I wish I owned DBZ, but I don't. I own DVD's and tapes, but it just isn't the same. I also don't own the rights to any of the music pieces you see selected, just copies of merchandise, such a shame. The artists that created them are geniuses and we all must bow to them.
Chapter 107: Wedding Day Tournament
The wind blew gently, rustling the streamers and flowers that decorated the Satan mansion. Trails of white and velvet were hung from the rooftops to the front gates. To the right side of the entryway, a lone sidewalk split the autumn grass, leading to the array of chairs that sat in front of a large white arch. Nearly every chair had been taken up by someone, whether they were of human or alien descent was another story. On the left side's front row, Chichi was busily using every tissue to try and cover up her tears while Goku quietly wondered when the food would be available. Next to them, Trunks had to be nearly restrained from running off by Bulma, who already had her hands full with the infant Bulla.
"This is so boring. I hope I never get married. Why can't Goten be here?" Trunks whined.
"Goten has the ring bearer job, you two can play afterwards!" Bulma rasped at him.
Trunks wasn't happy with the answer, "Well can't we tell them to hurry up!"
"Knock it off, have some respect for Gohan. This is his big day," Verto said from his other side as he sat down. Among everyone there, he was one of the few that hadn't dressed up, electing for his usual green over blue uniform.
Trunks saw this and felt the need to complain some more as he fumbled with his turtle necked shirt, "Hey why doesn't he have to dress up?"
"This is as formal as I'm going to get, I don't do suits. Besides, it was either that or Saiyan armor. I didn't feel like copying your father today," Verto explained as he jerked his thumb towards the back. Vegeta stood there with his arms folded as he leaned against the building. He had made it abundantly clear that his only reason for attending was the promise of a tournament afterwards.
"Ugh, he just doesn't change. I swear I have to win the lottery before he even mows the lawn," Bulma griped.
"I think I'm more impressed that Goku actually has a suit on. But I'm sure that once this is over it'll be ripped off," Verto said.
Trunks seemed to settle down a bit, but not much as he leaned to whisper to Verto, "Are weddings always this boring?"
"It's a grownup thing. Trust me, the only ones that aren't bored at all are the bride and groom. And I can't imagine Mister Satan is any different right now," Verto replied as he glanced at Gohan. Donned in all white, the strongest man in the world didn't look the part. Gohan looked like he had skipped nervous and had gone straight to terrified.
Verto smirked slightly and closed his eyes before reaching out a bit, "Calm down, if you're legs start shaking you'll embarrass yourself."
Gohan gave him a slight glare, "Easy for you to say! You're not the one up here looking like a fool."
"Believe me, it's more than looks right now. You want Videl to see you like this?"
"I don't suppose you've done this before?"
Verto let out a slight chuckle, "Nope. I'd tell you to ask your dad for advice, but I'm guessing he won't have much since he used to think marriage was a type of food."
Gohan's eyes narrowed, "Where did you hear that?"
Verto realized what he had said and searched his mind for an answer briefly before giving up, "Never mind. Ask Krillin for advice if you need it at this point, he's right there." Gohan blinked sharply before turning to Krillin, who was checking with his own wife to see if his tie was good and straight. Verto sighed with slight relief before he felt the need to glance around. There were numerous guests that he recognized but there were just as many that he didn't. Yamcha, Tien and Chiaotzu sat with Master Roshi and the others on the other side. When asked if they wanted to fight though, all three had declined entry into the tournament beforehand. Towards the back Verto spotted fellow students from Gohan and Videl's high school class, the highly annoying Sharpner among them. There were also enough flashing cameras near the rear to make Verto sick. Mr. Satan had invited a select few of the press to attend, only because he didn't have that much of a choice. It was either that or listen to them swarm right outside and try to sneak in. That of course would lead to Vegeta or Piccolo blowing something up and no one needed that. Though the sight of Piccolo standing on the roof probably would have scared them off anyway, and Mr. Satan didn't want to cause a big uproar. Yet despite all of the heads dotting the yard, there was one missing.
"Where is Lenz?" Verto asked.
Bulma looked at him, "Oh, she's one of the bridesmaids. Videl wanted her to be maid of honor. Didn't she tell you that?"
Verto stared at her, "No, but it would explain why she's been out a lot the last two weeks ever since we got back. I figured she was bar hopping again."
Bulma grinned slightly, "Well I imagine she's inside helping Videl get ready. Maybe she's practicing, I'll make sure to get your tuxedo ready for next year. At the rate you're going you should be old enough by then."
Verto rolled his eyes and sat back down, "Give it a rest already." Before anything else was said, the traditional music began playing and everyone stood up. Because of the height disparity, Verto elected to hover off the ground so he could see. Goten was out first, trying not to stumble as he uneasily carried a small pillow with two golden rings set upon it. Krillin's daughter Marron followed behind, fulfilling the duty of flower girl as she scattered some petals unevenly before making a beeline for her mother at the front. Lenz emerged with one of the extra ushers that Satan had brought in. She was donned in a lavender dress that matched her hair almost perfectly and fit her the same. Because of their recent experiences, the dress was made for a taller person, so it no longer looked like she would pop out of it at anytime. Verto's eyes widened as she glanced at him, making sure she shifted her head at just the right moment before throwing in a wink for good measure when she passed the front row of chairs.
Verto felt more than a little stunned, Whoa.
"Not bad, she looks almost as good as I did at her age. Looks like you've got some work to do kiddo," Bulma whispered. The usher that had accompanied Lenz tried to pull his arm away too quick when they reached the end and failed miserably as he tumbled to the ground, causing everyone to gasp. To anyone else it would have seemed that he had just slipped, instead of being held in place by Lenz's greater arm strength.
Verto smacked his head slightly as Lenz mimicked Goku's head scratch, "Oops." Krillin helped the unnamed usher aside as the music changed and everyone looked up to see Mr. Satan come out with his daughter. Satan's tuxedo was a few sizes too small and was threatening to rip at any moment, which most everyone in the area hoped didn't happen. Videl had on a sparkling white dress that was only outdone by her quivering but joyful blue eyes over a very nervous smile. Gohan straightened up as he and Videl locked eyes and never wavered. They joined hands at the altar and waited patiently for the anticipated speech from the Master of Ceremonies. The crowd remained silent as the event moved forward, ending with a massive cheer when they finally kissed.
