Disclaimer: I don't own DB/Z/GT, nor do I own Ranma ½. Many other people do and I can't name them all. Please don't sue me. I don't have much money.

Exchange Students

Two tall seventeen-year-old with their black hair in long braids down their backs bowed politely to their new class, smiling. Each had one black eye and one that was an icy shade of blue. One at a time, they spoke.

"Ohayo gozaimasu. I'm Sake Jinzoningen."

"I'm Bardock Jinzoningen. Hajimemashite." Then they sat down at desks next to one another, their books neatly in front of them. The rest of the class blinked, then called out the usual greetings to new classmates. These new classmates were particularly odd to them, though, because they were from the new 'dimensional exchange' program. Nobody knew quite what that meant, but it sounded interesting.

Looking over at Akane, Ranma blinked. Akane shrugged and whispered to him. "They're staying at the dojo. Be polite."

"They are?"

"Hai."

**********

"Um...Akane? Who's the guy with the bokken who you were fighting this morning?" Sake looked at the other girl curiously as she took a bite of her sandwich.

"Kuno-sempai. Captain of the kendo club. Why?"

The black-haired girl blushed. "Just curious. Isn't Nabiki in his class?"

"Hai."

"Arigatou." She scribbled something on a sheet of paper, folded it, and wrote something on the other side, then walked over and tapped Nabiki on the shoulder. For a few minutes they spoke quietly, then Nabiki nodded and took the note that Sake had written.

After Sake had walked away, Nabiki went over to where Kuno was eating and handed him the note. Blinking, he looked at it. In handwriting that was actually rather neat for being written so quickly, it read: To Kuno-sempai. He opened it up, and on the inside was more of the same writing:

I challenge you. Meet me after school in the first field.

-The new girl

Slightly confused, but wondering how good this girl could be, Kuno looked over to where Nabiki had told him that the girl was sitting. Right next to dear Akane. She was very pretty. Actually, she looked a lot like a combination of the pig-tailed girl and Akane, and that seemed perfect to him. He nodded to himself. This was a good challenge. She looked like quite a fighter.

Quietly Akane nudged Sake in the ribs, startling her out of the small food fest she was having. She had noticed that Sake had quite an appetite. "What, Akane?"

"Kuno's looking at you."

Sake's cheeks turned slightly pink. "How so?"

"It's a lot like how he looks at both me and his 'pig-tailed girl'." She snorted. "Baka."

Swallowing her fourth sandwich, Sake finally finished up her lunch. "Who's the pig-tailed girl? Or is she just a figment of his imagination?"

"Oh, she's real, all right. Ranma is the pig-tailed girl." Out of the corner of her eye, Akane shot an absent glare at her fiancé. Patting her mouth with a napkin, Sake turned slightly and looked at him as well.

"How is that-oh. Cold water?"

Akane blinked several times. "That's right. How would you know?"

Sake sighed. "I sympathize. Believe me, I sympathize with him."

**********

Somehow, word that someone had challenged Kuno had leaked out, so there was quite an audience at the first field when school let out. As quickly as possible before Kuno arrived, Sake changed into one of her training suits with a capsule from the box of them that Aunt Bulma had given her. Before she and Bardock had left, they had each been given a box of capsules, and Korin had found out somehow and presented them with a bulging bag of senzu beans, since he knew about this dimension and thought they would probably need it.

"Are you insane, Sake?" Bardock pulled on her wrist. "Why are you challenging someone on the first day of school?"

"Why not? He's supposed to be one of the best martial artists in the school. Since we're staying at the Tendo's dojo, I'll be able to spar with Akane and Ranma anytime, but Kuno's a different story. And I need to tell you something." She started whispering in her brother's ear. His eyes widened.

"He does?"

"Hai. Akane told me. Or actually I figured it out from something she said."

"Did you tell her what happens to us?"

"Iie. I said I sympathized, that's all." At that moment Kuno walked into the field, carrying his bokken as usual. She walked over to face him and bowed, smiling. The spandex training suit she was wearing outlined her muscles perfectly (among other things that caused a few nosebleeds), but what startled people was the fact that she had a long brown tail, which was lazily waving back and forth behind her. "Konnichiwa, Kuno-sempai. Glad you showed up. Ready to fight?"

"Nani?! What is that behind you?"

"My tail, sempai. Now, are we going to fight or not?" She grinned.

"What sort of martial arts do you know?"

"The Jinzoningen-Wildrose style. Now, Blue Thunder, to business. Let's fight before I start getting impatient. And don't hold back."

"If you wish it. If you win, I will allow you to go out with me."

"Sure, Kuno-sempai. I'd love to."

Kuno blinked and quickly brought his bokken down in front of him, gripping it in two hands and rushing forward at her. Still smiling, she skipped aside. Kuno repeated the move. This time, Sake delicately took the bokken by the flat in one hand, swung herself around, and pushed herself into the air, landing on the tips of her toes, leaping, bouncing off her hands and finally landing in a slightly frog-like position, knees bent, arms spread out and fingertips touching the ground. The young man looked around in confusion.

