Chapter Thirteen: The Butterfly Match
"On with the first match of Tenkaichi Budoukai! This first match is two mysterious newcomers. Shin and Tsuki!" The announcer shouted enthusiastically.
"Man, does that man ever age?" Goku asked in confusion. "He always looks like that every tournament."
"You should talk, Kakarot. How old are you? 50? 40?" Vegeta snarled.
"That doesn't count," Goku defended. "I'm dead.
"And here comes our competitors now!" The announcer beamed as Shin walked out to the square tile platform.
But his walk was alone. He cast an irritable glance behind himself wondering where the woman ran off to. She was right next to him a few seconds before. Shin noticed the announcer was sweating bullets as Shin made his way up on stage. He guessed it wasn't good to start a tournament on a disqualification. But if it came to that
"Looks like Shin is getting off easy this match," Videl shrugged. "Tsuki must have turned tail."
"No way," Gohan frowned. "Something must be wrong.
The crowd was getting restless. Shin could hear their exasperated voices starting to rise in the stands. They wanted a show and they were being denied of their currency. Shin couldn't blame the humanoids. Their economy relied strongly on their money system. It was a weak system but it worked for many galaxies who had not yet thought through newer and better policies.
"Drat. I can't wait for this," The announcer groaned. "We'll have to disqualify her."
"Wait ten minutes," Shin said roughly.
The announcer seemed puzzled by the request from the opponent but he humbly agreed…
"Attention ladies and gentlemen! We will have a ten minute intermission. If Tsuki has not returned until then we'll move onto the next match.
"Wait!" Gohan cried. "My match is next! It was supposed to not be until tonight."
"Bumped up early isn't so bad," Goku shrugged trying to comfort his son. "Kabito is a push over."
The ten minutes rolled by quickly. Shin was starting to worry that perhaps they had lost who they were trying to track when finally Tsuki stepped out onto the path to the ring. Relieved, the announcer cued the drummers as she walked up to the stage. Shin couldn't get over what she was wearing.
A deep blue kimono with green flowers and dragons imprinted into it's silky fabric was draped over her slim body. Her slick violet hair tucked up into the traditional Chinese style bun with a strange green flower comb. She smiled bowing in the customary way every opponent did. Shin almost forgot to do so in return in all his shock. He hastily bowed just as the drums picked up their speed
"I think Shin (Supreme Kai) is in shock," Gohan muttered as Piccolo corrected him.
"I think I am shock! Yoo wee! Look at her!" Master Roshi whistled.
"Stop master. You're embarrassing me," His turtle, 'Turtle' sputtered.
Gohan glanced over their way. They must have just arrived since Gohan had not seen them earlier. He tried to ignore the old pervert's howls out of respect for an old friend. It was hard for Gohan to believe that the old man was considered the strongest fighter for decades. He did fight well for a human.
"She was delaying on purpose," Gohan smiled smugly. "She's making a mockery of this tournament to show she can."
"I don't get it," Goku muttered in confusion. "Why would someone do that?"
"Tsuki is trying to show that anything can be done," Gohan smirked. "Late entry. Late coming. Coming dressed like that. She's trying to break his concentration so that he will think she has put herself at a severe disadvantage. My guess is that she can fight well in that outfit."
"Begin!"
Shin leapt backwards from his enemy and into a fighter's stance. He glared at her through his dark gaze waiting for her to make the first strike. But strangely made no movement from which she stood. She set herself before Shin as a delicate porcelain doll and Shin could not understand why. It seemed absurd to try to appear weak when he knew very well she wasn't.
"Are you actually going to fight in that?" Shin snickered slightly getting over his disorientation.
"Is it too much?" Tsuki sighed lightly. "I was just reenacting something for our battle. Thought it might interest you."
"What would that be?" Shin questioned curiously despite the danger of letting his guard down.
"Tis' a legend I found much fitting for our bout. About a beautiful maiden whom killed thousands of Samurai solders looking for one strong enough to defeat her so she could marry him. But so many found her face so exquisite none could strike her. They called her the Butterfly. It is said her spirit still haunts searching for a man that has enough courage to beat her."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Shin spat.
"You will not be able to lay a finger on me in this match, Shin. The spirit is with me today," Tsuki smiled softly, "I will leave you as waste before our time together fades."
"Bring it then," Shin growled.
"Tsuki fools around like a child." Taiyo growled watching the match bitterly from the sidelines, "Such immaturity. She should slaughter him now. So many openings yet she takes none. A fool. She is a fool."
He closed his eyes and leaned subconsciously against the wooden pole of the building,
"It's taking too long. These battles are pointless. I must fight Gohan. I must fight him soon…"
Tsuki rose one arm elegantly into the air spreading out her hand as if grasping for something. She smiled that haunting smile of hers as a strange light enveloped her body in the shapes of flower petals. The wind picked up about her blasting sand in Shin's, and anyone too near the stage, eyes. Shin blocked his face with one arm keeping his eyes squinted at the light
Tsuki emerged from the light in a impressive Chinese fighting gi made out of the same silk material. The fabric appeared identical to that of the kimono. Her dark hair was suddenly webbed in a French braid with the flower comb serving as a burette.
