Crackhead Determination Ch.16

This Chapter was commissioned by StealthKug on Patreon (Priest)!

— Bulma —

“Come on, guys! It’s starting soon!” Bulma pulled Launch along, giggling her way to the front of the stands.

“I put my life savings on Goki; I know she’s gonna win,” Oolong said, looking all too smug.

“Wait…but isn’t that super hot, strong guy in the tournament?” Blonde-haired Launch asked with a raised brow. “You put your money against him?”

“Tsk tsk tsk,” Oolong wagged his finger before grinning. “When has Goki ever let us down?”

Bulma stopped to think, and she had to admit the pig had a point. For as long as she’d known Goki, the tailed girl had never let her, or anyone around her, down. Although, there was one essential tidbit that Oolong left out.

“Goki hasn’t won a tournament yet.”

Oolong slowly turned to Bulma. His eyes blinked and then widened. “Holy mother of bacon, you’re right! How the hell can that be?!”

“It’s just how things turned out.” Roshi joined them in their place, carrying his glasses in his hands. “All my students have had tough opponents throughout the years, and I’m sure this year will be no exception.”

“Long story short, pig, you’re gonna lose all your money.” Launch grinned. “I’m gonna head over and place my bet on the hunk later!”

“Hurry back, it’s about to start!” Bulma waved as the blonde disappeared into the crowd. Bulma turned back to the ring, seeing the Announcer that she had come to know and appreciate enter the stadium. This tournament was about to start-

And something told her that it would be the best one yet!

— Lyre —

I leaned against the wall with my eyes closed. Now that the preliminaries were over, we had an hour intermission before the actual tournament began, where we would fight in front of a crowd of people.

Quiet footsteps approached me, before a hand landed on my shoulder. I opened my eyes to see the familiar black-haired man grinning at me.

“Nice job making it this far!” Yamcha gave me a thumbs up. “You really know how to handle business.”

“I appreciate that.” I returned his smile; sometimes, it is best to take the compliment. “I’m awed by your grit and determination; that match with Chiaotzu was quite close.”

Yamcha rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “It sucks to kick the little guy out so early, but I had to make it to the public tourney…for my girl, ya know?”

“You don’t gotta explain it to me.” I waved him off. “I know all about the burning desire to impress my woman.” Over and over again, and if luck is on my side, Goki ain’t the only woman I’ll be impressing today.

A man’s gotta eat, and I am starving.

“A warrior should fight, not to impress others, but to better oneself,” Tien said, stretching his arms. He was being trailed by Chiaotzu, who I assumed was here strictly for moral support at this point.

“Tien’s right.” Goki walked from behind the triclops, a serious expression on her face. She had a quick talk with Piccolo before she got in here, nothing too serious, but it was tense, a promise to win from both of them.

Just what she needed to get fired up.

“I hope you have enjoyed your time in the tournament thus far.”

We all turned to the voice, my eyes widening slightly at the man. His face was completely made of metal, with red optics, and he wore a pink martial arts outfit.

Mercenary Tao, I had forgotten about him.

“...M-Master Tao.” Tien said slowly, all three eyes widening in shock. “Y-You’re here, alive!”

“Yes, I am, traitor.” He grinned. I hadn’t even noticed him the entire tournament, but then again, I hadn’t been watching the fights, and judging by everyone else’s reactions, they hadn’t either. “I look forward to killing you.”

“But why?!” Tien shouted in confusion; the pain in his face was clear.

“You’ve betrayed not only me but my brother as well and committed the worst sin you could against my brother’s school. You joined his rival, the turtle hermit, and for that, you deserve to die in the worst way possible.” Tao sneered before walking up to Tien. “Make no mistake; this is not a warning, nor a threat, but a promise. You die today, Tien Shinhan and the same goes for Chiaotzu.”

Chiaotzu grew even whiter at that, hiding behind Tien’s leg in fear.

“I…I see; I’m sorry it had to come to this then, Master Tao.” Tien said with sadness as he looked down.

“The best apology you can give me is staying alive for as long as possible.” Tao grinned viciously. “I want to enjoy watching the light leave your eyes.” Then, the older mechanical man walked away to the other side of the room.

