Dragon Ball Z: Dynasty

Authors: Feraligreater328 and StevenBodner

A/N: Welp, we're almost there. Next time I post, I'll be fully caught up to where Dynasty was before I fell apart. So, next week, I finally get to post "Prom Night, Part 2". I hope you're all excited, I certainly am. The World Tournament is something I've been looking forward to since I decided to make this a full-on story. :)

Chapter 147: The Grand Kai Festival

4 months ago, in Other World, Snake Way…

Goku flew closely behind King Kai, his arms crossed over his chest and a confused look on his face. King Kai looked annoyed as he continued to fly, barely addressing Goku other than ordering the Saiyan to follow him. Goku spoke up. "Ya know... I could just Instant Transmission us to your planet..."

King Kai turned to Goku and snarled. Goku flinched. "Wh-What?!"

King Kai flew faster. Goku followed along. "WHAT?!"

Soon enough, they arrived at the end of Snake Way and Goku spied something peculiar. It was a simple camp built on the tail end of the serpentine road. There was a can fire with three chairs set up around it, Bubbles and Gregory both sat down and roasting hot dogs. And to Goku's surprise, there were also three other people standing there. The Saiyan from Earth took a closer look and gasped. "THOSE GUYS?!"

Goku and King Kai landed and Goku ran up to the others with a smile on his face. "PICCOLO! TIEN! YAMCHA! WHAT'S UP?!"

All three of the other warriors glared at Goku and then locked their furious glances firmly back onto King Kai. Piccolo and Tien were both fully clothed. Yamcha was entirely naked, his bushy, mountaineering beard draped over his chest. Goku cocked his head and offered his hand. "Piccolo~"

Piccolo shook it. "Goku."

Same to Tien. "Tien~"

Tien shook it. "Goku."

Goku then offered his hand to Yamcha, but his eyes immediately fell downward. "Yam...cha...?"

Yamcha shook his hand, sounding annoyed. "Quit staring at my dick, Goku."

Goku nodded. "R-Right. Sorry. It's just, uh... just..."

Piccolo finished. "Distractingly large?"

Goku snapped his fingers. "That's it!"

Yamcha sneered. "Damn. Sorry about that. It sure is a shame there's no one here who can make clothes!"

Silence in response. Yamcha shouted. "PICCOLO! MAKE ME A DAMNED OUTFIT, DUDE!"

Piccolo flinched. "Oh, right! Sorry..."

Piccolo used his Magic Materialization to make Yamcha an outfit, resembling his classic Turtle School gi. Yamcha nodded in thanks and then motioned past Goku. "Now then..."

Tien nodded. "Right."

He shoved Goku aside and then marched up to King Kai, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him off the ground. "WHY DID YOU KILL US?!"

Piccolo sneered. "WHERE THE HELL DO YOU FIND THE NERVE?!"

Yamcha roared. "I WAS MAKING LOVE TO MY WIFE, YOU ASSHOLE!"

King Kai shouted back. "WELL, PARDON ME, YAMCHA! I GUESS IT WAS RUDE OF ME TO TAKE YOU FROM YOUR WARM, COZY HOUSE!"

As those four continued to yell and shout, Goku sat around the can fire with Gregory and Bubbles and smiled. "Hey guys, what's up?~"

Both shot Goku a dirty look and then shunned him immediately. Goku fell back into his chair. "Come on, guys! Why are you all so mad?"

Then, he stared at the empty space where King Kai's planet had once floated so long ago. Goku scratched his cheek. "Hey, King Kai, where's your planet?!"

King Kai screamed. "YOU DAMN FOOL!"

The Kai lunged onto Goku and grabbed him by the shirt, slamming him down against Snake Way again and again. "WHERE'S MY PLANET?! WHERE'S MY PLANET?! WHERE DO YOU THINK MY PLANET IS?! YOU DAMN FOOL!"

King Kai stood and started to stomp. "STAY DOWN ON THE GROUND! STAY DOWN ON THE GROUND! YOU MOTHERF-"

Piccolo picked up King Kai by the head, holding him high up as he continued to kick and scream. King Kai screeched. "PUT ME DOWN, PICCOLO! I'LL KILL HIM! I SWEAR TO GOD, I'LL KILL HIM!"

Piccolo rolled his eyes. "You already did."

King Kai screamed. "I'LL KILL HIM WORSE! WHERE'S MY PLANET?! WHERE DO YOU THINK MY PLANET IS, YOU DAMN FOOL! WHERE DO YOU THINK MY PLANET IS?!"

Tien crossed his arms. "Wait... is that why we're here?!"

Goku stared. "No way! We wished your planet back after the Cell Games~"

Everyone fell silent. Goku's smile faded. "Like... with Shenron, right? Or, uh, Porunga? We... uh... I'm sure we... I thought... we... uh...?"

Goku smiled, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face. "Oops~"

Yamcha, Tien, and Piccolo's jaws dropped. King Kai screeched and lunged onto Goku. "I'LL SHATTER YOUR SOUL!"

One heavenly ass-whooping later…

Goku laid on the ground, 20 or 30 steaming lumps sprouting out of his head. Piccolo cleared his throat. "So... it turned out that restoring King Kai's planet is taking more paperwork and channels than we realized..."

Yamcha and Tien both clapped their hands together, bowing their heads. "PLEASE FORGIVE US!"

King Kai was slumped in one of the camping chairs, breathing heavily while Bubbles fanned him and Gregory held a water bottle close to his face. He groaned. "7 years, thinking that at least one of my students would offer me some aid, or even bother to at least ask me how I'm doing. To suddenly come to the realization that 'Oh crap! I haven't heard from King Kai in a while since that whole Cell thing. I hope he's okay, especially with how understanding and helpful he was about the whole Cell thing'..."

Then all four of them spoke. "Sorry."

King Kai sighed. "So, the reason I tore out your souls is that I need your help..."

Tien cocked his head. "How did you do that, anyway?"

King Kai shrugged. "I've had 7 years to waste, so I traveled to several planets and learned plenty of new skills. On Yardrat, I learned, among other things, Instant Transmission and Spirit Fission, and expanded their applications."

Piccolo nodded. "Okay then, how can we help? How does killing us help you?"

