Author: "AUTHOR NOTE TIME! Remember how in the last chapter I said it was extremely long? Yeah, this one's even longer LOOOOOOOOOOOO- K, so, do pardon the strange schedules lately, my Writer's Block has been almost fully tamed. All I need is finish the chapter I'm currently typing and I will have everything ready for next week as well.

Now, this chapter. A LOT of interesting things will happen in this chapter. And there is one in particular that might get your hearts all butterfly-ish and fuzzy. But I seriously can't speak about this chapter without spoiling anything, because there are a bunch of secrets and revelations in it. So... yeah... Read, review, follow, fave, do whatchu wanna do."

Lost Origin: A Saiyan's Quest

Isaac: "So... what's the story?"

Ninomiya: "Ugh... I don't even wanna think about it... I died defending Sakura form this 'Frostbitter' guy. He was a madman!"

Isaac: "Oh, that's terrible... That makes three of us that die to save that crazy monkey girl."

Rufus: "Woof, woof!"

Ninomiya: "Yeah... I'm almost certain she's alive, though. If she wasn't, you can bet her and Scorzette would have come looking for me... Or, well, probably just Sakura."

Isaac: "Scorzette? New friend of y'all?"

Ninomiya: "Yeah, she's another Saiyan that came to Earth a while after you two died. She was evil at first, but Sakura righted her. Though, she was pissed at me cause I cut her tail off. I think it grew back a short while before I got murdered, but I can barely remember anything from that day."

Isaac: "Ah, I see. It's a good thing you're here, Ninomiya. Well, I'm not happy that you're... you know, dead, but it gets boring up here sometimes. Rufus is a great buddy, can't say I can keep a long conversation with him."

Rufus: "Hurr?"

Chapter 48: Ill Minded

It was as if time itself had ceased to progress. Sakura's view was locked on the decaying helicopter on the horizon - the helicopter where Ivy was held captive. Everything around her seemed to stop. The clouds were not moving, the air was not blowing, Scorzette appeared to be paralyzed, and even her heart came to a halt. The only motion Sakura's eyes captured was the downfall of the flying machine in the distance. Her hearing senses had shut down, making it impossible to hear her own voice as she yelled Ivy's name at the top of her lungs. The outstanding smelling abilities that Saiyans were well known for had completely disappeared from Sakura's talents. She was trying her very hardest to compute what was unraveling in front of her eyes. But alas, this task turned impossible, and the monkey-tailed youth fell to the land of the unconscious.

Scorzette: "Litua?! Litua!" *shakes Sakura* "Litua, Litua, Litua, wake up! This is not the time to faint! This is NOT. The TIME. To FAINT! Come on!" *continues shaking Sakura*

Sakura: "..."

Scorzette: "Damn, she's out cold! Gaaahh, I shouldn't have said all of that! She was right, I did get carried away... B-But she also said a bunch of nasty things about me! Calling me a murderer and... and..." *looks at Sakura*

Sakura: "..."

Scorzette: "... Bah! This isn't the time to think about that! OK, OK, I need to..." *looks at smoke coming from grounded helicopter* "... umm..." *looks at Sakura* "... eh... aah...!" *looks back and forth between the two* "This... gah!"

Scorzette was debating on what needed her attention the most: snapping her only friend out of her fainted state, or check the condition of the one that caused her to go unconscious in the first place. Either way, both of these issues needed to be addressed, but in what order? If she managed to wake Sakura up again, the first thing she would ask is for Ivy. And God forbid, if Ivy was dead, there was no telling what Sakura's reaction could be at the sight of the corpse. If Scorzette went and checked on Ivy first, she would be able to deliver the grim news more calmly, if need be. But Sakura would be left by herself and unattended until she came back. Were she to wake up alone, no doubt she would wander off looking for Ivy, if she even remembered where the helicopter fell. She could get lost, and it could take ages to find her again. The smoke from the helicopter crash was disappearing rapidly, for whatever reason. Once it disappeared completely, the beacon to the exact location of Ivy's body would be gone. Scorzette needed to choose quickly. In the end, she settled on going to check on Ivy while taking Sakura with her. There was another risk to this decision; if Ivy was dead, and Sakura woke up to see the corpse, she would have the same problem as with option one. Somehow, that child managed to grow an almost unbreakable bond with Sakura in such a short period of time. Even though from most perspectives this was a good thing, the current situation made that fact as dreadful as it could get. Sakura could grow extremely attached to someone, and when that person was lost, it broke her heart almost beyond repair. If Sakura had to go through another loss like Ninomiya's, the Saiyaness could be gone forever, in a more mental manner rather than physical. Ivy's currently unknown state of health became the bane of Scorzette's existence, as it alone could be a decisive factor for her only friend's future. Finally, Scorzette filled herself with courage. She got on the Wind Shark, took Sakura's unconscious body on her arms, and raced towards the rapidly fainting cloud of smoke.

