This little piece of insanity is the reason I'm posting now.
The idea behind it was a question I asked myself:
How could someone slot several series together without actually disrupting the various
canon for each?
Here, in about 43k of text, is my answer.
I even had something akin to a prereader for this, although we don't know how it really
happened.
So I'd like to thank Louis-Philippe Giroux dragon@fanfic.net for his input. Go
read Lines Of Destiny at:
http://www.anime.sobhrach.com/~dragon/lines/lines.html
C&C to cobalt@elhazard.net please, Flames to /dev/null.
Standard disclaimers apply. I don't own the series depicted within, but go buy them anyway.
Conventions:
~ ~ are used for thoughts and Telepathic communications.
'-kun' and '-chan' will be used to denote Male and Female where appropriate.
This fic is archived at:
My page http://www.lum.co.uk/cobalt/
Phu's Anime Page http://members.nbci.com/phu_lam/
----------------
The Web of Chaos
----------------
########
Prologue
########
The Creator was bored.
This happened a lot. Simply a consequence of too much free time. I mean, once you don't
have to worry about running the Universe(s) you've created, all that extra available time
seems (if you'll pardon the pun) a godsend.
Thus, The Creator, Who preferred the male aspect of Kami-sama (He liked having the hair)
at the present time, got bored from lack of things too do. Sure He could intervene at time,
trying to liven things up, but He couldn't go down and walk among His creations. At least
not all that often.
'With great power comes great responsibility.' He pondered on those words. It looked like
He'd created a Universal Truth or two.
He sighed, and looked down upon three of his daughters, and the most worthy mortal who
had brought them there, sleeping in a temple in Nekomi. It was fun there, He noted, but
things were settling down.
He cast his gaze wider, to Juuban in Tokyo. This little group in the area seemed likely to
succeed in the Destiny He had created for them. Things were going well, and were fun.
On to Nerima. Lots of fun here, but there was the possibility of problems. He might even
have to poke someone in the right direction. Jusenkyo had been a worthy idea after all.
A tang of power brought His attention to a shrine in the mountains. Yes, this could be a
problem. Things definitely needed working on.
He blinked, as he noticed a near-collapsed thread of Destiny trailing from the shrine to a
school in Shininome. Ah yes, this little play. It reminded Him much of His Daughter and her
boyfriend.
Kami-sama's gaze wondered the world, seeking out those special individuals and looking to
see if there was fun to be had. It should be noted Kami-sama does not allow Himself to view
the future so He can keep things interesting.
When he felt the nightmare rip through the mind of one of His Daughters on the mortal
plane, He was justifiably intrigued. He watched the vision, then sent Her back to a peaceful
sleep.
Long did Kami-sama ponder the vision. Destiny was under threat. Something needed to be
done. If He handled this right, the danger would be averted and He would see such fun as
He'd not seen in Days.
Kami-sama smiled to Himself. Let the games begin.
***
"Urd," Keiichi sighed exasperatedly, "I know you were trying to help but..."
He turned to look sadly at the pile of parts that had once been an engine.
Megumi shook her head in wonder. Keiichi, her brother, had been living with not one, or
two, but THREE goddesses. For nearly 18 months. With this sort of thing going on. And
still he somehow managed to be, well, Keiichi. Megumi just about freaked when she'd found
out about it last month. Over the past month she'd met Peorth AND Mara, seen magic up
close and personal, had Urd try to set her up, had Skuld try to beat her in another Robot Wars
competition AND have to have Belldandy over for a Girls night at her place.
The Middle Goddess herself turned up at that moment, took one look at the three blackened
figures, and sighed.
"Urd, I'd believed you had learned not to bother Keiichi with his projects." She said.
"I'm getting bored around here. I want to do SOMETHING to help."
"Get a Job?" Megumi suggested. "With all those concoctions of yours..." Urd frowned at
the word concoctions, "... I'm sure you could find some work with Chemistry."
The look on Urd's face did not encourage Keiichi, so he used all his knowledge of her and
said something he was already sure he'd regret.
"How about as a teacher? All those students..." He left it hanging.
Only Belldandy saw the new respect Urd suddenly had towards her Keiichi at that moment.
"I'll try." The Elder Goddess said, before walking in to grab the newspaper. She wouldn't
have admitted it, but she was learning a bit more control these days, mostly to stop herself
from hurting Keiichi and now Megumi.
Maybe if she could get Megumi a wish... Aha! Furinkan High School in Nerima needed a
Chemistry teacher. The requirement for combat skills was odd though...
Kami-sama was pleased.
***
Usagi was wailing, a regular occurrence around her friends. The reason why, however, was
surprising to even the unflappable Setsuna.
"Whaa! We've destroyed the school!"
The rest of the senshi sweatdropped. This from Usagi?
"Why are you so upset?" Ami asked. "It's not like school's in at the moment."
"But I'll have to get up so much earlier to go to school while it's being rebuilt!"
Minako paled.
"Dear Lord! I didn't realise!" The blond-hared Senshi trembled.
The rest just sighed. Figures.
***
"I'm gonna die." Makoto Mizuhara muttered to himself, then chuckled slightly.
Across the table Ifurita raised an eyebrow.
"What's wrong?" She asked. She'd have thought that Makoto would have been pleased she
was getting a job.
"Remember that discussion we had last Tuesday?"
Ifurita did, then sighed.
"I would see that it would be a problem. Student-Teacher relationships would be against the
rules. I'll phone him back and explain the situation."
Makoto picked at his food. At least they'd got Ifurita to 90% of operating capacity. She
could run at full battle mode for 4 days, and survive on normal food for extended periods
now. He looked up as she came back in from the hall of the apartment they shared now. The
Demon-God had a puzzled look on her face.
"He said 'Da big Kahuna is in dat seat as well man. It be no problem.' then something
about Pineapples."
Makoto looked at her, then shrugged.
"Fine." He didn't want to ask.
***
~ Why oh why do they have to be visiting now, of all times? ~ Tenchi despaired as he
climbed the stairs to the shrine office. He knew his Grandfather and Great-grandmother
would be there, as would Washu and probably his Great-great-aunt. But the forms HAD to
be sent off today.
"Come in Tenchi." His Grandfather's voice came through the door.
"Um. Sorry to disturb you Grandfather, Washu-chan, Your Majesties." Tenchi apologised,
then turned towards the priest. "I need to talk to you in private Grandfather." He paused.
"Now." The last word stressed the urgency.
"Later Tenchi."
"So you WANT the Ministry to come here then?" Tenchi quickly countered. "Stop putting
the things off or I'll carry through with that idea of mine."
The three ladies saw Yosho tense up.
"Fine. Hand them here." The priest turned to his guests. "This will only take a minute."
Tenchi waited until he'd made sure his Grandfather had filled in and signed the forms,
before taking them back.
"See? That wasn't so bad." Tenchi told the older man, before bowing respectfully and
leaving.
"What was that about?" Washu asked.
"His school forms." Yosho replied.
Funaho calmly sipped her tea.
"I believe our previous discussion can be put to one side for the moment. I feel we need to
discuss things relevant to what has just occurred."
***
Kami-sama watched all this and smiled. Things were turning out nicely. Just one more
twist...
***
"NANI!?!"
Belldandy, Megumi and Keiichi looked up from their meal at the shout from Skuld.
"I wonder what's got her all riled up?" Keiichi asked as the sounds of arguing came
floating in.
They waited a little while before an angry Skuld slouched into the room.
"What's the matter Skuld?" Belldandy asked.
"Kami-sama decided I've got to go to school." Skuld sulked. "It's all set up."
"Which school?" Megumi asked.
"Furinkan High School in Nerima."
Keiichi put his head in his hands and groaned.
"What is it Keiichi?" Belldandy asked worriedly.
"It's the school that Urd just got a job at."
Megumi got a bad feeling about this...
***
Toltiir looked down at what was happening around the popular bunch of mortals in Nerima
and almost had what would count as a combination heart attack and severe stroke, or
apoplexy, from sheer excitement alone.
"Recording equipment..." The feline god murmured. Then he passed out.
Kami-sama had the presence of mind to switch on the anti-sound field around His office
before doubling over in laughter.
#########
Chapter 1
#########
Tenchi walked along the street towards the school, ignoring the two ladies behind him. Of
course They would do something like this to him.
