0.5

 

Beerus the Destroyer yawned widely and rubbed at his sleepy feline eyes, bored to tears. It would be hard for someone to look at him and realize that he was speeding through universes faster than someone could blink. "How much longer Whis? This is taking forever."

His attendant Whis gave a little resigned sigh and glanced back at his pupil to reply, "I can't go any faster. Do try to have some patience, My Lord."

"Fine. Just so you know I'm getting hungry, and we're far away from any galaxy worth stopping at." Beerus' stomach rumbled with hunger pangs at the thought of food, "That appetizer from Gardonia was hardly worth my time."

They floated along through space and time faster than the speed of light. For the God of Destruction to deem Conton a visit would unsettle the Kai of Time--but Beerus didn't care much for the qualms of lower deities. He would have his itch scratched, so to speak, and Broly would do nicely. At least he'd better. If he refused to fight Beerus, well, his sister Rhuda would make a good bargaining chip.

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Conton City - Plaza

Rhuda had just made it back to the Time Patrol Academy after parting ways with her Instructor Vegeta. He'd left her briefly, saying something about food and Bulma.

She loaded her stat menu and added the five points she'd gained from his Gravity Chamber training directly into Stamina. "There. That should help," she mumbled.

"Help what?" A perky voice said behind her. Rhuda saw long spiked hair around the circumference of her vision and realized it was Goku. He was much taller than she and had almost perched atop her head like an extra growth. "Y-You startled me," She squeaked out.

"Eh he heh! Sorry 'bout that. I sensed your energy and came over to ask," he glanced to and fro as if someone would step in at any moment, "...Can we, you know...?"

"Eh?" For some strange reason the tips of her ears grew warm.

"Ya know..." he cupped his mouth and formed the word, 'spar'.

"...."

"Please? Pretty please with cherries on top?" Goku clapped his hands together and looked like the picture of innocence.

"S-Sorry, Goku...I can't."

After what Vegeta had told her, Rhuda knew she didn't stand a chance. It would be suicide.

"Awww, why not? You sparred with Vegeta! That's totally not fair!"

"Ano...I have to talk with Trunks." Rhuda's exclaimed. "Maybe ask my brother?"

"Broly had to go on a mission without me. Man, this stinks. First he's gone and now you're all busy too! All that's left is Vegeta and I'm kinda tired of fighting him..."

"What was that?! Kakarot, get away from her this instance!" Vegeta appeared as if called by name and knocked Goku away, who quickly spun around and landed on his bottom, only to pout childishly up at them both.

Vegeta said, "She's off limits! You hear me?! Get your own student, dammit!"

"I did! Broly had to go on a mission in the past without me. There's nobody new here to spar," Goku whined. He crossed his legs and arms to sulk. "Just one battle! Is that so much to ask?"

Vegeta said, "Scram. She's busy!"

To prove his point, Vegeta grabbed Rhuda's arm and trotted them both up the steps to the Time Nest, thrusting Rhuda into the portal suddenly. "Get in there already!"

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Time Nest

Rhuda found herself inside the Nest once more. Green grass, tall Vault of Time, and a cute round home cluttered like a hamsters nest. She walked over and didn't see Trunks. "Huh..." she scratched her cheek, "Wonder where he is?"

'Ah...why am I expecting him to just be waiting for me?'

"Over here!" His gritty voice called.

It had came from the mess of Capsule parts, and she went over to see him bent and sorting through boxes labeled with chicken scratch handwriting. He stood and dusted his knee length black trench coat off, the sword at his back clinking lightly.

Trunks moved aside a stray stand of lilac hair from his eyes. "Sorry. SKOT has me kinda busy. So, did you meet everyone?"

"Most...of them. I believe."

"I have a job for you, assuming you're up for a mission."

"Ano...a mission?"

She tried to pay attention, truly, but her heart was pattering away. It was like the hamster within her body had been given some stimulant, and Trunks the sole cause.

Trunks pointed to the Vault and explained: "There's a minor issue that came up in the past--"

No sooner had he uttered those words, then a flash of light flitted across the Nest and blinded both parties.

Rhuda squinted through the crack in her fingers and saw two forms standing there, the tallest holding an injured Broly. The newcomers were covered with body hair and had long locks, but Rhuda recognized them to be that of Goku and Vegeta, albeit dressed differently. She blinked a little in complete confusion.

'That's them...yet, not.'

Her thoughts were interrupted by Trunks: "Goku, Father! You're back! What happened?"

Broly groaned, "Ambush. Fu..."

"He needs a senzu." Hairy Goku said, looking a lot more serious than usual, "I'm out and so is Vegeta." To Trunks he asked, "Do you have any?"

"I don't, I gave my last one to Goten earlier..."

Goku put two fingers to his forehead and was about to yeet it out of there, when Rhuda remembered the senzu essence she'd obtained from battle and pulled it from her pocket.

