I finally finished. this is a small one with little action. I needed it to settle things down a bit. thing I should expand?
Winds of Change
Happiness, Hotaru Tomoe felt it, it scared her, it filled her, she hoped for a long time of it. But she held no delusions. Things were weird, she now had an all in one Father/mother unit that actually cared about her. The extended family was composed of the tenants from the Hinata-sou. It was a total of seven additional persons. This was so unusual, talk about a weird family. This was happiness.
------
Kiima wondered what was going on. She expected things to be weird, to be used, abused, something. However she was accepted, she had a hatchling looking up to her. Ranma had his own hatchling to look after. She was in good hands the phoenix decided, now is she only understood what she was supposed to do. Ranma didn't give her orders, but he wanted her to help him. She had to decide for herself in a world that she knew nothing off.
Now if she only could find a comfortable position to sleep in without lying on her wings. Maybe turning human had an advantage after all.
------
Safety, Makoto felt it, this building, the people. It was all so weird. It already felt like home. No one cared that she was tall, she wasn't alone, sure they were weird, but she was a Senshi. So this was easy to accept. It was kindness at it's fullest, not pity or anything. It was just a question of who would take what position. Makoto snuggled into her pillow and closed her eyes, it was her bed in her own room.
------
Shinobu was happy and sad. She was living with an angel like creature, she was living with warm people, people that cared. They were weird, Ranma-san was changing gender at water temperature, he/she and a few other knew cooking tricks she couldn't hope to copy, yet. They were strong and did things that were beyond normal comprehension. It was like in a manga. A girl was sent away and ended up with a team of super heroes. Ranma had taken the bed and easily dragged it all the way to her new room. Kiima had done the same with a full closet. Neither off them had been straining at all. It was, so unreal.
------
Ranma sighed, he had already gotten used to his first daughter, Makoto was maybe more like a little sister but it was fine. He had actually truly accepted Ownership of the Inn, Grandmastership of Anything Goes and his position as the Urashima Heir.
He had the feeling that things were only going to get weirder and more complicated from there on. No it wasn't good at all, it was fun. He just hoped that the fallout from Nerima would not cost his new family too much.
--- New beginnings ---
"So good!" "More!" "We will leave the dishes for later." "Has someone seen my bag?" "I lost my book bag, where is it?" "We gotta go." "Suu, wait, I can't run so fast." "Hotaru, I'll help you." "Why are you a girl?" "Ranma, you look good in Motoko's school uniform." "Pervert!" "Stop it, that's my uniform." "You are going to an all girls school?" "Ranma, have fun." "Kiima, stop teasing mom." "We are off." "Bye Kitsune." "Don't drink too much." "Die pervert." "She is repairing that." "Hotaru, how is this school?" "Sempai?" "I'll do the dishes." "Kiima-san, please go shopping, and make Kitsune go with you."
Morning chaos was something refreshing.
------
Motoko was trying hard to keep calm. "Why?"
"I got to learn about being a girl. Unfortunately no one had a better idea. The principal is in on it, and don't worry, I don't go to P.E." Ranma-chan answered.
Motoko twitched, she had no better idea. "Have fun." Ranma-chan twitched.
"Motoko-sempai!" The fangirls had arrived. "Isn't Motoko-sama great?" One of them asked the new girl.
Ranma-chan took a step back. "See you Motoko-chan!" Ranma-chan jumped off.
"Cutting wind!" The sword girl sent an attack after the redhead that the girl dodged.
Motoko turned to the other girls and nodded. "Let's go."
The girls just nodded, they would have to watch this newcomer.
------
Hotaru had left Suu and Shinobu and went to her class. The others still couldn't believe that she was the same age as them.
The girls were still thinking her cute, the boys were watching her like a doll. It was actually disturbing.
------
Ranma-chan sighed, she didn't know half of what the teacher was talking about, sometimes even less. No things were rather weird. She knew Furikan was crazy and bad, but this was far too much, she was just plain stupid, unknowing, ignorant. Whatever. Fighting sleep wasn't easy either.
That's why she was working overtime, the left hand was balancing pencils, the right copying things from the blackboard and skipping through the maths book. Mathematics was actually a lot like a battle, to some attacks, there were certain counters that might work, sometimes there was only one way to do it. Now there was only the problem of learning the right ways to do this. First a list of the attacks. While the teacher was writing something on the blackboard Ranma-chan was speadreading the maths book to write out ALL mentioned formulas. She managed it in 10 minutes. Looking and comparing them to the things on the blackboard. No some things didn't make sense at all. like that bit there. Ranma-chan decided to observe and wait what would happen.
Ranma-chan's brain was working overtime, it was funny to see little used neurons work and play. their eternal game of activating and deactivating. No things were not what the brain was used too but it was getting over it quiete fast. adaptation was one of Ranma's best quality. Right now it was cross indexing formulas and trying to apply them to real life. 15 minutes after the example had been started on the blackboard and the teacher was still explaining it to some others. The brain decided that it was a close call before the finals and ignored the calculator and to tell Ranma-chan the solution.
Ranma-chan looked at her notes and wrote the answer down. She had skipped about a page of writing and had done it in her mind. Not one to complain about having to write less, she started looking over vectoring and went on with several other topics. Things were not that easy, but at least maths had a system behind it. English didn't, or at least she hadn't figured it out yet. The same could be said with Japanese, Ranma-chan hated Kanji. Memorising things wasn't Ranma-chan's best point. History was another thing that had her. Why cqare where people came from? what they did was the most important.
------
It was a rather tired Ranma-chan that was walking home and wondering why the others at Furikan were learning so little. Sure this was a premier school, but still. Everything was so different. First of all she was not sleeping, easy to do when you sleep well, get up on your own and don't fight for your life or have to heal all the time. Ranma-chan liked this. It was different, it was too good to last.
"Might jst as well enjoy it while it lasts."
"Enjoy what?" A voice asked.
"You."
"You pervert!"
Ranma-chan dropped low and did a legswipe. Motoko jumped over that one. Ranma-chan grinned and faded from view.
Motoko wasn't sure how her oponent had done than but Ranma-chan suddenly had her in a headlock. The smaller girl bent low and whispered into her ear. "Thank you for being you, I'll be walking, I want to talk to Haruka anyway. Tell everyone I'll be in later."
Motoko was frowning, she didn't understand that somettimes boy, sometimes girl. But she understood one thing. She was good, no she was better. she was playing, toying and teaching. Motoko suddenly understood.
"Senpai, are you okay?" One of the fangirl asked.
"Yes I am." Motoko packed the bokken away again.
"Who was this girl, she isn't respecting you!" Another started.
Motoko smiled. "She is my Senpai, and my better."
Motoko was surprised at how easy this admission was. She could have added. "She would have been my Master if I hadn't messed up." somehow this felt to her like a lost chance. It could have been something special.
"Senpai is sooo coooll!"
------
Ranma-chan was jumping rooftops, and not small ones, no she was taking higher ground, a small mistake could end her life, but she did it anyway. She was one of the best, and she wanted to keep her endge. Today she would run, fly like the wind, match the speed of trains and outdo cars.
She crossed a street, that it was a four lane one didn't register to her. That she did it by jumping between two rather high houses was another thing that never registered. Instead she started apraoching smaller buildings. Jumping lower and lower she strained her muscles to the maximum. Sweat had dreanched her long ago. Her Ki was busy reapairing damage from this and the speed was draining her. to the normal eye, she would be invissible. Not that she cared.
An idea flashed through her mind. maybe today, just today she would push herself beyond her limits. Limits were ssomething to accept and overcome. Right now she was looking for hers. Maybe in the future she would once again overcome it. but at the moment she wanted to relish the peace. No this was her test.
"Motoko should be boarding the train about now. That shop over there has some good mochi I've heard, lets get some and try to outdo her later." She jumped down and bought some for everyone. Then she stored them away, together with her bookbag. Ki flared to life, the pavement started cracking before she layered it with her own life force.
She disappeared from the view of the rather shocked people on the street.
------
Motoko was waiking up the steps smiling. She wondered how long it would take Ranma to come here. She passed the final step and stopped dead in her tracks. Ranma-chan was lying there on the ground chest heaving, sweat dripping and all but passed out. "Ranma-senpai." The girl dropped her things and ran to the smaller girl. "Are you alright?"
Ranma-chan gasped. "It hurts." Ranma-chan stared at the taller girl. "But it feels so good."
"You outran the train, of course it hurts." Motoko picked Ranma-chan up. "I'll get you inside."
"Just drop me into the onsen, I'll heal there, give this to the others." Ranma-chan handed her some package. Motoko stared, those were mochi, she had heard of that shop, it wasn't even on the route to Hinata-sou. "You are insane!"
"I know!" Ranma-chan smiled. "I finally met my limit for now."
"That's not a limit, that should be impossible."
"I have surpassed my limit over and over again, I just wanted to see the next one. And now be a good girl and drop me in some nice hot water,."
Motoko shook her head. "Hai, Sempai." She accepted it, this was her elder and her better, it felt awkwardly refreshing. Standing up she marvelled at how light the girl was, the path to the onsen was a familiar one, Motoko made sure that no one was inside the changing room, inside the onsen. Than she literary dropped the still clothed Ranma-chan into the water.
"Aahhh!" she heard and looked down. Ranma was struggling out of the clothes. "I forgot!" she mumbled and sped out, barely avoiding getting hit by dripping school uniform.
------
The other were already by the table and waiting, not really patiently, as the resident chefs had once again prepared what not long ago, actually three days ago, would have been called a feast.
Finally Motoko came in, mumbling some extremely strange things. "... crazy as nut, doing such things and surviving ..." Everyone stared at her.
It was Hotaru and Kiima that knew the most about Ranma that guessed it correctly. "What did he do again?" Hotaru asked.
"He made a side trip, went to buy some rather famous mochi, outran me who went the direct way and by train."
Silence.
"Outran the train?" Kitsune asked.
"Yes."
Silence.
"Why would somebody do something like that?"
"Testing their limits?"
Hotaru got up. "I'll look how he feels. Start without us." Kiima started to rise as well. "Kiima stay, I can handle it." Hotaru told the phoenix with a voice not leaving place for discussion.
Silence.
"Well lets eat and we will find out more later." Kitsune suggested with a look at the food. "Outrunning a train, tram and making a side-trip, totally nuts!"