On her way there, yet another storm of thoughts hit Scorzette. She had a quick flashback to Sakura's words before the incident. Sakura was screaming at Scorzette about how she did not bother to check Ivy's health, doing so in an almost maniacal fashion. The main reason these words were so painful to Scorzette back then was because of the person they were coming from, and how unexpectedly they came to be. The biting insults that came afterwards were of no help, either. But now, looking back at it, Scorzette could see just how truthful Sakura's words were. Scorzette really did not seem to care too much for Ivy as a person, but rather, she was mesmerized by the fact that they had found another Saiyan, specially in such an odd world. If this were the old Scorzette, that would be perfectly normal. But the Saiyaness had redeemed herself, and she was now a benevolent individual. At least, that was what Sakura hoped. Maybe Scorzette would never be the goody-two-shoes that her moderately younger friend was, but she had grown into a more tranquil and caring person since their meeting. Suddenly, Scorzette felt like she should legitimately care for Ivy. The girl was just an innocent poor child whose home planet and real family were gone, just like Scorzette. And just like her, they both had inner powers that could explode in the most dire of situations. The more she thought of it, the more relatable Ivy was becoming. Heck, probably any Saiyan out there who was still alive was in a similar or worse scenario. Scorzette became strangely disappointed in herself, and wished that she could go back a few days and act much friendlier towards Ivy. Then she remembered, all hope was not lost yet. Ivy was indeed a Saiyan, one of the strongest warrior races in the universe! Even if she was just four, a simple helicopter crash was not going to end her life! Thinking positive, Scorzette accelerated, as she began smelling the small flames that were about to wither away.

Meanwhile, on Earth...

Mrs. Ikeda: *fixing laundry* "..." *sigh* "... Sakura isn't back yet..."

Hitomi: *helping* "... They've been out for weeks now..."

Mrs. Ikeda: "... You don't suppose... something... bad happened... right?"

Hitomi: "... Nah, the Dragon Balls are scattered all over the world! Even if they have the Dragon Radar, it's bound to take them a while to get from place to place!"

Mrs. Ikeda: "Yeah... Yeah, I think I'm just a bit paranoid..." *thinks of Ninomiya* "I just... God... I can't believe my son is actually dead..."

Hitomi: "Don't worry about it so much, mom! He won't stay like that for long. Remember, Sakura was also determined to revive him. And we know how far Sakura can go when she puts her mind onto something!"

Mrs. Ikeda: *sigh* "You're right... I should stop worrying so much for now."

Hitomi: "It's for the best. Though..."

Mrs. Ikeda: "Hm?"

Hitomi: "I wonder how... how is Ninomiya going to handle the whole '134th Guardian of the Ikeda' deal? I mean, he's strong, yeah, but... Now that he's traveled across the world, and even gone to outer space, he's met some of the strongest characters in the universe. And the bad part is that he was actually beaten by all of them, very easily so."

Mrs. Ikeda: "So, what you're saying..."

Hitomi: "I'm saying that, maybe, he's not going to be strong enough to defend the village from everything. One of those super powerful bad guys could show up and just wipe everything out. Not even the entire village together could stand a chance."

Mrs. Ikeda: "But... But there's also Sakura, remember?"

Mr. Ikeda: *walks in* "Counting on Sakura to be there is not the wisest of things."

... OK, how the hell does Mr. Ikeda keep popping out of nowhere in the middle of a conversation?

Author: "He's an old master that at least remotely belongs to the world of Dragon Ball Z. He can do whatever the crap he wants!"

You are a horrible negotiator.

