Dragon Ball Z: Dynasty
Written by: Feraligreater328 and StevenBodner
Chapter 160: Piccolo vs Vegeta
In the World Tournament ring…
Vegeta and Piccolo wasted no time, rushing in at one another and each throwing a furious blow that the other dodged. Then began a scrum for supremacy almost too fast for the eye to see. Vegeta cackled, swinging his leg at Piccolo's head and catching only air. "I've been waiting for this, Namekian! For years!"
Piccolo clenched both hands over his head and brought them down at the prince, barely missing and smashing into the ground. "The feeling is mutual!"
Piccolo charged, swiping at Vegeta with his claws. He missed the first time and Vegeta blocked the second attempt with his forearm. Piccolo sneered. "Ever since the Saiyan Invasion! Ever since you and that lummox showed your ugly faces on my planet! I don't give a damn about world conquest anymore, but I will make you take a knee to me!"
Vegeta threw a punch and Piccolo leapt back, shouting. "I'll wipe that damned smug look off of your face!"
Vegeta smugly smirked. "Better men have tried~"
Piccolo lunged forward with a kick which Vegeta met with his fist, causing a stalemate. Vegeta went in for the attack. "You think I'll take a knee for someone who could even take Nappa blow-for-blow?! Ridiculous!"
The prince threw a punch, Piccolo caught it and snatched his arm down. The two leaned in close and Vegeta chuckled. "You should be grateful to me, anyway~ Our little invasion allowed you to crawl out of the muck!"
Piccolo sneered. "If anything, we're even. Because our intervention allowed you to wriggle from beneath Frieza's foot!"
Vegeta's smile dropped. He sneered and punched with his free hand. Piccolo feinted to the side and brought up his knee for a strike. Vegeta leapt up, his arm still firmly trapped in Piccolo's grip. Taking advantage, Piccolo roared and tried to slam the prince into the ground. Vegeta completed his flip and landed in a firm stance, snatching his arm away.
Immediately, Vegeta turned and charged in for a knee smash which Piccolo quickly caught. He gritted his teeth. "You'll learn to mind your tongue, Namekian! I'll show you how terrible I can be!"
Piccolo snorted and jerked his head back, dodging a furious punch by millimeters. Vegeta shouted. "While you were skulking around this spinning ball of mud, playing 'Demon King' like some moody teenager, I was out conquering worlds that would have made you shake like a scared child! Scum like you was a box to tick for me!"
Vegeta raised his foot into the air and brought it down like an ax, smashing the tile of the ring. Piccolo snarled. "Who gives a damn?!"
He raised his hand into the air and brought it down for a chop. Vegeta threw a chop of his own and the two warriors clashed. Piccolo growled. "Just shut your damn mouth, Vegeta! I don't care about your bluster or your meaningless pride crap! Just fight!"
Both warriors put a bit of extra force behind their strike and sent each other sliding back. But they didn't lose a step. The moment they stopped, they both rushed forward again! Piccolo threw a left-handed punch and Vegeta responded in kind. The two of them caught each other's fists, absorbing the shock of the blow. They tried to snatch their hands out of each other's grasp and found themselves stuck, locked in each other's grip!
Piccolo smirked. "You wanna hold hands?! Fine! Hold on tight, Vegeta!"
Piccolo jerked both of his arms up, throwing Vegeta off balance and then giving a shove to send him staggering. Vegeta gasped, quickly realizing he had lost ground. Taking the fall in stride, Vegeta yanked down on Piccolo's arms and pulled himself up, launching both knees right at the Namekian's jaw. Piccolo reacted fast, pulling his head back to avoid the blow.
With Vegeta's feet off the ground, Piccolo switched to a new tactic, yanking his arms upward with all his strength and then stretching them. Vegeta shot up like a rocket, surging higher and higher into the air as Piccolo's arms stretched more and more. Once he had his foe high enough, Piccolo wrapped his arms around the Prince. Then, with a mighty roar, he brought Vegeta right back down. Vegeta looked out of the corner of his eye and saw grass beneath him. He refused to lose this early! He refused to lose at all!
Kicking out both of his legs, Vegeta caused a shockwave that sent him flying back over the ring, bending Piccolo's arms like limp pasta. The prince thrust his legs down, smirking as he felt his soles connect with stone. Then, with all his strength, Vegeta began to twist. He spun around in a circle, combining momentum with natural strength and yanking Piccolo off his feet.
As he spun and spun, Vegeta raised his arms, eventually sticking them all the way out and making it look like he had a miniature tornado of pink and green bursting from his palms. Finally, Vegeta jerked his hands free of Piccolo's grip. Piccolo immediately retracted his arms and Vegeta leapt up to meet him. He tried to kick Piccolo in the face, but Piccolo twisted out of the way.
Both warriors landed on their feet and Piccolo sprang forward, throwing a chop which Vegeta quickly ducked. The Saiyan bent back onto his hands and then thrust both feet at Piccolo in a double kick. Piccolo feinted to the right, grabbing Vegeta's leg and flinging him high into the air. The Namekian gave chase, taking another heavy swipe with his claws. Vegeta caught the Namekian by the wrist and yanked him around, pulling Piccolo over his shoulder and flinging him down to the ground.
With effort, Piccolo got his feet beneath him and landed with a shuddering thud, sliding to the side just in time to avoid a stomp from Vegeta. The tile of the ring cracked apart and Vegeta smirked. "You're slowing down! Tired already?"
Piccolo answered with a thrusting jab, his sharpened fingernails practically shredding the air. Vegeta jumped up, landing on Piccolo's forearm and immediately trying to punt-kick the Namekian in the face. Piccolo grabbed Vegeta by the ankle, pulling him through the air and trying to slam him down into a kick of his own. Vegeta quickly twisted out of the way to avoid the blow, briefly tapping his free foot to the ground before springing up and launching a kick at Piccolo in turn. Piccolo released Vegeta's ankle, shooting his own leg up and meeting Vegeta's kick with a kick. The two warriors slid backward and glared at each other.
Then Piccolo rushed forward, seizing Vegeta by the collar of the surge and charging forward still. Vegeta couldn't resist the momentum, being dragged back with his heels skipping off the stones. He looked back and saw the edge of the ring. The Namekian was trying to shove him out.
Vegeta snarled. "IN YOUR DREAMS!"
With force, Vegeta planted his feet hard onto the ground and wrapped his arms around Piccolo's torso, arching his back and trying to use Piccolo's own momentum to suplex him away. Seeing the tables had turned, Piccolo stretched his arms and sunk his claws into the stone. All at once, he jerked up his lower body, then tried to slam it back down to body slam Vegeta into the ring. Vegeta let go. His feet hitting the ground first, he kicked himself out from beneath Piccolo.
Piccolo stopped his slam at the last second, folding his legs beneath him and springing up. He quickly turned and launched a furious kick. Vegeta blocked the kick with his forearm, but was sent sliding backward to the other side of the ring. Both warriors stood on the edge of their respective sides and glared at one another. This match was just beginning.
Vale cheered at the top of his lungs. "MY WORD, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THIS MATCH IS OFF TO A HOT START. AFTER A WHOLE MINUTE OF NON-STOP ACTION, NEITHER WARRIOR HAS EVEN MANAGED TO LAND A DECISIVE BLOW! THIS IS A BATTLE FOR TERRITORY MORE THAN VICTORY AT THE MOMENT, FOLKS! WHICH WARRIOR WILL CLAIM THE RING AS THEIR OWN?!"
