--John Barth
The West City.It is a bustling futuristic metropolis. It is one of the largest cities on an Earth where things like flying cars and motorcycles and capsules no bigger than a fist that can contain anything from vehicles to houses are commonplace. Where anthropomorphic citizens... people that are half animal... working and living amongst human beings is considered normal. And where a single most powerful conglomerate is responsible for this world's technological marvels. It is the equivalence to our Earth's most successful megacorporations, including Microsoft and 3M, all rolled into one.
It is called the Capsule Corporation.
Unbeknownst to the general populace, there also exists artifacts of immense mystical power... seven jewel-like spheres scattered across the globe, and when brought together, can summon the awesome Eternal Dragon Shenlong, who can grant a single wish, no matter how fantastic or even potentially dangerous the implications may be. These artifacts are known only as the Dragon Balls, and those who know of their existence, good and evil alike, have searched far and wide for them.
On this Earth, there also exists a single champion. A being of great power, greater courage, and even greater compassion. Someone who has thwarted the half-cocked schemes of the diminutive Emperor Pilaf and his cronies, Shou and Mai. Someone who single-handed destroyed the Red Ribbon Army, a force dedicated to world domination. Someone who destroyed the Demon King Piccolo, and three years later, defeated his reincarnation in the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai.
But it's not who you think it is.
It's someone better.
"Violent Delights, Violent Ends Pt. 1"
By
Ken Blackwell
"-- a beautiful 84 degrees, partly cloudy with very little chance of rain here in the West City!" A radio/alarm clock suddenly switched on next to a bed, its sole occupant beginning to stir. "It's 9:05 in the AM, and you're listening to K-CAP, 107.6 FM! Now let's strike up the music!"
As a heavy metal tune mixed with electronic instruments began to play, the bed's occupant sat up slowly with a soft, somewhat annoyed sigh. It was a woman, with a kind of beauty that was no less than perfect, with blonde hair that reached down to her shoulder blades, and her eyes, once opened, revealed hauntingly lovely ice blue irises.
"... Damn," she muttered softly, showing no indication of residual sleepiness as she glanced at the clock. "I was really enjoying that dream, too."
With another annoyed sigh she slipped from the bed, showing that she enjoyed sleeping nude; her breasts were proportionate to her physically fit frame, but still nicely sized and shapely, her stomach flat and smooth without an inch of body fat, and her legs as shapely and as pleasing to the eye as the rest of her body; she looked for all the world like an earthbound goddess.
After doing some routine stretching, the woman slipped into the bathroom to take a good long shower. After a good fifteen minutes she emerged, towel wrapped around her chest, just in time for her phone to begin ringing. Walking towards it, she checked the Caller ID, it's LED readout listing the caller as "BULMA BRIEFS." Recognizing the name with a smile she picked the phone up, pressing the "TALK" button. "Morning, Bulma!"
"Good morning, Teena!" the cheery voice of the Capsule Corporation's youthful chief of marketing sounded out. "Hope I didn't wake you..."
"You know that's impossible... hold on, I'm going to switch you to speakerphone." Teena tapped the orange button on her phone, then hung up and walked to her vanity, sitting down. "What's up?"
"Well, I was wondering if you have any plans for today other than your trip to the hospital."
"Hm..." Teena gave it some thought as she parted her long hair, tying both sides of it into a braid while leaving the mid-portion of her tresses hanging down her neck. "Well, aside from that I'll probably go through the usual routine. Why do you ask?"
"Well, when you get all that done, maybe stop by over at Kame House?"
"Roshi's place?" Teena cocked an eyebrow. "Whatever for?"
"Oh, you'll see..." Bulma giggled softly over the phone. "See you there?"
"Of course you will..." Teena stood up as she removed her towel, going to her closet which was practically a room by itself full of clothes.
"Great!" See ya!" And with that, Bulma hung up.
After several moments, Teena emerged from her closet, her attire consisting of a black bikini top, a see-thru mesh tank top, white and black short tights, blue jean cut-offs over the tights, brown buckled boots with white belts adorned, black leather gloves, and a black leather jacket with the Capsule Corporation logo on both shoulders plus a large red ribbon-like design on the back, with the numbers "1" and "8" on either side along with the Japanese Kanji for "18" etched top to bottom in the center of the design; Teena looked as if she were on her way to a rave. Looking to a full-length mirror, she smiled to herself, pleased with her appearance as she blew her reflection a kiss.
