Yo! Son Goku and friends! Bibidi Saga (Chapter 10)
Yamcha
Yamcha fumbled around in the laundry for a long while, clock ticking, sun still yet to rise. With a few handy switches, clicks, and firm presses, Yamcha ironed, and took immaculate care of the long white gi in front of him. He smiled before folding up the warm cloth in his hands, pressing it up against his face and taking a deep inhale. The warm scent of cleanly spice tickled its way into his nostrils before a shrill voice came barking at him from behind.
"Hnnnnn~ Ahhh~"
"What are you doing?"
"..! What do you mean what am I doing?"
"You're smelling that gi like you're taking a hit or something."
"Oh buzz off, babe. Everyone takes a hit after they iron."
"..."
"Get off my case." Yamcha fought back with a smile.
"..." Bulma just cheesed, staring back at him.
"What? You seeing someone else in here or..?" The Wolf hyped it up, looking at the wall with hands thrown to the wind.
"You better win today."
"Whoa~"
"..."
"I'm not losin'." He declared, getting up close and pointing right back at her.
"You, made it a big deal before, Yamcha, not me. I expect results."
"Oh. Capsule Corp. huh?"
She wormed her tongue around in her mouth as she stared him down.
"Yup. You're gonna make me and the company look bad."
"Nah, that ain't me."
"..." She looked him up and down again.
He just let out a laugh-breath, flapping his white kung fu robe a single time before she spoke.
"You look good."
"Oh I know."
Bulma shook her head as Yamcha threw on the gi the same way Piccolo would take off his cape, with a martial arts flair. It cupped his body like a glove and that moviestar smile shined brightly as the morning sun breached the balcony and snuck its way onto the grey floor of the loft.
Fwofff~
Tien
"So why we get hea' so early anyway?"
"Rar~rar!" Bee yelped while cradled in Launch's arms.
"Not missing anything. This is our last tournament as far as we know. I'm not gonna be the only one who didn't show up."
"Sua'... but uhh… maybe we shoulda' left afta' the sun rose or somethin' because I feel like wea' gonna be waitin' hea' a long time." Launch replied through deep shades before she put them behind her curly blonde hair as she peered out into the sunless and vacant stadium. No lights, no nothing, just the buzzing of insects as her man readied up with stretches and workouts on the bleachers and her dog wagged his tail.
Piccolo
The sun rose behind the ice-laden glaciers, turning the cold silver into brilliant reflections of a rainbow hidden by smokey whites. The Demon watched with ambition, crossing his arms along the surface of the tundra as the sun stained the sky a bright yellow, ushering in a new day, his eyes sharpening at the new stimulus. A warm glow washed ice in its embrace but the cold overtook it just the same, his pink ribbed muscles tightened strongly as he drew a breath. Piccolo finally touched ground, his brown wizard shoes crunching under the snow.
"I'm going to beat Son Goku." The words fell out of his mouth and echoed into the caverns below him. "But his Mongrel friends aren't going to beat me either, which only leaves room for my victory."
Fwuuuuuu~
The frost nibbled at his black fingertips as the cold gales rolled in from behind, drawing his white cape like a curtain. He placed his index and middle to his head.
Va-Vsh!
"Heh-heh. What a pleasant surprise. Is it tradition?"
"Nah. I just gotta make sure your diapers are clean, Old Man. I know you're not gonna be able to do it yourself for much longer."
A real laugh came bellowing from the gut of The Guardian of Earth, he stomped his brown staff on the tile and waved his off hand around with hysterics.
"You are something else."
"You gonna be finishing up that room any time soon?"
"..."
"..."
Fwuuuuuuu~
"Tcheh. Unbelievable."
Kami spared another laugh as he walked to the edge of The Lookout, gazing into the aether of half-morning, half-nighttime. At this time of day it was a slapped together mess of oranges, sky blues, nightly indigos, and reds. Just the colours painted an unreal tapestry, separate from the clouds hovering just below.
"I do not believe I have what it takes to be able to complete it."
"Yeah. I had a feeling."
"... Apologies."
"For what, Old Man?"
"I could not keep my promise."
"Tcheh."
Kami attempted to put his old veiny hand on the younger Namekian but Piccolo harshly declined, pivoting around and glaring back at him like a menace.
"Are we fusing, or what?"
"... Not now."
"Of course not now." Piccolo let out with an annoyed shaking of the head. "If not now, when? We have no pressure from any enemies, we have no real consequences, this is as good a time as any and you know it."
"Kami is lost forever if Kami is not instated to the next generation."
Piccolo just raised a brow and shifted slightly.
"If I am unable get Korin to accept the mantle and we fuse, right now-"
Piccolo nodded.
"The Guardian of Earth can no longer exist."
"..?"
"The stable set up in The Shinsekai has long been agreed upon. I am the third Kami. It is not disgraceful for me to pass so long as I have set in place an heir, but if I do not, no one else can claim the position."
"What about the Saiyans?"
"I did not die. My soul traveled with yours. There is a difference."
"Sounds pretty arbitrary to me."
"And that's why you would not be very good in my position." Kami chuckled out, bringing his left hand to his lips in a fit of cough-laughter. "So just give me however long Korin needs, because… suffice it to say, I will not be able to finish~"
"..."
"The Room of Spirit and Time."
Piccolo loomed over at Popo, raising a brow.
"Popo seems to like this job, why don't you just give it to him?"
"..."
"..."
"Popo dies when the last of the Kami do."
"..."
"He is thousands of years old, and he is my best friend."
"..."
"I will not usher him into the Shinsekai without his permission."
"..?"
"I have some secrets, Piccolo."
"Still now, you old bastard? You've been holding out on us like this?"
"Yup."
Piccolo let out a scoff that transformed into a laughing fit mid way.
"Haw-Haw-Haw! You're serious?"
"Mmhmm." His old croaky voice let out as a grin crept across his face.
"What are the secrets?"
"Get Korin up here and I might tell you."
"You're full of shit."
"Heh-heh-heh."
A smile broke out on The Demon's face and he shifted his longing to the clouds and rainbow skies.
"Do you long for our homeworld, Piccolo?"
"No."
"Wow. You were fast on that."
"I grew up here. Green skin, pointy ears, my real station of birth? I could care less. I'm a Demon!" Piccolo retorted as he conjured the deep blue variant of his outfit, kanji and all. "Until we fuse, I'm not taking this off, cause this is all I have that's mine and not what you've forced upon me, Old Man."
"Do whatever you see fit, Piccolo."
"I will, and I'm gonna win this damn tournament these Earthlings put on just so I can laugh in their faces."
"You do that. I encourage it."
Vzh!
The warpy lines tracing his frame unzipped out of reality like a strange ethereal bodysuit.
"Kami?"
"Yes, Popo?"
"Why tell him? Would he not know after your fusion with him?"
"The way I see it, it does not matter. We are fusing because he does not wish for death and our union is a non-negotiable. So the more spice I throw at it him the more fun it is in the end. He never liked me much anyway."
"How unbecoming."
