Star 1/2
By Nicolai Tiger
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. Never have, probably never will.
This story is based off of an idea from Jerry Unipeg.
Author's Notes: I am taking some minor liberties with this story. The events take place, in Ranma 1/2, after Jusendo but before the wedding attempt. However, Nodoka does not know of the curse. There are other liberties taken. I know they don't 'ring true' to the original series, but this is my story, so there. *snicker*
Chapter One: Discoveries
Ranma knew it was going to be a bad day right from the start. Awakening in his female form was just the beginning. Slowly, Ranma sat up and looked around. His father was absent, something that was surprising. Genma never missed the chance to get one over on Ranma, and since he had awoken early and not tried to attack made Ranma worried. Slowly, Ranma dressed and headed to the bathroom.
Turning on the water confirmed Ranma's fear that this was a bad day. Nothing came out of the tap. The furo was dry as well. It seemed the water was off, leaving Ranma without a means to change back. With a heavy sigh, Ranma headed downstairs. One of Kasumi's wonderful breakfast creations would do wonders for his mind and body on this type of morning.
Ranma sat at the table in his usual spot, and then looked around. It was still early, but Genma and Soun seemed to be missing. A noise in the yard made Ranma turn in time to see Nabiki sneak out the side gate. 'What's going on this morning?' Ranma thought. It was at that exact second that his greatest fear was confirmed. Akane came out of the kitchen, a smile on her face and a tray in her hands.
"Ranma! I am so glad you're up! I fixed this especially for you!" She sat the tray in front of him, a smile on her face. As Ranma looked at the dishes, he noticed that nothing was moving on its own, the first good sign. Breathing deeply, he could not detect anything that smelled out of the ordinary. Slowly, Ranma picked up his chopsticks and took a small sample of the rice.
He closed his eyes and placed the rice in his mouth. Akane watched, her eyes narrowing as Ranma just sat there frozen. She opened her mouth to say something when Ranma began to move again, eating the rice at his usual speed. Akane sat back, a large smile on her face as she watched Ranma eat. When the rice was gone, Ranma stopped again and took a small sample of the miso soup. Once again, he waited for a moment and Akane was ready to speak up when he dug in once again.
Within minutes, the food was gone. Ranma sat back, placing his hands on his stomach. "Damn, that was GOOD, Akane!" Ranma turned and looked at her, a smile on his face. "Thank you!" Akane just smiled back and reached for the teapot that still rested on the tray. "Would you like to try the tea as well, Ranma?"
Ranma looked at the teapot, then at himself. "Would you mind if I used it to change back, Akane? The water seems to be out now." Akane looked at the pot for a moment, then sighed. "No, I don't mind Ranma. After all, I must have done something right for you to have eaten all of the food I cooked!"
Ranma smiled at Akane again, then poured the water from the pot over him. He closed his eyes as he felt the usual tingle, then opened his eyes to set the teapot down. As he reached over toward the table, he froze. He could still feel the heat from the water, but he also felt the shifting weight on his chest that informed him he was still female.
Cologne looked up from the dry sink at the Nekohanten. "That scream, it was... a yell from the soul." She hurried out of the Nekohanten and rushed to the Tendo home. She knew the voice that had yelled out and was afraid of what it meant. Cologne moved faster than she had in a long time, using her speed training to get there as fast as possible. If it was as she feared, there was little time to react.
Ranma sat in shock. Somehow, he had become locked in his female form. His whole body was shaking as he stared at his small hands, fear etched on his face. "How... How... How..." He was repeating it over and over, all the while looking at his hands. Akane hadn't moved since he had poured the water, her hands clasped over her mouth in shock.
Cologne hopped right up beside Ranma while using her ki sight to assess the situation. She could see the changes in Ranma's ki, and they were not good. "Son-In-Law, I might be able to help you, if you would allow me to." She watched Ranma's head turn slightly, then nod once. She sprung into action, pressing several points on Ranma's body. Ranma watched her move, then watched as she settled back into a sitting position.
Several seconds passed, no one moving in the slightest, until Ranma finally broke the silence. "What did you do, Cologne?" He watched her sigh as she lowered her head. "I used a little known series of pressure points on you, Son-In-Law. Together, they work as a temporary cure for Jusenkyo." Ranma's head snapped up at this.
Cologne sighed loudly, then looked Ranma in the eyes. "It is short lived, Ranma, and only works once for any person. I never used it before because I wanted to save it for an emergency." Cologne looked at the tray and teapot, then back at Ranma. "It failed to turn you back. That means that there is something seriously wrong with your curse." She gestured to the tray and teapot. "Where did you get the water to cook this? The whole district is dry for the next two hours because of a problem at the water plant."
Akane looked at the tray then over to Cologne. "I got the emergency water stored in the dojo, of course. It was in a wooden cask labeled 'Emergency Water'. It is still in the kitchen." Akane stood and went to the kitchen, then came back with a large cask. There was a label on the side of it, written in Chinese. "See? I don't know why they wrote it in Chinese, but it clearly says Emergency Water, right?"
Cologne looked at Akane, a look of horror on her face. "You used this?" When Akane nodded yes, Cologne turned to Ranma. "I am sorry, Ranma, but nothing can help you now." Cologne hung her head sadly. "You have ingested and been splashed with warm spring of drowned girl. There is no way to cure you now." Cologne looked at Akane, then back to Ranma. "I am sorry."