For fairly obvious reasons, the reception meal was kept to a moderately savage display in front of the guests. The only ones that were really drowning themselves in food were Goku and Majin Buu. The rest of the group was more eager for the special tournament that was to follow. Once they arrived at the new stadium, they saw what they were in for. The tournament itself might have been by invite only, but the crowd certainly was not. Satan signs were everywhere and so were the press plus their cameras. Flyers littered the ground with general information about each of the Z fighters, without the alien part of course. There were also plenty of posters of Gohan and Videl in their slightly edited wedding outfits, dedicating the entire tournament to them. Listed on the side was a note about prize money of nearly thirty million zeni for the winning team, which clearly told the story of why a few of the fighters had even bothered entering. After everyone had changed out of their wedding clothes, they all gathered in the lobby. The only noticeable change among them was that Lenz had made a change to her fighting outfit again. She wore an all blue jumpsuit that seemed just a bit too tight in all the wrong places and only extended to her mid-thigh, which drove Roshi mad and made Verto palm his face. Over her shoulders though, she wore a short teal-green jacket that didn't even reach her lower back and was zipped up only halfway, which didn't conceal as much as she thought it would. The way her clothes matched Verto's was almost comical, as the only thing different was her purple hair, which was tied into a high pony tail. The traditional tournament MC was also present, microphone in hand as he went over the rules of the special tournament with the crowd.
"You know, I'm not sure if I should be happy that we're getting acknowledged with this tournament or not. I mean it's great that we're all guaranteed a spot and a chance to win, but looking at the competition I don't feel so great," Krillin said as he scratched at his hair a bit.
"If you want to pull out now, then by all means go. I fight to win," Vegeta grumbled.
"I kinda want to be on your team Vegeta. The fewer Super Saiyans I have to go up against, the better," Krillin claimed.
"Are you saying you'd rather be with them than me?" Eighteen asked.
Krillin winced, "No that's not it at all!"
"It's all luck of the draw at this point. Who knows, maybe you'll end up with Buu," Verto said.
"Nothing about this will be lucky for some of us," Krillin pointed out.
"As long as I get to fight Kakarot at some point I don't care," Vegeta growled.
The short conversation was then interrupted by a loud beep before the announcer's voice hit the air, "Can we have all of our contestants come to the ring please! It is now time for the drawing to determine the teams for this special occasion!"
Verto cast an eye out at the ring as the group slowly filed out, "Stop me if I've said this before, but does that guy even have a name?"
"You know, you'd think we would have figured that out as many times as we've been at the tournaments, I guess it never came up," Krillin said with a shrug as he followed his wife.
Verto grimaced slightly, Probably something lame anyway. The crowds cheered, but random murmurs were easily heard as everyone marched out. To the side of the entrance, Gohan and Videl sat upon a small uplifted platform, sipping drinks. Both were still formally dressed from the wedding, though the nervousness was clearly gone.
"Give us a good show!" Videl called out.
"Try not to kill anyone!" Gohan added. Majin Buu turned his head at this, but largely ignored the comment. Satan was the last one out and the crowd went ballistic, save for a small, familiar group off towards the side.
He smiled meekly and held up his victory pose, "Yeah!"
"You're the man Satan, pound these nobodies!"
"You can do it Mister Satan!"
Verto bit his lip as he gave the sources of these shouts an evil glare, "He better not end up on my team."
Goku glanced back at him, "Oh relax, this tournament is only for fun remember? No need to take it too seriously."
Verto stared at him, "Is that why you warmed up for the last hour?"
"Every tournament can be an important test of skills. You never know how these things will play out, so it's best to take advantage of every opportunity," Roshi said as he walked in with his cane.
Krillin's eyes went narrow as he looked at his master, "And which opportunity do you think is going to work against a Super Saiyan?"
Roshi grinned, "No chance at all for you! But there are two pretty girls in this tournament, the chances of getting one are looking good!"
"Oh give me a break," Krillin moaned.
"Notice he had nothing to offer on the fighting part," Verto commented as they reached the ring.
The group remained silent afterwards until the announcer motioned towards the drawing box, "It is almost time to determine the teams in the tournament. But first Mister Satan would like to say a few words."
Satan took the microphone and cleared his throat, "Ahem, as some of you may know, this tournament is a gift to my daughter Videl and her new husband Gohan, the son of Goku. I want you people to fully realize that I am a huge underdog at this event and I do not expect to win. In fact it may be impossible even with my new training. But no matter what happens I am proud to have been your champion!" The crowd's usual cheering subsided some, but almost none showed signs that his humble speech bothered them.
"We're behind you all the way Mister Satan!"
"You've got it in the bag champ!"
Verto snorted slightly, Makes me wonder if they even understood half of that.
Once the announcer had the microphone in hand, he called the first name, "Our order for the draw was determined at random, and first is Goku, come on up!" Goku stretched a bit before he stepped up, further irritating Vegeta.
The announcer continued the introduction regardless, "For those of you new to this style of tournament, Son Goku has been a regular in the past during his youth. He came in second twice before managing to secure the title on his third try and then moved on to create a family. As the champ already said, his son is now married to Videl. We expect to see many more champion caliber fighters out of this family for years to come. Goku himself is one of the most powerful fighters this planet has ever seen." Goku reached in and pulled out a numbered ball, handing it over before walking back without another word.
"Number seven, that places Goku on Team number three! Next we have a man who needs no introduction, our champion Hercule Satan!" The crowd exploded in cheers again while Satan tightened his white sash and marched up to pull a ball. He wasn't showing it on his face, but the sweat pouring off the back of his head indicated that he was extremely nervous.
"Number four! Mister Satan is on Team Two! Next up, Mister Satan's number one disciple Buu!"
Majin Buu looked around in question, "It Buu's turn now?"
"Step on it tubby," Vegeta grumbled. Buu could barely fit his glove into the box, but managed to somehow without breaking it.
He handed the ball over for the announcer to read, "Number three! Buu is on Team number one, who will face Mister Satan on Team Two!"
Satan's face fell, "Oh no!"
"Ouch," Verto muttered.
"Try not to breathe too hard Buu, he might fall out now," Trunks laughed.
