by Jamie L. Word
"Green With Envy"
There was a small break deemed necessary to repair the arena from the damage it sustained in the fight between Yukio and Koji. Meanwhile, Yuko had managed to drag Yoshio from his seat, and they were sneaking around towards the fighter's entrance through the 'backstage' area of the colliseum.
"Come on, Yoshio!" Yuko nagged her brother as they made their way through the building cautiously. "While there's a break in the tournament action to repair the arena, we might get a chance to sneak a peak at the fighters in the back!"
"What?!?" Yoshio yelped in terror, just now realizing why she dragged him from his seat. "Are you crazy?!? What if we run into one of them?!?"
"Then hopefully it'll be Koji!" she replied with a hopelessly dreamy look on her face, her hands clasped together in front of her face.
"That's what I'm afraid of!" Yoshio replied as he put his hand over his face in stunned disbelief at his sister's crush on the arrogant Saiyan.
They carefully made their way through the building, sneaking past roomfuls of officials and other colliseum personnel on their way to the fighter's pre-fight rest area. Finally, they made their way to the door of that chamber and peaked inside. They saw Tao and Kien making their way towards Koji, who was putting his cape back on. They also saw Varkon sitting in the corner with a big toothpick, picking his teeth, a sight that made them shudder. They saw Hirato sitting in another corner to himself, meditating in silence. Finally, they saw Xarlok standing in the other corner, his arms folded in front of his chest and his hooded cloak still concealing his features.
"Great fight out there!" Kien complimented Koji as the Saiyan turned to confront him and Tao.
"Yes!" Tao added in enthusiastic excitement as he smiled at the Saiyan. "I hope to get to fight you in the finals!"
"Thank you," Koji replied with a slight grin on his face. "I'm looking forward to watching your fight, once these clowns finish repairing the arena. I think it'll be quite interesting. So tell me, are the two of you somehow related, or is the common skin tone just a coincidence?"
"Actually," Kien answered with a chuckle. "We're not related at all. It's just a coincidence I suppose."
"Even more of a coincidence that we should be each other's first round opponents," Tao commented, adding his own two cents' worth to the discussion.
"Well, good luck to you both," Koji replied with a smile. "You'll definitely need it if you hope to beat me in the finals!"
The two green-skinned warriors chuckled along with the cocky Saiyan, expressing an uncommon cameraderie amongst the gladiators.
"You seem at ease around Nameccians," Kien noted before parting company with the others to prepare for his upcoming fight.
"For many years, my best and only friend was a Nameccian by the name of Chih," Koji told them, his face hinting at the sorrow as he reminisced. "He died on planet Sagea against a cowardly Changeling named Tarboz."
At that comment, Xarlok grimaced in silent, seething rage, unnoticed by the rest of the fighters. Kien and Tao looked into Koji's eyes, sensing his feelings of loss, and a plethura of sentiments were exchanged in silence betweent them. Then Kien and Tao both went to opposite sides of the room to meditate and prepare for their upcoming fight, leaving Koji to his thoughts.
At that moment, Yuko dragged Yoshio into the room, and Varkon noticed the arrival of the newcomers.
"No! Wait! What are you doing?!?" Yoshio whispered frantically as he tried to convince his sister not to go in.
"Shut up and come on! I want to talk to Koji!" Yuko whispered her reply as she dragged Yoshio into the room anyway.
"Well, well, well! What have we here? A couple of appetizers before my next match! How delightful!" Varkon said as he moved towards them, causing them both to back against a wall and scream.
Varkon chuckled as he lumbered towards them, drooling as he approached. Suddenly, Koji stepped in between him and the humans, looking right into Varkon's eyes with his grim, fierce, intimidating gaze. All eyes in the room were now fixed on this confrontation, and Varkon swallowed hard as sweat beaded up on his head, the result of being intimidated.
"You should be preparing for your fight against me, you disgusting freak," Koji told him flatly as he stood his ground, unafraid of the carnivorous Arlian fighter hulking before him and towering over him.
"Uhhh, ... you're right, little man," Varkon muttered, trying to conceal his apprehension of the Saiyan. "I think they'd make a much better after-fight snack, ... after I've devoured you!"
