(Later that day)
After Bulma had told him the full story of what'd transpired earlier in Satan City, the scientist then wasted no time in giving the baffled Yamcha the job she had planned for him in a series of simple steps. Almost instantly after being given this most prestigious and important task, the mercenary began kicking up the shortest hissy-fit the Z-fighters had ever heard from him. He tried to argue that he had other important plans and was simply passing by, wondering if his friends had wanted to come watch his team play in the last game before their shot at the championships. This was shortly rebuffed moments later by simultaneous death stares thrown at him by Bulma, Piccolo and Vegeta respectively, which pretty much solidified the man's place in the pecking order.
With his attempts to defend his position shot to bits, the third longest standing member of the group quickly gathered up his gear and flew off to meet with Baba at her palace. Having ventured here previously during one of Goku's quests to collect the dragon balls, the former bandit touched down just outside the building's main entrance. Bypassing the half a dozen rich people already lined up there and waiting to see the fortune teller, the man went through the visitor's center, where he then proceeded to wait in the lobby.
"Man, is this what I get for being a nice guy?" Yamcha asked himself, wondering what possible circumstances could've led him to being made the messenger of their powerful group.
Could you blame him? Being pushed around by his ex-girlfriend, bullied by the other Z-fighters, and having his free time used up in a journey across the country to an old relative they barely saw anymore… it definitely gave the impression that the universe was being super unfair on him.
However, after thinking about it a little while longer, he did see why the group had decided to send him on this little trip. Over the years they'd been fighting together, the scar-faced man hadn't been able to contribute much in terms of support or combat, and was normally always the first to fall when the going got tough. Acting as a runner on behalf of the other members of the team was probably one of the only ways he was able to function as a productive representative of their faction.
Upon pondering over this revelation, the human warrior then scrunched his face up thoughtfully and gazed out one of the lobby's windows, "Hmm… maybe I should start training again… get back into fighting shape." Yamcha then looked down at his side and slapped his abdominals, where he could feel tight muscles tense up underneath his shirt. "Everybody else has been working hard to stay at the top of their game. Why shouldn't I?"
Maybe it's because he was lazy and enjoyed a simple life of mediocrity? Of course, knowing the kind of strength he possessed, he knew he would be doing all of his friends a disservice if he let all of the power that he had go to waste.
He then made a mental note that after this weekend's game he would start hitting the gyms again, and perhaps pay his old friend Tien a visit to see if he couldn't touch up on his fighting skills.
Just after making this small pact to himself following his internal argument, the man then suddenly had his attention drawn to the sound of a person's throat being cleared. When Yamcha looked across the room towards the entrance on the other side, the fighter saw the familiar, robe wearing form of Baba hover into view atop her crystal ball. The seemingly diminutive old woman peered up at him from underneath the rim of her witch's hat and took a moment to inspect her visitor.
Once she was certain she knew who it was, the fortune teller smiled. "Ah. Yamcha. Long time no see."
The scar-faced man grinned, "Yeah. Long time. You're uhh… you're looking well." In other words, she looked like she hadn't changed one bit. What was up with that? "How has life been treating you?"
"Same old, same old. Business is good and so is the world. You also seem to be doing pretty well yourself, aye, Mr. Superstar," the woman exclaimed, floating further into the room to hover just a few feet in front of the man. Fingers laced together in front of her, the witch then looked him straight in the eyes and beamed in a mischievous manner. "Can I expect another easy win for you and your team this coming Saturday?"
Yamcha gave a chuckle at the twinkle he saw in Baba's eye. "Couldn't you find that out by looking into your crystal ball?"
Shrugging, the witch then hovered around the man and floated over to another end of the room. "I could. But… I don't like using the ball to discover the outcomes for every major sporting event. It takes the fun out of the game. Not to mention it spoils it for everybody else who appreciates the heart and thrill of a decent competition." After taking up position several feet away from the warrior, the fortune teller then spun around and smirked in his direction. "Wouldn't you hate it if you knew the outcome to everything just by taking a peek into a tiny glass sphere and seeing your future staring right back at you?"
