Finally arriving at the lab, the black-garbed figure squints her eyes in
the dim illumination.
"Bingo," she whispers sighting a large steel refrigerator on the wall.
Striding confidently toward it she removes a small bottle of something from her pouch "finally, all mine."
Seeing the lock on the door of the fridge she sets the bottle on a nearby table and begins to pick it open. While muttering over how she wishes she could just turn on the lights without sounding an alarm. Popping open the door she smiles beneath her mask as she sees the object of her quest after a cloud of vapor exits the newly opened door.
"At long last."
SWISH resounds the door to the lab as it opens in the enclosed space. And without a thought she spins about bringing her sword to hand ready to attack her discoverer. And as the back lit figure standing in the doorway gradually comes into focus she growls under her voice, "Bulma."
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Only Human
By Verse12
Verse12@hotmail.com
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Disclaimer:
I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.
***********************
Chapter Eight
Aftermath Part Six
No Time Like the Present
*************************
Gazing across the lab at the intruder and the sword bared at her, Bulma gulps muttering, "This is some time to try and get my life back together." Glimpsing the hate filled eyes thru then hole in her mask causes Bulma step back.
'Oh crap' okay, calm down Bulma think, there has to be a way out of this. The door has already closed automatically and all we have to see are the standby lights so I need an edge to survive this. If I try to make a run for it she'll cut me down for sure.
Flickering her eyes to the work desk, 'That's it!' she thinks spying a watch sitting in a small bin on the table. Of course that momentary distraction is all the masked woman needs as she launches herself into the air, her sword held high as she prepares to deliver a deathblow to the blue haired woman below her.
Sensing the presence over her head Bulma looks up and sees death looming and with wide eyes she exclaims "ah jezz."
*************************
Out in a recently enlarged field, the nearby forest being pretty torn up, Ranma and Gohan lay on the grass looking up at the sky breathing heavy from their work out. After some time Gohan sighs and murmurs to Ranma "hey uncle?"
Smiling in the sunlight, his eyes closed Ranma replies, "Ya?"
"I was just wondering, do you miss where you came from?"
Opening his eyes in confusion and rolling over onto his elbow Ranma asks, "Now what brought that on."
Looking over at Ranma, Gohan said, "I just wondered that's all."
A concerned look on his face Ranma asks him, "Are you worried about me leaving to?"
"NO," he blurts out then in a quieter tone "no, it's just you used to tell all these stories about there. But lately you don't seem to mention it as much, and now that Ifurita is here you may finally have a chance to get back there. I was just wondering if you still miss it, that's all."
Lying back on his back Ranma sighs then in a quiet tone he replies, "I guess I just finally resigned myself to never going back."
"Well now you have a shot, do you . . . do you, you know, think you might want to?"
Sitting up Indian style Ranma looks over at Gohan who rises into a sitting position. And in a paternal tone he tells Gohan, "Gohan, I told you that as long as you need me I will be here. I ain't gonna to leave you too."
Blushing slightly Gohan looks down to the ground, "I appreciate that but I just wondered what you might miss there you know I'll be okay right? I was just worried about you, you've spent the last twenty years taking care of my family, I was worried that maybe you may miss your family."
Getting choked up slightly, Ranma looks at Gohan in pride, "Gohan, you have got to be the best kid in the world, and to answer your question, the reason I've spent twenty years taking care of Goku and then you and your mom is that I consider you guys my family. I mean sure I miss my mother; I never had a real relationship with her. What with me being on that ten- year training mission and just as we were getting to know each other better I got sent here. I guess I would kinda like ta make it up to her somehow, you know?" He says looking at Gohan questioningly.
Gazing at Ranma, the demi-Saiya-jin boy frowns and says, "I never really thought about that, I mean I knew you went on that trip with your father, but I never really thought about how you never really had a chance to get to know your mother."
Flopping down onto the warm grass Ranma looks up at the clouds "ya, I mean I spent the first five years I was alive with her but you really cant get to know someone as a kid that little."
Then in a sly tone Gohan asks "so are you sure it's only your mom that you miss?"
Raising one eyebrow he peers out at Gohan and asks, "and just what are you getting at?"
"Oh nothing," he asks, looking at anything but Ranma.
Smirking slyly himself, Ranma says, "well I miss mom, and even pop some, he would flip out over some of even the most basic techniques we use here. And I miss . . . oh Kasumi, she makes some of the best food ever! Well her and my mom."
"Ya, cooking is something mom never truly mastered," mutters Gohan dejectedly as only one of saiya-jin blood could do when talking about mediocre food.
"Ain't that the truth," laughs Ranma, "although she is better than some I know back home." He says in a suddenly melancholy voice.
Glancing at Ranma, Gohan changes the subject, "Ranma I think that if Ifurita ever feels up to it you should go back there."
"WHAT?" Yells Ranma confused by the statement.
"I just think that you should go back there, you have a lot of unresolved things to deal with and I think you should deal with them while you can. Besides I know what it's like to miss out on things."
"Um?" asks Ranma in confusion, "so you think that . . . um . . . I should go back to Nerima and deal with them. What about you guys? I can't just leave you all?"
Smiling at his uncle, Gohan says "hey if Ifurita can go then she can come back, right? Who's to say you have to go forever?"
Looking in amazed way at the boy, Ranma mutters, "You have got to be one of the smartest kids ever. Though it's no wonder considering who your mother is, I mean we may not have always gotten along but she is really smart. Don't tell her I said that though."
"I won't, and it'll probably be a while before Ifurita is in any shape to make the trip, and by then mom should be better."
Smiling as he stands up and gives Gohan a hand, Ranma says "yeah that's true Bulma's to strong to let this get her down for to long."
"Ya you need to go get some things done, then come back. Hey maybe you can get a life of your own while your gone," says Gohan with a laughing grin.
Smiling back and giving a playful swipe at the boy Ranma says, "oh and here are the jokes again huh?"
Laughing and dancing out of reach Gohan yells back, "have to be faster than that."
"Oh I think I can do that," he says getting in a martial arts stance, only to freeze as a worried look crosses his face. Then slowly he turns and looks west toward Capsule Corp.
"Bulma?" He asks in confusion.
A concerned look of his own appearing on his face, Gohan asks his uncle "mom? What's wrong with her?"
