Saiyajin Nibunnoichi (V. 2.0) Disclaimer: The ownership of the manga characters contained within the following fanfiction are in no way claimed by the author of said fic |( Chapter 15: Jinni wandered through the streets of a strange town, not even knowing what direction she was heading in. This wasn't a strange predicament she found herself in. Ever since she mated with the Chikyuujin martial artist, Hibiki, she had been continually lost. "Excuse me, obasan?" A female voice asked her from behind. The Saiyajin female jumped in surprise and whirled around to face the source of the utterance. "Who?" A young girl with long, dark hair looked up into her face. "You seem lost. Is their any way I can help you?" Jinni nodded. "Yes, would you tell me what city I'm in?" "Aa, this is Tokyo, in the Nerima district." The little girl responded. "Arigatou... err..." The older woman faltered. "Ninomiya Hinako, obasan." "Hai, Hinako chan. Domo Arigatou." Jinni turned away from Hinako smiling. This was the place her grandson was supposed to live. Assuming he wasn't lost, she may be able to see him. The old Saiyajin hadn't seen any of the Chikyuujin side of her family for years. * * * Ryouga ate his meal voraciously. He actually slowed his pace out of consideration for Ukyou and Kuonji san, but he was just so HUNGRY. "Ryou chan..." The young woman sitting across from him said in a tone implying that she did not speak the honorific in sincerity. "You should probably wipe your face... you've got... something on it." The bandanna clad boy wiped his face thoroughly with his napkin, blushing with embarrassment. "Gomen." He apologized as he set the soiled paper down and began working the rest of his meal. Suddenly, the wall behind them blew in, and a shabbily dressed, but pretty, woman stepped through the hole. "Gomen nasai, minna san, but do you know where Ucchan's restaurant might be?" Ukyou just gaped for a few moments, but regained her wits enough to reply. "Err... well, it's right here, actually. Well, through that door..." She pointed to a portal on the opposite wall from her new guest's hole. "But it's closed now." The woman frowned. "Well," she said hesitantly. "I'm not looking to eat, young lady. Actually, I'm looking for my grandson, Hibiki Ryouga." Ryouga got up from his seat slowly and moved towards the seemingly young woman, a suspicious look on his face. He scowled at her as he got into arms length of her. He hit her over the head harshly. "Do you really think I'm that stupid, Saotome?! I mean, come on," he chastised as he kicked the woman. "I may have never seen my grandmother before, but she sure as Hell wouldn't look like a super model!" "MAGOMUSUKO!" The woman exclaimed threateningly as her ki flared. "How could you think that I was not your grandmother?! Do you think this 'Ranma' could know that your father, Raion, has a mole on his right cheek, or that your mother, Kireiga, is who you inherited your long canines from?" The bandanna clad boy glanced nervously from left to right. "Urmm... no?" "That's right." Jinni declared with an evil glance. Then her face softened and she patted her descendant on the back. "Arigatou for the 'super model' remark, though. I'm not sure how to take that coming from my own magomusuko, however." Ryouga cleared his throat nervously. "So... if you're really Obaasan... why do you look like... well..." Jinni chortled with amusement. "Well, where do you think you get your ability to transform from? And do you think the fact that both you and your father were born with tails was an accident? No, I, like you, am a Saiyajin, through and through." Ukyou scratched her head in confusion. "What... what exactly IS a Saiyajin anyway? I mean... I know they're not exactly human, but I don't know what they're supposed to be." Jinni smiled softly. "Well... Ucchan, right? Well, Ucchan, a Saiyajin is kind of like the 'missing link' in Chikyuujin evolution. At least, our ancestors were once the same. You could say we're a different race." Ukyou's father piped in. "Yes, ma'am, but... I think what my daughter is asking is: how is it that you ARE a different race? What makes you that way?" The woman put a finger to her cheek ponderously. "Well, I'm far from an expert, but from what I can tell, the differences are these in a Saiyajin: greater appetite, greater violent streak, greater overall density, and, unfortunately, not quite as much intelligence as Chikyuujin." The old man raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying that your race is stupid?" Jinni waved her hands negatively. "Iie, iie. I mean, we don't have as much academic ability. We are quite intelligent in martial aspects. We have an inborn ability to fight, probably around the skill level of a first dan black belt. We can also learn techniques