Hello again! Back from vacation and back to the story with a nice long chapter this time! Now time for the final match of the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament. Who will win? How will the tension between Crane and Gine unfold? Let's find out together!
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.
Please support the official release!
Also, read and review!
CHAPTER 9: KAKAROT vs TIEN SHINHAN
It was a complete sea of people, the grounds more crowded than she had ever seen in these past few days.
Gine and the gang were back in their original spots they've had throughout the tournament. They as a group all came out to root and support Kakarot. Bulma gave him a freshly washed gi just for the match, Gine and Launch cooked him an enormous breakfast, while Oolong and Puar saved their usual spots for them to watch. Yamcha even managed to sneak out of the hospital on crutches to watch, and wasn't going to let a broken leg stop him for cheering his friend. She was happy that her son was such a star to these people. To her, they were truer friends than anything a Saiyan could've ever hoped for. How had Kakarot been blessed to have such companions?
When they got there, Gine, Krillin, and the rest of the gang wished Kakarot the best of luck as he went into the temple. Chi-chi even gave him a big smooch in front of them all which left Kakarot a shade of red in embarrassment. At the gang's viewing spot, Roshi had just finished a telepathic argument with Crane, ending with something to do about waistline issues. He had even informed them that everyone was placing bets on the match of Kakarot against that Tien. So far, odds seemed to be split evenly between the two. Gine wasn't sure how she'd feel about that, with some human nearly as strong as a Saiyan, let alone one she had a bone to pick with.
Now they were being squeezed in on all sides of their spots by the influx of people who came just to see the final match. Oolong and Puar had managed to keep these spots for the gang to arrive but just barely, as everyone was somehow driven with some infliction of getting as close to the wall as possible to be next to the ring and clamor over each other for it. And it wasn't just their area, throughout the entire grounds they were all pushing and shoving to get a good spot, some even breaking out into fights themselves. The view of the spectator stands around the arena looked to Gine more like a mosaic of people that rippled and waved like living water.
It also gave her an uncomfortable reminder of just how crowded it was on their last day on Planet Vegeta, just like this. But this was tens if not hundreds of times more crowded than that, far more antsier for being crammed into one place; like the Saiyans were. And it somehow made her feel like looking up towards the sun, as if expecting to see Frieza's command ship looming over them, ready to blow the planet up and kill them all.
She caught a glimpse of Gohan looking at her and talking to her, but she couldn't hear him. The noise of the mass of spectators drowning out his voice, and her mind drifting further into the memory. As if Frieza was actually up there, high up above and ready to kill them.
Kill her, and her family. Just like that day. That day that changed her life forever, that day when-
"Gine?" Gohan's voice rang inside her head, like it was her own thought but was his voice. And it was loud. She snapped her head towards him, startled.
He looked concerned, but there was also had a hint of understanding on his face.
Gohan took Gine's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, he looked her in the eye. "Deep breaths, Gine..." She heard his voice again over the noise of the crowds, but she saw that his lips were not moving. "Frieza is not here, you and Kakarot are safe."
Gine's mouth feel agape for a moment. She was at first amazed by how Gohan was speaking to her telepathically! But then what he was saying registered in her mind. He knew what was happening, how the crowds were affecting her and what they reminded her of.
She then somehow felt violated, that her own private thoughts were being read by someone else. Even if that someone was Gohan, the man who saved her and her son's life in everyway someone could be saved, Gine felt like she was losing some sort of agency to her being. She wasn't sure if he was looking into her brain or her thoughts were loud enough for him to pick up, but-
"You were shaking." Gohan said aloud, trying to speak aloud but not enough for Bulma and the others to hear.
"What?" Gine said, perplexed.
"You were shaking, as if you were about to have a panic attack." He elaborated.
Gine became aware that indeed her hands were trembling slightly, and her chest ached like she had been hyperventilating.
"And no, your thoughts were powerful enough for me and Master Roshi to feel." Gohan added gently, "I did not mean to make you feel like I was prying into your mind. I just wanted to remind you that you and your son are safe."
Gine looked at him with love and thanks, with a little twinge of embarrassment too when she looked over at Roshi to see him discreetly looking at her with concern.
Without further encouragement, Gine closed her eyes and shook her head gently. As if trying to wriggle away that horrid memory and ground herself back into the present. She opened her eyes again and focused on Gohan again.
"Thank you." She said genuinely. Whatever he did, he was right. She wasn't going to dwell on what she was thinking about here. She, along with everyone present, came to see her son fight and to vie for the title of the world's strongest. So she will focus on that instead.
But then she had to ask, "How did you do that, by the way?"
Gohan chuckled. "It's not too difficult actually, like giving your own thoughts some ki to be projected into other's minds with your voice."
"Huh, really." Gine said more to herself than to Gohan. Even something as intangible as synapses could have ki?
"Indeed they can." Gohan said as if on que after that thought. Gine whipped around at him, almost angrily.
"And I can teach you how to put up a guard for your mind so no one can read it." He said, again on cue.
Gine didn't know what to make of it, and just looked on to the ring. She'll want to learn that trick too sometime.
The blonde-haired announcer stepped out onto the ring, looking sharper and more prepared than he did these past few days. When he held up his microphone to begin, a buzz of excitement immediately went through the crowds.
"The final match of the world martial arts tournament is about to begin!" The announcer spoke.
With the addition of almost a thousand spectators, the wall of sound from the cheering made Gine feel like she couldn't hear her own brain.
"We began with a hundred-and-eighty-two fighters gathered from around the world, eight of which advanced to the quarterfinals, and now two are left standing, one of which will become the new Master of Martial Arts, not to mention walk away with a cool 500,000 Zeni! Not bad for a few days' work, wouldn't you say? Who will it be? While you ponder that, let me provide a little background on our contestants. First up, Tien Shinhan!"
Tien appeared from behind the fighter's court wall and stepped into the ring. The crowd gave him a mix of fanatic praise and leering jeers, but he didn't seem to notice or care.
"This skilled performer has become the fighter to watch during the tournament. Prized pupil of the Crane Hermit, Master Shen, it is widely regarded that Tien Shinhan's abilities rival, if not surpass those of his master. We've already witnessed an incredible display of his strength as he left Yamcha with a broken leg and forced previous champion Jacky Chun out of the semifinals. Combine that with the fact that his average fight time is thirty-two point seven seconds, how he managed to fight with a broken rib and STILL win, then you have a glimpse into the awesome power that is Tien Shinhan!"
More cheers and boos came from the spectators, and the whole gang gave their very vocal disapproval. Gine briefly glanced over at Yamcha, who wore a formal suit and looked nothing out-of-place save for his casted leg, and he starred at Tien with nothing but contempt. Gine shared his hatred as she looked at him too, and smirked to see he still stepped gingerly with his broken rib.
Then the announcer pointed back towards the temple.
"Our second contestant is Son Kakarot!"
Kakarot stepped out from behind the wall too, and everyone cheered for him. No one in the entire audience sounded like they had anything to jeer, even those who applauded Tien. And the gang went crazy.
"GO KAKAROT!" Chi-chi shouted. Krillin joined in from his spot, "YEAH, KAKAROT! BEAT THAT CREEP, NO MATTER WHAT!"
"This pint-sized warrior serves the Turtle Hermit, Master Roshi, who coincidentally just happens to be the archrival of Master Shen. Aside from the fact that he received second place in the last tournament, Kakarot's list of victories would leave even the most veteran fighter green with envy. He most certainly dazzled the audience with his one-throw dismissal of the ferocious female combatant Chi-chi, and the amazing disappearing act he used to unceremoniously remove Krillin from the ring in the previous match. His average fight time is thirty-three point five seconds."
Gohan hummed as he sized Tien and Kakarot together, "This should be one incredible finale."
"We're with you, Kakarot!" Gine heard Bulma calling, then startled when there were gunshots fired. Gine knew that was Blonde Launch without even looking.