Akane sat in shock, her jaw hanging open and her head snapping back and forth between Ranma and Cologne. Suddenly, the look of shock was replaced by a look of anger. "And I suppose that you are going to just blame all this on me, Ranma? If you had just reacted like usual, you would have never eaten it!" Akane stood quickly and reached behind her. "Ranma NO BAKA!" With a mighty swing, Ranma was blasted through the doors, making a long arc through the sky.
Cologne watched the scene carefully, then shook her head. She knew Akane's mallet was something odd, but had never taken a good look at it before. As Akane was standing still on the follow through, Cologne's eyes widened. 'That explains a lot, but however did she get that particular weapon?' Cologne picked up her staff and balanced on top of it. "If Ranma returns, please tell her that I will be at the Nekohanten." She quickly bounded out, not wanting to bring the wrath of that hammer to her.
Ranma worked on adjusting her flight path through the air, making note of the area she appeared to be heading to. It was a rocky area with lots of small hills and several small cave openings. Ranma had been hit here once before, so she knew the best place to attempt a landing. There was one area that was clear enough to avoid any damage due to loose rocks, so Ranma began the task of making herself land where she wanted to. Bracing her legs, Ranma impacted right where she wanted to. Once again, however, Fate proved that Ranma was still a favorite as the ground gave way and Ranma fell into a large cavern, landing with a loud clang as flesh met metal.
'Wait a minute, metal?' Thought Ranma. She slowly reached her hand down and ran it over whatever she had landed on. It was smooth, worked metal. Ranma sat up slowly and looked down. The object, painted white, was very large and oddly shaped. The rear of the craft was larger, narrowing down and then running in straight lines to the front of the craft. There also appeared to be four containers attached to the sides. "Figures, with everything else that has happened today, why not a spaceship."
Ranma climbed down from the top of the craft, finally settling down on the cave floor. The light was faint, but she could see the ramp that descended from the craft. She made her way into the craft, senses alert for anything. Reaching the top of the ramp, a faint glow from inside drew her to a small panel. Most of the symbols on the panel made no sense, but Ranma continued to look them over. Finally, one button stood out to her. It had the words 'push me' in Japanese on it. "What the hell, not like I got a lot to live for now." With that, Ranma pressed the button.
The image that sprang up surprised her. It was very distorted, but looked vaguely human. The voice was grainy, and in very accentuated Japanese. "Congratulations on finding my ship, sentient. I will not live long after making this recording, for I am gravely injured and unable to fix primary power for the medical bay." The image hunched over, and it seemed like something bluish was leaking from it. "She served me well, and if you can repair her, she will serve you just as well."
The image then lifted an arm and pointed across the room to a small box. "In there are the manuals and decoders you will need to translate them into your native language." A series of wracking coughs shook the figure. "Take them and learn all you can about this old girl, I would hate to have her stuck here forever. She doesn't deserve it."
The figure groaned and started coughing again, causing a large amount of the bluish liquid to spill out, then hunched over and vanished. Ranma bowed his head in respect to the figure, obviously it had died from it's wounds while attempting to make the recording. Moving to the box, Ranma opened it and looked inside. There were over a hundred spools there, all with odd labels, along with four odd looking visors. Ranma picked one up and placed it over his eyes. It activated instantly, then began scrolling odd symbols over the inside, finally settling on Japanese. As Ranma looked through it, he saw that as he looked at the labels in the box, the visor placed the Japanese text under the labels.
'Hmm... Engineering, Medical, whatever the 'Force' is, Government, Piloting. Yeah, let's check out piloting first!" Ranma picked up the ten spools that were labeled piloting and placed one into the slot on the visor. The translator visor set to work and soon it displayed piloting information and tutorials across it's surface. "Wow, this is so COOL!" exclaimed Ranma. For several hours Ranma lost himself in the video tutorials.
Hunger distracted Ranma enough to notice that it was getting late in the day. She packed the visor and piloting spools in her pocket and headed out of the ship. She didn't notice the small display next to the button that started the message, didn't notice the reserve power indicator start to climb slowly as the sunlight shining in activated the makeshift solar panels on the top of the craft.
Ranma wandered into the Tendo home an hour later. She started to head up to her room when she heard her name called from the dining room. Ranma looked in and closed her eyes. She knew what was coming when she saw who was gathered. With a heavy sigh, Ranma sat next to her father and hung her head, waiting for the explosions to begin.
Ukyo and Shampoo sat quietly on either side of Akane while Cologne balanced in the corner. Soun sat at one end of the table, his face serious. "Ranma, I hear you allowed yourself to become locked in your girl form again, is this correct?" Ranma's head snapped up at this, her eyes scanning those at the table.
"Who told you that load of crap?" Ranma shouted. "Akane used her usual flare for the STUPID by cooking me breakfast with water from the SPRING OF DROWNED GIRL!" Ranma was gesturing wildly by this time. "HOW IS THAT _MY_ FAULT?" Ranma's aura had flared by now, causing those at the table to slowly back away. Suddenly, Ranma's aura shifted and went out as Ranma collapsed back into her seat. "What does it matter, anyway. Ain't nothin I can do about it now, right Cologne?"
