EPISODE TEN - PICCOLOS RETURN

Piccolo has returned. But he doesn't feel right. He's been going on and on about the Android and a future calamity. But even he doesn't know what he's talking about. His power level is enormous, enough to beat Android Ochocinco and even Cell. But he's opted to split himself into four beings and fight a relatively even match. He's even given the Android a special tool to use in case of emergency. What's his game? That's what the Android wants to know.

“Ryodo, we're not in Kansas anymore…”

Ryodo twitches.

Piccolo's four forms turn in and face their opponent. From the Northernmost corner, one of the forms steps forward. "Are you ready to do this, Android?"

The Android takes a moment to gather his response, and speaks to the form that's stepped forward. "There is still something that puzzles me about you. You are clearly not of this world...yet you seem to care about the fates of the people that inhabit this planet. My question to you... Have you always felt this connection with the beings of this planet?”

All four speak at the same time. "Heh. Kid, you're talking to the former guardian of this planet."

The Northern form takes a fighters stance. "I'm going to remind you our last spar has left you with half your strength and health. You really should eat the fruit I gave you before we begin."

“Hmm. Have it your way.” Android Ochocinco eats one of the three pieces of fruit given to him by Piccolo. His health and vigour rejuvenate almost immediately.

“Let's begin.”

Piccolo jumps up into the air. Flying high he throws himself down at his opponent. When he gets near to Ochocinco he starts to throw punches and kicks.

Now knowing that he’s faced with a being equal to him in power, he decides to tango with him, blow for blow, and Ochocinco locks fists with the form. Blow for blow both fighters don't even make an attempt to dodge each other. Instead, they match each fist to the face with a counter fist.

After the fourth hit, Piccolo drops out of the air and Ochocinco gives chase. Piccolo takes five more attacks before sliding to a stop a few feet away. Rubbing his bruised cheek he smiles at Ochocinco.

“In Soviet Russia... YOUR MOTHER'S A TOASTER OVEN!” Mason just can’t seem to help but taunt the Android relentlessly. Mason Titanstalker looks at Ryodo. "His grandfather was a steamroller."

Ryodo twitches.

Ochocinco decides to charge right at his opponent, head on, steel on flesh. Piccolo braces himself for impact. Ochocinco's metal body collides with Piccolo as he blocks the attack with his arms. He slides several feet along the cracked ring before stopping inches from the edge. Piccolo lets out a scream as he charges forward and leaping at his opponent he begins a fist assault yet again. While logic may dictate approaching this attack from another direction, Ochocinco decides to meet the Namek head on again. The fight so far is a relentless beating for both fighters.

The two forces meet, this time Piccolo gets the early upper hand and deals out five punches before his opponent even has time to react. But that doesn't stop Ochocinco from trying. His first blow hits hard to the skull, dazing Piccolo, leaving him open for several more assaults.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten solid punches to the Namek fighter. Piccolo barely has time to recover, but manages to kick Ochocinco twice to knock him back and away. Clearly Piccolo is finding out Androids hit hard all over again.

“And your sister was a capsule pod dated by Piccolo!”

Piccolo hovers a few feet away from Ochocinco, then drops to the arena floor, and falls forward. His body disappears like dust as it hits the mat. Ochocinco catches movement in the Easternmost corner of the arena

“Hmm...”

Piccolos second form steps forward. "Impressive, Android. Your physical strength is great."

“Hmm. They say that you truly begin to know people through fighting them. Something tells me you’re hiding something.”

"I wish I could say that I was, but I am not. I have not yet figured out why I would risk the fate of the world on a bunch of weakling fighters like you. I only know how I feel, and that I need to trust it."

"Are you ready for me yet? Did you need to eat another fruit yet?"

“Take him on without the fruit! Ya pansy!”

“I think I’ll hold off for the time being. And as far as what you are keeping from me. I suppose I’ll have to continue this battle in order to learn what it is.”

