Let's Go A Round (King of the North Split)

Gira received Cabasa's response and nodded to herself with a sort of somber realization. Indeed, Zuci could not be expected to toy with the Mazoku warrior forever. Sooner or later, she'd grow tired of this little game and put an end to it. In truth, the Saiyan was surprised that she had remained entertained for this long. They had exactly as long as it took for her to grow bored. Then they'd have to do something. Unfortunately, it appeared as though their time was running out. Zuci was making her move. From here, thanks to her innate ability to sense energy, she could feel the Saiyan building up some kind of large attack. If what she was feeling was accurate, this attack was far larger than anything the giant ape had thrown out so far. The young Saiyan from Earth felt her senses electrified by the feeling of the energy washing over her, causing the hero to shiver with anticipation. The feeling a ki as strong as this gave her was almost addicting. At this moment, however, she did not have the luxury of heeding the bloodlust and charging mindlessly into battle. She had a plan to execute. With a deep breath and a look of determination, the young hero decided. Her time was now. Running to the mouth of the cave, Gira slowly stepped out before running from tree to tree as fast as possible.

Bit by bit, she made her way closer to the battlefield. It was slow going, but she made steady progress. After closing about half of the distance between her hiding spot and the battle, the young Saiyan warrior stopped in her tracks before she got close enough to be seen. She remained hidden behind a large plateau, observing the battle with fleeting glances combined with her ki sensing ability. With all the ferocity Gira had come to expect from her ally, Cabasa threw a savage attack in Zuci’s direction, causing Gira to nearly shout out with joy. However, she thought better of it. Right now, she had the element of surprise, and that gave her a serious advantage. Gira knew she would be pretty dumb to give that up. It wasn’t perfect. Not in the way Gira would have wanted it, anyway. The Oozaru almost certainly expected that the young Saiyan Earthling would pop back up again soon. But, if she picked her moment carefully, she would be able to maximize the effectiveness of her ambush… hopefully. All that remained was waiting for that moment. But a nagging thought kept creeping into the back of her mind. If Gira unleashed her energy violently like she planned to, she wouldn’t be able to focus it and Cabasa would almost certainly suffer heavy damage from the attack.

If she did not act now and act decisively however, she could very well lose this fight! There was no wiggle room here. She was against an opponent who was just as strong as she was. However, while Gira was raised on Earth in a human family, Zuci was a dyed in the wool Saiyan. She would take every opportunity to win. Any mistake Gira made could be her last. She had to make a tactically sound decision. It was the best choice. The only choice. The girl sighed, sweat beading on her brow as she mulled over the decision. Was she a hero or a warrior? Would she save the weak or prove her strength? Whatever her decision, the young Saiyan warrior had mere moments to make it. She was out of time.

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TWC: 7020

Combat Statistics

Power Level: 210,000 (Awakened Fury) Antisense ON
HP: 176 / 270 | KP: 6 / 6 (+2) | MP: 6 / 6

Resources: Saiyan Pride | Burning Ki | Noble Blood

Gira's tank is full at last! What will she do with it?

After waiting for what felt like ages, Gira sensed that Zuci's attack was ready to be fired, and the Saiyan wasted no time unleashing her energy in an attempt to glass the entire area, her and Cabasa included. Without the cover of the cave and this close to the conflict, there was no way she could avoid an attack of this magnitude! Neither could Cabasa for that matter. If she unleashed her full power against something like this as well, her Namekian ally may die at her hand. That's when she remembered what Cabasa had just told her. That she was the one who was going to win today, and the final message she had for Gandigan if she didn't make it out of this alive. Clenching her fists, the young Saiyan warrior growled under her breath. "No. You're not gonna die today, Cabasa. I promise." Gira had a new plan. The tail was a Saiyan's key to the Great Ape transformation. Her mother had always told her that she had Gira's own tail removed at birth to avoid her becoming a monster like this. That being the case, if she didn't have her tail, would she return to normal? It was a gamble, admittedly, but it was all the Saiyan had to go on right now, and it was their best shot. With a mighty roar, Gira's ki flared up around her. "If this is how it's gonna be, THEN FINE!!!" Placing her hands out in front of her, the tips of her fingers together, she cried out her technique's name in defiance.