"Think he could train me like that?" Makoto asked, it was obvious that both she and Motoko were very interested in such prospects.
"He must have a great condition." Naru said.
"Great stamina." Kitsune said licking her lips.
Naru and Motoko said one thing. "Pervert."
"You make it sound like a bad thing." The resident fox replied.
Shinobu was blushing.
Kiima grinned. "Ranma-sama is very special. I know it would be rather interesting."
Makoto for once wondered why she felt rather unfazed.
"Is pervert tasty?" guess who asked that.
"Depends, I think." Kitsune answered. "Not sure." Makoto answered. Shinobu squeaked. "NO" Naru and Motoko screamed. "You try when you find a male one." Kiima replied in all honesty.
--- The Fallout in Nerima ---
Nabiki Tendou was not happy. Hell things were straight out of a Film. The lead character was leaving his long time place and everything was going straight to hell. Akane was ranting about no good for nothing cheating jerks. Kasumi had a relived smile on her face. Soun was crying up a river. Happosai was cackling and smoking. Genma, the one who caused this mess once again, was weeping crocodile tears for his dishonourable son. Nabiki wondered if she was supposed to weep or laugh at the insanity of it. And the fiancées didn't know yet.
Nabiki decided and got up, she decided to make a folder with all the information she had, actually it was only enough for a leaflet. "This is bad." Spelling the consequences out was a given anyway, especially in the two special ones for Kodachi and Kuno. Nope she knew that things were bad, no need to feed the fires.
"That pervert I knew it all along, now he is going to haunt the guests." Akane was in a bad mood and it was getting worse.
"Deal with it, he never was a Saotome so the only ones he has to deal with are the Amazons." Nabiki snapped. She had a lot of writing to do after all.
Kasumi felt relieved. She knew Ranma was better off wherever he was now.
------
The next morning was no better. Only Kasumi seemed chipper but Nabiki caught her looking a Ranma's usual seat with sadness. Things were not good but Kasumi obviously believed that Ranma was better off where ever he was now.
Nabiki had ordered three hundred leaflets yesterday and went to pick them up before school.
School itself was a mess. They were selling off at 700 Yen a piece the normal ones. 2000 the fiancée versions, and 10000 Yen the Kuno edition.
These leaflets managed to turn Furikan into ... well students running around, teachers drinking, Hinako randomly draining people and coconuts and pineapples exploding. Some were singing "This is the end of the world as we know it (and we don't care)" some were trying to return things to order. The teachers went home after one hour since it seemed pointless to calm things down. 78 girls vowed to kill Genma when they saw him for selling 'The best piece of meat around' and were busy planning his demise. Kuno declared the resurrection of the hentai horde, but some boys wondered if beatings that put Ranma of of commission were really worth the possible benefits, and those would fall to only one person. Besides, food that regularly took Ranma down had to be bad, or even worse.
------
Kasumi was happy, Ranma looked fine and already found someone to take care off, he even invited her over, And Hotaru was really cute, maybe she should get the girl some nice dress? Something to contrast the pale skin and maybe even accent it a bit. Than there was the knock on the door.
Kasumi opened and smiled pleasantly while fighting an evil grin, another one was going to get what she deserved. "Hello Aunty, please come in."
"Hello Kasumi. Where is my husband? I heard something very interesting at the market not long ago."
"Uncle Genma is still sleeping from getting drunk." Usually Kasumi wasn't like this, but she decided that the old fool deserved it this time.
"I see." Nodoka answered a little unnerved at the cheerful way Kasumi had said this. "I take this is a regular occurrence?"
"Panda-san does it two or three times a week, usually after something bad happens and he blames it on Ranma-kun." Kasumi turned. "Would you like some tea?"
Nodoka stared after Kasumi, something was off about the girl today. "Yes please."
"Would you join me in the kitchen, or do you want to wait in the living room? Feel free to skin the panda but please clean up the mess afterwards."
Now Nodoka had a very bad feeling. "Are the rumours true?"
"Which ones Saotome-san?"
"Ranma having left because he got a good proposition and abandoning his honour and the engagements."
"No this one is not true." Kasumi smiled.
Nodoka relaxed.
"However as he had already been sold into another clan before birth he was never bound to the engagements and is now living with his rightful family."
Nodoka dropped the katana. "What?"
"Panda-san sold Ranma-kun to another family before birth and now the courts decided that Ranma-kun should live with them since he is their heir." Kasumi smiled. "So any engagements made for him are invalid since he never was a Saotome in first place." Kasumi poured Nodoka some tea. "Would you like some rum with your tea?"
"Yes please." The woman was still reeling from the blow. Her son had left her, in fact he never was her son anyway. "Why would he go with this?"
"It was the honourable thing to do, even the courts agreed on this." Kasumi answered.
Nodoka's hand was inching for the still wrapped katana. "When did this happen."
"Yesterday before noon, sugar?"
"Two pieces please, do you mind if I use the garden for Panda-san." The last thing was spat like a curse.
"It needs fertilizing anyway." Kasumi said after a moment. "Try to keep the pieces big, it makes finding them easier, I don't want to smell them rotting."
------
Genma woke up with a sneeze, his danger senses told him that he was dead and just didn't know it. Hastily he went to pack his backpack but than decided against it. He could always steal the things he needed, but his life was precious. Delusional till the end some would say. The window was opened and the Umisenken utilized to escape.
------
"Thank you for the tea Kasumi, I have to talk to a certain panda." The older woman told her.
Kasumi nodded and wondered what she was supposed to take wit her on the weekend. Maybe some of those pie's Ranma-kun loved so much, and a book on proper food, Hotaru-chan looked like she needed it. Smiling she gathered the used cups and went for the kitchen when a scream of rage came from above. The girl sighed disappointedly, panda-san got away.
Minutes later Nodoka sat there steaming. "How could Ranma do this to me?"
Kasumi smiled. "Honour, it was the right thing to do. Panda-san should have known that he had sold Ranma-kun."
"Fleeing like that is unmanly."
"The contract was illegal anyway, after all you had no right to decided over his future, it was all the hands of the other family. Anything you did was allowing panda-san to break that other contract." Nabiki said as she entered. "I'm home, I take it he's finally gone and daddy is hiding?"
Kasumi nodded. "I made some snacks, they are in the kitchen." She offered as she got up.
Nabiki followed. "So sis, what got you into this good mood?"
"I met Ranma-kun today, he looks happy and already made a friend."
Trust Kasumi to offer a bomb in such a matter that no one would even think of refusing it.
"Say that again?"
"Ranma-kun is feeling well, he already as a real friend." The smile felt blinding to Nabiki but this wasn't the end. "He invited me over, Kiima-san is there too."
Nabiki felt herself loosing her control. "Kiima, as in the phoenix that looks like Akane?"
Kasumi nodded as she handed Nabiki a few sandwiches and a cup of tea. "Yes, she is Ranma-kun's slave it seems."
Nabiki choked on the sandwich.
"Poor Ranma-kun, I doubt that he takes this well. I know how much hates such things."
Nabiki decided to ask, even if she would regret it. "Is there more to it?"
"Yes there is." Kasumi smiled serenely as she remembered something.
"Do I want to know?" Nabiki blinked. "Should I know?"
Kasumi considered, Hotaru was something on a need to know basis, and Nabiki didn't need to know, the address was a no-no, the invitation ... "I was invited over for the weekend."
Nabiki nodded, at least something. "There is more."
Kasumi nodded as she took away the dirty plate.
"Where is he?" Nodoka demanded as she had finally recovered enough and entered the kitchen.
"Panda-san has left."
"I mean Ranma, he will stop this nonsense and ..."
"... disgrace himself, the family and everyone else." Kasumi retorted.
Nabiki blinked, that was true, however Kasumi of all people saying that was wrong, best get back into character.
"You will not take such a tone with me."
"Deal with it, Genma once again screwed up, this time bigger than usual. Ranma is gone and that for good. This is our home so we can say the truth. You should work on a few new sons probably since now that every one of the 27 engagements still open is not tied to Ranma any more, hell they never were." Nabiki told the woman, she had never really liked Nodoka, with such parents Ranma was an angel, this situation was rotting her brain. After all, she had just called Ranma and angel, maybe of destruction. Or at the very least his guardian angel was one.
------
Ranma and Hotaru sneezed.
------
Akane returned later, she was fuming, the hentai horde was back and Kuno was an idiot, again. She had actually fought him three times to take him down. "Ranma no baka!" Yuka and Sayuri had bought information from Nabiki after listening to her story. Didn't her own friends believe her any more? It was all his fault. Really! Why did no one ever believe her any more? How she wanted to wring his neck and beat him for all this.
She actually found a sympathetic ear in Nodoka, the two had mostly the same idea. Get him back and correct this mess for Akane and in Nodoka's case, lots of grandchildren with several mistresses.
In the kitchen Kasumi and Nabiki shook their heads.
"Ranma-kun is going to hurt them."
Nabiki shook her head. "If the girls start acting up."
"Ranma-kun has a 'real' friend now, maybe even more, if they hurt her than Saffron will pale in comparison." Kasumi said.
Nabiki wondered how Kasumi knew. Not even she had gotten anything out of the participants.
"Ranma-kun told me all about it." Kasumi seemed to read Nabiki's thoughts. "Oh my, time to start dinner."
Nabiki wondered, where the hell had the afternoon disappeared too? She hadn't even started her homework yet.
------
"So he never was a Saotome?" Konatsu asked Ukyo.
"Yes that's what it looks like, I was engaged to someone that didn't exist, now what should I do?" The chef was wondering what to do. "First I'll get him, that jerk, leaving me without a single word, I'll show him."
Konatsu decided to ask Nabiki for more information or rather new information. As he heard Ukyo ranting he sighed "That's why he left without notice, it was decided, the oldest contract was honoured, and since it removed him from the line, even as Genma's son, there never was a son of Genma Saotome."
------
"So my Ranma-sama has taken the red haired harlot and left for a new family leaving his black rose behind?"
Sasuke nodded.
"My pigtailed girl sold together with the foul sorcerer into slavery, the Blue Thunder will save her." Kuno ranted. "I shall save her from the slavery the foul sorcerer forces her into."
Sasuke sighed, again. "Their father, Genma Saotome, sold them."
Much to the surprise the "them" penetrated the demented minds of his masters.
"Their father?"