"Don't count on it," Koji replied, undaunted and absolutely without fear of the giant Arlian, prompting Varkon to go back to his corner and resume his routine with the toothpick.
Koji then turned to the two humans. Yoshio seemed even more terrified facing his rescuer than he was facing the Arlian. Yuko almost melted on the spot, once again entering that dreamy state in Koji's presense.
"What are you two doing here?" Koji inquired gruffly and with a hint of being furious with them in the tone of his voice.
"Uhhh, it was her idea! I didn't want to come back here! She made me do it! Honest!" Yoshio babbled like a small child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, a sight of cowardice that almost made Koji sick.
"Shut up, clown!" Koji snapped at Yoshio, and the very intimidated Earth fighter covered his mouth with both hands and fell silent. Koji then turned to Yuko with his stern, authoritarian gaze. "Answer me, Earth woman."
"Well, we came to congradulate you on your incredible victory out there!" Yuko began, gazing dreamily into his eyes. "Besides, I just had to see you again to tell you how amazing I think you are!"
"What is it with this Earth woman?" Koji thought to himself as he felt that same unknown feeling within him once again. "What is this feeling inside of me? Why do I feel like this when I'm around her? This doesn't make any sense? Am I sick? Am I coming down with something?"
"You really are cute, and you're such a great fighter!" Yuko said as she moved even closer to Koji, making beads of sweat form on his brow as he leaned back in surprise. "Maybe after you win this tournament, we could have dinner later? I'd love that, wouldn't you?"
A sinister smile formed unseen by the others on the face of Xarlok. Kien watched the proceedings with baffled interest, unfamiliar with such social things as this. Tao and Hirato smiled at the sight of the Earth woman courting the Saiyan warrior and him blushing and nervous over it. Varkon merely kept his distance and tried not to draw undue attention to himself.
"What is this obsession of yours, woman?" Koji muttered aloud, partially in embarassment and partially in discomfort over the notion of being courted - an event he had never experienced before.
"It's love," moaned Yoshio as he sighed in hopeless abandon before the beads of sweat formed once again on his brow under the intense scrutiny of the Saiyan warrior Koji. "Uhhm, could you excuse me just a moment? I think I need to go to the restroom!"
"Take the hall to your right," Tao informed the trembling fighter from Earth. "It's the third door on the left."
"Thanks!" Yoshio replied as he wasted no time running from the room to get away from the many sources of intimidation therein.
"My brother's right!" Yuko cried out in sudden realization as she threw her hands dramatically in the air. "I'm in love! I'm in love with you, Koji!"
"Wha-?!?" Koji managed to get out before Yuko wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a passionate kiss on the lips, catching the Saiyan warrior offguard and further embarassing him in front of the other fighters as he blushed even more and his eyes widened. He finally managed to react to her lovelorn assault, and he somewhat gently pushed her away. "Will you stop that, woman? Are you mad?"
With that uttered, Koji took her by the wrist and escorted her out into the hall, grimacing in seething embarassment. He slammed the door behind him to make sure the other fighters knew he wanted a bit of privacy. Once he had her out in the hallway, a short distance from the room, he stopped and brought her to face him, still baffled by her dreamy facial expression.
"I don't know what has gotten into you, woman, but you'd better explain yourself!" Koji growled at her.
"Oh, what a great voice you have! It really gets my motor running!" Yuko cooed as she ran her hands over his chest until she had him around the neck again. "And I do like a man who can take charge like you did! That's on the top of my list of all-time best turn-ons!"
"You're sick, aren't you?" Koji muttered in bashful defensiveness as he leaned his head back from her again. "What manner of ailment is this?"
"Oh, it's love, baby, and you're my only cure!" Yuko said as she pulled his head back to her and smothered him with another passionate kiss on the lips, taking him by surprise once again as Yoshio returned from the restroom and was stunned to see that sight.
"What is this?" Koji thought to himself as he tried to fathom the mystery of this new experience. "Is she infecting me with her illness? Why am I suddenly having these strange feelings within me? What is happening to me? Is she some sort of witch seeking to ensorcel me with her magic? This is all utter madness!"