and movements with what you would call amazing accuracy. Of course, since Ryouga here is part Chikyuujin, he should have great potential in things both Saiyajin and Chikyuujin." "Aa." Ukyou's father said. "I'm glad to hear it. I would have been hesitant to marry my daughter to an idiot." Ukyou suddenly spoke up. "Aa, I'm sorry, I haven't even offered you a seat and you've been standing there all this time. Please..." "Why thank you, dear." Ryouga's grandmother kneeled down in a free spot on the tatami mat. "So, Ryouga, how have you and your cousin been getting along?" Ryouga stared at Jinni with an eyebrow raised. "Cousin? What do you mean? I don't know any itoko." Jinni frowned. "Nani? What about Goten? Aa, don't tell me he didn't tell you!" "Go... Go kun? He's my itoko?" The fanged boy asked incredulously. "Hai. He's your father's older half brother's son." Ryouga fell over backwards in shock. * * * "Alright. I just have to sneak past those robot guards and that radar will be mine." The violet haired man smirked with pleasure. It would only be a matter of time after that that he would regain his full manhood again. He began to move down the hallway of the infiltrated Capsule Corp. building like a shadow. The guards didn't even notice as he slipped behind them and reached up for their off switches. "Torankusu!" A sweet, soprano voice called out as the robots' heads were crushed in. "Sh-Shanpu! What are you doing here? You'll ruin everything." The Saiyajin chided sharply. The raven haired woman melted from the heads of her victims and onto the floor. She looked up at him defiantly but spoke with an almost contradictory tone. "I just wanted to help you. Don't scold me." Torankusu couldn't help but blush. She could be so sweet sometimes that he didn't know what to do. Yet, for him, she seemed impossible to grab hold of. Perhaps, he often thought these days, that was why he was so smitten with her. Most girls he had known would fall all over him, but she had almost seemed to hate him at times, making her an impossible challenge. If there was one thing that enticed this Saiyajin, it was an impossible challenge. "Awright, awright. But be quiet about it, baka." "Good." She stated with a satisfied smile on her face. "Let us go." She charged through the door with vigor incomparable to any other. "Hmm... they must not believe in subtlety in Joketsuzoku. It would explain a lot o' things." The ponytailed man mumbled to himself as he followed behind her, still trying futily to be inconspicuous. The two warriors entered Buruma's quarters easily, and reconnoitered in the woman's walk-in closet. "Listen." The young man ordered. "We have to be really careful about this. If Okaasan catches us taking the Dragon Radar, or notices that its gone, she's gonna tell Otousan. Believe me, even I have to fear HIS wrath." His female companion nodded, now somewhat unsure. For her husband to be afraid of Bejiita probably meant that this man really was dangerous. Torankusu didn't seem to her like the type to cower from a weaker man, or even an equal, even if he was his father. The two stepped out cautiously and began to search the room, meticulously putting everything back in its place, so as not to arouse suspicion from the neat-freak that was the young man's mother. They had gotten to Buruma's sock drawer when they heard footsteps. "Come on, we gotta get outta here!" Torankusu whispered frantically. "But here is the Dragon Radar. I've got it!" The young woman whispered back. The young man nodded and took the radar as his partner in crime arranged the drawer back to its original form. He gestured to the closet. "Too close now. Come." Shanpu followed obediently. She closed the door of the closet behind her just as the door to the room opened and Buruma walked in. "Whew! What a day." The scientist commented to herself as she plopped herself onto the bed. "Those techs can be so agravating!" Torankusu gulped nervously as he shifted positions. His mother had had a bad day, and that meant serious trouble if he got caught. On the other hand, he told himself reassuringly, he was less likely to be found out since she tended to be inattentive when she was upset. Shanpu's thoughts were lightyears away from her husband's. She sighed mournfully. The violet haired man silenced the young woman by putting his finger to her lips. When she glanced over a moment later, he emphasized his point by shaking his head "no" slowly. He then looked back at the closet door, straining his ears to find out what was going on. Apparently, his mother had changed into fresh clothes. The young man just thanked his lucky stars that she had the habit of putting out her casual clothes before working. Torankusu suddenly became acutely aware of his wife's heavy breathing on the back of his