"Genma Saotome is father to both of them." Sasuke verified. He had to blink at the varied reactions.
"I have been attacking my one love's sister?"
"Oh my poor pigtailed goddess, being forced by her own brother!"
<Why me?> Sasuke wondered.
------
At the Nekohaten Cologne wondered what to do. The situation was getting more screwed up by the day. Ranma was not a Saotome, actually the whole journey was illegal and he belonged to a different family. A family that probably did not care about them and he had a Inn to lead. This was not a good position to make him join the tribe. Not after he defeated Saffron anyway.
------
Happosai was torn between being happy and sad. Sad that he had lost his heir. He didn't like it, he was loosing his heir to someone else. But it beat loosing the best practitioner of his Art. He knew of the Urashima Style, it was something that Ranma could benefit from. And since he was heir to the Urashima family he was probably going to be heir of that style too. There was no turning back on what had happened. He hoped that he had not alienated the boy. So many regrets and so little he do about it now. He had had his fun, but the cost was might be too much. He had been stupid like the others.
------
Nabiki Tendo had regrets. She knew he was better off somewhere else. But it still hurt, especially that the only one trusted was Kasumi. She had not done anything to deserve trust but still, things were out of control. They never were friends but now there was no chance of that to improve. Or was there?
------
The father drank as there was nothing else they could have done. They were dreaming drunken dreams of something that could never happen.
------
She smiled. After all, everything was better than it had been. She would miss having him near her but it was all for the better. At least in his case.
Dreams of the night
It was a beautiful moon. The night was clear and everything was the way it should be. Maybe it wasn't, he had two slaves and several daughters or something like that. Life was complicated after all. Going to school as a girl was bad too. The responsibility was strange. School was hell. Hotaru was fun, Kiima was weird, Shinobu liked Kiima, Naru was nuts, Motoko finally came around, Kitsune liked teasing him more than was healthy, aunty was weird, Suu was a tech maniac, Makoto was eager and a great cook. Living for the day was the only thing that he could do right now.
------
She had a place to belong. A hatchling to help evolve and a Master that was fun in more than one way. Maybe, just maybe, things were well.
------
A new home. A place to belong. People she could trust. Acceptance. A family, a father, a mother, a mentor, an anchor to this reality. They were there, they had managed to find a place to be happy at. A dysfunctional family but more of a family than her last one had been.
------
Beneath her was a pervert. And powerful pervert. And everyone liked him, she was alone. She was the only one who understood the dangers. She had moved several things over the hole. On top of the cupboard her numerous study books, topping it all was Liddo-kun. But if it was enough was questionable. Drinking another cup of coffee she prepared herself for another long night.
------
She had the smile of the creature that was her nickname on her face. "To playing the game." She didn't know how true her words were. "Kanpai"
------
Staring at the moon she formed the question on her lips. She needed her as her Master, her Sensei. He had crossed the border to things impossible, and now she wanted to learn from him. She realized that he was a true warrior. Usually her family was taught by females only, but in this case she thought that he could teach her things she didn't know yet. Now is she could only say those damn words aloud and to his/her face.
------
"Bananas" a sleeping girl mumbled snuggling into Motoko.
------
Tomorrow would be a new day and she would formally request training. She mentaly went over the breakfast menu and how much she would need to prepare. Shinobu was a great cook, they already exchanged a recipe. She missed her friends but this felt so much like home. A chaotic weird home.
------
"And so the dices have fallen"
"Who is the next to throw?
"What will the next throw be?"
"The future" three old voices agreed.
Author's Notes v0.1: This was fun. Took long but I don't need to hurry this fic. I hope I didn't forget anyone important. Well now checking this.
Temple of Ranma's Sailor Senshi Seifuku
Anime, Scifi, Fantasy Fan and Original Fiction
Onesen Mess - Chapter 2
33 posts
• Page 1 of 3 • 1, 2, 3
by WG_Writer » Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:05 pm
Good plot so far, nicely paced, only a few spelling errors (I will leave pointing them out to the reisident Grammar Police). definately not a Deus Ex it seemed to start as.
Storm trooper effect works against good guys as well.
No matter how strong you are, there is always a teenager able to beat you without breaking a sweat.
A blind Paladin can only hear half truths
A deaf Paladin can only see half truths
Either way the Paladin is a berserker
No matter how strong you are, there is always a teenager able to beat you without breaking a sweat.
A blind Paladin can only hear half truths
A deaf Paladin can only see half truths
Either way the Paladin is a berserker
-
WG_Writer
Posts: 1086
by TerraBull » Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:09 pm
A few minor errors.
now if she only understood what she was supposed to do.
"Might just as well enjoy it while it lasts."
She was one of the best, and she wanted to keep her edge.
Limits were something to accept and overcome.
Motoko was walking up the steps smiling.
The others were already by the table and waiting,
Kasumi nodded and wondered what she was supposed to take with her on the weekend.
"Ranma-kun has a 'real' friend now, maybe even more, if they hurt her then Saffron will pale in comparison." Kasumi said.
He had had his fun, but the cost was what might be too much. He had been stupid like the others.
She needed him as her Master, her Sensei.
Now if she could only say those damn words aloud and to his/her face.
End.
Comments?
Very Cool, and Thank you for updating! I like how it is going, too bad the baka panda got away, for now.
More comments later.
now is she only understood what she was supposed to do.
now if she only understood what she was supposed to do.
"Might jst as well enjoy it while it lasts."
"Might just as well enjoy it while it lasts."
She was one of the best, and she wanted to keep her endge.
She was one of the best, and she wanted to keep her edge.
Limits were ssomething to accept and overcome.
Limits were something to accept and overcome.
Motoko was waiking up the steps smiling.
Motoko was walking up the steps smiling.
The other were already by the table and waiting,
The others were already by the table and waiting,
Kasumi nodded and wondered what she was supposed to take wit her on the weekend.
Kasumi nodded and wondered what she was supposed to take with her on the weekend.
"Ranma-kun has a 'real' friend now, maybe even more, if they hurt her than Saffron will pale in comparison." Kasumi said.
"Ranma-kun has a 'real' friend now, maybe even more, if they hurt her then Saffron will pale in comparison." Kasumi said.
He had had his fun, but the cost was might be too much. He had been stupid like the others.
He had had his fun, but the cost was what might be too much. He had been stupid like the others.
She needed her as her Master, her Sensei.
She needed him as her Master, her Sensei.
Now is she could only say those damn words aloud and to his/her face.
Now if she could only say those damn words aloud and to his/her face.
End.
Comments?
Very Cool, and Thank you for updating! I like how it is going, too bad the baka panda got away, for now.
More comments later.
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TerraBull
Posts: 124
by Jadedmagus » Sun Aug 13, 2006 8:22 pm
Hmm, the first chapter can be found at
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2810653/1/
Heh, I needed a refresher too...
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2810653/1/
Heh, I needed a refresher too...
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Jadedmagus
Posts: 50
by Jadedmagus » Mon Aug 14, 2006 12:22 am
Deus Ex:
-Wikipedia Etymology
Anyway, I heartily approve of the above chapter, because as Terra mentions it gets away from the rapid fire plot devices that stretch the willing suspension of disbelieve to the limit. Honestly, part of the first chapter seemed like the following (Hotaru: My mystic sense is tingling... Leave home for good, ok... Board this train, ok... tell this odd person about my secret identity after 2 minutes of commiserating, ok... Ranma: Well I've just gotten out of a whole bunch of commitments I don't want, I know I'll adopt this girl I've known for less than a day, I'm sure I can handle it...).
Sorry if that seems harsh, but this chapter gets away from that nicely, at least in the case of Shinobu. I don't know how they can all feel loved/'the caring in the air', after two days, but that isn't so bad, as at least in the short term that can be explained away as first impressions (which tend to stick, regardless of reality, for a while, unless your family name is Kuno -then it's permenant
Hope my comments help.
Edit: Spelling
derived from the Latin expression deus ex machina (pronounced [deus εks ˈmaːk(ʰ)ina]), literally meaning "god from the machine", i.e. "a person or event that provides a sudden, unexpected solution to a story" (referencing the practice in Greek drama of using a machine rig to lower an actor playing a deity down to a stage, quickly resolving a drama)
-Wikipedia Etymology
Anyway, I heartily approve of the above chapter, because as Terra mentions it gets away from the rapid fire plot devices that stretch the willing suspension of disbelieve to the limit. Honestly, part of the first chapter seemed like the following (Hotaru: My mystic sense is tingling... Leave home for good, ok... Board this train, ok... tell this odd person about my secret identity after 2 minutes of commiserating, ok... Ranma: Well I've just gotten out of a whole bunch of commitments I don't want, I know I'll adopt this girl I've known for less than a day, I'm sure I can handle it...).
Sorry if that seems harsh, but this chapter gets away from that nicely, at least in the case of Shinobu. I don't know how they can all feel loved/'the caring in the air', after two days, but that isn't so bad, as at least in the short term that can be explained away as first impressions (which tend to stick, regardless of reality, for a while, unless your family name is Kuno -then it's permenant
Hope my comments help.
Edit: Spelling
Last edited by Jadedmagus on Mon Aug 14, 2006 12:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Jadedmagus
Posts: 50
by Kadunta » Mon Aug 14, 2006 4:20 am
Yes, nice addition that felt moving things along quite a bit slower than the first chapter (which is not a bad thing).
I have trouble understanding the meaning of this. "offer a bomb in such a manner" sounds a bit out of place as well. Then again, English isn't my mother tongue.
Trust Kasumi to offer a bomb in such a matter that no one would even think of refusing it.
I have trouble understanding the meaning of this. "offer a bomb in such a manner" sounds a bit out of place as well. Then again, English isn't my mother tongue.
"Nothing desiccates a mind so much as its repugnance to conceive obscure ideas."
-- E.M.Cioran, "All Gall Is Divided", translation by Richard Howard
-- E.M.Cioran, "All Gall Is Divided", translation by Richard Howard
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Kadunta
Posts: 243
by migele » Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:32 am
Kadunta wrote:I have trouble understanding the meaning of this. "offer a bomb in such a manner" sounds a bit out of place as well. Then again, English isn't my mother tongue.
It isn't mine either. So I might have botched that. I'll look it over.
Kadunta wrote:Yes, nice addition that felt moving things along quite a bit slower than the first chapter (which is not a bad thing).
