"Beautiful Martial-Artist Sailor Moon 1/2"
by Chronos the Cat
a Ranma 1/2 / Sailor Moon Crossover Fanfiction
New Author's Notes:
Originally I posted this story under the title "Half Moon". Shortly after this, I realized I'd read a story by that name before, so I changed the title to "Ranma 1/2 Moon". I've now discovered that there's another story by that name as well (though I haven't read it). As I was never too attached to either name, I don't mind changing it again. This time, though, I'm pretty sure I've found a title I'll want to keep.
Old Author's Notes:
Yes, this is a "Ranma as a Senshi" fic, and as such, owes its' existence to the many "Ranma as a Senshi" fics I've read. I'd like to think I made it unique enough to be enjoyable, but if "Ranma as a Senshi" stories aren't to your tase, feel free to bail now.
Fans of my other stories are probably asking what I'm doing starting a new fic when I have other stories to get back to. My answer is similar to that of many other authors – I just couldn't help myself. Don't worry, I still plan on getting back to "Second Childhood', "Princess in Plaster", and "The Funhouse"; and I expect to get back to a few of my other stories as well.
I wouldn't be surprised if I can't resist writing future chapters of this story; otherwise, I'll continue it after finishing "Second Childhood" and writing another chapter or two of PiP and "Funhouse".
Timeline Reference: This story is an alternate history, with events not exactly matching manga or anime for either Ranma or Sailor Moon. The story begins at a point in time equivalent to two years before the start of the Ranma ½ series, and a month or two prior to the start of the Sailor Moon series
Chapter One: Family Reunion
Soun stared at the postcard with a picture of a panda on its' back, tears streaming down his face. "Oh, Genma, if only you hadn't been such a fool... Maybe the schools could be united now... But as it is..."
Soun got up and walked over to the kitchen. He stopped in the doorway for a second, watching as his wife Kimeko and their seventeen-year-old daughter Kasumi worked on dinner.
"Kimeko, could we speak for a moment?"
"Hmm? Oh, yes, dear. Could you watch the soup for a moment, Kasumi?"
Kasumi nodded. "Yes, Mother."
Kimeko and Soun stepped into the living-room. "What is it, Soun?"
"We received this in the mail today." Soun handed her the postcard.
"Soun,
Bringing Ranma from China.
--Genma."
Kimeko put her hand to her mouth. "Oh dear." She looked into Soun's eyes. "You know what we must do."
Soun nodded grimly.
"Hello, may I help -- oh my!" Kasumi exclaimed, opening the door to find a panda standing there on its' rear legs, a person in a white gi slung over its' shoulder.
The panda held up a sign which said, "Hello, may we have some hot water?"
"Hu... what?"
The person on the panda's shoulder lifted him/her self up enough to twist and look back at Kasumi. The person had blond hair in a pig-tail, and a face that could belong to either a teenage boy or girl. "Pops, put me down! Can't ya see she doesn't know what to make of ya?"
The panda set the person down. Judging by the small bulge in the person's shirt at chest height, and the slight narrowing of the waist above the hips, Kasumi determined the person to be female. Based on the girl's height and development, Kasumi guessed her to probably be about Akane's age, fourteen.
The girl put one hand behind her head and said in embarrassment, "Sorry 'bout that. I'm Ranma Saotome. Pops said you'd be 'spectin' us?"
"Uh... Oh, yes. But weren't you supposed to be a boy?"
"I am a boy!"
"You... are...? Oh, dear, I'm sorry. Anyway, please, come in." She paused, then added, "...I suppose your panda may come in as well."
As they stepped into the living room, Kimeko stepped out of the kitchen, wiping her hands off on a towel. "Who was it dear?" she asked before she noticed the guests.
"Mother, this boy is Ranma Saotome. Ranma, this is my mother Kimeko."
Kimeko raised an eyebrow, but bowed politely, and said, "It is a pleasure to meet you."
Kasumi she turned to the living room table, where a man with a mustache and two other girls were seated, "My father, Soun, and my sisters Nabiki and Akane."
Those seated at the table gave a bow, and all said, "It is a pleasure to meet you."
Ranma gave a small wave, and said nervously, "Um... hi."