Buu gave Satan a reassuring hand on his back, "It okay, Buu no hurt you."
"Much," Trunks added.
"Master Roshi, please come up and draw! If you don't know who Master Roshi is, you clearly need a history lesson. Not only did he personally train both Goku and Krillin, but several other fighters as well. His development of the Kamehameha Wave is legendary, and he's not above showing this new generation a thing or two about martial arts!"
Roshi raised his cane and bowed a bit, "Yeah yeah, just show me to the ladies!" Eighteen shook her head in disgust, but remained quiet.
"Number twelve, the final position on Team Four! Good luck Master Roshi! Next we have a newcomer, the beautiful Lenz!" Lenz's game face went on as she stepped forward, giving Verto an eyeful when she passed. She intentionally swayed her hips, causing Roshi's nose to drip even more than it already had.
Verto smirked at her, Well someone's motivated.
"Not much is known about this young girl other than she's considered a strong warrior by her peers. She certainly isn't lacking in the looks department. It'll be interesting to see if she can hang with the boys as much as she claims," the announcer said.
Lenz pulled out a ball and her serious face faded to dismay, "Can I have a different number?"
"No ma'am, I'm afraid your draw is final. And you're number eleven, joining Master Roshi on Team Four!"
"Oh yeah baby!" Roshi shouted.
Lenz did not have the same enthusiasm, "Someone kill me now."
"Piccolo, it's your turn! Some of you may know this name from many years ago as King Piccolo. Everyone can relax, even though they look alike, they are not related!"
Krillin was a bit taken aback by this statement, "Someone has their facts confused."
"I'd let it go if I were you. What people don't know won't hurt them," Roshi advised as he was trying to get his nose bleeding to stop with a handkerchief. Piccolo's long cape billowed in the breeze, briefly blocking the whole view from the back as he reached for a number.
"Piccolo has drawn number eight, he will join Son Goku on Team Three! Lookout Team Four, your opposition just got a lot stronger! Speaking of Goku, his youngest son Goten is up next, come on up!" Goten scampered up to the table and hovered off the ground enough to draw, and seemed to be happy about the outcome.
"Goten is number six, placing him with the champion Mister Satan!"
"Alright, way to go son," Goku said as he gave Goten a high five. No one else was nearly as impressed with this, including Trunks, who was called next.
"The reigning champion of the youth division, Trunks Briefs is next. Many people still claim that his fight against Goten in the last tournament is the best they've ever seen, and at such a young age! I don't know what will happen today, but Trunks has proven before that he can take on the adults and I'm sure today will be no different!" Unlike Goten, Trunks waited for the aide to lower the box down before he bothered drawing a ball out. Also unlike Goten, Trunks was wearing gray gloves for the first time at a tournament. Very few people actually knew why, but no one really asked about it seeing as his father was also wearing them. At first he wasn't happy with the number, but upon glancing at Goten, his spirits were lifted.
"Trunks has drawn number five. He will join his friend Goten and Mister Satan on Team Two. Two champions and a vice-champion on one team? Oh boy, Team number one is in trouble now!" Satan almost looked like he was going to cry at the outcome of the draw, knowing that just Buu alone was enough to beat them all, never mind who else might be fighting against them.
"Goten, we're totally gonna kick butt. I hope they let us fight together, then we can use fusion!" Trunks whispered a little too loudly.
"Oh yeah Trunks! We can beat anybody with that!" Goten said aloud.
"Shhhh, stupid!"
"Miss Eighteen, it's your turn! For those of you who were present during the last tournament, you may remember Eighteen. She fearlessly fended off an attack by an army of evil robots and saved a great many people that day."
Verto folded his arms and scowled, Add that to the number of things that weren't supposed to happen that day, never mind this whole timeline.
Eighteen grimaced at her draw as she tossed the ball back to the announcer, "Ugh."
"Eighteen draws number one, placing her with Buu on Team One. Look out champs, this lady means business!" Buu didn't really react to the drawing as he was more interested in a cloud that was passing by. The boys weren't all that concerned either, but considering that there were only three empty spots left, the odds of a favorable outcome were rapidly dropping.
"Krillin, you're next! Another pupil of Master Roshi, Krillin is a very accomplished fighter. He is also married to Miss Eighteen, could we possibly see him and her on the same team with Buu? It's time to find out!"
Krillin walked up to the box normally enough, but dropped to his knees and prayed on the spot, "Please Dende, please give me a chance here. I won't ask for anything else!"
"Still afraid of fate," Piccolo muttered.
"Just pick one baldy!" Vegeta shouted.
"Hey, I'm not bald anymore! Alright let's see here…OH YES! THANK YOU SO MUCH DENDE!" Krillin hooted and hollered some more as he made his way back to the ground with a bright smile on display, and his number had yet to be announced.
"Well that was weird, but Krillin does have reason to celebrate. He drew number nine, and will be placed with Goku and Piccolo on Team Three!"
"Alright, this is gonna be fun!" Goku declared while Piccolo grimaced and said nothing. Eighteen gave her husband the evil eye, making him regret his words and maneuver to the other side of the group, hiding behind Buu's fat form.
"Only two fighters are left, shall we start with the youngest? Verto Briefs, come on up!"
Verto hadn't taken a step before Vegeta grabbed him by the arm, "You had better not deny me today boy, I've waited too long! Don't you dare even think that you belong on the girl's team!"
Verto glanced over his shoulder, "I have to ask, what in the hell has stopped you two from just going to some random planet with no one on it? Seriously, the option is always there."
Vegeta released his arm, "Shut up."
"Verto is the adopted son of the Briefs family, making Trunks his brother of a sort. He also put on an incredibly display before losing to Goten in the last tournament. Word these days is that he's grown much stronger than the other two boys, he's certainly growing up faster. Makes us all wonder just what they're putting in the water these kids are drinking nowadays." Verto shifted a slight stare at the announcer's ironic words before reaching in. When he grabbed the first ball, he shifted it in his hands and clearly felt the outline of the number before dropping it.
Making Lenz mad is better than making Vegeta mad, and I think she still wants to prove something to me. Let the almighty prince have his fun, I can't imagine that he liked being so weak for the last two weeks, saves me a few training lumps. Verto latched onto the other ball and quickly tossed it to the announcer without much of a look. Truthfully he had long enough to confirm the number before he did so, but the human eye wouldn't have caught it.
