Warning! Certain parts of this chapter may contain dangerous amounts of goofiness. Just go with it.
Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ
Chapter 49
King Yemma looked at the file in front of him with a clear disdain for the blackened sheet. He hated dealing with cases like this. Unfortunately, such cases were becoming more common in recent years.
"Let's see here. Not a very impressive record, to say the least. Genocide, murdering the man who practically raised you, and even treachery for power and self-gratification. There was a brief period where you were starting to turn things around, but I'm afraid it's not enough. Still, if nothing else, it seems you had a change of heart at the last minute. And there's the mind control plea to investigate. Perhaps we could just put you in one of the more unpleasant corners of hell, rather than send you to HFIL. Especially since it is likely that your friends will just wish you back in a matter of months."
"I don't need your mercy." Vegeta looked up at the giant ogre in defiance. "I've never had any delusions about where I'll end up. Besides, after everything I've done… I doubt even that woman would waste the wish on me. Send me to this HFIL place, Yemma, and be done with me."
"Very well. Home for infinite losers it is." Yemma grabbed his stamp and pressed it firmly against the Saiyan prince's record, marking it with the big red letters HFIL.
"Wait, home for infinite what!?"
Vegeta barely had time to register the smirk on King Yemma's face before a black hole opened up and swallowed Vegeta, leaving the king alone in his office once more.
"Hmm." He rubbed his bearded chin. "Perhaps he had more of a change of heart than I thought. To willingly condemned himself like that… I almost hope they do wish him back. It would be interesting to see what he would make of another chance."
The ogre was brought out of his musings by a commotion outside his doors.
"Hey, stop! You need to wait your turn! There are souls in front of you! GYEAAH!"
The doors burst open and in charged a bubblegum pink child with an antenna and a ghostly tail in place of legs.
"Ah yes, I've been expecting you."
"Gegegege!" Replied the leering creature.
"I have ways of dealing with ruffians like you." Yemma reached under his desk and pressed a button.
The demon started pounding his chest at the perceived challenge. "GEGEGEOooooooh!?"
His chattering war cry turned into wide eyed excitement when he saw the result of the button. Out of the floor appeared a full-size swimming pool filled with candy and baked goods.
"Oooh!" Buu rubbed his hands together while drool dangled from his lips.
"Help yourself." Yemma gestured to the pool and Buu wasted no time by diving into his idea of paradise.
'Glad that actually worked. Guess I'll have to get Baba something as a thank you.' "Ahem. Continue eating Mr. Buu, I'll just pass judgement while you enjoy the treat." Buu paid the king no mind, as he was busy doing the backstroke with his mouth wide open.
"Your record is even worse than the last. But, strangely enough, though you've been alive for millions of years, according to the file you're still technically a child. This makes you a very difficult case. Normally, the innocence of childhood would exempt you from the worst punishments, but we can't exactly let you mingle with the souls that have been good after all you've done. Fortunately, I believe we have a compromise for the situation. Actually, I got the idea from the young man who defeated you.
The demon stopped his gorging and looked up at his judge. "Ge… Gee. Gohan?"
"Oh? Well, isn't that interesting. Do you wish revenge on the boy who defeated you? Or is it something else? I wonder. Either way, Son Gohan seems to have left his mark on you. Even if he didn't mean to, he suggested a second chance at life. So, what do you say Buu? Would you like to see your conqueror again?"
The demon hopped out of the candy pool and started beating his chest. "OOH! OOH! OOH!"
"Very well." Yemma said with relief. Truth be told, he wasn't certain he could have sentenced someone like Buu without help, and a lot of destruction. The giant stamped Buu's file to be marked 'Reincarnation' and Buu's soul began to fade by degrees until he had vanished from King Yemma's office.
"Phew." The ogre wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. "Glad that's over. Who knows what kind of destruction he'd cause if we had kept him up here." King Yemma thought for a moment. "Come to think of it, maybe I shouldn't have sent Vegeta to HFIL after all.
Break
It was with little grace that Vegeta landed flat on his face in the realm of the damned. He pushed himself up from the rocky terrain and looked around.
"Tch, is this it? Shouldn't there be some demons to torment me?"
"Well, well, well." A smarmy voice said from behind the Saiyan. "I was wondering when you'd get here Vegeta."
Vegeta turned to see the face of none other than Cell smiling at him with an air of condescension.
"I've been hoping for a little entertainment, and you're just the clown for the job."
"Is that so." Vegeta quirked an eyebrow.
"I'm afraid you'll have to wait your turn, Cell." Two more figures came up from behind Cell that the Saiyan prince knew very well indeed. "If I heard correctly, our little monkey friend was hoping for torture. My father and I are only too happy to oblige. It will be just like old times, eh, Vegeta?"
Vegeta scowled at King Cold and Frieza with contempt. But what they said brought a question to his mind.
"How do you plan on torturing me if we don't have our physical bodies?" He asked the obnoxious space tyrant. He had been under the impression that only good souls, like Kakarot, kept their bodies.
"Poor simple Vegeta." Frieza shook his head. "Haven't you realized by now? We do have our bodies. That's part of the punishment. All our power, yet nothing to do but be reminded of our own failures. All we can do is wait in this prison with no hope of escape. Isn't it infuriating? I surely would have gone mad if not for you arriving to become our new plaything."
The Saiyan prince tilted his head and looked at his fellow prisoners. One by one, more images were starting to appear. Babidi, The Jade Emperor, Dr. Gero, the Ginyu force, Zarbon, Dodoria, Nappa, the blue man that Gohan had defeated, and innumerable others that he did not recognize. All of them looking like they would like a piece of the new meat.
"So, we have our power here?" He asked no one in particular.
"If you can call what you have power." Scoffed Bojack.
"And we can feel pain?" Vegeta continued, a fiery look igniting in his eyes.
