This is a Ranma ½ Dragonball Z Crossover. This is also the first fic that I have ever posted on the internet, (tried to write several others, but they never seemed too good). Per usual, I will go into detail about copyrights, such as that Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, and DBZ belongs to Akira Toriyama. This fic starts somewhere before Ranma fights Saffron and a few years before Raditz shows up.

Binding Journey Chapter 1

Cologne watched the rain pour through the windows of the Nekohanten. Her aged, wizened body sighed as she exited the dining room and entered the kitchen where she was preparing the evening meal. She had been contemplating her position here for the past few days, more specifically on whether or not her great grand-daughter was going to be successful in capturing the heart of one Ranma Saotome. Lately, she had been having her doubts. Initially, she had believed that Ranma was another simple male, albeit extremely strong and gifted, that in he would easily cave into her attempts to bring him into the tribe. Yet he consistently surprised her again and again with his ability to adapt to every single situation that she threw at him. Recently, she has even begun to somewhat fear him. He had grown incredibly strong over the past few months, especially after his fight with Herb.

A presence at the front of the main doors to the restaurant startled her. There was a deep foreboding coming from there, and she immediately hopped on top of her cane to the front room and waited. The door opened and two men wearing gi's of some sort walked in. Actually, one man appeared to be supporting the other who seemed to have a wound on his chest, most likely fatal.

Cologne slowly approached the pair. She could feel temporal energy swarming around them, much like the nanban mirror's effects when it was used to time travel.

"Who are you and what do you want?" she slightly demanded. The two walked a couple of feet farther before collapsing in a heap onto the floor. The aged Matriarch rushed to their side and looked at the two. What she saw nearly shocked the breath out of her. Though the faces looked older, roughly two or three years. There was no doubt in her mind that these two were the disgruntled half-blind Amazon Mousse and her apparent son-in-law Ranma Saotome. She quickly went about checking for wounds on the two men and gasped. Her Son-in-law was on the verge of death, and Mousse was not in much better shape. She hastily picked both of them up and brought them to her bedroom, laying them onto her bed gently before applying some herbal ointment onto their injuries. Thank goodness Shampoo was out on deliveries, even if it was pouring rain outside, and what she believed to be the 'normal' Mousse to be chasing after her.

"E….elder…." The prone form of Mousse whispered just barely loud enough for her to hear. Cologne brought her hand to his mouth in a shushing gesture.

"Quite, you need to save your strength while I attempt to heal you." She already new that there was nothing she could do for the pair, having checked their injuries and seeing that they were too grievous and too late to tend to them properly. The Myopic Amazon opened his eyes and looked at her with a stare that could have penetrated lead. Gathering his breath, he started to talk before going into a coughing fit that brought up an alarming quantity of blood. She pushed his head back down onto the pillow, but he resisted.

"No! I have to tell you this before it's too late, and I need you to listen." He paused briefly to gather his strength.

"What I'm going to tell you is vital and must be heard with open ears. We are both from the future, four years or so to be a little more precise. We came back to warn everyone that a powerful and great evil is coming, an alien race known as the Saiyans, and we need everyone to be prepared for when they come….." He broke out into a violent coughing fit, hacking up more blood and nearly losing consciousness, but with grim determination, he continued.

"…uhgg…in about two years, a member of this alien race by the name of Raditz will show up looking for his brother Goku. Goku was sent here twenty years ago to destroy the human race and make the planet Earth ready to be sold on a planetary market to the highest bidder, but he had fell off a cliff, causing him to lose his memory of the mission he was sent on and now defends the planet with several other warriors. Raditz was beaten, but not before transmitting the happenings of the battle to the prince of his race, Vegeta, and Nappa, who in turn nearly wiped out all of humanity, save for Ranma and myself. Ryoga stayed behind to distract Vegeta while we used the Dragonballs to wish us back into the past. Before the wish took effect though, Vegeta sent a Ki blast that went completely through Ryoga and we got hit by the tail end of the explosion." Mousse gritted his teeth in intense pain before continuing.

"In my pocket is a data disk along with a mini-pad to use it with. It has details and instructions on what to do to prepare and who to find. It also has been reprogrammed to read out the power-level of a person and record them. This is important Elder. The human race depends on your ability to prepare us for them." Cologne held out her hand as Mousse gripped it with surprising force, nearly crushing her hand as he cried out in anguish. Gathering himself for one last time, the dying Amazon closed his eyes before speaking.