neck. Irritated and slightly embarrassed he turned around to silently admonish her. His partly open mouth met hers with abruptness. Shanpu had been as surprised as her husband had been at the accident. She HAD wanted to get closer to him, of course, but she could never have planned her head to be in just the right position and angle to intercept the other's lips so perfectly. She relished the feeling. The young Saiyajin felt an instant burning in the depths of his body, as if his organs would burst from his flesh and set fire to the rest of him. With great effort, he hesitantly pulled his face from the other's. "Shanpu, I..." "Ah, ha! I thought I heard something moving in here!" The two turned towards Buruma, their faces flushed. The young man exclaimed shyly. "Okaasan?!" The violet haired woman raised an eyebrow and grinned with amusement. "I'm glad you thought to visit your poor mother, but making out in her closet IS to be frowned upon." The ponytailed Saiyajin stood up and bowed hastily to his mother. "Gomen, Kaasan. I-I'll be goin' now; c'mon Shanpu!" Buruma looked on in confusion as the two hastily made their exit. "I swear, I'll never understand that kid..." * * * Shanpu narrowed her eyes slyly and smirked as she glanced at her husband. "It wasn't intentional, dammit!" Torankusu snapped as he saw her expression. "Don't start thinking I... well..." The raven haired warrior tittered. "You mean: thinking you looove mmm!" Her statement was cut off as her companion clamped his hand over her mouth. The violet haired young man scowled. "Now don't you start that! Listen, I don't care how many times over we've been engaged and married, I'm not gonna... I'm not gonna..." The Joketsuzoku woman removed her husband's hand from her mouth and spoke softly. "You are not going to what, husband?" The Saiyajin winced, but maintained his serious expression. "Don't call me that. I'm not your husband yet. Not really." Shanpu gave the man a predatory grin. "'Yet?' It sounds almost as if you want to be my husband." She looked into the sky and folded her arms, snorting contemptuously. "As if I would ever let you outside the laws of Joketsuzoku." Torankusu's face distorted into a strange look of mixed curiosity, uncertainty, and elation. The expression lasted for only a moment before falling back into a neutral pout. "Well... let's go." With that, he rocketed back towards Nerima, only going fast enough to stay ahead of his wife. * * * "So, what exactly are you up to, Ranma?" The pigtailed Saiyajin scratched his head introspectively. "Well, Akane... nothing really..." The young man's perturbed iinazuke stared at him skeptically. "Aa, so desu ka? Then why are those two balls in your pants?" Ranma gulped strenuously. "Urmm... they're s'posed to be there, aren't they?" "Don't be gross, baka. I mean those glass spheres that you shove down your pants when I came in the room." The martial arts master sighed in exhasperation. "Alright, alright. These balls..." he pulled the globes out of his pants and held them up to the other, "Are the key to curing me of my... condition. But no one else can no about this!" Akane raised her eyebrow. "And why is that?" Ranma dug his toe into the floor as he pondered whether he should tell his affianced or not. He knew that he should be honest with her, but on the other hand, he knew if he told her all the details, she could be put in danger. Eventually his concern for her well-being won out. "Listen, Akane. All I can say is that I'm gonna be gone a few days with Torankusu. When I get back, I'll be all man and... and we can get married, if you want." Akane scowled. She knew very well that he was hiding something important from her. The fact that he wouldn't say anything probably meant that it was something dangerous. She exhaled slowly and with deliberation. "Okay, Ranma. Go. And IF you come back as a complete man, I'll consider marrying you, Kami sama knows why." Ranma smiled in a relieved manner. He'd been around his fiancée for long enough that he knew her last statement to be as good as a promise. "Arigatou, Akane chan. When I see you next, I'll be all man." He turned on his heel and marched resolutely out of her room. The short haired young woman smiled faintly. * * * Goten jumped off of the Tendo roof and landed nimbly on the grass below. He chuckled enthusiastically to himself. "I know what they're gonna do-ooh, I know what they're gonna do-ooh!" He sang cheerfully to himself as he skipped along the street, orienting on Ryouga's ki signal. His long lost cousin, whom he REALLY needed to inform of that fact, would be absolutely thrilled to learn that Torankusu and Ranma were going to search for the Dragon Balls. Neither might have a good sense of direction now, but either could easily follow the others' ki