Soun got up and rushed to Ranma, who he gave a hearty hug. "Ranma, my boy, so good to see you!" A confused look came over his face, and he released Ranma and pushed Ranma away far enough to stare in shock at Ranma's chest.
Nabiki walked over to Ranma and poked "him" in the chest.
"Please don't do that," Ranma told Nabiki.
Nabiki stepped away, noting sarcastically, "Some 'boy' here, father."
Kimeko said, "Soun, Nabiki, don't be rude. Ranma, please have a seat. We were just about to eat dinner, if you'd like to join us. By the way, where is your father?"
Ranma asked, "Well, actually, if we could have some hot water?"
Kasumi said, "Oh, yes. I had forgotten your panda asked for some. Do you want boiling water, or will hot tap water do?"
"Tap is fine."
"How much?"
"Two cups, maybe?"
"I'll get them for you, then."
Kimeko added, "And I'll bring out the food."
Moments later, Kasumi came out with two glasses of hot water. Ranma took both, then tossed the contents of one at the panda while dumping the other on "him" self. Everyone else stared in shock, and Kimeko dropped the pot she had been holding at what happened next.
Ranma's hair changed to black, "her" breasts disappeared, her shoulders became broader, and her hips narrower, and in a couple of seconds the tomboyish girl had become a bishonen boy. Meanwhile, an even more dramatic change occurred, as the panda lost weight and all it's fur, it's paws changed to hands and feet, it's snout sunk in and it's face became more human. The panda whipped a gi out of the pack on it's back and swiftly donned it even as he finished changing into a bald-headed muscular man.
"Genma...?" Soun asked, staring at the bald man.
Kasumi and Nabiki meanwhile, were still staring at Ranma.
"Now he's a boy," Kasumi commented in quiet approval.
"Yup," Nabiki said heavily, "and a cute one at that."
"Never mind that!" Akane exclaimed. "How did they do that?!"
"Now that is a tale!" Genma said.
Kimeko looked down at the soup spilled out across the floor. "Well, we'll have time to hear it while we wait for take-out to arrive. I'll go order. Girls, could you clean this up for me?"
Kasumi nodded. "Of course, Mother." The others agreed less eagerly.
Kimeko stepped into another room and picked up the phone and dialed. When someone picked up on the other end, Kimeko said quietly, "Nodoka? This is Kimeko..."
"It was two fateful weeks ago, near Mount Quanjin in the Bayankala mountain range of China's Qinghai province, at the legendary 'Training Ground of Cursed Springs' - Jusenkyo, the 'Pools of Sorrow'."
Flashback...
With a huge splash, Genma fell into the pool. Moments later a panda shot out of the water and landed on one of the bamboo poles sticking out of the pool and surrounding land.
On a pole sticking out of another pool, Ranma stared in shock. "What...?"
The guide cried out, "Oh no! Mister customer fall in Spring of Drowned Panda! Tragic tale, very tragic, of panda who drown there two thousand year ago! Now whoever fall in that spring take body of panda!"
"No way!" Ranma said in disbelief, even as he dodged Genma-panda's attacks. However, his preoccupation cost him, and shortly he fell face-first into a pool himself.
A moment later, a head of blonde hair broke the surface. "Pops! What did you think you were doin'?!" Ranma turned to the guide, and noticed "his" long blonde hair drifting on the surface of the water. "Please tell me this is the pool of 'boy with long blond hair'..."
The guide shook his head. "Sorry, mister customer. You fall in Spring of Drowned Girl. Tragic tale, very tragic, of young girl who drown in spring one thousand five hundred year ago! Now whoever fall in that spring take body of young girl! No know why hair so long, though."
Ranma pulled open her gi and stared in horror at the confirmation of the guide's story.
End of Flashback
"Luckily for Pops, the guide revealed that hot water would change us back until we ran into cold water again," Ranma commented.
"What about your hair?" Kasumi asked. "Did it only grow long that one time?"
"No, at first it kept growin' out ta ankle-length every time I changed into a girl. Luckily, I found a way to prevent that..." He reached up and fingered the Dragon's Whisker in his braid.
"And what would that be?" Nabiki asked.
"Err... It's a secret."