"God, I'm so hot..." she said with the upmost confidence. Then she turned to the balcony, sliding open the doors and looking out over to the city horizon before her.
"Good morning, world..." Teena said softly. "What do you got for me today?"
And with that, she jumped up, her foot on the railing, and pushed off of it, sailing off the balcony with her arms and legs outstretched. In an almost theatrical cue a flock of doves flew outward, surrounding Teena and seemingly accompanying her in her short flight in the air before gravity would eventually claim her. She merely smirked as the doves passed her, and she closed her eyes, asserting her willpower.
Blast off.
And she suddenly rocketed away from the Capsule Corporation building, flying through the air like a missile, but graceful in her motions like a swan.
"-- in other news, 48 year old Takashi Mikado was found dead today from a single gunshot wound to the head," the DJ on Teena's still operational radio announced. "While reports are sketchy, reports are saying that the kindly farmer from Pepper Town may have committed suicide..."
---
Gunshots rang out at the West City 1st National Bank... three robbers were making their escape, firing at pursuing officers as they dove into their escape van. As the police gave chase in their own vehicles the criminals quickly made their getaway.
"We did it! Hot damn, we did it!!" the first robber said as he pulled off his ski mask, revealing his tattooed bald head.
The second robber, revealed as a humanoid crocodile, laughed triumphantly. "3 million 5 thousand zenie!! We're rich, man! Rich!!"
The third robber, a muscular man with a flat top, looked to the escape van's wheelman, an overweight man with glasses. "Police still on our tail, dude?!"
"Yeah!!" the wheelman answered as he glanced at the approaching police cars, their sirens blaring and their red and blue lights flashing. "Can someone get them the hell off of me over here?!"
"You got it!!" The croc kicked open the van's back doors, pulling out his submachine gun and blanketing the incoming cop cars with bullets, and laughed as two of them ended up crashing into each other, blocking the others' advancement. "Ha ha ha!! What a bunch of morons--"
"HOLY CRAP!!" the wheelman suddenly swerved and skidded to a halt, nearly tipping the van over.
"Oof!!" The croc hit the van floor, then turned to the wheelman with an annoyed gaze. "What the hell?! You trying to kill me?!"
"Yeah, what gives?!" the tattooed man asked. "Why'd you--" He then paused, seeing who was standing in the middle of the road in front of them. "Aw, hell... it's her...!" The four robbers all crowded the cab to peer out of the windshield, and saw the human roadblock in Teena; she just cocked her head, her arms crossed as she waited.
"I didn't sign up for this to face someone like Eighteen, man!" the wheelman whined. "I'm givin' up right now!"
"Screw that noise, man! That robo-bitch don't look so tough!" the muscle-bound robber got out of the van and trudged up towards Teena. "I'm gonna bust you up and then I'm gonna have my way with your cute ass!!"
"... Gee. You sure know how to charm a girl." Teena's words dripped with sarcasm.
The muscle-bound robber drew back his fist and punched Teena square in the face, but she showed no signs of impact, her head not even jerking back from the punch. "Uh...?" the robber blinked in surprise.
"You idiot! Get out of the way, I'll kill her!!" The croc aimed his submachine gun at Teena, and this muscle-bound cohort dove out of the way. As he began to open fire on her, Teena turned her head towards him with a smirk. Her arm suddenly became a blur in front of her, effortlessly plucking the incoming bullets from the air as the croc emptied his clip at her. Teena shook her head, dropping the bullets to the asphalt and leaving the criminal quartet dumbfounded.
"I'm givin' up!!" the wheelman repeated, unhooking his seat belt and opening the driver's side door. "You saw all that!! We can't kill her!!"
"You damn coward!" the tattooed robber pushed the wheelman out of the van. "I'm gonna run her over!!"
The muscular criminal charged at Teena, going to tackle her head-first, but she remained immovable as all the man succeeded in doing was knock himself unconscious. "Typical. Moron," Teena said with a disappointed sigh, then turned to the sound of the getaway van revving its engine. "Oh please, they're not THIS stupid..."