Accepting and adapting to the new reality will be next chapter mostly, than I'll move the plot into the modified Love Hina timeline.
Jadedmagus wrote:Anyway, I heartily approve of the above chapter, because as Terra mentions it gets away from the rapid fire plot devices that stretch the willing suspension of disbelieve to the limit. Honestly, part of the first chapter seemed like the following (Hotaru: My mystic sense is tingling... Leave home for good, ok... Board this train, ok... tell this odd person about my secret identity after 2 minutes of commiserating, ok... Ranma: Well I've just gotten out of a whole bunch of commitments I don't want, I know I'll adopt this girl I've known for less than a day, I'm sure I can handle it...).
I'll get to those feelings of pulling and belonging next time. I think I have a reason for this.
Jadedmagus again wrote:Sorry if that seems harsh, but this chapter gets away from that nicely, at least in the case of Shinobu. I don't know how they can all feel loved/'the caring in the air', after two days, but that isn't so bad, as at least in the short term that can be explained away as first impressions (which tend to stick, regardless of reality, for a while, unless your family name is Kuno -then it's permenant
Well they will all find their reasons with time. some things change and people find each other. As for Solution to all messes.
They escaped, for now. The ghosts of Juuban and NErima will reaappear from time to time. It would be half the fun otherwise.
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migele
Posts: 234
by WG_Writer » Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:10 am
migele wrote:Deus Ex?
Deus Ex comes from old Theater, back in the Roman days where an acter would be lowered on to stage by way of a machine. Usually the actor represented a god. Normally this is done during a dire or inescapable situtation. The full term is "Deus Ex Machina" or translated "God out of a Machine"
Basically "Deus Ex" and "Deus Ex Machina" are used to refer to a sudden resolution by "higher powers".
Effectively what I was saying was your first chapter seemed to resolved everything, but this chapter proved that little was resolved and plenty of potential conflict still exists.
Storm trooper effect works against good guys as well.
No matter how strong you are, there is always a teenager able to beat you without breaking a sweat.
A blind Paladin can only hear half truths
A deaf Paladin can only see half truths
Either way the Paladin is a berserker
No matter how strong you are, there is always a teenager able to beat you without breaking a sweat.
A blind Paladin can only hear half truths
A deaf Paladin can only see half truths
Either way the Paladin is a berserker
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WG_Writer
Posts: 1086
by migele » Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:20 am
Winds of Change
Happiness, Hotaru Tomoe felt it, it scared her, it filled her, she hoped for a long time of it. But she held no delusions. Things were weird, she now had an all in one Father/mother unit that actually cared about her. The extended family was composed of the tenants from the Hinata-sou. It was a total of seven additional persons. This was so unusual, talk about a weird family. This was happiness.
------
Kiima wondered what was going on. She expected things to be weird, to be used, abused, something. However she was accepted, she had a hatchling looking up to her. Ranma had his own hatchling to look after. She was in good hands the phoenix decided, now if she only understood what she was supposed to do. Ranma didn't give her orders, but he wanted her to help him. She had to decide for herself in a world that she knew nothing off.
Now if she only could find a comfortable position to sleep in without lying on her wings. Maybe turning human had an advantage after all.
------
Safety, Makoto felt it, this building, the people. It was all so weird. It already felt like home. No one cared that she was tall, she wasn't alone, sure they were weird, but she was a Senshi. So this was easy to accept. It was kindness at it's fullest, not pity or anything. It was just a question of who would take what position. Makoto snuggled into her pillow and closed her eyes, it was her bed in her own room.
------
Shinobu was happy and sad. She was living with an angel like creature, she was living with warm people, people that cared. They were weird, Ranma-san was changing gender at water temperature, he/she and a few other knew cooking tricks she couldn't hope to copy, yet. They were strong and did things that were beyond normal comprehension. It was like in a manga. A girl was sent away and ended up with a team of super heroes. Ranma had taken the bed and easily dragged it all the way to her new room. Kiima had done the same with a full closet. Neither off them had been straining at all. It was, so unreal.
------
Ranma sighed, he had already gotten used to his first daughter, Makoto was maybe more like a little sister but it was fine. He had actually truly accepted Ownership of the Inn, Grandmastership of Anything Goes and his position as the Urashima Heir.
He had the feeling that things were only going to get weirder and more complicated from there on. No it wasn't good at all, it was fun. He just hoped that the fallout from Nerima would not cost his new family too much.
--- New beginnings ---
"So good!" "More!" "We will leave the dishes for later." "Has someone seen my bag?" "I lost my book bag, where is it?" "We gotta go." "Suu, wait, I can't run so fast." "Hotaru, I'll help you." "Why are you a girl?" "Ranma, you look good in Motoko's school uniform." "Pervert!" "Stop it, that's my uniform." "You are going to an all girls school?" "Ranma, have fun." "Kiima, stop teasing mom." "We are off." "Bye Kitsune." "Don't drink too much." "Die pervert." "She is repairing that." "Hotaru, how is this school?" "Sempai?" "I'll do the dishes." "Kiima-san, please go shopping, and make Kitsune go with you."
Morning chaos was something refreshing.
------
Motoko was trying hard to keep calm. "Why?"
"I got to learn about being a girl. Unfortunately no one had a better idea. The principal is in on it, and don't worry, I don't go to P.E." Ranma-chan answered.
Motoko twitched, she had no better idea. "Have fun." Ranma-chan twitched.
"Motoko-sempai!" The fangirls had arrived. "Isn't Motoko-sama great?" One of them asked the new girl.
Ranma-chan took a step back. "See you Motoko-chan!" Ranma-chan jumped off.
"Cutting wind!" The sword girl sent an attack after the redhead that the girl dodged.
Motoko turned to the other girls and nodded. "Let's go."
The girls just nodded, they would have to watch this newcomer.
------
Hotaru had left Suu and Shinobu and went to her class. Her classmates still couldn't believe that she was the same age as them.
The girls were still thinking her cute, the boys were watching her like a doll. It was actually disturbing.
------
Ranma-chan sighed, she didn't know half of what the teacher was talking about, sometimes even less. No things were rather weird. She knew Furikan was crazy and bad, but this was far too much, she was just plain stupid, unknowing, ignorant. Whatever. Fighting sleep wasn't easy either.
That's why she was working overtime, the left hand was balancing pencils, the right copying things from the blackboard and skipping through the maths book. Mathematics was actually a lot like a battle, to some attacks, there were certain counters that might work, sometimes there was only one way to do it. Now there was only the problem of learning the right ways to do this. First a list of the attacks. While the teacher was writing something on the blackboard Ranma-chan was speadreading the maths book to write out ALL mentioned formulas. She managed it in 10 minutes. Looking and comparing them to the things on the blackboard. No some things didn't make sense at all. like that bit there. Ranma-chan decided to observe and wait what would happen.
Ranma-chan's brain was working overtime, it was funny to see little used neurons work and play. their eternal game of activating and deactivating. No things were not what the brain was used too but it was getting over it quite fast. adaptation was one of Ranma's best quality. Right now it was cross indexing formulas and trying to apply them to real life. 15 minutes after the example had been started on the blackboard and the teacher was still explaining it to some others. The brain decided that it was a close call before the finals and ignored the calculator and to tell Ranma-chan the solution.
Ranma-chan looked at her notes and wrote the answer down. She had skipped about a page of writing and had done it in her mind. Not one to complain about having to write less, she started looking over vectoring and went on with several other topics. Things were not that easy, but at least maths had a system behind it. English didn't, or at least she hadn't figured it out yet. The same could be said with Japanese, Ranma-chan hated Kanji. Memorising things wasn't Ranma-chan's best point. History was another thing that had her. Why care where people came from? what they did was the most important.
------
It was a rather tired Ranma-chan that was walking home and wondering why the others at Furikan were learning so little. Sure this was a premier school, but still. Everything was so different. First of all she was not sleeping, easy to do when you sleep well, get up on your own and don't fight for your life or have to heal all the time. Ranma-chan liked this. It was different, it was too good to last.
"Might just as well enjoy it while it lasts."
"Enjoy what?" A voice asked.
"You."
"You pervert!"
Ranma-chan dropped low and did a leg swipe. Motoko jumped over that one. Ranma-chan grinned and faded from view.
Motoko wasn't sure how her opponent had done than but Ranma-chan suddenly had her in a headlock. The smaller girl bent low and whispered into her ear. "Thank you for being you, I'll be walking, I want to talk to Haruka anyway. Tell everyone I'll be in later."
Motoko was frowning, she didn't understand that sometimes boy, sometimes girl. But she understood one thing. She was good, no she was better. she was playing, toying and teaching. Motoko suddenly understood.
"Sempai, are you okay?" One of the fangirl asked.
"Yes I am." Motoko packed the bokken away again.
"Who was this girl, she isn't respecting you!" Another started.
Motoko smiled. "She is my Sempai, and my better."
Motoko was surprised at how easy this admission was. She could have added. "She would have been my Master if I hadn't messed up." somehow this felt to her like a lost chance. It could have been something special.
"Sempai is sooo coooll!"
------
Ranma-chan was jumping rooftops, and not small ones, no she was taking higher ground, a small mistake could end her life, but she did it anyway. She was one of the best, and she wanted to keep her edge. Today she would run, fly like the wind, match the speed of trains and outdo cars.
She crossed a street, that it was a four lane one didn't register to her. That she did it by jumping between two rather high houses was another thing that never registered. Instead she started approaching smaller buildings. Jumping lower and lower she strained her muscles to the maximum. Sweat had drenched her long ago. Her Ki was busy repairing damage from this and the speed was draining her. to the normal eye, she would be invisible. Not that she cared.
An idea flashed through her mind. maybe today, just today she would push herself beyond her limits. Limits were something to accept and overcome. Right now she was looking for hers. Maybe in the future she would once again overcome it. but at the moment she wanted to relish the peace. No this was her test.
"Motoko should be boarding the train about now. That shop over there has some good mochi I've heard, lets get some and try to outdo her later." She jumped down and bought some for everyone. Then she stored them away, together with her book bag. Ki flared to life, the pavement started cracking before she layered it with her own life force.
She disappeared from the view of the rather shocked people on the street.
------
Motoko was walking up the steps smiling. She wondered how long it would take Ranma to come here. She passed the final step and stopped dead in her tracks. Ranma-chan was lying there on the ground chest heaving, sweat dripping and all but passed out. "Ranma-sempai." The girl dropped her things and ran to the smaller girl. "Are you alright?"
