TRTSS9: Ranma's Precious Jewel! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: "Ranma ½", "Sailor Moon", "Star Trek", Dae Jang Geum and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special Note: This story is a re-creation of the "Dae Jang Geum" tie-in found in "The Ranma Trek Adventures". The set up takes place on the eve of the beginning of the end of the "Blackest Night" (DC Comics) and the "Dark Reign" (Marvel Comics). C&C are welcomed.
Part 1
Since the turn of the 21st century, Japanese innovation and experimentation has made leaps in the area of science and technology, mostly due to various discoveries of "alien technology" and other similar encounters. The result was the creation of two additional cities: Shintou Teito (sometimes called "New Tokyo") and Tokyo-3. Shintou Teito was a city owned by the MBI Corporation, which specializes in genetic engineering and medical sciences, and has only recently went into other science and technological fields. Meanwhile, Tokyo-3 was a secret United Nations project dedicated to the defense of the Earth from "angels". Whether or not these creatures were really the inspiration of angels in the lore of humankind remains to be scene. What is known, is that these creatures are specifically targeting the city for reasons that are considered "classified"…
In New Tokyo, one of Ranma's doppelgangers was preparing a special meal for his friends at the Izumo Inn. Ranma knew that he and Usagi would need to be "whole", meaning, all of his and Usagi's doppelgangers have to merge, in order to save the Universe. Once "whole", both Ranma and Usagi will embark upon a virtual gauntlet of enemies that could spell their demise. Even if they survive the onslaught, neither Ranma nor Usagi knows what the future will bring. But for now, Ranma wanted to do something nice by making a feast, especially after everything he and everyone at the Izumo Inn been through…
"Dinner!" Ranma yelled, as he sets down the last dish on the table, before wiping his hands on his apron.
SLIDE!
Ranma's Sekirei, the Land Lady and friends enters the dining room.
"OOOOOOO!" they said in glee.
"This looks delicious!" said Miya, who was a Sekirei swordswoman who was the owner and landlady of the Izumo Inn…
"The food tastes better than it looks," Ranma said with a smile. "Please, enjoy yourselves to this feast."
"I wished that I could have helped you, Minato-san," said Musubi, a Fist-type "Sekirei" who was a bit…gifted, and not because she knows how to fight in unarmed combat either.
"Nah," Ranma said, as he smiles at his friends as they sit down around the table. "I wanted to do something nice for you guys for a change."
"I think it is unseemly for a husband to be a better cook than his wife," said the high-bound Tsukiumi, a blond, princess-type Sekirei who specializes in the water elements. "Bad enough to deal with the fact that my 'husband' is a girl half the time."
"Well, I don't mind," said Kazehana, as she immediately went for the rice wine (called "sake") that was on the table. Kazehana was a dark-haired Sekirei who specialized in wind elements.
"Yeah, we KNOW, 'Miss Public Obscenity'," Tsukiumi said.
"Eh."
The glasses-wearing, voluptuous Matsu, who was an auburn-haired Sekirei that specializes in knowledge, was snickering at the prospects of witnessing another fight between her and her fellow "Sekirei"…
"I picked these flowers for you, Minato-san!" said the young, blond Kusano, as she presents a flower in a thin vase, to be placed in the center of the table. Kusano was a Sekirei who specialized in plant manipulation in the area of the earth element…
"Thanks," Ranma said, as he takes the vase, and places it on the table. As he does, he sees his last Sekirei, Homura, leaning on the entrance of the dinning room door way. Homura was a Sekirei who specializes the fire element. It was no secret that Ranma, once he bonded with Homura, that he could determine the Sekirei's gender and mentality. However, knowing how he felt about his own ability to switch genders and mental states, Ranma chose to respect Homura by allowing him to choose his own destiny, either by remaining male or becoming female. Ranma even said that since all the Sekirei were designed to be his soul mate, as their "Ashikabi", if Homura wanted to mate with him, then Ranma would willingly be female for him. Not that he wanted to do so, but Ranma felt that he would be NO better than any of his arch-enemies who tried to use his female body against him…
"Homura," Ranma said evenly, as he motions to the table. "Eat."