"Verto has drawn number two, joining Team One against the Team of Champions. This should be interesting!" Verto sensed a slight hint of disappointment from Lenz, but nothing overly alarming, which did give him some relief. The last thing he wanted to do was give her a reason to be angry, despite the fact that she was wearing her blue suppression crystal. Given the events of the alternate dimension, he didn't feel all that confident that it would hold her power in check if she lost her temper.
He then cast an eye towards Trunks and Goten, who looked horrified, Could be worse, at least I get to have a measure of revenge for the last time.
Eighteen looked quite satisfied with the draw, "Looks like an upgrade over my brave husband." Buu appeared to be looking for food and didn't say anything.
"By process of elimination, contestant Vegeta will join Lenz and Master Roshi on Team Four!"
Krillin's celebratory expression quickly shifted upon this realization as he looked to Goku, "Please tell me you're going to fight him!"
Goku grinned and locked eyes with his rival, "Naturally." Vegeta's smirk didn't fade for sometime as he headed back to the waiting area.
"That is our full board of fighters. We will begin with Team One against Team Two immediately. Please clear the ring until your team is called!"
"We will now decide what the terms of the first team battle will be. Teams please meet in the middle of the ring to discuss this now," MC announced.
Verto glanced towards Eighteen as they slowly approached and whispered, "I say one on one. Are you alright with that?"
Eighteen gave a slight nod, "It doesn't matter to me, any one of us can beat all of them. I was supposed to face that bloated phony last time anyway."
"Well you know they're probably going to ask for a three on three fight so the boys can use fusion. That's what I would do in their place," Verto pointed out.
Eighteen stopped in her tracks, "If they do, do you think you can keep the fight from getting out of hand?"
Verto eyed the boys for a moment, who were also whispering to each other, "Probably. I'm sure they know they won't beat me or Buu without it. And Satan's dumb luck might come into play at that point. Either way we should keep our guard up at all times. No offence, but either of them as a Super Saiyan is probably stronger than you at this point, especially Trunks. I suppose they'll assume we'll want a one on one situation and try to pair us off to their advantage, which presents a potential problem with certain match-ups. Now that I really think about it, one on one may not be that easy."
Eighteen huffed slightly, "Hmph, I guess we'll have to see about that."
"There is an alternative to consider," Verto said.
Eighteen stared down at him, "What is that?" Verto motioned for her to bend down and not be overheard. Buu kept on going as the two whispered to each other, not realizing that Verto and Eighteen had stopped to discuss the matter. Only he and the tournament announcer stood right in the middle while everyone else was discussing strategy.
"Hey Mister Satan, we need to have a three on three fight. That way me and Goten can fuse and beat everyone," Trunks suggested.
Satan looked a bit surprised, "You sure about that? I mean if I go against Buu, I'll win. I don't think he'll fight against me. We only need two victories to win a best of three, can't either of you beat Eighteen on your own?"
Trunks and Goten glanced at each other before the former answered, "Not without going Super Saiyan. Before Cell came along she was stronger than both our dads."
"And I think she gets stronger over time, her energy doesn't run out like ours does. At least that's what Mister Piccolo said about Mister Seventeen one time," Goten added.
Satan rubbed his chin slightly, "Alright I guess, but if you mess up your fusion thing we're all toast!"
Trunks held up a victory sign, "No problem, we're professionals!"
"Yeah!" Goten clamored in excitement.
"All team members please hurry up, and remember that everyone must fight unless the judges deem it unnecessary." Goten and Trunks were all grins as they all met in the middle.
The MC looked at Eighteen first and handed over the microphone, "Team One, do you have a preference of how you want this fight to be?"
"We'll take a three on three elimination battle royale, last team standing wins," she said simply.
Verto's head yanked towards her all of a sudden, "That's not what we agreed on!"
"I don't care, I'm getting paid!" she shouted back.
"Did you not even consider what will happen if those two are allowed to be in the ring at the same time! It's going to be a little hard to control the direction of energy blasts!" Verto yelled as the two nearly butted heads.
"Not my concern!"
"Please calm yourselves, you're on the same team for goodness sakes! And our formidable team of champions has yet to be heard from," MC said as he turned towards Satan and the boys. Team Two was flabbergasted over what they were seeing. The meltdown of Eighteen and Verto was quite unexpected and Majin Buu showed almost no interest in trying to calm down either of them.
Goten and Trunks looked at each other before throwing their hands up in celebration, "We did it!"
"Yeah Goten, we're totally gonna crush em'!"
Satan also felt his confidence rising, "I'm okay with a three on three match, but what do the fans think?" Massive cheering erupted as confetti started to fly in from random directions, prompting the MC to wager a final decision.
"That settles it folks! Our first match will feature all six fighters in the ring at the same time. Get ready for an explosive match!" Verto and Eighteen's glare off suddenly ended as quickly as it had begun as they noticed the cockiness oozing out of Satan and the boys.
Eighteen smirked slightly, "I guess we fell right into that one."
Verto nodded as they both turned to the other team, "Too bad, I wanted to go easy today." The reversal of apparent fortune was quickly realized by all members of Team Two as their jaws dropped in unison.
"Can we have a moment to reconsider?" Satan begged the MC as he was stepping back.
"No, of course not. You guys agreed to it and they're not fighting the final ruling," MC said without the microphone switched on. Satan's shoulders slumped as he walked back to the boys, who were still uncertain of what had just transpired.
"I think they wanted us to call for those stipulations, but why? They must have some sort of plan in mind," Trunks pondered.
"Well, if Verto goes all out we're in trouble, even at Super Saiyan three," Goten suggested.
"And that means I'll have to deal with Eighteen and Buu by myself? No thank you," Satan claimed as he nervously glanced over at the other team.
"I have an idea before we get the show started," Trunks claimed.
"What, your fusion thing? I thought you were going to do that right away?" Satan asked.
Trunks seemed to ignore this as he pointed a gloved finger up at Verto, "Hey big brother! Let's fight it out right now and see who's really the best!"
Verto's eyebrow went up at this as he frowned, "What are you implying? You already know the result of this match if you and Goten don't try to fuse."
