Chapter 10 – "The Tournament Begins! Who will be the 'Best Under the Heavens?'"
Buu versus 18
Not since the 23rd World Tournament has the committee ever considered expanding the size of the fighting stage. Not since Mister Announcer bravely remained on site to witness Son Goku's victory over Ma Junior – who revealed himself to be Piccolo – that he petitioned the organizers to restructure the ring to compensate for fighters who have displayed superior strength.
Doubling the size of the fighting stage for the 24th Tournament, they increased the size of the bleachers for spectators to revel in the excitement of Tournament fights. After Hercule won and became a long-reigning champion, they knew they had something going for them.
Over the years, they tested and restructured the stage to where it was adequate to factor in fighters Mister Announcer knew might return or display the feats shown long ago in the 23rd Tournament. Buu, for example, had the means to fight to his heart's content at the behest of Hercule, amassing his Fan Club while respecting the secret tradition of "letting Hercule keep winning." While an oddity on the stage, Buu was admired for being an oddity as he fought and advanced. Giving his friend a chance to showcase his prowess and "skill," Buu eventually knew when it was time to let Hercule secure the victory and retain his championship title for another Tournament.
Until this, Buu had never considered when the time would come for him to be heavily favored to become the new Champion until Hercule announced his retirement. Buu confided that he wanted to make his friend happy and have fun with the other fighters. Hercule insisted that Buu give it his all this time, knowing that if Son Goku and his friends ever came back, it was time for Buu to show his adoring fans what he could accomplish. Knowing their agreement, Buu held back his power for a long time during these Tournament fights.
But there was no deal this time. No agreements or schemes. The two worked in secret to maintain the illusion of Hercule's status. This was all Buu now. This was Buu's Tournament to win and carry on as Champion. Facing his first opponent in Android 18, he knew it would be a challenge from now on. He hoped she would be as fun as the other fighters were from previous Tournaments.
Android 18, on the other hand, had her work cut out for her. The stage was sizeable to allow enough movement without risking ringout loss, but was it durable enough to withstand what she and many others waiting in the Pavillion would cause? She remembered Son Goku fighting Uub and how much damage it did to the stage. It wouldn't be different with her fight against Buu.
She cautiously assessed how to approach Buu once the gong rang, knowing that he was nowhere near the malevolent pink monster that turned her and her family into chocolate. Getting absorbed by Cell was one thing. Dying by being eaten as a block of chocolate? She wanted to give Buu one good punch to the face for that one.
Both she and Buu engaged as they rushed each other. Buu smiled throughout the exchange, excited to use more of his true power than he had to restrain. They blocked each other's blows as they danced across the stage, moving at a decent pace. The spectators, who were seasoned veteran fighters, kept up with the action while much of the auditorium was forced to watch a pink and blonde blur speed across the stage, unable to tell who was doing what.
Buu's arms stretched forward to grab at 18, but she swerved out of the way to move for a strike while Buu's fists were out of reach. She scored a few hits to the face and chest before Buu spat out energy balls that narrowly hit 18. She flew back to gain some distance, but not before Buu retracted his arms to grab her and force her to the edge of the stage.
"Ohh! Contestant Buu has Contestant 18 in his clutches and is attempting to force a ring out!" shouted Mister Announcer, to the delight of the Fan Club.
"Yeah! Do it, Buu!"
"Force that cutie out!"
"You got this, Buu!"
"Buu wins the belt!"
18 planted her feet on the stage and grabbed Buu's arms to lift him off. She then propelled herself upward while still being held and hit Buu with a few uppercuts to his mid-section, forcing him to release his grip. Relying on her unlimited stamina to strike hard and fast, she fired point-blank ki blasts at Buu before zipping over him to come down with an ax-handle blow, sending Buu crashing into the stage. Grinning, she swiped her hair behind her ear.
"Down!" shouted Mister Announcer. He circled the stage to where Buu had crashed, and immediately the Fan Club voiced their displeasure.
"Boo!"
"That was cheap!"
"Buu can't be defeated like that!"
"You're not playing fair, lady!"
18 rolled her eyes after listening to their complaints, cautiously approaching the crater Buu had formed. As the Announcer's count reached the halfway mark, Buu flipped over several times from the impact zone to land graciously on his feet, dusting himself off. He clapped his gloved hands, wearing a broad smile that pleased the Fan Club, but didn't phase 18, who returned his smile with a grin of her own as if she expected him to bounce back.
"Contestant Buu is no worse for wear from that impact! He's shown incredible resilience against every one of his opponents, but could she accomplish the same as Hercule and knock him off the stage for a ringout victory?" Mister Announcer spouted.
"She's got nothing on Hercule!"
"Hercule is in a whole other league than this amateur!"
"She's going down!"
"Buu wins the belt!"
The Fan Club was briefly silenced by a glare from 18, who had heard enough from their side of the auditorium. The rest of the crowd was still mostly behind Buu as their favorite to win the Championship, but 18 was out to prove she could hold her own.
"You're fun! I like playing with you," Buu said. "You're helping me fight a strong fight!"
18 scoffed, maintaining her grin on him. "I'm not here to have fun. I'm here to win the prize money for my daughter."
Assuming a fighting pose, she conjured a bright-yellow colored energy disk just above her forearm. It spun and buzzed wildly like a shield that she materialized out of thin air, leaving most of the crowd stunned.
"What's this?!" Mister Announcer shouted. "It seems Contestant 18 created an energy shield along her arm. She's ready to face whatever Contestant Buu might throw at her!"
"Hey, what gives?!" shouted the Fan Club.
"That's cheating!"
"You said no weapons!"
"Disqualify her!"
"She's not breaking any rules, I'm afraid!" Mister Announcer assured the Fan Club. "She had no weapons of any sort before the match started, and it's clearly a technique she's using during her fight!"
