Chapter 49: Holline Proves Herself

The time passed by very slowly for Holline but as soon as the stage was set the announcer's voice sounded out over the PA system. Holline felt her heart start to beat faster and she started to feel fairly light-headed. She was nervous for this fight. Uub was going to be a very tough opponent and she was certain of that but all she had to do was keep her attention focussed solely on the fight and Uub. She could do it and she knew it. The announcer called for Holline and Uub to come out and as they stepped out the announcer did his ordinary introductions for the fighters, or re-introductions because it was the next round, and then he proceeded to call for the stage to be revealed. As the floor opened up it appeared that a lot of mist popped out as a large stage was rising up. The stage had a white/light blue colour and there appeared to be some rocks sticking up around the place, but there was some wide-open space in the centre.

The mist settled and the stage was properly revealed to the crowd and the contestants. It was an ice stage. Holline felt her nerves ease just a little when she saw that. As the announcer explained the situation with the stage and the contestants walked up to the stage, Holline kept thinking about her previous training with Android #17 up in the mountains near her home and in the snow and icy climates. It was tough, not least because #17 was a challenging teacher, but also because that environment was always dangerous. Uub was a very experienced fighter so he was bound to have experience in this environment too.

Both fighters got into position on the stage and despite the icy ground both of them seemed to avoid any effect from the slipping and sliding. Uub moved into position, getting a feel of the ground, tapping it with his foot as he moved firmly into a stance. He looked up and saw that Holline was bouncing on the spot, sometimes hopping from one leg to the other and punching the air. She had a smirk on her face. Uub just watched. The red-head looked back to her opponent and saw the seriousness in his eyes. This meant something to him. Not that it didn't mean anything to her but that didn't mean she wasn't going to have a little fun. Holline moved into her stance and nodded towards the announcer.

"If both fighters are ready," The announcer started, turning to face Uub. Uub nodded, still looking towards Holline. "Then you may begin!"

The bell went and Holline moved her foot forwards slightly and started running forward across the ice. Her movement was seamless, smooth, quiet, precise. Uub was a little surprised by it and let Holline get too close before he found that he had to move. She went for an uppercut but Uub immediately phased with Holline striking at nothing. Uub had moved behind her and as she turned around, he moved forward. Holline panicked and threw up a weak block as Uub punched. The punch connected with her arms and due to the weak and rushed block she was knocked off her feet and hit the ground. She quickly jumped back up and gained some extra distance.

Uub darted forward, showing his greater pace, and he struck another punch against Holline's new block and this knocked her back off of her feet again. This time she smacked into one of the icy rocks and fell to the side of it. She eased onto her feet again but Uub phased in front of her. She was surprised and stumbled back, only to back into the same icy rock. Uub aimed a punch for her head and Holline had to duck and move out of the way. Uub struck the rock, cracking it. He wasn't putting in a lot of strength and Holline could tell he was holding back. But even though he was holding back, he was trying to back her into a corner. Holline wasn't sure what his plan was going into this fight.

Uub turned and followed the red-head as she back towards the centre of arena. He rushed forward and jumped swiping his leg towards Holline's head. A move that the girl had to drop underneath and once again redirect Uub. He swung around and darted right for her again. He dropped in front of her and punched into her gut, lifting her off of the ground ever so slightly, but he followed up with a flat-footed kick that sent her flying back towards the edge of the ring.

Holline managed to flip and land on top of a rock but wasn't allowed the time to prepare her own next move. Uub was flying for her and rather than go for an attack, like she wanted to, she had to dodge yet another attempt. She jumped up as Uub smashed down on the rock and dropped in, finding her chance for an opening. Uub quickly refocused and was prepared for Holline's attempt. She was dropping in with her foot first, so Uub caught her leg and swung her towards the outside of the ring. Holline managed to control herself and hover in the air. Uub grunted and shot towards her again. He phased before getting there and moved just above her and attempted to kick down, but Holline showed that she too had some speed and dodged around the leg and punched up into Uub's gut. Uub reacted to the hit but only by moving away. He wasn't really hurt by it.

