Chapter 15: The Way of Water and a Biting Revelation
Pearl and Kenshiro were woken up the next day by the sound of Shurayuki knocking on their door. "Come on then, if you want training, you have to wake up!" the kunoichi yelled. "Ugh!" Kenshiro groaned as he got up and Pearl followed suit, dressing in a purple gi and putting on her weighted boots and wrist bands while Kenshiro dressed in his regular and weighted clothes. They came out to see Shurayuki holding two protein bars, "Eat up, this is all you're getting until the training is over, and some tea I made." Pearl and Kenshiro quickly ate the bars along with Barit and had two cups of tea each, it was strong, sweet, and piping hot. "Alright, let's go," Shurayuki said as the three roommates followed her out their apartment. "First off, is a little morning jog, about ten laps around the city should be good. GO!" Shurayuki yelled, and they all took off running. Pearl saw that Shurayuki was dressed in the same open toed shoes from before, short black pants with a mesh shirt and tan trench coat and wearing a blue headband, it was the other outfit she got from Merch… she thinks she remembered calling it 'Anko's Outfit.'
"Where are Rachel, and Beate?" Pearl asked after running three laps. "They should be behind us, on their eighth lap," Shurayuki answered. Pearl looked over her shoulder and saw them, dressed in matching orange Turtle School gis. They were too far to talk to, but Pearl noticed that they were already pretty tired. No one said anything as they ran, though Pearl could tell that her weighted clothes were doing their job, she was covered in sweat by the ninth lap she ran, and saw as Beate and Rachel broke off and headed to the Bamboo District to stretch. "Alright! Last lap! Last one to pass has to do an extra five thousand finger-tip pushups!" Shurayuki yelled as everyone picked up the pace. Kenshiro and Shurayuki were running neck and neck, while Pearl and Barit struggled not to be last. "I'm not being last again!" Barit yelled as he put on a quick burst of speed. "Too bad! I'm not gonna be last either!" Pearl yelled as she caught up to him then ran a step ahead. "No you don't!" Barit yelled as he put on another burst of speed, getting just a little ahead of Pearl. "NO!" Pearl yelled, only for Shurayuki to yell, "Pearl, you're last!"
"Dang it," Pearl groaned as they all walked to the Bamboo District to see Beate and Rachel finishing their stretches. "Now, I want you all to spend the next thirty minutes doing finger-tip pushups, and I'll get some equipment and a partner. I'm going to train your wrists, fingers, toes, and ankles, powerful joints will help you for the things I'm going to teach you," Shurayuki said as everyone got into position. "GO!" the kunoichi yelled, and everyone started doing finger-tip pushups. Pearl wasn't sure if such training would work as well with her, but she could feel it affecting her after five minutes. Kenshiro was doing just fine and Barit was keeping up with him. Rachel and Beate however were struggling to keep up. "Don't give up! Beate, Rachel, we can do it!" Pearl encouraged the other girls as she picked up her pace. Beate and Rachel couldn't keep up with the pace Pearl, Barit, and Kenshiro were setting, but they didn't stop either.
After fifteen minutes, Shurayuki returned holding two Capsules, and Bage, the Saiyan she beat from yesterday, walked behind her wearing an outfit like Vegeta's when he first appeared on Earth. "Worm," Shurayuki said as she pressed a Capsule and a Binding Pole appeared, "Put this in the ground over there." "Yes Mistress!" Bage yelled as he carried the binding pole to the spot she indicated and hammered it into the ground with his fists. Shurayuki pressed the other Capsule and various equipment appeared, including large plastic bands, and dumbbells. "What are those for?" Kenshiro asked. "Training, these dumbbells are very special, and get heavier for whoever uses them depending on their strength, like those weighted clothes Merch gave you and Pearl," Shurayuki explained. "Mom," Kenshiro said as he started turning red, "Please don't tell me that's why you screwed him!"
Shurayuki looked angry as she walked over to him and stomped on Kenshiro's back, Kenshiro barely managed to keep his form and was struggling to keep going. "Are you implying," Shurayuki said as she pushed down harder, "That I am a cheap whore," she added more pressure and Kenshiro was breathing heavily, "That would sell her body for equipment?" "N-No! NEVER!" Kenshiro managed to say. "Good," Shurayuki said as she lifted her leg off his back, "I may sleep around, but I've never once fucked anyone for any payment. Don't forget that!" "Yes Shurayuki-sensei!" Everyone yelled, the only exceptions were Bage who yelled, "Yes Mistress!" and Kenshiro, "Yes Mom!" The rest of the pushups went by without incident, Shurayuki even had Bage join in the last ten minutes, and the massive Saiyan struggled through the finger-tip pushups. Shurayuki finally called time and said, "Leg lifts for thirty minutes! GO!" Everyone got on their backs, put their hands behind their heads and did leg lifts as ordered, Shurayuki joining in for this one.
