Ranma Z

 

Chapter Ten

 

Saiyan vs. Saiyan!  Ranma’s Full Power!

 

 

 

            Ranma looks over at the Saiyan.  There is no denying the hate in his eyes, there is also no denying that he cannot win.  Benjamin had done a number on him before he was able to transform and defeat the Saiyan follower.  Ranma tries to move but falls to his knees.  “It would seem that Benjamin beat you pretty badly.”  The Saiyan looks up at the sky.  “Why that fool let you transform is beyond me.”

            (“He doesn’t know about the Taiyoken!”)

            “I’m almost disappointed that I won’t be able to fight you myself.”  The Saiyan points a finger at Ranma.

            “Be careful what you wish for!  Taiyoken!”

 

            “Heal me quickly!”  Ranma practically yells at Saturn.

            “H…Hai!”  She moves to do so.

            “Are you all right?”  Pluto asks as she rubs her eyes.

            “I’ve been better.”  His mind begins to go through the options he has open to him.  “Listen, you girls aren’t going be much help.  Please run.  Just get out of here.  If I destroy his scouter he won’t be able to track you.  Maybe he’ll spare the planet after he kills me.”

            “Fat chance.  Don’t worry about us.  You just worry about winning,” Pluto says as her vision begins to return.

            “Fat chance,” Ranma mumbles.

            Pluto smiles.  “Listen if you win I’ll…I’ll,” She sighs.  “I’ll go on a date with you, all right?”

            Ranma looks at her as if she’s grown another head.  “You’re kidding right?”  Pluto shakes her head.  “I’ve got enough girls practically throwing themselves at me.  What makes you think I’d date someone who’s trying to kill me?”  He stands up as Saturn finishes healing him.

            Pluto frowns.  “Sorry it’s the only thing I could think of.”

            Ranma sighs and begins walking back towards the Saiyan.  “Friday and seven, ok?”

            Pluto smiles and nods.  “Sure.”

 

            The Saiyan eyes Ranma warily as he returns to the battlefield.  (“He has some interesting techniques.  I must not underestimate him, or I may end up like Benjamin.”)  They stand eyeing one another for a moment.  Finally Ranma makes the first moves.  He zanzoukens in front of the Saiyan and punches at him.  The Saiyan, however, catches it.  “Pathetic.”  He tosses Ranma back and gets up.  “I would have thought you were more of a challenge.  ‘Course anyone who surrounds himself with weaklings like those that just fought can’t be too tough.”  Ranma growls in anger.  “Don’t worry I didn’t kill them.  There’s no need.  I’m just going to destroy this planet when I’m done with you.”

            “Like Hell you are!  Double Keio-ken!”  Ranma streaks forward again.  This time a fist meets him.  He stubbles back and is surprised when the Saiyan doesn’t push his advantage.

            “You didn’t even break 1,400.  I am disappointed.  You were supposed to be the greatest genetic creation ever made by our race.  And yet you’re a weakling.”

            “Genetic creation?”

            “Oh that’s right, you don’t know.  Well let me enlighten you.  You story begins 30 years ago.  The Saiyan race was teetering on the edge of extinction.  The Jurians had all but destroyed us.  There was an outpost on a planet about 35 light years from Jurian where the Saiyan race was beginning to gain some power.  That growth would be short lived, however.  The Jurians descended on the outpost and wiped out everyone.  What does this have to do with you, you ask?  Everything.  The outpost was very important because he was home to most of the scientists in the Saiyan race.  One of these scientists had been doing genetic experiments with Saiyan DNA.  He is responsible for the strengthening of the race as a whole.  Thousands of years ago the Saiyan race was not nearly as powerful as it is today.  In fact the average power level of an elite was only around 300.  But now the elites have power levels in the 100,000’s.  This scientist also did experiments that combined Saiyan DNA and the DNA of some of our old enemies.  You were that experiment.”

            “But I’m only 16!”

            “I’ll get to that in a second.  When the Jurians descended on the outpost the scientist moved to save you.  He sent your spacepod along with dozens and dozens of decoys out.  The main difference between your ship and the decoys, aside from the fact that only one had a lifeform in it, was your ship had a delay built into it.  You were cryogenically frozen and placed in a ship that floated in space.  The Jurians, believing that there was nothing in the pod, left it be.  After a week the pod activated and went flying.  But something went wrong.  The cryogenic freezing probably damaged the pod’s navigational computers.  So you were sent off into space.  You landed here.  With your ship damage it probably took years before it had enough power to unfreeze you.  And now here you are.”