So deep in thought about everything that could go wrong, he didn't notice the raving lunatic
at the gates until he walked into the boken.
"Hold Knave! Who dares have the effrontery to ignore me?"
~ Oh Great. ~ Tenchi could feel Ryoko and Ayeka powering up. He raised a hand and
waved them off. He looked up to see the person holding the boken looking down with
arrogance. His assailant was wearing what Tenchi expected, a kendo outfit.
"Hello Kuno." Tenchi replied darkly.
***
Ranma, Akane and Nabiki were heading to school together. Nabiki was usually alone at
this time, but Ranma had pointed out that they all had a better chance of avoiding Kuno if
they came early.
"Looks like we were wrong." Akane groaned as the gates came into view.
"I wonder who the guy Kuno's focusing on is." Nabiki added.
When they were close enough they began paying attention to the drama at the school gates.
The guy Kuno was haranguing finally looked up.
"Hello Kuno."
The three of them blinked as Kuno paled and took a step back.
"So! The Dark Warlord comes to these hallowed halls. The Heavens are with me! Prepare
to meet thy doom Tenchi Masaki!"
"Ten-chan?" Ranma whispered in shock.
The two Tendo sisters were stunned when they felt the gale of Ranma running at full speed.
The idiotic kendoist had barely raised his weapon when he was restrained rather forcefully.
"I really wouldn't do that if I were you Kuno." Ranma growled.
"The foul magus Saotome as well. I will smite thee later." Kuno pronounced, trying to free
his weapon.
Ranma ignored him and cheerily greeted the other young man.
"Hiya Ten-chan! Been a long time."
Tenchi blinked. Only one person had ever called him that.
"Ran-chan?"
He got a smiling nod.
Ryoko and Ayeka were confused. First off by being asked to back off. Second was the fact
Tenchi KNEW the idiot with the boken. Third was that Tenchi LOATHED him. Tenchi had
never hated anyone while they'd known him. Fourth was a young man in a red and black
outfit who knew Tenchi well enough to call him Ten-chan.
"I think I recognise him." Ryoko whispered to her purple-hared companion. "Tenchi's
cousin I think."
"You know Mr. Samurai Film here?" Tenchi asked.
"Old Blue Blunder? Yeah. Goes for Shakespeare at the moment." Ranma wrenched the
boken out of Kuno's grip and tossed it to Tenchi.
"Dark sorcery was how you won after all." Kuno glared at Tenchi. "And ensnaring fair
maidens like your demonic accomplice. You will be defeated by my hand..." The deranged
kendoist was really working up a full head of steam, ranting and raving as was his wont to do.
Ranma and Tenchi looked at each other before Tenchi ripped into Kuno with an
astonishingly complex kata. Ranma followed up with a vertical hurricane kick, launching the
kendoist.
"Hey Ten-chan, watch this." Ranma said before gathering his chi.
Kuno was on the downward arc of his flight when Ranma unleashed his chi blast.
"Mouko Takabisha!"
"Nice." Tenchi whistled.
There was a chuckle behind them.
"There definitely no doubting your entrances now Tenchi, is there?"
Tenchi turned to face the young man behind him, and allowed himself a small smile.
"Hi Makoto. You come here too?"
Makoto shrugged.
"Starting today."
Tenchi made the introductions.
"Makoto Mizuhara, Ranma Saotome."
"C'mon you guys." Ranma said. "You don't want to be late in this school."
***
While Ranma was playing, two young ladies were stood there looking confused.
"What do you think that was about?" Akane asked her older sister.
"I'll find out." Nabiki answered.
"Akane-chan? Nabiki-chan?" A voice asked from behind them.
They turned round.
"Ami-chan!?!" They exclaimed.
Ami Mizuno smiled embarrassedly at the two. Behind her was a large group of girls,
looking slightly stunned.
"We haven't seen you in ages. How have you been?" Akane asked.
Nabiki was smiling her rare warm smile.
"C'mon Sis, you can tell us."
"SIS?!?" Most of the group behind exploded.
Ami sighed. Nabiki would have to say that out loud.
"Long story."
"We'd better get to class." Rei said.
"There seems to be someone blocking the way." Makoto pointed out.
"Ranma should clear the gates in a few seconds." Nabiki shrugged.
"Ranma?" Rei asked, interested. "As in Ranma Saotome?"
The Senshi wondered why the two Tendo's tensed up.
"Um. Yeah." Akane answered. "Why?"
Rei smiled.
"Rei Hino. I'm his cousin."
Again the Senshi wondered as the two girls relaxed.
"Come on. You don't want to be late." Akane warned them.
Minako blinked.
"Why?"
"They're my friends Nabiki." Ami warned, knowing what Nabiki's reaction to an
information request would be. She wondered if it was instinctive.
"I'll get some dossiers to you at 500 yen each." The elder Tendo replied. "Lunch do?"
"Quarter price?" Akane said as they made their way into school. "There's some hope for
you yet."
Michiru blinked, then turned to Haruka.
"I'm getting a really bad feeling about this." She told her lover, then stopped and stared
along with the other Senshi at the chi attack Ranma launched.
"I think Setsuna would have a bad feeling." Haruka replied.
***
Most of the new body of students were wondering why Principal Kuno was wearing a loud
Hawaiian shirt and apparently had a palm tree on top of his head. Tenchi, Ayeka and Ryoko
just sighed and thought the same thing upon hearing his name.
~ Figures. ~
"Da Big Kahuna is real pleased to introduce to you new teachers!" He ignored the groan
from the regular student body and gestured to the side of the hall. A curtain rose.
Tenchi, Makoto and Skuld were the only ones even remotely ready for the sight behind the
curtain.
Most of the male student body began to drool. The female student body began to fume.
The old student body groaned inwardly, remembering Hinako-sensei. The Senshi considered
a collective facefault. Ayeka and Ryoko considered doing the same.
"Meioh-sensei is da new History teacher." Principal Kuno started off at the far end of the
row. The Senshi of Time sat there calmly, wearing a smart business suit. The only odd thing
was the skirt had bee modified to allow greater ease of movement. It also allowed an
enhanced view of the Senshi's long legs, which caused no end of consternation for the
student body.
"Urd-sensei be da new Chemistry teacher, but be also helping out with languages and
history." The bronze-skinned, platinum-hared Goddess was wearing a luxurious, gold
embroidered navy-blue Chinese dress, which was cut in typical Urd fashion. Slit high on the
hips to show off her legs, low cut at the neck to show off her bosom and tight to enhance her
figure. The fact that Urd could prance about like a showgirl in a leotard was not noticed. She
also came fully charged, with four moon bracelets and a necklace whose stones would allow
her instant access to her weapons in a real emergency.
"Ifurita-sensei be doing Math and da new Computer Science lessons." The El-Hazardian
Demon-God was dressed casually in a plain white blouse, tight blue jeans, trainers and jacket.
The ensemble made her seem like an ordinary, if stunning, young woman. She had tied her
pale-blue hair back into a simple ponytail and wore a light amount of makeup, which had the
net effect of relaxing the young ladies of Furinkan. It didn't hurt that Makoto had fully
charged her that morning.
"Professor Washu be new head of Science in school." The only really noticeable thing
about Washu was the fact she was in adult form. Of course this didn't really matter in a
school where Hinako-sensei was a member of staff, but Washu did want to keep up
appearances. Other than that, Washu was wearing one of her typical outfits; Red waistcoat
over white blouse and skirt and tights. Being adult did have one other effect, that of the
waistcoat being near skin tight.
The sum total of those four on stage together was roughly the same as twelve Miss
Hinako's.
"I be sure you welcome them to school!"
Ranma summed up the general feeling.
"Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse."
***
Hotaru watched the girl with the sky-blue hair and twin long pigtails and came to a decision.
"Chibi-Usa, I think we should go talk to her."
Chibi-Usa sighed. She'd figured that her friend would do that. She had come to that
decision a while ago, and had been trying to figure out where she'd seen someone like her
while Hotaru made up her mind.
"OK. She does look lonely."
Sasami looked up when two shadows fell over her, to see two smiling faces.
"Hi!" Chibi-Usa started. "I'm Chibi-Usa and this is Hotaru. What's your name?"
"Um. Sasami." The azure-hared princess replied nervously.
"Well Sasami," Hotaru said. "You look lonely. Want some friends?"
