31.0

"Ribbit....Ribbit.." Croaked the frog on Rhudas shoulder.

"What's wrong, Mr. Frog? You sound so sad." She said.

Vegeta looked at the frog with a scowl. "Tch, just seeing that slimy thing makes me want to kill it."

"B-But Vegeta, this isn't Ginyu," Rhuda said, covering Mr. Frog protectively. "He's innocent."

"Hn. Lucky him." 

("Alright everyone! Will contestants #2 and #5 please make your way to the ring!")

Everyone inside the waiting room heard loud cheers from the crowd. It was clear that all participants were eagerly looking forward to their turn in battle. 

Rhuda sighed as a nervous energy flowed through her spine. She wondered who she'd be facing off against in the preliminaries, and if she won, who afterwards. She wasn't the only one wondering, as the others were chatting and whispering about what Universe it could possibly be.

"Maybe it's Universe 6," said one Maijin.

"Nahh. It's 9. You'll see," replied a human.

Familiar forms emerged from the fighters. It was none other than Goku and Broly, who wore smiles. "Heya! There you are, Vegeta. Didn't think you'd chicken out." Goku said.

Vegeta shot him a look. "Hn. Save the jokes for YOUR match. As for me, I'm winning."

"Now that 'is' funny." Goku smirked. He then saw Rhuda looking back and forth nervously, "Hey, piggy, what's up?"

Rhuda blinked. "Pi-piggy?" 

"Er, yeah, you know." He pointed to her hair, "Pig tails. Get it?"

"O-Oh. Ano...I was just thinking about Shallot. He's the only one of us not here. It's...not like him." She pouted a bit, glancing down at the frog in her hands. Something clicked in her brain. "W-Wait. Mr. Frog? Is that you, Shallot?"

Mr. Frog nodded. "Ribbit!" He rose and licked her cheek.

"A-Ah~ T-that tickles!"

Broly snatched Shallot the frog up like he was the best deal at the store and glared at him, eye level.

"Ribbit! Riiibbitt!" Shallots frog eyes teared up in fear.

"Brother, don't hurt Mr. Frog! I mean, Shallot!"

Goku and Vegeta looked at each other before pointing to the frog now dubbed Shallot. "...So, if THIS is Shallot, then where is his body now?"

Vegeta frowned. "I can't sense his damn energy. Must be hiding it well."

Goku agreed, and the group looked around to spot Shallot, but not able to. "...Not in here." Broly said, towering above everyone. "Must be somewhere sneaking."

"Yeah." Goku sighed, "I have a feeling he's gonna be trouble later if we don't nip it in the bud now."

The Prince of Saiyans tapped some buttons on his watch, and a raspy voice answered, "What?"

"The frog is Shallot." Vegeta said to Trunks. 

"We figured that out, too, after looking at the roster for the prelims. The issue I'm facing now is...'someone' hacked into the communications. I'm trying to override it, but it's not easy."

Rhuda had a bad feeling that whoever made the game was trying to make Trunks fail, just like they would be doing to her. All because Trunks was making it harder for them. "Trunks! It's that person, it has to be!" She said loud enough for him to hear.

"Yeah. That's my guess, too. It won't stop me, don't worry Chi--Rhuda." Trunks said over the watch. "Make sure you remember what to do, though."

"Right." The watch on her wrist. The 'save' point.

"The other father and Goku should be there looking, too. I'll update when I can. Trunks out."

The call disconnected.

************

***********

**********

Trunks ended the call and looked at his many monitors, seeing nothing but error after error. "Nice try. Too bad you made me a genius," he said to the air. He typed a string of numbers and operations in the Conton communications until finally it let him access the cameras and audio.

"There. Just gotta find our man," he said.

Not at the Mushroom Forest. The Lake. The Dragon Nest. The Tournament. The Plaza, or the shops. Just where was Ginyu?

He sighed and checked the Academy.

