Hello again! So glad I was able to get this one out quickly since I've been working on this saga for a while! Now time to continue off with the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament and how Gine deals with her new surroundings.
Also, this may be a bit overdue but thank you to Lord Tyrannus and other guest reviewers who have pointed out mistakes in my writing. I will do my due diligence and update the chapters to fix them and as I go along.
Based on MasakoX's What If series "What if Gine went with Goku to Earth?", but a retcon with some changes of my own on how I think the story would have went down had Goku's mother escaped planet Vegeta with him.
DISCLAIMER: The following is a fan-based work of fiction. Dragonball Minus, Dragonball, Dragonball Z, Dragonball Super, and Dragonball GT are all owned by FUNimation, Toei Animation, and Akira Toriyama.
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CHAPTER 7: CRANE'S VENDETTA
The announcer stood over the unconscious form of the tall dark man that had meet a rude exit from the ring.
"It looks like Pampet was just thrown out of the ring, AND knocked out cold! Which means Jackie Chun is the winner!"
The audience cheered in shock that such a famous fighter/movie star could be tossed out so effortlessly by the elderly Martial Artist. But then again they all remembered the incredible feats he was capable of at the last tournament.
"A rather embarrassing end for such an amazing actor, folks. Lets hope he does better at the box office!" The announcer commentated as the tournament staff carried the fallen star out on a stretcher. Jackie Chun merely chuckled to himself.
Gine and the gang watched from the sidelines, remarking how disappointingly fast the fight ended with such two heavy-hitting names like Pampet and Jackie Chun; a measly ten seconds. Bulma was particularly upset at seeing this "star", an idol of hers, get defeated so quickly. Gine thought it was no contest. She knew the tall man called Pampet was all flash and fame but no form. His arrogance was his own undoing when he charged at Chun thinking he was just an old man, and the aforementioned title holder simply ducked and used only his foot to kick under the man and send him flying high up and then straight down into the outside grass boundary unceremoniously. He hit the ground hard enough to put a crater where his face was buried in the dirt, down for a good while.
How is this even a tournament if fights are this easy? Gine wondered to herself. But she had to admit how gracefully Roshi/Chun moved and redirected his foe's attacks against them somehow without breaking a sweat. Incredible for an old man, and it made her remember how Gohan used to toss her around despite how many times stronger she was. More proof for her that age didn't matter in the world of martial arts.
"Alright folks, we are gonna take a thirty minute break here, and will get the third match underway then so don't go wondering off too far!"
"Hey, plenty of time before the next match! Anyone wanna grab something to eat?" Oolong asked. Gine wasn't too hungry since they had another engorging feast earlier that morning, and she had been feeling rather uneasy since she woke up today. But a Saiyan NEVER turned down a chance to eat.
"Sure, why not?" She said, hoping that a little distraction was in order.
They all headed towards the food court. It was their third day at the tournament and Gine had yet to sample all the food vendors on the grounds. There was so much variety of cuisines that she could smell that seemed so enticing and filling, that she often wouldn't know where to start. It was among the only really good things she liked about the tournament with so much food around, for obvious Saiyan reasons. Even if some of it was not up to par with her cooking, it was such an experience to taste so much. Or as Gohan once put it to her: variety was the spice of life.
She glanced over to Gohan and her momentary good mood faded. Gine had noticed he had been watching her closely since Master Shen visited the restaurant last night, and seemed cautious and on the look out for that Crane Hermit. She somehow didn't like him glancing at her every time she felt agitated or her ki flared up when she was distressed. She loved him dearly and knew he was keeping an eye out for her with everything going on around her and with Crane, but she didn't appreciate this sort of baby-sitting.
"Hey, excuse me! Can we order some lunch?" Bulma called to an approaching vendor. When he looked in their direction, he screamed bloody murder and ran away.
They just sat there, confused. "That was weird." Olong finally said.
Bulma tried again with another passing staff member. "Uh, excuse me? Could we order some-"
That vendor screamed too and ran off as fast as they could in inexplicable terror. "What the hell is going on?" Bulma asked aloud.
"You ladies would tell me if there was something on my nose, right?" Oolong asked.
Gine's mood darkened immediately when she sensed a revoltingly familiar presence approach them.
"Aw, why the long faces?" Came a now too-familiar mocking voice.
She somehow knew Crane would be there despite all reasoning for him not to be there, and her nerves felt like they were starting to become unraveled by his mere appearances.
"We want food but no one will serve us. As if they are afraid of us!" Bulma complained, also not caring for him being there.
"It's not you, it's him!" Crane pointed towards someone at another booth, they all looked and gasped.
"Is that a... mummy?!" Bulma asked affrightedly. It was a jacketed figure who seemed to be covered head to toe in gauze.
"No, it's someone who saw their chances at the title go up in flames at the elimination round...literally!" Master Shen cracked.