"Why would the Spring of Drowned Girl force you to have long hair?!" Akane demanded. "Not every girl has long hair!" she added, though at the moment the only short-haired girl there was Nabiki.
"Dunno. The Guide had never seen anything like it before. A bit later we ran across an old ghoul who claimed it was because I was the reincarnation of some long-haired girl that was princess of the ghoul's tribe thousands of years ago, but I figure she's full of it - ain't no way I was ever a girl! Still, she's the only one who even had a guess."
Kimeko commented, "I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the old woman's claim, Ranma. It is said that many people change gender from one life to another."
Nabiki added, "And now he changes gender from one moment to another!"
Ranma scowled at her. Before he could come up with an appropriate insult to shoot back at her, there was a knock at the door.
"I'll get it," Kimeko said, and walked out to the entrance hall.
A moment later, the door could be heard opening, followed by Kimeko saying, "Kenji! No-chan! Shingo! It's good to see you. Please come in."
At the name "No-chan," Genma stiffened. He stared at Soun accusingly. Soun said sadly with a bit of apology mixed in, '"She had a right to know."
Genma glared at Soun, then grabbed Ranma by the top of his gi. "Come on, boy!"
"Huh? What's goin' on, Pops?" Ranma demanded as Genma pulled him into the back yard.
"We're leaving!"
Ranma kicked Genma, causing Genma to loose his grip and allowing Ranma to step away from him. "What's the hurry? We just got here! Don't tell me another one of you're schemes come back to bite you...?"
Genma glanced back and saw Kimeko and a man stepping into the living room. "No time!" He jumped into the koi pond with a splash big enough to catch Ranma.
Ranma-chan spit out a mouthful of pond water and complained, "Great."
Meanwhile, a young boy stepped into the living room, followed by a woman with flaming red hair and a katana.
"Genma...?" the woman asked. "I thought for sure I heard him..."
Kimeko looked out the open back door and saw the blonde girl and the panda. "Oh dear. It looks like we'll have to explain about the curse sooner than I had hoped."
The panda froze in fear, staring at "No-chan" and her katana. Then, it raced for the wall of the Tendo compound.
Kimeko said urgently, "Soun! You mustn't let him get away!"
Soun nodded with a grim expression on his face, and raced out the door, leaping up to the top of the compound wall shortly after the panda disappeared over it.
Ranma-chan looked inside and scratched her head. "So... what'd Pops do this time?"
No-chan asked Kimeko, "Ko-chan, where are Genma and Ranma? And who is this blonde-haired girl?"
"Why don't you and your family sit down. This will be a long story." Turning to Ranma-chan, Kimeko said, "You might as well come in and sit as well."
"Um, okay..." Ranma said uncertainly, coming in and sitting down between Shingo and Akane.
Kimeko turned to Kasumi. "Could you get some more hot water? I'm sure the Tsukinos will want to see a demonstration of the curse."
"Of course, mother," Kasumi said, heading back into the kitchen, even as the visiting family looked at each other in confusion, and Ranma wondered why she should show them the curse. Akane and Nabiki just sat there calmly, letting their mother handling things, and not seeming surprised by how things had gone so far.
"Tell me, dear," Kimeko said, looking at Ranma again. "What do you remember of your mother?"
None of the visitors to the Tendo home knew what to make of this question. Nonetheless, Ranma did her best to answer. "Um... Not much really. She died when I was really young."
"Are you sure she died?" Kimeko probed.
"Well... That's what Pops told me, anyway. He never did say how, though."
No-chan thought she knew what this was leading up to, and looked aghast. "Your 'Pops' - his name wouldn't happen to be Genma, would it...?"
Ranma answered slowly, unsure what had prompted that question. "Yeah... why?"
No-chan looked away from everyone and said angrily, "Genma, you bastard! As if stealing our son wasn't bad enough, you had to steal someone else's child as well?!"
Nabiki rolled her eyes, and Akane slapped her forehead.
Ranma said, "Huh?", utterly confused now.
Kasumi came back in with a pitcher of cold water, a kettle of hot water, and some glasses, all on a tray. "I brought some extra water and glasses in case we need more than one demonstration, and in case anyone wants some water to drink."