"Now! BANZAI BUBBLE!!!" A translucent bubble of ki surrounded the young warrior just in time to protect her from the torrent of crimson ki headed in her direction with the intent to destroy. She struggled against the weight of the energy that threatened to destroy her barrier and her very life. The Banzai Bubble deformed as it fought back against the energy that pushed against it, but then, it began to crack. The Saiyan teen only had time to let out a surprised squeak before her barrier shattered. And as she screamed, the ki overtook her. In the aftermath, it was clear that the land itself was devastated by Zuci's attack, the forest around them was burning, whole lakes were either smoldering craters or their water was boiling from the lingering heat of the Oozaru's energy. Gira's energy had come back onto the radar briefly as she defended against the attack, but now every trace of it was gone. All that remained of the area where she was hidden amounted to nothing more than sand and ash. The young Saiyan from Earth had died on a distant planet at the hands of one of her own race... or so it appeared. Streaking downwards from the heavens, her trajectory angled right towards the Oozaru's back, was Gira. She was battered, bruised, and burned with blood coming from her eyes, nose, ears, and mouth, but somehow, she had survived that onslaught of energy. Not only did she survive, she did so with enough power left to mount a counter!

Holding her fist to her chest, Gira gathered her energy. 'Wow... still can't believe I met someone like you in a place like this.' She pondered her meeting with Zuci and what it could possibly mean for the future. She didn't know if this chance meeting would only result in this battle for the ages, or if she and Zuci were walking a similar path that would take them similar places. Either way, she hoped they would meet again. As she rocketed towards her target, the Saiyan smiled and reared back her fist. She couldn't help but throw out one final line, however. "I TOLD YA YOU'D LOSE!" Throwing her fist directly at the Oozaru's back, Gira would struggle against her opponent's weight and size before roaring with incredible effort as her aura flared around her, almost to the size of the Oozaru she was facing. Attempting to carry her punch through and lift her opponent into the air, she would try and use the momentum she garnered to throw Zuci into the air with this blow. With that, she dropped her Antisense for good and aimed at the giant target. "JUSTICE CANNON!!!" She unleashed a giant, verdant green sphere of ki in the Oozaru's direction, aiming specifically for the base of her tail in an attempt to blow it off. Timing her pose just right, she posed up, spread her legs, and threw her arms out in the deepest dab she could muster.

If her attack went through and everything was timed right, the ki would explode just as she hit her pose. Little did she know, however, that attack wouldn't quite be enough to put Zuci down. Still, once she finished her pose, Gira would turn towards where she last saw her opponent, hands on her hips. She waited for any sign of her, using her ki sensing to scan for Zuci's energy.

---

TWC: 7831

Combat Statistics

Power Level: 252,000 (MP Boosted Awakened Fury) Antisense OFF
HP: 97 / 270 | KP: 0 / 6 (-3) (+1) (-4) | MP: 0 / 6 (-4) (-2)

Resources: Saiyan Pride | Burning Ki | Noble Blood

Gira spends 4 MP to boost Awakened Fury by +x1! (210,000 PL > 252,000 PL)

Gira attempts to block Zuci's Sparking with her Banzai Bubble! 
252,000 PL vs 50,400 PL (Defense Failed! BB's Shield variant, however, reduces bleed through by an additional 30%!) - 198,000 PL (79 damage!)


Gira uses Burning Ki, spending 2 MP to recover 1 KP!
Gira then attempts to counterattack with Justice Cannon, boosted by 10% with Saiyan Pride! (176,400 PL)

...Was that it? Zuci had thrown her all into that attack, and even when Gira had brought up that barrier of hers she knew she would win that battle with ease. In mere moments her protective bubble had cracked and shattered, leaving the younger Saiyan with no other choice but to take the blast in full.