He once again managed to bring himself to gently push her away, and he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he stared at her utterly dumbfounded. She smiled, put her hand to her lip while proping it up with her other arm, and gently bit her own lip as she smiled at him. Yoshio stood frozen in his tracks a short distance away in disbelieving shock.
"You didn't push me away quite so quickly that time," she cooed as she winked at him. "You liked it, didn't you?"
"Grrrr! That is enough of that, woman!" Koji snarled, trying to save face and break off this strangely uncomfortable encounter as soon as possible. "You're trying to distract me before my next fight! Did Varkon put you up to this? Or maybe it was one of the others! No matter! I'll still will this tournament and prove to everyone how great a warrior I really am!"
Koji turned and headed back towards the room, pausing when he noticed Yoshio standing there, his mouth a-gape, looking at him. Koji scowled viciously and menacingly at Yoshio, and the intimidated fighter panicked immediately.
"Excuse me!" Yoshio cried out as he turned and ran back towards the restroom in great haste.
Koji reentered the room with the other fighters, his countenance red with his lividness and his embarassment. Xarlok bowed his head in silent meditation, smiling evilly. Tao and Hirato stood grinning at Koji, but Kien was still not sure of the episode he just witnessed partially. Varkon cowered a little more in the corner as Koji's gaze passed over him and around the room with fierce intensity, giving the other fighters pause.
"What?!?" Koji snapped at the attention being cascaded upon him by the other fighters, prompting everyone but Xarlok to be intimidated. The others returned to preparing for their fights, but Xarlok continued to smile, unseen by the others in the room.
After a while, the repairs were completed on the arena, and Kien and Tao were on the battlefield ready to fight. Yuko and Yoshio were back in their seats in the audience by that time. Yuko was still savoring the recent memory of her romantic moment with Koji. Yoshio eyed her with a hint of hopeless abandon on his countenance.
"You know he told you to get lost, don't you?" Yoshio muttered to her almost in a detached fashion as he slumped in his chair and rested his chin on the palms of both hands as his elbows rested on top of his knees.
"Wait a minute," Yuko replied, a look of sad realization washing over her at that moment as Yoshio once more covered up in a fetal defensive position next to her with a terrified facial expression which slowly became a confused facial expression as he relaxed, noting her change of countenance. "I think you're right. He thought I was being put up to it by one of the other fighters! How dare he think that!"
Her countenance transformed in mid-monologue from one of sadness to one of outrage, and Yoshio's eyes widened with surprise.
"Why, that arrogant, rude, conceited, one-track minded oaf!" Yuko ranted and raved in her anger before she turned to her bewildered brother. "And you! Why didn't you try to warn me about him!"
With that uttered, Yuko plowed her fist right into her brother's face, knocking him right out of his chair and onto his back in the stands! His nose was busted by her punch, and the blood shot out before he could get his hands to his face! He lay there prone, looking up at the sky with a look of frustrated anger on his face and his hands over his bloody nose!
"Why am I the one who always gets the rough side of her failed relationships?" Yoshio pondered in his head while laying on his back.
Meanwhile, oblivious to the action in the stands, the crowd was eagerly anticipating the battle between the two green-skinned gladiators.
"We're back from the repairs, ladies and gentlemen, and ready for the next exciting bout!" the announcer shouted into his microphone. "Representing the planet Namek, he is the one with the bug-like antennae and the pointy ears! You know him; you love him! It's been a while since his last fight in this arena! Let's give it up for Kien!"
The audience offered fervent fanfare for the Nameccian fighter, and, once again, the two combatants were locked in a staredown during the pre-fight introductions, smiling at each other.
"And his opponent, also with the green skin, is wearing the robe-like extra garb and the tall headgear!" the announcer shouted over the fanfare. "He's a relative newcomer to our arena! You saw him in an impressive exhibition match to qualify for the tournament, and here he is again! Show this guy a great gladiator arena welcome! This is Tao!"
The audience gave Tao a fervent reception about equal to the one they gave to Kien, but the two fighters were awaiting another sound.
"Okay, folks!" the announcer shouted once more, addressing not only the audience but also the fighters. "This fight is officially on!"