Holline returned to the ice and had some time to relax herself a little. Uub was trying to finish this quickly. He didn't care about the fight and Holline was a little offended by that. She was a worthy fighter and she was prepared to show it. There was a lot in her locker and Uub would learn that nobody should write her off. Holline clenched her fists but appeared to hold a weak stance. She was hoping to draw Uub in, catch him off-guard wherever she could. He was experienced so she had to focussed.

Uub looked down on Holline and threw a Ki blast. It flashed down towards the ground and Holline jumped back out of the way as Uub shot down towards her. She kept her eyes on him and as he attempted to kick at her leg, she jumped over it. She then had to avoid an incoming fist for her torso and managed to twist and flip out of the way. Uub swung around and sent a short barrage of quick punches for the girl, but Holline managed to dodge all of them by backing up. She made sure to keep their fight in the middle. Uub gives up with the barrage and Holline manages to sense a rise in his energy. She realises that things will get progressively more difficult from that point.

Uub threw a Ki blast down in front of her again, creating a cloud of smoke and he shot through it, striking a punch against her cheek. Holline dropped back but looked back in time to dodge the very next attempted punch. She leaned to the left and found an opening. She grabbed his arm and shot her right fist into his gut. That punch seemed to do something, it aggravated Uub just a little bit more. He grabbed her around the throat with his free left hand. He didn't have a tough grip, but he still managed to lift her up. Holline wasn't enjoying that and lifted her legs, wrapping them around his arm and tried to bend his arm the way it shouldn't.

She was clearly causing some pain, or at least making it difficult for Uub to retain concentration and Holline released one of her legs and kicked him around the side of the head, but he didn't let go. He reacted by punching pulling her closer and punching her in the face. That's when he let go and Holline fell back to the ground. She rolled back and flipped up to her feet and darted towards Uub again. She attempted a punch but Uub was equal to it, grabbing her fist with his left hand and jabbing his right fist down into her face, twice. On the second punch, Holline fell to a knee and Uub kicked up into her face, knocking her back again. She fell flat on her back and couldn't move right away. Uub was certainly upping his game.

She winced as she started to move but Holline wasn't the kind of person to just lay down and lose. She turned over to her front and went to push herself up, but Uub moved and kicked her in the ribs. Holline rolled a little bit and feel on her front again. She grunted and pushed up, so she was on her knees. Uub walked over to her.

"It'll be easier if you jump out of the arena. I don't have time for a fight like this," Uub said. Holline's brow furrowed and she looked at Uub out of the corner of her eye. Was he just being arrogant and over-confident, or did he really thing she was a waste of time? Holline scoffed to herself, clearly offended by how Uub was speaking to her.

"I don't give up," Holline muttered. She went to turn towards him but Uub smashed a fist into the side of her head. Holline was knocked into the ground again and hit down hard. As the right side of her face hit the ice, she saw blood spurt from a cut in her mouth. The blue-white of the ice made for the perfect canvas for the splash of Holline's blood.

"Prove to me you're worth my time then," Uub stated as he started to walk backwards a little, creating space between the two. Holline watched Uub and she felt herself getting angry. Luckily, she didn't care about her emotional state in the fight. She was going to prove a point.

Holline stood up and wiped the blood away. She brushed a bit of hair out of her face and took a deep breath. She cracked her neck and blasted forward. Uub was surprised but he saw her attack coming. Holline smashed her fist into a block that Uub had thrown up at the last minute, but she then phased away, appearing right to Uub's left, a little above him. She spun towards him, kicking him in the back of the head. Uub fell to a knee and Holline dropped beside him. She flipped back, kicking him up into the face and with that opening she threw a Ki blast into his torso. It exploded and threw Uub back through some icy rocks.

The red-head was back to her feet and stood looking in Uub's general direction. Uub walk forward, brush some ice off of himself. Holline charged forward again, a new burst of pace. Uub hadn't prepared for it but managed to get an arm in the way as Holline unleashed a strong barrage of punches. Uub's defence wasn't good enough in that moment, but he managed to hold off her attacks. She eventually stopped the barrage and jumped back, firing a Ki wave forward. Uub held back the energy with his forearm and started walking forward, pushing the energy back.