King Kai stood. "Well, let me clarify that I didn't kill you. I pulled out your souls. Your bodies are still alive and stuck in a form of suspended animation back on Earth. So, you won't have to worry about your bodies needing sustenance or even air."

Yamcha nodded. "Okay."

King Kai nodded back. "As for how you can help me... my boss, the Grand Kai, is hosting one of his tournaments on his planet. Each one of us quadrant Kais gets to bring their students along to participate, and-"

Goku sprang up, an excited chime in his voice. "A tournament?!"

Piccolo shot the Saiyan a sideways look. King Kai cleared his throat. "Yes. A tournament. That's why I took the four of you so abruptly. We don't have a lot of time left before the Higher Plane leaves King Yemma's check-in station. So if we're going to do this, we have to hurry. Are you guys with me?"

Goku punched his fist into the opposite palm. "All right! Let's get going!"

Tien and Yamcha looked at each other and nodded, both adopting a smirk. Piccolo crossed his arms over his chest and followed along. The five of them took off and Goku cheerfully called down to Bubbles and Gregory. "Don't worry, guys! I'll make sure we get you guys a place to live! Promise!"

Bubbles hooted and clapped his hands above his head. Gregory called after Goku. "You better get us a place, ya putz!"

Later, on Grand Kai's Planet…

The Higher Plane landed, and King Kai was the first onto the tarmac, followed closely by his four chosen warriors. Tien turned and looked at the rickety flying machine as it puttered and popped. "Still amazed that the Higher Plane is an actual airplane? I thought it was just some kind of visual gag you came up with to try and get a laugh…"

King Kai looked confused. "Why the heck would you think that?!"

Tien shook his head. "N-No reason..."

Piccolo spoke bluntly. "Explain what's happening here again."

King Kai nodded. "The Grand Kai Festival is a multi-round contest where each of the Kais brings the five best warriors from their quadrants to compete in a series of games, bouts, and tests of skill to determine who the top quadrant Kai is. We can pick anyone we want to bring, but they must be from our quadrant, and they must have been personally trained by us. So, no cherry-picking freaks of nature like Cell or Frieza and no talent scouting from each other's turfs. That's why I didn't pick Gohan or Vegeta to come along, because I didn't train them."

Yamcha cocked his head. "So, who's our fifth? In all honesty, you left a lot of good fighters on the table back on Earth."

King Kai began to count on his fingers. "Raditz is depressed and too out of practice, so no. I can't find Bardock. Gine isn't a passionate fighter, more of a pragmatic one. And I couldn't bring Chiaotzu because someone needs to watch over Tien's body..."

Tien smiled. "Very considerate of you."

King Kai made the okay sign with his fingers. "Yeah, of course! Besides, I don't need to harvest anyone else from Earth! I already have a fifth man waiting here. One of my oldest students, actually~"

Goku smiled wide. "Are they strong?! I wanna spar with them if they are!"

King Kai chuckled. "Yes, yes. He's strong~"

The five of them stopped in front of a massive, white-pillared temple. King Kai sighed. "This is the Northern yard. This is where I stay when Grand Kai summons me here for meetings and such. And students of mine who have proven themselves worthy are allowed to stay here constantly to train and improve their skills. You guys will probably all have a pass to come here when you actually die."

Piccolo flinched, a sudden feeling crossing his senses. "Is this fifth man of yours from Earth?!"

Goku, Yamcha, and Tien all looked at Piccolo, confused. King Kai nodded. "You can tell, huh? Well, yes. He is from Earth! As a matter of fact, this man is the first ever Guardian of Earth!"

Yamcha gasped. "The first ever Guardian of Earth?!"

King Kai smirked. "Ayup! Now then... COME ON OUT, OLIBU!"

The massive, wooden doors of the temple opened and out walked a massive pillar of a man even taller than Piccolo. His muscles were massive and immaculately well-sculpted, a face of chiseled and rugged good looks, wavy hair of gold reaching his mid back, and his eyes a pair of royal, purple plums. He looked upon the four warriors before him with a smile that radiated like the sun and marched down the steps, flanked by a massive boar and an alabaster, winged horse. He called out in a voice that could have moved the sea. "King Kai! How have you been, my old friend!"

King Kai cackled. "Olibu! You're looking well!"

Yamcha was stunned. "Holy crap, he's huge!"

Tien nodded. "And strong. You can feel it."

Piccolo stood firm. "It's rare I can actually look some straight in the face..."

Goku was giddy. "He's amazing! King Kai, why didn't you tell me you had someone this strong?! I wanna fight him!"

Olibu laughed heartily, walking up to greet his fellow Earthlings. "My word, quite the crop of promising young men we have here. Genuinely, I must be the weakest of us all~"

Goku waved him off. "No way! You've gotta be holding something back~"

Olibu nodded. "Indeed, young man, I am. But you can't fool these eyes! You boys are all quite powerful in your own rights! I'm honored to call you my comrades-in-arms!"

He looked at Goku and Piccolo closely. "Though, I see not all of you are purely human. And I don't just mean that because you're not born of Earth..."

Olibu clapped his hand onto Piccolo's shoulder. "You were once a Guardian of Earth as I once was..."

He clapped the other onto Goku's. "... and you were marked for the position at some point. I can tell by the aura around both of you."

Goku nodded. "Yup! Kami wanted me to take the job! But... not really my thing~"

Piccolo nodded as well. "Technically, I was never Guardian. I just fused with the Kami he's referring to. So that's why you can sense that in me..."

As Goku, Piccolo, and Olibu talked, Yamcha and Tien looked at one another. Yamcha whispered. "You feel that, right?"

Tien nodded. "This guy could crush Frieza. He might even be able to hang with Cell in a fight. He's certainly no joke..."

Olibu turned to them with a radiant smirk. "Forgive me for leaving you two out of the conversation! And I thank you for the compliments! You must tell me more about these Frieza and Cell characters as we make our way to the square!"

Yamcha and Tien both flinched. Tien cleared his throat. "Amazing hearing too, it seems..."

Olibu laughed. "My friends! A Guardian must hear and see all to properly serve his planet! Now, come! We must make way. Isn't that right, King Kai?"

King Kai nodded. "Yep! Gotta go. Grand Kai gets really bummed out when people are late!"

And so, with King Kai leading the charge, the five warriors made their way toward the massive mansion of Grand Kai.