"When we die, get rid of us in secrecy. No one should see us. Bury us, or better yet, burn us, for that is how our friends died defending this planet, and we to want to go out the same way." He paused briefly before letting a tear roll down his bloody cheek.

"…and elder….I missed you." With that last phrase, the proud Amazon warrior let his last breath escape his body before succumbing to the reaches of death. Cologne reached over and gently caressed her ward's face. She had detected no falsities in his eyes as he told her his story. Looking over at her son-in-law, she nearly let out a sad sigh. Ranma was also dead, having died in the middle of Mousse's speech. She sat down on the bed dejectedly, sitting there for ten minutes before reaching into the recently deceased amazons robes and pulling out the aforementioned data disk and mini-computer. She stared at them for a few seconds before setting them down on the bed-stand. She quickly stood up with grim determination. She would honor their request to be burned, though she would need to leave the city. The only place she could have a large bon-fire where no one would ask questions would be in the wilderness. The aged matriarch quickly walked downstairs to the kitchen. She turned off the stove then took out a pen and paper and quickly wrote that she would be out of town for a few days and set it down on the front counter of the dining room. She went to her bedroom and picked up the warrior pair. Oh, would she give these two an honorable death. She was going to shake the heavens with their funeral.

"No, not just their funeral, but humanity's." She quickly gathered a few supplies, including the data disk and computer, and headed out of the Nekohanten through the back door. She needed to be quick if she was to get into the wilderness unnoticed.

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Two days later…

Ranma sat in the Nekohanten with nervousness and anticipation. Cologne had came over to the Tendo Dojo early in the morning before school, without Shampoo surprisingly, and told him that she had something to show him, something important, and that she wanted him to meet her at the restaurant after school. Ranma involuntarily rubbed his head. Akane had hit him extremely hard after he said that he was coming here after school was over. The pigtailed teen grumbled under his breath about uncute tomboys and conniving old ghouls before suddenly feeling his being crushed by a gnarled wooden cane.

"Watch who you call an old ghoul Ranma." Cologne said from behind him. Ranma turned around quickly and was about to yell at her for hitting him before he realized what she had said.

"Wait, why didn't you call me Son-in-Law?" Ranma said with confusion. Cologne stared at him with eyes that seemed to be on fire before walking into the kitchen.

"Sit still for a moment while I retrieve a few essentials." Ranma started grumbling again and was about to stand up and walk out in frustration when Cologne yelled from the kitchen,

"Sit down right now!" The pigtailed martial artist immediately sat down from the authoritive tone in her voice. She came back in holding what appeared to be a hand-held computer device which appeared to be nearly futuristic in appearance. Cologne sat down across from him and once again stared at him with a fierce look of wisdom in her eyes.

"Everything I'm about to tell you to should be taken straight to heart, and that is exactly what I need you to do as well, for the survival of the human race. It is crucial that you do not interrupt me. Understand?" Ranma was about to nod sarcastically, but then perked up at the mention of the human race ending.

"What do you mean Old Ghoul….OW!" Cologne removed her cane from the indentation it left on his head.

"I told you not to call me that. Young people never give their elders respect." She muttered before continuing.

"This device that I hold in my hands belonged to a man who came from approximately four years into the future. I know that you know that time travel is possible, what with you attempting to use the nanban mirror the way you did. This device gives in detail about the happenings in the near future, more specifically about the arrival of an alien race that is intent on eradicating all life on this planet so that they may sell it to the highest bidder on a planetary market. These aliens, which are called Saiyans, have a physiology that is very similar to our own, so much that they look identical to us, except for a tail a lot like that of a monkey. The first Saiyan, named Raditz, that came to Earth was defeated by his brother, Goku, who ended up growing up on earth from near infancy due to circumstances that are complicated. Before Raditz died, he opened a communiqué to the prince of his race, Vegeta, and the general of the Saiyan army, Nappa, that the earth held mystical artifacts called Dragonballs, which when gathered together, can grant nearly any one wish." Ranma nearly jumped out of his seat in excitement.

"Any wish! That means I can cure my curse!...OW!"

"I told you not to interrupt me. As I was saying, Raditz informed Vegeta and Nappa that the Earth held the Dragonballs, and they immediately made their way to Earth in the time span of one year. Goku had gathered several warriors to help fend them off, but the might of the Saiyans was just too much. Three of these warriors that were gathered managed to use the Dragonballs to wish themselves back into the past. One stayed behind to keep the Saiyans at bay while the other two came here, dieing in the process of warning me about the trials that are to come. One of them…..was you."