"Shurayuki-sensei, what kind of training are we going to do?" Rachel asked after five minutes. "I'm going to teach you a new way of fighting, not exactly a style as much as a philosophy you should consider. It's the reason why I've survived this long, Rachel-kun," Shurayuki said as they continued performing leg lifts. Bage struggled to keep up and eventually stopped. Shurayuki yelled, "Worm! If this is too hard for you, then strip naked and climb the tallest mountain here!" "I'm sorry Mistress!" Bage yelled and went back to doing leg lifts, even if he was at a slow and uneven pace. Rachel and Beate had to use a slower pace as well, but they kept it up and never stopped, while Pearl, Barit, and Kenshiro were pushing each other to see who could do the most. After the thirty minutes were up everyone but Pearl and Shurayuki was groaning in pain when the kunoichi finally yelled, "Enough! Everyone but Pearl start stretching, I'm going to get water. Pearl, do five thousand finger-tip pushups." "Yes ma'am!" Pearl yelled as she went back to doing finger-tip pushups while everyone else stretched.
Halfway through her 5000-extra finger-tip pushups Shurayuki returned with bottles of water and tossed them to everyone but Bage. "Worm, why should I give you water?" Shurayuki demanded. "Please Mistress, your servant needs water to live," Bage said. "Mom, what the Hell?" Kenshiro asked between gulps of water. "He's my servant for the next… thirty-six hours. We had an agreement, and I'm holding him to it," Shurayuki said, then turned to Bage, "Lie down and open your mouth, Worm." "Yes, Mistress," Bage said and obeyed. Shurayuki poured water from the bottle into Bage's mouth, not spilling a drop as the Saiyan drank it all. "Thank you, Mistress," Bage said when the bottle was empty. Pearl finished her extra finger-tip pushups and Shurayuki gave her a bottle. Pearl gulped it down quickly and Shurayuki said, "Alright, now for some more exercises for your ankles now. Balance on one leg for fifteen minutes, and then switch legs…while holding these." Shurayuki pulled a Capsule out of her trench coat and pressed it, revealing large dumbbells.
Everyone picked up a dumbbell, they were all one whole ton each. "Get ready," Shurayuki said once everyone got a dumbbell. "GO!" Everyone lifted up one leg and balanced on it as well as they could. After five minutes Bage was struggling to maintain balance and Shurayuki said, "Worm, tonight I will make you drink my piss if you don't make it halfway through this!" "Sorry Mistress!" Bage said, and struggled, but kept from lowering his leg. After ten minutes Beate wavered as well, but she didn't lower her leg. "Switch!" Shurayuki yelled and everyone switched to their other leg. After three minutes Bage lowered his leg and Shurayuki said, "I'm going to be generous and let this one go. But for every time you lower your leg from here on, I will give you fifty lashes." "I understand Mistress!" Bage yelled and lifted his leg back up. Rachel struggled to keep her balance, but kept on going nonetheless, never lowering her leg until Shurayuki yelled, "Enough!"
Everyone set their legs down and Shurayuki collected the dumbbells then gave them all a plastic band. "Alright, these bands should provide plenty of resistance. I want you all to put them on your right foot and twist your ankles in a counterclockwise motion for fifteen minutes, then go clockwise for another fifteen, then we switch legs, understood?" Shurayuki said. "Understood!" Everyone said and got to it. As they exercised Rachel asked, "Shurayuki-sensei, why are we doing this joint strengthening?" "You never know what could happen in a fight. Having strong joints allows you to make quick small movements and ensures you can maintain your balance. It's essential for what I am going to teach you," Shurayuki answered. Everyone focused on the exercise until they went through the whole set with both legs. Shurayuki collected the plastic bands from everyone and had them all do jumping jacks for the next hour.
Once the exercises were complete, Shurayuki ordered Kenshiro, Bage, and Barit to spar her. They got ready to fight and Shurayuki ordered, "Attack!" Kenshiro charged at her first, but she easily avoided his kicks. "Come on, attack at once!" Shurayuki yelled. Barit and Bage got in and the three of them went at her from different sides. Shurayuki jumped over their heads to avoid their attack and started lecturing. "What I am teaching is what the Oroshi clan calls 'The Way of Water'," she said, then ducked under a high kick from Bage and flipped over a low sweeping kick from Barit. "Water can flow, like a calm stream," Shurayuki continued as she sidestepped a punch from Kenshiro, then spun around and backfisted him in his ribs, "Or it can crash with the fury of a tsunami!" Shurayuki avoided Barit and Bage's fists and quickly ducked down and swept their feet out from under them, "When you put water in a tea cup it becomes the teacup, when you put it in a pot it becomes the pot, when you put water in a bottle it becomes the bottle. You must be as shapeless," Shurayuki jumped over Kenshiro's head as he went for another kick then did a handstand on his head before flipping off of his head and onto Barit's shoulders, "Formless, and fluid as water."
