The Quest

Marron was in her office, writing and tapping her fingers on the papers furiously. Her desk was full of newspapers and many other things like magazines, or even photographs. She stopped her work and lay herself down in the chair. Someone suddenly entered the room.
�Marron-san!�
�Takeshi, what do you want this time? I�m working here!�
�The boss want to see you in his office.�
�Hum... I�m coming...� she said nonchalantly.
�He said right now!�
�Fine fine...� she sat up and went out.

�You called me sir?�
�Hullo Marron-san! Sit down please...�
What does he want this time?... she asked herself.
�We�ve got a report to do and we need images, explanations and many others things. I thought that you could go then...�
�Where is it?� Marron asked.
�In Africa... South Africa...�
�What?!� she jumped out of her chair �I don�t even speak their dialect!!�
�I know Marron-san, but you�re our best reporter... we need someone to go there...�
�I�ll think about it...�
�Thanks Marron-san.�
She sat up to leave.
�Uh... Marron-san?�
�Yeah sir?�
�You�ve only got one day... the expedition will leave on Saturday morning...�
�Hum...� she went out.

�Tadaima!�
�Okaeri nasai Marron-chan!� said Juuhachi-gou.
Marron went to kiss her on the cheek.
�Hum... is that what we�re eating tonight?�
�Hai... don�t you love Sorgho soup anymore?�
�Iie, I love it! But it�s just that we guys were going out...�
�Oh...� Juuhachi-gou said a little disappointed �then, I�ll save you some...�
�Thanks kaasan! Dad hasn�t come yet?�
�No, he's still at his office...�
�Hum...�
�How was your day?�
�Fine... I�ve been asked to do a report in Africa...�
�Honto? That�s great!!�
�But mom, I don�t even speak Afrikaans!!�
�Oh it�s nothing... there must be some translators...�
�...�
�What did you answer?�
�I haven�t given my answer yet...�
�If I were you, I�ll say yes...�
�That�s the first time you want me to go so far away...�
�Marron-chan, you�re not a girl anymore, you�re 25 now. I don�t wanna keep you here for ever...�
�I�ll think about it...�

Marron has just arrived in front of Capsule Corp. When she saw someone coming outside.
�Goten!� she called.
�Hey Marron! Nice to see you again!� he hugged her.
�Yeah, you too! Where are the others?�
�Bra and Pan are in, Trunks is having a talk with his mother.�
�Ah... how are you doing?�
�I�m so so... that job as a sports teacher isn�t bad...�
�You don�t say! When I was in high school my sports teacher used to show gymnastic movements to the girls. A real hentai!!�
�Hey! I�m not like that!�
�I hope so... You were a big flirty-man in high school...�
�People change...�
�Hum...�
�How is journalism?�
�It�s ok... Even if I have to work very hard...�
�Huh?... your boss isn�t trying to exploit you or anything is he? Otherwise I�ll beat him up...�
�Haha! Nah, he is nice...�
�Good then...�

�MARRON-CHAN!!� Two voiced screamed.
�Pan, Bra-chan!!� she hugged them.
�Ow! We missed you!� Pan said.
�Where have you been?�
�I missed you too... Sorry but work kept me busy these last few months...�
�It�s alright!�
�How is school?�
�Fine... 1st year high school is kinda easy...� Pan answered.
�It�s fine on my side too. I�ve just got some exams for this last year...�
�I�m happy then...�
�What is Trunks doing? I�m hungry...� Goten complained.
�People change you were saying?� Marron said winking an eye.
�Here I am! Konnichi wa Marron!�
�Konnichi wa Trunks...� they hugged.
�I�m happy to see you...�
�Me too...�
�Would you guys stop that chit-chatting?! We�re already late!!�
�Sorry every one! I got some last things to do...�
�Yeah whatever bud�!�
�Here we go!�
They entered the car which quickly moved off. Direction: the restaurant.

