In her way through dimensions, Ryoko Hibiki wondered the reason for all her troubles. "I manage to free myself from him. I become a strong agent for the good of people without his help and I even give birth to a girl . . . Why is it always chaos to those who live around Ranma . . .?"
When the girl walked by Aiko's dimension, the alternates cheered and waved at her. The girl fumed from Akira's news that she waved back but did not stop. When Ryoga's daughter stopped that little redhead, she told her of what Ranma did. "OH . . . This is not going to end well for my dad's alternate . . ."
Akira agreed and rushed to the next dimension. As soon as Ryoko entered that world, the girl took a cup of tea from a man walking by and doused it with it. The now pissed Ryoga Hibiki began to figure out his woman's location.
A few blocks away, Ranma hid behind a corner when No-Chan talked with this world's fanged boy. The teenager refused to be a part of the deal and accused Ranma of the cause of his luck.
"Even if what you say is true . . . I would never let that jerk use me that way . . ." The pigtailed boy did not like the comment and their squabbles began again. "An' what makes you think I would want you? . . . I got fiancées fallin' for me right and left . . . I don' need a pain in my butt for a girlfriend."
No-Chan face palmed from the altercation and decided to be more direct. "But dad . . .Why did you act so "lovey-dovey" with mom when you were a girl. . .I remember you telling me of how close you two became thanks to . . .to . . ." The girl stopped there when she remembered all the many anecdotes given by her parents, but in a much later time from that moment.
"Well, in the locker room while looking for the drowned man's pool, you hugged him and said how much you loved him . . ." The redhead turned red and tried to refuse the situation. "I was trickin' him . . . The moron forgot the reason for us being there . . ."
"But how did you feel when wrapping your legs around mom's torso and looking at his eyes while telling him how much you loved him?" Ryoga flustered by the comment and the reaction made Ranma even more nervous. "I . . . I don' know what you talkin' about."
The bi-colored haired girl turned to the fanged boy and he closed his eyes, afraid of the question. "Well Ryoga?" The boy did not know what to say and the nervousness betrayed his mouth. "Well . . . I kind of liked it, and those eyes . . . Well . . . I . . ." Ranma gaped and frowned at the boy angrily.
"Don' you dare Ryoga . . . I'm a guy an' I don' swing that way . . . If you got confused that's your problem . . ." The other boy could not keep hiding and jumped mad at his other self. "Lair! . . . You felt a warm fuzzy feeling for him . . . You grow to like him as a friend and with time you can become much more . . . Think about it and you'll find the answer in your heart."
Ranma stared at his double and Ryoga blinked from the confusion. "Why are there two of them?" No-Chan jumped at the problem at hand and the girl giggled nervously. "He is Ranma from the future . . . My dad." The younger pigtailed boy stared at his image and doubt entered his mind.
"Wait . . . If he's me, why is he so young? . . . To have a girl like you it had to be many years in the future, an' I would be in my thirties or so . . ." Ryoga added their age too and he waited for the new pigtailed boy's answer.
"Hey! . . . There are many things I'm not supposed to say . . . But I'm sure you feel the way I described . . . Right?" This time the other boy flustered and stuttered at the fanged boy. "It . . .It wasn' like that . . .Ok, I like you, but . . .It ain't like that . . .Well . . ." The last word made Ryoga believe that maybe they did turned into a couple in the future and had a girl together.
The fanged boy shook his head and dared to challenge the other boy. "Even if that were true . . . Like hell I would let you do that to me . . . If you want, we can try but I'm the guy and you are my girl." Ryoga smiled and stared at the blushing boy. "You moron . . . We have a girl who calls you mom and calls me dad . . . Who do you think ends up on top?"
Ryoga did not like that and the boy moved into a fighting stance. "I will kill you before letting you touch me you bastard! . . ." Ranma smiled back and barked insults of his own. "Fine . . . I will be on top and you'll love it . . ."
The two boys were about to charge at each other until another boy ran at them and grabbed the future pigtailed boy from the neck, dragging him against a wall forcibly. The sound of the braking wall made the people walking by stop and joins the commotion.
Just as part of the charm, the water pipe from the roof broke as well and the stream of cold water bathed Ranma Saotome, turning him into her. This world's Ranma and Ryoga stared at the fury on the fanged boy's Ki. The older Ryoga kept pushing the pigtailed girl's neck against the broken house and his eyes showed how little patience he had now.
Nodoka walked by them and tried to ease her mom's hatred. "Mom . . . Please, stop it." The younger Ryoga blinked again and tried to act the way he felt. "Hey . . . Leave her alone! . . ." Older Ryoga stared mad at his double and ignored his pleads.
"Stay out of this . . . Go back to your life and leave us alone! . . ." His last sentence send waves of energy, bursting light posts and cracking the windows nearby. That world's Ranma walked by and grabbed at the fanged boy cautiously.
"Look man . . . You might be future Ryoga, but there ain't fair for you to rough up my older self, you know?" The boy moved his hand faster than the pigtailed boy could react and, grabbing the boy's neck, sent him against another house with force.
The pigtailed girl hanging form the boy's grip smiled and stared firmly at him. If there was one thing she knew, it was the weakness of her lover. Indeed, those blue eyes became too strong for Ryoga and the boy eased his strength from the girl.
"Please Ranma . . . Don't do this . . . I . . . I hate you . . . You know I do . . ." His bared fangs screamed to let him rant and hate, but the girl kept smiling and never stopped staring at the boy. "You don' . . . And because you're stoppin', it means you still love me . . ." The redhead moved his hand softly away from her neck and lunged at him, kissing him passionately.
Ryoga felt the rushing of good memories and the close times with the girl making him low his guard. The younger Ranma and Ryoga stared and gaped at the scene. The younger fanged boy felt the blush creeping all over while Ranma could not stop looking at the passionate couple.
"Ranma . . . If we get to that point, I'm kissing you . . . I am the man . . . I will lead." The pigtailed young man faked like ignoring his friend but his last comment declared otherwise. "Like hell . . . You're a girl now, so the fight is fair . . ."