"Over here, sempai." Childishly Sake stuck out her tongue at him and bounced up into the air, flying over to him and quickly catching the punch he threw, twisting his wrist around faster than light. Then she whapped him on the temple. He fell over, almost totally unconscious. Slowly she landed and looked over at her brother. "Yo, Bar! Toss me a senzu. He needs it. I forgot to regulate all my power."

Her brother pulled out the bag, ignoring everyone staring, and took out one green senzu bean, throwing it to his sister, who caught it and eased it into Kuno's mouth, holding his head up to make it easier. "Chew." Kuno obeyed, and his eyes widened as the half-broken wrist that Sake had given him healed, the same happening to the large lump on his forehead. "Does this mean I won, Kuno-sempai?"

He sat up, rubbing his temple. Everyone was staring. Many of them were whispering to each other, not too quietly in some cases. Ignoring them, Kuno looked at Sake in wide-eyed amazement. "What great power is this?"

"It's a talent, sempai. You said something about a date?" She smiled. "But maybe you should stand up before you answer me."

A bit sheepishly, Kuno did so. "How is it that you have a tail like that of an ape's?"

"I might tell you someday. For now, it's a secret. But you said something about a date?" Looking him straight in the eyes, she grinned.

"Ano...hai, I do believe I did. I will come to take you out later. Where might you be staying?"

"The Tendo dojo. I gotta go. See you later!" Springing into the air, she hurried over to her brother, grabbed him by his pigtail, and flew away, dragging him behind her.

**********

It was an umbrella.

After she had flown over the school, Sake had landed and started to walk back to the dojo with her brother when she stubbed her toe. She had run into an umbrella on the sidewalk, and up ahead was a teenage boy with a very large backpack. Scooping up the umbrella with one hand, she ran forward. "Yo! You dropped your umbrella."

"Hn?" The boy looked at her. He was wearing a yellow and black bandana and a little fang peeked out from one side of his mouth. Smiling, she held the umbrella out to him. His eyes widened.

"I said you dropped your umbrella. I thought you might want it."

**********

"How was your date with Kuno, Sake?"

"I loved it, chan. It was really a lot of fun."

There was a clatter as Akane dropped the utensils she was putting away. "Kasumi, did she say that right? She was talking to you, but I distinctly heard her say that her date was fun."

"That's exactly what she said."

Bardock walked in carrying a bucket, presumably for washing or something. "How was your date, Sake?"

"Great!"

"Good." He slipped, and the water splashed on the floor. Suddenly there were two identical very oversized grey, black, and white rabbits where Sake and Bardock had been standing. What seemed to be an outraged yell that nobody heard with their ears came from one of the rabbits.

Niichan no baka! You're supposed to be careful with cold water. Then it looked up at the girls with bland black eyes. Could you possibly get us some hot water, chan? We're in a little bit of a tight spot here.

Akane hurried over to the stove and heated a teapot full of water, then carefully poured it over the two rabbits one at a time. Sake and Bardock reappeared. "Now you see what I meant when I said that I sympathized with Ranma." She shot her brother a withering look.

"About what? I heard my name." Ranma stuck his head into the kitchen.

"My brother and I turn into rabbits when we're hit with cold water. Rabbits! I wish it could be something dignified, like maybe a tiger."

**********

"Water lizard! Baka! Onore!"

Akane peeked into Sake's room. In the center of the floor was Sake, holding Happosai up by the front of his shirt. Her underwear drawer had been opened and the green bag Happosai always put his 'hauls' in was next to it. Sake was cursing Happosai at the top of her lungs. "It's bad enough to have one hentai baka at home, now I have to deal with another hentai baka here! Withered old lecher! Now, while I watch, you will put each and every piece of my underwear back into the drawer. With your hands in plain view."

Frowning and doing his big puppy dog eyes thing, Happosai started to do as she said. His hands moved quickly to stuff one bra into a pocket.

"I SAW THAT!" Flaring up, Sake's hair turned golden and her eyes turned a bright green. Eyes widening, Happosai cringed and put the rest of the underwear back in the drawer. Suddenly smiling again, Sake went back to normal. From her position peeking in through the door, Akane blinked, wondering what had just happened. With a gesture, Sake shot a ki blast at Happosai's bag. It disintegrated. She picked up Happosai again by the back of his shirt, walked calmly over to the door, opened it wider, and handed the old man to Akane. "Could you dispose of this for me, chan?"

**********

"C'mon, hurry up!" Bardock flew ahead, chasing Sake, who was already three-quarters of the way to the school. He nearly slammed into her as she halted abruptly, looking back and waiting for Akane and Ranma. A little old lady happened to be tossing out some freezing cold water next to them.

Ranma, for once having come down from the fence, nearly tripped over the two large rabbits in the middle of the sidewalk and blinking when an irritated message popped into his mind.

Watch your feet, chinaman. Could you get us some hot water? He hurried into Dr. Tofu's, which they were in front of, and got a large kettle of quite warm water, splashing it over the two rabbits.

Looking up from where he had appeared seated on the sidewalk, Bardock grinned. "Thanks, chinaman. Let's go. Want us to fly you guys?"

Eyes lighting up, Akane smiled. "Hai!" Nodding his agreement, Ranma grinned.

