I don't own Ranma1/2 or X-Men:Evolution. They belong to the theirs respective creators and whoever owns the rights to them. I've got zilch so don't bother suing me-it would only be a waste of your money.
All right, I feel there are some things I need to get out of the way before I continue with this story:
For one, Ranma's shape changing willbe strictly limited to gender. He will not be able to copy anyone else's appearance or powers. Furthermore, his healing factor won't be identical to Wolverine's-he will still be vulnerable to disease and poisons, although less so than an ordinary person. Any other abilities he gains will be rather well suited for a hand to hand combatant.
Also, Ryoga, even if I do make him a mutant, will not be joining either the X-Men or the Brotherhood. He's too much of a loner.
I'm not going to do any Scott bashing here. And I won't do a whole lot of Genma bashing either. Not that I think there's anything wrong with it, I just think it's overdone.
Finally as for Shampoo and a Brotherhood member, it seems her and Magneto's son is the most popular option. I can definitely see that happening-Quicksilver's a lot like Ranma with an even bigger ego-and that's saying something!
Chapter 3:
Ranma stood in the middle of the area that for some reason was called 'The Danger Room,' dressed in a tank-top and gym pants. "Alright, Ranma," Logan said in careful Japanese over the intercom, "you are to run around the course here. This is the beginner's stage; you are only to dodge the obstacles in your path."
Ranma nodded and began. As he ran, robotic modules popped out of the walls and the floor. He ducked under wooden rods that swung at him, leaped over buzz-saw blades, and dodged lasers fired from hovering drones. In less than a minute he was smirking back at the control room. "Is that all you got?"
In the control, Scott Summers was looking at the computer module. The only person he imagined that could have gone through it faster was a silver-haired jerk he really didn't like. "Man, that's a new record."
Grumbling something about beginner's luck, Logan spoke again. "All right, this time it will be tougher. And you have to attack the modules this time, not simply dodge them."
All of the students, along with Ororo Munro, stared as Ranma smashed every module with blinding speed. "Man, this guy is out of sight!" exclaimed Even.
"That's my boy!" exclaimed Mr. Saotome in Japanese, which Kurt translated.
"Actually," said Professor Xavier, "Hank and I did several tests on him while you were at school. It seems that, in addition to his changing of genders, young Mr. Saotome has several other abilities that make him rather well suited for unarmed fighting. Among them are better than average strength, fast healing, and enhanced reflexes. His running speed, in fact, is nearly equal to that of a racehorse at full gallop."
"Rather appropriate, when you consider his name," said Logan, who then turned back to the intercom. "Now you have to do it over again, kid," he said in Japanese, and with a slight chuckle, "as a girl."
Ranma scowled at the control room then, closed his eyes. To the X-Men, the change seemed a little like Mystique's, starting at the top of the head and flowing down to the feet.
Ranma began again. This time she seemed even faster and able to jump higher,yet she seemed a little more awkward. "The kid's used to having longer arms and legs, and those bosoms bobbing up and down on the chest have got to be destractin'," Logan explained.
Kitty Pryde was staring at female Ranma with frank envy. "Just how does a guy get a chest like that?"
"In case ya haven't noticed, he does shrink by a couple 'a inches," interjected Rogue. "All that extra mass has ta go somewhere, 'Ah reckon."
Meanwhile the X-Men were trying notto stare; like Kitty they had noticed Ranma's female body was very well endowed. C'mon, you idiot, Scott thought to himself as he closed his eyes behind his red glasses, remember, she is a guy!
As Ranma was finishing, the last two remaining modules attacked her from both sides. She lashed out kicking at one while her right arms struck the other. Just before she smashed them, however, one slashed a vertical cut on her tank top while the other managed to snap her ponytail holder. The unbound hair fell loose around her face, giving her a more feminine appearance.
Ranma examined the wreckage, feeling very pleased with herself. She smirked at the control room. "That all you got?"
"You did good kid," answered Logan. "But, could please, cover your chest. Or at least change back into a boy."
