Chapter Fiftynine: Sacred Water

Thunder cracked and roared, bathing the inside of the tower in white light. The sound of rain pouring down upon them was deafening. Yamcha didn't know quite what to say.

'Three years?' he asked, hoping he'd heard wrong.

Lightning shattered the sky above as Korin said nothing for a moment. The sacred water flask suddenly seemed almost ominous, hanging there on his staff. His three fingers were like an executioners guillotine.

'It really took that long for the Turtle Hermit to do it?' asked Yamcha, hopes sinking.

'That's right.' said Korin 'Now how long do you think it's going to take you.' And then he started laughing.

'This isn't funny!' said Yamcha 'My friends are going to die if I don't get that flask!' He remembered Tao, looming over the corpse of Bora. Of Upa burying his father with his own hands. Of a lone mound where once there had been a living man. He thought of Bulma and Kakarot, held prisoner.

He didn't have time for this. No, he had to make time. 'I'm going to get that water from you no matter what it takes, Korin!'
Korin said nothing as thunder rolled again. Then he yawned again and began wiping his eyes. 'The rain always makes me sleepy…' He pointed to his staff. 'The bottle will be right here whenever you want it, so just let me know. And try not to worry so much, three years can go by pretty quickly.'

And he turned to walk away. Then Yamcha had an idea, one he'd picked up from Kakarot on the road. As Korin turned to walk away he tensed himself for a spring. Then he leaped forward and landed in front of Korin, before cartwheeling away, leaving behind an afterimage. Leaping to and fro he created image after image around the cat.

'What's the matter Korin?' asked Yamcha 'Can't find the real me?!'

'Ah, the old afterimage technique.' said Korin. He chuckled and took a stance. Then he surged forward to the wrong one. 'Looks like I found the right one here…'

He had him. Yamcha surged forward, grabbing for the staff. Only to pass right through Korin's afterimage and narrowly avoid colliding face first with the floor. Korin laughed again.

'Thanks for the entertainment kid,' he said 'that was fun. Good night.'

And he walked off.

'Get back here!' snapped Yamcha 'We're not done yet!'

And he followed after him, only to realize just how tired he really was. He hadn't eaten anything in two days, and his legs were all wobbly, as he staggered down the stairs. All the strain took its toll as his stomach growled.

'Ah,' said Korin by his bed 'that reminds me, I haven't eaten anything in five years. Why don't we grab some lunch? I know just the thing.'

Korin produced a fish from his fridge and began to cook it on a grill. As he did so the rain stopped and the sun came out. It became warmer as the cat hummed to himself. Yamcha tried to keep his hunger from showing, but it was difficult.

'Lunch is ready!' called Korin.

'Finally,' said Yamcha, approaching.

'Here you go, enjoy!' said Korin, tossing Yamcha a bean.

Yamcha caught it. 'You're not serious. A single bean? Look if you don't want to put me up I can go hunt something down below.'

'One is all you need.' said Korin, who was already picking his teeth after finishing the fish. 'It's a senzu bean. Just one will keep you full for at least ten days. But you have to eat it first.' He sipped his tea.

Experimentally Yamcha chewed it up and eat it. Instantly he felt absolutely full, stuffed even. Yet he still felt strange.

'You feel lightheaded and weak,' said Korin 'but hunger isn't your problem. At this altitude, the air is much thinner than you're used to so all that wasted energy you're throwing around is bringing you back down. See, you should move like you speak: With purpose and clear direction. Commit your mind and focus, distraction is the route of all failure.'

He walked past Yamcha and held in his hand the bag Yamcha had been carrying with the dragonball in it. 'What's this garbage? Then why keep it around.'

'No wait!' said Yamcha 'That has my dragonball in it!'

Korin threw it off the tower. In a panic Yamcha leaped off it, scurrying down the tower as quickly as possible to try and retrieve it. Getting down took him well into the hours of sunset and after he'd found the ball and scurried back up it was night. A whole day wasted.

Or was it? Yamcha was beginning to think that Korin was putting on an act of some kind.

He pulled himself back up into the tower and saw Korin sleeping. 'Look Korin, this isn't garbage! It's a dragonball and if the Red Ribbon Army got their hands on it it would be a big deal!'

Korin said nothing.

'Hey!' snapped Yamcha 'I'm talking to you Korin!'

Korin did not answer. He seemed fast asleep, the staff in his grip, the flask still hanging from it. The flask, it was right there. He could take it. Yamcha reached out and then stopped. He did not think that all this was for nothing. Korin must have known how serious all this was.

'No,' he said, drawing back his hand. 'not like this. I'll pass his test the right way.'

Then, exhausted, he lay down to sleep.