After eating, the group began talking: Pan and Bra discussing about their homework and school, Goten, Trunks and Marron about the good old days.
�Speaking of jobs, my boss offered me a report in Africa...�
�What?!� Goten and Trunks gasped.
�Africa?! Sugoi!� exclaimed Bra.
�Yeah, I'd give anything to go there!�
�What did you say?�
�I said I'd answer later...�
�Don�t wait Marron! Just take the chance and say yes!�
�It isn�t that simple Trunks. I�ve never been so far from Japan...�
�What are you afraid of?! It isn�t like the natives will eat you!�
�.... Hum...�
�Say yes, please Marron-chan!� Bra pleaded.
�Doozo...�
�Ok! Ok! I�ll go!�
�Great! When will you leave?�
�Saturday Morning...�
�WHAAT?! So soon?�
Marron nodded.
�Then we will enjoy this night together!!�
�Yeah!! Hey! Waiter! Some sake please!!�
Marron sighed at Goten enthusiasm, while Bra and Pan just laughed.

�So this is Africa... South Africa...� Marron said as soon as she arrived.
�Hum, it seems pretty cool here!� A man with short raven hair said.
�Toshi, can I remind you that we�re here for work and nothing else?�
�Don�t be so Killjoy Marron-san! Let�s enjoy the place! We�re only here for two weeks!�
�Yeah... I�ll feel them pass...�
�Ah, there is a guy with our name written on his sign.� Toshi took his bag. �C�mon let�s go!�
�I�m coming...�
They went to the guy. He told them he was sent to take them up to the village by their boss. So they entered the Taxi and immediately went to a small village.
�Hun...� Marron said, searching in her case as the car was moving.
�What are you looking for Marron-san?�
�Huh? The village name...�
�It�s Ghaza... in the real south, next to the sea.�
�How come you know all that?�
�I did some research...�
�Well, at least you were aware of this little trip...�
�Don�t be so bitter... The boss really wanted you to do that report! I�d be proud if I were you ya know!�
�... but you aren�t me...�
�Oh Marron-san you�re hopeless!�

Soon after they arrived, after lunch, they went through the bushes of the savannah to take a look at it.
�This land is very full of many animals like lions, snakes, crocodiles and others creatures,� the guide told them. �You have to be very careful about them, they sure hate to be disturbed, especially lions...�
�As if I would be dumb enough to go right in a pride of lions!!�
�Well, An accident can happen so suddenly: so don�t try to walk away from the inn alone or else you�ll have to deal with the worst here, and I�m not just talking about that tribe...�
�What tribe?�
�Those natives, the Bamileke... their aren�t more than 30of them, but they are quite hostile towards strangers...�
�Ah... I�d sure want to meet them!� Toshi teased.
�You a nut or something? We�re here to film animals, not to meet that tribe...�
�Marron-san? It was a joke...� he sighed �you�re much too tense, relax!�
�I�ll try... It�s just that I don�t really love this place...�
�It�s only for two weeks! Nothing much!�
�Ok, enjoy yourself!� she screamed.
�Shh! Not so loud! You�ll scare the birds missy...�
�Oops! Sorry...�
�It�s Ok...�
They went a little farther just to see where to find the crocodiles, elephants and hyenas. After this first adventure, they returned to the inn.
Marron and Toshi made their plans for the week and called the boss to tell him they had arrived. After working during for a while, they ate and went to bed.

A week passed like that: Every morning they�ll go to film the animals in the wild; after lunch they�d walk for many hours just to find an elephant taking his bath. But the hunt wasn�t really good, as they only got a few interesting images.
�Ah! This is terrible!� Marron shouted, �We can�t even make a report with this!�
�Calm Down Marron-san� Toshi said still holding his camera �We�ve got another week...�
�It isn�t enough! We need more time, and most of all the good places to find what we are looking for are so far away from each other!�
She sat up, and furiously untied her long blond braid.
�Where are you going?� Toshi asked as she went out.
�Walking, I need to breathe and de-stress...�
�Don�t go too far, remember what the guide said!�
�Toshi, for Kami�s sake I�m not a girl!�
�Fine, fine, I just care about you...�
�Don�t worry so much...�
She walked in the dirt, taking some known paths so as to remember her way, and then she arrived at a fountain.
�Huh... how come I haven�t seen that fountain before?�
She shook her head and bend to drink some water. After having drunk, she sat down, her back lying on to a rock and without realizing it, fell asleep.

