Rhuda spawned on a floating platform in the middle of nowhere. Blackness on either side, floating benches above filled with NPC spectators, and Shallot at her side.

Across from her, however...

Where a multitude of enemies. They all looked powerful and skilled, some giving her a glare, others merely staring in wait.

Rhuda backed up to Shallot nervously. "S-Shallot, I've got something to say."

"Hm?"

"...You know how you can respawn over and over when you die?" She asked. 

He cocked a brow. "Respawn? Yes..." he replied slowly. 

Rhuda swallowed. "The thing is...my game system...won't let me come back. So if I die here, then...it's over."

"...I see." Shallot pulled her to his chest. "It doesn't matter, does it? All I need to do is keep you safe from harm."

"Shallot....thank you."

He smiled, but it was a dark smile hiding another meaning behind it. Shallot grabbed Rhuda to him, pulled out a Capsule and popped it open. Out came a purple portal, and he thrust Rhuda into it.

"HYAAAAaaaa!" She shrieked. 

Falling down a building would have been better. At least then she'd known what was coming. But falling into a dark abyss wasn't exactly what she had in mind. Rhudas' eyes cried from the similarity until she at last hit something hard. 

It was Shallot. He'd caught her in the air. "...I've got you, beautiful."

"S-Shallot, what is this? Where are we?"

They continued to fall into bleakness. "...I'm not Shallot. Giblet. That is my name. As for where we're going, you'll see."

"Eh? What do you mean, you're not Shallot...?" 

"That's enough questions for now."

Rhuda looked around the dark purple atmosphere made up of entirely unknown origins, and saw that they were heading towards a portal shooting off to the right. "W-What is that?"

"...A Worm Hole."

"Why are we...going to this worm hole? Sh--Giblet, s-stop! I want off this ride!" Rhuda hit his chest but he grabbed her arm and held firm. A deep shadow crossed under his dark eyes. "Stop."

"I-I'm not a princess---and--you're not Shallot--"

Seeing that she was a prisoner, going somewhere likely bad with someone wearing her friends face....

Rhuda wept.

***

 

Trunks, Shallot, Goku and Vegeta made it to the Plaza. "Not here." Trunks said.

Patrollers stopped what they were doing, looking over to see why the heroes of Conton had come from the Nest. It was a rarity for them all to be present and accounted for.

"Rhuda..." Shallot grit his teeth. "She's in danger. That noodle head--if you get hurt, I'll never forgive you!"

Trunks gave him a glare. "You're supposed to be her partner. If you had been here, she wouldn't have been tricked so easily."

"..."

"Enough! We need to find out where they've gone." Vegeta barked. "Trunks, access the robot."

"Right."

Trunks punched some information into his wrist watch and the robot halted, powering off. He grabbed it's metal body and turned it around, opening up it's communication panel. "...It should be here..." he mumbled, looking through the screen of contents. He saw the most recent PQ missions and Rhudas' name was listed, but nobody else. "..She went alone looks like." 

"Alone...to the T.O.P?" Goku said.

"She'll be a goner," Vegeta remarked darkly. "That's the hardest PQ we have and only meant for an entire team of elites to even try."

Trunks ignored his surroundings to think. Which was hard, for his thoughts kept going to Rhuda and imagining her cries of pain--

---He grit his teeth and shoved aside his worries.

He knew that the PQ missions were all based on the same system, a system within Conton that he and his mother had created years ago. They were virtually unhackable. Which left one way to get in and out, and even more questions as to where the kidnapper could have left. "...It doesn't make sense," Trunks stated to himself. "...All the PQ missions have to be accessed through here. There's no other way in or out. But..the data I'm reading says the PQ wasn't even started. Which means..."

Goku interrupted. "It means she's not even there. Whoever got to her found a way out that didn't include this simulator."

"Yeah." Trunks ran a hand through his bangs, glaring at the information he was reading. There had to be another explanation, one that made sense. "We know someone came here as Shallot and Rhuda left with them on a PQ. But...where they went after..."

