A/N: Alrighty then! We are finally making our way back to the main cast. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter, in which, Piccolo finds himself in a pickle. :D

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ.

Chapter 17

"Don't worry, namekian, I'm only here to make sure you don't get too 'frisky'."

Piccolo removed his turban and cape. "Really? Because I was thinking I'd show you just how 'frisky' I can get! HRAAHH!" With a shout, Piccolo sent a powerful ki blast her way.

Sapphire drew her sword and slashed through the attack, making it split in two and sending each half veering off in separate directions before exploding. But just after she slashed, Piccolo was inside her guard and threw a punch. Somehow, she was able to bring her sword down to block it, but he still sent her flying.

Piccolo wore no satisfied smile, just a scowl. "I'm in a really rotten mood right now. You couldn't have picked a worse time to do this." Then he followed after his quarry.

The blue swordswoman hopped backwards, from building to building, as Piccolo chased her. She moved with such grace and elegance that almost anyone who saw her would watch the woman in awe. Her periwinkle hair flowed beautifully in the wind as she fled. She could have been mistaken for a ballerina, if not for the sword.

All such beauty was lost on Piccolo. He didn't care for such things, even when the earth wasn't being invaded. But now especially, the sight of the blue woman only brought a bitter taste to his mouth. All he saw while chasing her, was the face of his dead student. True, she hadn't killed him, but she represented the reason he was dead.

Piccolo didn't care for Hercule the way he cared for Gohan. He thought the man was a clown. A fool, who only cared for the adulation of the masses, making a mockery of the martial arts. He was an embarrassment. From the first day he started flight training, the namekian vowed to make the frauds life a living hell. Whether he quit or died, he didn't care.

But no matter what he threw at him, no matter how hard or torturous the challenges, Hercule kept on pushing. Piccolo didn't understand why the buffoon wouldn't just quit. Was the approval of his fans really that important? But when he fought against Aquamarine, Piccolo understood. Instead of lying down, letting Gohan save his neck, he got back up and fought the enemy with everything he had. He refused to give up, even when he had no chance of victory. Maybe he did it for the citizens of earth. Maybe he did it for his daughter. Perhaps he did it to prove to himself that he wasn't a coward. But, whatever the reason, one thing was clear. Hercule Satan wasn't buffoon. He wasn't a fraud, or a clown, or a coward. He was a warrior, and he died a warriors' death. Piccolo owed him his respect.

No matter how short the time was, the man was Piccolos' disciple. That meant something to him. Gohan may have gotten dibs on Aquamarine, but Piccolo needed to blow off some steam too. The swordswoman would be the perfect target for his frustration. He would ensure that his pupils' death had not been in vain, as he destroyed every last one of these invaders.

These were the thoughts and feelings of the namekian as he chased after Sapphire. Building after building he followed, trying to catch up to the agile woman. He tried to analyze her for any pattern. She was clearly heading away from the center and towards the edge of the city. Perhaps he could gather enough speed to jump out in front of her to cut her off.

Just as he was thinking up a strategy, the woman jumped off of a building and landed in the deserted street below.

"Here is sufficient, I believe." There was no time for relaxing though, as Piccolo followed her off the building, aiming a flying punch. She quickly put up her weapon vertical, supporting the blade with her non sword hand. As the fist impacted, the namekian tried to put as much force as he could into the punch to break through the blade. His force was used against him, as she pirouetted to the green mans outside and he went right past her, driving his fist into the ground.

"Gah!" He felt a sharp pain at the side of his head. Reaching up, he put a hand to his ear to find that the point had been sliced clean off. He glared at his opponent while baring his teeth.

"I do not believe there is any need for animosity." Sapphire spoke calmly and formally while raising her sword point at her foe. "What we do here, we do as soldiers. It is understandable that you are grieved by the loss of another, but It was an action of duty not malice. Aquamarine killed the man for the glory of…"

Piccolo made another lunge, throwing a myriad of blows her way in a wild barrage of fury. As he advanced on her, she backed away, using her rapier to parry every attack that was thrown at her. She had to admit, the namekian was good. He left almost no openings to counterattack. Too bad for him she was better. She thrust her sword at her attackers' face and he ducked. She twisted her wrist, she changed her thrust into a downward cross slash. He stepped in sharply and rammed a left hook into her side, making her stagger. He tried to press his advantage with a right smash but he stopped to duck and roll to the side to avoid decapitation.

