Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball.
Betaed by: Zim'sMostLoyalServant and a friend.
LAST TIME:
The Budokai continued with Chichi having made it to the tournament proper for the first time versus returning veteran master Chin. While Chin displayed great skill and impressive power for his age Chichi brought her great strength and the skills of a Kame School student to the fray. The battle was decided with a final explosive blow from the Ox Princess.
And with that came, lunch-break! Some checked on Mai, recovering in the hospital. Meanwhile Goku earned yet another lifetime banning; maybe Bulma really can't take him anywhere?
And when pressed by the Crane School, Goku and Bora gave them the truth of Tao's death at Korin Tower. With the Crane's vowing revenge the tournament continued with Yamcha versus Tienshenhan.
The proud warriors of proud schools did not disappoint; breaking out powerful techniques and displays of speed, power, and skill. Yamcha revealed his mastery of the Kamehameha wave, but Tien stunned the contestants and audience by showing he could deflect the legendary technique back to its sender! To protect the crowd, Yamcha had no choice but to injure himself facing his own attack. Which left him vulnerable to the ring out.
What displays of might and carnage yet lie in store?
Find out today, on Dragon Ball: Intended Journey!
Chapter 7
Triple Threat
The First Round Comes to a Close!
The crowd was not cheering at the moment, the calls of vendors clearly being heard. But the prevailing muttering was pleased and excited. The last two matches had done well to wash away the poor taste of Vendetta's needlessly brutal victory. And for those who loved rivalries, the battle between Yamcha and Tien had lived up to their expectations, while also displaying high-level martial arts. The event seemed primed for still more greatness as the crowd awaited the next match to start.
In the contestant area, Master Shen took a step closer to his shortest student.
"Chiaotzu," Master Shen said.
"Master?" the pale boy asked.
"From what I gather, that woman you're fighting has been training hard, but without a master. That offends me. I have no doubt you could end this quickly, but while a swift victory has its merits, one can too easily explain it away or forget it. Make her suffer, give her false hope of victory, then burn her piece by piece until she gives in. Let her be a cautionary tale to all these young upstarts that the penalty of challenging their betters is much higher than a mere loss."
"Yes master," Chiaotzu nodded. Tien frowned.
"But don't underestimate her. Remember, fools can surprise even geniuses with their incompetence."
"Hmm," Jackie Chun went, an ear turned toward the three as he reentered. He made his way over to Ranfan.
"Yo," he greeted her. She turned, eyes wide, baring teeth and growling a bit.
"Dang!" Jackie said, taking a step back.
"Oh! Sorry. I'm trying to get into a focused fighter mentality. But I seem to keep getting more in touch with my anger instead," she apologized, rubbing her sleek neck.
"Well, in case you haven't guessed, the Cranes are planning to make their fight with you quite nasty."
"Why? I'm not one of the Turtles, or involved like Mr. Bora," Ranfan asked.
"You're in their way, and they feel like making an example because bullies always fear the day people stop being scared of them. That's the way of the dark paths, it devolves into evil for little more than the sake of evil. If not you, it would have been someone else. Friendship and camaraderie are foreign concepts to Shen now; people are either tools, obstacles, or something like furniture to him," Jackie mused.
"You sure do seem to know a lot about the Crane Hermit," Ranfan pointed out.
"Er. Well, you learn these things when you've been in the martial arts world as long as I have. My point is, if you are just looking to put your new skills to the test, it might be better to withdraw if things get too hot. There will be other tournaments, but if they have their way, this might be your last."
"...Thanks, but I'm not going to just be swept aside. Well, maybe I am, but I won't go without giving it my all. I found something, training in the wilderness. Away from most of the luxuries and distractions of life, just camping and training with the occasional supply run to town. I want to go as far as I can, and see what I can do. I really want to be able to catch up with those fancy schools; even if it's impossible, I don't want to just stop the first time it gets dangerous. Thanks for the warning, but well, I'm going ahead anyway," Ranfan said, clenching a fist.
"I see. Very well, then," Jackie Chun nodded.
"Will contestants Ranfan and Chia-kimous, er, Chitoo,-"
"It's Chiaotzu!" Tien yelled the correction.
"Right, please report to the arena."
"Well, no time to brood over it," Ranfan said, stepping out into the arena, the crowd cheering for her.
"For our next match we have the fierce and lovely Ranfan. This is her second time making it into the tournament, and last time she left quite the impression with her unorthodox tactics. Will she be able to advance to the second round this time?!" the announcer asked.
"Go for it ya stripper, show us what ya got!" Launch cheered.
"It's worth it to cheer against those nasty Cranes. Go, Ranfan!" Chichi cheered.
"Yeah, go get 'em!" Krillin joined in.
"Woohoo!" Goku went, caught up in the spirit.
"And now the kid with the difficult to say name. As a student of the Crane School, he may prove as hard to overcome as his name is to say. He's young and a first-timer, but we've seen in this very arena young dark horses rise high in the ranks! Let's hear it for Chiaotzhou" the announcer said as Chiaotzu floated into the arena. He was barely off the ground, the sharp-eyed contestants noted; to most it would look like he was somehow sliding instead.
