A Tail To Remember
by Gie phowahcs.com

A Tail To Remember
Chapter Twenty Four: Dojo Hijinks

Nerima, Tendo Dojo

The girls were sitting in the living room, listening to Bulma
tell stories about the Z Senshi's earlier adventures. It passed the
time and took their minds off where the other groups were, and what
they were doing.

Nabiki, ever the pessimist, snorted in disbelief. "So, you're
saying that most of the people that were here before have died?
Goku-san, Kuririn-san, and Vejiita-ototochan have been
resurrected?" She shook her head. "That sounds very--what's the
word--unbelievable."

The blue haired female smirked. "Well, it's true. Actually,
Kuririn has died twice--once in one of the Tenka-ichi Budokai, and
the other time Friiezer sent him to meet Enma-sama." She let a
small sigh escape. "Yamucha and Tenshinhan have now been dead, twice. It's
a good thing the Dragonballs are powerful magical items, otherwise who
knows where Chikyuu would be, today."

"How did you find out about the legend of the Dragonballs,
Bulma-san?" Kasumi asked politely. "I have never heard of them."
Most of the other guests murmured in agreement.

"Well, I found one of the Balls in the bowels of Capsule Corp.
I did a little digging and research, and found the legend of the
Seven Dragonballs, and the Mystical Dragon, Shenlon, that will grant any wish."

"So what does this 'Mystical Shenlon' look like? Why haven't
we heard about him appearing before?" Nabiki was still unconvinced.
Even though she has seen her share of the impossible and the magical
since Ranma arrived into her household, she was still unconvinced.
She was a material type of girl--to see it and hold it is to believe it.

Akane spoke up, not breaking her gaze out of the window she
was attached to. "Remember that weird storm a year and some
months ago? When the sky got all black, with a lot of lightning, but
no rain?"

"I remember that. The meteorologists said it was a freak
summer storm. Heat lightning or something to that effect." Nodoka
mused, very interested in Bulma's tale. Nabiki just shrugged.

Bulma nodded. "I heard that, too. But that was when we
resurrected Tenshinhan, Chao-tzu, and sent the Nameksei-jiin to
their new home. And actually, to be literal, that was Porunga, the
Namekian Dragonballs' Dragon. He's probably three times larger
than our Shenlon."

The females in the room were silent for a bit, digesting the
new information. Nodoka broke it when she stood up. "Anyone need
any more tea?" She got a few positive responses. "Akane-chan,
could you help me?"

Akane glanced at her mother in law, and nodded slowly. "Of
course, Obaasan." She followed the older female into the kitchen.

"Tadima!"

Everyone swung their gaze toward the entering figures of
Soun, Genma and Cologne. The female Saiya-jiin winked out of
sight, and startled the three patrollers when she appeared out of
thin air in front of them. "Did you see anything?"

All three shook their heads. "Nothing, child. We did not
encounter any foreign or alien creatures, unless you count that
bokken-wielding boy." Cologne pogoed over to a chair and sat down
with a sigh. "It took us awhile to rid us of his presence."

Akane made a face. "I hope Kuno didn't follow you back."

The old Amazon shook her head with a small chuckle. "Iie."

Akane blinked a couple times and turned back to her window, her
tea-assignment forgotten as her train of thought went back on its
main track. Nodoka sighed in defeat and retreated into the kitchen.
Everyone else turned back to other conversations once more, Bulma
and ChiChi arguing slightly over the chronological events of one
adventure.

"It's a good thing that we didn't run into any of those
creatures, ne, Saotome?" Tendo nodded his head, sagely. "If we did,
we would have had to get serious!"

Genma grunted in agreement, but moved over to Akane,
turning his gaze out the window as well. "You have a link, or
something, to the boy, ne?"

She nodded silently, her reflection showing her agreement.
Her eyes didn't leave the slowly darkening scenery outside.

He spoke again after a few moments of silence. "Has he given
you any indication of what's going on?"