"Don't give us that crap!" the Fan Club responded, throwing items at Mister Announcer in protest.
While the Fan Club voiced their anger towards the Announcer, 18 had her sights still on Buu. "Just so you know, I only intend on using this against you and no one else."
Buu's grin diminished as he stared back at 18. It was hard to figure out what he was looking at, specifically with his eyelids closed, but how his mouth moved in response to 18's technique let her believe he knew what she had created to fight against him.
"I have to finish this quickly so you don't gain the advantage," 18 said and went on the attack again.
The amount of training she had with her husband, Krillin, to improve each other's techniques allowed her to upgrade the Kienzan in ways not before seen. She developed the Kienzan shield as a combination of ideas she thought of regarding Krillin and her brother, Android 17. The razor-thin energy disk she had grafted onto her forearm was put to maximum use, forcing Buu to dodge and avoid the blade slicing his body.
As Buu continued to dodge, she forced him to the edge, which nearly caused him to fall off the stage while avoiding the Kienzan shield. 18 did not relent or slow down her momentum, sprinting after him to force Buu to leap into the air. He fired several ki blasts down in retaliation, but 18 deflected them off the flat surface of her energy shield. From her free hand, she channeled ki into another Kienzan that she launched skyward in Buu's direction.
"Contestant 18 has Buu completely on the defensive!" shouted Mister Announcer, much to the dismay of the Fan Club. "What more does she bring to the battle?"
Canceling the Kienzan shield, 18 swiped her arms outward to separate the one she launched at Buu into six separate disks that flew in outward directions before they surrounded him. Buu's eyebrows rose, expecting to be hit by the initial disk. He did not anticipate six all at once.
18 followed with a swipe of her arms inward, halting the six disks before sending them in the opposite direction to Buu. He was considerably far from the crowd so that the disks would not hit anyone by accident, something 18 expected and was relieved to see. Buu had to react quickly to avoid the disks but ended up distracted long enough for 18 to fly directly at him and slice him in half with a Kienzan she conjured under her palm like a blade. With quick successive movements, 18 added to the assault with precision ki blasts that blew Buu's body apart, sending shards of his pink essence down to the stage, decorating both the stage and the grass below.
"Oh my!" shouted Mister Announcer. "What an assault by Contestant 18! If she can toss every piece of Buu off the stage, she'll score a victory by ringout!"
Quick to land back on the stage, 18 fired ki blasts to disintegrate any piece of Buu still on the stage. Some of the pieces began floating up to avoid the impact. As they spun around the stage and 18, she fired randomly, hoping to tag a few more.
When the pieces converged into one mass, 18 made another attempt to blow away the singular blob. But Buu was quick enough to form a hole in the mass to let the ki blast fire through, missing him completely.
"Dammit," muttered 18. "That was the best I could do."
She brought her hands together to channel ki into one large energy ball she hoped would knock the pink blob off the stage with enough force, but when Buu reformed, his eyes had opened to glare at 18, no longer the happy, fun-loving fighter she had seen at the start.
"I don't like your energy disk!" said Buu. "It hurts!"
Growling, Buu's body spewed steam jets from the varying holes he had on his arms and head. He gritted his teeth as his power rose, causing a shockwave that forced 18 to stand her ground and avoid having herself blown off the stage. When the shockwave ebbed, 18 went into another fighting pose.
"You're no fun anymore! You hurt me!" Buu screamed and burst forth. He threw several punches that 18 blocked with her forearms, but each blow was like being hit with large cinder blocks with the force of a meteorite crashing into the earth. The punches were numerous and equally damaging, causing 18 to question whether she could feel anything in her arms as she blocked. She had to distance herself quickly.
If the Fan Club had voiced their opinion, she would not have known what was being said at this point. Her mind was too focused on this angry pink mass of punches and kicks that stretched as far as they could go, even reaching her as she gained some distance at the other side of the stage. Scoffing, she returned fire with ki blasts to slow down Buu's momentum, but that only made Buu launch himself at her. She dodged his first stretched arm, which broke through the tiles to crash outside, but was grabbed by the throat with Buu's other stretched arm.
18 was at Buu's mercy. His grip was tight but not suffocating, which was a relief. Her unlimited stamina could afford her enough time to hold her breath if needed, but it wouldn't do much if Buu crushed her windpipe, given how angry he was.
All the commotion distracted her enough for 18 to realize that Buu was pushing her to the outside of the fighting stage. With another Kienzan, 18 sliced Buu's arm off and pulled it off her throat, throwing it to the grass. She fired off rapid smaller Kienzan disks to Buu, which were countered with ki blasts that destroyed them. 18 factored in Buu's counterattack, which she used to draw herself closer to re-engaging another physical battle. Buu regrew his arm before retracting both of them in time to exchange blows with 18.
"What an amazing feat of fighting prowess from both contestants!" Mister Announcer said. "Both Contestant Buu and Contestant 18 are battling it out in the center of the stage to see who will gain the advantage!"
18's ears were still dull to the crowd noise, using her small frame to dodge and weave around Buu. She knew Buu was still fast and regretted that she never had her brother's speed advantage. However, she was still resilient and scored a few hits against Buu's face and torso before bringing her hands together to fire a large ki sphere that pushed Buu to the edge of the stage. She was so focused on driving Buu outside that she forgot about the severed arm she had tossed to the grass.
Buu grabbed 18's ki sphere and launched it into the air. Before 18 could fire another ki sphere to push Buu off completely, the severed arm on the grass had moved on its own to fly up behind 18.
Glancing at the last minute, 18 could only react in horror at the sight of the pink mass, like a giant wad of chewing gum crashing down upon her. "Shit!"
