ultra_blade

Great chapter, more nightmares. LoL at Ravens mate, if those nightmares show the future then he must have got owned, lol, i mean like he was seemed to be really powerful yet he gets owned by a Tanarian (i think). O'well Vegeta owns anyways so theres no point arguing with that!!! Good work your chapters are as amazing as ever, keep up the good work, cnt wait for next chapter. :-D

raditz_saiyan_hero

Great work again. The nightmares make me almost giddy to eventually get to the end of this story. Like everybody else who reads this story, I can not wait till the next chapter.

__________________
When I die, will they remember not, what I did, but what I haven't done..." - Rise Against




Thanks to Ulimate_Gohan for the sig

Xyex

Not sure where you got that....

Chapter Twenty-one - Preparing for the Future

Neither of the girls had been able to get back to sleep after Akemi's latest vision. Both knew that if it was to come to pass it would be within the week. Which meant it was time to focus their thoughts on how best to thwart it. They'd talked, trying to piece together as much of the vision's events as possible. Sakura had her focus on other things she'd seen in the vision during it's various occurrences.

They didn't have much.

They knew there was a battle occurring, a big one, all around her during the vision. But they didn't know who was fighting or why. And the previous day had already seen one battle at the arena's grounds. Obviously Kuriiza wasn't the source of this battle. So, then, what was? "I'm sorry..." Akemi said sadly, barely above a whisper.

"It's not your fault Akemi." Sakura said, stopping in her pacing and sitting down by her sister again.

"But if I could remember more, or if I investigated the area more, then..."

"It's fine. We'll stop it. And... and if we don't mom and dad will wish me back."

Akemi nodded, still not fully convinced. "But how can we stop it?" she asked. "Just the two of us?"

Sakura had to admit she had a point. They needed more people involved. She still planned to tell her parents again, even if they wouldn't believe, but they needed ones who would believe. "Akemi, do you think you could... contact the others? Cheri, Trunks, and Goten?"

"Ummm, I can try..."

"Ok. See if you can have them come here."

Akemi nodded and closed her eyes, concentrating. A moment later she was seeing just as she had in the halls the other day, even though her eyes were closed, as her mind once again moved away from her body. She didn't know where Trunks or Goten where but she knew Cheri was down a floor and down the hall so that's where she went first, floating right through the floor and the walls.

She moved through three walls before she saw Cheri laying in bed sleeping, the sheets barely draped over her in the oppressive and unnaturally high early morning heat, and her tail dangling over the side of the bed. Though, as she neared, the girl shivered slightly. Coming to a stop beside her she lowered her head down beside the girl's ear and focused. "Cheri, wake up. Come on Cheri, wake up." she said, frowning.

The other girl stirred and then opened her eyes. "Sakura wants to talk to everyone."

Cheri blinked and rubbed her eyes. "Akemi?" she asked softly as she sat up and looked around.

"You can't see me." she said. "I'm here in spirit form. Sakura wants you to come up to our room, we have to tell you something."

"What time is it?"

"I dunno. Where are Goten and Trunks?"

"Huh? Oh, umm... I'll get them, I know the intercom channel for Trunks' room."

"Ok. I'll go back to my room then." and with that she floated back up through the ceiling again. Cheri felt her departure as the room began warm up suddenly. Throwing the sheets off of her she hopped out of bed, pulled off the long t-shirt she used as a night gown, and slipped into a pair of shorts and a tank-top to contend with the day's already unusual heat.

Then she moved over to the com panel and entered the code that patched her into Trunks' room. "Hey Trunks, are you awake yet?" she asked.

When she didn't get a reply she pushed the buzzer button a few times. Finally his voice, still groggy, came over the com. "Who is it?"

"Cheri." she said. "Sakura wants us up in her room for something. Goten's in your hall too, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Get him too, she wants all three of us."

"Fine, fine." he said yawning. "Oh man, it's only just after five AM! This better be important...."

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Sai-jin Palace, Conference Room 14

It was still an hour until dawn but already a gathering had formed in one of the palace's conference rooms. The two Vegetas, Bulma, Hotaru, Yamcha, Vadora, Piccolo, and Nova were sitting at a table in one of the large rooms discussing the previous day's events and things to come. "We didn't really have the time yesterday for this." the younger Vegeta said. "Not on top of dealing with the panic that followed the battle."

