DRAGON BALL Z
AT ANY COST
CHAPTER XII: SEMIFINALS
BY
Sgamer82
FIGHT 1: ANDROID #18 VS. TUII'TA
18 stared at the avian in front of her. This stranger had easily defeated Piccolo with nothing more than a yell. Letting out a shout so high in pitch that Piccolo's sensitive ears couldn't take it. 18 knew she would have her work cut out for her since this creature fought with the very powerful force of sound. Luckily, she had just the defense. She let a confident smile escape to her lips.
Tuii'ta stood there in an arrogant fashion not unlike Vegeta's. From what 18 had heard among the other competitors during the eliminations, Tuii'ta was a noble among a race called the Avi'na. They were servants of the Pola who were richly rewarded for their loyalty. The reason Tuii'ta was rumored to be here was because he was out to take revenge for his former masters. To kill the person who destroyed their empire and, in the process, his race's weatlh.
"Your ears aren't as sensitive to my calls as Namekians' are, but you'll be defeated just as easily." said the avian.
18's short chuckle unnerved Tuui'ta a little. But he didn't let it show. The starting light shone and Tuii'ta's throat puffed out and began vibrating. Almost immediately 18 heard the high-pitched hum that had caused Piccolo's defeat. 18 wasn't worried, for she had a defense Piccolo did not.
Among the cybernetic implants built into her body by Dr. Gero were systems connected to her visual and auditory senses meant to regulate her vision or hearing whenever necessary, so as to avoid damage by overload. Those systems kicked in just as Tuii'ta's sound came to a pitch just high enough to cause her ears to lose some blood. 18 was almost deaf but because of that she could not hear any of Tuii'ta's humming. It didn't take long for Tuii'ta to noitce his sound was not affecting 18 and started to intensify the hum. The pitch of the sound was literally shaking up the entire arena. But 18 simply stood there, as if there was nothing at all happening, though the sound was causing 18 to have a powerful headache.
This time, Tuii'ta's worry was clear. He hadn't expected a deaf opponent. In his worry he stopped his humming and the ring stopped vibrating. The second this happened 18 sprung into action and hit Tuii'ta in his neck with a chop. The avian went down clutching his throat, his windpipe damaged by the Artificial Human's attack. As 18 began walking up to Tuii'ta, the frail bird creature panicked. He began trying to speak but his wound was halting his voice. Just as 18 reached him he managed to croak out to small, barely audible words.
"Spare...me..."
When 18 didn't seem to respond, Tuii'ta feared she hadn't heard him. However, the Artificial Human smiled at Tuii'ta.
"You surrender?" she asked.
Tuii'ta vigorously nodded his head in an affirmative.
"Very well." said 18.
Tuii'ta left the ring in shame and 18 was declared the victor.
FIGHT 2: RUTEGA VS. OKURIMONO
Rutega couldn't help but stare at the lizard creature in front of her. Okurimono was a seven foot reptile with thick, brown scales all over his body and four muscular arms. He wore only blue shorts which went down to his knees and had a large tail swinging behind him. This creature had mercilessly murdered his last opponent. The fact that he could do something so cruel shook Rutega slightly. Even though she'd grown up around creatures who committed such atrocities, they had, for the most part, been following orders, culling out the weak or those which posed threats. Only in rare cases did the Overseers kill for simple pleasure. This reptile seemed to be doing nothing more with his killing than feeding his ego.
"Was killing your earlier opponent truly necessary?" Rutega asked Okurimono, point-blank.
"Of course." responded Okurimono, "I needed two more kills before reaching the ureber oniikuo. Now I am only one away"
"Ureber oniikuo?"
"The Level of Greatness. Five hundred kills by my own hands. Only the greatest of our kind can achieve 500 hundred kills within a lifetime. It is the goal of all of my species."
"It's a sick goal." Rutega stated.
"You say so only because you will be my five hundredth kill. A shame it had to be another one as frail as the last. Oh well, a kill is a kill." Rutega smiled at the beast.
"You're going to be defeated by the very thing that killed the Pola royalty."
"What? You?" asked Okurimono in mock fright.
"Your stupidity. Only an idiot thinks his victory is gauranteed."
"Such insults cannot be forgiven." said Okurimono coldly.
"But they can be proven." Rutega told her enemy, "You have no idea what I am capable of."
"Only because your last foe was a coward."
"Let us see, then, if you are as great as you delude yourself to be."