The couple separated from the kiss and the boy felt great. Ranko smiled and moved his hand to the side of her head. When the romantic moment faded, a group of old men and women stared and screamed at the boy.
"No! . . . You hooligan . . . You were attacking that girl and now you act all sweet, that is so wrong!" From his back, boys walked by when the couple were kissing and their chants made the old Ryoga come back again. "Look . . . That's the boy who dresses as a girl and that boy was kissing him! . . ."
"What a pervert! . . . Go! . . . We don't want your kind here." One of the boys grabbed a rock and threw it at Ryoga. The boy did nothing to stop it and received the hit on his face. Everything went back to the way it was.
The fanged boy grabbed Ranko and pushed her away while averting her blue eyes. Ryoga stared at his double from this world and made his next point at him. "Look! . . . This is what "he" causes in your life."
"Forget all this hell and move on . . .Ranma Saotome is nothing but a jerk who thinks everything is jokes and games . . .You know that deep down." The commotion brought someone else into the mess. Akane Tendo wondered about Ranma and her friend Ryoga Hibiki.
When she met them, the girl stared at the other two pinning each other against a house. "Ramna . . . What's going on here?" The old Ryoga looked at her and at his image. "Akane Tendo . . . Do you feel anything but friendship for that boy? . . . Look at him and tell him the truth . . . Tell him, you don't love him but like a friend . . . That your love is for Ranma Saotome."
The girl stuttered and tried to deny it, but the Tendo daughter could not. The younger Ranma felt a pang for his friend and did not know what to do. "See it for yourself and go . . . Leave this place for good and never return." The younger boy's face filled with tears and ran away from the place.
Ranko felt angry and demanded at her man. "Why Ryoga . . . You and I made it . . . I know they . . ." The boy closed his eyes and tighten his fist on the girl's chest. "Look at them Ranma . . . Look at how humiliating is to be branded a pervert by anyone."
"I endured to the point to give myself up for a change to stay away from your life. I won it and now I will pay back . . . Go to your wife and your family . . . I know you are an immortal, but don't look for me . . . Ever." The boy let go of the redhead and walked away from the crowd.
Akane walked confused at Ranma, the pigtailed boy shrugged his shoulders and explain in the best of his knowledge. "I think they're us from the future . . . An' that little girl is Ryogas and my daughter." The Tendo girl gasped and questioned him for a more detailed answer.
"You mean Ryoga-kun and you have . . . A baby together?" The boy blushed but he could not deny it. "Yes, but the girl called me dad and Ryoga mom . . . So I guess I'm the father." Finished smiling while the fanged boy burst in anger and defended himself.
"No . . . Well, maybe, but it wouldn't be fair . . . Look at them, even in the future you annoy me. Why else would I try to push "me" away from you?" Ranma had to accept the boy's conclusion and decided to find out more about the future selves.
Akane had doubts left and the girl followed them behind. "But Ranma . . . What about . . . Us?" Ryoga felt the words from his future image true. Akane kept asking about what she wanted and loved, and he was not either. "You an' I stay the same . . . Ryoga is cursed too and he changes into a girl . . . I guess I get her pregnant but I live with you like pops wants."
The fanged boy intervened again defensively against his accusations. "You're wrong! . . . The girl never said anything about "me" falling for you and letting you do "that" . . . That was your idea." The pigtailed boy blinked and laughed nervously at Akane. "Yes . . . I think what Ryoga said is right . . ."
The Tendo girl refused to be confused by the boy and she ran ahead to the boy's future images. Ranma stayed behind and gave quizzing looks at his friend. Ryoga felt his eyes and jumped back from him. "What? . . ."
"Have you Ryoga? . . . Have you ever thought 'bout me . . . That . . . That way?" Ryoga blushed fiercely and tried his best to deny the accusation, but his eyes brimmed with nervousness at the boy. "Maybe. . .I mean, what are the chances for me to see a girl this close, and . . .treat a girl during my fights . . .Let alone, watching you undress and show your bust so carelessly, I mean . . .Common! . . . We rough housing so much, if you were a real girl . . . I would be dying in fear."
For some reason Ranma felt flattered and the boy smiled back at his best friend. "Let's say, that I . . . Could let you try . . . More for future experience then bein' romantically involved . . . Would you give it a try?"
The fanged boy blinked several times and tried to reconstruct the other boy's idea more carefully. "You mean you want to try a physical relationship with me?" The pigtailed boy giggled inwardly and walked by the other boy to whisper on his ear.
"Yes . . . Let's pretend an' see how it goes . . . We don' make it a big deal or tell anyone . . . How 'bout it?" Ryoga swallowed harshly and then, nodded with the boy. "But no one needs to know . . . And if I get you pregnant first you can't get mad . . ." Ranma blinked hard this time, but his sense of defiance overpowered everything else.
"You're on . . ."
Far away from the impetuous teens, a very distraught Akane Tendo rushed at the side of a pleading older Ranma begging to talk to an older Ryoga Hibiki. The girl grabbed the redhead in time and stared back at her, puzzled.
"Ranma! . . . What are you doing? . . . Is it true about you and Ryoga in the future?" The redhead blushed and tried to answer her with tact, but Ryoga turned around and grabbed the girl's attention. "Akane Tendo . . . Thanks to all the tricks your boyfriend did on me, I fell for him . . . When I got cursed with a female side of my own, and he found out . . . He decided our relationship was the sanest one."
The boy walked even closer to the Tendo Girl. "If you want to keep Ranma for you, stop him from messing with Ryoga in this time . . . Save your family and that boy's future embarrassment." That was the part hurting Ranma the most.
The redheaded girl went at his side and used her big puppy eyes at him while asking. "Do I embarrass you? . . . Is that it?" Akane blinked when noticing Ryoga sad expression. She expected him to get angry with the girl's feminine tactics and beat him to a pulp, but this Ryoga was different, like he cared for her.
"Ranma . . .This was a mistake . . .You know I love you, but since you entered my life everything has been problem after problem, and in the end I still travel alone, while you have people at your side . . .Please, forget me and move on . . .I'm trying to do the same."