"A fact that you will learn firsthand. Ohohohoho!" Frieza replied with an obnoxious laugh, prompting the other villains to join in. The laughter grew, reaching a crescendo as each prisoner was reveling in the punishment that they would inflict on the Saiyan. But just as gradually as it had built up, it petered out until only one man was laughing. That man was Vegeta.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, that is just perfect. I couldn't ask for a better atonement!"
"What are you on about Vegeta?" Cell asked. "Has the fear driven you insane already?"
"AHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Quickly transitioning from laughter to powering up with a shout, Vegeta blew all but the most powerful of the inmates away as he turned into a super Saiyan.
"I think I know how I'm supposed to make up for everything I've done. I'll just spend eternity destroying you miserable wretches. The only beings in existence who are even more vile than me. Who knows? Maybe I'll even get some training out of you weaklings."
"GET HIM!" Babidi yelled, and everyone swarmed the super Saiyan, who never lost his satisfied grin.
"Just. Perfect."
Break
At the dining room table of the Son home, a certain woman was feeling rather blue, and it had nothing to do with the color of her skin. Zangya had both arms crossed on the table with her chin resting on top of them. She stared listlessly out the window, occasionally letting a sigh escape her lips.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a small, frosted cake rise over the side of the table and set itself down. She looked over and saw a little finger surreptitiously pushing it closer, until it was right in front of her face. She scooted her chair back to see Goten, crouching on another seat to keep himself hidden while attempting to give Zangya the cake.
"Ahem." She coughed, and the little boy froze, then slowly turned to face her with a guilty expression.
"It's chocolate." Was all the excuse he offered.
"I can see that." Despite her melancholy state, she couldn't help but smile at Goten's attempt at cheering her up.
"It's a 'happy' cake." He pointed at a poorly drawn smiley face on top. "I made it for you because you've been so sad."
"Oh? Well Goten, that's such a coincidence. Because I was just thinking how not-sad I would be if someone made me a happy cake."
Goten's face lit up at this and handed her a spoon, motioning her to eat. Without hesitation, Zangya took the spoon and used it to place a large piece of the pastry in her mouth. As soon as the cake touched her tongue, her eyes bulged out and she knew she had made a mistake. Whatever was in her mouth, it was not cake. There was no way she could swallow this thing, and yet, there was no way she could disappoint the little face beaming at her. She prayed for a miracle to save her, and luckily, one came in the form of Gohan.
One look at the scene and the young scholar deduced the basics of the situation. He looked from the proud smile of Goten, to the poorly made cake, and finally into the pleading eyes of Zangya. The teen struggled not to laugh, but despite his amusement, he thought he ought to help her out.
"Hey Goten. Why don't you go find Icarus? I bet he really misses playing with you."
"Oh, really!?" Goten loved the giant dragon. "Ok! Enjoy the cake Zangy." The little boy ran out of the room and Zangya immediately ran to the kitchen window and spat out whatever had violated her taste buds.
"That was the worst thing I have ever tasted. How is Chichi so good at cooking and you boys are so bad? It's like opposite heredity or something." She said before gurgling with baking soda and vinegar. The resulting eruption of which only served to further Gohan's amusement.
"Well, he's only four. He probably used mud or something." Gohan replied with a laugh.
The Hera spat out her makeshift mouthwash. "That was not mud. That wasn't even a relative of mud. That was-"
"Gohan, did you mean my stuffed dragon Icarus, or the real one? Also, which way is Icarus's cave again?"
"-The best cake I've ever eaten!" At the sight of Goten, Zangya quickly put another spoonful of cake into her mouth, to which the boy beamed with pride.
Gohan looked highly amused by the face Zangya was making. Her cheeks were full, and her eyes were watering as she was clearly refusing to swallow the vile concoction in her mouth.
"You know, it has been a while. Let me think." He put a hand to his chin, glancing sidelong at Zangya, who looked ready to murder him for prolonging her agony.
"MMMMPH!" She tried to yell.
"Alright, alright, I remember now." He put his hands up placatingly to Zangya. "It's over by that big oak tree, remember?"
"Oh Yeah. Hey, Gohan, you want to try some of the cake I made for Zangy?"
Gohan looked panicked. "Oh, gee, I wouldn't want to take away something you made just for her. Besides, she looks like she's really enjoying it."
"You don't mind, right Zangy?" The little boy asked the Hera. The girl adopted an evil grin, which was rendered comically sinister by the fact that she had yet to swallow her mouthful. She nodded vigorously and thrust a spoon with more cake than she had eaten on it in the direction of Gohan.
"Oh… Goody." Closing his eyes, the teen opened his mouth, and the brown mess was shoved into his mouth so hard that he almost gagged on the spoon. Gohan had endured many hardships in his life, but he couldn't bring any to mind that matched what his mouth was going through right now. He bent over, gripping his knees with both hands, struggling with all his might not to throw up in front of his little brother.
"Wow, it must be really good cake!" Goten stated proudly before finally leaving out the front door. As soon as they heard the door click, the two teens emptied their mouths and ransacked the kitchen to rinse out their mouths with anything they could find. When the commotion died down, the two stared at each other, brokering a peace treaty with their eyes. They then made their way to the living room where they dropped onto the sofa.
"So, are you cheered up yet." Gohan asked.
"You mean did having the culinary equivalent of death stuffed in my mouth make me feel better? Oddly enough, it did not." Then a small smile tugged at her lips. "But I guess I can't stay depressed forever. Not when Goten is trying so hard."
Gohan laughed. "Yeah, who knows what he'll make you eat next time." The pair shuddered at the thought. Then Gohan adopted a more comforting tone. "I know you and 18 are going through a rough patch. But I'm sure it'll work itself out. I doubt she's really upset with you. How could she be?"
"I know." Zangya sighed. "I just… 18 was my first friend."
"What about me?"
"First female friend." The girl clarified, and Gohan seemed satisfied. "Even on Hera, I was never really able to make friends. Especially after I joined Bojack's gang. It's been really nice, you know? Like, we can be normal girls with each other, but still have superpowers."
