Judging solely on looks, the mechanical giant towering before Raspin seemed impossible to topple. Gritting his teeth, all the borderline horrific trials of the Turtle School's training regimen flashed back to him, and his confident grin never faltered. He liked to consider overcoming challenges as his specialty, and at the end of the day, Corset's malefic machine would be just another stone on his path to the throne of the universe's strongest warrior.

With a mighty battle cry, he launched himself from the ground, heading right for the cockpit, his fist reared back.

The machine acted fast. Raspin wasn't sure how an untrained man like Corset could process his own speeds, but he nonetheless defensively raised the gatling gun before the cockpit. The martial artist's punch landed against the metal, and it painfully bounced off. Raspin hissed in pain, but ignored the sting and flipped away from gun. Landing a short distant away on a single foot, Raspin immediately sprung back and slammed his knee into the mech's chassis. It didn't so much as budge.

"Damn!" Raspin spat, retreating once more as the mech swung it's missile launcher in an attempt to swat him away. When Raspin landed for a second time, Corset trained his gatling gun right on the martial artist's chest.

Gasping, Raspin folded both arms before him and stood his ground. The gun's barrel spun around like a tornado, spitting out a rain of tiny, magenta energy bullets. They made no lasting damage, but Raspin couldn't have denied they stung like hell.

As he felt his defenses being chipped away and saw no break in the machine's attack, Raspin threw himself to the side, right out of the gun's path, the tightly packed earth where he had just been standing instantly chewed up by the incoming storm of energy bullets. Corset tried to place Raspin right back into the line of fire, but Raspin acted on his feet.

He flipped and jumped, weaving and flying between trees and rocks to help soak up the incoming damage. While he was still clipped by a stray bullet or two, he still avoided the brunt of the fire.

"Stay still!" Corset's voice boomed from unseen speaker's on the machine with a galvanic reverb, "I won't kill you! I'm just going to incapacitate you and take that ball of your hands!"

Raspin doubted that, but couldn't catch enough breath to toss a out a few snappy comebacks. Corset never ceased firing. A full minute passed, but the young scientist never managed to land any more clean shots. Bullet after bullet burst against the ground, leaving a plume of unset dirt lingering in the air. Raspin hid in the plume, back against a rock. The black dirt filled the air until it was against both sides of the canyon, providing more than adequate cover. He peaked his head of cover, listening carefully for the heavy stomps the machine would surely produce.

All he heard was a low, high whistle. He had watched enough classic war movies with Kash and Krillin to know what the sound was. Heart thumping against his chest, he retreated to the sky, barely dodging the missile as it imploded against the rock he had been using for cover.

A pink explosion rocked the landscape beneath him, throwing him for a loop and sending him crashing against the wall of the canyon. Bouncing off, gravity ensured he landed roughly back against the ground. Coughing and gasping, he stared up at the mecha as it swiveled to meet him, missile-launcher still smoking.

"How did you…?!"

"See you through that dust? Its called a radar, you stupid hillbilly." Corset boomed through the speakers, "Not only can I sense your energy, but I can also pick up your heat signature."

"Thanks. Now I know lowering my ki would be a moot point." Raspin said. He was grumbling, but the excitement was still pumping throughout his body, and his bright smile hadn't dimmed in the slightest, "At least, for now."

Corset put his sights back on Raspin, using his gatling to try and blast him to his knees. Raspin had already taken off, gliding along the wall of the canyon with the bullets chewing at the rock trailing just under his feet. Corset pursued, jets blasting azure fire from the mech's back as it took off after him.

"Just give up and hand over the ball!" Corset cried, Raspin flying lower to avoid his shots.

Growing tired of the charade, the young president fired his second missile. Raspin heard the projectile long before it hit. Breaking suddenly, he slammed his feet against the canyon wall, launching himself away from the blast zone. Hitting the other side of the canyon, he pin-balled himself right back at Corset. He slammed an elbow into the mech's windscreen, throwing the entire machine for a loop. As the round machine spun in the air in an attempt to right itself, it quickly brandished it's weapons back towards the martial artist, only to find he was nowhere in sight.

Gasping and gaping, Corset's quick eyes raced across his displays laid out before him. Nothing on the forward radar. Nothing on the motion. No ki readings, and no heat signatures beside's his Crusher's twin-ion engine. Corset flew his mech higher, casting his radar all over the canyon and even further beyond, but caught no sight of Raspin.

