A/N: Marshmellow13Dragon – You have been the only one to respond to my last two chapters and are by far my most faithful reader. I hereby dedicate this chapter to you.
The Corridor of Time
BY MARA ROBERTS
Capsule Corp.
Year 762
The wind rushed across the land, lighting clashed overhead. Trees were whipped violently to and fro in the torrent of rain. The dragon had been summoned.
"Speak your wish," the Dragon commanded, his face lost in the darkness of the heavens. His piercing blood-red eyes were all that Chi-Chi could make out at this distance.
Bulma proceeded, "We wish for Piccillo-"
Chi-Chi couldn't hear the rest, the noise blocked by a fierce clash of thunder. But she knew what the wish would be. Her face fell and tears leaked from the corner of her eye. "Gohan…"
And the dragon was gone. Krillian was alive again, brought back while she had been lost in her own thoughts. What she wouldn't give to have Gohan back… but that was not to be. She turned to face Kami, God of the Earth.
Chi-Chi's face fell. Her baby was in danger again. And this time she helped him to stay there. "Are you sure…?"
"Yes," He replied gently. "It had to be done."
The Supreme Martial Arts Tournament
The Quarterfinals
Year 753
Bulma looked at the standings through her binoculars, impatiently waiting for the next match. She couldn't get enough of Goku's victory, and loved gloating over his name placed in the semifinals. So far standings were as follows:
Quarterfinals: Fight 2
Match 1: Goku v. Chaotzu
Semifinals 1: Goku v. ???
Match 2: Mie v. Krillian
Match 3: Yamcha v. Tien
Match 4: Gohan v. Jackie Chun
"And now on to Match 2!" the announcer yelled.
"Whooh," they screamed back enthusiastically. Oolong even let out a whistle.
"Our next contestants are: Mie and Krillian, lets give 'em a big round of applause!"
The two walked out amidst cheers and catcalls. Mike continued his speech.
"Mie is new to the tournament this year. One of the youngest competing today, she is the fourth woman to have made it this far, and is the youngest female in the history books. Mie, you're an inspiration to women everywhere."
Mie nodded her head in amused acknowledgement.
"Fighting her is Krillian, a veteran of the tournament and also a pupil of the Turtle Hermit School. If he wins, he will go on to face his friend and fellow student, Goku. Wouldn't that be a match to see! Last time, Krillian advanced to the semi-finals, where he was defeated by the tournament champion, Jackie Chun!
"Wish both contestants good luck, and… begin!" He scurried his way off the stage.
Krillian studied his opponent; his nervousness did not show. But he was worried – she was a girl, and girls were always tricky. Just look at what les femmes did to Master Roshi! They turned him into a pervert. And he remembered Nom's first match last tournament. He had to fight a girl, too. Idly, Krillian wondered if this was how it all started… He tightened his stance, though she relaxed hers. Yep, she was definitely up to something.
Mie smiled at Krillian, and gave him a wink. She laughed lightly at his blush and he gulped. The she moved… or did she? She simply was, then was not. Then she was beside Krillian, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
He yelped and stumbled away, abandoning his stance to clutch at his cheek, as though bruised.
"Hey cut it out, this is a fight, not a date!"
"Well, it seems Mie has Krillian on the ropes. It would seem Master Roshi's pupil does not know how to handle girls – though I doubt any men really do." There were some chuckles in the audience from that. Mike glanced at the judges, and they shook their heads no. There was nothing in the rulebooks against this. He cleared his throat and turned back to the crowd. "Well, it's legal, and a great mind tactic to throw one's opponent off-guard. Let's see how Krillian reacts."
The crowd hushed in anticipation.
While all this had been going on, the two had exchanged a few 'love taps'. That is Krillian punched thin air where Mie had been but moments before, and Mie threw winks and kisses his way.
Krillian's face was beet red. Highly embarrassed and thoroughly angry, he leveled a kick at her stomach. And she caught it. Using the leg to whip him into a standing position, she reached out and tickled the poor guy.
After much gasping of breath and struggling of muscle, he managed to fall to the ground and away from those treacherous fingers.
He sat on his rump, thinking. If that's how she wants to play it, fine!
He jumped up and rushed around, using an alternate form of the mad cow technique Chun had used against Goku last tournament. Krillian called his the poor puppy dog, I'm-so-innocent technique, and gave the most pathetic look he could muster. She relented and looked down, feeling sorry.
Krillian made his move… he kissed her back… on the lips! Whew, my first kiss! Somehow I envisioned it differently.
The crowd went wild; they were eating it up.
"Hey, when's the wedding?" one called out. Catcalls and shouts of 'you dog' echoed in the stands.
Mie jumped back, in shock. Then she smiled, a surly smile. So, he had conquered his fear. And now he would throw everything into the fight, not holding back because of her gender. Now Mie was ready to be serious. Time to change tactics, while Krillian was still on the wrong wavelength.
She moved like the wind, punching him in the stomach then phasing out behind him to swipe at his legs with her foot, unbalancing him. Krillian recuperated nicely. This, he could handle.