Ranma's face turned red as she realized her ample breasts were sticking out through her torn shirt.
Quickly, she covered them with her arms and shifted back to her male form.
"That dude was awesome!" shouted Even, and Kurt nodded in agreement.
"'Ah think y'all boys just enjoyed the free peep show," stated Rogue.
"Ve did not!" shouted Kurt, who was blushing underneath his blue-furred face.
"The was a good show kid," said Logan in Japanese. "Now come back in here and sit with us."
Ranma took off his torn shirt and walked over to the control room; this time the girls were enjoying the sight. Ah got to admit, thought Rogue, he is one fine lookin' guy. Too bad 'bout his little sex changin' problem.
Ranma stepped out into the control room. Logan looked at Genma. "All right bub," he said, which Professor Xavier mentally translated for the others, "yer here to help me in trainin' these kids. And if yer goin' to do that, I have to see just how good you really are."
"How's that?"
"By sparrin' with me." Logan smirked. "Don't worry, I won't be usin' my claws."
Genma stared at Logan for several seconds, then nodded. "Very well," he said, "but I get to choose the fight setting."
"Fair enough," Logan agreed. Genma now spoke too low for the others to hear. Logan nodded and punched several buttons at the control console. The Danger Room setting shifted to a holographic display of several pools of water with large bamboo poles sticking out. Ranma's eyes widened as he recognized it. Jusenkyo.
Genma and Logan walked out into the Danger Room. Logan leaped up onto one of the shorter poles, followed by Genma. They then leaped onto other higher and higher poles, until they stood facing each other on the two highest poles in the room.
The X-Men were all amazed; they were used to Logan showing similar feats of agility but had assumed Genma Saotome to be simply an athlete who'd let himself go to seed. Apparently their assumption was in need of revising. "Professor," said Even, "are you sure that Mr. Saotome isn't a mutant too?"
"No, we did test him shortly after he arrived, and found no trace of the X-gene; he simply attained his abilities through intense exercise and training." The bald telepath smiled. "Let that be a lesson to all of you: no matter what advantages you may have as mutants it is not wise to underestimate what ordinary humans are capable of."
Genma and Logan stared at each other for several seconds. Finally, Logan punched at Genma. Genma dodged, then answered with a counter-punch that Logan blocked.
For the next several minutes, they traded blows, more observing than fighting, trying to gage the other's abilities. Genma jumped over Logan's kick, and made as if to hit his shoulder, then all of a sudden struck with his extended finger the spot right below Logan's Adam's apple.
As the Canadian mutant gasped, Genma kicked him in the stomach, knocking him off the pole. Logan would have landed in the pool below if he hadn't manged to grab onto another pole and swing himself back up with near monkey-like agility. He knew what his opponent had done-in spite of the adimantium bonded to his skeleton there were no bones or muscles protecting that part of his anatomy, and Genma's blow had knocked the breath out of him. He grinned at Genma. "You're pretty good."
"Yeah, and don't you forget it, you hairy ape. Xavier-san told me you're likely older than him. What's the matter, getting soft?"
Logan didn't rise to that one; he knew Genma was trying to make him angry so he wouldn't think straight. He done that himself with several opponents and refused to fall for it. "Well, at least apes are higher on the evolutionary ladder than panda bears."
They went at each other again. This time, Logan seemed to be holding the upper hand as he kept forcing his opponent to retreat. "What's the matter, you getting tired?" Logan sneered. "I can keep this up for days, how about you?"
Genma knew Logan wasn't boasting; he'd been shown the night before files that had been translated into Japanese of all the residential mutants' powers and abilities. And while he could take a lot he knew Logan's stamina far surpassed his.
Which left him one chance. While he continued to block Logan's punches with his right arm his left reached into a pocket and took out a small flask of water. As he jumped over Logan's kick, he poured the water on himself.
"Ranma," Even asked through Kurt, "why did your old man just turn himself into a panda?"
"Watch," was all Ranma could say.