"Where the hell did you go?!"

"Take a wild guess, egghead."

Corset couldn't react fast enough. Quick-witted as he was, he barely had enough time to process Raspin's voice as coming from atop his mech before his ki radar was blaring in protest.

In just a few short moments, Raspin raised his ki from so low it blended with Corset's own readings to all the power it would take to reduce a mountain into pebbles. As his white aura flared around him, he slammed both hands against the top of the machine and released two massive orange ki beams. A blast shortly followed, and from out of the black smoke left in it's wake the mech tumbled back into the canyon, landing like a satellite knocked out of orbit. Buried halfway into the rocky earth, Raspin was free to follow up his attack.

Bastard as he was, he didn't want to murder Corset. He saw the mech's legs thrash as it free itself from it's half-burial. If it was still standing after what he just threw at it, it would certainly be sturdy enough to take his next attack - although, Raspin doubted it'd still be functional after it.

A vein on Raspin's forehead throbbed in exertion. His aura flared all the higher, and he cupped both hands together.

"Kamehame…HAAA!"

The moment the mech unearthed itself, Raspin unleashed his full fury down into the canyon. A fierce white-blue light filled the canyon for the duration of the attack. Raspin felt resistance against the beam, and pushed down all the harder.

With a beastly roar, he mustered up every scrap of his strength and forced it outwards. He felt the resistance crumble, and a moment later, his beam detonated. The fierce blue of his attack shined up from the canyon, making it look like a blue hellscape for just a few moments. As the light faded, smoldering rock spat black clouds weakly into the air. Smiling to himself, Raspin floated down to meet the defunct mecha, still at the center of the dark smog. It was slouched over, knees bent. It's screen was cracked, and sparks shot from it's joints.

"Hmm. Sorry, Corset. That might've affected the resale value, huh?"

Silence. For all the shit the scientist talked, his precious mech breaking down was enough to shut him up. Chuckling victoriously, Raspin tapped his finger against the cockpit, like Corset was a measly goldfish in a cheap bowl.

Still, silence. It was at that point Raspin began to worry.

"H-hey! Are you okay in there?!"

All the sweet adrenaline and the high of his victory began to fade from his body. Panic and guilt began to set in. He banged his fist against the mech's round body, nervous sweat mingling with his sweat of exertion.

"Shit… no, no, no! Did I kill him?!"

His answer came at once, but offered him no relief. The machine's joints whined, spitting out a shower of sparks. Raspin jumped back in shock, but Corset still had time to slap the martial artist away with it's missile launcher. Flying back, Raspin bounced off the canyon floor and crashed into one of it's walls. He barely had time to stand before the mech was back on him, slamming him with a fierce kick. The dark-haired youth crossed his arms to defend himself, but the force of the blow sent him soaring out of the canyon.

Raspin righted himself in the air, watching as the mech recklessly pursed him, leaving a trail of black smoke in the air behind it. With gatling already spinning, Raspin was forced to retreat deeper into Mount Paozu.

The pain flared as the bullets flew. They peppered his legs and back, leaving small holes burned through his gi. Flying lower, Raspin took to weaving through a bamboo forest. The mech was right behind him, smashing through the foliage with ease.

When a bullet bit into his shoulder, Raspin was sent veering off course. He smashed through a tree, rolling down a hill before finally dunking right into a river. The cool water nipped at his skin, and he could see clouts of his own blood floating around him.

A large, carnivorous fish swarm towards him. While most would feel some measure of fear in his current situation, Raspin was just suddenly reminded of his empty belly, and wondered how the fish would taste fried up with some butter and fresh herbs. The fish underwent similar gluttonous thoughts when it saw Raspin. It dove towards him for an easy lunch, but all it succeeded in doing was to getting ripped apart by the incoming bullet storm.

Undeterred, Raspin blasted out from the water, droplets streaming from his wet hair and uniform. Of course, the mech tirelessly pursued him skyward. Gritting his teeth, he swerved out of the way to avoid Corset's charge.

"This bastard just doesn't know when to quit...!" Raspin spat in irritation, almost commending him for his determination.

