An American Batman in Nerima
Chapter 3: Preparations
By Crystal Moon
6/12/2002
e-mail: crystalcollins19@hotmail.com
Batman Beyond belongs to whoever owns him and Ranma belongs to Rumiko. I do not own them so please don't sue me. I'm just a poor little girl who's doing this for fun.
Mary was just finishing putting away the dishes from breakfast after the boys left for school when a knock came from the front door. A little irritated from being interrupted from her morning chores she made her way to the door and swung it open to find Bruce Wayne standing there. She was torn between knocking the crap out of him then and there or letting him in. It was a close call but she decided that there wasn't much to gain from knocking the old man senseless so she moved aside and let him in.
"What do I owe the honor of your presence here today?" Mary asked sarcastically as she led him to the couch where he sat down.
"You know why I'm here." Bruce said, "It was his choice you know."
"I kinda figured that part out after our talk last night." Mary said as she walked into the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with a tray holding a tea kettle and two teacups. After sitting down next to Bruce and sitting the tray down on the coffee table she filled the two cups and handed her guest one while she took the remaining one.
"I can understand if your angry with me but the boy has saved the city on one than more occasion." Bruce said then took a sip of the tea, "Good tea."
"Thanks." Mary said. She was proud of her eldest son and ashamed of herself for jumping to conclusions the night before. She should of believed him when he said that he wasn't using the slappers but the evidence was so convincing that he was.
"He's almost as good a fighter as you were." Bruce said pulling a disk out of his jacket.
"What do you mean were!" Mary snapped, "I still am a good fighter!" Mary could have slapped herself in the head for that.
"Your secret's safe with me, Ranma Saotome." Bruce said, "I see where he gets his exceptional fighting skills though."
Mary almost choked on her tea when he said that, how did he know who she was?
As if reading her thought, he answered, "I did a background check when Terry first became Batman. Do you know what I found out?" After she shook her head he continued, "I found out his mother didn't exist but after I did a little more digging I found out that you changed your name. I traced you back to Japan where I found some very strange stuff about curses and stuff." Bruce explained to a white faced Mary, "You know, if I haven't seen half the stuff that I have in my day I would never had believed half of it. It seemed that you were quite the martial artist in the area back then."
"I was the best!" Mary snapped then sighed, "That was a lifetime ago."
Bruce handed the disk to Mary as he stood up, "I'm sorry about everything that happened but I will keep your secret but I suggest that you train Terry in some of your family's style if you let him continue being Batman."
"I plan to start this afternoon after I pick Matt and him up after school." Mary said as she rose to see her guest out, "What's on the disk?"
"Your past." Bruce said as he walked out the door.
After she shut the door Mary stared at the disk a few moments before dropping it in the trash can by the door. She was Mary McGinnis now and as far as she was concerned Ranma Saotome was gone forever. She continued her cleaning while she nervously waited for her session with Terry.
***
Mary stood several yards away from Terry in the park while Matt sat on a bench watching the two. She was wearing a pair of black sweats and a plain red T-shirt since they were easier to move around than in her normal dresses. It was kind of ironic really, when she was younger she would never of worn a dress or anything but now that seemed to be what she wore most of the time.
"Your such a spaz!" Matt taunted from the sidelines, "You afraid mom's going to kick your but?"
"Shut up, twip!" Terry snapped, "I just don't want to hurt her."
"It's just a friendly sparring match Ter, don't worry." Mary laughed, "Or are you afraid that I'll show you up."
"But mom!" Terry said.
"What's up?" Max asked as she sat down next to Matt on the bench.
"Mom going to kick Terry's but!" Matt laughed.
"Max!" Terry exclaimed, surprised to see his friend. He barely had time to dodge as Mary rushed in with a leg sweep. He landed just as her foot caught him in the side of the head knocking him off balance. Matt's laughter only served to distract him as Mary struck out with an open palm strike knocking him breathless on his but.
"That was pathetic Terry!" Mary snapped.
"Terry!" Max exclaimed rushing to his side to make sure he was okay.