Deep inside the little princess Tsunami did a quick scan. Then did another one to make sure
the readings she got were correct.
~ Tsunami: Go for it! ~
Sasami brightened up.
"Sure!" She smiled.
***
"My learned Beauty...!" Kuno cried, leaping forward ALA Happosai.
KER-ZAP!
Urd shook her head sadly.
"What have I told you about hitting on a teacher, Kuno-san?" She told the twitching,
blackened mass on the floor.
Haruka and Michiru were developing nervous twitches while Nabiki just sighed.
"Three times in one lesson. That's a new record for you, isn't it Kuno-baby?"
Kuno groaned.
***
The English class was not going well. Ever since Hinako-sensei had entered the room in
chibi form, one of the new boys near the front had been making snide comments. Finally
Hinako-sensei lost patience.
"Silence delinquent, or I'll punish you!"
"How are you going to do that little girl?" The boy sneered. "Cry and run to your
mommy?"
This was, of course, the WRONG thing to say.
Makoto-chan and Minako looked on in shock as Hinako-sensei drained the chi from the boy
who had been insulting her, turning adult and causing the other new boys to drool.
"I'm glad I'm good at English." Minako muttered.
***
Ifurita picked up the young man she'd just stunned and placed him back in his seat. The
fact she had done this without getting up from her desk at the front did not go unnoticed by
the class.
"I wonder how she did that?" Ayeka muttered.
"Interesting isn't it?" Ryoko agreed.
The two of them were in a different class to Tenchi, surprisingly at their own request.
"I wonder how many elements she can control?" Rei pondered on the other side of Ayeka
as a ball of water formed in front of the poor unfortunate and squirted him awake. She'd seen
stranger things as a Senshi, but this school was starting to give her a headache.
***
Skuld had thoroughly enjoyed her science class with Professor Washu. She had not been as
stimulated as when the Professor dropped a statue onto the head of someone who wasn't
paying attention. Wondering how the redhead had got it to stay there had occupied her
enough so that she didn't get bored with the schoolwork.
~ You know, this might not be all bad after all. ~ The young goddess thought to herself.
***
Tenchi, Makoto-kun, Ami and Usagi had ended up in the same class as Ranma and Akane.
And absolutely nothing had happened since the start of the lesson.
Even Makoto-kun and Tenchi, being good students, were bored and they could tell.
"Ranma Saotome prepare to die!" Ryoga yelled as he jumped in the window, shattering it.
"Jeez Ryoga! What is it now?" Ranma dodged then jump kicked himself and opponent out
the now broken window.
There were a few moments of silence before Ami turned to Akane.
"This happen a lot?" She asked blandly.
Akane sighed.
"I'm afraid so."
"Y'know," Makoto-kun observed, "boredom sounds very appealing about now."
"Yeah." Tenchi sighed.
***
Lunch time. And a very large group had gathered to one side, busily eating and getting to
know each other. When the group in question contained seven Senshi, four of the Nerima
wrecking crew, two members of alien royalty, one former most-wanted space pirate and one
dimensional traveller, Fate might as well have painted a great big bulls-eye on the table.
Nabiki had brought 20 dossiers on the school to the table. She now had 10000 yen in her
pocket.
"Ran-chan? What's this about a curse?" Tenchi asked. Ukyo fumed at the fact that
someone else called Ranma Ran-chan.
Ranma sighed at the intent looks he was receiving. Rei in particular was intent on hearing
this.
"First off, do you believe in magic?" He asked the group around him.
"With the Sailor Senshi around, who doesn't?" Makoto-chan said.
"They actually exist?" Nabiki exclaimed.
"Oh yes." Ami answered.
"Well there's this place in China called Jusenkyo." Ranma explained. "It has these cursed
springs that change whoever falls into them into what last drowned there. Pops and me went
there on our training trip. He fell in the Spring of Drowned Panda and I..." He reached over
and splashed himself with cold water, "...fell in the Spring of Drowned Girl." She finished.
Rei, who was staring in a mixture of fascination and horror, broke the silence.
"So you've had an eventful life cousin?" She asked, voice cracking a bit.
"Too eventful." Ranma-chan replied. "Pops has caused me no end of trouble."
"Like the three engagements." Nabiki pointed out.
"Isn't the illegal?" Haruka asked.
"Tell them that." Ranma-chan groused.
"You have girl problems too?" Makoto-kun and Tenchi asked. The three of them blinked,
looked at each other, then put their hands in their heads in defeat.
"You know, Ranma looks pretty good in his cursed form." Minako pointed out. Ranma-
chan's head snapped up.
"Don't. Even. Go. There." She growled. The voice made Pluto sound warm and inviting.
"Um, Mina-chan?" Usagi asked. "Did you read this bit?" She pointed to the section on
Tatewaki Kuno and read it out. "Kuno is currently fixated on Akane Tendo and his 'Pig-
tailed Goddess'."
The rest of the group looked at the depressed Ranma-chan.
"Oops." Minako said. "I'm sorry Ranma."
Akane grabbed some hot water and poured it over Ranma's head, changing him back.
"At least Mousse and Shampoo haven't turned up." He sighed.
***
Setsuna looked down from her window seat and sighed. The time stream had been altered
to this path from it's previous one, and nothing she could do would turn it back. It was if the
Gods themselves had... No, she would have felt their presence. That left one choice.
~ I better do my research very quickly. ~ She realised resignedly. There was NO way she
could reverse this.
Across the room Ifurita sat, stirring an unhealthy amount of sugar into her ultra-strong
coffee. She didn't need it, but it felt the right thing to do. Apparently there were at least two
aliens and one near human with an odd but strong power signature. From the telepathic link
she now shared with Makoto, she'd have yet more information on this unusual school at
home tonight.
~ I wonder if I could risk an active sensor scan? ~ She mused.
Urd would have been bouncing in delight, if she hadn't done a brief mind scan of her
classes. It drained away all her enthusiasm for matchmaking.
~ The Senshi survived? Dear Kami-sama! I shudder to think what it cost Serenity... ~ She
briefly paused to stop the feelings of grief from rising again. ~ I don't blame Him for
keeping this quiet. If Hell knew... ~ Memories of her brief time as the Lord of Terror told
her more than she wanted to know about this. Peorth might not like Bell, but she needed at
least two First class goddesses to set up the wards. Heck, if it involved helping THAT little
group, the two of them would happily sleep together. A brief vision of involving Keiichi and
those two rocked even her experienced mind.
Washu slouched in a resigned depression.
~ It's all so...so... Primitive! ~ She complained.
At least she'd tagged one power source of interest. The readings felt hauntingly familiar to
her though. The girl she'd tagged also seemed to be very, VERY good at science. Ah well,
setting up and hiding from that Tendo girl Nabiki would take some work. An interesting
specimen that one.
Unknowingly, the four of them simultaneously decided to risk an active scan at the same
moment. Looking at each other cautiously, they sized each other up before Setsuna beckoned
them over to the table she was sitting at.
"I think we need to discuss a few things..." She said.
***
During his stay in El Hazard, Makoto had developed a taste for the open air. None of his
friends had said anything, but he guessed they approved that he didn't spend all his time nose
down in books.
"Ah my fair young bloom. Thy raven hair and pale skin accentuate thine exotic air."
~ That sounded like that idiot... Kuno, wasn't it? ~ Makoto thought as he turned to see
what was happening a few metres away. ~ I think I should go help the lady. ~
Skuld was rapidly moving from shock to anger as she watched Kuno perform his speech.
"May I perchance know the name of this otherworldly beauty?"
She could sense the fleeting affection the kendoist, and felt insulted by the idiot.
"Is there a problem?" A second voice asked from the side. The man (and he was a man,
despite wearing the uniform of the school. Skuld wondered what he was doing here) who
had spoken had an intelligence, a warmth and a kindness the...the...BAKA in front of her
most definitely lacked. Also he'd caused said baka to go into a spluttering indignant fury
with just his first sentence, a plus point or twenty in her eyes.
"Makoto Mizuhara, Second year." He introduced himself.
"Skuld Fairchild, First year." She replied.
Makoto turned to Kuno. "Is this the way a third year student typically acts?" He asked.
"Accosting first year students like no more than a common bully? I'd have thought you
would know better Upperclassman... Kuno, isn't it?"