"Brother, catch!" She tossed it to Broly who popped the capsule open and took from it the senzu bean and crunched into it. All watched as his appearance was brought back to normal.

He stood and said, "Thank you sister. Fu was waiting for me there, and he wasn't alone."

Vegeta added, "He brought a new gang of bastards to help him."

"Fu is back," Trunks said tightly, "What could he be wanting this time...?"

"He's a slippery guy that's for sure." Goku said, "But he did give us a pretty big hint."

Trunks perked up. "Yeah?"

Broly, Vegeta and Goku looked at Rhuda. She gulped and had an itchy feeling go down her spine. "Is something wrong?" She asked.

"He wants my sister." Broly stated.

A flame of aggravation burned in his molten gaze, "Something about the Ancient One and a vessel."

"Ancient one?" Trunks repeated. "...That can't be anything good." He began to pace back and forth before muttering, "But what does that have to do with her?"

Broly growled in his throat. He caught his sisters eyes and the two shared a tense moment before Broly explained, "Rhuda is the vessel for the Ancient One."

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The mission was put on hold as everyone began deliberating over what to do with Fu, and his plot to use Rhuda for whatever dark purpose he intended. As for the young woman herself, she sat down on the grass and listened to the Elite talk over her head about past adventures and missions involving the foe, not quite comprehending but not bold enough to say it aloud.

Finally Goku and Vegeta bid Broly, Trunks and Rhuda farewell and said they were going to see if they could find anything in the past, leaving to the Vault and it's Time Scrolls.

Broly walked over and undid the furry green pelt around his waist and plopped it over Rhuda's dark head and said, "Do not worry. He won't get here to the Time Nest."

Trunks, who had been listening in said as well, "Broly's right. SKOT moved Conton to this Universe to make sure nobody knew where it would be. We...had a lot of issues with it being in Universe 7."

Rhuda nodded. She didn't know if this was the plot of the game or not and needed to speak with Shallot to be sure. She stood and handed over Broly's pelt back reluctantly and told them, "If I'm not needed right now, I'm going to check on something."

The lilac haired swordsman stepped forward. "I'll go with you."

"You don't have t-to..."

'Calm down! But I can't!'

She turned away to hide the redness on her face.

"Maybe not. But you didn't meet everyone and I can explain things on the way. You're new here, and it's my job to fill you in." He nodded to Broly, "If that's okay with you."

Broly nodded. "Yes. I will go to the Vault and wait."

"Got it. Whenever you're ready, Rhuda."

Together they flew out of the Nest and down to the city of Conton, pausing above the air and it's colorful city below.

Fu was a Dark Demon from the Demon Realm and played by his own rules. Usually that meant causing a ton of troubles for everyone, all to further his experiments and gather energy.

Trunks glanced over, "It's a lot to take in I bet. But don't worry; I'll be here every step of the way."

"Y-You will?" Rhuda asked, touched. "Ano...I..appreciate that."

Trunks' lips quirked with the makings of a smile and he gazed around.

Down below them where the Time Patrollers, all huddled and talking amongst themselves as though oblivious to their surroundings. Rhuda wondered if they were only visible to her and as such asked, "How many patrollers are here?"

"Well..." her companion sighed and rubbed the back of his purple head, "Truthfully not a lot. We have some still in training like you...but it's dangerous to send them out on harder missions. Now that Fu is back, things are going to get difficult again. I just hope it goes better than last time."

There was a story behind his words but Rhuda was more concerned about her well being than whatever Fu had done in the past. She looked down at her hands and thought about how she'd gotten mixed up in things.

"Are you worried? Don't be; we're all here and ready for whatever Fu is trying to do. You have nothing to fear." The smile he gave was gentle and meant to reassure, but it gave Rhuda arrhythmia instead. Her cheeks grew warm so she rambled about the first thing on her mind:

"Why are there two of Goku and Vegeta?"

He blinked; once, twice, and put a hand under his chin. It gave Rhuda the impression he had just learned something and was thinking heavily on the subject. At length he replied, "...They're from another history. The SKOT brought them here when she hired me."

"Hired you? So, you're not doing this for fun?"

Rhuda had thought that he had been here for the sole reason of being a hero and not as a job.

Trunks chuckled. "...I wouldn't call it fun, really. But yeah. She kind of, well, coerced me into the job, you see. After I messed around with time..."

It was surprising that Trunks had done such a thing, as he looked like the goody two shoes type through and through.

"Er---maybe now isn't the best time to..." Trunks saw Rhuda's curiosity needed to be satisfied, green eyes lit within. He dipped his head with a sigh and said, "I used the Time Machine and found the Super Dragon Balls...and kinda brought everyone in my timeline back to life?"

"Super...Dragon Balls?"

"You don't know about them? Ah, well, how to put it...they're like regular Dragon Balls...but they can grant any wish, with no limitations."

His words gave Rhuda an idea. A great and spectacular idea; why hadn't she realized it before? All it would take was one wish on those dragon balls and she could return home!