Ranma: A Saiyan tail.
Akane jogged around the corner in her morning routine. She smiled as she
passed a neighbor and waved politely. She turned into the gates of her
home and stopped as a crash could be heard. "What is it with that family
anyway?" she mumbled to herself.
Nabiki came barreling out of her home with a camera in her hand and a
huge grin plastered across her face. "Akane come quick, you've got to see
this!" she cried.
Ranma stood across from his father and smirked. Goku was standing on the
other side of the koi pond smiling cheerfully. Soun stood watching from
the porch. Akane stopped and frowned as Nabiki stood with her camera
ready.
"What's the big deal?" she said unimpressed.
"Ready squirt?" asked Goku.
"Sure pop," chirped Ranma.
"Round two! GO!" cried the elder Saotome.
Goku shot into the air ten feet over the pond and Ranma engaged him just
above it. The two exchanged blows and Ranma gained the upper hand
quickly.
"They are pretty good," muttered Akane reluctantly.
"You don't know the half of it yet," said Nabiki excitedly.
Akane began to realize something was wrong immediately. Those two were
in the air way to long.
Ranma kicked his father back over the Dojo roof and Goku stopped and
smirked at his son in mid-air. Ranma smiled proudly over the koi and said
nothing.
Akane's jaw fell as if it was made of lead.
"Pretty cool huh?" said Nabiki as she kept the camera rolling. "I knew I
recognized these two."
Akane didn't hear her, "He's flying?" she muttered.
Ranma was sent into the pond with a loud splash. "Stupid old man! You
can't win without teleporting!" she cried angrily to her laughing father.
Akane felt weak, "No way," she whispered.
"Ranma! Mr. Saotome! Breakfast!" called Kasumi from the table.
"All right!" cried Goku happily.
"Hey wait up! Don't hog all the pickles pop!" cried Ranma as she pulled
herself from the water.
"School?" said Ranma in surprise.
"Well, we are going to be here a while," said Goku cheerfully.
"Yea, but only a few months right?" said Ranma obliviously.
"Uh, no son. We are moving in with them, your mom is madder than I
thought. I'd send you to live with her, but you still don't have enough
control to live alone with her," said Goku apologetically.
"What about, Uncle Kurillin?" asked Ranma.
"Well, I would but your not engaged to one of his daughters. He doesn�t
even have any," answered Goku with a shrug.
Ranma just frowned a moment and then cheered up. "Maybe I can get to
know my fiancee better?" he said hopefully.
"That's the spirit son!" agreed Soun.
"You'll be going to the same school as Akane and me, see ya!" said
Nabiki as she rushed off.
"Hey Nabiki! Wait up I'll walk with you!" cried Akane as she chased
after her.
"What do you mean? Ranma is your fiancee, you should walk him to
school," said Nabiki as she kept going. Akane turned and glared at the
smiling Ranma, he was dressed in a school uniform and cheerfully standing
with a large simple looking grin on his face. His tail was poking out
from behind his pants.
"What are you so happy about?" she muttered. "Lets go."
Akane walked briskly along the sidewalk with Ranma perched atop the
fence keeping time with her. Akane glared at him when she realized that
he was mimicking her pace and steps exactly.
"When we get to school we don't know each other all right?" said the
angry girl.
"Huh? But Akane, I do know you," said Ranma.
"I know that! Just pretend you don't!" said Akane.
"Why?" asked Ranma obliviously.
Akane snorted out loud and glared at him. "Just forget it," she said in
frustration.
"Forget what?" said Ranma as he cheered up again.
Akane just clenched her fist and grit her teeth, she kept walking.
"Now what's wrong?" asked Ranma as he floated off the fence and down
beside her.
"Could you not do that?!" said Akane as she was taken by surprise and
almost had a heart attack from the fright.
"Su-" Ranma walked directly into the path of an old lady emptying out a
pail of water onto the street.
"Great, now I have to be a girl all day." she muttered.
"All you need is hot water right? Come on." sighed Akane.
Ranma stood just outside a small clinic and frowned as she waited
impatiently. She didn't want to be late for school. What did it matter
which form she was in? Akane had said something about her being
embarrassed and it was perverted if anyone found out about the engagement
that way. "I didn't know being engaged was perverted," muttered Ranma to
herself. She spun around as a tall man with glasses neared her.
The man looked surprised, he had a skeleton in his arms and was wearing
a brown gi. He laughed, "I guess I couldn't sneak up on you."
"Why would you want to do that?" asked Ranma cautiously. The man's voice
sounded strangely familiar but he couldn't place his finger on it.
"As a joke of course! I must say, I'm very impressed," said the man.
"I'm Dr. Tofu. Is there something I can help you with?"
"No thanks, Akane said we should stop by for something," said Ranma
cheerfully. The man did not appear to be a threat.
