Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters. Just OCs.

Yeah…I know…I'm bad…

Hey all, I'm back with another chapter, and also with some news. A friend of mine joined Discord to advertise her art. I've been using my DeviantArt account to advertise my stories and give updates, but I've decided to use Discord to do so as well. I'm still getting set up on Discord, but if you want to get updates on stories, access to future content, fanfiction and fandom discussion pages, a private grief/emotional recovery group, and more. If you're interested, you can PM me for my account name to add me or send me yours, and I'll invite you to my channel. I look forward to hearing from you ^_^

In addition to a Discord channel, I've also started a Tumblr page. If you enjoy my work, please consider following me there as well to offer support. You can even ask me questions about my work! ^_^ I also started posting my work on AO3. Eventually, I'll get everything posted there and you'll have the choice in the future between the two sites. You will be able to read this chapter there after it is posted here (trying to do it simultaneously).

Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter, and also a guest reviewer who recently reviewed on Part II: Chapter 2, BellaBDS. Hopefully when this chapter gets out you'll have already been caught up. I'm not a huge fan of time skips either, but I find them useful when I'm going to a new conflict in a story. Usually between sequels, but in this story I'm making it a three parter so it's all in one story. As far as whether Bulma and Vegeta have "done it," they clearly have since she's pregnant and they have two children. I'm not a fan of writing lemons, and the M ratings I give are mainly for mature themes, so just because it hasn't been seen doesn't mean it hasn't happened in the story progression XD It's just my personal preference as a writer. But thank you again for the review, and I hope I answered your wonderings :)

Also, to the other guest reviewer who seemed very upset to see that there was no new chapter on this…yeah, sorry. I keep sitting down to write this one, and then I get distracted and it just doesn't come. Rest assured, though, that I don't plan to leave this story unfinished. Thank you for your eagerness and compliments. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

And 2020 update, I broke my leg and tore a ligament in my ankle in the summer, needed surgery, and am still recovering and doing online classes since I lost my job because I could no longer work. We suffered a loss (not due to covid, but still awful) and we're dealing with the fallout every day. So writing has been a challenge to say the least. I am really trying to get to stories like this one and Visions to give updates despite it being so long. I'm sure people may have to go back and re-read and I'm sorry about that. I am trying my absolute best, so for those still following after all these years, I can't tell you how much that means to me.

Wow, that was a lengthy A/N…it definitely has been too long…well.

Let's continue!

Onward! ;D


After the prince's fight with Turles and the announced break, Bulma excused herself to go to the infirmary to check on the two girls that fought in the first round. She was completely upset and horrified over these fights, and the fact that her son had another opportunity to fight one of Frieza's men was increasing her anxiety. Vegeta was adamant about her staying for images. You must know how that will look, her mate had communicated to her.

Bulma knew, but she couldn't worry about that. I can't stomach these fights, she admitted. I'll return later. I need to make sure Tomala and Sintia are okay, and honestly, I think I'm going to be sick.

So, they verbally did an exchange; Bulma requested permission to leave for a bit and Vegeta granted it with instructions to return shortly. The woman bowed her head submissively and hoped hers and Vegeta's act would fool their enemy. Frieza's eyes never left the queen as she walked away. He was amused.

The demon laughed with mirth once she left and began to tease Vegeta about the woman. "Weakling. I'm impressed, Vegeta. You've trained her well." The king forced his energy not to rise; he could not allow Frieza to gather how enraged he was by such a demeaning remark towards his mate. "You must tell me how you managed such a feat."

Vegeta ignored his taunts despite the want to defend Bulma. His attention shifted back to the center of the stadium as Nappa boomed, "Alright, everyone take your seats. I'm about to announce the third fight." The king deflated internally. Nappa really had meant a short break. Vegeta crossed his arms, ppeared indifferent, but he was truly apprehensive over this round. The two combatants walked into the ring. One of the competitors was one of Frieza's top men, the pink giant. The Saiyan thought of Bulma; she was better off not seeing the fight. "On one side, we have the Swaron prince, Tri, and on the other, Dodoria." The former general glanced between the two competitors. "Keep the fight clean."

"Will do," Tri chuckled. He removed his colorful vestments; plain, white clothing rested underneath. The prince stepped forward.

