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Changing Faces
Part 2 – Choices They Make
Chapter 32 – The Long Awaited Fight
Duasha attacked without warning, but Gohan was prepared for such a maneuver. He countered the attack with speed, avoiding the charging lizard with ease. The dodge didn't affect Duasha and he swung around Gohan's left, charging for a second time. Gohan once again evaded the collision.
The cat and mouse game continued, and to the observers, no one could tell who was really winning. Duasha was doing the technical work, kicking and punching; Gohan was simply dodging, not even swinging at the lizard.
"He must have some trick up his sleeve," Videl muttered.
At long last, Gohan's plan took a more aggressive turn as evidence of Duasha's fatigue surfaced. The lizard failed another charge and barely stopped before crashing onto the Ruani side of the cavern. With bent knees, he leaned for support and panted for oxygen.
Gohan materialized before the Ruani, and the lizard was catapulted across the abyss, stopping midair.
"So, you wait until I am vulnerable to attack," he sneered.
"Just like you attacked without calling start. You would do the same thing if in these shoes," Gohan shot back.
A belittling snort answered the Saiyan, "If I were in your shoes, I would run, before my little pet hatches. This planet is slag! I will see to it!"
A roar of confidence accompanied the last charge. Gohan slid back into a defensive stance.
If I dodge again, he'll expect that, so I will return his attack this time.
It was then that Gohan sensed a disturbance. Below his feet. Duasha noticed too. Both looked down.
Red hot magma was pooling and popping, sending glowing bits of molten rock splashing into the air. The level was no where near the two fighters, but the turmoil warranted a much larger fear. A blackened ellipse surfaced and the spattering calmed.
"This has gone from bad to worse," Gohan exclaimed.
With such suddenness that everyone was startled, a black blur rose from the burning red pool. Gohan vaguely heard the gasps from both sides as he surveyed the monster. It was nearly two stories tall, rather thin, and was brown, black, and red speckled. He had to assume the scales were made from the hardest substance known; how else would it survive in molten rock?
The green-scaled lizard just meters away from Gohan started chuckling. Chuckles became laughs; laughs became guffaws, until tears dropped from his red eyes.
Once again, the dragon stunned everyone as they ducked for cover. The tall monster, realizing there was some stray burning embers on his scaly body, shook, danced, and spun, until he was clean of the hot rocks.
Unfortunately for those not quick enough to evade, they were severely burned or worse. Cries echoed through the massive cavern, but the dragon, clean of the molten bits, observed his surroundings.
Gohan had managed to come out unscathed, as did Duasha. The dragon seemed pleasant to any onlookers, but to be sure, they kept distance. Much distance.
Videl looked up from an unconscious warrior to watch Gohan's next move. She remained in her kneeling position.
The dragon leaned down and scratched his snout with a stubby arm. The action was almost childlike, innocent and sweet. But then he screeched and flung his head around. One last piece of rock, hardly the size of a nickel, flew unseen through the dimly lit room.
He saw it at the last moment; he tried to dodge the burning rock but it was too late. The red hot ember seared through fabric and burned a line across his right bicep. Such pain! He thought through an agonized scream.
Gohan curled over his arm, suddenly realizing the sleeve was on fire. He stifled the flames through the pain, which was nearly unbearable. He withdrew momentarily, carefully examining his injured right arm. The wound was three inches long, and almost an inch wide. The rock had actually burned away muscle and skin, leaving blackened tissue and flesh.
Duasha was a creature of convenience, and seeing Gohan's distraction, he seized the moment. He charged full speed at the half-Saiyan.
Gohan looked up at the last second; there was no defense for lack of awareness.