Marron stiffened a little, and then opened her eyes to see two eyes staring at hers.
�Ahh!!!� she quickly sat up.
�...�
It was a young lad: his skin was brownish, or maybe tanned. His hair was spiky, a little messed and very dark. He wasn�t really big, but he was still bigger than her.
�Who are you? What do you want??� she asked somewhat scared.
� Un� gu� ko lei? �
�Huh? What sort of language is that??�
��
� Oh I see, you might be one of those natives ne? �
��
� Well, sayonara� �
She turned away wanting to go back to the hostel, when she realized she didn�t know where she was.
�Shit! How am I going to get back??�
She felt a hand on her shoulder.
�Ahh! �
It was the man.
�Don�t scare me like that please!!�
�N�ch� � �
�What? �
The man grabbed her arm and began walking.
� Oh, so you want me to come with you? �
He didn�t reply. Anyway, how could she understand what he was saying??
�Stop a minute!�
The man turned to her.
�Where are you taking me? I don�t recognize the way...�
� �Aa m�b�...�
�Huh? But let�s introduce ourselves: Marron � she said pointing herself. �And yours?�
The man looked at her with strange eyes.
�Your name?� she pointed his chest �Marron... you?�
�Ubuu...�
�Ubuu?? Weird name� so where are we going?�
�N�ch�...�
He went away.
�Hey! Wait for me!!�

They arrived in a little camp with some huts in mud. Marron was afraid at first, but she began to appreciate the architecture.
�Whoa� nice houses! Nothing compare to what we�ve got in Japan...�
She kept following Ubuu when suddenly people started to go out of their houses, looking at her with wide eyes. She drew closer to him, trying to avoid their gaze.
Ubuu stopped in the middle of the court and started to scream in his odd language. Everyone gathered there, some talking with another, others throwing some threatening glares to Marron, who was quite embarrassed.
� M�eng fa ou di n�ge�w � � he said pointing Marron. �Mo� n�ge�w a m�bong m�b�?�
People around widened their eyes in stupefaction. Marron didn�t know what to do: she understood nothing of this. Plus it was getting late and she had to return to the hostel: Toshi must be worried sick.
Ubuu raised his hand and everybody suddenly shut his mouth. He took off some kind of necklace with a lion foot hooked on it and raised it up: the natives fell on their knees and bend their head to the ground. As soon as he put it on again they stood up.
Marron�s eyes went big as she realized he might be the tribute�s chief. She had read it in some books: many native people have a sort of boss who has the right of life and death over each of them. How could she imagine that someday she�ll land in that kind of civilization?
She coughed a little so as to remind him of her presence.
�Erh� gomen, but I need to go now...� she told Ubuu motioning her intent by indicating the village gate.
People started shouting this time, looking wildly at her, but once again as the man turned to them they shut their mouths.
Ubuu nodded with his head and began walking to the gate.
�Erh� Sayo minna-san! � She said with a fake smile then ran to find him.
�Couldn�t you wait for me? I swear the might have killed me with the looks of them!�
� Kwo l�?? �
� Nothing� Bye! �

But after having walked during many minutes, she stopped.
� This is worse! I�m completely lost in the African savannah!� She took a look around but couldn�t see where the inn was. This was getting really nerve-racking.
�Oh no� Maybe be I�m going to die here... Alone... shit Marron! Stop thinking about bad things, will you!�
She felt a hand on her shoulder again and jumped.
�AHH! You again!! �
Indeed, it was Ubuu again. He frowned a little at the noise she made by screaming.
�Well� in fact I�m glad it�s not a tiger or a lion...� she sighed and sat on the grass. �I�m lost� and I dunno how reach my camp...� She started to sob, putting her head in both hands. When she was done, she raised her head to see Ubuu staring at her with sad eyes.
�N�juit� m�eng go mpi� ou...� he indicated her to follow him.
Marron sat up, brushed some grass on her dress and followed him.