The crowd cheered, roaring with approval at the showcase taking place before them. Neither Piccolo nor Vegeta heard them, they were both too focused on trying to find holes in the other man's defense.
In the crowd…
Everyone in the Z-Fighters' group was watching the match with vested interest. Sharpner felt a bead of sweat run down his jawline. "Holy shit..."
Erasa looked down the line at the others. No one else looked the slightest bit surprised. Most of the wives were making casual comments and laughing with one another. Most of the kids were cheering, taking turns for Piccolo and then for Vegeta. On the far end of the line, Bulla spoke up. "It'll be my dad."
Yamcha nodded. "Vegeta."
Chiaotzu shook his head. "Piccolo."
Chi-Chi nodded. "Yeah, Piccolo."
Master Roshi sighed. "I hate to doubt him, but I think Piccolo is gonna lose out to Vegeta."
Android 16 shook his head. "I disagree. Piccolo."
Koriocha cocked her head. "I think Mr. Piccolo. His arms are longer."
Goten nodded. "Mr. Piccolo~"
Gine shook her head. "Vegeta."
Erasa was confused. "Are you guys making bets on who's gonna win?"
Gine turned and smiled. "No, honey! We're making bets on who's going to get the first hit, in. What do you think, Raditz?"
Raditz frowned. "I sincerely hope it's not Vegeta. But I'm not sure."
Erasa and Sharpner looked at one another and then back at the ring. This was going to be one hell of an intense match.
In the fighters' waiting area…
Tien crossed his arms. "I think it will be Piccolo. His reactions have been more properly timed. Also, I think at this stage, Piccolo is just a bit stronger without transformations or techniques taken into account."
Android 17 shook his head. "Sorry. I like Big Green, but I think it's a lot more even than that. Except in speed, Vegeta is just a bit faster cuz he's smaller. I think Vegeta takes the first hit."
Android 18 nodded. "My vote is also on Vegeta. He talks about this fight a lot. He's mentally pictured every single way he could kick Piccolo's ass."
Gohan shrugged. "So has Piccolo. He's stoic, but you can tell he's been thinking for years about just randomly decking Vegeta and taking whatever might come his way afterward. I think he takes the first strike."
Spike the Devilman stroked his chin. "I agree with you. The reincarnation of the Demon King has approached this with more focus. He takes the first punch."
Videl shook her head. "You're both wrong. The short guy is going to land it first."
Off in the corner, Shin and Kibito were watching intently. They both kept their gazes locked onto Piccolo and Vegeta and then nodded to one another. Gyuhime the Cattle Princess scowled. "These people are freaks..."
Mighty Mask were both watching from a distance, Trunks through the mask itself and Ranch from the holes she made to see. Trunks whispered. "My dad's gonna hit first."
Ranch nodded. "I agree."
Finally, Gohan turned to his father. "Who do you think is gonna deliver the first real hit, Dad?"
Goku cocked his head. "Wellllllllll..."
He smiled. "Piccolo and Vegeta are two of the proudest, most stubborn people I know~ If you're asking me who I think is gonna land the first hit, then..."
Back in the ring…
Vegeta rushed forward, his entire arm pulled back. He threw a heavy clothesline that Piccolo quickly sidestepped. Landing just on the edge of the ring, Vegeta's eyes went wide as he saw the shadow of Piccolo's leg swinging at him. He quickly ducked, sliding himself back and under Piccolo's kick. Vegeta quickly sprang up behind the Namekian, grabbing his fluttering cape and yanking him back. With a heavy swing, Vegeta tossed Piccolo into the center of the ring and gave chase.
Piccolo landed on his feet, shooting his knee up to meet the charging Vegeta into the gut. Vegeta caught the knee strike and tried to push himself up. Piccolo quickly clamped down onto his shoulder and forced him back down. Then, with his free arm, the Namekian raised his elbow high into the air and then thrust it down. Vegeta jerked himself out of the way and skidded back into a backflip.
Vegeta regained his footing, but Piccolo was already on the warpath once more, bounding toward the prince with all sense of defense and hesitation gone. He unleashed a furious barrage of punches, each one missing Vegeta but each one also just a bit closer to landing. Vegeta clenched his jaw and swung a mighty kick up. Piccolo jerked his head back the minimum he could manage and then leaned back in to continue the assault.
Both warriors burst into a furious storm of punches and kicks. They traded, missed, and blocked back and forth as their assault continued to speed up. Arms and legs were a blur. Blue and green were melding. Vegeta snarled in Piccolo's face and Piccolo sneered right back.
Piccolo dived in, left hand's claws extended and making Vegeta flinch. The Namekian smirked in triumph, yanking his left hand back and going forward for a hellacious, right-handed haymaker. Seeing the punch coming toward him and knowing there was no room to avoid it, Vegeta shot forward with a right-handed cross of his own. Both fists practically whistled as they tore through the air, eventually slamming into the target with a shockwave shattering crack.
Piccolo and Vegeta both stumbled back, their foe's fist buried into their cheek. The champion of the first blow? Both of them!
The entire crowd gasped! Vale cried out. "OH MY GOD!"
In the fighter's waiting area…
Goku chuckled, rubbing his finger under his nose with a light-hearted grin. "Called it~"
Back in the ring…
Vegeta staggered. He could taste fresh blood in his mouth from a heavily busted lip.
Piccolo wobbled. The vision in his left eye doubled, then tripled.
And then both warriors charged in to continue the fight! Piccolo was the first one to connect again, his reach giving him the advantage to land a punch dead center on Vegeta's face. He felt the prince's nose fold beneath his knuckles, but he didn't feel Vegeta give. Instead, Piccolo felt a furious kick slam into his gut. Vegeta yanked his head back, his nose gushing with blood. He grinned a positively malicious grin from ear-to-ear, then he weaved around Piccolo's fist and palm thrusted directly into the Namekian's chest.
Piccolo coughed, but didn't shudder. Instead, maintaining his composure, the Namekian reached out and grabbed Vegeta by the back of the head, yanking him forward and slamming his head into the ground for good measure. The pressure didn't let up. Piccolo lifted his leg high into the air and then dropped a furious ax-kick, stomping Vegeta's head through the stone. Piccolo drew his leg up for a second time and went for another stomp, but Vegeta quickly shot up. The sole of Piccolo's shoe landed hard, but Vegeta's back held firm. He didn't buckle in the slightest.
Piccolo flinched and Vegeta took advantage, rising up and catching the Namekian under the chin with a furious uppercut.
Piccolo rose four feet into the air, but quickly arched his back and backflipped away. Vegeta rose to his feet and stood tall. "Ready to surrender, Namekian?! You won't land a hit like that again! I won't let you!"
Piccolo cracked his neck. "Your consent is irrelevant, runt!"
Vegeta sneered. "Comment on my height one more time! I dare you!"
Piccolo smirked. "So very insecure. Is it the height, the oversized forehead, or the dependence on Bulma's wealth that bothers you the most when you try to sleep at night?!"
Vegeta snarled. "GREEN BASTARD!"
The contest for the first hit was well in the past. Now was simply the time to win!