Washed away by such a superior attack, Zuci surveyed with her eyes before she called the match. The lands were scorched, the lakes either dried or boiling over from the sheer heat of her attack. When she had given a good look over of the entire surrounding area and felt no sign of her Ki, Zuci let out a deep breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.

She didn't turn to Cabasa right away to continue their fight or give a witty remark; rather, Zuci stared at the destruction on the ground in silence. That Earth-Saiyan had come at her with everything she had, and in Zuci's mind that at least meant she deserved a customary moment of silence.

Though it also had her wondering.

Was that really what Gira had been planning to do this entire time?

She received her answer almost immediately.

Zuci suddenly felt the punch of a lifetime being thrust into her back; it was strong and caught her off-guard to the point she couldn't turn around and defend from it, being forced higher into the air because of the surprise hit. Cabasa was still where she was so this was definitely absolutely Gira.

She took the attack as cover to hide herself...?

As Gira's fist left her and Zuci fought the wind pressure to situate herself again. She still hadn't been able to turn her head to look, but she could feel the swell of Ki blasting behind her. Unable to defend herself she prepared to take a strong hit to the back or her head.

Then a searing pain shot through her body.

A deep, guttural roar shook the Earth that slowly transitioned into a higher, more human sounding pitch. Zuci felt herself de-transforming and knew there was only ever one reason that would happen against her will. As she shrank back down to normal size, her jaw open in a silent agonizing scream she slowly turned her head back and looked down at herself. 

It was gone. After those months spent healing it, it was just straight up gone.

Her chest heaved with clear effort, and as she slowly turned around to Gira she grinded her teeth so hard Cabasa could probably hear it where she was. Veins visibly throbbed and pulsed in her head, more from anger than her body overworking itself to deal with the pain.

"You... You...!"

To say she was pissed off was an understatement.

"What, you think killing is beneath you but you'll humiliate someone to a worse degree?! You damned Earth-Saiyan...!"

She was grinning beyond all belief too. How could she be upset at the tactic? Few Saiyans would even think of such a thing, and she had to respect it.

Even if she was gonna make this kid regret it, now or some point in the future. She slowly descended down to Gira's level, only now realizing that she was bleeding much like her fellow tailess Saiyan. Only her power level was much lower now, even less than half of Cabasa's current strength.

Right, Cabasa.

The Namekian's words garnered Zuci's attention, and for a moment it seemed like the Saiyan was intently listening to her words. Only to laugh like a madwoman when she finished, ignoring the burning sensation she felt with each chortle.

"Ha! You think life and death matters to us! I'll have you know, death means nothing to the legend! Kill me now and I promise you I'll just be back later! A warmonger? I don't accept being called that, but Gira," She turned to Gira, blood thinly coating her teeth. "It doesn't matter if it's today, tomorrow, a month from now or a decade. I'll get back you back for this disgrace tenfold! You could kill me right now and it would at least help you sleep better for a time. But I AM coming to Earth someday no matter what. So... What next?"

By now the pain had started to take priority on her mind, the Saiyan doubling over while breathing heavily through her nose. No amount of warrior respect or Saiyan kinship was going to save this woman from her wrath later down the line, that was for damn sure. But for now, if Gira really wasn't going to kill her there was little to be done about it. As the other Saiyan expressed a desire to fight Zuci again, she just snarled and spoke through grit teeth.

"You're definitely going to regret that... But sure, whatever. I don’t know if you becoming a Super Saiyan sounds more like nonsense or blasphemy, but next time you see me you WILL be in awe. Damn it..." She lost and had no other choice but to accept that. Instead she could just make plans for later...

And there was Cabasa with the verbal jabs again. The insult to her made her frown, and despite the pain she stood up a bit straighter. "If it were stoll with me, I'd have choked you to death with it. I didn't end up hurting you because you were Gira's little assistant, were you not? Poor little Cabasa,  so out of her league she has to play the role of helper! Haha- Ack..."