"Ok, Akane, grab my shoulders and hold on tight. Ranma, you go with Bardock." Grinning, Sake floated up into the air. "We go fast, so if you want me to slow down, tug the pigtail." With that, she zoomed off, followed by her brother. They were at the school in less than one minute flat, and let their startled passengers down. "Was that fun?"

The pair nodded, still catching their breath.

"Good, we better get inside now." Sake hurried in, taking the longest strides her school uniform would let her. She was wearing the boy's uniform. "Ohayo, Tatewaki-sempai!" Quickly she entered her classroom and sat down, shooting a quick glance at Hinako-sensei. The woman made her nervous for some reason.

During gym, since she flatly refused to wear the girl's athletic uniform, or really the entire girl's uniform, as she always did at any school she went to, she hung around with the boys. She didn't look much different from them, except for the fact that she was female, really pretty, much bustier (of course) and floating in the air. Ignoring the ruder comments, she grinned when someone asked about her pigtail and her brother's.

"You should see our hair when we don't wear our pigtails. Bardock, take yours out. I'll take out mine." They both undid the ties holding their hair back and slowly worked out the pigtails. When they were done, they were both surrounded in clouds of black hair. Surprisingly, it made Sake look prettier. "See? It gets in the way when we don't pull it back." She redid her pigtail, then did Bardock's because he was so bad at it. Absently, she did a back flip while fixing Bardock's hair and tugged him into a backward roll, grinning impishly all the while. In quick revenge, he grabbed her tail, which was wrapped around her waist, and tugged. Hissing in pain, she did the same to him. Hiroshi curiously reached up, unnoticed, and pulled both their tails hard. They turned to him, yelping, and spoke in unison.

"What did we do to deserve that? That HURT!" They calmed down and Bardock decided to explain briefly. "Please don't pull our tails. It really, really hurts."

"Why were you doing it to each other?"

"Oh, we do that sometimes when one of us does something like Sake did to me."

"Ah. Ok."

**********

"Hey, chinaman! Fight me?"

Looking up at the other black-haired, pig-tailed boy, Ranma grinned and nodded. "Ok. But no flying unless you're planning on teaching me how, ne?"

"Hai, sure. I could teach you, if you want. It'd be pretty easy for you to learn. I can sense it." Bardock grinned back at Ranma.

Ranma's eyes lit up, almost like a little kid seeing presents under the tree on Christmas day. "You would? That rules!"

"It would be pretty simple to. Lemme see something." He touched his friend's forehead lightly with two fingers, eyes closed, then nodded. "Very simple. Do you want to learn now or later?"

"Soon as possible."

"We better go outside. Follow me." Ranma did so, and they stood in the back yard. "Try and feel your ki. When you think you have a good grip on it, force it through your feet and push yourself up." His friend nodded and closed his eyes. After a few minutes he slowly rose up into the air, and Bardock followed him up. "You can open your eyes now, chinaman. It's working."

Nervously Ranma opened his eyes and looked down. "Whoa."

"Do a back flip. Move around. It's a lot of fun!" Grinning even more, Bardock flipped forward and soared up into the air, spontaneously doing a barrel roll. "Kami, I love flying."

**********

"Tatewaki-kun? May I see your bokken for a few minutes?" Sake smiled brightly, shoving an errant strand of hair away from her eyes.

"Of course." He handed it to her. When she took it, her eyes widened significantly until they took up about half of her face.

"How long have you been using this, sempai-kun?"

"I have been using this bokken since I was but a tiny child."

"It shows. Here -" she touched the tip, then a couple other places along the wooden blade, then the handle, "here, here, here, and here. And this place is where it will break if way too much stress is put on it." She touched another spot. "But I doubt that'll happen. This thing is really amazing." Still looking a bit startled, she handed it back to him. "Let me read your thoughts."

"All right." Kuno relaxed as Sake rested the tips of her fingers on his forehead and closed her eyes, concentrating. Images flashed on the backs of her eyelids as she absorbed all his training and knowledge of kendo. After several minutes had passed, she opened her eyes and brought her fingers down.

"Thank you. Do you know where I can get a hold of a bokken to practice with?"

"I do have spares at Castle Kuno, my humble abode, if you would care to follow me?"

"Ok, cool." Floating along, she followed him up to Castle Kuno. In a small room were three extra bokkens.

"Pick one. You may practice with me with the one you pick."

"Domo arigatou, Tatewaki-kun." She hefted one bokken, shook her head, then put it down. The second one also didn't work. The third, however, fit in her hand perfectly. Nodding, she smiled at him. "Lead the way. I'm ready." He nodded as well and led her out to a practice yard. After bowing to each other, they gripped their bokkens in both hands. Kuno noted that Sake held her bokken the same way he held his. Then they rushed at each other.

Every strike of Kuno's was countered flawlessly, but every strike Sake tried was countered as well. They were perfectly matched in skill, because somehow, Sake had absorbed not only the knowledge of what to do from him, but the skill as well. After sparring for an hour and a half, they stopped, knowing that neither of them would win. "Sake, has the possibility of entering the kendo club ever crossed your mind?"

"Several times, Tatewaki-kun. And I probably will."