"Prepare then for your next lesson." Piccolo's Easternmost form steps forward.

Hoping to catch the new form off guard, Ochocinco charges the form standing in the eastern corner of the ring floor. Piccolo steps forward to absorb the attack again, this time moving less than an inch backwards as the two collide.

"You're gonna have to do better than that, Android...... AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

With that, a yellow light absorbs the Namek in a blinding aura. Pieces of the ring lift into the air as ki energy flows into the Namek's body. Piccolo is fully powered up.

Mason looks at Ryodo once again. "So, who do you think will win, Green Giant or the can opener?"

Ryodo twitches.

"I agree."

Ochocinco charges the Namek once again, looking to land a fierce roundhouse kick.

"HA!" Piccolo counters with a kick of his own and knocks the Android back as they collide. Clearly this Piccolo has been renewed with some strength.

"ANDROID, if you make mistakes like that in the ring, they will cost you your life!"

Ochocinco ignores the remark made by Piccolo.

"LISTEN TO ME!"

Piccolo lifts his hand into the air. A ball of energy begins to gather. "Destructo........"

Ochocinco decides to take this chance to attack while Piccolo is charging his next attack. He raises his arms outward. The orbs begin to glow bright white from the charge. Once fully charged, the orbs fire a pair of bright light right at Piccolo.

The beams fly at Piccolo as he stands there, unable to defend against them. The beam strikes him on his side and he is vaporized on the spot as he lets out a vicious scream. The energy ball above his head dissipates slowly and disappears.

At this, the South Piccolo steps forward. "That's it. Don't hold back. Or it will cost you your life. That's the lesson Gohan had to learn from me."

“Who is this ‘Gohan’ you speak of?”

"A son of my friend, Goku. Geesh, I figured the humans would have taught you a thing or two since you've been awake. But perhaps they have forgotten. They always forget."

Mason look at Ryodo again. "Who'd he say? Tofu?"

“I rarely interact with others...”

"Then you have no friends, no one to get your back when you're in a bind?"

“Friends...”

“I do keep someone to tend to my mechanical needs... though I wouldn’t call him a ‘friend‘... More of a bother if anything.”

"That androsexual housemaid you have follow you around? Please. You treat him like dirt. I promise you won't go far in this cruel universe without good friends to be by your side. And not other psychopathic Androids." Piccolo clenches his fist angrily.

“Others?”

"Are you ready for your fight against me?”

Ochocinco decides now is a good a time to consume of the fruit he has left. Ochocinco devours a piece of the fruit and his strength is restored. He cups the remaining piece in his hand and places it away carefully.

Feeling rejuvenated from the mystical fruit, Ochocinco’s eyes flash twice, and he rushes at Piccolo, preparing to deliver a furious barrage of strikes. Piccolo runs forward meeting the assault dead on with his own combination of punches and kicks.

Both fighters lock up and immediately the Android grabs Piccolo by the antennae and flips him over his back and to the ground. He follows it up with a punch downwards and to the jaw. Piccolo swings around and jams his feet into the Android’s neck and shoves with all his might. Then he leaps up chasing him, throwing two punches, two kicks, and following him down to the ground with another two punches. The Android hits the ground hard, knocking a few bricks loose. It takes him a moment to regain his composure.

"I should warn you, Android, I never make the same mistakes twice. That can cost a person their life."

Piccolo begins the shout out again as yellow light flashes forth and an aura surrounds him. Even the Android in his state of shock is lifted into the air as the Namek powers up his Ki.

The Android decides to test the Namek again, and charges again for another assault. Piccolo rushes in again and they meet.

"You must like pain, Android."

“No pain receptors...”

The two titans meet again exchanging blows in the middle of the ring. The Android lifts Piccolo into the air and slams him into the ground. Piccolo twists the arm of the Android behind his back and deals to what a normal human would be three kidney shots. But the Android eventually overpowers Piccolo, lifts him into the air, and throws him to the ground on the other side of the arena.

