In the unlikely event.....
A fanfic by Kathryn Grover
***
Disclaimer and Notes: I do not own PPG or Ranma 1/2. This is a fanfic. A FANFIC I SAY!
Although Ranma 1/2 does not take place in a specific time on earth, there are a few things in the comic, or at least the English translation of the comic, that would make what I'm writing pretty much impossible. On the other hand, it made an interesting story idea, so I figured...........what they hey? I'm gonna pull the same thing The Artrix did to make this work.
For this fic to work, assume Ranma 1/2, as we know it, takes place in the 70's.
Also, I suggest reading from the beginning. This fic will be funny, but it will be extremely confusing if you start too late in the place. Also, a VERY good knowledge of the events in the Ranma 1/2 comic series is helpful. If you don't know much about the later stories, or you're only familiar with the anime, check out:
http://www.techserv.curtin.edu.au/ranmascan/
It has translations of the later comics.
Also, the comic continuity has some important points. In the comic, how good a student Ranma is is completely anonymous. He doesn't hate school like he supposedly does in the anime. There are also some other parts here that will either be spoilers for the comic, or be incredibly confusing.
I also expect this fic to go obsolete in maybe a year or two. Just a funny idea for now, will be deleted if and when the time comes.
Language:
"words": character is speaking in English
*words*: character is speaking in Japanese
***
Chapter 1
Meet the kids!
***
The year is 1960.
***
In a first grade class, the school year was about to end. Kids were excited about the approach of summer break. Most of 'em anyway.
One child, a usually very hyper one, stared at a passport.
Ms. Keene, age six, saw Utonium sitting alone like this. He'd changed a lot during the school year. When he first arrived last fall, he knew no English and was very shy. He quickly learned the language to fit in. The shy new kid became the class clown in only two months, and teased the other kids relentlessly. The teachers loathed him. Though, after a strange incident involving a monkey, he had changed a bit. He concentrated in class like was never thought possible, and saved his teasing for the playground. On the other hand, he became very defensive of the girls on the playground. While he teased other guys, and sometimes was an outright bully, he never tolerated any other boy teasing a girl in a mean way. He'd also let his hair grow out, and it was down to his shoulders now.
She had been told by her teacher that this Raymond Utonium kid had come from Japan before he arrived here. At age six, she knew nothing of the place, other than it existed...............and people with black hair came from there. She peeked over his shoulder, to see strange characters she did not understand. The passport was a Japanese one.
"I don't want to go....." he muttered. Ms. Keene wasn't sure he knew whether or not she was there. "We always move. Why can't we stay anywhere?"
Surely enough, she did not see him again until college.
***
1972
***
"Really, Ranma. How the heck are you supposed to explain to Akane what a geek you are?"
Ranma gave Genma an amused glare, then returned to reading a book on biology.
"So what if I care about my grades?"
"So what? You're supposed to be a martial artist, not a nerd."
"I am a martial artist. Are you just upset because this 'geek' beat Saffron?"
"Wha?"
"Geez, Pop!" Ranma said slamming the book shut. "How'd you think I figured out the Hiryu Shoten Ha so easily? How do you think I can manipulate it the way I do? Because I paid attention in physics. You think it's just spinning around really fast?"
"Well..........um........"
"Stupid............." Ranma said, opening his book up again. Someday, he'd get away from his looser father. But for now, he was reading up on genetics. His father sighed and left. Ranma muttered to himself "If I ever have kids, I hope I'm not as stupid as he is in raising them."
***
1975
***
Ranma Saotome, heir to the school of Anything Goes Martial Arts, now faced his most feared opponent, for the umpteenth time. Akane.
Now, 20 years old, he'd explained his intention to study Biology in the United States. He'd been there when he was very little, but hadn't really said much about it. He'd considered for weeks how to tell his fiance. Might as well not have bothered. It didn't work.
"Who's over there, huh? You're leaving me behind? After all we've been through?"
"No. It's not that. There's something I've been pondering for some time now. I'm not all about fighting you know........"
"But why? This is what you're father did. He left his wife. Does this mean that if we ever got married, you'd just leave like he did? And just dissappear?"
"No, really. This is something I have to do. But I promise I'll come back."
"No. I can't deal with this. Like father like son. You only chose to tell me this a week before you leave? Well, I'll tell you this now. Never come back. Never."
***
2001
***
(No, HAL is not here.)
"Alright, has anybody seen my soap?"
Blossom looked up from reading her book. "Um, that special soap you keep in your bathroom and won't let us touch?"
"Yeah. That's what I'm talking about," the Professor said. "Wonder where it went."
"Beats me," Blossom said, going back to her book. It was one of those first grade readers.
The Professor sighed. "Oh well, I can just make more."
Blossom raised an eyebrow as the Professor went down to his lab. Make? He made that stuff?
It was a common rule in the house. Nobody touched the soap. It was one of those parental shrines that all families have. Kids don't touch it. Though, this was a more unusual one. What kind of parent obsessed over soap anywho?