He sighed and glanced down at the screen of the small computer in his hand. It was currently displaying a report from Saiya City about a riot that had broken out at around 3 AM. According to eye witnesses a group of individuals, Sai-jin and alien alike, had been discussing the battle between the Changelings at one of the city's bars. Some comments had been made that, in centuries past, would have counted as treason. And then another group of people, mostly Sai-jins, had gotten into a heated argument with them which had then broken into violence.

What would have only been a bar room brawl quickly turned into a six block riot thanks to high tensions over the current situation. It was starting to look like all the work on the Sennari's formation was falling apart. "Damn it." he cursed, scanning the list. "Vadora, did you see this?" he asked, glancing toward her.

Vadora nodded. "Mellona came to me before the reports even started coming in." she said. "She said she takes full responsibility for her actions but that she'd do it again in heart beat."

Vegeta couldn't help but smirk a little. It was times like this where such strong loyalty as that was rather comforting. At least not everyone thought he'd gone insane. "What about that guy, the one from Sedana?"

"Mazda." Vadora said with a nod. "He was arrested this morning at around 4 AM." she said, reading the information off her own computer. "Charged with inciting panic, disturbing the peace, disrupting law enforcement, and trying to incite a riot."

"Once again, I am sorry for all the trouble I've caused you." Nova said.

Senator Vegeta shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Had you not been here I think things would be even worse than they are. Kuriiza would have been believed to be the new Changeling ruler. You can imagine the backlash that would have caused."

"Right." his son said with a nod. "Instead of just calling for your execution they'd all be demanding we go and wipe you all out. It'd just give them the 'proof' they've been waiting for that no one's safe while the Changelings exist. At least now we actually have all the facts."

"And getting those facts out to the public is our current task." his father continued. "Even our supporters are getting tired of hearing 'no comment' and 'we're still investigating' by this point."

"What about the tournament?" Hotaru asked. "The Arena took a bit of damage."

"It's still structurally sound." Vadora replied. "I had the engineers comb over it all night and put up some temporary repairs. It can still be used."

"Then we continue." Vegeta said. "I'm not letting some conceited, egotistical, self-important, over compensating brat with a superiority complex derail seven years of work."

Hotaru smirked. "Are we talking about you or are we still talking about Kuriiza?" she asked.

Vegeta glanced over to her and gave her a half smirk half scowl before turning his eyes back to the computer in his hand. "What we need to work out right now is exactly what we're going to tell the public. I had originally hoped to stay away from any association with the Changelings for at least another two decades, no offense." He added the last part with a glance at Nova.

"None taken." she replied. "An understandable sentiment, and far more reasonable than a lot of others. If I thought my slipping away quietly and disappearing for a few decades would help any I'd do it."

"Well, why not just tell them the truth?" Yamcha asked, putting his hands behind his head.

"Because most wont believe it." replied the elder Vegeta. "Especially not the part about conditions on Henka for the other Changelings. General opinion of the masses has always been that Henka was some sort of over indulgent paradise where everyone thought and acted like the Cold Family and everyone lived like kings standing on the backs of the other races. That can't just be changed overnight."

"Well..." Bulma said slowly. "We could put a slight spin on it. Give them half the truth."

"What do you mean?" asked Nova.

"Well, we explain it like this. We say that you're the leader of a resistance movement the Changeling's have had for some time, that you have been fighting the Cold Family as well. The people can't believe that every Changeling is exactly the same..."

"What about what she told Kuriiza though?" Hotaru asked. "She as much as told everyone, and I saw on the news that it's spread to the whole galaxy already, that she was related to him."

Senator Vegeta straightened up in his seat in thought. "Well, I don't know about other races, but we Sai-jins have a similar event in our pasts."

His son glanced over at him, his brow furrowed in thought, and then realization dawned on him. "Rasbara and Cantala."

"Who?" Bulma asked.

"Sisters who lived about two thousand years ago." he explained. "Descendants of the first Sai-jin King. Rasbara was crowned as Queen when she turned eighteen, after her father's death. Cantala disappeared shortly there after. Records show that Rasbara was... not the greatest of leaders. By the end of her reign six years later she could have made even Frieza look like a saint."

"What happened to her?" asked Yamcha.

"Cantala came back. Turns out she knew what her sister was up to, that she'd been obsessed with power, paranoid that everyone was out to kill her, and just generally psychopathic. During the six years of her absence she'd trained heavily so that she could overthrow her sister and put things right again. Obviously she succeeded. Rasbara was killed in the battle and our line continued through Cantala."

"Right." his father said. "We can make that connection with our announcement. It'll probably convince most Sai-jins. As for everyone else, they'll have to come along in time."