"You talk like your friendship is over. You know she just misses Krillin. Once we bring him back, everything will go back to normal. Well, normal for us anyway."
"I guess…" Zangya slumped lower into the couch. "What do you think she sees in him anyway?" She asked Gohan.
"What do you mean?" he replied in confusion.
"You know. Krillin and 18. He's a nice guy and all, but she could do better if she really wanted to."
Gohan scratched his chin. "That's funny. Before I got to know her, I always thought the opposite. I never knew why Krillin would be into her."
Zangya stared at her friend like he had grown a second head. "You're kidding, right?"
"No, seriously, until recently, I had no idea why Krillin fell for her. I always thought he could do better. Sure, she's pretty-"
"No, she's drop dead gorgeous!" Zangya corrected. She was almost offended that Gohan couldn't see the charms of her best friend. "And he's a bald midget with no nose. But I'm not even talking about looks. I don't think there's anything wrong with looking different than your soulmate." She eyed Gohan before quickly continuing. "I mean, not only are her looks perfect, but she's also got a great personality. She's sweet, and sensitive, and has a great sense of humor. She's really strong, and cool too."
"Sounds like Krillin's got some competition. Does 18 know you've been crushing on her?" Gohan teased.
"Ha ha." Zangya rolled her eyes. "But seriously, what does Krillin have going for him? He's strong for his race, but not compared to 18. He's not a genius, or rich. He just seems like kind of a background guy is all I'm saying."
Gohan looked at her with a smile. "Is that what you would base a relationship off of?"
Zangya thought for a moment and blushed as she recalled why she fell in love with Gohan. Yes, he was handsome, strong, and a genius, but none of those things were the real reason why. "No. No It's not."
Gohan nodded, as if he already knew that. "I guess I can see your line of thinking when it comes to Krillin. Maybe if I didn't know him as well as I do, I'd think the same. But Krillin's not a background guy at all. At least, I never saw him that way. You know, he saved my life a quite a few times."
"I didn't know that." Zangya replied with interest.
"Yeah. It was while we were on Namek. Everyone was way stronger than us there, and they all would have killed us given half the chance. Krillin kept us safe. He's always able to keep a level head and get out of tricky situations. He may not be the most powerful fighter, but he's probably one of the bravest I've ever known. He's taken on guys ten times his own strength just to protect someone else. I've never told him this, but next to my dad and Piccolo, I admire him more than anyone."
"I never knew you two were so close."
"He and my dad have been best friends since they were kids. I guess he's kind of like my uncle. Sure, he's a bit goofy, but he always knows when it's time to get serious. He always tries to do the right thing. Like the time we tried to blow up 18."
"Wait, WHAT!?" Zangya Jumped off the couch.
"Ok, hear me out. This was before she was our friend, and she was trying to kill my dad." Gohan held up his hands.
Zangya thought this over. "Fair enough. Continue."
"So, I told you about Cell, and how he had absorbed 18 to achieve his 'perfect' form?"
"Yeah, then you punched him so hard he spat her out. That was my favorite part." She recalled his story with a grin.
"Thanks." He laughed. "Anyway, before he absorbed her, Bulma made a device that would detonate an explosive in her chest. She thought that if they could keep him from becoming perfect, he would be easier to deal with."
"So, I'm guessing the remote didn't work." Zangya reasoned, knowing the rest of the story.
"Oh, I'm sure it worked. Bulma doesn't do defective. But when Krillin had the chance to save the earth by destroying her, he couldn't do it, and destroyed the remote. He didn't think it was right to destroy a girl who up to that point hadn't really done anything wrong. Also, he had a huge crush on her."
"Wow." Zangya was genuinely impressed, though she wasn't sure if it was by Krillin's kindness, or his foolishness. "I guess I can see why 18 would fall for the guy who would doom the earth rather than blow her up. That is pretty sweet."
"I… I wouldn't put it like that." Gohan never thought of it that way before.
"No, it's ok, you made your point. Krillin does sound like a pretty great guy. But 18 is also great."
"Yeah, that's true. I like her, but I always thought she was too cold. I warmed up to her after we all started hanging out more, but she always seemed so bored. It wasn't until I saw her react to Krillin not being wished back that I realized just how human she is. She really cares about Krillin. And he cares about her."
Zangya nodded. "Yeah. I guess that is all that matters…" After a pause, she continued. "Do you think we could go to Namek a little early? Like, nowish?"
Gohan put his hands behind his head and sighed. "I've thought about that a lot. I wanted to. I was actually planning on it to begin with, maybe make two trips, maybe stay there till the six months were up. That was before Krillin said that he was choosing to stay in Otherworld. Now I think it might be best to let him stay till he's ready."
"But what about 18?"
"I know she's taking it hard. But I really think it's better for Krillin that he stays up there and trains. He wants to fight for her. Can you imagine seeing the one you love dying right in front of your eyes? Not just once, but two times, and not being able to lift a finger to save them? I think he chose to stay up there so that when he gets back, he can finally be strong enough to protect her. He deserves that chance at least."
"Maybe…" she conceded. "Do you really think he'll get that much stronger in six months?"
"Who knows. He might surprise you." Gohan shrugged. "I don't think he's going to be near as strong as me, but..." he gave his friend a provocatively sly look. "He might give you a run for your money."
Zangya narrowed her eyes and smirked. "Oh, you're trying to talk trash now, huh? Well, if memory serves, I recall someone falling to their knees at the tournament. In front of Videl Satan of all people. What, was the buffoon's daughter too much for you to handle?"
"First of all, it was only one knee. Second, let's review. I was stabbed, had my energy drained, and was restrained by two deities."
"Yeah, yeah. Make all the excuses you want rice ball." Zangya waved his excuses away. "If it hadn't been for me, you'd still be lying on those tiles."