"The caped avenger spots her prey with a keen eye!" a soft voice said.
"Huh?" was all Blossom had time to say before she was thwacked with a pillow. "Hey, Buttercup, stop that! I'm trying to read!"
"Aw, come on. You read all the time. Why not have some fun?"
"For your information, to me, this IS fun."
"You're such a geek. I finished reading that an hour ago. It was fast, easy, and relatively painless for homework, and you want to sit there and draw it out?"
"Yes."
"Then you're definitely a geek."
"Would you quit calling me that?"
"Geek geek geek geek.......!" Buttercup said as she pranced down the hall in her most teasing manner.
"Is that a challenge?" Blossom grinned as she grabbed the pillow and followed. Sure, she was the brains of the operation, but when you're raised to fight, there's nothing like a good brawl. Even when you're the 'calm' type. And we all know siblings like to play rough.
Buttercup turned around and made a face at Blossom. Blossom took the chance and threw the pillow. Buttercup dodged it just in time, but the pillow flew into the closet. A small crash was heard and a brown, fire-proof box tumbled out and fell open, spilling various papers and cards onto the floor. Obviously, the Professor had forgotten to lock it.
"Oops." Blossom said.
"Hey, I thought *I* was supposed to be the clutz!" Buttercup said, grinning.
"What are you two doing? I heard a noise," Bubbles said, floating down the stairs.
"Oh nothing. Blossom just knocked over the fire box."
Blossom glared at Buttercup before approaching to pick it up. Papers were scattered everywhere. How would she know how to organize them? The other two, out of curiosity, looked at the stuff.
Most of the items were savings bonds and savings account information, as well as passports, paperwork for the house they lived in, stuff like that.
But then Bubbles spotted something. "Is that Japanese?"
"Say what?" Buttercup asked as Bubbles pulled a piece of paper out of the mess.
Bubbles studied it for a moment, then said "It has stuff like time of birth and stuff. For somebody named Saotome Ranma."
"Must be a birth certificate. Wonder who it's for?" Blossom said. "Hey wait a sec. Look at this."
She pulled out a small booklet. A passport. From Japan? And the thing had to be at least 50 years old by the looks of it. When she opened it up, several papers and cards fell out. A license for a resident alien in the United States. It was old, and out of date apparently.
"Bubbles? Who's the passport for?"
Bubbles looked for a moment. "Same guy. Hey wait! Look at this picture! Remember when we went back in time in the Professor's machine?"
Blossom stared at the picture. It was............the Professor? But how?
"So the Professor's from Japan? So what?" Buttercup said. "It's not like he cooks like Mojo Jojo or anything. I'm just wondering why his name is different."
"Sometimes people have a different name suggested to them when they go into another country," Blossom said. "What's this?"
Blossom pulled a photo out of the pile. It was a person that none of them recognized. She had short black hair and brown eyes, and appeared to be in her late teens. The photo was old, and fading. Not to mention it looked to be overexposed somewhat.
"This is all weird. You'd think the Professor would have told us all this," Blossom said.
"Maybe he would, but we never asked," Buttercup replied. "What was there to know? Does it really make any difference if he's from another country? It's not like he's running for president or anything."
"And what are you kids looking through?" the Professor said from behind them. They all looked up, and saw he was wearing an amused look on his face. The kind he wore when he knew they were up to something.
"Blossom knocked over a box and we found all this stuff!" Bubbles said. "Hey, Professor, is this you?" she asked, holding up the passport.
"Well, yes. That is me. I guess it was only time before you girls ran into this stuff."
He started organizing the items that had fallen from the box. "Did you girls know that I was a karate champ in my teenage years?"
"You were?" Buttercup said. "Get outta here."
"I'm not joking. I even defeated a crazed lunatic with wings once. He had quite a lot of firepower. Literally. Not the size of the monsters you girls fight, but the guy nearly barbequed me. He was pretty much a human flamethrower."
He noticed his girls looking at him with their own amused grins. They obviously didn't believe him.
"Well, fine. Don't believe me. Just remember who taught you that tornado move, Buttercup."
That was unexpected. The girls looked at each other. Was he kidding? They weren't so sure anymore.
"Um, Professor?" Bubbles asked. "Who's this?" She held up the picture of the girl.
The Professor took the picture, and smiled sadly. "Someone I miss very much."
He picked up the rest of the papers in silence, and closed the box. He put it in the closet and left. The girls watched him walk back to his lab, not knowing what just happened.
***
"Darn it, where are we again?"
"You know Ryoga, maybe you should let me drive. I can read a map," Akari suggested. The two were lost somewhere in a residential area, and the only thing Ryoga knew about it was that he was in the United States. Hopefully. Knowing Ryoga, it wouldn't surprise anybody if Ryoga accidentally drove from California to Antartica in a day. But moving on.........
"Are we there yet?" asked a voice from the back seat.
"Why bother with a map? I navigate by instinct!"
"Oh dear."
"Hey, I'm gonna find this guy if it kills me."
