Pain explodes in my jaw as the hit connects and I'm sent flying backwards into solid rock. I grunt on impact. The sound of shearing and crumbling stone drills into my head. Damn sensitive hearing. It just adds to the mish mash of agonies. Pounding in my eardrums from the falling rocks, piercing in my back from the shards I landed on and throbbing in my face from the attack. Not to mention the other aches I gathered before. I grunt again. That's all I allow myself, no matter how bad it feels.

I reach out and grasp the edges of the crater I'm in. A short burst of strength, then I'm free. I land at the base of the rubble, ignoring the last bits of falling debris that strike me. I stare at my opponent in the fading light. Smirking, I wipe away the blood from my mouth. "Is that all you've got?"

"Heh. You'll see." He replies with his own smirk. He looks at me. He looks like me. My double, watching for my next move. I'm watching for his.

In a split second, we're at each other again. He sends a kick at my stomach. I block his leg and smash a hand into his chest. He doesn't break away, instead going for a counter. Then I counter and he counters again. The violent dance continues. Each of us trying to outdo the other.

We both land a kick at the same time, push away, touching down on the broken earth. We're panting now. I can feel the sweat rolling off me. It soaks into my gi, making the cloth cling. His skin is slick, too. The purple of his outfit darkened in certain places. It's been two days straight. No rest, no water.

Just us. Just our spar in the desert.

I see the setting sun over his shoulder. I straighten from my stance. "That's enough."

"Feh. You want to quit because you're losing." He shows his fangs. The words are cutting.

I don't argue with him. Cocky bastard. I wasn't losing, but I'm not wasting breath on him. I cross my arms and nod to the sun. "It's sunset."

That's all I say. He glances over his shoulder. "So it is."

Without another word, he leaps at me. I don't flinch away or try to defend. There's no need. His hands grasp my arms, going into them. Another pain rips through me. I can't help but growl at it. Anyone who thinks splitting and then recombining is easy hasn't done it right.

A moment of struggling and it's all over. There's always a struggle. Two bodies and two minds becoming one again.

I flex my arms, a test to make sure I have complete control. The duplicate memories get pushed back. I'll meditate on them later. Use them to pick out my weaknesses.

The dryness in my throat begs for relief. Now that I'm not focused, the needs of my body come to the front of my mind. I've gained the wounds and thirst of two. Heh. That's what I get for using split form. Increase in power, a spar partner that knows my moves and the resulting demands from double exertion.

With a flick of my wrist, the discarded turbans and capes disappear. There's no point in replacing them yet. I take to the air. Warm ki envelopes me. It cuts down on the wind, though enough gets through to begin drying my sweat. I scan the horizon for a place to rest for the night. A sliver of light catches my attention. It snakes below, widening and cutting through a patch of thick green.

That'll do.

I angle down. Soon, my shoes brush against the grassy bank. I search for any other ki in the area. Hmph. Nothing but animals. I settle completely on the ground and walk to the river. It's wide, the water clear and deep. I kneel down and scoop up the liquid with my hands.

The fresh water quenches my thirst quickly. I take a second drink. There are few things I take pleasure in. I don't like to get distracted.

I plunge my head into the river. The cooling currents help dissipate the lingering heat in my skin. I pull out again, wiping away the excess water from my face. Some of it trails down my back and I nearly shiver. The wind picks up, increasing the cold feeling.

Eyes. Eyes are on me.

My head snaps up. There. On the opposite bank. I can barely see it in the shadows. It's crouched down between the trees.

I scowl at the intruder. I try to probe it, to see what it is, what power it has.

But I don't sense any ki.

My scowl deepens. I scrutinize this entity, raking my gaze over it. Everything has ki, even the smallest animal. The thing sits still. Maybe it's a trick of the light? I rise from the bank and...

No... it moved. It shifted. The light is dimming fast. I curse the damn timing. My hands fist at my sides. I can barely make out the shape. It's... almost human. But there's something wrong with it. Something in the outline, in the color I can't quite discern.

My patience wears thin. "Who are you?"

It doesn't answer.

I growl, baring my fangs in annoyance. "Answer me!"

It lifts slightly on its haunches, like an animal. It slides from the shadow. Not much, just enough to reveal its face.

I gasp. It's... like me?

No... not exactly. Its face, its features... almost, but not quite. The eyeridges aren't as pronounced. Its antennae remind me of a moth's, black stems tipped with light green bulbs. I stare at its body hidden in the shadows. It seems smooth, not ridged. I return my gaze to its face. It's looking at me, but not looking. Its eyes are closed.

What is this creature? Is it another demon of some kind? That thought repeats itself in my mind.

The thing tilts its head. As if it... heard me. I growl again, shoring up my mental defenses. I don't like the idea of something poking around in my head. I shift into a ready stance, my arms bent. "Tell me who you are."

It doesn't answer. Or maybe it does. It slips back into the shadows. My patience breaks. No one spies on me! I leap over the river, to the opposite bank. My gaze sweeps over the area.

But the thing is gone.

Not a trace is left. No ki residue, though I didn't expect any. The grass is undisturbed. The tree leaves rustle in a burst of wind. Otherwise, it's silent.

I spend the next hour combing the surrounding woods. Whatever it was, it left no tracks. I grunt in annoyance. The thought I might be losing my mind is squashed immediately. It was there. It was something. I take to the air again, abandoning the river as a campsite. Feh. Let the damn thing have it.

Disclaimer - Dragon Ball was created by Akira Toriyama and the anime Dragon Ball/Z/GT is licensed/distributed by Toei, FUNimation and various entities. This is a fan page, no infringement is intended.

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