Gine sniffed. Come to think of it, he did smell like smoke and burnt flesh. Launch looked him over with deep pity. "Who could be so cruel?"
Gine looked at the man carefully, and sensed that he was in great pain. She looked back at Crane and saw a twinkle in eyes behind the shades he wore. He had to have something to do with this!
"THE THIRD MATCH OF THE QUARTERFINALS IS ABOUT TO BEGIN. KRILLIN OPPOSING CHIAOTZU!" Came the announcement.
"HEY!" Oolong cheered. "They said Krillin's up!"
"That's right!" Bulma said, accidentally hitting Crane as she got up. "And he's gonna knock that creepy doll's block off! And he'll do it for Yamcha!"
They all got up and headed for the ring before Crane can protest, Gine looking back at him with a mix of contempt and agitation.
"We really need to make him leave us alone." Gine said aloud.
"I KNOW!" Bulma agreed as they walked. "He's such a nuisance!"
"And quite a creep." Oolong added.
Gohan looked like he agreed as well, but deep down knew that this sort of thing was starting to get to Gine now that she voiced taking some sort of action. As much as Gine tried to go along with everything around them, she had put up with Crane and his antics and was starting to lose her patience. She made a rushed early morning meditation and could feel that her calming exercises seemed to be having less effect on getting her to feel at ease. And now here she was barely containing her Saiyan feelings of wanting to purge Crane. Knowing what someone as straightforward and unstoppable as she is, he hoped that it would not come to that.
They made it back to their spots by the ring just in time to see Krillin step out onto the arena. Gine thought he looked so timid and shy compared to how mischievous she had seen him earlier. So Gine was curious to see if he lived up to being the kind of fighter Kakarot said he was.
His opponent, Chiaotzu, was the boyish-looking doll or dollish-looking boy that also accompanied Crane with Tien; he was even shorter than Krillin. Gine already had a dislike for how unsettling this expressionless being looked. But after all the irritation Master Shen has caused her, it seemed to be coloring her vision towards anything or anyone associated with that old bag.
"This is the third match and a sequel of sorts to match one, as both Turtle and Crane houses suit up for a rematch with Master Roshi's Krillin fighting Master Shen's Chiaotzu!"
"Yes, and the outcome will be just the same." Crane chuckled to himself but loud enough for Gine and the gang to hear..
Bulma looked over to him angrily. "Krillin's gonna win this time, so you can just wipe that smug smile off your face!"
Gine kept her eye on Crane a little longer, then looked back toward the ring as Oolong returned with a means to cheer on Krillin which she did not care to partake in. She hoped Krillin would win not just to prove he's a good fighter, but to actually follow through on Bulma's declaration and actually irritate Crane for once. So she silently prayed that Krillin kicked that doll's ass.
After a few tense moments, a gong sounded.
"Let the match begin!"
For a while nothing happened, Krillin got into stance and Chiaotzu still stood there frozen and doll-like.
"Well, what are you waiting for?!" Krillin demanded. "Contrary to what you've heard, fighting requires movement."
Then, Chiaotzu started hovering above the tiled floor. Krillin's eyes bulged at this sight, but that was enough to let his guard down and Chiaotzu flew at him without warning. He struck Krillin with his body and phasing behind him as Krillin flew back, kicking him around the arena to phase and kick again. Gine was more disturbed by Chiaotzu's doll-like manner in which he attacked Krillin without even expressing an emotion on his face, rather than by the fact that he could fly as everyone else was.
Krillin was bounced around like a toy, but quickly adapted and broke free of the onslaught. Finding his footing again, Chiaotzu tried to launch his flying body at him again but Krillin went for a strike instead. He landed some punches on Chiaotzu and sent the doll reeling, Krillin took advantage of this and pressed his offensive with a power kick. But the doll boy quickly leapt off the ground and just hovered out of reach. A cowardly tactic, if anybody asked Gine.
Yet the audience seemed jawdropped at the sight of Chiaotzu hovering, more than seeing his avoidance of the fight.
"I assure you folks that this is not an illusion! Chiaotzu is actually walking on air!" The announcer said, he too in disbelief.
"I'm seeing it, but I'm not buying it." Oolong said, amazed.
"It's true." Gine said matter-of-factly. "I can do that too you know."
Everyone stared at her in utter shock. "How can you just say that?! That should be impossible!" Bulma said.
It doesn't take much, she thought. Remembering how she learned to fly on planet Vegeta, just channeling her energy to counteract the pull of gravity.
"Anymore impossible than Kakarot or Yamcha shooting lasers out of their hands?" Gohan quipped, backing her up.
Bulma said nothing for a moment, unsure how to respond for a good minute. Then turned back to the fight.
"DODOM RAY!" Chiaotzu shouted as he fired a heat blast at Krillin, he jumped away from it just in time but Chiaotzu fired another to make him keep having to dodge.