Korin opened his eyes to where Yamcha was now sleeping. 'Well, looks like honesty isn't extinct after all. I haven't been surprised in over six hundred years. This kid is smart, nothing like Roshi.'

As he laughed himself to sleep a shooting star shot across the sky.

The next morning Korin began looking through various ancient scrolls at his desk. The staff was still leaning against one arm, and he was apparently not paying attention. Apparently. Yamcha crept forward using all of his stealth and cunning. As he did so Korin's head began to nod. Now was his chance.

He reached forward, but even as he did so the flask moved beyond his reach. Again he reached and again it was pulled away. He snatched at it again and again and each time just missed it.

'Concentrate,' said Korin 'anticipate my movements. Know my thoughts by reading my breath.'

'What… exactly does that mean?' asked Yamcha.

'Well it wouldn't hurt to think about it.' said Korin, moving the flask to bang him on the head.

And that was how another day of seeking the flask went. Yamcha tried predicting Korin's actions, watching which direction he was going and moving to cut him off. However, Korin began using after images, which made things all the more difficult. Hour by hour, minute by minute time ticked away as Yamcha desperately tried to catch the cat.

He tried in vain.

Night fell away and morning dawned and still, Yamcha tried and failed. Though he tried with all his might both the sacred water and Korin's advice eluded him. Thus the second day passed.

Mercenary Tao was meditating as the sunset outside his open window. As he did so his mind turned the situation over in his head over and over. He had shot Yamcha. He had gotten a direct hit on his heart.

'I know I hit him.' he said 'So how is it that he managed to survive?'

A suspicion came over him, a theory. There was a rumor that dragonballs were indestructible. He'd never put any stock in the idea, but perhaps…

He looked to the bag containing the dragonball and drew it out. Gripping it in one hand he clenched a fist. No matter how hard he squeezed he found he could not break it. Mercenary Tao had found something at long last which he could not destroy.

'Of course.' he said 'The dragonball.' He arose and made his way to the window. 'No matter. I only hope he is enjoying today while he can. For tomorrow…' He trailed off to appreciate the beautiful sunset. He had to admit he loved the way it contrasted against the desert. 'Hah! He will see his last sunrise.'

Puar and Upa had not been idle. As night came on they had been out gathering many flowers to put over the grave of Bora. Puar was impressed at how well Upa was taking this. She'd never have had the same control if Yamcha had died.

'Goodnight Father.' said Upa 'I hope these flowers keep you warm. Please hold on, Yamcha says he can bring you back and I believe him. I miss you so much.'

Puar looked up at the tower sadly. 'Hurry up Yamcha. We need you.'

Yamcha rushed at Korin, who disappeared, and came at him from behind. Yet the cat hit only an afterimage. Yamcha came from behind and swiped at him, only to be knocked flat by the real Korin who was behind him.

Yamcha hit the ground with a three-point landing, gasping for breath. 'I… I can't keep going like this.'

'Then we will retire until tomorrow.' said Korin.

'Will I win?' asked Yamcha.

'Only you know the answer to that question.' said Korin.

Yet as Korin made his way down the stairs he thought to himself: 'His progress is amazing. I haven't been this tired since… ever.'

Yamcha did not sleep well that evening. He dreamed that Upa and Puar were running from an enemy he could neither see or hear. They screamed and called for his help, but he could say nothing, do nothing. All he could do was watch as Mercenary Tao appeared and brought down one foot…

And then there were two more graves with Bora.

He awoke with a start. He was awake and alone. Korin was sleeping on his bed, for once not clutching the staff. Both knew Yamcha wouldn't go for it now.

'Just… just a dream.' said Yamcha, falling backward. 'What am I doing here? Maybe I should just make a run for it and hide under a rock. I don't have three years. No, who am I kidding, they'll track the dragonball. And I can't just give it up.

Oh, how am I supposed to beat the Turtle Hermit's record? It's impossible!' He tried to focus. 'Read his breath. What did Korin mean by that?' He looked at the white cat. Then he looked at the jar which held the present within it. Suddenly curious he arose and drew off the top, before looking into it.

He was looking into a room, an elaborate one, almost a throne room. Bulma had her hands bound and was standing in front of a short red-haired man who was eyeing her. He took out his cigar. 'So this is the great Bulma Briefs who has caused us so much trouble in the past.'

'I'm gonna cause a lot more than that if you don't let me out of these bindings!' snapped Bulma. 'You're not going to get away with this!'

'A lot of people have said that to the Red Ribbon Army.' said a black man in a suit. 'Most of them are dead. If you want to avoid their fate you'd better cooperate.'

'What do you want?' asked Bulma.