Ranma-chan gasped. "It hurts." Ranma-chan stared at the taller girl. "But it feels so good."
"You outran the train, of course it hurts." Motoko picked Ranma-chan up. "I'll get you inside."
"Just drop me into the onsen, I'll heal there, give this to the others." Ranma-chan handed her some package. Motoko stared, those were mochi, she had heard of that shop, it wasn't even on the route to Hinata-sou. "You are insane!"
"I know!" Ranma-chan smiled. "I finally met my limit for now."
"That's not a limit, that should be impossible."
"I have surpassed my limit over and over again, I just wanted to see the next one. And now be a good girl and drop me in some nice hot water."
Motoko shook her head. "Hai, Sempai." She accepted it, this was her elder and her better, it felt awkwardly refreshing. Standing up she marvelled at how light the girl was, the path to the onsen was a familiar one, Motoko made sure that no one was inside the changing room, inside the onsen. Than she literary dropped the still clothed Ranma-chan into the water.
"Aahhh!" she heard and looked down. Ranma was struggling out of the clothes. "I forgot!" she mumbled and sped out, barely avoiding getting hit by dripping school uniform.
------
The others were already by the table and waiting, not really patiently, as the resident chefs had once again prepared what not long ago, actually three days ago, would have been called a feast.
Finally Motoko came in, mumbling some extremely strange things. "... crazy as nut, doing such things and surviving ..." Everyone stared at her.
It was Hotaru and Kiima that knew the most about Ranma that guessed it correctly. "What did he do again?" Hotaru asked.
"He made a side trip, went to buy some rather famous mochi, outran me who went the direct way and by train."
Silence.
"Outran the train?" Kitsune asked.
"Yes."
Silence.
"Why would somebody do something like that?"
"Testing their limits?"
Hotaru got up. "I'll look how he feels. Start without us." Kiima started to rise as well. "Kiima stay, I can handle it." Hotaru told the phoenix with a voice not leaving place for discussion.
Silence.
"Well lets eat and we will find out more later." Kitsune suggested with a look at the food. "Outrunning a train, tram and making a side-trip, totally nuts!"
"Think he could train me like that?" Makoto asked, it was obvious that both she and Motoko were very interested in such prospects.
"He must have a great condition." Naru said.
"Great stamina." Kitsune said licking her lips.
Naru and Motoko said one thing. "Pervert."
"You make it sound like a bad thing." The resident fox replied.
Shinobu was blushing.
Kiima grinned. "Ranma-sama is very special. I know it would be rather interesting."
Makoto for once wondered why she felt rather unfazed.
"Is pervert tasty?" guess who asked that.
"Depends, I think." Kitsune answered. "Not sure." Makoto answered. Shinobu squeaked. "NO" Naru and Motoko screamed. "You try when you find a male one." Kiima replied in all honesty.
--- The Fallout in Nerima ---
Nabiki Tendou was not happy. Hell things were straight out of a Film. The lead character was leaving his long time place and everything was going straight to hell. Akane was ranting about no good for nothing cheating jerks. Kasumi had a relived smile on her face. Soun was crying up a river. Happosai was cackling and smoking. Genma, the one who caused this mess once again, was weeping crocodile tears for his dishonourable son. Nabiki wondered if she was supposed to weep or laugh at the insanity of it. And the fiancées didn't know yet.
Nabiki decided and got up, she decided to make a folder with all the information she had, actually it was only enough for a leaflet. "This is bad." Spelling the consequences out was a given anyway, especially in the two special ones for Kodachi and Kuno. Nope she knew that things were bad, no need to feed the fires.
"That pervert I knew it all along, now he is going to haunt the guests." Akane was in a bad mood and it was getting worse.
"Deal with it, he never was a Saotome so the only ones he has to deal with are the Amazons." Nabiki snapped. She had a lot of writing to do after all.
Kasumi felt relieved. She knew Ranma was better off wherever he was now.
------
The next morning was no better. Only Kasumi seemed chipper but Nabiki caught her looking a Ranma's usual seat with sadness. Things were not good but Kasumi obviously believed that Ranma was better off where ever he was now.
Nabiki had ordered three hundred leaflets yesterday and went to pick them up before school.
School itself was a mess. They were selling off at 700 Yen a piece the normal ones. 2000 the fiancée versions, and 10000 Yen the Kuno edition.
These leaflets managed to turn Furikan into ... well students running around, teachers drinking, Hinako randomly draining people and coconuts and pineapples exploding. Some were singing "This is the end of the world as we know it (and we don't care)" some were trying to return things to order. The teachers went home after one hour since it seemed pointless to calm things down. 78 girls vowed to kill Genma when they saw him for selling 'The best piece of meat around' and were busy planning his demise. Kuno declared the resurrection of the hentai horde, but some boys wondered if beatings that put Ranma of of commission were really worth the possible benefits, and those would fall to only one person. Besides, food that regularly took Ranma down had to be bad, or even worse.
------
Kasumi was happy, Ranma looked fine and already found someone to take care off, he even invited her over, and Hotaru was really cute, maybe she should get the girl some nice dress? Something to contrast the pale skin and maybe even accent it a bit. Than there was the knock on the door.
Kasumi opened and smiled pleasantly while fighting an evil grin, another one was going to get what she deserved. "Hello Aunty, please come in."
"Hello Kasumi. Where is my husband? I heard something very interesting at the market not long ago."
"Uncle Genma is still sleeping from getting drunk." Usually Kasumi wasn't like this, but she decided that the old fool deserved it this time.
"I see." Nodoka answered a little unnerved at the cheerful way Kasumi had said this. "I take this is a regular occurrence?"
"Panda-san does it two or three times a week, usually after something bad happens and he blames it on Ranma-kun." Kasumi turned. "Would you like some tea?"
Nodoka stared after Kasumi, something was off about the girl today. "Yes please."
"Would you join me in the kitchen, or do you want to wait in the living room? Feel free to skin the panda but please clean up the mess afterwards."
Now Nodoka had a very bad feeling. "Are the rumours true?"
"Which ones Saotome-san?"
"Ranma having left because he got a good proposition and abandoning his honour and the engagements."
"No this one is not true." Kasumi smiled.
Nodoka relaxed.
"However as he had already been sold into another clan before birth he was never bound to the engagements and is now living with his rightful family."
Nodoka dropped the katana. "What?"
"Panda-san sold Ranma-kun to another family before birth and now the courts decided that Ranma-kun should live with them since he is their heir." Kasumi smiled. "So any engagements made for him are invalid since he never was a Saotome in first place." Kasumi poured Nodoka some tea. "Would you like some rum with your tea?"
"Yes please." The woman was still reeling from the blow. Her son had left her, in fact he never was her son anyway. "Why would he go with this?"
"It was the honourable thing to do, even the courts agreed on this." Kasumi answered.
Nodoka's hand was inching for the still wrapped katana. "When did this happen."
"Yesterday before noon, sugar?"
"Two pieces please, do you mind if I use the garden for Panda-san." The last thing was spat like a curse.
"It needs fertilizing anyway." Kasumi said after a moment. "Try to keep the pieces big, it makes finding them easier, I don't want to smell them rotting."
------
Genma woke up with a sneeze, his danger senses told him that he was dead and just didn't know it. Hastily he went to pack his backpack but than decided against it. He could always steal the things he needed, but his life was precious. Delusional till the end some would say. The window was opened and the Umisenken utilized to escape.
------
"Thank you for the tea Kasumi, I have to talk to a certain panda." The older woman told her.
Kasumi nodded and wondered what she was supposed to take with her on the weekend. Maybe some of those pie's Ranma-kun loved so much, and a book on proper food, Hotaru-chan looked like she needed it. Smiling she gathered the used cups and went for the kitchen when a scream of rage came from above. The girl sighed disappointedly, panda-san got away.
Minutes later Nodoka sat there steaming. "How could Ranma do this to me?"
Kasumi smiled. "Honour, it was the right thing to do. Panda-san should have known that he had sold Ranma-kun."
"Fleeing like that is unmanly."
"The contract was illegal anyway, after all you had no right to decided over his future, it was all the hands of the other family. Anything you did was allowing panda-san to break that other contract." Nabiki said as she entered. "I'm home, I take it he's finally gone and daddy is hiding?"
Kasumi nodded. "I made some snacks, they are in the kitchen." She offered as she got up.
Nabiki followed. "So sis, what got you into this good mood?"
"I met Ranma-kun today, he looks happy and already made a friend."
Trust Kasumi to offer a bomb in such a way, that no one would even think of refusing it no matter how dangerous it might be.
"Say that again?"
"Ranma-kun is feeling well, he already as a real friend." The smile felt blinding to Nabiki but this wasn't the end. "He invited me over, Kiima-san is there too."
Nabiki felt herself loosing her control. "Kiima, as in the phoenix that looks like Akane?"
Kasumi nodded as she handed Nabiki a few sandwiches and a cup of tea. "Yes, she is Ranma-kun's slave it seems."
Nabiki choked on the sandwich.
"Poor Ranma-kun, I doubt that he takes this well. I know how much hates such things."
Nabiki decided to ask, even if she would regret it. "Is there more to it?"
"Yes there is." Kasumi smiled serenely as she remembered something.
"Do I want to know?" Nabiki blinked. "Should I know?"
Kasumi considered, Hotaru was something on a need to know basis, and Nabiki didn't need to know, the address was a no-no, the invitation ... "I was invited over for the weekend."
Nabiki nodded, at least something. "There is more."
Kasumi nodded as she took away the dirty plate.
"Where is he?" Nodoka demanded as she had finally recovered enough and entered the kitchen.
"Panda-san has left."
"I mean Ranma, he will stop this nonsense and ..."
"... disgrace himself, the family and everyone else." Kasumi retorted.
Nabiki blinked, that was true, however Kasumi of all people saying that was wrong, best get back into character.
"You will not take such a tone with me."
"Deal with it, Genma once again screwed up, this time bigger than usual. Ranma is gone and that for good. This is our home so we can say the truth. You should work on a few new sons probably since now that every one of the 27 engagements still open is not tied to Ranma any more, hell they never were." Nabiki told the woman, she had never really liked Nodoka, with such parents Ranma was an angel, this situation was rotting her brain. After all, she had just called Ranma and angel, maybe of destruction. Or at the very least his guardian angel was one.