A cry came from further down the line of spectators as Gine and the others looked. It was the man they saw earlier wrapped in gauze and smelt like burnt flesh. Gine could feel the anguish coming from him flaring up at the sight of Chiaotzu's attack.
"Is that the..." Bulma started.
"That'll be your friend if he doesn't get out of the way." Crane remarked.
"Then, the person who burned him was..."
"That's right, Chiaotzu." Crane snickered.
They all looked at him shocked and horrified, then turned to the ring. They could not believe something as innocent (if not disturbing)-looking as that doll-boy can do something so horrid.
Chiaotzu amped up his barrage of Dodom Rays, blasting the ring around krillin from his high ground. If he kept it up long enough, Krillin would run out of places to jump or get tired. It was a trap.
"Krillin! It's too dangerous! Get out!" Launch cried out.
"Yes, girl, if you value your friend's life, then I suggest you persuade him to give up the match." Crane threatened.
Gine couldn't believe what she was hearing, give up the match? Now that Crane was resorting to threatening the lives of her son's friends to make them do something no Saiyan with any ounce of pride would do for some stupid competition, Gine wasn't sure if she could hold herself back from tackling Shen and striking him down where he stood.
"Krillin, give up! Launch and Bulma cried.
"No!" Came a surprising protest from Oolong. "Warriors stay and fight."
Gine whipped around to him and starred, amazedly. How could this perverted pig be the voice of reason?
"He'll win." Oolong said.
"He will." Gine echoed, then did something she thought she wouldn't do.
"Go Krillin!" Gine stood up and cheered. "Show that doll what a real warrior is like!"
The whole gang starred at her like she had two heads. This was the first time they had ever seen her get involved with what's happening in the tournament since they first arrived. She herself didn't think she would either since it was just a silly competition afterall. Now she was supporting her son's friend like it was all that mattered. Gine felt slightly embarrassed by her loud and proud encouragement. Was this tournament getting to her?
But she somehow had got them to lift their spirits from Crane's threats, and turned to the ring without fear.
"Yeah, you heard her! Go Krillin!" Bulma cheered, then everyone joined her.
"Hey! Cue ball! Grow some backbone, will ya?!" Blonde Launch said, she must have sneezed without them looking. Gine let her embarrassment slide as they all cheered for him at once.
The bombardment continued until it looked like Krillin would have to fly out of the ring, but he made a last second side step and started lightning sprints around the ring in random directions. His erratic movements seemed confusing enough for Chiaotzu to come down from the air, wondering what his opponent was up to.
Then, "KYA!" Krillin charged with a flying kick.
Chiaotzu suddenly lifted himself high up again, letting Krillin fly past under him before he could strike. Krillin looked frustrated that his ruse didn't work, and was now back in the trap he was in.
"Chiaotzu!" Crane shouted. "Enough playing around. Finish him!"
"What's the matter? Not able to make good on your threats?" Bulma mocked.
Crane and the gang bickered back and forth, but Gine could sense there was something even more malicious than seen before coming from Crane than she had felt before.
"Kaaaaaaa….meeeee….."
Gine whipped back to the ring, and surprised to see Krillin cupping his hands. He could do that too?
"Haaa...meeee…." Krillian continued the chant, as Chiaotzu charged up his attack.
"No! Krillin!" The gang panicked. With the amount of heat and energy charged up from Chiaotzu, Krillin was as good as dead.
"Dodom Ray!" Chiaotzu fired at Krillin, the beam closing the distance to him.
Then in speed only she can follow, Gine saw Krillin jump from the attack and perform his erratic sprinting pattern. He held it for a few moments until the dust settled from the blast, and suddenly jumped up behind Chiaotzu.
"HAAAAAA!" A blue beam fired from Krillin's cupped hands, and Chiaotzu was sent flying.
Before she could cheer for Krillin's brilliant move, Chiaotzu stopped before hitting the ground. He floated back to the arena worse for wear, still wearing that unsettlingly expressionless look. Damn, she momentarily forgot that he could fly.
"I'm not surprised that often, but I didn't know Krillin was that strong!" Bulma said amazedly.
Gine did have to give him credit for being able to do that, a human child pulling off energy attacks only a Saiyan could.
The fight continued in earnest with Chiaotzu charging Krillin with his whole body used as a ram. Krillin dodged, even when Chiaotzu dive bombed into the ground. Gine swore the fights humans have get weirder and weirder the more she learned and observed.
Chiaotzu then raised his hands at Krillin, suddenly making him clutch his abdomen in agony. Gine could feel the energy concentrated in his stomach, making it feel like it was on fire.
Krillin fell to his knees, groaning in horrible pain. Chiaotzu kicked him hard, making Krillin cry out. Gine was appalled, Chiaotzu was trying to torture Krillin from the inside out, beating him while he was down where Krillin is feebly able to defend himself.