"Ah, thank you, dear," Kimeko said. She picked up a glass, and poured some hot water into it. "Tell me, No-chan, you still don't believe in magic, do you?"
"We've been over this before. No, Ko-chan, I don't. What does this have to do with my son and former husband?"
"Well... you see, I know it's hard to believe, but your son is under a curse." She sloshed the water around in the glass for a moment, thinking, then mused, "Perhaps it would be best to just show you?" With that, she tossed the water on Ranma.
Seeing the blonde girl replaced by a black-haired boy, Kenji fainted, and No-chan stared in unbelieving shock. Shingo exclaimed, "Wow, that's neat! How'd you do that? Can you change into anything else? What's it like changing like that?"
Ranma blinked, then decided to ignore Shingo's questions to ask his own. Pointing at No-chan, Ranma turned to Kimeko, and asked in a stunned voice, "Are you saying... she's my... mother...?"
Kimeko nodded with an overly-pleased-with-herself grin, and said, "That's right, Ranma. Meet your mother, Nodoka."
Nodoka finally broke out of her stunned state, and with a squeal launched herself at Ranma. Ranma was unprepared for this surprise attack, and soon found himself in a crushing hug. "Oh, my son! How I have missed you!"
"Mom...?"
Meanwhile, Kenji moaned as he started to come around. "Oh, I just had the strangest..." Kasumi moved and helped him up. "Thank you, Kasumi..." When he saw Nodoka embracing Ranma, Kenji said, "It wasn't a dream, was it?"
"No, Kenji," Kimeko said. "Your step-daughter did change into your step-son before your eyes."
"How is that possible?"
"We'll explain in a moment. Let's wait until No-chan is done greeting her son, so we don't need to explain it again."
Shortly, Nodoka released Ranma. Before explanations of the curse could begin, he said, "I don't get it. Why'd pops tell me you were dead? And who are these...?"
Nodoka sat down and said sadly, "Genma kidnapped you, Ranma, shortly after our divorce. Apparently he took exception to the fact that the judge had granted me custody of you, and felt he would not be able to teach you martial arts the way he wanted to if he only had the short visits he would be allowed to do so in..."
"Considerin' that we trained all day every day, I'd say he was right," Ranma said. "But still, that don't give him the right to..." Ranma trailed off, not sure what to call his father's crime, and still taking in the fact that it had occurred.
"Kidnap you?" Nabiki supplied helpfully.
Ranma nodded. "Yeah, that," he agreed in a distracted tone. Nabiki rolled her eyes.
Nodoka took Ranma's hand. "I'm sure he told you I was dead so you wouldn't search for me. As for Kenji and Shingo..." Nodoka gestured to Kenji. "This is Kenji Tsukino, my new husband, and your step-father."
"What...?" Ranma didn't know what to think of this.
"And this is our son, your half-brother, Shingo."
Shingo raised a hand. "Hi. So how did you change like that, anyway?"
Nodoka's eyes narrowed slightly. "Yes, I was wondering that myself. Ko-chan implied it was magic...?"
Ranma sighed. "It's a curse. Cold water turns me into a girl, and hot water changes me back into a boy."
Shingo said, "Really?" He grabbed the pitcher of cold water, and used it to splash Ranma. "Cool."
Ranma-chan scowled at Shingo.
The sign, reading "Family life has made you soft, Tendo!" smashed into Soun's head. Undeterred, Soun lunged forward, grasped the panda's paw in his hand, and flipped the panda over his shoulder and onto the pavement head first.
"If that's the case, why am I beating you, old friend?"
As the panda got to his feet it held up a sign saying, "Let me get some hot water and I'll show you a beating!"
"I don't think so! I'm not stupid, unlike certain pandas I could mention!" Soun rushed in and sent a punch Genma's way.
Genma dodged the punch, then pulled out another sign and scribbled on it, "At least I have my honor!" He jabbed at Soun, then wrote on a new sign, "What do you think will happen if Nodoka gets her hands on me?" After blocking a series of kicks from Soun, he added, "How could you betray me like that?"
Soun said angrily as he let loose a flurry of punches, "Who are you to speak of honor?! It was you who betrayed Nodoka, and threw away your own honor when you kidnapped Ranma!"