Another missile came biting at Raspin's heels, and he answered in turn. He was flying straight up, very little room to evade the rocket – but another plan suddenly popped into his mind.

Slamming both palms together, he exerted his ki into the air beneath his feet, launching a kiai shockwave towards to the missile. The force failed to detonate it, but was sufficient in sending it spiraling off course.

And, just as Raspin hoped, sent it's head crashing right into it's sender. Another magenta explosion rocked Corset's mech, and it finally was sent careening back to the ground. It impacted like a meteor, snapping past the thick walls of bamboo and leaving a crater in it's wake.

Raspin breathed out a long sigh of relief, seeing the mech's limbs had snapped off in the impact. He still descended with caution, just in the case of the thing had another trick or two hidden away in it's steel body. When the metal lump made no further movement but exhaling thick smoke and bursting with oil and sparks, Raspin made his move. He jumped atop it's body, slipping his fingers under the ajar cockpit. With a grunt, he pried the thing open as easily as an oyster, fully expecting to find Corset huddled up in fear.

Instead, all he uncovered was an empty seat.

Gaping like a beached fish, Raspin ducked in to investigate where the hell the scientist had gone. All the levers, switches and radars didn't make a lick of sense to him. Fortunately, there was a cracked screen at the center of the dashboard that let him know the mech had been set to autopilot.

"Autopilot? But when did he slip out?!" Raspin demanded as if the machine would answer him, punching the screen in out of frustration. It splintered ynd went black, electric sparks crackling from it's busted frame.

It didn't make a lick of sense. How did Corset manage to slip out of the mech without him seeing? Grinding his teeth together, Raspin thought back…

Then it dawned on him. Back to when he fired his kamehameha down into the canyon, and the thick dust cloud that the attack had kicked up. Corset must've used that opportunity to slip out of his mechanical monstrosity.

It had all been a distraction. A cold drop of sweat rolled down his nose as he realized that he had been fighting the mech for a good few minutes while Corset was totally free to run off wherever he pleased.

And he had left his four-star ball just lying right there for him.

Roaring in fury, Raspin let his blistering white aura consume him. He blasted off from the cockpit, racing back towards the canyon at top speed, propelled by sheer fury.

Corset couldn't stop himself from bursting out into a stupid grin as he raced away atop his jetbike, the glimmering orange orbs in the pocket of his lab coat serving as the testimony his victory. He felt like gloating, but with no one to listen, he settled on laughing madly to himself.

He could already picture the eternal dragon rising from all seven the shimmering little orbs. He could already see the mountains of zeni that awaited him, and all that came with it - the prestige, the fame, and the women.

Something interrupted his indulgent fantasies. The glare from the afternoon sun glared past his spectacles and blinded his right eye. Grunting, he squeezed it shut. The light just grew all the more intense. When the he felt the heat rise, he knew something was wrong. He hit his breaks, just barely avoiding the incoming blast from smoking him. Thrown from his seat by the sheer force of the impact, he landed roughly a whole yard away, cradling his bruised side. Coughing and gasping, he couldn't stop the dragon balls that had rolled out of his pocket from rolling away from him.

Scooting his glasses back on his face, he crawled through the dry grass after the balls. They came to halt, and he reached out a shaky hand to scoop them back up.

His heart dropped as the black boot came crashing in front of him.

Squeaking out a pathetic cry, Corset hobbled back and stared up in horror. It wasn't the martial artist he had stolen the ball from – two familiar figures, one short and hunched and the other tall and imposing.

From out of the blinding glare of the sun, he saw there faces sneer down at him. The tall one was a majin, his gummy crimson body shaped into a stack of tight muscles. A single antenna hung in front of his sneering face, his wicked grin and cruel white eyes driving ice into Corset's soul.

"Master. I do good?" the brute grunted, giddily tugging at the black vest hung over his broad shoulders.

"Yes, Zam. You did very good."

The majin's grin stretched all the wider, far wider than anything a human could ever pull off. Cackling, he pounded two fists against his chest and danced around in a happy little circle. While the red demon was busy prancing, the second figure floated closer.

He was a shrunken creature, a cyan face crested with age. He gave his wizardly beard a few strokes and stared longingly at the dragon balls below. From the depths of his dull yellow robes, he extended a long, boney finger and flicked it into the air. On que, the two balls were enveloped by an eerie green aura, rising in the and swallowed up in the same over-sized sleeve that had produced the emaciated hand.