"His death will be on you!" Crane declared at them. "For the murder of my brother Tao!"
Gine was confused. Tao? As in the cruel Mercenary Tao that Kakarot and Chi-chi defeated? He was his brother?
Now this fight was personal. This wasn't just a tournament, this was a fight for survival. She didn't fear for her son as much as she did for his friend, but felt a twinge of worry somewhere in the back of her mind if Crane had something in store she didn't know about for Kakarot besides this Chiaotzu.
Krillin was near the edge of the ring, in so much pain he looked like he was going to vomit and pass out. Chiaotzu approached him with his glowing hands outstretched and looked at his fallen foe with a smile of malignant glee, the first time Gine had seen him express an emotion. It was horrible. And Krillin looked like he was finished, his efforts and cheers for nothing.
Krillin's face suddenly lit up in realization. "Hey! What's nine minus three?!" He shouted at Chiaotzu.
"Huh?!" Chiaotzu stopped his energy concentration. He then looked at his fingers in confusion. "Uh, um, well lets see."
Seriously? Gine thought in amazement as Chiaotzu tried to count his digits. "Now, would that be, um, five... seven...eight?" The boy replied, completely unaware he left himself open and Krillin was back on his feet.
"WRONG!" Krillin shouted as he pounced on him. Chiaotzu didn't see the gut punch fast enough to react, clutching his stomach in surprise and agony. With Chiaotzu distracted by the pain, Krillin gave him one hard roundhouse kick to the side of his head and Chiaotzu was sent out of the ring. He slammed into the spectators' wall and slumped to the grass below, dazed.
"The answer is six!" Krillin proclaimed to the unconscious Chiaotzu before the announcer stepped in. "The winner by knock out is Krillin!"
The crowd went crazy, and so did Gine as she gave a genuine round of applause for her son's best friend. Seeing this brave little human boy triumph against torture with some ingenuity was truly something incredible. Kakarot danced on stage with him, laughing heartedly in victory.
Gine looked towards Crane and saw how infuriated he looked, clenching his teeth and feeling the raw and unbarred rage and embarrassment emanating from him. She couldn't help but smile begloatedly at him, and didn't feel ashamed of it. All his bravado at how unstoppable he and his students were went up in smoke.
"Who would've thought a martial artist would need mathematics." Gohan said amazedly. Gine could only nod at that, still not taking her eyes off of Crane and Tien huffing off and vanishing behind the crowd. Chiaotzu was left where he fell for the tournament staff to carry him away in a stretcher.
"Some teacher HE is." Gine said sarcastically as she observed, "Leaving his pupils to tend to their wounds and suffer for HIS mistake of messing with Kakarot's friends."
"Yes it is. Poor mentorship and regard for his students, no wonder they come off as quite hostile. Yet it is a pity for someone to be left behind so coldly." Gohan remarked. Gine turned to him as everyone cheered around them.
"He tortured Krillin, and probably would've killed him. I don't feel the least bit sorry for that doll." She said, but somewhere within her Gine felt slightly bad that she would say something like that. But didn't linger on it.
"Hmm." Gohan said simply, not wanting to push the matter further with debating how to feel for your enemies after the talk they had yesterday. But then remembered something. "Did Master Shen say that Mercenary Tao was his brother?"
"Yeah, he did." Gine said, then looked toward where Crane departed.
"Oh dear." Gohan said gravely. "Does he know that it was Kakarot?"
"I'm not sure, but it sounded like he's after revenge for what happened to his brother." She said more to herself. Then she looked at her son leaving the ring with Krillin, worry beginning to set in. Based on what Kakarot told her about Tao, what would his older brother, a Martial Arts master, be capable of?
"We should keep on eye on him in case he tries something on Kakarot, and should let Kakarot know too." Gine said.
"Indeed we should." Gohan replied, then looked at Gine apologetically. "It's unfortunate that you would have to be put under these kinds of stresses for your one outing into the world. Especially with Crane."
Gine looked at him and understood. The concern he had been showing all day for her. She nodded in agreement. "Yeah, now that you mention it. It's been stressful being here, with all the people and noises and things. I never though Earth could have so much activity in one place where we want to lay low. But with Master Shen being such a antagonizing presence, I've been a bit on edge."
Gohan hummed in acknowledgement, "We can leave at anytime you wish. They would understand, and Kakarot can take care of himself."
Gine considered this for a moment. The mountains, the tress, the solitude, the quite, the smell of the forest, all of it. She could be free from all this drama, and back to the comfortable and lonely home she knew. As much as she adored her son's pursuits and his friends, she couldn't stay to handle more of this constant bombardment on her senses. He could indeed handle himself in battle, and with all his friends and Gohan here, he'll be more than safe from that Master Shen and his henchmen. And she DID keep her promise by coming to the tournament to see him fight...even though he hasn't fought yet...
But...
"No...I'll stay."