Mr. Ikeda: "AHEM... As I was saying, it is not guaranteed that Sakura will be available to us in all occasions. Someday, she will grow into a mature lady and move on, away from Waterleaf Village."

Hitomi: "H-How are you so sure she'll move away from here, dad?"

Mr. Ikeda: "You could call it a 'gut feeling.' For starters, though, we are all well aware that she is not from this planet. She belongs to the Saiyan race, just as her partner Scorzette does. The reason she even began a journey was to find out more about her species, and now look how far she's come. She has found another individual like her. I no doubt that Sakura will continue to discover everything about the Saiyans, and earn her rightful place with the rest of them."

Hitomi: "But, Sakura would never forget her Ikeda roots, right?"

Mr. Ikeda: "Though I cannot say for sure, I trust that Sakura will always cherish what she has experienced with us, and recognize us as her family by nurture rather than by nature. She is like a daughter to us, and my pride for her is inextinguishable. But I can sense the future holds great things on Sakura's path. And she will never reach said things by staying in such a humble home as this."

Mrs. Ikeda: "And what about her relationship with our son?"

Mr. Ikeda: "As much as Ninomiya is like a brother to her, he is not the one destined for her. Beyond their difference in species, Ninomiya is simply not Sakura's... 'style.' She enjoys his company and worries for him, yet cannot see him as anything beyond a close friend. Besides, I feel Sakura may be already finding love in someone else..."

Author: "HAH! Friendzoned!"

Hitomi: "So... it really is just Ninomiya, then..."

Mr. Ikeda: "Yes, he is the one chosen as the guardian of this village."

Hitomi: "... Dad... I want you... to train me."

Mrs. Ikeda: "Hitomi?!"

Hitomi: "I-I want to help defend this village! You've taught me the basics of Martial Arts, but I want to be as strong as my brother! Even if I don't get a title as important as his, I don't care, I want to prove my worth in the Ikeda legacy!"

Mr. Ikeda: "..." *inhales* *exhales* "This is not an easy training that you are requesting. Is it what you truly desire, Hitomi?"

Hitomi: "Yes, dad! I don't want an easy route, I want to gain through real effort!"

Mr. Ikeda: "Hm... Very well."

Mrs. Ikeda: "Honey?!"

Hitomi: "Yes!"

Mr. Ikeda: "Your training begins... today."

Back with our heroes, Scorzette was closing in on the helicopter's location, still holding an unconscious Sakura on her arms. Finally done questioning her morals and emotional conflicts, she began thinking of the logical side of the situation. Before the helicopter began falling, several metallic spikes exploded from the inside of it, presumably these being the ones that destroyed the engine. But where could they have possibly come from? Was it a special weapon the Gurugurus in the facility were working on? Could it be the Thief Thugs' doing? There had to be some sort of explanation to their origin. What about the Dragon Balls? On one side, they were magical artifacts essentially crafted by God himself. On the other side, they were simply crystal balls, and it was uncertain if they could sustain too much damage. Scorzette hoped that they were in working conditions still, but she refused to rule out the possibility of them being shattered into pieces by the impact. Through the years, she had learned that denying the negative probabilities would only make it worse when they became reality. Then the Thief Thugs came to mind. Surely, there was no way in a million years that a pair of weak humans like them could have survived such an incident. But what if they managed to escape just in time? If they did, then one more thing was certain: the Dragon Balls were not going to be there. Scorzette continued to think of all the potential sightings that she would witness. And before she knew it, she arrived at the scene.

The first thing she saw was the helicopter, with several metallic spikes coming from inside of it, and the fire of the exploded engine had already disappeared. Out of the bat, one doubt was answered. There laid the bodies of Boom and Bam, completely motionless, pale, and covered in injuries. Boom was stuck to the helicopter with one of the metallic spikes pierced through his head, and another through his stomach, removing any possibility of survival. Bam was lying face first against the ground in a puddle of his own blood a couple of meters away from the flying apparatus, his head shaped in an awkward form. And close to him was Sakura's bag, and all seven Dragon Balls were scattered on its surrounding floor. That answered two of Scorzette's priority question. But the most important concern was still at bay. Where was Ivy? Her body absolutely needed to be found, and she had best be alive for everyone's well being! That was when Scorzette's superior hearing caught on a soft whine coming from the other side of the helicopter. Her heart rate calmed vastly after recognizing it was Ivy's voice, only for it to speed up tremendously again when she noticed how weak and distressed it sounded. Scorzette carefully put Sakura to rest on the Wind Shark, and then jumped over the helicopter to quickly get to the other side. There was Ivy!

