Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Herbie's Drive Through Nerma ❯ Genma's reason revealed! The search for Herbie begins ( Chapter 12 )

Sometime, at the home of the head of the village, or rather outside…

(I told you guys, I'm too big.)

…when they found out cars can't fit in houses very well, Herbie was getting introduced to the Tendo and Saotomae look-a-likes.

"Well, my name is Kensuke Haruku," the head of the house, who looked like Soun said. "This is my eldest daughter, Natsumi," he said pointing to the woman who looked like Kasumi. "This is my second eldest, Sakura," he said pointing to the Nabiki look-a-like. "And this is Kanna, my youngest and her husband, Kotaro."

(Congratulations.) Herbie beeped. Just then, the members of the Haruku house hold were amazed.

"We… we understood that!" Kanna said. "How…?"

(Oh, when people hang around me, or are my owners, it tends to happen.) Herbie happily beeped. He then looked in the direction of the guy who looked like principal Kuno, and got nervous. (Uh… who are you?)

"Oh, this is Kotaro's dad, Yamato." Kensuke said.

"It's nice to meet you." The man said, with the Hawaiian sounding accent, but no miss pronunciation or poor speaking that Principal Kuno is mostly famous for.

(Uh… you don't go nuts with a pair of shavers or razors, or ukuleles, do you?) Herbie beeped.

"No, why do you ask?" Yamato asked.

*FLASHBACK*

Principal Kuno was running all over the place, passing Herbie several times until he stopped out of exhaustion. Hearing that the car had a mind of its own from his students, he turned to Herbie.

"Hey, little car, you be seeing any male students with long hair? Dat's forbidden by dem school rules." The principal said.

(Nope, haven't seen them.) Herbie beeped.

"I be finding them soon!" Principal Kuno said getting his second wind as he ran off. When the coast was clear, Herbie opened his trunk, which was hiding two new Furikan students.

"Thanks little car." One of the kids said.

(No problem, but call me Herbie.) Herbie beeped.

"You students better be having no long hair when I find you, or I be cutting it down to size!" The principal yelled.

"Oh boy," the other student said. "Dude, time to split! Thanks Herbie!"

"I see you!" The principal said as the students ran off, with the principal after them.

*END FLASHBACK*

(Uh… no reason.) Herbie beeped. (Well, my name's Herbie.) Herbie then bent is front tires down, and raised his back in a bowing gesture. (Please to meet you.) He then bent his back into position and raised his tires back to normal.

"Like wise." Everybody said at once.

"And you've already met Mr. Panda." Kanna said.

`Nice to meet you.' Genma signed.

(Uh… can I talk to Mr. Panda in private?) Herbie beeped.

`Uh-oh.' Genma signed.

"That shouldn't be a problem." Yamato said. Everybody then went back into the house, save for Genma, who was waiting for Herbie to beep.

(Ok… wait.) Herbie then turned all his wheels towards the house's door, stopped, and…

*BEEEEEEEEEEEEP*

"GAH!" Sakura said. She then opened the door. "How did you know?"

(I have a friend who's a bit like you.) Herbie beeped. Sakura then bowed and left, as Herbie wheeled to Genma. (Ok, Genma, why are you here?)

`I'm just a cute little panda.' Genma signed.

(Oh no, I'm the car that invented the `Just an innocent little bug' act.) Herbie beeped. (Start… uh… signing.)

`Well, I came back right after…' Genma signed, but before he could pull another one, he was interrupted by Herbie.

(Wait… came back?) Herbie beeped.

`This may take awhile, but it went like this…' Genma signed as he started on his story.

*************************************************************** *********

At the same time at the Tendo Dojo, Kodachi was telling her own story…

"And by the time I came to, my darling Ranma's car was gone!"

…only difference is that it's purely a story.

"So, you saw these men trying to take Herbie because he is a famous car, they knocked you out, and he was gone?" Nodoka suspiciously asked. Nabiki and Mousse looked on with the same skepticism, and Soun was about to cry at the kidnapping of a family friend.

`Kodachi doesn't get knocked out like that so easily.' Nabiki thought. `Something's up.'

"Please, I want to help Ranma darling get Herbie back." Kodachi "wept," and then pulled out something in a bottle. "I even have an antidote to my gift to show my concern." Nodoka then took the antidote from her.

"If this cures my son, then you are welcome to help us look." Nodoka said. "But if this makes it worse for him, I will show you sword skills that would make your brother an armature, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, mom." Kodachi said, causing a look from Nodoka.

`I'm keeping my eye on this girl.' The older woman thought. `Something's not right.'

An hour later, a revived Ranma and Akane got the story and they started searching for Herbie.

"HERBIE!" Akane yelled.

"HEY HERB! WHERE ARE YA?!" Ranma yelled.