"Oh yeah? Care to put your money where your mouth is?" Gohan challenged, while flicking her forehead lightly with his tail. He was pleased that his plan was going so well.
"I'll take you on anytime, anywhere, monkey boy." She flicked him right back. "What did you have in mind?"
"Loser of the fight has to agree to whatever the winner asks."
Zangya thought about this and grinned. "You're on."
"Great, because I've already been contacted by the tournament officials."
"Wait, what?" Zangya asked.
"Now that everything's calmed down, they wanted to know if we could come and finish the tournament. Apparently, it's that, or they cave to everyone that's been demanding a refund. Which is everyone. Besides, what better way to settle our bet."
The Hera's expression went from thoughtful to wicked glee. "Heh. Hope you like advertising. When I win, I'm gonna use you for all the marketing value your worth 'Gold Fighter.'"
"Oh contraire, mon belle femme. You don't stand a chance against me."
"Ok, I didn't understand the first part of that. But the second part was just plain nonsense."
"We shall see, mon cheri."
"Stop that. It's weird."
"Sorry." Gohan blushed. He was just trying to be smooth. "The tournament finals are this weekend."
"Ok then."
Break
After almost a week of trash talking in the Son household, the day of the tournament finally arrived. Due to Vegeta still being dead, and Shin having returned to Otherworld, Gohan and Zangya had been paired up in the final match. When the news had spread that the fight would be between the Gold Fighter and the Red Z Girl, the fans were even more eager to see the tournament's conclusion. Both heroes had a considerable fanbase, and many bets were taken on who would overcome the other.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer greeted the crowd enthusiastically. "Welcome to the finals of the world martial arts tournament. Joining me today as a special guest commentator is a gifted fighter in his own right. He was a tournament finalist in his day, and rumor has it that he trains with both the Red Z Girl and the Gold Fighter. Please put your hands together, for MAJUNIOR!"
The crowd gave an impressive ovation, as they remembered the incredible fight they saw with Majunior and Vegeta. Piccolo, on the other hand, had to wonder how he had been convinced to agree to this. He had returned from the demon realm only a few days prior, and after a brief welcome back from Gohan and Zangya, the two informed him that they had volunteered him for this job. Apparently, the announcer was anticipating not being able to track their movements, so he asked if one of their friends would be able to do a play by play if necessary. Piccolo was annoyed at being volunteered, and had no intention of doing any commentating. But he was interested in seeing Gohan's new power firsthand.
"Tell us Majunior, in your expert opinion, what is your prediction for the fight today?"
Piccolo glared in response and the announcer shrunk in his seat. "That is… If you don't mind sharing."
The Namekian bared his fangs, which may have been a grin, but certainly didn't seem so to the announcer. "Sure. Why not? Gohan is on a level beyond any fighter on earth, possibly even the universe. His technique is sharp, and his mind is sharper. It might even be impossible for anyone to beat him right now. That being said, the only person alive who might stand a chance against him, however slim, is stepping into the ring with him today."
"So, you do think the Red Z girl has a chance of winning?"
"Gohan has a clear advantage in power. But Zangya's a wild card. She's a creative fighter, and the tournament rules might work to her advantage if she plays it right."
"So, what exactly would you put her odds of beating the Gold fighter at?"
Piccolo thought this over. "Since the tournament rules are so restrictive, and neither fighter will be able to showcase their full power, I'd say… Maybe a hundred to one."
Zangya had poked her head out of the waiting room and stuck her tongue out at Piccolo. "Bleh!"
"Ouch! Not a lot of confidence in the red headed heroine folks. But sounds like the crowd doesn't agree with your assessment." The large portion of the crowd that represented Zangya's fan base was fiercely booing Piccolo. "But that's the beauty of this tournament. Anything can happen! Now let's call our fighters out here! Give a big hand to the champions of Earth, the conquerors of death, the Red Z Girl and the Gold fighter!"
The crowd went wild as Gohan and Zangya took their cue to exit the waiting room. Both fighters walked side by side, waving to their fans in the stadium. Hundreds of handmade signs were being waved with either their names, their images, and in a few cases, Zangya's chest and Gohan's abs.
"Mine are louder than yours." Zangya said smugly.
"Yeah." Gohan admitted. "I hope they're not this loud when you lose. The wailing would be unbearable. It might even keep me awake all night. That is, if I didn't have the champion's belt to help me sleep."
"It's not your belt yet rice ball."
"Yeah. Yet."
The two stopped center ring and stared each other down.
"Alright, before we begin, I had a few suggestions." Zangya pulled out some note cards.
"Suggestions?" Gohan quirked an eyebrow.
"You know, for your new form. You can't keep going by the 'Gold Fighter' if your hair isn't gold, so I took the liberty of jotting some ideas down for your superhero mantle."
Despite himself, Gohan was curious and took the cards from her. "The white wonder, Captain silver back, Riceball man. The hokey pokey!? Majin-Go unchained? That actually is pretty good, but the rest of these are terrible Zangya."
The girl was suddenly a blaze of rage. "I worked really hard on those names!" She was practically spitting fire at her opponent. "They can't all be 'Red Z' quality you know. I spent all day yesterday on this too, so you better pick one!" she yelled.
Gohan shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry, but I don't really need a new name. I mean, I can still go super Saiyan."
"You can?" She blinked in surprise.
"Yeah. Easier than before actually."
Zangya looked annoyed and grumbled. "Lousy Saiyans with your stupid transformations. How come I only get one transformation and you get like, a hundred?"
Again, Gohan shrugged a halfhearted apology. "If it helps, I really like your transformation. I think it's pretty sexy."
It took her a moment to register these unexpected words. Once she did, Zangya's blush couldn't have spread faster if it had instant transmission. "Whawhawhawhaaaaat!? What did you just say!?"
"BEGIN!" the announcer called.
"No wait, hold on a minute!"
Gohan did not wait and took full advantage of her flustered state by hitting her with a palm thrust that sent her flying away from the center. She had barely managed to stop herself when he appeared behind her.
