***************Episode 19****************
**A True Test of Friendship; Friend VS Friend**
A month later the tournament began. As planned, Terrack was excused from examinations ("Why are grown ups so easily tricked," Tora snickered.), and the elimination round went by without a hitch. Bardock, Zucina, Tora, and Nipper had all advanced.
Bardock lagged behind his fellow competitors, when he heard a familiar voice calling his name. "Bardock! Yo, kid!" It was Fasha, the girl from the last tournament running up to him.
"Hi," said Bardock, politely shaking her hand.
"Nice to see you again," the girl responded. She had grown a bit over the past zural, and now wore a gold earring on one ear. "Happy to see you participating . . . after what happened last year, I worried that you'd be too disappointed."
Bardock blushed. Girls normally didn't worry about him so much, and say so to his face. "Well, I'm a lot tougher then ya think! I ain't no chicken!"
Fasha giggled. "So I make out!"
Terrack, from behind Bardock, cleared his throat loudly. "If you don't mind," he/she growled, "he has some numbers to draw!" His/her eyes glowed malevolently at Bardock and Fasha's hands, still together, then at Fasha herself.
"Gimme a sec, Terrack," shouted Bardock. He turned back to Fasha. "Sorry about him. Terrack's a little mean."
Fasha stared at Terrack, even as he/she left. The older, and far wiser Sayin smiled, understanding. "Hey, kid, where's that cutie you always hang out with?"
Bardock head tilted. "I don't hang out with no 'cuties.' "
"You know, that boy I fought last time."
"Oh, Tora? Yeah, he's fightin' in the tourny with me."
"Well, you tell him that I won the women's tournament. I'll see if I can get permission to watch with him later. OK?"
"'kay," Bardock said. Then he ran off, pondering what could possibly make Tora be considered a 'cutie.'
Rubaru arrived inside the waiting area with the box of numbers and a list. "Bardock," he called out.
Bardock chose his number. #1. "Wow! Right away!"
Bumpkin, whom Bardock recognized from last zural, strode up after his name was called. #5.
"Safe and sound," Tora teased. He wanted Bardock to fight Zucina.
"Limu!" Limu gave Bardock an encouraging thumbs up. 'He still must be grateful for me avengin' his brother Beanu from last time,' Bardock thought as Limu pulled out #3. Limu VS Nipper.
"Ninjin!" A tall, gangly looking Sayin pulled out #6. Ninjin VS Bumpkin in fight three.
"Nipper!" Bardock crossed his fingers and toes, wishing hard for Nipper to choose #2. Too bad, the former champ chose #4. "Kuso!"
"Terrack!" Terrack/Zucina walked up, radiating confidence. He/she pulled out . . . "#8." His/her face fell. "Can't I go again?"
"No," growled Rubaru.
Tora chuckled at his friend's disappointment. "Next time, Psycho Bitch," he whispered. Bardock was still pissed about not matching up against Nipper right away. "Cheer up," muttered the equally upset Terrack. "You're so mad, I'm starting to feel sorry for the Sayin who fights you!"
"Then start up with the patting on the back," said Tora, holding up his number. #2. Bardock VS Tora.
=========================================================== [Commercial Break]
===========================================================
The attitude toward Bardock couldn't have been more different. When he stepped out into the main room of the amphitheatre, the younger third class section burst into applause and cheers. Bardock noticed the boy he had saved earlier jumping up and down, whistling. To him, and many of the lower class kids, Bardock was a hero!
And Bardock? He snorted as he bowed toward the king, Lord Saladus, and their companion. He could still remember the jeers and taunting laughter of his fellow Sayins when he had first arrived. To him, Sayins were too evil to truly be heroes. [AN - Don'cha just LUV foreshadowing!!! He and Goku are the same, yet different, ne?]
The warriors walked back to the resting room. The formalities over, Rubaru announced the rules, matches, standings, and finally the first two warriors. Tora looked down onto his long-time partner. "Friends going in . . ." He extended his hand.
" . . . friends comin' out!" Bardock took the offer. They gave each other a warrior hand-shake*, then proceeded out into the ring.
Fasha ran in and stood beside Terrack. "Has it started?"
"Yeah," the cross-dresser said gravely.
The battle took far less time then expected. Bardock and Tora entered a punching fury, in which they equaled in strength and agility. Then, after a couple of minutes, Bardock jumped backwards and phased out. Tora watched keenly and punched at the Bardock image to his right. His fist went right through and towards the ground outside of the ring. The real Bardock phased in and kicked Tora from behind.