Now pandas may look cute and cuddly when they are playing with balls or sitting eating bamboo or laying down asleep. But they are powerful animals, especially in the jaws which are made for crushing and stripping the tough fibers of bamboo. And while Logan's adamantium skeleton made his left arm far tougher than any bamboo stem he yelped with pain as Genma-Panda bit down on it. Hard. All he managed to do was slap the back of the bear-like animal before Genma-Panda tossed his neck and sent Logan flying to the edge of the Danger Room.
"Hey, that's no fair!" cried Kitty. "Mr. Saotome took unfair advantage of his ability to transform into a panda to surprise Logan!"
"I'd say it is, Half-Pint." Logan groggily got up; he had overheard Kitty through the intercom. "I promised I wouldn't use my claws. He didn't promise he wouldn't change into a panda."
THAT'S RIGHT said the cardboard sign Genma-Panda was holding.
Kurt translated the kanjii written on the sign, then asked Ranma, "Vhere does he get those things from?"
Ranma shrugged. "I don't know, and frankly, I don't want to."
But it wasn't a total victory for Genma. Just before he'd been tossed, Logan had managed to slap a yellow post-it sign onto the panda's back the had an arrow pointed towards the rear of Genma-Panda's head. Written underneath the arrow was I'M WITH STUPID.
A bronzed skinned young man of about seventeen poked his head into the Danger Room control room. "Professor," he said, "I've got that machine finished."
"Thank you Forge." Xavier turned his chair towards his students. With Forge's new invention, Logan and I will be able to help Ranma and Genma with their language problem, he thought into their heads. Now, I suggest you all leave and get busy with your homework. Tonight's a school night, after all. And Ororo, he added,please get some hot water for Mr. Saotome.
The device Forge had made was an apparatus that enabled Charles Xavier, with Logan's knowledge of Japanese, to use his telepathic abilities to implant the basics of the English language into the Saotomes. The process was not instantaneous- it took several hours and no one would call either of them fluent. But they could follow a conversation well enough if they listened carefully and could be understood if they spoke directly to a person. Xavier was certain that, with a few more sessions, Ranma would be fluent enough to attend Bayville High School.
Ranma had just gotten out of the clothing store with Kurt and Scott after trying on on and buying several clothes. While he had brought a few clothes with him they were all either Gis or Chinese style silk shirts and pants. After talking it over with Scott, Ranma realized he'd need different clothes if he was going to fit in at Bayville. He was just glad that American public schools didn't make their students wear uniforms like they did in Japan.
He was currently dressed in a red sweat shirt and black jeans, and a pair of high tops. He'd even bought a black leather jacket that he'd though looked real good on him. True, he couldn't adjust them like he could his Chinese clothes if he changed, but that wasn't likely here at the Bayville Mall.
"Well well well," the three heard a rather arrogant and sarcastic voice, "looks like the X-geeks have themselves a new playmate."
The three looked to where the voice had come from and groaned. Standing a few feet away were four companions. The first looked about seventeen, tall with a brown mullet and had a look on his face that said 'rebel.' The boy next to him was a little shorter whose silver blonde hair had two tufts standing out like lightning bolts and an expression of that said whoever invented humility forgot to tell him about it. To their left was a slouchy kid who looked about fourteen and had a rather sickly greenish complexion. And standing right behind them wearing overalls and sporting a blonde mohawk was perhaps the fattest teenager Ranma had ever seen.
Ranma knew who they were; after his and his father's first session with the language machine Professor Xavier told them the full purpose of the Institute. Mutants were for the most part thought of as a myth and urban legend; and for now Xavier wanted it to be kept that way. But it was inevitable that mutants would one day be exposed as real, and hated and persecuted by people who feared them. Xavier's purpose was to teach mutants how to use their powers in a positive way to show that mutants were not to be feared, and if need, to help them to defend themselves. For that purpose the students had formed a tactical group called the X-Men. The four boys in front of them were another group of mutants called the Brotherhood. They didn't share Xavier's philosophy; they frequently used their powers to cause all sorts of trouble. And the X-Men frequently had to clean up after them.