**********

Rumors were flying, assisted by Hiroshi, Daisuke, and, inevitably, the grapevine. It was amazing how fast the information went.

"Did you hear? Kuno's got a girlfriend!"

"Yeah. It's the new girl."

"I hear she really likes him."

"Well, duh, brainiac, if she didn't like him, why would she be his girlfriend?"

The other biggest rumor was that Kuno's new girlfriend had joined the kendo club and she was just as good as him. Even though nobody was quite sure, both of these rumors were perfectly true. When school let out for vacation for a week and a half, Sake offered to have Kuno over for a while to meet her parents and so she could teach him some of the fighting skills she knew. He accepted, and so found himself waiting at an appointed place with Sake and Bardock.

In a little flash, Vegeta appeared. Sake slammed into him, smiling. "Ojisan! You came to pick us up!" Looking pained, Vegeta disentangled his niece's arms from around his neck.

"Your okaasan is much too persuasive, bratling. And who's that?" He looked pointedly at Kuno.

"Just my boyfriend, ojisan. He's coming with us for the vacation. I promised to teach him some fighting moves I know." She turned to introduce them. "Ojisan, this is Tatewaki Kuno. Tatewaki-kun, this is my ojisan, Vegeta." Careful not to knock into Vegeta with the bokken on her back, she walked back to where the other two were and tugged Kuno forward. For once in his life he looked really nervous. Vegeta grudgingly shook hands, then looked at his nephew.

"Konnichiwa, ojisan."

"Konnichiwa, bratling." The grouchy Saiyan no Ouji look around at the three teens. "Well, if you want to get there, maybe you should hold onto my shoulders before I decide to leave without you." They did so. Vegeta pressed a button on a little wristband he was wearing they all disappeared in a flash, to reappear in Capsule Corporation's front yard. Standing in the front door waiting was Bulma, and they could see Rehanna and Juunanagou behind her, impatient to see their children.

Again, Sake went flying forward on full speed ahead. "Aunt Bulma! Okaasan! Otosan!" One by one, each received an enormous hug.

"Konnichiwa, little girl." Rehanna smiled at her daughter, who she knew was not a little girl, but that was what she called her a lot now. Then she looked at her daughter's twin brother. "Well, Bardock? Aren't you going to give your family hugs?" Blushing, her son hugged his aunt and his mother, and shook hands with his father, since neither of them wanted to hug in public. Noticing Kuno, she looked at her daughter. "Who's

"My boyfriend. Okaasan, otosan, Aunt Bulma, this is Tatewaki Kuno. Kuno, this is my okaasan Rehanna, my otosan Juunanagou, and my aunt Bulma." Kuno shook hands with the three adults. "Let's go home." Her parents walked out of the building and floated up into the air, with their son and daughter behind them. Sake held out both her hands to Kuno, who took them and pulled himself up into the air, where Sake wrapped an arm around his waist to keep him up. "Hold on tight, Kuno-baby, cause you're in for the flight of your life!" She looked at her mother for a second. "Okaasan, I'm taking the long route. See you at home!" Without a further word, she zoomed up into the air.

After a couple minutes, Kuno looked at Sake, looking slightly strained. "Would it be possible for you to slow down a bit?"

"Sure, Tatewaki-kun." She slowed down somewhat. "You know, I really need to teach you how to fly sometime soon."

"It would actually be possible for me to learn to perform such a wondrous feat?"

"Of course! You're very strong, you just haven't learned how to manipulate your ki like I can and Bardock and the others can." She smiled at him. (Insert Takahashi trademark cute smile effects here.) "We're here." Landing, she let go of Kuno and adjusted the bokken on her back, which had slipped out of place. "Okaasan! Otosan! I'm home." Opening the door, she led him into the cozy house and had him leave his stuff in the guestroom.

**********

Out on an early morning walk, Bardock heard a female voice singing. He crept through the brush and came upon a clearing. In the middle, singing softly, flowers entwined in her hair, was Catala, a girl about his age that he had fought in the Tenkaichi Budokai once. She looked incredible, and something slipped out from between his lips. "Dende. Glory in the morning."

Turning, she looked right at the spot where he was hiding. "I hear you over there. Come out where I can see you." Smiling, he stood up and walked into the clearing, bowing.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, lovely lady. Well met. What brings you here?"

She smiled and dropped a quick bow. "What brings you here?"

"An early morning stroll."

"The same. You haven't changed much."

"Neither have you. Would you walk with me?"

Catala nodded. "I would love to."

**********

There was a holiday party at Capsule Corp., to which Rehanna, Juunanagou, their children, and their children's dates (if they had any) had been invited too. There were also, besides the other Z Fighters, many very important businessmen and women and their spouses or dates. Sake was going with Kuno, and to her surprise, Bardock was going with Catala. By now, she had taught Kuno how to fly.

On the night of the party, the cabin was full of people adding last-minute adjustments to their clothing and general appearance. All the men were wearing black and white suits. In Sake's opinion, Kuno looked very handsome in his. Rehanna wore a long brown velvet dress, and when she arrived, Catala was wearing a rather low-cut dress of red, white, and black. Sake was wearing a deep violet silk china dress with yellow trim. She had taken her pigtail out and her midnight hair flowed down her back to her knees, wild and soft all at once. Finally it was time to go. They arrived about half an hour before the party so they could talk more with Bulma, Vegeta, Pan, Trunks, Bra, and Dejeuner.