Tora landed face first in the stone floor outside the ring.
"Winner, BARDOCK!!"
The young third class erupted with cheers. The rest applauded appreciatively.
Bardock hopped off the platform and helped his friend up. "You okay?"
Tora groaned in pain. "Yeah. Noting a couple of minutes in the rejuvenation tank can't fix."
Bardock lead Tora into the battle room and sat him down onto a chair. Fasha ran up and held Tora's hand. "How are you?"
Tora at first didn't notice who had spoken. "I'll be alright. Just a swollen nose."
Fasha gently kissed his nose. "Better?"
Tora's face went pink, and he grinned. "Much better! But I also strained my lips. Could you-"
Fasha winked. "Please! Not on the first date!"
"Is that an invitation?!" Tora asked excitedly.
Bardock ran to the doorway. "I'm gonna watch Nipper's battle. He might've learned some new tricks since the last time we fought!"
Terrack, who had been leaning against the wall in the shadows, glared irritably at Tora. "You let him win."
"Did not!"
Terrack growled. "FINE!! Play dumb! But there's no way Bardock could have gotten that strong in any amount of time, ESPECIALLY if you two have been training together! I'm no fool!" He/She marched off to join Bardock in watching Nipper's fight.
Fasha turned and looked straight into Tora's eyes. "Tell the truth. Did you throw the match?"
"I swear I didn't!" He started right back, honest and serious. "But I will admit this: Bardock has unbelievable potential. I doubt any other third class warrior has grown in power so quickly. He is definitely no ordinary Sayin!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
* - "Warrior's Handshake" is a concept I take from watching a HFIL of a lot of Xena in my adolescence. [Okay, okay, so I'm still a teen!] Anyway, the warrior takes the other's forearm in their hand, and the other imitates. This is to guarantee no hidden weapons. Just decorum; no anti-trust.
Hi guys! Tora talking!
Okay, so I didn't advance. No biggie! I've won before. But Bardock hasn't . . . neither has Zucina. And she is sure a lot stronger then I thought! But the guy she's fighting is a bad loser. Will she be disqualified?
Next time on DragonballBC: The Truth Discovered; King Vegeta to the Rescue!?!?
**A True Test of Friendship; Friend VS Friend**
A month later the tournament began. As planned, Terrack was excused from examinations ("Why are grown ups so easily tricked," Tora snickered.), and the elimination round went by without a hitch. Bardock, Zucina, Tora, and Nipper had all advanced.
Bardock lagged behind his fellow competitors, when he heard a familiar voice calling his name. "Bardock! Yo, kid!" It was Fasha, the girl from the last tournament running up to him.
"Hi," said Bardock, politely shaking her hand.
"Nice to see you again," the girl responded. She had grown a bit over the past zural, and now wore a gold earring on one ear. "Happy to see you participating . . . after what happened last year, I worried that you'd be too disappointed."
Bardock blushed. Girls normally didn't worry about him so much, and say so to his face. "Well, I'm a lot tougher then ya think! I ain't no chicken!"
Fasha giggled. "So I make out!"
Terrack, from behind Bardock, cleared his throat loudly. "If you don't mind," he/she growled, "he has some numbers to draw!" His/her eyes glowed malevolently at Bardock and Fasha's hands, still together, then at Fasha herself.
"Gimme a sec, Terrack," shouted Bardock. He turned back to Fasha. "Sorry about him. Terrack's a little mean."
Fasha stared at Terrack, even as he/she left. The older, and far wiser Sayin smiled, understanding. "Hey, kid, where's that cutie you always hang out with?"
Bardock head tilted. "I don't hang out with no 'cuties.' "
"You know, that boy I fought last time."
"Oh, Tora? Yeah, he's fightin' in the tourny with me."
"Well, you tell him that I won the women's tournament. I'll see if I can get permission to watch with him later. OK?"
"'kay," Bardock said. Then he ran off, pondering what could possibly make Tora be considered a 'cutie.'
Rubaru arrived inside the waiting area with the box of numbers and a list. "Bardock," he called out.
Bardock chose his number. #1. "Wow! Right away!"
Bumpkin, whom Bardock recognized from last zural, strode up after his name was called. #5.
"Safe and sound," Tora teased. He wanted Bardock to fight Zucina.
"Limu!" Limu gave Bardock an encouraging thumbs up. 'He still must be grateful for me avengin' his brother Beanu from last time,' Bardock thought as Limu pulled out #3. Limu VS Nipper.