"Not if we run out of gasoline first. Now park the car and let me see the map....."
"But...."
"NOW!"
Ryoga cringed a bit as he handed his wife, Akari, the map. Akari turned the map 90 degrees, then stared at it for a moment.
"Ryoga?"
"Yeah?"
"You're right in front of it."
Ryoga looked across the street. "Oh."
***
*ding dong*
"I'll get it!" Blossom shouted as her sisters jumped back in surprise. Blossom had a thing about phones and doorbells...............since she usually answered the hotline, other types of answering seemed to be out of habit.
She opened the door, but stared a moment. She didn't know the people who stood in front of her. "Mental note, new people, do not fly," she said to herself. "Hello?" she asked.
"Hello. Is Saotome House?"
"Um........." Hey, wasn't that the name on the passport she and her sisters had found yesterday? Crazy coincidence for them to find that thing the day before a person referring to the Professor by that name arrived. "Yes. Wait here."
Blossom ran down the hall, and as soon as she turned the corner, she flew down to the Professor's lab. "Professor! Somebody's at the door for you!"
***
Ryoga heard a voice shout in English. "Just a minute!" While he waited he pondered. Kids? Saotome had KIDS?
Wait, was that a red head kid? Ugh. Ryoga ended up with some bad mental pictures from that one. But no, Ranma wouldn't do that................would he?
His mental images were dispelled as a man rounded the corner in the house. A familar man. The little girl followed him back towards the door.
***
"Hello, how may I help you?" Said Professor Utonium, not recognizing the people in front of him.
*Ranma, what the hell did you do to your hair?*
Blossom watched the Professor gape for a moment at the man who had just spoken Japanese. She watched the Professor's eyes as they surveyed the people in front of them. He obviously hadn't recognized the people in front of him..................until now.
*Is this who I think it is?* He said, a bit excited. A sly grin crept across his face. *Pig boy!*
Both men broke out laughing and hugged each other. Professor Utonium also hugged the woman standing behind him. *Akari! Good to see you! And who's this little tyke with you?*
A small boy had been standing nervously behind his parents. Blossom noticed that he seemed to be as confused about the situation as she was. 'Akari' spoke. *This is Hiro. He is our son. And the little girl behind you. Is she yours?*
*Ah yes. That's Blossom. Got three kids actually. Triplets. They're adopted.* "Blossom, say hello to Hiro."
Blossom felt a bit shy. A family of people came out of nowhere, obviously not expected, but the Professor seemed extremely happy to see them. But she couldn't understand a thing they were saying. "Um, Hi, Hiro. I'm sorry. I don't understand Japanese. I don't have a clue what's going on......."
"It's okay, Blossom. I speak English! Your dad said you have sisters?"
"Um, yeah. Follow me. I'll introduce you."
The two children left the adults to converse at the front door. Eventually, the adults all moved into the living room.
*I'm afraid my English isn't very good. Hiro picked up very quickly,* said Ryoga.
*Heh. The kids always do. I lived here around his age. I guess that's why I came back. But tell me, what brings you here. You didn't accidentally find me and get lost, did you?*
All three adults laughed.
*Yeah, I still can't manage to find myself, heheh.........But no. Actually, Nabiki tracked you down. Me and Akari were wondering what happened to you all these years.*
*Well, I was planning on coming here in the first place. I had originally planned on bringing Akane with me, but............well............that didn't work out.*
*Yeah, it's been what? 30 years? She misses you.*
*Does she now?* The Professor's face grew a cold expression. His tone was sarcastic.
Ryoga was a bit surprised. *Well, as stubborn as she is, she never married anyone else. Her father gave the Dojo to Kasumi after she married Dr. Tofu.*
*Kasumi got the Dojo? Man, I've missed a lot.*
*Nabiki hasn't married either. But she has her own reasons. She's a spy now, and a darn good one. She can find information on anybody in existance. Which is how we found you........*
*How much did you pay for this?*
*No comment.*
***
Blossom was quiet as Hiro followed her up the stairs. Hiro was desperately trying to make some small talk.
"You have a nice house."
"Thanks."
"And you are pretty too. I've never met a girl with pink eyes. They're so different."
"Um, thanks." Blossom blushed. This new kid was being TOO nice. But she figured he was probably as nervous as she was. Niether of them knew a thing about the other.
"You have a very strange house. It looks like some crazy sculpture on the inside."
Blossom wasn't so sure that was a compliment. "Well, um...........we're here."
She opened the door. Bubbles and Buttercup were playing with some action figures. They looked up to see the newcomer.
"Hey, Blossom. Who's that? Your new boyfriend?" Buttercup teased. The other kids laughed while Blossom looked unimpressed.
"No. The Professor has friends over and this is their kid, Hiro."
"What? Another hero? Don't we have enough trouble with Princess as it is?"
"No, that's his NAME!"
"Oh."
Hiro walked up to the group. "You have a lot of sisters Blossom."
"Um........yeah. That's Buttercup, and that's Bubbles."
