Cliched 13

[Konsaki]

And Michiko teaching Akane to cook? Heh. Will the kitchen survive?

The devil's in the details...

[LawOhki]

Ouch. Insulting a succubus about their appearance can't be good for your health. I wonder if the spell has any effect on Happi. He's old and experienced and probably has a lot of experience with infernal creatures and spells.

And Michiko teaching Akane to cook? Heh. Will the kitchen survive?

It's a suped up version of the women repelling patch Ranma put on him in canon. Since it is an infernal level spell Happosai will have some trouble curing himself because he mostly just steals and abuses spells, never learning any mechanics. Nodoka is perhaps the one who frees him of it as a big show of her forgiveness. (in front of Ranma of course, has to show how much she's changed in a futile attempt to get back in her childs good graces)

The devil's in the details...

Indeed. Jokingly I've considered Michiko trying to physically alter Akane specifically with infernal ingredients and spells to be a tiefling like Kasumi. (Nabiki/Soun could get caught up in it as well) After all, big sis has a dragon tiefling bff maybe she could have a bff with Akane. Clearly the plan has no faults!

[Dumbledork]

I like that idea. They deserve it for being ashamed of Kasumi's nature.

[LawOhki]

I like that idea. They deserve it for being ashamed of Kasumi's nature.

Technically they were ashamed of their own nature. Kasumi is just the unfortunate one to visibly express their infernal heritage. Considering the social stigma attached to tieflings and then their families, it's really not that uncommon to try and keep that a secret. Especially at a meeting to discuss marriage plans.

[LawOhki]

Lutansk

Ranma had been disappointed that Kiima hadn’t been awake for her visit but magical healing was often described as a traumatic process. Forcing flesh and bone to heal at such a rapid speed was almost worse than doing nothing. In the hands of an unskilled practitioner it could drastically shorten lives. So she could understand why Kiima was being kept from further stress until fully healed.

However, she didn’t understand why there was a small crowd of people waiting outside the door leading up to her apartment. She could see that many of them had various sized packages held in their hands. Kasumi seemed less troubled than her by the crowd, like this was now a common thing.

“Do you know what’s up?” She whispered to her roommate.

“Gifts for you.” Kasumi answered with false enthusiasm. “Glares for me.”

Ranma was shocked by the reverence being given to her. She was being presented with gifts of various sizes and most kept their heads down after bowing to her, refusing to meet her eye. They did spend a great deal of time introducing themselves as though she would remember them in the future. Without knowing how to respond, she nervously thanked them, and used her two Phoenix guards as pack mules for all the gifts.

She thought some semblance of normalcy would return after the door to her apartment was closed but that hope was dashed by the pile of gifts taking up much of the floor. “We might need a bigger place.” She remarked, finding the kneeling cushion Kasumi had made for her, and placed a drowsy Saffron on it. The baby tried to keep hold of her hand for a moment before laying still.

“Favian said he was going to bring us several bags of holding.” Kasumi answered, offering the two Phoenix guards something to drink but they refused to return to guarding the door from the outside. “I didn’t feel right sorting through it.” The other Tiefling fretted.

“You think I do?” Being showered with gifts and gratitude was throwing her for a loop. Picking up a nice looking black tunic with delicate golden edging, Ranma guessed she could get used to free stuff. Throwing the garment over her shoulder, she found herself face to face with a large white weasel that was perched on a roll of green fabric.

“Did someone give us this?” She pointed to the creature.

“Huh? No.” Kasumi answered worriedly. “Where do you think it came from?”

“Hello.” The weasel spoke in a young girl’s voice and quirked its head to one side inquisitively.

“A talking weasel?” Ranma raised an eyebrow.

“My name is Hana and I was sent to deliver you a message.” The white furred weasel introduced.

“Oh! You’re a familiar aren’t you.” Kasumi announced happily and knelt down next to Ranma excitedly. “I read about them at the library.” She explained after Ranma gave her an inquisitive glance.

“I am, Michiko of house Ageha is my master.” Hana bowed her head towards Ranma then Kasumi.

“I don’t like it.” Pepa interrupted, glaring at the familiar. “It’s up to something.”

“Delivering a message.” Hana answered the fairies accusation haughtily. “My message is for my master’s sister.” She nodded her head towards Ranma.

“Well what did my sister want?” She asked, curious over the message and what other high forms of magic Michiko had been hiding from her. Hana’s form lost consistency and she vanished into a puff of white smoke that reformed into a copy of Michiko the same size as her weasel form.