Looking over to the boy who is straining to pick up his mothers presence far away, "trouble, I think."
Finally getting a feel for her, Gohan senses his mother's life and death struggle "MMMMOOOMMM!!!!" he shouts out as he launches himself toward home.
And as Gohan blazes thru the air his power leaving a swath of destruction in his wake he murmurs a wish that echoes fervently in his heart "hold on mom I'll be there soon, just hold on, I can't loose you too."
***********************
Ten minutes ago at Capsule Corp.
"Ah Jezz," mutters Bulma as she sees the sword coming down on at her. And with a diving somersault that leads into a handspring flip Bulma evades the blow. Finding her self next to a rack of steel pipe Bulma grabs one four- foot segment. Holding it in a defensive stance to ward off the sword- wielding intruder.
"I don't know who you are, but you broke in to the wrong place. My husband was the Budokai winner and he made sure I knew enough to take care of myself from the likes of you.
The only reply to this statement is a barely audible growl from the masked woman as she attacks the blue haired scientist. Bringing her sword around in a strike that if it had hit would have cleaved Bulma from her left hip to her right shoulder. The steel pipe in Bulma's hands though blocks the blow, the clanging of the hit ringing out in the room.
"Have to do better than that girly," mutters Bulma with a smirk. Only to have that wiped off her face as she is forced to defend herself from a ferocious assault of combinations by the sword-wielding assailant.
"CLANG"
"CLANG"
"CLANG"
Resounds throughout the room as the two fight in the confined space knocking over and crushing various things about the room as they crash into them.
Waiting for the right time to present it self for her Bulma gets it when a wild swing of her opponents sword catches the bottle that the woman had brought in with her. The contents, being under pressure, explode out in a cloud of vapor that causes the woman too cough wildly.
Dancing back out of reach of the cloud Bulma uses the opportunity to try to strike the masked woman with an overhand blow from her improvised staff. Only to have it blocked with the woman's sword as she focus's thru the choking, eye watering powder in the air.
Bulma realizes that this woman is out of her league as the return stroke from the sword clips her shoulder; this causes her to decide to go back to her original plan. While the woman is still partially occupied with the dissipating vapor, Bulma performs a backwards one handed flip over a heavy metal table in the middle of the room landing by a oak work table loaded with many small plastic bins. Keeping one eye on the woman staggering over to her Bulma grabs a small watch and slips it on. Then with a heave Bulma flings the pipe at the woman clipping her in the arm. In the distraction caused by this Bulma pushes a button on the watch causing herself to be surrounded by an energy field that shrinks her out of sight.
Shaking off the wild blow, the black masked figure looks back to where Bulma should be only to be met by an empty space.
"Wha?" she utters taking a step back in confusion, and then stalking forward slowly she glances about frowning beneath her mask obviously unnerved about this development. Getting to Bulma's last position she looks about the ground and the ceiling frowning she mutters "Where?"
Her confusion is cut short as a flash of light at her feet quickly expands into a rapidly growing Bulma who clocks her in the jaw with a rising upper cut, sending her back with a crash into the steel table.
A wild swing of the sword causes Bulma to hop back to avoid a disembowelment. Turning a dial on the watch causes Bulma to shrink down to action figure size and once in her tiny state she dives under the heavy oak worktable.
"FILTHY WHORE" roars the intruder bringing her sword down and cleaves the heavy oak table and a good portion of the floor beneath it in half, with an explosion of wood and concrete.
"Where?" she mutters stirring the wood on the floor with her boot. After a good two minutes of no sign, the intruder swears to herself and turns quickly to the fridge she was at when she arrived. Keeping an eye out for Bulma, since she could literally pop up anywhere the black-garbed woman looks into the fridge and swears again. Fuming the woman reaches in and grabs a handful of vials out of a rack inside the fridge and she also grabs a small metal box; four or five labels drop off the vials and to the floor though.
Not caring anymore the woman sticks the vials into a steel tin and then into her pouch. And with one last look at the shattered oak worktable she spits on the remains. Turning for the door she bolts out no longer caring about alarms, knowing she only had a short time before the men would return.
***********************
Bursting thru the roof of the arboretum Gohan lands in the grass scaring all of the animals and dinosaurs away from him. Looking about frantic Gohan begins to rush through out the Capsule Corp. compound, screaming "MMMMOOOOMMMM, where are you?"
Zipping in thru the hole in the roof Ranma lands in the grass "Gohan? Where is that boy?" Following the sounds of destruction Ranma zooms after the frenzied lad.
Finally finding the boy in his mother's room flinging the heavy canopy bed with one hand. His casual toss causing it to shatter against the wall, all to check underneath for his mother.
Standing up he looks about with wild eyes, "MMMOOOMMM?" he screams out really beginning to worry.
Walking up to the boy Ranma grabs his shoulder trying to calm him down. "Gohan? Clam down, we'll find her I'm sure she's okay."
Throwing off Ranma's hand forcefully, actually wrenching it in the socket, "I KNEW WE SHOULDN'T LEAVE HER ALONE! SHE'S BEEN SICK AT HEART FOR A WEEK! AND WE LEAVE HER TO GO HAVE FUN SPARING!" this last being screeched out sarcastically.
Still speaking calmly his arm-hanging limp at his side Ranma holds his other hand out like one would do with a wild animal, "Gohan you need to calm down, it's no wonder we can't sense her with all the power you're throwing off. Now just calm down, I'm sure she just got up to do something. We were just saying how strong she is and maybe she finally got about her business."
Still harried, but calming down slightly Gohan murmurs reproachfully, "if anything happens to her I'll never forgive you . . . or myself" he finishes quietly.
Standing back in shock at the cold look in Gohan's eyes, Ranma firms his gaze on the boy's eyes speaking calmly, "Gohan I know you're under a lot of stress now and you're worried about the possibility of losing your only parent left, so I won't take that personally, but I really need you to calm down so we can find her, okay?"
Stepping back and closing his eyes Gohan takes a deep breath and lets it out. Looking back at Ranma, Gohan looks down again sheepishly muttering, "I'm sorry uncle I'm just so worried about her," he looks back at Ranma tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Awe, kid it'll be fine you'll see" says Ranma pulling the boy into a hug with his good arm.