"How dare you interrupt me, foul miscreant! Such beauty should not be defiled by contact
with such as you!" Kuno spat.
Makoto saw Skuld pull out a strange sphere with tubes looped over it. It felt like a bomb.
Powerful too.
"I believe the lady can speak for herself." Makoto replied and backed away as Kuno turned
his attention back to the girl.
"Thank you for your concern." Skuld said sweetly, prompting Makoto to take a few MORE
steps away. "As a token of my appreciation, please accept this." She handed him the ball.
"Oh Beauteous Flower," Kuno spewed forth, not noticing Skuld quickly join Makoto a safe
distance away, "Mine heart is filled-"
The explosion blasted Kuno into the sky, apparently heading for Near Earth Orbit and
preventing them from finding out just what Kuno's heart was filled with. Much to their
relief.
"Not bad." Makoto commented absently, watching the speck.
"Do you think the yield was too high?" Skuld asked as Kuno disappeared over the horizon.
The two of them looked at each other.
"Nah." They said in unison.
"How weird can this place get?" Skuld wondered as the two of them walked back into
school.
"Maybe I should introduce you to Nabiki." Makoto replied. "She'll have a few spare
dossiers available. But it'll cost you." He warned.
"If it stops things like that happening again, I'll pay."
***
Hotaru, Chibi-Usa and Sasami were having a nice conversation when the shadow fell over
them. The three of them were getting along very well.
A gang of boys loomed over them. The largest sneered.
"Well lookie here. The freak decided to come back." He jeered.
A little way away Miss Hanaka sighed. Poor Hotaru, every time she seemed to have a bit of
luck this happened. She moved to head it off, but sped up as one of the bullies raised his fist.
"Leave her alone!" The blue-hared little girl yelled as she got in the way. Sasami Masaki
wasn't it? She was going to get hurt.
"Aw, ain't that sweet." The boy who was obviously the leader said as Sasami faced him off.
"The freak's girlfriend will protwect her." He babied the sentence up to really insult her, then
lunged. He was rather surprised that the weak little girl wasn't there.
Sasami ducked under and left of the attempted punch, jabbing her left fist hard into the
leader's stomach before dropping low and sweeping his leg out from under him. The boy
landed hard and didn't get his breath back before Sasami put her foot to his throat.
"That's enough Masaki-san." Miss Hanaka said, more calmly than she felt. Who'd let a
practising martial artist into school?
"Sorry Hanaka-sensei." Sasami said nervously. She hadn't practised for a while now, so
didn't know if she'd controlled herself enough.
~ Why do I feel that bullying will be a thing of the past? ~ Miss Hanaka thought.
***
The four new teachers trudged back into the staff room after sorting out the mess in the
lunch hall. Shampoo had come to visit her 'Airen' with lunch. With Skuld at the table, said
lunch was quickly found to be drugged. Close behind that discovery was the arrival of
Mousse.
Insert typical Nerima chaos at this point. You get the idea.
"He must have been using some sort of subspace technique." Washu muttered. "How else
could he have carried all that?"
"I wonder how that girl turned into a cat." A rather frazzled Setsuna put in. She'd known
that Jusenkyo existed, and that people cursed there transformed when splashed with water.
But this was the first time she'd personally seen it happen. The main reason she was frazzled
was the fact that a Jusenkyo cursed person tended to warp probability fairly severely.
"Rather strange style that Girl, um Boy, used." Ifurita noted. She wondered if she wanted
to learn a style that allowed you to slice through tables at a distance, especially given the
obvious drawbacks involved.
"The Neko-Ken." Urd said darkly. "I'm going to bring up his parents on child abuse
charges."
"Why?" Washu asked.
"Because the training is barbaric." Urd shuddered. "I suggest we keep him away from cats
for the time being."
Setsuna sat carefully and gently touched her shoulder. She winced.
"I'm out of practice." She complained.
"That Bo work was very good." Ifurita complimented her fellow teacher. "But nobody
could have dodged all that rubble."
"Where did that guy with the bandanna go anyway?" Urd asked, remembering how he had
exploded the wall to enter. She hadn't smelled any explosive compounds.
"Been dealing with the local delinquents I see." Miss Hinako said as she entered the room
in adult form. She headed over to the coffee pot and poured herself one, before sitting down
herself. The others only found it slightly strange when she shrunk down to her child form.
"But I think you should know that things can get worse." The girl-teacher added. "But at
least the jobs never boring."
Ifurita seriously considered hitting the child with a cushion.
***
Physical Education.
A game of softball for the girls, athletics for the boys. Nice, simple and peaceful.
Oops, sorry. Wrong school. Don't know where that came from.
Furinkan High School had known weirdness. But the girls staring at the guys for a change
WAS strange.
Makoto-kun was running round the track, admiring eyes following.
Ranma was on the bars, showing a grace and power that some of the girls found irresistible.
Tenchi was pole-vaulting. Without the mat to break his fall. He didn't seem to mind.
In fact, the three of them were, ever so slightly, showing off. Makoto was on his eighth lap
in about 7 minutes, Tenchi was approaching seven metres and Ranma looked like he was
readying himself for a gold medal.
Thus a fair number of the girls were drooling. Those not drooling were playing something
like softball. Some bright spark had put Ayeka and Ryoko on the same team as Akane and
Makoto-chan. Most of the time the other team was getting out of the way as some very fast
balls came at them.
"That wasn't a game." Rei said as that team came off the field. "It was a slaughter." She
shrugged. "Not that anybody else noticed." She added quietly, looking over with disgust at
the drooling Minako and Usagi. Even Ami was looking in that direction, though she was
surreptitiously using the Mercury computer to scan them. Some of the readings were
unbelievable, so she kept quiet. Besides, there was that file Nabiki-chan had provided. It
wouldn't be long before she had a lot more on the new students.
~ I'd better warn the others. ~ Ami thought. ~ Nabiki-chan is more than capable of
finding out our secret. And selling it to the highest bidder. ~
"O HOHOHOHOHOHO!!!!" The laugh cut through the daydreams of most of the students.
"What the hell was that?" Minako asked.
Akane and Ukyo just sighed.
"Kodachi." They said.
Ranma was already shuddering. Couldn't he get through a single day without encountering
the damn crazy Kuno family? Boken-boy was bad enough.
"Ranma-sama!" The deranged gymnast called as she landed in a swirl of black rose petals,
twirling her ribbon.
Tenchi walked up to his cousin.
"Friend of yours?" He asked.
"Don't start Ten-chan." Ranma complained.
Kodachi took one step forward, and the ground exploded from underneath her. When the
smoke cleared a blackened and burnt young woman stood there, blinked a few times, then
collapsed.
Ranma looked over at the skinny group of boys that comprised the chemistry club.
"I thought you guys cleared up all those mines!" He called.
Ami watched this, got up and walked over to Akane.
"So..." She asked. "Is it always like this?"
"Nah." Akane replied, not noticing Ami's expression of relief before continuing. "Today's
pretty tame."
She definitely heard Ami's body hitting the ground in a faint.
***
Early evening.
School had been out for hours. Homework had been done (or attempted at least) and dinner
was being served.
"Wow." That was all Hotaru could say at the experiences of her foster parents.
"Well that's one way of putting it Hotaru-chan." Haruka muttered loudly. She turned on
Setsuna. "I very much doubt this was in your plans."
"It wasn't." Setsuna admitted. "But I can't undo what has been done, so we must live with
it."
***
Ifurita closed her copy of the dossier Makoto had bought her, sat back, and tried to sum up
the situation.
"I think..."
"Hum?" Makoto prompted her.
"I think 'Oh Shit' would be the appropriate response."
"We must have faced worse." Makoto scoffed.
Ifurita turned to look her love in the eyes.
"Not by much."
***
Skuld was busy at her computer, trying to get a handle on the information in the dossier
open beside her. Unfortunately, most of the files on Jusenkyo were locked.
In the dining room Urd was waiting for Bell to come back in from the kitchen. Keiichi was
outside with Megumi working on an engine.
Belldandy came into the room to pick up the remaining tea things, but paused as she felt
Urd's privacy spell snap into being around her.
"Urd!" She rounded on her older sister.
"Put the pots down, come over here and sit down LITTLE sister." Urd said calmly. She
hated having to pull seniority like this.