Gohan heard Vegeta growl about this being a tournament not a fashion show but Gohan was too fascinated on how she could change that fast to care. Perhaps too fascinated. Videl quickly caught his attention back with a hard punch in the arm. He could only groan and blush in response
"Magic tricks are not going to help you win this match," Shin spat angrily.
"Magic tricks?" Tsuki smiled bringing out strange fan like objects from within her gi. "Well, to each their own."
The announcer waved them down as he climbed onto the stage. He ran over to Tsuki while saying, "Uh, miss. Weapons are not to be used in the match."
The announcer nodded to the mysterious fans she held.
"Oh. You wouldn't part a girl from her fans, would you?" Tsuki smirked, "I wouldn't dream of using them as a weapons. But if you insist…"
She handed the beautiful fashioned fans to the announcer only for him to fall over from the weight of them. He cried out in pain as they were stuck upon his hands.
"Take them! Take them!" The announcer cried.
"The weapons will not facilitate you but use them if you must," Shin nodded to the poor man who was screaming out in pain for his breaking fingers.
"Make up your minds, boys," Tsuki smirked lifting the fans easily off the human.
The announcer cried in relief as they were taken off of his hands finally. He crawled quickly off the stage making note not to interfere again if fans were involved.
"Shin agrees to have the weapons allowed in the match so all other problems with those things are not to be called out for."
"I'm being nice," Shin smiled.
"You might want to change your tune," Tsuki smiled. "Let's begin!"
Tsuki lunged out first, swinging her fans like blades through the sharp air. Shin dodged them feeling the power between the blows she thrust. She was not the pussy cat she appeared to be. And those fans that she gripped between her dedicate finger tips appeared more dangerous then most swords. Not only were they weighted, as the announcer unintentionally demonstrated, but they were probably sharp. The way she treated them and held them revealed them as weapons and not just some decorations to stare at. Shin ducked down bellow the blades and attempted the trip her with a round house kick. But she easily leap up above his legs and dove down with the blades aimed for his throat. Shin rolled to the side seeing the fans slice into the stone tiles.
Those fans must be disposed of… Shin knew this but he did not know how to disarm her.
Shin pushed his hands back behind his hand to flip himself back to his feet. He felt the slight heat from a strike that nearly sliced him from where he once lay. He spun about so fast that a bit of dust swiveled about him as he tried a head on approach. He slashed his chi energy out in front of him as she lunged in perhaps an attempt to hurt her or defend himself. Tsuki cut right through the energy to her prey much to Shin's bewilderment. He ducked just in time as a blade sliced above his head. She used the other fan to slice below coming inches from the Supreme Kai's nose. Too close.
Shin scrambled backwards as she sent out a hard kick into his face. It hit below his chin thrusting his head back as he skidding across the white tile floor. He stopped inches from the edge of the ring much to his relief. Shin sat up quickly rubbing his sore jaw. Tsuki paused watching him with her dark eyes. She slipped her right foot behind her left sinking back into a fighter's stance with the fans out on either side of her body.
The Kai gritted his teeth as he rose, feeling ashamed for not even laying a blow yet. Especially since Tsuki was predicting that he wouldn't. This time, Shin came at her in an all out sprint with his fist raised. Right when his fist was inches from her cheek, she rose her blasted fan to catch the blow. The fan did not splinter like most would under such pressure but instead gave Shin pain. He felt like he thrust his hands into solid titanium or perhaps something stronger… He heard his knuckles crack indicating how severe his hand was punished from such an attack. Ignoring the pain, he blindly drew his other fist together in an upper cut. But Tsuki merely raised her other weapon to block that blow too. She smiled at his groaning as Shin tried applying pressure to the hold finding Tsuki not measuring an inch.
"It looks like a tie," The announcer shouted finally devoid from stupefaction of their speed. "Although Shin is trying to break Tsuki's resistance it appears that Tsuki's defense is just not penetrable."
"You go, girl!" Chichi and Bulma shouted in unison receiving some nasty glares from Piccolo.
They ignored the namekian as usual and bonded back together in their rooting. Videl was surprisingly not rooting with them but against them.
"You can do it, Shin!" Videl spat, "Show her what a Supreme whatcha-ma-call-it can do!"
"Jealously," Oolong snickered. "Looks like you've got yourself a hot chick, Gohan."
"I do not! I mean, Videl isn't- I mean," Gohan blushed bright crimson trying not to draw his attention from the battle.
"I told you so," Goku smirked. "You do like her!"
"Oh, man," Oolong groaned. "That's pretty bad when your dad notices, Gohan."
"I do not like her, like her! She's just a good friend!" Gohan whispered trying not to have Videl overhear.
"Sure. That's what they all say!"