Vegeta rushed Piccolo, launching a barrage of punches that the Namekian blocked and countered with strikes of his own. The Namekian was successfully defending, but the fury of Vegeta's assault was shoving him back. Vegeta smacked one of Piccolo's arms to the side and rushed in, slamming his elbow into the Namekian's gut. He threw a mighty punch to follow up, but Piccolo quickly caught it. Vegeta growled under his breath, throwing a second punch with his free hand. Rather than tying up both of his hands as well, Piccolo caught Vegeta's other fist with the crook of his arm and then went for a chop on the Saiyan. Vegeta jerked out of the way, leaping up and slamming a furious kick down. Rather than take the attack, Piccolo focused all his strength into his arm and heaved Vegeta away like a rabid cat.
Vegeta landed with a heavy thud on his back, but then rolled back to his feet. Piccolo rushed forward and kicked the prince in the chest. Vegeta grunted, but sprang up and smashed his forehead into Piccolo's jaw, rocking the Namekian on his feet. Vegeta followed that up with a kick to the left side of Piccolo's head, then another kick to the right side. Then, Vegeta gripped onto Piccolo with both feet and slammed him down. Piccolo's head bounced and Vegeta quickly spun, swinging his leg and slamming it into Piccolo's face. His foe went flying back and Vegeta stayed on top of things, rushing forward to deliver a fourth kick.
Piccolo quickly snapped back into attention, catching Vegeta's foot and yanking him to the side. "Too cocky!"
He yanked Vegeta forward and slammed his elbow into the prince's face. Then he wrapped his hand tightly around Vegeta's throat and choke-slammed him into the ring. Then he picked Vegeta up and did it again, ragdolling the smaller man. Piccolo yanked Vegeta up a third time, this time releasing the prince from his grip and going for a heavy palm strike! This one would knock Vegeta straight out of the ring!
Piccolo shoved his hand forward, but Vegeta was faster, shooting his own punch in turn and smashing Piccolo right in the cheek. The Namekian went flying, his steadily fraying cape fluttering beneath him. Piccolo caught himself on both hands, quickly springing back to his feet and blocking an incoming punch with his forearm. He tried to sweep Vegeta's feet, but the prince leapt up, slamming both of his knees into his taller opponent's chest. Piccolo gurgled, but responded with a barrage of punches, battering Vegeta across the face and sending him crashing backward.
The crowd screamed with approval as Piccolo rushed toward Vegeta again, smashing the prince in the stomach with a furious haymaker. Vegeta coughed up a small jet of blood, quickly clenching his teeth around it and responding with a palm thrust to Piccolo's cheek. The Namekian pulled his fist back and went for a second shattering blow, but Vegeta managed to catch this one. Thinking quickly, Vegeta wrapped his legs around the Namekian's forearm, locking it down and slamming his forearm into Piccolo's throat. Disoriented, Piccolo was nearly powerless to resist being pulled to the ground. Vegeta took full advantage, giving the green man's arm a swift pull and yanking his shoulder out of socket.
Piccolo howled and Vegeta sprang up, pulling his feet up with him and then spearing them down into Piccolo's chest. Piccolo writhed in pain, grabbing Vegeta by the ankle and throwing him as far away as he could manage. He quickly sat up, focusing all his Ki into his indented chest and quickly expanding it to force it back into shape. Purple oozed from between Piccolo's fangs. He spat it away and then forced his shoulder back into its socket.
Vegeta came rushing back in, but Piccolo caught him in the act. He punched Vegeta with enough force to snap a lesser man's neck, but the prince didn't relent. He went for a punch of his own, but Piccolo quickly countered with a kick under the jaw. Vegeta groaned and Piccolo sent him flying with a heavy kick to the ribs. Vegeta went flying, bouncing and skipping across the ring floor before quickly regaining his feet. A malicious rictus grin was frozen on Vegeta's face as he stood. The prince couldn't hide that he was having the time of his life!
Piccolo thought to himself. 'He's relentless. And he's infuriatingly tactical in spite of his vicious fighting style. How am I going to go about this...?'
Piccolo shot forward, soccer-sliding at the last second and trying to kick Vegeta's legs from beneath him. Vegeta leapt into the air and chuckled as the Namekian slid under him, turning in an instant and meeting a punch with a punch of his own. Vegeta felt his arm buckle and quickly shoved himself back. Piccolo followed up his deflected punch with an equally furious kick, booting Vegeta across the face and sending him flying. Vegeta leaned back, performing a triple backflip and regaining his feet just in time to eat a punch to the mouth.
Vegeta smiled wide and blood practically waterfalled down his lower jaw. He spoke his thoughts aloud. "Damned tough Namekian bastard!"
Piccolo sneered. "Giving up?!"
Vegeta responded with a roar, wrapping his arms around one of Piccolo's legs and yanking him up into the air. Piccolo's eyes went wide as he was pulled and then immediately smashed back first onto Vegeta's knee. He growled in agony, feeling himself be pulled up again. Moments later, pain blossomed afresh right in the middle of the Namekian's spine. Vegeta kept lifting him and slamming his opponent down onto his knee, making Piccolo feel like his vertebrae were rattling around in his back like loose dice.
The prince lifted the Namekian again, but this time, Piccolo chopped him right across the face, making Vegeta's head snap to the side with an audible crack. Vegeta stumbled back, throwing a punch that wildly missed. Piccolo charged in and chopped him upside the head a second time.
The sense slapped back into him, Vegeta returned fire with a kick, knocking a third chop attempt aside. Then he leaped forward and slammed his knee into Piccolo's chin. Piccolo buckled back and Vegeta drove him onto his back with a furious bicycle kick.
Both warriors stopped for a moment to catch their breath. Vegeta cracked his neck and Piccolo, standing back up, cracked his as well.
Vale looked from warrior to warrior. "Uh, guys-"
Vegeta and Piccolo charged at one another once more, their faces a twisted mixture of enjoyment and genuine hatred. They clashed with two barrages of punches so strong that windows for miles around began to shake. Their strikes rang back and forth at one another like rounds from a machine gun. Vegeta landed a kick in Piccolo's ribs just as the Namekian punched the prince in the face. They both paused, glaring at one another before continuing the assault afresh.
As the exchange continued, Vegeta was forced to admit that he was losing ground. Piccolo's height advantage allowed him to reach deeper and strike harder with his blows up close. They were both beating each other bloody, but Vegeta was tiring a lot more quickly. Vegeta threw a punch, but Piccolo went for another claw swipe at the same time, digging his nails into the flesh of Vegeta's arm and shredding two deep tracks from elbow to shoulder. Vegeta flinched and Piccolo seized him by the throat again, slamming him to the ground. Piccolo raised both fists into the air and then rained them down. Vegeta was recoiling from the slam, but managed to pop his eyes open at the last second, reaching up and pulling Piccolo's turban down over his eyes.
The Namekian snarled in frustration, stumbling back to pull his headwear back up. Vegeta was on him in less than a second, shoulder-tackling him to the ground and then standing on his chest.
Vegeta stomped onto the side of Piccolo's face and shouted. "Why not ditch the stupid turban, fool?! It is sentimental?!"
Piccolo's arm stretched upward, grabbing Vegeta by the hair and hauling him across the arena. The Namekian then stretched his other arm to give chase. Vegeta yanked his hair out of his foe's grip, only for a punch from the other hand to crash right into his throat. Vegeta gripped his neck in pain, cringing and not quite realizing that he was right over the grass.
Piccolo smirked. "Victory~"
Vegeta's eyes snapped open, and he caught himself a mere 3 inches above the ground. His voice was hoarse as he slowly floated back up. "N-Not yet, green man!"