"Oh, You know Akane?" asked Dr. Tofu.
"Yea, she's my fiance..." Ranma was stopped as Akane covered her mouth
and laughed nervously.
"Oh, Hi Dr. Tofu, I just needed to borrow some hot water for my friend
here," she said as she blushed badly.
A few moments later Ranma was walking again with Akane. "Now what did I
do?" he asked dumbly. Akane had seemed flustered and angry since they
left the Doctor's office.
"You jerk! Don't tell people I'm your fiancee when your a girl!" cried
Akane angrily.
"Why?" asked Ranma.
"Because it's perverted that's why!" retorted the angry girl.
"I just don't understand girls at all," said Ranma as she hung her head
and followed quietly.
As they neared the gates of Furinkan high Akane became more tense by the
moment. Ranma noticed this and said nothing. He hung back and waited.
Then he saw the crowd massed at the gate. "What the?"
"Akane! I love You! I'm doing this for you! Be mine!" cried various boys
in the crowd. Akane growled and charged into it.
Ranma just stared and floated up to the wall to watch Akane clean up the
boys easily. He smirked and turned to see Nabiki in the window.
"Ranma, get to class or your going to be late!" cried Akane's sister.
"But, what about her?" asked the dumbfounded boy.
"She'll be fine, this happens every morning," said Nabiki reassuringly.
"Oh, OK," said Ranma as he jumped down next to Akane as she finished up.
"Wow, that looks fun! Can I try tomorrow?" he asked her.
"What? Are you insane?" she said angrily. She never got an answer as she
had to turn around and catch a darting object from the air. She frowned
as a few petals fell from the rose that had been tossed to her.
"Ah, what fools these mortals be, But fools I hold them not. for the
prize far exceeds the payment. They fight for the honor of your company
should they defeat you Akane Tendo," said a strange voice from behind a
tree.
Kuno was about to turn around and face his beauty when someone stood in
his way. "Cool! Can I talketh Like that?" asked Ranma.
Akane almost fell over in shock.
"Fool! Who are you to address the blue thunder of Furninkan high in such
a manner?!" roared Kuno angrily. He turned to see Ranma standing
innocently beside him. "Humph, I shall allow this transgression this once
because you are obviously new to these hallowed halls. I am the rising
new star of the high school fencing world, the sound of my voice sends
fear into the hearts of my peers, They call me the blue thunder of
Furinkan High! Tatewaki Kuno, age seventeen," recited the boy he raised
his butoken to the sky dramatically and the lightening rolled behind him.
"Hey! Someone's taking on Kuno!" cried a voice from the school.
In the steadily growing crowd forming in the windows Nabiki watched with
her two associates. "Last I heard he was calling himself 'Shooting star,"
said one of the girls.
Nabiki smiled, "I'm afraid Kuno-chan is in, way, -way-, over his head
this time."
"What?" said the other girl in shock.
"Wow, that's a pretty big name, is it OK if I just call you Kuno?" asked
Ranma.
"No! You must call me Kuno-sempai!" said Kuno arrogantly. "Now stand
aside ruffian so that I may gaze upon the fair Akane Tendo, and
graciously give her the chance to date with me!"
"OK," said Ranma as he turned and walked back to Akane. "So, um, you
know this guy?"
"Whelp! Who said you could speak to Akane in such a familiar manner?! Or
at all for that matter!?" cried Kuno.
"Why shouldn't I? We�re engaged," said Ranma dumbly.
Akane was beginning to think he was trying to embarrass her. The windows
of the school had long since filled and the student body gave a
collective gasp.
"It isn't true! Our parents..." stammered Akane lamely.
"Of course it's true," said Ranma. "We got engaged last night remember?"
said Ranma in confusion. Akane turned and was about to pound him when
Kuno finally stopped gaping at him and sprung to life.
"What?! I shall never allow it!" he roared.
"But, I don't need your permission," said Ranma looking more confused
than ever.
"I challenge thee!" cried Kuno as he charged with his butoken raised
over his head.
Ranma understood that, "I am Ranma Saotome of the Anything goes school
of martial arts and current champion of the Tenka-Ichi Budokai, and I
accept your challenge," said Ranma as he jumped back to avoid the
Kendoist blow. He landed in a ready position.
Everyone including Kuno froze in place with looks of total shock. The
students became silent and Nabiki smirked. "Feeling the pressure now eh,
Kuno baby?"
"Ah, at last the gods send me a worthy opponent! Surely I shall smite
thee and prove that none can surpass my skill!" cried Kuno as he looked
almost, elated.
"Now your reaching," said Akane, she was still in shock from Ranma's
proclamation. No wonder he had beaten her so easily, if he was good
enough to even compete in that tournament he was leagues away from her
skills, as much as she hated to admit it; I mean she really hated it.