Her small and innocent body was laying face down, and it was right next to the helicopter, her thighs coming in contact with the metal. Ivy's face was facing to the left, revealing some new cuts and wounds that gave her infamous neck scar company. Her eyes were shut and squinting softly, proving how she was upset about the pain, and her mouth was slightly open, yet another weak whine coming from it. But then Scorzette saw what the real problem was. Ivy's tail was being crushed by the extreme weight of the helicopter! The poor child had not gone through tail training yet, so her furry appendage was still her biggest weak point. Scorzette had a quick flashback to the times when her own tail was untrained, and the excruciating pain that punished her when a simple hand caught grip of it. It was a miracle that Ivy was still conscious (though barely) after having her tail pressured by such a thing for God knows how long. She was probably going through hell right now. Without hesitation, Scorzette rushed towards the helicopter and tightened her grasp on the metallic surface, ready to lift the machine up. Then she noticed a few things about the spikes. The complete inside of the helicopter was actually filled with a giant metallic ball, and the spikes came from said ball. Not only that, but some parts of the metallic ball as well as the spikes were missing, as if they had rusted away from the second the object was created. And finally, Scorzette recognized the strange texture of the metal when she laid her hands on it. This was the same corroded and disturbing material that had pierced her Great Ape body almost two months ago, and the same metal that Blanca Byoodo could summon to aid her in her battles. It was Brontobit. Regardless, this was not the time to stop to think about all the questions and concerns that this discovery brought about. With all her might (actually, not all her might, just what she needed), Scorzette lifted the wrecked chopper and pushed Ivy's tail out of the way with her feet. Seeing as it was safe now, she let the machine drop, causing a strong turmoil to echo across the rocky fields.

Scorzette: "There..." *knees in front of Ivy* "Hey, kiddo, you OK?"

Ivy: "Ah... aahh..." *comforts tail* "... ooooowwwww..."

Scorzette: "Here, let me help you. I know a way to make the pain go away faster." *gently puts hand under Ivy's tail* "Let it loose."

Ivy: "Hm...?" *lets go of tail* "Hnngh..."

Scorzette: "Dad taught me this way back when. If you shake the part that connects the nerves of the tail to the rest of the body..." *does that* "... your brain stops registering the pain. And depending on how badly it was pressured, you should keep doing this until the pain is fully gone. Judging by how bad that was, we might be here a few minutes."

Ivy: "Ah...?" *pain greatly diminishes* "Aah! Haha!"

Scorzette: "Looks like it's working already. That's good..." *puts other hand on Ivy's shoulder* "Hey, Ivy, I... How do I put this..."

Ivy: "Eh?"

Scorzette: "Litua has been really sweet and kind to you, almost as if you were her own baby. But I, uh... I've been kind of a jerk lately, and for no reason. I haven't shown much affection to you, and have simply ignored your pleas of help, putting my own desires on top. I've basically just acted like a stereotypical 'tall, dark, and gruesome' Saiyan, which let me tell you right now, it's not the right thing. I mean, look at Litua, or if you wanna call her 'Sakura,' whatever flows your boat. We are essentially equal in power, but have gone through completely different trainings."

Ivy: "Po... wer...?"

Scorzette: "Yeah... I don't know if your brain is too young to understand this, but let me try to explain. Litua's training was tough, but she was treated kindly and she had family and friends that would be there to cheer her up. Me, on the other hand, I was basically fighting for my life since day one. And all that did to me was make me ruthless and selfish, but my strength only improved so much over the course of so many years. It made me just strong enough and heartless enough to do some horrible things, things that I hope you never get to know about."

Ivy: "Huh..."

Scorzette: "Eh... Basically, what I'm trying to say is that I feel terrible for acting the way I have, and I'm sorry. And I also hope that we can start over with a clean slate. So... Hi, I'm Scorzette, and you're..."

Ivy: "Haha! I-vy!"