"Well... hey!" Yamcha cried, suddenly leaning forward and grinning. "I know! We tell them that like you said but we also tell them that Nova was here not just to locate Kuriiza but for a meeting with us."

"And how, exactly, would that help us?" Vegeta asked, frowning.

"Simple!" Yamcha said. "We say that she wanted a meeting with us, with you, for help finding and stopping Kuriiza. And to assure you that she and her people would stay away from the Sennari..."

Nova smiled. "That's a good idea. Also, this could help us with another matter we've been trying to figure out for a while now. We Changeling's aren't a large population, we only have a few million people. Those loyal to the Cold Family have fled. The rest have returned to Henka for safety. We... have no use for those worlds Cold once controlled...."

Vegeta nodded. He knew what she was getting at. "That'll help our position greatly." he said.

"What will?" asked Yamcha.

"Returning world's Cold and has family previously conquered and stole to their original inhabitants." Nova replied.

At this Hotaru slid back in her seat and sat up straighter. She couldn't believe this had never occurred to her before now. It... could be possible for her people to go home again....

"We have one other matter of importance." Piccolo said. "Namely, if Kuriiza was working for Raven or not."

"I don't think he was." Hotaru said, pulling her mind away from her other thoughts. "You heard him. He wasn't sure the fruit would work."

Nova nodded. "I'm with her. And, there are records... Cooler had apparently been approached by people who said they represented another Empire from beyond our galaxy. He only made vague references to them but...."

"Makes sense." Bulma said. "But why approach him and not the others?"

Vegeta snorted. "Frieza and Cold would have been too conceited to believe another empire would exist with leaders stronger than them. Cooler would have been doubtful but not against the notion. And willing to form an alliance, though not to submitting to them. Just a 'you help me and I'll help you' situation."

He then frowned a bit, Piccolo's suggestion the previous day about their involvement in Raven's plans returning to the forefront of his thoughts. "His attack here may have actually been their idea, come to think of it...."

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Sai-jin Palace, Sakura and Akemi's Room

Cheri had gotten to their room in only a couple of minutes. Goten and Trunks, who were in a different wing of the palace, took longer. When they finally showed up Trunks was already dressed in his blue-green gi though Goten had only grabbed an orange t-shirt and white pants. He also looked like he was still asleep, despite the fact he was up and walking.

"So, what's going on?" Trunks asked as the door closed behind them.

"We think something big is going to happen." Sakura started, deciding to dive right into things. "And soon."

"Big?" asked Cheri. "What do you mean?"

Sakura took a deep breath as she climbed up off her bed where she'd been sitting and paced the room. "We don't... really know." she said at last. "Ummm, well, it's like this... One of Akemi's abilities is... to see the future. She can get visions when her mind is relaxed enough. In other words, unconscious or sleeping."

"Oh, cool." Goten said, wide eyed and suddenly awake.

Akemi glanced at him and then down at her feet. "It's scary." she said softly. "I never see good things..."

Sakura placed a hand on her sister's shoulder to comfort her as she continued. "The last few months she's been seeing something in particular. It wasn't until we arrived here and saw the arena that we realized... what she's been seeing will happen before we leave the planet."

"So what's she been seeing?" Trunks asked. If it were anyone but Akemi he'd be skeptical but he knew she had all kinds of mental powers that he didn't understand. This was just another odd ability she'd inherited from her Tanarian blood.

"A battle." Sakura replied. "Akemi says there's a lot of fighting going on all around the arena..."

"Well, it is a battle stadium." Cheri interrupted.

"No." Akemi said, shaking her head. Her eyes were starting to glisten from moisture. "They weren't fighting in the arena. It was around it. And there were a lot of them. I saw lots of reflected light, from armors I think. And things... I don't know... I never really paid attention to them. My... my focus was... was... was...."

"Was on me." Sakura finished for her. "Because the other thing in the vision she always saw, the thing that always drew her attention, was her crying over... over my body." she said, swallowing.

"Over your..." Trunks began, his eyes narrowed as he thought. And then the meaning hit him and his eyes widened in shock. "Wait, you mean that... she's been seeing you... dead?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah."