Prince Tri was the oldest son of King Pri of Planet Swar. The race allied with the Saiyans shortly after Vegeta defeated his father and took control of the planet. It turned out their world had once been an ally to the former king, bonded over the lust for a good battle. After the evil ruler accepted the dark energy within him, he cut ties with King Pri. The other warrior race had not heard from the Saiyans until the recent years. King Pri actually reached out to the current King Vegeta to mend the broken bond his father caused.

Vegeta did not have a problem with the Swarons. They were admirable warriors that had a bit of a flashy streak the Saiyan wasn't fond of; however, they did respect the Saiyans and their culture. Despite the attempts to marry off his sons to a daughter who did not exist, Vegeta felt better about them than the Needellens. Every so often, King Pri would try to convince him, but really there was no ill will even when Vegeta said 'no'.

Tri and Sri were not really Vegeta's favorite people. They were overly eager to fight and bragged constantly in a way that was unbecoming. The two princes believed they were the strongest in the universe. They weren't weaklings, but there were definitely many Saiyans who could give them hell; Vegeta knew he and Kakarot were far stronger. There was no reason for such bravado, especially in Vegeta's presence, but both we eager to showcase their strength in hopes the Saiyan king would favor one of them for his future daughter.

Vegeta observed Tri. He was a tall, lean fighter with dark hair, more brown than black, and striking purple eyes. The Saiyan king had never seen him fight, so he hoped the arrogance the prince put on display held weight. He would hate to see what would happen if the Swaron didn't. Dodoria…he was the other fighter he saw in Bulma's dream. He was as sick and cruel as both Frieza and Zarbon. If Tri wasn't careful, he could be seriously injured.

"And now," Nappa announced over the loudspeaker, "are you both ready?" The two fighters nodded and began to walk around the ring to size up the other. Dodoria strode as if he owned the place while Prince Tri looked at the faces in the stadium and waved at the cheering public. Vegeta cringed. As much as the prince irritated him, he really hoped he'd fair well against one of Frieza's top men. "Now, you two, we expect you to have a good, clean fight, understand?"

"Oh, of course," Prince Tri declared eagerly. His attention remained on the public a moment longer before he met the amused yet malevolent gaze of his opponent.

"Crystal clear," Dodoria boomed slowly. The manner in which he spoke left a sense of disquietude in the former general's soul.

"Begin!"

The two fighters fell into their defensive stances. A second later, both competitors flashed out of view. They charged into one another, but managed to block each other's assault. As quickly as they struck, they pulled bag to repeat the action. The two fighters collided but instead of pulling back they exchanged a flurry of punches and kicks.

Tri smirked at his opponent during their exchange. The Swaron always preferred hand to hand combat. It was his specialty, and much safer on his opponent than his other abilities. Usually, he'd overtake his opponent during a flurry and knock them out before fights would get out of hand, a quick, subtle, decisive blow that hid a fraction of his power. His opponent today, though, had no weaknesses in the hand to hand exchange; Tri wouldn't be able to break his guard.

"Very well done," he praised his opponent with a conceited lilt. "You must be a very skilled warrior to be evenly matched with me."

Dodoria chuckled at that. "Kid, you have no idea what you're dealing with. If I were you, I'd forfeit this fight."

The two stopped the flurry and instead were locked in a stalemate of force as they caught each other's fists. When neither would budge, they fell back. Tri crossed his arms and outright laughed at the pink giant's comments. "You haven't seen my true power, yet. Until then, I'm still in this. Your confidence is amazing, though, I'll give you that."

"True power, hm?" Dodoria questioned. "Kid, if you want to defeat me, you better give it all you've got."

Tri's smile disappeared as the gravity of what he was about to do overcame him. His power was not for the faint of heart, and he vowed only to use it when faced with danger. "Stranger, I hope you know what you asked for. I can't guarantee your sanity will remain intact when I'm done."

Dodoria seemed undeterred. In fact, his lips curled in a vicious grin and his eyes lit up in interest. "Do your worst, kid."

Given the okay, Tri yelled out as he powered up, his eyes glowed white and ice shards formed around him. The crystals flew in a cyclone around Tri until he grew silent. When the yells ended, the ice remained suspended in the air. Then, all the ice fell and sounded like glass as it hit the ring. Tri was gone.

Dodoria was slightly stunned. He widened his stance and tried to get a sense as to where the prince hid. He was not outside the ring. He was no inside the ring. Where is that cocky bastard?

Minutes went by, and the whole stadium was in silent awe. All spectators were at the edge of their seat as they waited for something to happen. And something was indeed about to happen. Everyone sensed it. The tension and anxiety rose.