"I know, those little rascals rubbed off on me." Kami replied with warmth, looking down and divining through the clouds.
Goku
"We're gonna be cheering you on, so please show us your best, alright dad!?"
"Thanks, Gohan." Goku replied as he tore away from The Nimbus.
"Get out there and win!" Goten yelled.
"Be careful!" Chi-Chi shouted at the top of her lungs as Goku touched down near the registration area.
A skinny monk with glasses tilted them down at Son Goku as he appeared before them.
"Uhh. You're a rockstar dude, you don't have to run it by me, you're already registered."
"Thanks, Huh-Hah!" Goku replied with a chipper demeanor. "This is the last one so I just want to make sure I have my bases covered."
The kid raised a brow as Goku glanced at the filing in audience members, late employees, fighters. He whistled and goofed off, eyeing the competitors of The Last Budokai.
"Wow! We've got some really strong fighters showing up this year." Goku remarked with a deep smile on his face, entrants writing down their names as fast as could be as just before they ran along the crowd, some leaping over, some parting the sea, few flying and even more sneaking around.
Goku walked into the tournament hall, his kung fu shoes not offering a satisfying click or clack on the tile. Mic eyed the tournament goers nervously before Goku's existence broke the ice. He just about tripped over himself fixing his tie as he pushed passed the eager newcomers.
"Goku!" He yelled, waving from across the way.
"Hiya!"
The Announcer rushed him, presenting a handshake faster than anyone ever had.
"Good to see you again." Goku remarked as he cradled Mic's right hand with care.
"Yeah. You know it."
"How goes everything?"
"Well. I think this tournament's gonna be a good one."
"You think so?"
"More or less."
"More or less?" Goku questioned with a grin, the white noise of other conversations dimming as the two honed in on each other. "Why do you say that?"
"Well, our last tournament was supposed to be legit, and so was the one before that, and then The 23rd was supposed to be legit, not to mention-"
"So you're just worried that the arena is gonna be turned into another battleground, not a sports venue?"
"More or less, yeah."
"Don't worry. We've got this all under control."
"I don't doubt it. The worst it ever got was Piccolo."
"..."
"Maybe the tournament got destroyed but you guys dealt with the threat anyway."
Goku let out an awkward laugh as he scratched the back of his head. Mic gazed down the hall as spectators weaved past them to get to their seats.
"This is the last one, Goku."
"So we'd have to go somewhere else?"
"At least until I can prove without a shadow of a doubt that the safety of the people is in good hands."
"I understand."
"Goku?"
"..?"
"Can you please~ win this one?"
"Huh-Hah! What?"
"..."
"I mean, I've tried every year. I don't intend to lose these matches, sometimes people just put forth a good performance."
"I understand."
"..."
"Your brother put in a good word for you. That's all."
"..."
"The only reason The Budokai ends at The 27th and not The 26th is because of you. So get out there and win it."
"You got it." Goku answered with a triumphant and likewise goofy, thumbs up.
"Hey!" Raditz greeted as he flung his arm over Kakarot's incredibly harshly, almost toppling the younger brother. Goku responded in kind, throwing his own arm over his brother's and they rocked back and forth for a while. Raditz' hair had shifted from an onyx black to a faded black with a shot of deep brown interwoven into his long locks.
Saiyans age incredibly slowly, the only indication one has between the difference of middle age versus youth is the colour. As Saiyans age their hair starts to shift to brown starting at around 40 years old. Once a Saiyan reaches around 80 is when they change from prime to aging, and then they age rapidly. Saiyans stay in their prime, full control over their body, no lag, no nothing for 80 years. Raditz was middle aged but his skin was still just as youthful; the only thing that changed was that his hair now matched his tail. Raditz is at the start so only a little brown is visible but someone like King Vegeta who was 62 by the time he fought Son Goku had made a full transition to brown hair.
"Huh-Hah! Hey, Raditz. Where's Icarus?"
"She's here, don't worry." Raditz replied as he pointed out towards the yellow light at the end of the tunnel, a screeching purple beast flying into frame from above the arena, almost clipping one of the coloured streamers lining the sky.
"Huh-Hah!"
"You finally gonna win this shit or am I gonna have to run some operations?"
"Run some operations?" Goku let out with a giggle.
"I'd prefer my brother kick the ass of all these Earthlings with a Saiyan's Honour but it doesn't have to be that way so long as you walk away with the win." He remarked with a shiteating smirk.
"Are you saying you'd cheat!?"
"Not for any of these fools, just for my little brother if he needed it."
"Hee-hee-Haugh-Haugh!"
Raditz said nothing back, only cheesing in response to Goku's laugh from the gut.
"Huh-Hah! Nah, maybe next time."
"Knew you'd say that. Just thought I might bring it up as an option."
"Thanks."
"..."
"Raditz?"
"What's up, Kakarot?"
"Where's your family?"
"..."
The sound of the crowd stomping, cheering, sounds of others talking, echoes, everything got put on mute as Kakarot stared deeply into Raditz' eyes.
"You know I'm here for you. But what about your wife and kids?"
"..."
"..."
The dull echoes of nothing in particular bounced off the walls as the brothers separated and put their backs against the opposite walls of the hallway.
"I'm an outsider, Kakarot. These are your people. The Saiyans did enough conquering, I'm not sure I deserve to muddy up this beautiful planet any longer. I may still make a few jokes about the civilised society here and there but that's how you stop powerful arrogant pricks from doing whatever they want."
"Are you saying you don't want your own family because you..? Don't think you deserve it?"
The wash of the crowd popped through the halls but in a dulled capacity.
"..."
"..."
"I'm not like you. I destroyed, I desecrated, I pillaged, I stole, whatever you can name. The only thing I've never done was dissent, well… not until you came along. So I can't even say I always followed orders."
Goku stared back plainly as Raditz let out a nervous laughter.
"Come on."
"You saved my son, Raditz."
"Only after I kidnapped him and tried to blackmail you."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"I'm not a nice person, Kakarot."
"I think you're wrong."
"..."
"I think you're one of the nicest out of us."
"..."
"It just so happens that you've done bad things."
"..."
"Frieza and those other guys are the ones that forced you into that line of work, right?"
"You want the truth?"
"I've wanted the truth for a long time but I never wanted to bother you about it."
"It was the Saiyans, not Frieza."
"..."
"Sure Frieza was looming over us the whole time but he was apparently far more forgiving and without a doubt less stressful to work for than Cold."
"..?"
"Cold gave orders that you did, and you lived, you didn't and… you didn't. Frieza on the other hand…" Raditz finally broke away from the wall, gesturing with his hands as he weaved the tales. "You could kind of do a shitty job and he wouldn't really do what he said he was gonna do half the time. The only time we knew consequences were real was when he showed up in the flesh, I only remember him doing that a single time."
"..."
"Most of the barbarous acts were straight up Saiyan savagery. It wasn't so simple as: 'Frieza made me do it'. 'Cold made me do it' was real, Frieza tho?" Raditz prompted a with open palms and a raised brow. "Nah. People were afraid of The Idea of Frieza's power, he simply didn't exercise it enough for people to be so paranoid."