The mass enveloped her, forcing 18 to fight it off. But it gave Buu the opening he needed to cup his hands together in front and fire a pink energy sphere that struck 18 and sent her flying to the outside. She and the mass of pink goo crashed onto the grass. Once she was down, the mass retreated off her to return to Buu, rejoining his body. Grunting, 18 sat up and glared at Buu, whose creepy-looking smile returned to his face. "Damn it all," she muttered.
Mister Announcer circled the stage to where 18 had fallen and examined the ground. "Contestant 18 has fallen off the stage and out of bounds!" he shouted, raising his hand. He then pointed it at Buu. "Your winner, Contestant Buu!"
18 breathed a sigh. She was slow to rise to her feet, but her body had not been hurt too badly by Buu's attacks. She felt a bigger impact when she angered him, but not enough to put her on edge. She cursed her forgetfulness at negating the severed arm a moment ago but gave Buu one last look and nodded, acknowledging that she couldn't beat him.
Bulla and Pan were the first to greet her at the pavilion when she cleared the archway.
"Great fight, 18," said Bulla. Pan nodded. "Yeah! You were amazing out there!"
"Didn't win, though," 18 said, glancing behind her at Buu. "Was hoping to get that prize money to help Marron."
Bulla wagged her finger in front of her. "What are you fussing about? You forget who you're talking to?"
Pan and 18 both exchanged looks before raising an eyebrow at Bulla. "Bulla, what are you doing?"
"I'm saying that you're looking at the daughter of the richest family on the planet," said Bulla, turning her nose up. Pan's face sank, realizing that Bulla was onto something.
She turned to 18. "I think what Bulla is trying to say is Capsule Corporation will fund Marron's wedding and her dress. You might have some time after the Tournament to go shopping with Bulma."
"And me!" Bulla interjected, pointing at herself. "We were going to get you that dress no matter the outcome. So relax, 18. You're in good hands with us."
If 18 had a mirror, she'd see how red her cheeks had become from the generosity offered by this young girl. "Thank you," she told Bulla.
Universe 1
It was anything but a cheerful trek across the Multiverse for Marcarita after discovering something unnerving on Netfiss.
In the two days that took her across two universes from Universe 11 to Universe 1, she pondered what she believed to be something ominous about the mortal named Kelerot. As she protected the children, she watched him use techniques only the Pride Troopers knew. That was the first hint that clued her into one of Kelerot's techniques. When he unleashed a dome of Destruction Ki that could've consumed the city had Jiren not stepped in, therein lay the second hint. The third hint came when Kelerot said "Kai-Kai" before teleporting away, the technique of a Supreme Kai.
It upset her. She couldn't deny what she felt. If this was one of the forsaken techniques, Barbon and Cae let themselves become unwilling test subjects. She wanted to put a moratorium on this whole mortal interference tripe if it meant not intervening with the gods. Watch, revere, worship, but don't touch. But what's done is done.
She had only one purpose: visiting her brother Awamo of the First Universe, attendant to the highest respected God of Destruction, Iwen. Awamo was assigned as the caretaker to the Grand Archives: The Network of the Fates, both in beginning and end. Alpha and Omega.
Marcarita had to know what this foretold now that Kelerot used a forsaken technique to acquire the power of the gods. She hoped the best-case scenario was that it would destroy his mind and kill him.
Entering the First Universe was like stepping into the most luxurious field of flowers from the murky swamplands. Not that she had much to complain about regarding Universe 12 – Geene would never forgive her criticism – but the sheer aesthetic of Universe 1 was leaps and bounds above all other universes, including the second. As determined as Heles was to make her Universe the most appealing in love and beauty, Universe 1 eclipsed hers by lightyears.
Iwen's world had a unique property to it. Few mortals who evolved over ages to travel the stars stumbled upon the planet during their trek but never bothered to land on it. Awamo shielded the planet in a powerful illusion that tricked mortals into believing the planet was uninhabitable, showcasing a giant blue orb that looked pretty but afforded no real reason to explore. The world belonged to the gods and those the gods invited.
Iwen shared his world with Anat, his Supreme Kai counterpart. Both collaborated efficiently in maintaining their mortal rating, the highest in all the Multiverse. As Iwen destroyed one world, another would take its place by Anat. Thus the cycle of life and death has been respected and upheld since Universe 1's creation.
After such a long trek, Marcarita descended into the atmosphere, gradually pushing through the illusion to reveal the planet's surface to her. Upon their arrival in Iwen's world, any deity would first see the enormous floating tree in the distance that oversaw much of the forested landscape below. Secondly, past the forest was a long stretch of rapids that tapered off into cavernous entrances beneath an array of mountains and clifftops. Beyond that array lay a desert that looked endless.
But that was not where Marcarita was heading.
The prismatic light that surrounded her tapered off once her feet touched the grassy terrain before a group of groundskeepers who paused their labor to greet her with formal bows. It was not Marcarita's first visit, nor may it be her last. Every angel has at least paid one visit to Iwen's world at some point, occasionally dragging a disgruntled Destroyer in their wake.
As she crossed a light dirt path that split flower beds down the middle, the groundskeepers prostrated themselves on the ground before her out of respect. They wore the same clothing, baggy white trousers, a vest, and a white turban, but each had a different color to their skin. They said nothing as she passed, only waited until they could resume their work, yet regarded her in the same respect as other deities who paid a visit. Their odd-shaped eyes continued staring for a few seconds until they resumed their work.
Marcarita approached a stone building with pillars on the front and a small set of stairs. But this building was also an illusion.
The closer Marcarita was to the building, the more the illusion dissolved into revealing the true building of the Grand Archives. What was supposed to be only three steps became a stairway of thousands that ascended so far up it surpassed the clouds, obscuring the top from view. The angel knew how many steps there were and began climbing them one by one. She neither stopped nor took in the sights. She climbed each step until she eventually reached the top.