"I must say, you have impressive reflexes. Another microsecond and you would be without a head." Sapphire complimented her opponent. "In addition, your level of strength is quite high. Your punch to my side was most painful." Both fighters stood their ground, waiting for their moment to strike. Piccolo stood low in his demon stance while Sapphire held her sword at the ready.

Without lowering her weapon, the woman spoke again. "May I ask something?"

The namekian gave her an odd look before he answered. "What?" He replied harshly. Whatever trick she was trying to pull, he had no intention of falling for it.

"When I used a downward slash, you stepped closer to me. The usual instinct is to retreat from a blade. Why didn't you?"

Piccolo thought this was a stupid question. He had no desire to have a chat with this woman, friendly or otherwise. But, so long as they were asking questions, he might as well use this to gain some intel on his opponent. "I'll answer if you answer one of my questions."

Sapphire considered this. Then she nodded. "Very well. That is a fair request."

"People retreat from a blade out of fear." Piccolo stated in answer to her question. "It's not a weakness I ever saw a point in having." He finished with a smirk.

"Interesting. Forgive my curiosity, but I rarely get an opportunity to fight a warrior of your caliber. I like to treat such opportunities as a learning experience. I shall bear in mind that you do not harbor any fear toward me or my weapon. Though I do not think this wise of you. What is your question?"

"What's with the blindfold." He asked bluntly.

Sapphire was confused for a moment before comprehension dawned. "Ah, you wish to ascertain whether this is a means of hiding a secret power. Worry not, namekian, I am simply blind. I have heightened my senses and reflexes to their peak and thus I have become powerful. But there is no secret power." She disappeared, then reappeared directly in front of Piccolo. "I don't need a secret power."

Now it was her turn to pursue her foe. She slashed down at him making him jump to the side. She followed up with a series of thrusts too fast to count, aimed at the green mans' head. If it hadn't been for Gohan, who's speed was superior to this woman's, he would have been dead a hundred times over. But Piccolo weaved his head with equal speed dodging everything that came his way. He countered her assault with a spinning back kick to her mid-section, which she jumped back to dodge, only to rush in again to continue her assault.

She began to vary her attacks, by making a thrust, then a slash, another slash and an upward cut, back to a thrust. Piccolo soon figured out her pattern and it became easier to dodge. As he was getting used to the rhythm, he was about to counter attack. He moved in for the kill, when suddenly, she caught his left arm with a strike that drew blood. She had changed her pattern. In fact, now it was no pattern at all. Her strikes seemed to be random and Piccolo was having a far harder time dodging than before.

Idiot! The pattern was a trap. I fell for it hook line and sinker. Piccolo chastised himself. The sword was flashing so fast and with such ferocity, he had no way of acclimating to the new pace. He was beginning to get cuts that were leaking blood all over his body. The woman saw that she had the namekian on the ropes and began to press forward. She took a few steps forward, he took the same amount back.

Falling back in a tactical retreat to lure your opponent where you wanted them was one thing. Being forced back was something else entirely. From the outset, Sapphire was the one to set the pace. How could he have let himself be sucked in like that. He had to fix this. His rage and annoyance at being bested strategically was boiling within him. He decided to let it all out.

"HYPER EXPLOSIVE DEMON WAVE!"

An enormous burst of explosive energy erupted from Piccolo. It consumed the buildings around him and was so strong, Sapphire had to pull back momentarily.

When the wave died down, Piccolo was standing calmly with his eyes closed. He had created the space, now he could deal with the swordswoman. She had escaped any damage from the attack, but that was fine, he broke her rhythm. Now he was going to beat her at her own game.

As she landed on the ground near her opponent, Sapphire became wary. Her right hand was gripping her sword tightly. Her opponent was shrewd and calculating, much like herself. The explosion was strong, but she sensed it was the precursor to something more. With a cautious step, she inched her way closer to her opponent. Suddenly, he opened his eyes.

"You know, you don't meet many warriors at your level with a sword. I doubt you have a proper duel with anyone even close to your level."