Akane witnessed two strangers fighting for their love and she forgot completely who they were in actual time. "I can see how much you two love each other . . .I . . .I think I'm dissolving the arrangement . . ." The girl didn't ran crying or sad at the breaking of her arranged marriage though.
Ranko stared at the girl confused and back at her man. "See . . . If we can explain how we feel for each other around this time, I'm sure we can get many happy families together." Ryoga face palmed and grabbed the redhead's shirt.
"Ranma! . . . We are modifying their lives . . . That is wrong and it will add on my punishment." The boy sat on the ground and rubbed his eyes from the pain he was preparing to receive. "What punishment?" The fanged boy did not even want to look at her.
"I am training to protect the different dimensions merging, thanks to all this mess. My punishment is to help solve the rest of Ryogas and Ranmas out there from any anomaly caused by "us" . . . And you just made my job even bigger . . ."
The girl sat at his side and grabbed one arm tenderly. "Well . . . If a punishment is comin' . . . It'll be easier with two people then with one."
This time Ryoga felt touched . . . Finally, Ranma was taking blame for her actions. "Well that's a good change, but the challenges are going to be really hard . . . Are you sure you won't bail on me?" The girl rested her head on his shoulder and reassured him of her unconditional help.
"Hey . . . I got you in this mess an' I'll help you get out, besides . . . We are a couple right?" The boy felt that old feeling rose from the ashes and the living hatred sinking away. "But what about Akane?" The redhead blinked but dismissed it under his permission.
"I'm still immortal right? . . .Let me join her as a normal human being, an' when you need me, I'll come to you . . .C'mon . . .We can make this work . . .I promise I'll stay a girl an' let you go all "husband" on me . . ." That smile . . .That was the last push to sign the deal. Ryoga let go of his negative feelings against her and he grabbed the girl, kissing her passionately.
"It is on . . ."
At the end of the day, Ranko . . . Ryoga and No-Chan arrived to the time capsule and waited for Ryota's ongoing surveillance on the world left behind. The ancient boy growled and tried to go at the redhead, but Ryoko intervened in her behalf.
"Forget about her . . . She is in my team now. Tell me . . . How bad did we screw up on that reality?" The boy tapped his feet on the ground and looked defiantly at the teens. "Ryoga and Ranma . . ."Experiment" with each other . . .Ranma gets pregnant first and lie to the Tendos and his dad. The boy fakes a trip for a year until the baby is born and then comeback to the forced marriage."
"Akane knows of his "special training" but instead of fighting, she encouraged him to "get back at Ryoga" and your alternate become pregnant the next year . . . After the two years, Ranma lives a happy life with Akane and three children, while Ryoga visits them as an uncle with his two children."
"The kids receive no special power or element like the rest of you . . . It seems Jusenkyo's plan was meant for you only . . ." The boy turned the screen off and saw at his guest attentively. "Don't think because it worked for those guys, that you'll succeed every other world. Leave them alone and move to your own problems."
Ranko waved her hands in front of her admitting fault and trying to avoid more dissension. The girl pecked Ryoga on the cheek and walked at the teleportation. "Ok Ryo . . . Tell No-Chan to keep us linked an' I'll be back whenever you need me . . ." The girl left and Ryoko got ready to go back at her own training.
Aiko and Nodoka ran at the fanged girl and asked her for the next part in the plan. "Girls . . . The original idea was to train and move on with the rescue, but another god discovered anomalies in some of the universes mixing in between. We are getting ready to confront and separate those dimensions from each other and . . . We are going to need all the help we can get . . . Yes . . . Even Ranma."
Time again was the only passenger for the families in Nerima and in that capsule. While Ryoko, Yoiko and the children mastered their abilities and elements, Ranma officially married Akane as her sole spouse and the Tendo Dojo thrived with fame and prosperity.
The girls at the service of Ryoga moved away after the last encounter with their Lieutenant and were saved from any external danger from the agency. There were some contact between them and the Saotomes but only superficial.
The years passed and middle aged Ranma Saotome, father of three and master of the anything goes martial arts school nation wide counted his blessings with the family. Since the man considered the last set of events as his strong times, he decided to name his children in memory of that girl and that boy fighting for good against evil.
Thus, Ryoga . . . Akane and little Ryoko became his best rewards. Ryoga Jr. dedicated mostly at studies and secondly at martial arts, while Akane followed a more equal pattern. Little Ryoko on the other hand became the tomboy of the family.
Ranma presented proudly at the next master destined to own his business and the little redhead made honor at her hair. Flaming red marked the pride of the family when master in girl form and little Ryoko fought in the Dojo.
At first, Ranma hoped for another powerful master, but after hearing the explanation many years ago, the old man accepted a regular normal daughter. Not that it was a bad thing though. For some reason Time hurt Ranma the most. His body told people of a strong, well-built forty-year-old man, but the thirty three year old hid his true nature from everyone . . . Except his wife.
The promise for immortality came at the end of his natural life in accordance with Ryoko as part of her deal with Lady Death. The pigtailed man enjoyed the company of his wife and children and the long, dormant feeling for the fanged girl stayed behind for the moment.
Nineteen ninety seven, at the age of almost eighteen was the last year Ranma Saotome saw "her". . .Today in two thousand and twelve his name became synonymous of heroes and selfless acts. The Saotome-Tendo family turned as one of the most powerful agencies for the protection of the weak and the innocent.
"You! . . . Flaming head, come back here and pay for your sins . . ." The fifteen-year-old blue haired boy ran behind a girl who carried a plate with the delicious dessert their mother cooked for them. "Hey! . . . You snooze, you loose . . ." The demon with the red hair ran away while eating each one of the tasty pastries.
Far behind, the middle Saotome walked calmly at the two fighting monsters, minding her own business and reading a book about physics. The redhead managed to pass and avoid the boy, but feeling almost out of reach, the girl stuck her tongue out.