'Your skills as an engineer are noted.' said Red 'It's lucky for you that my associate Dr. Gero has a use for you. You will assist him in all his projects without reservation. If you don't comply, I will have your friends, the boy, and the old man, executed.'

'Kakarot and Master Roshi, where are they?!' snapped Bulma.

'Quite safe.' said Red 'Whether they stay that way or not is up to you.'

Bulma did not say anything, but she breathed in. Then the vision faded. Yamcha looked away. 'Aw, man. I can't afford not to win this thing. Know his thoughts by reading his breath…' He looked at Korin and listened. Lying down, he imitated the cat's position. It was a shot in the dark, but he did whatever Korin did to try and get into his mindset.

It wasn't easy, but he had to try.

In the skies above another shooting star crossed the sky.

The morning brought with it a more beautiful sunrise than Yamcha had ever seen. He and Korin went up to the top floor of the tower and faced one another down. Yamcha took a stance and prepared to spring.

'Today is the day Korin.' said Yamcha 'That bottle is mine!'

'Do, don't speak.' said Korin.

Yamcha charged with a cry. Korin backpedaled, narrowly avoiding each of his strikes. Backflipping into the air, Korin kicked off the pillar. 'Focus boy!' he cried as he charged Yamcha.

Yet he hit only an afterimage and soon was on the defensive as Yamcha unleashed a flurry of blows he scarcely avoided. Korin surged away, leaping into the air. Yet Yamcha saw this coming and was right behind him.

Suddenly Korin's grasp on the staff loosened and it fell away. Yamcha was after it in a flash.

'Don't!' cried Korin 'You're going to fall!'

Yamcha caught the staff even as he went over the edge. Reaching out with one leg he caught the railing and held the staff up, triumphant. Pulling himself up he raised the bottle. 'Finally, that took… a lot less time than I thought it would, actually. Can I drink it now?'

'Drink up.' said Korin 'You earned it.'

Uncorking it, Yamcha drank it down quickly. When he did, he did not feel any different. 'It wasn't really about the water was it?'

'Nope.' said Korin 'It's just tap water.'

'I knew it.' Yamcha said.

'See,' said Korin 'you gained strength by working hard to get that bottle. Climbing up and down the tower increased your endurance, learning to anticipate my actions sharpened your mind and stealing that bottle away from me increased your speed. So see, you've tripled your strength since you arrived all by yourself.'

Yamcha smiled. 'Tao isn't going to know what hit him.' He paused. 'Hey, is uh… there any way we can know what Tao is doing right now? So we don't get surprised.'

'Try the jar of the present.' said Korin 'It should react to whatever is most bothering you.'

'Right, thanks.' said Yamcha.

Tao looked at the mirror before him. The new outfit was very nice, even better than the last one. He enjoyed the look of it on him. Still, it was a little tight. 'Good job tailor, though I should cut back on my eggs.'

'Thank you, sir,' said the tailor 'I had to stay up all night to complete it.'

'Whatever,' said Tao 'now I can finish this job and retrieve the last dragonball.' He turned to walk out the door.

'But sir…' said the tailor 'my money…'

'What?' asked Tao. 'Tailor, you desire compensation for the privilege of serving the needs of Tao the great mercenary?'

'A simple token of appreciation.' said the tailor.

'Silence,' said Tao 'I see. I have given you my business and in exchange, you offer me contempt.'

The man's eyes widened.

'That's a bit too pricey.' said Tao. 'You see, people meet my needs freely out of fear. And if I were to pay you it would make me look weak. I can't tolerate that sort of reputation.'

'Please, sir!' said the tailor 'I meant no disrespect! I only ask for what is rightfully mine!'

'Yes,' said Tao 'you have made that clear.'

Then he put a finger through the man's skull. As the foolish tailor fell to the ground dead, Tao turned and walked away. 'I believe I made my… point?'

Yamcha was testing his power, practicing his stances as Korin watched, looking pleased. The white cat came forward. 'Very good, Yamcha. You've learned all that I have to teach you.'

'Thank you, Master Korin.' said Yamcha, standing up straight and bowing.

'Farewell, young man.' said Korin.

'That boy is going to do great things.' mused Korin 'He may even become more powerful than Roshi some day. We'll see.'

As Yamcha began his climb back down Korin Tower, Korin himself looked out across the world to see Mercenary Tao preparing to throw his pillar. Yamcha and Mercenary Tao were racing toward destiny as their final confrontation drew near.

Authors Note:

So did you know that the last episode was actually the end of the season? I'm not even kidding. Anyway I've been having a case of writer's block lately, so this was a bit slower coming out. I'm really looking forward to writing the showdown between Tao and Yamcha though.