Obligatory copyright disclaimer: Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z and relative characters are intellectual property of their respective owners. I'm using them without permission, but this is only a no-profit Fan fiction.
Edit: My heartfelt thanks to Angel-Rias for Beta-reading the chapter!
Chapter Five: Saiyan style
Rei was floating in strange green goo, inside the medical machine. The semi-liquid substance was restoring her strength and soothing her wounds. Indulging in sleep was not in her plans though.
Since coming to this strange world, her perceptions were strangely warped. This would have been the perfect opportunity to meditate and cleanse her spirit. Despite the breathing apparatus she had to put on, she whispered her Shinto prayers, rapidly falling into a deep meditative state.
She knew her sensations were still with her. During her fight with that little cabbage-headed monster she managed to 'feel' it in a way she was never capable of back on Earth. Yet, she was having problems with her usual precognitions. She suspected the Saiyan instincts for fighting were involved somewhat. In combat, she knew of the little monsters attacks the instant it thought of them. But she was incapable of making sense of the entire situation. It was the opposite of her normal capabilities.
Focusing all her concentration, she expanded her mind to all the events transpired so far, trying to get some view of the future. After a while all the sounds of the medical chamber faded away. Slowly her sight was lost in a deep icy darkness. Then a small light shone in the dark. Blazing golden, the light grew ever so bright, emanating from someone. Rage and hate flooded her mind, so deep and strong she almost came out of her trance. Then the emotions changed to sorrow and love, and all of her being was enveloped in silver light.
In the chamber, medical technician Planthorr was monitoring the life signs of his patients. One of them, the girl Nizuki had thrown into the medical machine, was giving strange readings. Her power levels were fluctuating wildly and, if only for a moment, they went off scale. Fortunately for his equipment, they returned to normal an instant later. Still... He compiled a report and filed it in the records he kept for the Planetary Trade Organization.
Meanwhile, Rei was unsure of herself. She had a vision, like she wanted, but it was one of danger and darkness, rage and sadness. It was not a good omen, not at all. 'As usual.' She thought bitterly. Remembering her previous reluctance to share her visions, and the problems that ensued, she decided to tell the girls about it as soon as possible this time. "Better safe than sorry.'
Her thoughts were cut short by a sudden drowsiness. Planthorr appeared smiling outside her pod. "No stressful thoughts while healing. I'm giving you some mild anesthetic, good dreams."
Frustrated, Rei fought the temptation to punch the man through the glass! 'I must remember the vision! Must... remem...'
She finally drifted into deep sleep.
Planthorr had set up the pods to open only when the most wounded of them was completely healed. Those Saiyans were prone to over-exertion, better give them extra rest. So when Makoto's wounds were finally healed the medical machines beeped in chorus, draining the regenerative fluid from the pods. The remaining goo evaporated quickly, so when the pods opened up the girls were clean and dry.
The first to come out of the pods was Ami, timidly peeking inside the chamber. "Hem, doctor, we are naked. Can you give us some clothes, please?" She was timidly covering her bosom and groin.
Nizuki stood up, fully awake, standing in front of her. "Stop this idiocy, weakling! Are you ashamed of your body?" She yanked Ami out of the pod grabbing her by an arm. Then she threw at her the doll sized suits Planthorr gave her hours before. "Wear an undersuit. And give the others to your friends! Tsk, I'm not supposed to babysit you guys!"
"Oww! You are a rude one! Aren't you? There was no need to pull me this violently!" Ami forgot her nakedness annoyed by the woman lack of manners. She stopped when the warrior gave her the old sensing device she found in the Tsufuru ruins.
"Here's your scouter. It's an old model; broken too. I suggest you to change it with a new one when we finally get to the armory. Now get dressed!" She slapped Ami's buttocks playfully, savoring her blushing. These girls were so easy to pick on; she could not resist teasing them.