            Ranma frowns.  (“So that’s what I am.”)

            “And now it is time for you to die.”  The Saiyan begins to advance on him slowly.

            Ranma eyes the Saiyan with no small amount of fear.  (“Now what?  I don’t have the power to beat him.  I’d need at least a Keio-ken Time Seven to stand a chance.  If I had the Tenchi Key, I might get lucky and stab him…if he let me.  Wait a minute!”)  Something within Ranma’s mind clicks.  (“That’s it!”)  Ranma calms himself and stands straight up.

            The Saiyan stops and looks at Ranma in confusion.  “Have you resigned yourself to your fate?”

            Ranma frowns as beads of sweat begin to trickle down his face.

            The Saiyan become angry.  “Answer me!”  He yells out.  Ranma doesn’t answer.  “Fine then.”  The Saiyan prepares to attack.  He stops gathering his ki as his scouter begins to show an increase in Ranma’s power.  “Nani?  That can’t be right.  1,450?”  But it is right, and the reading continues to climb.  “1,500?  1,750?  1,900?  Now 2,000?”  The Saiyan looks at Ranma in surprise.  His gray aura is surrounding him.  “So this is not the Keio-ken technique that he used earlier,” The Saiyan notes.  He smiles and takes a step towards the still frowning Ranma.  “I am slightly impressed.  Earlier you couldn’t break 1,400 now you’re at 2,000.  But you are still too weak to beat me.”

            Ranma smirks.  “Lets find out how weak I am.  Double Keio-ken!”

            Ranma slams into the Saiyan with as much force as he can gather.  The Saiyan barely has time to read his scouter before it is destroyed by Ranma’s blow.  (“4,000?”)  He is very surprised.  Ranma lashes out with all of his skill attempting to bridge the still existent gap between their powers.  Skill, however, is unable to balance the scales.  The Saiyan lashes out with all of his power and begins to land blows.

            (“Chikushou!  It ain’t enough!”)  Ranma falls back and begins to defend.  He blocks a few punches that all but break his arms.  But in the end he cannot stop them all.  He is knocked on his back with one final punch.  (“Chikushou!”)  He looks up.  The Saiyan is floating over him with his hands extended.

            “Die!”  He screams as he prepares to attack.

            That attack, however, near come.  “Sailor Planet Attack!”

            The Saiyan turns back just in time to be struck by the combined powers of the Senshi.  Their attack does little, but does disrupt the Saiyan’s concentration.  He stops gathering his ki and glares at the Senshi.  “You thought that would beat me?”  He screams as he lets loose an attack.

            “Shin Moko Takibasha!”  Ranma yells.  His ball of ki knocks the Saiyan’s off course.  The Saiyan growls and turns back to Ranma.  “I’m your opponent!”  Ranma cries out as he brings his hands to his face.  “Taiyoken!”

 

            The Saiyan growls and rubs his eyes.  (“It didn’t effect me as much this time since I was prepared.”)  His sight finally returns.  He looks down and sees that Ranma is still standing in more or less the same spot.  “Just for that I’m goin’ make your death as painful as possible!”  The Saiyan cries out.

            Ranma suppresses his grin.  (“That’s it moron come on!”)

            The Saiyan zanzoukens in front of Ranma and picks him up by the front of his shirt.  (“I don’t understand why he used that attack again.  He didn’t even attack when I was blind.  What was he…Of course!”)  He looks back to where the girls where a second ago.  (“They’re gone!”)  He smiles.  (“No matter.  I’m going to destroy this world any way.”)  He turns back to Ranma and grins.  “You have only delayed the inevitable for yourself and your friends.”  He brings Ranma’s face down to his.  “Do you have anything to say before the beating begins?”

            “Yeah I do.”  He smiles.  “Got ya!”

            “Nani?”  The Saiyan is confused by Ranma’s words.  That confusion is replaced seconds later…by pain.  He looks down to see a blue energy blade protruding from his chest.  He tosses Ranma back and turns to see…Ranma.  “How?”

            “It’s a split form I learned,” The Ranma with the sword explains.  “Then I used the sword technique I learned from Ryoko.”  He lets the energy weapon die out.  “I couldn’t go for your head since you were too close to mine, but there’s a weak spot in your armor right below the heart.”

            The Saiyan growls and slaps Ranma away.  The other Ranma appears and catches the other Ranma.  “The wound is bad but not fatal.  Too bad for you.”

            “Maybe so,” Ranma says as he recombines into one being.  “But your power’s gone down.”  He takes a calming breath before continue speaking.  “I’m goin’ win this fight.”