"..."
"I'm you know, not killing people for fun, but no. I don't think I deserve to be mingling with these Earthlings the way you do. I'm happy for you, Kakarot, but…"
"I disagree."
"..?"
"Gohan talks about you."
"..."
"And that's all I need to know."
"Kakarot-"
Goku didn't let him finish speaking, leaving the hallway as The Saiyan beckoned.
"You're a fool, Kakarot."
The building noise of the crowd finally came back into focus as The Saiyan placed his back against the hall and crossed his arms.
"A damn fool. Saiyans wouldn't be so kind to this planet if they had the chance." He wormed his jaw around before peering out into the stacked arena, cheers and joyous conversation abound, pulsating out into every direction. He lost himself in the white noise. "I wonder where Prince Vegeta ran off to… Did he really not rat us out? Or did he die on Arlia? Either way, it seems almost impossible to believe…"
Krillin
"Krillin? What are you doing down at the precinct? Did you decide against it or something? Weren't you gonna attend The Budokai?"
"Mmhmm."
"So you're gonna miss the start?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well the announcements begin at what..? Now?"
"They do, huh?" Krillin tilted his cap out of his eyes and gazed up at the fancy polished wood clock on the wall.
"So aren't you gonna leave?"
"I probably should."
"I mean, yeah. That would only make sense."
Krillin dusted himself off, fixed his cap and then put his fingers on his forehead.
Va-Vzh!
"WHAT!?" The officer yelped as he fell onto his ass and Krillin teleported out of existence.
Videl
"I'm so excited!"
"Oh please." A girl with dark hair in a tight ponytail responded as she gazed out the window of a fast-moving car.
"What do you mean oh please!? This is going to be great, Bestie! You're finally with the shits! You're going to go crazy in this tournament!"
"Yeah, but I bet I'm not even gonna be in The Supernatural Division."
"Come on!" Erasa looked back at Videl with her big beautiful blue eyes and smiled, backfisting the shit out of Videl's white gi. "You're gonna win this thing. Non-Supernatural Division means just that, Non-Supernatural. You're gonna do great and I don't want to hear it."
"The audience isn't even gonna be watching me." She lamented, reclining the seat and looking out at the street signs of Papaya.
"Bitch, I thought you didn't want an audience."
"..."
"So you're a liar!" Erasa laughed out, poking and prodded at Videl again. Videl couldn't hold back a smile, waving her off as she adamantly fixed her gaze to the calm ocean waters past the bayline, her cheeks turning a bright red.
"No, I ehh… I don't want people to know it's me. I don't want people to associate me with anybody. It's why… I brought this."
Bom!
Erasa snatched the item from the smoke, a royal blue mask of some kind. It looked like a visor more than a mask, the natural light peeking in from the car windows shining back through its blue brilliance.
"Okay, Bestie, pop off."
"Hey!" Videl giggled. "It's My mask."
"Yeah, and you can wear it after I'm done chauffeuring you to the stadium." Erasa goofily responded through laughs as she put it on and stared at the open road with her new colour-shifted perspective.
Videl grumped out, crossing her white gi sleeves and leaning back into the grey leather.
Lapis
The dog man in uniform huffed around the station before he came across Lapis, raising a brow and his circular glasses.
"Lapis?" He questioned, perturbed.
"What's up?"
"You're not at the tournament?" He continued, aiming a claw at the TV.
"Nah. I felt like participating but I'll just train some more."
"This is the last one, you know that right?"
"Yeah. I know."
"And you didn't win last time so this is your only chance left."
"That's not true, Bossman." He replied as he hopped to his feet and fixed the dog's hat on straight. "If you're actually in the know about martial arts you'd know there are several tournament circuits for it."
"Really?"
"Yep. The most prestigious one that comes to mind is The Mifan Tournament."
"Mifan?"
"Where's that?"
Lapis glanced at the television for less than a second and continued his eye contact.
"Somewhere out in East City. Mifan is a small little kingdom run by some dude uhh…"
"No, I know. Emperor Chiaotzu."
"Yeah, you got it."
"I didn't know he ran a tournament."
"Yuh. As far as I know though, it's annual, he does it every year, this is all just what Krillin told me plus the little research I been doing on my own time. There's also Baba's tournament she runs if you want to have your fortune told without having to pay but that's less of a competition and more of a payment method."
"So you're gonna enter The Mifan Tournament?"
Lapis shrugged as he snatched a water from a knee-height fridge and slammed the door.
"Who knows? I might, I might not."
"So why not enter? You're the best in the department now."
"I've got my whole life ahead of me, amigo."
The Boss rolled his dog eyes.
"Yo, another thing."
The Boss was halfway through the door as Lapis stopped him.
"That guy, X.S. Cash."
"What about him?"
"Rumours are going around saying he's gonna start up a real martial arts promotion as soon as The Budokai is over with."
"But isn't he about pro wrestling? Doesn't that go against his product?"
"It does, that's why he's gonna outsource the image. Rebrand that as something else and not put his name on it, everyone knows he's got the money and someone's gonna want to take that spot for The Budokai leaves open. You don't just draw a crowd without a reason, Bossman. When you win The World Martial Arts Tournament, it's just that. You are the best in the world."
"..."
Ceiling fans, machinery droning, and clicks of electronics popped off as the two stared at each other from across the way.
"People aren't going to take kindly that they can't prove they're the best anymore."
"..."
Krillin
Piccolo and Krillin stood where they always did, his hands on the railing as Piccolo crossed his arms with the characteristic defiance.
"You're finally gonna enter this time around?"
"Yeah. I'm taking to heart what Tien said. You can't just wait around with one win on your belt and showboat it for the rest of your life."
"Look at you." Krillin smacked his blue parachute pants with a shiteating grin. "You're learning."
"Shut the hell up, Mongrel."
"..."
"You think about entering this year?"
"I did actually. Decided against it again. Maybe if there were a few more Budokais left here or there I might show up but uhh… I don't know."
"..."
"Ya know something Piccolo?"
"..?"
"I've spent my whole life pursuing martial arts, I practice all the time outside of work, other obligations, whatever. Almost 40 years. I was young when I started training in Orin Temple. I wake up everyday and ask myself, was it worth it to spend my entire life dedicated to martial arts? …"
"..."
"Of course it was."
The warm light of the sun penetrated and started to cook a little bit as insects buzzed and stadium seats filled. Various employees ran around with clipboards and shouted at each other as fighters from all around just walked out onto the tile and the grass. The stadium was lit up, even more attendants than the previous year, really filled to the brim. People squeezed together and packed up like sardines. The whole crew made sure to carve an alcove out of the stadium seating, a little square of Son Goku and friends.
"Ay! You can't let me take the front!? A porker like me needs to be closa' ta' tha' action. I can't see over your head so easily Bulma, you're one tall bitch."
"What Did You Just Call Me!?"
"Oh you heard me."