"Whatever, I think you're just too afraid to fight me on even terms! If Goten could beat you in the previous tournament, I know I can!"
Verto smelled the deception in the air but played along, "If you consider a cheap move like that a victory. See if it works this time."
"Trunks, what are you doing?" Goten asked.
Trunks winked at his partner, "Trust me, I'm gonna find out what they're up to first and then we'll spring it on them. Just don't get knocked out."
Goten nodded with concern, "Okay."
Eighteen leaned down towards Verto's ear, "What do you think they're up to? We gave them the match they wanted, why would they change their minds?"
Verto locked his eyes on Trunks, "He might be playing at this to find out why we did that in the first place. It won't matter if we act quickly enough though. Hey Buu, pick a dance partner."
Buu, who had been quiet the entire time, frowned slightly as he looked over at his friend Satan, "Is it really all them we have to fight at once?"
Verto's eyes shifted off Trunks momentarily, "Yeah, that's what we agreed to just a minute ago. Which part of candy land were you in?"
Buu turned on his heel, "Buu no fight Mister Satan." He walked right off the ring and planted his two feet on the ground, causing the crowd to erupt with random noise, most of which was genuine shock.
"Contestant Buu withdraws from the match before the action even begins! What a turn of events!"
Verto glared as he watched the fat monster go, "Well, that sucks."
"Useless tub of lard. New plan kid, I'll go after Satan as soon as possible and get him out of the match quickly. If you can hold off the tykes for long enough we can use your idea," Eighteen suggested as she shifted her feet into a fighting pose.
Verto's lip twitched slightly as he was still irritated at Buu's sudden departure, "Alright, but I suspect Goten will give you a rough time. Use your quickness to keep them guessing. They won't be able to sense your energy after all."
Eighteen smirked, "Listen to you, as if I need to be told how to fight."
The pair separated and darted to the sides of the ring before changing directions and making a beeline for Trunks and Goten. Satan backed up nervously as the two kids suddenly turned Super Saiyan just before the oncoming attack hit. One bright detonation of energy split into two as Verto and Trunks moved one way while Eighteen and Goten went the other, leaving Satan alone in between. Verto dodged all of Trunks' attempts to strike him, only blocking when he felt it necessary, which wasn't often. Eighteen didn't quite have the same kind of luck with Goten as he was able to catch her in the face with a swift punch shortly after the brawl began. Eighteen fell back initially before bouncing right back and slamming a knee into Goten's face. Goten attempted to retaliate when Eighteen suddenly phased out and Goten lost all track of her. When he spotted her, she suddenly changed directions and flew straight at Mister Satan. Satan panicked slightly at this but stood his ground as a brief aura of white energy surrounded him, which surprised the audience to a degree as they still weren't used to seeing it.
"You want me? Come and get me!" he challenged as he pulled his right fist back.
Verto and Trunks' scuffle paused as they both heard his declaration, which made the latter panic, "No moron! That's exactly what they want you to do!" Goten flew in pursuit of Eighteen, but it was already too late. Satan grinned as he held up his left hand to guard against whatever Eighteen was going to throw at him. Eighteen swung her trailing leg with a moderate amount of force towards Satan, who did nothing to stop it. She appeared to hit him, but nothing happened until his image faded.
Verto's eyes widened, An After-image move. I'll be damned.
Satan appeared behind her with his victory sign in the air, "How'd ya like that, you can't touch the champ!" In a flash Eighteen turned and smashed Satan's face hard enough to send him flying from the ring, crashing into the wall next to the newlyweds and landing on the ground.
Verto smirked, And now, reality sets in. The crowd hushed in utter surprise as Eighteen stood up from the counter attack, and Satan didn't.
"Oh my, Eighteen has sent Mister Satan flying out of the ring with one punch. Our world champion has been eliminated! It is now two on two!"
From the waiting area, Vegeta grunted with a slight hint of satisfaction, "I'm surprised that noisy fool lasted that long."
"Oh that's not very nice Vegeta, we all know that Mister Satan's power level is far from being able to match an android," Goku pointed out.
Vegeta gave him a stern glare, "Thank you for pointing out of the obvious Kakarot. The only use that clown had was to get that ugly blob to quit. Maybe you can tell us how our sons are going to win this match?"
Goku smacked his hand with his other fist, "With fusion of course!"
"The boy won't be beaten by that Kakarot, surely you're smart enough to realize that. I suggest you focus on your match with me instead," Vegeta claimed.
Goku frowned slightly but moved towards the door, "You can do it Goten, focus!" Goten heard his father's words of encouragement, but wasn't relieved by them in the least as he looked towards Trunks for advice. Trunks felt a rush of panic as well and felt the need to pull back. Verto made no motion to go after him, choosing the patient route. The two boys quickly pulled together before standing a few feet apart and raising their arms up.
With the on-going lack of action and silence, the MC pulled his microphone up, "The situation is tense, I'm not sure what move the two boys are considering, but they better do it fast!"
Eighteen looked towards Verto, "Now?"
Verto tensed up but didn't budge, "Not yet."
Goten and Trunks weren't sure what to make of this and both elected to follow through and moved towards each other, "Fu…"
Verto was first to move, "Go!"
Both he and Eighteen fired energy blasts aimed right at the boys, who panicked mid-dance and separated to avoid the hits. Both blasts collided and exploded on the ring surface, brightening the arena. When it cleared, both Goten and Trunks were on opposite sides of the ring, much too far for any sort of fusion dance to work. Eighteen and Verto phased out and Trunks realized what was going on.
"They're trying to keep us separate Goten! You have to beat Eighteen as fast as possible!" he shouted across just as Verto phased into view and swung towards him. Eighteen followed through and attacked Goten and the two fights began in their respective areas.
Trunks attempted to knock Verto's head off, only to have his first punch blocked easily before a rising kick caught him in the jaw, forcing him backwards. Just as he recovered, Verto fired a moderately sized blast that Trunks narrowly avoided by dodging to the side just as it nearly hit him. He made the mistake of watching it go by though, and paid for it when Verto's fist slammed into his face. Trunks tumbled towards the ground but managed to recover and stop his flight before he hit dirt.