signatures so they could fly in and steal a wish. The fanged man would obviously wish for a cure to his Jusenkyo curse and maybe even to the "lost curse." As he neared Ucchan's, where Ryouga's ki was concentrated, he came across a young woman with a ponytail on the top of her head holding a bespectacled duck, sobbing. "What's wrong, onna?" The shaggy haired man asked. The lady looked up, startled. "Aa!" Her face settled back into a mournful expression. "It's... it's just that... my beloved has left me!" "Really? Then... what's with the duck?" The woman held the duck up in her two hands. "A momento from my love, I suppose. I just don't understand it. He fought my brother so valiantly to win my hand, but not long afterwards, as we passed an old woman performing a misogi to purify her front yard, he simply vanished, and left behind this fowl." Goten stared at the avian, who looked quite disturbed. "Hmm... your love. He wouldn't happen to be a Chinese guy who hides weapons up his sleave, would he?" The woman gasped in shock. "Why... yes. He was a dashing and noble Chinaman with flowing black locks and deadly weapon wielding prowess!" The Saiyajin nodded, grinning. "Yep, sounds like Torankusu's blind 'rival,' all right." He bolted for the door of Ucchan's, calling out behind him, "I'll be right back with your love, onna! Don't worry." The young ponytailed woman looked on in gratitude. "Oh, this is wonderful. Soon I shall be reunited with my love, and I won't let this one get away." She clenched her fists together, both of which happened to be holding the duck. "Oh, no! This one I was able to get as far as willing betrothal, unlike SOME men." Goten entered the restaurant, crashing through the walls to reach his friend. With his friend, he also found, to his surprise, his grandmother. "Huh? Obaasan?" Ryouga glared at the other Saiyajin. "Oh, ho! So you knew about this the whole time? Why didn't you say we were related?" Goten scratched his head uncomfortably. "Well... I meant to tell you, but I guess I... forgot." The fanged man smacked his head in disbelief. "Forgot... man, you can be so stupid sometimes, you know that?" "It really MUST be a family trait, then." Ukyou piped in from behind her fake fiancé. Ignoring the comment, the scruffy haired young Saiyajin moved toward his point. "Well, you won't think I'm stupid after I tell you what I know. It has to do with Ranma and Torankusu." Ryouga's curiousity was piqued by this statement. "Aa, so desu ka? Domo omoshiroi..." "It IS interesting. They're going to try to find the Dragon Balls under Bejiita san's nose. Cool, ne?" Ryouga laughed with good humor. "Oh, yes. It's very cool. By tracking their ki, we'll be able to find those mystical orbs and I'll finally be rid of the pig!" The fanged boy's cousin nodded enthusiastically for a moment, but then remembered his other mission. "Oi, Ukyou. Do you have any hot water around? I've gotta get some." Ukyou nodded and grabbed a kettle from the stove. "I always keep one handy, just in case." She explained as she gave it to the other. "'Kay, follow me, Ryou kun." The young man ordered as he exited through his entrance hole. "Bye, Baasan!" "Sayounara, Goten chan. Ryouga chan." The elder woman called out softly to her retreating descendants. She turned to Ukyou and her father. "So, tell me. What do REALLY think of my grandson? Don't skimp on the details, either, just because I'm his grandmother..." Meanwhile, back outside, the two young men approached the duck-holding woman. The fanged man snorted derisively. "I recognize her. She's Kodachi. A grade-A psycho, if I ever saw one." "Oh, I don't know..." Goten whispered back to his cousin as they reached the young lady. He turned his head to face her. "Okay, onna, now put the duck down." Kodachi hesitantly lowered the fowl to the ground. "Right. Now what?" Goten unceremoniously dumped the hot water onto the duck's butt, though he would have gotten his target, the head, had the bird not tried to dodge. "There you go. One brand spanking new love. That'll be a hundred zenii, please." The Chinese man, now miraculously clothed again, glared at the two Saiyajin. "You don't have to throw boiling water on me like that, you know! And what's this about one hundred zenii?!" The entrepreneuring young man grinned. "Well, I did restore you to your love, right? I think that warrants a little compensation..." Kodachi stepped in. "Oh, of course! What is a few zenii to true love? Here." She handed him twice the amount he had asked for. Ryouga chuckled behind his long lost, and just plain lost, relative. "I think you've been spending a little too much time with your girlfriend." The young woman stared at her husband-to-be curiously. "You know, I knew you were good at hiding things, but how DID you do that