"Stop with the yackin' and start with the smackin'!" She demanded, people around them look at her with fear and consternation. Bulma's cheers died down as she looked around them, embarrassed by the scene.
"Typical." Oolong summed it up. It was then they realized that Roshi was suddenly missing.
"He said he went to find a better seat." Gohan answered for him. And they all turned back to the ring.
"Now the battle to see who will become the Champion of the Twenty-second World Martial Arts Tournament begins. Get Ready!"
Kakarot and Tien turned to face each other. Kakarot looked ready to pounce on the three-eyed man while Tien looked at her son with such hatred that he seemed to burn holes where he starred into Kakarot's eyes. She could almost feel the tension between them as it was a tightly-wound coil ready to snap.
The crowd suddenly went quiet, as the drums sounded off, faster and faster. Both combatants got into stance, and both looked eager enough to kill each other. She wondered if it will come to that...
The gong sounded at last.
"MAY THE BEST FIGHTER WIN!"
Kakarot charged before the announcer ended his sentence. Tien punched to counter but Kakarot dodged a split-second faster and wrapped his tail around Tien's leg. He uses it to swing around and land a punch on Tien's face, sending him flying back. He landed on his feet to spring high up. Kakarot charged up with a flying kick to go after him, but Gine could see it was right into a trap.
"DODON RAY!" Tien fired, Kakarot couldn't dodge and was hit by the heat blast. The force of it sent him crashing into the ring, making a deep crater.
A collective gasp of horror came from everyone, seeing the fight turn so vicious so fast. Tien landed next to the crater, gloating. The crater was deep enough that Kakarot couldn't be seen in it.
"Short and sweet." Tien said aloud to himself. Gine scoffed, how could he think he would win so easily?
The crater rim trembled, and burst in pieces as Kakarot flew out of it laughing. The crowd cheered at seeing him emerging unscathed.
"He shouldn't scare us like that!" Bulma complained.
"It'll take more than a little fall to stop him." Said Launch.
Kakarot landed a few feet from Tien, his gloating replaced with bemused disappointment.
"You're gonna have to do better than that!" Said Kakarot, and charged at Tien. But then Kakarot side stepped, and his form disappeared.
"He's vanished again! Truly one of Kakarot's greatest techniques!" Said the announcer.
At least to everyone else, Kakarot vanished. But Gine could see her son's movements. She momentarily glanced at Tien, and became concerned when she saw that he seemed like he was starting to see Kakarot's movements too.
"TAG!" Tien shouted as he side swiped his arm, and Kakarot suddenly appeared where Tien had smacked him out of his superspeed.
"Now you'll know what it means to suffer the wrath of Tien Shinhan!"
He charged after Kakarot midflight and plowed him into the ring entrance's wall in the gut, Kakarot yelling in pain. Tien then lets out a baragge of crane strikes on him while Kakarot was pinned against the wall, his feet not even touching the ground yet. Everyone was horrified by the sight, and Gine swore she heard Chi-chi sounding hysterical, begging Tien to stop hurting him.
Come on, Gine thought to her son as if he could hear her, emulating Gohan. She was sure he couldn't since she just heard of this ability, but she was going to try. You could survive this, get out!
Tien kept punching like a machine gun until stopping for a moment to then ground pounded Kakarot, sending him bouncing off the floor and coming to stop on his back, not moving. Gine gripped the side of the spectator wall without realizing she was putting cracks in it, unable to look away and will her son to get back up and punch in Tien's face. Why was he not fighting back?!
Tien walked up to Kakarot, grabbing a fistful of his gi without any resistance and lifting him off the ground. He laughed at how battered and in pain Kakarot looked.
"Don't die yet, I've got a special technique I've been saving just for you." He menacingly said to Kakarot's unmoving form.
"This could turn out to be the shortest finale in the tournament's long history. What will Tien Shinhan do next is anyone's guess, though I'll wager it won't bode well for Kakarot."
Bulma couldn't stand to watch what was happening. "Poor Kakarot." She and Chi-chi started to cry.
Yamcha tried to sound encouraging, "He'll pull through, don't worry."
But Launch wasn't having any of it. "Come on kid, you've got tougher skin than that!"
Gine never heard more truer words in her life, and Kakarot was just taking the abuse without fighting back. And somehow, Gine felt spurred on by Launch's declaration to speak up for once, "Wake up, son!" Gine yelled. "You are a Saiyan warrior! Show that pathetic human whose boss!"
A group of spectators next to them, fans of Kakarot judging from how they cheered, looked over to Gine. One of them asked to themselves, "What's a Saiyan?"
Gine looked away like she was caught. So she pretended she didn't hear them and focused on the ring.
Tien tossed Kakarot into the air then turned around to face the audience, his friends in particular. "The Valleyball Technique!" He shouted.
As Kakarot fell, Tien clutched his hands together and hit the smaller boy up into the air again. Kakarot fell and Tien struck him higher and higher, again and again like a beach ball. Tien looked like he was having fun more than seeking vegence.
"It looks like Tien's unusual technique is exactly what it says! He's toying with Kakarot like a volleyball, and setting him up for a spike!"
After the last strike, Tien jumped higher than Kakarot was thrown. "Get ready!...SPIKE!" With one really hard punch, Kakarot was sent slamming back down to the ground like a meteor. Making yet another deep crater.
"NO!" Gine heard Chi-chi cry out.
As the dust settled, Kakarot was splayed inside the crater and looked motionless. Tien smirked in satisfaction.
"Is he breathing?!" Chi-chi asked affrightedly.
"Get up!" Yamcha and Krillin shouted. Their friend couldn't have been beaten that easily.
As if on cue, Kakarot suddenly sprung up on his feet, completely unfazed.
Tien was as shocked as he was disappointed. "What?! No way!"
"Incredible, Kakarot is on his feet again!" The announcer said.
"Kakarot, don't frighten us like that, okay! Next time get up sooner!" Said Bulma, half laughing and half crying that he was okay. Chi-chi wasn't much better.
"I don't get it, why isn't Kakarot fighting back yet?" Krillin asked aloud. Gine thought the same herself, flabbergasted and infuriated that her son was just taking this abuse from this jerk.
But she saw Kakarot smirking, and then she knew. He was measuring Tien up, or toying with him. Or both. If he knew how strong his opponent was now, then he could take whatever was to be thrown at him. It was a risky but brilliant strategy. But it still didn't ease her anger from her maternal instincts.
"That kid's tough as nails, go get'em Kakarot!" Shouted Yamcha.
"Well it's nothing short of miraculous that Kakarot's even alive, let alone standing after such a brutal punishment!"
"That was interesting, but I don't think I enjoy being the ball." Kakarot said as he finished brushing himself off.
Tien looked at him with contempt, but oddly with a touch of admiration too. "Well, you're resilient. Stupid, but resilient."
Kakarot smirked back at Tien, "And you are not very nice, but you are strong. I guess it would be safe from here on out if I used my full strength."
Tien laughed sarcastically. "Let me guess, you've been holding for my safety."
Kakarot nodded. "Yeah, but I'll fight normal now. Whenever I fight in a match I have to watch myself so I don't get carried away. I call it my battle strength."
Tien looked at him mockingly, then turned serious. "I'll tell you what...The goal here is for you to die. How that happens I really don't care. So you have fun with your little battle strength and then I'll kill you."
Kakarot looked back at him just as mockingly. "Fine. You can try."
"I won't have to try. It's too easy." Said Tien.
Kakarot laughed hard. "Easy? If you say so, afterall the only other person I ever fight all out with is my mom. And I saw how long, or should I say how short, you lasted against her. That rib healed up all nicely?"
Tien looked shocked, and then flustered as he remembered the humiliating pain she inflicted on him. Gine didn't like being mentioned on stage, but couldn't help smiling at her son's praise.