Akane shrugged her shoulders slightly. "Nothing concrete.
But the Link between us is almost vibrating; he is sending so many
emotions back to me." She flicked her eyes up to her father in law's
image in the glass, then returned them to her vigilant watch of the
scenery. "He is fighting now. Nothing too heavy at the moment, but
I am trying to send him as much encouragement as possible through
our Bond."

She paused slightly and continued. "You know, Ranma nor I,
hold a grudge against you for your comments earlier."

Genma acknowledged the comment with a grunt and a nod.
"But your futago does."

"Vejiita does. And he probably will for a long time." She
turned slightly toward him. "On Vejiita-sei, your words and actions
toward the Royal house, Ranma now included within, would have been
treated as treason, and warranted a bloody death. Every Saiya-jiin
loyal to the Throne holds the Imperial Laws in reverent regard,
almost like laws from the Kami themselves."

"I don't blame him for reacting that way. It has been a very
long time since we considered you and Ranma as alien beings, and not
our own flesh and blood children." He glanced at Akane
affectionately.

She returned the gaze. "I know, and understand. And so
does Ranma. But just try and stay away from Vejiita as much as
possible. He has a rather volatile temper--makes me in one of my
'Ranma no baka hentai' fits look like a giggling schoolgirl." The two
gave each other a knowing smirk.

"By the way, Akane-chan, the reason I was late tonight is
this." Nabiki held up and waved a handful of papers in her hand.

Akane lifted an eyebrow in curiosity. She moved away from
the window and Genma to take the papers from her sister. "Nan de
yo?"

"Read them yourself, Saotome-san."

A small smile lit up her face. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Hai. You're now officially on the Saotome register."

Akane grinned as she nodded through the congratulations.
"Domo arigatou. Although the wedding ceremony was about thirty
years ago." Her smile dimmed as she flipped through the other
pages. "What are these other papers?"

"Your wedding present." Nabiki smirked.

She blinked a few times as she read through the papers.
"Tousan--these are the deeds to the Dojo and the property. With
mine and Ranma's names on them." Her eyes were wide with
astonishment.

Soun nodded, tears filling his eyes and spilling down his
cheeks in rivulets. "They are now officially yours, Akane-chan. Oh, how
I have lived for this day! Your Okaasan would be so proud of you if
she were with us today!" The rivulets exploded into a full torrent of
rain.

"Tousan..." Akane smiled slightly. "Arigatou, from both of
us." She glanced down at the papers again, her smile fading into a
frown. She stepped up to her father and thrust the papers into his
hands. "But we can not accept this yet."

The tears immediately stopped. "Why not, Akane? You and
Ranma are married, and can finally take over the Dojo. We have
been planning this for a long time." Soun looked confused and hurt
by Akane's implication.

She blanched. She and Ranma just talked about this
morning... "Gomen nasai, Otousan. But until the Hachi are
eliminated, and the threat is over, we need to focus on them."

"Of course, Akane," Kasumi soothed her upset father. "But
after the enemy is gone, then you will take over the Dojo, right,
Akane-chan?"

Akane was silent for a few moments, head bowed. When she
spoke again, it was in a very serious tone. "To tell you the truth,
Kasumi, 'Tousan, I don't know." Soun let out a gasp. She continued
quickly with her explanation. "When Tobuma-chan and Trunks-kun
came, they told of a very bleak time of war, of death, and of loss."

She glanced around the room at her family members and
friends. "In their time-line, which hopefully will never happen to
ours, I was taken and made Queen of the Hive in just about six
months. Ranma was left to take care of a one-month old Tobuma."

Akane played with the tip of her tail as she turned back to the window.
"If our world goes down that path, creating what they foretold, the
Dojo is going to be non-existent. Ranma will concentrate on
defeating the Hachi with the other senshi, trying to protect
Chikyuu's inhabitants, plus trying to raise Tobuma all by himself. I
would love to have the option to tell you we were going to take over
the Dojo, but..." she trailed off and was silent again.