Sniffling Gohan, mutters into Ranma's chest how sorry he is about his arm, "don't worry about it kid, now," he exclaims holding Gohan out at arms length. "Now calm down and let me concentrate on her, kay?"
"Uhn!" he grunts in acknowledgment.
Closing his eyes Ranma breaths in and out deeply feeling for Bulma's presence. A sharp intake of breath and an exclaimed "found her." Is greeted by Gohan's excited yell of "REALLY?"
"Yah really, she's down in her lab I think." Any further comments are cut off as Gohan blasts out of the room and to the elevator, ignoring Ranma's shout of "hey be careful her energy is really low."
"Crap, that kid is getting harder and harder to deal with," he mutters with a shake of his head, running after the boy.
**********************
Floating down the shredded and melted elevator shaft Ranma shakes his head following the path Gohan has taken. Down in the lab Gohan screams for Bulma as Ranma runs into the room.
"MMMOOOMMM?"
"Hold on Gohan she's here some were."
"Where? Uncle, huh? This place is destroyed but it's so small we would see her here somewhere. Are you sure you felt her here?"
"Yah she's here some where Gohan now calm down, kay?"
Taking a deep breath Gohan murmurs "I'm just so worried."
"I know Gohan," says Ranma squeezing his shoulder.
This moment of bonding is cut off as a flash of light and a moan comes from under a destroyed table. The table then proceeds to shift about as a human body grows from underneath the wood.
"MMMOOOMMM!" shouts Gohan once more rushing to Bulma's side, throwing the hunks of table away.
"Gohan? Is that you?" she mutters rubbing her head with her hand.
"Yes, mom are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?" he frets urgently hovering protectively about her.
"Yes, yes I'm fine calm down," she states standing up wobbly being supported by her son. "We had a break in, I fought with her . . ."
"YOU FOUGHT WITH HER?!" He screeches in shock his eyes wide.
"Yes I fought her," she replies sarcastically. "Jeez, your father did teach me a thing or two you know?"
Blushing sheepishly Gohan looks down at the ground stirring some debris with his toe. "Sorry I just never've seen you fight anything or even practice."
"It's true I haven't fought in a while, but I do practice to keep in shape. But I obviously wasn't good enough . . . she got away. I had to use my shrink watch to hide, she still nicked my shoulder before I got to it," she states holding it up for their inspection the slight cut already clotting.
"MOM," freaks Gohan grabbing her arm to look at the cut.
"NOW YOU CUT THAT OUT YOUNG MAN," she yells yanking her arm out of his grasp. "I've been in more tuff situations than most people and I can take care of myself."
Smiling sweetly in a motherly way, "I appreciate that you're worried son," she says crouching down and looking him in the eye. "But you can't live your life in fear, you just . . . have . . . to . . . my lab?" She trails off her eyes widening and taking in the destroyed room.
"AH CRAP!" she screams at Gohan, forgetting he was right in front of her. Standing up she looks around and walks over to some ruined piece of equipment picking up apiece she snorts and tosses it on pile "well this is just great."
"Um? Mom? Are you sure your alright?"
"Huh? Oh honey I'm sorry," she says turning back to the worried Gohan. "It's that I just realized how trashed this place is."
"And I'm so sorry for how I've been acting this last week," she says contritely looking ashamed at her son.
Sheepish looking again Gohan murmurs "that's okay you were hurting."
"That's no excuse, you are the most important thing in my life and I should have dealt with your pain before my own." Tears in their eyes the mother and son hug and cry for a while saying how they will deal with this and how things will be okay, and Gohan saying how he will be there for her to help in any way.
After a time the two separate, sniffles punctuated by a rubbing of eyes and an almost relived pair of smiles adorn their faces. Bopping the tip of his nose with her finger, Bulma asks him "you gonna be okay?"
Smiling at his mother the boy just nods at her happy that she is doing better even if it took an attack to help her get over her funk.
After a while Bulma stands back up groaning from being crouched down so long she turns to Ranma who had kept himself out of the way trying not to disturb the pair.
"And you," she says stalking over to him a fierce glare in her eyes she gets right up in Ranma's face before she smiles and gives him a kiss on the cheek. "That is for being such a good friend, I can't thank you enough for taking care of Gohan like you have."
Blushing sheepishly Ranma rubs the back of his neck with his hand in a gesture he has used for a long time. "You don't have to thank me, Gohan's a great kid, I love him like he was my own. And heck as his godfather what else could I do, you know?" He says breaking into a smile of his own.
Still smiling Bulma turns once more to the ruined lab, muttering "now lets try to see if she took anything, though that's going to be tuff in this mess."
"What did she look like?" asks her son.
Glancing at him she ruffles his hair and gives a brief run down of her encounter with the masked woman to the two Z-Senshi.
Frowning Ranma rubs his chin in thought before saying "the fact that she got all the way down here with out setting off alarms, and knew when we," he says while pointing to himself and Gohan, "would be out of the house says a lot."
"Yah, it does," mutters Bulma in thought slowly, "this was well planed and executed the only reason I caught her was the fact that I was coming down her to look for a scouter to find you guys.
"In FACT," she exclaims snapping her fingers "she was over here at this fridge when I opened the door."
Stalking over to the still open fridge door she peers inside "CRAP," gripes again.
"What is it Bulma?"
"When that canister over there exploded and the gas got inside here. I don't know what it was but I do know that it made all the glue come loose on the labels in here. I mean look at this mess everything is either missing a label or it's just about to fall off."
"What was in that can anyway mom?" asks the demi-saiya-jin boy.
Looking at the offending bottle Bulma tells them that she doesn't know it isn't one of hers the intruder must have brought it with her.
Smirking confidently "this may be just the clue we need to find that, that WOMAN," explodes Bulma still seething internally over how the woman broke into her home and did what she did.
Peering about inside of the refrigerator once more Bulma mutters, "don't tell me, she took those?"
"SHE DID!" she yells from inside bumping her head on a shelf in her anger "OUCH."
"You okay mom?"
"Yah, I'm okay," she says standing up more carefully rubbing her head "it just looks like she made off with a couple of experiments I had in here. Including one I was going to use for personal reasons."