The raw seriousness in Urd's voice, not to mention the sheer power she had put into the
privacy spell, really got Belldandy's attention.
"What is it sister?" Bell asked in a worried tone.
"Certain...information has come to my attention concerning a...certain group Hell would do
ANYTHING to...neutralise. As the only Class 1 deity available, I'm going to have to bring
you in on this. I want your promise that you will not tell anyone but Kami-sama about this,
unless that being happens to be part of our group."
"Urd, you're scaring me."
"Good." The Goddess of the Past stared hard at her younger sister, the Goddess of the
Present. "I need that promise."
"I promise, as a Goddess First class, not to divulge any of the information I am about to
receive to anyone other than Kami-sama or a member of the group dealing with this."
Belldandy didn't pay attention to the 'click' she felt at that pronouncement. She was curious
and a little scared at the measures Urd was taking.
Urd nodded slowly and said three words.
"The Senshi survived."
To Belldandy, Urd might as well have pronounced the end of the world.
"All...all of them?" She asked weakly.
"Yes, all eight plus the Prince of Earth and the Moon Princess."
Bell leaned on the table to stop from fainting.
"Also," Urd added, "There are a lot of individuals of high power there."
"How high?" The Goddess of the Present whispered hoarsely. She wasn't sure how much
more she could take.
"Several at deity level and one I'm not sure on. Maybe class zero equivalent."
Bell just nodded.
"I assume you want wards put up."
It was Urd's turn to nod.
"I'm going to need help." Bell pointed out.
"I thought as much. We'd better discuss this."
Belldandy could only agree.
***
Ranma was in a good mood. This helped in his major thrashing of his father during practice
that evening. Nodoka noticed this, and the unusual good-natured smirk Nabiki was wearing.
Even Akane seemed more pleasant than usual.
"So son," Nodoka opened the conversation, "Have a good day at school?"
"Yeah Mom. Ten-chan and Rei started at Furinkan today." The pig-tailed boy replied,
absently deflecting his father's attempts to steal food from his plate.
"And Ami-chan also started today Kasumi." Akane told her eldest sister.
"That's wonderful!" Kasumi exclaimed, avoiding the waterfalls of joy coming from her
father. Seeing the Saotome Matriarch's puzzled expression, she explained. "Ami-chan is
Akane's god-sister, but we all treat her as part of the family." The mood of the Tendo sisters
turned solemn. "Ami helped us out of some dark times."
Nabiki turned to Ranma.
"How about your relatives?"
"Well, Tenchi's my cousin from pops side. In a fight between him and Kuno, I'd bet Tenchi
by a mile." Ranma put on a nasty grin. "I reckon Ten-chan's grandpa could thrash Cologne
and Happosai, hands down."
"What makes you say that?"
"Pops is about as scared of him as the old pervert."
"Ah yes, Masaki-san." Nodoka smiled. "I wonder if I should restart my lessons?"
"Saotome?" Soun asked his friend.
"Yes Tendo?" Genma replied.
"Don't anger your wife."
"Believe me, I know that all too well."
Ranma continued.
"Rei's from my mom's side of the family. I think she's training to be a Shinto shrine
priestess." He grimaced. "The curse kinda spooked her today."
"She'll get used to it." Nabiki predicted.
***
In some other place, a presence stirred. It could feel power, power it craved, coming from
outside...this place. Information, that's what it needed if it was to get the power.
And slowly, it prepared
----------
groan
The things I do...
The inspirations for this fic are too varied to list, but the major ones are...
Ah! Megami-sensei (A!MG/Ranma Xover in a Teenagers from Outer Space setting) by Peter Ward.
http://www.best.com/~falcon/fanfics.htm
Lines of Destiny (See the top of this post)
(Note: I'm a number and a Human Being! ;)
Happy Ever After...? (El Haz/A!MG) by Barry Cadwgan.
Shin Ranma Muyo! (Ranma/Tenchi) by Achariyth.
Oh! My Brother (A!MG Self Insert) & God's Toy (Oh! My Brother Xover) by Chris Angel.
http://angel.megami.net
Toltiir was created by Gregg Sharp for The Bet series.
http://metroanime.home.mindspring.com/
shrug
It seemed right.
The idea behind it was a question I asked myself:
How could someone slot several series together without actually disrupting the various
canon for each?
Here, in about 43k of text, is my answer.
I even had something akin to a prereader for this, although we don't know how it really
happened.
So I'd like to thank Louis-Philippe Giroux dragon@fanfic.net for his input. Go
read Lines Of Destiny at:
http://www.anime.sobhrach.com/~dragon/lines/lines.html
C&C to cobalt@elhazard.net please, Flames to /dev/null.
Standard disclaimers apply. I don't own the series depicted within, but go buy them anyway.
Conventions:
~ ~ are used for thoughts and Telepathic communications.
'-kun' and '-chan' will be used to denote Male and Female where appropriate.
This fic is archived at:
My page http://www.lum.co.uk/cobalt/
Phu's Anime Page http://members.nbci.com/phu_lam/
----------------
The Web of Chaos
----------------
########
Prologue
########
The Creator was bored.
This happened a lot. Simply a consequence of too much free time. I mean, once you don't
have to worry about running the Universe(s) you've created, all that extra available time
seems (if you'll pardon the pun) a godsend.
Thus, The Creator, Who preferred the male aspect of Kami-sama (He liked having the hair)
at the present time, got bored from lack of things too do. Sure He could intervene at time,
trying to liven things up, but He couldn't go down and walk among His creations. At least
not all that often.
'With great power comes great responsibility.' He pondered on those words. It looked like
He'd created a Universal Truth or two.
He sighed, and looked down upon three of his daughters, and the most worthy mortal who
had brought them there, sleeping in a temple in Nekomi. It was fun there, He noted, but
things were settling down.
He cast his gaze wider, to Juuban in Tokyo. This little group in the area seemed likely to
succeed in the Destiny He had created for them. Things were going well, and were fun.
On to Nerima. Lots of fun here, but there was the possibility of problems. He might even
have to poke someone in the right direction. Jusenkyo had been a worthy idea after all.
A tang of power brought His attention to a shrine in the mountains. Yes, this could be a
problem. Things definitely needed working on.
He blinked, as he noticed a near-collapsed thread of Destiny trailing from the shrine to a
school in Shininome. Ah yes, this little play. It reminded Him much of His Daughter and her
boyfriend.
Kami-sama's gaze wondered the world, seeking out those special individuals and looking to
see if there was fun to be had. It should be noted Kami-sama does not allow Himself to view
the future so He can keep things interesting.
When he felt the nightmare rip through the mind of one of His Daughters on the mortal
plane, He was justifiably intrigued. He watched the vision, then sent Her back to a peaceful
sleep.
Long did Kami-sama ponder the vision. Destiny was under threat. Something needed to be
done. If He handled this right, the danger would be averted and He would see such fun as
He'd not seen in Days.
Kami-sama smiled to Himself. Let the games begin.
***
"Urd," Keiichi sighed exasperatedly, "I know you were trying to help but..."
He turned to look sadly at the pile of parts that had once been an engine.
Megumi shook her head in wonder. Keiichi, her brother, had been living with not one, or
two, but THREE goddesses. For nearly 18 months. With this sort of thing going on. And
still he somehow managed to be, well, Keiichi. Megumi just about freaked when she'd found
out about it last month. Over the past month she'd met Peorth AND Mara, seen magic up
close and personal, had Urd try to set her up, had Skuld try to beat her in another Robot Wars
competition AND have to have Belldandy over for a Girls night at her place.
The Middle Goddess herself turned up at that moment, took one look at the three blackened
figures, and sighed.
"Urd, I'd believed you had learned not to bother Keiichi with his projects." She said.
"I'm getting bored around here. I want to do SOMETHING to help."
"Get a Job?" Megumi suggested. "With all those concoctions of yours..." Urd frowned at
the word concoctions, "... I'm sure you could find some work with Chemistry."
The look on Urd's face did not encourage Keiichi, so he used all his knowledge of her and
said something he was already sure he'd regret.
"How about as a teacher? All those students..." He left it hanging.
Only Belldandy saw the new respect Urd suddenly had towards her Keiichi at that moment.
"I'll try." The Elder Goddess said, before walking in to grab the newspaper. She wouldn't
have admitted it, but she was learning a bit more control these days, mostly to stop herself
from hurting Keiichi and now Megumi.