Kakarot continued. "She's my training partner, and we fight for hours almost every day so hopefully you can at least try to get close to her level."
Tien looked furious, he would not stand this kind of ridicule. "It doesn't matter, I will kill you and unlike your mommy, it's a fight to the death!"
Kakarot snickered, his Saiyan lust for such a challenge was in full swing. "One I've been waiting for."
The announcer looked confused, but sensed more action coming. "What? Eh, get ready. Here comes round two."
Kakarot leapt after Tien faster than he could block, punching him in the nose and solar plexus at once. Tien was momentarily dazed and the blow to his chest with its aggravated rib had the wind knocked out of him, leaving him exposed for Kakarot to machine gun punch his abdomen to make Tien double over. Then Kakarot landed a flying kick to Tien's face that sent him flying across the ring, Kakarot sprung under him and used both his short legs to kick him high into the air. Then he cupped his hands.
"kaaa...meee...haaa….me..." He began.
"Wow, Kakarot is on a roll as he prepares to dazzle us with his Kamehameha Wave, the signature technique of the Turtle Hermit."
But Kakarot didn't fire the beam. "Hold on."
"Huh? What's this? In a bizarre shift in strategy, Kakarot has withdrawn his technique, giving Tien Shinhan time to recover! This might go down as the turning point in the battle."
"What are you doing?!" Bulma said aloud to Kakarot.
Tien came hurtling back down and landed one foot and knee. He clutched his chest in pain, the fractured rib flaring up.
Kakarot giggled. "That's what I call battle strength."
Tien smiled through the pain though, and then he began to laugh heartedly.
"Huh? What's so funny?" Kakarot asked.
Tien looked at him bemused. "Thank you for that. That exhilarating rush. I haven't felt this alive in a long time. It feels wonderful!"
Kakarot was confused. "So, what you are saying is you like getting beat up?"
Bulma spoke for what they were all thinking. "I don't get it. Why would Kakarot pass up the perfect opportunity to finish him off? It doesn't make any sense."
"He had a good reason, I hope." Yamcha said, not too convincingly but still trusted his friend.
Gine knew. Kakarot saved energy by not firing the Wave, and Tien would've dodged and left him vulnerable. Good idea. But there was something even deeper to it. Something that she knew all Saiyans had, and as much as she hated to admit it deep down, she had too. A craving for a decent challenge.
Tien started hovering cross-legged, then on his feet. "Alright, I've indulged you long enough, now it's time to pay!"
"I don't think so!" Kakarot shouted back.
"Tension in the ring is high! Despite the extraordinary displays at resilience and strength, neither combatant shows any signs of fatigue!"
They charged at each other, meeting in the middle of the ring trading blows evenly. Kakarot's small size being advantageous to dodging and landing hits in weak spots but Tien's powerful blows sent Kakarot reeling whenever he got struck. This fight looked like it could go either way.
"Rarely have we seen fighters display such an unrelenting fury! Tien and Kakarot are taking this fight to a whole new level, everything is to the extreme! A normal person at the receiving end at those punches would never wake up!"
They both stopped trading blows and leapt away from each other to a safe distance. Both combatants calm and without any sweat broken. They get into stance, ready to go at it again. Kakarot's tail twitched in anticipation.
Tien went after him with machine gun-like crane strikes that Kakarot blocked. Then they increased their speed until the fight became a blur to everyone else except Gine. They were going so fast even the announcer couldn't see what was happening. But the judges won't be able to enforce rules that don't exist in regards to record speed fighting.
Bulma and the others were cheering and shouting for Kakarot on where his next moves ought to be. They couldn't possibly see what was going on save for Roshi and Gohan, but she kept feeling more and more touched by their support.
Kakarot went on the offensive explosively, pushing Tien to the very edge of the ring with no room to move. Gine felt so into the fight she felt as if she were on the edge too!
She felt a crunch in her hands, and caught herself when she realized she had been crushing the bricks where she gripped the spectator wall. Was this tournament getting to her? She asked herself. The people next to her looked terrified that some woman could grind bricks into dust. She blushed and looked away from them, hoping they would stop starring at her.
Back in the ring, Tien deftly broke free of Kakarot's barrage to expel him from the ring, and got back into the center of the arena to counterattack. But Kakarot suddenly splits into several Kakarots at once suurounding Tien, all frozen in place.
"You whelp! I can't be fooled by optical illusions. But you're about to learn that now." Tien declared. He strikes a Kakarot that charged from behind, but it was an apparition.
"Gotchya!" Another Kakarot charged, but he went right through Tien.
"Now who's seeing double?!" Tien taunted, and swung at another Kakarot. His hit connects with the boy solidly. Tien yells victoriously as Kakarot fell to the ground. But then he simply fades.
Tien realized too late that it was also an apparition as another Kakarot flew at him with a double kick, the blow sent Tien into the ground with a earth-trembling thud. Gine could only watch in awe as the son who struck Tien also faded. How many fake Kakarots were there? The others faded as the real Kakarot stood at Tien's feet. The crowd went wild.
"Spectacular! I don't think anyone could label that as anything less than extraordinary, as Kakarot's mastery of the Mirror Image Technique has left Tien face down!"
"I guess there's a first time for everything!" Kakarot said to Tien's earlier declaration as he struggled to get up.
Tien looked at Kakarot angrily. "Fool, you think your infantile tricks could defeat me? Me?! You are barely even a challenge!"
"I dunno, it looked like you had to fight pretty hard." Kakarot countered with a hint of salt in his voice.
Now Tien was enraged. "You dare mock me? Now prepare to suffer my wrath!" He held up his open hands to his head.
"SOLAR FLARE!" He shouted as the world went blinding white.
Gine had barely enough reflex time to put on her shades before her head felt like it was splitting open and seeing spots behind her eyelids. When her sight adjusted, she could see Tien charging at Kakarot while he seemed to not move.
Kakarot suddenly grabbed Tien's fist in mid-punch. Before the shock could register on Tien's face, Kakarot right hooked Tien in the chest exactly where Gine had struck him in the ribs a couple nights ago.
Tien cried out in agony as a loud crack came from him, as Kakarot hit him hard enough for even her to feel his pain. If his rib wasn't broken thoroughly before, it was now. As the blinding light of the flare faded, a sly smile appeared on Gine's face as she saw Kakarot had put his shades on at the last moment. Such a perfect surprise she thought by improvising with his full-moon glasses. Gine swore her son was becoming more and more clever than she ever thought.
"Whoa! There's something you don't see everyday! Kakarot pulled out some stylish shades to protect his eyes at the last moment! And now Tien is down, and looks WAY out of sorts!"
Tien lay collapsed on his side clutching his chest and looked in complete pain, almost incapacitated by the now very broken rib. He looked up at Kakarot and spoke through gritted teeth.
"h-how?! How did you...survive?!"
Kakarot posed and did a peace sign as Roshi would. "Sunglasses! My sunglasses!"
With Tien writhing on the ground, the announcer began the countdown.
"One!... Two!... Three!..."
It seemed all but certain that Kakarot would claim the match.
"Four!... Five!..."
But before long and with great difficulty, Tien managed to stand back up. Gine, the gang, and the rest of the crowds were just as stunned that he won't give up.
What was this guy made of? Gine thought.
The announcer then looked concerned as Tien staggered and clutched his rib, visibly cracked.
"Huh, hey, let's get a medic here since I'm not too sure about fighting with a broken rib is a good id-"
"NO! NO DOCTORS!" Tien shouted. Then looked back at Kakarot.
"You don't give up, do you?" Kakarot said with an ounce of respect. Tien clutched his side with one hand and shook his other at Kakarot with a clenched fist.
"GIVE UP NOW, IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU!" He demanded.
"Leave him alone you big bully!" Bulma shouted from her spot, then looked embarrassed.