"You're nuts, man!!" the croc jumped out of the van as his cohort gunned the engine as loud as it could possibly go, his foot still on the brake, and he grinned as he imagined this foolish girl's blood splattering all over the van's grill and windshield as it would strike her dead-on-impact.
"YOU'RE DEAD, BITCH!!!" he screamed as he released the brake and headed straight at Teena, who merely shook her head, more disappointed than ever.
"They ARE this stupid." Teena quickly grabbed the knocked-out robber and tossed him to safety, then took a step backwards before jumping straight at the van at the last second with a shoulder block. What happened next was nothing short of astonishing, as the van literally crumpled against Teena's body, as if the van had hit a solid steel wall instead of a woman. The tattooed robber went flying through the windshield as the van collided with Teena, and with unmatched speed, she leapt back, grabbing him out of the air and holding him several inches off the ground by the collar of his shirt.
"You didn't even fasten your seat belt..." Teena said to the barely conscious robber. "What an idiot."
Very shortly afterwards the police and the EMTs arrived on the scene, arresting the two robbers who had enough sense to surrender, and treating the injuries of the two who didn't, respectively. "That was fine work out there," the police chief, an anthropomorphic wolf, said to Teena as he shook her hand. "Though sometimes I wonder if the police force's even needed with you around..."
"Oh, you people do a fine job of upholding the peace..." Teena said with a warm smile. "Just think of me as just another concerned citizen wanting to make a difference, is all."
"Yeah yeah... a citizen who can fly and shoot energy blasts from her hands..." the police chief retorted with a sigh, then a shrug. "Whatever... I'm just relieved you're on our side..."
"I agree with you wholeheartedly, Chief Lupisen..." Teena said as she hopped up into the air, floating inches above the ground. "I gotta get going now, got a prior engagement... tell Loopy I said hi, will you?"
"Yes, yes... I will..." Lupisen remembered his daughter was one of the many fans of Eighteen, and waved dismissively as she flew off into the sky.
"Sir, the tow truck's here to cart away what's left of the getaway vehicle..." a police officer said as he approached Lupisen, who nodded in confirmation.
"You know... I give her a hard time sometimes, but the truth is... we wouldn't be here if it weren't for her."
"Yes, sir..." the officer nodded.
"None of us could even hope to take on threats like King Piccolo and his reincarnation, but she did it... and she beat them! Yes, indeed..." Lupisen nodded sagely. "God bless that girl."
---
Tomoko Kawai was only six years old. And she was dying.
Last year she was diagnosed with a rare blood disease that scientists had yet to find a cure for. And from what doctors have said, Tomoko had a year left to live.
Knowing her time was short, Tomoko had made a request to the Wish Makers Foundation; she wanted to meet her hero. Someone who had donated all proceeds from all her merchandise... action figures, clothing apparel, and magazines... towards charities dedicated in making life better for the less fortunate like her.
She wanted to meet Eighteen, the Earth's greatest heroine. The cybernetic champion who risked her life time and again to protect the world, who earned the Blue Star Medal, the highest honor the King could ever bestow upon anyone.
And today, she would see her request come true... she would meet Eighteen.
"I'm so excited...!" Tomoko said, as her parents gathered around her at bedside in her hospital room. "She's coming... she's really coming..."
"Yes she is," her mother confirmed, smiling at Tomoko as she held her daughter's hand.
"I'm so happy for you, sweetheart.." Tomoko's father said, smiling a little at her also.
"Tomoko?" a nurse walked in, a smile on her face. "Tomoko, you have a visitor..."
"Mmm?" Tomoko sat up, her smile wide as she saw Teena enter the room with a Capsule Corp duffle bag in hand. Flanking her was a news crew there to capture the newsworthy moment for the 10 o'clock news, their video cameras already recording. "Teena, you came!"
"Of course I did," Teena said with a smile, then went to shake both of Tomoko's parents' hands. "Mr. Kawai, Mrs. Kawai... nice to meet you."
"It's wonderful that you can find the time in your obviously busy schedule to see our daughter," Tomoko's father said.
"Oh, it's okay..." Teena answered. "I always find time to see my fans, especially brave little angels like Tomoko." Teena looked to Tomoko, holding her hand out to the ailing child. "Hey there."