“Tien…” Chiaotzu whispered his sadness and fear all too apparent in his voice.

“I’ll handle it, Chiaotzu.” Tien turned around and kneeled before his friend, offering a hand, which the pale boy took hesitantly. “It’s time we put our past behind us, once and for all.”

“You’ll do fine, Tien.” Goki grinned, nodding her head, and Tien returned her nod with a smile of his own.

“I intend to, for our sake…and his.”

“Ladies and Gentleman-”

We all turned to the door, looking outside to see the Announcer standing in the middle of the ring.

“It’s time to commence the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament!”

A round of cheers was heard throughout the arena, cheers that put a grin on my face. It had been a while since I had been around humans, even longer since I’ve been around so many at once, and they would all be watching us.

It was a weird feeling but not an unwelcome one.

“You all know the rules! If a competitor is knocked out or kicked out of the ring, they are disqualified! There is no killing allowed, and any such action can and will be met with the enforcement of the law! Now then, for the brackets!”

There was another roar of cheers from the crowd as the workers wheeled out a chart that held the brackets. As the competitors made their way to take a peak at the brackets, I continued leaning on the wall, closing my eyes. I didn’t need to know their details. Goki and Piccolo were on the other side of the bracket from me, and that was all that mattered.

“Lyre, are you ready?! I’m so pumped!” Goki grinned, punching the air, and I gave her a quick nod, smirking.

It was time to dance.

“First match, Son Goki vs Chi-Chi!”

“RAAAAAHHHHHH!” The crowd roared, likely remembering the fierceness of both competitors from the last tournament.

“Let’s do this, Chi-Chi.” Goki walked to the Chinese princess dress-wearing girl, smiling, holding her fist for a bump. Chi-Chi eyed the fist, her cheeks growing red as she turned away, denying Goki and walking into the ring.

Goki blinked at her, rubbing her head questioningly before following her.

The two walked to their sides of the ring, staring each other down with varying intensity levels. While Goki was still confused, Chi-Chi glared at Goki-

But there was something more in her eyes. Something I quickly recognized as a firm resolution. She had something planned, and I was curious about what it was.

“Are both fighters ready?” The announcer asked, getting nervous as he looked at Chi-Chi’s firm gaze.

“Yes.” Chi-Chi spat.

“Mhm!” Goki grinned, dropping into her stance.

“Then let the fight…Begin!”

Quiet washed over the arena as no one moved. Both girls stared at each other with the same expressions for several seconds before-

Chi-Chi moved, and Goki countered. The Ox-King’s daughter closed the distance to elbow Goki in the face, but the latter girl caught it, sending a kick toward Chi-Chi, which caught her arm and sent her back quite a bit.

I whistled lowly at the power that Chi-Chi had hit Goki with. Outside of myself, Popo, and Kami, this was the first time I had seen anyone actually compete with Goki. Sure, the Saiyan girl was holding back, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as their canon fight, and Goki wasn’t holding back that much, she just still had her weighted clothes on.

Chi-Chi winced from the pain and sent a glare at Goki again, “You hit hard, though that’s unsurprising, for as long as I’ve known you, you’ve always hit hard.”

Goki was surprised that Chi-Chi was talking to her all of a sudden but put on a sheepish smile nonetheless, rubbing under her nose as she giggled.

“Hehe, of course, I have to, Chi-Chi, you’ve grown strong, stronger than ever before!”

“Yeah…I guess I have.” Chi-Chi closed her eyes once more, dropping her stance and standing up to her full height. Goki blinked at the action but mirrored her fellow Kame student. “I’ve spent three years, working my heart out, all for this moment, to tell you the truth.”

Chi-Chi sent a hate-filled glare toward the building the competitors were in, or more specifically, at me.

“But he stole you from me. I won’t stand for it!” Chi-Chi pointed her hand out at Goki, her eyes wavering for but a moment before her firm resolve returned with a deep red blush. “I love you, Goki, and when I beat you, I want to marry you!”

— Chapter End —

Author’s Note: Fuck it, we ball. You know how it is. Writing and erasing, and writing again, that was this chapter. Let’s hope the next one flows better.