Ranma's eyes widened at the implication that he had died defending the planet. The wizened Amazon let this information sink in for a few seconds before he spoke up.

"You said that two people came back, so who was the other one?" Cologne hopped to the counter and picked up a cup of tea, taking a sip before replying.

"Mousse was the other who returned with you. Unfortunately, Ryoga was the one who stayed behind to fend off the Saiyans while you two made your wish." Ranma dropped his eyes at the table as if looking for an answer on its surface. Cologne hopped to his side and put a hand on his leg in comfort.

"I know this may feel confusing and the idea of you dieing is somewhat frightening, but you need to understand that the future you other selves faced does not have to be the one that you have to. We have a chance, right now, to alter things so that we can be prepared for the events that are to come." The pigtailed boy of sixteen years took all this information in as best he could.

'The thought of me dieing is kinda scary…..but the thought of me losing is even worse. Besides, we have a chance to change things, make it so we can be prepared. And after all, Ranma Saotome does not lose!' After finishing his thoughts, he looked back at her with his familiar arrogant smirk that he always carries around.

"What do we need to do?" Cologne smiled at him with approval over his sudden morale boost.

"First of all, we need to recruit at least a couple more fighters. From what information this data-pad gives us, the only warriors from Nerima were you, Mousse and Ryoga." Ranma nodded and then started listing off names out loud.

"Well, there's Pops, Mr. Tendo, Shampoo, Ucchan…..uhm…" The young martial artist stumbled briefly as he tried to think of more names. Cologne shook her head.

"None of them will do. Your father, although very talented in his own right, is simply too old to be trained the way that is needed, and the same for violent fiancé's father. Shampoo, I'm afraid, has reached her limit. It's my fault really, allowing her to pursue you daily instead of keeping up her training. No, the only ones I can think of here is that doctor that you frequent and the Kuno boy." Ranma almost scoffed at her suggestion.

"I guess I can understand Doctor Tofu, but Kuno? He can't fight without his precious swords and he's far too deluded to even come to grips with anything that's going on."

"I'll admit that he relies far to heavily on weapons, but his maniacal sister has been poisoning him for awhile now from what I can tell, and if his system is cleansed, then he will most likely turn out to be a reasonable individual." Ranma looked at her skeptically, then realized something.

"Are you telling me that we could have removed our Kuno problem if you had simply cleaned out his system! Why didn't you do anything about it before!" Cologne grinned at him in her scheming way.

"Simply because He kept you alert and on your toes with his deluded randomness, and also because nobody asked me too."

"Arghhhh!" Ranma half-screamed in frustration. Cologne chuckled before continuing on with business.

"I am going to go recruit the good doctor and the Kuno boy and inform them of the happenings. I want you to immediately head toward the mountains, at the area you fought Ryoga after I trained him in the Bakusai Tenketsu. I've already informed Mousse of what needs to be done, and he should meet you by the time you get there. I'll have to find Ryoga and inform him also, though that is going to prove most difficult." Cologne handed him the data-pad.

"I want you to take this and study it. There are a few things in there that can help you, I'm sure. The most noticeable one is it's ability to measure the effective power level of a target and recording it down." Ranma looked at the apparatus and pressed a button. On the screen showed several numbers alongside several names with a date on top of the screen. The date read about four years from now.

"So these readings are from when we fight these Saiyans, huh?" Ranma said rhetorically. He skimmed through some names and read the numbers next to them.

(In my story, Goku didn't die when he fought Raditz because Ranma and the group were also there and were able to help enough that no one died. This, in turn, prevented Goku from getting training from King Kai, which is what allowed him to drive off Vegeta all by himself.)

"This Vegeta's power level is 18,000….Goku's is 1950…..No wonder we lost. No one has a power level higher than 2000."

Ranma pointed the computer at Cologne and the number 35 appeared.

"Your one of the toughest people I know, and your power level is only 35. This Saiyan is like 300 times more powerful than you. How the hell are we supposed to get strong enough to fight something like that when it took 16 years of constant training to reach the point I'm at and I still have problems fighting just you?"

"Actually, I'm hiding my ki so the scanner cannot accurately detect my true level, which reminds me of something that I need to tell you. From now on, you must not hold in your ki at all. I know you were taught to hide it in so that an opponent cannot gauge you very easily, but with the trials that are coming up, flaring your ki to its maximum is going to greatly help you increase your power level. I don't let mine out simply because I'm not going to be training with you, for reasons that are my own."

"So what is your power level then, and you still haven't answered my question."