Kien and Tao flew right at each other the moment they heard the announcer state that the fight was officially underway, and they met halfway across the battlefield and erupted in a heated exchange of hand-to-hand flurries of punches and kicks while defending themselves at the same time! Neither fighter seemed to possess the upperhand in the early moments of the fight, and the crowd was with it! Yuko was throwing her hands into the air, getting into the fight and working out her frustrations, and Yoshio was covering up to avoid getting hit again!
"This guy's a lot stronger than I am!" Kien thought to himself as he struggled to keep up with Tao. "He's just feeling my fighting style out, tring to familiarize himself with it! His energy is enormous, and his fighting skill is unbelievable! I'm going to have to catch him offguard if I'm going to even stand a chance against him!"
"He's good, but he's not quite in my league yet!" Tao thought to himself as he continued his flurry exchange with Kien. "I have to get more familiar with his fighting style though! I don't want to get hit with any sneaky surprises like the Saiyan did earlier!"
The two fighters disengaged and backed off from each other, and Kien held both hands over his head, one open hand on top of the other open hand, powering up a large ball of energy around his hands!
"Masenko ha!" Kien yelled as he threw the fully powered-up masenko ball at Tao with fervent effort.
Tao swatted the masenko ball into the sky with a backhand swipe, causing it to explode harmlessly in the distance! Kien then drew both hands to his sides and began powering up energy into them both separately!
"Scattershot!" the Nameccian fighter yelled out as he launched the flurry of rapid-fire blasts at Tao, grimacing in the effort.
Tao moved from the path of the scattershot attack faster than Kien could follow and blurred out of sight! When he blurred back into sight, he was behind Kien, and Kien sensed it! Kien stopped firing his scattershot blasts as they exploded harmlessly before striking the colliseum or the audience and then turned quickly around to face Tao, but Tao was quicker! Tao nailed the Nameccian with a roundhouse kick, knocking him to the ground with a thud and making a small crater where he landed! Kien got to his feet and grimaced at the turn of events he found himself at the mercy of!
"Blast it!" Kien thought to himself in his frustration and desperation. "He's just too fast for me! I'm going to have to think of something else and quickly, or he's going to pick me apart to an easy win!"
Kien stretched his arms out towards Tao, surprising the green-skinned gladiator for a moment! Tao began fleeing from Kien's stretching arms to keep from being grabbed by them! The audience was excited at the action they were witnessing on the battlefield!
"This Nameccian's got more tricks up his sleeve than a Changeling!" Tao thought to himself as he continued to evade Kien's stretching arms. "He might be outmatched, but he's resourceful!"
Tao then fired two blasts at Kien's arms, severing them at the elbows! As Kien's severed arms fell to the battlefield, the remaining portions of his arms recoiled back into the stunned Nameccian as he collapsed to the ground screaming in excrutiating pain! The audience was stunned! After a few moments, Kien regained a bit of his composure and stood to continue the fight, breathing heavilly and sweating profusely! Tao smiled a knowing smile!
"That won't be enough to stop him, but it'll sure slow him down and make him think twice about using that attack technique again!" Tao thought to himself as he admired the Nameccian's determination.
With a great warrior's cry, the Nameccian caused two new arms to almost explode out of the ends of his two sliced off ones! The audience was surprised again! Only Koji and Hirato were not surprised in the fighters' rest area! Koji remembered that Chih had that same ability!
"I'm sorry for the delay," Kien said to Tao as he smiled calmly. "If you're ready, we'll continue now. Oh, by the way, I've got a surprise for you! I hope you like it!"
With that said, Kien widened his stance and tensed every muscle until every vein in his body bulged! He began a long, drawn-out yell as a glowing aura surrounded him, the ground began to tremble slightly, the wind began to howl, and the sky began to darken slightly! Tao was astounded as Kien's form began growing larger by the second! Only Koji and Hirato did not seem surprised by this technique! Within seconds, small stones began rising from the ground as the battlefield began shaking more strongly!
"What's this?!?" Tao cried out in utter, disbelieving surprise as he witnessed the Nameccian's transformation.
After about twelve seconds, the transformation was complete, and Kien was a giant Nameccian, ready to rumble!
"Shall we continue?" Kien asked with a smile upon his face.