Kakarot chuckled. "You are not in any position to ask me to give up, especially with that rib. Whether you like it or not, I never quit for anyone!"
Tien gave him a glare that could kill. "Very well then, you'll pay for that cheap shot!"
Kakarot acted offended. "Cheap shot? I'm not the one who broke someone's leg when they were down for the count. As far as I'm concerned, you had it coming. And now it's a weak spot for you to defend, so have fun with that!" He said mockingly.
Gine was slightly disturbed by this. Given Tien's brutal tactics she guessed it evened out that he got what he served, but now Kakarot was fighting dirty too. And if Tien was as brutal in a fair fight, what would he do now?
They charged against each other with Tien keeping an arm back to defend his broken rib, leaving only an arm to attack and block. Gine's fears seemed to vanish for a moment. Kakarot could definitely win this, she thought without a doubt.
Suddenly in midair, Kakarot froze in the middle of a charge and did not move or do anything as Tien struck him viscously with a right hook that sent him across the ring. What was that? She thought.
Tien looked like he got his confidence back, Kakarot looked dazed. "No fair!" Tien, after what he was just dealt moments ago laughed heartedly. "So what?"
Kakarot got back on his feet with some difficulty. "You rely on too many tricks!"
"Stop complaining, now either fight me or step out of the ring."
"Never!" Kakarot said defiantly.
"Fine, then when you meet Tao, tell him I sent you!" Tien said as they charged and traded blows evenly again, jumping high.
Then, Kakarot froze again. Gine thought it was a fluke but it was happening again, and it looked unnatural.
Kakarot was now helpless as Tien landed a power kick to his face that sent him flying down out of the ring. He kept falling, not doing anything. He was out for sure!
"NO!" Gine cried out, her heart sinking as he got closer and closer to the ground.
But then, Kakarot looked to concentrate as he fell, then slowly, his fall slowed down until he finally stopped just a few feet off the ground outside the ring.
"WHAT?!" She heard Tien and Crane shout simultaneously. Their eyes were not deceiving them. Kakarot was floating!
Gine couldn't believe it. He finally figured it out in time to save him.
"What an amazing sight folks! It seems like Kakarot has the gravity defying ability to fly as well as Tien and Chiaotzu, and has made an ultimate recovery from falling out of the ring! It goes to show that Kakarot is one amazing fighter who can do quite about almost anything!"
Kakarot hovered back over the arena and set himself down on his feet in front of a dumbstruck and enraged Tien.
"HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!" He demanded. "THE FLYING TECHNIQUE IS SOMETHING ONLY MY MASTER CAN TEACH!"
Kakarot laughed happily. "I finally figured out how to channel my energy to hover my body weight by watching your friend Chiaotzu against Krillin!"
Tien looked even more confused and angry. "That still doesn't answer my question! How did you even learn the ability to fly at all?!"
"My mom taught me!" He said matter-of-factly. "She's been trying to teach me for awhile but I finally figured it out." Then he turned toward her in the crowd and waved.
"HEY MOM! I FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT!" He shouted to her excitedly.
Gine chuckled embarrassingly as everyone looked at her in amazement that she could even fly as well, not appreciating the attention as much as the thanks. She had been hammering home how to get him to focus his energy to force his body above ground and he has struggled so much, barely able to lift his own weight a few mere inches. But she figured after seeing someone else do it, he was able to figure it out. She felt mixed emotions as to how she failed as a teacher or Saiyan mother about how to do something basic as flying, or how proud she is that her son is so observant and can learn just about anything from anywhere, making himself into an amazing fighter.
Tien felt entirely the opposite, a technique so sacred to his school now being utilized by this insulant little twerp and his monster of a mother to mock him and Tao, he looked seething and charged while Kakarot's back was turned. Kakarot turned in time to react and dodge. The fight then continued in earnest.
Kakarot froze again and was struck by several punches, unable to block at all. Gine could definitely see it now, and saw on Kakarot's face that it was not him doing it on purpose. It looked like someone or something was definitely manipulating her son's body like he was being controlled.
"ENOUGH!" Kakarot demanded as he got back up. "I'm tired of your sneaky tricks!"
This got her attention, now it was definitely not a fluke or suspicion. Tien looked taken aback too, "Tricks? What tricks? I don't know what your angle is, but my kicking your tail is all skill!"
"I call it cheating!" Kakarot said seriously.
Tien chuckled, "I don't care. All I know is I don't use excuses to cover up a failure. That's your way."
Kakarot charged angrily but Tien didn't move, then Kakarot froze, again.
Gine saw Tien didn't do anything either, he wasn't concentrating on anything just readying to attack. It couldn't be him but rather an outside force.
Then she noticed Yamcha looking over at the direction of Crane, and her blood boiled in anger. It was Chiaotzu, his finger pointed at Kakarot and glowing. So it was magic! And they ARE cheating!
"Rapid Velocity Technique!" Tien shouted, Gine looked back at the ring to see Tien's arms blur to a whirlwind, landing hundreds of smacks a second on him and Kakarot could only take it until he fell to the floor after a brutal beating. He looked like he was still conscious, but he wasn't getting back up.
"Get up, Kakarot!" Bulma and the girls shouted.
"He wants to, but I don't think he has a choice in the matter." Yamcha spoke.
The whole group looked at him for an explanation, but Gine spoke instead as she and Yamcha saw what was going on. "That creepy doll-like child, Chiaotzu, is using some sort of mental telepathy to manipulate Kakarot's body." Barely containing the anger in her voice.
Launch was more than pissed. "Is that a fact?!" She said clenching her teeth. She then pulled out a gun and starred threateningly through the crowd at the direction of Master Shen and Chiaotzu. Every poor spectator in the path of her stare screamed bloody murder and fled.
The announcer began the countdown as Kakarot still couldn't get back up from that last attack.
"Was that twenty-five or thirty hits? I lost count." Tien taunted to her paralyzed son. "Either way I expected a challenge. You're just as predictable as my other opponents and just as weak." He started to walk away, certain of his victory.
"Predictable?" Came from Kakarot. Tien turned in surprise only to have his face kicked, landing on his back. Tien was stunned that Kakarot had somehow managed to get back up, but he was even more furious that this boy wouldn't stay down. He rubbed his face as a large bruise began to form.
"You'll regret that!" Tien said as he got up, "You should've stayed down."
Kakarot looked him in the eye without fear. "Do your worst, but I'm not going to lose to a coward like you!"
Tien looked indignant at this accusation. "Oh really? And just how am I a coward?!"
They charged, but Gine watched as Crane's lips moved saying something to Chiaotzu and his finger glowed, and Kakarot froze. So it was true, they all saw it and it was as solid of proof that Crane was cheating as anything. Chiaotzu was directly freezing Kakarot in place to be held down like a punching bag as Tien landed baragges of hits onto her son.
After another barrage of strikes from Tien that were much more brutal than the last, with Kakarot unable to defend himself, he collapsed to the ground and didn't move. Gine saw Chiaotzu's finger still glowing and guessed they were going to hold him down for the count this time.
Ok, she thought, enough was enough. Gine's fists clenched, glaring directly at Crane and Chiaotzu. It was one thing to cheat a Saiyan in battle, but to treat her son as a worthless piece meat by someone who thought was better was another thing entirely, not to mention as a mother her son could die in such a dishonorable way. She was about to march straight over to Crane and Chiaotzu and blast them on the spot, competition be damned.
"GRRR, THATS IT!" Launched spoke for Gine's thoughts just as she stomped in the direction of Crane, taking the initiative instead. Whatever she was going to do, she better do it quick since it looked like Kakarot won't hold out for much longer before he got disqualified.
Launch came up right behind Crane as not-so-stealthily as she could, with a comically large mallet. She lifted it high, about to hit him in the head with it.
But as she brought the mallet down over him, Crane caught it with just his fingertip without even turning his head to look. Launch looked amazed. But before she could react, Crane flicked the mallet to send it flying away backwards, with Launch still clutching it, flying away with it.