�Marron! Marron! Where are you?!�
Toshi have been screaming like that for an hour without any response. He stopped, not wanting to go too far and get lost himself. He sighed in exhaustion: where was Marron? His boss will kill him if something had happened to his best reporter. He had to find her... quickly.
�Toshi? � a voice said.
�Marron??! MARRON!!!! � He screamed and went to hug her. � Where the heck have you girl been?!! This is freaking terrible!�
�I� I got lost... Gomen...�
�It�s ok! I�m glad you�re here now! By the way, how did your find your way?�
�He brought me there...�
�He? Who? �
� He� �
Ubuu appeared behind her: he had been hiding behind a tree.
�WHAT?! A� a native? Did he hurt you?�
�Ha ha Toshi, don�t you see you�re ridiculous? �
�What? �
� If he hurt me, why would he want me to rejoin you guys then? Huh?�
�Huh?... well, actually you�re right.� He went to the black man � Thank you mister??...�
�Ubuu, his name is Ubuu...�
�Yeah, mister Ubuu� he said tending his hand for a shake.
Ubuu raised an eyebrow, not knowing what to do.
�...Hum... I don�t think he is used to thank-you�s like that...�
�Oh... then...� Toshi bent his head down in the nihonjin way.
Ubuu smiled and did the same.
�Hey! I think we understand each other, see!� he laughed.
�You�re funny you know...� she turned to Ubuu �Well, we gotta go now...thanks very much� she did as Toshi did earlier.
Ubuu instead of bending put a hand on her shoulder and smiled. Marron did the same.
�Greet your people for me!!�
�People, what do you mean?�
�His is a tribute chief... he showed me his tribe...�
�Aa? Then...Hey! Could you do us a favor? �
Ubuu looked at him bewildered.
�Well, could you show us, where could we find... lions� Toshi roared as a lion does, messing his hair �Elephants...� he used his left arms as a trunk, �and crocodiles...� he moved his two hands so as to imitate a crocodile�s jaw.
Ubuu laughed a little at his �mimic�s�.
�Well... maybe he didn�t understood you...� Marron said smiling.
Ubuu shook his head and nodded �H�uun!�
�I guess that means hai! Good-good...�
�Yeah! At least, we�ll manage to do this report!!�

They spend the rest of their stay like that: Everyday, Ubuu would show them when and where to film elephants, lions, tigers, and crocodiles at the lake as well as many others animals. But as days passed, Marron began to feel more and more bitter: she didn�t want this to come to an end. She realized she was in love... with that black guy. Not that she cared about his colour, but he was a native... and she was a �town-girl�.
The day before her departure, they met near the fountain. They sat throwing stones in the water. Marron still didn�t quite know how to speak his dialect, but she did know some words. Finally she spoke up.
�You know, I�ll leave tomorrow...� she said moving her hands to explain what she was saying.
Ubuu simply nodded and resumed his throws. Marron played with the grass, which showed a sort of tension. She suddenly sat up and hugged Ubuu catching him off guard.
�Aishiteru Ubuu...� she said nearly crying.
The man just caressed her hair softly.
�M�eng yakn �ou...� he said kissing cheek.
Marron smiled and wiped her tears away. She bent to kiss him slightly on the lips. Ubuu was a little started but quickly learned how to kiss back�
They sat gazing at the sky for many hours. Marron sat up.
�I gotta go now... it�s late...�
Ubuu sat up at his turn and looked at her with soft eyes. Then he took off his necklace, took Marron�s hand and put it in her hands.
�Pi�...�
�No... I don�t want it� �
�Hun-hun... pi� � kwola...�
�But... you�ll not be their chief anymore if I take it...�
He nodded, his eyes a little sad but he smiled. Marron broke in to tears and hugged him. They kissed again, then Marron left.