"I was only doing what was best for the boy!" Genma's sign read as he took a defensive stance.
"I'm afraid many people would disagree with you on that one, old friend - and I am one of them." Soun's punches were met by Genma's block. Soun stepped away to plot his next move.
"And that is why you're soft!" Genma wrote, before tossing the sign at Soun at a dangerous speed. Soun batted it away with one hand, and dodged in the other direction as Genma followed the sign in to attempt to catch Soun off guard.
Soun elbowed Genma in the ribs, then the two began exchanging punches at a rapid rate.
"The food is here," Kimeko said as she brought in the take out she had ordered (just after she had called Nodoka).
Kimeko and her girls re-set the table, and everyone sat down to eat.
"Shouldn't we wait for father, mother?" Kasumi asked.
"No, we don't know how long bringing Genma back will take, and the food could get cold. I'm sure he won't mind, considering the circumstances."
Everyone stared when Ranma began wolfing down the food in front of him at an incredible rate.
Nodoka sighed. "I think there are certain things we will need to teach Ranma... Such as table manners..."
A dirty, bloody, and bruised Soun dragged an even more dirty, bloody, and bruised unconscious panda behind him into the house. Soun glanced over the two families eating dinner, and addressed Kimeko. "I am sorry it took me so long to return, but he would not come willingly."
"That is all right, Soun. I hope you don't mind, but I decided we should start eating without you."
"Quite all right. Mustn't let the guests go hungry. Now, what should I do with this dead weight?"
Nodoka got up and walked over to the panda. "So this is Genma? If I hadn't seen Ranma change, I wouldn't believe it."
"Shall I get some more hot water?" Kasumi offered helpfully.
Nodoka shook her head. "No. I fear what I might do if I were to see his true face," she said, fingering her katana.
Kimeko pointed out, "We'll need to change him back before we hand him over to the police."
Nodoka looked surprised. "Police?" After a moment's thought, she said, "I suppose that would be an appropriate way to deal with him. He has committed his share of crimes, after all."
Ranma's eyes widened. "You're going to get him arrested?! But why?!" Sure, Genma had done bad things in the past, but Ranma didn't think he deserved jail. Of course, these people weren't the first to think otherwise, but what had he done to them...? Ranma looked up at the incredulous stares of everyone else in the room (besides the unconscious Genma), and lughed in nervous embarrassment. "Oh, right."
Shingo gave voice to what many were thinking. "What, you forgot that he kidnapped you?! Are you an idiot or something?"
"Shut up, you brat! It's taking a while to get used to the idea, all right?" Ranma shot back angrily.
Nodoka said sharply, "Shingo! Ranma! Don't talk to each other that way!"
"Yes, mother," Shingo said meekly.
Ranma however, said in honest confusion, "Why not?"
One of Nodoka's eyebrows twitched, and she drew her katana and waved it in Ranma's direction. "Because I'm telling you not to!" The katana slipped from her hand and imbedded itself in the floor near Ranma's legs.
Ranma gulped. "Yes, mother."
Genma opened his eyes to see the angry face of his ex-wife glaring down at him, the blade of her katana held to his neck.
"H-hello, dear. Fancy meeting you here."
"Cut the comedy act, and don't call me 'dear'! You lost any right to call me that long ago!"
Genma glanced at the sword held to his throat, and replied, "Whatever you say, Nodoka."
"Better. Now, this is against my better judgment, but Ko-chan and Kenji insisted I let Ranma speak with you before we let the police have you.
Genma looked around, and saw that there were several police officers in the room. Two of them had guns aimed at him, but he didn't let that worry him - he might not be able to move faster than a bullet, but all he needed to do was move faster than the finger pulling the trigger. Nodoka and her sword was a far greater danger - especially since Nodoka was either so clumsy with the sword or so skilled at seeming clumsy with the sword that she likely wouldn't be blamed if she should "accidentally" lop off his head.
Genma also saw that Soun, Kimeko, and Ranma were in the room, but Nodoka's family and the Tendo daughters were absent. He realized without looking that his legs were free but his arms were tied behind his back.
Ranma walked up to stand near Genma.
"Boy, help me out here! Get this crazy woman away from me, so we can leave!" Genma demanded.