Holline was losing control of that energy but kept pouring into the attack, hoping for something to come out of it. Hoping that she could keep holding Uub at bay until she thought of the next attack she could make. Uub had pushed all the way back to Holline and she broke her concentration, Uub then attempted to punch down on her but Holline caught his fist and held him back. Uub scowled and used his free hand to try another punch, Holline caught that one too. Then, in a split-second thought, Holline made her next move. She lifted up and kicked Uub in the face with both her feet. Uub fell back and as Holline touch down towards the ground she bounced back into him, both fists forward. Uub was knocked off of his feet and fell on his back. Holline then flipped over and landed, knee-first, into Uub's gut. He coughed up as Holline released her knee and flipped away again. She was exhausted after that attack, but she held herself with pride.

"You spend enough time around Saiyans and Androids you learn a lot," Holline stated, happy with herself and how she showed off her power. There were cheers from the crowd, but she tuned it all out. She wasn't proving herself to them, nor was she proving herself to Uub. She was proving to herself that the power she had was hers, and it was well earned.

Uub slowly returned to his feet, grunting and holding his stomach. He started to chuckle as he got to one knee and then pushed up.

"I know exactly what you mean," Uub said, getting to his feet and taking a couple of breaths. "I trained with the greatest Martial Artist to have ever lived." Uub smirked and then yelled out as his aura burst from within, igniting his body like fire. Holline stepped back. Uub moves and then vanishes. Holline's eyes widen and she feels a presence behind her. Within less than a second Holline feels a strong blow to the back of her head and she is thrown forward about twenty feet.

She attempted to get back to her feet and turn around to prepare for whatever came next, but she couldn't. As soon as she got to her feet Uub had already darted towards her and punched her in the face. Holline was thrown back again, smashing through some icy rocks and falling to the ground. She stood up quickly and wobbled on her feet, she was a bit too dizzy and couldn't prepare for anything. Uub appeared in front of her again, crashed a knee into her gut and then dropped a punch down onto her head again. Holline smashed down into the icy again. She slowly pushed up and saw her blood dripping down into the cracks she left in the ice. She clenched her right hand as she felt Uub grab her by the back of her Gi and pull her up.

She swung around and tried to punch Uub up in the face, but he caught her fist with his free hand. He let go of her Gi and punched down into her face again. Holline hit the ice again but this time as soon as she hit down, she threw a Ki blast up into Uub's face and darted away. She managed to find some extra energy to get out of that situation and prepare for taking control of the situation. If she could.

Uub shook off the effect of the blast and looked towards the red-head. He saw that she wasn't in a good way, but there was still some determination there. Uub didn't do anything, he knew he had control. Holline wiped the blood off of her face with her left hand and then wiped it on the leg of her Gi. She clenched her fists again and started to power-up. She was tapping into whatever Ki reserves she had. Uub let it happen. He was confident.

Holline appeared to be tensing up, clenching her fists, baring her teeth, and glaring right at Uub. Her aura started to flare up a little. Her body was already in pain, she was already exhausted, her face was stinging, but Holline persisted to find whatever energy she could. She was drawing out as much as was possible. It hurt. It was unbearable. But she wouldn't give in. She yelled out as her energy rose higher than it had ever been before, but still Uub didn't budge. He wasn't bothered by any of this.

The red-head finally reached whatever peak she could and there was an explosion of pace and energy as she flashed forward. She tore across the ice and thrust her fist forward only to hit Uub in the arm. He lifted up into a block immediately and Holline growled in anger. She pulled back that arm and punched forward again and then hit with the other. She punched over and over, unable to hit Uub. He blocked every hit. Holline kept pushing energy through and she didn't relent. Her punches were before more powerful, but they were coming slower. The more power she was putting in the more speed she was losing, and she knew that, but she couldn't do anything about it now. She just continued.

Uub wasn't enjoying the fight. He felt no challenge. He was disappointed that he had even given Holline a chance and wished he had just ended it early like he planned.

"You can't beat me," Uub uttered. Holline had finally had enough of his arrogance.