Scorzette: "Heh... Nice to meet you, Ivy. I think you should be good now." *lets go of Ivy's tail* "Better?"

Ivy: *doesn't hurt anymore* "Haha! Tha-nks!"

Scorzette: "That's great! Now let's check on Litua, I need her to see that you're alive. And there's gotta be some things in the bag that we can use to heal those wounds on your face."

Ivy: "Mhm!"

Ivy followed Scorzette to the other side of the helicopter, where Sakura remained unconscious lying on the Wind Shark. Scorzette still had a lot of questions, mainly regarding the origin of the Brontobit and the strange disappearance of the fire that should have been there. However, these were not on top of her priority list just quite yet, and attending Sakura was of higher importance. As soon as she sighted her, Ivy came running towards her cheerful friend, who had been acting almost like a mother to her. Ivy shook Sakura's body in an attempt to wake her up, all to no avail. Scorzette proceeded to follow the same actions as Ivy, and ultimately acquiring the same results. They both began to get worried that Sakura might have suffered some sort of mental damage, and were now determined to wake her up.

Scorzette: *trying to wake Sakura up* "Lituaaa... wake uuuup... don't... don't do this to us, this isn't funny...! Crap... She should be back to being conscious already, why is she still so deeply out of it?!"

Ivy: *shaking Sakura* "Waah... Waah!"

Scorzette: "OooooK, she's not waking up... This is bad. I might have to... apply... CPR..." *gulp* "I've never done this before... Heck, I barely even know how it works... But it's not looking like we have much of a choice here..."

Ivy: "See... Pee... Are..."

Scorzette: "Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation."

Ivy: "... C-P-R."

Scorzette: "Thought so." *gets on top of Sakura* "OK..." *opens Sakura's mouth* "... It's just... CPR... No biggie..." *closes eyes* "And..."

Sakura: *tail jerks* "... Hmm..." *opens eye slightly* "...?"

Scorzette: "GO!"

Scorzette violently launched her head towards Sakura, and immediately put her mouth against hers upon contact. Her eyes were squinting shut, and she was kind of breathing air into Sakura's lungs but kind of not. There was no doubt Scorzette had not the slightest clue of how to perform CPR. Any health class instructor would have called Scorzette's action a kiss, and they would be about right. Sakura's eyes shot open once Scorzette became the only thing she could see, due to how close she was. She was staring into her friend's closed eyes, partially wanting for them to open so she would realize what she was doing. But her other side, her instinctive side, was grasping every aspect of the situation, and enjoying it. Scorzette's mouth pushing against hers was certainly a strange feeling, but not necessarily a bad one. It gave Sakura a sense of warmth and passion, and a mysterious lust that her recently-reached puberty was barely beginning to comprehend. She could smell Scorzette's powerful scent, lingering with confidence and pride, both which were traits Scorzette surely did not lack. Sakura could feel her ally's warmth envelop her entire body in a layer of security (this word choice, I swear...). She could even hear Scorzette's heart beating heavily and rapidly, as was her own. Then Scorzette opened her eyes, and saw a pair of eyes the same ebony color as hers stare back. Suddenly, all that Sakura was feeling transferred to Scorzette, and now both characters were sharing the same state of mind and body. Sakura's eyes looked innocent and subdued, almost "cute" by Scorzette's definition. Her entire body was submissive and had given in to Scorzette's control, as if Sakura was asking her to do whatever she desired. Without noticing, both of the Saiyans' tails had intertwined, and were "hugging" each other in an almost intimate fashion. Both of these individuals could feel their wild senses begging for this moment to never end, and take it to the next level. Accompanied by all of these passionate emotions was an incredible awkwardness that even Ivy could feel. However, even after Scorzette fully realized that Sakura was wide awake and that she did not need "CPR" anymore, her body refused to let go. The awkwardness began to fade away, until there was only love. Slowly, Sakura rose her hands and put them on top of Scorzette's back, tightly grasping her partner. She calmly started pulling Scorzette's body towards her own, the both of them smoothly closing their eyes in unison. And then just as both pair of breasts came in contact with each other, Scorzette snapped and literally jumped out of Sakura's grip onto the ground a meter or two away, finally ending her "CPR" procedure.