"I've always wanted to do this." As he said this, she felt his hands caress her ears while his index fingers touched the points."
"Aahn!" An erotic cry escaped her lips and Gohan, along with everyone in the stands, had blood pouring from their noses. He quickly let go of the ears and stammered out an apology to the now crimson faced girl.
"I-I-I'm sorry! I just always wanted to see how pointy they were! I didn't realize that you would…"
"You're going to pay for that." She threatened through gritted teeth.
"Zangya, I really didn't think-"
"PAY I SAY!" She lunged at the Saiyan, and her fingers started moving up and down his torso, resulting in the ticklish Gohan laughing uncontrollably.
"GYAHAHAHAHAH! ST-STOP! GAHAHA! STOP IT ZAYAHAHAHAHA!"
Zangya's tickle attack was ridiculously effective against Gohan, and she showed no signs of relenting. The crowd was clearly enjoying the show, ridiculous as it was, but there was one person who was becoming increasingly annoyed as time went on.
"HEY MORONS!" Piccolo roared and both fighters stopped. "THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FIGHT! STOP FLIRTING AND GET SERIOUS!"
The sudden outburst from the Namekian caused Zangya and Gohan to blush while rubbing the backs of their heads.
"Well?" Zangya dropped to her fighting stance. "How about it? It is about time we got serious."
Gohan smiled and took his stance as well. "Sure. Ladies first."
"That's funny. I was about to say the same to you. HYAAH!"
The blue fighter charged her opponent and struck out with a knife hand swipe that passed right through an after image of Gohan. Without waiting for his image to fade, she spun around to deliver a round house aimed at the Saiyan's temple as he appeared behind her. The younger fighter blocked the blow on his forearm with a smirk.
"I thought you were going to get serious." He stepped in and swung his elbow down diagonally at her head. She brought her arm up in time to intercept the hit, but the force was too much, and she slammed into the ground, shattering the ring tiles as she impacted. Despite the rough impact, Zangya bounced right back up, flipping backwards to make some space between them. Just as she landed, she saw a Ki blast speeding toward her until it exploded on the cross guard she had just managed to put up.
Gohan's hand appeared through the smoke and grabbed her face. He charged toward the edge of the ring with the intent to throw her over, but she grabbed his wrist and pulled her legs up, aiming a kick to his chin. The Saiyan tilted his head to avoid it, then the Hera hooked her leg around the back of his neck and drove her free knee into Gohan's abs. Her smile was met with one from him, and she realized that he was unharmed, having caught the blow with his freehand. Rather than waiver, her smile seemed to get bigger.
"Gotcha!"
An electric current coursed through Gohan, courtesy of the psycho threads that Zangya had woven around him.
"GRYAAAAH!" The younger teen cried out as the Hera increased the intensity.
"Give up Riceball! Or we can see how long it takes to fry rice!"
Gohan gritted his teeth and looked down at the girl with a dangerous smile. "B-Bring. It. OONNN!" he shouted his final word, and his energy broke through the girl's technique and sent her flying.
"AMAZING!" Shouted the announcer. "It seems like the Red Z Girl is proving to be more than a match for the Gold Fighter after all. He may have been able to shake her off, but who knows how much electricity he had to endure. I'm sure he's going to be feeling that tomorrow!"
The announcer hadn't even finished when Gohan and Zangya were back at it. Too fast for the Hera to block, the Saiyan hit her square in the gut with an uppercut, followed by a roundhouse kick to the ribs. Her feet skid across the ring and she winced in pain. Gohan left her no time to recover, and she barely had time to get her guard up to protect herself from the wicked barrage of fists that followed. Punch after punch landed on her arms and each one drove her further back. A knee from Gohan buried itself in her gut and knocked the wind out of her. The savage attack only ended when Gohan grabbed Zangya by the arms and with a spin, flung her skidding over the side of the ring.
"OH! What a shame for the Red Z girl folks!" The announcer yelled. "It looked like she had the Gold Fighter on the ropes, until he came back at her with that awesome display. But with that ring out, it's all over for her."
"This fight is far from over." Piccolo corrected the announcer.
"Uh, but mister Majunior, a ring out means a definite victory for the Gold fighter."
"Look again." Piccolo pointed and the announcer, along with the crowd turned back to where Zangya had fallen off the platform, only to see one hand and a foot digging into the side of the ring while the other was holding her hair to keep it from touching the ground. The announcer rushed over to the girl and adjusted his sunglasses.
"I do not believe it folks! The Red Z girl has managed to hold herself up by barely an inch! What tenacity! But can she make it back onto the platform!?"
To answer his question, Zangya easily flipped up and onto the ring, shaking her bruised arms out and giving Gohan a dirty look.
"Geez. I wouldn't be surprised if Chichi grounded you for being so rough on a poor girl like me."
"Are you kidding?" Gohan replied with a laugh. "If there were a committee for equal fights, Mom would be the president. Besides, it's not like you're an ordinary girl. In fact, extraordinary doesn't even begin to do you justice."
"I suppose that is true." She ran a hand through her hair before getting back to her fighting stance. "At least I'm able to make you go all out." Zangya said proudly.
"You haven't seen anything yet." The boy smirked.
"That's a relief. I was starting to get bored." She quipped back.
Gohan quirked an eyebrow. "In that case, let's lift the no-fly rule. This platform is more restrictive than I remember."
Zangya looked puzzled. "Fine by me, but I thought we agreed that not flying would give the crowd a better show?"
"Oh, they'll get a show alright. And this way, I'll actually get a challenge."
"You're saying I haven't been a challenge?" Zangya said with a laugh, but a vein was bulging in her forehead. Gohan had gotten a lot better at trash talking lately.
"No, I'm not saying… Oh, wait. Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying." Gohan goaded his opponent.