"Why isn't he just walking?" Goku asked, sitting on the divider.
"Trying to psyche her out with spooky ki techniques," Launch guessed.
"Quite," Jackie agreed, "Before the first fist flies comes the battle of the mind. Taunts, feats of strength, unexpected techniques, all valid ways to throw someone off balance before the fight even starts. But it seems our plum-haired fighter there isn't impressed."
"Brave," Bora nodded.
"We shall see. I don't doubt her courage, but last time she faced Yamcha, who despite his great skills by normal standards, had not reached the standards of the old schools. And Yamcha frankly is not a vicious character. Perhaps you noticed the pitiful state Chiaotzu left several of his opponents. When Shen ordered him to make her suffer, it wasn't hot air. Courage is fine before the battle, but it's tested when things get real," the venerable old master noted.
Ranfan assumed a stance, and Chiaotzu stood still, not even blinking, round eyes wide.
"The sixth match, BEGIN!" the announcer declared, chopping down with his free hand.
Neither moved as the seconds went by.
"Didn't they hear?" Goku wondered.
"What happens if there's a match but no one fights?" Chichi asked no one in particular, hand going to her mouth in thought.
Ranfan moved first.
'Fast,' several spectators thought.
The kick she chambered hit empty air as Chiaotzu slid back. But the force still knocked his hat off.
"My hat," Chiaotzu remarked, turning to look toward where it fell. Ranfan's fist came down on his head.
"Woo! First blood!" Launch cheered, Bulma yelling along, pumping a fist.
Chiaotzu leapt up into her guard and landed a kick on her chest, knocking Ranfan away. She landed on her rear, but sprang back up to see Chiaotzu putting his hat back on.
"I told you Chiaotzu, stay sharp!" Tien snapped, standing alone by the divider. Shen stood back, watching menacingly.
"Right. You won't hit me again, amateur," the boy said plainly.
"We'll see," she said, running a thumb across her forehead. She charged again, and this time Chiaotzu retreated to the left. She followed, forcing him after three more blows to retreat backwards rather than leading her in a circle.
"Ranfan has yet to land a second blow, and while her young foe doesn't seem to be exerting himself, it's a fact he's getting close to the edge of the ring! If he's got more tricks, now's the time!"
"Bye," Chiaotzu said, rising quickly into the air with a small smile. Only to grimace as Ranfan leapt up, passing him, and came down hammering on his head with both fists.
"I saw you guys fly earlier, idiot!" she snapped, landing a second after him, and kicking him hard in the side, sending him flying.
"Maybe we over-promoted some techniques," Shen grumbled, while Tien watched with concern.
"Chiaotzu is falling out of bounds! Ranfan anticipated his aerial escape and delivered a three-hit combo!"
The crowd drew back instinctively, but before the little fighter could collide with any of them, he thrust his arms out to the side and stopped still in the air. With a steady slowness, he righted himself and turned back to face the arena.
"Master said to make you suffer, now I want to do it for myself," he said, still in that same tone. Ranfan backed up, fists raised as her foe rose up and flew forward to take position high over the ring's center.
"Ranfan has led the match in hits so far, and Chiaotzu seems rattled enough to not bother retrieving his hat. But he's taken a deadly high ground – even if Ranfan can leap that distance, it would make her a sitting duck to this flying technique. And it seems he won't be lowering his guard anytime soon. But what's his next move!?" the announcer wondered.
"Heh, Dodonpa. Burn," the boy smiled, raising a finger and igniting the orange ball of ki on the tip.
"This could be bad," Yamcha remarked.
"Ah, Bulma tried that shooting gallery tactic earlier on Goku, it didn't work out so well," Krillin reminded them.
Tien made a single mocking laugh.
"Don't compare Chiaotzu to rich girl there. His appearance may seem frail, but I assure you, he has not only broken the physical barrier of humanity, but has trained long and hard to compensate his physical limitations by mastering ki techniques. His Dodonpa mastery to hers is like comparing a five-star sous-chef to a fry cook. And it looks like dinner is about to be served," the three-eyed warrior mocked, before gesturing to the ring.
"Dodonpa! Dodonpa! Dodonpa! Dodonpa!" Chiaotzu called the attack, one after another, laying burning ki down on the arena. Ranfan cried out in alarm, sprinting, leaping, and rolling to avoid the explosions.
"And Dodonpa," Chiaotzu said with a small smile, snapping his fingers to disperse the smoke from the final blast. Ranfan stood on a charred and cracked arena, a bit singed, her hair a bit messed up, but otherwise uninjured.
"That... all you got?" she demanded, panting a bit.
"No. Dodonpa!"
"He missed?" Chichi wondered.
"No, it's stronger," Goku realized, as the attack hit seemingly wide, only to explode far larger, catching Ranfan in the blast.
Ranfan emerged from the cloud, teeth gritted, her left arm steaming, burns forming on the forearm and elbow.