"Hello, Buttercup. Hello Bubbles. What are you playing?" he said, looking down at the action figures the girls were holding.
"We're playing Super Dude," Buttercup said plainly.
"Super Dude? What's that?"
"Super Dude is a super hero, who's trying to save the world from that monster," Buttercup said, pointing to a large stuffed alligator. "But he can't because he's getting attacked by Milk-Man!" she continued, holding up the respective action figure with a devious grin. "And Super Dude is lactose intolerant!"
"And he has to be saved by RepairManmanmanman!" Bubbles said.
"My. You have some very strange superheroes in America. Where are the giant Mechas? Where are the girls in revealing clothing dancing around with sparklies? Where are the guys with huge large non-existant muscles? Where are the fighting pets?"
Bubbles and Buttercup looked at each other. Blossom coughed and gave a nervous laugh as well.
"Um, are you SURE you know the Professor?" Bubbles asked Hiro.
"Actually, no. He is a friend of my parents. I do not know him."
"Oh. Okay. I guess that's why you don't know about us," Bubbles said.
"Either way, superheroes here don't have that kind of stuff," Buttercup said.
"How very interesting. So, what do superheroes here do anyway?"
Hiro was a bit surprised to hear a bit of a snicker, before all the girls started rolling on the floor laughing.
"I take it my question was amusing?"
***
*So, do you still fight?* Ryoga asked, with a slightly evil grin. Akari looked nervous for a bit, but the Professor laughed.
*Heh. Should have figured you'd ask that. No. Not really. I teach my kids, but I try to stay out of the actual fights. Not as young as I used to be. I did try fighting alongside the kids for awhile. I found that I can still handle it if I have to. I got beat up pretty bad in one fight though, and the day after I felt like I'd pulled every existing muscle in my body.*
Ryoga laughed, then started speaking sarcastically.
*Oh no. The Great Ranma has been outclassed by his own kids. Five year olds at that!*
*Don't bother trying to get me worked up, Ryoga. Unlike my own father, I can admit when enough is enough. It's not like I'm completely out of shape. I just don't do much fighting anymore. On the other hand, I've taught the kids most of what I've learned, and they handle it much better than I did. They're better built for it.*
*I've been meaning to ask. How did you manage to teach kids that age so much? It took both of us our entire lives to get as good as we were if I remember right.*
*Well, a number of things. First of all, they were born with superpowers.*
Ryoga eyed the Professor. *You mean to tell me they were super strong as babies?*
*They weren't even born as babies. They were as you see them now................only a little shorter.*
*You're scaring me.*
*Well, to be truthful, I created them in a science lab.*
*I don't believe you.*
*You don't have to. But I did.*
Akari spoke up. *Isn't that a little.......unethical?*
The Professor laughed nervously. *You're right. It is. Sometimes I don't even know why I did it. Once, one of my old college 'buddies' got his hand on the formula and screwed things up. I kinda wondered for a bit............why did I do it? In a way, it was the biggest mistake I ever made. But then I look at my kids and think it's the best one I could possibly have made.*
*So, either way, your kids got the strength without having to do it the old fashioned way,* Ryoga sighed. *I must admit. I envy them.*
*Who wouldn't?*
*Now, let me ask. Did you ever get rid of your curse?*
*Nope. Even travelled to Jusenkyo once. Discovered that once you get a curse, it stays. Later, after learning more about genetics, I found out why. You see, the water is filled with little viruses that manipulate your DNA and create new viruses without destroying your cells. Each 'cursed' person has more than double the DNA of a normal person. What happens is, the virus provides you with an enzyme that allows the cell to quickly switch between the DNA for you, and the DNA for your other form, thus allowing you to change species, or um.........genders in my case.*
*Heh. You're such a geek now. What do your kids think about all this?*
*They don't even know.*
*What? You're kidding!*
*Nope. Remember that waterproof soap Shampoo had? It was a clever idea, but it has to be used daily and the company that made it charged a rediculous price. I bought a bar and reverse engineered the formula. If you want, I can make some for you.*
*No kidding? I thought about that stuff once, but you're right, the price was rediculous. 20000 yen a bar? Bleh! I keep one around for special occasions and vacations, but I would appreciate the extra help just in case I get stuck in the weather.*
*Hopefully you can find your mailbox without getting lost.*
*Oh, well, Akari keeps a close eye on me these days. Life on the farm is great. Except when I change forms and the pigs start chasing me off their territory.*
***
Hiro stared at the girls as they floated effortlessly in the air.
"Wow. You can fly!"
"Yeah, we have superpowers," Blossom said. "We try not to use them around new people because sometimes it scares them if they've never heard of us before."
"Whoa. I have a superpower too!" Hiro boasted.
"Get out of here."
"No really. Where is your bathroom?"
The girls eyed each other, but shrugged and showed him the way. They watched as the kid got a paper cup, filled it with water, and dumped it on his head.
"Whoa....." they said unanimously. After a few seconds, Bubbles called out..........
"PIGGY! CUTE!"