She slammed a fist into her palm. "Alright, that does it. You want a challenge? I'll give you a challenge that's out of this world."
Zangya closed her eyes and raised her arms parallel to the ground. An eerie calm washed over the area and even the raucous crowd was silent as they felt a strange sensation. Just as had happened the last time she transformed, a pillar of light engulfed Zangya and when it faded, her appearance had changed to that of an Amazonian war goddess with glowing red hair and Lush green skin.
The appearance of the heavenly image in their midst kept the crowd silent, too afraid to make a move in such an otherworldly presence.
"Well?" Zangya taunted. "Ready to lose?"
Gohan had been trying to resist ogling his opponent, and this question gave him the distraction he needed to bring his focus back to the fight.
"Do you mean that you're ready to lose to me? If so, I accept your surrender."
Before Gohan could blink, Zangya appeared smiling at his side, gripping him by the tail. "Shut up rice ball." A sonic boom erupted as she shot into the air, hauling the Saiyan behind her by his tail.
Just below the cloud layer, Gohan had managed to wrap his tail around her wrist, and spinning like a top, flung her away from him.
"Ouch." Gohan said while rubbing his tail. "That almost hurt. Woah!" Zangya was right in front of him, and a fist landed on his guard. A roundhouse landed on his face, then a bicycle kick from above, and an uppercut from below. Zangya danced around her victim like light flickering from a prism, overwhelming him from every side. He caught an elbow on his temple, then blocked a knee to the chin. He failed to dodge a dropkick to the back and got a cut on the cheek when he barely avoided the full force of her knife hand. The Hera didn't allow her opponent a moment to breathe, and she took full advantage of the superior speed and strength that her transformation gave her by dealing as much damage to Gohan as she possibly could.
Back in the stadium, this battle was displayed on a jumbotron, using Jade Empire technology to track their movements.
"Amazing!" The announcer shouted. "Even slowing it down, it's difficult to tell exactly what's happening up there. But it appears that the Red Z girl is buzzing around The Gold fighter like an angry wasp and giving him quite the stinging! Majunior, care to expound on this?"
"No." Piccolo was too wrapped up in the fight to explain it.
"O-oh… Well, whatever's going on, it's clear that this mysterious new form has turned this fight into a one-sided slaughter in Red Z's favor."
Up in the sky, Zangya continued to pour on the punishment.
"Come on 'Gold fighter'." She landed a side kick in his chest and sent him flying, only to catch him with an elbow to the back of his head. "What happened to all those transformations. Or maybe you're having second thoughts about my name ideas. Come on, let's see what that super Saiyan demon can do!" She sent him away with a spartan kick and warped to intercept him again. To her surprise, despite his bruises, the Saiyan was smiling, and in an instant, without even a shout, his hair had turned gold. With the sudden change, he accelerated into her with a headbutt to her noggin.
"GAH!" Zangya clutched her head as tears formed in her eyes.
"I told you I could still go super Saiyan." He flexed, sending out a rush of wind. Zangya didn't even flinch but folded her arms and frowned.
"I guess you really don't need a new moniker. I wish I hadn't wasted all that time. Oh well." She disappeared and Gohan turned to catch a knee with one hand. "I guess I'll take out my frustrations on you." She transitioned to a spinning axe kick that Gohan side stepped.
"I'll help you work off your frustrations later." The boy replied with a cocky grin. "Right now, I've got a tournament to win." He threw a front kick at her, but his foot passed through air. She appeared above him, driving an elbow down on his head, but this attack missed its mark as well. Gohan came at her from the side with a drop kick, she spun out of the way and fired a red ki blast. He knocked the ball away and it detonated in the distance, lighting up the sky with a violent array of fiery colors. Against the backdrop of a flaming sky, the two collided in a fierce exchange.
Despite the flurry of blows, it seemed that none of them could hit their intended target. Each fighter was evading or redirecting the blows as quickly as they were being thrown. Zangya could tell that her power advantage had been lost, but she had more than power up her sleeve.
Gohan threw a punch, but the blow paused in mid-air. The pause lasted barely a nanosecond, but it was enough for Zangya to land a hit. They started another exchange, and again, Gohan's rhythm was broken by an unseen force, allowing the Hera to capitalize on the opening with a knee to the chin.
Gohan flipped backwards and righted himself, rubbing the blood from his chin. "You're getting really good with those threads of yours." He said as he dove back in for another round. "I couldn't even see them that time. But you're not the only one with tricky techniques."
Out of nowhere, a second Gohan appeared and restrained Zangya in a full nelson, allowing the other Gohan to land a few payback blows on her midsection. On the fourth hit, she managed to raise her knee high enough to block the attack and started to parry the rest of his blows with her flexible legs. The appearance of a second Gohan had shocked her initially, but she soon calmed down. She knew the weakness of his technique, and such a cheap trick wouldn't beat her. She powered up and raised her arms, poised to break free of his hold, but before she could, the Gohan holding her let her go and kicked her forward before merging with the original Gohan. Before she could regain her balance, the Saiyan kneed her upwards then bicycle kicked her back down. The Hera plummeted through the air, but managed to turn herself to face her opponent, who was in hot pursuit.
"Hope you like cupcakes!" She thrust out her palms and unleashed a rapid-fire barrage of Ki blasts. Gohan slowed down to avoid them, but they were coming with such speed and with such a wide range that it was all he could do to knock them away. 'Wow. I never thought she'd push me this far.' Gohan thought with delighted admiration. He was having a great time, but he knew he needed to focus. The blasts were coming with increasing velocity, and the ones that he had swatted away were coming back at him, rather than detonating.
"You should know Gohan, that nobody can resist my baking!" Zangya laughed maniacally.
"Well, maybe it's time I started to cut calories! MASENKO FIST!" A yellow aura blazed around his hands, and he dove into the minefield of energy with both arms extended. The ki bombs detonated on impact with his hands and he literally cut his way through the center and right to Zangya.