"Humph," said the gray-haired "bishonen", as he moved to sit down with the others.
"I'm glad that you could join us, Homura," Matsu said.
"Eh, I was invited," Homura replied.
"Hello, are we invited?" Kari said, as she, her Sekirei Shiina (who specialized in entropy and decay, and who was Kusano's older brother), Seo (a "Han Solo" type and Ashikabi), Seo's Sekirei Hikari and Hibiki (twins who specializes in Lightning manipulation), Uzume (a renegade Sekirei that was forced to leave the inn, but remains on friendly terms with the other tenants), and Nabiki.
Ranma looks up to see the latest arrivals. "Hey, you guys came."
"Hey, I never turn down free food, you know," Seo said.
"WE KNOW," Hikari and Hibiki say in unison.
"I will only allow this intrusion ONCE, Seo," Miya said, as she gave her patented "Death Aura".
"We're sorry!" Seo and twins say in unison, as they prostrate themselves.
"Hey, big brother!" Kusano said, as she waved at Shiina.
"Hello," Shiina said shyly, as he looks down.
"My, Ranma," Nabiki said, as she sets her briefcase down by the leg of the table. "I knew that you were a good cook, but I didn't know you specialized in Korean cuisine."
"Oh, there is a lot of things that I am good for," Ranma said.
"Like keeping your promise to always stay in touch?" Kari said.
"Ah, um," Ranma said, remember what he said to Kari as one of the "Digital Destined", when he was a boy…
"It's okay," Kari said. "I'm just glad that you did okay with yourself, especially after the things you said about your father."
"All is true, by the way."
"What is true, Minato-san?" Musubi asked.
"Ranma was abused by as a child while training to be a martial artist," Nabiki said.
"WHAT?" the female Sekirei yelled, as they stood up in outrage.
"Calm down, guys," Ranma said. "It was a long time ago."
"Well, once you and I have our children, your father better watch his step around them," Tsukumi said. "Humph!"
"Musabi will have Minato-san's children!" Musabi said.
"Will NOT!"
"Will, too-!"
"My, Ranma," Nabiki said with a smirk. "Seeing these going at it brings back memories…don't you agree?"
"Ha, ha," Ranma said.
"So, how did you get so good at cooking this delicious meal, Minato?" Uzume asked.
"Well…I learned how by trying to look after someone…close to me in ancient Korea," Ranma said, as he begins his story. Everyone in the room already knew the truth about him, but still referred to him by his fake alias. So, with a clearing of his throat, Ranma began his story while his audience listened as they ate their meal…
FLASHBACK!
It was the year 1484, Common Era, and Ranma reluctantly decided to conclude his "training" in Jeoson (the previous name of the state of Korea) to return to Japan…having received a telepathic call from Usagi. Apparently, their grandson went missing after death of his girlfriend, though rumors had it that the boy died while trying to steal some mystical jewel from the shrine maiden. Personally, he blamed it on his grandson's demon heritage, on his father side, as well as his on-going beef with his full demon half-brother. He has always been opposed to his daughter getting mixed up with the yokai lord, but considering how the Shikima were acting of late, Ranma felt that the alliance, by way of marriage, was a necessary evil…
At any rate, Usagi was calling for Ranma to return home to search for InuYasha, which prompted Ranma to cut short his training period.
"Thank you, Master Lee, for your hospitality," Ranma said with a bow. "But…I don't understand what you told me last night…"
Ranma was told that there were three women that will determine his fate:
One woman Ranma will save, but will die anyway because of him.
Another woman he will love, as his own flesh, will cause the first woman to die, but will save many lives in the end.
And the third woman, one who should not exist, will become a mother of a nation based on Ranma's choice.
"All will reveal itself in time, my friend," the monk says. "Good day."
The next day, Ranma trudges through the countryside, still pondering the monk's riddle. As was about to cross a river, he notices the prone body of a beautiful girl. Quickly, Ranma rushes over to the girl's side, and takes a good look at her. She was wearing white undergarments, and appeared to be in her late teens…possibly 19 years old. Also, in this era, her clothes could be used as outerwear as well, since Korean clothes were particularly layered with more clothing (due to the climate).