Aka-Chan extended her arm and pulled the dessert tray in the precise moment Ryo-Chan ran by her side. "Hey . . . No fair! . . ." The girl turned around, let go of the tray and it fell from the outside of the kitchen's window and into their mother's hands. "Thanks Aka-Chan . . ."
Little Ryoga and Ryoko stared each other and after a few seconds, a rain of massive punches covered their area. Two different sets of Chestnuts combos flew on either direction. One with extra strength while the other extra fast.
As if in cue, the merciless attack bounced from their positions and landed moments later on the new arrival home. "Hello! . . . I'm Hom . . ." The welcoming was not like the one he always gets. Both fists, although weak, wreak a nice pounding on the older man. Ranma fell on his back from the impact and crashed against the now broken door.
"What the . . .?" Mrs. Saotome went into the living room and scolded the culprit from the incident. "Ranma! . . .When are you going to be more careful and avoid those kind of accidents . . .I swear, the more damage this house gets, the less valuable will be to our sons one day . . ."
The pigtailed man blinked at the reaction and he looked at the tiny troublemakers laughing back at him. "But 'Kane! . . . I just came from work . . . How did I do anythin' . . .?" The woman with dark blue and strains of white hair shook her head and giggled at the position his husband was in.
"Well, I can't blame them since they learned from the best . . . Didn't they?" That was the perfect point to change the reprimanded master into a proud father. Ranma's chest and ego grew several sizes and his smile reached his ears from the feeling.
"You bet I am proud they learned that . . . They are the strongest of them all . . ." Ranma ran at them and his own style of "tickling their necks and feet under roasted fire" technique made them beg for mercy.
Later that afternoon, Genma and grandma Nodoka arrived, as it was costmary. The family liked to join every weekend to celebrate old alliances and friendships. Soun arrived with the old couple while Kasumi and Ono walked by with their children.
After a pretentious knock, everyone knew of the impatient Lee and Tamara Tatewaki . . . Nabiki found the right groom loaded with goodies she was capable to exploit and after missing the pigtailed girl and Akane, Kuno aimed at his next conquest.
Everyone readied for dinner and the family was never this happy. Eventually Ukyo and Shampoo's children would join . . . Most likely the next day. Ranma saw all the good times he had with his kin and loved so much those moments that there was nothing else occupying his mind . . . At first, he hoped, but like I said before . . . Time heals everything.
Around the same time but in a distant dimension a group of heroes on their own ranks fought against the new evil trying to conquer all the earths. Ryoga Hibiki and Yoiko Hibiki lead the rebellion against armies of unknown origin trying to devastate every human life.
On the second ranks, the most powerful weapons but with limited experience in the battlefield, waited and trained to back up the leaders. Ranma Jr.; Nodoka, Aiko and Yoshiro composed the elite army capable to decimate any encounter before reaching the inner universes, but without the knowledge to measure the enemy, they stayed behind as the next best thing.
Ryota; Tetsuo, Toshiko and Setsuko became the second ranks, together with Ranma and Ranko in spirit form. Three groups with three missions. They managed the salvation of everything and that meant every fight and every duel won for the good of their kind.
Their teachers supervised the battles from afar and they reported any contingency in war. Lord Jusenkyo, Chronos and Lady Death took charge of any strategic plan set in motion by the leaders of this army. Lady Death floated near Ryoga and called him at her side.
"What is it Death?" The fanged boy struck a personal friendship with the immortal in charge of who died and lived in any existence, but the girl sometimes hated the way the boy talked back at her. "Stop being so harsh . . . I like you, but don't test my patience. . ." The fanged boy nodded respectfully and asked for her cooperation as well.
"The day you dress like a regular, pretty girl . . . Then I'll treat you like one, until then . . . I treat you the way you look." The gray-skinned immortal growled at him and dared to launch him away, but if one thing death is supposed to ignore are personal feelings.
"Fine . . . Be that way . . . We have a new mission and I'm going to need you and Ranma Jr. . . ." The boy whistled and little Ranma vanished and appeared in front of his mother. "What's up mom? . . ." Death smiled and this time Ryoga sighed in contempt.
Son . . . Please . . . Call me dad, or just Ryoga . . ." The boy smiled and shrugged his shoulders, not caring for the other tittles. "Nah . . . You're my mom and I like you that way." The gray-skinned girl laughed and the fanged boy ignored the comment, after the weird moment, they went back to business.
"There are two new threats I sense near by . . . They belong to other planes, but have bonded with ours. Your mission is to contact them and advise them to leave or stay put until fixed by Chronos . . . In the mean time your ancient relatives . . . The dead ones and Yoiko are staying for surveillance."
"You will act as a surrogate and supervise the children back on earth." The fanged boy blinked at the news and looked at Chronos worriedly. "Yes child . . . Your kin need to know the basics, before delving into deeper waters . . . it's time."
Ryoga sweat dropped and shook his head in defeat. "Well at least I'll be a "male" surrogate right? . . . Like a dad?" Lady death smile became more pronounced and the boy slapped his forehead loudly. "No . . . You can't send me like a mother Hen with my children."
Death nodded and waved away. "Precisely . . ."
June eleven, Two thousand and twelve marked the newspaper stuck on the fanged girl's face when walking into Nerima. Her children walked at her side and the girl took them to the old house. "Wow . . . Fifteen years and still intact . . ." The new family went in and made themselves at home…
There were still some rooms empty but the boys decided to change a few things for a gym and practice room while the girls convened together on the other . . . Much like a private clubhouse. The only problem was when Ranma Jr. wanted to spar and there was no one to back him up, since little Yoshiro was taken by the girls and fixed in a feminine manner.
"Hey! . . . He is my brother . . . Hand "him" to me! . . ." The response did not wait and when the door opened, a pot filled with cold water hit him right on the face. The now redheaded girl scrubbed the extra water from her and prepared to yell back at the rude gesture, when several female hands pulled her into the room and the door closed forcibly.
That night, a half-baked roast with steamed rice decorated the diner table and a tired Ryoko rested from the battle that it was cooking. From upstairs No-Chan and Aiko walked into the living room followed by two beautiful girls. One dressed in a pink shirt and light blue jeans and the other in a full white dress. Ryoko stared at them and gasped at the first two girls.