(To be continued...........)
A fanfic by Kathryn Grover
***
Disclaimer and Notes: I do not own PPG or Ranma 1/2. This is a fanfic. A FANFIC I SAY!
Although Ranma 1/2 does not take place in a specific time on earth, there are a few things in the comic, or at least the English translation of the comic, that would make what I'm writing pretty much impossible. On the other hand, it made an interesting story idea, so I figured...........what they hey? I'm gonna pull the same thing The Artrix did to make this work.
For this fic to work, assume Ranma 1/2, as we know it, takes place in the 70's.
Also, I suggest reading from the beginning. This fic will be funny, but it will be extremely confusing if you start too late in the place. Also, a VERY good knowledge of the events in the Ranma 1/2 comic series is helpful. If you don't know much about the later stories, or you're only familiar with the anime, check out:
http://www.techserv.curtin.edu.au/ranmascan/
It has translations of the later comics.
Also, the comic continuity has some important points. In the comic, how good a student Ranma is is completely anonymous. He doesn't hate school like he supposedly does in the anime. There are also some other parts here that will either be spoilers for the comic, or be incredibly confusing.
I also expect this fic to go obsolete in maybe a year or two. Just a funny idea for now, will be deleted if and when the time comes.
Language:
"words": character is speaking in English
*words*: character is speaking in Japanese
***
Chapter 1
Meet the kids!
***
The year is 1960.
***
In a first grade class, the school year was about to end. Kids were excited about the approach of summer break. Most of 'em anyway.
One child, a usually very hyper one, stared at a passport.
Ms. Keene, age six, saw Utonium sitting alone like this. He'd changed a lot during the school year. When he first arrived last fall, he knew no English and was very shy. He quickly learned the language to fit in. The shy new kid became the class clown in only two months, and teased the other kids relentlessly. The teachers loathed him. Though, after a strange incident involving a monkey, he had changed a bit. He concentrated in class like was never thought possible, and saved his teasing for the playground. On the other hand, he became very defensive of the girls on the playground. While he teased other guys, and sometimes was an outright bully, he never tolerated any other boy teasing a girl in a mean way. He'd also let his hair grow out, and it was down to his shoulders now.
She had been told by her teacher that this Raymond Utonium kid had come from Japan before he arrived here. At age six, she knew nothing of the place, other than it existed...............and people with black hair came from there. She peeked over his shoulder, to see strange characters she did not understand. The passport was a Japanese one.
"I don't want to go....." he muttered. Ms. Keene wasn't sure he knew whether or not she was there. "We always move. Why can't we stay anywhere?"
Surely enough, she did not see him again until college.
***
1972
***
"Really, Ranma. How the heck are you supposed to explain to Akane what a geek you are?"
Ranma gave Genma an amused glare, then returned to reading a book on biology.
"So what if I care about my grades?"
"So what? You're supposed to be a martial artist, not a nerd."
"I am a martial artist. Are you just upset because this 'geek' beat Saffron?"
"Wha?"
"Geez, Pop!" Ranma said slamming the book shut. "How'd you think I figured out the Hiryu Shoten Ha so easily? How do you think I can manipulate it the way I do? Because I paid attention in physics. You think it's just spinning around really fast?"
"Well..........um........"
"Stupid............." Ranma said, opening his book up again. Someday, he'd get away from his looser father. But for now, he was reading up on genetics. His father sighed and left. Ranma muttered to himself "If I ever have kids, I hope I'm not as stupid as he is in raising them."
***
1975
***
Ranma Saotome, heir to the school of Anything Goes Martial Arts, now faced his most feared opponent, for the umpteenth time. Akane.
Now, 20 years old, he'd explained his intention to study Biology in the United States. He'd been there when he was very little, but hadn't really said much about it. He'd considered for weeks how to tell his fiance. Might as well not have bothered. It didn't work.
"Who's over there, huh? You're leaving me behind? After all we've been through?"
"No. It's not that. There's something I've been pondering for some time now. I'm not all about fighting you know........"
"But why? This is what you're father did. He left his wife. Does this mean that if we ever got married, you'd just leave like he did? And just dissappear?"
"No, really. This is something I have to do. But I promise I'll come back."
"No. I can't deal with this. Like father like son. You only chose to tell me this a week before you leave? Well, I'll tell you this now. Never come back. Never."
***
2001
***
(No, HAL is not here.)
"Alright, has anybody seen my soap?"
Blossom looked up from reading her book. "Um, that special soap you keep in your bathroom and won't let us touch?"
"Yeah. That's what I'm talking about," the Professor said. "Wonder where it went."
"Beats me," Blossom said, going back to her book. It was one of those first grade readers.
The Professor sighed. "Oh well, I can just make more."
Blossom raised an eyebrow as the Professor went down to his lab. Make? He made that stuff?
It was a common rule in the house. Nobody touched the soap. It was one of those parental shrines that all families have. Kids don't touch it. Though, this was a more unusual one. What kind of parent obsessed over soap anywho?