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AH Saga 6:

Read Altered History: Saga I Saga II Saga III Saga IV Saga V

DeathByKnife

Nice work once again Xyex. I don't get how you can create such a story which balances out fighting scenes and ...non-fighting scenes lol? Well before i get even more confused just want to say nice work once again lol, Keep it up. :D

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Time is a great teacher, pity all its students die.

ultra_blade

Um, I got that from the dreams how raven's mate is talking to (I think) Vegeta and Akemi/Hotaru, not really sure though. BTW great chapter, this fic keeps getting better and better, I'm enjoying every second of it.

ultra_blade

I hope this is not double posting, but PLZ I want the next chapter. No seriously, this fic rocks and I can't wait anymore. =[

Xyex

Ah, you either mis-read or mis-interprated the scene. :)

Actually, I meant to post a new chapter the other night but got sidetracked with stuff.

Chapter Twenty-two - The Second Round

The Grand Kai had settled into his seat at the Otherworld tournament arena again. He'd been right about the previous day's matches. They had all been disappointingly boring and short. There were two matches coming up today, however, that he was most interested in watching. The first fight would be Appla against Olibu, a promising match indeed. And the last match of the day would be Bardock and Pikkon. Then he would see for certain how much the Sai-jins had improved. Of course, before that would be the tournament in the Mortal Plane.

He had also asked the Supreme Kai and her apprentice to stay and witness the day's events. She had, at first, refused his invitation, stating that she needed to monitor events in Otherworld. He had managed to convince her to remain for the tournament by reminding her that if something was coming then it would be the mortals fighting in the tournament that would be standing against it. What better way to assess their chances than to witness them in battle?

Though, admittedly, the match-ups today for the tournament in the Mortal Plane didn't look to be nearly as exciting as those of the day before. Still, it would be better than nothing. So that's how it came to be that he had Mikomi, Kai of all Kais, sitting on his right hand side today with the other lower Kais now all on his left side. Kibito stood behind them, between his seat and hers.

"The day's events should be getting underway shortly." the Grand Kai said. "The match-ups today are a lot more un-even than they were yesterday. I doubt the fights will last very long this time. You may not get to fully experience or appreciate their powers today." Mikomi gave a slight nod to show she'd heard him, even though her mind was currently spread out through out the realm looking for some sign of anything amiss.

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Galactic Games Arena, Competitors Area

The children had been keeping their eyes peeled since leaving the palace looking for any signs of anything off or wrong. So far they hadn't seen anything and the tournament was already about to get underway again. It had taken a good deal of coaxing from Vegeta to keep the tournament going in the first place, and to stop the spectators from boarding the first shuttles home.

Not that several hundred hadn't already left with more preparing to later that day. Even though very few of them had been hurt, most of the injuries and all of the casualties being arena staff, a lot of people didn't like the fact that Kuriiza and Nova had been left to fight on the grounds. They considered that, and Nova's continued presence, a serious lapse in judgment and security.

Even so, there were more who had remained behind than had gone. In fact, the stands were just as packed today as they had been yesterday. Those who'd vacated their seats had been replaced by those who had come to the planet but hadn't managed to secure seats before the tickets had sold out. So it seemed, at least on the surface and at first glance, that no lasting damage had been done. But only time would tell for sure.

"Well, see you guys in a few minutes." Cheri said waving to them as she walked out into the Battle Pit with her opponent, Eskarga. After walking out a good distance the two fighters came to a stop and faced each other. Cheri wasn't particularly sure what to expect since she hadn't paid any attention to the first match the previous day. But she wasn't expecting any problems, she was four times stronger than this guy.

The match was called to a start and she lunged in at him. As she did his arms lanced out toward her and began to stretch catching her by surprise. She moved to the right to dodge around them and they swerved toward her. She went left and they followed, now almost on top of her. She stopped then and waited until they were closer and then, at the last second, shot up over them.

Turning to face down at the Namek now she was about to charge him again when she felt a pair of hands grab her ankles. Before she had time to react the Namek's arms snapped like whips and she was smashed into the ground before they retracted drawing her to him. Her head was only just beginning to clear from the sudden and unexpected impact with the ground when she felt his arms coil around her like snakes pinning her arms to her sides.

Opening her eyes again she found herself only a foot away from the Namek and bound tightly by his arms. She frowned and started to flex her arms to break free when she felt his hands grab the sides of her head and then felt the most unusual and uncomfortable sensation she'd ever felt. It wasn't painful at all but it felt bizarre and made her feel like she'd been crammed into a space ten sizes too small for her for the last few hours.

She also felt her power waning. /What... is this?/ she wondered, struggling to keep her power together so she could break free. Then she felt her eyes starting to droop and the edges of her vision blurred. /My energy. He must be... draining it somehow.../ she realized. /I have to... get free.../ "Sanjuu... Kinryoku!" she cried, silver light flaring up around her body.