------
Ranma and Hotaru sneezed.
------
Akane returned later, she was fuming, the hentai horde was back and Kuno was an idiot, again. She had actually fought him three times to take him down. "Ranma no baka!" Yuka and Sayuri had bought information from Nabiki after listening to her story. Didn't her own friends believe her any more? It was all his fault. Really! Why did no one ever believe her any more? How she wanted to wring his neck and beat him for all this.
She actually found a sympathetic ear in Nodoka, the two had mostly the same idea. Get him back and correct this mess for Akane and in Nodoka's case, lots of grandchildren with several mistresses.
In the kitchen Kasumi and Nabiki shook their heads.
"Ranma-kun is going to hurt them."
Nabiki shook her head. "If the girls start acting up."
"Ranma-kun has a 'real' friend now, maybe even more, if they hurt her then Saffron will pale in comparison." Kasumi said.
Nabiki wondered how Kasumi knew. Not even she had gotten anything out of the participants.
"Ranma-kun told me all about it." Kasumi seemed to read Nabiki's thoughts. "Oh my, time to start dinner."
Nabiki wondered, where the hell had the afternoon disappeared too? She hadn't even started her homework yet.
------
"So he never was a Saotome?" Konatsu asked Ukyo.
"Yes that's what it looks like, I was engaged to someone that didn't exist, now what should I do?" The chef was wondering what to do. "First I'll get him, that jerk, leaving me without a single word, I'll show him."
Konatsu decided to ask Nabiki for more information or rather new information. As he heard Ukyo ranting he sighed "That's why he left without notice, it was decided, the oldest contract was honoured, and since it removed him from the line, even as Genma's son, there never was a son of Genma Saotome."
------
"So my Ranma-sama has taken the red haired harlot and left for a new family leaving his black rose behind?"
Sasuke nodded.
"My pigtailed girl sold together with the foul sorcerer into slavery, the Blue Thunder will save her." Kuno ranted. "I shall save her from the slavery the foul sorcerer forces her into."
Sasuke sighed, again. "Their father, Genma Saotome, sold them."
Much to the surprise the "them" penetrated the demented minds of his masters.
"Their father?"
"Genma Saotome is father to both of them." Sasuke verified. He had to blink at the varied reactions.
"I have been attacking my one love's sister?"
"Oh my poor pigtailed goddess, being forced by her own brother!"
<Why me?> Sasuke wondered.
------
At the Nekohaten Cologne wondered what to do. The situation was getting more screwed up by the day. Ranma was not a Saotome, actually the whole journey was illegal and he belonged to a different family. A family that probably did not care about them and he had a Inn to lead. This was not a good position to make him join the tribe. Not after he defeated Saffron anyway.
------
Happosai was torn between being happy and sad. Sad that he had lost his heir. He didn't like it, he was loosing his heir to someone else. But it beat loosing the best practitioner of his Art. He knew of the Urashima Style, it was something that Ranma could benefit from. And since he was heir to the Urashima family he was probably going to be heir of that style too. There was no turning back on what had happened. He hoped that he had not alienated the boy. So many regrets and so little he do about it now. He had had his fun, but the cost was what might be too much. He had been stupid like the others.
------
Nabiki Tendou had regrets. She knew he was better off somewhere else. But it still hurt, especially that the only one trusted was Kasumi. She had not done anything to deserve trust but still, things were out of control. They never were friends but now there was no chance of that to improve. Or was there?
------
The father drank as there was nothing else they could have done. They were dreaming drunken dreams of something that could never happen.
------
She smiled. After all, everything was better than it had been. She would miss having him near her but it was all for the better. At least in his case.
Dreams of the night
It was a beautiful moon. The night was clear and everything was the way it should be. Maybe it wasn't, he had two slaves and several daughters or something like that. Life was complicated after all. Going to school as a girl was bad too. The responsibility was strange. School was hell. Hotaru was fun, Kiima was weird, Shinobu liked Kiima, Naru was nuts, Motoko finally came around, Kitsune liked teasing him more than was healthy, aunty was weird, Suu was a tech maniac, Makoto was eager and a great cook. Living for the day was the only thing that he could do right now.
------
She had a place to belong. A hatchling to help evolve and a Master that was fun in more than one way. Maybe, just maybe, things were well.
------
A new home. A place to belong. People she could trust. Acceptance. A family, a father, a mother, a mentor, an anchor to this reality. They were there, they had managed to find a place to be happy at. A dysfunctional family but more of a family than her last one had been.
------
Beneath her was a pervert. And powerful pervert. And everyone liked him, she was alone. She was the only one who understood the dangers. She had moved several things over the hole. On top of the cupboard her numerous study books, topping it all was Liddo-kun. But if it was enough was questionable. Drinking another cup of coffee she prepared herself for another long night.
------
She had the smile of the creature that was her nickname on her face. "To playing the game." She didn't know how true her words were. "Kanpai"
------
Staring at the moon she formed the question on her lips. She needed him/her as her Master, her Sensei. He had crossed the border to things impossible, and now she wanted to learn from him. She realized that he was a true warrior. Usually her family was taught by females only, but in this case she thought that he could teach her things she didn't know yet. Now if she could only say those damn words aloud and to his/her face.
------
"Bananas" a sleeping girl mumbled snuggling into Motoko.
------
Tomorrow would be a new day and she would formally request training. She mentally went over the breakfast menu and how much she would need to prepare. Shinobu was a great cook, they already exchanged a recipe. She missed her friends but this felt so much like home. A chaotic weird home.
------
"And so the dices have fallen"
"Who is the next to throw?
"What will the next throw be?"
"The future" three old voices agreed.
Author's Notes v0.1: This was fun. Took long but I don't need to hurry this fic. I hope I didn't forget anyone important. Well now checking this.
Author's Notes v0.2: Special thanks to TerraBull for some corrections and Kadunta for making me improve a moment. Glad you you like it, and no, no Deux Ex for all those worrying too much. The past has some funny ways of catching up.
Happiness, Hotaru Tomoe felt it, it scared her, it filled her, she hoped for a long time of it. But she held no delusions. Things were weird, she now had an all in one Father/mother unit that actually cared about her. The extended family was composed of the tenants from the Hinata-sou. It was a total of seven additional persons. This was so unusual, talk about a weird family. This was happiness.
------
Kiima wondered what was going on. She expected things to be weird, to be used, abused, something. However she was accepted, she had a hatchling looking up to her. Ranma had his own hatchling to look after. She was in good hands the phoenix decided, now if she only understood what she was supposed to do. Ranma didn't give her orders, but he wanted her to help him. She had to decide for herself in a world that she knew nothing off.
Now if she only could find a comfortable position to sleep in without lying on her wings. Maybe turning human had an advantage after all.
------
Safety, Makoto felt it, this building, the people. It was all so weird. It already felt like home. No one cared that she was tall, she wasn't alone, sure they were weird, but she was a Senshi. So this was easy to accept. It was kindness at it's fullest, not pity or anything. It was just a question of who would take what position. Makoto snuggled into her pillow and closed her eyes, it was her bed in her own room.
------
Shinobu was happy and sad. She was living with an angel like creature, she was living with warm people, people that cared. They were weird, Ranma-san was changing gender at water temperature, he/she and a few other knew cooking tricks she couldn't hope to copy, yet. They were strong and did things that were beyond normal comprehension. It was like in a manga. A girl was sent away and ended up with a team of super heroes. Ranma had taken the bed and easily dragged it all the way to her new room. Kiima had done the same with a full closet. Neither off them had been straining at all. It was, so unreal.
------
Ranma sighed, he had already gotten used to his first daughter, Makoto was maybe more like a little sister but it was fine. He had actually truly accepted Ownership of the Inn, Grandmastership of Anything Goes and his position as the Urashima Heir.
He had the feeling that things were only going to get weirder and more complicated from there on. No it wasn't good at all, it was fun. He just hoped that the fallout from Nerima would not cost his new family too much.
--- New beginnings ---
"So good!" "More!" "We will leave the dishes for later." "Has someone seen my bag?" "I lost my book bag, where is it?" "We gotta go." "Suu, wait, I can't run so fast." "Hotaru, I'll help you." "Why are you a girl?" "Ranma, you look good in Motoko's school uniform." "Pervert!" "Stop it, that's my uniform." "You are going to an all girls school?" "Ranma, have fun." "Kiima, stop teasing mom." "We are off." "Bye Kitsune." "Don't drink too much." "Die pervert." "She is repairing that." "Hotaru, how is this school?" "Sempai?" "I'll do the dishes." "Kiima-san, please go shopping, and make Kitsune go with you."
Morning chaos was something refreshing.
------
Motoko was trying hard to keep calm. "Why?"
"I got to learn about being a girl. Unfortunately no one had a better idea. The principal is in on it, and don't worry, I don't go to P.E." Ranma-chan answered.
Motoko twitched, she had no better idea. "Have fun." Ranma-chan twitched.
"Motoko-sempai!" The fangirls had arrived. "Isn't Motoko-sama great?" One of them asked the new girl.
Ranma-chan took a step back. "See you Motoko-chan!" Ranma-chan jumped off.
"Cutting wind!" The sword girl sent an attack after the redhead that the girl dodged.
Motoko turned to the other girls and nodded. "Let's go."
The girls just nodded, they would have to watch this newcomer.
------
Hotaru had left Suu and Shinobu and went to her class. Her classmates still couldn't believe that she was the same age as them.
The girls were still thinking her cute, the boys were watching her like a doll. It was actually disturbing.
------
Ranma-chan sighed, she didn't know half of what the teacher was talking about, sometimes even less. No things were rather weird. She knew Furikan was crazy and bad, but this was far too much, she was just plain stupid, unknowing, ignorant. Whatever. Fighting sleep wasn't easy either.
That's why she was working overtime, the left hand was balancing pencils, the right copying things from the blackboard and skipping through the maths book. Mathematics was actually a lot like a battle, to some attacks, there were certain counters that might work, sometimes there was only one way to do it. Now there was only the problem of learning the right ways to do this. First a list of the attacks. While the teacher was writing something on the blackboard Ranma-chan was speadreading the maths book to write out ALL mentioned formulas. She managed it in 10 minutes. Looking and comparing them to the things on the blackboard. No some things didn't make sense at all. like that bit there. Ranma-chan decided to observe and wait what would happen.