"Hi!" Tomoko took Teena's hand, squeezing it. "Wow...!"
"I should be saying the same thing about you..." Teena smiled kindly at Tomoko, then set the duffle bag down in front of her. "Everything in this duffle bag, including the bag itself, is yours, Tomoko."
"Really?!" Tomoko giggled, and opened up the bag. Her eyes lit up with joy as she saw inside a child-sized replica of Teena's black leather jacket, a limited edition 12-inch Teena figure dressed in the blue denim vest/mini-skirt/black shirt with white sleeves attire she wore when she fought Piccolo in the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai (a rare collector's item), an autographed picture of Teena herself, and a single note addressed to Tomoko.
"What's this?" Tomoko asked, pulling out the letter.
"Go ahead. Read it." Teena smiled.
Tomoko blinked, then went ahead and opened the note.
Tomoko... Love, Teena
Do you accept?
"My own special gift, from me to you..." Teena replied. "I enjoy flying... it's the greatest freedom I or anyone else could ever enjoy, to fly in the air without a plane or any other vehicle. And I want you to experience it."
"R-REALLY?!" the look of surprise and utter happiness in Tomoko's face was clearly evident. "Mommy! Daddy!! Can I fly with Teena?! Huh? Can I?!"
"Well, I don't see why not..." Tomoko's father said. "Eighteen's saved the world lots of times, protecting our little angel shouldn't be a problem for her."
"As long as you dress properly..." Tomoko's mother added. "You listen to Teena, she knows all there is to know about flying, all right?"
"Tomoko nodded. "Okay!"
And so Tomoko, after putting on warm clothes and her new "18" insignia jacket, rode piggy-back on Teena, hanging on around her hero's neck as she experienced the ride of her young life. At a distance was a news chopper recording the joyous occasion on-camera.
"Wwwwwhhhheeeeeeee!! Oh WOW! This is so cool!!" squealed Tomoko, her joy bringing happiness to Teena's heart.
"Isn't it though?" she said, then pointed over to her left. "Look over there! A gaggle of geese! Wanna fly with them?"
"Do I?!" Tomoko giggled. "Yeah!!"
"Okay! Hang on tight!" And Tomoko did just that as Teena swerved to her left, flying next to the gathering of ivory-feathered birds honking as they flew in their migratory path.
"Oooh!! They're so pretty!!" exclaimed Tomoko.
"I love flying with all kinds of birds," Teena explained. "It's being a part of nature... it makes me feel relaxed, relieves a lot of stress."
"... Teena...?"
"Yes, Tomoko?"
"Why do I have to die?"
"..." Teena paused, letting the geese continue on their way, then picked Tomoko up from her shoulders and hugged her tightly to her chest.
"I'm sorry..." Tomoko said as she hugged Teena back, tears beginning to fall down her cheeks. "You-you've been so nice to me, Teena... b-but... I'm scared, Teena. I'm only six... why do I gotta die, Teena? I-it's n-not fair..."
"I know it isn't..." Teena whispered, tears beginning to fall from her eyes as well as she caressed Tomoko's hair. "You... and everyone else... you deserve to live a rich and full life. You..." Teena blinked, suddenly realizing a solution. "... Tomoko?"
"Hmm?" Tomoko sniffled, looking up at Teena.
"Tomoko... I'm going to make you a promise. I... I'm going to find a a way to make sure you and others infected with this disease will be cured from it."
"Tomoko blinked. "Y... y-you will?! How...?"
"I have my ways... and it's not gonna be an empty promise, either. I give you my word... you WILL live to see your seventh birthday, and many more birthdays after that one."
"..." Tomoko blinked thrice, then sniffled, her tears flowing anew as she grinned happily, hugging Teena tightly. "Oh, thank you!! Thank you, Teena! Thank you!!"
Teena hugged back, smiling softly as her own tears continued to fall. "Don't tell your mom and dad, though... let this be our little secret, okay?"
Tomoko nodded cutely. "Okay!"
Teena kissed Tomoko's forehead preciously, then hugged her, feeling the child's heart beat under her chest and committing the sensation to memory. That memory of sensation would be a sufficient motivation for Teena to collect the Dragon Balls, the only items that could make such an impossible promise unbreakable.
"I love you, Teena..." Tomoko said softly.