Scorzette: *mighty blushing* "Um... eh... I... tah... this... I mean... uh..."

Sakura: *mighty blushing* "Ah... W... Wa... Was... Was... Was that... C... PR...?"

Scorzette: "Umm... yeah! Yeah! Yeah?! Y-Yeah! Yeah... Yeah... Yeah, it was... it was CPR, yeah..."

Sakura: "O-Oh... Oh... OK... that was... that was..."

Scorzette: "It... It was... s-something... yeah..."

Ivy: *shocked face* "... huh?"

Sakura: *gasp* "Ivy?! Ivy!" *hugs Ivy* "Oh my god, you have no idea of how worried I was! I saw that they took you in the helicopter, and then I was crying, and then there were a bunch of weird voices yelling at me, and then... and then... that's all I can remember..."

Ivy: "Wah...?"

Scorzette: "Wait, that... that's all you can remember?"

Sakura: "Yeah...? Wait, WHOA! What's up with the chopper?! And... w-where are we? Scorzette, what happened after all the weird voices started yelling?"

Scorzette: "... Umm... (I better not tell her. It's for the best that that little argument stays out of her memory) T-The voices were too much for you, so you kind of fainted... And then... the... t-the Guruguru Police Patrol came in, and they used one of their 'secret' weapons and stuff, and... and-and then they brought the helicopter down from a distance... Y-Yeah, yeah, from a distance... But they rescued Ivy... somehow... And then I, uh... I carried you here, and since you were still unconscious, I did the... the... the CPR thing... T-That's what happened."

Sakura: "Really? But, where are the Gurugurus then?"

Scorzette: "T-They left! Because they had, like, no more business here, so, uh... Yeah... They just left..."

Sakura: "And... And how did you communicate with th-"

Scorzette: "LITUA, WE ARE ALL SAFE AND THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS, THANK YOU. We even recovered all the Dragon Balls, look." *points at Dragon Balls*

Sakura: "Hey, they're all the-" *notices Boom and Bam* "Oh my god, they're dead... Very dead! Gosh, the Gurugurus are a lot more violent than I thought..."

Scorzette: "That they are, Litua. That they are." *goes and puts all Dragon Balls in bag* "Well, FINALLY, we have gathered all seven Dragon Balls. Do you wanna make the wish now?"

Sakura: "I-I don't know if they'll work outside of Earth... And I also want everyone in Waterleaf Village to see!"

Scorzette: "That, that's a good point, Litua. And I'm sure Ivy's anxious to meet her new home!" *pats Ivy's head*

Ivy: "Haha!" *wiggles tail happily*

Scorzette: "Right, let's just make sure we're not forgetting anything and then we'll head back to the lab facility. They might have a ship or something that we can use to get back to Earth."

Sakura and Ivy did as Scorzette said and explored the surrounding area for any possible belongings lying around. While looking for any items, Scorzette got a morbid curiosity to check Bam's body, specifically his deformed head. Carefully examining its structure, she came to a shocking conclusion: Ivy had been the one to kill him. What had happened to Bam was that his brain riotously shook inside his cranium, causing bumps to appear from the inside of his head and dislocating his master organ, followed by an instant death. The only way this could have happened was if a force inside of him shook his brain, as there were no noticeable cuts on his head that would allow someone to reach inside directly. And the only one that could do that in the helicopter was Ivy, using her telekinetic powers. That was a gruesome way to go, and especially since it was done by a mere child. Quickly glancing at Ivy, Scorzette saw only innocence in those young eyes, so she probably did not have the intention to actually kill her victim. Ivy was instinctively defending herself, and her undeveloped mind did not allow her to measure how much damage she should apply, much less understand how much power she actually possessed. After the quick scouting and finding that all of their pertinences were in place, our heroes got on the Wind Shark and rode back to the Gurugurus' lab facility, giving one last look at the Thief Thugs' corpses.

Meanwhile, in the Otherworld...

Ninomiya: *drinking water* "So, how's it been, Isaac?"

Isaac: "Good, good. It's been fun to not have to smell radioactive waste when I wake up every morning. And a bit of fresh air is always good. Rufus and I actually have a home now. Nothing big, but it's better than a pile of newspaper."

