Legend

For my friends who want to be warned when the NC-17 chapters
occur, this one is NOT - it’s all battle! POW! THWACK!!

Disclaimer: see Prologue

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Legend: Worthy

He’s waiting for me to make the first move, so I don’t disappoint
him.

We meet in the center for a hand-to-hand warmup, trading blows and kicks.
He has obviously trained under the best masters. But so have I —
my mother, once master instructor to the king himself.

Kakarotto is smiling through the whole warmup, waiting for me to get serious.
I fake a punch to his face, fake a kick to his head and manage to kick
him in the groin. He backflips away with a grimace and then squares off,
finally grinning ear-to-ear. He’s impressed, but I don’t have
time to celebrate.

He transmits so quickly that I barely have time to twist away from his
flying kick to my head, and I catch it on my shoulder, the blow hard enough
to wrench the muscle. I grit my teeth — can’t show pain —
and fly backwards, transmitting behind him, back-to-back, and throw a
tight reverse hook to his middle.

“Excellent!” he cries, but grabs my foot, twisting it, and I
spin out of control toward the wall. I don’t know how I manage to
change my position, but I two-foot it into the wall, push off and rocket
toward him. We meet in the air and it feels like slow motion — THOOOOOM!
— each of us taking it on the chin. I recover quickly and kick up
toward his already bruised chin. A scoop to my kick spins me away, but
I’m heating up! I spin back letting an energy ball fly. He sees that
one coming a mile away and catches it, flinging it back. As I backfist
it away, I’m also advancing on him and we meet crashing in the center.

An explosion behind me is accompanied with cursing and shouting as the
energy shard I flung away apparently disintegrates stone from the box
where the royal family is watching. Kakarotto is watching for me to be
distracted, but I’m concentrating fully on him. We grapple, our faces
inches away.

“Excellent,” he whispers again as his black eyes reach into
my soul.

I snarl at him. “I will NOT be distracted!” I say and he smirks,
finally using his weight to his advantage and throwing me to the floor.
But my small size gives me the slippery advantage, and I roll away as
he prepares to pin me.

I fly back and raise my guard, panting. He slowly squares off, smiling
at me from under his heavy eyebrows.

I grin, baring my fangs and shaking a few strands of my short hair back
where they are clinging damply to my eyebrows.

The Saiya-jin circles me. “Do you think you’re worthy?”

“More worthy than you can ever imagine,” I growl, watching every
muscle in his body as he moves slowly. He changes his guard, one fist
down to his side, the other covering his face. The black glittering eyes
gazing at me over his forearm never seem to leave my face. His cheek muscles
move and I know he’s smiling again. I crouch, waiting for the attack.

But he’s still taking his time. He changes his guard again, crouching
low to match my stance.

“Why do you say that?” he asks quietly.

“You’ll have to win to find out,” I say, almost purring.

He laughs aloud. “All right. If I win, you tell me. If you win...”

“The secret remains mine.”

“Ah. A secret. Then I MUST win!” and he attacks.

The warmup is over.


*********


(Kakarotto)

She’s amazing! It’s not that she’s just agile and skilled
— it’s obvious she has had a great master — but she’s
also withholding her power. I will SEE this power for myself!

My first blow lands squarely in her stomach and the second catches her chin as she doubles over. But the force is lessened as she begins to transmit
out with the coming of that second blow. Ah! I’ve angered her!

Her energy ball is merely a distraction as she plans her next move. I
easily dodge this one as it takes out another chunk of the arena, and
advance on her with speed, not giving her time to think — I want
to see raw battle instinct! There’s no time for her to plan as I
meet her for hand-to-hand.

“No more energy fighting,” I hiss as we grapple again, straining
against each other. At this rate the arena will be in rubble! She gives
a quick nod of acknowledgement, but uses her energy to push away from
me.

I feel her rage building as I rain punches and kicks on her slight frame.
That’s it — let your fue fuel your power! What a hellcat! By
Kami, she will be mine when this is over!


********


(Nashika)

He’s unrelenting! I can barely see his movements. I must feel
them...

“You’re holding back, Nashika!” he cries, but he doesn’t
know that I must hold back. At all costs. Even if I lose.

I do what his unrelenting attack is attermpting to do — I let my
instinct take over. Our bodies clash in a battle dance, trading blows
and kicks until we’re both bloody from the onslaught. But he has
experience and weight on his side, and at this level, I know I can’t
win.

I fight until I can fight no more. And the last blow from his elbow to
my neck sends me crashing to the ground. My arms won’t support my
body and it’s difficult to raise up. When I’m on my knees, I
see the toes of his boots in my line of vision. He bends down and offers
me his hand, which I accept.

But he doesn’t let go. Instead he turns to the royal family and raises
my hand high.

“Sire! I want this one for my battalion!”

“She’s yours, general!”

he phe prince scowls and whispers to his father, who in turn frowns and says
some harsh words that I can’t catch. It’s only then that I’m
aware of Kakarotto’s gaze on me. He still holds my hand in a death
grip, and my skin is burning where he touches me.

I look at him and return the gaze unwaveringly.

“You will show me your power, Nashika,” he says in a
deadly quiet voice, then releases my hand. “Until then the battle
isn’t over, and your secret remains yours to keep.”

He claps a hand on my shoulder. “Let me show you to the women’s
barracks.”

I’m grateful for his integrity, but it’s all too obvious that
I wouldn’t dare cross him. Even beyond this level. I let me him lead
me out of the arena.

continued...