Bage tried to blast Shurayuki off of Barit but she ducked the ki blast and jumped off Barit and kicked Bage down. "Adjust to the situation, use only what you must, no matter where you are or how many you face. Just because your enemies are stronger doesn't mean they are invincible, or that they can win," Shurayuki said as she spun between Kenshiro and Barit and palm heeled them both in their chests, knocking them back from her. "Open your mind, perceive, don't see, feel, don't think. Perception is strong, while sight is weak. I don't need to see the details in a fight, only that my enemy is attacking and how to know how to avoid," Shurayuki did a quick split and ducked as Barit tried to tackle her then did a hand stand and kicked Kenshiro's chin as she pushed off her handstand. "That is The Way of Water, always move, dodge when possible, block if you must, stay in motion like a flowing river, and when you strike, strike with all the fury of a tidal wave," Shurayuki explained.
"Now then, let's see, we have six here, excluding myself, so I shall pair you and you shall spar for about ten minutes, then I'll join in and one of you works on the Binding Pole over there. Pearl and Bage pair up, Beate and Barit, Kenshiro and Rachel, any objections?" Shurayuki asked. "No ma'am!" everyone said as they paired off. "Ladies, go at them. Men, dodge and avoid as best you can, counterattack when you see openings. GO!" Shurayuki yelled and immediately Beate, Rachel, and Pearl went on the attack. Kenshiro was easily avoiding Rachel's attacks and counterattacking effectively, though Rachel was avoiding the worst of it. Barit however had to rely more on blocks against Beate, and the Saiyan girl wasn't giving him many opportunities to counterattack. Pearl was going easy on Bage, the large Saiyan man couldn't keep up with her otherwise, though she easily dodged his counterattacks the few times he threw them.
After ten minutes were up Shurayuki called a break and gave everyone some more water, Pearl, Kenshiro, and Barit were fine at the time, but Beate, Rachel, and Bage were already winded. "Alright then, Worm, since you need the workout the most, get on the Binding Pole. I'll help you get ready," Shurayuki said. "Ugh…Yes…Mistress," Bage wearily said. Kenshiro however got up and said, "Mom, seriously, you already kicked the shit out of the guy, everyone is talking about it. Why humiliate him further?" "I'm teaching him a much-needed lesson about respecting people. And, I'm also making him stronger as a Saiyan, taking advantage of their Zenkai ability. After spending the night with him, I actually think I might like him a little," Shurayuki said, "He's actually got quite a bit of stamina, with the right…encouragement." Shurayuki licked her lips and Kenshiro facepalmed as unwanted images sprang to his mind. "Can you at least call him by his name?" Kenshiro pleaded. "Tomorrow, but for today, he's my little Worm, and I intend to turn him into a mighty Dragon," Shurayuki answered as she went to set Bage up to the Binding Pole.
After he was set up, Shurayuki went to Pearl and said, "Spar me next." "Yes ma'am!" Pearl quickly said and got ready to spar. Shurayuki however took out her fan and started fanning herself before announcing, "Begin!" Pearl went at the kunoichi as fast as she could, but either her weighted clothes slowed her down too much, or Shurayuki's greater experience allowed her to see what was coming because she nimbly sidestepped Pearl's attack and batted the back of her head with her fan. "Four more times, Pearl. Then it's my turn, and I'll see if you can move like a river," Shurayuki stopped as Pearl stretched out her leg for a kick and the kunoichi ducked the Majin's attack, "Or an iceberg." Pearl slowly approached Shurayuki before trying for a sweeping kick that Shurayuki jumped over, then a spinning backfist that once again was ably avoided. "Last chance," Shurayuki said.
Pearl took a deep breath, then quickly flipped over Shurayuki before landing behind her and starting to run around her. Shurayuki didn't bother turning to follow the Majin girl, but chuckled behind her fan, "Oh Pearl, I've seen this trick thousands of times before. It's a good effort, but it won't work on me." "That's what you think!" Pearl yelled as she went for a tackle. Shurayuki jumped up and Pearl immediately took a hand stand and pushed herself up, stretching out her legs at the same time. Shurayki however only stomped down with both legs on Pearl's feet, sending the Majin's own legs back at her, Pearl ended up kicking herself in the face. Pearl landed face first on the ground below, flattening her head. The Majin girl got up and as her head returned to its normal shape Shurayuki fell behind her and grabbed her by her tentacles tightly, making Pearl scream in pain and shock.
"MOM! STOP!" Kenshiro screamed as he avoided a punch Beate sent at him and running at Shurayuki. "Back to your-" "SHUT UP!" Kenshiro yelled as Pearl curled up into a ball and Kenshiro hugged her. "Mom, what the Hell!? Do you know what you did to her!?" Kenshiro yelled. For once, Shurayuki looked surprised, "Wh-what did I do? Why is she acting like that?" "A Majin's tentacles are extremely sensitive, like an erogenous zone! You get it!?" Kenshiro yelled as Pearl uncurled herself and stood up shakily. "You alright?" Kenshiro asked as everyone went over to Pearl. "Y-Yes," Pearl said. Shurayuki's eyes widened when she grasped the full implications of what she did. "Pearl," she said, and fell to her hands and knees and struck her head to the ground, "I am so sorry. I had no idea, I…I thought that Majin's tentacles were just like…tentacles on an octopus. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please, forgive me."