"What is going on here?" An older woman demanded as she came up to the small group.
"Commissioner Gordan!" Terry gasped as Max helped him to his feet.
"I was showing my son some martial art maneuvers!" Mary snapped, slightly losing her temper at Terry's refusal to spar and his terrible performance. Worse, she was interrupted by this woman, commissioner or not, which just served to enrage her more. "Do you have a problem with that?!"
"No." the woman said meekly, "Just take it a little easier on the kid, some people," the woman said waving her hands at the gathering of people, "Might think it's a little extreme. Maybe even bordering on abuse."
This woman was mere seconds from have her face drove into the ground Mary thought as she stared daggers at the woman. "How dare YOU!" Mary snapped, "I AM NOT MY FATHER!"
"Mom, calm down." Terry said putting his hand on her shoulder and giving a little squeeze which did calm her a little. She was just worried about Terry and only wanted to train him some in her form of martial arts.
"I-I'm sorry." Mary said as she turned away from them. She took a few moments to compose herself before saying, "We'll talk when you get home tonight."
With that she collected Matt from where he was sitting in shock on the bench and started walking away from the park.
"You okay mom?" Matt asked.
"Yeah," Mary said as she ruffled her youngest son's hair, "I'm just a little stressed."
"Is she going to be okay?" Max asked.
"Yeah," Terry said as he watched his mother walking away, "She just found out what my night job really is last night."
Commissioner Gordan shook her head in sympathy as she asked, "What was that all about anyways?"
"She wanted me to spar with her." Terry explained.
"She had some schway moves." Max said.
"Yeah." Commissioner Gordan said, "But what was that about her father?"
"I don't know." Terry replied, confusion and worry etched on his face.
***
Mary had left Matt with the babysitter and decided to take a walk even though it was already getting dark. She was angry at Terry's attitude about the sparring match and even angrier at herself for losing her cool and saying what she did.
While she still resented all the things her father did, she still loved him. For ten tears he was all she knew and when it really counted he was there for her. The man may of caused her many hardships and troubles but he did make her the top martial artists in her generation and she still practiced that art since it helped keep her in shape for her career.
She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't realize the six people who moved to surround her until it was too late. Their were five men and one woman, all dresses up like stupid clowns. There was one in particular that seemed to irritate her the most for some reason, he wore a purple suit and had green hair. One word came to mind as she looked at these people, "Jokers!"
"That's right sweetcheeks." The one in the purple said.
Mary started laughing hard at this, these people were the ones who terrified so many people. These weaklings actually managed to scare and rob so many people? Pathetic! At least she now had something to take her frustrations out on.
"Hey," the one woman said, "Ain't she the one in all those magazines?"
"I think your right." the one in the purple said.
"She's gotta be loaded." the big stupid one in the red and white said as he cracked his knuckles.
"Hand over the creds, sweetcheeks." the one in the purple said, "Unless you like it rough."
"Oh, believe me, I love it rough." Mary said as she moved to strike the man in the purple. In less than a minute all six jokers were laying unconscious on the ground.
"A-Are you okay?" somebody asked from behind her. She whirled around and saw Batman standing there.
"These jokers wasn't even a challenge." Mary laughed.
After that night Terry excepted her training which he quickly absorbed. He learned almost all of her techniques save the neko-ken. No, she wasn't going to teach him that or anything else that required extreme training methods. The only thing that he couldn't seem to learn was a ki attack like the Moko Takabisha.
Terry managed to avoid summer school barely and both him and Matt learned Japanese quickly. It seemed Terry already knew some since he associated with several Japanese associates of Bruce's. In the end, Max was even invited to go along with them on their trip and Mary cleared up several month's of her schedule to make sure they had enough time in Japan.