Nodoka twitched, and Genma gulped.
Ranma said with a scowl, "You've done some pretty boneheaded things before, but if what they say is true, this tops them all."
"It's lies, all lies!"
"She's my mother, isn't she?"
"Er... Where would you get a silly notion like that?"
"But you divorced her, didn't you?"
"I did not! It was her idea! ...Uh... I mean, I have no idea what you're talking about!"
Ranma glared at Genma. "So why'd I never see her? Why did you tell me she was dead?!"
"Women are a distraction from the art! She would have coddled you, made you soft! I did it for your own good!"
"Did 'it'? Did what?" When Genma didn't answer, Ranma asked louder, "I said, 'did what?'! What did you do, old man?!"
Genma looked away.
In a quieter voice, Ranma said, "It's true, isn't it? You kidnapped me..."
"'Kidnapped' is such a strong word..." Genma said meekly.
His voice remaining quiet even as his anger grew, Ranma said, "You stole me from my own mother - your former wife! - just so you could train me as you perfect heir. No matter what anybody else wanted."
Genma turned to Ranma, glaring, almost getting up in his anger before he remembered the blade still at his throat. "Now see here, boy! I didn't steal a thing - I was only taking back what was rightfully mine!"
Ranma turned away, his fists clenched in anger.
Genma said in a lecturing tone, "Now, I know that finding out your mother is alive is a shock, but once you give it some thought, I think you'll agree that my taking you from her was for the best. After all, could you have become such a great martial artist if you hadn't come with me and spent all this time training?"
"Yeah, and that makes it all worth it, doesn't it...?" Ranma said bitterly. Ranma turned to Nodoka, and said quietly, "I need some time alone."
As soon as Nodoka nodded, Ranma ran off into the back yard, ignoring Genma's cries of, "Wait, where are you going?!"
Nodoka said sternly, "Now, Genma," diverting Genma's attention from his disobedient son.
Nodoka took a breath, then said in a cold voice, "I'm only going to say this once. You are going to let the police take you into custody, and you're not going to give them any trouble or try to escape. And you will do this because if you don't, I'll change you into a woman - and since I'll be using my katana, hot water won't change you back. Should you, for some strange reason, ever be let out of jail, you will stay away from me and my family - including Ranma! You'll stay away because of the restraining order on you, and because if you should ever be a danger to myself or my family, including Ranma (and that includes your taking him from us) -- I'll see to it that you loose much more than your manhood. Is that clear?"
Genma gulped. "Very clear."
Nodoka removed the sword from his throat and stepped back. "He's all yours, officers."
Two officers stepped up to him and pulled him to his feet. They then began escorting him to the door.
As they walked, Kimeko spoke up. "Remember he's a skilled martial artist, so be careful with him. And if he should turn into a panda again, simply splash him with hot water to change him back..."
"You want to spar?" Akane asked, stepping into the Dojo wearing her gi.
"Huh?" Ranma asked, surprised to have his solitude in the dojo intruded upon.
"I asked if you wanted to spar."
Ranma looked around. "With who?"
"With me, dummy!"
"But... You're a girl!"
"So?! Girls can be martial artists too!"
"Really? I thought Amazons were the only girls who were fighters..."
"Arrgh! Where has your father been keeping you?!"
"Hey, he didn't 'keep' me anywhere - we traveled around a lot."
"That's not what I meant," Akane growled out.
"Then what did you mean?" Ranma asked, confused.
"Never mind! Look, do you want to spar with me, or not?"
"I wouldn't mind, but I can't."
"Why not?"
"My dad taught me never to hit girls."
Akane slapped her forehead. After recovering from the surprise, she said, "I don't know whether to be happy he taught you some chivalry, or angry that he taught you to be sexist."
"Huh?"
Akane sighed. I didn't come in here to correct Genma's mistakes, I came in here to see how good a fighter Ranma was! Akane thought to herself. "Listen. My father taught me never to use my strength or martial arts skills to pick on the weak."
"Yeah..." Ranma agreed hesitantly. "Pops taught me the same thing."
"So, that means we can't hit people who aren't fighters, unless they're a danger to us - whether they're girls or boys."
"Right. But Pops always said all girls are weak. So it doesn't matter if they can fight - I still can't hit them."