"I see him! Trunks, zoom in!" SKOT said over his shoulder.

"On it." 

Ginyu was making way to Zamasu, who was tending his roses, pruning shears in hand. The audio was fuzzy so he narrowed its direction just to their area.

He listened to what Shallot/Ginyu was saying to Zamasu.

[ "You're that one guy who beat Goku and all his friends," said Ginyu.

Zamasu looked away and back to his rose bushes, ignoring Ginyus existence entirely. 

"Hey! I'm talkin' to you!" Ginyu grabbed Zamasus shoulder. "I need some answers, and you're just the man I'm looking for."

"Pity. I don't care one ounce for whatever pitiful excuse you could muster to possibly answer any tepid questions about my other lives." Zamasu shook him off and glared, putting his hands behind his back. "We both know you're not strong enough to take down any of those Elite Patrollers, nor do you have the smarts to outwit their brightest. Be gone from my sight."

He waved Ginyu away.

"You--! Fancy words, I'll give ya that." Ginyu growled. "But I'm here for something really, really great. Even YOU'LL be interested."

"If I must. Go ahead, bore me."

"I'm hunting those Super Dragon Balls!"

Zamasu sighed. "Another one. Tell me, must the fates keep dangling hopeless people before me?"

"Huh? Someone else wants them?"

"Isn't that what I said, you feeble minded barbarian!" Zamasu snapped and snarled at Ginyu, "I have no interest in finding those. I was merely entertaining that girls wishes, as a token of appreciation for her reverence of my divinity."

"...I have no idea what you're talking about, but if someone else was here, too..." Ginyu smacked his palm, "You MUST know where they are! Tell me!"

"You jumped to that conclusion all on your own?" Zamasu clapped. "I might know one or two of their locations, but I cannot say as to the others."

"Tell me!"

"I believe I said it earlier: Be gone."]

******

*******

******

"Yes?" Vegeta said.

Trunks informed him where Zamasu was, saying further that SS4 Goku and Vegeta would handle him. The group relaxed a little. "Phew," Goku said, "That went a lot easier than I thought."

"He was after the Super Dragon Balls, too," Rhuda said to herself.

The creator of this game must need them badly, Rhuda thought. I'll tell Trunks later.

("Now THAT'S what I call a punch! Did you see the spit fly! Can we get an instant replay?")

It's almost over, she thought. Then it 'could' be my turn.

Her hand went to her side, touching the sensu beans tied there that Trunks had given prior. Six in total. She'd need to use them wisely, as well as her 'save' point.

"I hope they obliterate Ginyu." Vegeta said.

Shallot squirmed on her shoulder. If he was killed, how could he get his body back? 

("And he's DOWN! Somebody get a stretcher! Talk about overkill! That's both of them, so this match is OVER! Oh, I'm supposed to be counting. 10, 9, 8. 7. 6. 5..")

"Get ready everyone." Goku said, mostly looking at Rhuda.  

Rhuda wanted to be as excited as Goku seemed to be. He was rolling back and forth on his boots, just waiting for Santa to come out and give him a present.

("OKay~! Up next...we have...#2 and #5! Come on down!)

Goku squealed. "Yes! That's us, Broly! C'mon!" He grabbed Broly and hopped out to the ring. 

("And they'll be facing...#007 anddddd #012!")

"Hn. He could at least pretend he's not a clown." Vegeta said.

"He really likes fighting, huh," Rhuda remarked.

The crowd became extremely loud. Catarina could barely be heard above the noise, and she was yelling. ("THE MAN OF THE HOUR IS HERE, EVERYONE! TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT YOUR FAVORITE SAIYAN FROM EARTH, SON GOKU! AND BESIDE HIM, A TOWERING GIANT OF MUSCLE AND BRAWN, BROLY!")

I want to cheer brother on, Rhuda thought. Her feet moved to peek out of the room, seeing Broly looking horribly awkward as everyone cheered for Goku and him.

"Hehe." 