"HERBIE! HERE LITTLE CAR!" Kodachi yelled. She had somehow convinced Soun and Nodoka to have her join Ranma and Akane's party to search for The Love Bug. However, both Ranma and Akane were very suspicious about her actions.

`What is she up to?' Ranma thought. `She must have had something to do with this, but I don't have proof.'

`She did it, I know it!' Akane angrily thought. `But I can't do anything without proof! I'm trying to curb my temper, so I can't just mallet her.'

"I haven't been able to find him, you two?" Ranma asked. Kodachi and Akane shook their heads. Ranma then sighed and started to speak again. "Let's get back to the dojo and see if mom and Mr. Tendo or Mousse and Nabiki have had any luck. If not, let's contact some of Furikan and see if they can help."

*************************************************************** *****

(You actually came back to help somebody after you ran off to save your hide?!) Herbie beeped amazed.

`Hey, you don't know me.' Genma signed.

(I'm best friends with your wife and son and I drive them almost everyday.) Herbie beeped back.

`Ok, so you do know me.' Genma signed. `Anyway, the reason I came back here after I ran off is because I realized something. When I was here, I was actually a hero. I ran back to save somebody other than me and I had nothing to gain from it and it felt great. There's something about this place. I don't know what, but it made me act like the martial artist I always want my son to be. Honest, strong, protector of the week, and always true to himself.'

(Uh… wouldn't staying a panda contradict at least two of those?) Herbie beeped. Genma sweat dropped.

`It's a catch-22 for me.' Genma said. `If I stay a panda, I'm lying. But if I turn back, they'll know I'm not a real panda and won't trust me anymore. And as long as Hyato is still after Kanna…'

(She's going to need all the help she can get, including you and Kotaro.) Herbie beeped, to which Genma nodded. (I don't get it though. If she's like Akane, doesn't she have her skills?)

`Yes and no.' Genma signed. `She has her cooking, and some basic skills. However, she's not in Akane's skill level. Kanna and her sisters have a little bit of Kasumi in them as well, but that's because their mother was around longer and this village is, for all purposes, still stuck in the past. Not everybody here is just like those back home.'

(You mean like Taichi calling me a demon?) Herbie beeped. Genma nodded.

`Better examples are that Kotaro and Kanna were more accepting of the engagement after I saved her from an unwanted wedding with Hyato. And Hyato, who looks like Kuno, actually doesn't sound like he's nuts, however he more sinister. He mainly wants Kanna for the power that comes with it, however, overtime he grew obsessed with wanting more from her.'

(Wanting… oh. OH CRUD!) Herbie beeped.

`Don't worry.' Genma signed. `Kotaro and I stopped him many times before and we'll do so again.'

(And when do you intend to tell everybody here who you really are?) Herbie beeped.

`When the time's right and I mean it this time.' Genma signed. `Until we get Hyato to leave Kanna alone for good, she can't afford to loose any protectors she has. Now, about you, I want to know why I'm having a conversation with a beetle.'

(Ever heard of `Inner life?') Herbie beeped. Genma then nodded.

`The master told me and Soun about it, but when he mentioned that inanimate objects could come to life, we thought he was nuts.' Genma signed.

(Well, I'm the proof that he's not that crazy.) Herbie beeped. (And if she needs any help with that guy, as long as I'm here, she's got another protector.) Just then, they heard the entrance door knocking.

"Are you two done yet? We need to go to Hyato village to trade some goods and get some cloths." Kotaro was heard yelling from the other end.

(There's more than one village in this region?) Herbie asked.

`Hey, I found that out two weeks ago myself.' Genma signed.

(We're done.) Herbie beeped.

"Great!" Kanna said as she and Kotaro exited the house. "Bye guys, see you in few days."

(A few days?) Herbie beeped.

`Its two days to and from the village.' Genma signed. Herbie then opened his door.

(Hop in. I can get you there faster.) Herbie beeped.

"Faster? You? Not likely." Kotaro said, but then he saw his wife getting in. "Kanna! You don't really believe what he's saying, do you? Look at all that armor, he'll take longer."

"Kotaro! It's rude to refuse a ride from a friend." Kanna said. "Are you coming Mr. Panda?"

`I'll take the back.' Genma signed, and he got in the back, Kanna took the passenger side, and Kotaro took the driver's side.

(Ok, hold on everybody.) Herbie beeped as he started his engine, causing Kanna to jump a bit. (Relax, that's just my engine starting.)

"Engine? What's an engine?" Kanna asked.

(It makes me go.) Herbie beeped.

"It sounds like he's fallin' apart to me." Kotaro said.

"KOTARO! Be nice. He's giving us a ride." Kanna said.

"Yeah right." Kotaro said. This thing looks like it can't get from point A to point…"

*SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH*

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Much like when Ranma couldn't keep his mouth shut, Herbie did a wheelie when Kotaro wouldn't shut up.

`I THINK HE TOOK OFFENSE!' Genma signed.