Piccolo picks himself up and dusts himself off. "You're very strong. But can you stand up to my Masenko attack?"

"MASENKO ATTACK!!!!”

Ochocinco adjusts his footing as necessary, as he prepares to block the oncoming attack. The beam flows through Piccolo’s arms as he braces to blast the yellow fireball at the Android. Ochocinco digs in to take the attack on his shoulders. The blast hits hard. The Android, having had been any other person without his metallic weight, would have been blasted from the ring. Instead, his feet dig further into the arena as he is dragged through it 5 feet and near the edge beside another Piccolo waiting to fight him, who just smiles.

The blast eventually fizzles out, but what is left of Ochocinco's shoulder is horrible to look at. The metal has been chewed through several inches. Blood and oil both spurt out in small but noticeable increments. One shoulder is significantly more armoured and meatier than the other. But the Android lives.

While his physical state may show otherwise, Ochocinco feels nothing from the visible wounds caused by Piccolo. With the next move, he raises his right arm, and an electrical charge appears from the orb in his palm. A sudden burst of electricity is shot in the direction of Piccolo. Piccolo is hit by the sudden jolt of electricity and drops to the ground.

Shortly after, Piccolo gets back up. "Is that the best you can do?"

Ochocinco just stares at Piccolo with his cold eyes. Almost as if he were looking through him. “I think I’m beginning to understand.”

Piccolo jumps into the air and begins throwing punches at the Android. Ochocinco once again braces himself, preparing to block the oncoming attack. Piccolo begins throwing punches, aiming specifically for the hurt shoulder of the Android. One punch lands dead on as the Android winces due to the pressure. He blocks again, and his shoulder is again hit. Piccolo raises his hands for another punch, but a jolt of electricity envelops him and he falls to the ground. "ARGH."

He gets back up, stunned. Attempting to take advantage of his stunned opponent, Ochocinco begins to sprint towards the direction of Piccolo, all the while charging a single ki blast in his right hand. “Kikou Ha.”

With Piccolo distracted by the oncoming blast, Ochocinco quickly dashes behind Piccolo, and quickly unleashes his two ki blasts at break neck speed. “Double Ki Beams Attack!”

Piccolo is taken by surprise. As he turns his head from the blinding initial blast that aggravates his shock, he is overwhelmed by the following shot that does nothing short of brilliantly vaporizing his body.

The announcer pipes in. "I know I haven’t said much all fight, but is this legal? Can he kill his opponents like that?"

Piccolo in the West steps forward. "He can, because I'm not dead yet."

Mason Titanstalker now mocks Piccolo. “You soon will be!”

"So, you have killed three of me. That's impressive. I have not held back. Cell has a similar move, if you make it to him he may use his clones against you. Be forewarned."

The Android doesn’t respond back, though he did understand what was just told to him. He takes the opportunity to eat the last piece of mystical fruit.

"Are you ready?"

Ochocinco nods in approval.

Piccolo takes his fighting stance.

Piccolo surrounds himself with a blinding yellow aura. His body lifts from the arena floor that has literally been left in shambles, making it very difficult to see a noticeable edge for ring out purposes. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Much better."

Seeing how effective the attack worked previously, Ochocinco charges up another electricity blast from his right hand. The blast is fired and Piccolo tries to block the attack. But the electrical energy surrounds him all the same. He cringes in pain as he drops to the ground on his knee.

Piccolo stands. "Big mistake." He raises his hand to the air and then places it on his forehead. He quickly straightens his arm forward and points in Android Ochocinco’s direction. "Special Beam Cannon Attack!" Piccolo's signature move is prepared.

Ochocinco braces himself, turning his left side towards Piccolo, trying to make some use out of the broken limb. The blast is fired. A beam of swirling energy collides with the metal. Ochocinco winces in pain as his arm is ripped off and flies into the audience behind him as the beam strikes him. But the move may just have saved his life. The beam tears deep into his insides but not with the same ferocity as the initial blast.