What awaited her at the top were two more of those odd humanoid figures that were shaped and dressed like the groundskeepers, only they were light blue in skin tone and stood at opposite ends of a giant set of doors.
When the pair saw Marcarita walk off the last step, they approached and prostrated themselves before her. After a couple of seconds, they rose to open the doors for her.
Before her stood the grand audience hall, housing statues of the Gods of Destruction perched upon mantles as a shrine to their legacy. Twelve statuesque and imposing figures carved of the finest material that was like Katchetite but malleable enough to be ground by a fine chisel. Prior Destroyers were relocated to the back as a memento of their tenure, with the current serving Destroyers occupying six pedestals on each side of Marcarita as her boots clacked audibly upon the marble floor tiles. Past the statue of Barbon along the wall was Belmod, whom she regarded nostalgically before the next set of doors opened to reveal her brother, Awamo. He paused, surprised to see her of all angels pay a visit, but quickly greeted her warmly.
"What an unexpected surprise, dear sister," said Awamo with open arms, expecting an embrace from his sibling.
Marcarita halted him with her hand. "I have to keep this visit brief."
"Oh…?"
Awamo led her past the doors to a dining hall. A lengthy table decorated with candles and flowers overlooked a plate of pastries and muffins. "They just came out of the oven. Lord Iwen and Anat would be ecstatic to sample these. Baoberries from the Great Life Tree have a wonderful fragrant aroma and are not too sweet to the tongue. I do hope you try one before you return to your Universe, sister."
Conjuring a small box from his staff, Awamo placed one of the muffins inside and wrapped it with a handkerchief before placing a lid on top. He offered the box to Marcarita, who obliged with a nod. "Thank you."
"Now then, what brings you all the way here?" Awamo asked.
"I need access to the Network of Fates. There's a mortal in my Universe that I'm certain is a practitioner of Kinetic Delving," Marcarita replied. Awamo's face froze for a moment before his lips tightened. "I see. Very well. This way."
The certainty of Marcarita's tone gave her brother pause, especially concerning the knowledge of a forsaken technique. The trek took them up a set of circular stairs to the second level. Awamo opened a knobless door with his staff, dematerializing it to allow the angels to pass before it rematerialized behind them.
"How much has the mortal been able to Delve?" Awamo asked as he led her around the catwalk that oversaw the Network, a series of bright, thin lines interwoven like a jumbled spider's web. Some vanished while others materialized in an ever-constant state.
"Unknown. I could only witness the mortal use Pride Trooper techniques, destruction ki, and a Supreme Kai's teleportation."
Awamo stopped immediately, glancing behind him. "He Delved the gods…?"
Marcarita nodded. "Lord Barbon and Cae would not have been aware of what the mortal was doing, which leads me to believe he has been well-versed in Kinetic Delving for years. Decades, perhaps."
"Mastering a forsaken technique for that long right under our noses without the slightest hint that he had succumbed to madness as a consequence," Awamo said, brow furrowing. "What of Barbon and Cae? Did he acquire anything else besides Hakai and Kai-Kai?"
It was Marcarita's turn to purse her lips. "Perhaps I'll need to add info from the Archive of the Eleventh Universe along with his thread."
Awamo led her to an extension of the catwalk near the center of the room that hovered almost directly above the Network. With his staff, he elevated the Network to the second level, along with a secondary function that caused the circular walls behind them to spin until it stopped under a symbol in the Deific language that translated to "11."
"I believe you still remember how to use it?" Awamo asked her, offering the use of a clear holographic panel. Marcarita reached out with her hand and placed it on the handprint icon. When the panel began to glow, she whispered, "Kelerot."
"Kelerot?" Awamo said, curious. "Sounds like one of those Saiyans from the Seventh Universe."
"A Gardenian, actually," Marcarita corrected, waiting for images and information to be displayed above the Network while the thread that matched Kelerot's profile changed color to isolate itself from the rest.
"Huh, one managed to survive," Awamo intoned as he observed the Gardenian's image on display. "Spry little fellow, isn't he?"
"And possibly extremely dangerous, given what he had acquired," added Marcarita. It didn't sour their mood looking at the image, but she did read what had been recorded of Kelerot in his entry with haste. "Hm."
"Hm?" Awamo wanted to see what intrigued Marcarita, but she quickly added, "this can't be right."
"What can't be right?" Awamo asked.
"Look at this section about when he began learning how to fight. It's missing information regarding his teacher."
Awamo double-checked the entry and moved his staff to enlarge Kelerot's Network thread, searching for all other intertwined threads. "You're right. This shouldn't be possible."
Awamo continued, pointing to each thread individually. "There should be a thread for Kelerot's teacher, but it doesn't exist. His companions and family are where they should be until a certain point when Lord Barbon destroys their home, but there shouldn't be a missing thread."
"So, did something tamper with the Network?" asked Marcarita. Awamo looked like he was told the most offensive joke in the Multiverse.
"Preposterous! Father created the Network to be untamperable. Lifespans and all events within that lifespan are as plain to see as tea in a cup. I'll have to look into this issue later. What's more important is how long Kelerot has been Delving."
Marcarita and Awamo continued reading and observing Kelerot's thread until they paused. Marcarita shook her head. "Over three hundred mortals, all within one structure. I'm amazed he restrained himself when Delving into each one."
Awamo tapped his cheek before pointing at Kelerot's thread. "It seems he understood the benefits and vices of Kinetic Delving to avoid breaking his mind until he Delved into Barbon and Cae. You can see here," Awamo enlarged a section of Kelerot's thread where it appeared to be fractured and jagged, "he broke his rule and engaged in the taboo practices of Kinetic Delving to incorporate their ki within his own. In short, he became greedy and bit off more than he could chew."