"Look guys," say Scott, "we just came her to buy some clothes for this new guy from Japan. We aren't looking for trouble."
"Yeah, well maybe trouble is looking for you," said the silver-haired boy, who then looked Ranma straight in the eye. "So tell us gook," and suddenly in the blink of an eye he stood right next to Ranma, "what's you're power? Canyoufly? Breatheunderwater? Talktofish?" His hand reached to yank on Ranma's ponytail-
-and his forearm was caught in Ranma's firm grip. Scott chuckled. "Maybe he can't outrun you Maximoff," he said, "but I'll bet he's faster where it counts."
Enraged, the boy Scott called Maximoff shot his other fist at Ranma-who caught it square in his hand and squeezed. Maximoff groaned as he felt the bones in his hand cracking.
"So you think you're pretty strong, huh?" said the fat boy. "Think you can take-?" Suddenly the boy with a mullet looked out of the corner of his eye, and whispered something to his obese companion. "Another time, gook," the fat boy said as he parted with his companions. Ranma let go of Maximoff, who glared at him for several seconds before following the others, clutching his left hand.
Scott looked over his shoulder. "Lance Alvers there must have spotted the security guard over there," he said. "The Loserhood may be troublemakers but they usually won't do anything without orders from Mystique."
"Who's Myst-?" Ranma started to ask, then suddenly doubled over, clutching at his groin.
"Vhat is it, Ranma?" asked Kurt.
"It-hurts." Ranma's eyes were watering, and his accent was getting thicker. "Right here. It hurts," he repeated in Japanese.
Scott didn't understand what Ranma just said but he didn't need to. "Let's get him into my car, and back to the mansion." he said quickly.
Kitty Pryde was sitting on the couch in the Xavier lounge, reading a romance novel, when all off a sudden, Scott and Kurt burst through the doorway carrying a groaning female Ranma. "What happened?" she asked.
"We were at the mall, and ran into the Brotherhood," Scott explained. "They didn't do this, it started right after Ranma put Maximoff in his place. Quick, we need to get him to the infirmary."
Kitty raced with the boys as the carried Ranma to the part of the mansion that had been set up to tend to their medical needs. As they got their, They found Ororo cleaning the place.
They quickly told her what was happening as they laid Ranma on the hospital bed. "Quickly, take his pants off. I need to see."
As Ranma's blue jeans were removed, Ororo gasped in disbelief. She had suspected this, but the sight of Ranma's blood-covered boxer shorts confirmed it. Part of her found the situation funny but the rest felt nothing but sympathy. Ranma's mutation had understandably made him very defensive about his masculinity. But now that masculinity wasn't just threatened; it was being sucker-punched.
"Ranma," she said carefully to the red-haired girl, "you're having a period."
End of chapter 3
Okay, I don't know if the normal Ranma gets periods or not; Takahashi herself said she doesn't think about stuff like that. But I figured that any X-gene type mutation causing a change of gender would include one of the biggest reasons I am glad God made me a man. Don't worry, it's not going to make Ranma a girl permanently, and he will learn to deal with it, with a little help from Rogue. I also knew I had to have Ranma learn English quickly but not make it seem too unbelievable.
For another thing, when Pietro and Fred call Ranma a gook, it's not because they have any prejudice against Asians; they're just trying to provoke him. Just thought I had to explain that before I get flamed by some whiny PC types who need to get a life.
I've given some more thought to the idea of pairing Shampoo with Pietro. I still haven't decided yet but do you think Cologne would consider him a suitable groom? And suppose the Chinese Amazons have something Magneto wants? Would he use his son as a bargaining chip?
And I know I promised Ranma would get his X-Men uniform and code name but that will have to wait until next chapter. Ranma also starts school at Bayville. And why is Rogue having all these dreams lately involving a baby who looks like Kurt and a man who looks like a younger, slimmer version on Genma Saotome?
Finally, who is a worse cook, Akane Tendo or Kitty Pryde?