But not for long. All of a sudden, she dropped to her knees,
and clutched her chest, crying out in pain. "Aaahhh!"

Bulma bolted to her side. "What's wrong, Seiika-chan? Is
it...aaaahhh!!" Bulma also fell to the ground, clutching at her chest.

Everyone started to panic. "What's going on?" Nodoka cried
out.

Bulma flipped around. "Ha..Hachi!" she gasped, breathing
laboriously. "The Hachi are attacking....Vejiita and
Serori...assimilation discs..." But as soon as the pain started, it
stopped.

She sat up, disoriented. 'Nani? What happened?"

But Akane was still panting, her aura flicking violently.
"Ranma...fight..it!"

Everyone tried to gather around her, wanting to help in some
way, but finding themselves helpless to assist the flashing female.
They were unable to get close. For suddenly, without any warning,
Akane screamed out and flared into Super Saiya-jiin, her aura
throwing the nearest people away.

Cologne braved the heat of Akane's aura and moved as close
as possible. "What is going on, child? What's wrong?"

"Serori is fighting...the Hachi," Akane stared off into space,
her aquamarine eyes glazed over. "He's fighting hard--but he is also
winning..."

Bulma stood shakily from where she was tossed by Akane's
burst of aura, getting an assist from ChiChi. "Vejiita was
assimilated again--or at least they attached a disc to him again. It's
the same pain as the first time." She closed her eyes and
concentrated hard. "Serori-kun has defeated the Hachi. By
himself." She opened her eyes and smirked.

Nodoka glanced at Bulma, her eyebrows drawn together in
confusion. "And how do you know that, Bulma-san?" She glanced at
Akane, who finally powered down, dropping out of Super Saiya-jiin.

"Vejiita told me." Nodoka blinked a few times, and nodded.

She moved to her daughter in law, helping her to stand. "Are
you okay, Akane-chan? What happened?"

Akane nodded, her hand on her chest. "I'm okay, Obaasan. It
was just an overflow from Ranma. He's okay now." She walked out
of the room, and went outside to stand next to the koi pond. Her
eyes were glued to the horizon.

She was alone for awhile, staring into the distance. Bulma
joined her side after a few moments, startling her when she laid a
comforting hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay, Seiika-chan?"

"Hai, I'm fine, Bulma-chan," Akane smiled back, giving her sister
in law a reassuring grin. "I had my side of the Link as far open as possible,
trying to sense the battle and giving him as much support as I could from
here. It was just a lot of backwash ki. The only way I could control
it was to go Super Saiya-jiin, or shoot a hole through the roof." Her
smile disappeared rapidly, her smooth features drawn into a serious
frown. "But something happened out there, Bulma-chan. Something
big."

The pair was quiet as they both watched the horizon for any
signs of activity. Soon, Akane stood straighter. "There he is."

Bulma peered into the darkening sky. "Where?"

She pointed into the distance, a faint speck on the horizon. "There.
And he has Shampoo and Ukyou with him." A bit of a frown flashed
across her face, but was gone as quickly as it arrived.

Bulma snorted, shaking her head. "You Saiya-jiin and your
eyesight."

"Yup, I'm glad this came back," Akane grinned at the human
female. "Advanced hearing, eyesight, smell, reflexes--I don't know
how I survived for so long with such deadened senses."

She turned away from the koi pond, watching her husband
and mate land with his cargo of two. Ranma set down Ukyou gently,
bending slightly so Shampoo could release his neck. She did, but not
without a farewell squeeze.

"Aiyah! That fun! Ranma must teach Shampoo how to fly.
Would make delivery too much easier!"

Ukyou grinned and ran a hand through her thick brown hair,
retying it back after her very windy and very tangly ride back. "That was
a lot of fun, Ranchan. We gotta do that again!"