Frieza's soldier angered. It seemed the Swaron was a coward as well as cocky. He was hiding from the fight, probably knew he couldn't win. Still, something was off. Dodoria felt as if he were being hunted, but that made little sense. He was the one who faced ruthless and desperate warriors on a regular basis. He knew he was stronger than the prince, but the bastard was making a mockery out of him. Dodoria clenched his fists.

The instant he did, Prince Tri appeared behind him. Dodoria felt the rush of cold air, but had no time to react as he was hit by a ki attack. Tri's eyes changed color to an icy blue, his hands pulled together as blue energy shot Dodoria's way. "Blue Impluse!" the prince shouted.

Dodoria was hit, but after rolling halfway towards the ring boundary, he got to his feet. He was about to throw an orb of yellow energy, but his arms remained over his head with the sphere. Tri was gone from the ring again. Another void appeared behind Dodoria, but instead of the prince coming out of it, shards of ice poured out. Dodoria managed to defend himself with his ki which melted the ice.

Tri stepped out of the void, arms crossed as he faced Frieza's soldier once again. "You're doing much better than I expected," Tri evaluated. "Usually my opponent is disoriented by now and end up encased in ice. My powers of sorcery are usually enough to drive anyone to the brink of insanity, which is the reason I don't use it often. But you…you're no ordinary fighter."

Dodoria glared at the prince, but then released a disparaging snicker. "You're an idiot. You should have stayed in your little vortex." His voice was dark, sinister, and there was a hidden promise of pain to come.

"Why is that?"

Dodoria moved so quickly, his hand crushing Tri's throat. The prince grasped his hand and attempted to pry Dodoria off. The pink menace only tightened his grip. A dry cough escaped Tri; the prince attempted to get air into his lungs. He looked into the cold, hateful eyes of his opponent.

"Because I hate arrogant bastards like you, and now you won't be able to run from what I'll do to you."

Tri's eyes reflected fear and confusion, but it was short-lived as Dodoria smashed him into the ring and cracked the concrete. The was another strangled sound. Dodoria smirked as the prince's face began to turn blue. He continued to bash the royal around despite the cries of protest from the spectators and even from Nappa. Everyone was yelling to stop the fight.

In the stands, Vegeta watched this farce of a battle. His expression betrayed his shock and horror. The king didn't notice Frieza's eyes on him, didn't steel himself. Frieza could see just how much Dodoria's actions affected the Saiyan leader. His earlier suspicions were confirmed. King Vegeta was weak and did not want a war. He was in for rude awakening when this tournament was over.

Tri still couldn't break Dodoria's hold. Eventually, he resigned himself to his fate. He could only hope that the miscreant would tire of this brutal assault.

"Dodoria, I told you to stand down!" Nappa screamed at the top of his lungs. His voice finally cut through the vengeful haze, and the monster froze, his hands still closed around Tri's neck. "If he dies, you will be disqualified, and you're getting real fucking close."

Instead of aggravating Dodoria, the words brought a sick grin to the pink alien's face. He pulled Tri up to eye level; Tri was disturbed by the sadistic gleam he saw in his opponent. "You're lucky. If not for that rule, I'd tear your innards out through that obnoxious mouth of yours and strangle you with that."

Tri's eyes widened before Dodoria threw him down to the floor with more force than necessary. The demon walked away as Nappa began some kind of countdown. The prince felt blood pouring out of him in multiple places and many of his bones were broken. He could hardly bring oxygen as he coughed vigorously. He couldn't get back up as much as he wanted to; he was in no shape. All Tri could do was close his eyes and surrender.

"And ten!" Nappa declared. "Prince Tri has been defeated. Dodoria will move on to the next round."

Tri nearly choked on a sob, both from the pain and from relief that it was over. The fight was brutal; Tri knew he was lucky and smart enough to stay down. He continued to struggle to catch his breath, the former Saiyan general standing between the two competitors, just in case. The Swaron prince looked up at the face of his opponent. He shuddered at the look of amusement Dodoria cast him. The soldier nearly killed him. Tri didn't know how he was still in one piece. He mentally thanked Nappa for stepping in and doing a ten count. Tri didn't think he could move.

But he had to.