"According to that gizmo, it's 109. Go ahead and take a look at yourself without holding in your aura." Ranma turned the computer around and scanned himself. Turning it back around he read the number on the screen.

"114! That means I'm stronger than you are." Cologne nodded sagely.

"Yes, I've known for awhile that you would surpass me within a few short months. I also know that the Hibiki boy is almost stronger than I am as well. I was surprised when I measured Mousse and came up with 83. Mastering that hidden weapons style must have also helped hide away his aura also. He could have beaten Shampoo at any time he wanted, though I wonder why he hasn't. To answer your question, according to that device, by the time this Vegeta arrived, your power level was around 1400. I'm digressing though, and we need to set out and do what is needed of us immediately." Cologne whipped up a few miscellaneous items before setting out the door.

"I'm going to talk to the good doctor and attempt to fix the Kuno boy, and hopefully find the Lost Boy before long. If everything goes right with the Kuno boy, we'll have all the funding we need to help us build a gravity room, whose blueprints are currently inside that device you carry. When I'm done with them I will send them to your location and then inform your family of the goings on. Remember, do not suppress your aura, let it flare. Push it as high as possible at all times. Get as much intense training in as possible before I get there. When everyone is assembled, I will go over what our plan of action is in detail." With that, the aged Matriarch of the Amazons hopped out the door and out of sight. Ranma sighed before heading out the door himself. This was going to be a long couple of years.

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Four Days Later…

Two blurs appeared briefly before disappearing again. A series of impacts could be heard as a form finally materialized out of nowhere. He was shirtless, only wearing Chinese silk slacks and a pair of thick coke-bottle glasses. His breathing was heavy and took a knee to gather his breath. Another form appeared across the clearing, also wearing only a pair of black Chinese silk pants and had his hair braided in a pigtail.

"You alright there Mousse? I didn't hit you too hard did I? That last kick I threw was a little stronger than normal."

"Save your pity for someone else, Saotome. I just need to catch my breath." Ranma sighed at his stubbornness to accept any form of help. It has been three days since he's been here with the blind Amazon and he was already haggard from the Amazon's near relentless assault on him. At every opportunity he hears, "Saotome, how dare you lead on my precious Shampoo!" or "Prepare to be punished!" and other various threats and actions. Ranma was getting sick and tired of this and he was going to put a stop to it now.

"Hey Mousse! I'm tired of your attitude and constant threats towards me about you 'precious' Shampoo. Get it through your thick skull that I don't like her! In fact, I downright almost hate her! At every opportunity she gets she is constantly hounding me, sabotaging me, drugging me, tricking me, pitting the people I live with against me, and attacking people in their households whenever I glance at someone in a way she doesn't seem to like. And don't get me started on her attempts to constantly kill Akane. Sure I don't like the Tomboy all that much, but she would be a hell of a lot nicer to me if Shampoo wasn't always hangin' on me all the time. So quit with your bitching and crying about me and leave me the hell alone!" Ranma yelled loudly.

'Wow, I didn't think I had that kind of anger built up inside me. Feels pretty good to get that all out' Ranma thought before looking over at Mousse's position and saw him with a mix of emotions on his face. Mousse stared at the ground in anger and guilt before muttering something. Ranma walked over to him and stared at him.

"What was that?" Ranma asked curiously. If it was an insult about him he was going to kick the living shit out of the cursed blind boy.

"I said….that you're right." Mousse said begrudgingly. Ranma looked at him as if he had grown a third head. Mousse slouched his head into his hands.

"I've been trying to get together with Shampoo for most of my life, ever since I was eight. She was always the most skilled, the most beautiful, and was always nice to most everyone she came across. I tried my best to show her that I was a good mate, that I was the best suited for her. I trained really hard every single day so she would notice me. One day I asked for a spar and she agreed in her normal happy way. During the fight I managed to trip her with a low spin kick to the back of her knees. I went down and wrestled with her, getting her in a grapple hold that she couldn't break out of. She was shocked when she realized that she had to concede the match. She had never lost at anything before, and she took it rather personally. After I started to leave, she picked up a large rock and swung at the back of my head. The blow knocked me unconscious and I later found out that the blow also took away a good portion of my eyesight. People would think that I would hold a huge grudge or seek revenge against her, but for some reason I couldn't hate her. I still loved her as much as I did before the match. She changed after that match. She became cold to people, attacking them without any provocation, and even through all of that, I still sought her out. Then you came. Defeating her on the challenge log destroyed her confidence in herself, even more so when she found out that it was actually a guy that beat and not the redheaded girl that she had thought you to be. Through the months of chasing you, though, she started liking instead of hating you. This made me furious. You receive her love unconditionally, even though you resist her every attempt to snare you. She loves you, a man who does not even like her, over someone who spent his every moment devoting himself to her well being. I even held back against her whenever we sparred in hopes that she would see that I truly care for her and her feelings instead of the way you brushed her off."