Ami, red faced and totally embarrassed, hastened to wear the small suit. "It's too small, it has to be elastic. Let's try." Easily stretching the material she managed to get inside it. Despite this, the suit was very comfortable to wear, almost like a second skin. She examined it, realizing it was not made from fabric, rather some sort of hexagonal mesh. She slapped and pinched it to test the material's strength, and was amazed by the results.
"It is a shock absorbing material engineered by the Arcosians. It will protect you from blunt attacks and some light piercing ones. It has good thermal regulation and resistance. It lets you perspire freely and mends itself over small tears. Here, these are the specs, if you can read them." Planthorr gave her a computer pad, full of data.
"Thank you sir!" Ami was delighted. "I'm Ami, nice to meet you sir." She said bowing.
"Oh a nice one, for a change! I am Planthorr, medical technician of the PTO, assigned to planet Vegeta. Nice to meet you too, Ami."
"PTO? Can you tell me more, Sir?" She asked, while memorizing the data he gave her.
"Do not waste time with her, Planthorr! Look at the others. I'm in a hurry!" Nizuki barked at them, while motioning to the girls to get out.
"I will look at these later, thanks for it Doctor!" Ami gave him back the pad, having memorized most of the interesting data in a few seconds. She hastened to the other pods, handing the suits to her shy friends. Only Makoto had got out of her pod without concern.
Flexing her muscles she got in a fighting stance and performed some katas. "I'm feeling great! Thanks for the healing, err... Planthorr?" The doctor nodded.
She grabbed one of the suits, quickly donning it; then resumed her calisthenics. Nizuki noticed her, in appreciation. "Finally someone I can understand. You know some nifty moves. Let me see your power level!" She activated her scouter, visualizing Makoto's power.
Makoto - beep 1250
"Mph! You're as strong as a Saibai-man now. Your wounds have triggered the Zenkai. You are still weaker than me though!" She said grinning, throwing her a friendly punch, that Makoto easily parried. "We should spar someday. You must teach me your power rising technique!"
"What's a Zenkai?" Ami asked her, ever curious.
The woman sighed at the question. "Are you really Saiyans? Zenkai is the ability to grow stronger after recovering from nearly fatal wounds. Everyone knows this. Enough of this banter! Now that you are healed and clothed we'll get the rest of your equipment at the armory. Let's go!" She marched out of the medical center without even saying goodbye to Planthorr.
Waving at the doctor Makoto and Ami promptly followed her. Usagi and Minako bowed to him. "Thanks for the treatment, doctor!" Then they scurried after Nizuki.
Rei lingered. She had forgotten something important. Trying to remember she looked at the pods. What was it? "Huff, if it really is important, sooner or later I will recall it!" Bowing deeply she saluted Planthorr and ran after the others.
The doctor, seeing them on their way, was amazed by their cheerfulness. "These girls, are they really warriors? I can't imagine them killing millions of helpless victims!" He regretted once again his people enlisting in the Planetary Trade Organization. So much death and cruelty... Yet, the alternative was their death...
Nizuki walked at a brisk pace in the alien looking corridors of the fortress. Many soldiers, mostly Saiyans, hurried about their duties. There were other aliens, some humanoids, others way more bizarre; truly an otherworldly sight.
"Next we will meet a Jedi or Captain Harlock? What do you think Usagi?" Minako was gawking at the aliens shamelessly. "We are in a science fiction movie! Hey, maybe we can find the Starlights! They were aliens, maybe they can help us!"
Usagi jumped at the thought. "Oh, Seiya, Taiki and Yaten! They were from planet Kinmoku! You are right, if we can contact them..."
Ami shook her head. "We are in an alternate universe. Jean was very clear on this. Even if planet Kinmoku exists in this universe, it is not 'our' Kinmoku!"
"Like Mamo-chan is not Mamo-chan here?" Usagi whispered sadly.