"That's going to be your whole body when I'm done. You'll be as bald as baldie over there, too," the boy promised.
"Is he pointing at me? Hey! I'm not bald you jerk, I shave my head, there's a difference!" Krillin shouted.
"Yeah, he'd look super weird with hair!" Chichi said, shaking her own fist.
"I just want to shake my fist!" Launch yelled, joining in.
"...You do have strange comrades, Son Goku," Master Chin commented with a smile.
"Oh, they're not so bad once you get to know them. Oh, she's trying something," Goku said.
"I might not have any energy attacks, but I wasn't just breaking trees and rocks while learning to dodge hornets!" Ranfan said, standing on her hands.
"Hmm," Chiaotzu watched, extending his finger.
"Let her try it, Chiaotzu! The Crane School need not fear anything from the Turtle School, much less these nobodies carried in the Turtles' wake."
"Master..." Tien whispered, third eye glancing to the side while the others remained on the fight.
In a display of flexibility, Ranfan lowered her legs forward and backward, almost parallel to the ground, and started to spin herself using her hands.
"What's this?! A classic human equivalent of Son Goku's tailcopter? No, wait, she's not trying to get airborne!"
"Ranfan Fan!" the lady fighter yelled, as she generated a whirlwind, kicking up dust and ashes across the arena.
"Weird," Chiaotzu remarked, looking toward the out of sight woman.
"Look who's talking," Tenron muttered, rolling his eyes.
"See what I mean, Tien, it's sound and fury to no end; even if Chiaotzu was caught in that thing, his sky dancing is too strong to be blown away," Shen said, casually laying a finger on his hat to hold it in place while the crowd started to panic and the announcer retreated.
Chiaotzu squinted and rubbed his eyes, trying to get rid of the crud getting into them. And Ranfan sprang up from the swirling thick air and grabbed him, taking him down toward the ground in a tackle.
"Chiaotzu!" Tien cried out.
"Grr, that little fool can't even execute an amateur properly. She can't even form that inferior Kamehameha," Shen cursed.
"Are you sure she needs it?" Tien snapped, before turning back to the arena, squinting through the dispersing harsh winds and wincing.
"Dodonpa!" Chiaotzu yelled.
The largest ray yet whipped through the cloud, clearing the air in one gust.
Ranfan fell backward, upper body singed and tank-top sizzling, one of the straps snapping.
"There," Chiaotzu said, rubbing his face as a black eye formed amongst the scruffs on it and his uniform having clearly taken some hits.
"Oh well, looks like our young participant needed only one skilled blow to end it. One, two, three, four, five," the announcer said, getting back in the ring.
"Ranfan Ran!" Ranfan yelled, springing to her feet. She dashed forward, vanishing from sight.
"Afterimage? Then, Dodonpa!" Chiaotzu said, pivoting to fire behind him.
"No! She's coming from the front!" Tien yelled.
"Which front?!" Chiaotzu yelled, back turning halfway back. Ranfan rammed her knee into his head. Falling, he righted himself, arms spread wide, and jabbed his finger toward her head.
"Dodonpa!" he yelled. The ray was smaller than the last ones, but enough to engulf her head. Afro smoldering, she fell onto her back.
"Idiot, you weren't supposed to kill her!" Shen yelled.
"Oh, right. Sorry," Chiaotzu said to his master while Tien facepalmed.
"How horrid!" Master Chin lamented, eyes clenched shut, face turned away.
"Save your tears, old man," Tenron said. Bora also gave a small smile as the singed warrior sprang to her feet and blurred out of sight again.
"Huh?" Chiaotzu said, looking to the small pile of burning hair where Ranfan had been.
"Left!" Tien snapped.
"Oh! Which is-" Chiaotzu asked before Ranfan's sneakered heel crashed down atop his head.
"And stay down!" she shrieked, grabbing his shirt, lifting him over her head, and slamming him down belly first over her knee. The crowd winced at that.
Chiaotzu groaned and slid off her knee to lie on the broken tiles.
"Little jerk, my poor hair," Ranfan muttered, brushing the char off her face and scalp, revealing her hair and eyebrows to be gone but her tan skin to be only minor burns.
"Uh, Miss Ranfan, apologies but how are you alive when it seems the Crane Hermit saw that as a killing blow?" the announcer asked cautiously stepping up.
"Oh, well, dodging is really hard, so as I got tired of hornets' stinging me and crocodiles almost biting me, I decided I needed to toughen my skin in the meantime. So, I started oiling my body with some oil I got from some pervy guy with long white hair and sunbathing while meditating on my skin being like stone with it, so- Hold on! Start counting!" she snapped.
"Oh, right. One-" the announcer began, only for Chiaotzu to struggle to his feet. One eye was swollen shut, and his expression didn't try and hide his pain, or his anger.
"Enough," he said. The announcer retreated hastily, and Ranfan assumed her stance. Chiaotzu thrust both palms toward her, and Ranfan seized up.
"Now I've got you. This technique locks up the body by manipulating someone else's ki. Even Tien can't do it," the pale boy chuckled.
