Korin Tower Training Special

[Android 18]

Climb Korin Tower

"I may be stepping out on a limb here, but I think this is the place." Android 18 stood at the base of the large white pole that went forever and forever into the sky, past where even her optical sensors could see. Her husband had talked about the famed Korin who would supply him and his friends with Senzu beans that could restore their health with a few chews. She hadn't come here for the beans, though; she came because he also told her that this legendary being was an old cat with a cane. With nothing better to do with her weekend (Marron was spending the next two days with her friend from school and Krillin could take care of himself), 18 decided to see for herself if this bean giving cat was true.

"Well, I better get started," she said aloud, but no one was around to hear it... so did she really make a sound? Placing one hand above the other and finding secure footing, she began to scale up the tower.

Flying had occurred to her. It would sure be a hell of a lot faster. But this entire venture had been fueled on Krillin's tale. He said that as a child he and Goku had climbed up the entire pole and it had taken them days to do. To remain the dominant one in the relationship, Number 18 had to be able to do anything that her husband could do. And she had to be able to do it better, too!

The sun had already set when she was still climbing. It was a good thing that she had an unlimited energy supply. Statistics would probably reveal that many a human fell to their fate trying to see Korin - they probably climbed half-way, fell asleep in the middle of the night, and let go of the pole. From there, they'd wake up in other world and cry over their idiotic deaths. 18 let out a chuckle before looking upward. She could see the curvature of the plateau on which Korin lived; at the rate she was going, she'd be there by morning.

This high in the sky, the air was definitely cooler and colder than closer to the ground. The sun had already risen and found a comfortable place in the sky by the time Android 18 made it to the top of the pole. Grabbing hold onto the banister, she catapulted herself over and up onto the tiled floor. There he was, a white cat with squinted eyes and a large, wooden walking cane. "Hmm."

---

Catch Korin!

"So you've come to train with ol' Korin, eh?" the cat started, turning to his new visitor. The blue-eyed cyborg stepped forward, looking around at everything. The tiles weren't dirty at all; the banister had no dust; this sanctuary was overall clean.

"No. I've only come to prove that I can make it; I have no need to train with you." She sounded cold and robotic, but she didn't want to. Honestly, it's not like she had a choice in the matter. Looking over the edge of the tower's boundary she could see the oceans and land masses below. Looking back to the cat the android started up, "And now I think I'll be leaving."

Android 18 was just about to jump over the ledge and fly back home, when Korin spoke up and stopped her. "Oh ho ho, but you haven't really made it until you catch me! As far as I'm concerned, all you've done is climbed a pole. To climb Korin's tower, you must catch Korin!" 18 stopped just before her take-off. She couldn't really argue his logic; his tower, his rules. She turned around, no smirk or smile, and looked at the cat. If he was asking her to do this, then he had asked Krillin to this same act years ago. Bounding for the white tabby, 18 missed when floated away at an unexpectedly fast pace.

"Get back here," she muttered to herself as she sprinted after the cat. He ran in ellipticals than ran the gamut from short to small, acute and obtuse, within the tower and on the underside of its dome. The entire time she was always just behind him. But doing this would get her nowhere - she noticed that he was always accelerating, and to be behind him meant to never catch him.

She would have to head him off, which would be hard. He knew his tower better than she did, and probably anticipated this strategy from other seekers who thought themselves smart. But those others probably didn't have supercomputers for brains. The plan was formulated and now the cyborg would put it to the test! She sped up in a burst of energy to wind up on the side of Korin. In order to stay within the banister, he would have to make a right. She cut right, hoping to drive him left. Her afterimage would appear to his right, causing the sly cat to veer left. There, he'd see another Android 18! Sending his own afterimage toward the vision before him, Korin made a leap into the air with a sharp left turn, heading for the banister to leave the blond girl and gain momentum on the outskirts of the tower's dome's curvature. "You have to be quicker than that!"

Little did he know, the real deal physical Number 18 was already there on the edge waiting for him. "I am," she said coldly, reaching out and snatching Korin by the tail as he tried to avoid her again. She hadn't broken a sweat, and this little exercise had only wasted her time.

"Never has anyone captured me so fast! It took you only about half an hour... incredible! Now, you drink!"

---

Drink the Sacred Water

With Korin, the little white cat, in her hands, Android 18 thought she'd finished all his tasks and was done with his foolishness for the day. But that last remark, something about a beverage, threw her off. "Look. I caught you okay? I've already played one of your meaningless games today." The cat frowned before freeing himself from the Android's grip. She was a bit taken back; she didn't know he could do that.

"Why don't you show some respect, girly. Do I look like a clown to you? I'm not playing games here. You caught me so now I'll give you the opportunity to drink the Ultra Divine Water." 18 stayed put as Korin floated into a chamber of his tower and came back out with a blue and creme ceramic flask. He carried it by the end of his cane and handed it to the android before continuing. "Drinking this will make you stronger. But I must warn you that no human has ever drank the stuff and survived."

"Then it's a good thing I'm not human anymore," she said before uncorking the bottle and downing the stuff. Drinking it was no problem, for she couldn't taste. But after it all reached the pit of her stomach, her eyes popped and she almost dropped the vase while trying to give it back to the cat-immortal. "What is that stuff?! she cried out, dropping to the floor on both of her knees and holding her stomach. She hadn't felt pain like this since being absorbed by Cell.

"Don't worry. If you're not dead by now you'll be fine," Korin said as he floated away to replace the water. Android 18 lay on her side and writhing in pain, hoping that this entire experience had been worth it. At least one good thing had come out of this thing. Korin said that no human had ever drunken the water and lived. She'd made it further than Krillin ever did, and this monster stomachache was her proof.