Gazing at the shelf in an off hand manner her eyes light on two vials, in excitement she squeals, "oh please let that be what I think it is?" Reaching in she grabs the two vials from where they had fallen in the back. Looking at the labels that are dangling from the glass, "lucky these didn't come completely off," she mutters.
"Is that what I think it is Bulma?" Says Ranma in a questioning tone laced with anger. "You said you were going to destroy them when you finished you experiment."
"Ummm," she says sheepishly, her shoulders hunched. Looking out of the corner of her eyes at him in a worried way, "yes, they are and I'm sorry I just kinda forgot."
"But don't worry I have yours and Goku's sample," she says quickly. "She did make off with the others though. AAAnd," she says rummaging about in the fridge, "a collection of micro-bots I got from that space station we went to on the way to Namek."
Frowning in thought Ranma asks to no one in particular, "who would want that?"
"What was in those vials mom?" Gohan inquires innocently.
Blushing the two adults stutter, trying not to tell the boy from embarrassment, till finally Bulma tells him not to worry about it.
"That's beside the point," she smiles as she waves the vial in front of her eyes before she places it back in the fridge and shuts the door. Turning back to Gohan she says smiling "if things go as I plan, you may get a little brother or sister."
"WWWWHHHHHAAAATTTTT?!?!?!" roar out Gohan and Ranma shaking the whole compound.
***********************
Three Months later:
From a boat in the ocean the Black clad figure looks at a watch on her wrist, at he click of the minute hand she pulls the sleeve down and mutters "finally."
With that she dives over board swimming for a nearby island thinking 'have just thirty minutes to get there do what I need to and get back.' Pushing herself to the limits she uses her powerful arms to pull herself for the shore 'Kame-House, at last the end is in sight.'
***********************
Meanwhile:
Trudging thru the snow of the northern continent, the twelve-year-old Videl is bundled up heavily in a parka and assorted winter gear muttering to herself.
"Took forever to track this guy down, almost as much time as it took to arrange my little trip away from my well meaning guardians," this last being hissed out in a sarcastic tone.
"And this guy had ta be out here in the middle of the frozen tundra. If dad could go running off in shame, I'll go out and vindicate the family." She exclaims while trying to avoid slipping in the snow.
Muttering while regaining her footing "The only guy who can teach me techniques like that son of a &^$@# Gohan is out in the middle of nowhere."
Cresting a hill her eyes light on a winter wonderland, a sheltered valley with a frozen creek running thru it. And when she sees a man off to the side in a padded orange gi his form glowing with power and she knows she has found her man.
"Finally," any further comments are cut off as she sees him shout out "ROGAFUDUKEN" (1) and launch forward with his hands in a claw like shape. When he hits a boulder in his path it explodes with a torrent of power.
But when she whispers "awesome," he spins about and stares at the young girl on the ridge, shocked as to where she came from.
Shaking off her wonder she stumbles down the slope and into the valley asking in a questioning tone "Yamcha-sensei?"
At his questioning gaze she continues, "I have a deal I would like to make with you."
***********************
Back at Kame House:
Her back to the wall under a window the intruder leans up and peers inside. Seeing the three inhabitants glued to the T.V. an aerobics show playing, she smiles 'right on time.' Sneaking around to the back the black clad woman enters the kitchen. Skulking to the doorway she peers around to spy the two men and the pig.
Reaching into her pouch she removes a canister and a gas mask. Placing the mask on she opens the valve on the canister causing a barely audible hiss to sound. Counting silently to herself she nods when she reaches twenty. With that she strides into the room boldly, walking in front of the passed out men she pulls out two syringes. Once she checks for air bubbles she injects both master Roshi and Krillan.
Waiting for a few seconds she checks the time 'seventeen minutes to go' she thinks 'just enough time.' Smiling beneath her hood she looks at the awake, yet unseeing duo and the still unconscious pig, "gentlemen, and I do use that term very loosely, I am . . . your mistress, and here are your orders."
***********************
Five minutes later:
"When the time is right, you will follow my instructions to the letter, do you understand?"
"Yes mistress," they drone out in unison without tone.
"Now, you will forget I was here and go back to watching your show when you wake up. And when you next enter this state you will carry out my instructions, do you understand?"
"Yes mistress."
"Good," breaking a small capsule under Krillan and Roshi's noses causes them to pass out. Spying a mug of beer on the table by Roshi she smiles, "perfect, just as planned." Taking a tablet from a small bottle she plops it in the molecular reaction causing a cloud of smoke to rise slowly.
Her job complete the woman in black makes sure she has left no evidence and runs out the front door. Diving into the surf she swims toward her boat just as the smoke from the beer mug dissipates and the fumes gradually awaken the trio. Krillan, Roshi and Olong wonder how they could have fallen asleep during the Yuka aerobics show, when the leg lifts of the instructor causes all rational thought to fall out of their heads.
***********************
To be continued in:
Aftermath Finale
Interlude Four: Leave-takings
A Scene from Interlude Four:
"So this is goodbye," smiles Ranma, tears in his eyes as he gives Gohan a hug.
"Not Goodbye uncle, just" he trails off trying to think of the right words, "Just see you later." Smiling Gohan adds, "cause your gonna be back after you get everything settled, right?"
Smiling back at the boy Ranma nods, "Yeah Gohan I'll be back as soon as I can."
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End Notes:
(1) - ROGAFUDUKEN---also known as the wolf fang fist
Thanks for all the reviews I appreciate it, and as to why Bulma and Ranma never hooked up, that is something I will deal with in Big Sister, (which I plan to work on a bit after I finish aftermath,) But lets just say they didn't get along at all in the early years.
Also does everyone agree with the review that says Korin can make as many Senzu as needed? I was sure that the canon placed limits on the number he can make.
Oh and ANon you raised some interesting points that are something I have planned to deal with from the start.
Oh' and I never said that Ranma never got involved with someone while in the DBZ universe I just said he is uninvolved as of the Cell games. Never that he wasn't involved at any time in the last twenty years.
Question:
What are the limitations of Roshi's agelessness? I know he drank some potion, but it just stopped him from getting an older, it didn't make him immortal right?
Oh and 50 Reviews broken, YYYYAAAAAHHHH, and 30,000 words. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed my work.
Signed: Verse12
"Bingo," she whispers sighting a large steel refrigerator on the wall.