"And I love you too, Tomoko..." Teena replied, an equally soft tone to her voice.
---
After saying goodbye to Tomoko, Teena headed on her way to Kame House, the home of the lecherous Master Roshi, and where old friends Yamcha, Tein, and Chiaotzu, not to mention Roshi's first pupil Krillin, trained and studied under the venerable martial arts master. And apparently Bulma was there, too. Maybe visiting with Yamcha, Teena believed.
Teena smirked as she flew across the ocean, joining a school of dolphins swimming along, jumping out of the water occasionally. She remembered how she too vyed for the handsome Yamcha's affections, competing with Bulma in a friendly rivalry for him. In the end though, Teena stepped down and let her closest friend win Yamcha, feeling the two were meant to be. Though lately Bulma and Yamcha's relationship seemed to be on shaky ground, Teena still held out the hope that they'd work it out.
Teena had arrived at Kame House, quickly spotting a familiar eleven year old girl with long black hair and sparkling blue eyes, dressed in blue jeans, sneakers, a black leotard, and white belly shirt with her name in pink on the front.
"Videl!" Teena called out with a cheerful smile.
"Teena, hello!!" Videl waved as Teena landed to the sandy ground below.
"Hey... your dad know you're here?" Teena asked as she hugged Videl.
"Course not!" Videl answered. "I snuck out after training then I flew over here!"
"Flew?" Teena blinked. "You mean..."
"Yep! I finally nailed it! Watch!" Videl planted both feet together, then took a jump in the air. Much to Teena's pleasant surprised, she stayed there, then began to fly circles around her. "I can fly, Teena!! I did it! I'm flying!!"
"Yes! I know you could do it!" Teena snatched Videl from the air and hugged her. "See? All you had to do was practice!"
"Hee hee, yeah..." Videl giggled as she hugged Teena back. "I would've never learned how if it weren't for you! Now, if only I could throw long-ranged ki attacks, too..."
"You will, in time..." Teena set Videl down on her feet. "Hey Videl... you know where Bulma is?"
"Yeah..." Videl answered with a somewhat devilish giggle. "She's in the house! C'mon!"
Teena cocked her head, curious about the way Videl had answered her query, but nonetheless followed her into Kame House. She then immediately noticed how dark it was on the inside, with the blinds pulled and the lights turned off.
"Odd..." Teena shrugged, then went over to switch the overhead light on.
"SUPRIIISSEEE!!!!" Teena gasped, and turned to see all those she knew as her friends gathered around her, throwing her a surprise party; Bulma, Chi-Chi, Launch (the blue-tressed docile personality), Ran Fuan, Videl, Yamcha, Puar, Oolong, Tein, Chiaotzu, Master Roshi, Turtle, and Krillin were all in attendance. "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, TEENA!!!!"
"Happy anniv--" Teena blinked, then her eyes widened. Oh... oh! It's... I-I didn't realize what today was!"
Bulma smiled. "Yep! Today marks the seven year anniversary of the day I found you and released you from your stasis pod!"
"Yeah... it's the closest thing to being a birthday for you, after all..." Tein added. "We should celebrate it, especially when it's all about you!"
"Hey, that means..." Ran Fuan giggled softly at the idea. "... Teena's seven years old!"
"Well, certainly the most developed seven year old this old man's ever seen...!" Master Roshi remarked.
"Guess that makes you a pedophile, then..." Teena retorted; her dry sarcastic wit causing everyone to break out into laughter.
"Get the cake!!" Videl cheerfully demanded.
"Hey, yeah!" Krillin seconded the motion. "Cake sounds great right about now!"
"I'll get it!" Launch volunteered, as she turned around and headed to the kitchen.
"You know..." Chi-Chi said. "A lot of us should be grateful that Teena's here... if it weren't for her, we wouldn't be here right now. Without her, my father's kingdom would've been burned to the ground. and I wouldn't even be alive either, no thanks to King Piccolo..."
"Yeah..." Ran Fuan nodded. "His henchman was gonna eat me... but Teena saved me and destroyed him. If Teena wasn't around..." she shivered softly. "... I don't even wanna think about it..."
"She also helped my father rescue me from those kidnappers last year, too!" Videl added. "I just wish they got along more... dad thinks everything she does is some kind of trick..." she sweatdropped.