Kuno rushed forward and slashed at Ranma. The boy simply floated up and
stood against the side of a tree. He stayed there and Kuno looked up
angrily. "Be still so that I might smite thee!"
"But that wouldn't be very smart," said Ranma as he finally floated down
as Kuno slashed through a large branch.
"Silence fool!" Ranma saw the drops of rain beginning to fall around him
and frowned. He would not lose this challenge. He punched Kuno quickly in
the head and the Kendoist staggered as his eyes could not follow the
movements of Ranma's hand. All he knew for sure was it was more than one
strike. He slumped down and looked to see Ranma and Akane had vanished.
"You dare run away!?" he roared.
"Kuno baby, They didn't run. You lost," called Nabiki as the crowd
turned away from the windows to go to their classes.
"Never! I do not concede defeat! I will never accept this travesty, this
false hood of an engagement!" cried Kuno. He rubbed at the sore spot on
his forehead and staggered into the building.
"So Mr. Baka. What do you think of my sisters fiancee now?" said Nabiki
smugly as she sat and watched Kuno poke at the Kanji that Ranma had
placed on his forehead in confusion.
He desperately looked for some flaw in the scrawl. None was there, the
strokes were perfect. Kuno growled. "I shall never accept it, the boy
will learn the true terror of the Blue thunder of Furinkan high soon
enough."
"Give it up Kuno baby, He's the world champion, your just some pathetic
regional champ from a high school. His dad won it eleven times himself.
You don't stand a chance. I always knew you were a fool, now you have it
tattooed on your forehead." said Nabiki with an evil looking smirk.
"You dare!? I will free Akane Tendo from this villain who has used his
powerful title to win her heart and the heart of your father. I shall
defeat him in honorable combat and reclaim her heart once again!" cried
Kuno dramatically.
"Again?" asked Nabiki.
An eraser shot through the air and struck Kuno dead in the face. "Kuno!
Go stand in the hall!" cried the teacher.
"Yessir." mumbled Kuno.
Ranma stood in the front of the class room and smiled. "Well class it
seems we have a bit of a celebrity in the class. His name is Ranma
Saotome, world champion martial artist. It seems he has just returned
from a long training trip to China. Lets all give him a warm 'Nihao'
welcome." said the teacher cheerfully.
Akane was the only one to notice Ranma tense up at the phrase 'Nihao'.
"What's that all about?" she wondered.
"This does not however excuse them for being late, go stand in the
hall," said the man.
"What was that all about earlier, can I try it tomorrow?" said Ranma
suddenly as he held both buckets on his tail easily.
"No you can't!" growled Akane.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean..." stammered Ranma at the sudden anger.
Akane sighed. "Look, it all started at the beginning of the semester,
Kuno gave this stupid speech..."
A flash back with Kuno standing at a podium on a large school stage. A
banner with "Furinkan High Speech contest" was hanging on the wall behind
him.
"The vengeance of heaven is slow but sure, If you wish to date Akane
Tendo, you must defeat her in combat! I will permit no other terms. Am I
making myself absolutely clear?!" said the boy to the gathered students.
Ranma just looked down the hall in a daze.
"Hey! If your gonna ask, you could at least listen!" cried Akane
angrily.
"Here he comes," said Ranma flatly.
Kuno was barreling down the hall with his bokuten raised. He was dressed
in his full Kendo garb and had a bucket in his hand. "I will never allow
this engagement!" cried the boy as he slashed at Ranma and Akane.
Ranma blurred and Kuno doubled over as he appeared with his elbow planed
in the kendoist stomach. Once again, Akane hadn't even seen him move.
"Watch it jerk! Are you tryin to hit Akane too?" said Ranma looking
annoyed.
"S-silence fool," coughed Kuno as he recovered from the blow and slashed
wildly at Ranma.
"This is no place to fight Kuno, if you want to fight follow me," said
Ranma as he ran down the hall.
"That I shall!" cried Kuno as he complied.
Ranma noticed an open window and dove through it. Kuno followed blindly.
"Idiot! This is the third floor!" cried Akane as she looked towards the
pool and saw Kuno fall into the water.
"So what?" asked Ranma from just above her field of vision.
Akane jerked back in shock. She collapsed onto the floor and clutched at
her chest.
Ranma floated down and saw Kuno staggering out of the water. "Jeez you
jerk, what's the big Idea challenging me when you can't even fly?"
"Silence fool! I see now that thou art a dark sorcerer! I will smite
thee and free Akane Tendo from your dark grip villain," he coughed up a
fair amount of water as he said this.
"Whatever, I'm goin back to class," said Ranma as he floated back up to
the school. Most of the crowd that had followed Akane had dissipated when
he started back towards the window. A few watched until he landed next to
Akane.
"Ranma you jerk! Kuno could have been killed!" cried Akane as she
slapped him hard.