That got Gohan by surprise as Gine went on. "I made a promise to Kakarot to watch him fight in the tournament, and I intend to keep it no matter what."
Gohan was taken aback, but smiled. "It's unlike you to take such an interest in the drama of this tournament."
Gine looked like she was caught. "I'm not interested! It's boring!..." Then looked sheepish. "...and...a little enthralling at the same time."
Gohan chuckled. "Can't turn away from a good fight, is that it?" Gohan thought in the back of his mind that little remark sounded more for her than for Kakarot. Whichever the case, he felt something was going to go down with Crane. And he felt somewhat worried either way.
Gine smiled. "Yeah. Pretty much."
"Good night, everyone! And congratulations again Krillin!" Bulma said as she went into the girls room. "Same here buddy! Good night!" Oolong called before entering the boys room.
They all stood in the hallway of the hotel they were all staying at for the tournament, and were parting ways for the night after another filling feast to celebrate Krillin's victory. They went to the same restaurant as they did the night before as it was really good, but Gine also secretly hoped Crane would be there to see the tables literally turned on him for once. Yet he nor his students weren't there this evening, and she wondered why as they ate.
Chi-chi was the last to enter the girls room, but stopped and looked back. "Good luck tomorrow, Kakarot. You're gonna need it!" She said playfully before retreating.
Now it was just Gohan, Gine, and Kakarot in the hallway.
"Alright, guess this is goodnight, Mom!" Kakarot said as he hugged Gine. She thought for a moment how much her little boy was growing, and how close he is to his sudden growth spurt and be taller than her before she knew it. But then remembered what she had to say.
"Kakarot, do you know anything about Master Shen?"
Her son looked at her for a moment. "No, not really, why?"
Gine sighed, then asked. "Did you know that Mercenary Tao was his brother?"
That got Kakarot's attention. "No, I didn't know that!"
"Yes, apparently it's true." Gine affirmed. "He said he wanted to avenge him by trying to hurt Krillin in his fight with Chiaotzu."
"Would definitely explain why he's been so mean to us, but didn't know he was as cruel as Tao was." Kakarot thought of that mercenary and frowned.
"I'm not sure he is, but hopefully he isn't." Gohan offered. "Does he know it was you who killed him?"
Kakarot looked thoughtful. "I dunno…I hope he doesn't." He then said, "I only mentioned Tao when talking about that move Chiaotzu was using, that Tao used it. Tien heard me and walked off..." Kakarot realized what he said and as he jogged more of that memory, he grew worried. "Maybe he does...Tien walked away from our stand after talking with Jackie Chun about him."
Gine and Gohan could fill in the blanks of what that could mean. "He most likely knows." Gine said, with some resignation and worry in her voice.
"We'll keep an eye out for him if he tries anything." Gohan said, then gestured toward the boy's bedroom. "Lets get some rest, Kakarot. Your mother, Roshi, and I will keep you safe."
Kakarot looked at them determined. "Don't worry, if he comes near me I'll be happy to fight him." He pounded a fist into an open palm, eager to have an excuse to fight.
Gine sighed, "Alright then, but in the meantime let's go to bed." She hugged Kakarot and Gohan one more time before parting ways to their respective bedrooms.
"Be careful." Gine said to them as they entered the room, but didn't hear her as the door closed. She was thinking why she said those words for some reason as she turned back into the room where all the other girls were already tucked in and fast asleep. Bulma snoring loudly and Launch somehow blonde in her sleep. Hopefully she wouldn't wake up and cause a racket.
Gine took off her shoes and slipped into her hotel bed, trying to let her tiredness of the day overtake her. But tired as she was, sleep was having trouble claiming her.
She could sense the energies of Kakarot, Gohan, and the others in the room next to her. She knew they were safe and sound asleep. Yet something kept her from dozing off and wanting to just keep an eye on them. She kept sensing them for a time, an hour then two of just laying in bed listening to dead silence and snoring. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier as she slowly slipped into unconsciousness...
A slight screeching sound of glass being scratched made her hypersensitive ears perk up, and Gine was jolted awake. There was a faint scent in the air too coming from the window. She knew that scent, and as she felt around for the ki of her sleeping companions, she felt the presence of another ki just entering the boys room. Entering from the outside of a ten story building. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she suddenly knew who it was.
Gine flew out of her bed and rushed out of the room, slamming the door open and startling the other girls awake. Wheeling around the corner towards the boy's hotel room, she kicked the door down as if it weren't there.
Almost everyone in the room sprang up from the door crashing.
"AAAAHH IT WASN'T ME I SWEAR!" Roshi cried out drearily, still half-asleep and in dreamland. He didn't notice the shape that Gine was starring at as she burst into the room.
She saw a masked figure with dark shades and dressed in black standing over Kakarot's bedside, his hands pointed down at him like knives as if readying a killing blow.