Ranma sat down next to the distraught Amazon boy dejectedly.

"I…I never knew."

"I know you didn't. No one did. It's not that I'm even truly mad at you anymore. I fell out of love with Shampoo a while ago. She is far too abusive and deluded to realize anything beyond herself." Ranma stared at him confused.

"Then why do you still attack and threaten me?" Mousse genuinely grinned at him.

"Well, being around you for the time that I have motivated me to train harder than I ever had before. Besides, you're the best sparring partner that I've ever had." Ranma grinned back at him.

"How about we start over, hmm?" Mousse grinned even wider at him before holding out his hand.

"I'm Mu Tsu. I'm from an Amazon village in China and am mostly blind without his glasses. I also turn into a duck when hit with cold water."

"I'm Ranma Saotome. I've spent most of my life on the road and is engaged to countless people I don't want to be engaged to. I also turn into a girl when hit with cold water." Ranma said, taking Mousse's hand and shaking it firmly.

"Come to think of it, I haven't changed once since I got up here." Mousse said with surprise.

"Me too. I hadn't realized that either. Guess luck is on our side huh." A sudden wave of water broke their conversation apart with fervor. A voice behind them alerted them that someone was there.

"I would have expected that martial artists of your caliber would always be aware of your surroundings." Turning around, the now cursed pair looked upon the forms of Cologne and Ryoga Hibiki. The Lost Boy decided to rub it in a little.

"What's wrong Ranma, can't take a little wetness." The redheaded girl nearly leapt at Ryoga with contempt. Ryoga backed off slightly and waved his hands in front of him in a warding gesture.

"Whoa, I was just kidding. I heard your talk with Mousse and it made me start to think about the way I've been acting towards you. I realized a while ago that everything that went wrong in my life wasn't your fault, and that nice speech," Ryoga gestured to the now wet duck, "made by him finally got me to see that you're also a good person, Albeit arrogant and egotistical, but good nonetheless." Ranma glared at him at the mention of his large ego, but shrugged it off.

"So what, you're done randomly attacking me for no reason too?"

"Well…..maybe not randomly. I've got to keep you on your toes after all." Ryoga smiled broadly. Behind them all a small sniffle brought the trio's attention to the Amazon Matriarch who had her eyes closed and was faking wiping a tear.

"My goodness, such camaraderie…..makes me want to cry." She opened her eyes to the stares of three young men. Actually more like a boy, girl, and a duck.

"What, can't a girl have a little fun at others expenses as well." She looked back at their still staring faces.

"Fine. If you're all going to be a bunch of crotchety old men then I guess we'll get started and get down to business." Ranma grinned at her then looked around confused.

"I thought you we're going to bring Kuno and Doc." Ryoga spoke up in response.

"After getting his body cleared out from all the toxins, Kuno told us that he didn't think he would be much help. His mind was clear and he decided that he was tired of fighting and needed to do something else with his life. But he's still going to help us with any supplies or money that we need. Doctor Tofu said he would train with us, but only to understand the ki flow in the body better so he can heal any of us who needs it. He's currently with Kuno looking over a copy of the blueprints of the gravity room. He said he'll meet up with us when he fully understood the concept of the gravity room, which will probably be in a few more days. With the proper help and equipment, though, they believe it'll take about two years to complete." Mousse, now a guy again thanks to a flask of hot water from Cologne spoke up.

"So we have two less people than we thought we would, and two years of waiting for a gravity room. Well, this kinda sucks." Ranma glanced over at him before speaking.

"I guess we'll just have to continue like we always have. Train hard every day, the natural way."

"Well then, listen up really fast then young ones." Cologne said with wisdom and authority that comes with 300 years of experience. "Before we start off, I want to teach you three the basics of the technique called Bukujutsu, the art of flight." Ranma immediately perked up at the mention of this.

"You're gonna teach us how to fly, like Herb?"

"Sonny boy, with the help from that mini-computer, I'm going to teach you how to fly circles around that wanna-be Musk Prince." Cologne said in anticipation. "Follow my lead, and do as I do."

End Chapter One