Ranma-chan's brain was working overtime, it was funny to see little used neurons work and play. their eternal game of activating and deactivating. No things were not what the brain was used too but it was getting over it quite fast. adaptation was one of Ranma's best quality. Right now it was cross indexing formulas and trying to apply them to real life. 15 minutes after the example had been started on the blackboard and the teacher was still explaining it to some others. The brain decided that it was a close call before the finals and ignored the calculator and to tell Ranma-chan the solution.
Ranma-chan looked at her notes and wrote the answer down. She had skipped about a page of writing and had done it in her mind. Not one to complain about having to write less, she started looking over vectoring and went on with several other topics. Things were not that easy, but at least maths had a system behind it. English didn't, or at least she hadn't figured it out yet. The same could be said with Japanese, Ranma-chan hated Kanji. Memorising things wasn't Ranma-chan's best point. History was another thing that had her. Why care where people came from? what they did was the most important.
------
It was a rather tired Ranma-chan that was walking home and wondering why the others at Furikan were learning so little. Sure this was a premier school, but still. Everything was so different. First of all she was not sleeping, easy to do when you sleep well, get up on your own and don't fight for your life or have to heal all the time. Ranma-chan liked this. It was different, it was too good to last.
"Might just as well enjoy it while it lasts."
"Enjoy what?" A voice asked.
"You."
"You pervert!"
Ranma-chan dropped low and did a leg swipe. Motoko jumped over that one. Ranma-chan grinned and faded from view.
Motoko wasn't sure how her opponent had done than but Ranma-chan suddenly had her in a headlock. The smaller girl bent low and whispered into her ear. "Thank you for being you, I'll be walking, I want to talk to Haruka anyway. Tell everyone I'll be in later."
Motoko was frowning, she didn't understand that sometimes boy, sometimes girl. But she understood one thing. She was good, no she was better. she was playing, toying and teaching. Motoko suddenly understood.
"Sempai, are you okay?" One of the fangirl asked.
"Yes I am." Motoko packed the bokken away again.
"Who was this girl, she isn't respecting you!" Another started.
Motoko smiled. "She is my Sempai, and my better."
Motoko was surprised at how easy this admission was. She could have added. "She would have been my Master if I hadn't messed up." somehow this felt to her like a lost chance. It could have been something special.
"Sempai is sooo coooll!"
------
Ranma-chan was jumping rooftops, and not small ones, no she was taking higher ground, a small mistake could end her life, but she did it anyway. She was one of the best, and she wanted to keep her edge. Today she would run, fly like the wind, match the speed of trains and outdo cars.
She crossed a street, that it was a four lane one didn't register to her. That she did it by jumping between two rather high houses was another thing that never registered. Instead she started approaching smaller buildings. Jumping lower and lower she strained her muscles to the maximum. Sweat had drenched her long ago. Her Ki was busy repairing damage from this and the speed was draining her. to the normal eye, she would be invisible. Not that she cared.
An idea flashed through her mind. maybe today, just today she would push herself beyond her limits. Limits were something to accept and overcome. Right now she was looking for hers. Maybe in the future she would once again overcome it. but at the moment she wanted to relish the peace. No this was her test.
"Motoko should be boarding the train about now. That shop over there has some good mochi I've heard, lets get some and try to outdo her later." She jumped down and bought some for everyone. Then she stored them away, together with her book bag. Ki flared to life, the pavement started cracking before she layered it with her own life force.
She disappeared from the view of the rather shocked people on the street.
------
Motoko was walking up the steps smiling. She wondered how long it would take Ranma to come here. She passed the final step and stopped dead in her tracks. Ranma-chan was lying there on the ground chest heaving, sweat dripping and all but passed out. "Ranma-sempai." The girl dropped her things and ran to the smaller girl. "Are you alright?"
Ranma-chan gasped. "It hurts." Ranma-chan stared at the taller girl. "But it feels so good."
"You outran the train, of course it hurts." Motoko picked Ranma-chan up. "I'll get you inside."
"Just drop me into the onsen, I'll heal there, give this to the others." Ranma-chan handed her some package. Motoko stared, those were mochi, she had heard of that shop, it wasn't even on the route to Hinata-sou. "You are insane!"
"I know!" Ranma-chan smiled. "I finally met my limit for now."
"That's not a limit, that should be impossible."
"I have surpassed my limit over and over again, I just wanted to see the next one. And now be a good girl and drop me in some nice hot water."
Motoko shook her head. "Hai, Sempai." She accepted it, this was her elder and her better, it felt awkwardly refreshing. Standing up she marvelled at how light the girl was, the path to the onsen was a familiar one, Motoko made sure that no one was inside the changing room, inside the onsen. Than she literary dropped the still clothed Ranma-chan into the water.
"Aahhh!" she heard and looked down. Ranma was struggling out of the clothes. "I forgot!" she mumbled and sped out, barely avoiding getting hit by dripping school uniform.
------
The others were already by the table and waiting, not really patiently, as the resident chefs had once again prepared what not long ago, actually three days ago, would have been called a feast.
Finally Motoko came in, mumbling some extremely strange things. "... crazy as nut, doing such things and surviving ..." Everyone stared at her.
It was Hotaru and Kiima that knew the most about Ranma that guessed it correctly. "What did he do again?" Hotaru asked.
"He made a side trip, went to buy some rather famous mochi, outran me who went the direct way and by train."
Silence.
"Outran the train?" Kitsune asked.
"Yes."
Silence.
"Why would somebody do something like that?"
"Testing their limits?"
Hotaru got up. "I'll look how he feels. Start without us." Kiima started to rise as well. "Kiima stay, I can handle it." Hotaru told the phoenix with a voice not leaving place for discussion.
Silence.
"Well lets eat and we will find out more later." Kitsune suggested with a look at the food. "Outrunning a train, tram and making a side-trip, totally nuts!"
"Think he could train me like that?" Makoto asked, it was obvious that both she and Motoko were very interested in such prospects.
"He must have a great condition." Naru said.
"Great stamina." Kitsune said licking her lips.
Naru and Motoko said one thing. "Pervert."
"You make it sound like a bad thing." The resident fox replied.
Shinobu was blushing.
Kiima grinned. "Ranma-sama is very special. I know it would be rather interesting."
Makoto for once wondered why she felt rather unfazed.
"Is pervert tasty?" guess who asked that.
"Depends, I think." Kitsune answered. "Not sure." Makoto answered. Shinobu squeaked. "NO" Naru and Motoko screamed. "You try when you find a male one." Kiima replied in all honesty.
--- The Fallout in Nerima ---
Nabiki Tendou was not happy. Hell things were straight out of a Film. The lead character was leaving his long time place and everything was going straight to hell. Akane was ranting about no good for nothing cheating jerks. Kasumi had a relived smile on her face. Soun was crying up a river. Happosai was cackling and smoking. Genma, the one who caused this mess once again, was weeping crocodile tears for his dishonourable son. Nabiki wondered if she was supposed to weep or laugh at the insanity of it. And the fiancées didn't know yet.
Nabiki decided and got up, she decided to make a folder with all the information she had, actually it was only enough for a leaflet. "This is bad." Spelling the consequences out was a given anyway, especially in the two special ones for Kodachi and Kuno. Nope she knew that things were bad, no need to feed the fires.
"That pervert I knew it all along, now he is going to haunt the guests." Akane was in a bad mood and it was getting worse.
"Deal with it, he never was a Saotome so the only ones he has to deal with are the Amazons." Nabiki snapped. She had a lot of writing to do after all.
Kasumi felt relieved. She knew Ranma was better off wherever he was now.
------
The next morning was no better. Only Kasumi seemed chipper but Nabiki caught her looking a Ranma's usual seat with sadness. Things were not good but Kasumi obviously believed that Ranma was better off where ever he was now.
Nabiki had ordered three hundred leaflets yesterday and went to pick them up before school.
School itself was a mess. They were selling off at 700 Yen a piece the normal ones. 2000 the fiancée versions, and 10000 Yen the Kuno edition.
These leaflets managed to turn Furikan into ... well students running around, teachers drinking, Hinako randomly draining people and coconuts and pineapples exploding. Some were singing "This is the end of the world as we know it (and we don't care)" some were trying to return things to order. The teachers went home after one hour since it seemed pointless to calm things down. 78 girls vowed to kill Genma when they saw him for selling 'The best piece of meat around' and were busy planning his demise. Kuno declared the resurrection of the hentai horde, but some boys wondered if beatings that put Ranma of of commission were really worth the possible benefits, and those would fall to only one person. Besides, food that regularly took Ranma down had to be bad, or even worse.
------
Kasumi was happy, Ranma looked fine and already found someone to take care off, he even invited her over, and Hotaru was really cute, maybe she should get the girl some nice dress? Something to contrast the pale skin and maybe even accent it a bit. Than there was the knock on the door.
Kasumi opened and smiled pleasantly while fighting an evil grin, another one was going to get what she deserved. "Hello Aunty, please come in."
"Hello Kasumi. Where is my husband? I heard something very interesting at the market not long ago."
"Uncle Genma is still sleeping from getting drunk." Usually Kasumi wasn't like this, but she decided that the old fool deserved it this time.
"I see." Nodoka answered a little unnerved at the cheerful way Kasumi had said this. "I take this is a regular occurrence?"
"Panda-san does it two or three times a week, usually after something bad happens and he blames it on Ranma-kun." Kasumi turned. "Would you like some tea?"
Nodoka stared after Kasumi, something was off about the girl today. "Yes please."
"Would you join me in the kitchen, or do you want to wait in the living room? Feel free to skin the panda but please clean up the mess afterwards."
Now Nodoka had a very bad feeling. "Are the rumours true?"
"Which ones Saotome-san?"
"Ranma having left because he got a good proposition and abandoning his honour and the engagements."
"No this one is not true." Kasumi smiled.
Nodoka relaxed.
"However as he had already been sold into another clan before birth he was never bound to the engagements and is now living with his rightful family."
Nodoka dropped the katana. "What?"
"Panda-san sold Ranma-kun to another family before birth and now the courts decided that Ranma-kun should live with them since he is their heir." Kasumi smiled. "So any engagements made for him are invalid since he never was a Saotome in first place." Kasumi poured Nodoka some tea. "Would you like some rum with your tea?"