"Psycho Gauntlets!" the Hera yelled, and the threads became just visible on her hands and forearms, like a pair of ethereal fingerless gloves. She caught Gohan's Masenko fist on her arm and smirked. For a moment, his yellow Ki was diminishing, as Zangya's psycho gauntlets were absorbing the energy.
"Looks like I have the upper hand!" Zangya taunted.
"Oh yeah!?" Gohan shot back. "Your little oven mitts are no match for hot gold!" The gold fighter poured more energy into his fists and continued to attack, while Zangya kept blocking the hits with her protected hands.
Finally, after several intense blows, the Hera winced and cried out in pain. "Gah!" she held her hands as they started to appear red and swollen. Gohan's Ki control was so precise that he mixed in a little of his Kili while he increased the intensity at the moment of impact, to the point where even Zangya could not absorb the energy without sustaining some backlash. Gohan took advantage of the girl's pain and launched a full Masenko at his opponent.
"MASENKO-HA!"
Zangya put her arms up and charged her own attack.
"ANGEL FOOD WAVE!" A white wave of energy intercepted Gohan's demon flash and even managed to push it back. Gohan added more power into his attack, but Zangya was able to match it with ease. Her attack was slowly overtaking her opponent. To her annoyance, even though he was clearly putting all his effort into it, Gohan didn't look concerned that he was losing the beam struggle. She could see him smiling right at her. She growled and poured even more power into the technique until the beam had nearly reached Gohan.
"Come on rice ball! It's like you're not even trying!"
"Well, maybe you're just that much stronger than me." A voice from her side commented. "Cool move by the way."
"Thanks Gohan. I… Gohan!?" She turned and saw a second super Saiyan smiling at her, with hands cupped at his side. "Uh oh."
"KAMEHAMEHA!"
The Hera abandoned her attack on the first Gohan and put her whole focus on defending against the second one. The blue wave hit her outstretched hands, but she was barely able to keep it at bay. Unfortunately, in her haste to protect herself from the more immediate danger, she had neglected to watch out for the other one. The yellow blast hit her from above and pushed her toward the ground. The other Gohan bent his Kamehameha wave to follow her and the yellow mixed with blue to completely envelope the green girl.
Break
Back on the ground, the audience was in awe at the fight above them. Even with the jumbotron relaying the whole battle, they couldn't comprehend even a fraction of what was happening. Even so, the explosions, and the few moments they could see were so amazing they still felt they got more than their money's worth.
They saw Zangya and Gohan in the midst of a beam struggle, and each hero's fan base was chanting ferociously for their favorite to come out on top. When the second Gohan appeared and fired the Kamehameha, the screen went white, and the audience was left in a state of confusion about the conclusion. This state didn't last long, as mere moments after the screen whited out, a body fell from the sky and hit the ground beside the ring like a meteor. Everyone was on their feet trying to see who the downed fighter was. When the dust cleared, it was accompanied to the simultaneous cheers and groans at the revelation that the beloved Red Z girl had lost.
"WHAT AN INCREDIBLE FINALE!" The announcer cried. "RED Z GIRL IS DOWN AND THE GOLD FIGHTER IS THE WORLD MARTIAL ARTS CHAMPION!"
Just as his victory was announced, Gohan landed next to his injured friend and knelt down to check on her.
"You ok?"
"Ooohh…" Zangya groaned as she raised her head to look at Gohan. "When did you use the multiform again?"
"When you winced after I burned your hands." Gohan explained as he pulled out a senzu bean from his pocket and placed it in her mouth. "I told you I could be just as tricky as you."
"More like abusive." She said while crunching on the bean.
"Oh, come on." The boy chuckled. "It was a fight, no different from when we spar. Besides, you would have been mad if I had held back at all."
The girl swallowed her bean and her wounds faded. "Yeah… Wait, you did hold back!" She pointed an accusatory finger.
Gohan held his hands up defensively. "I gave it everything I had. The only thing I didn't do was use super Saiyan 2, or my new form. I thought it was only fair for each of us to only use our first transformation."
"I guess." Zangya Grumbled. Then she smiled at Gohan. "Next time I'll beat you, even if you do use your cheat codes."
"Heh. Who knows? Maybe you'll have a new cheat code by then." The boy stuck out his hand to help the Hera up and she took it. When she got to her feet, she dropped back to her base form and sighed.
"I guess this means we're going by the 'Dragon team' now, huh?" She said in a dejected tone.
Gohan looked at her and scratched his head. "What are you talking about?"
"The bet. I'm guessing you're wanting to claim the right to name our superhero team?"
"What made you think that's what I was going to use the bet for?" Gohan asked, a little astounded that she would think that of all things.
"Well, it's just that we kept arguing about it, and the only way I'd yield on it was if you won the bet. I just didn't realize you hated my idea so much."
"Actually… 'Z fighters' is cool." Gohan chuckled.
"Really?" Zangya brightened up.
"Yeah. I was planning on asking you something else."
"Like what?" Now it was Zangya's turn to be curious. "What do you want? A lifetime supply of cake at the bakery? That's really the only other thing I've got."
Gohan rolled his eyes and pulled her in, wrapping his arm around her waist. He stared into her wide eyes with determination. "I've been trying to be a lot more forward lately. I thought we were on the same page but looks like I was being too subtle. I guess this is the only way."
"W-what do you mean?" She asked, slightly surprised at his boldness.
"Zangya?"
"Y-yes?"
Gohan took a deep breath. "Will you be my Girlfriend?"
Zangya's earlier surprise was nothing compared to what she was feeling now. She never would have imagined that this is what Gohan was planning to ask her. The shock didn't last and was replaced with her inner Chibi jumping for joy. She wrapped her arms around the taller man's neck and pulled him even closer. "Well, a bet's a bet." And at long last, the hybrid hero of earth and the reformed villain from the stars allowed their lips to meet in a long and passionate kiss.