When the party started, people stood on the lawn or the patio or inside, talking and dancing and eating and just listening to the music. Kuno and Sake were dancing together. They stopped, and Sake pointed up at the almost full moon. "Isn't it beautiful, Tatewaki-kun?"

"It is lovely, yes, but it cannot compare to you." She blushed. Bowing, he held out a hand to her. "Now, if you will, may I have this dance?" A slow song was coming on.

Reaching out, smiling slightly, she took his hand. "I would be delighted." They started dancing again, this dance slow and kata-like. Unnoticed by all the other dancers, they moved away and started to float up into the air. Right in front of the moon they danced, and Sake so absorbed in looking into Kuno's eyes that she could not think of anything else. At the end of the song, Kuno leaned over forward and Sake leaned back and they kissed, not noticing the flashes of a couple cameras capturing that perfect moment. They flew down. Another slow song began to come on, but they did not dance, instead sitting down at a small bench at a table, leaning on each, more tired then they could ever have imagined. Bardock turned to Catala and offered his hand. "And will you deign to dance with me, lovely lady?"

She took it. "Of course I'll dance with you, handsome sir." They started dancing, and ended up sharing their little moment under the moon, which was also photographed.

Juunanagou looked at his wife. "What are you going to do with those photos?"

"Frame them." She smiled. "They're the best moments I've ever gotten. I'm betting Kakarot got them too. He likes taking pictures of people."

**********

It was time to go back to school. Vegeta was again persuaded to get them there, even though he grumbled when Sake kissed him. After getting them there, he left as quickly as possible, and Sake and Bardock flew back to the Tendo dojo while Kuno headed back to his home.

"Konnichiwa, chinaman, Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi, Tendo-san! We're back!"

"Hey, Sake! Hey, Bardock!" Akane stuck her head out the door. "Glad you're back. Come in." They went in. "Didn't Kuno go with you for the holidays?" She looked behind them suspiciously.

"That he did, chan, but he went home already." Smiling, she took out her capsule box and opened it up, then sighed in relief. "He did remember his stuff. Good." Looking up to meet an odd look from Akane, she grinned. "I put his stuff in one of my capsules. Was worried he might have forgotten to get it from me."

A large black and white shape barged down the hall. Backing away slightly, Sake blinked, then grinned wider. "Hey, pandaman!" For a moment the big panda glared at her, then turned away, ignoring the amusement that glittered in her two-color eyes. The twins went to their separate rooms to put away their stuff.

Once in her room with her stuff put away, Sake sat down on the bed and opened up a small box that had been in one of her bags. Inside was a photo in a neatly carved wooden frame that her otosan had made. Her okaasan had given her a double of the picture she had taken of her and Kuno, and she had begged otosan to make a frame to put it in. Someone knocked. "Come in." Nabiki put her head in the room.

"Kasumi told me to tell you it's time for lunch." She saw a bit of the photo. "May I see that?" Nodding, Sake handed it to her, and she took it, looking. Her eyes widened and she grinned slightly. "Who took this?"

Sake blushed. "My okaasan."

"She's good. I see Kuno can fly now."

"Hai. I taught him. Can we go eat?" Her stomach rumbled. Taking the picture back, she placed it on her bedside table.

**********

There was another fight between Kuno and Sake on the last day of school. As on the other fight, Sake was wearing her training suit, but this time she had her bokken too. For some reasons, they chose to introduce themselves formally.

"I am sempai Tatewaki Kuno, captain of the kendo club, undefeated fencing champion of Furinkan High." His gaze was calm.

"And I am Sake Jinzoningen, born of a line of fighters, second in the kendo club, undefeated in any style of martial arts I have attempted here." So was hers. Drawing her bokken, she gripped it in both hands, and so did he, and they rushed at each other.

Each strike was caught. Neither of them could hit each other. Everyone in Furinkan High, plus Ryoga, watched in amazement. They had never known for Kuno to have such a perfect match in a fight. After what seemed an appointed amount of time, they broke apart. "Ok, Tatewaki-kun. Time to do this my way." He nodded, and they tossed away their bokkens, to the surprise of everyone.

Daisuke leaned over. "Did she call him what I think she called him?"

Hiroshi nodded. "Ee."

**********

Stopping everything for a moment, Kuno and Sake kneeled down on the ground, hands folded, looking up, and spoke in unison. "Author, could you make them shut up, onegai shimasu?"

Sure thing, guys. *sound of typing* A giant hand came down from the sky and picked the bothersome pair up.

"Thanks."

No prob. Now let's get back to the story.

"Ok."

**********

Floating up into the air, the two started fighting using Sake's unique style. It was a combination of her parent's techniques, the Kamesennin style, kempo, and Aikido, along with some things she had made up herself. At one point, they both twisted around so the other's back was open to them and tapped several places along the neck and spine. Both of them then froze and dropped to the ground.