remarkable switch with the duck? Do you have him in your sleeves somewhere?" Muusu nearly fell over. "N-no, I... well..." The fanged man cut in. "He's cursed, lady. He turns into a duck when splashed with cold water, and back into a man when splashed with hot." Kodachi gave him a look of utter disbelief. "I don't believe you. What you say is impossible." "Try it yourself." Goten offered. With that suggestion, the ponytailed woman marched over to a nearby puddle and kicked the water in Muusu's direction. "H-hey!" The blind man protested before the liquid struck him, rendering him a speachless avian. "Ooooh!" Kodachi marveled. "That looks so awesome. I'm going to take you home and try it out some more!" The now excited young lady scooped up her beloved and skipped onto the rooftops, heading for home. Ryouga shook his head pitiously. "Poor guy. I almost feel sorry for the yarou. Almost." Goten burst out laughing. After catching his cousin's curious glance, he sobered enough to explain. "I don't know if you SHOULD feel sorry for them. After all, from what I've seen of their personalities, they make a good match. Muusu's always trying to shower whoever he's in love with with affection, and Kodachi seems to be the type who WANTS to be worshipped. Am I right?" The fanged boy smiled thoughtfully. "I suppose you are. It's funny, really, how it's often the people you would least expect to get together that do." "Like you and Ukyou?" The other suggested mockingly. After beating his cousin a few times on the head, the bandanna clad man answered harshly. "Don't be ridiculous. Now let's go get those Dragon Balls." * * * "So, what took you so long?" Torankusu snorted and looked back at his wife. "Nothing, really. Just... a delay." His half brother simply smirked smuggly and turned his body around in the air, saying. "Good enough for me, Kyoudai..." The ponytailed Saiyajin turned back towards the long haired Joketsuzoku woman as he began to float along with Ranma. "You stay here, in Nerima. This is our mission and no one else's, so don't even try to argue." Shanpu shrugged. "I have no problems with this. I will go back to the Neko Hanten and watch my Soaps and clean the house until you come back. Her groom raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "You do that... I'll be back soon." With that he turned, brought himself to his brother's side, and blasted off with him at just below sonic speeds. The warrior woman smirked cunningly. "Hmmph. As if I would clean the house. We will see each other much sooner than you may think... my airen." * * * Ranma and Torankusu landed fifty kilometers from the location of their next Dragon Ball. They would have flown further, of course, but too much flying around the world would definitely tip off Bejiita to their plans. Torankusu pulled a Hoipoi Capsule out of his pocket and activated it, creating a small, but good-looking car. Hopping into the driver's seat, he attempted to strike up a conversation. "So, how're things going with Tendo Akane?" Ranma smirked as the car began to shudder, the engine coming to life. "Well... she said she was gonna marry me after we finish this little hunt of ours." The violet haired Saiyajin chuckled heartily. "Well, congrats. I'm sure you two'll be happy together. I mean, with a cute, fiesty onna like that... well let's just say that I wouldn't mind goin' a few rounds with 'er." The pigtailed Saiyajin gave his brother a dirty look. "Sure. And how about Shanpu? She's given me enough full frontals that I KNOW she's cute, but how 'bout you?" Torankusu returned Ranma's look, a drop of sweat rolling down his cheek. "Oh, yeah. She's really hot, but I like her personality more... after all, we musn't be too... superficial." "Yeah, like if I were all that superficial, I probably woulda taken your wife's offer in Jusendo, and..." "Awright, that's it!" Torankusu shouted as he went Super Saiyajin and began to fiercely noogy his offender. As the car swerved wildly, eventually ramming into a tree, two figures watched events unfold with malicious glee. One of them whispered to the other. "It seems the the master won't have to search for the Dragon Balls himself after all." The other grinned. "Yes. Not only that, but he'll be able to finally exact his revenge. Though... I do hope we get to see that Ranma's fathers..." The other shook his head in devout agreement. to be continued... Yo, Torankusu here. Ranma and I are getting into the thick of things now. There's some malignant force out there who's looking for the Dragon Balls, too, but who could it be, and why are they searching? We're going to get a glimpse of the real problem next chapter, but the real concern is our Tousan. He's found out about our plan, and he's not gonna let get out of our dilemma that easy. See you then?