"The caped avenger spots her prey with a keen eye!" a soft voice said.
"Huh?" was all Blossom had time to say before she was thwacked with a pillow. "Hey, Buttercup, stop that! I'm trying to read!"
"Aw, come on. You read all the time. Why not have some fun?"
"For your information, to me, this IS fun."
"You're such a geek. I finished reading that an hour ago. It was fast, easy, and relatively painless for homework, and you want to sit there and draw it out?"
"Yes."
"Then you're definitely a geek."
"Would you quit calling me that?"
"Geek geek geek geek.......!" Buttercup said as she pranced down the hall in her most teasing manner.
"Is that a challenge?" Blossom grinned as she grabbed the pillow and followed. Sure, she was the brains of the operation, but when you're raised to fight, there's nothing like a good brawl. Even when you're the 'calm' type. And we all know siblings like to play rough.
Buttercup turned around and made a face at Blossom. Blossom took the chance and threw the pillow. Buttercup dodged it just in time, but the pillow flew into the closet. A small crash was heard and a brown, fire-proof box tumbled out and fell open, spilling various papers and cards onto the floor. Obviously, the Professor had forgotten to lock it.
"Oops." Blossom said.
"Hey, I thought *I* was supposed to be the clutz!" Buttercup said, grinning.
"What are you two doing? I heard a noise," Bubbles said, floating down the stairs.
"Oh nothing. Blossom just knocked over the fire box."
Blossom glared at Buttercup before approaching to pick it up. Papers were scattered everywhere. How would she know how to organize them? The other two, out of curiosity, looked at the stuff.
Most of the items were savings bonds and savings account information, as well as passports, paperwork for the house they lived in, stuff like that.
But then Bubbles spotted something. "Is that Japanese?"
"Say what?" Buttercup asked as Bubbles pulled a piece of paper out of the mess.
Bubbles studied it for a moment, then said "It has stuff like time of birth and stuff. For somebody named Saotome Ranma."
"Must be a birth certificate. Wonder who it's for?" Blossom said. "Hey wait a sec. Look at this."
She pulled out a small booklet. A passport. From Japan? And the thing had to be at least 50 years old by the looks of it. When she opened it up, several papers and cards fell out. A license for a resident alien in the United States. It was old, and out of date apparently.
"Bubbles? Who's the passport for?"
Bubbles looked for a moment. "Same guy. Hey wait! Look at this picture! Remember when we went back in time in the Professor's machine?"
Blossom stared at the picture. It was............the Professor? But how?
"So the Professor's from Japan? So what?" Buttercup said. "It's not like he cooks like Mojo Jojo or anything. I'm just wondering why his name is different."
"Sometimes people have a different name suggested to them when they go into another country," Blossom said. "What's this?"
Blossom pulled a photo out of the pile. It was a person that none of them recognized. She had short black hair and brown eyes, and appeared to be in her late teens. The photo was old, and fading. Not to mention it looked to be overexposed somewhat.
"This is all weird. You'd think the Professor would have told us all this," Blossom said.
"Maybe he would, but we never asked," Buttercup replied. "What was there to know? Does it really make any difference if he's from another country? It's not like he's running for president or anything."
"And what are you kids looking through?" the Professor said from behind them. They all looked up, and saw he was wearing an amused look on his face. The kind he wore when he knew they were up to something.
"Blossom knocked over a box and we found all this stuff!" Bubbles said. "Hey, Professor, is this you?" she asked, holding up the passport.
"Well, yes. That is me. I guess it was only time before you girls ran into this stuff."
He started organizing the items that had fallen from the box. "Did you girls know that I was a karate champ in my teenage years?"
"You were?" Buttercup said. "Get outta here."
"I'm not joking. I even defeated a crazed lunatic with wings once. He had quite a lot of firepower. Literally. Not the size of the monsters you girls fight, but the guy nearly barbequed me. He was pretty much a human flamethrower."
He noticed his girls looking at him with their own amused grins. They obviously didn't believe him.
"Well, fine. Don't believe me. Just remember who taught you that tornado move, Buttercup."
That was unexpected. The girls looked at each other. Was he kidding? They weren't so sure anymore.
"Um, Professor?" Bubbles asked. "Who's this?" She held up the picture of the girl.
The Professor took the picture, and smiled sadly. "Someone I miss very much."
He picked up the rest of the papers in silence, and closed the box. He put it in the closet and left. The girls watched him walk back to his lab, not knowing what just happened.
***
"Darn it, where are we again?"
"You know Ryoga, maybe you should let me drive. I can read a map," Akari suggested. The two were lost somewhere in a residential area, and the only thing Ryoga knew about it was that he was in the United States. Hopefully. Knowing Ryoga, it wouldn't surprise anybody if Ryoga accidentally drove from California to Antartica in a day. But moving on.........
"Are we there yet?" asked a voice from the back seat.
"Why bother with a map? I navigate by instinct!"
"Oh dear."
"Hey, I'm gonna find this guy if it kills me."
