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Gine nodded apologetically and closed her eyes briefly. It took a certain amount of willpower to recall Gohan's teachings and breathed shaky, trying to calm herself down. After few moments, her thoughts of violence faded.
Crane, however, saw that she had closed her eyes that thought now he should try to escape. Still in a daze from a broken leg, he used his other one to try and kick Gine...
She grabbed it with her other hand and looked him in the eye angrily. Crane horrifyingly felt as if he had made the biggest mistake in his life.
Gine was calm again, but calmly angry. She still wasn't going to let Crane off easily.
She floated down to the ground where Tien was struggling to stand up again and released her grip, dropping Crane. He yelped as his broken leg thumped to the ground and panted as the pain hit him in waves. Tien clutched his very bruised side and tried to help his master up.
"I think you and your minion should leave." She told Master Shen flatly but with authority. "Never bother us or make moves on my son again. Or else you are going to regret it with more than just another broken leg."
She let that threat hang in the air. She meant it.
Tien held up Crane with his free arm to help his master hop on his good leg, then looked at Gine. A momentary flash of fear went across his face, remembering how she so effortlessly struck him aside and almost killed him with one blow. His martial artist mind was horrified that someone this strong exists and could brush him, HIM, aside like he was nothing. However, he was also fascinated by this unknown warrior. She may be even stronger than the fighters of legend!
But his loyalty to his master kicked in and looked at her aghast. "You think we are just gonna walk away when you broke a poor and defenseless old man's leg?!"
Crane looked slightly encouraged by his protege's words and tried to look accusingly at Gine as well, "Y-yeah! You broke my leg! What you did was uncalled for and cruel!"
"AND MAYBE A RIB!" Tien said, pointedly clutching his side and winching. "You may ha-"
Gine didn't have time for this. "You broke Yamcha's leg when he was out cold and unable to defend himself. Fair is fair." Gine said without missing a beat.
"FAIR?!" Crane exclaimed. "You wanna talk fair?! Your son killed my dear brother! I have sworn to avenge him no matter what!"
"NO, YOU WON'T!" Came Kakarot's voice, surprising them all. He ran up to them and stood beside his mother.
"Mercenary Tao was a cruel and murderous monster. He deserved to die for killing innocent people!" He shot at them. The rest of the gang looked like they were behind him a ways trying to catch up and see what was going on.
Crane looked ready to throttle him even with a broken leg.
"And besides, I let you live after YOU tried to murder a child, MY CHILD, in his sleep. That's more than you cowards deserve." Gine added.
"Yeah, that's something only someone sneaky would do. Not a true warrior!" Kakarot backed up his mother, both of them standing together vindictively.
Neither Crane nor Tien said anything at that. Tien looked more hit by that one statement than the broken rib. His three eyes flaring into a cold stare at her which Gine didn't flinch from.
"Leave. Before I change my mind and break both of you in ways that will make you useless as warriors." She said with as much conviction as she could muster, sounding a lot like as she remembered Bardock sounded like to his enemies. She curiously wondered if he knew how much she learned from him.
Humiliated, enraged, frightened, and in great pain, Crane had no choice but to relent. Wordlessly, Tien guided a limping Crane around and walked away to the hotel they were staying at. Both of them groaning at their injuries sustained from Gine.
Before they get far enough away, Tien looked back at them. "You may have lost your son's place in the tournament for...injuring us outside the ring." He said with some hesitation.
Gine didn't say anything, but she felt guilt wash over her at that too. But Kakarot interjected.
"No, I didn't! She's not fighting, she just defended me from your nonparticipating master! You just got in the way!"
Tien thought about that for a moment. "Even so... this isn't over. If anything, this has only just begun."
Crane said nothing and just kept looking at them with pure hatred.
"Then we can take this up when we meet again. In the ring!" Kakarot declared, his tail whipping around with anger and excitement.
Tien turned to leave with his master. "Whatever suits you, just don't lose any matches between now and then!" Tien shouted threateningly and walked away with Crane without looking back.