She responded with a wistful look. "It is true. My fellows in the honor guard seem to think swordplay is a waste of time, when one has abilities such as ours. I, however could never give up my sword, for it is a part of me. Unfortunately, I have never before met a warrior I could call my equal, or even my rival, in my own art."

Piccolo held out a hand. "Then allow me to be the first." In his outstretch hand, a jian sword, almost 4 ft in length, materialized with a 'zap'. Piccolo rushed at the woman and swung the sword down on her.

Too surprised to parry properly, she raised her rapier horizontally above her head to block, bracing the sword with a hand on the handle and the other on the blade. A loud clang rang out, as metal struck metal. The taller green man bore down on the blue woman as they both shook from their struggle.

"Y-you wish to engage me in my own art?" She managed to get out, despite the struggling.

"What's the matter? Too scared to fight another swordsman?" Piccolo taunted as he used his weight to push her further down.

A small smile tugged at her lips. The first sign of real emotion she had yet shown. "En garde!"

She stepped to the side, while angling the point of her rapier downward, causing Piccolos' sword to slide down. She twirled it over her head and slashed diagonally, but Piccolo had brought his up in time to block. She spun around and brought her blade to an upward slash. Her adversary once again was able to block it. She transitioned to a thrust and he parried, then returned with a sideways strike of his own. She fell back to dodge while creating some space.

With the initial exchange finished, her smile grew wider. "How… Marvelous."

Neither one wanting to give the other time to rest, they simultaneously started their attacks'. The two swords flashed like lightning. Sparks flew off of them every time they met. As the swords swung, the fighters circled each other like two tigers. Their exchange became so intense that the wind created by their strikes began to create their own storm. As wind began to blow all around them, the warriors started to float up, their sword fight becoming air born.

As they were in the skies, they no longer stayed in one area. When one would fall back, the other would chase them. They warped from place to place, both intent on pressing any advantage they could get.

Sapphire was now truly enjoying herself like she never had before. Finally, she had met a swordsman that could at least come close to her level. He wasn't as skilled in technique, but his speed, strength and reach, as well as his natural sense for combat, made him a formidable man to face.

Piccolo was smiling for an entirely different reason. He knew that he wasn't going to best this woman. Not with the sword at least. It wasn't his preferred method of combat. It did have its advantages, like not being cut every time he blocked her sword, but in truth, this whole thing was a bluff. He just had to wait for the opportune moment.

The moment came as she knocked away his thrust, leaving a small opening.

THERE!

With hardly a thought, Piccolo materialized another blade and stabbed as hard as he could into her right shoulder. Her sword arm went limp, but she made no cry of pain. She just had a look of pain on her face, though, it wasn't the pain of the body. She Looked betrayed.

"Why? I thought you were a swordsman like me?" Hurt was etched into her voice. "Why would you sully our match like this?"

"Hah!" The namekian laughed. "I'm hardly a swordsman. I haven't touched a sword in years. And this isn't a match, it's a fight. You don't get to invade my planet and talk about fair play."

"I see…"

Piccolo wasn't about to let this chance pass him by. He raised his sword to deliver the final blow. She reached toward the sword in her shoulder and yanked it out, tossing it to the side. As the blade was almost at her forehead, she switched hands with lightning speed and brought her rapier up, stopping the blade in its tracks, millimeters from her head."

"Huh?"

"I do apologize. You are right. This is a fight. I should not have held back like I did."

Held back!? she's gotta be bluffing!

"I often use my right hand in battles. Mostly for practice. But it also makes the fight last longer, even if only for a slight amount. Of course, now that you have disabled my right, I have no choice but to use my full strength. I suppose I shouldn't blame you, this is a fight after all." With her left hand she shoved Piccolos' sword up and slashed it, cutting it clean in two. "But you have desecrated my art! So now, I shall let you in on a little secret. I am left-handed!"

She swung at Piccolo and he dodged. Or at least, he thought he did. The strike was so precise and so powerful, that the namekian was 10 feet away from her before his arm fell off. His eyes went wide as he felt the pain. He sped away as he realized that close-range combat was not an option anymore. This would have to be done at a distance.

"Trying to run away now? It will do you no good." She didn't try to chase after her opponent. She slashed 3 times in the air and, with each slash, a blue arc was sent toward the namekian. He tried to stop them by sending a Ki blast, but the arcs just sliced clean through them.