"So we're at an impasse. Is it a tie or will you give up? I won't."

"I am not one to give up." He looked at her oddly. "You should know that by now."

"Ok, then it's a tie. I give it four more minutes before we can move again." She grinned impishly at him. "Are you going to come with us when Bardock and I get picked up? You promised you'd tell me after the fight."

"I would love to come with you."

"Oh, good." They waited, and their limbs finally unfroze, so they picked themselves up and looked around. Since they had seen that nothing much more was going to happen, most people had left, except for Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki. Akane hurried over.

"What happened?"

"It's a thing to do with pressure points. Certain points on one's spine, when touched in a certain pattern, shut off all nerve impulses having to do with muscles for a short amount of time. We did that to each other."

She looked a little blank, but nodded. "All right."

Sake turned to Kuno. "We're leaving in two hours. Meet us at the same place as last time. Now go pack." Quickly, she kissed him on the cheek, then started walking to the dojo with Nabiki, Akane, Ranma, and her twin brother. Suddenly she sprawled forward on the sidewalk. Something squealed, and she looked down near her foot to a small, wet black pig in a soaked bandana. "Oh, hey, P-chan. How'd you get here?"

**********

"Aunt Bulma! Ojisan! Okaasan! Otosan! Konnichiwa! You all came to pick us up?"

Nodding, Rehanna smiled. "We thought that there should be a little escort home." She looked at Kuno. "Is he a guest of yours, Sake?" Sake nodded. "Then we welcome him with open arms. Come on. Let's go home."

They gathered in a little group, Sake distributing hugs and kisses, Kuno shaking hands, and Bardock doing a mixture of both. Bulma pressed a button on her wristband and they were all taken back to their dimension. There was a welcoming party set to welcome home the two rather popular twins from their yearlong trip (excluding the vacation). Everyone braced themselves, knowing how explosive Sake could be when she hadn't seen you for a long time, and indeed she did slam into everyone, hugging all the people she considered ojisans or aunts or cousins (indeed, some of whom were). Kuno was finally properly introduced to everyone. Finally, everybody was exhausted and it was time to go home. "Okaasan? Kuno and I are taking the long route home again."

"All right, Sake-chan, just make sure to get home at a reasonable hour."

"Define reasonable."

"Before midnight."

"Hai. Bai bai, everyone!" Lifting into the air, the two flew up into a cloud.

**********

It was about nine, and Kuno and Sake sat on the edge of a cliff, talking and looking at the stars together. Some small rocks started falling, but they didn't notice. The rocks started to get bigger, and suddenly it was an avalanche falling down the side of the mountain. Fortunately Kuno got out of the way in time, but Sake wasn't so lucky. He saw her lying on the side of the mountain some way down with one arm and one leg pinned beneath an enormous boulder. "Tatewaki! Help me! I can't move it." He flew down and started to push at the boulder. It wouldn't budge. "Baka. Use your bokken. Do what I taught you."

Nodding, he took the bokken off his back, concentrating his ki and shoving it into the blade at all once. It incinerated and in his fury he threw the ki, which had returned to him, at the boulder. Immediately it was blasted away. A rock shard pierced Sake's shoulder. She screamed. He kneeled down, beating himself over the head mentally. "What must I do to help you? And what did I just do?"

"You did what I do, Kuno-baby. You used your ki as a weapon directly instead of through the bokken. Now pick me up and get me home. Okaasan and otosan will know what to do after that. Be careful." He nodded and picked her up, grunting slightly, since she was rather heavier than she looked. Her face looked pale, probably from blood loss. "You'll need to fly as fast as you can, Tatewaki, or I might lose too much more blood."

Panicked, he flew incredibly fast back to the cabin, fueled by fear and anger. Rehanna and Juunanagou heard his landing and looked out the door. Their eyes widened as they saw whom he was carrying. "What should I do?"

"We have to get to Capsule Corp. Fast. Give her to me, I'm the fastest person in the universe. You two follow me." She zoomed off, carrying her daughter.

**********

In her dream, Sake was in blackness, trying to keep hold of Kuno's hand supporting her. She was scared. Her grip was weakening, and slowly her hand slid out of hers and she fell down, down, down...

Then stopped and began to rise up again. She was being buoyed up by music, a singing voice, her okaasan's voice singing a lullaby in the Saiyan language. Okaasan had always sung that song when they couldn't sleep when she and Bardock were chibi. Both hands lowered to pull her up, Tatewaki waited, and when she was high enough she grabbed both and held on tight as she was pulled up...

**********

Her eyes snapped open. There was a mask over her nose and mouth and she was floating in one of the regeneration tanks that Aunt Bulma had made for Vegeta-ojisan and Goku-ojisan when they sparred. Slowly her eyes moved to look around the entire room. Aunt Bulma was walking around the lab, working on a couple different inventions, and okaasan and otosan were meditating in one corner. Looking worried, Tatewaki sat on a stool with his chin on his hands and watched her. When he saw her eyes moving, he jumped up. "She's awake!"