She punched with a right as hard as she could and Uub's arm dropped a little and that was all she needed. She punched with her right again and this time she broke through. She didn't hit him in the chest or the face, but Uub's arm was out of the way and she had an opening. Holline followed in with a left jab, finally hitting Uub in the chest and then sent in an uppercut with her right and spun around slamming her left elbow into his chest. She moved forward, getting low and punched up into Uub's gut and thrust both hands forward sending him flying up into the air with a Ki blast. Once he was up there, she took in every ounce of energy she could now and thrust both hands forward again and screamed as she unleashed all of that energy in one huge wave. Uub couldn't move in time.

The blast soared up and struck, exploding upon impact leaving a huge smoke cloud above the arena. Uub fell out of the cloud and struck an ice rock and rolled right towards the edge of the arena. He immediately jumped back to his feet and looked towards Holline. Everything was silent. People in the crowd had half expected Uub to fall out. Uub himself appeared to be shocked. He took a few breaths and calmed himself, keeping his eyes on Holline.

She just chuckled as her aura disappeared and her arms fell by her side. She felt all the pain wash over her at once and she fell to her knees.

"So close…" She mumbled before falling flat on the ice, unconscious. Uub released a sigh and looked to the announcer who had ran out of his commentary area.

"After putting up a good fight, Holline falls unconscious and thus loses the fight. Uub goes through to the Semi-Final!"

Uub turned to walk back to the waiting area but stalled when he saw Noca flash towards him. The Saiyan passed Uub and landed beside Holline, helping her back to the waiting area and getting her a Senzu bean, as quickly as he could. Pan was immediately by her side too.

Holline's eyes opened and she winced, still feeling that pain. She sat up and looked at the two of them. She was smiling while Noca wore a worried expression. Pan noticed Holline's smile and followed suit.

"You need to stop worrying about us ladies, Noca. We can hold ourselves in the arena," Holline said, chuckling at his confused face. Pan laughed with the red-head and Noca followed by laughing awkwardly. Holline slapped Noca, although not too hard and then she moved forward, wanting to get back to her feet. "I need a mirror to see what damage Uub did to my face."

Even though Holline was taking the loss well Noca wasn't. He looked over to Uub with the mention of his name. Uub glanced down at Noca as he walked out of the waiting area and the Saiyan could have sworn that there was contempt there. Noca wasn't clear on what he had done wrong, if anything, but Uub was out to prove something here. Whatever it was, Noca didn't have time to dwell on it.

The announcer informed the crowd of the time for the first match of the Semi-Final and told them who the next fights would be. Noca versus Sofia, and Joji versus Uub. Noca thought on it for a second but tried not to dwell on things. It was time for them all to leave, get some food and rest up before the next big fights. As Noca, Vegeta, Holline and Pan stepped out of the waiting area they were greeted by a few of their friends and family. Some had already headed back.

Gohan made a point of wanting to talk to Noca and Vegeta more about their Super Saiyan 2 Full Powered transformations. Pan was talking with her mother and Rei, they were very proud of her. Dom and Bra were there with the group too. Kiera, Holline's mother and grand-father had gone to the red-head and congratulate her on getting as far as she did. #17 expressed how proud he was too. Holline let them know that she wasn't planning on giving up training more and learning as much as she can. There was so much more to do. #17 agreed and said he would always help her as best he could.

Everyone was really tired at the end of the day, so they proceeded to just go back to the hotel and rest up. Get plenty of food and then early nights to be ready for the next day. Noca had pushed all thoughts of the Semi-Final to the back of his mind but on the way back to the hotel he sees Yaiko walking around on his own and stops. Pan notices and stops too, telling the others to go ahead and they'll catch up. Noca just watches him. Pan steps up beside Noca.

"What is it?" She asks. Noca just shakes his head.

"There's something about him," Noca replies, not turning away. "I don't know what it is."

"It could be nothing, it could just be the way he is," Pan said, trying to ease Noca's worries. Whatever his worries may be. Noca just nodded and was about to turn away until he spotted Sofia standing off a little bit away from Yaiko. She was watching him too and she had a small smile on her face. A friendly smile. Noca's brow furrowed and then he led Pan away.