In Grand Kai's Courtyard…

The five warriors of the North, alongside King Kai, made their way into the square of Grand Kai's massive mansion, talking all the while and filling Olibu in about his beloved Earth since his passing from so very long ago. He smiled as they marched through the hedges. "Well, it does my heart good to know that Earth is in such capable hands. I know you've already settled in but allow me to give my personal blessing to the Saiyan race to rebuild there. You all have earned the title of Earthling, so far as I'm concerned."

Goku smiled. "Thanks, Olibu!"

Piccolo looked over to their escort. "So, what is this Grand Kai like?"

King Kai looked up to the sky. "Well, he's my second Grand Kai. A quadrant Kai that was brought up and left waiting in the wings for the spot to open up, an understudy for the previous Grand Kai... I guess is the best way to put it."

He smiled. "I respect THIS Grand Kai. He's new at his job, but I like his management style. And I like going to him for advice. He maintains a presence, but not an unapproachable one. He's a Grand Kai that can be relied on to provide advice and not just look down his nose at you."

Tien cocked his head. "And what happened to the previous one?"

King Kai shrugged. "Called up the celestial hierarchy on an urgent matter. When we tried to ask what was happening, he told us we were beneath the concern of such a matter."

Yamcha rolled his eyes. "Sounds like a prick."

King Kai nodded. "Yup. Happy I don't have to deal with him anymore."

Then, before anything else could be said, the five warriors and their Kai escort arrived at a massive, sprawling courtyard. And what was waiting for them was a little over a dozen other warriors and three other Kais. The warriors all took a moment to size up their fellow fighters, staring with intensity and intent.

The three other Kais, meanwhile, took a break from scowling at each other to scowling at King Kai. King Kai sighed. "Oh great, I get to deal with this now..."

As the Kais bunched up and the arguing began in earnest, Goku took a moment to look at the three different gatherings of warriors.

First, he observed the bunch that appeared to be from the East Quadrant: a civilized-looking dog man in robes with purple fur, some sort of tubby green lemur, a pink-skinned fighter with green hair, a short, bearded man with no shirt, and (strongest feeling of all) a short, meek-looking fish guy.

Then, he observed the bunch standing across from them in the courtyard, those from the South Quadrant: a pinkish-gray skinned man with two hanging ponytails draped over his shoulders and a jewel embedded in his forehead, a large blue guy wearing a mask and a poofy hat, a frog-man in a smock, a large caterpillar-man, and (strongest feeling of all) what appeared to be a brown and red version of Cell.

Finally, he observed the bunch standing to the right of them, those from the West Quadrant: a gorilla with huge wings, a small guy with a pointy hat, a large dinosaur-man, a man with his face covered by a mask shaped like a blue rose, and (strongest feeling of all) a tall, green-skinned guy wearing very thick clothes.

Goku stared closely at those last two from the West. One of them felt familiar to him, and they both seemed very angry. The two of them locked their eyes onto him with a look that could have boiled water and Goku felt a shudder go up his back. He chuckled. "I get the feeling those two don't like me..."

Piccolo nodded. "I'm feeling that as well. But why would that be? Have you ever met either of them?"

Goku shrugged. "Not that I know of..."

Olibu spoke up. "I have never seen either of those two before. I believe, much like yourselves, this is their first time in Grand Kai's realm..."

"OH, SO SAYS THE HOMELESS WONDER HIMSELF!"

That sudden outburst made every fighter turn their attention to the four, feuding Kais. King Kai was right in the face of the shortest of the bunch, a shrimpy Kai with a monocle over one eye. "DON'T YOU GO THERE! THAT'S A LOW BLOW!"

The female of the group chimed in. "Low, but not untrue, Vaisra~!"

King Kai snapped at her. "Oh, shut up, Dhrta! I don't need you involved too!"

The tallest of the four laughed. "Vaisra's right! It's not like Virup has any room to talk! Losing your planet is shameful, but not nearly as shameful as bringing a couple rookies to the Grand Kai Festival~"

The short one sneered. "SHUT UP, VIRDU!"

As the arguing and shouting began to swell back up again, Goku cocked his head as if curious. Then he shouted over the shouting. "YO! KING KAI!"

The shouting stopped and King Kai turned from his contemporaries. "What, Goku?!"

Goku asked. "Why do they keep calling you 'Vaisra'? What's that mean?"

King Kai flinched. Then he spoke. "Th-That's my name, Goku. I figured context clues would have helped solve that..."

The shortest Kai cackled. "Oh, wow, Northie Vaisra's student sure is a blockhead!"

The tallest one chortled. "Come to think of it, you brought four rookies! Ain't that right, Vaisra?"

The woman giggled. "How embarrassing~"

King Kai sneered. "I've had just about enough of the three of you already! Why don't all three of you just-"

The loud blare of a shredding guitar solo rang out over the courtyard, and everyone turned their heads as the double doors to Grand Kai's mansion swung open with a massive explosion. Then, a grizzled old man shouted out to the gathered crowd.

"What's this?! What's this?! What's this shindig happenin' in my courtyard! North Kai Vaisra, West Kai Virup, South Kai Virdu, and East Kai Dhrta are arguin' and fussin' and makin' a scene?! Man, I just can't dig that!"

Walking down the steps, positively shredding on a Flying V, longneck guitar was the illustrious visage of Grand Kai. No one was needed to point out the man, as his aura did all the talking. In spite of his clownish behavior, and dressing more like a country rocker than a high-ranking overseer of the universe, everyone was caught in an immediate wave of awe as the quadrant Kais' boss marched his way towards them, pointing at each with the headstock of his guitar. "Visra's bummin' it..."

King Kai flinched. "Hey..."

Grand Kai continued. "Virup's bein' short..."

West Kai sneered. "Uncalled for..."

Grand Kai continued. "Virdu's guffawin' like a big ol' frog..."

South Kai frowned. "Oh, come on, Boss..."

Grand Kai concluded. "... and Dhrta's wiggin' out!"

East Kai adjusted her hat... and her hair seemed to shift along with it. "Don't be fresh!"

Grand Kai sighed and tossed his guitar strap over his shoulder, letting the instrument dangle from his back. "Why can't the four of you just make up, huh? I'd like for one of these Grand Kai Festival's to be fun, ya dig? Not an excuse for your four to bicker and squabble over some silly technique..."