When Awamo brought the thread back to its normal size, Marcarita noticed that it didn't end, yet continued onward. "Looks like it didn't kill him after all. It even appears to have stabilized."
"If that's the case," Awamo said, "then someone must have healed him with some powerful energy–"
"—or magic."
The angels looked at each other. "Which Universe did Kelerot teleport to?" asked Marcarita.
Awamo isolated other threads currently surrounding Kelerot's and cycled through trillions of entries from the Archive until a few appeared before them. What resulted surprised them both.
"Now that's a face we haven't seen in some time," said Awamo.
A bitter memory of Belmod's angered face trickled into her mind. A memory of the Tournament of Power where Belmod's confidence in Jiren the Gray was shattered by the mortal pictured before her.
Son Goku.
"So Kelerot teleported all the way to the Seventh Universe," Awamo said, nodding. "Someone from Son Goku's group must be a powerful magic user if Kelerot was healed shortly after their threads intersected."
"I'll have to consult Beerus and Whis about this. I can't say I'm eager to visit them, but they should know what had landed in their Universe and warn them. If I were you, I'd also travel and inform our siblings about this development should Kelerot teleport elsewhere."
Awamo pointed at Kelerot's image again. "What purpose would drive a mortal like him to Delve into the gods and break a strict rule he imposed upon himself?" he asked.
"To kill Lord Barbon and avenge the loss of his people," stated Marcarita.
"Seems a little excessive for revenge. There must be more to Kelerot's motivation and drive if he's willing to go to such lengths," Awamo said. He displayed images of Goku and Vegeta as a side-by-side comparison, even going as far as bringing up the Saiyans from the Sixth Universe. "Such fascinating mortals, these Saiyans and their many genetic cousins."
"And potentially dangerous given how fast they've climbed the evolutionary ladder, brother," Marcarita quipped, pursing her lips again. "Belmod made the right decision to order the elimination of the Gardenians before they became a problem, using Barbon's succession as the first test of his ability to carry on the Destroyer lineage."
"Father believes keeping them around provides an abundance of entertainment for the Omni Kings," Awamo said with a grin. "However, I'd keep this on the down-low until we know more about Kelerot's intentions. If all he wants is to kill Barbon, you'll have to consider finding a successor to train."
"Jiren was Belmod's first choice until he turned down the offer. Either Kahseral or Dyspo might consider the offer if I propositioned them. But you're right. Nothing is set in stone until we are certain Kelerot does not seek more than what he already Delved."
Marcarita gave her brother a gracious bow before he led her out of the Archive room. She placed the box Awamo gave her into her staff before making one last stop before Barbon and Belmod's statues.
"You miss him, don't you?" Awamo asked. Marcarita twitched at the question before glancing at him. "A little," she said.
"Given more time, he would've been able to help raise the Eleventh's mortal rating to a respectable number, and the Omni Kings would've been content with five prosperous Universes. Are you confident Lord Barbon can do the same?"
Marcarita turned her head to Barbon's statue. "It's only been ten years, brother. I need at least a millennium before I can be assured he was worth our time to train him. So far, he's shown promise, if not for this little hiccup."
"Lord Iwen has faith in your Destroyer, sister," Awamo said. Marcarita could only chuckle at her sibling's confident tone. She gave another bow before she exited the building and began the long trip back to Universe 11.
Bok versus Uub - Interlude
The row of children to Goku's left was on their feet, cheering loudly for the first fight of the Tournament. Videl's students excitedly watched the heavy hits, but much of their time was spent wondering where Buu and 18 went throughout their match, too fast for their eyes to keep up.
Gohan filled them in on their high-speed movements, much to the relief of Videl, who was equally lost in the action. She brought her students to watch Pan but wondered if they could see anything other than a couple of blurs flying across the stage.
Bulma sat between Goku and Vegeta, the latter of which insisted he didn't want to ever sit beside his rival, which Goku found amusing. The Saiyan Prince nodded in 18's direction as she made her way to the back.
"Her lack of experience fighting Buu cost her," he said. Goku, hand to his chin, nodded. "Yeah, if she had destroyed that severed arm, she wouldn't have been knocked off the fighting stage."
Further down the row was Broly's family. Broly had Arugula on his lap, happy to hold Mr. Bronto in her arms. She tugged at the hem of Cheelai's dress.
"What is it, little one?" asked Cheelai.
"Mr. Bronto says Mr. Bubblegum looks sleepy. Is he sleepy, mama?"
Cheelai glanced up to exchange a look with Broly. "I don't think he looked sleepy, sweetie. Why do you say that?"
Arugula looked a little annoyed that her mother would ask such a question. "Mr. Bronto said it, not me."
Cheelai nodded, patting her on the head. "Sorry. Why does Mister Bronto believe that Buu is sleepy?"
Arugula brought her ear down to the stuffed dino's mouth and nodded. "Mr. Bronto doesn't know. He said Mr. Bubblegum is going to sleep soon."
The parents exchanged another look. "Gosh, I hope he doesn't fall asleep before his next match. Those people across from us would be really upset if he did."
Broly sighed. "Speaking of sleeping…."
He nodded to Cheelai's side. She turned to see Lemo's head drooped forward, snoring audibly now that the crowd had quieted, waiting for the next match. Gritting her teeth, Cheelai reached back and punched Lemo in the back of the head, waking him up.
"What the hell, Cheelai?!" Lemo screamed, holding the back of his head.
"If I catch you sleeping during our sons' matches, I swear I'll send you floating back home to Seren!" Cheelai yelled, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. Lemo's face went a shade pale, forcing him to hold his hands up in surrender.
