Just a plan
Author: Poly

Authors note:
Being sick really sucks the creatively from you. I'm just glad I could finish
this chapter. On with the review reply's. Ghost in the Machine: I wouldn't
necessarily say it's impossible to fool the Mercury computer or the cats.
The cats haven't actually met Ranma yet. The computer could not register
Ranma because she suppresses her energy levels. Especially when she is
near Rei. C. Rose: I realize Ranma is OOC in some places. I think it's just
more fun that way.
Last but not least. The rewritten scenes where done because I wanted to
keep this story just a simple Ranma/SM cross. Some reviews might have
influenced it a bit but it was mainly done because I wanted it. I'm
updating the previous chapter's with the new scenes when posting this
new chapter.

Disclaimer:
What do you mean they're not mine! Are you sure?

PART IX
Gathering storm clouds

"YOU WANT ME TO WHAT!"

Ranma was not happy. What made it even worse was that she knew she
had already lost. The Eyes of the two blonde girls in front of her seemed
to grow larger shimmering with unshed tears.

"Please Ranma. Won't you do it for a friend?" Usagi sniffed slightly.

Ranma had a gut wrenching feeling in her stomach. If there was anything
she could not stand it was a girl crying. Making Usagi cry seemed even
worse somehow. She sighed in defeat.

"Fine Usagi-chan. I'll help."

"Thanks Ranma-chan!" The enthusiastic blonde gave the red head a big
hug. She didn't seem to notice Ranma stiffened for a moment.

"Minako! She said she'd help!" Usagi told the other blonde
enthusiastically.

Usagi almost dragged Ranma from the field kitchen towards the rest of
her friends. Makoto and Ami seemed to be in deep conversation with Rei
that seemed to stop when the three of them approached.

"Hi guys." Usagi said enthusiastically. "Makoto? Could I borrow Ranma for
a couple of hours?"

"Sure Usagi." The brown haired girl replied. "I can manage with the help I
already have. You five go ahead and I will come look at the show when it
starts at three."

"Thanks. Let's go girls. We have a lot of things to prepare before the show
starts." Usagi said with determination.

Ranma sighed again when she was being dragged towards a large tent.

"Usagi? What is it exactly you want me to wear?" The red head asked.

"You will see Ranma." She smiled. "I think all the girls will be jealous
when they see you dressed in it."

Ranma didn't think that was a good sign. They group of four girls and one
neo girl entered the large tent and worked their way between the many
racks of clothes. Ranma stopped in her tracks when she saw the dress
that was hanging on a mannequin. Her eyes grew large and she
involuntary took a step back.

* * *

"D4."

"You sunk my destroyer." an annoyed voice replied.

Pluto was jumping with joy. Actually she was sitting demurely on the
ground with a calculated look on her face. Inside she was still jumping for
joy though.

"Your turn." She said coolly.

"I know, I know. Just give me a minute." The purple light seemed to
flicker with frustration for a minute. "Ha! Now I've got you. E5!"

A small smile crept up on Pluto's face. "You missed." Her smile grew
slightly more wicked. "You know, you're awfully bad at this. Aren't you
supposed to be good being a game yourself?"

"That's being a 'card' game. This has nothing to do with that. Next time
we try poker and see who laughs then!"

Pluto just kept on smiling. Riling up her captor like this might present her
with an opportunity to escape. And it was so much fun to do.

* * *

Ranma held her breath not wanting to make any noise. She could hear her
pursuers close by. Suddenly a clothes rack was shoved aside allowing light
to fall in the dark corner Ranma-chan was hiding.

"Here she is!" A voice called out.

A kicking and screaming red head was dragged out of her hiding place by
three determined girls.

"Honestly Ranma. You're acting like a little girl." Rei huffed.

Meanwhile Ami was sitting on the ground working on her Mercury
computer. She was scanning Ranma thoroughly and analyzing the data.
On the surface Ranma seemed to be a normal girl like any other. That was
what her first superficial scan indicated. She seemed rather strong
although not with unusual levels for a human. What peeked her interest
was the faint trace of magic energy she detected. Magic in humans wasn't
that unusual. It was more common than people would believe. It was the
small spike in energy and magic levels she detected while Ranma was
hiding. She kept an active scan on the girl just in case it happened again.
She looked at the red headed girl and an amused smile formed on her
face.

The girl was currently stripped down to her underwear and was pouting. It
made her look simply adorable.

"Stop pouting Ranma-chan." Minako said.

"I'm not pouting!" Ranma said dejectedly and continued pouting.

Ami giggled a little hearing that. Her three other friends were trying to put
Ranma in the wedding dress but the girl just kept squirming. That stopped
when Usagi pinned her with an unusual stern glare.

"Hold still Ranma! Any girl should feel lucky to wear such a beautiful
dress. Besides you promised."

Ranma looked slightly guilty at that and relented. It didn't take long after
that before Ranma was wearing the dress.

"We should really do something with her hair." Minako said. "And some
make up too. Not too much though, she really doesn't need it."

Both Rei and Usagi agreed with her on that. Usagi grabbed a brush
handing it to Rei who already started unbraiding Ranma's pig tail. Minako
went looking for a make up kit. When she returned she showed the others
something else she had found. It was a hair ornament made out of white
flowers.

"I think this would look great on her if we use a white ribbon to braid her
hair."