"Keep trying." Tsuki uttered not even slightly weighted on breathing, "I'll even help you."
With that said, she thrust her right knee upwards into his chest causing him to cave forward in pain. She caught his fall with the tip of her index finger, staring pleasantly into his agonized eyes.
"Sorry? Did that hurt?" Tsuki smiled, "Clearly not enough…"
She quickly swung back her fan and hit him hard across the face to the left and then harder to the right. Shin went flying across the ring and apparently out of it. But he caught himself in the air above the startled crowd. He hovered down to the tile floor and vomited up some blood as an aftermath of the punch. He wiped the blood from his mouth and glared up at the woman who stood gazing carefully at him. She was strong. Much stronger then she was revealing to even him.
"And Shin is back in the ring!" The announcer shouted, "What a great comeback!"
"That kick," Gohan gasped. "That was a powerful blow."
"It was enough to rupture through the Kai's backside if she followed through." Vegeta nodded.
"But she didn't," Goku muttered knowledgably. "She's holding back a tremendous amount of power."
"I know," Gohan mumbled partially to himself.
"You should have fallen out," Tsuki smiled. "Not that I'm complaining."
Shin rose to his feet, all the while glaring at the calm composure of the female. Not a single spot was a seam. In fact, she seemed as seamless as her outfit. Tsuki did not appear to be a serious fighter until entering the ring. It was something Shin was not prepared for. He should have known better of the strength these villains contained. He had fought one of them before, hadn't he?
"Your master will not have the satisfaction of taking Gohan," Shin spat in an undertone. "You may have stolen my friend from me, but Gohan will never be possessed by that wicked creature."
Tsuki did not answer Shin. Her violet eyes only narrowed in upon him with their ghastly glare shining a sort of shame on her duty. Shin charged not seeming to care about strategy anymore. Tsuki seemed to think this was so as her thin frown formed a smirk. But much to her dislike he leapt up at the last second forming a blast in his small hands.
"You will pay for Daemon!"
Tsuki let out an irritable sigh and wafted her fans above her head. A small wind tornado wound about her and shot straight out at Shin. He cursed out having to abandon his blast to the air. The tornado grasped out at him, tearing at his clothes and skin. The wind was as sharp as a knife and just as brutal. Unluckily, Shin got swallowed into its gapping mouth…
"An amazing tornado has just come out of nowhere, folks. And I can't see Shin…"
You won't see him, Tsuki thought. Not until I'm done tearing him apart.
"This doesn't look good for Shin," Videl muttered darkly. "They aren't allowed to kill in this tournament, right?"
"That doesn't apply for either Tsuki or Taiyo. They don't seem to care about the rules at all," Piccolo growled. "She brought weapons, didn't she?"
Gohan clenched the sides of his chair as he watched. He kept his senses focused directly on the energy of the Kai. On any flicker of his chi, Gohan knew he would have to step in.
Shin fought bitterly through the current feeling the ripping claws about him. He cringed at the agonizing torture the whole ordeal was but still he tried to fight his way out. His breath was stolen away making him feel as if he was drowning in the endless wind tunnel. His vision was growing hazy but he refused to give in. Shin gave off a poignant cry as he released a energy beam at where he believed might be the center of the tornado. He could only open his timing was right since the spinning was making him too nauseous to try and check.
The tornado released him suddenly causing him to fly uncontrollably into the ground. His impact wasn't as bad as he feared but it still left him stationary for several seconds. He rose himself with his tired arms feeling the sweat trickle off his face. His breath was greatly labored as he tired to sort back his vision. He turned his head sharply to where the dust cloud still hung… lingering like a dark shadow over the field. He panted heavily waiting for the woman to emerge from the shadowed smoke that had concealed her,
The shadows subsided revealing the woman clutching her arm in complete incredulity. Shin could see some blood seeping through her enclosed fingers. A small smile was exposed on her comely face as she stared at him, "You hit me."
She shook her head and stumbled forward to the edge of the ring. With one last look at Shin, she jumped off and walked away. Shin blinked in befuddlement as the announcer proclaimed him as winner. Not only was he stumped by the battle but he could have sworn he saw more then just blood beneath her fingers… more like wires.
"Yeah! He won!" Videl laughed sticking her tongue out at Bulma and Chichi who were slightly disgruntled.
"By disqualification."
"So! Don't spoil my fun, Gohan!" Videl snapped elbowing him playfully.
"I guess she couldn't take the sight of her own blood," Vegeta shrugged. "Pathetic."
"You alright?" Taiyo asked looking at her nasty wound.
"Fine," Tsuki sighed easily repairing herself with her two fingers pinching on the folds of skin. "That makes you free of having to fight me."
"Good," Taiyo nodded. "But to go off on such a weak fighter?"
"I didn't let him hit me, Taiyo," Tsuki snarled.
To Be Continued…
Please R + R!
I hope and pray you enjoyed it. I worked hard on the chapter.