Maybe if she could get Megumi a wish... Aha! Furinkan High School in Nerima needed a
Chemistry teacher. The requirement for combat skills was odd though...
Kami-sama was pleased.
***
Usagi was wailing, a regular occurrence around her friends. The reason why, however, was
surprising to even the unflappable Setsuna.
"Whaa! We've destroyed the school!"
The rest of the senshi sweatdropped. This from Usagi?
"Why are you so upset?" Ami asked. "It's not like school's in at the moment."
"But I'll have to get up so much earlier to go to school while it's being rebuilt!"
Minako paled.
"Dear Lord! I didn't realise!" The blond-hared Senshi trembled.
The rest just sighed. Figures.
***
"I'm gonna die." Makoto Mizuhara muttered to himself, then chuckled slightly.
Across the table Ifurita raised an eyebrow.
"What's wrong?" She asked. She'd have thought that Makoto would have been pleased she
was getting a job.
"Remember that discussion we had last Tuesday?"
Ifurita did, then sighed.
"I would see that it would be a problem. Student-Teacher relationships would be against the
rules. I'll phone him back and explain the situation."
Makoto picked at his food. At least they'd got Ifurita to 90% of operating capacity. She
could run at full battle mode for 4 days, and survive on normal food for extended periods
now. He looked up as she came back in from the hall of the apartment they shared now. The
Demon-God had a puzzled look on her face.
"He said 'Da big Kahuna is in dat seat as well man. It be no problem.' then something
about Pineapples."
Makoto looked at her, then shrugged.
"Fine." He didn't want to ask.
***
~ Why oh why do they have to be visiting now, of all times? ~ Tenchi despaired as he
climbed the stairs to the shrine office. He knew his Grandfather and Great-grandmother
would be there, as would Washu and probably his Great-great-aunt. But the forms HAD to
be sent off today.
"Come in Tenchi." His Grandfather's voice came through the door.
"Um. Sorry to disturb you Grandfather, Washu-chan, Your Majesties." Tenchi apologised,
then turned towards the priest. "I need to talk to you in private Grandfather." He paused.
"Now." The last word stressed the urgency.
"Later Tenchi."
"So you WANT the Ministry to come here then?" Tenchi quickly countered. "Stop putting
the things off or I'll carry through with that idea of mine."
The three ladies saw Yosho tense up.
"Fine. Hand them here." The priest turned to his guests. "This will only take a minute."
Tenchi waited until he'd made sure his Grandfather had filled in and signed the forms,
before taking them back.
"See? That wasn't so bad." Tenchi told the older man, before bowing respectfully and
leaving.
"What was that about?" Washu asked.
"His school forms." Yosho replied.
Funaho calmly sipped her tea.
"I believe our previous discussion can be put to one side for the moment. I feel we need to
discuss things relevant to what has just occurred."
***
Kami-sama watched all this and smiled. Things were turning out nicely. Just one more
twist...
***
"NANI!?!"
Belldandy, Megumi and Keiichi looked up from their meal at the shout from Skuld.
"I wonder what's got her all riled up?" Keiichi asked as the sounds of arguing came
floating in.
They waited a little while before an angry Skuld slouched into the room.
"What's the matter Skuld?" Belldandy asked.
"Kami-sama decided I've got to go to school." Skuld sulked. "It's all set up."
"Which school?" Megumi asked.
"Furinkan High School in Nerima."
Keiichi put his head in his hands and groaned.
"What is it Keiichi?" Belldandy asked worriedly.
"It's the school that Urd just got a job at."
Megumi got a bad feeling about this...
***
Toltiir looked down at what was happening around the popular bunch of mortals in Nerima
and almost had what would count as a combination heart attack and severe stroke, or
apoplexy, from sheer excitement alone.
"Recording equipment..." The feline god murmured. Then he passed out.
Kami-sama had the presence of mind to switch on the anti-sound field around His office
before doubling over in laughter.
#########
Chapter 1
#########
Tenchi walked along the street towards the school, ignoring the two ladies behind him. Of
course They would do something like this to him.
So deep in thought about everything that could go wrong, he didn't notice the raving lunatic
at the gates until he walked into the boken.
"Hold Knave! Who dares have the effrontery to ignore me?"
~ Oh Great. ~ Tenchi could feel Ryoko and Ayeka powering up. He raised a hand and
waved them off. He looked up to see the person holding the boken looking down with
arrogance. His assailant was wearing what Tenchi expected, a kendo outfit.
"Hello Kuno." Tenchi replied darkly.
***
Ranma, Akane and Nabiki were heading to school together. Nabiki was usually alone at
this time, but Ranma had pointed out that they all had a better chance of avoiding Kuno if
they came early.
"Looks like we were wrong." Akane groaned as the gates came into view.
"I wonder who the guy Kuno's focusing on is." Nabiki added.
When they were close enough they began paying attention to the drama at the school gates.
The guy Kuno was haranguing finally looked up.
"Hello Kuno."
The three of them blinked as Kuno paled and took a step back.
"So! The Dark Warlord comes to these hallowed halls. The Heavens are with me! Prepare
to meet thy doom Tenchi Masaki!"
"Ten-chan?" Ranma whispered in shock.
The two Tendo sisters were stunned when they felt the gale of Ranma running at full speed.
The idiotic kendoist had barely raised his weapon when he was restrained rather forcefully.
"I really wouldn't do that if I were you Kuno." Ranma growled.
"The foul magus Saotome as well. I will smite thee later." Kuno pronounced, trying to free
his weapon.
Ranma ignored him and cheerily greeted the other young man.
"Hiya Ten-chan! Been a long time."
Tenchi blinked. Only one person had ever called him that.
"Ran-chan?"
He got a smiling nod.
Ryoko and Ayeka were confused. First off by being asked to back off. Second was the fact
Tenchi KNEW the idiot with the boken. Third was that Tenchi LOATHED him. Tenchi had
never hated anyone while they'd known him. Fourth was a young man in a red and black
outfit who knew Tenchi well enough to call him Ten-chan.
"I think I recognise him." Ryoko whispered to her purple-hared companion. "Tenchi's
cousin I think."
"You know Mr. Samurai Film here?" Tenchi asked.
"Old Blue Blunder? Yeah. Goes for Shakespeare at the moment." Ranma wrenched the
boken out of Kuno's grip and tossed it to Tenchi.
"Dark sorcery was how you won after all." Kuno glared at Tenchi. "And ensnaring fair
maidens like your demonic accomplice. You will be defeated by my hand..." The deranged
kendoist was really working up a full head of steam, ranting and raving as was his wont to do.
Ranma and Tenchi looked at each other before Tenchi ripped into Kuno with an
astonishingly complex kata. Ranma followed up with a vertical hurricane kick, launching the
kendoist.
"Hey Ten-chan, watch this." Ranma said before gathering his chi.
Kuno was on the downward arc of his flight when Ranma unleashed his chi blast.
"Mouko Takabisha!"
"Nice." Tenchi whistled.
There was a chuckle behind them.
"There definitely no doubting your entrances now Tenchi, is there?"
Tenchi turned to face the young man behind him, and allowed himself a small smile.
"Hi Makoto. You come here too?"
Makoto shrugged.
"Starting today."
Tenchi made the introductions.
"Makoto Mizuhara, Ranma Saotome."
"C'mon you guys." Ranma said. "You don't want to be late in this school."
***
While Ranma was playing, two young ladies were stood there looking confused.
"What do you think that was about?" Akane asked her older sister.
"I'll find out." Nabiki answered.
"Akane-chan? Nabiki-chan?" A voice asked from behind them.
They turned round.
"Ami-chan!?!" They exclaimed.
Ami Mizuno smiled embarrassedly at the two. Behind her was a large group of girls,
looking slightly stunned.
"We haven't seen you in ages. How have you been?" Akane asked.
Nabiki was smiling her rare warm smile.
"C'mon Sis, you can tell us."
"SIS?!?" Most of the group behind exploded.
Ami sighed. Nabiki would have to say that out loud.
"Long story."
"We'd better get to class." Rei said.
"There seems to be someone blocking the way." Makoto pointed out.
"Ranma should clear the gates in a few seconds." Nabiki shrugged.
"Ranma?" Rei asked, interested. "As in Ranma Saotome?"