Across the ring, Goten was attacking Eighteen with a ferocious barrage of punches that the android could barely block against. Nothing got through until Goten feigned another punch attempt before rolling forward and kicking at Eighteen's head with both feet. Eighteen's guard was broken by the attack and she stumbled backwards just as Goten phased out, catching her in the side with a charging shoulder. Eighteen went flying across the ring and Goten quickly gave chase. Eighteen panicked slightly when she saw Goten coming in fast, but he was suddenly kicked into the ground by Verto. Goten lay face down on the ring floor for a moment as Verto took the time to land and stare down Trunks, who floated motionless on the far side of the ring.
"I didn't need any help," Eighteen claimed as she stood up.
Verto didn't turn towards her, "Yet you mean. But since Trunks isn't sure what to do, I figure why have an advantage if we're not going to use it?" Eighteen snorted slightly as Goten started to pull himself up.
"That was mean!" he declared.
"It's a battle royale, the fight you wanted. You have to expect things like that in an unpredictable situation when your teammates are in no position to help you," Verto said. Trunks was frozen by Verto's glare and didn't look to even want to assist Goten for fear of being counter-attacked the moment he moved. Behind him, Mister Satan was still pulling himself out of the wall, but had looked up long enough to see what was going on.
The MC finally saw a moment to talk and did so, "What a rapid display of teamwork by Eighteen and Verto. With a quick decisive attack, they've isolated young Goten completely and are now in position to win this match going away!"
Just as Goten got to one knee, Satan started marching towards the ring, "Oh come on! You little squirts are the strongest kids in the whole world! Start acting like it instead of a couple of sniveling babies!" His sudden speech seemed to snap both of the boys out of their current funk, specifically Trunks.
"He's right, come on Goten, let's show him what we've got!" Trunks shouted. Goten responded by launching off the ring with a punch towards Verto's face. Verto turned long enough to catch it, allowing Trunks to attack from his blindside and hit Verto with a strong flying kick. Verto was knocked aside but managed to land on his feet a dozen feet away. Both boys lined up in their stances as their golden auras shimmered into view.
Verto recognized the challenge and gave them his full attention, "Alright brats, if that's how you want it."
Trunks and Goten both flew straight at Verto in full attack mode, taking the appearance of two golden torpedoes being launched. Verto kept his own stance and waited for them to arrive before he made a single move. Another bright detonation of light blinded the arena briefly before it fell away to reveal all three boys entangled in a furious frenzy of punches of kicks. Verto's increased his movement speed to compensate for both Super Saiyans attacking at once, allowing some of his deeper power to seep out into his silver aura. Every punch and kick aimed at him was dodged or blocked easily, which frustrated Trunks the most initially. Almost a full minute of this went by before Verto suddenly phased out when Trunks and Goten both punched at the same spot, bumping fists as if they were sharing a greeting. They both looked at each other in astonishment before Verto suddenly phased in behind Goten and aimed a strong forearm shot straight at his head. Goten was knocked silly while Trunks managed to duck and fly out of the way. Verto chased him up into the sky, closing the gap quickly. Trunks led him into the clouds before turning around and making sure he had space. He lined up with the bright sun before raising both of his arms and concentrating his ki. Verto's eyes narrowed as he struggled to see what Trunks was up to. Trunks slowed before changing direction and coming down to meet his opponent head on. It wasn't until he was almost on Verto before his ki ignited into a bright golden blade that extended from his hands. Trunks slashed downwards with all he had, only for his Ki Sword to be stopped by a blue, Psionic one.
Verto hovered with only one arm holding up his Psi Sword to block against Trunks' attack, "Nice try, but save it for a life and death battle, not a tournament." Trunks blinked slightly before he charged his sword with more energy, making it glow much brighter. Verto smirked slightly and dropped towards the ground as he kept his Psi Sword ready at his side.
Trunks held his blade high before slashing downwards without moving, "Burning Slash!" A large burst of golden, flaming energy shot out of Trunks' sword straight down at Verto. Verto scowled slightly and aimed his sword down for a moment before swinging it sideways to parry the blast. Instead his blade cut right through the attack, making it dissipate harmlessly.
Verto was a little surprised himself but snorted slightly at what had happened, "Looks like you need more practice with that one." Trunks grumbled slightly as his sword faded and he flew straight down at the ring, passing Verto quickly. Verto looked down and saw Goten was up and standing ready in the fusion pose as he watched for Eighteen to try and stop it. Verto gave chase from high above, making Trunks realize that they now had a small window of time to use Fusion. Eighteen flew at Goten to attack, making him change tactics. He blocked the initial blow and spun to kick Eighteen in the chest, sending her flying.
Goten then glanced up just as Trunks came down, "Goten let's do it!"
"Yeah!" Goten got into position first about three seconds before Trunks landed. From above, Verto scowled and increased speed, but knew that he wouldn't be in time.
"Fu…."
Eighteen pulled herself off the ring floor and glanced over just in time to see the boys start coming together, "Aw crap!"
"-sion…" Eighteen thrust her arm out and fired a quick blast aimed at area between the two boys just as their arms moved towards each other with outstretched fingers. The blast collided with the boys arms and pushed them out of their stance before exploding, breaking the fusion attempt completely. When it cleared, both boys were laying in a charred and cracking ring area, holding their arms painfully. Eighteen wiped her brow slightly with relief as Verto landed nearby, making the ring shudder and crack under the impact.
"Nice save," he commented.
Eighteen shrugged, "That was close, it almost went either way. I was kind of hoping that they would turn into the fat Gotenks but I was too accurate."
Verto turned his neck slightly to pop its joints, "Either way, the plan is still working, although that blast was a little strong. Stay back, I'm going to finish this."
Eighteen gave him a slight bow and wave, "By all means." Goten and Trunks picked themselves out of the crumbling section of the ring as pieces of it fell out of their golden hair and off their clothes.
"Okay, that wasn't fun," Trunks muttered as he winced slightly.
"What do we do Trunks? She almost messed up the fusion," Goten pointed out.
"That must have been their plan all along, to make sure we stay separated or to mess it up enough that we botch it. We have to create an opportunity where they can't stop us. And I know just how to get one," Trunks claimed.
"How?" Trunks leaned in to whisper briefly before Goten nodded and both boys switched their stances to mirror each other, in a different way. Verto had been walking slowly towards them, but stopped upon seeing this particular stance.