"Not if we run out of gasoline first. Now park the car and let me see the map....."
"But...."
"NOW!"
Ryoga cringed a bit as he handed his wife, Akari, the map. Akari turned the map 90 degrees, then stared at it for a moment.
"Ryoga?"
"Yeah?"
"You're right in front of it."
Ryoga looked across the street. "Oh."
***
*ding dong*
"I'll get it!" Blossom shouted as her sisters jumped back in surprise. Blossom had a thing about phones and doorbells...............since she usually answered the hotline, other types of answering seemed to be out of habit.
She opened the door, but stared a moment. She didn't know the people who stood in front of her. "Mental note, new people, do not fly," she said to herself. "Hello?" she asked.
"Hello. Is Saotome House?"
"Um........." Hey, wasn't that the name on the passport she and her sisters had found yesterday? Crazy coincidence for them to find that thing the day before a person referring to the Professor by that name arrived. "Yes. Wait here."
Blossom ran down the hall, and as soon as she turned the corner, she flew down to the Professor's lab. "Professor! Somebody's at the door for you!"
***
Ryoga heard a voice shout in English. "Just a minute!" While he waited he pondered. Kids? Saotome had KIDS?
Wait, was that a red head kid? Ugh. Ryoga ended up with some bad mental pictures from that one. But no, Ranma wouldn't do that................would he?
His mental images were dispelled as a man rounded the corner in the house. A familar man. The little girl followed him back towards the door.
***
"Hello, how may I help you?" Said Professor Utonium, not recognizing the people in front of him.
*Ranma, what the hell did you do to your hair?*
Blossom watched the Professor gape for a moment at the man who had just spoken Japanese. She watched the Professor's eyes as they surveyed the people in front of them. He obviously hadn't recognized the people in front of him..................until now.
*Is this who I think it is?* He said, a bit excited. A sly grin crept across his face. *Pig boy!*
Both men broke out laughing and hugged each other. Professor Utonium also hugged the woman standing behind him. *Akari! Good to see you! And who's this little tyke with you?*
A small boy had been standing nervously behind his parents. Blossom noticed that he seemed to be as confused about the situation as she was. 'Akari' spoke. *This is Hiro. He is our son. And the little girl behind you. Is she yours?*
*Ah yes. That's Blossom. Got three kids actually. Triplets. They're adopted.* "Blossom, say hello to Hiro."
Blossom felt a bit shy. A family of people came out of nowhere, obviously not expected, but the Professor seemed extremely happy to see them. But she couldn't understand a thing they were saying. "Um, Hi, Hiro. I'm sorry. I don't understand Japanese. I don't have a clue what's going on......."
"It's okay, Blossom. I speak English! Your dad said you have sisters?"
"Um, yeah. Follow me. I'll introduce you."
The two children left the adults to converse at the front door. Eventually, the adults all moved into the living room.
*I'm afraid my English isn't very good. Hiro picked up very quickly,* said Ryoga.
*Heh. The kids always do. I lived here around his age. I guess that's why I came back. But tell me, what brings you here. You didn't accidentally find me and get lost, did you?*
All three adults laughed.
*Yeah, I still can't manage to find myself, heheh.........But no. Actually, Nabiki tracked you down. Me and Akari were wondering what happened to you all these years.*
*Well, I was planning on coming here in the first place. I had originally planned on bringing Akane with me, but............well............that didn't work out.*
*Yeah, it's been what? 30 years? She misses you.*
*Does she now?* The Professor's face grew a cold expression. His tone was sarcastic.
Ryoga was a bit surprised. *Well, as stubborn as she is, she never married anyone else. Her father gave the Dojo to Kasumi after she married Dr. Tofu.*
*Kasumi got the Dojo? Man, I've missed a lot.*
*Nabiki hasn't married either. But she has her own reasons. She's a spy now, and a darn good one. She can find information on anybody in existance. Which is how we found you........*
*How much did you pay for this?*
*No comment.*
***
Blossom was quiet as Hiro followed her up the stairs. Hiro was desperately trying to make some small talk.
"You have a nice house."
"Thanks."
"And you are pretty too. I've never met a girl with pink eyes. They're so different."
"Um, thanks." Blossom blushed. This new kid was being TOO nice. But she figured he was probably as nervous as she was. Niether of them knew a thing about the other.
"You have a very strange house. It looks like some crazy sculpture on the inside."
Blossom wasn't so sure that was a compliment. "Well, um...........we're here."
She opened the door. Bubbles and Buttercup were playing with some action figures. They looked up to see the newcomer.
"Hey, Blossom. Who's that? Your new boyfriend?" Buttercup teased. The other kids laughed while Blossom looked unimpressed.
"No. The Professor has friends over and this is their kid, Hiro."
"What? Another hero? Don't we have enough trouble with Princess as it is?"
"No, that's his NAME!"
"Oh."
Hiro walked up to the group. "You have a lot of sisters Blossom."
"Um........yeah. That's Buttercup, and that's Bubbles."