The four of them scowled and jerked their heads away from the other three with a huff. Grand Kai sighed and lit a cigarette. "Damn, man. Y'all are really harshin' the vibes again..."

He turned to the others. "Well, to heck with these lame ducks! Lemme welcome you guys all to my planet for the Grand Kai Festival!"

All the gathered warriors perked up a little. Grand Kai smiled. "I've been watchin' some of you train on my planet over the past few thousand years, and some of you are fresh faces all shiny and new! I look forward to havin' a kickass showing of martial arts prowess and skills like no one's ever seen before! Ain't y'all pumped?!"

A massive roar came out from the gathered fighters, even the stoic ones. Grand Kai nodded. "And, of course, the prize! The winnin' team gets a special training' session with yours truly where I'll evaluate their skills and share some pointers~"

He motioned to the four Kais behind him. "And one of those arguin' fuddy-duddies gets to ask me for a wish of their choosin'..."

West Kai smirked. "My technique~"

South Kai smirked. "My technique~"

East Kai smirked. "My technique~"

King Kai sighed. "A place to live..."

Grand Kai turned to the four of them, a bead of sweat rolling down his face. "Has it really gotten so bad between you four that three of ya are willing to waste a wish on something as childish as braggin' rights...?"

The four of them turned back to each other and the screaming match began anew. Grand Kai pulled on his massive, bushy beard. "That's it! All four of ya, back to your yards until the festival begins! Go on! Git!"

Immediately obeying their orders, the four quadrant Kais retreated down the paths that lead to their yards, their students hot on their heels. As Goku walked, however, he took a brief look over his shoulder and found those two fighters from the West still staring a hole in the back of his head.

Over in the Northern yard…

King Kai and his five warriors sat on the steps of Olibu's temple, waiting for their cue that the Grand Kai Festival was starting. Tien turned to King Kai. "So, what is this technique that you and your fellow Kais seem to be bickering over?"

King Kai groaned, slumping back. "That's not a fun story. Nor is it one that I want to recall."

He turned to his student. "Sorry, Tien. I'm not trying to blow you off, it's just sometimes better to not dig at old wounds, ya know?"

Tien nodded. "Understood. Quite the prudent decision indeed."

Goku looked troubled, his brow was cloudy as he hunched over. Olibu patted him on the back. "What's the matter, my friend? Does something trouble you?"

Goku rubbed his chin. "Two of those guys from the West, that green guy and the fella wearing the blue flower over his face... they both seemed really angry at me. And the flower guy felt... familiar..."

Olibu looked confused. "Have you met either before?"

Goku shrugged. "I dunno. Definitely not the green guy. He's not a Namekian, I don't think."

Piccolo shook his head. "Definitely not."

Olibu spoke. "I've heard little of him. His name is Pikkon. He's only been dead for about 10 years. He came to the afterlife already quite powerful, stronger than anyone else here from the West. In no time, he quickly became West Kai's top student, learning basically everything his Kai had to teach. But for all his talent and progress, he has a chip on his shoulder to be sure. As for Blue Rose, I have no idea. This would be the first time seeing him."

Yamcha cocked his head, stroking his bushy, black beard. "And you're sure you didn't meet either of them in space?"

Goku shook his head. "Definitely not. If Pikkon was on Planet Cold, we probably wouldn't have had to take out King Cold ourselves. And I almost wanna say that Blue Rose is a human, but I can't be sure…"

King Kai chimed in. "Furthermore, Pikkon was already being trained by West Kai while you were fighting Frieza. He had just died, from what I remember hearing. He couldn't be anyone you personally know..."

Tien asked. "And what about Blue Rose?"

King Kai shrugged. "Dunno. He's new to me."

A long silence. Finally, Piccolo spoke up. "So, what are these games we're expected to play?"

And then, Grand Kai's voice echoed out across the entire planet. "Come one, come all! It's time for the first event in the Grand Kai Festival! Hope y'all are ready for the Grand Kai Footrace!"

King Kai stood up and shot a genuine smile at his five students. "I guess you're all about to find out. Let's go!~"

Within Grand Kai's Mansion…

Goku stared in awe as the shuttle that they boarded carried them deeper and deeper into Grand Kai's mansion. He turned to King Kai. "This place is freakin' huge! How can it be this big on the inside?!"

King Kai chuckled. "Well, ya see Goku, this place is supported by the mystical magics of godly-"

Tien spoke up. "So, you don't know?"

King Kai sighed and shook his head. "No idea."

Yamcha and Olibu both laughed. Even Piccolo cracked a small smile.

The view from their tram was truly magnificent, infinite nebulas and uncountable planets swirled around them as they rapidly approached a planetoid, built up with stands for all the non-participants to spectate from. Sitting over all of them, in an artfully constructed palanquin was Grand Kai. And sitting next to him at a table with a microphone on it was a mushroom-headed alien with a purple suit and a halo.

The tram stopped at one of four pedestals between the stands and Goku, Yamcha, Tien, Piccolo, Olibu, and King Kai stepped off. Staring out across the teeming crowds, Goku spotted three other pedestals: one for the South Galaxy, one for the East, and one for the West. From the West's platform, Goku could see that Pikkon and Blue Rose were both glaring his way.

Goku grumbled and crossed his arms. "Man, this sucks. I don't even know what I did..."

Piccolo patted him on the shoulder. "Don't think too hard about it. If it's important, we'll figure it out. Otherwise, you'll probably never see either of them again after this."

Goku sighed. "Yeah, you're right..."

Joined by Yamcha, Tien, and Olibu, the five warriors stared down into the arena below. Rather than a fighting arena, as they had expected, there was a large forest with a stone dais in the middle. Yamcha cocked his head. "Are we fighting in the woods?"

King Kai shook his head. "No. It probably has to do with whatever the first event is. That arena can change around based on whatever games Grand Kai comes up with for this."

"Right you are, North Kai!"

Everyone turned their attention to the highest pedestal as Grand Kai spoke into the mic. He chuckled. "And the first event that I've picked out for the Grand Kai Festival this year is a truly excitin' one! I hope y'all are ready!"

The crowd cheered and Grand Kai allowed them to get it all out. The air became electrically charged. The crowd was ecstatic as one of Grand Kai's attendants helplessly tried to read off the rules and stakes of the Grand Kai Festival.