"Don't do it you little ingrates," he shouted.
Trunks smirked as both he and Goten charged their energy up at the same time, "Ka….me….ha…." Verto grimaced for a moment while the arena darkened from the bright blue coming from between the two Super Saiyans.
"Oh my, both Trunks and Goten are going to fire the Kamehameha Wave at the same time! And by the look of things it's going to be a big one! Get ready to duck and cover folks!" the MC called out as he looked for a safe spot.
From the other side, Gohan felt a rush of panic next to his newlywed wife, "Oh no, they're getting reckless!"
Videl cast an eye at Verto and noticed how calm he was, "I think he's got it covered."
"Me…."
Verto demeanor shifted to determination, "Alright, let's see it boys. If you're going to do something this stupid, you had better give it everything you've got!" Both Trunks and Goten glanced at each other and nodded as their combined blast tripled in both size and power.
"HAAA!" Trunks and Goten fired the massive beam straight at Verto, who didn't budge an inch as it came barreling his way. He held his palms out to catch the beam and braced for impact. From the other side, both boys discontinued the beam once they saw it form into a huge ball and stop at the edge of the ring. They saw no sign of Verto or Eighteen being able to see past the Kamehameha Wave and saw their chance.
"Alright, now, while he's distracted!" Trunks shouted. Goten nodded and they refocused their energy into an equal level while Verto appeared to be too busy with their Twin Kamehameha attack.
"Fu-sion, HA!" Bright white and gold shined from their end of the ring while most everyone was focused on the huge ball of blue that had collided with Verto. It suddenly shrank away and was replaced by the brighter light from Gotenks forming, who came out in the Fusion vest and pants, with a larger Super Saiyan aura flowing around him.
"Yeah!" Gotenks called out as he held up his victory sign. A large array of gasps sounded from the audience as they realized that something was different.
The MC wasn't sure how to react, "After that huge Kamehameha Wave, Goten and Trunks have disappeared. And now there's a different golden haired boy in the ring that doesn't look like either of them. What is going on?" A large finger tapped him on the shoulder, revealed to by Mister Satan, who motioned for the microphone.
"Let me explain quickly, those two boys are still here. They have a special trick up their sleeve that allows them to combine into one boy for a short time, making them several times stronger than either of them alone for a little while. It's one of the best tricks I've ever taught them. You can call him Gotenks until he splits again," Satan claimed as gave back the microphone. The crowd settled into a bustle of nods of approval, much to the surprise of anyone that actually knew of the technique.
"Best trick that he's ever taught them?" Piccolo roared from the lobby while Goku turned his head slightly in confusion.
Krillin chuckled, "I have to admit, that was the easiest explanation to our abilities I've ever heard." Verto stood up as the last of the blue Kamehameha faded from his front, scowling slightly as Gotenks warmed up by hopping in place.
"Well, that was a clever and dangerous way to get nowhere," he muttered aloud.
"Ha, you know you can't beat me unless you use your full power! And if I go Super Saiyan Three, you won't have a chance!" Gotenks boasted.
Verto's eyebrow lifted slightly, "If only the fusion technique didn't fill your head with crap, then you'd see that your plan already back fired. I don't need to use Super Mystic since you already gave me enough energy so that I wouldn't have to. I'll match your level easily."
Gotenks was a bit dumbfounded, "Huh? How?" He then spotted the blue sword that Verto had been holding in his hands and realized what had happened, "Oh." Verto's aura brightened into a temporary white before it shifted into golden combined with blue lightning as he turned Super Saiyan. His hair stood completely on end he pushed it into the second level, drawing a gasp from the lobby.
"I thought he couldn't turn Super Saiyan anymore?" Krillin gasped.
"He can't normally, he absorbed all the energy from the Kamehameha Wave while the boys fused, that's what gave him the boost. I doubt it'll last very long but judging by the power I'm sensing, the fight could go either way," Piccolo explained.
"Bah, he should just use his maximum power now and get it over with," Vegeta muttered.
"This isn't a serious tournament Vegeta, maybe he wants to have some fun too," Goku pointed out.
"What match have you been watching, the boy has been toying with them up until now. He could have ended it long before a minute passed if he wanted to," Vegeta countered.
"And embarrassed both Goten and your son at the same time. By letting them hang around in the match, he's at least giving them a chance," Piccolo interjected.
"I hope they send Eighteen flying this way, I'll make sure to catch her," Roshi claimed as he held up his hands suggestively, drawing a few looks.
Krillin scowled, "One track mind as always."
Both Verto and Gotenks' golden auras seemed on par with each other as they stared each other down in the ring. Eighteen backed up to the far side, making sure she stayed well out of the way. When her foot reached the edge, a small crack formed and a single piece of tile fell to the ground. It was enough of a signal to send Gotenks and Verto flying towards each other. Bright gold filled the arena before a barrage of light shockwaves went off from random places in the air, signaling some of the rapid movement that was going on. Every neck in the crowd strained to see where the boys had gone with the only hint being the occasional bright flash that seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. When both boys finally stopped long enough to be spotted, they were both in the middle of the ring, hands clasped as they pushed towards each other. The arena shuddered under the weight of their energy clashing together as small pieces of the ring floated off. Verto suddenly pulled back, pulling Gotenks with him as he kicked up into the bare stomach. Verto held on, dragging Gotenks back down into the ring surface just as he slid out of the way. Verto then spun just as Gotenks got back up, landing a sharp hook kick into Gotenks' head, sending him flying backwards. Gotenks flipped around and dug both feet into the ring for a nice dead stop before putting both hands up to his head with a single finger on both sides.
"Charging Mad Bull Attack!" he cried out as he ran in. Verto phased out, making Gotenks stumble slightly before he stopped and turned around for another pass. Verto folded his arms and waited for Gotenks to reach him again, only to phase out at the last second again. When Gotenks turned around again, he was leveled by a hard punch to the side of his head.
Verto stood just a few feet away while Gotenks held his head painfully, "You had better play this a little more serious, I've given you long enough to play your trump card. It would be a waste for me to finish it too easily. I probably didn't even need to absorb the extra energy judging by what I've seen so far!" Gotenks took exception to this and jumped at Verto, attempting to grab him. Verto side stepped the attempt and kicked hard into Gotenks' stomach, sending him high into the air. He managed to stop himself high above the arena and stopped to consider the situation.