"That is correct, Ranma." Gasps were heard at Cologne's announcement. "This has only happened once before in all of Amazon history. Nothing can cure you. Jusenkyo has claimed you utterly now." This brought another gasp, causing Cologne to sigh loudly. "By Amazon law, Ranma Saotome is now considered a full Amazon, immune to the outsider laws." At the shocked looks and Shampoo's look, Cologne explained further. "Jusenkyo is claimed by the Amazons. Those fully claimed by Jusenkyo are considered Amazons, of the Jusenkyo tribe."
Cologne looked over the shocked faces. "Ranma Saotome is currently the only living member of this Amazonian tribe, and as such, the role of Matriarch falls onto her shoulders." Cologne moved next to Shampoo. "Come, child. We must return to the Nekohanten. Elder Saotome, will you meet with me later this evening?"
Ranma narrowed her eyes at Cologne, a frown settling on her face. "I will be there, but I ain't gonna follow your laws, you know." Cologne nodded and left. Shampoo took one last look at Ranma, then spoke softly. "Shampoo really did love Ranma, and still do. Shampoo do everything she can to help new Elder." Tears were flowing from her eyes as she lept into the evening sky.
Ukyo stood next, then moved over to Ranma. "You know, there is one thing that I learned over the years, and that is how to deal with hardship. If you ever need a shoulder to lean on, you know where I am, Ranchan." Ukyo straightened and turned to leave. "Remember one thing, Ranma. Just like Shampoo, I truly love you and will do anything I can to help." Ukyo followed Shampoo's example and lept into the sky.
As soon as she was out of sight, all eyes seemed to fall onto Akane. She squirmed in her seat for a moment, then sat up straight. You could see the emotions playing across her face. Guilt started first, sadness followed, then, as everyone was expecting, anger flared up strongly. Everyone waited, watching her face. The anger started to fade, then came back stronger than ever. "DON'T YOU DARE BLAME ME!" Akane shouted. She pulled out her mallet and began a downward swing at Ranma's head.
Cologne, watching from the shadows, was expecting this. Akane's mallet met with Cologne's staff, causing a bright flash of energy. Akane lept back, an evil smirk on her face. "I am going to enjoy this." She hefted her mallet again and swung at Cologne. Cologne's staff once again blocked the mallet, causing another bright flash. However, this time Ranma had shielded her eyes and saw what happened.
As Akane's mallet struck Cologne's staff, symbols flared on it's head, glowing black. Cologne's staff flared as well, silverish symbols along it's length. Cologne noticed Ranma and gestured at the mallet. This was the longest Akane had ever had the mallet out and Ranma was starting to notice the change that was coming over Akane.
Akane stepped back from Cologne, her eyes glowing. "C'mon, old woman, let's see if that staff of yours is any good in the hands of one as evil as you are!" Cologne's laughter caused Akane to pause. "You are right, demon. This staff is no longer mine to wield, for I have done too much wrong in my life, but there is one here that can use it like it was meant." Cologne cackled and threw the staff to Ranma. "Take this, Elder, and destroy the Hammer of Evil!"
Akane's eyes narrowed as the staff flew into Ranma's hand. Silver light flared along it's length as the staff restructured itself into a six foot fighting staff. Ranma spun it and dropped into a ready stance. "That explains a lot, eh? I always did wonder about that damn hammer." Ranma lashed out with the staff, striking the mallet soundly. The resulting flash blew everyone but the two combatants back.
Akane wasted no time in bringing her mallet around, but Ranma's reflexes, already faster than could be believed, were boosted even higher by the power flowing through the staff. Ranma brought the staff back into a guard position then thrust forward, focusing her ki into the tip of the staff. Mallet met staff and a horrendous scream penetrated the air.
When vision returned to those in the room, they saw the mallet laying on the ground, half of the staff stuck through the head. The other half of the staff was in Ranma's hand, being brought down and shoved through the side of the mallet. There was another scream of agony from both the mallet and Akane, then a glow surrounded both mystical items. Half white, half black, the glows flowed around each other, Yin and Yang rejoined at last. With an unearthly cry, the sphere of energy rose from the floor and started to spin faster and faster, finally fading into nothingness.
Akane staggered back, finally running into the wall, her hands clasped to her head. She cried out in pain and collapsed to her knees, then started to fall forward. Ranma lept forward and caught her, lifting her gently and carrying her to her room. Cologne followed close behind while Genma ran to the phone to call Dr. Tofu.
Two hours later, Akane awoke, surrounded by worried faces. Kasumi and Nabiki were sitting next to her bed, Ranma was kneeling at the foot while Dr. Tofu was at the head of the bed, blotting her head with a cool cloth. Akane looked around slowly, then started to cry, closing her eyes as her actions over the last several years flooded her head again. "Please, forgive me." Her voice was weak, barely heard by those around her.
Kasumi placed her hand on Akane's shoulder and smiled down at her sister. "We have already forgiven you, Akane. Cologne explained what happened while you were unconscious. None of us blame you for what you did while possessed by that demon." Kasumi let out a gentle sigh and closed her eyes. "I am just glad to know that my sweet little sister has been returned to us."