"Wehehell! Would you look at that! Didn't I say that anything could happen folks? Where else in the world can two of Earth's greatest warriors leave the ring as a couple. Only at the World Martial Arts Tournament!"
Cheers erupted from the entire stadium and even Piccolo found himself smiling at the new couple. Their friends, mainly Master Roshi and Bulma, were hooting and catcalling. Broly was sitting with a smile on his face, while Chichi was wiping tears from her eyes with a handkerchief.
"You alright mommy?" Goten asked.
"Oh, of course sweety." She answered. "This just brings back so many memories. I can't wait for your father to get back."
Oblivious to the chatter in the crowd, the two new lovers separated for a brief moment.
"Just tell me one thing." Zangya looked Gohan straight in the eye. "Did you really hate those names I came up with?"
Gohan grinned. "Zangya, let me put it this way. If I hadn't fallen for you before hearing those names, I definitely would have after hearing them. I was just trying to mess with you."
"Heh. I knew it."
The two locked lips once more and took off, disappearing above the privacy of the cloud layer.
Omake: Supreme Kai Bargain Sale. A.K.A. Kai-fe
"And then," the south Supreme Kai spoke between fits of laughter. "West was so sick of the old man peeping on her in her hot spring, that she came up with a plan. She mentioned something about a kitty needing washing that night. The old pervert snuck out to the hot spring, only to find Beerus taking a bath!" The south supreme Kai and Grand supreme Kai roared with laughter at the story, while Elder Kai was petulantly folding his arms. Kibito and Shin were embarrassed, both for the old man, and because of his lecherous ways.
"It isn't funny." Elder Kai grumbled. "That mangy cat went totally overboard."
"I think the punishment was fitting." Chuckled Daikaioh. "Though, perhaps we did leave you in there too long. Westy didn't think you had learned your lesson yet though."
"That's how you ended up in the Z sword?" Shin's voice was indignant. He turned to South supreme Kai. "Then what about the legend? You told me yourself that the sword had amazing power to vanquish evil. How could you lie to me?"
"It wasn't a lie." The buff Kai replied. "What greater evil is there than a peeping tom? Eh, old man?" he nudged the unamused old Kai with his elbow.
"But every core person for tens of millions of years has been told the legend! I even based my entire speech on it at the last hide and seek tournament. Now I come to find out that the sword only served as a prison for a pervert? I've never been so embarrassed!"
"Sorry Easton." DaiKaioh patted his shoulder. "We were going to tell you once you had completed your training period and became a full-fledged supreme Kai. But then everything happened with Buu."
Shin sighed. He felt like he had been made a fool of. However, despite his perceived humiliation, he couldn't stay mad at his friends. Not when he was so pleased to have them back. He even missed his mentor's habit of calling them all by his little nicknames for them.
"I understand. I suppose it did all work out in the end. Zangya was able to free the sword and her power is unlike anything I've ever seen."
"Power shmower." Elder Kai perked up at the mention of the blue girl. "If we're talking about strengths, the girl's body is leagues above the rest. Am I right?"
Just as he said this, a door opened and singing could be heard to the tune of 'Cha la, head Cha la' throughout Dragon Bakery Z.
"Gohan! Son Gohan! I've got a super awesome new boyfriend, and we've got a date toniiiight!" Zangya was singing and practically skipping to the table while carrying at least ten serving trays laden with everything on the menu. She stopped singing as she reached the table and suddenly her eyes narrowed on the Kais. She turned to the girl at the register.
"Hey, Chico, these guys paid in advance, right?"
"They sure did boss." The cashier replied. "I even charged them double like you said. It's ok that they paid in unmarked gold, right?"
Upon hearing this, Zangya once again wore a big grin. "Alrighty then, who had items 1 through 50?"
"Oh my." DaiKaioh said while licking his lips. "I suppose it would be ungrateful of me if I didn't finish all of this."
"Heh. Yeah, whatever. Dig in bubba."
"Zangya, please, at least try to show some respect to him, even if to no one else." Shin begged the blue girl. Unfortunately, Zangya just ignored him, and the grand supreme Kai was too busy devouring his pastries one by one to mind any disrespect.
"Huh, you kind of eat like Gohan. Well, anyway, the golden apple pie a la hard mode was yours, right muscles?" The buff Kai nodded.
"There you go. It's a new item, so let me know what you think. And then the tiramisu was for you, right Shin? And for Kibito, I hope you enjoy your humble pie." She grinned cheekily as the man bowed his head in contrition and the Hera giggled.
"Chin up, it's actually pretty good. It's made with plums. And for the old man…" she turned to elder Kai and narrowed her eyes. The old man was looking past her and straight at the backside of Chico, who was bending over just then. His view was cut off by a hand being slammed on the table and he jumped.
"Listen, you old pervert." Despite her sweet tone and wide smile, she looked absolutely terrifying. "If you don't stop ogling my employees, I'll use the Z sword to remove your eyes, hands, and any other appendage that I find offensive. Are we clear?"
The old man gulped and nodded. He knew that this girl wasn't bluffing.
"Great, now enjoy the cake." The girl spun around and skipped away while singing about her upcoming date. "Don't stop, don't stop, we're in love now…"
The other Kais looked in sympathy at the elder Kai, who was keeping his gaze glued to the table and was pale as a sheet.
"Maybe being trapped in the sword wasn't so bad after all."
"Well, elder, nothing like coming to a bakery to receive your… Just desserts." Daikaioh Grinned.
End Chapter
Well, I hope I answered all the questions. Gohan and Zangya are a couple now, so I'm pretty happy. I just wanted to make this a fun chapter, so I hope you enjoyed it. The next arc is jumping right into the action so stay tuned. Or, you know, subscribed.
One note on Zangya's transformation. It is the same full power state she had before, but the potential of the transformation was unlocked along with her base potential. It was suggested in a comment, and it made sense to me, that being a different race from Gohan would yield different results when it came to the ritual.