Great, dodging it is!

The one-armed Piccolo succeeded in avoiding the 3 arcs, only for Sapphire to send more with every slash she made.

Realizing that he wouldn't be able to do much with a single arm, he regenerated the other as quickly as he could. The momentary stop caused him to nearly be bisected by the angry swordswoman's attacks, but he managed to get away.

Nothing will happen if I keep just keep running. She doesn't look like she'll get tired of this any time soon.

Piccolo stopped flying and started sending a barrage of Ki blasts at the blue woman. She cut several of them out of the air before they even got close to her, and the rest just whizzed past her. A blue arc came for the namekian and he sped around to fire his blasts from another angle. Once again, Sapphire sliced his attacks out of the sky with contempt, while several more balls of light whizzed past her. This happened every time the green warrior went to a new position. He would fire, she would cut them down and he would dodge her counter attack.

"Is this all you can do? Are you that afraid of my true power that you fire these weak attacks? It's like you're not even trying. I can't believe I thought that you were on my level." She tried to goad him into coming closer. She could keep slashing all day long. The problem was that since they were both similar in speed, she wouldn't catch him if she pursued him, so he could run all day if he wanted to. Her only chance at bringing this to an end was to lure him in closer.

"I thought you did not see a need to be afraid such things as blades?" She taunted him with his own words. "I thought that running from them was a weakness?"

Piccolo stopped moving and grinned at her, his arms spread out wide. "Well, there's running, and then there's strategy."

Sapphire had been so focused on the green man, that she wasn't paying any attention to her surroundings. At his words, she looked around her. Dozens, if not hundreds of energy balls were floating all around her.

Piccolo brought his hands together, commanding his ki blasts to converge on their target.

"HELLZONE GRENADE!"

But before they reached his enemy, hundreds of blue lines cut across the energy, making them explode prematurely. The blue woman rushed out of the explosion and started slashing with unprecedented speed at Piccolo. Once again, he had his sparring sessions with Gohan to thank for surviving the onslaught. He didn't get away completely unscathed though. Sapphire had managed to cut off his leg.

Again, Piccolo regenerated his limb, but he was getting tired of this. He had to find a way to take this woman down.

Flashback.

Hercule was meditating on a precarious ledge by a waterfall. Piccolo was doing the same, only he was floating in front of the gushing waters. Hercule peeked one eye open to look at his jailer, er, I mean trainer. "Um, sir? I was thinkin'…"

"WHO TOLD YOU YOU WERE ALLOWED TO THINK!?" Piccolos' rage shook the mountain and Hercule cowered on his little ledge.

"GYYEEEEEE! I thought that's what meditatin' was!?"

"Meditating is meditating, thinking is thinking!" Piccolo growled.

"Oh… Ok, if you say so sir."

"I do." Then he eyed his pupil, causing him to cower more. Hercule just stared timidly at his teacher. Piccolo rolled his eyes. "What were you thinking."

"Oh! Well sir, I had this idea, y'know, fer when I can use the ki stuff. I call it 'The dynamic mess em' up punch!' You can use latent energy to create a delayed reaction to catch your opponent off guard! See, ya hit the guy, and they don't feel the attack at first. They think their safe but then all the energy blows up on em'." He was incredibly excited as he explained his idea to Piccolo. He looked at the green man with a smile on his face. Surely, he would think this was an awesome idea.

Piccolo looked back at Hercule with a frown. "That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard."

Hercule deflated. "Oh… So, it can't be done?" He was sure it would have been possible.

"Of course, it can be done! But the fact that every word that exits that hole you call a mouth brings the collective IQ of this planet down by 10 point, along with that ridiculous name you came up with, makes what you just said completely idiotic!" Piccolo ranted. "Now, get back to meditating and stop wasting time coming up with worthless techniques!"

"But I…"

"Unless you think your ready to fly right now?" Piccolo grinned evilly.

"Gah! No sir! OHMMMMMMMMM!" Hercule shut his eyes tight and tried to focus on not being thrown to his death.

'That's not a bad idea though. If you change the name that is.' Piccolo thought before going back to meditating.

End flashback.

Piccolo smiled in spite of himself.