Ranma stood and moved next to Kasumi. "Akane, I..." Ranma sighed and placed his hand on Akane's cheek. "I forgive you, but I need to know something." Akane's eyes opened and looked into Ranma's. Ranma leaned closer and looked into her eyes. "Was it you that I was falling for, or was it the demon trying to push you to me?"
Akane looked deep into Ranma's eyes for a moment, then turned her head, pushing her cheek into Ranma's hand. "I don't know, Ranma, and I wish I did. Until I find myself again, I cannot give you an answer." She could feel the heat from Ranma's hand, then she opened her eyes again. Ranma's face was scant inches from her own. "Akane... Thank you for your honesty." Ranma then gave her cheek a gentle caress and pulled her hand away. Standing straight, she spoke loudly. "I am now unable to fulfill the agreement between the Tendo and Saotome clans. I must, for the sake of all involved, cancel the agreement."
Soun and Genma turned to each other and began to weep openly, but neither protested Ranma's statement. Ranma turned and left Akane's room, then headed for his own. Sitting in the corner, she removed the visor and spools from her pocket and lost herself in the lessons they contained. Ranma did not notice Nabiki enter the room, nor did she see her lock the door and lean against it, waiting.
An hour later, Ranma removed the visor, having completed the instrument tutorial. She jumped in shock when she saw Nabiki watching her closely. "Interesting toy, Ranma. What have you been hiding from me, anyway?" Ranma sputtered for several seconds before lowering her head. "I was going to tell you, actually." Ranma placed the visor in her lap. "When Akane hit me this morning, I found myself breaking through into a cave. There was a spaceship there."
Ranma stood and placed the visor on the dresser, followed by the spools. "I saw something like a movie that was recorded by the ship's owner. Whatever it was died and I guess gave the ship to whomever found it. Well, I found it." Ranma gestured to the spools. "These contain information on how to fly it, and the visor acts as a translator and data reader."
Ranma turned and looked at Nabiki. "I was thinking about this during the walk back. I now have the ability to totally escape everything my father got me into." Ranma gestured at her body and snickered. "Getting locked like this gives me the perfect out, you know. I can't marry any of the women and most of the debts were for the 'male' Ranma." Ranma then put on her best smirk. "Besides, how is anyone gonna find me if I am deep in the reaches of space?"
Nabiki nodded her head in thought. "Then why would you tell me, Ranma? Wouldn't you be worried I would sell the information about the ship and you the first chance I got?" Nabiki put on her best smirk, blowing Ranma's out of the water. "How could I pass up the opportunity to make that kind of money?"
Ranma just laughed out loud. "Because Nabiki, if you sold it, how would you be able to come along?" Ranma watched Nabiki's jaw drop. "Yeah, I thought so. I am good with my fists, but I suck when it comes to money and making deals, and you know it. I would need your skills if I am gonna survive out there." Ranma put on a neutral face before speaking again. "Besides, If I am gonna get that ship in the air again, I gotta get it fixed, and I just know it's gonna cost a lot of yen to get the stuff I am gonna need, if I can get it at all."
Nabiki nodded her head, deep in thought. "Yes, I can see where you would need me, but why should I go out of my way to leave all this behind?" Nabiki looked at Ranma in time to see the smile spread across her face. "Because, Nabiki, if I know you, you would give anything for the chance to make a killing on a galactic scale." Nabiki laughed out loud at that. "You are correct, Ranma, I would love the chance to work my magic on a galactic scale."
Neither of them noticed the curtains moving slightly in the breeze. Shampoo smiled to herself as she realized how she could help Ranma. Now all she had to do was figure out how to repair a spaceship. Well, first she had to find the spaceship, but that should be the easy part. Shampoo lept away, estimating the flight path Ranma would have taken this morning. An hour and a half later Shampoo found the hole that had been made by Ranma. It was dark, but there was a faint glow coming from the darkness below. She climbed down and entered the ship slowly. There was a bright glow coming from the interior, allowing her to see. It only took her a few minutes to find the visors and spools. Shampoo put on one of the visors, then sighed as it started translating into Japanese. Several choice swear words in Mandarin were all the visor needed to adjust itself, causing Shampoo to grin.
An hour later and Shampoo was in her room with all the engineering spools and a visor, lost in the schematics of a hyper drive engine. She was fascinated with the layout and planning that went into the construction of the electronics. Following the paths was like following a kata, everything had to be precise and exactly placed. Shampoo spent all night lost in the spools, using her skill in learning the art to learn engineering. She never noticed Cologne checking up on her, never saw the smile on her face as she watched her Great-Granddaughter.
Morning at the Tendo home was quiet for the first time in over a year. Ranma was sitting at the table, Genma was still asleep in the living room with Soun, both having drunk themselves senseless last night. Akane was quiet, her head bowed, while Nabiki had the fire in her eyes, the one she got when planning something very big. Kasumi brought in breakfast and everyone ate slowly, even Ranma. When everyone was done, Akane lifted her head, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She looked at the faces around her, then started crying again and ran to her room. Ranma stood, getting ready to go up and comfort her when Kasumi stopped her. "She needs to deal with this on her own, Ranma. She now knows that we always trusted her, and she needs to learn to trust herself again."
Ranma nodded to Kasumi, then turned to Nabiki. "Well, ready to go see our new project?" Nabiki nodded and the two of them headed out.