Michiko’s copy waved shyly. “Hi Ranma! How’s my big sister doing?” There was a pause. “Or are you back to being my brother? Well either way, I’ve been trying to get a hold of you but nothings came back yet. I’m hoping it was just because I was using summoned creatures.” Another pause. “Who I’m sure you know can be so unreliable. So I’m sending one last message with my familiar Hana. Me and mom are both well, she decided it’d be good for me to spend some more time here on the Mortal plane. It’s been fun so far but I could really do without this cold. Brr.” The copy hugged herself and shivered.

“Hopefully you’ll get back before we head back home because it would be great if you’d come visit. See all the things you’ve been missing.” The copy winked suggestively causing Ranma to blush briefly. “Just in case you don’t know, if you want to send a message back, just tell Hana that you have a message for me, and she’ll bring it right back. Well I look forward to hearing back from you.” Michiko crossed her arms and glared angrily towards her. “And I know Hana will find you so you better respond.”

Message apparently completed, the clone of Michiko dissolved back into smoke before forming into Hana again. “That was the message.” The familiar concluded. “Would you like for me to return one?”

“I bet it’s an evil plot of some kind!” Pepa proclaimed before Ranma could respond. “How can you trust that it’s even from your demon sister?”

“Pepa, stop it.” Kasumi chastised the fairy, who was for once not the only spell creature in the room.

“I don’t really know what to say.” Ranma answered Hana, scratching just behind one of her horns. “Let me think.” It made her feel good that her sister had bothered to send not one but several messengers to try and communicate with her.

“There is no rush.” Hana bowed her head respectfully. “I will wait as long as necessary.”

The ermine approached to sit a close distance from her and stare up at her with big black eyes. Ranma blinked several times at the expectant look on the white familiars face. “Uh-- are you hungry?” She asked, realizing that the familiar had traveled all the way from Nerima. Hana’s head nodded before rapidly spinning in a circle.

“Do you have any eggs?” Hana asked in her childish voice.

“I’ll go get you a couple.” Kasumi offered and stood up to head for the icebox, Hana bounding after her happily.

“I don’t trust her.” Pepa whispered in her ear.

Ranma eyed the fairy, who hadn’t acted like this in over a month. “Is it because she was sent by my sister?” She asked teasingly before taking a closer look at Pepa’s aura and seeing that it was no longer purely divine.

“Of course, she’s a Tiefling.” The blue haired fairy nodded her head rapidly.

“She’s my sister.” She scowled, angry that Pepa was slipping back into bad habits. “Quit trying to be a banishment spell.” Ranma reached up and tugged lightly on the fairy’s spade tail. “Sides, aren’t you a little bit infernal now?”

“It’s just a tail.” Pepa protested with a pout before rushing off to a small spot atop a shelf that she had claimed as her own tiny room.

‘Sure it is.’ Ranma rolled her eyes. Checking to make sure Saffron was still sleeping, she glanced at the kitchen area to see Kasumi serving Hana a bowl filled with several eggs. Everything seemed to have reached a point of normalcy so she returned to inspecting some of her gifts. Her mind remained preoccupied with what kind of message to send back to her sister.

[Dumbledork]

Bags of holding. I should have figured it out of my own. Won't they be surprised by what Ranma brings back home. I hope she's intelligent enough to keep most of the treasure a secret from Genma or Nabiki.

[LawOhki]

Bags of holding. I should have figured it out of my own. Won't they be surprised by what Ranma brings back home. I hope she's intelligent enough to keep most of the treasure a secret from Genma or Nabiki.

Why? What could they possibly do to take them from Ranma? Bags of holding can also be keyed to only open for specific people.

As for the Tendos/Genma, they're actually going to be a little scared of the Ranma that returns because she's so different. For readers I hope it's been a mostly gradual or realistic shift in personality but for them she's been gone months with no word. Ranma and Pepa getting along is going to be gasp worthy. Even Kasumi is going to be a little bit of a shock to them.

Michiko will of course thinks he won the lottery along with Nodoka who still won't get anything because she won't apologize.

[ranmas]

Lutansk

Kasumi answered, offering the two Phoenix guards something to drink but they refused to return to guarding the door from the outside. “I didn’t feel right sorting through it.” The other Tiefling fretted.

I think this should be

but they refused, and returned to guarding the door from the outside.