"Ahh, I must thank you, Corset. I'm sure my dear Zam could've reduced that machine of yours to scrap, but it was so much easier just to wait until you had wrecked it yourself. It was only a matter of time, what with that rotten attitude of yours. Not only that, but you've found a new dragon ball for me! Truly, I'm grateful."

Corset remained tight-lipped, knowing even the even the slightest of insults could've ended with Zam splattering him all across Mount Pazou as easily as jam across toast. Grinning wickedly, the wizard extended another bony hand down at him.

"The radar, if you don't mind... I'll track the rest down from here."

Without hesitation, Corset pulled out his radar, throwing it over to the wizard. He left it hovering with his mystic arts for a long moment, stroking his long beard as he telepathically activated the little gadget. Satisfied it was the real deal, he pocketed it and waved a goodbye down at Corset.

"Smart boy. You've defied my will once before, but thanks to your cooperation in this regard, I'll let your transgressions slide. However, make no mistake, boy. Don't take my kindness for weakness. If you cross me again... Zam, could you provide a demonstration?"

Zam roared joyously, directing his palm towards Corset's upturned jetbike. The majin fired off an intense red ki ray, which ripped right through the machine and left it a flaming heap of a scrapmetal.

The wizard chuckled down as he drank in Corset's horrified face. He placed a hand on his still grinning lackey's shoulder.

"Come, Zam. Let us be off. We have work to do, and there's no time to waste pissing about here-"

Bathed in ivory fire, a new fighter dove from the sky, slamming a fist right into Zam's cheek. It sent the crimson majin flying back, colliding with the wizard and sending both of them sprawling onto their backs.

"That ball is mine." Raspin snarled out, floating back to his feet, fist still outstretched, "If you think I'd let some pile of gum and dusty old coot take it, you'd better think harder."

Zam hopped upright. His skin couldn't have flushed any redder, but his anger was more than shown as steam blasted from small orifices all across his body, sounding not too unlike a tea-kettle. Groaning in pain, the wizard floated back into the air in turn, popping his sore spine and staring curiously at Raspin.

" A meddlesome little snot, aren't you?" the wicked wizard spat venomously, wiping the grass from off his robes.

"If nothing else," Raspin chuckled, shifting into an offensive stance, "Now give me back that dragon ball before things get messy."

"Oh, my dear, ignorant boy," the wizard sighed as if he were teacher scolding a neglectful student, folding each hand into an opposite sleeve, "Nothing in life can be accomplished without dirtying your hands a bit. Zam? Teach him a harsh lesson. Pain is not something one soon forgets."

As all the more steam billowed out of Zam's body, he unleashed a roar that sent the very ground trembling. He blasted towards Raspin, who barely had time to raise up a forearm to defend himself from the incoming punch. Immediately upon impact, Raspin felt needles of pain shoot down his arm as it was shaken to the bone.

The vicious majin gave the martial artist no time to recover. Laughing like a madman, he swung his head around, smacking Raspin across the face with his antennae. As Raspin stumbled back, he just managed to catch the sight of Zam charging a blast.

Raspin sprung into the air, avoiding the burning ki and watched as it passed under his feet. He soon came to regret the lapse in focus. Quicker than his large, gooey frame would suggest, Zam zipped right above Raspin's head. Taking advantage of his odd physiology, the crimson demon wound his leg all the way around his hip twice, then just as swiftly let it unfurl. The tip of Zam's boot came right into contact with his foe's back, sending him rocketing back into the dirt.

Managing to spin himself around and land on his hands and knees, Raspin sprang up as quickly as he could. He felt Zam plant his feet right behind him. Acting fast, Raspin ducked under a powerful chop aimed right at his neck. Still crouched, Raspin slammed a kick right into the majin's left ankle. It caved in, throwing Zam off balance.

The martial artist didn't waste the opportunity. He straightened his back, mustering up all his strength as he let loose a flurry of vicious uppercuts right into Zam's gut. Each fist made the majin gasp and let loose a bit of spittle, and every time Raspin cocked his fist back and let the other fly, he left an imprint in his wake.