Ranma gave each of his ex-admirers a big grin. "Well, we'll
see." He turned around to see a scowling Akane. "Hima-chan..."

She just glared at him. "Well?"

"Well, what?" He scratched his head confusedly at her. "I
just gave them a ride back, because they can't fly, Akane. They
didn't do nothin' ta me."

"That's not what I was talking about." Her scowl got deeper,
and darker, if that was possible.

He frowned right back. "I'm okay, Akane. The Hachi didn't
assimilate me, if that's what gotcha worked up."

"That's obvious." She rolled her eyes in frustration. "But
that's not what I meant, baka."

He stared at her for a moment. Suddenly a big grin broke
loose across his face, and he jumped a few yards into the air.
"Hima-chan, you'll never guess what happened to me." Ranma let out
a loud yell and started to power up. And up.

The rest of the people that were inside flooded the yard
when they heard Ranma's yell.

"What's going on, Akane-chan?" Nodoka asked, staring at he
brightly-lit Ranma. "What's he doing?"

"He's powering up, Saotome-san," ChiChi answered for her,
her black eyes glued to the sky, very familiar with the process.
"Seiika-chan, is he going..." But stopped mid-sentence when a bright
yellow flash blinded them.

"Hai, ChiChi-san. That's why I went Super Saiya-jiin." Akane
spoke as she jumped into the air, turning Super as she flew up to the
now Super Saiya-jiin Ranma. She stood in front of him, her stance
very poised and royal. "Ometadou, Serori, son of Toma. You are now
a True Elite."

Ranma bowed deep in front of his mate and princess, fist on
his chest in salute. "Domo arigatou gozaimasu, Seiika-oujosama. My
life is yours to command."

"Rise, Golden Senshi," Akane commanded, her own fist on her
chest in salute. "And greet your mate properly."

Ranma straightened up, his green eyes glittering. "As you
command, my princess." He floated forward and encased Akane in
his embrace, crushing her to him.

Akane clutched at his torn shirt, her face burrowing in his
chest. "You scared me, baka. I thought I was going to be mated to
a Drone."

"Shush, Hima-chan, it's okay." He pulled away slightly, wiping
away the tears that fell down his mate's cheeks. "I won't let some
damned bugs take me away from you." The distance closed once
again as their lips came together in a well-deserved kiss.

Several of the females on the ground sighed at the display of
affection. Nodoka had a pleased grin on her face; Ukyou glanced
down, blushing; Shampoo frowned and turned away.

She moved closer to her great grandmother. "Mousse dead
by Hachi."

Several gasps were heard at this news, Cologne just raised an
eyebrow. "You saw this, Shampoo?"

She nodded. "Hai, Honored Elder. Mousse turn into Drone,
then dust pile."

Bulma cleared her throat. "Well, he's not completely dead.
We'll wish him back with the Dragonballs."

Cologne narrowed her eyes at the blue-haired genius. "Do not
taunt an old woman, child."

"They do exist, Cologne-san." Bulma smiled kindly. "You can
ask anyone from Western Capital--they will look at you strange, but
most will remember a dragon in the middle of the city."

"They do exist then? The story of the mystical dragon and
the seven balls of magic is an old one, created to make a young child's
imagination wander." Cologne said with a small smile. "But if you say
they exist, then I believe you."

"They do. Just ask Son-kun or Vejiita--both have been
resurrected by the Dragonballs at one time or another, as well as
other friends."

Ranma and Akane floated down, both powered down to
original states, tails intertwined with the other. Ranma had a grim
line across his mouth. "Mousse fought well against the Hachi,
Cologne. All three of us were caught by the paralysis ray of those
damned bugs. Only mine and Vejiita's Saiya-jiin genes protected us
against assimilation."

Kasumi roused the group out of its silence. "There is still
more dessert left inside. Why don't we wait there for the other
parties to return?"

Akane smiled at her sister. "That's a good idea,
Kasumi-neechan."