"Think of something!" Shallot barked. He grabbed Trunks' shoulder and glared at him. "You're supposed to be a genius!"

"I'm trying." 

Trunks pulled back his wrist watch and punched in a few numbers into it. The robots' security system was activated, and he watched a replay of the PQ Rhuda had went on on the backside of the robots communication system. 

 

[Rhuda entered the PQ with someone who looked an awful lot like Shallot. She talked with him for a time before the man grabbed her, pulled something from his cloak and threw it. A purple portal opened and he shoved her through. The portal closed up afterward.]

 

"This is bad." Trunks said.

"W-What is it? What did you see?" Shallot asked.

"That guy definitely looked like you. He took out what looks like one of my mothers capsules...and a time rift opened. They went into it." Trunks explained.

"Let's go after them," Vegeta said.

"It's not that easy." Trunks replied. He gave them a disheartened look. "...Wherever they went to sealed up right after."

"What!" Shallot shoved Trunks, "So she's just off in the fucking abyss of time?! Is that what you're saying?!"

Trunks glared at Shallot and pushed him away. "...Looks that way. We need to find another way to see where they went."

Vegeta and Goku turned around. Over his shoulder SS4 Goku said, "We're going to the Vault. We'll let you know if a rift opens."

"Right." Trunks nodded. "I'm going to analyze this data some more, and see what I can figure out."

Shallot looked from Trunks to Goku and Vegeta and ground his teeth together. His tail waved in anger. "This is all my fault! Why did I have to...urgh!"

Trunks spared him a look. He could see that Shallot was losing it, and said, "We'll find her. That's what we're here for. You did good by telling us, Shallot."

"...Did good?" Shallot seethed and leaned, punching the plaza ground. It split apart. "Whoever took her is gonna pay!"

 

 

 

***

 

[System: Namek]

 

Rhuda and Giblet landed, doing a barrel roll on a grassy mountain. Giblet tucked his captive to him until they reached the bottom safely. "You alright?" He asked. 

 "Fine--but--"

"Shh. Stay quiet."

Giblet sat up, examining their surroundings. "...If they catch on to me we're both screwed."

Obediently Rhuda remained quiet. She gazed around, seeing a unfamiliar green sky and blue grass. It was clear that Dorothy wasn't in Kansas anymore. She watched Giblet relax, and turn towards her with a serious expression. "You...probably have a lot of questions, don't you?" He asked.

"Why did you bring me here, Sh-Giblet?"

Giblet took his time in answering. He looked to the green sky above as if recalling memories. "Once...me and my brother were righteous saiyans. We fought against the evil ones...but...those times are gone now. I brought you here, Rhuda...to help me."

"Help you? With what, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I need your pure heart. You see...there's a terrible uprising coming. Pretty soon evil will take hold once more and conquer everything. I've been working in the shadows to try and stop it, but...I can't do it alone. Please, say you'll help me." Giblet bowed his head to the grass.

Rhuda didn't know what to make of the situation. Her first thoughts were on how she could get back out of here and back to Trunks, but a part of her wanted to understand more about this Giblet person, and why he needed her in particular. "My pure heart?" She repeated.

"Yes. There are so few left who have it. I can see it in your aura that your soul is pure." He rose and smiled. "...It's beautiful."

"W-W-Wha~" The girl covered her red face. Calling her soul beautiful was a whole different kind of compliment. "T-That may be, but I...I'm not strong. I-If you need pure hearts, then Goku or Vegeta would be much better!"

"They wouldn't understand." He answered automatically. 

"Giblet..." Rhuda faltered. 

"I've done things in the past which I haven't atoned for...things the Time Patrol would frown on. I've brought you to Namek, hoping you could talk with Elder Guru for me. I need information about the Super Dragon Balls so that I can make a wish to avert the evil that's impending. They'll destroy not only the past, but the future, and even...Conton City itself."

Destroy Conton City? Rhuda thought, sweating. If they destroy the Time Nest, then I---

---I can't go back to reality!

Rhuda nodded. "Alright. I'll talk with him, Giblet. Just tell me what I need to do."