The prince landed on the edge of the ring, his breath wheezing as he struggled to get his breathing under control. "I can't believe I was forced to use Ki first! Damn you!"
Piccolo was quick to respond. "LET'S EVEN THE SCOREBOARD!"
Two balls of energy glowed in Piccolo's palms, and he fired a massive blast.
Vegeta snarled. "Screw you!"
He fired back an even larger blast. Piccolo gasped as his attack was quickly overwhelmed, crossing his arms in front of his face as he took the attack head on. The Namekian rapidly slid back, his shoes leaving black streaks across the ring. He could feel his cape catch fire and knew that he had to stop this at once. Focusing all his energy in his core, Piccolo threw his arms out and dispelled Vegeta's blast with a massive shockwave.
Vegeta smirked, seeing the heels of Piccolo's feet hanging over the edge. "Did I scare you?!"
Piccolo marched forward three steps, yanking his ruined cape off his shoulders and tossing the exposed weighted shoulder pads out of the ring. "Not likely!"
In the fighter's waiting area…
Goku whistled in appreciation. In spite of the beating that they had taken, Piccolo and Vegeta were both still standing strong. He smiled. "The real fight begins now."
Videl was watching with vested interest. "Wow. They're both so intense..."
Gohan chuckled. "Yeah! That's Piccolo and Vegeta for you. Two of the strongest and smartest people I know."
Tien was stroking his chin. "They certainly haven't been slouching these past couple of years."
The Androids were both watching, appreciatively silent. It was clear, based on whose movements they were following, that each of the two was rooting for a different fighter.
Spike looked concerned. "Jeez. I might have to end up fighting one of those two. I hope they have some inherent evil inside them..."
Shin and Kibito both looked at one another. Shin had a look on his face that suggested he was impressed. Kibito's face remained stern. He glared out of the corner of his eye to see Spopovich and Yamu huddled close. The smaller of the two had some mechanical object gripped in his hands. He looked gravely concerned as he glared out at the two combatants in the ring.
Off on their own, Mighty Mask were watching in awe. Trunks was almost bouncing on Ranch's shoulders as he watched his father fight, genuinely excited for a chance to see his old man go all out.
Ranch was slightly less excited. She whispered up. "Hey! Quit bouncing! If you make me lose my balance, we'll be found out!"
Trunks chuckled. "S-Sorry! I always knew that my dad was holding back, I just never thought it would be this much! It's so cool to watch him fight for real!"
Hearing Trunks' enthusiasm about his father, Ranch couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. But she kept her mouth shut. She didn't want to ruin Trunks' good time.
In the crowd…
Bulla cheered at the top of her lungs. "Go, Daddy, go! Kick his green butt!"
Bulma gave her daughter a pat on the head. "Now, now. Don't be rude. Piccolo is our friend too, Bulla. Your father is strong enough to win a match without you denigrating someone."
Bulla shook her head. "I don't care! I want him to lose! Kick his ass, Daddy!"
Bulma sighed. 16 smiled. "They are having a truly mighty bout. Their blows are beginning to cause subtle seismic activity. I certainly hope they are able to reign themselves in if they get too excited."
Raditz sighed. "They're both certainly getting into it. It would be nice to watch if the potential for damage wasn't so concerning..."
Roshi nodded. "They're both strong. But I'm impressed with Vegeta. I'm not too familiar with his fighting style, but I can tell that he's moving in a much more carefree way. He's fluid in a way that the man who invaded Earth just wasn't."
"It certainly is impressive!"
Everyone turned and Yamcha smiled wide. "Oh! Hey, Nam!"
Nam clapped his hands together, giving a small bow. "A pleasure to see all of you. I am sorry that I have run so late. I spent a bit longer than I expected conversing with Mr. Upa at the hospital."
The warrior took a seat as Yamcha and Chiaotzu made space, tugging his beard as he sat down. "I appear to have missed the first match. I assume that Krillin was successful?"
Chiaotzu frowned, looking concerned. "Afraid not."
Nam flinched. "Wh-What?! What happened?!"
Yamcha sighed. "It's hard to explain, but I'll try my best..."
Down at the Champion's Throne…
Mr. Satan was slumped in his throne, wheezing for breath as he hyperventilated. This was a nightmare and the champ was practically sweating through his gi. These two were insane. He knew he recognized the green guy from the Cell Games. And he had a bad feeling that the other guy was going to go through a major change in appearance soon enough…
Back in the ring…
Vale cheered into the mic. "It's been an extraordinary match so far, folks! Vegeta and Junior are both giving it their all! Where can it go from here?! Let's find out!"
Piccolo cracked his neck back and forth. "So, Vegeta, is the warmup over?"
Vegeta cackled. "Long over. Now, Namekian..."
The prince summoned two massive balls of energy in his hands. "The fun and games are over! Let's dance for real!"
Vegeta tossed both energy balls at Piccolo and the Namekian sneered. His eyes glowed with a white light and two beams shot out, colliding into the oncoming attack. Vegeta gritted his teeth, forcing the attacks forward. Piccolo strained and increased the strength of his Eye Beams. Both warriors were engaged in a massive game of strength, pushing against one another with all their might.
Very quickly, however, Piccolo realized that this was his game to lose. He immediately shut off the Eye Beams, letting Vegeta's attack barrel right toward him. Holding out his hands, Piccolo caught the two energy balls and smashed them together into one massive blast. Then, he shot the attack right back at Vegeta alongside an attack of his own. "MAKOSEN!"
Vegeta reared his fist back and jammed it directly into the center of the attack, feeling the intense burn of Piccolo's energy crawl up his arm. He chuckled and then fired off dozens of smaller blasts, using Piccolo's Makosen as a tube leading straight to the Namekian. Piccolo flinched back as the Ki blasts shot through, riveting against his chest and making his stumble back. Piccolo's vision was obscured by the smoke of his burning gi and he quickly swiped it away, only for Vegeta to be right there!
The prince drew his fist down and then brought it up with all his might, smashing Piccolo under the jaw with a hefty uppercut. The Namekian rose off the ground, but quickly recovered in his own way. Stretching his arms out and grabbing Vegeta by the wrists, Piccolo rapidly reeled himself in and slammed Vegeta right in the face with his head. He placed his palm on Vegeta's chest, but Vegeta did the same in turn. Both warriors unleashed their Ki blasts simultaneously, sending the other flying in the opposite direction with an intense, miniature explosion.
Vegeta landed on his feet with a skid. "GALICK GUN...!"
Piccolo bounced on his back and landed on his feet. "SCATTER SHOT!"
The Namekian rapidly began to shoot bolts of energy the Saiyan Prince's way, some of them crashing into Vegeta head on and others flying past the Saiyan. He didn't budge, his arms locked into position and charging the familiar purple beam. Vegeta snarled and shouted at the top of his lungs. "FIRE!"
The Galick Gun shot toward Piccolo like a bullet train. The attack hit Piccolo dead center, almost fully engulfing the Namekian in a wave of hot energy. Vegeta cackled, but quickly tightened his defense. A shadow came swimming through his beam like a fish and Piccolo popped out right in his face, fangs bared. The Namekian pulled his fist back and punched Vegeta hard to the ground. The Saiyan bounced and his opponent took advantage, grabbing him by the shirt and flinging him into the air.
Vegeta quickly glanced around and scowled. "Damn it."