"Oh that's it! PIGGY!"
Oolong smiled devilishly.
"Huh!?"
"I had it removed. Now am I gonna get front row, or what?"
""The audacity!" Trunks' mom screeched as him and his best friend filed into the front row.
"This is the last one?"
"Apparently." Trunks responded as the two boys threw their arms over the stadium wall and peered out onto the grass. "These old heads are just lucky The Budokai is ending before we got involved."
"So we're gonna fight?"
"Someday. Dad said he'd train me but not yet which I think is a load of crap. Why not train me now? I heard from Gohan that your dad was fighting all the way back when he was 11."
"11, that's like… one~ two~" Goten counted on his fingers. "Only five more years! Yes!"
"Only? That's like a million years away, Goten. I don't see what the big deal is with training us. Might as well do it as soon as possible so that we have more time to become sick."
Goten swung his feet merrily as a familiar face walked to the front row.
"Whoa~"
"What is it, Trunks?"
The son of Bulma pointed over to the man in question, sleek obsidian suit complete with a black fedora lined with red to match his tie.
"Who's he?"
"That's The Old Head, Goten."
The best friends shot duck faces at each other.
"You don't mean Master Roshi?"
"Mmhmm. He taught both our dads how to kick butt."
"Mister!" Goten shouted as he snatched onto Trunks' tiny child wrist.
"Goten, chill~" Trunks tried to grab Goten's shirt to stop him but to no avail, his little kid body bumping, jumping, and scraping along the wall as his friend sprinted over to the old master.
"Hi! Are you Master Roshi!?"
The old man's eyebrows wormed around as did his hefty beard and mustache. He composed himself using a long pause and before he answered the boy's question he hoisted up a weighty-looking tortoise up onto the lip of the wall.
"Ahh~" Turtle let out as he smiled. "I haven't been in so long, huh-huh."
"I see my reputation precedes me, Hyeh-hyeh."
Goten gazed up at the man with a wonder in his sparkling eyes as Trunks picked himself off the dusty floor, dusting off the scrapes.
"I am. Who are you fine young gents?"
"I'm Son Goten!" Goten saluted before giggling like a maniac and backing up.
"I'm Trunks. Heard you know how to beat people up!"
"Hyeh." Roshi tipped his hat down, revealing his shiny bald head, reflecting the sun's rays into the boy's eyes, forcing a cover from each of their hands. "One does not study martial arts to win a fight."
"Lame."
"..." Goten just blinked a few times and filed in behind his friend as they returned to the other side of their seating area.
"Oh soya' finally showed up, huh!?"
Roshi's staff flew wildly out of his hands before Gohan shot up and caught it.
Wsst!
"Oh. Hyeh-hyeh. Hey there, Launch."
"Hey yasself."
"Rarf!"
"..."
"Good ta see ya'."
His shades lowered down his nose and he raised a brow.
"She seems calmer than I remember." Are all that swam through his mind as Launch shifted the shades over her own nose.
"Sir?"
"Huh?"
"I don't mean to be presumptuous but is this yours?"
"Yes, thank ya, son. What's your name?"
"Gohan."
"Gohan!?"
"Huh-haheh. Yup. That's me."
"Wow~ what in the world? Has it really been that long?"
"..? What are you talking about, sir?"
Roshi placed his black hat back atop his head and peered at the young man before him with his beady eyes.
"..! You're Master Roshi!"
"Well." Roshi smirked through his beard and shrugged his shoulders before Gohan bear hugged him tight. "Whoa-hoa!"
"Nice to see you again, sir."
"Nice to see you. I remember when you were nothing but this big." Miming the length around his knee as he let out an old croney laugh.
Gohan parted with some laughs as well as he scruffed the back of his hair.
"You're giant."
"Oh please, I'm not that tall, sir."
"No, really. You're already taller than Goku and you're not even full grown."
Gohan smiled and leaned over the wall, arms on the concrete as he scanned the rest of the stadium.
"So how's everyone?"
"They're great. Dad always talks about that time he lost against Jackie Chun at The 21st before every tournament. He's always wondered where he went after The 22nd."
"Jackie Chun, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Who do you think's gonna win this year?"
Gohan just sputtered out a nasally scoff.
"Who knows? I'm not all that interested in the arts to be honest. I can never tell who's gonna win these matches."
"True true, these fights-"
"-are like the weather."
"Yeah yeah." Gohan laughed as he finished the rest of the statement along with Master Roshi. "Did you know my great grandfather?"
"I trained him myself."
"...Really?"
Roshi nodded a single time, fidgeting with his hat as he eyed the other tournament goers on the opposite side of the venue.
"Your father named you after him."
"Yeah~ he talks about that all the time too."
"But my real question was, who do you think's gonna win in The Top 4?"
Gohan leaned over the wall, palms on the concrete as he watched The Announcer get into position, several employees walking this way and that.
"Well I think the logical answer is Tien. He's the only one to win it three times so it would stand to reason I think."
"..."
"How about you, sir?"
"Hmm…"
"..."
"I haven't got a clue! Hyeh-Hyeh!"
Gohan busted out laughing as Puar floated on by and met up with Yamcha in the stands.
"Shouldn't you be stretching or something?"
"Nah. Don't worry your little head over it, Puar. I gotta talk to the babe first. Hey, Bulma!"
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
Chu~
"Needed a little somethin', what can I say?"
"Oh so you're saying you can't win without a little sugar? That's what you're saying?" The scarred blue haired executive prodded as she gripped around his hands tightly.
"I'm winning this thing. Ya know?"
She stared into the void, he stared back with the confidence of not one man, but the assuredness of all existence in his sharp dark eyes.
"I wanted to tell you right here. This is it. This tournament is the last one anyway, it's the only one that even matters. All the rest are fake-ass tournaments. This one's for real."
She gripped his hands as tight as she could, maintaining eye contact.
"Good luck, baby."
"There's no such thing." Yamcha replied as he turned tail and vanished into the crowd.
"Bulma!"
"Hey Puar." She cooed back as the blue cat hugged her face and backed off.
"Isn't it great!?"
"It is. Yamcha's finally hitting his stride again."
"He's gonna become The Great Lord Yamcha once more!"
"I don't think he ever wasn't." Bulma replied as she loomed over the front row from the second. "He just got lost on the way to greatness."
Puar sat on her shoulder for a while until:
"Ayy! Ya crampin' my style! I gotta get ta tha' front! Puar, ya bastard!"
"What are you calling me a bastard for!? Chump!"
"You know damn well you don't know!"
"Don't know what!? Huh!?" He squeaked back, leaping onto the cement wall.
"You don't know ya fatha' Puar! You're literally a bastard!"
The animals locked eyes before huffing and puffing, turning their attention to the arena. Something caught The Pig's eye other than the grass and the white tile however.
"Hey, Chi-Chi."
"..? Oolong."
"How's the kids doin'?"
"They're good."
"Heh. I was hopin' a little more than~ they're good."
"Oolong."