"Yes, Usagi, sorry for this. We were all surprised at the resemblance. But he is not Mamoru. His name was Maizen, if I recall correctly." Ami sighed. Her friend was so strong and so fragile at the same time. She vowed to herself to return them to their universe as soon as possible. Jean's short explanation gave her some ideas; she only needed time and the right equipment to test them.
"Don't worry Usagi-chan. We will make it, as usual. I'm already stronger, this time no one will bully us for sure!" Makoto boasted cheerfully.
Rei looked at her friend preoccupied. "The power up has raised your confidence. At the expense of common sense, I fear."
Nizuki interrupted her musings. "Here we are, the Armory. Malaka! You old lizard! Give me five battle armors for these ones! Now!" She shouted with her usual bad manners.
An alien, clearly reptilian, showed up from the room's recesses. It had olive green scaled skin and orange mohawk hairs. "Hello to you, Nizuki. Five battle armors for whom? Stand under this sensor and give your name please." He asked them unfazed.
The five girls looked at each other. Then they complied with the technician's request.
Moving herself under the strange machine, Usagi nervously whispered her name. "Tsukino Usagi, age 17, high school student!" The machine buzzed angrily. "Is it broken?" She asked quizzically. It buzzed again.
"Name only, please!" Malaka pointed out.
"Huff, Usagi!" The machine buzzed again. "U SA GI!" This time the machine beeped contentedly.
"This thing is so fussy!" Usagi stepped away from it, quickly replaced by Rei.
"It's you, not it, you dummy!" Rei chided her. The machine buzzed again. "Eeh? Give me time, you stupid contraption!" It buzzed again. "Arrrgh!"
All of them, Nizuki included, were laughing hard at the funny scene. Embarrassed, Rei managed to calm down and speak her name. "Rei!" Finally the machine beeped.
Ami, Makoto and Minako had no problems and quickly they finished the process.
"As newbie low-class warriors you are entitled to customize only the color scheme of your armor. Chose a pattern by touching a button. No punching, please." Malaka was accustomed to saiyan disregard for delicate equipment, so he was surprised at the new girl's gentleness. They even thanked him! Yet, they started a crazed debate about the colors!
"It's incredible you cannot change this about that!", "Why can I select only two colors?", "Wait, this color is better here or there?" And so on, for at least fifteen minutes.
Nizuki was going to hit them, when Usagi asked her opinion on the matter. "Nizuki, maybe you can tell us if red looks better over gold on this pauldron?" Answering that question drew her in their private world of color combinations. Saiyan women were as practical as the males, but they were not without fashion sense.
Malaka was getting nervous, when finally they stopped talking and made their choices. "About time! The computer will add the chosen colors to your armors. In the meantime, here are your scouters." He gave them five of the small sensors. Ami never mentioned the old one she kept in her hands behind her back. Nizuki showed them how to wear them.
The computer beeped again, this time warning them their armors were completed. Malaka opened some compartments in the wall behind him, taking out brand new armors. Handing them to the girls he showed them the elastic properties of the material. "This Arcosian battle armor is a life saver. It will protect you from most type of damage. It is a bit weak against slashing attacks however, mind that. It gives the most protection against energy attacks. It will even grow with you when it will be necessary..."
Nizuki interrupted him. "Oh stop, Malaka! Everyone knows that. Usagi you are wearing it backwards! No, no, I will show you! Oh, what a drag!" After some yelling and pushing, the five girls finally donned their armors and scouters.
Malaka touched a button activating the reflective property of one of the walls. "You can take look at yourself here." He pointed out.
The five friends looked at the strangers in the mirror. The image was clearly different to what they were accustomed. They were wearing Saiyan armor. Red and blue for Usagi. Red and purple for Rei. Orange and purple for Minako. Green and pink for Makoto. Azure and Blue for Ami. They all had scouters on the left eye.
Their bodies were different too.
The hair was the first thing they took notice of. It was raven black, spiky and tough, more like fur than hair. Even Rei's, normally black, was different. The most dramatic change was for Usagi and Minako.