Soon, everyone was inside except for Ranma, Akane, Bulma,
and ChiChi, who had taken over Akane's spot at the koi pond, eyes
glued to the horizon. "They'll be back soon, ChiChi-san," Ranma said
quietly. "They probably won't be out much longer after dark."

"Was Gohan-chan and Goku-saa all right, Serori-kun?" ChiChi's voice
wafted back to them on the breeze.

"Both were fine," he assured her. "Goku was the one that
took away the paralysis beam from us. And Gohan never even fought
a Drone while I was there."

ChiChi nodded, and turned toward the house. But before she
went inside, she paused on the porch. "Tell me, minna, what is
entailed in a Saiya-jiin Mate Bond?"

Bulma blinked a few times in surprise. "Well, it's more like a
Link, then a Bond, at times. I can feel Vejiita's feelings, that is when he
lets down his guard long enough to let me feel them, and I can sense
his moods. If I concentrate hard, we can communicate
telepathically. Although," Bulma snorted, "he can do that better
than I can."

Ranma grinned. "That's because Saiya-jiin are naturally
telepathic, Bulma-kun."

"Smart ass," Akane elbowed him. She turned concerned eyes
to ChiChi. "Why did you want to know, ChiChi-san? Don't you know
all of this?"

"Some of it, Seiika-chan," ChiChi nodded. "but the way you
talk makes it sound like each of you are almost part of the other."

"We are," Akane softly said, leaning harder against Ranma.
He wrapped his tail around her waist in response. "Our souls are
one, sealed together by the Mating Ceremony."

"Aren't you and Son-kun Bonded, ChiChi?" Bulma's eyes were
wide in realization.

The dark-haired human turned around. "I think we may be,
but not like you are. Goku-saa and I didn't do a special Mating
ceremony, or anything like that. We did not know of his Saiya-jiin
heritage until Radiitzu came, remember? And he has no memories of
Vejiita-sei to draw from."

"But I thought you said that Gohan-chan was conceived on
your wedding night?" Bulma remembered. "That is the final step of
the Mating Ceremony--for a child to be conceived of the completed
Bond that you share."

She shrugged. "During the wedding I just happened to be at
my most fertile. I don't think that Bonding caused me to become
pregnant."

"Can you sense where Goku-san is, ChiChi-san?" Ranma asked,
trying to steer the conversation away from that.

"Only if he is really close to me," she admitted. "I wouldn't
have felt anything happen," she nodded at Akane, "like what you felt when
Serori-kun jumped to Super Saiya-jiin." She swallowed a lump in her
throat. "I did feel something the day Goku-saa died. In the fight
with his brother. But, it wasn't anything monumentous. Just a
twinge inside. But I knew it was big. And when Kamesennin came..."
She cleared her throat and smoothed out her plain dress. "I babble
on too much. Just let me know when my Goku-saa and Gohan-chan
get back, onegai." ChiChi turned back to the house and went inside.

Bulma let out a small sigh for her friend. "ChiChi may have a temper on
her, but she puts up with a lot from Goku. He may be Saiya-jiin, and the
strongest creature on this planet, but he is oblivious to a lot of things."

Akane frowned. "I always wondered why Goku-san never
acted like a Saiya-jiin. ChiChi has more of a temperament
associated with my race."

"Well, Serori-kun isn't very wild and animalistic, either." The
blue-haired genius pointed out with a chuckle.

Akane snorted. "Yeah, well, you've never seen him in a true
battle. He just keeps it bottled up until then." She glanced into his
sober face, knowing what he went through with the Hachi when he
transformed into a Super Saiya-jiin for the first time.

"Maybe it's time Vejiita-chan and I had a little talk with Son-kun," Bulma mused.
"Teach him about the Birds and the Bees and the Bonds." Both females laughed at
the images that she conjured up and went inside, Ranma following with a large
sweatdrop running down his temple.