"Man, I forgot how good he is. He can read me like a book, so what do I do against him?" Gotenks pondered. He glanced down and took notice of Eighteen standing by on the side of the ring.
"That's right, I have to deal with her too. I should go for the weakest link like Dad says, and then I'll catch Verto off guard when he tries to step in," Gotenks claimed as he shifted his position and prepared to dive in.
"Great idea, maybe you shouldn't say it out loud," Verto said from behind him. Gotenks cringed and swung a back-fist at Verto's head, missing when he phased out. Verto kicked into his back from above, sending Gotenks down towards the ring in a freefall before following. Gotenks recovered midway and adjusted his flight to aim towards Eighteen. She glided towards the side to avoid the contact, and Gotenks touched down long enough to jump towards her. Just when he was within reach, Verto's form slammed into him from above, increasing the damage done by forcing his head into the ring surface at the same time. Verto pulled Gotenks up by the back of his vest and threw him towards the arena wall. Gotenks flailed slightly as he tried to slow down and barely managed to stop before hitting the wall or the ground.
He frowned and folded his arms in thought, I'm clearly going about this the wrong way, Verto is three steps ahead of me at all times. I can't beat him like this! I have to hit him with a surprise move so I can get Eighteen out and not have to worry about her attacking from behind. Gotenks took quite awhile to consider his options, giving Verto ample time to prepare for whatever might be coming next.
"Hey, what do you think?" Eighteen asked.
"They're trying to get you out of the picture, or trying to make it appear that way in order to throw me off. Not happening," Verto replied.
"Try not to let any stray blasts get away, my kid is in the stands you know!" Eighteen warned.
"I'm aware of that. Get ready, I imagine he's going to get desperate soon."
Gotenks finished thinking his strategy over and held his thumb up for a moment before grinning and signaling it downwards, "I've got just the move for you punk! It'll blow your mind!"
Verto stood ready as Eighteen moved back, "Anytime you cocky brat."
Gotenks held his arm out and charged a golden blast before quickly firing. Verto glided back and then up into the air when the blast homed in on him. Three more homing blasts were fired by Gotenks before they widened into wider rings of energy. Verto recognized the attack and quickly conjured his Psi sword to slice through the first one and readied for the next set. Three quick slashes were enough to deal with each ring, rendering them useless as they vanished into thin air.
Gotenks wasn't quite sure what to make of this, "Maybe I should do this differently." His palms recharged with energy before he pumped his arms back and forth to fire a barrage of energy missiles. Verto's sword faded as he held up his glowing blue palm and his spinning shield came into view. Each of Gotenks' blasts was knocked away and into the ground despite the even angle they were fired at, leaving a random display of holes nearby.
Gotenks scratched his head slightly before shrugging and charging in with a fist outstretched, "Super Miracle Punch!" Verto's shield faded before Gotenks arrived, and he jumped straight up to avoid the attack. Gotenks had charged in too hard and was unable to slow down quickly, leaving him open to attack. Verto plunged down with both feet and pushing Gotenks so hard into the ring that he broke into the dirt below. Verto jumped out of the newly formed hole easily enough and waited. His eyes shifted around as he felt for Gotenks' energy signal but noted it was missing.
He's hidden himself under the ring and intends to pop out in a different place. Have to feel it out.
"Contestant Verto has literally buried Gotenks under the ring with a ferocious attack. Gotenks has until the count of ten to come back out otherwise he will be considered knocked out!" MC announced.
"Hey microphone guy, shut up!"
"Yeah shut up, we're trying to watch a match here!" MC jumped out of the way as a few drink containers were thrown his way from the crowd.
The ground suddenly started to shake as Gotenks' started chanting, "Ka…me…ha…me…" Verto's palm filled with green ki as he shifted around and searched for the most likely spot that his opponent was about to emerge from.
From behind him, Gotenks burst out of the nearby grass and fired the massive beam at nearly point-blank range, "HA!"
Verto barely managed to turn in time to answer and aimed at a low angle, "Final Shine!" He poured a larger amount of power into his blast to make sure it was enough to take care of Gotenks' beam. Because of the odd angle, Verto's one handed beam didn't quite counter Gotenks' beam as much as it pushed it out the arena, barely missing the upper seating in the process. The explosion that followed in the distance left a monster of a mushroom cloud though, and everyone on one particular side of the stadium felt a huge sense of relief. Verto panted slightly as the dust settled, his hair having shifted back to black as it fell from its upright position. Gotenks was a bit surprised at the turn of events as well, and brushed off the dirt clods that had come along for the ride on his vest and hair.
"Well, at least now you can see that I'm the best! I'm unbeatable!" Gotenks declared.
Verto's heavy breathing eased as he smirked, "If you say so."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Gotenks asked.
"Gotenks has been ruled out of bounds, Verto and Eighteen are the winners! Team One advances!" MC announced.
Gotenks stared at him, "What? How?"
"When you went underground, you emerged outside of the ring rather than within the ring itself. Had you stayed inbounds, there wouldn't be a problem, but any contact with the ground outside the ring is an automatic disqualification," MC explained.
"But, that's so lame!" Gotenks whined.
"Sorry, but it's the rules!" Gotenks pouted slightly before floating over towards the far wall and punching it, leaving a large hole as it crumbled apart.
Verto shook his head slightly as Eighteen walked up, "Nice job kid, we could have done without the dramatics though."
"Thanks, but I think we have to lead Buu back here with a bag of candy or something. I don't think we'll get it that easy again," Verto pointed out.
"You call that easy?" she asked.
"Compared to what we may have to deal with, yes," Verto said as he pointed towards Goku and Vegeta, who were eyeing each other and smirking. Next to them were Piccolo and Krillin watching Roshi stare and drool at Lenz's body. Lenz had her eyes locked on Verto and Eighteen though, and she looked very anxious to begin.
Eighteen's eyes widened just a bit, "I see your point."
PL
Super Saiyan Goten: 105,000,000
Super Saiyan Trunks: 115,000,000
Eighteen: 65,000,000
Mr. Satan: 6,000
Verto: 312,000,000; Super Saiyan 2: 450,000,000
Super Saiyan Gotenks: 430,000,000