"You just prefer tricks don't you, to actually fighting?" Ranfan ground out as Chiaotzu advanced on her, hands raised.
"It's legal, so it's fair fighting," Chiaotzu said, kicking her ankle, knocking the frozen woman to the ground.
"Now, should I kick you until you surrender, or just kick you bit by bit out of the arena until your bones are all cracked?"
"Why not barbecue me like you promised the old bird?" she demanded.
"Ranfan! Just say you give up! You've done well, letting him use you as a football won't do anyone any good," Jackie called.
"Why the concern, she's no student of yours," Tenron asked.
"Old man Jackie just likes girls," Goku remarked.
"Well, you're not wrong. Ranfan there seems to have stumbled on a way to channel ki to armor her body quite well, but it won't be enough if she's helpless like this before someone so well versed in ki," Jackie explained.
"...I need two hands for this technique. But that's all I need when holding down someone who can't possibly break free," Chiaotzu said.
"No mercy, Chiaotzu! Break that pretty face in, but don't kill her! Redeem yourself with her agony!" Shen yelled, striking a dramatic pose.
"Or at least try," Ranfan smiled sadly, as Chiaotzu chambering a kick.
"..." he paused.
"But don't you feel stupid, fighting with an open fly?" she asked.
"Huh? When?" Chiaotzu lowered his legs, hands going to the front of his pants. Tien's eyes widened, but the words hadn't left his mouth when Ranfan struck like a cobra, punching Chiaotzu straight where his nose would have been, knocking him off his feet. If he had any intention of rising again, it was folly, as the woman warrior leapt and kicked him in the side, lifting him up into the air. With a startled pained cry, he smacked into the grass, outside the arena.
"Out of bounds! Ranfan is the winner!" the announcer said, as Ranfan collapsed to her knees. The crowd cheered even louder as she raised a fist and showed them a smile.
Tien leapt over the ring to land next to Chiaotzu. Kneeling beside the small fighter, he glared at the approaching medical monk and grabbed the first aid kit to begin tending to the groaning boy himself.
"Here," Yamcha said, handing a passing medical monk the bottle of Turtle Oil, "It may stink, but I can vouch for its rapid pain relief on ki burns."
"Grr, foolish boy," Shen growled.
"Perhaps you should have let him decide the course of his own fight," Bora commented. Shen glared at the towering warrior, who hardly acknowledged the gesture, "Or perhaps you simply never thought to teach him to think for himself? And never learn his left from his right."
"Don't be so smug, savage. I admit, I may have entered this tournament a tad overconfident. But the Crane plays to win when the chips are down. Tienshenhan and I will show you no mercy, and give you no chances."
"It's so tragic," Jackie Chun said, wiping a tear away. Master Chin nodded, putting a hand on the old man's shoulder.
"Yes, to think a famed teacher cares not only so little for his own student but can't learn the lessons right in front of him."
"What? Oh, sure that. But the thing is, I just can't get into the shaved woman look," Jackie mourned as Ranfan was helped back into the spectator area, toweled off from soot, a Budokai jacket on her shoulder and her left arm and face bandaged to aid against the burns.
Everyone, even Shen, sweatdropped at that.
"Are we sure he's not Master Roshi's twin brother with hair?" Krillin wondered.
"Nah, he's got a lot more ability than master," Chichi said.
"Yeah, better lines, too," Launch added.
"More charisma, definitely," Yamcha pointed out.
"Smells nicer, too," Goku grinned.
"...I'm going to the toilet," Chun said, stomping out.
"Consider eating less fiber! Eat like your age, or you'll regret it!" Bulma called advice after him as she offered Ranfan some hard candy from her pocket.
"Heh, I made it past the first round. I have gotten stronger," Ranfan smiled. Her teeth at least were intact, Bulma noted.
"So sorry about your hair."
"Not the first time my hair has been burned off. I had to steal a sandwich from a fire-breathing slug during my training."
"...What?" Bulma asked. The smile made her wonder if Ranfan was lying, but at this point in life, was it that hard to believe?
"Once we have the arena cleared, we will proceed with match seven!"
X X X
"Master," Tien said, entering the spectator area. Shen was standing in a corner, watching the others and barely acknowledging Tien's return.
"Chiaotzu should be perfectly fine. I told him to enter a healing trance to be sure. It hardly matters now if he views the rest of today's matches. But he should be fine for tomorrow. I blame myself; I was too easy on him in sparring. He was not properly prepared for an opponent that wouldn't be intimidated by displays of power or worn down properly by sadistic tactics."
"Good of you to admit it. I seem to have become complacent with my students of late. I will rectify that error once the tournament is done," Shen stated.
"Master, I promise you, I will avenge the honor of the Crane School by winning the title. Unless of course we face each other, in which case I will of course defer that honor to you," Tien bowed slightly at the waist.
"Bah, you will need to be most thorough. Briefs we could easily dismiss, but we made the mistake of holding Chiaotzu up as one of our best. Reputations easily crack, Tienshehan, and the Crane's aura of invincible mystery is in shambles. We will need to set it right, and briskly."