The Senshi wondered why the two Tendo's tensed up.
"Um. Yeah." Akane answered. "Why?"
Rei smiled.
"Rei Hino. I'm his cousin."
Again the Senshi wondered as the two girls relaxed.
"Come on. You don't want to be late." Akane warned them.
Minako blinked.
"Why?"
"They're my friends Nabiki." Ami warned, knowing what Nabiki's reaction to an
information request would be. She wondered if it was instinctive.
"I'll get some dossiers to you at 500 yen each." The elder Tendo replied. "Lunch do?"
"Quarter price?" Akane said as they made their way into school. "There's some hope for
you yet."
Michiru blinked, then turned to Haruka.
"I'm getting a really bad feeling about this." She told her lover, then stopped and stared
along with the other Senshi at the chi attack Ranma launched.
"I think Setsuna would have a bad feeling." Haruka replied.
***
Most of the new body of students were wondering why Principal Kuno was wearing a loud
Hawaiian shirt and apparently had a palm tree on top of his head. Tenchi, Ayeka and Ryoko
just sighed and thought the same thing upon hearing his name.
~ Figures. ~
"Da Big Kahuna is real pleased to introduce to you new teachers!" He ignored the groan
from the regular student body and gestured to the side of the hall. A curtain rose.
Tenchi, Makoto and Skuld were the only ones even remotely ready for the sight behind the
curtain.
Most of the male student body began to drool. The female student body began to fume.
The old student body groaned inwardly, remembering Hinako-sensei. The Senshi considered
a collective facefault. Ayeka and Ryoko considered doing the same.
"Meioh-sensei is da new History teacher." Principal Kuno started off at the far end of the
row. The Senshi of Time sat there calmly, wearing a smart business suit. The only odd thing
was the skirt had bee modified to allow greater ease of movement. It also allowed an
enhanced view of the Senshi's long legs, which caused no end of consternation for the
student body.
"Urd-sensei be da new Chemistry teacher, but be also helping out with languages and
history." The bronze-skinned, platinum-hared Goddess was wearing a luxurious, gold
embroidered navy-blue Chinese dress, which was cut in typical Urd fashion. Slit high on the
hips to show off her legs, low cut at the neck to show off her bosom and tight to enhance her
figure. The fact that Urd could prance about like a showgirl in a leotard was not noticed. She
also came fully charged, with four moon bracelets and a necklace whose stones would allow
her instant access to her weapons in a real emergency.
"Ifurita-sensei be doing Math and da new Computer Science lessons." The El-Hazardian
Demon-God was dressed casually in a plain white blouse, tight blue jeans, trainers and jacket.
The ensemble made her seem like an ordinary, if stunning, young woman. She had tied her
pale-blue hair back into a simple ponytail and wore a light amount of makeup, which had the
net effect of relaxing the young ladies of Furinkan. It didn't hurt that Makoto had fully
charged her that morning.
"Professor Washu be new head of Science in school." The only really noticeable thing
about Washu was the fact she was in adult form. Of course this didn't really matter in a
school where Hinako-sensei was a member of staff, but Washu did want to keep up
appearances. Other than that, Washu was wearing one of her typical outfits; Red waistcoat
over white blouse and skirt and tights. Being adult did have one other effect, that of the
waistcoat being near skin tight.
The sum total of those four on stage together was roughly the same as twelve Miss
Hinako's.
"I be sure you welcome them to school!"
Ranma summed up the general feeling.
"Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse."
***
Hotaru watched the girl with the sky-blue hair and twin long pigtails and came to a decision.
"Chibi-Usa, I think we should go talk to her."
Chibi-Usa sighed. She'd figured that her friend would do that. She had come to that
decision a while ago, and had been trying to figure out where she'd seen someone like her
while Hotaru made up her mind.
"OK. She does look lonely."
Sasami looked up when two shadows fell over her, to see two smiling faces.
"Hi!" Chibi-Usa started. "I'm Chibi-Usa and this is Hotaru. What's your name?"
"Um. Sasami." The azure-hared princess replied nervously.
"Well Sasami," Hotaru said. "You look lonely. Want some friends?"
Deep inside the little princess Tsunami did a quick scan. Then did another one to make sure
the readings she got were correct.
~ Tsunami: Go for it! ~
Sasami brightened up.
"Sure!" She smiled.
***
"My learned Beauty...!" Kuno cried, leaping forward ALA Happosai.
KER-ZAP!
Urd shook her head sadly.
"What have I told you about hitting on a teacher, Kuno-san?" She told the twitching,
blackened mass on the floor.
Haruka and Michiru were developing nervous twitches while Nabiki just sighed.
"Three times in one lesson. That's a new record for you, isn't it Kuno-baby?"
Kuno groaned.
***
The English class was not going well. Ever since Hinako-sensei had entered the room in
chibi form, one of the new boys near the front had been making snide comments. Finally
Hinako-sensei lost patience.
"Silence delinquent, or I'll punish you!"
"How are you going to do that little girl?" The boy sneered. "Cry and run to your
mommy?"
This was, of course, the WRONG thing to say.
Makoto-chan and Minako looked on in shock as Hinako-sensei drained the chi from the boy
who had been insulting her, turning adult and causing the other new boys to drool.
"I'm glad I'm good at English." Minako muttered.
***
Ifurita picked up the young man she'd just stunned and placed him back in his seat. The
fact she had done this without getting up from her desk at the front did not go unnoticed by
the class.
"I wonder how she did that?" Ayeka muttered.
"Interesting isn't it?" Ryoko agreed.
The two of them were in a different class to Tenchi, surprisingly at their own request.
"I wonder how many elements she can control?" Rei pondered on the other side of Ayeka
as a ball of water formed in front of the poor unfortunate and squirted him awake. She'd seen
stranger things as a Senshi, but this school was starting to give her a headache.
***
Skuld had thoroughly enjoyed her science class with Professor Washu. She had not been as
stimulated as when the Professor dropped a statue onto the head of someone who wasn't
paying attention. Wondering how the redhead had got it to stay there had occupied her
enough so that she didn't get bored with the schoolwork.
~ You know, this might not be all bad after all. ~ The young goddess thought to herself.
***
Tenchi, Makoto-kun, Ami and Usagi had ended up in the same class as Ranma and Akane.
And absolutely nothing had happened since the start of the lesson.
Even Makoto-kun and Tenchi, being good students, were bored and they could tell.
"Ranma Saotome prepare to die!" Ryoga yelled as he jumped in the window, shattering it.
"Jeez Ryoga! What is it now?" Ranma dodged then jump kicked himself and opponent out
the now broken window.
There were a few moments of silence before Ami turned to Akane.
"This happen a lot?" She asked blandly.
Akane sighed.
"I'm afraid so."
"Y'know," Makoto-kun observed, "boredom sounds very appealing about now."
"Yeah." Tenchi sighed.
***
Lunch time. And a very large group had gathered to one side, busily eating and getting to
know each other. When the group in question contained seven Senshi, four of the Nerima
wrecking crew, two members of alien royalty, one former most-wanted space pirate and one
dimensional traveller, Fate might as well have painted a great big bulls-eye on the table.
Nabiki had brought 20 dossiers on the school to the table. She now had 10000 yen in her
pocket.
"Ran-chan? What's this about a curse?" Tenchi asked. Ukyo fumed at the fact that
someone else called Ranma Ran-chan.
Ranma sighed at the intent looks he was receiving. Rei in particular was intent on hearing
this.
"First off, do you believe in magic?" He asked the group around him.
"With the Sailor Senshi around, who doesn't?" Makoto-chan said.
"They actually exist?" Nabiki exclaimed.
"Oh yes." Ami answered.
"Well there's this place in China called Jusenkyo." Ranma explained. "It has these cursed
springs that change whoever falls into them into what last drowned there. Pops and me went
there on our training trip. He fell in the Spring of Drowned Panda and I..." He reached over
and splashed himself with cold water, "...fell in the Spring of Drowned Girl." She finished.
Rei, who was staring in a mixture of fascination and horror, broke the silence.
"So you've had an eventful life cousin?" She asked, voice cracking a bit.
"Too eventful." Ranma-chan replied. "Pops has caused me no end of trouble."
"Like the three engagements." Nabiki pointed out.
"Isn't the illegal?" Haruka asked.