"I-I forgive you. You had…no idea," Pearl said, her instincts and her conscious mind battling each other as the pain finally receded. "We're done sparring. Everyone…meditate while someone else uses the Binding Pole," Shurayuki announced as Barit went to the Pole. "What just happened?" Beate asked Pearl. "Majin tentacles are…really sensitive to touch. If you don't treat them right, then…look, it's just something she shouldn't have done, I don't want to talk about it," Pearl defensively said. Beate nodded and said nothing as she sat down to meditate. Pearl got into the Lotus Position and focused inside of herself.
I can't believe that you're letting it go so easily, The Voice said.
She didn't know. She didn't mean to hurt me so much, Pearl responded.
She's like the ones that bullied you in school, The Voice told her.
They did it on purpose! They wanted to tear me down, but Shurayuki didn't. She just…got too into the spar, Pearl said.
Memories sprang unbidden to her mind as children in school used to yank on her tentacles before teachers or her brother Jasper could catch them. The pain coursing through her body as she yelled at them to stop…
No one should treat you that way. Are you going to just let them always do this to you?! The Voice demanded.
No… Pearl answered.
Then accept this. It'll protect you when you need it, The Voice said, as more power surged through Pearl. It felt like burning lava flowing throughout her cells as power coursed through her. Pearl opened her eyes with an angry smile and said, "Thank you." "Just in time. You're the last one," Shurayuki told Pearl. "Pearl…I am truly sorry," Shurayuki said as Pearl passed her. "Don't do it again," Pearl said as she got all the bands of the Binding Pole on. She saw that weights like the ones Soon made were waiting twenty feet in front of her and immediately walked towards them. The bands might as well not have even been there, the power surging through Pearl felt amazing. Pearl lifted up the heaviest of the weights and started doing her martial arts forms, it all felt so light. When the time was finally up, Pearl wasn't even tired and tossed the weights to the ground to everyone's shock.
Pearl took a deep breath to calm down as she went back to the Pole and took off the bands. Shurayuki put it back into its Capsule and said, "That's all I can do for your training. You all might want to do those Parallel Quests if you wish to continue your training. Except for you, Worm. I'm not done with you, yet." Pearl looked around and everyone and saw that they were all sweaty and looked exhausted. Shurayuki dug into her trench coat and tossed some pills to Kenshiro. "Give them those, Kenshi," Shurayuki said without turning back, Bage following close behind her. Kenshiro handed a pill to Barit, Rachel, and Beate and one to Pearl as well. "These are special Shinobi Energy Pills. Mom learned how to make them with my Father's help. They work amazingly. Mom used to give them to me after training all the time, no matter how exhausted I was, I'd always feel like I could go run a thousand miles right afterwards," Kenshiro explained.
Everyone swallowed their pills and immediately afterwards their weariness was gone. "Holy shit! What the Hell is in those!?" Beate exclaimed. "Herbs and plants in the proper proportions, that's all I know. Mom learned all she knows about medicine from scrolls she never showed me, and some medical textbooks and notes that my Father had," Kenshiro said. "What? Aren't you a shinobi too, like your Mom?" Rachel asked as they all started walking to the Time Machine Station. "No, Mom taught me how to fight and survive against shinobi, but she said I don't have the heart for it. Look, I love my Mom, but she's no angel, she herself admits that she's probably evil. If you knew half the things she did, you might not want to be around us anymore. That's all I'll say," Kenshiro said. Everyone took that in, and various ideas popped inside their heads, while Pearl remembered the shinobi that Shurayuki murdered in front of her as he begged for mercy.
She snapped out of her thoughts when her phone rang. Pearl answered, "Hello?" "Hello, Pearl!" her Mama, Buudikka, said on the other end, "I just called to tell you that me, Papa, Jasper, Jade, Amber, and Silver are going to come see you tomorrow! We all got a whole week to see you!" "That's great, Mama! I can't wait until then!" Pearl excitedly said. "I can't wait to see how strong you've gotten. I love you, my Precious Pearl," Buudikka said. "I love you too, Mama. See you tomorrow," Pearl said, and they hung up. "Oh crap! We gotta clean our apartment, my family will be here tomorrow!" "Nuts," Kenshiro said. "Look, let's all do one Parallel Quest, then we gotta go," Pearl said. "Okay, but can I be last?" Rachel asked. "Fine, then I'll go first, it's time to test my power out," Barit answered, "I'll go second," Kenshiro said. "Third!" Beate said. "I'm fourth then," Pearl said. They all walked up to the robot at the stand and Barit said, "Send me to Number 20, 'Frieza! Show Yourself'." "Very good sir," the robot said.