Raspin finished the combo with a roundhouse right to Zam's temple, compressing both his antenna and the side of his face. Watching the majin crumble to the ground, groaning in agony, Raspin couldn't help being overcome by the high of victory.

"Heh. How'd you like that?"

Mockingly, Zam ceased his moaning and grinned up at Raspin with the undamaged side of his face.

"Can I have some more?"

Raspin's bravado was shattered almost immediately, and the look of aghast horror on his face made his whole ordeal all the sweeter to Zam.

The majin slowly trudged back up, his gooey crimson flesh popping back into it's proper place. In no time at all, his monstrous face returned to it's full terrifying glory. And as if to sprinkle further salt into Raspin's wounded pride, Zam placed his thumb into his mouth, blowing on the digit with puffed cheeks. His stomach expanded like a balloon for just a moment, but quickly deflated back to it's chiseled state, free of any of the punch marks that Raspin had left behind.

"You're... kidding me..."

Zam's wizardly master floated some distance away, but his howls of laughter rang tauntingly in Raspin's ears all the same.

"You stupid ingrate." the wizard cried, his robes flapping wildly in the afternoon winds, "That won't work on my precious Zam."

Raspin grit his teeth, starting to feel the pressure set in. Zam craned his neck to the side, grinning and bearing down on him like a crazed, starving predator about to rip into a juicy meal. Even with all the chips stacked against him, Raspin had but one thought on his mind.

"Well... this is going to make things more interesting."

"You moron!"

Raspin blinked, confused, then turned his attention to Corset, hardly realizing the scientist was still hanging around. He was hidden behind a rock some distance away, calling out with the aid of a megaphone.

"Majins are highly resistant to physical trauma! Just smacking him around like a stupid caveman won't get you anywhere!"

"Hey, why don't you get your scrawny ass out here and help me? Maybe then you can start lecturing me on how to fight!"

"Like hell I will! You two neanderthals can duke it out until the cows come home!"

"Oh, screw you, four-eyes! I wouldn't even be in this mess in the first place if you hadn't stolen my dragon ball!"

Corset and Raspin began trading a long series of insults and provocations from across the fields outside of Mount Pazou. The wicked wizard only stared in disbelief. His majin lackey, on the other hand, was much less amused. He saw Raspin's lack of investment in their fight as an insult - that the martial artist thought him a weak pushover. Steam billowed from the holes along the demon's chest and head with a low whistle. He ground his fangs together, his cold white eyes starting to burn with fury.

"ZAM IS STILL HERE, DUMBASS!"

The booming roar nearly knocked Raspin off his feet. Laughing sheepishly, he returned his attention to the battle at hand.

"Yeesh. Sorry, sorry..."

Still blasting steam, Zam cocked back his fist. Raspin readied himself to intercept a blast that never came. The majin threw his fist forward, his arm stretching out thanks to it's gummy, elastic structure. Even at a distance of a few yards, the knuckles connected with Raspin's cheek at full force, sending him reeling.

"S-shit!"

Zam threw himself right back into the fray the instant his arm snapped back into it's proper shape. Raspin was just as quickly back on the offensive, blasting forward and throwing a fierce, flying knee at the majin. Zam blocked with his forearm, and rebounding, Raspin and Zam exchanged a storm of earth-shaking blows.

A fierce kick to the shin and a wild haymaker from Zam knocked Raspin back, blood rushing from the corner of his mouth. He crashed into a boulder, groaning in pain as he was embedded within. Pushing himself up from the fresh gravel, he was meet by the bone-chilling site of Zam dashing towards his position, leaving a large footprint punched into the earth with every titanic stomp.

He hardly had time to think up a counterattack. If his fists didn't work, he'd have to use ki. Sitting up, he shot three burning yellows blasts at the majin, who sequentially knocked them out of the air with the most casual of ease, not even slowing in his mad dash.

He was only a few yards away, and Raspin had only the fraction of a second to react. Thinking on his feet, he charged another blast in his hand. Zam was already raising his forearm, expecting it to come flying at his face.

Instead, Raspin shot it at his own feet.

What followed was a short explosion, launching smoke, dirt, and smoking chunks of rock flying every direction. Both Corset and the wicked wizard were forced to shield themselves as the debris flew. Zam seemed no less deterred, and while nonetheless slowed a bit, he rushed into the dust cloud and slammed a punch at Raspin's position all the same.