"You . . . Did this?" Nodoka and Aiko laughed and sat at the table, satisfied with the result. Yoshi-Chan followed behind and she fixed her dress comfortably . . . Lastly, Ranma Jr. sat and stared at her mom. "Please don't mention this to anyone ok?" The fanged girl smiled and agreed with the blushing new girl.
Everyone started to have dinner and Ryoko was the one talking the most. "Ok guys . . . It's been fifteen years since I've been here, but I managed to contact Reiko. She is working on your paperwork and will send it by mail in a few days."
"In the mean time we are getting ready for this time's new developments so . . ." The older mother pulled a box with several electronic devices and shared them with the girls. "I believe these are called cell phones . . . We are going to used them to communicate each other. Ranma knows of No-Chan's ability to mind link, so we are leaving that out."
The girl stared at No-Chan and warned her before hand. "You hear me? . . . No mind calls to dad, or anyone else." The girl pouted and look down to her food. "Ok . . ." Ryoko set the private numbers given by Reiko and the address where they needed to contact each other in case of emergencies.
"We need to be alert for any inconvenience. There is bound to be problems in this world as well as callings from the other side and we need to prepare for all of them. Furinkan high school will be your place to study, so, memorize your surroundings and be prepared for anything."
As usual, the rebellious Nodoka had questions of her own to her mother. "Mom . . . What about you? . . . I mean, you are still stuck at seventeen and you never went to school . . . Shouldn't you need to go with us?" The fanged girl blinked at them and there was no excuse for her part.
"Well . . . I . . . I . . ." Aiko joined to the conversation from that point on. "Yes mom . . . I mean, are you supposed to give us an example?" Yoshiro shrugged her shoulders and sided with her mom while Ranma Jr. laughed and told her the way it was. "Sorry mom . . . They got you good."
Ryoko sighed and agreed with her children in the subject. "Fine . . . I'll call Reiko tomorrow and I'll request papers for me too." Everyone cheered and finished their food. They cleaned the kitchen and went to sleep, tired by the last days and the much slower period in that world.
The next day, practice became slow paced and clumsy. The two boys and girls began to fight and train with Katas Ryoko taught them earlier. Their moves felt unresponsive and when they asked their mom, her answer made them scream in pain.
"What? . . . How can death do that to us? . . . Having no abilities and powerful Ki will hindered our fighting." The cries felt fake to the older girl and the fanged big sister shush them off. "Be quiet . . . The reason we are here is to learn the basics of your power. You were blessed by Ranma and me when you were born, but there is more in a fight then powering up and beat your opponent . . .That's why the only capability available to us is immortality. Besides that, we are as weak as any other human being."
Aiko waved her hands in vain after no effect preceded her command. "But how can we fight evil and help the innocent if we are powerless." The dark haired girl agreed and revealed them the way. "We need to use our guts and brains but if all that fails . . . Then we need to use our powers, but remember . . . They only burst at the level of the opponent. Not higher or stronger."
The four teenagers walked slouched at school while their big sister push them from behind. "Oh common . . . I never needed these powers to begin with . . ." The children booed her and the girl just giggled at their reactions.
Later in the morning, the group arrived to school. Ryoko observed many recognizable faces. Mousse and Shampoo waved at two teenagers, a boy and a girl, and yelled at them in Chinese while other two boys and a girl walked by them followed by Kasumi.
The biggest surprise was the school director. Principal Kuno . . . Kuno Tatewaki decided to fire and replace his old dad and take charge of the young new minds. His speech told teens of many heroics and the virtue those with knowledge shared with the world or something like that the Hibikis understood.
Kuno fixed his sight at the fanged girl, as if he knew her from somewhere, but he stopped caring and gave them a temporary pass to go into classes. Nodoka and the rest went to the first class, while Ryoko attended the older group.
From all the presents, No-Chan; Aiko, Yoshiro and little Ranma passed the first hour standing outside, holding buckets with water. Ranma Jr. whispered angrily at the treatment though. "Why do we need to learn about history? . . . What if something fought for feudal Japan, I hate this place . . ." No-Chan agreed and Aiko saw Yoshi staring at the teacher. "Yosh. . .what is it?" The little redheaded boy stared at someone besides the teacher and pointed her at his sister.
"That girl . . . It reminds me of that browned haired woman who took care of me in my dreams." Aiko smiled at him and cheered him up from the punishment. Recess went on and the kids ran outside where Ryoko received them in the yard. The girl set a blanket and several dishes from boiled fish sticks and rice, to cake the girl learned to bake and cookies.
Other boys and girls welcomed them in and shared the food among themselves. A few teachers joined as well and one in particular stared at little No-Chan. The girl saw him before, but this time, Diasuke was a full-fledged teacher.
The old man stared at her and tried to ask her about a younger girl he tutored, but comparing the same age, the man ignored the comment and praised Ryoko on her efforts. "Miss Hibiki . . . I'm very impressed by your culinary experience and I'm sure my recommendation will be of great use in home economics. Congratulations!" The girl blushed and thanked the professor. The bell rang and kids ran while picking up the delicious treats Ryoko baked last. The girl encouraged her children to keep up and pay attention.
Classes finished and the fanged girl waited for her sons and daughters to get back from their classrooms. No-Chan and Aiko managed to get many male friends while Yoshiro walked out of the school with a girl. Little Ranma felt like the tough person and he kept to himself most of the time.
Yoshiro ran at Ryoko and presented his new friend. "Mo- . . . I mean . . . Sis . . . This is Rei . . . Rei Tofu. Can I invite her home?" The girl did not think anything by the last name and agreed with the boy, the six young teens left for home after a hard school day.
Ryoko arrived and hurried to the kitchen. The girl grabbed all the ingredients for dinner and turned off the cooking pot with boiled beans. Aiko and Nodoka ran upstairs and talked about all the phone numbers they recorded in one day and compared each name with the boy's description and looks.