"I wasn't going to sleep during Bok's match! I swear it! Don't hit me anymore!" Lemo pleaded. Cheelai released him as Arugula had a fit of giggles over the event. Sighing, Cheelai glared at a few onlookers before sitting back down. "Eyes to yourselves, people!" she yelled.
"Hm? That's silly, Mr. Bronto. Big brother's not a wall," said Arugula as she talked to her stuffed dino again.
It was enough to draw Cheelai's attention again. "What's he talking about now?" she asked. She didn't intend to appear annoyed, but she was still calming herself down. Arugula didn't seem to notice.
"Uub-Uub's fighting against a wall. I asked Mr. Bronto what wall he was fighting, and Mr. Bronto said it was big brother."
Cheelai raised an eyebrow. She looked to Broly for confirmation, but a grin was noticeable on the Saiyan's face. "I'm lost here."
"I know what she's talking about," he told her.
"That doesn't help me," Cheelai iterated, her glance shifting into a glare.
"Watch the fight, and you'll see," was all Broly said. Sighing louder, Cheelai eased back with her arms crossed. "This is a weird Tournament."
Back on the other side, Gohan used the moment between matches to walk over to Gemini, extending his hand. The robot stared blankly back at him.
Adjusting his glasses, Gohan lowered his hand. "You don't remember me, do you?" he asked.
"He doesn't because he's not Android 16," Bulma told him. "This is Gemini, a new model fashioned off the old model."
Gohan raised his hand out of embarrassment while rubbing the back of his head. "S-sorry! I should've asked you first, Bulma!"
Bulma grinned. "It's alright. You couldn't have known. He was rebuilt at Bulla's request, albeit rather stubbornly, I might add," she said with a side glance at Vegeta. "She named him Gemini, but it can be confusing if those involved in the fight against Cell long ago saw an exact replica of Android 16 sitting before them. 18 and Krillin were surprised, for sure."
Gohan once again extended his hand to Gemini. "Still, it's great to see you again. Your predecessor was a brave fighter with a fondness for nature and animals. I hope you do too."
"I am only here to watch Miss Bulla and Mister Trunks's fights," Gemini replied. "Miss Bulma intends to bring me to the Inventor's conference after the Tournament."
"You never said anything about that," Vegeta quipped with a side-eye to Bulma.
"I reminded you last night and the night before," she replied, narrowing her eyes.
"The Inventor's conference!" Gohan exclaimed. "That's two weeks from now, isn't it?"
"At least one of you paid attention," Bulma said. Vegeta scoffed.
"Is Gemini your invention for this year?" Gohan asked.
"No, but I need a helping hand to bring some equipment to the building where they're holding the event. I can't say I'm looking forward to meeting the committee, but once they see what Papa and I have been working on, they'll be floored," Bulma explained with an air of deviltry.
"They're ready to announce the next match," Goku interjected, prompting Gohan to bow at Bulma. "If I can find the time, I'd love to attend!" he told her quickly before taking his seat.
"Now we'll get to see how well you trained the boy, Kakarrot," Vegeta said to Goku with a nod to the fighting stage.
Bok vs. Uub – The Match
Uub had forced himself to watch Buu fight Android 18. Part of him screamed to look away, anything to take his eyes off Buu. Panic kept him glued to the match from start to finish, from Buu's steam jets to the moment a part of his body enveloped Android 18 to distract her long enough for him to knock her off the stage with a ki blast. The sight of 18 fighting off that pink blob-like substance made nauseated him.
When the fight ended, and Buu's arm rose in victory by Mister Announcer, Uub was ready to empty his stomach outside the pavilion. He was about to bend over the window when Pan stopped him.
"Keep it together. You don't want to throw up all over the ring against Bok?" she said. Uub nodded, breathing deeply. Pan helped practice some breathing exercises while they were both training in the Room of Spirit and Time in her effort to help him overcome as much anxiety as possible so he could focus on his training with Goku. She confided in him that she hoped to see Uub's new technique during the Tournament.
"Keep it together," Uub whispered, repeating himself with his eyes closed. He could sense his heart had slowed with a few more steady breaths and that he no longer had the urge to throw up. That last part was important to avoid embarrassing himself before Bok. Sensing the boy's concern, he turned to his opponent for the match.
"Are you nervous?" asked Bok.
Uub rubbed the back of his head. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't."
Bok couldn't help but laugh, showing some nerves of his own. "It's okay. I'm nervous, too. I'm fighting someone other than my brother this time."
"Win or lose, I think this will be a great learning experience for both of us," Uub said, offering his hand. Bok took it in earnest. "I'm looking forward to it."
The pair turned to see Pan and Bulla in mid-conversation with 18, who went a shade redder in the face after talking to Bulla. Uub didn't know what was exchanged, only that he could hear a sigh coming from Trunks. The older sibling noticed Uub was looking in his direction and waved him off.
"Should I talk to him? Maybe help him settle things with his sister?" Bok offered, but Uub shook his head.
"I doubt any advice is going to help those two. I learned the hard way not to mess with the affairs of siblings at each others' throats sometimes. Even mother told my brother and sister flat out to get their priorities straight and sort their mess before she put her foot down."
Uub then grinned. "It took them less than a day, but sometimes tough love does help."
"Choi and I fight it out to get it out of our system," said Bok. His smile wasn't as grand as Uub's. "Either Lemo tells us that he's not cooking dinner, or Dad intervenes. It straightens Choi out, that's for sure."
Bok and Uub shared a laugh before he saw Buu walk into the Pavillion. The pink creature was still thrilled to see Uub despite his apprehension and waved at him. Uub returned it with a weaker version and had to breathe deeply again to steel his nerves. "Keep it together," he whispered again.
"So one of us will have to fight that guy, huh?" Bok asked, pointing behind him. Uub nodded. He wanted to prove himself in the Tournament and show the results of his years-long training with Goku, but part of him compelled him to throw the fight and let Bok win so he wouldn't have to fight Buu.