Kakarot smirked, excited by the challenge. "I'll do my best." He said to himself.
They stood there until Crane and Tien were out of sight, then Gine collapsed to her knees shaking.
"Mom, are you okay?!" Kakarot rushed to her side, clutching her in worry as the rest of the gang arrived in tow.
"Are you two okay?!" Gohan asked.
Gine wanted to sob uncontrollably but tried to control herself in front his friends, but they saw how vulnerable she looked and were immediately more concerned.
"I-I-I'm sorry, sweetheart." Gine said between hicks of her choking breaths, putting her face in her hand.
"For what?!" Kakarot asked incredulously.
"I-I shouldn't have let... them get the better of me. Now I caused so much trouble..." She said.
"ARE YOU KIDDING?! THAT WAS AWESOME!" He said with amazement that made Gine look at him. Her tears stopped.
"YEAH! You gave that bully what he had coming!" Bulma cheered from behind. The rest of the gang followed suit.
"That was truly somethin' else, the way you handled them bozos!" Said Blonde Launch in awe. "Can you teach me how to do that?!"
"And givin' 'em a taste of their own medicine!" Oolong said with a cracking noise and bending his hands in a breaking motion. "You avenged Yamcha good!"
"Yeah, Way to go, Gine!" They all said in one way or another. Chi-Chi, Krillin, Turtle, Puar, Bulma, Launch, and Kakarot all gave her nothing but how awesome she was. Gine couldn't believe the praise she was given.
"You go, girl!" Bulma said. Gine was slightly perplexed by that type of praise but took it anyway. Truth be told she wasn't even sure how to feel. Causing pain to someone else went against everything she believed in, yet she stood up for herself and her friends. Why did she have to feel this way?
Roshi and Gohan looked gravely concerned. "Are you alright?" Gohan asked first.
Gine didn't think she could look at him. "I-I'm sorry I got carried away..."
"It's alright, Gine." Gohan said softly as he helped her up. "I could sense all the mixed emotions you were having. But you are not to blame for defending your son."
Gine looked at him and saw how sincere he was. That was true at least. But still after the lapse into something she never thought she'd experience...
Gohan could sense what she was thinking and told her, "Try not to overthink it, Gine. I know you. You are a good person. Don't ever forget that."
He was right. Gohan knew everything about what she told him of her. And could guess that such a feeling of having power for the first time after a life of abuse could do to someone, or how it would make someone act. But he was not going to judge her for it.
Gine smiled at Gohan, wiping away her tears. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"Gine. I'm very sorry you got put in this situation." Roshi said. "I know you only came to watch your son fight in the tournament and not get caught up in some feud."
Gine thought of it, her sadness that overtook her a moment ago now gone. "It's okay. None of us knew this would happen."
"Mercenary Tao was a horrible person! His brother is no different!" Chi-Chi declared.
Roshi's disturbed look didn't change. "Still, Crane is out for Kakarot's blood nonetheless. We need to make sure things won't take a turn for the worst. It may be inevitable, but we have to keep things to a minimum."
Gine thought about it. "Right." Then looked to Kakarot. "This little vendetta of Crane's is not something that is going to go away. But we still have your back, son."
"Thanks, Mom." Said Kakarot as he hugged her.
Gine returned the embrace, and her heart was filled with nothing but love for her son...and resolve.
"No matter what, you beat that Tien guy and show Crane whose' boss." She whispered.
They parted and Kakarot looked her in the eye. "I will." He declared, sounding more determined than she had ever heard before.
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Want to read more?
The next 10+ chapters are already available on my Patreon!
By joining, you'll get:
📖 Early access to future chapters
🗳️ Polls to shape the story
🎁 Exclusive content for Patrons
🔥 Bonus scenes & content you won't find anywhere else
👀 Don't fall behind—others are already ahead!
👉 patreon.com/FanfictionTakashi
(If link doesn't show, just search on Google: FanfictionTakashi Patreon)