He forced his legs to roll so he was falling on his stomach, then pushed back off the ground with his hands, flipping head over heels over Mie's head and behind her, delivering a round-house punch to her upper back.
She barely stumbled forward, and only out of Krillian's momentum. The blow hadn't even affected her. She spun around like a tornado before Krillian could even land. She grabbed his out-stretched leg and spun his around, intending to knock him out of the ring. She released, and he was flying but quickly grasped her hand in his own and spun back. He wrenched her arm behind her head, pulling her to the floor in a holding position, hoping to knock her unconscious on the hard concrete.
Her head hit and bounced once.
Krillian stayed down in disbelief. Was she really out? Mike started counting, "One…two…thr-"
"And she's up!"
Mie got up, to the crowd's excitement and Krillian's dismay. He sprung up off his knee and back into fighting position.
Gohan watched the whole thing, greatly amused at Mie's antics. Krillian was always so cool with the girls, never flustered like this! He knew he shouldn't be smiling though. He'll end up going through the same thing one day – he'll have his own little devil (1) to face.
The fighters continued giving out blows and kicks, never tiring, never ending, never slowing down.
Krillian jumped high in the air, to both gain the higher ground and time to strategize. He never imagined she'd follow him up.
Mie was having fun, but she wanted it to end so she could get on with her business. Finally tiring of the game, she used her mental abilities to fly, and thus attack Krillian in the air while he was vulnerable.
Krillian landed on his rump outside the ring.
Otherworld
where time doesn't exist
Yemma smiled. That girl sure had sass! Good thing she wasn't his, kissing a boy like that. If she were she'd spank her a good one right across her bottom. As for the boy, well – kissing her back like that! He'd pound his head into gravel. Then Yemma and Denna would… Hehe.
Yemma smiled at his own thoughts. Good thing she wasn't his daughter. And Denna wasn't his…yet. He reached into his overlarge pockets and pulled out a little box and looked. A gold and diamond ring stared back at him. Ahh… to have it grace Denna's fingers one day. What a joy. Yes, when the workday was over…
Yemma smiled at the thought.
The Supreme Martial Arts Tournament
The Stands
Year 753
Bulma had out her binoculars again. Krillian's defeat shocked her – he was a strong little guy! Alternately, she was proud of the girl who had claimed victory.
"That's right!" she shouted. "GIRL POWER!"
Oolong gave her a funny look.
"What're you looking at, bacon-brain!?!"
"Uh… what's the next fight?" he asked, oscillating between feeling miffed of the insult and terrified of the insulter.
"It's…" Bulma looked at the board.
Quarterfinals: Fight 3
Match 1: Goku v. Chaotzu
Semifinals 1: Goku v. Mie
Match 2: Mie v. Krillian
Match 3: Yamcha v. Tien
Match 4: Gohan v. Jackie Chun
"It's between Yamcha and Tien. Go Yamcha!" she shouted, receiving another strange look. Thankfully for Oolong's sake it passed unnoticed. Doesn't she realize no one is even in the ring? He thought grumpily to himself.
The Arena
"Get re-ea-dy!" Mike shouted to the pulsing crowd.
"Whooh! Yeah!" Catcalls and whistles were his response.
"It's time for the third match in the SUPREME Martial Arts TOURN-A-MEEENT!" Mike was excellent at hyping up the crowd.
He waited for them to quiet down. "I offer you a tournament veteran – Yamcha, of the Turtle Master School."
Some girls fainted.
"Opposing him is… Tien, yet another student of the Crane Master! Once more, two rival schools will face each other in the ring. Who will be the victor? Will Crane School have revenge – or is the Turtle School going to dominate once again?"
The audience went wild at the thought.
"Well, that's what we're going to find out, so… let's get it rolling! Fight!" he said, once safely off the field.
Yamcha started off with a roundhouse punch. Almost certain it would be blocked, he put little power behind, intending to follow up with a kick. Tien noticed his weight was misplaced for a punch. Realizing what was to come, he dodged the punch and blocked the kick, delivering a punch of his own to Yamcha's gut.
Yamcha blocked the punch with the knee, same knee Tien had stopped, freeing it from Tien's grip and maintaining his balance at the same time. He quickly stepped back – still with the same foot, and grabbed Tien's outstretched arm with his two. This time bringing his left foot to bear, he attempted to swipe at Tien's undefended legs, only to be wrenched around by Tien's 'trapped' arm.
Spinning quickly on his grounded right leg, he retained his equilibrium and used the momentum to level a kick at Tien's left side. It connected. Tien, in turn, used the momentum to fall back a half step while bringing his own leg to bear. While Yamcha was still trapped in forward motion, Tien kicked at his temple. Both opponents fell back from the other's blows, giving themselves time to recuperate.
Tien recovered first and threw a barrage of punches and kicks not really meant to harm but more to test his adversary. Yamcha, likewise, was content with such for the moment, learning as much about his enemy as he was sure Tien was from him. He noted Tien's right leg was slightly unbalanced and leveled a kick to its outside. Tien quickly recovered and used the leg to kick at Yamcha's left leg on the inside.