I guess it wasn't worthless after all. Ok, I hope your watching maggot, wherever you are, because your technique might just save my hide. Of course, I'll have to tweak it a bit. Give it that 'demon clan' style.

The namekian started to gather as much energy into his hands as he could. Sapphire was growing tired of waiting and so she finally decided to rush him. "You've stalled long enough namekian! Now, prepare to meet your fate!" She yelled as she charged towards her foe, her sword held over her head, poised for the kill.

Yellow spirals of energy line with purple swirled around Piccolos' hands. I guess this will have to do. I just hope it's enough. He too charged at his opponent.

As the warriors clashed, they both knew this would be the final exchange. Each one put everything they had into their attacks. Whoever hit first would have their victory assured.

"RAAAAAAAAAH!"

"HAAAAAAAAAH!"

Silence.

Both of Piccolos' knife hands were touching the abdomen of his adversary. The spirals of energy disappeared and there was no sign of an injury on the blue woman. Piccolo closed his eyes and had a melancholy smile on his face. That was for you, champ. Blood trickled down from his mouth and dripped from his chin. Sticking out of his back was Sapphires rapier, coated in his purple blood. She smiled as she pulled it from his body.

"That was anticlimactic." Then with a swing too fast to track, she sliced off her opponents' head. She sheathed her sword and grabbed the namekian by the ear, letting the decapitated body fall limply to the ground below. "Perhaps I shall keep you as a trophy. I wonder what you were even trying to…"

*PEW*

From Sapphires back erupted 2 beams, piercing through her like a pair of drills.

"Wha…" *cough* She coughed up blood. She started to descend gradually as she felt her life energy fading. She dropped Piccolos' head and touched her stomach. No mark. In a state of shock, she reached around to check her back. Bringing a blue, blood-soaked hand back to her face. She tried to comprehend how he could possibly have bested her.

She finally dropped to the ground. Falling to her knees and then her face. She looked to the side, her vision fading. She could just make out the green head close by, and his body a little further away.

"What," She croaked. "What did you do?" She knew the head wouldn't answer. She would have to ask him in the next life.

"How does it feel? It's an idea from a friend of mine. I gotta say, I'm pretty pleased with it." Piccolos' severed head was somehow talking with a grin. It also was starting to regenerate it's body.

Sapphires eyes widened with shock. Then realization crossed her face. "Namekians. No need to fear a blade, huh?" Then her eyes closed slowly. She lost. Her sword had lost. "Incorporeal… I get it now."

Break

The Jade emperor was annoyed. At first it was entertaining, seeing the earthlings fight back and gain a semblance of hope, before he sent his top dog to tear that hope to shreds. Aquamarine and Perdito had lost, but they were of no concern. He hadn't even cared if Patzo and Opal survived. Frankly their constant lovey doveyness made him sick. But now, both Rubio and Sapphire, 2 of his top 5, had been defeated. The one who killed Rubio was heading here fast. He wasn't sure of the namekians' status, but he could still sense him, so he would probably come too. Once he recovered from whatever Sapphire had managed to do to him, that is. His force had seen massive casualties after facing Cooler and now this? Even Adamantia was having problems. Of course, he could always get more warriors, but not of the same quality of his elite. Besides, it was the principle of the thing.

"Esmeralda, Garet." He called the last two of his Honor guard.

""Yes, my liege?"" They bowed in unison.

"Go and assist Turk and the twins. I don't care how you do it, just make sure you win. and then exterminate any resistance. These warriors are getting on my nerves. Show them their place."

""As you command!""

"Master, please let me put a stop to this senseless…"

"Broly, If I have to tell you again, I will be most displeased. You will fight, when I tell you to fight."

"…"

"Broly."

"Yes, master."

"Hoooh." The old man sighed, rubbing his temples. "I'm getting too old for this."

End chapter.

A/N: Some of you might possibly be wondering how Piccolo was able to talk as a severed head. Well, I'll tell you. Probably the same BS namekian magic that lets them reproduce A-sexually, regenerate limbs, survive on nothing but water, and create magical, wish granting dragonballs. I hope you enjoyed their sword fight though. I've seen a few stories where Gohan continues with his swordsmanship, which I think is awesome, but we never see his master use a sword. I think he could handle one pretty well if he did. Anyway, next chapter stars our lovely cyborg 18.