"Wh-wha? Mom?" Kakarot hadn't fully woken up yet, but the assailant next to him saw her and froze.
"YOU!" She screamed.
The assailant flinched in surprise, then turned and leapt to the glass window. She was not going to let someone hurting her son get away.
The glass window shattered as the assailant leapt out of the building, trying to slip away into the night. But in a rush of air that destroys the rest of the room's décor and drowns out her friends cries of shock, Gine dived out of the window after the figure using her Saiyan speed to catch up with him easily. She reached out and grabbed his ankle before he could land on the ground, coming to a jarring halt in midair.
"OW!" The figure cried when he realized he was caught, hanging upside-down by his ankle where she held. She immediately recognized his voice.
"Crane!"
She hovered higher up to the room they jumped out of, still hanging on to Crane by his ankle. Kakarot and the whole gang was looking out in bewilderment at what just happened, including the girls who came out to see what the commotion was. They gathered at the railing to see who she caught.
She held him up high with one arm, but not enough to reach eye level. Reaching down with her free hand, Gine yanks off the mask covering his face.
"Why did you try to attack my son in his sleep?" She demanded, looking down on him while he was suspended.
Crane just looked at her, entirely dumbstruck at how this strange woman barged out of nowhere to thwart his plot, catch him in midair, and demanding answers from him like he's the subject and not the master. All the while she was holding him up so indignantly like a rabbit about to be skewered. And she was flying!
Then another thought crossed his mind as her words registered. Kakarot was her son?! He saw the shape of a tail whipping around behind her, just like the boy's tail. She had to be. But this was all so much to take in.
He tried to gather himself up from this turn of events. "Isn't it obvious?!" Crane angrily stated, loud enough for those on the hotel balcony to hear too. "He murdered my brother Tao!"
Some of the gang gasped when they heard Master Shen's words, looking at Kakarot as if looking for an explanation.
"Not on purpose!" Kakarot said, as he collected himself from this rude awakening. "He killed my friend's father and attacked me and Chi-chi. We defended ourselves!"
"Yeah!" Chi-chi backed him up. "And then he pretended to give up and threw a grenade at us, we kicked it right back at him!"
"It doesn't matter how it happened, my brother's death is on you and he must be avenged!" Crane said furiously.
"No, no one is killing anyone tonight." Gine said. "And based on what I've heard about your brother, he got what he deserved."
Crane growled with the fury of a feral animal."How dare you! You insolute woman! I'd ought to show you who-"
Gine squeezed his ankle where she held him, with her Saiyan strength it was like being caught in a hydraulic press. The bones crunched easily and satisfyingly in her grip. He howled in agony as his ankle was crushed.
"Don't YOU dare speak to me that way, you maniacal old fool." Gine shot back. Crane was too overpowered by the pain of his now broken leg to counter and could only writhe in her grip like a fish plucked from water.
"You never threaten my child, especially when I'm holding you high above the ground." Gine said with a menacing tone that made Crane show a twinge of fear in his eyes through the pain.
"MASTER!" Came a shout below, Gine instantly knew it was Tien. She looked fast and saw that he was jumping up from below, trying to intervene and go for her.
Gine reacted before Tien could counter. Without letting her captive Crane go from her grip she spun around to face Tien just as he was within reach of her. Crane screamed even harder when he was twisted with his broken ankle around in the air. Then, she swept her leg under Crane and landed a solid kick into Tien's side with incredible speed and force; all in one fluid motion. She kicked him in the chest hard enough to hear one of his ribs crack, and send him straight into the ground below. Tien shattered the concrete where he impacted and bounced away like a rag doll until he came to stop, groaning and barely moving. Gine was surprised that he wasn't dead from that blow, considering her strength among humans. This Tien guy must be a lot stronger than average.
Everyone could only stare in shock, especially Crane when he realized what happened. He stumbled for words, failing at the sight of his star pupil beaten aside in just one blow as if he were nothing. Beaten by this... woman!
"H-HOW?! HOW ARE YOU THIS STRONG?!" Was all he could say. Then, as some of his wits came back and realized something else that had been happening, "AND...H-HOW CAN FLY?! THATS IMPOSSIBLE! ONLY I KNOW THAT TECHNIQUE!"
Gine didn't answer, he didn't deserve answers. She glared at him with daggers; and Crane, realizing how helpless he was against her and how his best fighter was useless to save him, could only cower and shudder at what other feats this strange tailed woman could do to him.
For Gine this felt oddly empowering. She was focused primarily on getting through to Crane about what he's done. But in the back of her mind, she was savoring the fact that she could easily kill this man by breaking every bone in his body or throwing him into the ground hard enough to make him a red splatter. And not just as any bloodthirsty Saiyan would to anyone else, but to someone who had been such a bother to her, Kakarot, and their friends. For once, she was now going to teach someone the price of getting on her nerves and threatening the people she cared about. Something she never had in her entire life.