From literally no where Trunks tapped her shoulder and scared the skin off of her. Shallot fell down to the dirt. Trunks picked him up, saying, "We've got Ginyu. Just need to get Shallot here in his correct body."

"Ribbit!"

Trunks leaned and pecked her cheek. "..Good luck out there. I'll be cheering you on, but from the Nest."

"T-Thank you! I-I'll remember everything you taught me!"

He chuckled and looked over his shoulder as he left with Shallot. "...Trust your instincts. We're not playing just 'any' fighting game."

"Right!"

Goku and Broly walked to them back out of breath but otherwise unscathed. "Man! Ah haaaa! I'm gonna feel that in the morning!" Goku said, rolling his shoulder.

"It was...an easy win." Broly remarked.

Their fight hadn't lasted seemingly two minutes. "Eh? EH? It's over?" Rhuda asked.

"Yup!" Goku pat her head in passing and slid beside Vegeta, "Don't worry. The best is for last."

"Hn."

("Well that was a lot faster than I thought! Next we have...#009 and #010! Come give us a bloody show!")

Rhuda gulped. That was her number.

Vegeta tapped her shoulder. "Come on. Let's show Kakarot and Broly up."

"Y-Yes."

"...Stick close to me." He said, leaving the waiting room. Rhuda followed after and heard, "Sister! Fight hard!"

"Mhm!"

("Here they come! Its our second favorite saiyan, Vegeta! And beside him is the newest addition to Conton, Rhuda!")

*******

*******

*******

Trunks sat back down in his chair within SKOTs dome home and watched the battle. Rhuda and father were going to be fighting a namekian and a maijin. Tricky. They looked strong, too. 

"This...could go either way. But with Father, I'm sure he'll help her." He said, taking a bite of a ramen. 

And Trunks was ready for anything. Well, as ready as he could be. His own 'save' point emergency button was inside his trench coat, and would activate Rhudas 'load', if anything where to happen to her. He just hoped he didn't need to use it.

*******

******

*****

Catarina swung down her pink hearted flag and jumped back onto her platform.

("Alright! Let the Match...Begin!")

[Battle Start!]

The namekian 'BlameitonAKON07' had 3x bars, the maijin 'Elegant_Bruises' 4x. 

Rhuda edged to Vegeta, eyeing their opponents. They were bigger than both of them, and Vegeta instructed, "Take the namekian. Just watch out for his arms."

"Arms?"

"You'll see."

Vegeta took off for Elegant_Bruises, too fast to pinpoint clearly. Rhuda watched for half a second before remembering his words about keeping an eye on her opponent. She faced BlameitonAKON07 and exhaled.

"We meet again." He said, walking over.

"I-I've never met you before!" She replied, edging backward. 

Too close! The ring! I have to push him back!

She ran to him and kicked his stomach, simultaneously elbow jabbing his jaw. Spit flew from his mouth as he staggered backward, unharmed. Barely a peg of his 3x bars went down. "...What a shame. I was hoping you remembered me. I was defeated by that punk ass bitch, Shallot. Your little boyfriend?"

"H-He's not--we're not--!" Her tail curled between her legs. 

"Oh? So you just let anyone have you? Everyone...but me!"

BlameitonAKON07 laughed and thrust his arms out spread eagle. They lengthened, stretching several feet towards her in an attempt to do something. She jumped up and shot him with her recently acquired, "Magma Shot!"

Red bursts of energy flew from her and scattered far and wide, all coming back towards her enemy.

"Guh!"

His Health went down a bar.

BlameitonAKON07 recovered and vanished, appearing behind Rhuda, using those stretch arms again. It was too fast for her to react in time, and he tied her up with them.

"Hya!"

Vegeta looked over. "Dammit, Rhuda! What did I say!"

"S-Sorry!"

("Look at that! She's a christmas present! Will he rip her open next? I can only hope so!")