Prince Tri had an image to keep. His normal flashy and arrogant demeanor could not be overshadowed by his fear. He refused to let that monster see the fear he felt deep in his soul. So, somehow, he found the strength within him and mustered up the energy to get to his feet. He could hear surprised gasps followed by applause. He forced a smile despite the agonizing aches all over his body. As his signature, he lifted his fist into the air before he weakly brought his arm to his side.

Nappa watched the prince, concerned; his heart hammered in his chest. He should have called the match sooner, but Dodoria ignored all his attempts. Tri hadn't deserved such a brutal onslaught.

The Saiyan heard Dodoria snicker beside him, and his stomach curled with disgust. How could anyone take pleasure in this cowardly act?

Tri slowly made his way out of the ring, used every last bit of willpower. He nearly stumbled out. His vision becoming hazy which caused the prince to panic. Something was wrong.

His brother ran towards him. "Tri," Sri murmured. "Are you all right? That guy brutalized you out there!"

That was an understatement, Tri mused. He walked towards his brother as coolly as possible in his broken body. He almost made it to him, too, before his legs gave out and he fell to the ground.

The Swaron king rose from his seat, horrified when he saw his eldest son drop. His youngest tried to help his brother as the prince's body convulsed. The Saiyan, Nappa, ran to the prince and quickly called medical over. Angry eyes shifted to the pink monster who did this to his son. That bastard!

In his feelings of helplessness, the king looked to his ally. He had come to know Vegeta very well over the years, and he had been watching him during the tournament. The Saiyan king put forth this guise of indifference, but the Swaron knew better. Vegeta's arms were crossed, hands grasped his muscles, and his eyes held a deep-seated rage. Vegeta's eyes only darkened when the sickening, effeminate lord beside him cackled.

"Are you impressed, King Vegeta?" Frieza taunted. Vegeta's jaw tightened as he looked towards Frieza. The villain was so smug, very happy to brag about his men. "This is what my troops have to offer, all of them. Your warriors would do best to remember that."

"My warriors," Vegeta emphasized, "will not be beaten so easily. You would do well to remember that."

Vegeta's eyes landed on the prince; he watched as the medical team put him on emergency life support. He resisted the urge to shake his head, to allow himself to visibly shake in his wrath. Frieza's men were vicious. Vegeta knew that from what he heard from his wife. Still, he never expected such horrendous atrocities at one of his ally's expense. He looked to the Swaron king and noticed the defeated look in the man's eyes. Vegeta's could only reveal a glint of an apology. The other king merely nodded, and Vegeta felt relief. His closest ally just figured out what he'd been hiding, and Vegeta knew, if it came down to it, the Swaron king would be willing to help.


Bulma hated morning sickness. It was the one symptom she could not stand from pregnancy. Hiding her condition made it even worse. She had been feeling ill all morning, but she couldn't get away unnoticed. The end of her son's battle and the break that was given was a blessing. It gave her the chance to race to hers and Vegeta's room before she got sick in front of everyone.

After she cleaned herself up, she took it upon herself to go to the infirmary. The queen still could not get passed that first, horrendous fight. It was clear that Frieza's young soldier was just an innocent child. Tomala had seen it and tried to end things before they got out of hand. Sintia was strong, though, and Tomala ended up suffering just as much. This all did not sit right with the queen. She needed to check on the girls.

Bardock was surprised to see Bulma when she entered the infirmary, but when her eyes landed on the girls he understood. "They both took a lot of damage," the Saiyan informed her of their condition, "but they'll both make full recoveries."

Bulma breathed out a sigh of relief and stroked Tomala's hair. The queen had a soft spot for the little girl who spent so much time training with her son. The children were close, and Bulma appreciated the child for bringing out that playful side in her son as she did her own mate. Tomala stirred, opening her eyes when she felt Bulma's hand in her hair. Abruptly, she sat up, bowed to the woman, and greeted, "Your Majesty!"

"Now, now, none of that," Bulma soothed her. "You fought well. It seems my son has taken a liking towards you."

Little Tomala blushed. Then her eyes widened. "Who won the fight?" She noticed Bulma's concern and wondered if the prince lost his bought.

"Goku did," Bulma told her. She could see the excited glint in Tomala's eyes, but the little girl then realized no one else seemed excited. She was about to ask when her former opponent groaned and up.

Sintia shot up with fright and looked around. "I-I'm sorry," she immediately said. The child bowed her head low. "I…I never wanted to be a part of this. I'm so sorry."

"Easy does it," Bulma chided as she went to the little girl's side. She felt the need to calm the crying child despite the fact that she was part of Frieza's team. If anything, the queen was certain that she wasn't necessarily with that demon by choice. "It's all right."