By Nicolai Tiger
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. Never have, probably never will.
This story is based off of an idea from Jerry Unipeg.
Author's Notes: I am taking some minor liberties with this story. The events take place, in Ranma 1/2, after Jusendo but before the wedding attempt. However, Nodoka does not know of the curse. There are other liberties taken. I know they don't 'ring true' to the original series, but this is my story, so there. *snicker*
Chapter One: Discoveries
Ranma knew it was going to be a bad day right from the start. Awakening in his female form was just the beginning. Slowly, Ranma sat up and looked around. His father was absent, something that was surprising. Genma never missed the chance to get one over on Ranma, and since he had awoken early and not tried to attack made Ranma worried. Slowly, Ranma dressed and headed to the bathroom.
Turning on the water confirmed Ranma's fear that this was a bad day. Nothing came out of the tap. The furo was dry as well. It seemed the water was off, leaving Ranma without a means to change back. With a heavy sigh, Ranma headed downstairs. One of Kasumi's wonderful breakfast creations would do wonders for his mind and body on this type of morning.
Ranma sat at the table in his usual spot, and then looked around. It was still early, but Genma and Soun seemed to be missing. A noise in the yard made Ranma turn in time to see Nabiki sneak out the side gate. 'What's going on this morning?' Ranma thought. It was at that exact second that his greatest fear was confirmed. Akane came out of the kitchen, a smile on her face and a tray in her hands.
"Ranma! I am so glad you're up! I fixed this especially for you!" She sat the tray in front of him, a smile on her face. As Ranma looked at the dishes, he noticed that nothing was moving on its own, the first good sign. Breathing deeply, he could not detect anything that smelled out of the ordinary. Slowly, Ranma picked up his chopsticks and took a small sample of the rice.
He closed his eyes and placed the rice in his mouth. Akane watched, her eyes narrowing as Ranma just sat there frozen. She opened her mouth to say something when Ranma began to move again, eating the rice at his usual speed. Akane sat back, a large smile on her face as she watched Ranma eat. When the rice was gone, Ranma stopped again and took a small sample of the miso soup. Once again, he waited for a moment and Akane was ready to speak up when he dug in once again.
Within minutes, the food was gone. Ranma sat back, placing his hands on his stomach. "Damn, that was GOOD, Akane!" Ranma turned and looked at her, a smile on his face. "Thank you!" Akane just smiled back and reached for the teapot that still rested on the tray. "Would you like to try the tea as well, Ranma?"
Ranma looked at the teapot, then at himself. "Would you mind if I used it to change back, Akane? The water seems to be out now." Akane looked at the pot for a moment, then sighed. "No, I don't mind Ranma. After all, I must have done something right for you to have eaten all of the food I cooked!"
Ranma smiled at Akane again, then poured the water from the pot over him. He closed his eyes as he felt the usual tingle, then opened his eyes to set the teapot down. As he reached over toward the table, he froze. He could still feel the heat from the water, but he also felt the shifting weight on his chest that informed him he was still female.
Cologne looked up from the dry sink at the Nekohanten. "That scream, it was... a yell from the soul." She hurried out of the Nekohanten and rushed to the Tendo home. She knew the voice that had yelled out and was afraid of what it meant. Cologne moved faster than she had in a long time, using her speed training to get there as fast as possible. If it was as she feared, there was little time to react.
Ranma sat in shock. Somehow, he had become locked in his female form. His whole body was shaking as he stared at his small hands, fear etched on his face. "How... How... How..." He was repeating it over and over, all the while looking at his hands. Akane hadn't moved since he had poured the water, her hands clasped over her mouth in shock.
Cologne hopped right up beside Ranma while using her ki sight to assess the situation. She could see the changes in Ranma's ki, and they were not good. "Son-In-Law, I might be able to help you, if you would allow me to." She watched Ranma's head turn slightly, then nod once. She sprung into action, pressing several points on Ranma's body. Ranma watched her move, then watched as she settled back into a sitting position.
Several seconds passed, no one moving in the slightest, until Ranma finally broke the silence. "What did you do, Cologne?" He watched her sigh as she lowered her head. "I used a little known series of pressure points on you, Son-In-Law. Together, they work as a temporary cure for Jusenkyo." Ranma's head snapped up at this.
Cologne sighed loudly, then looked Ranma in the eyes. "It is short lived, Ranma, and only works once for any person. I never used it before because I wanted to save it for an emergency." Cologne looked at the tray and teapot, then back at Ranma. "It failed to turn you back. That means that there is something seriously wrong with your curse." She gestured to the tray and teapot. "Where did you get the water to cook this? The whole district is dry for the next two hours because of a problem at the water plant."
Akane looked at the tray then over to Cologne. "I got the emergency water stored in the dojo, of course. It was in a wooden cask labeled 'Emergency Water'. It is still in the kitchen." Akane stood and went to the kitchen, then came back with a large cask. There was a label on the side of it, written in Chinese. "See? I don't know why they wrote it in Chinese, but it clearly says Emergency Water, right?"
Cologne looked at Akane, a look of horror on her face. "You used this?" When Akane nodded yes, Cologne turned to Ranma. "I am sorry, Ranma, but nothing can help you now." Cologne hung her head sadly. "You have ingested and been splashed with warm spring of drowned girl. There is no way to cure you now." Cologne looked at Akane, then back to Ranma. "I am sorry."