King Kai turned to his warriors. "Once that poor bastard is done reading the rules, Grand Kai is going to ask each quadrant to produce a warrior for the event. I can only use each of you once, so who's going to be the first one up?"

Piccolo held up a finger. "One second..."

The attendant spoke as loudly as he could. "FIRST PLACE GETS 100 POINTS FOR THEIR QUADRANT! SECOND GETS 75! THIRD GETS 50! FOURTH GETS 25!"

Piccolo turned. "A points system?"

King Kai nodded. "Yeah. Each game rewards points to all the quadrants. Grand Kai thinks it makes the games more exciting if you provide the chance for a comeback victory."

Piccolo nodded. "Noted."

King Kai cleared his throat. "Now then. Who's gonna race?"

Before anyone else could say a word, Yamcha stepped up. King Kai smirked. "Getting excited, big guy?"

Yamcha punched his fist into his opposite palm. "Damn straight. I love a good race! I've got this one, guys."

Goku smiled. Piccolo and Tien both nodded. Olibu clapped Yamcha on the back. "Go get 'em! Do us proud, my friend!"

The attendant finished their doomed speech and the mushroom-headed alien spoke up. "Okay y'all! This is my first one of these since I died at the GPWL show, so bear with me. I'm a little rusty..."

He cleared his throat. "Well y'all, my name is Toadstool Tatakae and I welcome all of you to Grand Kai Festival, Event #1: The Great Grand Kai Footrace! Will each quadrant please send forth their best man to the stone dais below?!"

The crowd cheered as Yamcha and his three opponents leapt from the pedestals down into the forest and made their way to the center. By the time Yamcha got there, two of the other competitors had already arrived. He got onto the stone platform and the fourth man arrived shortly after. Yamcha looked each of them over: the bug guy from the South, the spike head from the West, and the dog man from the East.

Toadstool cried out. "Well, here we go folks! Let's get to know our competitors!"

The crowd cheered. Toadstool motioned to Yamcha. "First, from the Northern Galaxy, we have Yamcha! One of North Kai's more recent students, this man boasts an exceptional fighting style! He's never competed at any of our games here before, but I'm sure he's going to make a mark in today's race!"

Yamcha smiled and waved to his adoring audience.

Cheers and then the next. Toadstool motioned to the dog man. "Coming in from the Eastern Galaxy, we have Mijorin! A resident of this realm for the past 5,300 years, Mijorin is certainly no mutt! The winner of the Grand Kai scavenger hunt, this bad boy of the Eastern realm certainly has a nose for competition!"

Mijorin raised a fist high into the air and howled.

The cheers continued and then it was on to the spiky head. "This short statured fella is named Tapkar! He's one of the Western Galaxy's elite! In life, he completed the ice bridge run in only 2 days! That's right, folks, he ran through the vacuum of space, from one planet to another, in only 2 days!"

Tapkar rubbed his finger under his nose and giggled to himself.

Toadstool finally pointed to the bug man. "And finally, hailing from the Southern Galaxy is the odds-on-favorite to win this match-up! The incredible Torbie!"

That one really got the crowd going. Rather than just standard cheers, they were all chanting Torbie's name. The bug man put on a beatific smile and shot a peace sign to his adoring public. Several women in the crowd swooned, as did several men.

Tapkar adopted a sour frown. "Hmph."

Mijorin and Yamcha both looked at each other. Yamcha mouthed the words. "Odds-on-favorite?"

Mijorin shrugged.

Up on the Northern Pedestal…

Goku was staring intently at Torbie, Piccolo and Tien on either side of him and Olibu standing behind them. He nodded. "Yeah, I can see why they'd say that..."

Piccolo spoke. "His stance is loose. His form is streamlined. Torbie is indeed a warrior, but it's clear what physical aspects he's chosen to focus on."

Tien stroked his chin. "And we don't know what techniques he might be hiding, either. Yamcha had better stay focused..."

Olibu added in. "I don't know Torbie, personally. But I have heard rumors that he moves as fast as a Bercian. This event could end up being a loss for us from the off."

Goku smiled. "Nah. I wouldn't go that far~"

Olibu turned to him, finding a confident grin pasted to Goku's lips. He looked at Piccolo and Tien, seeing the same thing. Olibu nodded. "You all seem confident."

Piccolo nodded. "Indeed. He can't always win against the odds, but I would never count Yamcha out until the writing is on the wall. He's one of the most reliable people I know."

Tien grinned. "Yeah. He's got this."

Down in the arena…

Yamcha, Torbie, Mijorin, and Tapkar all lined up in a row, getting into sprinter's starting position. All four warriors looked determined, staring forward.

Toadstool called from above. "The rules of this race are simple, folks! Time limit is 30 minutes! Forty medals in the entire arena! 30 minutes to gather as many Grand Kai medals spread throughout the forest as you can! Race against the clock, race against each other, and never stop moving until that buzzer sounds! You can fight or steal or use whatever techniques you can think up to get those points for your quadrant!"

The crowd roared in appreciation. Tapkar sneered. "Gonna get them all."

Mijorin smirked. "In your dreams!"

Yamcha chuckled. "We'll see about that~"

And then, almost unconsciously, all three of the other warriors turned their attention to Torbie. Torbie turned to them and smiled. "May the best man win, my fellow warriors!"

The starting pistol cracked and Toadstool Tatakae shouted. "BEGIN!"

And, at the same time, Torbie vanished.

Up on the scoreboard above, the rapid dings came one after another. Toadstool cried out. "And we're off to an incredible start with Torbie scoring three medals!"

Tapkar gasped. "What..."

Mijorin flinched. "... the..."

Yamcha cried out. "... HELL?!"

Up above, the South Kai warmly chuckled. "That's ol' Torbie for ya! My best student, bar none! I know he has this one in the bag!"

Yamcha gritted his teeth and took off in a sprint. "Damn! He's fast! Too fast!"

Seeing Yamcha take off, Tapkar and Mijorin took off as well. And the race was officially on!

The desert bandit ran like the wind, his hair flowing behind him like a silky, black cap. He clenched his jaw as he thought. 'This is my moment, dammit! No more self-doubt! Kami and everyone else saw potential in me and I can't let them all down! I won't be left in the dust just because I'm not a Saiyan or a Namekian!'