Ninomiya: "I can picture that. There must not be a whole lot of talking dogs up here in Heaven, I'd assume?"

Isaac: "You'd be correct. There's human-dog hybrids and stuff, but I'm the only legit talking dog I know. And then there's a bunch of people trying to pet us all the time. Rufus likes it, I could care less."

Rufus: "Woof, woof!"

Ninomiya: "I see. So it's just peace and quiet, no particular or exciting events of the sort. I can deal with that. I really wanted to be the 134th Guardian of the Ikeda, but it looks like I just wasn't fit for the task."

Isaac: "Yeah... How long have you been here, by the way?"

Ninomiya: "A few weeks, I think. Probably half of what you've been or so. I live down the street, and I've got this weird 'TV' thing. It's like a screen, and there's a controller, and then you flip the channels. And almost every channel has a bunch of stupid people yelling at each other for no apparent reason. But there's this really cool show called 'Ed, Edd n Eddy,' about these three dudes going around the neighborhood doing stupid things. It's hilarious. Besides that, I just relax and sort of try to fight the solitude away by training. Now that I found you, I at least have someone to talk to."

Isaac: "Same here. We have some 'acquaintances,' but not a real buddy that I can just sit down and chat with. Say, you must really miss Sakura and the others."

Ninomiya: *sigh* "Yeah... It's been a lot more peaceful and a lot less painful without her around, but I can't say I don't miss adventuring with her. She's a nice kid, almost like a sister to me, and I hope she's doing fine down on Earth. As for Scorzette, I don't 'HATE' her per say, we just... don't get along very well. Now it's too late to fix that."

Woman: *carrying plate* "Here you go, boys! Warm bread, straight out of the oven! I hope you like it!"

Isaac: "Hey, thanks a lot, Mrs. Shaylot! It's great to see that there are indeed some kind-hearted Saiyans out there, not like the space pirates the books speak of."

Shaylot: *swaying tail up and down* "Oh, Isaac, you're too kind!" *hugs Rufus* "And who's a good boy? Yes you are!"

Rufus: "Woof, woof!" *wiggles tail happily*

Ninomiya seems to have finally started becoming comfortable in the afterlife, oblivious that Sakura was trying to get him back to life. Just recently, he met with his old partner Isaac, who was still sharing the same body with Rufus. And now, yet another Saiyan has joined the picture! Down on Earth, Hitomi already began her training with Mr. Ikeda, hoping to someday equal her brother in strength and skill (which considering how weak Ninomiya actually is, it should be no problem at all). And finally, our heroes on the Gurugurus' planet were closing in to the lab facility, looking for a way to get back to Earth! Can they find a solution to their interplanetary problem? What is to become of the Ikeda family in the near future? Find out next time on Lost Origin: A Saiyan's Quest!

To be continued...

Bonus Skit

Meanwhile, in the Otherworld's check-in station...

Bam: "Psst! Bro, I think we're dead."

Boom: *smacks Bam* "YOU THINK, BRO?! Did the huge line of souls give it away?!"

Bam: "Oooowww... Hey, bro, whadda ya think'll happen to us?"

Boom: "We goin' straight to Hell, bro. To claim our spot as the greatest thieves of all time!"

Bam: "I know, rite-pffthehehehehehe!"

King Yemma: "NEXT!"

Thief Thugs: *gulp* "Yes, sir..."

King Yemma: "OK, let's see... Boom Kah and Bam Kah, 'ey? Father was given life imprisonment due to illegal drug trade; mother lives in a poor neighborhood off of charity; you have had two successful robberies in your lives, one was a fake gold watch and the other was... a lamp."

Boom: "Hey, we need light to plan our evil schemes-"

King Yemma: "SILENCE! ... Right. You have minor charges for public disturbance, mainly from making too much noise at night; you helped a kitty down a tree only because it wasn't letting you sleep; aaaand, you kidnapped and threatened a Saiyan child's life shortly before your death. Said child proceeded to murder you horribly soon afterwards."

Bam: "So... we goin' to Hell?"

King Yemma: "No, actually, this is far too pathetic, even for Hell. So, you're going to Heaven."

Thief Thugs: "REALLY?!"

King Yemma: "Yes... as the newest janitors."

Thief Thugs: "NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOO!"