The motherly eye contact Chi-Chi held stared a hole through Oolong as Icarus scowled from behind her.
"If you visited more often, you'd know."
"Sheesh. I get the message. I'll hang out more often, deal?"
Chi-Chi smirked as Icarus backed off and she presented a sly hand offering. Oolong took it in stride, shaking her hand.
"That's all I ever wanted. I just want people to know that my house has a guest room." She stated diplomatically. "It always has. Any good home has a guest room." The mother of two reiterated as she waved her hands, as if painting on the air.
Thumping stomps thundered throughout the left side of the stadium seating as a gigantic hulk of a man touched base.
"Hello, dear."
"Hi dad." Chi-Chi responded, all smiles as the pair hugged.
"Where are the boys?"
"Gohan's with~ Roshi and you know where Goten is, those boys get real rowdy together."
"Thank you. Hey guys." He smiled, offering a diplomatic wave to the animals.
"Hi, Ox King!"
"Howdy."
"Hey boys."
"Granpa!" Goten cheered, clearing the distance with shocking ease and collecting a high five.
Trunks nodded, The Ox King responding in kind and tilting down his thick framed glasses as he marched on to the other side.
"Heh-heh. Gohan!"
"Grandpa! Hey."
The Ox King chortled a booming fit of laughter as the pair hugged it out.
"You came? I thought you didn't care for these things?"
"Oh. Well. I may not pursue my martial artistry anymore but that doesn't mean I won't show up for the last World Martial Arts Tournament. Roshi!"
The old master's beard pulled upward like puppeteer strings as the pair met in the middle, Roshi's fist and forearm swallowed up during the goliath's handshake.
"Good to see you, master."
"Likewise."
"Are you not competing?"
"No no, past my time."
"Ahh, that's a shame."
"It's all about perspective."
"Heard that." Gohan interjected with a smile as he shifted his footing.
The three men looked out into the sea of people, more and more employees filing into ringside as The Announcer got into position. A small being fluttered in from above like a bird before settling down.
"This looks like a good a place as any." Chiaotzu remarked as he daintily touched down right next to Gohan. "How fares it, Roshi?"
"I'm well. Good to see you."
"Thanks." The Emperor let out with some laughs as Ox King and Gohan sauntered back to Chi-Chi's location. "
"You think it's safe to leave the kingdom unattended?"
"I've made the correct arrangements." The Emperor remarked with a sly smile.
Chiaotzu's response ushered the very same from the old man. A silence filled the bombastic noise of the crowd somehow as The Emperor shot several glances Roshi's way.
"..."
"..."
"Roshi?"
"..?"
"I really am sorry about this, I really regret not involving you all in my personal life."
"Shucks. You're an important man. Can't just attend tournaments willy nilly. You understand responsibility."
"That's true but the only reason I'm standing here today and not dead by Tao's hand is because of you, Goku, and the others."
"Tien saved you, not us."
"He might have contributed at the final hour but the only reason I lived that long was because you cared that much about the sanctity of competition and the life of a stranger."
"I'm just doing what any practitioner of the arts would have done. I appreciate the sentiment but it is wasted on me."
"... You're too kind, Roshi." Chiaotzu replied as he folded his arms behind his back. He took in a deep breath before speaking again. "I only saw Tien ever win the first one in his run of these tournaments. I'm not going to miss the fourth."
Roshi fixed his glasses, his white beard shifting around to perpetuate a smile.
"You think Tien's gonna take it?"
"Obviously. After that last performance no one can tell me otherwise."
"You don't think you're being a little biased?"
"Not one bit. Yamcha and Goku have yet to win one of these tournaments. Piccolo's his only competition."
"Interesting perspective."
Chiaotzu let a few pity laughs through as his ethereal eyes stared out into the many preparations The Tenkaichi Budokai were running around to make.
"Alright! How's it going everyone!?"
"YEAHHHHHHH!"
Mic put his hand over his chest, bright smile glistening and reflecting the beautiful sunshine.
"Ahh~ Music to my ears, folks! Welcome! Now~" He slid down his black shades a bit and scanned the arena with a jokey disposition. "I have to do a few announcements."
"Oh brother, this guy STINKS!"
"I know I know, but the faster we get them out of the way the faster we can get into the action! Right!?"
The crowd popped off, jumping high in their seats and causing a commotion. Raditz watched the crowd like a hawk, still leaning against the wall in the alcove at the top above the arena.
"Okay. So. We've decided to change up the formula for a little bit. It's still your standard one on one matches but! We're doing a single bracket a day. Back in the day we used to do registration starting at around 10 A.M. to about 6 P.M. Folks who have shown up to The Tenkaichi Budokai since The 24th know that we've changed our approach, people know that we hold this event on May 7th so we expect people to show up early and register early, we close registrations before 9 even rolls around, that way we have a full morning of qualifying rounds."
"Excuse me, pardon me, sorry about that." Erasa shyly smiled and let out uneven laughs in between squeezing through the crowd, trying to stick closer to the wall as she edged along and bumped up against people all the way. She finally found a spot decently viewing the action near one of the corners, to the left of the top box. "Man." She ruminated. "Maybe I shoulda just watched from home or something, this place is packed… and smelly."
"Erasa!?"
"... Angela..? Hey!"
The two girls hugged it out in the stands, Erasa quick to back away from her epic ginger curls.
"What's up, girl?"
"Oh~ you know." Erasa shot back. "Just here to watch the tournament. What are you here for?"
"Got some free tickets from this guy so I thought I'd show up."
"Nissse."
Erasa shimmied away ever so slightly as they both put their hands on the stadium wall.
"So in addition to this event taking place between May 7th through May 9th we'll also be paying for the 20 finalists' stay here in Papaya free of charge!"
"YEAHHHHHHH!"
"The staff here at The Tenkaichi Budokai want to make sure that the last World Martial Arts Tournament is a tournament to remember! We have known for a long time that this business is dangerous, and we've tried our best to ensure that but we believe that it is in your best interest that we make this the last one. For one reason or another, damaged goods seem to want to participate, and we won't let that slide any longer."
The crowd lulled to a stop, all glaring at Mic as he pulled at his tie, held his microphone and let a moment of silence through.
"I want to thank each and every one of you for your time."
Kwerrrrrrrn~
Mic took many deep breaths and walked out on the cobblestone steps valiantly. Another employee nervously took up the mic and spoke to the audience with a wavery disposition.
"We predict the preliminaries will end about when they usually do, that being after four or so."
At that, most of the audience just stood up and started filing out, some looking to go to the bathroom, get food, or what have you. As the audience emptied Goku walked through the mechanical hallway and his number displayed as:
Battle Power
100,000
"Goku."
"Huh-Hah! Hiya, buddy." Goku responded with a chipper intonation as Tien landed in front of him. He had on a plaid yellow tunic, white undershirt, white gi pants and brown boots, same red sash. "I like the look."
"You're not looking too bad yourself."
"Huh-Hah! My wife made it!" The father shouted as he flapped the blue vest a few times.