"Well, I think it's easier to say this..." Bulma turned to Teena and smiled. "... thank you."
"Just doing the right thing, is all..." Teena replied, smiling back at Teena. "And you showed me what the right thing was, Bulma. You taught me... you have to have great responsibility in order to use great power." She looked up to all her friends. "I've never forgotten that."
Yamcha nodded. "And we're all grateful for that, Teena."
"Cake time!" Launch emerged from the kitchen, carting out with her a double-layered chocolate iced cake with seven birthday candles lit up upon its surface. "Double chocolate fudge, Teena! Your favorite!"
"Oh, wow...!" Teena shook her head with a smile. "Thanks, guys... you're all true friends."
"Go on! Make a wish!" Puar urged.
"That reminds me..." Teena looked to Bulma. "How many Dragon Balls have we found so far?"
"Three, I think..." Bulma answered. "Let me guess... that little girl you visited today?"
Teena nodded. "She deserves a chance to live a rich full life. Everyone infected with this disease does."
"That's our Teena..." Ran Fuan smiled. "Always thinking of others."
Teena smiled, then leaned down towards the cake, about to blow out the candles. Then stopped herself, looking upward. "You feel that?"
"Hm?" Bulma blinked. "Feel what?"
"... I feel it too..." Chi-Chi blinked.
"Some kind of awesome power's coming this way!" Ran Fuan confirmed.
"Is it Piccolo?!" Tein asked.
"It... doesn't feel like him..." Chiaotzu said softly.
"It's not..." Teena stated. "... it feels worse. And it's here!" Teena quickly headed out the door.
"C'mon!" Chi-Chi quickly followed Teena, as did the others, finding her face to face with a man with long spikey black hair, clad in strange ceramic-like armor and an out-of-place furry belt around his waist, and equipped with a half-visor scanner that hooked around his left ear.
"As I thought..." the man said as he crossed his arms. "You're the ones with power levels higher than the other Terrans here..." he glanced at Teena, blinking. "... except for you... my scouter can't pick up any kind of power level signature from you. Some sort of automaton?"
"I'm a cyborg..." Teena corrected. "You also have us at a disadvantage. Who are you and what're you doing here?"
"I am Raditz," the man introduced himself. "And simply put, I'm here to clear this planet of all Terran life."
"... he what?!" Bulma blinked in surprise.
"... Right." Teena crossed her arms, cocking her head. "What makes you think I'd let you try, Radish?"
"It's Raditz!" he corrected.
"Whatever..." Teena scoffed. "Fact of the matter is, I'm this world's protector. You wanna commit wholesale genocide, you're gonna have to go through me first."
Raditz glared at Teena, then smirked. "... you appealed to my Saiyan sense of competition, cyborg. All right... I accept your challenge. A fight to the death, then. If I lose, you protect this backwards frontier planet. If you lose, so does the people you've sworn to protect!"
"Fair enough... and I happen to know a good place to fight, too..." Teena looked to Bulma and smiled. "Save a slice of cake for me, hm?"
"... Be careful, Teena..." Bulma said softly.
"Yeah, don't let that guy win!" pleaded Videl.
"I won't..." Teena winked, then took to the air. "Follow me!!"
As Teena flew away, Raditz turned to her friends with a confident smirk. Then rocketed away, following Teena.
"Think she has a chance, Master Roshi?" Yamcha asked.
"If not, then she'll make one..." Roshi answered. "She's special, that girl. She'll find a way."
---
"So... this pleasure or business?" Teena asked as she and Raditz flew through the air.
"Hm?" Raditz glanced at Teena. "How do you mean?"
"This whole 'wiping out humanity' thing... you seem like the type who'd get off on it but I sense a kind of duty thing. You work for anyone who might want to see you succeed?"
"Quite observant of you..." Raditz confirmed with a smirk. "I was sent here by Lord Frieza. He has conquered many planets with the aid of myself and many other warriors loyal to his cause. It just so happens he has had sights set on this world for nineteen of your Terran years. And now this world's populace's days are numbered."
"You haven't beaten me yet, Raditz..." Teena looked down towards a chain of islands. "Down here." Teena descended to the ground, spinning around to face Raditz. "One more question..."