            The Saiyan frowns.  “You’re right.  My wound and blood loss has affected my power.”  He smiles.  “However, you’re too weak to beat me, and I doubt that you can use your Keio-ken technique.”

            Ranma nods.  “You’re right as well.  But I don’t need the Keio-ken.”

            The Saiyan growls and lunges forward.  “Bullshit!  I’m goin’ kill you and everyone around here!”  Ranma dodges and moves as quickly as he can to dodge the follow up attack.  The Saiyan continually attacks.  A few attacks get passed Ranma’s defense.  But something is bothering the Saiyan.  (“He’s just dodging and blocking.  Why isn’t he attacking?”)

            (“Almost there.”)

            A few more punches and kicks land.  Ranma skids to a halt and goes to a knee.  “That was the most pathetic excuse for fighting that I’ve ever seen.”  The Saiyan pulls back a fist to finish off the fight.

            Ranma smiles.  “Baka.”  He looks up at the Saiyan and lashes out with a twisting uppercut.  “Hiryu Shoten Ha!”  The Saiyan’s eyes go wide.  His fist does not meet with his opponent’s head, as it should have.  Instead a rush of cold air propels both fist and body back and into the air.

 

            (“What is this?”)  The Saiyan looks around and is shocked to find himself within a tornado.  He smiles evilly.  (“Fool.  All I have to do is fly out of here.”)  He begins to move to the side of the twister.  The winds, however, are too strong.  The Saiyan is not worried.  He simply increases his ki.  But the winds around him increase in intensity.  (“Could it be?  The winds are powered by my ki?”)  Strategies begin running through the Saiyan’s mind.  (“I could power up and try to destroy the twister.  But my ki would probably just power it up even more.”)  He frowns as another option is thought up.  (“I could power down and wait for the twister to die out.  But it’s already sucked up allot of my ki.  The mutant would have the advantage.”)  The Saiyan looks around trying to find some way out.  He looks down and is surprised to see Ranma standing there as though nothing was happening.

           

Ranma smiles and calls out his attack, the only one he can use and hope to end the fight.  “Kijin Gun-Dairanbu!”  His arms blur as he uses all his non-ki enhanced speed to deliver his attack.

 

            The attack’s name is lost in the howling wind.  Its effect is not.  First one slash to an arm, then one to the stomach, then another to the other arm.  Soon Saiyan doesn’t even bother counting or noting where the slashes land.  All he can do is howl out in pain.

 

            Ranma walks up to the fallen Saiyan.  The tornado has at last subsided.  (“The Hiryu Shoten Ha and Kijin Gun-Dairanbu have done their jobs.  He will not rise, nor will he live.”)  Ranma stands near the Saiyan.  A hand falls on his shoulder.  Ranma doesn’t move.  He only smiles as his aches and wounds begin to disappear.  “Thanks.”

            Saturn nods and turns to her fallen enemy.  “Is he?”

            Ranma shakes his head.  “Not yet.”  He kneels.

            The Saiyan opens his eyes and turns his head to Ranma.  “So you beat me.  It was a good fight.”

            Ranma nods.  “It was.  I was lucky.”

            “Luck is as much apart of fighting as is power.”  The Saiyan smiles and looks up into the sky.  “One year.”

            Pluto steps forward.  “What?”

            “We were given nine months to find and kill the mutant.  After that nine months is over others will come.  It will take them three months to arrive.  So you have a year to live.”  The Saiyan’s breathing becomes ragged and labored.

            “Your name?”  Ranma asks.

            “Huh?”

            “I would like to know the name of the warrior who fought so well.”

            “Kyabu.  And yours is?”

            “Saotome Ranma.”

            Kyabu laughs.  “That is not a Saiyan name.  I’ll give you one.  A parting gift to the warrior who killed me.  Hmm…”

            “Kakorot,” Ranma decides to name himself.

            “Kakorot?”

            Ranma nods.  “I once knew a Saiyan named Son Goku.  His Saiyan name was Kakorot.  He taught me the Keio-ken, the Taiyoken, and the split form.”

            Kyabu nods.  “A truly powerful Saiyan.  I would like to meet him in the afterlife.”  Kyabu closes his eyes.  “Fight well.”

 

 

 

If you didn’t know already all Saiyans are named after vegetables, it’s a pun.  I found cabbage translated Kyabetsu so I thought Kyabu might work.  And if you didn’t know Kakorot, or however you want to spell it, is carrot.