"No," Sintia choked. "No, it's not all right. Not many know what the tournament is about, but we all do. I…just wanted to test my power, but Frieza…he wants more." Sintia looked to Bulma with sad, terror-stricken eyes. "He wants you, not just your technology. When I learned…I tried to get out of it…but…"

Tomala looked to the girl, horrified. She then looked to her queen and saw this distant look of dread. Bulma managed to swallow down her fear. She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I already know that," she admitted. "I know this is just a formality."

Sintia nodded. "It's a cloak. I'm certain he'll want war. I'm afraid he'll kill me for my failure."

"No," Bulma replied with determination. "We will protect you."

"Enough!"

Everyone jumped at the sound of the angry voice - save Bardock – of Sintia's older brother, Brenten as he entered the room. Bardock immediately jumped in from of Bulma protectively, but Brenten waved his hands in assurance that he wasn't there to harm anyone.

"There's a brief break between the fights," Brenten explained. "The last one ended badly. It was disturbingly brutal, and Prince Tri was weakened, although he managed to walk out of the ring."

Bulma breathed a sigh of relief, but Breten wasn't done. "Frieza is stronger than any of you realize. Do not make promises you can't keep." He looked to his sister with a hardened expression. Still, his eyes screamed of remorse. "I need to take you to Frieza now."

Sintia grew nervous, stiff as a board, and Brenten remained glued to his spot, clearly reluctant to follow through. "What if Sintia wasn't here when you got here?" Bardock spoke up. This earned the two siblings' attention. "What if someone hid her in another room to recover to protect her from other parties competing who would wish to do her harm?"

Bulma understood where Bardock was going. "They are barred from searching the palace," she pointed out. "We can make up a story where the injured of the tournament are treated in the infirmary and then kept in separate rooms as a precaution."

Brenten looked between the two, baffled. "Why would you do that for us, knowing we work for Frieza?"

"My world was attacked by Frieza and his men," Bulma admitted, and the two little girls were completely surprised, Tomala most of all. "They wanted our technology, and they killed everyone. It was so traumatic that I was unresponsive. They left me behind, and Vegeta found me and brought me here. I know what kind of people they are, and you do not strike me as that kind of man. Your sister will be safe here. We'll make sure of it."

"Thank you," Brenten sincerely replied, "but you're wrong. Though I may not enjoy hurting others, I have still destroyed countless worlds as Frieza has ours."

"We were no different less than a decade ago," Bardock spoke up. "We understand."

Brenten actually smiled at that, a rarity for the warrior and the first in many years aside from the moments he was alone with his sister. "Okay," he finally relented. He turned the the blue-haired queen and begged, "Please…please take care of her."

Bulma nodded, and Bardock was about to ready the child for transport when chaos broke out.

A group pf Saiyans and members of Rescue Star raced Prince Tri into the med bay on emergency life support. Kakarot also came in behind them. He met both his father's and Bulma's horrified gazes. "It was one of Frieza's men," he explained. "He nearly killed the prince in the fight."

Bulma felt her heart race and stomach drop, but she quickly buried that down and sprang into action. She looked to Brenten and said, "You need to move her quickly. Kakarot can help you."

"I…" Brenten began to say when he noticed the Saiyan general's wary and distrustful eyes. It was directed towards him, and Brenten couldn't say he blamed the warrior.

"There's no time to explain, son," Bardock snapped as he rushed to attempt to stabilize Tri. "Just hide the child. Frieza can't find her."

Kakarot seemed to understand and nodded. "Alright, then," he agreed. Carefully, he lifted the little girl in his arms. He looked to Brenten. "Let's move."

Tomala watched horror-stricken as Sintia was pulled into the general's arms. Brenten kept his eyes on his sister as he and Kakarot left the infirmary. He needed to return to Frieza, tell him his sister had been moved and hidden. He decided to go in the opposite direction of Kakarot. He could truthfully tell Frieza he had no idea where his sister was that way.

The little Saiyan looked to her queen, fear reflected in her dark eyes. Bulma regarded the child with a glimmer of remorse. Never did she want the Tomala to witness something so horrid. A thought then occurred to Bulma. Tomala was her son's closest friend. If this got back to him, he would truly know. She couldn't let that happen.