Striding confidently toward it she removes a small bottle of something from her pouch "finally, all mine."
Seeing the lock on the door of the fridge she sets the bottle on a nearby table and begins to pick it open. While muttering over how she wishes she could just turn on the lights without sounding an alarm. Popping open the door she smiles beneath her mask as she sees the object of her quest after a cloud of vapor exits the newly opened door.
"At long last."
SWISH resounds the door to the lab as it opens in the enclosed space. And without a thought she spins about bringing her sword to hand ready to attack her discoverer. And as the back lit figure standing in the doorway gradually comes into focus she growls under her voice, "Bulma."
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Only Human
By Verse12
Verse12@hotmail.com
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Disclaimer:
I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan, Pioneer LDC, Hiroki Hayashi, Ryoe Tsukimura, Akira Toriyama) This is just fans of the shows expressing their love for it for fun, no profit is involved or expected thank you.
***********************
Chapter Eight
Aftermath Part Six
No Time Like the Present
*************************
Gazing across the lab at the intruder and the sword bared at her, Bulma gulps muttering, "This is some time to try and get my life back together." Glimpsing the hate filled eyes thru then hole in her mask causes Bulma step back.
'Oh crap' okay, calm down Bulma think, there has to be a way out of this. The door has already closed automatically and all we have to see are the standby lights so I need an edge to survive this. If I try to make a run for it she'll cut me down for sure.
Flickering her eyes to the work desk, 'That's it!' she thinks spying a watch sitting in a small bin on the table. Of course that momentary distraction is all the masked woman needs as she launches herself into the air, her sword held high as she prepares to deliver a deathblow to the blue haired woman below her.
Sensing the presence over her head Bulma looks up and sees death looming and with wide eyes she exclaims "ah jezz."
*************************
Out in a recently enlarged field, the nearby forest being pretty torn up, Ranma and Gohan lay on the grass looking up at the sky breathing heavy from their work out. After some time Gohan sighs and murmurs to Ranma "hey uncle?"
Smiling in the sunlight, his eyes closed Ranma replies, "Ya?"
"I was just wondering, do you miss where you came from?"
Opening his eyes in confusion and rolling over onto his elbow Ranma asks, "Now what brought that on."
Looking over at Ranma, Gohan said, "I just wondered that's all."
A concerned look on his face Ranma asks him, "Are you worried about me leaving to?"
"NO," he blurts out then in a quieter tone "no, it's just you used to tell all these stories about there. But lately you don't seem to mention it as much, and now that Ifurita is here you may finally have a chance to get back there. I was just wondering if you still miss it, that's all."
Lying back on his back Ranma sighs then in a quiet tone he replies, "I guess I just finally resigned myself to never going back."
"Well now you have a shot, do you . . . do you, you know, think you might want to?"
Sitting up Indian style Ranma looks over at Gohan who rises into a sitting position. And in a paternal tone he tells Gohan, "Gohan, I told you that as long as you need me I will be here. I ain't gonna to leave you too."
Blushing slightly Gohan looks down to the ground, "I appreciate that but I just wondered what you might miss there you know I'll be okay right? I was just worried about you, you've spent the last twenty years taking care of my family, I was worried that maybe you may miss your family."
Getting choked up slightly, Ranma looks at Gohan in pride, "Gohan, you have got to be the best kid in the world, and to answer your question, the reason I've spent twenty years taking care of Goku and then you and your mom is that I consider you guys my family. I mean sure I miss my mother; I never had a real relationship with her. What with me being on that ten- year training mission and just as we were getting to know each other better I got sent here. I guess I would kinda like ta make it up to her somehow, you know?" He says looking at Gohan questioningly.
Gazing at Ranma, the demi-Saiya-jin boy frowns and says, "I never really thought about that, I mean I knew you went on that trip with your father, but I never really thought about how you never really had a chance to get to know your mother."
Flopping down onto the warm grass Ranma looks up at the clouds "ya, I mean I spent the first five years I was alive with her but you really cant get to know someone as a kid that little."
Then in a sly tone Gohan asks "so are you sure it's only your mom that you miss?"
Raising one eyebrow he peers out at Gohan and asks, "and just what are you getting at?"
"Oh nothing," he asks, looking at anything but Ranma.
Smirking slyly himself, Ranma says, "well I miss mom, and even pop some, he would flip out over some of even the most basic techniques we use here. And I miss . . . oh Kasumi, she makes some of the best food ever! Well her and my mom."
"Ya, cooking is something mom never truly mastered," mutters Gohan dejectedly as only one of saiya-jin blood could do when talking about mediocre food.
"Ain't that the truth," laughs Ranma, "although she is better than some I know back home." He says in a suddenly melancholy voice.
Glancing at Ranma, Gohan changes the subject, "Ranma I think that if Ifurita ever feels up to it you should go back there."
"WHAT?" Yells Ranma confused by the statement.
"I just think that you should go back there, you have a lot of unresolved things to deal with and I think you should deal with them while you can. Besides I know what it's like to miss out on things."
"Um?" asks Ranma in confusion, "so you think that . . . um . . . I should go back to Nerima and deal with them. What about you guys? I can't just leave you all?"
Smiling at his uncle, Gohan says "hey if Ifurita can go then she can come back, right? Who's to say you have to go forever?"
Looking in amazed way at the boy, Ranma mutters, "You have got to be one of the smartest kids ever. Though it's no wonder considering who your mother is, I mean we may not have always gotten along but she is really smart. Don't tell her I said that though."
"I won't, and it'll probably be a while before Ifurita is in any shape to make the trip, and by then mom should be better."
Smiling as he stands up and gives Gohan a hand, Ranma says "yeah that's true Bulma's to strong to let this get her down for to long."
"Ya you need to go get some things done, then come back. Hey maybe you can get a life of your own while your gone," says Gohan with a laughing grin.
Smiling back and giving a playful swipe at the boy Ranma says, "oh and here are the jokes again huh?"
Laughing and dancing out of reach Gohan yells back, "have to be faster than that."
"Oh I think I can do that," he says getting in a martial arts stance, only to freeze as a worried look crosses his face. Then slowly he turns and looks west toward Capsule Corp.
"Bulma?" He asks in confusion.