"And now!" shouted Mister Announcer, his voice booming from his microphone to the PA system. "Will Contestants Uub and Bok proceed to the fighting stage for our second Quarterfinals match, please?"
"Good luck, you two!" Pan shouted. "Don't get nervous!"
Uub swallowed, not expecting Pan to follow up with something less-than-stellar as encouragement. It's not like I'm already nervous as it is.
"No matter what, Pan's fight with me will eclipse yours!" Bulla shouted, wrapping her arm around Pan to pull her close. "You two better be watching us closely!"
"Bulla…!" Pan muttered, nodding to Uub. "Can't you be more supportive?"
Bulla pulled her arm away and crossed her arms, nodding confidently. "Give us a good fight. The winner gets a date with me after the Tournament."
Bok, Uub, and Pan's eyes widened. Pan quickly shifted her look to glare at her friend. "Bulla, what the hell are you doing?! I'm not letting you date Uub!"
"Aha! So you do like him, don't you? Dare I say love him?" Bulla said. If Pan had worn her red shirt, her face would've been several shades redder by comparison.
"We don't see each other like that!" Uub said, realizing that Pan had said it at the same time. Both stopped each other and immediately looked away. "Um, we should get to the stage quickly, Bok," Uub said, spinning around to walk into view of the crowd.
"Bulla," Pan was ready to unload with fists. Uub kept his hearing geared towards the girls while acknowledging the crowd, while Bok joined him to avoid a precarious situation. "Don't go get yourselves disqualified!" Uub shouted at them before turning his attention to the stage.
Bok breathed a sigh of relief. "Mom never told me much about what girls are like. Now that I've seen them, they're kind of scary."
"Master Goku always said not to make them angry so much," Uub said, waving at Goku along the way. "Do your best, Uub!" Goku could be heard shouting back. Uub gave him an assertive nod before glancing at Bok. "Show me your best. I'm expecting nothing less."
Bok's eyes widened before he relaxed his face into a determined expression. "I will honor your request, Uub."
Uub dismissed the Announcer's voice as background noise as he introduced the two fighters. Even more pressing was the difficulty in dismissing Buu from his head to put his full attention on Bok and ensure he could leave this match the victor.
It was amazing to see the contrast between the twins regarding their expressiveness. Bok always looked calm, while Choi was more outspoken and brash. Bok looked serious, while Choi would come across as cocky. If he felt it would eventually come to him and Choi later, he knew what he'd be up against.
This time, the overall atmosphere as he stood on the stage was leagues different than the first time he nervously stepped forward against his master. Anxiety gave way to confidence and years of training to develop his ki control and learn many new skills that Goku imparted. This first match of the Tournament would see those years put to the test. He was relieved that the more he took it in, the lesser his anxiety regarding Buu surfaced. He knew he was ready to fight Bok and anticipate what this young kid had to offer. While the boy did not give off a strong aura of ki, Uub knew that was only to conceal his actual power as a trained fighter would of Uub's caliber.
Master had referred to these twins as prodigal fighters, Uub thought. Prodigal was an interesting analogy since he had often been called a prodigy in his own regard. But was that because of who he was as a human or who he was in his past life?
"Contestants, are you ready?!" shouted Mr. Announcer. Uub had enough clarity to hear the Announcer's call that he grounded himself on the stage in a fighting pose that people who knew Goku would say was a mirror image of the grizzled veteran.
He waited for Bok to assume a stance of his own, yet the boy hadn't moved an inch since he took his position opposite him. His stance is leaving himself open to an initial attack.
As the crescendo of drums echoed across the stage while the crowds silently waited for the gong, Uub tensed. Bok's ki rose while remaining stoic in his stance. Uub considered this to be some preparation for a defensive strategy to gauge how he would attack him. His ki continues to rise. Is this how he and his brother trained?
He immediately considered a full-on attack, but seeing Bok stand still like a statue made him hesitant. Is he creating a feint to lure me into a counterattack? Why is he starting like this? No stance doesn't give me any hints.
He shook his head. Frustration about figuring out the best strategy isn't something he'd want to impress Master Goku in his first Tournament match. He'd want to showcase how to handle situations that presented themselves to him. Training and sparring with different fighting styles was a blessing for Uub, but this was Broly's kid, not Vegeta's or Gohan's. What kind of fighters did Broly raise?
All this thinking nearly made him miss the gong when it rang. "Match number two, begin!" came Mr. Announcer's shout.
"Eh? Oh, right," Uub said as an aside to the shades-clad Announcer. He stepped forward, expecting a reaction from Bok.
Nothing.
He took another step forward, tightening his fist.
Nothing.
"Are you going to attack?" asked Bok. "Don't take too long."
I won't. I need to consider how I'm going to attack.
The more Uub pondered his options, the tenser the air grew around them. He could hear Goku's voice in his mind: "Uub, don't think so much about strategy with your opponent. They won't wait for you."
Whether he remembered the words from his master or that they might have been shouted at him by Goku from the stands, Uub launched himself forward for the first strike with a downward chop to Bok's exposed neck. Bok raised his arm to catch it, only for Uub to pivot his movement with a high-speed burst to reappear behind him, coming down with the same chopping motion to catch him, yet Bok caught Uub's arm with both his hands.
He's strong for his age, Uub realized when Bok easily threw him over his shoulder. Uub corrected his momentum to land feet-first on the ring, twisting his body so he could attempt to trip up his opponent. Bok released his grip and hopped over Uub's sweeping leg, then the two began trading blows across the ring, blocking each other's strikes.