He smirked and spoke aloud. "I've spent the past 7 years running in the snow and the blizzards! I thought Diablo Desert was harsh, but Jingle Village makes it look like a beach! And running in the hard pack with the wind in my face has made me faster than I ever was before!"

Seeing a sparkle in a nearby tree out of the corner of his eye, Yamcha leapt up and threaded the needle between two forking limbs, twisting as he came down and landing on his feet, a Grand Kai medal around his neck. He chuckled, looking at the scoreboard. He watched as his point blipped on-screen, under his name. As he went to look at the other scores, however, Yamcha shuddered.

A threat in the bushes?!

Out from the bushes came the feeling of animal-like focus. Yamcha turned and blocked a punch with his forearm, only for a pair of gleaming fangs to sink into his flesh and swing him high into the air. Acting quickly, Yamcha thrust his foot down and kicked his opponent in the snout. He landed and the other foe scampered back. Yamcha took a fighting stance. "Coming straight for the attack, eh?"

Mijorin smirked and held up a Grand Kai medal. "No hard feelings, friend~"

Yamcha looked down. His Grand Kai medal was gone. He gasped and turned to the board, watching his point disappear and get awarded to Mijorin instead. Yamcha gasped. "POINTS TRANSFER?!"

Mijorin chuckled. "Yep! It's a shame! I'd be in the lead right now if it weren't for that little detail. Too bad for you!"

"And for you, doggy!"

In a lightning-bolt flash, the medal disappeared from Mijorin's hand. He and Yamcha both looked to a nearby tree limb to see Tapkar looming over them. He waved the medal and stuck out his bright blue tongue. "Hee hee hee~"

And then, with a thunderous boom, Tapkar was off once again. Mijorin growled. "Damn you, you little imp! Get back here! You won't keep doing this to me!"

The dog-man suddenly took off in a burst of speed, leaving Yamcha with his jaw dropped. "What the hell?! They're both so fast!"

The bandit looked up to the scoreboard again, a bead of cold sweat riding down the side of his face. Torbie had five medals. Tapkar and Mijorin each had three. And Yamcha had zero. Yamcha gripped his fists tight. "Shit, man. Damn it..."

"Get moving, Yamcha! There's still plenty of time!"

Yamcha looked up to the Northern Galaxy stands, toward the sound of Tien's voice. Looking up, he could see that not only was Tien cheering him on, but Olibu was as well. Goku, Piccolo, and King Kai were silent, but they were all looking on with full confidence.

Yamcha slapped his cheeks and took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh. "Yeah! Plenty of time! No quitting!"

And then off he ran. Yamcha sprinted to a nearby river, his eyes scanning around for any old glimmer that seemed out of place. Catching a flash between two water worn rocks, he lunged and slid his fingers between, coming out with another Grand Kai medal. Yamcha tore the ribbon from the medal, sliding the gold coin beneath his wristband. He wouldn't be stolen from a second time!

And then he felt a small boot plant into his back. Yamcha fell forward, slapping his palms to the wet mud of the riverbank and flipped onto solid ground. He spun on his heels and faced his foe. Once again, it was Tapkar. Tapkar growled. "Damn! I almost had it!"

Yamcha looked down at his wristband and saw a Grand Kai medal half hanging out. "Fast, eh? Really fast..."

Tapkar snorted. "Faster than you'll ever be, shaggy!"

In the Northern Galaxy stands…

Goku stroked his chin. "King Kai, is that guy teleporting? He has to be, right? He just suddenly popped up out of nowhere and kicked Yamcha. Like, his energy went from one place to another in an instant!"

King Kai shook his head. "No. What Tapkar did is a result of West Kai's Thunder Flash technique. It's a special energy modification technique that allows a martial artist to focus every electrical impulse in their body into a single point."

Piccolo nodded. "I see. So, Tapkar is using that technique to increase his speed."

Tien nodded as well. "Yeah. From what little of him I've observed these couple of times he's been near Yamcha, he's cutting off the power to every part of his body but his head, his heart, and his legs. And he's focusing all that new energy into his legs."

Olibu crossed his arms. "Incredible technical prowess. He must have a lot of confidence in his legs."

Back in the arena…

Tapkar smirked. "And that's how it works! I call my variation the Thunder Flash Step!"

Yamcha was unnerved. "Wow... so that's how you're zipping to and from every little side of the arena. And yet, Torbie's still leading you in points. What's up with that?"

Tapkar clenched his teeth. "None of your business, shaggy! Just give me your medal and whimper off back to your other northie loser friends! You'll never out-speed me!"

Yamcha took a fighting stance. "Nah. I don't think that's the case. I think... I think there's a hole in your technique that you either aren't noticing or you're hoping I won't notice!"

Tapkar sneered and began to crackle with electricity. "Either way, it won't matter once I have that medal!"

The little imp charged and Yamcha focused his energy. "KAIOKEN!"

The bright red energy of the Kaioken flared up like a roaring fire, and then Yamcha immediately began to suck it into the muscles in his arms. "Kaio-Compression..."

Yamcha jerked his head out of the way, just barely avoiding Tapkar's kick. Then, he twisted his torso and thrust his fist forward. "WOLF PACK FIST!"

With a single punch, Yamcha sent forward a blast of compressed air and hard packed energy, smashing a giant hole in the forest. Looking up in the flying heap of splintered wood, Yamcha saw eight separate glimmers. He smirked and moved the remaining energy into his legs. "WOLF WILD CHARGE!"

Yamcha pistoned both legs and launched himself into the chaos that he had caused, bouncing off various shattered tree limbs and snatching the dislodged medals from the air, grabbing three in one burst. He looked over and smirked, watching as Tapkar grabbed two that happened to line up. "I knew it!"

He bounced over toward another medal, only for Mijorin to rush in and clamp it out of the air with his teeth. Shrugging, Yamcha turned to yet another. He saw three of them still in freefall. "If I get those, I'll have seven! Then I'll be in the lead!"

Yamcha took one last look around. Tapkar was still shooting forward at the same trajectory. Mijorin had landed and was trying to spy more medals to catch. Yamcha smirked and planned his own path. "Now then, I-"

His eyes went wide. Suddenly, every inch of Yamcha felt like it weighed 30 tons. He plummeted to the ground, having to use the last of his pent-up energy to cushion his landing. Off to the side, Tapkar landed like a stone. Mijorin fell to his knees. And then, Torbie came buzzing in and secured the final three medals for himself.