Both of her parents snapped out of their meditation and stood up, walking over to the tank. Aunt Bulma pressed a button, and the liquid drained out. Taking off the mask, Sake stood up and looked down at herself. Her clothes were very ripped from the boulder landing on her. Tatewaki blushed. Noticing that, Bulma handed Sake a long kimono, which would do for clothes until she could get home. Wrapping it around herself, she cinched the belt and smiled shakily at them all. "That was not fun."

"It wasn't fun for me, either, Sake-chan. Remember, I was carrying you. Besides being frightened out of my wits, you bled all over my shirt." Kuno grinned. Sake blinked at him.

"You're not talking the way you did."

"I know." He nodded. "I sort of snapped while I was carrying you. Probably won't talk like that again except for… well… moments."

One side of her mouth curled up into a crooked smile while the other side straightened out. "Ee, then that's just as well. Can I eat something?" Her stomach grumbled loudly. "Kami, I'm starving."

They laughed, and Bulma nodded. "Ok. I'll fix you something." Then her face was serious for a moment. "Your ojisan was really worried about you, Sake."

"He might be in the kitchen, so you could say hi then too, ok?"

"Ok, Aunt Bulma." Tightening her kimono belt a bit, she followed her aunt to the kitchen. The fridge door was open, and Vegeta was rummaging inside. "Konbanwa, ojisan." He started, then looked up above the door.

"Konbanwa, bratling. Woke up, did you?" His eyes told a different story. He looked incredibly relieved to see her. Walking over and leaning down slightly, she hugged him, planting a little kiss on his cheek. "Ah, kuso, bratling, you're too tall."

"You've said that before, ojisan. It won't stop me from getting taller if I do."

"Bratling…" His face changed for a minute. "I'm glad you're all right." Then it went back to his habitual scowl. "No niece of mine is going to die just because they got hit with a big rock. If you had died, I would have been very displeased with you."

"Of course, ojisan." She grinned at him. "Now, if you wouldn't mind, my stomach is demanding attention." Grudgingly he moved out of the way while she filled her arms with food and devoured it faster than the eye could see. A sigh escaped her lips. "I need to go home, Aunt Bulma, ojisan. I'm tired and would like to get some better clothes." She went, got her parents and Kuno, and flew home.

Bardock met her at home. He had been as worried as the others, and after the twins had hugged, Sake flopped onto the couch. There were small red marks all over Bardock's right arm, shoulder, and leg, where the boulder had been when it had landed on Sake. They were unusually sensitive to each other, much more than most twins. And this was the most painful thing they had both gone through.

**********

For some reason, Sake had never chosen to sing for Tatewaki before. She did so now, sitting on the roof of the cabin with him, bright clear voice soaring in a delicate melody in the Saiyan language. When it was finished, she looked at him. "I never sing that song unless I'm with someone really important to me, Tatewaki-kun. It means a lot." He started to speak, but she shook her head, smiling. "There's another song I'm going to sing." Opening her mouth, she started to sing again. It was a wordless melody that changed constantly and filled the air with what felt like growing things. What it took hold of, it held onto so tightly that there was no chance of getting away until the song ended and with it the scent of growing plants and the sound of animals walking slowly in the night. She stopped after what seemed like forever and yawned. "Singing that always makes me tired." Leaning over, she rested her head on Tatewaki's shoulder, eyes closing in sleep. "Ai shiteru, Tatewaki-kun." And then she fell asleep.

He blinked, then relaxed more. "Ai shiteru, Sake-chan. I better get you inside." Tenderly he picked her up and flew down from the roof, where Rehanna got her in bed, knowing that she would probably sleep for a while. When her daughter really sang, she put her whole heart into it, and she had really been singing.

**********

Feeling slightly obligated to take care of her, Tatewaki stuck his head in Sake's room to check on her. She was sprawled across the bed, smiling and humming in her sleep. It was a very peaceful image. Flipped across her face, her pigtail stirred with each breath. Under her breath, still asleep, the last song she had sung came out of her mouth in a quiet, breathy hum. One eye twitched, and she sat up in bed, eyes open, yelling something in the Saiyan language, which he didn't understand, but from the tone of what she said, it sounded like she was demanding something desperately. "Hoisan ten tanales! Hoisan ten tanales, kor senpackoto!" Even though he was standing in the doorway, she didn't seem to see him. "Senpackoto! Koress lansu sen kuinje! Kuinje, wiq crakkaten!" Still she ignored him, and he hurried in, placing a hand on her forehead as gently as possible. She was burning up. "Kuinje! Hoisan ten tanales!" He ran out to get Rehanna and Juunanagou.

When he came back with them, she was still sitting up, yelling unintelligibly. Rehanna stared, then started. "Oh, Dende, this is not good."

"What is it, Rehanna-san?"

"She's got the watorra sickness. If she's not properly treated, she might die. We've got to get her to my brother. He's the only other one who knows what to do." She looked at Juunanagou. "Carry her, Juu-chan. Kuno, you come with me. Now! Hurry!" They obeyed and followed Rehanna to Capsule Corp., where she bypassed the doorway and went through the window of Bulma and Vegeta's bedroom, roughly shaking her brother awake. "Get up, baka. We need your help."

"Nani? Kantasalo, what is this?" Then he saw the yelling Sake and his eyes widened. "One second. I'll get dressed."