"Hello, Buttercup. Hello Bubbles. What are you playing?" he said, looking down at the action figures the girls were holding.
"We're playing Super Dude," Buttercup said plainly.
"Super Dude? What's that?"
"Super Dude is a super hero, who's trying to save the world from that monster," Buttercup said, pointing to a large stuffed alligator. "But he can't because he's getting attacked by Milk-Man!" she continued, holding up the respective action figure with a devious grin. "And Super Dude is lactose intolerant!"
"And he has to be saved by RepairManmanmanman!" Bubbles said.
"My. You have some very strange superheroes in America. Where are the giant Mechas? Where are the girls in revealing clothing dancing around with sparklies? Where are the guys with huge large non-existant muscles? Where are the fighting pets?"
Bubbles and Buttercup looked at each other. Blossom coughed and gave a nervous laugh as well.
"Um, are you SURE you know the Professor?" Bubbles asked Hiro.
"Actually, no. He is a friend of my parents. I do not know him."
"Oh. Okay. I guess that's why you don't know about us," Bubbles said.
"Either way, superheroes here don't have that kind of stuff," Buttercup said.
"How very interesting. So, what do superheroes here do anyway?"
Hiro was a bit surprised to hear a bit of a snicker, before all the girls started rolling on the floor laughing.
"I take it my question was amusing?"
***
*So, do you still fight?* Ryoga asked, with a slightly evil grin. Akari looked nervous for a bit, but the Professor laughed.
*Heh. Should have figured you'd ask that. No. Not really. I teach my kids, but I try to stay out of the actual fights. Not as young as I used to be. I did try fighting alongside the kids for awhile. I found that I can still handle it if I have to. I got beat up pretty bad in one fight though, and the day after I felt like I'd pulled every existing muscle in my body.*
Ryoga laughed, then started speaking sarcastically.
*Oh no. The Great Ranma has been outclassed by his own kids. Five year olds at that!*
*Don't bother trying to get me worked up, Ryoga. Unlike my own father, I can admit when enough is enough. It's not like I'm completely out of shape. I just don't do much fighting anymore. On the other hand, I've taught the kids most of what I've learned, and they handle it much better than I did. They're better built for it.*
*I've been meaning to ask. How did you manage to teach kids that age so much? It took both of us our entire lives to get as good as we were if I remember right.*
*Well, a number of things. First of all, they were born with superpowers.*
Ryoga eyed the Professor. *You mean to tell me they were super strong as babies?*
*They weren't even born as babies. They were as you see them now................only a little shorter.*
*You're scaring me.*
*Well, to be truthful, I created them in a science lab.*
*I don't believe you.*
*You don't have to. But I did.*
Akari spoke up. *Isn't that a little.......unethical?*
The Professor laughed nervously. *You're right. It is. Sometimes I don't even know why I did it. Once, one of my old college 'buddies' got his hand on the formula and screwed things up. I kinda wondered for a bit............why did I do it? In a way, it was the biggest mistake I ever made. But then I look at my kids and think it's the best one I could possibly have made.*
*So, either way, your kids got the strength without having to do it the old fashioned way,* Ryoga sighed. *I must admit. I envy them.*
*Who wouldn't?*
*Now, let me ask. Did you ever get rid of your curse?*
*Nope. Even travelled to Jusenkyo once. Discovered that once you get a curse, it stays. Later, after learning more about genetics, I found out why. You see, the water is filled with little viruses that manipulate your DNA and create new viruses without destroying your cells. Each 'cursed' person has more than double the DNA of a normal person. What happens is, the virus provides you with an enzyme that allows the cell to quickly switch between the DNA for you, and the DNA for your other form, thus allowing you to change species, or um.........genders in my case.*
*Heh. You're such a geek now. What do your kids think about all this?*
*They don't even know.*
*What? You're kidding!*
*Nope. Remember that waterproof soap Shampoo had? It was a clever idea, but it has to be used daily and the company that made it charged a rediculous price. I bought a bar and reverse engineered the formula. If you want, I can make some for you.*
*No kidding? I thought about that stuff once, but you're right, the price was rediculous. 20000 yen a bar? Bleh! I keep one around for special occasions and vacations, but I would appreciate the extra help just in case I get stuck in the weather.*
*Hopefully you can find your mailbox without getting lost.*
*Oh, well, Akari keeps a close eye on me these days. Life on the farm is great. Except when I change forms and the pigs start chasing me off their territory.*
***
Hiro stared at the girls as they floated effortlessly in the air.
"Wow. You can fly!"
"Yeah, we have superpowers," Blossom said. "We try not to use them around new people because sometimes it scares them if they've never heard of us before."
"Whoa. I have a superpower too!" Hiro boasted.
"Get out of here."
"No really. Where is your bathroom?"
The girls eyed each other, but shrugged and showed him the way. They watched as the kid got a paper cup, filled it with water, and dumped it on his head.
"Whoa....." they said unanimously. After a few seconds, Bubbles called out..........
"PIGGY! CUTE!"
(To be continued...........)