"I was always wondering when you were gonna show more of the guns." Tien prodded, running his hand along the Saiyan's firm arms.
"Huh-Hah~Hmm!" He changed on a dime, flexing hard as steel. The two burst out laughing as Tien slapped Goku's shoulder.
"Good to see you man."
"Good to see you too, Tien."
The pair stood opposite each other, an intensity brewing between the two of them as audience members watched the friends converse on the grass in front of the ring.
"I'm going to win, Goku."
"I don't doubt it. But the fact is that we both can't win. And I know that I'm winning this one."
"Heh."
The pair's faces both held nasty smirks before Tien presented his hand.
"I expect a great match from you today."
"I expect the same from you, buddy."
Goku took his hand firmly and shook it as a declaration.
"Step through here please." The man in the orange robes yelled at all the entrants behind the scanning machine. Videl waddled into position and stood stark between the metal as it whirred and stirred into action.
Dudu-Delelellingg!
Videl's eyes widened more than the employees as the man in orange robes marked it on his sheet and ushered her through.
"I'm going to have to change your entry, ma'am. You're too strong to enter The Non-Supernatural Division. Your number is 161. You'll be placed as seed number 7."
Videl just blinked with an air of surprise, standing slack jawed and stupid before some other competitors moved her out of the way to get measured in her stead.
"Waiting room is right over there, ma'am." The monk stated with a wide smile and a pointing of his pencil to the tournament hall.
Videl just shook her head and filed in without a peep.
"Ma'am!"
She looked back, hand on the doorframe.
"If there are overages with attendance for The Supernartural Division we are obligated to make seeds 7 and onwards perform their own preliminary rounds. However, if no one else shows who's qualified you don't even have to fight the first round and are automatically gonna earn a semi-final finish. How lucky would that be?"
She breathed out a long sigh and untied her tight ponytail. Wispy hairs were here and there and she shook out her long black locks as she sat down on one of the benches. Another sigh escaped her as well as a guttural clearing of the throat. She inhaled deeply through her nose and attempted to tie her hair back before:
Dling-Dlingg!
A cutesy tone played throughout the venue, a few shifting eyes aimed at her location before she picked up her phone.
"Yeah? Wassup?"
"Is it true?"
"True what?"
"That the show's not even gonna start until like four?"
"Yeah."
"What the hell am I gonna do for like five+ hours?"
"Don't ask me."
"Bestie, What The Hell Do You Mean Don't Ask Me!? I drove you all the way out here to watch you go crazy, not wait in the stands for hours on end!"
"I thought you knew."
Erasa scoffed on the other line, pulling a laugh from Videl's diaphragm. She giggled goofily, forcing the same response from her bestie.
"Erasa."
"Huh?"
"I'm not in The Non-Supernatural Division."
"Oh so we came all the way out here for nothing? You already get yeeted in the preliminary rounds?"
"I'm in The Supernatural Division."
"..."
"..."
"Aiiiiieeeeee!"
The two girls squealed their heads off in excitement before Videl reigned it in, glaring at other much more imposing fighters, rippling muscles and tall dispositions.
Tom!
"What!?" She threatened, stomping on the ground and lunging her chest forward like a predator. It worked, the other men in the venue turning tail and looking out at the empty white tile.
"You okay, Bestie?"
"Yeah, yeah, some people just got a staring problem."
"So you're not fighting today?"
"Nope."
"That's ~ Awesome ~ so we just bounce and go grab something to eat? Go goof around?"
"Sorry, Erasa, not yet. I have to wait in the venue to see if we have any overages."
"You mean like extras?"
"Yeah. The Budokai won't let anyone with a reading higher than 65 on the machine compete in The Non-Supernatural Division. That means if more than 8 people show up with a reading higher than that, then we're forced to have our own preliminary matches."
"I see."
"Yeah. I'll call you back but registration should be over by the time 9 rolls around, no more contestants can enter if that happens."
"So we're dippin'?"
"We're dippin'." Videl cheesed.
"Alright, love you Bestie, Byyye~"
"See ya'."
Duu.
Videl put her hands on her knees, feeling up the thin material on her legs and gazing up at the top of the tournament hall, another long breath piling on. A rhythmic tap formed from her anxious bottom half and Videl was forced to put a hand on them to stop it.
The crowd wasn't in an ovation but it wasn't still either, they talked up a storm and the background noise was quite sizable. Gohan wormed and wiggled his way through his friends and family trying to make way for someone. After clearing the distance the eldest son of Son Goku called out:
"Master Roshi! I had something I wanted to ask! Huh?"
Chiaotzu looked back and smiled earnestly before he swatted the frame of the old man, dissipating it.
"Who? Huh? Where'd he-"
"After-Image." The Emperor interjected as the last few lines of Roshi's body fluttered away.
"Where'd he go?"
Chiaotzu just shrugged, forcing Gohan to scratch his head and peer out into the crowd.
"Did he go to the bathroom?"
"..."
"Did he go get something to eat?"
"..."
"Did he say anything?"
"Nope."
"..." Gohan crouched low and ran his hand along the suitcase left in his wake. "Well this is still here." He stated, placing the black carrying case onto the wall.
Not long after, a mysterious elder strolled into the venue with his hands behind his back, shelved in a sleek black kung fu gi. He sat right next to the Videl and took a deep inhale through his nose.
"..?" Videl didn't say much, just raising an eyebrow and deliberately parting ways, scooting down the bench some to create distance. The man nodded a single time.
"Are you number 7?"
"..."
The pair locked eyes, a distinct friction already building within Erasa's Bestie.
"What's it to you?"
"Well if I'm right that means that I'm seed number 8."
"I fight you, old man?"
"It would appear that way."
One could taste the silence, even through the pulsing whispers of the crowd outside the hall a pencil could drop and everyone in the room would hear it. The pair gave one final glance before Videl determinately exited the bench and walked across the room to lean against one of the walls. The elderly man just let out a few laughs in response.
"Hyeh-hyeh-hyeh."
"What's so funny?" She thought to herself, furrowing her brow and looking out towards the arena.
"You think it's easier to just ignore your problems, don't you?"
"What'd you say!?"
The man said nothing, only cracking his neck and looking out into the crowd.
"I'm gonna beat the breaks off this guy…" Videl ruminated, furrowing her brow at the old man.
The elderly kung fu entrant's eyes told of a weathered history. Videl was content to stare him down but the man did not fold nor did he even attempt to dissuade her from doing so. He just let the time pass him by as always.
The sun shifted around in the sky ever so slightly until Mic came back out into the open.
"Okay, folks! The registration period has just ended! The preliminary rounds for The Non-Supernatural Division are about to begin! Get your snacks, get your drinks, get whatever! For this last tournament we even have three movies scheduled!"
That in particular got a huge pop from the crowd as the giant monitor on the top displayed Mic's face and then a selection on the screen.
"If you get on the app Capsule Corp. so lovingly dedicated their time to developing you'll be able to vote for which movies you're going to watch while we wait!"