"Arrgh!" Akane screamed again. "I can't believe I'm hearing this from someone who spends half his time as a girl!"
"Hey! I don't spend half my time as a girl! I never turn into a girl on purpose, and I always change back to a boy whenever I can..." He lost his argumentative tone as he continued, more to himself, "Which isn't very often on the road, so I've spent quite a bit of time as a girl, maybe more than as a boy, but it's not like I meant for that to happen, and..." Realizing Akane could hear him, he quickly abandoned that train of thought, and said to her, "Anyway, what does that have to do with, um, whatever your point was?"
Akane scowled at him. Man, is he dense! "Look, you spend a bit of time as a girl, right?"
"Not on purpose!"
"But you still end up that way anyway, right?"
"Yeah... so?"
"So, are you weak when you're a girl?"
"No."
"So?"
"So, how can you say all girls are weak?!"
"But, I'm not really a girl, so it doesn't count."
Nearing the limit of her temper, but not quite ready to hit someone who was innocent, if an idiot, she went over to the dojo's storage room, and came back with some boards and cinderblocks. She set the blocks up in two piles, with three inch-thick boards forming a bridge over them. "If all girls are weak, then explain this! Hiyah!" With a single karate chop, she broke all the boards in half.
Ranma raised an eyebrow. I could have broken one of those bricks, not just the boards... but she is a lot stronger than an average person. "Tell you what, if you can hit me, I'll fight back."
Smiling like she had won a great prize, Akane nodded. "Deal."
Akane tightened the belt of her gi, and assumed a battle stance. Ranma just stood there with his arms behind his back.
Akane charged at Ranma, and sent a punch at him (strong enough to hurt but not seriously harm an ordinary person). When he easily dodged this, she followed him and sent a stronger, faster punch his way. He dodged this too, so she tried a kick, then another punch.
Akane was astounded as he continued to speed up along with her, staying one step ahead of her. Finally, as Ranma was backed into a corner, Akane sent her strongest punch at him. Ranma put one hand on her shoulder and vaulted over her. Akane's fist clipped Ranma's leg as it went by, then smashed into and through the Dojo's wooden wall.
While Akane tried to pull her hand out of the hole, Ranma casually tapped her on the back of the head. "Not bad," Ranma said. "'Guess not all women are weak, after all. Makes me feel better 'bout turning into one now and then. ...Of course, you're still no match for me."
Akane spun around as much her trapped hand allowed her to, and swung at him with her free hand. He easily stepped out of the way. "Just you wait," Akane growled, "next time I'll beat you!"
"Feh. Maybe if you train really hard, and I don't. ...Speaking of training, do you suppose your father would be willing to train me some? I'll need a new sensei if Pops decides to stay in jail."
"I don't think Genma will have much of a choice," Akane said, as she pulled her hand out of the wall with a grunt. Gingerly picking splinters out of the hand that had been in the wall, she continued, "I don't see why my father wouldn't be willing to take you on - but don't expect to learn any of the secrets of the Tendo School. Those are for me only. I'm the heir to the school, after all."
Ranma nodded, accepting this. "Too bad I probably won't be learning any of the secrets of the Saotome school at this rate - I was supposed to be it's heir." Ranma turned and started walking towards the door. Before he got very far or Akane noticed, he stopped and turned back to look her way. "...Speaking of which, did your dad tell you about the deal he and Pops had?"
"You mean how me or one of my sisters was supposed to marry you, and our child would be taught both schools?" Akane asked. She looked up and added with concern, "...You don't want to do that, do you?" Noticing he had walked away from her, she walked forward a few steps to get to a good conversational distance.
"Nah. We're barely more than kids! It's way too soon to be thinkin' 'bout marriage - and when I get married I want it to be to someone I love." Ranma turned and began to walk towards the door again.
Akane nodded automatically, and followed him towards the door. "Same here. Anyway, my mom says we don't have to worry about dishonor for not fulfilling the agreement - father and Genma were both drunk when they made the 'pledge', they never wrote it down or had a witness, and Genma gave up any honor he might have had when he kidnapped you."
"That's a relief. Though with a girl like you, who's not some frilly princess, I suppose it wouldn't be too bad."