That notion made her blood boil even more, and Gine's thoughts clouded from all the times she remembered she had no control of anything in her life. All those times she had been put down and shoved around on planet Vegeta by her fellow Saiyans, unable to fight back since she was too weak. And then, having that fact turned upside down, being the strongest on planet Earth but always having to hold back less she hurt someone, especially Gohan.
Not now though, she thought. Now, she was not going to hold back on Crane. She was going to make him suffer, and make him afraid of her. And she unconsciously squeezed harder on his broken leg, making Crane let out a tortured cry...
"GINE!" Roshi and Gohan shouted at her.
She snapped out of her red haze and spun around to see that the gang and other hotel guests could see what was going down. She had been hovering there for over a minute and made such a ruckus that people came out to see what was happening. She also noticed the damage she did to the room while trying to go after Crane.
Gohan looked at her with a mix of pleading and consternation.
"He is beaten. Let him go." He said slowly, but firmly. Kakarot stood next to him, but looked like he wished he could join his mom to help ring out Crane for what he was going to do.
Gine turned to Crane who was breathing raggedly, and saw how frightened and in pain he looked. She then realized what Gohan meant.
Crane was no longer a threat to Kakarot, but now she was willingly causing him pain when he couldn't defend himself.
She felt a wave of overwhelming guilt wash over her. How could she do this? She'd never hurt anyone on purpose, the very thing she hated most. She had been through far too much to do something like that. She didn't know what came over her.
Those dark thoughts of helplessness really set her off, and she shouldn't let them control her. She's caused too much of a scene already, and should've just dealt with it like an adult instead of like a Saiyan.
Gine nodded apologetically and closed her eyes briefly. It took a certain amount of willpower to recall Gohan's teachings and breathed shaky, trying to calm herself down. After few moments, her thoughts of violence faded.
Crane, however, saw that she had closed her eyes that thought now he should try to escape. Still in a daze from a broken leg, he used his other one to try and kick Gine...
She grabbed it with her other hand, and looked him in the eye angrily. Crane horrifyingly felt as if he had made the biggest mistake in his life.
Gine was calm again, but calmly angry. She still wasn't going to let Crane off easily.
She floated down to the ground where Tien was struggling to stand up again and released her grip, dropping Crane. He yelped as his broken leg thumped to the ground and panted as the pain hit him in waves. Tien clutched his very bruised side and tried to help his master up.
"I think you and your minion should leave." She told Master Shen flatly but with authority. "Never bother us or make moves on my son again. Or else you are going to regret it with more than just another broken leg." She let that threat hang in the air. She meant it.
Tien held up Crane with his free arm to help his master hop on his good leg, then looked at Gine. A momentary flash of fear went across his face, remembering how she so effortlessly struck him aside and almost killed him with one blow. His martial artist mind was horrified that someone this strong exists and could brush him, HIM, aside like he was nothing. However, he was also fascinated by this unknown warrior. She may be even stronger than the fighters of legend!
But his loyalty to his master kicked in and looked at her aghast. "You think we are just gonna walk away when you broke a poor and defenseless old man's leg?!"
Crane looked slightly encouraged by his protege's words and tried to look accusingly at Gine as well, "Y-yeah! You broke my leg! What you did was uncalled for and cruel!"
"AND MAYBE A RIB!" Tien said, pointedly clutching his side and winching. "You may ha-"
Gine didn't have time for this. "You broke Yamcha's leg when he was out cold and unable to defend himself. Fair is fair." Gine said without missing a beat.
"FAIR?!" Crane exclaimed. "You wanna talk fair?! Your son killed my dear brother! I have sworn to avenge him no matter what!"
"NO YOU WON'T!" Came Kakarot's voice, surprising them all. He run up to them and stood beside his mother.
"Mercenary Tao was a cruel and murderous monster. He deserved to die for killing innocent people!" He shot at them. The rest of the gang looked like they were behind him a ways trying to catch up and see what was going on.
Crane looked ready to throttle him even with a broken leg.
"And besides, I let you live after YOU tried to murder a child, MY CHILD, in his sleep. That's more than you cowards deserve." Gine added.
"Yeah, that's something only someone sneaky would do. Not a true warrior!" Kakarot backed up his mom, they both standing vindictively.
Neither of them said anything at that. Tien looked more hit by that one statement than the broke rib. His three eyes flaring into a cold stare at her which Gine didn't flinch from.
"Leave. Before I change my mind and break both of you in ways that will make you useless in the tournament." She said with as much conviction as she could muster, sounding a lot like as she remembered Bardock sounded like to his enemies. She curiously wondered if he knew how much she learned from him.
Humiliated, enraged, frightened, and in great pain, Crane had no choice but to relent. Wordlessly, Tien guided a limping Crane around and walked away to the hotel they were staying at. Both of them groaning at their injuries sustained from Gine.