"Come on, let's head back," Noca said, putting his arm around Pan's shoulder.

They got back to the hotel and everyone had dinner together. They were talking about things that happened during the day, everyone's reactions to the challenges and the things they enjoyed the most. It had been an eventful tournament. Once dinner was done Holline and Kiera headed off to bed, Holline was still feeling tired from her fight. Noca, Bra, Pan and Dom all headed off together, but Noca decided he would go to bed early, feeling like he really needed his sleep. Dom and Bra went to chill in the girls' room for a little bit while Pan decided to go with Noca for a second.

As soon as they entered the bedroom, Noca turned around as Pan closed the door and she instantly moved in to kiss him. The two of them stood there, making out for about half a minute until Noca broke the kiss. He chuckled and shook his head.

"Where'd that come from?" Noca asked, smirking. Pan smiled and looked down.

"I guess I still have a lot of energy after my fight, and perhaps it still has me feeling a little excited." She started kissing Noca again and started to move down and kiss his neck. Noca closed his eyes and let her. His hands dropped to her waist, but he gently moved her back. Pan looked up disappointed that Noca wasn't in the mood, but she saw the look in his eyes and knew that wasn't the case.

"Pan, I want nothing more than to get into that bed with you and…" Noca stalled, not wanting to be so crude, or get himself excited.

"Have sex?" Pan finished for him. Noca stopped himself from smiling, but it snuck through. "Don't be so nervous, we're both 18 and we've done it before."

"Yeah, well, I still feel weird talking about it," Noca said, laughing. "We also said we would wait until after the tournament. And maybe we should stick with that. It will feel more special."

Pan smiled and shook her head. She moved up and planted a gentle, lover's kiss on Noca's lips and stepped back. "Ok. I respect that."

"Sorry," Noca uttered.

"You don't have to apologise. Get some rest. You've got a tough fight ahead of you," Pan said she hugged Noca, wrapping her arms around his torso and burying her head in his chest. Noca hugged her back and leaned his head on hers. "I love you."

"I love you too," Noca whispered back as he smiled. He moved and kissed her on the head before they broke the hug. "Goodnight."

"Night," Pan said as he left the room and went back to Bra. Dom returned shortly after Pan left and got into his own bed. He and Noca had a brief chat as they fell asleep. Noca took longer than expected and sat staring at the ceiling. He wasn't thinking so much about his Semi-Final. It was Uub.

Back in the town, the stalls were all starting to close while Yaiko continued to wander through the dwindling crowds, his headphones on and his music blaring. He had a bruise on his face from Joji's hit. The large man really hadn't held back when hitting the boy, but Yaiko wasn't dwelling on that. He was just lost in his own world while exploring more of the town on his own. He eventually made his way to the beach and sat looking out at the ocean as the waves came in.

Sofia kept her distance, making sure to go unnoticed by the young man. She didn't want him to feel scared or like he couldn't just be normal for a little bit. She yearned for the same thing, but she had to keep that tough exterior. At least that was what she had told herself the entire time she had been associated with this group and there aims. In this moment, throughout this tournament, she had felt vulnerable, emotionally. She finally walked down onto the beach and approached Yaiko. Standing next to him for a few minutes first. Yaiko noticed her, but he didn't turn to face her. She eventually sat down next time him and Yaiko took his headphones off.

Neither of them said anything. Sofia just put her hand right hand on the sand next to Yaiko and held it open. Yaiko glanced down and up at the girl. She didn't turn to look at him but Yaiko understood. He put his hand in hers and squeezed, but not too tightly. He leaned his head on her shoulder and they sat there in silence together.

Hey, thanks for keeping up with this story. I'm not certain just yet but there may be a break before the next part of the tournament with only the Semi-Final and Final left to come. It is more than likely that the next chapter will still be in two weeks but I just need to be sure.

Either way, I've still been getting quite a few followers and favourites recently and if any of you would like to leave reviews I think I've made it more than clear before that I'm open to that, and would love it, but obviously that's up to you.

Thanks for reading.

Next Time... Chapter 50: Noca vs. Sofia