Akane sat in shock, her jaw hanging open and her head snapping back and forth between Ranma and Cologne. Suddenly, the look of shock was replaced by a look of anger. "And I suppose that you are going to just blame all this on me, Ranma? If you had just reacted like usual, you would have never eaten it!" Akane stood quickly and reached behind her. "Ranma NO BAKA!" With a mighty swing, Ranma was blasted through the doors, making a long arc through the sky.
Cologne watched the scene carefully, then shook her head. She knew Akane's mallet was something odd, but had never taken a good look at it before. As Akane was standing still on the follow through, Cologne's eyes widened. 'That explains a lot, but however did she get that particular weapon?' Cologne picked up her staff and balanced on top of it. "If Ranma returns, please tell her that I will be at the Nekohanten." She quickly bounded out, not wanting to bring the wrath of that hammer to her.
Ranma worked on adjusting her flight path through the air, making note of the area she appeared to be heading to. It was a rocky area with lots of small hills and several small cave openings. Ranma had been hit here once before, so she knew the best place to attempt a landing. There was one area that was clear enough to avoid any damage due to loose rocks, so Ranma began the task of making herself land where she wanted to. Bracing her legs, Ranma impacted right where she wanted to. Once again, however, Fate proved that Ranma was still a favorite as the ground gave way and Ranma fell into a large cavern, landing with a loud clang as flesh met metal.
'Wait a minute, metal?' Thought Ranma. She slowly reached her hand down and ran it over whatever she had landed on. It was smooth, worked metal. Ranma sat up slowly and looked down. The object, painted white, was very large and oddly shaped. The rear of the craft was larger, narrowing down and then running in straight lines to the front of the craft. There also appeared to be four containers attached to the sides. "Figures, with everything else that has happened today, why not a spaceship."
Ranma climbed down from the top of the craft, finally settling down on the cave floor. The light was faint, but she could see the ramp that descended from the craft. She made her way into the craft, senses alert for anything. Reaching the top of the ramp, a faint glow from inside drew her to a small panel. Most of the symbols on the panel made no sense, but Ranma continued to look them over. Finally, one button stood out to her. It had the words 'push me' in Japanese on it. "What the hell, not like I got a lot to live for now." With that, Ranma pressed the button.
The image that sprang up surprised her. It was very distorted, but looked vaguely human. The voice was grainy, and in very accentuated Japanese. "Congratulations on finding my ship, sentient. I will not live long after making this recording, for I am gravely injured and unable to fix primary power for the medical bay." The image hunched over, and it seemed like something bluish was leaking from it. "She served me well, and if you can repair her, she will serve you just as well."
The image then lifted an arm and pointed across the room to a small box. "In there are the manuals and decoders you will need to translate them into your native language." A series of wracking coughs shook the figure. "Take them and learn all you can about this old girl, I would hate to have her stuck here forever. She doesn't deserve it."
The figure groaned and started coughing again, causing a large amount of the bluish liquid to spill out, then hunched over and vanished. Ranma bowed his head in respect to the figure, obviously it had died from it's wounds while attempting to make the recording. Moving to the box, Ranma opened it and looked inside. There were over a hundred spools there, all with odd labels, along with four odd looking visors. Ranma picked one up and placed it over his eyes. It activated instantly, then began scrolling odd symbols over the inside, finally settling on Japanese. As Ranma looked through it, he saw that as he looked at the labels in the box, the visor placed the Japanese text under the labels.
'Hmm... Engineering, Medical, whatever the 'Force' is, Government, Piloting. Yeah, let's check out piloting first!" Ranma picked up the ten spools that were labeled piloting and placed one into the slot on the visor. The translator visor set to work and soon it displayed piloting information and tutorials across it's surface. "Wow, this is so COOL!" exclaimed Ranma. For several hours Ranma lost himself in the video tutorials.
Hunger distracted Ranma enough to notice that it was getting late in the day. She packed the visor and piloting spools in her pocket and headed out of the ship. She didn't notice the small display next to the button that started the message, didn't notice the reserve power indicator start to climb slowly as the sunlight shining in activated the makeshift solar panels on the top of the craft.
Ranma wandered into the Tendo home an hour later. She started to head up to her room when she heard her name called from the dining room. Ranma looked in and closed her eyes. She knew what was coming when she saw who was gathered. With a heavy sigh, Ranma sat next to her father and hung her head, waiting for the explosions to begin.
Ukyo and Shampoo sat quietly on either side of Akane while Cologne balanced in the corner. Soun sat at one end of the table, his face serious. "Ranma, I hear you allowed yourself to become locked in your girl form again, is this correct?" Ranma's head snapped up at this, her eyes scanning those at the table.
"Who told you that load of crap?" Ranma shouted. "Akane used her usual flare for the STUPID by cooking me breakfast with water from the SPRING OF DROWNED GIRL!" Ranma was gesturing wildly by this time. "HOW IS THAT _MY_ FAULT?" Ranma's aura had flared by now, causing those at the table to slowly back away. Suddenly, Ranma's aura shifted and went out as Ranma collapsed back into her seat. "What does it matter, anyway. Ain't nothin I can do about it now, right Cologne?"