"Of course, Master."
"...just look at them, the Turtle women and that traitor Briefs take a stranger into their midst like a pack of dogs licking at a pack mate's wounds," Shen gestured with his chin to where Ranfan was sipping tea on the floor with Chichi, Launch and Bulma. Sure enough, Tien could practically feel an aura of warmth.
Two of them had fought and won past the first round, and rather than face forward to the possibility of fighting each other, they seemed to be focusing on their victories. Even Bulma, having lost, didn't seem be resenting the dark horse victor. In fact, Ranfan's tattered top had been replaced by a Turtle gi, seemingly having belonged to Launch, who had a short-sleeved black shirt on now instead. A blue bandanna with the Capsule Corps logo was tied over the woman's head, concealing her baldness, and someone had drawn eyebrows on her face.
"Disgusting. It shames our school that such soft fools could rival us, much less defeat us," Shen sneered.
"Do you ever get tired of being so bitter?" Tenron asked, getting their attention.
"Oh, you want to hold hands, singing around the campfire, too?" Shen mocked.
"Hardly. But there's nothing to be gained by mocking the singers, and repeating the same derision over and over only makes one look a fool. Truly, the old masters hardly live up to their reputation. Oh well, that just means my goal of becoming a legend in my own right is more obtainable than I thought."
"Fool. I will crush you and show the world how high the crane flies," Shen waved him off.
"Maybe, but we'll find out soon enough."
Tenron went to the opposite wall and lowered himself into a mediative position.
"Why provoke him?" Chin asked his former student.
"He annoys me. It was either say something or go chew on tree bark or something," Tenron answered, eyes closed.
"Ha! Good to see you recovering a sense of humor," Chin remarked. His eyes opened as the announcer's voice came over the PA.
"Alright, the ring is deemed ready for use. I daresay we may need to invest in more durable material in the future. Will contestants Bora and Krillin report to the arena?!"
"Well, Mr. Bora, let's have a friendly match?" Krillin said, offering his hand to the giant. Bora looked down at him and Krillin's eye twitched a bit. Next to this guy he felt even smaller than usual. Even without the mockery of his old bullies, the situation caused old ghosts to whisper at his ears. Bora took the hand, his own easily covering it.
"Indeed, we are not enemies, and are connected through friends. But know this, I have trained and traveled here not just to reunite with those whom I owe. I wish to test myself in preparation for those who may harm my people, my son, and my lands. As such, I will be fighting hard and to win. I will not seek your death or maiming, but you are a warrior and I will treat you as such in that ring," Bora told him.
Without another word, Bora released his hand and entered the ring. The crowd cheered at the sight of Bora, with a number of ladies shrieking.
"Heheh, what a man," Ranfan grinned, having watched him walk away.
"Yeah, I was kinda disappointed he wasn't thirsty when we met," Launch said, grinning.
"Really, Launch?" Krillin said flatly, pausing as he passed the girls who were collecting their tea set.
"What? I ain't no shrine maiden or nun."
"Still, it is uncouth to be so... forward with a man," Chichi said hesitantly.
"Hey now, turnabout's fair play. If a man can walk up and ask for what they want, a girl can too."
"Really? So, you wouldn't object if a fella..." Jackie asked, rising up in sight near the ladies.
"Don't get any ideas, old timer, you're not nearly cute enough to get away with that," Launch held up a hand to him.
"And you're cute?" Krillin asked, eyebrow raised.
"*bleep, I'm adorable," Launch smirked.
"...I'm going to go fight a guy ten times my size now."
"Go for it, Krillin, it wouldn't be the first time!" Chichi cheered him on.
"Goku, you're rooting for me, right?" Krillin asked as he entered the ring and Goku was perched on the divider.
"Of course. And Bora too," Goku said with a goofy smile.
"...You know, I really shouldn't be surprised. Maybe just keep names out of your cheering so I can pretend it's all for me?" Krillin asked.
"Okay, but how come?" Goku asked, tail forming like a question mark behind him.
"Never mind," Krillin said, entering the ring fully.
"And here he is! The shining shaved head of the Kame School that faced Jackie Chun in the first round last tournament. He's back to try for the title again, after three years of hard training! Give a big welcome to Krillin of the Kame School!"
"Uh, here we go," Krillin said, making the formal greeting bow to his opponent.
"Yes," Bora said. After a moment of seeming consideration, Bora returned the gesture.
"Alright, you've heard the rules, so there's no reason for delay. Let the seventh match of the first round of the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai, begin!" the announcer declared, chopping his hand through the air.
"Go father, show them all your might!" Upa cheered jumping up above the crowd in excitement.
Bora's eyes locked on Krillin, who almost flinched at the intensity but rallied matching the gaze. Bora took a step to his right, and Krillin followed suit as they circled. And so it went.