Zuci clutched her stomach and fell to a knee, her injuries clearly hurting more than she had let on. Before she could do anything though, a new individual had arrived. That strong guy...

She watched cautiously as he waved over her and Gira. Zuci realized he had the nerve to heal her, but quietly accepted it. Again, she had lost, so there wasn't really any way she could refuse without looking silly. She groaned in small relief as some of the pain subsided and, to her pleasure, she felt a furry appendage grow back. When she turned and saw her swooshing tail going back-and-forth, she smiled for a split-second. She turned back to Nero with a scowl.

"Thank you, I suppose, and damn you for the suggestion. I'm more mentally sound than most Saiyans, hmph!" Zuci says with a fold of her arms. She turns to Gira with an annoyed look in her eye. "Next time I really will beat you. One-on-one,  and with blonde spiky hair. Now go do whatever it is you Earth-Saiyans do and stay out of my sight before I transform again." She fake-threatened and waved off Gira before turning to leave. Before she flew off though, she turned to Cabasa and gave her a glare that could only belong to a killer. She stared for a while before saying her final piece.

"Your wings are cute!" She said in a cheery, sing-song and annoying voice as she flew off towards where she left her spaceship. As if she was going to stay on Namek after all that. Oh, right

"I'm not a spy by the way, as suggested earlier! Just a girl looking for fun and ways to get stronger! And on this planet, I already found both! See you both in hell!"

Gira simply shrugged when Cabasa mentioned that Zuci was perfectly willing to squash them both like bugs earlier. "I see what you mean, but did you notice how she was fighting? Now that i've seen what she can do, i'm absolutely sure she could have killed you at any moment. Even when she was finished playing around, she aimed to destroy me with the brunt of her attack. At every turn, she made sure to direct the most viscous attacks in the direction of someone who had a chance of defending themselves. So, I don't really think she's a bad person. Know what I mean? I don't think we'll have to worry about her causing too much trouble." Gira grinned and raised her hand to give Cabasa a thumbs up, in spite of how much pain shot through her body any time she moved at all. Now that the adrenaline of combat had faded completely, she was truly beginning to feel the pain of every attack she took during that bout. Still, she felt like she had to project strength. Despite Cabasa's assurances, Gira couldn't help but feel like she could still turn on her if both her and Zuci were weak. Still, she maintained her friendly demeanor. "Besides, if she does, we'll just beat her again, right?" As Nero arrived, Gira gave him a weary smile and a friendly wave. "Hey, Nero! Good to see ya, dude. It looks like everything's gonna be oka--"

As the young warrior began to assure Nero that everything turned out fine, she then took another look around the devastated area, with trees up in flames, lakes boiling, the ground marked with craters, and the grass covered in nearly a foot of ash. "Uh... mostly okay. Everything's gonna be mostly okay." She chuckled nervously. However, it seemed that Nero wasn't too concerned about that right now, telling Gira that she did well. Giving the Guru a big smile, she nodded, but blushed slightly with embarrassment. It was one thing when The Great Saiyagirl was praised for her efforts, but this was the first time someone had looked at that work she had done and praised her personally. "Well, I, uh... I did my best." She laughed and began to twiddle her thumbs and kick the ash around her feet nervously. The Saiyan then listened as Nero then berated Zuci and Cabasa (but mostly Cabasa). He did seem to show some amount of respect to Zuci, acknowledging that she put up a good fight, but implied that she could use some therapy. Gira chuckled at that line. To most people, Saiyans do probably look like they could do with a bit of therapy. Their pride in themselves and their abilities... their ceaseless need for combat so strong it seemed pathological. However, what would Saiyans be without those traits?