"That is correct, Ranma." Gasps were heard at Cologne's announcement. "This has only happened once before in all of Amazon history. Nothing can cure you. Jusenkyo has claimed you utterly now." This brought another gasp, causing Cologne to sigh loudly. "By Amazon law, Ranma Saotome is now considered a full Amazon, immune to the outsider laws." At the shocked looks and Shampoo's look, Cologne explained further. "Jusenkyo is claimed by the Amazons. Those fully claimed by Jusenkyo are considered Amazons, of the Jusenkyo tribe."
Cologne looked over the shocked faces. "Ranma Saotome is currently the only living member of this Amazonian tribe, and as such, the role of Matriarch falls onto her shoulders." Cologne moved next to Shampoo. "Come, child. We must return to the Nekohanten. Elder Saotome, will you meet with me later this evening?"
Ranma narrowed her eyes at Cologne, a frown settling on her face. "I will be there, but I ain't gonna follow your laws, you know." Cologne nodded and left. Shampoo took one last look at Ranma, then spoke softly. "Shampoo really did love Ranma, and still do. Shampoo do everything she can to help new Elder." Tears were flowing from her eyes as she lept into the evening sky.
Ukyo stood next, then moved over to Ranma. "You know, there is one thing that I learned over the years, and that is how to deal with hardship. If you ever need a shoulder to lean on, you know where I am, Ranchan." Ukyo straightened and turned to leave. "Remember one thing, Ranma. Just like Shampoo, I truly love you and will do anything I can to help." Ukyo followed Shampoo's example and lept into the sky.
As soon as she was out of sight, all eyes seemed to fall onto Akane. She squirmed in her seat for a moment, then sat up straight. You could see the emotions playing across her face. Guilt started first, sadness followed, then, as everyone was expecting, anger flared up strongly. Everyone waited, watching her face. The anger started to fade, then came back stronger than ever. "DON'T YOU DARE BLAME ME!" Akane shouted. She pulled out her mallet and began a downward swing at Ranma's head.
Cologne, watching from the shadows, was expecting this. Akane's mallet met with Cologne's staff, causing a bright flash of energy. Akane lept back, an evil smirk on her face. "I am going to enjoy this." She hefted her mallet again and swung at Cologne. Cologne's staff once again blocked the mallet, causing another bright flash. However, this time Ranma had shielded her eyes and saw what happened.
As Akane's mallet struck Cologne's staff, symbols flared on it's head, glowing black. Cologne's staff flared as well, silverish symbols along it's length. Cologne noticed Ranma and gestured at the mallet. This was the longest Akane had ever had the mallet out and Ranma was starting to notice the change that was coming over Akane.
Akane stepped back from Cologne, her eyes glowing. "C'mon, old woman, let's see if that staff of yours is any good in the hands of one as evil as you are!" Cologne's laughter caused Akane to pause. "You are right, demon. This staff is no longer mine to wield, for I have done too much wrong in my life, but there is one here that can use it like it was meant." Cologne cackled and threw the staff to Ranma. "Take this, Elder, and destroy the Hammer of Evil!"
Akane's eyes narrowed as the staff flew into Ranma's hand. Silver light flared along it's length as the staff restructured itself into a six foot fighting staff. Ranma spun it and dropped into a ready stance. "That explains a lot, eh? I always did wonder about that damn hammer." Ranma lashed out with the staff, striking the mallet soundly. The resulting flash blew everyone but the two combatants back.
Akane wasted no time in bringing her mallet around, but Ranma's reflexes, already faster than could be believed, were boosted even higher by the power flowing through the staff. Ranma brought the staff back into a guard position then thrust forward, focusing her ki into the tip of the staff. Mallet met staff and a horrendous scream penetrated the air.
When vision returned to those in the room, they saw the mallet laying on the ground, half of the staff stuck through the head. The other half of the staff was in Ranma's hand, being brought down and shoved through the side of the mallet. There was another scream of agony from both the mallet and Akane, then a glow surrounded both mystical items. Half white, half black, the glows flowed around each other, Yin and Yang rejoined at last. With an unearthly cry, the sphere of energy rose from the floor and started to spin faster and faster, finally fading into nothingness.
Akane staggered back, finally running into the wall, her hands clasped to her head. She cried out in pain and collapsed to her knees, then started to fall forward. Ranma lept forward and caught her, lifting her gently and carrying her to her room. Cologne followed close behind while Genma ran to the phone to call Dr. Tofu.
Two hours later, Akane awoke, surrounded by worried faces. Kasumi and Nabiki were sitting next to her bed, Ranma was kneeling at the foot while Dr. Tofu was at the head of the bed, blotting her head with a cool cloth. Akane looked around slowly, then started to cry, closing her eyes as her actions over the last several years flooded her head again. "Please, forgive me." Her voice was weak, barely heard by those around her.
Kasumi placed her hand on Akane's shoulder and smiled down at her sister. "We have already forgiven you, Akane. Cologne explained what happened while you were unconscious. None of us blame you for what you did while possessed by that demon." Kasumi let out a gentle sigh and closed her eyes. "I am just glad to know that my sweet little sister has been returned to us."