�Marron-san!!� a voice shouted.
Marron raised his head to see her parents, Bra and Pan waiting for her.
�Ohayo minna-san!� she greeted and hugged each of them.
�Ohayo Krilin-san� Toshi said.
�Whoa! You guys are tanned! See! � Bra teased.
�Yeah... � {Um, what? Didn�t get this phrase!!I�d like to got there too...�}
�But, what took you so long? Your plane landed Fifteen minutes ago...�
�Well... they sorta want me to pay some fees..� {Customs fees, bummer!}
�Huh? On what?�
�Marron got a present from someone there and they wanted her to pay for it...� Toshi explained.
�Yeah... that bunch of crooks!!� she hissed.
�Well, I�m a little tired by my trip... Goodbye every body! Marron see you at the office on Monday!� Toshi said and left.
�Marron-chan... I suppose you�re tired, ne?�
�Yup... All I want now is to sleep...�
�Yeah... we�re going home now...�
They picked up the luggage and left the airport.

It has already been a month. Her job was annoying Marron, again. She took the necklace in her hand, gazing dreamingly at it. Someone suddenly entered the room.
�Marron-chan?�
�Okaasan? What are you doing here? �
�Is it a way to greet your mother??�
�Sorry! I was surprise... sit down mum! �
�Hum... thanks...�
�What did you came for?�
�To see my daughter working...�
�Mum! You see me everyday!�
�It�s ok... I was joking� Juuhachi-gou laughed. � I needed to talk to you� �
�About?�
�I see you aren�t happy. Every day you came home more tired than ever, you rarely smile, and you always have those dreamy looks...�
�Kaasan... what are you talking about? I�m happy here with you and dad! And all my friends... I�m fine!�
�Iie... What happened there?�
�Where?�
�In South Africa you know... you changed� �
Marron began to feel nervous and taped her fingers on the desk.
�So?�
�I�ll tell you everything...� she said.

�So you�re in love...�
�...�
�With that Ubuu� �
� It�s complicated, knowing that I�ll never be able to be with him� �
�What prevents you from doing so?�
�What do you mean?�
�I mean you could be with him if you wanted...�
�I... I can�t leave you guys... I�ve got all my life here! �
�... But your future is there, with him... at least if you want it...�
�I want it, but...�
�No but Marron-chan. If you like him you should be with him...�
�I don�t think I can abandon you and father...�
�Oh yes you can! Didn�t he abandon his place as a leader for you?�
��
� Then, how couldn�t you?�
�I � dunno� �
� It�s just a piece of advice : You can stay here and be unhappy all your life or go to live with him, and then live happily� It�s your choice Marron��
Juuhachi-gou sat up and went to the door.
�Your choice and only yours...�

Everything there was annoying her. People were babbling and chitchatting around her. The weather was sunny as ever but it was rather hot. She quickly took her only piece of luggage and ran to take a taxi. She was feeling anxious and excited at the same time. She was so impatient that she shouted at the driver to go faster. As soon as she arrived, she ran through the dirt, obviously looking for something. She finally arrived in front of a gate and run in the court.
�TADAIMA!!!!� She screamed.
Every people gathered around her, looking at her strangely. They were particularly interested on something around her neck.
�UBUUUUUUUUU-CHANNNNNN!!� she screamed again.
Then people moved to let someone make his way towards her.
�Marron?�
�Ubuu-chan!�
Marron was now crying and rushed to him and hugged him tightly. Everybody began clapping their hands, and shouted weird things.
For now, we can see the drape is being pull down and the screen turning black.

# OWARI #

I know I know, what an odd ending� But who care, huh? Man that was really a challenge!: it�s the first time I took almost 2 weeks to write a fic!^^ may be it was becuz the topic is a real story... (ne? Kami?). I truly hope you liked it!! �_O
Ps: The language Ubuu speaks was inspired by my own dialect... (Yay, I�m an African too +__=)