[Yando]

Lutansk

Kasumi answered, offering the two Phoenix guards something to drink but they refused to return to guarding the door from the outside. “I didn’t feel right sorting through it.” The other Tiefling fretted.

or they are still in the room, whole not trusting Kasumi thing. so something of them "moving to the sides of the door keeping an eye on Kasumi"?

[LawOhki]

I think this should be

but they refused, and returned to guarding the door from the outside.

Yea it's a little awkward like that. Change it to.

"two Phoenix guards something to drink but they refused and returned to guarding the door from the outside."

or they are still in the room, whole not trusting Kasumi thing. so something of them "moving to the sides of the door keeping an eye on Kasumi"?

I'll have to throw in something to say that they were trying to stay inside at the hospital and Ranma was less than thrilled with them watching her like a hawk all the time. So now they now to stay out of sight. Especially since their job is mostly ceremonial.

[LawOhki]

Several hours later

Waiting patiently after knocking on the door, Favian glanced backwards at the Phoenix who were blocking the steps just before Kasumi answered his knock, and invited him in. Immediately he noticed the significant piles of gifts from well wishers that were being organized by Ranma. Kasumi was holding the infant Saffron who gave him a surprisingly suspicious look for a baby. Judging by the glow emanating from behind a small piece of cloth, Pepa had retreated to her small corner atop a book shelf.

“Kasumi, why is there a ferret running around your apartment?” He asked, watching a white furred ermine shoot between positions, roll on the floor, then head off to another spot.

“Well--.” Kasumi paused to glance at the ferret. “She’s a familiar and seems a little overcharged from the ambient magic.” The blonde explained while laughing nervously.

“A familiar?” He asked. Neither of the two females knew how to make their own familiar although they should be capable of it. If one of them had taken the initiative to research the process then he would be exceedingly proud at how far they had progressed in such a short time.

“My sister’s.” Ranma spoke up in a soft whisper as she finished sorting through a small wooden box. “Kasumi said you had some extra bags of holding.” The Tiefling said without looking at him.

“I do.” He answered, giving the familiar one last curious glance before depositing two bags of holding next to Ranma’s hip. “I also bring an apology. The other night I forgot myself in the heat of the moment and said things I did not mean. I’m sorry-- I hope you can forgive me.” He was trying to sound as apologetic as he could but he knew it came out sounding hollow and rehearsed. When Ranma finally looked at him he bowed his head towards her.

Ranma’s eyes bore into him before she snorted and shrugged. “Apology accepted-- more than I ever got from either of my parents.”

He didn’t bother vocalizing another apology for Ranma’s family and the choices they made. It was already a sore enough point in Ranma’s life that he didn’t want to draw anymore attention to it. Taking a subtle look at Ranma’s aura, he discreetly checked to see if there were any lingering spells left to fester on her. There was nothing he could see except the protection spell and nothing Ladon ever did was subtle enough to hide from his senses.

“I’ll need some more.” Ranma interrupted his thoughts and looked up at him without giving a thank you for the expensive items.

“For?” He raised an eyebrow and slowly knelt down next to the cursed teen, feeling his knees protest at the action. “You have more than enough room there to fit everything in this apartment in them.”

“I just need them-- I’ll pay you back three times their worth in a few days.” The Tiefling responded evasively.

“Not that I doubt your offer. But those are worth over fifty gold a piece.” He pointed out, fully expecting the bags of holding to be returned in time. “Where are you going to get that much money in such a short amount of time?” There was one place he could think of but found it hard to believe Ranma would be so quiet about finding Ladon’s hoard.

“Do you trust me or not?” Ranma asked, looking up at him daring him to say no.

“I have two more you can use, you can pick them up when you come for dinner tonight.” He offered, not wanting to take the bait. “I think a little celebration is in order.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Kasumi came over to kneel across from him and Ranma. “Should I bring anything?”

“Of course not.” He chuckled, watching the familiar rush over to circle Kasumi once before finally stopping directly in front of him. “So you are Michiko’s familiar.” He summarized, the ermine looking up at him, and nodding its head so quickly it was a blur.

“I’m Hana! I’m Hana! I’m Hana!” She greeted without any pause in a little girls voice.

“Is she going to be alright?” Ranma asked worriedly. “Maybe it’s not good for her to be around the ley line.”

“She should be fine.” He patted the creature on her head. “Just isn’t used to having all the magic to feed off of. Do you mind telling me her purpose?”

“Just a message from my sister asking how I was.” The redhead sighed. “I don’t know what to send back, do you have any ideas?” She asked Kasumi.

