, he straightened himself up, and reassumed battle stance-, so it's time to use my new techniques! Are you ready?
The young fighter's eyes lit up, and his smile broadened.
-Ah! I knew you were holding back on me! Come on, show me what you got!
Gohan was also surprised. Oh, man! Tenshinhan's always the one with all the incredible techniques! I wonder what new powers he's developed. Whatever it is, It's bound to be an eye catcher.-Pan, don't take your eyes off Tenshinhan!-, he said out loud. Pan nodded. She'd heard stuff about this old guy, about all the weird moves he'd come up with. Time to learn something new,. Even Vejiita's eyes increased their focus.
-HAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!-, Ten roared. His ki became apparent in a green aura of light that surrounded him, as his every muscle tensed. The ground began shaking immediately, and the whole island went into a panic as entire buildings wavered before the mighty warrior's display. All cameras focused on him, and they might as well have, because all other fighters stopped their own activities to see Ten's fight. A crowd had formed around their ring, and a couple of fighters quit after seeing the triclops' power.
-Heh, my money's on the one with the three eyes!-, an old man said in Satan City, watching his tube.
Ten's body lit up suddenly, and a flash of light filled the room, forcing everyone to cover their eyes. When the light had dimmed, Gohan looked at them. He face-faulted when he saw the young man wearing shades and reading a manga magazine.
-Say, are you about done yet?-, the youth asked, turning to look at him. His eyes broke right out of his glasses when he saw towards Ten.- YAAAAAAHHH!!!
The rest of the z-warriors almost had a similar reaction. Tenshinhan was surrounded by a group of eight Tenshinhans, except these were made of light, and looked like ghosts.
-I picked this one up from Gotenks...
-YOU THIEF!!! HOW DARE YOU STEAL OUR FAVORITE MOVE!!!-, Goten and Trunks shouted at the same time in rage. Pan's jaw had dropped to the floor. Vejiita just lifted his eyebrow. Gohan had seen this one before, and was really excited.
-GO, PHANTOM ARMY!!!-, Ten shouted. All of the ghostly Tens flew towards the youth, who in turn took to the air. The ghosts followed after.
Ten has really improved, Gohan thought. This is the move that Gotenks used to beat up Majin Buu once. I wonder if it's as powerful as his... or theirs... or whatever!
The youth was now in trouble. All of the ghosts were attacking him in midair, though he was doing an excellent job in dodging them. Then one foot struck him on the stomach, and the responsible ghost exploded like a barrel of gasoline, knocking every normal person back. All of the remaining doubles joined in, and the resulting explosion sent those who hadn't fought in at least one world-shaking battle flying.
Ten looked at the cloud of smoke. Did I do it?, he thought.
The cloud dissipated, and the young man was still there, coughing out the smoke. His hair was standing up, and his face was all black save for his big bug eyes.
-Whoa...kaff...crispy, man...kaff!
The whole gang was now officially stunned, even Vejiita. The youth was a LOT more powerful than any of them had ever thought. I can't believe it!, Vejiita thought. How can a human be so powerful!?! And this is only a bit of this brat's power!
The young man dropped to the ring. Vejiita followed with his eyes, and finally recognized what had seemed so familiar about the boy. He smiled evilly. This is going to be REALLY interesting, the prince of the saiya-jin thought.
-That was SO COOL!-, the mysterious youth said, brushing the ashes from his face.- Do you have any more of those techniques?
Tenshinhan forced a smile, disappointed that his new move hadn't even made a scratch on the boy. Who is he!?!, he thought.
-You are incredibly strong, my young friend. I can't believe I'm going to use this technique-, he said, and again started to power up. He closed all his three eyes, and concentrated.
-Huh?-, the young man said. Did he have one too many bowls of chili last night, or had his opponent actually turned into two guys?