In a flash of light the Namekian was gone and everyone watched him on the screen above the robot as he appeared in PQ Namek. Barit charged up his ki and cracked his knuckles as Frieza's soldiers charged at him. The first five soldiers were defeated quickly with one blow each. Barit smiled as five more soldiers arrived, then yelled, "Here goes! Crusher Volcano!" Barit jumped up and summoned numerous crusher balls, all aimed at the soldiers, four of them fell immediately, while the last was obliterated by a charged-up Crusher Ball. The next five soldiers snuck up behind Barit and blasted him with ki balls, making him retreat for a minute before roaring out, and Becoming Giant! The soldiers all screamed as Barit blasted them away with a massive ki blast from his giant mouth. The last five soldiers arrived, and Barit swatted them all away, sending them crashing through a mountain. Barit laughed as he returned to his normal form.
That was when Frieza in his First Form arrived. "My my, it seems you made short work of my men," Frieza said. "I've been waiting for this, Frieza, ever since I joined the Time Patrol," Barit said as he charged up a Light Grenade and let it fly. Frieza easily dodged it and hit Barit with a Death Beam, but Barit quickly avoided the other two. Frieza went at Barit like a missile and slammed a kick into his stomach, knocking the air out of him. Barit however refused to yield and grabbed Frieza by his right horn and tossed him aside. "Kamehameha!" Barit yelled, and his Kamehameha Wave hit Frieza with full power. "How unlike me to let my guard down…" PQ Frieza said as Barit flew at him. Frieza hit the Namekian with a Death Wave, knocking him back, then lifted a finger and summoned his Supernova attack. The Galactic Tyrant launched the Supernova at Barit, and Barit flew up to dodge it just in time. "Enough fooling around then, Kaa-Mee-Haa-Mee-HHHHAAAAAAA!" Barit unleashed all his power at PQ Frieza, and this time the attack utterly destroyed him.
Barit returned to Conton City with a smug smile on his face. "That felt good, I feel freaking invincible!" he crowed as Kenshiro's turn arrived, "Alright, send me to Number 21, 'Tri-Race Coop'." "Enjoy your Parallel Quest," the robot said. Kenshiro disappeared from Conton City and appeared on Namek and everyone watched as he charged up his power. PQ Krillin, Piccolo, and Vegeta were all waiting for him. Kenshiro yelled out, "Kaioken Times Three!" His power surging through him, Kenshiro turned to Krillin and attacked with Wolf Fang Fist, knocking him out with one technique! "Damn," Rachel said, "Kenshiro's really vicious." "I guess he just wants to get through this early," Pearl said as Kenshiro turned to PQ Vegeta and kicked him in the face and yelled, "Justice Combination!" With a lightning fast volley of punches and kicks, Vegeta was sent crashing into the ocean of Namek. Kenshiro deactivated Kaioken and barely dodged PQ Piccolo's Light Grenade. Namekian and Earthling went at it, trading blows like there was no tomorrow, but in the end Kenshiro landed a solid punch to Piccolo's face and kicked him away before powering up a Galick Gun and hitting him hard.
PQ Piccolo was still conscious though and launched a Special Beam Cannon that Kenshiro dodged by a hairsbreadth. Kenshiro flew straight at Piccolo and slammed his elbow into his solar plexus, finally knocking him out. That was when another powerful presence arrived, and everyone saw it was PQ First Form Frieza. As he arrived PQ Frieza declared, "I will end this with my own hands." "Bring it on!" Kenshiro yelled as he charged at Frieza and kicked him in his face before hitting him with a Finish Buster. "You scum!" Frieza screamed, that's when PQ Piccolo got up and said, "I'm not sure if I want you on my team, but so be it. Time to clear the trash." PQ Piccolo blasted Kenshiro with a Light Grenade from behind, just as PQ Vegeta got up saying, "Stop with this nonsense! I… am the greatest in the universe!" PQ Vegeta blasted Kenshiro with a barrage of blue ki balls, just as Krillin also got up. "Alright then, I guess there's no reason to hold back. KAIOKEN TIMES TWENTY!" Kenshiro roared as his Kaioken aura shone out like an inferno.
Kenshiro blasted PQ Vegeta with a fully charged Galick Gun, killing him instantly. He then quickly dodged Krillin's Destructo-Disc and flew at him, knocking the smaller Earthling out with a kick to the guts and a dropping elbow to his head. Kenshiro then spun around and kicked Piccolo right in his stomach, and finished him with a point-blank Finish Buster. Frieza charged at Kenshiro and he quickly avoided his attack before giving Frieza a tiger claw strike that blinded the Tyrant's face with blood. "Now die," Kenshiro said as he summoned forth a Death Ball and PQ Frieza was wiped out by his own attack. Kenshiro returned and collected his zeni for the mission. "That was awesome! I wish I could do that," Beate said. "Why can't you?" Kenshiro asked. "I'm not at that level yet, my Power Level's only 27000," Beate sheepishly admitted. "Well…do your best then," Kenshiro encouraged. "Good luck Beate," Pearl and Rachel both said as she picked her Parallel Quest. "I'll do Number 13, 'Namekian Dragon Balls'," Beate announced. "Come back in one piece," the robot said, and was sent to the Parallel Quest.