Then there were the eyes; Jet black irises; thick black eyebrows; long black eyelashes. They had a piercing look, the eyes of a warrior.
Their skin was tougher and harder, yet it retained the original color and looks. Their brown tails were wrapped around their waist, as all Saiyans were used to keeping them. Ami was right with her suggestion.
Their muscles were more defined, much to Usagi and Rei's chagrin. "Eek! I'm all muscly! Gross!"
Makoto was admiring herself. "Mako-chan! Didn't you resent being called an amazon? Why are you flexing your biceps like a bodybuilder?" a mischievous Usagi asked her.
The tall girl blushed, replying embarrassed. "Y-you are right. Still... I feel so strong! It's a good sensation..."
"Why should a woman be embarrassed of being strong? It should be the reverse, moron! The one to feel shame should be you, weakling!" Nizuki slapped Usagi on the head. "Don't worry Makoto. I know of a lot of males who would mate with you without a second thought!" She winked at her, making her blush even more.
"Are you t-telling me Saiyan men like strong and tall women?" Makoto could not believe it.
"Should they look for WEAK women? Come on girl! Where the hell do you come from! Now I understand why your tribe was wiped out!" She laughed hard, slapping Makoto on the back in a friendly way.
"Hey, aren't we too much friendly? Stop slapping us, Nizuki!" Usagi yelled at her, pissed by the woman's behavior.
"Ooh? Make me, you sissy!" She replied, taking a fighting stance.
"Eh? No need to be so touchy! You fight over anything." Usagi told her, sweatdropping.
"Why not? Fighting is fun! You should try it... if you weren't such a coward!" She said teasing her.
"No fights here!" Shouted Malaka annoyed. "Take your sorry Saiyan asses out of my armory!"
"What a spoilsport! Let's go to eat something, then." Nizuki told them, walking away matter-of-factly.
Waving to Malaka, the five girls followed their guide, immediately hungry. The simple word "eat" kicked up their hunger to unbelievable levels.
"Eat time, eat time!" Usagi was jumping like a little kid, thinking of food.
"Our bodies need constant feeding, remember what I told you about efficient metabolism?" Ami told her friends, while hurrying after Nizuki.
"I hope this is not going into fat! I'll hate to lose my shape!" Rei told to no one in particular.
"Nizuki, are we there yet? Minako asked her. "I'm having this desire to bite something..."
"Try not biting me!" Makoto replied jokingly.
"Here we are!" Nizuki kicked open a double door, western saloon style.
The mess hall was an enormous noisy place. Lots of tables and benches affixed on the floor were arrayed in rows after rows. An enormous buffet filled an entire wall of the chamber. The opposite wall was occupied by a huge bar with hundreds of stools. Scores of Saiyan warriors, male and female, were gobbling up unbelievable amounts of food and drink. Some couples were flirting shamelessly; other patrons were arm-wrestling, most simply chatted while eating.
"Oh my! This is high school mess hall, hellish version!" Makoto said surprised.
Nizuki chose a free table seating down. "Come on, we will be served in a minute."
The girls sat down beside her. Usagi looked at the table, searching for something. "There's no menu? Cutlery, table cloth?"
"What's a menu?" Nizuki asked her quizzically. Usagi cringed at the reply.
Makoto saw something move in their direction. "Look at that!"
Four strange looking aliens, carrying six enormous plates filled with random foods, were walking toward their table. They unceremoniously dumped the plates on the table, and then they went back to wherever they came from.
"Now we fill up! Enjoy!" Nizuki grabbed with her bare hands a huge piece of juicy meat from one of the plates and ate it with gusto.
"Hey, it was on my plate!" Usagi shouted at her, then she took an equally big slab of steak and started chewing, looking gloomily at the Saiyaness.
"Is this a food battle? Because I'm not fighting it. We ..." Started to say Rei, when Minako robbed her plate of one humongous loaf of bread. "Y-you, little thief! I'll show you!" Rei shouted at her while grabbing something to eat.