A concerned look of his own appearing on his face, Gohan asks his uncle "mom? What's wrong with her?"
Looking over to the boy who is straining to pick up his mothers presence far away, "trouble, I think."
Finally getting a feel for her, Gohan senses his mother's life and death struggle "MMMMOOOMMM!!!!" he shouts out as he launches himself toward home.
And as Gohan blazes thru the air his power leaving a swath of destruction in his wake he murmurs a wish that echoes fervently in his heart "hold on mom I'll be there soon, just hold on, I can't loose you too."
***********************
Ten minutes ago at Capsule Corp.
"Ah Jezz," mutters Bulma as she sees the sword coming down on at her. And with a diving somersault that leads into a handspring flip Bulma evades the blow. Finding her self next to a rack of steel pipe Bulma grabs one four- foot segment. Holding it in a defensive stance to ward off the sword- wielding intruder.
"I don't know who you are, but you broke in to the wrong place. My husband was the Budokai winner and he made sure I knew enough to take care of myself from the likes of you.
The only reply to this statement is a barely audible growl from the masked woman as she attacks the blue haired scientist. Bringing her sword around in a strike that if it had hit would have cleaved Bulma from her left hip to her right shoulder. The steel pipe in Bulma's hands though blocks the blow, the clanging of the hit ringing out in the room.
"Have to do better than that girly," mutters Bulma with a smirk. Only to have that wiped off her face as she is forced to defend herself from a ferocious assault of combinations by the sword-wielding assailant.
"CLANG"
"CLANG"
"CLANG"
Resounds throughout the room as the two fight in the confined space knocking over and crushing various things about the room as they crash into them.
Waiting for the right time to present it self for her Bulma gets it when a wild swing of her opponents sword catches the bottle that the woman had brought in with her. The contents, being under pressure, explode out in a cloud of vapor that causes the woman too cough wildly.
Dancing back out of reach of the cloud Bulma uses the opportunity to try to strike the masked woman with an overhand blow from her improvised staff. Only to have it blocked with the woman's sword as she focus's thru the choking, eye watering powder in the air.
Bulma realizes that this woman is out of her league as the return stroke from the sword clips her shoulder; this causes her to decide to go back to her original plan. While the woman is still partially occupied with the dissipating vapor, Bulma performs a backwards one handed flip over a heavy metal table in the middle of the room landing by a oak work table loaded with many small plastic bins. Keeping one eye on the woman staggering over to her Bulma grabs a small watch and slips it on. Then with a heave Bulma flings the pipe at the woman clipping her in the arm. In the distraction caused by this Bulma pushes a button on the watch causing herself to be surrounded by an energy field that shrinks her out of sight.
Shaking off the wild blow, the black masked figure looks back to where Bulma should be only to be met by an empty space.
"Wha?" she utters taking a step back in confusion, and then stalking forward slowly she glances about frowning beneath her mask obviously unnerved about this development. Getting to Bulma's last position she looks about the ground and the ceiling frowning she mutters "Where?"
Her confusion is cut short as a flash of light at her feet quickly expands into a rapidly growing Bulma who clocks her in the jaw with a rising upper cut, sending her back with a crash into the steel table.
A wild swing of the sword causes Bulma to hop back to avoid a disembowelment. Turning a dial on the watch causes Bulma to shrink down to action figure size and once in her tiny state she dives under the heavy oak worktable.
"FILTHY WHORE" roars the intruder bringing her sword down and cleaves the heavy oak table and a good portion of the floor beneath it in half, with an explosion of wood and concrete.
"Where?" she mutters stirring the wood on the floor with her boot. After a good two minutes of no sign, the intruder swears to herself and turns quickly to the fridge she was at when she arrived. Keeping an eye out for Bulma, since she could literally pop up anywhere the black-garbed woman looks into the fridge and swears again. Fuming the woman reaches in and grabs a handful of vials out of a rack inside the fridge and she also grabs a small metal box; four or five labels drop off the vials and to the floor though.
Not caring anymore the woman sticks the vials into a steel tin and then into her pouch. And with one last look at the shattered oak worktable she spits on the remains. Turning for the door she bolts out no longer caring about alarms, knowing she only had a short time before the men would return.
***********************
Bursting thru the roof of the arboretum Gohan lands in the grass scaring all of the animals and dinosaurs away from him. Looking about frantic Gohan begins to rush through out the Capsule Corp. compound, screaming "MMMMOOOOMMMM, where are you?"
Zipping in thru the hole in the roof Ranma lands in the grass "Gohan? Where is that boy?" Following the sounds of destruction Ranma zooms after the frenzied lad.
Finally finding the boy in his mother's room flinging the heavy canopy bed with one hand. His casual toss causing it to shatter against the wall, all to check underneath for his mother.
Standing up he looks about with wild eyes, "MMMOOOMMM?" he screams out really beginning to worry.
Walking up to the boy Ranma grabs his shoulder trying to calm him down. "Gohan? Clam down, we'll find her I'm sure she's okay."
Throwing off Ranma's hand forcefully, actually wrenching it in the socket, "I KNEW WE SHOULDN'T LEAVE HER ALONE! SHE'S BEEN SICK AT HEART FOR A WEEK! AND WE LEAVE HER TO GO HAVE FUN SPARING!" this last being screeched out sarcastically.
Still speaking calmly his arm-hanging limp at his side Ranma holds his other hand out like one would do with a wild animal, "Gohan you need to calm down, it's no wonder we can't sense her with all the power you're throwing off. Now just calm down, I'm sure she just got up to do something. We were just saying how strong she is and maybe she finally got about her business."
Still harried, but calming down slightly Gohan murmurs reproachfully, "if anything happens to her I'll never forgive you . . . or myself" he finishes quietly.
Standing back in shock at the cold look in Gohan's eyes, Ranma firms his gaze on the boy's eyes speaking calmly, "Gohan I know you're under a lot of stress now and you're worried about the possibility of losing your only parent left, so I won't take that personally, but I really need you to calm down so we can find her, okay?"
Stepping back and closing his eyes Gohan takes a deep breath and lets it out. Looking back at Ranma, Gohan looks down again sheepishly muttering, "I'm sorry uncle I'm just so worried about her," he looks back at Ranma tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Awe, kid it'll be fine you'll see" says Ranma pulling the boy into a hug with his good arm.