Piccolo smirked and splayed his arms out. The cloud of Ki bolts in the air all tensed up. Then, with a quick motion of his arms, Piccolo sent all the attacks rushing at Vegeta at once. "HELLZONE GRENADE!"
As all the Ki bolts came rushing in, Vegeta let loose a primal roar. The prince's own energy spread out like an inferno, engulfing the incoming attacks and dispelling them in rapid succession. Seeing one of his best attacks fail, Piccolo decided that if he was in for a penny, he was in for a pound. He very quickly fired multiple Scatter Shots up into the air again. Vegeta's Explosive Wave ceased and Piccolo repeated the motion. "SECOND SALVO HELLZONE GRENADE!"
This time, Vegeta had no defense. He crossed his arms over his face and took all the attacks at once, the explosion resulting in a massive cloud of smoke. Piccolo stared up and Vegeta didn't disappoint, immediately shooting from the smoke cloud with his fists thrust forward. The Namekian smirked and then crossed his arms, letting loose a roar of his own and splitting into two and then four copies! The four Piccolo shot up into the air and met the prince, all of them attacking him hard and leaving Vegeta entirely on the defense.
Vegeta glanced around at each of his four attacks. "Ohohoho~ I know this trick~"
One of the Piccolos flinched back, and Vegeta targeted that one first, thrusting his fist into the copy Namekian's head and blowing it apart like a juicy grape. The Piccolo faded and then Vegeta turned, firing two blasts through two chests. They faded and he began to turn to the last one. "Now how shall I maim-"
Vegeta turned straight into an ax kick crashing into his nose. The prince fell and Piccolo rushed at him, wrapping his hand over Vegeta's eyes and driving his head into the ring. At first, the prince went limp, but then he disappeared entirely.
Piccolo gasped. "Afterimage?!"
Vegeta appeared behind Piccolo and kicked him in the center of the back. Piccolo went flying and Vegeta sped above him, smashing him down to the ground with a hammer fist. Piccolo bounced and then landed flat. Vegeta chuckled. "Now to have some fun..."
The prince's index finger glowed a bright golden color and he fired off five energy rings, clamping them tightly around both of Piccolo's wrists, both of his ankles, and a final one around his neck, locking him into the ground.
Piccolo snarled and tugged at his restraints. "What the hell is this?! Do I look like your wife to you?!"
From the crowd, Bulma shouted out. "SHUT THE HELL UP!"
Vegeta landed with a stomp on Piccolo's chest. "No. If you were my wife, you wouldn't be able to talk either."
Bulma reiterated. "SHUT! THE HELL! UP!"
The prince cackled and thrust his palm directly over Piccolo's face. "Ever wonder what death tastes like?!"
And then Vegeta charged an attack. Not just any attack, but one of his strongest. "IT'S OVER, GREEN MAN! BIG BANG ATTACK!"
Reacting quickly, Piccolo opened his mouth wide and fired a massive blast that slammed directly into Vegeta's shoulder. In the past, this attack had pierced Goku's shoulder all the way through. But Vegeta was far more prepared. He quickly absorbed the energy for the Big Bang Attack back into his arm and used it to fortify his defense. The prince still took damage, but the more debilitating effect for him was being pushed off Piccolo.
The Namekian wasted not a second of his chance. His pink muscles bulged, swelling and popping every vein. With a snarl, Piccolo tore his arms and legs from the ground, bringing sizable chunks of the arena with him. His neck still trapped, Piccolo stretched all four limbs high into the air, bringing them down on Vegeta like four hammers from space and pounding the prince harshly into the ring floor below. Vegeta groaned in pain and Piccolo retracted his arms, grabbing the glowing ring around his throat and shattering it with one harsh snap.
The Namekian sprang into the air, hovering over Vegeta and clasping his hands above his head. "MASENKO!"
The beam shot down at Vegeta, but the prince's eyes snapped open. He thrust both hands up and powered through the full brunt of Piccolo's attack, his gloves singing and then bursting into flames. Vegeta threw his hands to the side, the burning remnants of his gloves thumping against the ring. Then he rushed at Piccolo, delivering three punches to the face in rapid succession followed by a snap kick. Piccolo caught the leg, gripping his fist until his knuckles popped. He yanked Vegeta higher up and returned the three punches, each one slamming right into the prince's left kidney. Vegeta gargled, a foam of blood erupting into his throat. Piccolo followed that up by raising the prince above his head and then slamming him down.
Vegeta laid there for a moment, paralyzed with genuine pain. He opened his eyes and saw Piccolo charging another familiar attack. "Oh, damn it!"
Piccolo's index and middle fingers were pressed to his forehead, glowing with energy. The Namekian cast out his arm and shouted. "SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!"
His eyes going wide, Vegeta quickly rolled out of the way, watching with relief as the drilling beam burrowed its way into the ground. He stood with a satisfied grin. "Getting sloppy, are we?!"
Piccolo smirked, pointing the two fingers upward. It took a moment, but Vegeta instantly got the meaning and jumped out of the way. Less than a second passed before the Special Beam Cannon came shooting back up. The attack curved around Piccolo and began to circle around him like a protective ring. "Didn't think I could use a Guided Special Beam Cannon, didja?"
Vegeta gripped his fists, studying the attack with an intense gleam in his eye. Piccolo nodded. "Don't worry. I won't kill you. That would cost me the match. But there's nothing against debilitating you. Perhaps, if I sheared an arm or two off, you'd wise up and admit defeat!"
The prince took exception to that, opening his left and charging a small blast on each fingertip. "Piss off! BANSHEE BLAST!"
Vegeta swung his arm through the air, launching the five small blasts and watching them balloon as they closed in on their target. Piccolo was quick on the uptake, motioning around with his fingers and impaling each attack. He turned to laugh at Vegeta, only to see the prince shooting off another Banshee Blast.
Piccolo realized that he was a sitting duck in the air, so he quickly landed, dodging around and impaling multiple attacks from every direction with his Guided Special Beam Cannon. His attack was much stronger than this one Vegeta was using and, after a few more rounds of the same game, Piccolo found himself asking a simple question: what was the endgame in this? Why was Vegeta burning through energy like crazy while Piccolo was using the bare minimum to guide and maintain his attack? What could Vegeta be planning?
As it turned out, all the Namekian had to do was face the prince to get his answer. Vegeta was standing in place, his furious glare fixed upon Piccolo, his index finger, middle finger, and thumb extended and thrust toward the Namekian. "I'll do you a service. I won't go Super Saiyan for this. After all, I won't win if I kill you!"
Piccolo recoiled back, but it was too late. Vegeta shouted. "ATOMIC BLAST!"
A column of energy shot from Vegeta's fingers at speeds too fast for even the Z-Fighter's to follow. One second, he was shouting the attack's name. The next second, Piccolo's entire torso exploded out of his back, leaving a gaping, purple hole right through the Namekian. Piccolo wheezed in pain, two trickles of purple pouring from his mouth. His pupils went wide.
Vale screamed in panic. "O-OH MY GOD! YOU KILLED HIM!"
Vegeta glared dispassionately. Vale was stammering. "T-That's grounds for i-im-m-mediate disqualification! It wasn't e-even accidental! Y-You murdered him in cold-"
Piccolo snarled, focusing his energy in his torso. Suddenly, a wad of new, green flesh exploded into place and Piccolo coughed, hacking up a mouthful of blood and mucus. He glared at Vegeta, his eyes bloodshot. "You bastard..."