Before they get far enough away, Tien looked back at them. "You may have lost your son's place in the tournament for...injuring us outside the ring." He said with some hesitation.
Gine didn't say anything, and felt guilt wash over her at that too. But Kakarot interjected.
"No I didn't! She's not fighting, she just defended me from your nonparticipating master! You just got in the way!"
Tien thought about that for a moment. "Even so...this isn't over. If anything, this has only just begun." He said, Crane said nothing and just kept looking at them with nothing but pure hatred.
"Then we can take this up when we meet again, in the ring!" Kakarot declared, his tail whipping around with anger and excitement.
Tien turned to leave with his master. "Whatever suits you, just don't lose any matches between now and then!" Tien shouted threateningly, and walks away with Crane without looking back.
Kakarot smirked, excited by the challenge. "I'll do my best." He said to himself.
They stood there until Crane and Tien were out of sight, and Gine collapsed to her knees shaking.
"Mom, are you okay?!" Kakarot rushed to her side, clutching her in worry as the rest of the gang arrived in tow.
"Are you two okay?!" Gohan asked. Gine almost wanted to sob uncontrollably but tried to control herself in front his friends, but they saw how vulnerable she looked and were immediately more concerned.
"I-I-I'm sorry, sweetheart." Gine said between hicks of her choking breaths, putting her face in her hand.
"For what?!" Kakarot asked incredulously.
"I-I shouldn't have let... them get the better of me. Now I caused so much trouble..." She said.
"ARE YOU KIDDING?! THAT WAS AWESOME!" He said with amazement that made Gine look at him. Her tears stopped.
"YEAH! You gave that bully what he had coming!" Bulma cheered from behind. The rest of the gang followed suit.
"That was truly somethin' else, the way you handled them bozos!" Said Blonde Launch in awe. "Can you teach me how to do that?!"
"And givin' 'em a taste of their own medicine!" Oolong said with a cracking noise and bending his hands in a breaking motion. "You avenged Yamcha good!"
"Yeah, Way to go, Gine!" They all said in one way or another. Chi-chi, Krillin, Turtle, Puar, Bulma, Launch, and Kakarot all gave her nothing but how awesome she was. Gine couldn't believe the praise she was given.
"You go, girl!" Bulma said. Gine was slightly perplexed by that type of praise, but took it anyway. Truth be told she wasn't even sure how to feel. Causing pain to someone else went against everything she believed in, yet she stood up for herself and her friends. Why did she have to feel this way?
Roshi and Gohan looked gravely concerned. "Are you alright?" Gohan asked first.
Gine didn't think she could look at him. "I-I'm sorry I got carried away..." She said.
"It's alright, Gine." Gohan said softly as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I could sense all the mixed emotions you were having. But you are not to blame for defending your child."
Gine looked up at him and saw how sincere he was. That was true at least. But still after the lapse into something she never thought she'd experience...
Gohan could sense what she was thinking and told her, "Try not to overthink it, Gine. I know you. You are a good person. Don't ever forget that."
He was right. Gohan knew everything about what she told him of her. And could guess that such a feeling of having power for the first time after a life of abuse could do to someone, or how it would make someone act. But he was not going to judge her for it.
Gine smiled at Gohan, wiping away her tears. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Gine. I'm very sorry you got put in this situation." Roshi said. "I know you only came to watch your son fight in the tournament, and not get caught up in some feud."
Gine thought of it, her sadness that overtook her a moment ago now gone. "It's okay. None of us knew this would happen."
"Mercenary Tao was a horrible person! His brother is no different!" Chi-chi declared.
Roshi's disturbed look didn't change. "Still, Crane is out for Kakarot's blood nonetheless. We need to make sure things won't take a turn for the worst. It may be inevitable, but we have to keep things to a minimum."
Gine thought about it. "Right." Then looked to Kakarot. "This little vendetta of Crane's is not something that is going to go away. But we still have your back, son."
"Thanks, Mom." Kakarot hugged her, and Gine swept him up in a strong embrace and her heart replaced with nothing but love for her son...and resolve.
They broke from the hug and She looked him in the eye. "No matter what, you beat that Tien guy no matter what and show Crane whose' boss."
Kakarot looked more determined than ever. "I will."
There we go! Now that Crane and Tien have met Gine the hard way, they are now seething from being so easily beaten by the mother of the child that killed Tao, how will they ever stand against that? And that might make the final fight of the tournament seem more viscous and personal. Or will Crane try something sinister to get back at not only Kakarot but also at Gine? How will the rest of the tournament play out? Tune in next time!
A/N: In case you were wondering why Man-Wolf wasn't in the tournament, Kakarot didn't go Oozaru in the last tournament so Jackie Chun didn't blow up the moon, and so Man-Wolf has no reason to enter for revenge against Chun.
See you in the next chapter!