-THAT's the move he can't believe he's using?-, Pan said, annoyed. The ghosts HAD been cool, but this move even Bra could do. She turned to her dad, and was surprised to see his eyes widened in surprise. Obviously, she was missing something. She concentrated hard, and was shocked when she felt the twin Tens' ki. They're the same!, she thought, bewildered. Normally, duplication techniques divided your ki in the number of clones you were producing. Tenshinhan had found a way to really multiply oneself, not divide.
The youth's jaw had dropped to the ground. Quickly he picked himself up. He was really excited now.
-This is incredible! There's two of you!-, he said. The z-warriors almost fell to the ground. Obviously the young man had never seen Tenshinhan become four people at the same time.
The three-eyed men didn't answer. They just launched forward, surprising the youth with their ferocity. The twins were attacking with incredible intensity. However, their opponent wasn't bothered in the least. He just blocked and dodged like there was only one of them.
-This is pretty amazing, but I want you to show me another one!-, the youth said. He suddenly became a blur to everyone, much to even Vejiita's surprise, and he seemed to become two himself when he kicked both Tenshinhans at the same time. The beaten warriors fell to the ring, but picked themselves up in midair, put two fingers to their foreheads and disappeared, to EVERYONE's astonishment.
-That... that's dad's teleport move!-, Goten stuttered. Trunks nodded.
Man, this Tenshinhan's really somethin', Pan thought. Daddy and Vejiita have been trying to do grandpa's teleport, but here this guy beat them to it, and he's a regular human!
-Huh? Where'd he go?-, the youth said, puzzled. Suddenly, one of the Tenshinhans reappeared before him, and another behind, kamehameha poses ready, surprising their opponent.
-HAAAAAAA!!!!-, the twins shouted, blasting forward with their energy attacks. The explosion was even bigger than the ghosts', and the walls actually cracked a bit near the blast.
The Tenshinhan were panting heavily. they'd used a lot of energy on the kamehameha to make sure they got their target. Yet, when the smoke cleared, the boy was still standing, unscathed. Or more like his image, which faded.
-No...!!!-, they exclaimed, but too late, as the clone that had appeared behind the boy was suddenly hit from behind with brutal force. The other one could only watch his double rocket to the ground outside the ring for a second before the young man blurred into vision just inches away from him. He couldn't even see the attack, he only felt the savage blow dealt to his chest, and lost consciousness.
The second Tenshinhan crashed against his counterpart on the ground and they fused back into one person. Tenshinhan slowly came around, and staggered to get up. He looked up to the young man who had just defeated him. The youth had come down to the surface of the ring, and was looking at him in a way that made him understand what had seemed so familiar about him. Their smiles reflected each other.
-It was a great fight-, the youth said, joining Ten outside the ring, and offering the older man his hand. Ten smiled and they shook hands.
-Yes, it was. You have surprised me today. I really thought that last attack would at least hit you.
-Well-, the young man said, thoughtfully-, the problem was that it was pretty obvious what you were going to do. Teleport gets old really fast, Tenshinhan.
-I guess it--WAIT A MINUTE! You know about teleport!?! And how do you know my name, anyway!?!
The youth looked surprised. He put a hand on the back of his head and smiled sheepishly.
-Oh, well, I, uh, I saw some old footage of the Cell games, where Son Gokuu did it a couple of times! Besides-, he pointed at Ten's forehead-, how the heck do you miss a three-eyed guy?
Tenshinhan wasn't quite satisfied with the answer. He looked at the youth suspiciously. A large sweatdrop formed on the young man's forehead, and he began to laugh nervously. -I guess...-, Tenshinhan said, smiling again. He didn't buy the youth's story, but he'd just have to wait for the truth to slip out eventually. He knew there was something the young man was hiding, and it was something big, whatever it was.
Whew, did I just dodge a bullet, the mysterious young man thought.
-Hey, Ten!-, a voice called from the other side of the ring. Gohan and the others walked towards them.
-What a great fight, Tenshinhan!-, Pan said, hugging the taller man.
-Yeah, your techniques are awesome!-, Goten said, giving him the thumbs up.
-Hey, do you think you could show us how to do that new duplication thing?- , Trunks asked. From behind him, Vejiita grunted something like "not bad".