"Tomala," she stated firmly, though inside she shook with her own panic. "Whatever you heard today, you can't tell Goku any of it." The Saiyan child was completely shocked and found the demand appalling. "I know you're close with him, but you have to understand. He can't know. Goku may end up fighting one of these men, and I don't want him fighting them full of anger. They'll exploit it."

Tomala knew the queen was right, but deep down inside she felt like it was a betrayal. Still, Goku had to already know something. He witnessed what must have been a terribly brutal fight. Maybe she didn't need to say anything. Tomala swallowed down her nerves and guilt and nodded. Bulma appeared thankful. Queen Bulma knows more about this than I do, Tomala realized. She just hoped that the king and queen knew best. They always had in the past.


After all the commotion, Nappa called the next fight. As much as everyone wanted to rush to find out if the Swaron prince was okay, images needed to be kept. The crowd was rowdy, and sending them off for an actual break would probably cause a riot. That's why the former general made the tactical call to get everyone's attention on the next fighters. It was a relief that it wouldn't be a show of disgraceful and senseless violence as the last fight had been. No, this would be a friendlier match between one of the Saiyans and someone from Rescue Star. "The next match will start. Kane and Videl, please enter the ring."

Videl came into view; she stood proudly as she faced her Saiyan opponent. She wasn't worried. The raven-haired teenager had trained with Gohan over the years, and he was a skilled fighter. He taught her everything he knew, even how to use ki and fly. It was time to put those lessons to good use.

Gohan watched the battle ringside. He was thrilled to see Videl fight. Training with her was always an amazing experience that got his heart racing. He knew he had feelings for her. Though he hadn't told her yet, the half-Saiyan really liked her. They were just friends, after all, the two focused on the tournament to protect their families. Deep inside, Gohan wanted more. Right now, though, he shook his mind free of those thoughts. All he could see her as now was the warrior and comrade she truly was. The rest would have to come when they were free of danger.

Gohan planned to cheer for Videl against Kane, one of the random soldiers from the army. He watched all of her movements, graceful as ever. She used her speed and the fact that she could fly to outmaneuver Kane. It was, by no means, an easy win, but Videl wasn't a pushover. Gohan knew that firsthand since he trained with her often.

She clearly took his pointers to heart. Knowing of the possibility she'd face one of his people, Gohan made sure to give her an edge. Videl knew how to handle a Saiyan. The tail, however, was off limits. Gohan made her promise that way before her first lesson. It was one she kept, and Gohan was grateful for that.

The fight didn't last long, and Videl was declared the winner. She left the ring and went straight for Gohan, pride in her eyes. "So, how'd I do?"

"I don't know," Gohan replied with a teasing tone. "It was too quick to make a true assessment. You could have made it last longer."

Videl laughed, and Gohan smiled down at her. "Oh quiet, you know that's the point. You were the one who told me his weak points."

Gohan appeared indifferent. "I told you no such thing. I only mentioned that Kane probably had an old back injury. You chose to investigate if it were true."

"Oh stop! You're terrible!"

Gohan shrugged before Nappa called the next match. "Next up is our own, Gohan, and he'll face the Needellen prince, Zolid."

Videl kissed Gohan's cheek, and the half-Saiyan met her gaze and blushed. His hand rested on his cheek. "What was that for?"

"For luck," Videl remarked. "Don't lose to the pretty boy, kay? I want to see you in the next round."

Gohan grinned before he walked away from her over to the ring. His opponent, Prince Zolid, stood there as if waiting for him. The Needellen met his gaze, disgust plastered all over his face. Gohan cocked his head in question. Normally, the Needellen was indifferent to the Saiyans, but since the royal's arrival, the Saiyans had proven to be a disrespectful people to his culture. Zolid scoffed and told his opponent, "You're a disgrace."

Black eyes widened. "Pardon?"

Zolid ignored him and walked into the ring. Confused, Gohan followed suit.

Nappa looked between the two competitors and nodded to Gohan. "The round starts now. Begin!"

Gohan closed his eyes for a second, took a deep breath to center himself, and when he opened his eyes his eyes held a more serious and calculating glint. Zolid glared at the Saiyan in front of him, angered by the display he'd just witness. These Saiyans were uncouth, but Zolid never thought they'd go so far as to taint their women. Now, the prince could understand how Thia was tainted. This casual sense of touch was truly awful.

"I hope for a good fight like the last one," the Saiyan stated.

Zolid dismissed this notion. "It's appalling that a woman was allowed to fight, so the previous match is not one I wish to emulate."