To his overwhelming frustration, the majin felt nothing but pebbles and dirt cave underneath his knuckles. He yanked his fist out, looking in every direction to see just where the martial artist had vanished to.

"COME OUT! COWARD!" Zam bellowed to the heavens. His overwhelming voice sent the dust blowing away, and made pebbles along the ground bounce up and down.

Zam's withered master was no fighter by any means, but he did have a baseline understanding of ki, and could sense the power of others well enough. He searched the battlefield as Zam went wild, randomly firing off blasts in rage, and couldn't find Raspin anywhere. His energy was still present, however. Close to Zam, and swelling rapidly.

Gaping, the wizard finally understood.

"Zam, you fool! He blasted a hole in the ground after you smacked him into the rock! He's below-"

His master's warning were lost to Zam. Like a lively zombie, Raspin burst from the ground with a blue, glowing orb cupped between his palms. The majin was too blinded by fury and frustration to react in time.

"Kamehameha!"

Raspin practically rammed the blast into Zam's face. With a deafening boom and muted scream, Zam's entire upper body was consumed by blinding blue light. When the flash finally died down, a pair of legs and smoking waist were all that was left of the majin.

Huffing and puffing, Raspin calmly began dusting off his gi and knocking the dirt from his hair. He stared vitriolically at the wizard still floating a safe distance away, "Majins can regenerate, can't they? Get him out of here before I finish the job."

The wizard just snickered with a low wheeze, "Sorry. But that won't be enough to put Zam down."

It was only at that point did a pang of nervousness slither through Raspin's body. Zam's fangs were bore, angry veins popping up around his steam-spewing body. Zam's violent aura manifested, a dark shade of pink that danced like wisps of fire around his trembling body. Raspin jumped back, raising his guard – Zam's attention was on his master, however.

"Master... permission to kill?"

The wizard snorted, beady eyes narrowing, "Fine. I have a feeling that kids gonna be a thorn in our side… just make it quick."

The violent energy was suffocating. The rage. The hate. Raspin couldn't remember the last time he had felt an energy like it – it wasn't vile and evil like some evil bastard's. It was primal. Like a wild beast. And for the first time in a long while, Raspin felt an icy chill fill his blood. Zam's back straightened, towering over Raspin, striding purposefully forward.

Raspin reacted in the only way he could. He jumped forward, throwing a fist right at Zam's face. The majin caught his wrist easily, and before Raspin could even think about pulling himself away, he was lifted into the air and brutally slammed into the ground.

Not giving Raspin a second to recover, the majin slammed his foot into Raspin's unguarded side. Several sickening snaps sounded off as the young martial artist's ribs were shattered. A hoarse cry escaped his lips, and the force of the kick sent him flying.

Zam wasn't finished yet. His great maw hung open, jaw unhinging, and with a bone-chilling roar, he fired a massive pink beam from his throat. The beam struck Raspin squarely on the chest. His screams of agony couldn't be heard over the beam's harsh buzz. It plowed him forward, only stopping and detonating when Raspin crashed into a boulder, embedding him in a smoldering pile of rubble.

"Thats what happens… when you piss Zam off." the majin rumbled, clearly pleased with himself.

Corset, knees clattering together, stayed firmly planted out of sight, praying to whatever god would listen to spare him.

Looking relieved the entire affair had been sorted, the wizardly geezer floated over to Zam, laying a bony hand on the majin's shoulder, "Alright, Zam. Exemplary work. Come, lets find the rest of those balls."

Zam snorted, staring towards Corset's obvious hiding spot, "Master. What about the weakling? The chicken?"

"Just leave him… he's no threat. Not anymore."

Corset heard the wind rush as the two took off to parts unknown. Still, it took him a good fifteen minutes to muster the backbone to even check. When he finally did and saw the coast was clear, he breathed the heaviest sigh of relief his lungs could manage. Crawling out from behind his rock, Corset stared at the smoking pile of rubble that served as Raspin's early grave.

The young president couldn't help but felt a bitter guilt for dragging the poor, dead bastard into his wild dragon ball hunt. He never intended for anyone to end up dead. While he had no time to loose, he still felt that he should've at least gave Raspin a proper burial. Hustling over, to the body, he could only stare blankly down at it.