Ami, timing her food acquisitions with skill and strategy, managed to avoid her competitive friend's attention, still managing to eat an amazing amount of food.
Makoto was instead nibbling at her plate. "Girls, is this junk really so good? The meat is over cooked! The vegetables were boiled to death with no sauces or spices added! Even the bread is stringy! I'm hungry too, but this is too much! Nizuki, bring me to the cooks, I want to kill them!"
The Saiyaness barely raised her eyes from the food. "You can do better?" she replied.
"You can bet it! Mako-chan is an exceptional cook! She can cook anything!" Usagi bragged, warmly smiling to her friend.
The other three girls nodded in agreement. "She's great!" "She can cook like a pro!" "Her cuisine is one of the best!"
"Then why waste time? Come with me." Deadly serious Nizuki sprinted toward the end of the buffet. Following her, the girls took notice of the large door where the food was coming from. "These are the kitchens. And here's the cook!"
Nizuki pointed at a large obese alien, her hairless pink body covered in short, stubby horny protrusions. The chief cook was overseeing an entire company of cooks, in a large kitchen with dozens of cooking stations. Sensing their approach she looked at the small Saiyaness with disdain. "What do you want here, Nizuki? Again here to speak against my cooking? Last time I threw you in the soup!"
"Boboghia! Filthy poisoner! This time I am not challenging you. She is!" She pointed her finger to Makoto.
"Am I?" The girl replied surprised.
"She is?" Her friends chimed in.
"Yes! You are! We make the usual bet. Both of you cook five dishes for one squad. They judge and the losers get thrown in the pot and must obey the winner for a year!"
"Excuse me, Nizuki, but I'm starting to think this is personal for you..." Makoto was having doubts about the situation.
"Ha! Nizuki hates my cooking! She challenged me three times. I love looking at her washing dishes! If you lose..." she pointed at Makoto, "Then BOTH of you will be my personal washing slaves for a year!"
"Fine! Show her, Makoto!" Nizuki was glowering at the cook.
"Her? He is a she?" The girls repressed their embarrassment but Usagi was starting to giggle. "Ussaagi!" Rei chided her immediately.
Never backing down from a challenge, Makoto took hold of Nizuki's arm. "If I win, you owe me big time, OK?" The Saiyaness nodded. "Great, then show me to the kitchen."
"Maybe we can help you, Mako-chan!" Usagi told her full of good intentions.
"NO! Hem, no thanks, Usagi-chan... I can manage on my own." Sweating profusely, Makoto hurried with Nizuki inside the kitchen.
"Should I feel offended?" asked Usagi to herself. She knew her cooking skills were subpar at best. She asked anyway, out of kindness.
"Let's go back to the table. There's a lot of food still there." Minako reminded them. They followed her suggestion and ate all the food, including Nizuki and Makoto's portions!
Meanwhile Nizuki jumped on the bar shouting. "Attention please! I, Nizuki and my friend, Makoto will challenge the cooking skill of the master cook Boboghia! I require a squad to act as judges for the match! Any volunteers?"
A chorus of voices immediately offered help. No Saiyan would ever deny himself to eat an extra dish. Nizuki appraised the raised hands and finally chose one squad. "I call Bardock's squad to judge the match. It is acceptable to you, Boboghia?" She asked the master cook, having just arrived from the kitchen.
"Yes, Bardock is known for his impartiality." The ugly pink alien smiled evilly. She knew Bardock's squad for a group of tasteless idiots, who chewed down anything she threw at them, like all the other Saiyans save Nizuki. The young warrior woman was a pain in her side, but she loved her angry face when she ordered her to clean dishes... a shameful duty for a warrior. This time she would have to clean the mess hall too, with only a towel! She savored the thought. Then shrugging she returned to the kitchen to oversee her cooks, a bunch of idiots who couldn't tell the difference between boiled or roasted food. Not that it mattered...