One thing Mary was grateful for, most countries switched over to the new creds system so there was no need to get some exchanged into yens. Finally the day came when the four made their way to the Gotham International Airport and began their trip back to where Ranma died in a sense and Mary was beginning to wonder if this was such a good idea.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Chapter 3: Preparations
By Crystal Moon
6/12/2002
e-mail: crystalcollins19@hotmail.com
Batman Beyond belongs to whoever owns him and Ranma belongs to Rumiko. I do not own them so please don't sue me. I'm just a poor little girl who's doing this for fun.
Mary was just finishing putting away the dishes from breakfast after the boys left for school when a knock came from the front door. A little irritated from being interrupted from her morning chores she made her way to the door and swung it open to find Bruce Wayne standing there. She was torn between knocking the crap out of him then and there or letting him in. It was a close call but she decided that there wasn't much to gain from knocking the old man senseless so she moved aside and let him in.
"What do I owe the honor of your presence here today?" Mary asked sarcastically as she led him to the couch where he sat down.
"You know why I'm here." Bruce said, "It was his choice you know."
"I kinda figured that part out after our talk last night." Mary said as she walked into the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with a tray holding a tea kettle and two teacups. After sitting down next to Bruce and sitting the tray down on the coffee table she filled the two cups and handed her guest one while she took the remaining one.
"I can understand if your angry with me but the boy has saved the city on one than more occasion." Bruce said then took a sip of the tea, "Good tea."
"Thanks." Mary said. She was proud of her eldest son and ashamed of herself for jumping to conclusions the night before. She should of believed him when he said that he wasn't using the slappers but the evidence was so convincing that he was.
"He's almost as good a fighter as you were." Bruce said pulling a disk out of his jacket.
"What do you mean were!" Mary snapped, "I still am a good fighter!" Mary could have slapped herself in the head for that.
"Your secret's safe with me, Ranma Saotome." Bruce said, "I see where he gets his exceptional fighting skills though."
Mary almost choked on her tea when he said that, how did he know who she was?
As if reading her thought, he answered, "I did a background check when Terry first became Batman. Do you know what I found out?" After she shook her head he continued, "I found out his mother didn't exist but after I did a little more digging I found out that you changed your name. I traced you back to Japan where I found some very strange stuff about curses and stuff." Bruce explained to a white faced Mary, "You know, if I haven't seen half the stuff that I have in my day I would never had believed half of it. It seemed that you were quite the martial artist in the area back then."
"I was the best!" Mary snapped then sighed, "That was a lifetime ago."
Bruce handed the disk to Mary as he stood up, "I'm sorry about everything that happened but I will keep your secret but I suggest that you train Terry in some of your family's style if you let him continue being Batman."
"I plan to start this afternoon after I pick Matt and him up after school." Mary said as she rose to see her guest out, "What's on the disk?"
"Your past." Bruce said as he walked out the door.
After she shut the door Mary stared at the disk a few moments before dropping it in the trash can by the door. She was Mary McGinnis now and as far as she was concerned Ranma Saotome was gone forever. She continued her cleaning while she nervously waited for her session with Terry.
***
Mary stood several yards away from Terry in the park while Matt sat on a bench watching the two. She was wearing a pair of black sweats and a plain red T-shirt since they were easier to move around than in her normal dresses. It was kind of ironic really, when she was younger she would never of worn a dress or anything but now that seemed to be what she wore most of the time.
"Your such a spaz!" Matt taunted from the sidelines, "You afraid mom's going to kick your but?"
"Shut up, twip!" Terry snapped, "I just don't want to hurt her."
"It's just a friendly sparring match Ter, don't worry." Mary laughed, "Or are you afraid that I'll show you up."
"But mom!" Terry said.
"What's up?" Max asked as she sat down next to Matt on the bench.
"Mom going to kick Terry's but!" Matt laughed.
"Max!" Terry exclaimed, surprised to see his friend. He barely had time to dodge as Mary rushed in with a leg sweep. He landed just as her foot caught him in the side of the head knocking him off balance. Matt's laughter only served to distract him as Mary struck out with an open palm strike knocking him breathless on his but.
"That was pathetic Terry!" Mary snapped.
"Terry!" Max exclaimed rushing to his side to make sure he was okay.