Rei was finished brushing Ranma's hair. She took the white ribbon and
hair ornament from Minako and started braiding the white ribbon in
Ranma's hair. She placed the white flower ornament at the base of the
braid.

When Rei finished her work Usagi and Minako started on the red head's
make up. Ranma felt a bit strange but complied with their wishes. It felt
kind of nice being fussed about. And she almost purred when Rei was
brushing her hair. She could almost forget what she was wearing.

"I think we are done." Usagi said satisfied. "We can give her the shoes
before she goes on stage."

Ranma realized something. "Didn't Makoto say that the fashion show was
at three? That's still one and a half hour away! Why did I get ready now?!"

Minako giggled. "You really don't think you're the only one going on stage
do you? We don't have time to get you ready if we are helping the others
as well."

Her point was being proven when a group of chattering girls entered the
tent. Ranma blushed when she realized she would be surrounded by girls
wearing nothing but their underwear. Thankfully she still had the pendant
stone although she hid it using the hidden weapons technique. She got
even more embarrassed when all the girls complemented her on how
beautiful she looked. She thanked the girls and walked to a small wooden
bench to wait until she was needed. Usagi and her friends tended to the
new arrivals getting them ready for the big show.

* * *

"I think you're bluffing."

The purple light tried to look innocent.

"I'll match your bet and raise you another 10,000."

The purple light sighed in frustration. "I fold." He said reluctantly.

"Ha. I knew it! Pluto said triumphantly." With greedy hands she collected
her winnings.

The purple light just couldn't understand it. "How could she tell he was
bluffing if she couldn't even see his face? He didn't even have a face! It
should be impossible!"

Pluto just silently snickered. Watching the reflection in the time gate to
look at her opponents cards was not entirely honest but it was effective.

* * *

Ranma was bored. She was hungry too. She didn't have much time to eat
a lot at lunch since she was helping in the kitchen. She had asked Rei to
bring her something but apparently she had forgotten. She struggled to
get up gathering her dress in her hands. Moving was not easy in this
thing. She had to find some food before she collapsed with hunger. Even if
it meant going out in public wearing this dress. When she finally managed
to get up she had to hold still for a second letting her blood catch up to
her brain. Not a pleasant experience. She had to get out of this tent. It
was getting to hot in here anyway. She was about to head for the exit
when she heard the most unpleasant thing she could imagine.

"SWEETO!"

Startled cries from the girls filled the tent. A small blur seemed to bounce
between the half dressed girls lifting skirts and groping left and right.

Ranma groaned. Happosai was not something she needed today. It really
pissed her off that the freak would show up at the precise moment that
she was wearing one of the most feminine outfits ever. She was more
than enough angry when the black blur bounced in her direction.

POW!

Ranma stood with her right arm extended after a blow. An angry
expression on her face. Happosai was flying out the exit followed by and
angry mob of girls carrying various items to pummel the pervert. Ranma
followed but more slowly. When she exited the tent she was greeted by a
most unexpected sight. Apparently one of those mud monsters she fought
the first night showed up. She was about to run forward when she noticed
Happosai already engaging it. Realizing the old lech was more than
capable of disposing of the threat she hanged back to watch the show.
The old man pulled a couple of his bombs from his gi planning on blowing
the monster to bits. When he threw them, the monster moved aside and
the bombs hit the ground creating a big explosion. The force of the
explosion threw the monster through the air and it landed right at
Ranma's feet. Normally that wouldn't have been a problem for the martial
artist. She would just jumped to a safe distance. She was not counting on
the dress she was wearing though. It seriously hampered her movements
and she landed ceremonially on her butt.

The monster recovered quicker than Ranma had time to stand up. It
loomed over her and Ranma got big eyes when she realized she wouldn't
have time enough to put up a defense. It was a surprise for her when a
big muscled arm plowed down on the monster reducing it to dust. The
arm was attached to what most people would call minotaur creature with
wings and tentacles growing out of it's back. Ranma gulped when she
recognized it as Pantyhose Taro. Not one of her most pleasant enemies.
The next thing she did was the most un-Ranma like thing you could think
of. Perhaps it was the sudden shock, the lack of food or the sensitivity of
her female body to the heat. It could have been a combination of those
factors but she fainted.

* * *

Usagi was worried for her friend. They had moved her to the medical tent
in one of the more peaceful corners of the soccer field.

"Are you sure she is going to be alright Ami?" The distressed blonde asked
her friend.

"Don't worry Usagi. She is going to be fine. She just fainted. I'm glad her
mother decided to show up though. It is always best for the patient to
wake up to a familiar face."

Usagi seemed a little more reassured. "I think I'll go check on Ranma
again and see if her mother needs anything."

Ami held the blonde back for a second before she would run off. "I wanted
to ask you if you had planned to invite Ranma to come to our Saturday
evening get together."

Usagi smiled happily. "That's a good idea Ami. I'll ask her today when she
feels better." With that said she ran off to the medical tent to check on her
friend.

Ami looked after her friend and thought about Ranma. It would be a good
idea if the red haired girl showed up Saturday evening. It would give Luna
and Artemis the perfect chance to meet Ranma.

* * *

END PART IX

Additional authors note:
Ha! There you have it. Ranma is rescued herself this once. I suspect you
didn't see that one coming did you? Next episode: Can you say Neko?