"Ninjin!" A tall, gangly looking Sayin pulled out #6. Ninjin VS Bumpkin in fight three.
"Nipper!" Bardock crossed his fingers and toes, wishing hard for Nipper to choose #2. Too bad, the former champ chose #4. "Kuso!"
"Terrack!" Terrack/Zucina walked up, radiating confidence. He/she pulled out . . . "#8." His/her face fell. "Can't I go again?"
"No," growled Rubaru.
Tora chuckled at his friend's disappointment. "Next time, Psycho Bitch," he whispered. Bardock was still pissed about not matching up against Nipper right away. "Cheer up," muttered the equally upset Terrack. "You're so mad, I'm starting to feel sorry for the Sayin who fights you!"
"Then start up with the patting on the back," said Tora, holding up his number. #2. Bardock VS Tora.
=========================================================== [Commercial Break]
===========================================================
The attitude toward Bardock couldn't have been more different. When he stepped out into the main room of the amphitheatre, the younger third class section burst into applause and cheers. Bardock noticed the boy he had saved earlier jumping up and down, whistling. To him, and many of the lower class kids, Bardock was a hero!
And Bardock? He snorted as he bowed toward the king, Lord Saladus, and their companion. He could still remember the jeers and taunting laughter of his fellow Sayins when he had first arrived. To him, Sayins were too evil to truly be heroes. [AN - Don'cha just LUV foreshadowing!!! He and Goku are the same, yet different, ne?]
The warriors walked back to the resting room. The formalities over, Rubaru announced the rules, matches, standings, and finally the first two warriors. Tora looked down onto his long-time partner. "Friends going in . . ." He extended his hand.
" . . . friends comin' out!" Bardock took the offer. They gave each other a warrior hand-shake*, then proceeded out into the ring.
Fasha ran in and stood beside Terrack. "Has it started?"
"Yeah," the cross-dresser said gravely.
The battle took far less time then expected. Bardock and Tora entered a punching fury, in which they equaled in strength and agility. Then, after a couple of minutes, Bardock jumped backwards and phased out. Tora watched keenly and punched at the Bardock image to his right. His fist went right through and towards the ground outside of the ring. The real Bardock phased in and kicked Tora from behind.
Tora landed face first in the stone floor outside the ring.
"Winner, BARDOCK!!"
The young third class erupted with cheers. The rest applauded appreciatively.
Bardock hopped off the platform and helped his friend up. "You okay?"
Tora groaned in pain. "Yeah. Noting a couple of minutes in the rejuvenation tank can't fix."
Bardock lead Tora into the battle room and sat him down onto a chair. Fasha ran up and held Tora's hand. "How are you?"
Tora at first didn't notice who had spoken. "I'll be alright. Just a swollen nose."
Fasha gently kissed his nose. "Better?"
Tora's face went pink, and he grinned. "Much better! But I also strained my lips. Could you-"
Fasha winked. "Please! Not on the first date!"
"Is that an invitation?!" Tora asked excitedly.
Bardock ran to the doorway. "I'm gonna watch Nipper's battle. He might've learned some new tricks since the last time we fought!"
Terrack, who had been leaning against the wall in the shadows, glared irritably at Tora. "You let him win."
"Did not!"
Terrack growled. "FINE!! Play dumb! But there's no way Bardock could have gotten that strong in any amount of time, ESPECIALLY if you two have been training together! I'm no fool!" He/She marched off to join Bardock in watching Nipper's fight.
Fasha turned and looked straight into Tora's eyes. "Tell the truth. Did you throw the match?"
"I swear I didn't!" He started right back, honest and serious. "But I will admit this: Bardock has unbelievable potential. I doubt any other third class warrior has grown in power so quickly. He is definitely no ordinary Sayin!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
* - "Warrior's Handshake" is a concept I take from watching a HFIL of a lot of Xena in my adolescence. [Okay, okay, so I'm still a teen!] Anyway, the warrior takes the other's forearm in their hand, and the other imitates. This is to guarantee no hidden weapons. Just decorum; no anti-trust.
Hi guys! Tora talking!
Okay, so I didn't advance. No biggie! I've won before. But Bardock hasn't . . . neither has Zucina. And she is sure a lot stronger then I thought! But the guy she's fighting is a bad loser. Will she be disqualified?
Next time on DragonballBC: The Truth Discovered; King Vegeta to the Rescue!?!?