Ranma stood and moved next to Kasumi. "Akane, I..." Ranma sighed and placed his hand on Akane's cheek. "I forgive you, but I need to know something." Akane's eyes opened and looked into Ranma's. Ranma leaned closer and looked into her eyes. "Was it you that I was falling for, or was it the demon trying to push you to me?"
Akane looked deep into Ranma's eyes for a moment, then turned her head, pushing her cheek into Ranma's hand. "I don't know, Ranma, and I wish I did. Until I find myself again, I cannot give you an answer." She could feel the heat from Ranma's hand, then she opened her eyes again. Ranma's face was scant inches from her own. "Akane... Thank you for your honesty." Ranma then gave her cheek a gentle caress and pulled her hand away. Standing straight, she spoke loudly. "I am now unable to fulfill the agreement between the Tendo and Saotome clans. I must, for the sake of all involved, cancel the agreement."
Soun and Genma turned to each other and began to weep openly, but neither protested Ranma's statement. Ranma turned and left Akane's room, then headed for his own. Sitting in the corner, she removed the visor and spools from her pocket and lost herself in the lessons they contained. Ranma did not notice Nabiki enter the room, nor did she see her lock the door and lean against it, waiting.
An hour later, Ranma removed the visor, having completed the instrument tutorial. She jumped in shock when she saw Nabiki watching her closely. "Interesting toy, Ranma. What have you been hiding from me, anyway?" Ranma sputtered for several seconds before lowering her head. "I was going to tell you, actually." Ranma placed the visor in her lap. "When Akane hit me this morning, I found myself breaking through into a cave. There was a spaceship there."
Ranma stood and placed the visor on the dresser, followed by the spools. "I saw something like a movie that was recorded by the ship's owner. Whatever it was died and I guess gave the ship to whomever found it. Well, I found it." Ranma gestured to the spools. "These contain information on how to fly it, and the visor acts as a translator and data reader."
Ranma turned and looked at Nabiki. "I was thinking about this during the walk back. I now have the ability to totally escape everything my father got me into." Ranma gestured at her body and snickered. "Getting locked like this gives me the perfect out, you know. I can't marry any of the women and most of the debts were for the 'male' Ranma." Ranma then put on her best smirk. "Besides, how is anyone gonna find me if I am deep in the reaches of space?"
Nabiki nodded her head in thought. "Then why would you tell me, Ranma? Wouldn't you be worried I would sell the information about the ship and you the first chance I got?" Nabiki put on her best smirk, blowing Ranma's out of the water. "How could I pass up the opportunity to make that kind of money?"
Ranma just laughed out loud. "Because Nabiki, if you sold it, how would you be able to come along?" Ranma watched Nabiki's jaw drop. "Yeah, I thought so. I am good with my fists, but I suck when it comes to money and making deals, and you know it. I would need your skills if I am gonna survive out there." Ranma put on a neutral face before speaking again. "Besides, If I am gonna get that ship in the air again, I gotta get it fixed, and I just know it's gonna cost a lot of yen to get the stuff I am gonna need, if I can get it at all."
Nabiki nodded her head, deep in thought. "Yes, I can see where you would need me, but why should I go out of my way to leave all this behind?" Nabiki looked at Ranma in time to see the smile spread across her face. "Because, Nabiki, if I know you, you would give anything for the chance to make a killing on a galactic scale." Nabiki laughed out loud at that. "You are correct, Ranma, I would love the chance to work my magic on a galactic scale."
Neither of them noticed the curtains moving slightly in the breeze. Shampoo smiled to herself as she realized how she could help Ranma. Now all she had to do was figure out how to repair a spaceship. Well, first she had to find the spaceship, but that should be the easy part. Shampoo lept away, estimating the flight path Ranma would have taken this morning. An hour and a half later Shampoo found the hole that had been made by Ranma. It was dark, but there was a faint glow coming from the darkness below. She climbed down and entered the ship slowly. There was a bright glow coming from the interior, allowing her to see. It only took her a few minutes to find the visors and spools. Shampoo put on one of the visors, then sighed as it started translating into Japanese. Several choice swear words in Mandarin were all the visor needed to adjust itself, causing Shampoo to grin.
An hour later and Shampoo was in her room with all the engineering spools and a visor, lost in the schematics of a hyper drive engine. She was fascinated with the layout and planning that went into the construction of the electronics. Following the paths was like following a kata, everything had to be precise and exactly placed. Shampoo spent all night lost in the spools, using her skill in learning the art to learn engineering. She never noticed Cologne checking up on her, never saw the smile on her face as she watched her Great-Granddaughter.
Morning at the Tendo home was quiet for the first time in over a year. Ranma was sitting at the table, Genma was still asleep in the living room with Soun, both having drunk themselves senseless last night. Akane was quiet, her head bowed, while Nabiki had the fire in her eyes, the one she got when planning something very big. Kasumi brought in breakfast and everyone ate slowly, even Ranma. When everyone was done, Akane lifted her head, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She looked at the faces around her, then started crying again and ran to her room. Ranma stood, getting ready to go up and comfort her when Kasumi stopped her. "She needs to deal with this on her own, Ranma. She now knows that we always trusted her, and she needs to learn to trust herself again."
Ranma nodded to Kasumi, then turned to Nabiki. "Well, ready to go see our new project?" Nabiki nodded and the two of them headed out.