The Saiyan girl immediately saw some of Frieza's soldiers waiting for her and charged at them. She took the first one out with a Mach Punch, then turned around and blocked the second one's punch before kicking him straight into the ground and finishing him off with Cross Arm Dive. Beate saw a Dragon Ball and quickly grabbed it, then flew to the Time Machine in the PQ and dropped it in. Two more soldiers blasted her with Charged Ki Blasts and she quickly flew behind them then kicked them in their backs. She powered up a large ki ball and hit the first soldier with it, then finished the second with a furious storm of punches and kicks. "STOP!" she heard, and Guldo used his Time Stop ability to freeze Beate in place before blasting her face with a Charged Ki Blast. "Special Fighting Pose!" Guldo yelled as he took his pose.
"You ugly little toad!" Beate yelled at Guldo as she charged up her ki. "Take this! Hellzone Grenade!" Beate blasted ki balls all around Guldo who laughed and said, "Nya Nya! Missed me!" "Think again," Beate said, as the ki balls all slammed into Guldo at once, killing him. Beate flew around the PQ Namek and quickly found the Dragon Balls. She quickly grabbed them and put them in the Time Machine, and that's when trouble arrived. Recoome flew over and declared, "It's over for you! Tou!" Recoome struck a pose as more soldiers arrived. "Not good," Rachel said as she saw what was happening from Conton City. Beate swallowed and went for the soldiers first, killing them quickly with kicks to their throats before looking back at Recoome. "Recoome Kick!" the massive humanoid alien yelled as his knee slammed into Beate's body. "Come on! Show some more effort, meat!" Recoome said as he flew behind Beate and kicked her away.
The Saiyan girl stopped her flight before she slammed into a mountain and Recoome yelled, "Recoome Eraser Gun!" Beate avoided the attack and waited for Recoome to come at her again. This time she landed a solid kick to his chin before slamming her fist into his solar plexus, then kicked him in the same area. "That's the spirit!" PQ Recoome gleefully yelled. More soldiers arrived and Beate blasted Recoome back with a charged up ki ball and flew right at the soldiers, throwing punches and kicks left and right to kill them all quickly. Unfortunately her focus was on the wrong place as she learned when an Eraser Gun blasted her in the back, sending her falling into the Namekian ocean. Beate then saw a Dragon Ball and quickly grabbed it. The Saiyan girl flew up and avoided Recoome to deliver the Dragon Ball to the Time Machine. She then turned around and to her shock saw another member of the GInyu Force arrive, Burter. "It seems like you seriously think you can beat me," the large blue alien said as he hit Beate with a Mach Kick, and Recoome then belly bumped her up before grabbing her and then pile driving her head first into the ground, then kicking her away. "It looks like she's through," Barit said as he watched Beate's beating.
"Not yet," Pearl said. Beate dug into her Turtle Hermit gi and pulled out a Healing Capsule and activated it. She got up and cracked her neck with a smirk. "Oh crap, I forgot about zenkai!" Barit said as Beate flew straight at Burter and slammed her elbow into his stomach before hitting him with Mach Punch, sending him flying straight into Recoome. "So long fuckers!" Beate yelled as she tossed ki balls all around them. "What is that!?" Burter yelled. "HELLZONE GRENADE!" Beate yelled out as her attack wiped out the stronger members of the Ginyu Force. Beate flew around PQ Namek and collected the rest of the Dragon Balls. As soon as the last one was in the Time Machine, she returned to Conton City. "Oh yeah! I am so pumped now! What's my Power Level!?" Beate asked. Pearl Instant Transmitted to her apartment to get her Scouter then came back and used it to check. "Your Power Level is now 50000," she informed Beate. "Sweet!" Beate responded.
"Alright, now it's my turn!" Pearl said as she went up to the robot and checked the PQs. I need to try something to prepare me for facing Turles or Slug again… She searched and found what she was looking for and told the robot, "Please send me to Number Seventeen, 'Ginyu and the Fruit'." "Alright then, good luck, and come back in one piece," the robot answered. In a flash of light Pearl was in the Open Field, facing off against Captain Ginyu, Recoome, and Jeice. "Ginyu Force, Special Triple Attack! Okay guys! Are you ready!?" Ginyu yelled at his subordinates. "Yeah! The finishing move will be my Crusher Ball!" Jeice said. Recoome enthusiastically answered, "Of course! Let's beat 'em all down!" Pearl cracked her neck and Instant Transmitted between the three of them. "What the-" Recoome was cut off when Pearl blasted ki all around herself, knocking the three of them away from each other. Pearl then flew at Jeice first and slammed a hard knee to his stomach before using a dropping elbow on the back of his head, knocking him out. "The fabulous Jeice lost!? How can this be!?" PQ Ginyu screamed.