Gohan's brown furrowed and his jaw stretched in disbelief. He'd never heard a more ridiculous remark or heard such anger over something so insignificant. "What? What are you talking about?"

The ignorant words enraged Zolid even more; his energy rose in response. Lips pulled back, and he bared his teeth at his unworthy opponent. "Women are not meant to be fighters. They have but one purpose, and that is to continue the family line. Allowing them to do anything but procreate goes against everything I was raised to believe. And to allow an unmarried woman to touch a man or be touched is disgraceful. You allowed that woman to taint herself and yet you're completely okay with the fact that you just ruined her. You should be ashamed, Saiyan."

Gohan's energy flared, and now it was his turn to be affronted. "Is that really what you believe?" he asked, skeptical. There was no way any culture could still be so archaic. Was this why the Needellen princess was fighting in the tournament? His dad already told him that Thia was under Saiyan protection. Was her participation the reason she needed it? It must be if this drivel spoken by her brother was truly how they lived. And the insults to Videl… "Videl is a respected warrior and my intended mate," Gohan declared. "We don't live by the same laws as you do."

"That's why the Saiyans are inferior," Zolid spoke simply, unperturbed by the way Gohan's energy was fluctuating in his indignation.

Gohan could no longer take the slander against his race and the woman he care for. He attacked the Needellen angry. Zolid assumed he'd be able to counter the half-Saiyan, that his anger would cause him to make a mistake, but his theory proved incorrect when Gohan appeared in front of him and blasted him in the stomach. Zolid's body was sent careening backwards. He fell against the edge of the ring. Before he could gathering his bearings, Gohan attacked him against and sent him flying out of the ring.

Zolid registered the dirt beneath him, gripped it with his hands. He looked up at the furious Saiyan, Gohan's eyes full of hate and distaste. He stood tall over Zolid and glared down at the stunned prince. "Women are worth more than you realize. They are strong; they're our partners; and I will never let you degrade my intended again. Our bonds are what make us strong. That's something you and your people will never understand. And you…you have less value than the woman who defeated a Saiyan."

The Saiyan walked away; he turned his back towards the Needellen as the ultimate sign if disrespect. Zolid glowered at Gohan as the Saiyan walked to the center of the ring before the prince picked himself up off the ground and dusted himself off.

Nappa saw the exchange between Gohan and the Needellen prince, a small breath of relief expelled when Zolid just stood up and walked away to lick the wounds of his embarrassing defeat. The former general cleared his throat and looked to the updated roster. "And the winner of this match is Gohan," he declared. "I'll announce the next match now, but we'll all be taking a short break for lunch in the palace. We'll resume with the match between Princess Thia and Prada afterwards."

Gohan wasn't happy with his victory. Instead, his heart ached. He could not believe that they were allied with a people who saw women as some type of property. Gohan had been raised by strong-willed women. His mother and late grandmother were a testament to the resilience and both inner and outer strength. Even the queen who despite her weak power level had helped to bring this planet back from the brink of destruction. Fists were still clenched and muscles taught as Gohan forced himself to leave the ring; a part of him wanted to march right back over to Zolid and show him just how fierce he could be. But Gohan knew it wouldn't solve anything. Men like that, with their chauvinistic mentality, would never understand equality.

Nappa turned off his microphone and walked out of the ring, his mind on the Needellens and their princess. The former general knew everything was a mess, and after the words he heard Gohan speak at the end of the fight, the old Saiyan knew that things were about to get ugly. He shook his head and walked out of the stadium. Between her people's customs and Thia's opponent, Nappa didn't know what was worse.

We can only hope that the princess doesn't get wrecked by Frieza's solider like Tri…

But he knew. The tournament was starting to become a bloodbath. Their only hope was that a Saiyan would win. Still, Nappa wasn't foolish to believe that, even then, Frieza would leave without a fight.


A/N: Okay, seriously guys, sorry about all this. I have been slowly, painstakingly working on this chapter, and it took me way too long to get it out there. I keep trying to not take a year, and then life stuff happens, and then I look at my last update date and I'm just like "WHERE DID ALL THIS TIME GO?" I will not give empty promises of having the next chapter up soon, but I will give this promise. This story isn't done, and I will not leave it incomplete, no matter how long it takes me. That's the only thing I can really say about it. Thank you for those who've stayed with me. I know it can't be easy :( Just know that I'm very sorry about it!