Yoshiro felt comfortable with Rei and they talked in the living room about classes and how far behind the boy was from studies. "Well . . . Since I haven't been in school in a long time, I can't say I know a lot." The girl giggled and asked him to stop his tease.
"Yosh-kun . . .I know of the grades you entered with, my mom is the best medical specialist in town and she has connections with the school . . .Uncle Kuno even told me of how impressive is your big sister's credentials."
The boy laughed nervously and Rei joined him after. "Your funny . . . I like you . . ." The girl moved near by and gave him a kiss barely touching his cheek. Yoshiro turned red and the boy trembled from the unexpected move from the girl. This time there was no need for water.
The now black haired girl stared scared at her amazed friend and when the girl smiled, his nerves calmed down from the moment. "Wow! . . . You have a curse like uncle Ranma?" Several pots and pans fell in the kitchen and a distracted fanged girl appeared from inside.
"Did you say "Uncle Ranma" . . .?" The tiny browned haired girl nodded and Ryoko laughed nervously as well. She returned to the kitchen and prepared some Tamagoyaki (Rolled omelet) before the broiled fish and the daikon radish were ready for dinner.
The fanged cook yelled at the rest of the family to the table. Not a day had passed and the first broken rule left an angry big sister staring at the little ones. "No-Chan . . . Aiko, the phones are supposed to be as emergency devices, not date planners . . ." She sighed and then blinked when noticing Yoshi-Chan instead of her son.
"Rei, was it? . . . Have you met my other sister . . . Yoshi-Chan?" The girl giggled and decided to be honest with the bigger girl. "Don't worry Ryoko-san; I know of curses thanks to my uncle. He uses it all the time and the funny thing is, my cousins are normal . . . There is no curse on them."
Ryoko did not get that at first, but a nodding Yoshiro-Chan told her about Ranma's children. "Yes sis . . . Ranma Saotome is a dad with three children. Rei was telling me of a boy and two girls." Ryoko exchanged looks with No-Chan, Aiko and little Ranma, they all felt a pang of sadness but ignored the feeling altogether.
"If you want I can take you see them . . ." The girl shook her head vehemently and thanked for the offer. The family finished dinner and everyone went to start their homework. Jr. as usual hated that and was the first in complaint about it.
"Why do we have to do this . . . Is boring and stupid!" The fanged girl sat at his side and told him a few stories of her own. "Jr. when we learn of the past . . . We have better chances to fight the future. Remember all those pointless fights for domination? . . . Well, some smart people used tactics to avert chaos and death . . . That's what we need to aim for."
The boy still felt angry, but he is a good child and went back to his homework. After an hour or so, everyone said their goodbyes and Yoshiro offered to walk Rei home. Ryoko agreed and she shuffled the little girl's hair and thanked her for the friendship with her brother.
"Please Rei-Chan . . . Don't tell anyone about Yoshi-Chan's situation . . . Not many kids accept that." The girl agreed and promised to not tell a soul. They departed and Ryoko gave a signal to Jr. "Keep an eye please . . . Just in case."
Little Ranma followed them from afar and tried to practice his stealth skills. The dark haired boy smiled when little Yoshi slowly and carefully stretched his hand. Rei answered back and the tiny couple held hands while walking back home. "Good one little brother . . . I knew the girl curse was only superficial."
Up ahead, a bigger boy waited near the new and improved Tofu clinic. The taller boy looked like seventeen and he walked decisively at the young couple. Ayoro Tofu is the strongest student in the anything goes art style, following of course his cousins. The boy learned to improve his skills mostly from techniques based from the advanced Kame-sunken, a different style developed by Ranma himself.
"What do you think your doing with my sister?" The big boy grabbed Yoshiro by the shoulder and pushed him against the dirt with force. Rei tried to stop him but Ayoro was always the strongest type. "She is my little sister and I don't allow anyone to get near her without my consent."
The boy readied his fighting stance, waiting for the scrawny opponent, but a hand grabbed the slender boy from behind and help him up. Yoshiro looked back and smiled at him. "Jr. . .Thank you." The little boy felt happy by his intervention, but Jr. had to tone him down a few notches.
"Not so loud Yoshi . . . Remember, you can be a tough guy too . . ." His brother moved up and stared at the giant fiercely. "You know is not nice messing with younger kids?" The tall boy laughed and pointed at his new opponent.
"And whose going to make me? . . . You? Pipsqueak . . .?" The Hibiki son bared his fangs and Ayoro noticed the bigger canines from his enemy. "You're going to need more then teeth to defeat me and date my sister . . ." His moves where clumsy, but the technique and power behind them made up for the wrong application on it.
"You are strong and . . . And that move is impressive, I'll give you that, but you need more then raw power to defeat the likes of me." Little Ranma waited for his massive opponent's weight behind the punches. He studied the energy the taller boy needed to set back his attack and start the move from scratch.
After a few avoidances and dodges, Ranma Jr. closed his eyes and felt the heavy breathing on the boy. "No . . .That won't do . . .You're expending much more energy than the resulting punch . . ." The tiny fifteen year old moved his foot ahead and bent his knee while offering his bent elbow directly in front of the incoming attack.
Ayoro realized the move too late and his last finishing combo made him trip with the boy's extended foot, taking him out of balance and flying directly at his enemy's elbow. The simple move made contact with the almost exhausted and empty stomach in the big boy, making him gasp for air and fall to the ground.
"You are good, but you need more practice in your surroundings." Ranma Jr. walked away and stopped a few steps away from the shy Yoshiro. The little boy ran at Rei and pecked her in the cheek, waving goodbye for the night. The girl sighed and walked home.
When Yoshiro reached little Ranma, the boy saw a dripping roof tile, using it to transform into Yoshi-Chan. The girl ran at her brother and hugged him effusively. Ranma felt those two female parts and jumped at the feeling. "Yoshi! . . . Why did you change?" The girl smiled at him and grabbed him by his arm. "I wanted to thank you for looking out for me and I figured you'd be embarrassed if I hugged you as a boy." Ranma smiled and cleaned the rest of the dripping water from her.