"Yes please." The woman was still reeling from the blow. Her son had left her, in fact he never was her son anyway. "Why would he go with this?"
"It was the honourable thing to do, even the courts agreed on this." Kasumi answered.
Nodoka's hand was inching for the still wrapped katana. "When did this happen."
"Yesterday before noon, sugar?"
"Two pieces please, do you mind if I use the garden for Panda-san." The last thing was spat like a curse.
"It needs fertilizing anyway." Kasumi said after a moment. "Try to keep the pieces big, it makes finding them easier, I don't want to smell them rotting."
------
Genma woke up with a sneeze, his danger senses told him that he was dead and just didn't know it. Hastily he went to pack his backpack but than decided against it. He could always steal the things he needed, but his life was precious. Delusional till the end some would say. The window was opened and the Umisenken utilized to escape.
------
"Thank you for the tea Kasumi, I have to talk to a certain panda." The older woman told her.
Kasumi nodded and wondered what she was supposed to take with her on the weekend. Maybe some of those pie's Ranma-kun loved so much, and a book on proper food, Hotaru-chan looked like she needed it. Smiling she gathered the used cups and went for the kitchen when a scream of rage came from above. The girl sighed disappointedly, panda-san got away.
Minutes later Nodoka sat there steaming. "How could Ranma do this to me?"
Kasumi smiled. "Honour, it was the right thing to do. Panda-san should have known that he had sold Ranma-kun."
"Fleeing like that is unmanly."
"The contract was illegal anyway, after all you had no right to decided over his future, it was all the hands of the other family. Anything you did was allowing panda-san to break that other contract." Nabiki said as she entered. "I'm home, I take it he's finally gone and daddy is hiding?"
Kasumi nodded. "I made some snacks, they are in the kitchen." She offered as she got up.
Nabiki followed. "So sis, what got you into this good mood?"
"I met Ranma-kun today, he looks happy and already made a friend."
Trust Kasumi to offer a bomb in such a way, that no one would even think of refusing it no matter how dangerous it might be.
"Say that again?"
"Ranma-kun is feeling well, he already as a real friend." The smile felt blinding to Nabiki but this wasn't the end. "He invited me over, Kiima-san is there too."
Nabiki felt herself loosing her control. "Kiima, as in the phoenix that looks like Akane?"
Kasumi nodded as she handed Nabiki a few sandwiches and a cup of tea. "Yes, she is Ranma-kun's slave it seems."
Nabiki choked on the sandwich.
"Poor Ranma-kun, I doubt that he takes this well. I know how much hates such things."
Nabiki decided to ask, even if she would regret it. "Is there more to it?"
"Yes there is." Kasumi smiled serenely as she remembered something.
"Do I want to know?" Nabiki blinked. "Should I know?"
Kasumi considered, Hotaru was something on a need to know basis, and Nabiki didn't need to know, the address was a no-no, the invitation ... "I was invited over for the weekend."
Nabiki nodded, at least something. "There is more."
Kasumi nodded as she took away the dirty plate.
"Where is he?" Nodoka demanded as she had finally recovered enough and entered the kitchen.
"Panda-san has left."
"I mean Ranma, he will stop this nonsense and ..."
"... disgrace himself, the family and everyone else." Kasumi retorted.
Nabiki blinked, that was true, however Kasumi of all people saying that was wrong, best get back into character.
"You will not take such a tone with me."
"Deal with it, Genma once again screwed up, this time bigger than usual. Ranma is gone and that for good. This is our home so we can say the truth. You should work on a few new sons probably since now that every one of the 27 engagements still open is not tied to Ranma any more, hell they never were." Nabiki told the woman, she had never really liked Nodoka, with such parents Ranma was an angel, this situation was rotting her brain. After all, she had just called Ranma and angel, maybe of destruction. Or at the very least his guardian angel was one.
------
Ranma and Hotaru sneezed.
------
Akane returned later, she was fuming, the hentai horde was back and Kuno was an idiot, again. She had actually fought him three times to take him down. "Ranma no baka!" Yuka and Sayuri had bought information from Nabiki after listening to her story. Didn't her own friends believe her any more? It was all his fault. Really! Why did no one ever believe her any more? How she wanted to wring his neck and beat him for all this.
She actually found a sympathetic ear in Nodoka, the two had mostly the same idea. Get him back and correct this mess for Akane and in Nodoka's case, lots of grandchildren with several mistresses.
In the kitchen Kasumi and Nabiki shook their heads.
"Ranma-kun is going to hurt them."
Nabiki shook her head. "If the girls start acting up."
"Ranma-kun has a 'real' friend now, maybe even more, if they hurt her then Saffron will pale in comparison." Kasumi said.
Nabiki wondered how Kasumi knew. Not even she had gotten anything out of the participants.
"Ranma-kun told me all about it." Kasumi seemed to read Nabiki's thoughts. "Oh my, time to start dinner."
Nabiki wondered, where the hell had the afternoon disappeared too? She hadn't even started her homework yet.
------
"So he never was a Saotome?" Konatsu asked Ukyo.
"Yes that's what it looks like, I was engaged to someone that didn't exist, now what should I do?" The chef was wondering what to do. "First I'll get him, that jerk, leaving me without a single word, I'll show him."
Konatsu decided to ask Nabiki for more information or rather new information. As he heard Ukyo ranting he sighed "That's why he left without notice, it was decided, the oldest contract was honoured, and since it removed him from the line, even as Genma's son, there never was a son of Genma Saotome."
------
"So my Ranma-sama has taken the red haired harlot and left for a new family leaving his black rose behind?"
Sasuke nodded.
"My pigtailed girl sold together with the foul sorcerer into slavery, the Blue Thunder will save her." Kuno ranted. "I shall save her from the slavery the foul sorcerer forces her into."
Sasuke sighed, again. "Their father, Genma Saotome, sold them."
Much to the surprise the "them" penetrated the demented minds of his masters.
"Their father?"
"Genma Saotome is father to both of them." Sasuke verified. He had to blink at the varied reactions.
"I have been attacking my one love's sister?"
"Oh my poor pigtailed goddess, being forced by her own brother!"
<Why me?> Sasuke wondered.
------
At the Nekohaten Cologne wondered what to do. The situation was getting more screwed up by the day. Ranma was not a Saotome, actually the whole journey was illegal and he belonged to a different family. A family that probably did not care about them and he had a Inn to lead. This was not a good position to make him join the tribe. Not after he defeated Saffron anyway.
------
Happosai was torn between being happy and sad. Sad that he had lost his heir. He didn't like it, he was loosing his heir to someone else. But it beat loosing the best practitioner of his Art. He knew of the Urashima Style, it was something that Ranma could benefit from. And since he was heir to the Urashima family he was probably going to be heir of that style too. There was no turning back on what had happened. He hoped that he had not alienated the boy. So many regrets and so little he do about it now. He had had his fun, but the cost was what might be too much. He had been stupid like the others.
------
Nabiki Tendou had regrets. She knew he was better off somewhere else. But it still hurt, especially that the only one trusted was Kasumi. She had not done anything to deserve trust but still, things were out of control. They never were friends but now there was no chance of that to improve. Or was there?
------
The father drank as there was nothing else they could have done. They were dreaming drunken dreams of something that could never happen.
------
She smiled. After all, everything was better than it had been. She would miss having him near her but it was all for the better. At least in his case.
Dreams of the night
It was a beautiful moon. The night was clear and everything was the way it should be. Maybe it wasn't, he had two slaves and several daughters or something like that. Life was complicated after all. Going to school as a girl was bad too. The responsibility was strange. School was hell. Hotaru was fun, Kiima was weird, Shinobu liked Kiima, Naru was nuts, Motoko finally came around, Kitsune liked teasing him more than was healthy, aunty was weird, Suu was a tech maniac, Makoto was eager and a great cook. Living for the day was the only thing that he could do right now.
------
She had a place to belong. A hatchling to help evolve and a Master that was fun in more than one way. Maybe, just maybe, things were well.
------
A new home. A place to belong. People she could trust. Acceptance. A family, a father, a mother, a mentor, an anchor to this reality. They were there, they had managed to find a place to be happy at. A dysfunctional family but more of a family than her last one had been.
------
Beneath her was a pervert. And powerful pervert. And everyone liked him, she was alone. She was the only one who understood the dangers. She had moved several things over the hole. On top of the cupboard her numerous study books, topping it all was Liddo-kun. But if it was enough was questionable. Drinking another cup of coffee she prepared herself for another long night.
------
She had the smile of the creature that was her nickname on her face. "To playing the game." She didn't know how true her words were. "Kanpai"
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Staring at the moon she formed the question on her lips. She needed him/her as her Master, her Sensei. He had crossed the border to things impossible, and now she wanted to learn from him. She realized that he was a true warrior. Usually her family was taught by females only, but in this case she thought that he could teach her things she didn't know yet. Now if she could only say those damn words aloud and to his/her face.
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"Bananas" a sleeping girl mumbled snuggling into Motoko.
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Tomorrow would be a new day and she would formally request training. She mentally went over the breakfast menu and how much she would need to prepare. Shinobu was a great cook, they already exchanged a recipe. She missed her friends but this felt so much like home. A chaotic weird home.
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"And so the dices have fallen"
"Who is the next to throw?
"What will the next throw be?"
"The future" three old voices agreed.
Author's Notes v0.1: This was fun. Took long but I don't need to hurry this fic. I hope I didn't forget anyone important. Well now checking this.
Author's Notes v0.2: Special thanks to TerraBull for some corrections and Kadunta for making me improve a moment. Glad you you like it, and no, no Deux Ex for all those worrying too much. The past has some funny ways of catching up.
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migele
Posts: 234
I liked it.
by grahamj » Sun Sep 10, 2006 12:11 pm
I enjoyed reading this, and am looking foward to seeing what you'll be doing with it next. It looks like you're planning an invasion from Nermia.
One little nitpick, however. (It just stuck out for me.) Near the end you have "And so the dices have fallen", this is generally considered incorrect usage, as dice is the plural of die. The only time I'm aware of the use of dices being valid is when reffering cutting somthing, i.e. the knife dices well.
One little nitpick, however. (It just stuck out for me.) Near the end you have "And so the dices have fallen", this is generally considered incorrect usage, as dice is the plural of die. The only time I'm aware of the use of dices being valid is when reffering cutting somthing, i.e. the knife dices well.
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grahamj
Posts: 7
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