Rutega's final remark set off the lizard and he attacked her. Okurimono used all four of his arms to attack Rutega but she easily dodged every attack. Frustrating the reptile further. He finally managed to grab Rutega's right arm in his upper right hand. He took advantage of his opportunity and grabbed Rutega's left arm in his upper left hand and used his lower hands to grab her ankles. Okurimono laughed at the immobilized Rutega.
"Whatever your gods may be, they were very foolish to give you only four limbs."
"I do have a fifth." Rutega said.
"Oh really?" said Okurimono with a disbelieving chuckle. He never finished his laugh as Rutega sent a headbutt right into his face. Okurimono, by pure reflex, let go of Rutega's left arm and grabbed at his face with his right hand. Rutega wasted no time, she held out her palm and sent a Ki blast right through Okuirmono's stomach, leaving a gaping hole the size of a human fist. The reptile looked at shock at his mortal wound.
"So...close..." He said as he died. He let go of Rutega's other limbs and fell to the floor. Rutega got to her feet and looked at Okurimono's corpse.
"Let's hope your victims can rest in peace now."
FIGHT 3: MANESURU VS. VEGETA
Vegeta noticed that the strange robed creature everyone called Manesuru was watching him intently. Vegeta wasn't sure weather to classify this strange being as male or female and simply thought of Manesuru as "it".
Vegeta had watched Manesuru's battle with the crystal person and had already figured out exactly how to win. But he decided he'd have some fun with Manesuru first and see just how well it could use its skills with Vegeta.
The starting light shined throughout the ring and Manesuru's stance changed to one exactly like Vegeta's.
Just as I thought. Vegeta said to himself. This only confirmed what he had already figured out. Vegeta leapt to the attack and watched as Manesuru did the same thing. Vegeta let out a punch with his left hand, so did Manesuru. Vegeta attempted a headbutt, so did Manesuru. Every attack Vegeta made Manesuru did as well. Both fighters' attacks intercepted each other and cancelled one another out. Finally, the two broke apart and Vegeta decided that now was the time to play his hand.
"I saw your battle with the crystal creature. And our encounter has only confirmed what I originally thought. Your power is in your ability to mimic your opponents. You can adjust your body to match your opponent's and use that to wear them down. When they're weakened with fatigue you simply knock them over and take your victory. It's rather impressive, you appear able to change your speed, your strength, even your Ki to match your opponent's no matter how much weaker or stronger than them you may actually be. However, there is a way to defeat you."
Manesuru cocked its head to the side in inquiry.
"The way to fight someone who mimics his opponent is to use a technique they can in no way copy."
Manesuru put his hand to his mouth as if to stifle a laugh. Vegeta didn't respond this time but instead began to concentrate his power. He tapped into anger deep inside him. With this trigger, Vegeta began to feel the changes throughout his body. He felt his muscles expand in size and even the subtle changes in his DNA which changed his hair and eye color to gold and green. He smiled as Manesuru took a step back in shock. Being something only Saiyans are physiologically capable of, Manesuru could not turn Super Saiyan as his opponent could. This revelation caused Manesuru's focus to slip.
Vegeta immediately exploited the lapse in his foe's attention. Vegeta disappeared from Manesuru's sight and appeared behind the thickly robed mimic. When Manesuru turned around Vegeta landed a hard kick into its stomach, causing it to hit the floor clutching its stomach.
Blood coughed up by Manesuru stained the face in his robes. Manesuru passed out and Vegeta was advanced to the finals.
FIGHT 4: KIRERU VS. SON GOTEN
Goten stood inside the arena, anxiously waiting for the match to start. The possibility of losing didn't bother him this battle, he could sense the the bear-like Kireru wouldn't pose much of a threat. What worried him was what would happen after he defeated Kireru. He knew that when he advanced to the next round Vegeta would be waiting for him.
Goten knew from firsthand experience how powerful Vegeta was. When Goten considered that Vegeta's reason for being in the tournament was the same as his, Goten knew that he would be in for the fight of his life. Chances were even Frost wouldn't be as big a challenge as the proud, and angry, Saiyan prince. Goten decided, then and there, that he'd finish this fight quick and get the fight with Vegeta over with as soon as possible, one way or the other.
The starting light began the fight and Goten, true to his word, wasted no time in dropping Kireru. The alien didn't even get a chance to extend it's knife claw before Goten knocked him out with a single punch. When Goten was announced the winner, the adolescent half-Saiyan could only wonder if he just did the stupidest thing he could have possibly done.
UCHUUNAKAICHI BUDOUKAI FINAL ROUNDS
FIGHT 1: ANDROID #18 VS. RUTEGA
FIGHT 2: VEGETA VS. SON GOTEN
END OF CHAPTER XII