That's when she realized how much power she'd already lost. Even with the Kinryoku her power was still below its normal maximum. Which left only one recourse. Gritting her teeth she called out "Kaio ken!" and in a burst of red threw her arms out to her sides and ripped her way free of Eskarga's grasp. The Namek stumbled back but soon recovered and then sprouted a new pair of arms.

Cheri surged in at him again and this time reached him before he had a chance to do anything, only having just regrown his limbs. Reaching him she slammed a fist into his stomach, then another and another in rapid fire succession, driving him back a few feet. She pulled back a little to launch a spinning kick at his face but suddenly her vision went black. And then she felt the hand gripping her face followed by the same sensation as before.

Once again her energy was being siphoned off. Only this time she couldn't power-up further to break free as she had done before. Scrunching up her face under the Namek's palm she thought quickly and an idea came to her. She was suddenly very grateful her arms were free and quickly brought her hands up to either side of her face, fingers spread. "Solar Flare!" her voice yelled, muffled by the hand.

Suddenly a blinding flash of light filled the battle pit and the monitors displaying the match. The glare turned Eskarga's vision solid white and the intensity of it made his eyes feel like they were on fire. He released the child and stumbled backward out of reflex, covering his eyes with his hands and trying to rub the light out of them.

Cheri was panting lightly as she landed on the ground and took a few steps back. She'd never heard of a Namek that could absorb energy before. /Damn it, my power's dropped off a lot now! I'm usually stronger than this in base. Damn. I was hoping to save this for later but it looks like I don't have any choice in the matter. And then it's straight for the win, I am so not giving him the chance to steal more energy!/

With these thoughts running through her head she let the Kaio Ken and Kinryoku fade as she lifted a few inches into the air and surged backward putting fifty yards between her and Eskarga. Landing again she reached down and undid the belt around her waist letting it fall to the ground. Then she reached down and removed her shoes, tossing them aside. She was now very happy she'd pulled on her green body suit before her gi when she'd changed for the tournament. Otherwise she wouldn't be doing this, simply to avoid being naked in front of all these people.

Then she hunched over and clenched her hands into fists. As she let out a scream her blue aura flared up around her blowing her hair up into the air. The dust and dirt around her began to lift into the air and swirl around as her tail swished back and forth. And then her eyes turned pure white as her pupils vanished and she threw her head back, her scream intensifying.

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Galactic Games Arena, Competitors Area

"I doubt the matches today will be all that interesting." Yamcha said as he leaned back against the wall. "I don't think we'll have any more good fights until Videl and Gohan fight in the next round, and then Gohan and Vegeta in the semi-finals. And that's it. That Tatamo guy is powerful but there's no way he can beat Piccolo."

"I thought you were fighting Tatamo this round?" Hotaru asked.

Yamcha winced. "Don't remind me. After what he did to Mijima I'm thinking of just forfeiting. It's not worth the pain and humiliation." His eyes followed Cheri and Eskarga as they made their way out into the battle pit. "I'm looking forward to Cheri's match against him, though. She can't win, no way in hell, but it'll be interesting to see how strong she is."

"I'm not expecting anything quite as jaw dropping as what Goten and Trunks did, or Akemi for that matter, but I'm looking forward to it too." said Hotaru. "I think Vegeta is as well, both of them. And it's understandable. If she inherited Tien's ability and isn't a reduced capacity..."

Yamcha nodded. "Yeah. I've wondered a few times, since learning about the Sai-jins, what kind of power Tien would have were he one of them, just because of how much he's got as Human. I think, as a Sai-jin, he'd be even stronger than Gohan. Probably could have kept ahead of Goku even."

Out in the ring Cheri had just broken free of Eskarga's grasp. They watched the monitors as she began her assault. And then he had hold of her again. "Man, I'd still like to know how he can do that." Yamcha said as he watched the power reading for Cheri go down as Eskarga's went up.

It had shocked everyone, even Piccolo, when the Namek had absorbed Dubibub's energy blast the previous day and then fired it back at him. Even the powerful Namek didn't know how Eskarga could absorb energy. It wasn't exactly a standard option for Nameks. Yamcha turned his eyes away from the monitors as light flared up from them. When he looked back Cheri was just hunching over and beginning her scream.

As she threw her head back he heard gasps come from Vadora, Raditz, and Senator Vegeta. "Is she... doing what I think she is?" Vadora asked, the shock evident in her voice.

"I... think she is." the elder Vegeta said slowly.