"Ooo~" Erasa let out through duck lips. "Okay~"
"Dedicated to our fallen star we have the entire Space Wars chronology as well as the Explosion series starring the late man himself, Pamput! Aside from that we have~"
Videl's phone dinged again and she whipped it out, texting back to Erasa immediately.
Erasa
It be looking like we got movies doe :p
Bruh
this selection got me like :o
You talking all that good but what's the shits?
We got Explosions with the brown guy
That guy who died? Pomeranian?
Yuh and we got Space Wars
I'm down for Space Wars
You better vote then bidge~ :)
Videl furrowed her brow and then clicked on the link.
The crowd murmured lowly to themselves but the sheer amount of people occupying the space still resulted in a cacophony of middle volume back and forths. Goku put his hands on his hips and shrugged, walking back to where his people were.
"Hey, Hon."
"Hey." The two hugged through the wall before Chi-Chi pulled back and swept her hair to the side.
"It looks like I won't be fighting today."
"Fancy that."
"I don't even fight tomorrow."
"Really?"
"Mm-mmm."
"How's it goin' there, buddy?"
"Oolong!" Goku shouted in response, high fiving The Pig. "Hey~"
"You gonna win this thing or what?"
"I'm gonna try." Son Goku laughed out from the stomach. "It's not like it's my intention to walk away without the win."
"Whatever. I got a good feeling this year."
"Me too."
"Hi, Goku!"
"Hey, Puar." Goku greeted as the blue cat hugged against his face. "Oh, been meaning to ask you. How well do Goten and Trunks' Shapeshifting stack up to yours?"
"Well ya see-"
"Amazing! They're already better than we ever were!"
"Jeez, you really lay it on thick, huh?"
Goku whistled in response.
"Have they been getting into mischief?"
"I'm not his dad." Oolong fought back as he elbowed Goku in the pecks.
Goku just giggled it off, waving to the rest of them as he walked down the line and met up with Tien.
"So we're not on for today?"
"Would seem that way, Goku." Tien responded as he laid against the stadium wall.
Launch waved at Goku from the stands and he did his due courtesy.
"Wow. Huh-Hah! It's been a while, Chiaotzu."
"That it has."
The Emperor floated forward and the pair shook hands.
"How's Mifan been holding up?"
"I'm on the way out."
"Really?"
"Just had my daughter last year."
"Aww, how sweet."
The small chalk white emperor had blushes pull to the surface of his cheeks at Goku's authentic admission.
"I've been all over the place with my training recently but I promise to come on down. Have you still been doing your tournaments?"
Chiaotzu just shrugged.
"Haven't really had a good reason. Most people have stopped showing up ever since the people here at The Budokai upped their production."
"That's sad."
"Not really. It was just a for fun event anyway, I didn't really care all that much about making money, advertising, or really even seeing who was strongest. It was more for the spirit."
"Hmm."
Tien mostly stood by the sidelines, letting his friends hash it out for him as he shot passing glances at the employees scurrying about the place. The big screen denoted the video selection in voting graph bars with numbers and percentages. Videl pushed past the crowd with success, easily weaving through them as she kept her head down, even through her blue visor 'mask'.
"Hey, Bestie."
Videl nodded her head in response only to raise a brow at the girl standing next to Erasa.
"Who's that?" Videl asked as she pulled her friend in close.
"She's a lame, stay away unless you want cooties." Erasa chuckled out dumbly.
"Bruh."
"Hey! Who are you!?"
"Ah-hemn! I'm entering the tournament as Miss Satan." Videl replied as she fixed her sleek blue mask.
"Wow. Bold. My name is Angela." She claimed, hand on her chest, wide grin forming over her face. "Did you already pass the uhh… tryouts?"
"They're called preliminaries. And no, The Supernatural Division doesn't require any."
"Wowww~ Way to go, girlie~"
"Hands off."
"..."
"..."
Angela and Videl stared through each other as the crowd tuned off for just a moment and then bursted back into vibrancy.
"Soo~" Erasa tried to inject a more positive mood into the atmosphere, motioning to the big screen. "I didn't get to see Space Wars 4, so it looks like I lucked out. Heh~heh."
"..."
"... I'll remember that, Miss Satan."
Erasa let out a few more nervous fits of laughter as the two girls on each of her side turned their noses up.
Raditz stood by his lonesome inside the tournament hall before Tien breached the building with his large frame.
"Hello, Three Eyes."
"Where are our accommodations? I don't feel like waiting around and watching the other tournament goers. If I had known that my matches were gonna start two days from now I would have spent this time training instead."
"Go talk to the staff at the front."
Tien just shook his head and slapped Raditz on the shoulder as he walked past. A few moments passed as The Saiyan gazed out into the crowd before Tien came walking right back through.
"Got my coupon, no thanks to you."
"But you had to ask for directions."
"You work here, couldn't you have just given me the details?"
"Couldn't you have just gone back home? You're a working man aren't you? What, you need these little Earthling discounts to get by? You already spend all your zeni on beard oils? HAH-HAH-HAH!" Raditz taunted as he crossed his arms and leaned against the threshold.
"Why do I even try?" Tien remarked as he shook his head and jammed his palm onto Raditz' face for the one time before leaving.
"Hey~"
"Hello~" Blue cooed back as Tien hopped the fence.
"Rar!"
Tien brushed his hand along the dog's silky tan fur.
"I got us the ticket for the hotel."
"Ticket? I thought that they uhm… that's not for a hotel. You get keys for a hotel."
"Well it's a voucher."
"Oh."
"Yeah they are letting us stay in a hotel here for free as long as we're competing."
"That's nice."
"It is, so… if you don't mind, I'm gonna head down there and get our stuff situated."
"Okay, love you."
"Love you too."
The pair shared a kiss before Tien flew off into the blue skies and the fluffy cotton clouds of the aether.
Sharpner
The room was hot, filled to the brim with bodies, not helped along at all by the hot summer's day they were forced to contend with in the room, everywhere the eye could see were either sweating people, sweat puddles, or sweated walls from the forced humidity. There were exactly 10 rings strung all around the gigantic weight room-esque area. A lone man stood above them all with a microphone, a script, and some old timey glasses. The floor was a concrete slab of grey with a shine, but not of the squeaky clean variety.
"Hello!?"
Vwernnnnnn~
"Sheesh, this dude ever step in front of a mic or sum'?" A tall blonde man questioned as he flapped his tank top over and over again, slimy grime edging to the forefront of his being and staining the shirt ever so slightly. "Glad I brought my gym clothes, if I tried to wear something cool I'd be… somethin." The youth thought as he slicked back his long angelic locks.
There were no fighters or attendees who seemed to want to accompany him. The man was for all intents and purposes, alone, stuck in the middle between serious competition, goofballs, strange animals, grey haired competitors, and little kids.
"Alright. Now that I have everyone's attention. I want to turn everyone to the uhh… big white board in the back. That's the bracket and those numbers that you drew out of the hat are for this occasion. It's going to take a while to get through these so you'll just have to grin and bear it. Number 20 and number 106, ring number one!"