Yamcha rolled to the ground, evading a punch that connected with concrete and kicked with his back still on the floor at Tien's gut – and gaining his feet once again.
Tien stumbled back – it had only been a mild blow so Yamcha could spring off the floor. Not giving his adversary time to recoup, Tien charged with a kick to the chest. Yamcha sidestepped to the right, taking away most of the impact and punched upward with his left fist, hoping to unbalance Tien. Tien instead used the punch to lend momentum to a back spring, his foot connecting with Yamcha's face. Yamcha fell sideways but caught himself, moving forward and Tien went backward. He kicked at the man's unprotected back, sending Tien's right chest, leg and arm to the cold concrete that made up the ring. Tien tumbled but came up again with a grin. He was heady with excitement, with the challenge of this fight. Yamcha was truly a good opponent. He would have done well against Chaotzu – provided the little warrior did not use his mental abilities.
He looked over at Yamcha, who was also smirking. Both could feel the adrenalin coursing through their veins, an untamed river that only an all-out battle could dam up again, the only nectar to quench their sun-stroked, heat-inspired thirst.
It was the raging call only a warrior knew. And both responded with a wild howl – warm-up was over.
They charged towards each other. Punches flew, blood flew, hearts soared, dipped, dropped, dove, rose. They hit and kicked with all their fervor. This battle was a test of wills, strength, tactics – and both demanded victory.
Yamcha feinted right fist, left fist, sent a kick just above the groin, hoping to scare Tien, make him flinch.
Tien dodged both feints and dropped down to the ground to avoid the kick, tangling his legs with Yamcha's, sending his opponent to the ground.
They rose, both panting heavily. Blood dribbled down Yamcha's cheek, matching Tien's torn and split lip. They were covered in bruises; muscles ached. Neither noticed, so caught up were they in battle-fever.
It was time to end this show.
They crouched in their own flawless fighting stance. They were almost equal – Yamcha's strength balanced Tien's speed. Tien's dexterity matched Yamcha's keen judgment. Tactics and strategy would decide this fight.
They circled, like wild boars. Watching, waiting. Judging, staring, a contest of wills. Neither willing to back down, to concede. Tien attacked, a quick kick to test the waters. Yamcha merely bent backwards a bit away, not wasting energy on a block.
Tien moved a half step closer when Yamcha came at him with a punch. Tien blocked with his hand, both pushing equally before stopping, stepping back. They ran towards each other and kicked, each spiraling backwards about ten paces.
Tien smiled and stood up. There was but one way to win. He brought his hands together to form a triangle.
Yamcha frowned. What was Tien doing? Was it…? It was! Some sort of energy attack. He put his fists together and brought them to his side, preparing his own Ki blast.
"Ka…Me…"
"Tri…"
"Ha…Me…"
"Beam…"
"Ha!"
"Attack!"
The beams collided, battling for supremacy. Tien's control and finesse versus Yamcha's brute strength and native instinct.
In the end, finesse won.
Tien's Tri-beam Attack tore through Yamcha's Kamehameha, blowing him off the stage, into the afternoon dew.
Mike was flabbergasted – for a second event running two masters of Ki attacks graced the stage of the Supreme World Martial Arts Tournament.
The audience stared, their jaws in their laps. Yamcha looked up in shock. The two former adversaries nodded in mutual admiration before Tien jogged over to help Yamcha to his feet.
"And it looks as though Tien has won the match! He will go on to the semifinals. Like Goku, he shows courtesy to his enemy. Aren't these all such noble and honorable fighters, ladies and gentlemen? Not allowing their rivalry to get in their way? I highly doubt you will ever see a tournament at once so charged and so at ease as the one you witness here today. It will be a night to remember, to tell your grandkids about! I know I will."
The audience nodded in agreement.
One spectator, however, was very displeased. The Crane Master was frowning. How dare his pupils consider students of the Turtle Master equals and honorable adversaries! How dare! But he said nothing, fumed in silence. The time was not yet ripe to punish.
In the wings, waiting for his match with Goku was Jackie Chun, the disguised Master Roshi. He was grinning full out. Yes, his pupil had lost, but only the battle. It seemed that Tien and Chaotzu were not the dishonorable thieves and martial artists as he had believed them to be. By merely being exposed to his morally aware students the two Crane School students already attained better ethics, especially in the ring. Roshi wondered if they had ever been exposed to such before. What made them stay in Crane Master's dark shadow? How could they bow to a false Master? Roshi did not understand. They were good-hearted people. What went wrong?
Bulma regained her senses and ran to Yamcha, giving him a hug and congratulating him on putting up such a good fight.
(1) Warning: contains SPOILER for DBZ where Gohan is a teenager. Another fan fiction author (unfortunately I can't recall who) once pointed out that if the letters in Videl's name (Gohan's future wife) were rearranged, they spell 'Devil'.