"But..." Raditz began. "How is that... possible!?"

On the screen Cheri's aura had flared up even larger now. It looked like a spot light had been placed under her and was shining up into the sky. The ground shook and cracked as brown fur began to grow on her hands and face. Her swishing tail grew thicker and longer as her body swelled in size. Within seconds her gi tore as she out grew it, the green body suit expanding with her.

Her solid white eyes shifted to red as her height reached ten feet. Her face stretched, a large snout forming by the time she hit twenty feet. She was completely covered in fur by thirty feet. By the time she reached forty feet Eskarga's vision had cleared and he was looking up at her towering and still growing form in shock. Finally she came to a stop just short of fifty feet, her massive head looking down, her large eyes locking onto the Namek.

"No more games!" her voice boomed, several tones deeper than normal. "Sanjuu Kinryoku!" Once again silver flared around her and her already increased power climbed even higher. And then she threw a punch down at the ground, Eskarga still too shocked to move. The blow landed with a ground shaking crash and as she lifted her hand back up she revealed the Namek laying unconscious in a large crater.

Cheri stood there watching him, her tail swishing behind her, until the count finished. And then, with a loud roar, she threw head and arms back again. The silver aura vanished as the blue one returned. Her muscles pulsed and rippled as the red of her eyes faded to pink and then white. And then the hair began to recede and her body to shrink.

"That's unbelievable..." Vadora said, still in disbelief. "How can she... how can she turn into an Oozaru and back at will?" A few moments later Cheri walked back into the room smiling and carrying what was left of her gi, her belt once again tied around her waist covering her tail. "Cheri..." Vadora started as she approached.

The girl grinned more and scratched the back of her head. "Cool, huh?"

Yamcha looked over to Tatamo who was just about to head out to the battle pit. "Um, hey... uh, Tatamo, right?" he asked. The Sai-jin nodded. "Well, I'm just... gonna forfeit." he said, scratching the back of his head. Tatamo shrugged and then vanished. "And there he goes again, geez."

None of the other matches that day were as interesting as the first. Piccolo, as no nonsense as ever, knocked Akemi out before the girl could even transform. Being married didn't stop Tien from one hit K.O.ing Vadora either. Kavar, too, was down within seconds. Gainin managed a single punch to Gohan's stomach just as the hybrid transformed, and then the Cyborg was out cold.

Sakura made a good bid for her match, transforming and shooting to her full power as she charged at Senator Vegeta. But the elder Sai-jin was ready for her and knocked her out before she reached him. Raditz, too, had jumped to his full power upon charging the younger Vegeta. But that wasn't nearly enough against a Super Sai-jin of his level and he was down in seconds as well. In fact, the last seven matches took as long, together, as the entire first match.

Needless to say the spectators weren't particularly satisfied.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Otherworld, Grand Kai's World, Otherworld Stadium

"Well, I was worried about that." the Grand Kai said with a sigh. "You should come back tomorrow Mikomi. Videl and Gohan's match is then. With that you'll see just what I was talking about, they're two of the strongest."

Mikomi nodded. "Thank-you, Zenryou." she said nodding. "I think I will come to see that battle. These mortals have me intrigued."

"If you think they're good just wait until you see the three here in action." King Kai said, leaning forward in his seat and smiling. "I can't wait to see how much they've all improved."

The West Kai snorted. "Pikkon's still going to win. Just like he did seven years ago."

Now it was King Kai's turn to snort. "Pikkon only barely won last time!" he said. "And you've seen how strong Vegeta is now, there's no way he's passed up Goku and Bardock! Pikkon doesn't stand a chance!"

Mikomi smiled as the two lower Kai's traded taunts while the second round of the Otherworld Tournament was called to a start, the first match of the day being Appla Vs. Olibu. The two dead warriors stepped into the ring to cheers from the crowd. King Kai was looking forward to these matches, they'd be more entertaining than the ones in the Mortal Plane had been.

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AH Saga 6:

Read Altered History: Saga I Saga II Saga III Saga IV Saga V

ultra_blade

Oh wow, I haven't seen Appla fight in AGES, this is gonna be so good. Great chapter, I was surprised how Cheri was able to control Oozaru, that was amazing.