With that, Gine shook her head in exasperation. She'll have to do the deed herself, and started to hurry in Crane's direction.
Tien looked like he saw what they were trying to do, and Kakarot grabbed his leg while laying on the ground barely conscious.
"You...cheated...me." He croaked out before passing out.
Gine stopped her marching as she saw that Tien was just looking at Crane and just started at him.
What was he doing?
A moment later, Tien looked back at Kakarot, as if to prepare to strike him down for good, but relented after hesitating.
"Tien Shinhan!" Crane shouted.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Tien shouted back at his master.
"Uh...that was kinda...weird." The announcer spoke for all of them.
Kakarot got back up to his feet. Gine was relieved he wasn't permanently damaged after being rendered helpless after that last beating.
"It's my turn now!" Kakarot said as he began to charge at Tien.
"KAKAROT, STOP!" Came a voice from behind the entrance curtain to the ring. Kakarot stopped, looking confused as he saw who called out to him, and saw when Gine did too.
So THAT'S where Roshi's been hiding. Gine thought to herself as she saw her son's master and Krillin observing from the wall.
"He must die!" Crane demanded to Tien. "I am your master and you must obey my command!"
Tien looked back at Crane forlorn, then replied with a patient gentleness Gine had never seen before.
"I've done as you asked. I have defeated your enemies and defended the honor of our school. The success of this match is in my hands alone. I do not need assistance."
"Then prove it!" Crane shot. "Destroy him at once!"
Tien looked down at Kakarot who looked at him confused but expectant.
"No." Tien said. "I won't kill Kakarot. Doing so would cause me to lose this match."
Crane looked enraged. "Never mind the stupid match! Make no mistake, you are a killer! Or do you forsake your destiny?!"
Tien looked at Crane with defiance for the first time. "No master...my destiny is not what you'd have me believe...I'm no killer."
Gine was speechless. Moments ago this man was hellbent on destroying her son for a simple transgression. Now, seeing him walk away from a path of darkness and from a horrible master... she wasn't sure how to take this in. Humans were such confusing yet amazing creatures that still never cease to surprise her.
Crane didn't think so, his face red with rage at Tien's betrayal. "You.. YOU WEAK COWARD! Insolent fool! You have allowed that senile Turtle Hermit to warp your mind!"
The announcer stepped in, "Uh, excuse me, but I can't allow you to disrupt the f-"
"I'M SPEAKING!" Crane shouted at the poor guy, then turned back to Tien. "I made you, Tien! All that you are has sprung from my generous hands! And now your insubordination has clenched them into fists! Now you'll pay!"
"Some generous master YOU are." Gine said under her breath to Crane, knowing all too well the kinds of people who would turn against their own no matter how much they had done for them. As far as she was concerned he was no better than the Super Elites who toyed with her, or even someone like Frieza.
Then he turned toward Chiaotzu.
"Chiaotzu, paralyze them both!" He commanded. But the doll-like child looked at his master like he was afraid of him, and did nothing.
"Chiaotzu!" Crane shouted, his composure cracking even further. The poor child looked away as if ashamed. "I'm sorry, Master. I will do anything you ask of me. But I cannot hurt my friend Tien Shinhan."
This almost brought Gine to tears. Now this doll-child she thought of as nothing more than a sworn enemy was turning against the dark path to save his friend was truly amazing. This tournament and it's drama really was getting to her.
Crane finally lost it. With his students turned against him and his brother about to go unavenged, the Crane Hermit looked not like some distinguish martial arts teacher rather than a seething psychopath on the brink of flying into a rampage.
"COME HERE!" He growled as he grabbed Chiaotzu by the collar. The poor boy looked so scared by the man he trusted as his mentor, and cried out as Crane raised a hand to strike him down.
"CHIAOTZU!" Tien cried out as he could only watch. Roshi shouted something but Gine didn't hear as she suddenly charged through the crowd, not caring for knocking over bystanders.
She phased in front of Crane with lightning speed, and chopped the hand holding Chiaotzu. Gine didn't use that much force but with her strength she almost lopped it clean off as the bones in his wrist snapped like dried twigs. Crane dropped Chiaotzu, crying out in agony and shock at seeing the shattering of his left hand and the appearance of her face out of nowhere.
Then, with all the grief caused by him, the overstimulation, and the anxiety pent up in her from this entire tournament, she released it all at once with one swift kick. Her foot connected with Crane in the stomach, and the great Master Shen was sent flying high and fast into the sky, until he disappeared from sight.
"MASTER SHEN!" Tien cried out in astonishment. Roshi was behind him, he looked just as amazed too and halted himself from firing a Kamehameha Wave.
The crowds around Gine looked horrified and amazed at what they just saw, and the gang looked amazed as well. Launch broke the silence.
"YEAH! YOU SHOWED THAT BIRD WHOSE BOSS GIRL!" She shouted and the gang cheered along with her, including some of the crowd.
Gine snapped out of starring where she sent Crane flying off to, and noticed everyone staring at her and cheering. She suddenly looked embarrassed and overwhelmed by the attention and praise. She didn't know what to do until she looked down at Chiaotzu on the ground.
"Are you okay?" She asked as she bent down with an extended hand to help him up.
"Wha-What happened to Master Shen?" He asked just as astounded as everyone else.
"That was no way for any master to treat his students." She said instead of answering, and looked at Tien. "He is a despicable little man who did not deserve good students like you and to cause trouble for others." She looked at the gang and back to Kakarot.
"Uh, mom, what did you just do?" Her son asked in confusion.
"For once...I'm at a loss for words, folks." The announcer said through the amazement. "No explanation for what you just saw, let's hope Master Shen doesn't land on anyone important. Heh, just kidding folks."
"Don't worry about him." Roshi spoke up to him and Tien. "That bird will be VERY sore for awhile, but he won't perish."
Gine nodded in agreement, impressed that Roshi knew that Gine pulled back just a little before she kicked Crane to high heaven. She could've easily killed him if she kicked him with all her strength, but something in the back of her told her at the last millisecond to not do so. She so desperately wanted to hurt him for all he's caused and tried to do, but somehow, despite her Saiyan nature and her desire to rid herself and her friends of a great source of grief. She didn't. Where did that come from?
"There will be plenty of time to discuss all of this later." Roshi said, then he looked impatient. "Now, let's get back to the fight!"
Oh, right! Everyone diverted their focus again at the ring. Kakarot and Tien immediately forgetting her role in what just happened. Gine was grateful for Roshi to take away the attention from her.
Kakarot turned to Tien, "I'm sorry, I guess I was wrong about you cheating."
Tien looked back at him seriously. "I have forsaken my Master. All that is left for me now is this fight. So let me make one thing clear. This isn't about the rivalry between our schools or revenge anymore. I fight for one purpose only, to win. Never again will I be lead astray from my goal!" He declared.
Gine couldn't be any more amazed at how someone could redeem themselves so quickly.
"I'm glad." Kakarot said. "So let's get this match back on track."
"I will win. No matter how long or what measures I have to take!" Tien declared with true sportsmanship in his voice.
"Ok, let's go!" Kakarot said with gusto.
"Believe it or not, it looks like the fight has resumed!" The crowds went crazy as the action was now back in the ring again and everyone has completely forgotten the incident.
Gine started walking back towards her spot with the gang but felt a tug on her dress. She looked down to see Chiaotzu extending a hand for her to shake.
"Thank you." Chiaotzu said to her over the noise of the crowd, "Thank you for saving me from my former master. And I apologize for paralyzing your son."
Gine didn't know how to react at first, her eyes moistening slightly at how genuine this doll-child was asking for her forgiveness, where just minutes before she thought such ill of him.
Gine smiled and shook Chiaotzu's small hand. "Think nothing of it." She said, and turned back toward the gang. When she got there they greeted her like a hero.