"Hurry, Vegeta."

"Hoisan ten tanales! Mekotiru! Mekotiru Sake lesosocha!"

Dressing as quickly as possible, Vegeta frowned intently while Rehanna explained the situation to a groggy Bulma, who stopped her. "One question. What exactly is watorra sickness?"

"Watorra sickness is a disease that only strikes Saiyans. It's very rare, and the symptoms are very exact. Trainers drill the information into our heads so that we recognize watorra sickness immediately. It is fatal if not treated, and hits suddenly, as it has done here. I forgot that in the Royal family, one child every fifth generation had an increased likelihood of getting it. She was weakened by her injuries, therefor it was able to take hold." Vegeta finished dressing and looked at them. "Follow me, all of you."

"Yes, Vegeta, I know." She looked at the others. "Do what he says. Bulma, once you get dressed, please come to the lab." They hurried off down the hall. Sake continued to yell.

"Hoisan ten tanales, wiq crakkaten! Kuinje!" Now her eyes were wide and staring, but they saw nothing. Small beads of sweat were on her forehead. "Mekotiru Sake lesosocha, bentusai!"

"What's she saying, Rehanna-san?"

Rehanna didn't answer, but Vegeta did. "She's demanding to get something back, emphasizing that she's royalty. I can't quite get what it is she wants, though. She's using a very archaic form of the language." His face twisted in intense concentration. "She keeps repeating 'Give it to me.' I think that's what hoisan ten tanales means. Wiq crakkaten…you idiot. Kuinje is royalty. Mekotiru…I am…Sake lesosocha. Princess Sake. Bentusai I think means…hmm….I'm not sure about that one."

"She said something before, too. 'kor senpackoto' and 'koress lansu sen kuinje'."

Vegeta snickered. "Kor senpackoto means 'you son of a rabid mangy Sarlan and a Changeling.' Or really a great deal stronger than that. Not a nice insult. Koress lansu sen kuinje is 'You dare to defy royalty."

Blinking, Tatewaki looked at him blankly. "What's a Sarlan, Vegeta-san? And a Changeling?"

"Changelings are powerful onores. And Sarlans are dog-like people. Rehanna's met some before."

"Vegetasei! Kor senpackoto! Hoisan ten tanales! Hoisan bentusai tanales!"

They had almost reached the lab. Something lit up in Vegeta's eyes. "Bentusai. I should have known what it meant. It's modern."

"Ki. It means ki. It's a modern word, but she was putting it in archaic usage. You have no fault with that, brother dear. We're here." Rehanna stopped talking and went in through the door of the lab and put her daughter down on a clear lab table. "Kuno. You'll need to help us with this. Hold onto her shoulders. Tight." He obeyed. Walking over to a sink, Vegeta got a large cup of water and yanked something out of a pocket. It looked a little old, like he had been keeping it for a long time. Opening it up, he took out a pill and tossed it into the cup. It fizzed violently, bubbled, then went still, dissolving. "Good. Give it to me, Vegeta." He did so. She handed the cup to Tatewaki. "Make her drink it. We'll hold her."

Carefully Tatewaki tipped Sake's head back and opened her mouth. She wasn't yelling anymore. Slowly he poured the water down her throat. It trickled down her esophagus and reached her stomach, just as she started to shake violently, then fall still. Her eyes closed slowly and she slept in peace. Words came from her mouth. "Hoisan bentusai tanales. Hoisan ten tanales!"

"Kuno, this part is very important. You gave her medicine that holds the sickness back and lets her sleep, but this is the vital stage. You must listen to me. When she speaks next, you must put her in a sitting position and cover her mouth, no matter how much she struggles. Vegeta and I will take it from there."

"But..."

"No buts! Do it!"

Sake twitched. "Meko..." Her voice was cut off as Tatewaki pulled her up into a sitting position and clamped a hand over her mouth. Flying wide open, her eyes looked straight at him, bored through him. Juunanagou could only stand in the corner and watch helplessly. Nodding, Vegeta took one of her shoulders, and Rehanna the other. They started whispering in her ears. Rehanna looked up, whispered something to Kuno. He took his hand off her mouth and gave her what was left of the medicine water. Real consciousness came back to her eyes before they closed and she fell asleep again, this time a peaceful, healing sleep.

**********

Sitting on the roof, Sake poured a thin stream of sweet, sugary flavored powder into the palm of her hand and ate it slowly. Curious, Tatewaki looked at her. "What's that?"

"A Pixy Stick."

"A what?"

"You mean to tell me you've never had a Pixy Stick?"

"No."

"Tatewaki-kun, you don't know what you're missing." She wiped her hand carefully with a wet cloth, dried it, then poured the contents of another Pixy Stick, a purple one, into her palm and grinned. "Open your mouth and stick out your tongue. Oh, and close your eyes." He obeyed. Slowly she blew on the candy powder. It drifted into the air and landed on Tatewaki's tongue, as well as on his eyelids and nose. Brushing off his nose, he opened his eyes and looked at his fingers, then licked them off and swallowed.

"Sugoi!"

"Is it good?"

"You can't guess?"

The End