"Like this," Pearl said as she Instant Transmitted in front of Recoome and gave the large alien a massive uppercut on his chin before summoning a Vanishing Ball to her right hand and knocking him out with it. Pearl turned around and looked at Ginyu, "You're next." Pearl Instant Transmitted in front of PQ Ginyu and was about to give him the hardest kick he ever felt when out of nowhere a foot slammed into her face, sending her flying back. Turles laughed and said, "Sorry to crash your party, but… I'm here to crash your party." Turles then pulled out three Fruits of the Tree of Might and said, "Oh, but I come bearing gifts." Ginyu took a Fruit while Turles gave one each to Recoome and Jeice. Turles laughed and said, "Enjoy." Ginyu, Jeice, and Recoome all sprouted purple auras as their eyes glowed with power. Pearl got up and barely avoided Jeice's Crusher Ball, then just had time to block Recoome's Kick, before being hit by Ginyu's Milky Cannon.
PQ Ginyu's attack knocked Pearl back, but she quickly recovered. "Alright then, I guess I gotta take this more seriously," she said as the three of them charged at her. Recoome reached her first, and she quickly avoided his punch before kicking him in his stomach then punching him back. Pearl spun around and landed a spinning back kick to Ginyu's face then hit him with a point blank Galick Gun. Jeice however blocked Pearl's punch for him then her follow up kick. Pearl blocked Jeice's backfist then kicked him in his ribs, opening the red alien up for a chop to his neck. The three members of the Ginyu Force weren't through yet though, and quickly retaliated. "Alright then, take this!" Pearl yelled, "DODORIA LAUNCHER!" The massive beam took PQ Recoome out instantly, and Pearl blasted dozens of follow up ki balls at PQ Ginyu and Jeice, finishing them as well. That was when Burter and Guldo arrived, powered up by the Fruit of the Tree of Might as well.
"STOP!" PQ Guldo yelled, and Pearl was instantly frozen in place. PQ Burter seized his chance and slammed Mach Punch all over Pearl's body, and followed up with Mach Kick as well. Pearl recovered just in time to avoid a follow up Charged Ki Blast from Guldo, and hit him with Vanishing Ball. Burter flew straight at Pearl and she blocked his kick then stretched out her arm and punched him in his jaw, knocking him back. Pearl quickly grabbed him then used Instant Transmission to get back to Guldo. Pearl unleashed all her fury in an Angry Explosion, obliterating the last two members of the PQ Ginyu Force. Pearl then saw a Portal open up and flew over to it. She went in and saw she had arrived at the Wastelands. "They say that the Tree of Might's Fruit increases one's strength exponentially. You sure you want me eating that?" she heard PQ Vegeta say. She looked down and watched as PQ Turles gave Vegeta a Fruit then ate one himself.
"This could be a problem," Pearl said out loud as the two Saiyans charged at her. Pearl struggled to block and dodge their attacks, but the Fruit had empowered them much more than she had bargained for, and soon she took a hard kick to her stomach from Vegeta before Turles kicked her away. Turles then blasted her with a ball of raw darkness, and Vegeta finished with an Earth Shattering Galick Gun. Pearl spat out blood as she narrowly avoided a stomp from Vegeta and kicked him back before hitting Turles with a volley of ki balls. She tossed a Vanishing Ball at Vegeta, who took it full on, then took a punch from Turles. Pearl felt as the dark energy she was hit with slowed her down, and realized she had to speed up. Pearl dodged another punch from Turles and Instant Transmitted away from him before yelling out, "FUTTEN!" Steam shot out of her body as her dark grey skin turned yellow and the purple markings on her face turned black. "Let's finish this!"
Pearl flew straight at PQ Vegeta and slammed an elbow into his face then kicked him back, then finished him with Galick Gun. She spun around in time to catch PQ Turles' punch and elbowed him in his stomach twice, knocking the air out of him. Pearl then palm heeled the Saiyan back and finished him off with a Dodoria Launcher, obliterating him. Pearl deactivated Futten and in a flash of light was returned to Conton City. "That was awesome!" Rachel excitedly said, "You even got a Z Ranking!" "Can't talk now, need water," Pearl said as she went to a shop and bought a whole gallon of water then chugged it down. "Well, Rachel, it looks like it's your turn," Barit said. "Hey, Babe," Beate said as Rachel went to the robot, "If you can get a Z Ranking, I'll do whatever you want to." The Saiyan girl gave a lecherous grin, and the Earthling girl blushed, Pearl saw a little blood leak from Kenshiro's nose that he quickly hid. Everyone was surprised when Rachel said, "Send me to Number Eighteen." "What!? No way!" Kenshiro said. "Baby, you're not even 20000!" Beate said, but was too late, in a flash of light, Rachel was gone.