 

 

Giblet told her about the namekians and that they wouldn't harm her if she had good intentions. Rhuda checked herself mentally, once, twice, before second guessing if she was truly a 'pure' heart or not. After all, she couldn't claim that she'd never lied, or taken something without asking. Did those things count to Elder Guru? 

I guess I'll find out, she thought anxiously.

Giblet pointed to the direction she should fly, and Rhuda took off for the peak of a tall cliff in the distance. The air rushed by her head, blowing away her long auburn pig tails. 

Flying was nice.

She didn't really understand how she could do it, only that all she needed to do was think about flying and it happened-- and left it at that.

Down below her were dots of green with white; the shadows of tiny namekians farming the beige soil, growing what looked like tiny bushes. She waved to them in passing, seeing some look up at her and stare as she zoomed past.

Finally Rhuda tapped down outside the spiked dome home that held Elder Guru--

--"Who goes there!"

A deep voice said. She turned, seeing a tall Piccolo twin standing there. He grit his teeth, showing off fangs. Rhuda bowed politely. "I'm Rhuda. I'm come from a long way to talk with Elder Guru. There's a calamity coming, and I was hoping to seek his advice."

"...So you know about Elder Guru. He won't see anyone like you, outsider."

"Ano...please, sir...I don't have anywhere else to go. Our entire future depends on this!" Rhuda begged, dropping to her knees in the dust. She stared at the tall swaying blue grass until a gravelly voice from within the dome home said, "Nail. Let her in."

Nail turned, "But--"

"...It's alright...She means us no harm." Said the voice.

Nail didn't like that answer but bade Rhuda to come in. She followed and entered into a dark lit home, where the only thing present was Elder Guru himself, sitting atop a throne with pointed spikes at the sides. His face was so wrinkled it looked like he'd melted and became one with his chair, but he lifted a thick giant hand. "Come...child."

Rhuda slowly walked forward.

Guru smiled. "You have nothing to fear...little one."

"Ano...I've come to...ask you about the Super Dragon Balls, sir." She bowed.

"....come closer. Let me read your thoughts....so I can...understand..." he wheezed.

Rhuda walked to his arm chair. Guru stuck out his left arm and placed it's heaviness on her pig tailed head. He went silent, and Rhuda began to believe he fell asleep when he finally coughed.

"...You...are....from the Ancient....Race of old."

"Sir?"

"...I see that you have...had a difficult life....such a sweet soul you are...." he smiled with his shut eyes. "...I will help...as much as I can..."

"T-Thank you sir!"

"Stay still...while I...release what is hidden within..." Guru instructed.

Rhuda stilled, and felt a rush of power surge through her body. It shocked her so much she cried out with surprise, and Guru lifted his hand. "I have...unlocked your true power....Rhuda....Chisato....use it to do good..."

"Y-Yes sir!"

Wait--

Guru had just referred to her as Chisato. That meant he knew she wasn't Rhuda. Just what had Elder Guru been able to find out? 

Rhuda looked up and saw Guru smiling. "Then...about the Super Dragon Balls," she began, "do you know where they are?"

"...It is difficult to recall....long ago...one orbited our solar system...another....to the east, past...the third galaxy...." Guru paused to cough, adding, "...the others..."

Rhuda listened to every word Guru spoke, intent to relay everything to Giblet as soon as she could. At last, when he was finished, Guru coughed and said, "...Chisato...listen to me...don't...be fooled..."

"Be fooled? Sir?"

"The one...who seeks the Super Dragon Balls....has bad intentions...."

Giblet? Rhuda thought, shocked. 

"I-I see. Thank you, Sir."

"Keep...the location...secret...child." Guru wheezed.

"I will!"

"Good...don't...forget...to be happy. The one you love...is worthy of...your...heart."

Guru went still as stone. He stopped talking, and Nail came in. "He's asleep. Time for you to go, intruder."

"Y-Yes. Thank you, Mr. Nail."

"Hn."