"Ugh, enough of these questions!" Raditz exclaimed in an annoyed tone of voice. "Are we going to fight or not?!"
"That's just it. Choosing to fight me and all. You enjoy fighting, don't you?"
"... call it Saiyan pride..." Raditz explained finally. "You're a challenge... I can't detect your power level. I can't tell whether you're stronger than me or not. There's no way I'm going to pass this up."
"Whatever gets you going, I guess..." Teena brushed her hair back, then assumed her fighting stance. "So let's get--" Suddenly, Teena gasped out, getting slugged hard in the gut and uppercutted in the jaw, a sneak attack by Raditz. Teena flew back, but flipped right-side up, charging her energies in her hands and throwing her Power Blitz ki blast at Raditz, who blocked it and flew forward, grabbing Teena by the head and flinging her against the mountain wall.
"Pathetic!" Raditz sneered. "You're nothing but a... what's that Terran euphemism... a paper tiger!! What's the use of having no power level if you're weak to begin with?!"
Raditz was suddenly struck in the face as Teena rocketed from the mountain, sending the Saiyan reeling. "What's the point of having a voice when your jaw's broken?"
Raditz rubbed his jaw, smirking slightly. "... Good. Fight back... it will make your destruction all the more sweeter!"
"Shut up and fight." Teena charged forward, throwing a multitude of punches and kicks at blindingly fast successions, while Raditz did the same in retaliation, blocking most of Teena's attacks as Teena also blocked what Raditz threw at her. Time seemed to slow down around them as the two jockeyed for position at superhuman velocities; a pigeon nearby flew very slowly, its wings flapping, its body moving sluggishly, as if it were captured by a time-lapse camera. Finally, Raditz backhanded Teena away from him and time resumed its normal flow around them, the Saiyan warrior panting softly while Teena wiped a bit of blood from her lip, otherwise showing no sign of fatigue.
"You're tougher than I gave you credit, cyborg..." Raditz said. "But I have a schedule to keep here and I WILL see your broken body today! And then I'll break all of humanity with you!"
"Why don't you give ME a break and shut up?!" Teena retorted.
Raditz glared at Teena, then stopped, his scouter alerting him. Turning his head, he saw flying towards him and Teena a humanoid being dressed in purple with a white cloak and a turban, his skin an emerald hue. Teena also turned around, noticing Raditz's distracted gaze, and blinking as she recognized the arrival. "Oh, crap... Piccolo..."
"You look as if you're displeased to see me, Eighteen..." Piccolo muttered, slowing to float next to Teena.
"Well, I'm not exactly thrilled..." Teena admitted, not letting her guard down for neither Raditz or Piccolo. "You going to gang up on me with this guy, now?"
"Well..." Piccolo smirked, then suddenly threw his Destructive Wave directly at Raditz, taking him by surprise as it struck him in the face, sending him reeling. "Does that answer your question?"
"..." Teena blinked, staring at Piccolo, then at the downed Raditz. "... okay, you're obviously either not Piccolo or another reincarnation. Piccolo the Third, Piccolo Lite? Flute? Recorder? Kazoo?"
"Your sarcasm's as grating as ever..." Piccolo scowled. "I actually showed up to give you a hand, Eighteen."
"Why?" Teena asked.
"Let's just say this one's arrival puts serious kinks in my own plans..." Piccolo glares at Raditz as he stood, recovering from the green-skinned warrior's attacks. "That, plus I want to be the one to destroy you. I don't want anyone else getting that credit."
"Gee, how psychotically sentimental of you..." Teena smirked. "All right... truce then?"
Piccolo smiled smugly. "Truce. For now."
Raditz shook his head of cobwebs, then looked up at both Teena and Piccolo. "Two-on-one, now?" He merely grinned evilly, then laughed out loud. "Fine then!! Bring it on!! I'll stand triumphantly over BOTH your lifeless bodies!!"
"He's certainly full of himself..." remarked Piccolo.
"You think so too?" Teena chuckled. "Stop the press, we actually agree on something."
"Let's finish this!" Both Piccolo and Teena, normally arch enemies, charged down to face the evil alien warrior out to commit genocide on the Earth.
It would remain to be seen who would walk away from this potentially fatal conflict.
-- TO BE CONTINUED.