"That was so awesome, Gine!" Bulma exclaimed.
"Yeah! Finally someone put that ol' bag in his place!" Launch echoed.
"Way to go, Gine!" Puar and Oolong said simultaneously.
Gine had a taste of such praise before when she first dealt with Crane, but she was still so unused to it. She had never been hailed in any heroic manner before, not especially with so many people watching. Though the Saiyan part of her was telling her that these humans were weak so it seem like no competition or effort to get rid of Crane, and it was nothing to write home about. So she just took it in stride.
"Please, everybody, it was nothing, really." Gine said.
"Aw, don't act so humbly, who else could take out someone as annoying like Crane?" Yamcha said.
"And, you probably saved that boy's life." Gohan chimed in. He looked somewhat disapproving of the scene that Gine caused, but looked happy that Gine had done some great good.
"Thank you, all of you." She said with humility. Then added, "But please, let's just get back to watching the fight."
"Oh, that's right!" Oolong said as they all turned to the ring. Gine was glad she could get their attention off of her, and focused to what really mattered at the moment.
Kakarot was in the middle of attacking Tien, but it seemed like Tien wasn't defending himself at all. He took the blows and was sent into the ground hard.
"What's wrong?" Kakarot asked, "How come you aren't fighting back? You didn't even through a single punch?"
This was a new development, Gine thought.
Tien got up painfully, "I...paid my debt."
"Huh?" They all said.
"Chiaotzu's interference gave me an unfair advantage. Now we are even." Tien said.
Gine couldn't stop liking this guy even more. With such honor he definitely would've made a great Saiyan warrior.
"A very noble gesture." Gohan added. Amen to that, Gine thought.
Tien then looked serious. "Savor this moment, because on my next attack, I will fight full strength, and you will go down."
Chiaotzu cheered him on, but now without any malice. For the first time since they got here, Gine felt like she could actually enjoy the tournament...
Tien outstretched his arms, screaming in pain as his body grew, then out of his shoulders grew another set of arms.
Gine had seen several species of warriors do something similar on the planets she helped conquer, and others that had dozens of limbs to fight with. But everyone seemed to have lost their sanity at the sight of Tien doing it. Even the announcer who has kept his cool throughout the whole tournament looked disturbed. She figured it was not a natural ability for humans to do here. And it seemed to unsettle Gine as well.
Almost enjoy the tournament, she thought.
"You ready?" Tien asked as he charged after Kakarot.
Kakarot looked taken aback initially as Tien went after him, but adjusted as he learned to counter twice as many limbs to dodge.
"Never had to fight four arms before!" Kakarot said almost conversationally while he slid past punch after grab after chop. But was caught between neck chops from both upper arms. He was now down and knocked silly.
"Don't worry, this won't take long." Tien said as he grabbed each of Kakarot's limbs with a hand and began to pull, Kakarot screamed in pain as Tien tried to pull him apart. Bulma cried at the sight and the others were too disturbed to watch. Gine immediately saw what Kakarot could do but stopped herself from giving it away.
Tien looked sure he was about to break Kakarot. "It's all downhill from he-"
Kakarot's tail, which had been free to move ungrabbed, smacked Tien hard in the face, Tien cried out as he held his bleeding nose. Kakarot giggled like a naughty schoolboy after getting away with something clever.
"Your tail packs quite a punch." Tien said, regaining his senses.
"Can't beat four arms, so I guess I'll try eight!" Kakarot suddenly declared.
"He can't do that...can he?" Oolong asked with a disturbed notion that he hoped that Kakarot couldn't.
Kakarot flexed his arms with superspeed and appeared to have eight arms, Gine knew the superspeed illusion but his friends lost whatever bit of sense of sanity they had with that trick.
Both fighters went after each other with their six sets of arms, trading blows evenly until Kakarot's small size and speed was able to swing under Tien and send him flying away as Kakarot rediverted Tien's center of mass. He may have extra limbs but with the added weight Kakarot could throw him off balance.
Tien got back up after a quick countdown, but looked worse for wear. Kakarot slowed his arms down and reverted back to his quadpeddled self.
"You look tired." Kakarot said almost tauntingly, even though he too was out of breath.
"So do you." Tien pointed. Then charged without warning.
Kakarot saw this coming and slipped under him, kicking the inside of his ankle and sending him down in pain. In a quick motion, Kakarot swing up and over Tien's back and grabbed both of Tien's legs and pulled backwards while sitting on top of Tien while he screamed in agony.
The fight had devolved into them literally tearing each other apart as Kakarot was trying to pull Tien's legs out of their sockets. Tien's upper arms grabbed Kakarot by the neck to choke him, "Surrender if you don't wanna suffocate!" Tien said.
"No, I'm good!" Kakarot croaked out, then his tail wrapped around Tien's neck and squeezed like a vice. Now both combatants were on the ground choking each other with one pulling legs out and choking with a tail while another choked with four arms. Gine had to admit this was a very absurd sight.
Finally, Tien gave in first as his extra pair of arms sank back into his body as Kakarot breathed in fresh air, and continued to trying ripping Tien's legs off.
The announcer walked over and knelt next to Tien writhing on the ground. "Tell the audience how you feel." He asked and held the microphone to him.
Tien glared at the announcer. How could he have the nerve?!
"MY LEGS ARE BEING PULLED FROM THEIR SOCKETS! HOW DO YOU THINK I FEEL?!" He shouted into the microphone with a mix of indignity and sheer agony.
The screaming kept building, not sure out of pain or desperation for more strength, but somehow he broke free of Kakarot's leglock and send him flying into the brick wall at the arena entrance, burying himself in rubble.
"You're strong." Kakarot said as he picked himself up from the pile of bricks.
Tien winced trying to stand as well. "That's obvious. Thanks for the stretch, I'm feeling much better. Should you get tired of losing, you'd make a great chiropractor."
"Uh, what's a chiropractor?" Kakarot asked, Tien laughed at him not catching the joke. "You were born to fail, just like all those before me, I cannot be defeated, ever!"
"Why?"
"I no longer wish to kill you, when the time comes, avoid it." Tien said cryptically.
"Huh?' Kakarot said, but that got Gine's attention. What did he mean "avoid it"?
"Tien, NO!" Gine heard Chiaotzu cry out. What was he talking about?
"Do what? Are you okay?" Kakarot asked, but Tien just breathed, then started to float upwards and kept going up until he was a dot in the air. What was he going to do?
"TIEN, THINK THIS THROUGH!" Chiaotzu cried to him again, he sounded very desperate and pleading.
"I don't know what you are planning to do, but get on with it!" Kakarot shouted. "I can take it!"
Tien hovered in his spot, then pressed his fingers together. Gine could feel raw energy gathering within him, and kept going up, and up...
"No, it can't be!" Gohan exclaimed in horror.
"What?!" Gine demanded. "What is he doing?!"
Gohan looked at her with horror. "It's the Tri-Beam! It's such a powerful attack that can obliterate anything the user points it at. But it takes so much energy to use it that it draws up the user's own life force to fire it!"
Gine looked concerned. "You mean...Tien's going to kill himself to kill Kakarot?"
Gohan shook his head uncertainly, but grimly. "It's quite possible. Roshi said it's quite possibly much more powerful than the Kamehameha Wave!"
Now Gine was worried, she looked back at Kakarot looking up at Tien gathering an amount of energy that even she doubted that Kakarot could survive. He didn't even flinch.
But, Tien said he didn't wish to kill Kakarot anymore. What was going on?! She thought panickily.
"KAKAROT!" Tien shouted, his voice now a booming echo with the energy gathering. "YOU CANNOT ESCAPE! GIVE UP NOW, OR BE DESTROYED!"
Kakarot did not hesitate. "I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE! I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!"
"FINE! SO LONG!" Tien answered, as he pressed his fingertips together to form a triangle.