 

***

 

Rhuda left Guru with a knot in her stomach. Giblet would doubtless be wanting that information, and would stop at nothing to get it--if Guru was right in that he was actually a bad person. She paced back and forth on the grass outside his home before sighing. "He'll get mad at me. But I..can't tell him where they are, or...it'll end badly." She mumbled.

Without another way back to the Time Nest Rhuda jumped off the cliff peak and sought out Giblet, thinking on a way to avoid conflict. Beyond the boulders and past a lake she saw him sitting atop a stone. His leg was raised, arms wrapped around it. His brown tail swayed.

"You're back." Giblet said.

Rhuda dropped to a bow. "I wasn't able to find where they were."

Her green eyes rose and saw that Giblet was angered. His dark brows were tight with fury. At once he vanished, appearing before her and lifting Rhuda high into the sky by her neck. Her feet kicked around uselessly. "Hak!"

"Who are you trying to fool! I know that old man told you not to tell me!" Giblet shouted. 

His hand tightened its hold on her neck and Rhuda began to see spots. Her Health bar was beginning to go down. "Guk--!"

Giblet threw her away from him so roughly she skid in the dirt on her face. 

"Ah..ha..." she caught her breath, lifting her cheek to see his black boots drawing closer. He wore a smirk on his face. "I'm not supposed to kill you. But I assure you, Rhuda...I can make you wish that I had."

She grit her teeth and shakily got up. "....Then you'll have to kill me."

"Have it your way!"

Giblet vanished, kneeing her chest. Rhuda landed far away, smacking a mountain. It cracked down the middle and she fell to the ground coughing up blood. 

Everything in her was aching. She couldn't feel her arms, but lifted them, sending a few Ki Shots in his direction. He smacked them away and kept walking. When he was to her once more Giblet grabbed her arm, lifted her and began pummeling her stomach. 

*Baki* *Baki* *Baki*

Crack, crack went her ribs. 

He was punching her so fast and furiously the girl couldn't get a breath in, only using the last of her air to scream in pain. Giblet stopped his slaughter to smirk at her, pulling her face to him as one side of his mouth tilted cruelly. "Had enough yet? I wonder how much your tiny body can take."

Rhuda glared. "...ha..ha..you...can't...win.."

"Hmm...you are quite adorable. How you cling to to the hope of salvation. My Worm Hole won't be so easily found by those rats of Conton." Giblets shoulders shook as he began to laugh, then a gleam entered his dark eyes. He took his free hand and pulled her tail tightly.

Her Stamina bar drained entirely.

"...s-sto..." she strained. 

"Or what? You'll glare at me? Ha. Ha! I'd like to see you try...little Rhuda."

The girl shivered in fear, calling out Trunks' name in her mind and began to cry.

"Such sweet sounds," Giblet said of her tears. He pulled her to his cloaked chest and ran his gloved hand down her cheek, smiling darkly. "...I wonder what it's like, mating with such a tiny thing."

"!"

He kissed her forcefully. Giblets lips were so harsh it was like they were bruising. Then he invaded her mouth--

She bit his tongue.

*Smack!*

...The left side of her face went numb with pain and rattled her vision. Rhuda screamed when he yanked her tail even tighter, draining any hope of retaliating.

"That hurt you little retch." He said, snarling. "I'd kill you if you weren't a tiny bit useful."

Rhuda had to think of something. She needed to get free, but didn't know how to get past her tails weakness. How could she overcome him enough to put some distance between them?

She had one idea.

After Locking On to Giblet Rhuda quickly used her last energy to do Ki Burst--

Giblet was knocked away by a ring of light.

He smirked. "Not too bad. Not enough, but..." his hand raised, "...let's play."

Her Stamina was returning albeit slowly. It had to be enough. Rhuda dropped down, ignoring how her broken ribs screamed, and took off for a punch. He caught her hand and twisted it, his own crunching into her chest bone. "Hya!"

Giblet waited as she stood again. His tail swayed with confidence.

Rhuda needed to buy some time for Trunks to figure out where she'd gone. It was her only hope.