Sniffling Gohan, mutters into Ranma's chest how sorry he is about his arm, "don't worry about it kid, now," he exclaims holding Gohan out at arms length. "Now calm down and let me concentrate on her, kay?"
"Uhn!" he grunts in acknowledgment.
Closing his eyes Ranma breaths in and out deeply feeling for Bulma's presence. A sharp intake of breath and an exclaimed "found her." Is greeted by Gohan's excited yell of "REALLY?"
"Yah really, she's down in her lab I think." Any further comments are cut off as Gohan blasts out of the room and to the elevator, ignoring Ranma's shout of "hey be careful her energy is really low."
"Crap, that kid is getting harder and harder to deal with," he mutters with a shake of his head, running after the boy.
**********************
Floating down the shredded and melted elevator shaft Ranma shakes his head following the path Gohan has taken. Down in the lab Gohan screams for Bulma as Ranma runs into the room.
"MMMOOOMMM?"
"Hold on Gohan she's here some were."
"Where? Uncle, huh? This place is destroyed but it's so small we would see her here somewhere. Are you sure you felt her here?"
"Yah she's here some where Gohan now calm down, kay?"
Taking a deep breath Gohan murmurs "I'm just so worried."
"I know Gohan," says Ranma squeezing his shoulder.
This moment of bonding is cut off as a flash of light and a moan comes from under a destroyed table. The table then proceeds to shift about as a human body grows from underneath the wood.
"MMMOOOMMM!" shouts Gohan once more rushing to Bulma's side, throwing the hunks of table away.
"Gohan? Is that you?" she mutters rubbing her head with her hand.
"Yes, mom are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?" he frets urgently hovering protectively about her.
"Yes, yes I'm fine calm down," she states standing up wobbly being supported by her son. "We had a break in, I fought with her . . ."
"YOU FOUGHT WITH HER?!" He screeches in shock his eyes wide.
"Yes I fought her," she replies sarcastically. "Jeez, your father did teach me a thing or two you know?"
Blushing sheepishly Gohan looks down at the ground stirring some debris with his toe. "Sorry I just never've seen you fight anything or even practice."
"It's true I haven't fought in a while, but I do practice to keep in shape. But I obviously wasn't good enough . . . she got away. I had to use my shrink watch to hide, she still nicked my shoulder before I got to it," she states holding it up for their inspection the slight cut already clotting.
"MOM," freaks Gohan grabbing her arm to look at the cut.
"NOW YOU CUT THAT OUT YOUNG MAN," she yells yanking her arm out of his grasp. "I've been in more tuff situations than most people and I can take care of myself."
Smiling sweetly in a motherly way, "I appreciate that you're worried son," she says crouching down and looking him in the eye. "But you can't live your life in fear, you just . . . have . . . to . . . my lab?" She trails off her eyes widening and taking in the destroyed room.
"AH CRAP!" she screams at Gohan, forgetting he was right in front of her. Standing up she looks around and walks over to some ruined piece of equipment picking up apiece she snorts and tosses it on pile "well this is just great."
"Um? Mom? Are you sure your alright?"
"Huh? Oh honey I'm sorry," she says turning back to the worried Gohan. "It's that I just realized how trashed this place is."
"And I'm so sorry for how I've been acting this last week," she says contritely looking ashamed at her son.
Sheepish looking again Gohan murmurs "that's okay you were hurting."
"That's no excuse, you are the most important thing in my life and I should have dealt with your pain before my own." Tears in their eyes the mother and son hug and cry for a while saying how they will deal with this and how things will be okay, and Gohan saying how he will be there for her to help in any way.
After a time the two separate, sniffles punctuated by a rubbing of eyes and an almost relived pair of smiles adorn their faces. Bopping the tip of his nose with her finger, Bulma asks him "you gonna be okay?"
Smiling at his mother the boy just nods at her happy that she is doing better even if it took an attack to help her get over her funk.
After a while Bulma stands back up groaning from being crouched down so long she turns to Ranma who had kept himself out of the way trying not to disturb the pair.
"And you," she says stalking over to him a fierce glare in her eyes she gets right up in Ranma's face before she smiles and gives him a kiss on the cheek. "That is for being such a good friend, I can't thank you enough for taking care of Gohan like you have."
Blushing sheepishly Ranma rubs the back of his neck with his hand in a gesture he has used for a long time. "You don't have to thank me, Gohan's a great kid, I love him like he was my own. And heck as his godfather what else could I do, you know?" He says breaking into a smile of his own.
Still smiling Bulma turns once more to the ruined lab, muttering "now lets try to see if she took anything, though that's going to be tuff in this mess."
"What did she look like?" asks her son.
Glancing at him she ruffles his hair and gives a brief run down of her encounter with the masked woman to the two Z-Senshi.
Frowning Ranma rubs his chin in thought before saying "the fact that she got all the way down here with out setting off alarms, and knew when we," he says while pointing to himself and Gohan, "would be out of the house says a lot."
"Yah, it does," mutters Bulma in thought slowly, "this was well planed and executed the only reason I caught her was the fact that I was coming down her to look for a scouter to find you guys.
"In FACT," she exclaims snapping her fingers "she was over here at this fridge when I opened the door."
Stalking over to the still open fridge door she peers inside "CRAP," gripes again.
"What is it Bulma?"
"When that canister over there exploded and the gas got inside here. I don't know what it was but I do know that it made all the glue come loose on the labels in here. I mean look at this mess everything is either missing a label or it's just about to fall off."
"What was in that can anyway mom?" asks the demi-saiya-jin boy.
Looking at the offending bottle Bulma tells them that she doesn't know it isn't one of hers the intruder must have brought it with her.
Smirking confidently "this may be just the clue we need to find that, that WOMAN," explodes Bulma still seething internally over how the woman broke into her home and did what she did.
Peering about inside of the refrigerator once more Bulma mutters, "don't tell me, she took those?"
"SHE DID!" she yells from inside bumping her head on a shelf in her anger "OUCH."
"You okay mom?"
"Yah, I'm okay," she says standing up more carefully rubbing her head "it just looks like she made off with a couple of experiments I had in here. Including one I was going to use for personal reasons."