Raspin's top had been almost completely blown off, the knees of his pants scrapped into tatters. His head was buried in rock, with some wild tufts of hair poking out from between the loose bits. His body, caked in burns and bruises, was still smoking from the blast Zam sent his way.

"Ah, shit." Corset grumbled, half out of disgust, half out of pity. He quickly struck a cigarette and took a long drag to calm his nerves. After his hands were somewhat steadied, he reached down to brush away the rubble over Raspin's face.

He nearly shat his sweatpants when the supposed cadaver's own hand shot up in turn, seizing him by the wrist. Yelping, Corset accidentally swallowed his cigarette and began coughing up puffs of smoke. Still caught by the wrist, he could only watch in horror as Raspin's bloodied, scowling face rose from the shattered stone.

"Give me one reason I shouldn't grind you into a pulp, four-eyes."

"H-h-h-how about you still need your dragon ball back, and those psychos nabbed my radar?!"

Sourly, Raspin released his grip on Corset's wrist as he was still trying to pull himself away. The scientist stumbled back, landing roughly on ass. Still injured, Raspin struggled back to his feet, cradling his fractured rib-cage.

"You could've killed me with that stupid mech, y'know."

"It wouldn't have killed you. Those bullets and missiles were automatically adjusted to match your power level so they'd just knock you out. And like I said, I was doing it for your own protection." Corset spat, getting back to his feet, "Those two asshats are after the dragon balls, just like me. And you witnessed it first hand, didn't you? They don't have as many qualms about killing as I do."

"I could've handled that majin bastard if I was fresh." Raspin protested.

Corset looked far from convinced, "Could you now? Even if that was true, would you be able to stop the majin's master afterwards? We have no idea how strong his magic is, but its gotta be considerable if he's able to control that Zam monster. He's much more brutal than any of the majins I've met."

Raspin stayed silent for a long moment, lost on what to do. Even more than the pain racking his body, his heart stung at both the taste of defeat and the agony of loss.

"I don't give a shit about any eternal dragon or magic wish. My Master Krillin took me in and raised me like his own son... that four-star ball was something important to him, and he entrusted it to me. I won't be able to face him again, knowing that I let get nicked by evil bastards like those two..."

"... look, I'm sorry I attacked you. I just really, really needed that ball, and I didn't have much time to get it. I'll readily admit it; my wish is far from altruistic. But I can't imagine whatever those guys have cooking up would be any better."

"Are you making a proposal?"

"Well, you did destroy my mech. I've brought a whole bunch of weapons, but nothing to protect my body. I broke the bank on it, and you went and wrecked it." Corset grumbled out, wiping a few strands of sweaty hair from his forehead, "You want your ball back, and I want my wish. I can't get it back without any muscle, and you can't track them down without my radar. Logically, there's only one option for us to take, yeah?"

"Didn't you give that wizard dude the radar? I thought I saw you handing it over right before I jumped in."

An impish smirk crossing his lips, Corset brought the radar out of his pocket, making Raspin's heavy eyelids lift just a bit.

"That was a simple dud I constructed in the case he corners me." the scientist snickered with a heavy load of pride in his tone, "It should give him false readings, but it won't fool him forever… so, are you in or out?"

Corset extended down an open, friendly hand to Raspin, still lying defeated in the shattered stone. Grumbling with anger and pain, Raspin shakily freed himself and slapped Corset's hand away.

"We ain't gonna be all buddy-buddy about this. You help me get my ball back, and I'll help you get your stupid wish. Purely business."

The Capsule Corp president slid out of the way as Raspin stumbled forward, nearly crumbling over under the weight of his injuries.

"Hey, hey. You alright there?"

"Aside from the cracked ribs and mild concussion? Peachy." Raspin wheezed out, taking a moment to compose himself, "Now, lets hurry up and get my dragon ball back."

Afternoon sunlight raced across Corset's glasses as he pushed them further up. With the slyness in his smirk only matches by the twinkle in his eye, the scientist snickered and gingerly patted Raspin's hunched shoulder.

"I have a feeling this is the start to a fruitful partnership, my friend."

Raspin let his grimace slide ever more down his cheeks. Somehow, he doubted things would roll that smoothly.