Piccolo, on the other hand, though satisfied with the results, is overcome by an electrical charge and drops to his knees. "Ahhhh, that stupid attack."

While he may be minus one limb, he’s still got three limbs capable of causing damage. Ochocinco sees Piccolo down on the ground and sprints towards him, and throws shot after shot with the limbs he has left.

Piccolo is hit hard by three blows from the Android before the shock subsides and he is able to counter the attack. But the Android quickly overcomes him and drops him to his knees again. Seven shots hit. Piccolo is only able to have landed three. Blood pours out of Piccolo’s nose. Ochocinco shrinks back from the collision of fists.

Piccolo stands up. "I didn't know if you would be strong enough to beat me. I'm starting to wonder. But it's not over yet."

He raises his hand to his forehead again... "Special Beam Cannon Attack!" His hand goes forward and energy wells up in front of him.

The Android anticipates the end may be drawing near. With is remaining arm, he begins to charge his counter attack, with his palm beginning to glow bright red. “Gallet Gun...INITIATE!” The Androids fires the blast at the opposing blast.

As the blasts collide, the Android is suddenly taken off his feet by the blast and thrown into the air where he does a number of spins and lands hard on the other side of the arena, his own blast quickly overpowered.

The Android lies on the ground, electricity pouring fourth. Piccolo drops to his knees as a ripple of electrical energy flows through his own body. "Ugh...stupid attack..." He stands and he walks over to the Android and flips him over. The Android’s flesh is torn open and the skeletal structure beneath is severely damaged. The Android makes no movements.

Mason whispers to Ryodo, "So it would seem the Green Giant isn't so jolly and doesn't like can openers..."

"I still hate the guy."

"I'm sorry it had to end like this. For a machine you should have known your blast couldn't overcome mine. You should stick to blocking next time."

Piccolo slowly descends from above, absorbing his clone back into his body. Piccolo hovers over the Android and sets down. Placing his hands on the Android’s chest he begins to revive him slowly. "The life spark in you should return, but you are going to need a lot of attention."

The announcer runs to the monks in the corner to confirm the win and that no kill actually took place. And then runs back. "Mystery Man Z wins folks. What an incredible match."

Ochocinco begins to move his head, as life has been returned to his lifeless body.

The announcer whispers to Piccolo, "You're lucky he didn't die..."

Piccolo speaks to the Android: "I hope you learned a lesson from this. Because you may still yet need it."

Mason looks on at what happens, knowing now that if he wins he'll be facing this being that just defeated the Android menace.

Picollo, however, turns to Cell: "You're next."

"You have one more fight first. Don't get cocky. You fight some very powerful fighters next."

“Hah!"

“Piccolo...”

Piccolo returns his attention to the Android. "What?"

“You lied to me before...”

"How so?"

“I saw it... in your eyes...That cold expression...I believe you were once like myself... Little regard for the lives of the people... on this planet...”

“Am I... correct?”

"....things change. People change. Thanks to an old friend, I changed."

“Are you...h h hoping... I can ch ch change?” The Android’s speech is beginning to blur due to his current condition.

"You answered some questions before. But I felt peace that the answers you gave were the answers that were needed. But yes, it's important you don't turn out like them, like the other Androids - cold, calculating killing machines bent on someone’s sick idea of vengeance and with no regard for what is right."

The monks in the background begin moving and replacing arena bricks. Piccolo picks up his robe and his bag of fruit from the afterlife.

"What I taught you today is more important than this tournament. I know it in my heart. Good luck, Ochocinco. You may need it yet."

Ochocinco turns his attention away from Piccolo, and stares straight up at the sky above him. There is a lot for him to reflect upon, such as the true reason for his existence in this world.

With that, Piccolo walks off the fighting arena and backstage. Round three has begun, and things are already starting to get intense. Piccolo is back, but for how long? Find out on the continuing saga of DRAGON BALL XTREME!