Akane blushed at that, even though she knew that under different circumstances she might have taken that as an insult rather than a compliment.
While Akane headed to the bathroom to wash up and tend to her injured hand, Ranma asked, Soun, "Mister Tendo? I was wonder, since Pops isn't gonna be able to teach me while he's in jail, do you think you could take me on for a little while?"
"I'd be honored to, Ranma! Why don't you come by next Sunday, and we'll see what level your skills are at. After that, we can work out a schedule for your training."
"Okay." Ranma realized that Soun didn't expect Ranma to be staying with them, and wondered where he was going to stay. He had always stayed with his father, or (when his father had to run from the law or had sold him intending to steal him back) where his father had left him. He could always live on the road on his own if it came to that, but he was hoping to spend some more time with his mother.
Tentatively, he said to Nodoka, "I don't suppose... I could stay with you?"
Honestly surprised there had been any doubt about where Ranma would be staying, Nodoka replied, "Of course! In fact, I insist on it!" Nodoka came over, and to Ranma's surprise, embraced him. "I'm your mother, after all. That means my home is your home - always."
Ranma stood there, not quite sure how to respond to this outpouring of love, but enjoying it.
When Nodoka had released Ranma, Kenji came over and patted him on the back. "Your mother and I discussed this before, and we agreed that when you were found you would come to stay with us. We want you to think of all of us, not just Nodoka, as your family. Shingo is your brother, after all, and I would love for you to call me father."
"'Father'... Hmm, I've never called anyone that before..." (It was true - Genma was always "Pops".)
"You don't have to if you don't want to," Kenji told him, thinking Ranma was hinting that he didn't want to.
"Well... let me get to know you. If I think you deserve to be called 'Father', I'll call you that, and until then, I'll call you Kenji, okay?"
"That works fine."
"Er... speaking of what I call people," Ranma said, turning to Nodoka, "What should I call you? Mom? Mother? Nodoka?"
"How about Mommy?" Nodoka suggested.
Everyone else fell to the floor in disbelief at this response.
"I'm kidding," Nodoka said flatly.
...Later that night...
Genma didn't let being in his human form stop him from growling as he looked out through the bars of the window of his cell. So, Soun thinks he can get away with betraying me?, he thought to himself. And Nodoka thinks she can threaten me? They'll soon learn better than to mess with the great Genma Saotome! They'll wish they never crossed me when they find all their valuables gone! "Bwa ha ha ha!"
"Be quiet and go to sleep!" Genma's cell-mate said grumpily from his bed.
Ignoring the other man, Genma continued to think. ...As for the boy, I'll go easy on him - he doesn't realize what life under Nodoka would have been like. Yes, a few weeks of her mothering, and he'll be begging me to take him back! Genma nodded to himself.
Now, the only question is how long to wait before escaping. On the one hand, here I get free food, shelter, medical care, and most importantly, food. On the other hand, the food here is terrible, and I don't get to eat my fill. Genma yawned. Oh well, I'll think about it tomorrow. Genma climbed into his bed and was soon snoring loudly.
Deep beneath the arctic ocean, in a castle made of twisted purple stone, a small army of human-like beings stood at attention in a huge throne-room while their Queen gazed into a crystal ball on a floating pedestal.
"Jadeite!" the Queen called out, looking up from her crystal.
A man with short blond hair, wearing a gray uniform, stepped out of the crowd, and saluted her. "Yes, your majesty?"
"Despite Sailor V's interference, Flourite's Dark Agency has succeeded in enslaving a large number of humans for our cause; and Danburite assures me he shall soon have the Sailor V problem dealt with."
To the entire room, she called out, "The time approaches to free our mistress, Empress Metallia!" A chorus of cheers was heard.
Speaking once more to Jadeite, the Queen continued, "However, in order to do this we shall require several elements - among them a great deal of energy; human ki to be precise. Can I rely upon you to gather this energy?"
"Of course, your majesty."
"In that case, I shall have the details sent to you shortly. Metallia and I shall eagerly await the energy's delivery." Turning her attention back to the crystal ball, she told him, "You are dismissed."
"Yes, your majesty." Jadeite saluted again, then teleported away.
To Be Continued..