Gazing at the shelf in an off hand manner her eyes light on two vials, in excitement she squeals, "oh please let that be what I think it is?" Reaching in she grabs the two vials from where they had fallen in the back. Looking at the labels that are dangling from the glass, "lucky these didn't come completely off," she mutters.
"Is that what I think it is Bulma?" Says Ranma in a questioning tone laced with anger. "You said you were going to destroy them when you finished you experiment."
"Ummm," she says sheepishly, her shoulders hunched. Looking out of the corner of her eyes at him in a worried way, "yes, they are and I'm sorry I just kinda forgot."
"But don't worry I have yours and Goku's sample," she says quickly. "She did make off with the others though. AAAnd," she says rummaging about in the fridge, "a collection of micro-bots I got from that space station we went to on the way to Namek."
Frowning in thought Ranma asks to no one in particular, "who would want that?"
"What was in those vials mom?" Gohan inquires innocently.
Blushing the two adults stutter, trying not to tell the boy from embarrassment, till finally Bulma tells him not to worry about it.
"That's beside the point," she smiles as she waves the vial in front of her eyes before she places it back in the fridge and shuts the door. Turning back to Gohan she says smiling "if things go as I plan, you may get a little brother or sister."
"WWWWHHHHHAAAATTTTT?!?!?!" roar out Gohan and Ranma shaking the whole compound.
***********************
Three Months later:
From a boat in the ocean the Black clad figure looks at a watch on her wrist, at he click of the minute hand she pulls the sleeve down and mutters "finally."
With that she dives over board swimming for a nearby island thinking 'have just thirty minutes to get there do what I need to and get back.' Pushing herself to the limits she uses her powerful arms to pull herself for the shore 'Kame-House, at last the end is in sight.'
***********************
Meanwhile:
Trudging thru the snow of the northern continent, the twelve-year-old Videl is bundled up heavily in a parka and assorted winter gear muttering to herself.
"Took forever to track this guy down, almost as much time as it took to arrange my little trip away from my well meaning guardians," this last being hissed out in a sarcastic tone.
"And this guy had ta be out here in the middle of the frozen tundra. If dad could go running off in shame, I'll go out and vindicate the family." She exclaims while trying to avoid slipping in the snow.
Muttering while regaining her footing "The only guy who can teach me techniques like that son of a &^$@# Gohan is out in the middle of nowhere."
Cresting a hill her eyes light on a winter wonderland, a sheltered valley with a frozen creek running thru it. And when she sees a man off to the side in a padded orange gi his form glowing with power and she knows she has found her man.
"Finally," any further comments are cut off as she sees him shout out "ROGAFUDUKEN" (1) and launch forward with his hands in a claw like shape. When he hits a boulder in his path it explodes with a torrent of power.
But when she whispers "awesome," he spins about and stares at the young girl on the ridge, shocked as to where she came from.
Shaking off her wonder she stumbles down the slope and into the valley asking in a questioning tone "Yamcha-sensei?"
At his questioning gaze she continues, "I have a deal I would like to make with you."
***********************
Back at Kame House:
Her back to the wall under a window the intruder leans up and peers inside. Seeing the three inhabitants glued to the T.V. an aerobics show playing, she smiles 'right on time.' Sneaking around to the back the black clad woman enters the kitchen. Skulking to the doorway she peers around to spy the two men and the pig.
Reaching into her pouch she removes a canister and a gas mask. Placing the mask on she opens the valve on the canister causing a barely audible hiss to sound. Counting silently to herself she nods when she reaches twenty. With that she strides into the room boldly, walking in front of the passed out men she pulls out two syringes. Once she checks for air bubbles she injects both master Roshi and Krillan.
Waiting for a few seconds she checks the time 'seventeen minutes to go' she thinks 'just enough time.' Smiling beneath her hood she looks at the awake, yet unseeing duo and the still unconscious pig, "gentlemen, and I do use that term very loosely, I am . . . your mistress, and here are your orders."
***********************
Five minutes later:
"When the time is right, you will follow my instructions to the letter, do you understand?"
"Yes mistress," they drone out in unison without tone.
"Now, you will forget I was here and go back to watching your show when you wake up. And when you next enter this state you will carry out my instructions, do you understand?"
"Yes mistress."
"Good," breaking a small capsule under Krillan and Roshi's noses causes them to pass out. Spying a mug of beer on the table by Roshi she smiles, "perfect, just as planned." Taking a tablet from a small bottle she plops it in the molecular reaction causing a cloud of smoke to rise slowly.
Her job complete the woman in black makes sure she has left no evidence and runs out the front door. Diving into the surf she swims toward her boat just as the smoke from the beer mug dissipates and the fumes gradually awaken the trio. Krillan, Roshi and Olong wonder how they could have fallen asleep during the Yuka aerobics show, when the leg lifts of the instructor causes all rational thought to fall out of their heads.
***********************
To be continued in:
Aftermath Finale
Interlude Four: Leave-takings
A Scene from Interlude Four:
"So this is goodbye," smiles Ranma, tears in his eyes as he gives Gohan a hug.
"Not Goodbye uncle, just" he trails off trying to think of the right words, "Just see you later." Smiling Gohan adds, "cause your gonna be back after you get everything settled, right?"
Smiling back at the boy Ranma nods, "Yeah Gohan I'll be back as soon as I can."
************************
End Notes:
(1) - ROGAFUDUKEN---also known as the wolf fang fist
Thanks for all the reviews I appreciate it, and as to why Bulma and Ranma never hooked up, that is something I will deal with in Big Sister, (which I plan to work on a bit after I finish aftermath,) But lets just say they didn't get along at all in the early years.
Also does everyone agree with the review that says Korin can make as many Senzu as needed? I was sure that the canon placed limits on the number he can make.
Oh and ANon you raised some interesting points that are something I have planned to deal with from the start.
Oh' and I never said that Ranma never got involved with someone while in the DBZ universe I just said he is uninvolved as of the Cell games. Never that he wasn't involved at any time in the last twenty years.
Question:
What are the limitations of Roshi's agelessness? I know he drank some potion, but it just stopped him from getting an older, it didn't make him immortal right?
Oh and 50 Reviews broken, YYYYAAAAAHHHH, and 30,000 words. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed my work.
Signed: Verse12