"Hey, girl," Ranma said to her in fluent Korean. Having master the World Tree test, he could communicate in any language on Earth. When he didn't receive any response, he extended his senses…
'Poison!' Ranma thought to himself, as he immediately began to 'feel' the nature of the girl's condition. The martial artist adventurer has had experience with many forms of assaults, which included being poisoned. In one particular case, the poison in question fed on his own adrenalin, while being hunted down on a barren planet in the Three-Galaxies, within the Rifts, by a Kreeghor (reptilian) assassin. Without the use of his of his martial arts based upon aggression, Ranma had to rely on the more esoteric aspects of his martial discipline to avoid getting killed long enough for his "traveling companions"—Usagi, Hoshi and T'Pol—to rescue him…
"Just hang on," Ranma says, as he traced then girl's chakra lines, by tracing his fingers along her body. Then, he sensed the source of the bodily disturbance.
"Okay," Ranma said, as he turns the girl's body to the side. "If you can hear me, I'm going to force the poison out of your body through your mouth. So, it'll hurt a bit…"
Ranma then pressed directly into the pressure points of the girl's body. And then-
"BLURRRGH!"
Sometime later…
"Here," Ranma says, as he gave the girl a bowl of soup. He had managed to secure a private cottage for them to stay in, while his 'patient' recovers. "You need something to eat."
The girl, who was staring out of the window, turns to accept the miso soup.
"Thank you," the girl says, as she began to sip.
"So…what's your name?" Ranma asked.
The girl continues to eat in silence.
"At least, can you tell me why you were by the river?"
Nothing.
Ranma sighs, as he gets up.
"I paid for this room for at least a month's time," Ranma says, as he fishes out a small sack of gold, silver and copper coins, which were very similar to the Japanese yen. "And here's something to tie you over for a while."
Ranma knells down, and places the sack by the girl's feet.
"Take care of yourself," Ranma says with a bow. Then, he begins to leave the room-
"Park Meyong-yi," the girl says, as she sits the bowl down. "When you found me, I was left for dead by the Court Ladies."
"'Court Ladies'?" Ranma inquired. "You mean, you work for King Seongjong?"
"I…was one of his 'kitchen ladies'," Meyong says. "And because I wanted to do the right thing, my death was plotted my rival…Choi Seong-geum, who was the reason for trying to do the right thing."
"Let me guess…this person you are speaking about framed you, and left you to die?"
Meyong replies with a nod.
"But…can't you go back to the palace or something to straighten this out?"
"No. I had been accused of impropriety with a palace guard, so I cannot return even with justice on my side."
"I see…well, I guess you are going home to your family-"
"I cannot, sir," the girl says. "With my disgrace, I will bring shame to my family. No, I am nothing now…"
Ranma closes his eyes. Being Japanese, he knew that "honor" was an important aspect in society, and Korea was no exception.
"Sir?"
"Huh?"
Meyong bows her head while kowtowing.
"I am in your debt," Meyong says. "Where you go, I will be your faithful companion…in all ways."
"Heh, that's not necessary," Ranma says, as he waved defensively. "Please live for your own life…that's all."
And with that, Ranma beats a hasty retreat.
END FLASHBACK!
"Oh, how romantic," Matsu said.
"Man, you definitely have a way with women, Minato," Seo said with a smirk.
Tsukumi growls, as she points her finger at Ranma.
"You BETTER NOT do that sort of thing again, Minato!" Tsukumi said. "I reserve the right be the damsel in distress!"
"No!" Musubi said. "Musubi is damsel!"
"No, Ku-chan!" said Kusano.
"So, what happened afterwards, Ranma?" Kari asked.
"Oh, well, I had to explain the situation to the…other person," Ranma said, as she was weary about how the other girls would react to Usagi being his wife.
"Oh, you mean Usagi, your WIFE?" Nabiki said.
"WHAT?" the girls yelled, as they screamed in unison.
"Oh, boy," Ranma said.
Tbc.