“Why not just that you’re alive and well.” Kasumi suggested. “You are well-- right?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Ranma raised a confused eyebrow at the question.

“There was that evil dragon trying to enslave you.” The blonde Tiefling pointed out.

“He’s dead, Raxus is dead, Lethanial is dead--.” She paused to cough into her hand, the anger seeping into Ranma’s voice making Saffron squirm in Kasumi’s arms. “Compared to them I’m doing just fine-- great even.” She finished in a hollow tone with her shoulders and wings slumping.

Favian winced at the sound of glass breaking, looking behind Ranma to see that her wings had knocked over an oil lamp, spilling the contained liquid out over the floor. Kasumi quickly handed Saffron to Ranma before rushing off to grab something to mop up the mess.

“Ranma, there’s no reason to get upset.” He was reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder when Ranma’s hand snapped out to grab his wrist.

The redhead slowly turned to look at him with a dark glare. “I accepted your apology, that doesn’t mean you can touch me.” She explained softly before releasing him and climbing to her feet. “You’ll have to wait Hana, I’m not feeling very good so I’m going to take a nap.”

Favian watched closely as Ranma gathered several very large blankets that had been donated to her to throw over her shoulder before laying out her futon. Depositing Saffron on the futon, she held out her arm, and a number of small nail shaped rocks were transmuted to hover above her palm. Holding out the blankets with her other arm, the nails leapt from her hands, and affixed the blankets to the ceiling in order to form a simple area for herself.

“Maybe it would be best if we have a celebration tomorrow night.” He looked at Ranma’s makeshift room sadly. Stopping his brother should have been his burden to bear and he should not have placed it upon her shoulders. “Kasumi, do you mind seeing me out?”

“Of course not.” His great granddaughter answered, sharing a similar look of concern.

When they were all the way down the steps and away from the Phoenix standing guard, he finally addressed Kasumi. “Are you up to helping Ranma get through this?” His hand picked doctor was going to be visiting to try and give Ranma a neutral person to confide in. But Kasumi lived with the cursed teen.

“I think so.” Kasumi admitted tentatively. “Are you sure Ranma’s alright?”

“I couldn’t see anything left on her aura.” He didn’t think it would be wise to voice his concern that something may have already been cast and run its course. “Just be her friend and everything should work out.”

“I’ll do my best, grandfather.” Kasumi squared her shoulders confidently before glancing nervously back towards the steps. “Ranma’s my friend and I won’t let her down.”

“I know you will.” Favian allowed himself a moment to hope that everything would in fact work out for the best. “And I meant it about dinner, I’ll have it prepared for tomorrow evening, the usual time.”

“Thank you again.” She bowed to him. “We’ll be there.”

[Yando]

Random question, could Ranma leave most of his share of the gold with the phoenix? Maybe set up a bag or trunk or something that links with the place its stored, like those bags that tend to turn up in Harry Potter fanfiction? It would be secure with the phoenix people and I doubt they would care that much for storing it. I can actually see them doing it gladly just for getting the mountain back for them(though not in the same condition it was when they where forced out....), not to mention getting saffron back to them.

[LawOhki]

Random question, could Ranma leave most of his share of the gold with the phoenix? Maybe set up a bag or trunk or something that links with the place its stored, like those bags that tend to turn up in Harry Potter fanfiction? It would be secure with the phoenix people and I doubt they would care that much for storing it. I can actually see them doing it gladly just for getting the mountain back for them(though not in the same condition it was when they where forced out....), not to mention getting saffron back to them.

A very large portion is going to go to the Phoenix. Still trying to figure out how Ranma is going to move it all. Could just pick through things then show them the location once she's all set.

[Yando]

Can't remember if it's just gold in there or are there magic objects, books, scrolls and the like also? Maybe have him buy a house or something in Lutansk? If the relationship with Favian improves enough might have him look after it.

[LawOhki]

Can't remember if it's just gold in there or are there magic objects, books, scrolls and the like also? Maybe have him buy a house or something in Lutansk? If the relationship with Favian improves enough might have him look after it.

Magical objects, scrolls, all manner of things.

Ranma really doesn't like Lutansk in any way. Only time Ranma will ever come back is when visiting the Phoenix, at which point she'll be treated like a queen at their mountain. Favian will actually end up moving back to Nerima.

As for buying a house, that'll actually roll into a long term plot point with Ranma purchasing a large amount of land over time.