The girls took notice of the squad chosen to judge the competition. They were five, one short and pretty woman and four males. The squad's chief, Bardock was a handsome Saiyan, with a fearsome scar on the left cheek and unruly hair. One other was a good looking and tall warrior with short hair. Of the last two men one was mean looking and fatty and the other huge and dumb. "Oy, I like the tall one!" Chirped Minako, with hearth shaped eyes. "So dashing!" Rei scoffed at her, while Ami and Usagi simply giggled.
Half an hour later the attendants brought out of the kitchen two large trays full of food, leaving them on Bardock squad's table. Nizuki and Makoto were near the left one, while Boboghia and her cooks were near the right one. "Time to eat and judge! Let's start!" shouted Nizuki, sounding very excited.
The judges grabbed randomly the food, eating like there was no tomorrow. They looked ravenous, yet not particularly interested in a dish rather than to another. After consuming all the food, they patted their stomachs and briefly consulted each other. Then, as the tension ran high in the mess hall, Bardock stood up. "I must say, I've never tasted anything this good in my life. The winner is... Makoto!"
A victory celebration broke out, as Makoto and Nizuki personally took hold of Boboghia, throwing her into the soup pot! Then they were raised in the air by merry soldiers and carried around in a parade around the mess hall. Finally scores of hungry Saiyans asked Makoto to let them taste her cuisine.
"I will return here tomorrow, to cook something and to teach these poisoners how a REAL cook works. There will be changes here, you can bet on it!" She winked at the smiling soldiers, flustered by all the praises directed at her.
Returning by their friends Nizuki slammed her hands on the table. "Who the hell stole my food?" She grinned at the worried looks Usagi and the others made. "I ate a lot of Makoto's wonderful cuisine, don't worry! Just joking. Let's go to your quarters!"
"Hum, I'm starting to change my mind on these Saiyans." Usagi whispered. "They seem a fun loving bunch. Fighting otaku and rough warriors, but not so bad once you know them."
"I know, right?" Makoto beamed at her, still amazed at the warm reception she had in the mess hall. "Saiyans love fighting, strong women and good food! It's like paradise to me..."
"You seem to forget the acid burns." Remarked Rei dryly.
"Humph. They healed us, and I've gotten stronger after that fight. They play rough to get better. You don't understand them!" Makoto replied a bit annoyed.
"Here we go!" Nizuki startled them. "These are you quarters." She pointed at a small room, equipped with two triple bunk beds, six lockers a small washing room and a separate toilet. There were no blankets or pillows.
A chorus of disbelieving sighs echoed in the room. "This I what you call quarters? It's barely better than a capsule hotel!"
"What are you complaining for? There's lockers to put your items into, beds to sleep or mate in, a sonic shower and a toilet! It's luxurious!" She obviously could not understand the girl's horror.
"M-mate? Don't tell me y-you cannot have privacy w-when...?" Minako almost shouted, while Usagi and Ami went ruby red. Rei and Makoto scoffed at her reaction.
"Obviously not! You dummies! Mated pairs are given private chambers!" This was the first time Nizuki blushed in front of them. She thought of herself and Captain Maizen in a private room, embracing... a dream come true! She blushed more.
"Stop making foolish remarks! It's too late for showing you the training rooms. Go to bed and try catching some true sleep, not that chemical daze of the medical pods. Tomorrow morning you have your first mission!"
"First mission? W-what mission? Where?" Ami asked her immediately.
"Tomorrow morning you will take off in attack balls for planet Babke. I booked you for this while you were healing. I chose a mission of appropriate difficulty. The natives are quite strong, but you should not have any problems to kill them all!" She told them smiling, while getting out of the room. "Now go to sleep. Suspended animation in an attack ball does not count for rest; I want you at peak efficiency. Bye!" The door closed off, locking the horrified friends inside the room.