Everyone watched on the screen as Rachel appeared next to PQ Guldo who said, "Hmph…You better not be a drag." "All right!" PQ Burter said, "Let's start the test then! Your first opponent is me, The Great Hurricane, Burter!" Rachel powered up her ki but took a kick from Burter, knocking her back. Rachel jumped up and tossed a Side Bridge at Burter, the blue alien dodged its initial attack and hit her with a charged up ki ball, only for the Side Bridge to hit his back. Burter's only response was, "Tsk. Pitiful." Guldo blasted ki balls at Burter, who swiped them all aside before kicking the little green alien back with Mach Kick. He then returned his attention to Rachel and grabbed her, tossing her into a boulder. "Rachel!" Everyone yelled when they saw how badly she was being beaten. "Oh shit! I forgot to give her a Capsule!" Beate yelled, "Oh fuck me! She's either going to get the shit pounded out of her…or…or…" "Or what!?" Pearl yelled. "She's going to let her secret out…" Beate said, looking around. Other Time Patrollers were watching Rachel's fight, some of them expressing concern as Burter kicked her down.
"What secret!?" Kenshiro yelled. Beate looked at him like he was crazy and said, "She never told you!?" "What!?" Barit demanded. Pearl then saw as Rachel jumped up and grabbed Burter's face. "Look!" Pearl said, and everyone watched as Rachel bit into the blue alien's neck. "What the Hell?!" Kenshiro said, then watched as Burter weakened, and fell. Rachel stood up, and her ki aura was dark red, through the screen they saw as she gave out a loud scream that sounded like a demon unleashed from Hell. "Her teeth!" one Time Patroller yelled, all of them were now fangs. "Those eyes! What is she!?" Barit yelled, Rachel's pupils had turned into narrow slits, like a cat's. PQ Guldo stared at her in shock as Jeice arrived and declared, "All right then, I'll finish this in an instant!" "I don't think so!" Rachel declared as she jumped up and yelled, "NEO TRI-BEAM!" Wave after wave of the attack slammed into Jeice, all he could do was scream as Rachel's Neo Tri-Beam reduced him to a red smear.
Rachel flew down and licked up the blood that was all that remained of Jeice, just as Recoome arrived, "Hi! I've been waiting for you, Noob!" Rachel flew up and kicked Recoome right in his groin, hard enough for everyone to hear a loud CRACK! Recoome doubled over in pain and screamed as Rachel ended his suffering with three Death Beams to his face. Captain Ginyu then arrived and said, "You look pretty strong. Now, I, Captain Ginyu-WHA! My men! What did you do to my men!?" PQ Ginyu screamed when he saw what was left of them. Rachel licked her lips and smiled a fang filled smile, "Nothing compared to what I'll do to you!" Ginyu however wasn't afraid as Rachel flew at him, and hit her with a Full Powered Energy Blast Volley, knocking her back. Ginyu followed up with a punch to her face followed with two chops to her neck and ribs, making her wince in actual pain then kicked her back.
Rachel jumped up and yelled, "Recoome Eraser Gun!" Her attack knocked PQ Ginyu back, but he said, "You better not get cocky! I'll smack that proud face of yours!" Ginyu and Rachel clashed head on, exchanging punches and kicks left and right until Ginyu managed to hit Rachel with a punch to the face while she kicked him in his stomach. Ginyu blasted a Milky Cannon at Rachel, but she quickly avoided it and hit him with Death Beams, then charged up power in her hands. "Final Flash!" Rachel screamed, and with that final attack, Ginyu was defeated. Rachel returned to Conton City in a flash of light, and almost everyone took a few steps away from her. "What the Hell!? You're a vampire!?" Kenshiro said. Rachel looked up and her eyes were normal again. "Not quite," she said, and her teeth were normal too, "I'm a dhampir, half-vampire. Mom was just a quick screw for a vampire who'd already eaten. Nine months later…"
"Sheesh," Barit said, "Though that does explain why an Earthling has blue skin and red eyes…but still… I never thought I'd feel sorry for the Ginyu Force." Rachel turned to Kenshiro and said, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, when we were dating…but… I wasn't sure how'd you react." She then turned to Pearl and asked, "Are we…still…friends?" Pearl walked up to her and wrapped her in a hug, "Of course we are. After all, this isn't as bad as when Iggra found out Hiig was part Gounfaq." "Definitely," Rachel said. "What did they say?" Barit asked. "Book reference," Kenshiro explained. "Alright, I gotta go get my apartment cleaned up…Oh yeah! What was your Ranking?" Pearl said. Everyone turned to the robot and it answered, "Time Patroller: Rachel Impala on Parallel Quest: Ginyu Force Entrance Exam's achieved: Z Ranking." Rachel smiled at that and turned to Beate. "So…dear…you said you'd do anything I want?" "Yeah…" Beate said. "Let's talk about that," Rachel said. Pearl, Barit, and Kenshiro headed to their apartment, while Beate and Rachel headed their own way.
Author's Notes: I admit I took a lot of Shurayuki's speech about the Way of Water from Bruce Lee, and threw in some reference from the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi for good measure. And before anyone complains about Rachel being a dhampir, I remind you about 'Fangs' or 'Dracula Man' as he was called in the Japanese Dub, way back in Dragon Ball. So much untapped potential that I fully intend to exploit now.