Not all fights need to be serious. Have fun with them when you can, echoed Goku's voice in Uub's mind as the pair darted from one end to the other. Bok's youthful face gave way to a headstrong stony expression as he fought, while Uub's was more relaxed and joyful. He heeded his master's advice and continued this dance of blows until both connected with fists against each other's faces, the impact sending them both flying back. Uub shook off the impact and flipped several times before landing while Bok's bare feet dragged themselves across the ring to stop his momentum. Both fighters rubbed the side of their faces, acknowledging the power that went behind those fists.
Bok wasted no time and went back on the offensive, gradually walking until he began to sprint. Uub assumed his fighter's stance again, goading Bok with his hand to bring the fight to him.
"You could've cut the tension with a knife to start this battle! But now that both competitors are in the midst of an exchange of physical prowess, who will emerge the stronger? Nine-year-old Bok, or sixteen-year-old Uub?" the Announcer narrated to the crowd. Uub shot a sideways glance at him that went unnoticed. I'm seventeen now, thanks to the Room of Spirit and Time.
Although not as swift as his twin, Bok's power was still put forth in his lower body, propelling him forward in a sprint that Uub matched, ready to meet him in the center of the stage.
Both collided with forearm against forearm and knee against knee. Uub and Bok brought their leg down to ground themselves on the ring as they pushed against each other, each trying to gain the upper hand in strength.
As strong as Bok was, Uub heightened his ki to push back before Bok's strength began to give. The age gap between the two showed in their tense exchange, the crowds watching attentively.
Bok heightened his ki to compensate and match Uub's, which made him wonder how far he was willing to go until he reached his limit. What seemed like a moment stretched for some time. Only a few seconds passed in front of the crowd. Bok swung with his open hand, creating a gap in the exchange as Uub used his own open hand to catch Bok's fist. The two broke off, with Bok following with heavy punches and kicks, forcing Uub to block each one.
"Your strikes are amazing. I can feel my arms stinging from these," said Uub while he continued blocking. Bok leaped into the air and followed through with more kicks than punches, aiming for Uub's head. Blocking them obstructed Uub's view until Bok zipped to deliver a roundhouse kick aimed behind Uub.
He quickly spun to block the kick with his forearm, yet the power behind the kick was strong enough to break open his temporary defense, pushing Uub back. In doing so, Bok continued with a direct kick to Uub's gut and rapid-fire punches to the face.
Escaping the overwhelming barrage from Bok, Uub crouched low, ducking under Bok's fists. Sweeping low, he was able to trip Bok from behind. As Bok fell backward, he swiped up with his leg to attempt a kick to Uub's head, yet it was anticipated and dodged.
Bok regained momentum by nipping to his feet again, setting himself up for an attempted blow by Uub with a forward strike. Bok reacted by grabbing Uub's arm. Uub responded with quick movements to free himself from Bok's grip, heightening his ki to boost his speed. Bok moved to strike again at Uub but was surprised that Uub wasn't there when he swung.
"The tension is even greater with the showcase of strength by this young contestant! Now contestant Uub seems to be employing more speed to overwhelm his opponent!" Mr. Announcer narrated. Uub circled Bok with afterimages he left each time he shifted his momentum. Bok tried in vain to hit back but continued to hit nothing but open air where Uub's body was.
"What's wrong? Didn't your brother use afterimage techniques while you were sparring?" Uub asked, moving and darting across the ring.
Bok grinned. "If that's your excuse for being fast, you severely underestimate my brother," he said.
Uub continued playing to Bok's distraction until he zipped in front and hit the boy in the gut with a heavy knee strike. As Uub's knee lifted him off the ground, Bok's face shifted to anguish. With another quick aerial movement, Uub appeared behind Bok to kick the back of his head, directing him across the ring to near the edge. Bok's impact dragged him across the tiles, chipping them away until his momentum slowed.
"Attaboy, Uub!" Uub heard Goku shout from the crowd as he landed on the ring. He could sense a comfortable position in this fight that he was confident would lead him to victory, either by ringout or knockout.
Bok was slowly rising, dusting his gi pants and the pelt across his shoulders. The green fur coughed dust from each tap until the boy was sure it was clean, only to lift it off his shoulders.
Uub stared as Bok tossed the pelt off his shoulders to the outside of the ring. It was curious as to where Bok was going with this until it was obvious once the pelt hit the ground with a strong thud.
The realization then came to Uub. "Hey, you train with weighted clothing too?"
"Yes. It was something my dad said his dad said makes Saiyans stronger while training," Bok said, stretching and loosening his upper body. As he approached Uub, he rotated his arms, rolling his shoulders. "It should be obvious by the pelt around my brother's waist that his leg strength is unparalleled by anyone. But I'm afraid you won't get to fight him because I aim to end this match."
The boy's statement piqued Uub's interest. Bok wouldn't boast like that unless he was sure he had a strong move that could beat me. Alright, kid, show me what you got.
Author Notes:
I'm back! ...sorta, lol.
I regret taking these long breaks before writing again because so much goes on in my life that it leaves me too scatterbrained to think about writing or what I want to write. I did make an effort to write out 18 vs. Buu's fight early on, along with Marcarita's section, but the Uub vs. Bok fight took me months to get around to, either because I needed to re-write it, or outside life gets in the way (my job is more demanding than it used to be).
It was fun writing those other fics during August until I came down with the flu (no covid, though). Being sick sapped much of my creative juices and left me unwilling to write anything else. Then a lot of problems at work occupied my mind due to the obligations I needed to fulfill. At least now I can sort of get both in order, knowing that I'm expecting a lot of chaos at my job that I can handle, and that I can still put my mind into writing.
Going forward, I know I won't have much time to sit and write, but the gaps between chapters won't be as long as this one. These are all re-writes of a previous version, so I still know what is going to happen in the story, only now I want to write them more creatively and accurately.