It made a fight a whole lot more interesting. While Cabasa had not contributed as much to the fight in terms of raw damage, she was still valuable to her own plan. The fight was extremely close, and Gira was sure that Cabasa played a role in her walking away with a win. She made sure she spoke up for her Namekian ally, since that was the case. "Cabasa distracted her while I prepared myself for a super powerful attack, so she did help quite a bit! Yeah, Zuci was mainly playing around with her, but Cabasa still kept her busy so I could gather my energy. If there's one thing i've learned on this planet, it's that strength isn't everything."  Looking towards Zuci as the Saiyan addressed her, Gira gave her a wide grin. "Yeah, I agree. Next time, let's fight one on one. With no distractions." And as Super Saiyans. The excitement of having a new goal almost made her want to jump for joy, but given the state of her body right now, Gira decided it would be better to not test it. She would need to recover. Then, she would continue her training. She wondered if she could get her ship outfitted with a training room, so that way she could even train on the ride home! That was when, with a wave of his staff, Nero healed her and Zuci. Gira felt the healing energies restoring her stamina and healing some of her more serious wounds.

She let out a relieved sigh. Much better. "Thanks Nero! I can actually feel my legs now!" Throwing a kick out into the air, she winced slightly. Still not back to 100% it seemed. At Zuci's less than friendly farewell, Gira watched her fly off into the distance, giving her a friendly wave as she did so. "Bye, Zuci! See ya next time!" Now it was just her, Cabasa, and Nero. The teal Namekian spoke of a promise she made to her sensei, that she would only drink the blood of the wildlife. Maybe she wasn't all that bad. She did fight alongside Gira, after all, despite not liking her. Maybe one day the teal Namekian would find what she needed to attain inner peace, like she did. "Nero knows lots of stuff, Cabasa. You should listen to him. He might actually say something that can help you." Gira was the type of warrior to seek guidance from those she viewed as wiser, stronger, and more experienced than her. They had made their way through a perilous road to power, making mistakes and learning things on the way. If Gira could take advantage of their wisdom to prevent her from making those same mistakes, and to expedite the learning of those lessons, she viewed that as preferable to the alternative. This trip to Namek solidified that world view in her mind. Having met people like Nero and Gandigan, two powerful, wise, and skilled warriors, she had learned much from them.

Without their guidance, she doubted that she would be as strong as she was now. She definitely wouldn't have learned nearly as much. Even Zuci and Cabasa, who acted in a more adversarial role to her on this trip. She learned a lot from them as well. Mostly about herself and her limits. Giving one final smile and a thumbs up to the Namekian, she said her goodbyes. "I'm looking forward to seeing you again. Train some more and maybe we can have a battle one day." Turning her attention next to Nero, she bowed respectfully. "Thank you for all of your help, Nero. I'm gonna be leaving Namek soon, but i'll come back one day. When I do, i'm gonna show you just how strong i've become." Giving him a wave, Gira floated into the air. "Until then, i'll see ya!" The young Saiyan took off, heading away from the battlefield. She had much to do between now and when she left. Goodbyes to be had, errands to run, training to do. A warrior's work was never done. Still, she couldn't help but smile. She had expected to come here and watch her sensei be crowned King of the Mazoku, but instead she found a brand new goal. With her anger under control and made into a tool she could use, now she had the goal of going beyond her current power, to the realm of a Super Saiyan.

Perhaps the most exciting development to come out of this for her, she had some competition on that path. Some stiff competition at that. If she wanted to reach this legendary transformation before Zuci could, she would have to train her ass off! She knew that her new Saiyan friend would do the same, so she couldn't afford to slack off. Now more than ever. Now that all was said and done on this front, she would head home for the time being, but Gira already had her eyes set on the inky blackness of unknown space beyond. Somewhere out there in the endless galaxy, she knew she would find it; the strength she needed. Strength not only to protect those she cares about, but the strength to overcome all of her limits. She had a taste of it out here on Namek, but that was just the beginning.

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Final Word Count: 10,047

Gira graciously accepts the healing and says her goodbyes before attempting an EXIT! Thanks for the good times, everyone!