Yamcha glared at the scoreboard. He had four. Mijorin had four. Tapkar had five. And Torbie had...

Yamcha gasped in shock. "TWENTY-SEVEN?!"

Torbie landed atop a nearby rock, both heels clicking against the stone. He smiled a beatific smile. "Races are fun and all, but we're all marital artists here! There were only forty medals in this arena and now they're all here! So, let's use the last few minutes we've got to see who can best put their wild speed into practice~"

From the stands, South Kai's booming voice came down. "Torbie! Are you nuts?!"

Torbie smiled. "Not nuts, I just want to have the best competition we can! Tapkar, Yamcha, and Mijorin don't stand a chance against me in a test of pure speed. The Megaton Technique would see to that, sir!"

South Kai sighed. "Torbie, that's the point..."

Grand Kai chuckled. "Sportsmanship. Right on~"

Torbie chuckled. "Let's get the technical talk out of the way. The technique of the Southern Galaxy is Lord South Kai's Megaton. Simply put, it allows we of the South to control the level of gravity on ourselves or whatever obstacle is in our way. I managed to get the majority of the medals so quickly because I lowered the gravity on my body and zipped around nearly weightless. You three hit the ground because I substantially increased your weight."

Mijorin sniffed. "Pretty cocky to just explain yourself like that, eh?"

Torbie smiled. "Not cocky, sir. I'm just confident in myself. I've been training for a couple of centuries since I originally died, and I want to show what I can do to the fullest! No reason to keep things hidden up my sleeve when it's my turn to show off..."

Mijorin's ears flicked. He smiled. "Quite the honest warrior. Very nice~"

Tapkar sneered. "Bah! That's nothing compared to my Thunder Flash Step! I'm faster than you!"

Yamcha chimed in. "That may be true, but your technique is useless if you can't see!"

Tapkar flinched. Yamcha crossed his arms. "Your speed is simple, unrefined propulsion. You've mainly just stolen medals from us by locking onto our energy and charging at us from a great distance. You only grabbed your two recent medals because I shook them out for you!"

Tapkar growled. "You cheeky little..."

Mijorin sighed. "Fine. I'll explain mine as well. We of the East use a technique called Stockpile. We store all but the essential energy in our bodies for use in combat. For the past 500 years, I have only used energy for activities of daily life and my daily training. So, I happen to have quite a bit of energy saved up!"

Yamcha looked at the other three warriors and adopted an honest smile. "Well then, as long as we're all sharing..."

Up in the stands…

The four quadrant Kais all looked horrified as they watched their students explain their vaunted techniques to one another. South Kai slammed his fist on the railing. "What the heck is wrong with these kids?!"

East Kai turned up her nose. "Don't they realize what's at stake here?!"

West Kai shouted. "Dammit, Tapkar! Keep your yap shut! This is war!"

King Kai sighed. "Come on, Yamcha, I need a place to live..."

Grand Kai looked to his four underlings with a look that mixed annoyance and shame. He shook his head. Then he looked down to those four warriors sharing their techniques and personal experiences and he smiled. "Right on~"

Back in the arena…

Torbie smiled. "Okay then, so how about we entertain the crowd a little? We have 5 minutes left on the clock and all forty of the medals right in front of us. Rather than doing a scavenger hunt, we perform one last burst of speed. Winner takes all! I can use my Megaton Technique to toss 'em, then we all race and fight to grab 'em!"

Mijorin smirked. "I'm okay with that."

Tapkar chuckled. "I'll outspeed the three of you, but good~"

Yamcha nodded in agreement, and then took a deep breath. He clapped his hands in front, closed his eyes, and began to focus his power. Tapkar's energy began to swell. Mijorin was gathering all his stored energy into his gut. Torbie was focusing his energy as well, using only a bit of his power to decrease the gravity around the Grand Kai medals. They hovered into the air, high above the trees.

The crowd went silent. The air became thick. The five Kais present all leaned forward to watch more closely. Even Toadstool was holding his breath. The ground beneath the four warriors began to rumble, their power becoming more centered. More concentrated. A storm was coming, a windstorm of pure speed.

The Grand Kai medals reached their apex... and then they began to fall.

Torbie called out. "MEGATON PROPULSION!"

Tapkar erupted with a lightning flash. "THUNDER FLASH STEP! GODLY SPEED!"

Mijorin howled. "STOCKPILE: 400 YEARS!"

And, finally, Yamcha howled even louder. "KAIO-COMPRESSION - RAGING RED WOLF!"

The four warriors were in the air so quickly that a massive sonic boom erupted and sent every tree in the arena flying. The wind pressure was enough to send spectators flying high into the air. The Kais had to hold on for dear life. The other participating warriors all broke out into a cold sweat. The scoreboard, trying and failing to keep tally, exploded in a grand display.

And then, 10 seconds later, the four warriors all landed, beaten and bruised and clutching their hard-fought gains tightly in their fists.

Olibu gasped in awe. "That was-"

Tien whispered. "Holy-"

Though surprised, Piccolo smirked. "Excellent, Yamcha. Fantastic improvement."

Goku cheered. "Oh man! That was awesome!"

And finally, King Kai cried out. "What the heck happened?!"

+WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED!+

The four warriors all leapt into the air. With his Megaton Propulsion, Torbie was in a cocoon of zero gravity with no force pressing on him. With his godly speed, Tapkar was focusing the impulsive energy in his body into the muscles of his legs. With his Stockpile: 400 years, Mijorin could maintain and exceed his top speed continuously.

And then we came to Yamcha. His Kaio-Compression form was imperfect when he used it to fight Gohan 7 years prior, but he had spent every day since then building on and perfecting the transformation. The result: Kaio-Compression - Raging Red Wolf! An inspired combination of pumping energy into his muscles with Kaio-Compression internally and enveloping his external body with a Kaioken like aura. Combined with his Wolf Fang martial arts, it was the perfect form for a man like Yamcha. One that boosted his strength to the level of his respected comrades and allowed him to maintain being at that level!