Vegeta smirked. "What's the matter, green man? Upset to have used up all your energy?"
Vale was wiping his head with a handkerchief. "Oh... I-I see. Junior isn't dead. P-Please, allow me to withdraw my previous ruling... Jeez..."
Piccolo hunched over. "So, you want me to waste my energy, eh?"
Rapidly, Piccolo began to gather all of his energy into one point. Vegeta flinched back. "What the hell...?"
Vale, meanwhile, recognized the stance the Namekian had taken. He gasped. "TH-THAT TECHNIQUE AGAIN?! THAT'S WHAT LEVELED THE ENTIRE ISLAND AT THE 23RD TOURNAMENT! JUNIOR! YOU PROMISED!"
Piccolo adopted an evil grin. "You're right, I did~!"
And then, Piccolo sped forward faster than Vegeta could react, thrusting both hands into the prince's face and snarling. "DESTRUCTIVE WAVE!"
The two-handed blast exploded right in Vegeta's face, engulfing the prince's entire upper torso. In one fell shot, Piccolo had let loose half of the energy he had left in reserve. He had to hope this would work. The smoke cleared, and yet Vegeta hadn't fallen. The prince stood there, his eyes wide with surprise, singed and naked from the waist up. After a moment, Vegeta's hair sagged down, falling from its usual sharp shape to something more frayed and wild.
Piccolo snickered. "Well, there goes your height advantage once Trunks and Bulla hit puberty."
Vegeta's left eye twitched. He snarled and gripped his fists, then exploded into a raging inferno of golden light, his hair shooting back up and going razor-sharp. "QUIT MOCKING MY GODDAMNED HEIGHT!"
The force of Vegeta's transformation sent Piccolo flying back. The Namekian landed on his feet and glared across the ring, watching miniature bolts of lightning crackle off his foe. Piccolo sighed. "Looks like we're in the endgame!"
Mustering what energy he had left, Piccolo shot up to his maximum power as well. The two warriors were letting off so much energy that the Earth beneath them was quivering. Battered and bloody, they glared at one another with unwavering determination. This match would be decided very quickly.
In the crowd…
Bulla's mouth was agape, sparkling stars filling her eyes as she watched her father unleash the full-breadth of his strength. She cackled and cheered, jumping up and down on her seat. "Daddy is using Super Saiyan 2! I never get to see him use Super Saiyan 2! This is so cool, isn't it, Mommy?!"
Bulma smiled, her arms crossed over her chest. "I'll admit it, yeah. It's fun watching your father give it his all."
The rest of the group was stunned almost silent, even the ones without Ki sensitivity could tell that Vegeta had just raised the bar a few levels all at once.
Raditz groaned. "That idiot had better be careful. He could end up destroying the whole stadium..."
Yamcha swallowed a lump in his throat. "Not just him. Piccolo too."
Chiaotzu nodded. "He's certainly done it before."
On the end of the bleachers, Erasa was staring hard at Vegeta. "Another one with golden hair. It looks like you've been holding something back from us, Gohan. Videl's gonna be pissed..."
Down at the champion's throne…
Mr. Satan was ghostly white in the face as he stared at the shimmering, golden aura. These were the guys from the Cell Games! There wasn't a single doubt about that now. They were back! They were back to get revenge for his lie, he just knew it!
In an instant, Mr. Satan leapt up from his throne and shoved one of the tournament monks out of the way. "B-Bathroom emergency! Gotta go!"
In the waiting area…
Mighty Mask stood off to the side, both them staring out into the ring. Ranch whispered up to the friend on her shoulders. "Trunks. Hey, Trunks. You good?"
On Ranch's shoulders, Trunks was staring wide-eyed into the ring. The boy was silently in awe of his father. Gyuhime stammered. "Th-That's a lightshow or something, right? J-Just a trick, like flying or shooting energy blasts!"
Spike was speechless. As were the other Z-Fighters. There was no more need for words in the face of the full power of their contemporaries.
Videl stared in almost reverence. Vegeta's back was to her and, in her head, she layered the image of her golden savior over him. The silhouette wasn't quite right, but there was no mistaking the hue. No mistaking the lightning crackling in the air. No mistaking the intensity and the waves of warmth radiating from the man in the ring. Vegeta was not her savior from before, but he and two others before him had shown a similar ability. So, what did that mean?
Videl's suspicions were raging. She turned to her disguised boyfriend. "Gohan...?"
Turning and looking Gohan in the face, Videl saw the look of a young boy watching his heroes from a distance. She quickly recalled every compliment, every single bit of praise and adulation that Gohan had given about the two men in the ring specifically. And so, making a crack judgment, Videl closed her mouth and turned back to the ring. The question she had was one that could just as easily be asked later.
In the furthest corner of the room, Spopovich and Yamu were both bent over the meter that was gripped in Yamu's trembling hands. Shin and Kibito were both watching out of the corners of their eyes with vested interest.
Yamu stammered. "S-Such power. Are these... our targets?!"
Spopovich swallowed a visible lump in his throat. "L-Let's go get 'em, then!"
Yamu nodded. "Yeah, let's-"
The pale thug took a step forward and froze in place, a cold sweat breaking out on his bald head. Suddenly, in his very soul, Yamu was sure that those things in the ring weren't mere men to be targeted. They were monsters. A demon and some sort of screaming ape flickered in their respective auras. Stumbling with fear, the cruel man shuddered back. He couldn't target these two!
As the two goons backed away, Kibito nodded and closed his eyes. Shin continued his silent vigil.
Back in the ring…
Vale called out. "LADIES AND GENTS, THIS FIGHT APPEARS TO BE ENTERING ITS FINAL ACT! AS MA JUNIOR AND VEGETA DUKE IT OUT FOR THE GLORIOUS TITLE OF WINNER, LET US SHOW THEM BOTH OUR APPRECIATION!"
The crowd roared in approval as Piccolo and Vegeta charged into each other and clashed forearms. The shockwave from the one blow was enough to send everyone from the first five rows crashing back into their seats.
Once more, the battle between the two mighty warriors was a furious exchange of punches and kicks almost too fast for the eye to see. Piccolo delivered a left cross that Vegeta countered with a right hook. Neither blow landed. Vegeta leaned back and Piccolo ducked, the Namekian charging in first and kicking the Saiyan in the ribs. Vegeta hissed and rebounded with a spearing kick of his own. Piccolo caught the kick, but Vegeta was quicker on the draw, firing a beam from his finger and slicing open Piccolo's shoulder. The Namekian cringed and Vegeta took it to the next step, slamming a left knee into his jaw, followed by a right. Piccolo was rocked, but quickly returned fire with an energy-coated palm strike to the Saiyan's gut. Vegeta doubled over in pain, but then screamed in Piccolo's face. His power flared.
Vegeta was refusing to back down, but so was Piccolo. They continued to brawl, blows flying like crazy. Vegeta thrust a hand in Piccolo's face and launched ten Kiais in a row, slamming the Namekian in the face over and over and over until his nose was a practical waterfall of purple ooze. Piccolo responded with an invisible eye blast, causing an explosion on Vegeta's chest that sent the prince flying back. Piccolo followed that up with a harsh punch to the jaw and a hammering fist down onto the side of Vegeta's head.