Oh yeah, about the raven's mate stuff, I was in a hurry so I was reading it rather quickly so i probably misread it. =P

Gosan

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raditz_saiyan_hero

Damn, you always make me more excited then I thought possible for the next chapter. You are probably the best fanfiction writer I have ever read, your story is so in depth with the characters and plot. Every chapter we learn something, which is rare to find. Normally, a story will have atleast a few chapters that suck, but I've never seen one of your chapters suck

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When I die, will they remember not, what I did, but what I haven't done..." - Rise Against




Thanks to Ulimate_Gohan for the sig

Blazing Hyuuga

Woah I've missed lots. But I caught up. I can't wait until Videl-Gohan fight it's going to be awesome.

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ultra_blade

I have a feeling Gohan's gonna lose... Videl's probably able to go Super Saiyan 2, ah I can't wait!!! Or maybe Gohan will get to the finals against Tatamo =) now that's a good battle. How about Goku and Bardock??? I can't wait to see that!!!!

Xyex

Chapter Twenty-three - The Strongest Human

Appla and Olibu had begun their battle almost five minutes ago now and they were still just warming up. As the two arced through the sky, clashing on occasion, flashes of red and white lit up the stadium. The Sai-jin had powered up a twenty-six fold Kaio Ken just to stay even with Olibu who was stronger than even an untransformed Goku or Bardock. As Appla dodged around an energy blast and then countered with her own that hit her opponent square in the chest Bardock left out a cheer.

Appla heard his voice over the din of the crowd and smirked. If there was one thing about a battle that Sai-jins liked more than a challenge it was impressing their Mate with their power and skill. She charged in at him, slipped around his large fist, and came around behind him smashing her knee into his back. Then, spinning about, she snapped out her leg and smashed it into the side of his head.

His arm shot out and he backhanded her in the stomach but she shrugged it off and countered with a punch aimed at his face. The Human managed to slip it and then slam his knee into her chest driving her back. Holding his right arm out to his side he cupped his hand and blue-white energy gathered in it quickly. "Scatter Bolt!" he cried, thrusting his arm forward. The energy ball exploded sending nearly two dozen energy beams out on random paths, all of them arcing back in towards Appla.

She pulled to a stop and saw the energy coming towards her. As the energy reached her she moved quickly, dodging the blasts she could, deflecting others, and sending those she was able to back at Olibu. Of the twenty blasts that had converged on the Sai-jin the large Human only had to dodge four of them in his charge toward her. Reaching her he slammed an uppercut into her stomach doubling her over and then landed a double handed blow to her back driving her toward the edge of the ring.

Appla saw the stone tiles racing up toward her and quickly flipped around so that she was looking up at her opponent. As her feet touched the ring she pushed off and launched back up at him. "Kaio Ken times 30!" she cried, her red aura flaring in intensity as she poured on more speed. Olibu barely managed to slip around her first punch but her second caught him across the jaw.

"Wow!" Goku cheered as the two warriors turned into a blur of punches and kicks, bright flashes and thunderous cracks marking the connected blows. "I hadn't known she'd improved this much!"

"Neither did I." Bardock said, rather in awe himself. "She's not really trained with me in five years."

"She's been training with Olibu a lot." Sora said. "Understandably, though, since they're a lot closer in power than you and her."

Bardock nodded. "Yeah, you do get more out of the training when you're closer in power with your sparing partner. Still, she's made some big gains in power... even more than Goku and I have."

Sora glanced over toward Bardock and raised an eyebrow. Before she could say anything Goku spoke up. "Yeah. She's made a lot more improvement than us. More than double our own!"

Bardock nodded again. "Even considering that she's weaker than us, which makes it easier to gain in power, that's still impressive. I wonder if... the reduced capacity trait simply doesn't come into effect when dead..."

"Probably not." Sora said, turning from the two Sai-jins and back to the battle. The two warriors were still swinging and dodging rapidly, sending out thunderous cracks every few seconds as blows made contact. "I've noticed a lot of the rules of physical bodies are different here."

Back in the sky above the ring Olibu dodged around a kick from Appla and then saw his opening. He moved quickly, snapping out a kick that slammed into her side. And then he slipped behind her and slammed his open palms into back knocking her down toward the ring again. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the stone tiles racing up to meet her. "Kaio Ken... times 50!" she cried, and in a burst of red she vanished.

There was a flash of red and a loud crack in the sky a second later and Olibu rocketed backward. All those watching the battle saw was a quick burst of red where Olibu had been previously and then another flash and crack came that knocked the powerful Human skyward. Three more blows came in quick succession, the final one slamming the Human face first into the center of the ring smashing out a large hole in it.