"What? How was I supposed to know he couldn't fly?! He's a martial
artist isn't he?" stammered Ranma in a sort of hurt confusion.
"Nobody can fly! Just you and your stupid dad!" cried Akane angrily.
"Almost everyone I know can fly Akane. Mr. Piccolo, Mr. Kurillin, Master
Roshi, Master Happosai, Yamcha-kun, even Oolong. Aunty Bulma can't but
she's not into martial arts," Ranma was obliviously ticking off names to
the ever more impatient Akane.
"Look! I can't fly, no one here can fly!" said Akane with tears welling
up in her eyes. Ranma was impossible to talk to, how was she supposed to
marry someone like him?
"Your dad didn't teach you?" stammered Ranma with a look of shock on his
face.
"No! My dad can't fly! He's a normal human being!" cried Akane in anger
again. Tears of frustration ran down her cheeks. Ranma was growing
desperate, he had no idea what to do. Had he caused this?
"Sure your dad can fly! How do you think he and my pop got around when
they were training together? Pop used to tell me stories about that all
the time! I could teach you if you want, it's not hard," said Ranma.
"NO! My father is normal you freak!! Leave me alone! I hate you!" cried
Akane angrily.
Ranma reacted as if he'd been slapped. "I just wanted to be..." he
stammered looking hurt.
"Just go away, I never want to see you again," said Akane coldly. She
turned to see Ranma had fallen to his knees, he was clutching himself in
pain and his teeth were grit together.
"Ranma?!" she gasped forgetting her words. She rushed to his side
pushing through the other students who had gathered around the fallen
boy. "I'm sorry I didn't mean it!" she gasped as the look on his face
told her why he had collapsed. "I..."
"GET AWAY!" cried the boy as he shot through the roof and high into the
sky, he became a speck and then vanished completely.
"Ranma?" said Akane in confusion, she mentally kicked herself. He was
just trying to be friendly, and she had shoved it in his face. She knew
he was only acting like he had because his honor demanded that he marry
her. Still, she had placed all the blame on him. She looked through the
hole and cried again, for her own actions this time.
That was when a brilliant burst of pure energy lit up the sky, the flash
left Akane blinded even in the daylight. She shielded her face and looked
again, it was gone.
"Ranma?"
Goku frowned and Soun stood from the Shogi board. The two of them had
been playing to kill the afternoon. Goku had not been cheating like Soun
had and he was still winning.
The flash shocked the both of them and Goku got a worried look on his
face. "Tendo, I have to go," he said.
"What was?" started Soun.
"Ranma," replied Goku.
"Ranma?!" Soun was still in shock. That blast was huge and high enough
that he had not heard it.
Goku found his son sitting on the roof of the high school an hour later.
He had a sullen look about him and just watched the city quietly.
"What happened?"
"Akane said she hates me, I've never had anyone tell me they hate me
before," said Ranma simply. "It's weird."
"Akane doesn't hate you," said Goku, "She just needs time to adjust."
"How would you know?" asked his son.
"Because, The same thing happened to me when I first left the mountains.
I was young enough to not understand that people were disgusted and
afraid of me. I thought it was funny how they reacted. I'm glad I didn't
understand. You weren't so lucky, at least you had some experience with
other people before we left," Goku looked genuinely unsure of what to do.
"It's OK pop, she apologized. I'm kind of over it, just happened a
little too late. That's what scared me, that's why I'm here," said Ranma
with the sullen look returning.
"Oh, I see," said Goku his gaze became more certain and serious.
"What if it happens when I can't escape? What if I can't hold it long
enough to get away? I could...I could," Ranma was looking at his hands
and trembling as he said this.
"It's OK son. It just takes time, you'll get the hang of it," said Goku
reassuringly. He never said so, but he was beginning to have his own
doubts. "Maybe he needs more than just extra training," he said to
himself.
"I don't want it to happen again, once was enough. I was just lucky last
time," said Ranma as he looked off into the school yard as the bell rang
and the students filed out.
TBC...
Yes, I spelled 'Tail' like that on purpose in the title.
"Last time?" ominous, he isn't talking about Jusenkyo folks. Got lots of
stuff planned for this now, been brain storming. Happosai was never
imprisoned in this version by the way. That gets explained as well as his
whereabouts later. Hoi-poi capsules and the Capsule corp. exist here as
well they'll show up from time to time, I just haven't had any real
opportunities as of yet to mention them. Anti gravity vehicles and such
do exist; but are not as common. Goku�s relationship with Soun will be
exsplained as well. He is in his late thirties now, he met Soun and
Happosai after the Dragon ball stories. Why he bothered being Happy�s
deciple will be exsplained. This is about eleven years after when �Z�
would have started.
See you next Ch. .
Ja!
C&C to CarrotGlace@juno.com
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