Vegeta smashed Piccolo in the ribs with a fresh kick that also sent himself rocketing backwards. The prince quickly took to his feet, just in time to dodge a stretching punch. In that same swift motion, Vegeta brought up his knee and brought down his elbow, snapping Piccolo's right arm at the forearm. Piccolo snarled and quickly turned his attention to right shoulder, blasting the entire arm off with a quick Eye Beam. Vegeta was closing in, but Piccolo was prepared for him. With a shout, Piccolo grew his entire arm back, just in time to crack his freshly grown fist across Vegeta's jaw. He followed that with a left-handed punch to the Saiyan's gut, then a swift knee to the nose, before finally weaving his hands into Vegeta's hair and headbutting him as hard as he could.
Vegeta snarled. Piccolo wailed in pain, clutching his forehead. "Damn you Saiyans and your concrete skulls!"
The prince grinned, moving in and slamming his palms over Piccolo's ears with an almighty clap. Piccolo's eyes went wide, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks and, for possibly the first time in his life, the Namekian shrieked! He held his bleeding ears and doubled over, groaning. The prince followed up this debilitating assault with a quick jab to the Namekian's throat. Piccolo gagged, but quickly grabbed Vegeta's wrist, bending his fingers back until they all popped out of the sockets.
Vegeta hissed, yanking his fist back. He cried out in pain as he began to reset his fingers. "MOTHERF-"
Piccolo fired a blast right into Vegeta's mouth. The prince, totally caught off guard, stumbled back with smoke belching from his mouth like a chimney. Piccolo followed that attack with a spinning kick to the prince's gut. Vegeta stumbled back even more but refused to fall. He launched forward and smashed his forearm into Piccolo's mouth. The Namekian lurched backward but refused to fall.
Both men knew this fight was nearly over. Both men knew they were running out of gas. Both men knew that the next man to have his back hit the ground wouldn't be getting up again.
Vegeta screamed at the top of his lungs, his Super Saiyan aura flaring. "GALICK GUN!"
Piccolo screamed right back, his purple aura flaring just as hard. "MASENKO!"
Vegeta roared. "FIRE!"
Piccolo roared. "HA!"
The two beams shredded over the surface of the ring and clashed in the middle, sending out waves of energy and hunks of debris. Both warriors could feel their feet slipping, scratching over the surface of the ring and ever closer to the edge. Realizing that their attacks were lost causes, the two quickly directed the energy beams up to the sky. And in that same moment, they charged in at each other once again, their hands clapping together and locking in tight. Piccolo and Vegeta glared at each other, engaging in a furious test of strength. They had both clenched their teeth so hard they threatened to shatter. The sheer pressure they were giving off was sending shattered stone off the ring in billowing sheets.
Vegeta chuckled. "Guess what?!"
Piccolo snapped. "What?!"
Then Vegeta's tail cracked up like a steel whip and battered Piccolo across the face. The Namekian's head snapped to the side and Vegeta lifted him up, dragging all of Piccolo's bulk over his body and going for the slam. Piccolo was too focused to fall for that, however. He managed to get his feet under him at the last moment. Vegeta gave a primal scream, hammering his fist into Piccolo's chest over and over and over and over and over and over and over again in a vain effort to make his foe take the final fall.
Piccolo held strong. He quickly pistoned his knees, smashing the top of his head into Vegeta's solar plexus. The Saiyan sputtered and listed forward, wheezing as he held his chest. Charging a blast, he quickly turned and fired on the Namekian. Piccolo was returning fire before he even realized Vegeta himself was attacking. Both warriors took a Ki blast directly to the head, but quickly rushed from their clouds of smoke, shoulder-crashing into each other and causing yet another shockwave.
The two recoiled back and tried to power-up again, to make their auras flare. This time, however, the two fighters felt their energy burn out entirely. Piccolo was nearly totally exhausted. Vegeta fell to the standard Super Saiyan, tried to maintain it, and then failed. Both of them slumped over, totally powerless and almost dead on their feet.
Vegeta looked at Piccolo with his steely, black eyes. He smiled.
Piccolo glared back at Vegeta. He smiled as well.
The two warriors both laughed. And then, rather than lunge, they both charged at one another, capable of nothing more than a regular running speed. Piccolo drew his fist back, Vegeta mirrored him. They met in the middle one last time, looked each other in the face, and then threw their punches.
Vegeta's punch buried itself so deep into Piccolo's cheek that it made the skin break.
Piccolo's punch, however, struck that much deeper. The Namekian, as he had been mocking the entire fight, towered over Vegeta. He had a longer reach. His punch drove deep into Vegeta's cheek, but then finished with the follow through and made the Saiyan's head snap back.
Piccolo fell onto his ass. He knew he wouldn't be able to stand back up right away. Vegeta stumbled back, farther and farther, twitching and trying to regain his bearings. He made it to the edge of the ring and his head snapped up. He glared at Piccolo with a sinister grin.
Then, Vegeta spoke. "Damned tall son of a bitch..."
Vegeta fell back, his feet leaving the surface of the ring. The crowd was breathless as they watched him fall, the only noise heard being the beginning of a high whine in Bulla's voice. Vegeta fell to the ground below, landing flat on his back in the grass.
Vale's jaw dropped and he quickly cried out. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE A WINNER! THE VICTOR OF THE SECOND MATCH IS MA JUNIOR!"
The crowd screamed with approval, chanting the name "Junior" over and over. Piccolo chuckled, shaking his head. "Ugh..."
And then, he fell onto his back. The crowd was on their feet, giving a hearty round of applause and cheering like crazy.
Vale quickly ran up to Piccolo. "You okay, buddy?"
Piccolo nodded. "Yeah. Give me a minute. And tell the medics to leave Vegeta alone. He's a violent little bastard..."
Up in the crowd…
Bulla's face was bright red, her eyes sparkling with the tears that were steadily pouring down her face. "D-Daddy lost..."
Bulma turned to her daughter, a sympathetic smile on her face. "Oh, Bulla..."
Bulla began to sob, burying her face in her mother's lap and crying at the top of her lungs. Bulma scooped her daughter up and hugged her tightly. "It's okay, baby. It's okay. I'm sure, even though he lost, your father is happy with that fight. It'll be okay..."
Several friends down the line gave Bulla a sympathetic smile. She really was a daddy's girl and she wasn't even trying to hide it. Roshi spoke up. "Calm down, Young Bulla. Your father might have lost, but it was anything but decisive."
Bulla lifted her head, sniffling. Roshi cackled and shot her a peace sign. "This battle was a coin flip~"
In the fighter's waiting area…
Videl cocked her head. "A coin flip? Really?"
Goku nodded. "Yeah. By all rights, Vegeta is stronger than Piccolo. Even if it's only by a little bit. Piccolo won purely because he had the reach factor in his favor. Simply put, Piccolo is just a bad match-up for Vegeta when it comes to tournaments. If they were in a wasteland, just duking it out, he would have probably won this."
The girl looked around, seeing all the other Z-Fighters give a general nod of agreement. Goku smiled. "Still, they're both crazy strong! I wanna have another fight with them both real soon~"
Then, Gohan pointed. "L-Look! Piccolo's getting up!"
In the ring…
After catching his breath, Piccolo shakily got to his feet. Vale, ever the kind M.C., ran over to provide some support. Piccolo nodded with a small smile, slapping his hand to his chest and using Magic Materialization to repair his damaged clothes. He turned to Vale. "I made a deal with you to keep this ring in one piece. So..."