In the sky Appla pulled to a stop and gazed down at him. Her bright and thick red aura pulsing about her body, the rushing energy making her hair wave about every which way as though in a fierce breeze. The mushroom shaped announcer blinked a few times and then started the count. As he reached five Olibu groaned and stirred. By seven the large Human was on his hands and knees and then back in a standing position.

"Right then." he said, brushing the dust created by the pulverized ring off his clothes. "Time to get serious. Double Kaio Ken!" A red aura flared up around him, his power quickly surging to just above Appla's, and he shot up at her. Appla slipped to the side around his punch deflecting it away from her head as she did and then thrust her knee up into his stomach with a loud crack.

Before she could move to hit him again his elbow slammed into the side of her head. Then one of his fists smashed into her stomach, a hard right pounded her across the jaw, she took three knees to the face, and then he did a front flip and smashed the back of his heels into the top of her head sending her careening toward the stands.

The audience below her cried out in shock and began to scatter as they realized she was coming their way. Only a few feet short of impacting the still crowded stands she changed directions in a burst of red that knocked over everyone around her. As she shot in toward Olibu again she pulled back both of her arms and began to gather energy around her fists. Bright pink energy around her left hand and neon green around the right.

Olibu frowned as he saw the energies forming. He'd witnessed the attack a few times and knew what it could do. And knew how unpleasant its effects were. A moment later Appla was only feet away and quickly thrust her arms forward and slammed the energies together. "Sonic Blast!"

The Human closed his eyes tight and thrust his arms toward her and sent out a burst of Ki. The energy impacted the sound wave from the Sonic Blast and the two exploded with a loud crack. Even through his eyelids the bright flash from the attack still had him seeing spots so he left his eyes closed and focused on Appla's Ki. He just managed to dodge a kick aimed for his chin but then her leg slammed into the side of his head.

The Sai-jin thrust out her arm aiming the punch for his face but his own hand caught it as he opened his eyes. Grinning his other arm shot out and his fist slammed into her stomach. Then, holding tightly to her hand, he began spinning and spinning. After about fifty rotations he let go of her pitching her down toward the ring and then sending a blast of blue-white Ki after her.

A moment later there was a loud crash and the entire stadium shook as she slammed into the ring. And then the Ki blast hit and exploded in a deafening explosion that temporarily blinded the spectators. As the glare faded chunks of the ring rained down on them.

"Man, they keep this up and I wont have a ring for my match!" Goku cried brushing dust out of his hair.

He stopped as he felt the stadium begin to tremble and then heard a building cry coming from within the dust that obscured Appla... and whatever remained of the ring. Suddenly a burst of wind washed out, blasting away the falling dust and revealing the Sai-jin hunched over, fists clenched, and a look of intense concentration on her face as her bright blue aura danced around her wildly.

Her long and spiky hair began to lift up into the air from the breeze, and then the loose debris around her followed suit. "Hey, no way..." Goku said softly. "Is she...?"

Suddenly she threw her arms and head back as her scream intensified and a blinding flash of gold filled the stadium. As the glare faded Goku and Bardock's eyes widened. Appla's hair now had three large tufts jutting off of it, one on the top of her head and in the middle of it that shot up at about a seventy degree angle for about half a foot. And then one on either side of it that came up at about a thirty degree angle.

Other than that the only differences to her hair was that it was now a little more unruly looking, and golden. A golden aura pulsed and swirled around her and her teal eyes gazed up at Olibu, a satisfied smirk on her face. In a flash of gold she surged up at her opponent and cocked back her fist to land a final blow to end the match.

"Sorry Appla!" Olibu called as she charged him. "Super Sai-jin or not, I have no intention of losing here! Kaio Ken times 10!" His bright red aura flared large and then he vanished. Appla barely had time to register that his power had increased before he vanished, and no time to register that he'd vanished before his fist smashed into her face and drove her back down into the ring.

She hit with a massive crash that obliterated what little had remained of the ring causing it to collapse completely. Her golden aura sputtered and then flashed and died as her power dropped. The mushroom shaped announcer blinked a few times and then began the count as the crowd cheered.

"She never mentioned she'd transformed..." Bardock said, still in shock.

"Yeah, she hadn't said anything to me either." Goku said, pouting a little.

Bardock smirked. "Oh well. Guess she wanted it to be a surprise. Based on that power I sensed from her she's been able to transform for a while, she's got full control over the form just like us."

Goku nodded. "Yeah, I felt it too. A hundred fold increase! But man, just a ten fold Kaio Ken and Olibu was more than twice as strong as her!" Suddenly Goku started to grin.

"I know that look Goku, what are you thinking?" Bardock asked.