-Indeed, an excellent fight, Mr. Tenshinhan-, a voice called from behind them. They turned to see a bulky, dark man with a black mohawk and a gentle look on his face, dressed in a brown vest and white pants.
-Uubu!-, Gohan said, and greeted his friend. Vejiita also turned to the young man, who happened to be the reincarnation of one of their most powerful foes, without the evil side to him.
-Hmph. Didn't feel you coming, runt.
-I was hiding my ki, Mr. Vejiita-, Uubu said, knowing that his politeness annoyed the saiyan prince greatly.- I wanted to see the fights and then surprise you with the results of my training, but it is I who was surprised. Are there no news about master Gokuu?
-Nothing. Seems like he's gone for good-, Gohan said, looking sad.
-I see.- Uubu turned to the young man, who was digging into his pockets and pulling a chocolate bar.- Well, it seems we have a new friend. What is your name, pal?
-Huh?-, the young man said. Everyone was now looking at him, so he put the candy back in his pocket, smiled and waved.- Hi, my name's Akira! Nice to meet you all!
-Hi, I'm Son Pan!-, you-know-who said before her dad could open her mouth, much to his surprise. She started pointing at people.- This guy with the mohawk is Uubu, this tall guy is my dad, Son Gohan,- Gohan waved-, this is my uncle, Goten, and the one with the lavender hair is our friend, Trunks-, the disastrous duo flashed v-signs-, you already know Tenshinhan, and the short one with all the attitude over there is Vejiita.
-Well, hi to all of you! Man, you people are all really tough! I'm gonna have a lot of trouble if I want to win this tournament!
-Who said you'd win?-, Vejiita said, finally opening his mouth. He glared at the young man, who only looked at him blankly with his mouth shaped like an "o". Finally he smiled and put his hand on the back of his head.
-Ah, well, I guess I'm just gonna have to wait and see, right!-, the youth said, and laughed heartily. Vejiita felt challenged, but somehow knew that the young man hadn't meant anything, so he just kept quiet.
Suddenly, a loud rumble filled the dome, scaring everyone. They all turned to the source, who was looking at his stomach.
-Oh, man, I'm starved!-, Akira said. The z-warriors all blinked, and started laughing. Pan wiped a tear off her face. Now I realize, she thought, why I felt like I knew him somehow. Except for the short hair, everything about him, his face, the way he talks, the way he moves...
Gohan had put a hand on Akira's shoulder. The youth smiled at him.
...his height, his build, even that stupid-but-nice look on his face sometimes...
Goten and Trunks slapped him on the back at the same time, causing him to drop his candy bar.
...he looks just like one of those old pictures of grandpa Gokuu!
-Well, I guess I'm gonna have some breakfast now! Hey, mister!-, Akira yelled at the referee.- Can I have something to eat? I'm really hungry!
-What? You want food?-, the ref said, confused.- Go to the restaurant, boy! It's that way.
-Thanks! Well, I'll see you guys around!-, he said, and ran in the direction the ref had pointed in.
-Man, what a weird kid!-, Trunks said. Goten nodded.
-Yeah. But I couldn't sympathize more...my stomach is growling, too!
-Jeez, Goten, you had three helpings at the hotel just an hour ago!-, Gohan said.
-Hey, it's hotel food, bro! I'm used to mom's dishes, not a couple of scrawny eggs and bacon strips!
-Well, then, follow that other brat and go stuff yourself!-, Vejiita said. All the food talk was making him hungry. He turned to Uubu- Tell me, runt, will we be fighting each other in the preliminaries?- The dark-skinned man shook his head.
-I'm afraid not, Mr. Vejiita. It would appear we are all in different groups, so we won't meet until the second round.
-Feh. Well, I guess you can all count yourselves lucky-, the saiya-jin taunted. Pan rolled back her eyes.
At the VIP balcony, everyone was still recovering from the shock. Bulma looked at the last readings from Akira's final attack.