The Namekian bent over, pressing his palm to the ring and using Magic Materialization to repair the damage.
Vale smiled. "Oh, heck yeah! Thanks!"
Piccolo nodded. Then he turned and frowned in the direction Vegeta fell off of the ring. "One last thing..."
The crowd watched as Piccolo walked to the edge of the ring, squatting down to watch Vegeta shoving away the medical staff. The prince was clearly in no mood to coddle the humans, as one of them had a steadily leaking bloody nose. Piccolo reached down a hand and Vegeta glared up at him. "What?!"
Piccolo narrowed his eyes. "Look. We can go back to hating each other right after this, but I respect you for the moment. So give me your damned hand and let me pull you back into the ring. We both deserve to walk back with our heads held high."
Vegeta sneered. "Eat shit. I don't need your pity."
Piccolo sighed and shrugged. "I'm not offering pity, Vegeta. I'm offering you the chance to make your daughter stop crying. She's been wailing in the crowd since you lost.'
The prince's heart thumped in his chest. He quickly thought of both of his kids watching him and, for that one moment, chose to swallow his pride. He took Piccolo's hand and allowed himself to be pulled into the ring, suffering a small flinch as Magic Materialization suddenly outfitted him with fresh clothing. Piccolo took a step back. He and Vegeta locked eyes, sizing each other up one last time. The prince sighed, holding out his hand and offering a handshake.
Piccolo smiled. "There we go."
The Namekian slapped his hand into his opponents and they shared a firm, business-like two shakes. They then walked out of the ring together, side-by-side. As they walked, Vegeta looked into the crowd and was relieved to see Bulla, puffy-eyed but smiling and waving at him.
In the ring, Vale cried out. "LET'S HEAR IT ONE MORE TIME FOR A MATCH THAT WILL GO DOWN IN THE HISTORY BOOKS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!"
The crowd gave one final roar of approval as Vegeta and Piccolo disappeared into the fighter's waiting area.
In the fighter's waiting area…
In one of the corners of the waiting area, Mighty Mask was slumped over on a bench. Ranch looked up at her friend and sighed. "Come on, Trunks. Get a grip."
Trunks had tears pouring down his cheeks in waterfalls. "I-I'm trying! It's just, like... my dad is so friggin' cool..."
The two warriors entered the room and were immediately swarmed by a crowd of their friends. 18 smirked and slapped Vegeta right in a bruise on his shoulder. "Nice going, Vegeta! You looked like a real pro out there!"
Vegeta sneered, pressing a hand over the bruise. "I'll scrap you, woman! Don't test me!"
17 smiled. "You too, Piccolo. Lookin' sharp. But that just means that you're the guy facin' that elvish creep next."
Piccolo glared over at Shin, receiving an unnerving smile and a nod back. "Yeah..."
Videl cocked her head, a playful smile on her face. "So, I guess I'll be facing you in the semi-finals, eh? You'd better rest up that achey, old body of yours in the meantime~"
Piccolo scoffed with a smirk. "Beat Tien or 17 first. Then we'll talk, brat."
Gohan chuckled. "L-Let's not get too hasty..."
Goku grinned at Vegeta. The prince responded in annoyance. "What?"
He nodded. "Wanna have a real fight tomorrow, Vegeta?"
Vegeta cracked his neck and smirked. "Give me an hour and I'll be ready to thrash you, Kakarot..."
Tien glanced down at Videl. "It would be your bout up next, correct?"
Videl nodded. "Yup! And after watching that, I'm pumped!"
In the crowd…
Her crying fit over, Bulla plopped down into her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm done crying! I acknowledge Piccolo as my Daddy's rival, so now I can cheer for him with a clear conscience! He's going to win the whole tournament, I know it!"
Everyone had a good-natured laugh at the girl's bravado. She sure was taking this seriously.
On the end of the bleachers, Erasa turned to Sharpner. "Videl is up next, huh?"
Sharpner nodded. "Yeah. We're probably not going to get a fancy lightshow like we just saw, but I'm excited. We're gonna watch our girl kick some ass!"
Erasa nodded with a small smile, but in her heart she could feel a weird vibe in the air. Something about today was amiss. Erasa craned her neck to look down at the champion's throne, seeing nobody present. "Hey... where the heck did Mr. Satan and Miss Komori go?"
In a bathroom on the other side of the arena…
Sitting on a toilet, shivering like he had the flu, Mr. Satan was hyperventilating. Today was turning out to be more stressful than he had ever imagined, and it had barely even started. "They're here. Oh God, they're here. They're pissed about the Cell Games, I know it..."
The champ buried his face into his knees. "Oh, Miguel, what do I do now...?"
In the fighter's waiting area…
With a groan and a dry-heave, Yamu fell back against the wall. The "M" printed on his forehead was flashing a deep crimson and, though it looked like a mere dizzy spell on the outside, inside Yamu's skull he could feel his brain sizzling in a hot skillet. Between heaving breaths, he whispered and begged forgiveness. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please excuse my prior cowardice, sir. I won't let... it... happen again..."
Spopovich watched stupidly, looming over Yamu with a purely idiotic look on his face. He watched a stream of drool ooze from Yamu's mouth and onto the floor and felt his tongue go dry. He was so glad that he wasn't the one in charge here. Instead of checking on his partner, Spopovich let his eye wander across the room until it locked on his real interest. He watched Videl standing there, talking and joking around with those other losers without a care.
He hated her.
He hated her so much.
He hated her so much more than anything in the world.
Except for Mr. Satan.
And yet he still managed to fill in just a bit of extra hate for her because of that. Mr. Satan valued that stuck-up little bitch. He loved her with all his heart. And that made Spopovich hate her.
Hate her.
Hate her.
Hate.
Hate.
Hate.
Hate.
HATE.
He heard the stupid announcer call out. "Okay, ladies and gentlemen! Let's keep the ball rolling! Will the next two fighters please enter the ring?!"
He hated her. He hated Mr. Satan.
He would crush her into pulp and shove what was left of her down her father's throat.
Spopovich watched as Videl fist-bumped that dumb looking guy in the orange, and then she stood on her tiptoes and kissed the fairy in the superhero get-up. Then she punched her fist into her hand and marched out. He cackled and hissed under his breath. "Daughter... Mr. Satan's daughter...~"
Spopovich licked his lips with his sickening, purple tongue. Then he stomped toward the ring, not bothering to try and help Yamu to his feet. Yamu scowled, holding his burning head, and called after his partner. "Hey! Spopovich!"
The brute turned and glared at his companion. Yamu seethed. "Remember the mission. That's our priority."
Spopovich didn't provide a response, turning away from his partner and stomping out the door, the Z-Fighters staring uneasily at him as he lumbered out. Yamu grunted and stood, walking out the exit on the opposite end of the room.
Taking note of Yamu's sudden departure, Shin turned and nodded to Kibito. Kibito nodded back and then exited the same way Yamu did without a word. Shin, meanwhile, changed his position so that he could have the clearest view of the ring possible. He needed to be able to see Spopovich at all times.
In the ring…
On her side of the ring, Videl stood strong and locked her eyes onto Spopovich's. He was a big bastard, but she was sure she could handle him. On the other end of the ring, every inch of Spopovich seemed to be writhing. He looked furious.
Vale nodded to both fighters and then raised his hand into the air. "Videl Satan vs Spopovich! Let the third match begin!"