The blonde youth scratched his head and furrowed his brow fervently, anxiously awaiting the call to action.
"Number 19-"
"Finally." He responded with a smirk, shaking both of his fists and letting out a held breath to hype himself up.
"-and number 45 step up to ring number six!" The announcer directed, pointing to the ring just opposite the white board on his side.
The blonde youth pressed up against the gigantic muscleheads and the tiny kung fu masters just the same, trying desperately to break through the tight knit barrier the sheer number of people presented.
"Maybe I shoulda tried out for this thing earlier." He kept to himself as he practically shoved his way through, it felt more like a mosh pit than it did the preliminary rounds of a tournament. "It was pretty stupid to only try and join when it was the last one. I'm not goated like those really strong dudes either. I have to contend with these normal ass people."
"Number 19?"
"Yeah, yeah, hold your horses, brah." The blonde youth shouted from behind several more attendees. "I'm right here."
"Well hurry it up, you forfeit in ten-"
"What!?"
"nine, eight, seven, six, five-"
"I'm right here bro!" The teenager shouted as he leaped and bound over the crowd, rolling into the ring with a few red marks. "Sheesh. Can't get a break around here."
A man with a sharp blond army cut still wearing his office getup complete with suit and tie stood opposite the youth. His stature was quite tall, standing at least a head over him without trouble. The youth swallowed a single time as he shook out a bit of nervousness through his hands.
"What took you so long, punk? Got cold feet?"
"Well I'm here aren't I? Shut the hell up and fight, old man."
"Heh." The buff office worker smirked.
"You two may begin whenever you are ready."
Fshu!
As soon as the announcer declared, The Youth bum-rushed the officer worker with a lead tackle. The staff member had to bounce out of the way to prevent himself from being tackled instead of Number 19's intended target. The man stuffed the approach with his own shoulder and his sleek black dress shoes squealed along the stuffy ring mat.
"That all you got?"
"Nah." Number 19 shot back as he eyed the black shoes beneath him.
Whopp!
"What the?"
Number 19 fully committed to stomping his foot out, forcing a scrambled reaction and a yelp from the man. Number 19 locked it, loaded it, then sent it, a huge chopping right hand while still forcing all of his weight on the man's foot. The winding blow didn't knock the man over but it did pack a wallop. Number 19's own strike forced him out of striking range but the man's foot was clearly under the weather.
"What the hell!? I thought this was about martial arts? He can't do that can he?"
"Sir, there are only rules against eye gouges and crotch shots. Below the belt attacks are legal as long as they don't target private parts. Also, no weapons."
"You're gonna get it now, brat."
Fwush!
The man swung wide but Number 19 ducked under, delivering a brutal rising upper with his left, knocking the dude flat on his ass.
"Alright!"
"One! Two! Three!"
The Youth had a hot breath shoot out of him, more jitters leaving his body as he kept it light with a few spirited hops.
"Let's go~ that was sick~" He whispered to himself.
"Seven! Eight! Nine~ and Ten! Number 19 advances!"
The Youth pumped his fist once again as he attempted to flee the scene.
"Number 19!"
"Huh?" He let out goofily as the staff member grabbed ahold of his shoulder.
"Your next bout is against number 341. That match is at ring number 2 over there."
The teenager stood on his tippy toes to get a better look over the gyrating swarm of entrants occupying the hall, wall to wall.
"Better hurry up because your match is just starting."
"Seriously!?"
"Mmhmm." The slightly geeky-looking official remarked as he pushed up his glasses and went on with his callouts. "Number 74!"
The Youth hopped, skipped, and most definitely jumped to get into position.
"Outta my way, brah!" He shouted with a surfer's intonation, kicking off the wall to leap over the crowd and onto the ring. He tumbled and almost fell out the other side before he straightened himself out.
When The Youth made eye contact with the opponent in front of him, a chill ran up his back, tingling at the waist and shooting all the way up into cold sweat at the top of his forehead. He stared down at the wolf man in front of him. The anthropomorphic body had killer yellow eyes and a sharp mouth. Whoever he was, this thin wolf on hind legs was noticeably older, grey scruff on his maw, ears, and chest. He wore black parachute pants and a red sash. The wolf prowled on the outside with confidence. Another staff member filed into position and called the fighters to begin, signalling the indigo coloured beast to pounce.
Fwup! DNN!
"Guhawhk~" The Youth spit out uncontrollably as the creature landed a palm strike deep into his chest. Number 19 flew right out of the ring and onto the concrete with an unhealthy bounce.
Tah-Tnnn~
"Man~ what the hell..?"
The wolf stood proudly and cracked his neck a single time.
"Number 74 advances!"
"I ain't plannin' on losin' this year, kid." Is all the beast had to say before he scampered off and disappeared into the hundreds of entrants filling up every corner of the hall.
"Damn…" Ex-Number 19 lamented as he struggled to his feet under the pressure of slamming bodies almost stampeding over him. "I was hopin' I would at least get to round one. Bummer." He let out a sigh as he pushed through the crowd with stuffy and aggressive shoulder blocks.
Soon enough though, The Youth didn't seem all that concerned about it, slapping the top of the archways with athletic hops, whistling all the while as he made it out into the parking lot and walked the summer streets, crickets and cicadas singing their tune along with the young lad.
Tien
The Three Eyed Man landed outside the hotel and cracked his neck on both sides, letting out a shiver upon completion. As the double doors slid open, Tien hollered at the front desk who appointed him to a room high up in the building. Tien looked at the keys.
Room 1506
With this new information, The Three Eyed Man pushed past all the staff, talked to the hotel organisers, weaved through the tourists and tournament attendees to get to his room on the:
15th Floor
Tien threw open the door to room 1506 as soon as the card clicked and the door beeped. A long sigh from the deep recesses of Tien's mind ushered forth into the cold air of the hotel room. He sat at the edge of the chair and watched as minor traffic filed across the sandy streets of Papaya. The time passed at a mile a minute and before long, Launch was massaging his back with Bee wagging his tail and following his master's example, eyeing the cars beaming through the darkness with their searing yellow night lights.
"You gotta lotta' tension, Sweetheart. Youse doin' too much."
"I mean I am taking more rest days, I don't really know what you want from me."
"I jus' wanna go out and shoot somethin'."
"Hit up the firing range tomorrow?"
"Yeahhh~" Launch agreed wholeheartedly as she sunk her elbow deep into Tien's trap.
Dn-Dhunn~
"Oooof~" A ghastly breath escaped him and he leaned over his knee. "Damn, can you go a little easier~"
"So you ain't even gonna watch the matches?"
"Nah. They don't interest me. I won't be fighting them so there's really no point in studying up on what techniques they have either way. The only one I'm interested in is Goku. Nothing more. Nothing less."
"Jus don't go ovaboard, hah."
"I'll try not to."
"That ability you got or whatever. I don't like it when you use that."
"..."
Tien stared out into the roads far below the hotel as the indigo darks and twinkling stars faded back into morning golds and greens.