In one second, each of the four warriors attained ten Grand Kai medals. And then, they turned their attention to each other. Yamcha drew his hands to his sides and summoned a Full Power Kamehameha within the span of a blink, firing it right at Mijorin and nailing him directly in the chest. Mijorin braced himself and then feinted to the side, rushing at Torbie and kicking him in the ribs. He reached out and tried to snatch a medal from Torbie, only to take a gravity-boosted strike to the jaw and have one taken in turn.

Mijorin coughed up blood. It felt like someone had smashed him in the snout with a 40-ton weight. Tapkar came shooting in like a rocket, crashing into Mijorin and stealing yet another medal from the dog-man. He cackled, but the victory wasn't long-standing. Yamcha rushed at Tapkar and hit him with five Wolf Fang Fist strikes simultaneously, battering Tapkar stupidly unconscious and smashing his newly earned medal out of his hand. Yamcha double-palm struck Tapkar under the chin, sending him sailing far away.

Tapkar sneered, flipping back forward and propelling himself at Yamcha once again. This time, however, Torbie crashed in and hammered into Tapkar with a gravity-infused punch to the chest. Tapkar's entire torso buckled, and he went tumbling away once more.

Down to just Yamcha and Torbie, the two warriors smirked at one another and charged in. Yamcha ate three hefty gravity strikes immediately, blocking two with his arms and managing to cushion the blows. The third cracked into his leg and he felt a snap, but that didn't bother him at all. He returned fire, striking his fists into various points on Torbie's chitinous shell and making it spider-web and partially shatter.

Yamcha knew that he had to overcome this foe. Just one medal from Torbie would ensure that he won for his comrades.

Torbie knew that he had to overcome this foe. Just one medal from Yamcha would put him too far ahead to be caught up to.

It was a final, major battle for who got first place and who got second.

Torbie roared and formed a massive, black orb around his clenched fist. "SUPER MASSIVE BLACKHOLE!"

Yamcha howled. "RAVENOUS WOLF FANG FIST!"

The two attacks connected and the flash they created was near blinding. The four warriors all landed on the ground as the scoreboard exploded overhead. For just a moment, all four of the warriors stood tall before their captivated audience.

Mijorin took a deep breath and sighed. "Damn..."

He fell to the ground, eight Grand Kai medals clattering to the ground in front of him.

Tapkar whined. "How?! I'm supposed to be... the fastest..."

He collapsed onto his back and nine Grand Kai medals landed in the dust.

The only two left standing were Torbie and Yamcha. Both of their techniques had dispersed, leaving two weary and battered warriors left standing. They looked at each other over their shoulders and smiled. Yamcha posed a question. "How did you end up here, Torbie?"

Torbie chuckled. "I gave my life fighting a vicious monster while my village escaped destruction. You?"

Yamcha sighed. "King Kai kidnapped my soul while I was making love to my so beautiful, sweet, and equally supportive wife."

Torbie laughed out loud. "Wow! My word! Warriors really are cut from all manner of cloth, eh?"

Yamcha nodded and smiled. "Yeah~"

Torbie sighed and closed his eyes. "It was an honor to face you, Yamcha. And an honor..."

The warrior of the South collapsed onto his face and dropped his eleven medals for the crowd to see. "... to accept defeat at your hands."

Yamcha respectfully nodded his head. And then, he raised his arm up high and showed off his twelve Grand Kai medals for all to see. And the crowd erupted into cheers.

Toadstool cried out. "AND THERE YOU HAVE IT, FOLKS! IN FOURTH PLACE, MIJORIN OF THE EAST GALAXY! IN THIRD, TAPKAR FROM THE WEST! IN SECOND, TORBIE FROM THE SOUTH! AND OUR WINNER: YAMCHA OF THE NORTHERN GALAXY!"

Yamcha looked up, watching as East Kai, South Kai, and West Kai lost their minds and threw a tantrum at their respective losses. Then he looked over to King Kai and his friends and shot them a thumbs-up. The five of them all shot him a thumbs-up back.

Yamcha truly shined today! He had won the day!

Up in the stands…

North Kai celebrated as Yamcha sat down, sighing out of genuine fatigue. "Damn, Raging Red Wolf still takes it outta me..."

Olibu smiled. "It was a fine technique, my friend! An excellent showing of the prowess contained in the Northern Galaxy!"

Yamcha chuckled. "Eh. It's not that special. My daughter can do it too and she learned how in just a couple months not too long ago. If you thought I was impressive, you should see all the kids we have at home..."

Olibu laughed a hearty laugh. "My, my! It seems as if I need to request a special visitation to tour my beloved Earth once more~"

King Kai chuckled. "You'll get to see your home again soon, Olibu! I promise I'll set up a grand tour! Just as soon as we win me a new home, baby! Yeah!"

Meanwhile, as King Kai and his charges celebrated Yamcha's wonderful victory, the rest of the Kais all looked upon their Northern counterpart with disdain. East Kai sneered. "Liar."

South Kai scowled. "Like he's actually going to request something as frivolous as a damn planet."

West Kai growled. "Keep up the act, Northie. We all know the score. And you won't be the one to claim that technique as your own. That technique belongs to..."

All three seethed at once. "ME."

As the celebrations continued in his box, Goku sneaked a glance over at the Western Galaxy's box. Throughout the entire race, Goku felt two sets of eyes boring holes into him. And, upon looking over, his gaze met the fiery fury of both Pikkon and Blue Rose. Goku groaned and cocked his head. "Ugh... what did I do?"

Goku didn't have a moment to consider what he might have done. The voice of Toadstool rang out and everyone's attention snapped to him. "ATTENTION COMPETITORS! THE NEXT ARENA HAS BEEN SUMMONED AND WE ARE READY FOR THE NEXT EVENT OF THE GRAND KAI FESTIVAL! THE GOLDFISH PADDLE CATCH!"

Goku flinched. "Gold-"

Olibu flinched. "-fish."

Piccolo sounded annoyed. "Paddle."

Yamcha rubbed the back of his neck. "Catch?"

Tien, however, was resolute. The three-eyed warrior cracked his knuckles and stepped up, looking down on the marble-tiled arena and the massive pool of water in the middle. Within, he could see multiple shadows swimming to and fro. He stared down at this new challenge with sharpened focus. "Don't worry guys. Chiaotzu and I never miss a summer festival in the mountains. I've got this."