Rubbing the back of his head, the human fighter grinned sheepishly at the floating witch, "Honestly, it all depends on the situation." He then chuckled as another thought crossed his mind. "If I really wanted to find out what the universe has planned for me ahead of time, there wouldn't be any surprises left. Nor would there be anything to look forward to. Though I'm sure it'd help me heaps at the betting tables, everything that's made life as fun and exciting as it is today would be tossed away like a piece of wrapping paper."
"Hmph," the witch grunted as she leered at him, "And I take it you're not a gambling man?"
"I dabble in poker from time-to-time whenever I go out into the city with the boys. But aside from that, not really," Yamcha answered quickly, a half-smile coming into play. "I kind of developed this theory that whenever I end up betting big at the craps tables or at life itself, I always end up blowing it."
Nodding her head in understanding, the woman then turned to him with a smile. "The gift of good fortune varies from person to person. Though not everything is created by chance, there are still many actions in life that requires someone to roll the dice. You've just been getting bad numbers so far due to a series of unfortunate events."
"Tell me about it. If I'm not out there playing on the field and hitting home-runs for the Taitans, everything else I attempt just goes straight down the toilet," the Z-fighter sighed, looking down at his feet and rubbing the back of his head worriedly. "Even though we've had seven years of peace, with only one or two occasional upsets, I'm still finding it impossible to catch a break. Hell, I can't even find the right girl to settle down with."
Baba gazed across at him sympathetically, "Striking out at the bars and clubs?"
"More or less. I end up taking a good-looking dame out every once in a while, but after a couple of weeks we always end up falling out. It really sucks, you know?"
"Maybe you're just approaching them the wrong way," the fortune teller spoke, trying to offer the man some semblance of support.
The human warrior shrugged, "That or I have commitment issues."
"Stay strong. I'm sure a dashing young man like yourself will find someone eventually. After all, there are plenty of fish in the sea, and if it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be," Baba exclaimed, at the same time giving the warrior a cheerful smile. "Have a little more confidence in your actions, but don't come on too strongly. Try to speak from the gut rather than the heart, and let your instincts guide you. Just… give it some time, and I'm sure you'll find your soul mate sooner or later."
This seemed to bring a sense of hope to the baseball player's heart and, upon looking up at their group's less frequented companion, gave her a small grin. "Yeah. I suppose you're right." All he had to do was look at this thing positively. Every single one of the relationships he'd had in the past has been a test on his charm and fortitude as a man. He just needed to stick it out just a little while longer.
I mean, look at the rest of his group. Goku had Chi-Chi. Krillin had Android 18. Tien had Launch. Hell, even Gohan seemed to be having his own personal flings with the ladies if his little reunion with him back at CC with his two ridiculously attractive school mates was anything to go by. Hell. If the rest of his friends could do it, then so could he!
Upon giving him that boost of self-confidence, Yamcha soon remembered why he'd come all the way out here in the first place. Knowing this wasn't a personal call but one of business, the scar-faced baseball player cleared his throat and faced the fortune teller with a stern look. "Anyway, Baba. The reason I came by to see you today was to-"
"Help your friends out of another jam, yes?"
Finding his sentence completed for him, the man looked upon the woman with surprise. "Y-Yeah. H-How did you know?"
"I'm a fortune teller, darling. I make a living reading people's hearts and minds. Your needs especially are quite easy to decipher, especially considering it involves more than just yourself… but your friends as well," the witch replied, at the same time her expression became one of earnestness and understanding. "Since none of you youngsters have ever approached me asking for anything other than the fate of the world and the lives of other people, selfless requests are probably one of the only things I can expect to hear from you."
Hearing her reasoning loud and clear, the black haired former mercenary in the suit cleared his throat and addressed the older woman with a wide smile. "Alright. Since you already have an idea of what I'm going to ask, I think I can just give it to you straight then…"
The martial artist then proceeded to recount all of the events that'd occurred earlier that morning in Satan City between Son Gohan and his mysterious, armored attacker. Though he left out much of the details of the battle to sum it all up for the fortune teller, Yamcha made extra certain to highlight all of the important issues the young Saiyan had encountered in his fight, and emphasized how dangerous this foe had been. This gave credence to the assumption that the man responsible for pulling the strings in the shadows was an incredibly dangerous and sophisticated individual, one that was comparable to Doctor Gero back in the day.