"Ok, but you are going directly to the shower when we get home . . . I don't know what filth was in that dripping water." The girl hugged him tighter and the boy blushed form the contact, but accepted it proudly.
The next morning, the group of teenagers found a tired Ryoko barely finishing their entire luggage. "Mom? . . . What's with the moving-out picture?" The girl stopped to take some air and rest from an all night job. "As . . .S-Soon as you went to sleep, I packed everything . . .It's going to take Ranma a few days to know we are here and he'll try to mess with our lives."
The little boys and girls stared at their mom, and she got the idea of their attentive looks. "I know . . . I know I said we would be in contact, but he has a family now and we have a job to fulfill. I am moving us back to Itabashi, is not too far from here and it can help us develop our training better."
The kids helped with the packs and everyone went on to the moving truck back to Ryoko's old neighborhood. The house felt about the same and some of the contacts the girl had still existed. Ryoko managed to re-open an old account where some of the million yen from the last jobs were saved for an occasion such as this.
"Here . . . There is a bank account for everyone of you. The sum is a bit big, and the interests turned the main account even bigger, but you need to measure yourselves. Buy what you think will be used . . . And nothing else!" Finished, staring at No-Chan and Aiko who sported big starry eyes.
Back on Nerima, a little girl visited the Saotome house and waved at her cousins happily. An angry Ayoro entered the house, falling on the couch without a care in the world. The younger Ryoko walked and joined his always funny looser of a cousin.
"What got you all down cousin? . . . Or are you feeling like loosing before we fight again?" The boy ignored her taunts and looked away from her. The little redhead moved in front of his face and stared at the pouting boy. "Ok . . . This ain't you . . . What got you so worked up?"
The tall boy let Rei walk and greet her auntie Akane and stared at the two girls playing and giggling from their chat. "Auntie . . . I met a really nice boy." The older Akane Saotome giggled even more and gaped at the news. "Wow Rei-Chan . . . You are growing faster then I can give credit for . . . Tell me, how does this boy look like?"
Ryoko scoffed at her same age cousin and faked ignorance at their chat while opening one eye in their direction. "Oh, well he is nice and charming . . . And he has a heart of gold . . . Specially when he turns into a girl . . ." Ayoro blinked at the new information and the girl covered her mouth rapidly from her blunder.
"Oh no! . . . I wasn't supposed to say anything." Akane frowned at the girl and asked her about the gender-changing boy. "Don't worry Rei-Chan . . . Is not Ok to keep secrets. Tell me . . . How did the boy look like?" The more Rei described Yoshiro, the more Akane feared that dreaded time when Ryoga would come and reclaim her side at her husband.
The older raven-haired woman plummeted on a chair and kept looking at the horizon, until hearing the distant voices of her daughter and niece. "Mom? . . . Mom! . . . Why did you went all quiet? . . . Who is that boy?" The woman snapped from the surprise and went back to the kitchen. "Sorry Ryo-Chan . . . I can't help you now, please ask your dad when he comes back from work."
Ryoko shrugged and moved back to her cousin. "So . . . What got you all riled up again?" The boy felt a tiny blush creep on his face and Ryoko knew he never felt that way. "Cousin . . . I got beat up by that boy's brother . . . I think he is even tougher then cousin Ryoga . . ."
Ryo-Chan gasped and smiled at the news. "You mean, there's a guy out there who can hold a candle against me?" The girl tried to hold the challenging rush back, but once a Saotome . . .Always a Saotome. "Yes I'd say he is as strong as you." The redhead stared at her kin and asked him for the boy's whereabouts.
"He goes to our same school but they sent him to a different turn . . .They assist on the afternoon classes." This time Ryoko Saotome ran at the Dojo and prepared all the latest techniques and moves her dad taught her last. The girl focused all her attention on training and becoming stronger. Even with her brother and dad's arrival, made her go and welcome them home.
Later that afternoon, a tired Ryoko left the dojo with scrapes and a sore body. Ranma stared at the girl and questioned the extra training. "I'm gettin' ready for a fight dad . . .An honorable fight." Her father blinked and went after the mother of the house.
"Kane? . . .You know anthin' about a martial arts tournament coming to Nerima?" The older woman sat at the kitchen table after cleaning the dishes from supper. Ranma entered the kitchen and saw a very worried Akane.
"Kane . . .Is everythin' all right?" The woman stared back at her husband and then moved back at the far wall. "Ranma . . .I think . . .Ryoga is back . . ." His coffee cup fell and broke against the hard floor. The once pigtailed boy, remembered that old feeling, buried in his chest.
"How . . .How do you know that?" The girl began to tear by a mental pain. "Little Rei came showing off her new boyfriend by the name of Yoshiro Hibiki . . ." This time that could not be denied. The proud father ran at the living room and looked intently at his daughter. "Ryo-Chan . . .I forbid you to go to this challenge."
The girl glared back at him and ignored his pleas for the art. "No dad . . .He is a challenge and my style requires me to accept any challenges coming my way . . .Besides . . .He's goin' down." The pride in the girl reminded him of his own and the old father could do nothing but to stare at the girl.
The old master did the best thing at his reach. Ranma focused on the old link between him and his daughter. "No-Chan? . . .Are you in town?" Crackling noises told him the girl was near by, but the silence assured him of the fanged girl's orders to keep him out of the loop.
The old man paced back at his room and sat by the bed. Akane arrived after a few minutes and stared at her husband worried. "R-Ranma . . .Are you . . ." Akane Saotome did not finish her question. Her man moved at her side and kissed her with that old passion he demonstrated long ago.
"No Akane . . .You are my wife and I've done my life with you . . .She is just . . .History." The raven-haired woman knew it was a lie, but she knew Ranma is a man of word . . .That was enough for the woman. From downstairs, the three children peeked at their parents. They never saw that unity as a couple before and that meant marital problems.
"Hey . . .Ryo-kun, what do you think is affectin' dad?" The older boy quaked in fear and thought about his idea. "I think that boy is dad's illegitimate son . . ." Ryoko-Chan brood over the idea of another family and her imagination took her to her challenge.