"What is going on here?" An older woman demanded as she came up to the small group.
"Commissioner Gordan!" Terry gasped as Max helped him to his feet.
"I was showing my son some martial art maneuvers!" Mary snapped, slightly losing her temper at Terry's refusal to spar and his terrible performance. Worse, she was interrupted by this woman, commissioner or not, which just served to enrage her more. "Do you have a problem with that?!"
"No." the woman said meekly, "Just take it a little easier on the kid, some people," the woman said waving her hands at the gathering of people, "Might think it's a little extreme. Maybe even bordering on abuse."
This woman was mere seconds from have her face drove into the ground Mary thought as she stared daggers at the woman. "How dare YOU!" Mary snapped, "I AM NOT MY FATHER!"
"Mom, calm down." Terry said putting his hand on her shoulder and giving a little squeeze which did calm her a little. She was just worried about Terry and only wanted to train him some in her form of martial arts.
"I-I'm sorry." Mary said as she turned away from them. She took a few moments to compose herself before saying, "We'll talk when you get home tonight."
With that she collected Matt from where he was sitting in shock on the bench and started walking away from the park.
"You okay mom?" Matt asked.
"Yeah," Mary said as she ruffled her youngest son's hair, "I'm just a little stressed."
"Is she going to be okay?" Max asked.
"Yeah," Terry said as he watched his mother walking away, "She just found out what my night job really is last night."
Commissioner Gordan shook her head in sympathy as she asked, "What was that all about anyways?"
"She wanted me to spar with her." Terry explained.
"She had some schway moves." Max said.
"Yeah." Commissioner Gordan said, "But what was that about her father?"
"I don't know." Terry replied, confusion and worry etched on his face.
***
Mary had left Matt with the babysitter and decided to take a walk even though it was already getting dark. She was angry at Terry's attitude about the sparring match and even angrier at herself for losing her cool and saying what she did.
While she still resented all the things her father did, she still loved him. For ten tears he was all she knew and when it really counted he was there for her. The man may of caused her many hardships and troubles but he did make her the top martial artists in her generation and she still practiced that art since it helped keep her in shape for her career.
She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't realize the six people who moved to surround her until it was too late. Their were five men and one woman, all dresses up like stupid clowns. There was one in particular that seemed to irritate her the most for some reason, he wore a purple suit and had green hair. One word came to mind as she looked at these people, "Jokers!"
"That's right sweetcheeks." The one in the purple said.
Mary started laughing hard at this, these people were the ones who terrified so many people. These weaklings actually managed to scare and rob so many people? Pathetic! At least she now had something to take her frustrations out on.
"Hey," the one woman said, "Ain't she the one in all those magazines?"
"I think your right." the one in the purple said.
"She's gotta be loaded." the big stupid one in the red and white said as he cracked his knuckles.
"Hand over the creds, sweetcheeks." the one in the purple said, "Unless you like it rough."
"Oh, believe me, I love it rough." Mary said as she moved to strike the man in the purple. In less than a minute all six jokers were laying unconscious on the ground.
"A-Are you okay?" somebody asked from behind her. She whirled around and saw Batman standing there.
"These jokers wasn't even a challenge." Mary laughed.
After that night Terry excepted her training which he quickly absorbed. He learned almost all of her techniques save the neko-ken. No, she wasn't going to teach him that or anything else that required extreme training methods. The only thing that he couldn't seem to learn was a ki attack like the Moko Takabisha.
Terry managed to avoid summer school barely and both him and Matt learned Japanese quickly. It seemed Terry already knew some since he associated with several Japanese associates of Bruce's. In the end, Max was even invited to go along with them on their trip and Mary cleared up several month's of her schedule to make sure they had enough time in Japan.
One thing Mary was grateful for, most countries switched over to the new creds system so there was no need to get some exchanged into yens. Finally the day came when the four made their way to the Gotham International Airport and began their trip back to where Ranma died in a sense and Mary was beginning to wonder if this was such a good idea.
TO BE CONTINUED…