Baba regarded Yamcha's words with seriousness and understanding. Realizing the fact that the world was once again facing another potential threat, the woman wasted no time in hopping off of her crystal ball and allowing it to float to the floor in front of her. The visiting martial artist straightened up, realizing that the elderly woman had every intention of helping him out with their group's debacle without question.
"So… you wish for me to locate and identify the person responsible for sending this armor-plated dog after you, is that right?" the fortune teller asked as she pulled back on her sleeves in a professional manner and stretched her neck.
The scar-faced man nodded affirmatively, "Yes. That's what Bulma said."
"Very well then. Because I'm doing this for some very close associates of mine and the son of an important client, I will waive the service charge and throw you a freebie," Baba chirped, clearing her throat as she began waving her hands over the glass sphere in front of her. While she did so, the surface of the reflection began to stir and her lips began to chant. "Spirits and souls of the shadow realms; show me where the darkness dwells. Tell me now. Tell me true. Show me what I ask of YOU!"
Feeling a sense of nostalgia wash over him from the woman's display, Yamcha then looked on as the crystal ball levitated off of the floor and started to flash an eerie green. The old witch also watched carefully as the device she used to tell people's fortunes and futures worked its magic, and waited with anticipation for a response. However, after several seconds of hovering, the ball suddenly began to crackle with violent blue electricity, and the center of the sphere began to fluctuate with a dark cloud. It was a sight that had both parties recoil in alarm.
"Hold on… something's not right," Baba murmured and leaned towards her trusted viewing orb.
Baffled by the strange anomaly, the small witch shuffled forward to see what the problem was. When her palms moved to hover over the glass, the woman then took a big step back in shock when she suddenly saw the glowing blue eyes of a ferocious beast appear in the sphere. Bearing a white, scaly coat and the characteristics of a fearsome deity, the reptilian creature roared at the person attempting to peer into the icy mist, startling the fortune teller, before quickly fading away and bringing a veil of darkness back to the ball's core. Moments later, the green glow vanished, and the crystal orb floated back to the ground with a loud 'ping'.
Stunned by the lightshow, a nervous Yamcha gulped nervously and took a step forward. "What the heck just happened? Did you see something?"
Processing what she had just witnessed, a frown quickly formed across Baba's face and she turned her attention towards the man beside her. "I don't know how to tell you this, my boy, but the enemy that you and your friends have encountered is one crafty little devil."
"Huh?" the baseball player pulled back in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"
Baba then frowned at her crystal ball and began recalling everything she'd just witnessed. "The person you are attempting to find out is being shielded by some sort of powerful magic, which is preventing me from getting a lock onto his location." She then placed a hand to her chin and glared hard into the surface of her trusted fortune telling tool. "He must have predicted that someone might attempt to research him and figure out his identity, and had cast an anti-tracking spell over himself to deter anyone curious enough to do so."
"But… how is that even possible?" Yamcha asked, looking across at the elderly woman in confusion.
"Before the transmission cut out, I caught a glimpse of a creature's face… one that appeared both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. It is an omen I fear will only bring more problems than solutions and will likely lead us down a very dark path… one that's riddled with death and terror. I'll need to investigate this further if I'm to figure out exactly what we're dealing with here."
Hearing the witch loud and clear, as well as receiving a stern glare from her as an immediately follow-up, the baseball player nodded his head slowly in acknowledgement and took a cautionary step back. "O-Okay." He then waited for a second before continuing to speak. "What should I tell Bulma and the others, then? You know they're going to be expecting an answer from me as soon as I get back."
"If worse comes to worse, tell them exactly what I told you. The enemy that's taken an interest in your group is an incredibly shrewd and dangerous individual… someone who threatens the very balance of peace and prosperity that all of you have worked so hard to achieve." The woman then turned around and fixed her attention upon the fighter, who she saw stiffen at the look in her eyes. "Heed my words well, young warrior. Powerful dark forces are at work here. You would be wise to prepare yourselves for what the future may bring."
And when Baba said it in that tone of voice, the human Z-fighter had every inclination of believing her.
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