"Well . . .I don' care . . .I got a fight to win, see ya later." Aka-Chan bobbled her head and agreed with Ryo-kun. They left the worried couple and went to sleep for the night. The next day, Ranma left early for work at the district's city hall.
The man became a strong influence thanks to the political pull Soun had. The pigtailed master became one of the most prominent voices in the city council and he handled many of the Ward's problems. "Saotome-san . . .There are some irregularities with a group of experienced tugs working around high schools. We need someone of your . . ."Talents" to solve their differences."
The anything goes fighter attended the meeting and afterwards, left to visit some of the schools near Nerima.
The day turned out boring as usual, but at the end of it, little Nikki yelled for her cousin's new challenge. "Come one come all! . . .The greatest fight is ready for everyone! . . .My cousin, master to the anything goes martial arts style has been challenged by one of the new kids from the afternoon classes . . ."
Students and young adults picking up their little brothers and sisters, moved closer by the sheer power of persuasion from Nikki Tatewaki. The medium regular size crowd gathered and cheered at their local hero. Little Ryoko-Chan walked outside the school and kept warming up for the next fight.
From some distance away, Ryoko walked besides her children, talking about homework and the new rules from their house. The redhead pointed her finger at the redheaded boy and stared at him until he reached the crowd.
"You! . . .You faced my cousin Ayoro two days ago an' you stained the anything goes art . . .I challenge you to a fight for my school's honor." Her stance made the girl's ego inflate when the boys cheered at her speech.
Ryoko held Little Ranma back and begged him to ignore the girl. "Mom . . .Her cousin shoved Yoshi-Chan against the dirt and used his strength against her easier attitude. I was there and my sister never defended herself . . .I had to intervene. Besides . . .I'll go easy on the girl."
Ryoko felt the need to refuse, but when hearing about Yoshi, the girl looked away from her boy. "Fine, but you know the drill . . ." The boy agreed and bowed to her mother. "I know mom . . .And I like that." The redhead walked closer to the crowd and accepted the little girl's challenge.
"I will fight you, but since you are a girl . . .I'll go easy on you. What I want in return is "No" more challenges after this . . .You win I accept loosing, but if you loose . . .Leave me and my family alone . . ." The girl nodded and moved to the center of the field.
Ranma Jr. stared at the redheaded girl's moves. They were a lot more fluid then Ayoro's fighting style and Ryoko liked to intimidate her opponents with her perfect synchrony. The tiny girl crouched and fixed the height with the taller boy, after the adjustment, she launched several invisible punches first while preparing the finishing combo.
Ranma could not realize the first opening and the boy suffered every impact. By the time he reacted to the pre-emptive attack, the finishing move caught him unguarded. The boy flew against the ground a few yards away, stood up and studied not his enemy, but the fanged girl behind him.
"She closed her eyes and is checking my reactions . . .Think . . .Think on the past . . .What can history teach me that I don't already know?" The boy snapped and went back to the main fight. At first, he smiled when a pretentious redheaded girl stretched her arms up in the air and let the crowd cheer the first round.
Jr. studied his surroundings and the loose dirt between the two of them. The boy waited for the girl is winning dance and the new assault against him. Ryoko lunged with even more speed and precision, her smile made him recall his father from a long time ago and he smiled back at the prideful child.
Little Ranma closed his eyes and let the girl's attack enter at full force. The girl's devastating attack became a fast Chestnut variation with her knuckles instead and a finishing kick aimed at the boy's "in-between" legs.
"My opponent is showing off . . .She is aiming at an embarrassing point where I can get distracted by the public humiliation . . .Yes . . .So did dad against mom when they were young . . .Mom accepted the challenge and learned a stronger move but in the end dad used trickery to counter-strike. Think like dad . . .Think like him."
At the last moment, a small jump caught the girl's leg after letting the devastating fist attack in. Ryoko felt the end of her fight after the kick, but when the boy held her shoe and pulled it away, the girl slid away from Ranma and fell on her butt in a thud.
Everyone laughed at the situation and a red-faced teen got up, fixed her shoe back, and charged infuriated at her enemy. "You think that was funny? . . .You'll see!" The girl felt the close contact with the boy's face against her fist, but a simple turn around made her miscalculate and roll, passing him by and crashing against a wall.
"Damn it! . . .Stay still stupid!" The boy felt anger creep on the girl and decided to exploit her shame before her friends. "I'm still here . . .I won't move this time . . .Let's see how a pretty girl like you can best me now." That turned the red-faced teen to a raging bull and she launched a powerful blast on the boy's direction.
"Yes! . . .She released a high powered Ki attack . . .Let's see . . .Yes!, I can use my ability briefly . . .twenty seconds? . . .Well, it has to be enough." The boy saw the blast run at full speed not only against him, but some of the people in the crowd as well.
Little Ranma closed his eyes and when he opened them, everyone and everything froze in time. The boy ran at the energy ball and absorbed it, dissolving it from existence. After his counter attack, the boy rushed at the tiny redhead's side and tied her shoelaces together while holding her cheeks with his hands and kissing the girl's forehead.
Time suddenly unfroze and an ashamed girl stared at her opponent so close and kissing her, making the fighter recoil back in a hurry. Ryoko fell on her back thanks to the tied shoelaces and panicked when the boy was on top of her. Little Ranma moved even closer and the redhead's face blushed intensively.
Ryo-Chan looked away while covering her face with her arm and the boy smiled at her. "Your down and I can finish you when I please . . .Accept defeat girl." The boy turned around and walked away from the looser while one or two of the people in the crowd demanded their winnings by betting on the boy.
Nikki sweat dropped and paid her first loosing bet. The girl walked by a still hiccupping redhead and patted her on the back. "Well Ryo-Chan . . .We can't win'em all . . ."
Little Ranma's mom smiled at the boy and nod her acceptance. "Good one son . . .Told you, guts and brains before power . . .That's my boy." The fight was over, the redheaded girl walked home ashamed by her first loosing challenge and Ryoko and her children reinitiated in the second class, after principal Kuno scolded them.