Gine wasn't sure what to do, she knew she could not interfere with this fight. But with the seriousness of Tien, and the fact that this is her only son...
"KAKAROT, NO!" Gine cried out.
"TRI-BEAM!" Tien screamed as a literal wave of energy as bright as the sun had suddenly came raining down on the arena.
Gine could only watch in horror as the attack crashed down on him... until he leapt as hard as he could into the air at the last moment. Gine felt a floodgate of relieve open up and poured through her, then she was suddenly knocked back by the flying debris and deafening sound of the explosion.
Gine shielded Gohan as the others ducked for cover from the heat and rocks. When the dust settled they all got back up. When they saw the ring, they gasped.
There was no ring anymore. Just a giant square shaped hole in the ground!
"KAKAROT! KAKAROT WHERE ARE YOU?!" Gine heard Krillin cry out.
"I hate to be the pessimist, but I don't anyone could've survived that..." He said solemnly. Chi-chi started to cry softly.
Gine came to her senses and remembered.
"Kakarot's alive." She said without worry. Everyone looked at her like she was insane.
"Look." She said as she pointed up toward the sky.
There he was. He jumped as high as he could at the last second. So that's what Tien meant when he said avoid it.
Now both of them were falling back to the ground. Then it clicked in Gine's mind. There was no arena to land on except deep in the bottomless pit Tien created, so they would have to land outside it. And whoever did so first would be out of bounds... ingenious!
The announcer came out from his hiding spot and saw the two combatants in the sky. How was this guy not dead yet?
"I'll be right back, folks!" The announcer said as he popped open a jet scooter to fly towards the falling pair.
She could tell they were both out of energy and could not keep floating up there forever, one of them is going to fall first. But then, Kakarot turned around, and cupped his hands.
Gine was confused. Was he going to fire a Kamehameha away from Tien?
"HAAAAAA!" She heard him shout from high above as he fired the beam, but it sent him rocketing toward Tien. Kakarot slammed into him with enough force to send both of them flying way out towards the city and out of view.
"After them!" Bulma cried as she charged in the direction of where they flew towards. The rest of the gang, and the audience followed suit. In a few moments it became pandemonium as the tournament goers left the ground in a flood of humanity that shook the streets with it's footfalls, people shoving and pushing to get out of the way and not get run over.
Gine charged after them last once it was safe not get trampled over with Gohan in tow. After a while of sprinting and maneuvering past the rest of the crowd, Gine and the rest of the gang managed to get out onto the street heading towards the specks that were Tien and Kakarot. Their plunge back down to earth nearing its end as they came closer to the street.
Kakarot struck a vehicle before hitting the ground, followed by Tien who just landed on his back.
That was it. Kakarot was out first, Tien won.
When they reached them, they were both out cold and unable to accept their positions. So it still wasn't over yet still.
Gine stood over her son's unconscious, battered form. No matter his injuries, he would live, he was a Saiyan afterall. He even had a slide upward curl in his lips as he lay there knocked out. Even when beaten and bloodied, he looked content. Gine smiled heartedly.
This truly was one hell of a fight, and she was glad he had it.
"You look awful." Krillin joked at Kakarot who couldn't respond. Chi-chi was inconsolable, kneeling by his side balling her eyes out and asking if 'her' Kakarot was dead or not. 'Her's?' Gine thought, then shook it off.
The crowds gathered around them as they lifted Kakarot and Tien to cheer them for such am amazing fight. Then the cheers came for Tien, as he regained consciousness first. Now it was officially over. Tien Shinhan, former student of the Crane Hermit, was now the new Champion.
A large man held up Tien on his shoulders in piggy-back like she used to do with Kakarot as a baby. Everyone then started to applaud, "Three cheers for Tien Shinhan!" Someone would shout. Another would say, "I'm your biggest fan!" Then another, ""Way to go, Tien!" Even Chiaotzu had made it out to the street to greet his friend.
The slow clapping and cheering turned into a chorus of praise for him and his turn away from the darkness. He looked so humbled it almost looked like he was going to cry.
Deep down, Gine was glad for this ending to such a dramatic showdown. Seeing this man turn from a ruthless minion to an honorable warrior was so heartbreakingly inspiring that it seemed fitting for him to be lifted up and declared a hero of the day. Now she saw why Kakarot loved this tournament.
She somehow thought of how they imagined this world would be when she and Bardock first chose this planet to escape to, thinking there would be nothing here. Oh she wished Bardock could see how different this place was. The intelligence gathered by the Planet Trade Organization did no justice for this world at all for the Earthlings, and what truly amazing things they were capable of. And to think she choose this planet by chance with what little info they had that day so long ago.
But those thoughts turned dark as she remembered Bardock, Planet Vegeta, Raditz. That was another lifetime ago, and tried to blot out those memories and get back to the present.
She knelt by Kakarot snoring away on the street, splayed and his gi tattered surrounded by his friends and family. "I'm so proud of you." She said to him as she stroked his face, he twitched and started to come to as the cheers for Tien Shinhan went on around them.
This here, this is what really mattered. Her little champion.
Later that afternoon, they all gathered to say their goodbyes.
Gine was utterly exhausted. The sensory overload of being around so many people, so many loud sounds, the drama of the victories and defeats, and the grievances caused by Crane had drained Gine's emotional strength away and has left her hanging on by a thread to just not collapse where she stood. She was so glad she got to see this tournament with Kakarot, but was just as happy to go back to their peacefully isolated mountain home as soon as possible.
Kakarot finished drowning himself in fresh clean water to wash and hydrate himself. "See you all in three years!" He called out to the announcer. Kakarot then changed out of his torn gi, borrowing Krillin's while he fitted himself into a nice formal suit for someone as small as him.
"That was an amazing tournament with thrilling fights! I'm sure gonna miss it very much." Roshi said almost reminiscently, as if for Jacky Chun instead of himself.
"The finale was close. It was just bad luck that you hit that truck." Said Krillin.
Kakarot waved that off. "Aw, it's okay. I had a lot of fun!"
Gohan smiled at that. "And that's all that matters."
Gine sort of agreed, if it had less drama. But she couldn't stop herself from telling her how happy she was at seeing Kakarot do so well.
"I'm so proud of you, Kakarot." She said for the nth time since Kakarot woke up. But it was just as true as the first.
"Thanks, mom." Kakarot said warmly as he hugged her tightly.
Then she looked toward Krillin, then Chi-chi, then Yamcha, and even knowingly towards Roshi. "And to all of you, you all fought so amazingly well."
"Thanks, Gine." Krillin said, "You did really well too with kicking Crane's butt!"
Gine still felt uncomfortable with them singing her praises about that, but accepted it politely. "Oh please, it was nothing. You did really well fighting against Chiaotzu and Kakarot! It takes a lot of strength, courage, and wits to get as far as you did against the foes you had."
Krillin blushed at being praised too, "Ah, shucks." He said, and scratched the back of his head as Kakarot would. Gine found it quite adorable that he shared the same uncomfortableness as she did.
"And how inspiring it was to see someone like Tien turn into a good guy, something you don't see everyday." Gohan added. That indeed was very true, especially for someone like a Saiyan to see.
Roshi looked over Gine's shoulder and perked up. "Ah, speaking of whom!"
Gine turned around and saw Tien and Chiaotzu walking up to them. They no longer exuded an air of hostility as they did with Crane around. Now they felt calm, and even benevolent.
He looked at her for a moment, and for a moment she wondered what he was going to say or do. Even if he did turn away from the darkness and let go of his vendetta against her son, she still broke his rib even if he was defending a master he would abandon.
He looked away and then back at Kakarot.
"Kakarot, Listen." Tien addressed him. "I've been thinking about it and there's something I want you to have." He handed Kakarot a thick envelope.
"Tien, that's your prize money isn't it?" Kakarot asked incredulously.