-Girls, look at this!-, she said. They all did. Videl's eyes opened wide.
-Jeez, what the hell is this kid! Ten million, without even trying hard!?!
-Hmm... and he's fully human, too...-, Dr. Briefs said, rubbing his chin. Bulma wondered what was going through her dad's head.
-Looks like the boys are in for some competition this year!-, Chi Chi said concerned.
All the fights went on without any sort of surprises. Each of the z- warriors (including Akira, who the group seemed to consider one of their own) beat their opponents with nothing more than a mere tap, which either sent them out of the ring or knocked them out cold. One thing that Gohan noticed and made him anxious was the fact that Pan was getting awfully chummy with Akira. They seemed to be together wherever they went, even eating together (with happened to be very often with this kid). The physical distance between the two seemed to get shorter by the minute, too, until they were only inches away when they walked. Gohan knew his attitude was uncalled for, since his daughter was now twenty, (he and her mom had started dating a long time before that age, for Dende's sake) but he just couldn't help thinking of her as his little girl. He figured having daughters was punishment for being a man.
-So your dad's really tough, huh?-, Akira said, munching at a corn-on-the- cob.
-Yup, he's about the strongest guy out there! Well, except maybe for Vejiita and Uubu... they're pretty tough too...-, Pan said thoughtfully.
-I thee...-, Akira answered, gulping down a large piece of steak.- Mm theally dookin' thrwarths to f---fighting with them-, he finished after swallowing. Pan was actually a little concerned at his manners.
-Man, I'm gonna have to polish you off a bit...-, she muttered.
-What?
-Nothing-, she said, smiling. The way he ate only reinforced the impression she'd had earlier.- You know...
-Hmmf?-, he said through a mouthful of rice.
-You really remind me of someone...
Suddenly, Akira gagged and started coughing. Startled, Pan jumped to his side.
-Ghakk...I need a drink...-, he said, tears welling in his eyes. He gulped down a carton of juice. Pan shook her head at his clumsiness.
-Next fight, number 23 vs. Number 85! Would the fighters please approach ring number 7?-, the a.v. boomed. Pan got up.
-Well, that's my number. It's my last fight in the preliminaries. You comin'?
-In a minute. I want to finish this up.
Pan rushed to the ring. Her dad was waiting for her there. A tall, dark skinned fighter was on the ring, arms crossed in front of his chest, wearing large shades and looking smug. Another loser, she thought.
-Pan-, her father said.
Pan turned to him. He had a serious look on his face, one she hadn't seen in a long time. -What's up, daddy?-, she asked.
-Pan, fight this one with all your power, from the start, you hear me?-, Gohan said, concern oozing from his voice. He turned to look at the fighter.- I have a really weird feeling about this guy.
Pan looked at her opponent. She didn't really sense that much power in him, but then again, her dad was a lot more sensitive to ki than her. Maybe he saw something she didn't.
-Right-, she said, and jumped into the ring. She examined her opponent further. His skin wasn't just dark, it was actually a dark, olive green. He didn't have a nose, and his hair, long and thick, which she had thought at first glance to be in rastas, were actually some kind of darker tentacles which spread from his head. The man (or whatever) smiled a malicious smile, showing Pan a mouth full of sharp, shining teeth. What the hell is this guy?, she thought.
The referee gave the signal. The strange man didn't even change his position, while Pan fell into fighting pose.
Dad said to fight this guy full out, she thought. Alright, then, time to shoot the works.
The young woman started gathering her energy. The shockwave she produced was even stronger than Tenshinhan's, and again the whole dome turned its attention to her.
Pan reached Super Saiya-jin level, her hair and eyes turning the consequent colors. She expected the guy to freak out at this, but all that showed that he'd seen her was that his smile grew wider.
Huh? He's pretty calm... Guess dad was right after all. Fine, all the more fun to fight!, she thought, and launched towards the fighter with a battle cry.
PAN'S FIGHT!!! WHAT COULD GOHAN'S STRANGE FEELING MEAN!?!