"The fighters are circling like tigers, folks. Each knows the other has proven themselves by getting this far, and have seen everything from brutal beatdowns to sporting matches in this ring. Now they try and size each other up, daring the other to make the first move. The tension is electrifying! Who will answer the call of the crowd and make a move!?" the Announcer wondered.
"Go Krillin! Take it from me, size isn't everything!" Ox King yelled. Though the banner he was waving still said Chichi.
"This is boring," Bulma declared, slumping forward on the barrier.
"Speak for yourself, just drink in that manly intensity," Ranfan said, leaning over the barrier, watching Bora.
"You'd think after a match like that, you'd be more concerned with the next fight, not looking for eye candy," Tenron remarked next to her. Ranfan gave him a casual gesture with one finger.
"Oh, you're so intense, and edgy. Bet you're really cool in the eyes of preteen girls that wear too much black," Ranfan said, not even looking at him.
"Why's Krillin holding back? He'd be better off making the first move," Goku frowned.
"I don't know, Goku," Chichi also frowned next to him.
Krillin watched Bora, hoping he wasn't sweating.
'Ah man, did I really think this was a good draw? This guy has been training longer than I've been alive. And unlike the guys from the elimination rounds, those aren't just numbers. Goku and Launch even all but said last night Bora said he'd been training with a master they studied under. Without the edge of my training by better teachers, what's that leave me compared to him but weaker and smaller? Dang it, Krillin! Goku would have made a move by now! Launch would have never been worried and just laughed at the idea of being intimidated. Don't show Chichi she wasted time by training with a loser!' he yelled internally.
Bora sprang into action. Krillin saw the kick coming as Bora came up on him, and dodged to the side. The kick was powerful; Krillin's eyes widened, realizing there was seemingly no way out. He faced a real warrior, it finally hit home, not a man accustomed to tournaments and testing the waters to raise the bar.
Next came a punch that grazed him, the close distance working against him. Krillin rolled with it and turned it into a retreat, putting distance between him and the big guy.
'Wait,' he thought, as Bora assumed his stance and didn't get much closer, 'He didn't really get in my face just then. That's right. His reach might be greater, but it can also make close quarters difficult. Like when Mai fought that Anton guy. He was huge, but once Mai got inside his defenses, he couldn't react before she landed a blow.'
"Gotta go fast!" Krillin shouted, before charging Bora.
"What's this, a frontal attack?" the announcer wondered.
"Ha! Father will crush him!" Upa shouted pumping a fist.
"Is he crazy? Bora will own him in a straight-up fight," Bulma asked. Chichi grinned.
"It's okay, Krillin's whole life has been about learning to take on people towering over him."
"Well, if he sparred with a tall woman, that would help," Chin remarked thoughtfully.
"I'm not that tall; I may be strong, but I'm still a pure delicate elegant maiden at heart," Chichi huffed. Bulma and Ranfan both glanced at her well-muscled arms and her height relative to them, and decided not to say anything.
Krillin sprang to the side, just out of Bora's reach. The anticipated blow never came; Bora held his position, watching Krillin zip behind him.
Krillin's kick struck the back of his knee, and Bora bent the knee but did not fall, instead turning in a swift motion, backhanding Krillin away as he tried to retreat. Krillin hit the ground rolling, and before Bora could reach him, started running again, zipping past Bora, then again.
Bora raised his arms, not turning his head even as Krillin dashed around him just out of reach. The first blow came in a lunging jab to his ribs, with Krillin planting a foot to spring away. Then his back. The thighs. Even a bold blow to his stomach.
"Egads folks, looks like Krillin might be Mai's match for speed. Looks like these turtles took notes from the hare! But even if Bora can't react to counterattack or block, he is not going down to this hail of blows!" the announcer proclaimed.
'He's right. I didn't think a human's body could be that tough. I need to go for a headshot.'
Speeding up, Krillin blurred, then vanished from sight.
"Yet again, a contestant vanishes!"
"Speed alone won't be enough for you to win!" Upa called out.
Eyes widening slightly, Bora lashed out with a left hook, and Krillin appeared, struck in the chest by the blow.
Krillin cried out as he was sent flying. Hitting the tiles hard, he rolled to a stop, and with a yell barely sprang away as a kick almost punted him off the ground. As it was, a fist struck him in the back, sending him on his way.
Krillin set his face and sped up again, recovering his posture from the parting blow. But rather than ribs, found himself hitting the block of Bora's forearm. Bora sidestepped a blow to the thigh, and a kick grazed Krillin as he tried to throw all his weight into kicking out the ankles.
"You were bluffing?" Krillin panted, coming to a stop.
"No. As has been said, I don't need to surpass your speed if I can read it. The greatest hunter doesn't run their prey down, they read the signs and land; and determine where the game is going. And then get there first."
"So cool!" Ranfan gushed as Upa shouted the same words.
"Well, yeah," Bulma said blushing a bit.
"Mmm, Krillin hasn't played his best card yet," Chichi told them smugly.
"Well, he'd better play it quick. Bora beat an invisible man by being able to tank and read patterns of attack. And his fight against the mummy was absolutely brutal," Yamcha said.