"It's no big deal, I just think you should take half. We both know that if you hadn't hit that truck, you would've won. You are the stronger one of us."
Kakarot only thought about it for a second, then handed his envelope back to Tien. "No thanks, I appreciate the offer but I wouldn't know what to spend it on anyway." Gine was so touched by how unendingly kind Kakarot was, and by this gesture from Tien himself.
"Yeah, but-" Tien started to protest but Roshi spoke up.
"Tien it's true luck helped you win, but don't let it discount your achievement. In fact luck and strength go hand in hand sometimes."
"And I learned a lot from our fight." Kakarot chimed in.
"There you are!" Came from Bulma and the rest of the gang as they joined them. Yamcha clutched up to Tien, he couldn't look Yamcha in the eye.
"You fought well, really." Yamcha said softly and genuinely. Tien didn't know what to say, but looked ashamed.
"Uh, thank you. I'm sorry about your leg. I did a lot of terrible things during the last few days."
"No big deal, bones heal like everything else." Yamcha said, meaning what he said.
Tien was taken aback, not expecting forgiveness. but Yamcha wasn't finished. "But next tournament, I expect a rematch, deal?"
Now Tien knew what he would say. "Of course!"
Roshi decided to change the topic. "So what will you do now? Three years is a long time until the next tournament. You can stay with me if you wish, just have to put up with Launch's terrible cooking."
"I heard that!" Launch said angrily, everyone flinched.
"I appreciate the offer." Tien said politely, "But even though we went against Shen, we can't switch schools, we'll find a home somewhere."
Roshi nodded understandingly "As you wish." Then turned to everyone. "Anyway, why don't we take advantage of the local cuisine and celebrate your victory with a feast!"
"SOUNDS GREAT!" Everyone chanted, even Gine. For she could still never turn down a free meal. Then Roshi turned to Tien and Chiaotzu.
"You two can join us if you want." He offered.
Tien looked surprised and delighted. "Sure! But on one condition: that I treat."
They were all taken aback by his generosity. To pay for them all? Even two hungry Saiyans?
"That's very kind of you, Tien. But there is no need for that." Roshi said warmly.
"Nonsense!" Said Tien. "I wish to treat you all after such a taxing but amazing tournament. And besides, the prize money is mine to do as I please, right?" He added playfully.
"Hmmm, very well then. It's a deal!" Said Roshi.
"Guess you got to spend your quarter of a million zeni afterall!" Krillin joked to Kakarot.
Even Gine inwardly poked fun at Tien's foolhardy offer to pay. Feeding two hungry Saiyans will be quite a nasty surprise.
They all started to walk towards the direction of a different restaurant they would dine at. Gine walked with Kakarot beside her and Tien not too far beside Kakarot. It then became apparent to Gine that after Tien had apologized for everything he had done, she felt like she ought to say something too. She wasn't sure by the way Tien looked at her that he thought the same thing, so she started to feel a little uncomfortable as they walked in almost complete silence.
When they arrived at the restaurant a few minutes later, Kakarot stopped as he suddenly remembered something. "Wait! I forgot my Power Pole! I left it at the stadium, I'll be right back."
Kakarot turned to go but Krillin stopped him. "Don't worry Kakarot, I'll get it." He offered.
Her son was still not convinced. "No, it's something I should look after."
"No, no. I'll get it Kakarot. It's no big deal. You fought so hard today, and you deserve to rest, have fun, and a wonderful feast!" Krillin insisted. "I didn't do anything today, so I'll get it for you, okay? I already know where it is."
Kakarot thought for a long moment, still wishing to go. But relented in the end.
"Oh alright, we'll wait until you get back, okay?!" Kakarot said.
"Sounds good! I'll be back soon!" Krillin said, smiling. He then ran off back to where they came. For some reason Gine found peculiar, Kakarot starred after him for a long while until he disappeared from view.
Gine had just got settled into her seat and they all agreed to wait for Krillin to show up to eat, as she was painfully taught by Gohan to be good manners among humans. She figured it was dumb etiquette, but could see how it could make sense to a Saiyan if one ate all the food before his or her comrade came in. Would be a very rude thing to do indeed.
Tien sat next to her at the edge of the table while Kakarot sat on her other side, looking off into the distance.
Gine fidgeted with the silverware as she glanced up at Tien every now and then, unsure how she would-
"Er, Mrs.?" Tien said to her.
Gine looked at Tien somewhat affrightedly that he addressed her.
Tien looked away briefly, as if unsure what to say. Then said, "I would like to apologize to you about all the grief I and my former master caused you over your son."
Gine was taken aback by this, thinking she should apologize to him first. But, she smiled at him though.
"It's alright." She said softly, then figured she might as well too. "If anything, I should apologize to you about hurting your rib."
Tien looked at her with gentleness and understanding. "That's alright too. If anything I deserve it for serving such a horrible person as him..." He said, almost angrily.
Gine shook her head. "No, no, no. Don't beat yourself up over it." She said. She then realized it sounded like something Gohan would say to her whenever she talked of her previous life. Come to think of it, she still beat herself up over it today. And wasn't sure if she should be saying the same to Tien.
She dropped that train of thought before it spiraled into a rabbit hole, and smiled a friendly smile. "The past is the past now." Also something Gohan would say, but went with it.
Tien took in her words and smiled too. "You're right. The past is the past." Then extended his hand to her. "Thank you, er… I'm sorry, but, what is your name?"
"Gine." She said as she shook Tien's hand.
"Nice to meet you, Gine." Tien said, formal introducing himself.
"Nice to meet you too, Tien." She replied.
"Kakarot is your son, yes?" He asked.
"Indeed he is." Gine answered.
Tien chuckled, "Then I guess I see how he gets his strength. You truly are his martial arts partner?"
"Well, sort of." Gine answered, "Roshi is his formal teacher, he just learned it from me and Gohan here." She pointed toward him.
Gohan bowed towards Tien, he returned the gesture.
"I've heard of you, Master Son Gohan." Tien said.
"Oh you have?" He replied.
Tien affirmed and proceeded to tell how he heard of Gohan's exploits as a martial artist when he was younger, then turning to martial arts in general as they waited for Krillin to return.
Gine liked the chitchat, but didn't want to talk too much about how strong she was when they fought or her and Kakarot's Saiyan heritage. So she and Gohan answered as best they could without opening more questions from Tien.
A half hour had passed and Krillin still didn't return yet. They all started to wonder aloud what was taking him so long. He may have gotten lost or sidetracked, but either way, Tien said they could eat if they want and will save a dish for Krillin when he returned.
Kakarot looked disturbed, sitting by Gine and not even touching all the food that was brought out to him.
Now something was really wrong. Kakarot NEVER turned down food even when he wasn't hungry.
"Kakarot?" She asked gingerly as she put her hand on his shoulder.
He suddenly bolted up, "KRILLIN!" He screamed. Then he leapt off his chair and dashed for the door.
"Kakarot?!" Gine shouted after him. Now she was beyond worried.
She got up and chased after him. Everyone was shocked by this upset and unsure what to make of her son's sudden behavior, but they all got up as well and followed behind her.
Gine made it out onto the street, trying to catch up with Kakarot but he was far ahead of her with a head start.
Suddenly Gine heard a cry in the distance. One she had become far too familiar from her planet purging days. The cry of someone being murdered.
Gine's heart pounded, a dread sinking in when she suspected who that cry belonged too. And prayed as she ran that it wasn't true.
She rounded a corner towards the tournament grounds and then stopped.
Gine gasped and held her hands to her mouth in shock and sorrow.
Kakarot knelt beside Krillin laying on the floor, dead.
And that's where we are going to be leaving things for right now!
Thank you for being so patient with me in getting these chapters out, and hopefully this chapter (and saga) wasn't too long. But now onto the next one where things really begin to pick up as Gine must now confront the new threat of King Piccolo!
See you next chapter!