Vegeta blasted BlameitonAKON07 in the back, and the namekian arms fell away as his body fell harshly to the ring. 

She flushed. It not for Vegeta, he would have slung her right out of the ring. She'd be prepared next time. 

The majin, Elegant_Bruises, appeared before Rhuda and pointed her finger. "Time to make chocolate~!"

"No!"

Rhuda ducked, and instead of her it hit BlameitonAKON07, who appeared to be attempting another arm attack.

Elegant_Bruises swore. "Bitch!"

"Sorry, I'm...not going to lose, you see," Rhuda said. 

They glared at one another.

("Look at those sparks fly!")

Vegeta pushed Rhuda away, to the concrete. "This is MY fight. Focus on your own!"

"Right!"

She turned to the tiny chocolate ball floating, realizing she had an opportune time to attack him. Rhuda blasted him with energy, kicking and punching, all until the chocolate once more became BlameitonAKON07.

Too close! 

Rhuda jumped away but he grabbed her ankle and pulled her down, down, cracking into the ring. Her 1.5x health depleted to 1.0x, and she coughed dust out of her lungs.

"Ha! Look at you now," he said, stepping on her hand. "Falling at my feet."

"N-No." She growled, kicking the back of his thigh and rolling away, successfully putting distance between them.

I have to do better, she thought. Trunks told me to throw my weight into it. I have to--win this!

Her hand was throbbing with broken fingers, but Rhuda ignored it and walked around BlameitonAKON07, trying to determine his possible weakness.

("Look at that! Rhuda has taken a step back! Is she giving up, or thinking on how to win?")

His arms can reach me, even back here. But...if I...surprise him, then..

Rhuda smirked. "I might fall at your feet, if you can reach me."

"Ha! So that's how it is. Think I'll fall for that? I'm not Shallot, you know."

"Leave Shallot out of this!" She stomped her boot. "...This is you, and me. Now!"

He smirked and ran towards her, just as she'd wanted. Rhuda stilled.

("It appears Rhuda is trembling in fear!")

Not quite.

He vanished again, and Rhuda turned, seeing him about to wrap her in his stretchy arms. She fell to the ground and kicked her foot up. Right into his groin.

"Guh---! Ha--!" 

His Health Bar dropped to 1.5x.

Truly an 'Ultimate Nut Cracker'. Rhuda kind of felt bad, but Trunks had told her to use it on male opponents.

("Oh my Kami! Did you see that? I think it's safe to say if he was capable of peeing before, it won't be so easy now! Score one for the girls side!")

She exhaled and stood, waiting for him to recover. It took awhile, but he was trembling in anger. "You stupid little cunt! I'll kill you!"

("Just so you know, killing isn't allowed~")

BlameitonAKON07 put two fingers to his forehead. "Let's see how you like this, you tiny bitch!" He yelled, letting loose a Special Beam Cannon.

Rhuda back peddled and circled the ring to avoid it, but somehow it kept chasing her. 

No! This is bad!

She grit her teeth and ran harder, seeing Vegeta knock down the Maijin from the corner of her eyes.

Her Stamina depleted.

Without any choice left, she froze, staring in fear as the SBC made its way right for her. Then something happened--

---Vegeta shoved her out of the way.

She watched it cut through his right arm and out the other side. He fell to his knees, holding it as blood spurted from the fresh wound. Rhuda screamed and ran over to him but he glared at her. "What are you waiting for? Take care of him!"

"But you're hurt--"

"NOW!"

With a nod she did as told, facing her enemy with a fierce glare. He smirked. "I've got plenty more where that came from. After Shallot defeated me, I spent all my time in the hyperbolic time chamber. You don't stand a chance."

"...Ano, I'm sorry, but I have to defeat you." She said, bowing.

"In your dreams."

He had 1.5x bar left to her 1.0x. An almost equal amount. She needed to push him either off the ring, or KO him. But what could she do?

[author] Sorry it took so long! My laptop bit the dust!