"Yes it was," Launch recalled grinning wistfully.
"It's still anyone's fight," Goku stated.
Krillin barely dodged a punch Bora had thrown, landing on the arm to spring and punch Bora in the face. Retreating by jumping off the shoulder, he saw Bora not even bother to touch where the blow had landed.
Bora watched him with narrowed eyes.
'It's not just speed, he has great power behind those blows. Before Master Korin's training, I would have fallen to this assault. I must press the offense harder.'
Rather than try to read the pattern again, Bora opted to try and get him off balance with a hail of blows, moving and pivoting erratically.
'His great weakness seems to be timidity. This is a warrior unlike Goku and Launch, he is closer to Lunch; he hesitates to believe in himself, and that flaw is deadly in battle.'
Sure enough, Krillin came to a stop and cursed, Bora's setting his feet having driven him into a corner.
"You planned that," Krillin stated.
"You made it simple," Bora didn't lie.
"Now Krillin, you have him where you want him!" Chichi cheered.
"You're delusional," Bulma snarked. Chichi planted her hand on top of Bulma's head and gave her a grin that ended the blunette's protests before they began.
"Watch," she ordered, twisting Bulma to look.
Krillin let out a breath and cupped his hands.
"Hate to use this on someone who's not an enemy in a fight. But like you said, Bora, we need to take this seriously. Kaaa..."
"Impossible!" Jackie Chun objected.
"So, he figured it out," Yamcha smiled, and Goku grinned, practically bouncing in his crouching position.
"Me..."
"Oh really, let's see it," Launch said, smirking.
"Go, Bora!" Ranfan yelled.
"Ha..."
"I won't wait for it," Bora declared, charging Krillin.
"A half-powered Kamehameha won't work on someone like Bora," Yamcha lamented. Bora reached Krillin, not slowing as he pulled back for the punch.
"ME!" Krillin leapt even from the awkward position, passing over Bora's fist and planting a foot on his head. The other hand reached for him, but he was gone already, falling headfirst behind Bora, attack charged and pointing at his back.
"HA!" Krillin fired the blue energy wave off. Bora was engulfed by the overflowing power that pressed on, streaking above the crowd's heads and into the sky.
"Gah!" Krillin cried, landing with an inelegant clonk of his head on the tiles. Falling to land on his front, he let out a sigh.
"That, was good improv," he told himself.
"Folks yet again we witness the legendary technique of the Muten Roshi, could even Bora withstand that direst hit?!"
The smoke from the blast burst outward as a charred giant burst forth with a pained war cry. Krillin's eyes popped wide, but the kick took him before he could even roll. He flew like a football, just barely above the tiles, and struck the far wall to fall to the grass.
Bora heaved a deep breath, his hair wild and undone, the feather burning away before their eyes, and one of the legs of his smoldering pants falling away. Eyes rolling up in his head, he fell to a knee and then collapsed to the ground.
"Both are down! But as Krillin went out before Bora fell, it is Bora's victory! Let's give applause for both, folks!"
"YES! My father is the greatest!" Upa cheered jumping again.
"That was only the first round, dummy" Misa said to him as he landed.
As the crowd applauded, Bora pulled himself up and walked across the arena, ignoring cheers and cat calls alike. He saw the cracked wall where Krillin had impacted, but glancing around saw that the young warrior was gone.
"Mr. Bora, would you like medical attention?" a monk asked him.
"No, they're mere flesh wounds," he dismissed, and with a troubled frown, made his way back to the viewing area.
"Well folks, contestant Krillin seems AWOL, but as he's good enough to sneak off, I guess he's okay. With no major damage to the ring, we can proceed directly to the final match of the day."
"I don't suppose you know where your friend went?" Bora asked, entering the contestant viewing area.
"Yeah, he went that way. That was a good fight," Goku said. Still, he frowned a bit. Chichi nodded next to him.
"I'm going to go check on him," she said, easily jumping onto the side wall of the viewing area, and then jumping over the crowd to some 'ohhs' and 'ahhs'.
"I'll go too," Goku said, only for Launch to grab his shoulder.
"Hold yer horses, kiddo. I think this might be a 'three's a crowd' case," she grinned, looking after Chichi.
"What? Really?" Bulma perked up, before fixing a look at their direction.
"Huh, why not?" Yamcha said with a small smile.
"I don't get it," Goku said, confused.
"Just watch the last fight," Launch said, patting him on the head, which annoyed him even more.
"Will the last two contestants please report to the arena?" The announcer called.
Shen grinned, moving to the gap in the divider.
"You'll soon regret showing disrespect to a legend, boy," the Crane Hermit sneered. He entered the arena to applause.
"You know him from many a tale of martial arts and magic, the ancient and mighty Crane Hermit, Master Shen!"
"Good luck," Master Chin said as Tenron walked to the exit.
"That's it, no sage advice?" Tenron asked, stopping.
"No need now," Chin said simply.
"Hmph," Tenron said with the hint of what might have been a smile.
"Here we have yet another rising newcomer. A former pupil of the Chin Star School and former master of the Panther Fang School that has struck out on his own. He's here to make his name, give a hearty welcome to Tenron!"
"Now then, you both know the rules. So, if there are no objections or questions...? Then let the last match of the first round begin!"
Tenron charged, blurring from sight. Shen smiled and kept his hands behind his back. Tenron ground to a halt out of Shen's reach, sending dust toward the old master. Springing to the left and forward, he lashed out with a kick, only to flinch as the dust cleared, showing Shen to have blocked it without moving from his starting spot.
The young fighter retreated as Shen dusted himself off.
"Now look at that, you've gotten my outfit all dirty. You'll be paying for my dry cleaning, and not in cash," Shen grinned. Kicking off the ground, Shen vanished from sight in a blur. Tenron glanced around, slowly lifting one hand before him while holding the other low.
Shen blinked into sight, punching him on the left side of the face. Tenron was knocked off his feet.
"That's how you sneak attack, boy," Shen said. Idly taking a step, he kicked Tenron in the side and clear off the ground. Jumping into the air with a casual ease, he stunned the audience as he kept ascending higher than the tallest part of the temple. Tenron hit the ground, groaning.
"Ground floor, broken braggarts and a quick wrap-up to the first round," Shen chuckled as gravity asserted itself and he descended with growing speed, one leg extended.
"Panther Fang Cyclone!" Tenron shouted. With a burst of motion, he righted himself, spinning like a top, arm extended as he turned into a whirlwind blur.
"Rising Wind Dragon!" he yelled, and shot into the air toward the descending Shen.
"What!?" Shen had time to say, before the whirlwind of blows was upon him. He gave out one startled cry of pain before being thrown out, his hat falling to the opposite end of the ring.
Shen growled, rubbing his ribs with one hand. Tenron's whirlwind returned to the floor, and Tenron went to one knee, grasping his head.
The Crane Hermit grinned, tucking his arms back behind him.
"Give up," he ordered.
"No, Phantom Star!" Tenron broke into a sprint and vanished from sight. Shen's lips twitched in a huff as images of Tenron began to appear around him. Three struck him, passing harmlessly through, then turning slightly he caught a descending blow with crossed forearms, then lashed out with a kick that struck his opponent in the shin, making him scream before leaping back.
"So, that is the strength of a master," Tenron said, standing unsteadily as Shen walked toward him. Then he looked at the mark on the Crane Hermit's cheek, recognizing a bruise beginning to form.
"If I cut you, you'd bleed," Tenron smiled. Shen raised an eyebrow.
"A purely academic fact for the likes of you. You'd never spill a drop of my blood."
"I'm not done yet," Tenron winced, then rushed forward, "Phantom Star!"
"Heh. Huh!" Shen gasped, barely deflecting as Tenron flickered, but still charged straight.
"A childish bluff!" Shen cursed.
"Yet you fell for it."
Shen answered with a palm strike to Tenron's chest, knocking the wind out of him and off balance. Shen stepped into the attack, hand shifting to a jab. Jackie Chun's eyes widened.
"Throw in the towel lad, he wants to cripple you!" Jackie yelled.
Shen hesitated at that, and was slapped repeatedly in the face as Tenron span.
"Enough!" Shen said, leaping back, finger extended.
"Dodonpa!"
"Phantom Tornado!"
The whirlwind vanished.
"Fool! There's no point in deceiving the eye when you're kicking up wind like that!" Shen mocked. Then looked around in puzzlement.
KATONK
Shen flinched as Tenron's head collided with the top of his own, rotating twice before whirling away to land on his feet. Shen's glasses fell off, revealing beady eyes as the bald top of his head reddened. Tenron stuck the landing cleanly, turning to face Shen, shifting into a stance. Expression pained, the Crane Hermit glared at the young man.
"…Very well," Shen seethed, taking flight, raising two glowing fingers.
Tenron smiled, and put his hands together, bowing.
"I concede, you took everything, my best shot and it wasn't even close to an ending blow."
"What?" Shen blinked.
"Huh?" Went several contestants and audience members. Though Master Chin smile widely.
"Tenron has conceded the match, the Crane Hermit has won and will advance to the next round!"
"What are you playing at, boy?!" Shen demanded still in the air.
"Nothing. I can't defeat you, but it's only a matter of time until you defeat me. It's been a long day, why draw it out for everyone when the outcome was certain?" Tenron said, raising his head and smiling. Without another word, Tenron turned and walked back toward the contestant area, while Shen extinguished the ki on his fingertips, closing his hands into trembling fists while grinding his teeth.
"Alright everyone, the tournament will resume at noon tomorrow. Have your tickets ready for reentry..." The Announcer said as the temple drummers closed out the day's festivities.
And so, the first round of the 22rd Budokai came to close with a thunderous cheer from the crowd.
Author's Note:
And so round one concludes. This tournament was fun to write with both established styles for fighter and ones where I could make it up as fitting the story.
Hope you all enjoyed it too.
Long days and pleasant nights to you all.