"Tell them that." Ranma-chan groused.
"You have girl problems too?" Makoto-kun and Tenchi asked. The three of them blinked,
looked at each other, then put their hands in their heads in defeat.
"You know, Ranma looks pretty good in his cursed form." Minako pointed out. Ranma-
chan's head snapped up.
"Don't. Even. Go. There." She growled. The voice made Pluto sound warm and inviting.
"Um, Mina-chan?" Usagi asked. "Did you read this bit?" She pointed to the section on
Tatewaki Kuno and read it out. "Kuno is currently fixated on Akane Tendo and his 'Pig-
tailed Goddess'."
The rest of the group looked at the depressed Ranma-chan.
"Oops." Minako said. "I'm sorry Ranma."
Akane grabbed some hot water and poured it over Ranma's head, changing him back.
"At least Mousse and Shampoo haven't turned up." He sighed.
***
Setsuna looked down from her window seat and sighed. The time stream had been altered
to this path from it's previous one, and nothing she could do would turn it back. It was if the
Gods themselves had... No, she would have felt their presence. That left one choice.
~ I better do my research very quickly. ~ She realised resignedly. There was NO way she
could reverse this.
Across the room Ifurita sat, stirring an unhealthy amount of sugar into her ultra-strong
coffee. She didn't need it, but it felt the right thing to do. Apparently there were at least two
aliens and one near human with an odd but strong power signature. From the telepathic link
she now shared with Makoto, she'd have yet more information on this unusual school at
home tonight.
~ I wonder if I could risk an active sensor scan? ~ She mused.
Urd would have been bouncing in delight, if she hadn't done a brief mind scan of her
classes. It drained away all her enthusiasm for matchmaking.
~ The Senshi survived? Dear Kami-sama! I shudder to think what it cost Serenity... ~ She
briefly paused to stop the feelings of grief from rising again. ~ I don't blame Him for
keeping this quiet. If Hell knew... ~ Memories of her brief time as the Lord of Terror told
her more than she wanted to know about this. Peorth might not like Bell, but she needed at
least two First class goddesses to set up the wards. Heck, if it involved helping THAT little
group, the two of them would happily sleep together. A brief vision of involving Keiichi and
those two rocked even her experienced mind.
Washu slouched in a resigned depression.
~ It's all so...so... Primitive! ~ She complained.
At least she'd tagged one power source of interest. The readings felt hauntingly familiar to
her though. The girl she'd tagged also seemed to be very, VERY good at science. Ah well,
setting up and hiding from that Tendo girl Nabiki would take some work. An interesting
specimen that one.
Unknowingly, the four of them simultaneously decided to risk an active scan at the same
moment. Looking at each other cautiously, they sized each other up before Setsuna beckoned
them over to the table she was sitting at.
"I think we need to discuss a few things..." She said.
***
During his stay in El Hazard, Makoto had developed a taste for the open air. None of his
friends had said anything, but he guessed they approved that he didn't spend all his time nose
down in books.
"Ah my fair young bloom. Thy raven hair and pale skin accentuate thine exotic air."
~ That sounded like that idiot... Kuno, wasn't it? ~ Makoto thought as he turned to see
what was happening a few metres away. ~ I think I should go help the lady. ~
Skuld was rapidly moving from shock to anger as she watched Kuno perform his speech.
"May I perchance know the name of this otherworldly beauty?"
She could sense the fleeting affection the kendoist, and felt insulted by the idiot.
"Is there a problem?" A second voice asked from the side. The man (and he was a man,
despite wearing the uniform of the school. Skuld wondered what he was doing here) who
had spoken had an intelligence, a warmth and a kindness the...the...BAKA in front of her
most definitely lacked. Also he'd caused said baka to go into a spluttering indignant fury
with just his first sentence, a plus point or twenty in her eyes.
"Makoto Mizuhara, Second year." He introduced himself.
"Skuld Fairchild, First year." She replied.
Makoto turned to Kuno. "Is this the way a third year student typically acts?" He asked.
"Accosting first year students like no more than a common bully? I'd have thought you
would know better Upperclassman... Kuno, isn't it?"
"How dare you interrupt me, foul miscreant! Such beauty should not be defiled by contact
with such as you!" Kuno spat.
Makoto saw Skuld pull out a strange sphere with tubes looped over it. It felt like a bomb.
Powerful too.
"I believe the lady can speak for herself." Makoto replied and backed away as Kuno turned
his attention back to the girl.
"Thank you for your concern." Skuld said sweetly, prompting Makoto to take a few MORE
steps away. "As a token of my appreciation, please accept this." She handed him the ball.
"Oh Beauteous Flower," Kuno spewed forth, not noticing Skuld quickly join Makoto a safe
distance away, "Mine heart is filled-"
The explosion blasted Kuno into the sky, apparently heading for Near Earth Orbit and
preventing them from finding out just what Kuno's heart was filled with. Much to their
relief.
"Not bad." Makoto commented absently, watching the speck.
"Do you think the yield was too high?" Skuld asked as Kuno disappeared over the horizon.
The two of them looked at each other.
"Nah." They said in unison.
"How weird can this place get?" Skuld wondered as the two of them walked back into
school.
"Maybe I should introduce you to Nabiki." Makoto replied. "She'll have a few spare
dossiers available. But it'll cost you." He warned.
"If it stops things like that happening again, I'll pay."
***
Hotaru, Chibi-Usa and Sasami were having a nice conversation when the shadow fell over
them. The three of them were getting along very well.
A gang of boys loomed over them. The largest sneered.
"Well lookie here. The freak decided to come back." He jeered.
A little way away Miss Hanaka sighed. Poor Hotaru, every time she seemed to have a bit of
luck this happened. She moved to head it off, but sped up as one of the bullies raised his fist.
"Leave her alone!" The blue-hared little girl yelled as she got in the way. Sasami Masaki
wasn't it? She was going to get hurt.
"Aw, ain't that sweet." The boy who was obviously the leader said as Sasami faced him off.
"The freak's girlfriend will protwect her." He babied the sentence up to really insult her, then
lunged. He was rather surprised that the weak little girl wasn't there.
Sasami ducked under and left of the attempted punch, jabbing her left fist hard into the
leader's stomach before dropping low and sweeping his leg out from under him. The boy
landed hard and didn't get his breath back before Sasami put her foot to his throat.
"That's enough Masaki-san." Miss Hanaka said, more calmly than she felt. Who'd let a
practising martial artist into school?
"Sorry Hanaka-sensei." Sasami said nervously. She hadn't practised for a while now, so
didn't know if she'd controlled herself enough.
~ Why do I feel that bullying will be a thing of the past? ~ Miss Hanaka thought.
***
The four new teachers trudged back into the staff room after sorting out the mess in the
lunch hall. Shampoo had come to visit her 'Airen' with lunch. With Skuld at the table, said
lunch was quickly found to be drugged. Close behind that discovery was the arrival of
Mousse.
Insert typical Nerima chaos at this point. You get the idea.
"He must have been using some sort of subspace technique." Washu muttered. "How else
could he have carried all that?"
"I wonder how that girl turned into a cat." A rather frazzled Setsuna put in. She'd known
that Jusenkyo existed, and that people cursed there transformed when splashed with water.
But this was the first time she'd personally seen it happen. The main reason she was frazzled
was the fact that a Jusenkyo cursed person tended to warp probability fairly severely.
"Rather strange style that Girl, um Boy, used." Ifurita noted. She wondered if she wanted
to learn a style that allowed you to slice through tables at a distance, especially given the
obvious drawbacks involved.
"The Neko-Ken." Urd said darkly. "I'm going to bring up his parents on child abuse
charges."
"Why?" Washu asked.
"Because the training is barbaric." Urd shuddered. "I suggest we keep him away from cats
for the time being."
Setsuna sat carefully and gently touched her shoulder. She winced.
"I'm out of practice." She complained.
"That Bo work was very good." Ifurita complimented her fellow teacher. "But nobody
could have dodged all that rubble."
"Where did that guy with the bandanna go anyway?" Urd asked, remembering how he had
exploded the wall to enter. She hadn't smelled any explosive compounds.
"Been dealing with the local delinquents I see." Miss Hinako said as she entered the room
in adult form. She headed over to the coffee pot and poured herself one, before sitting down
herself. The others only found it slightly strange when she shrunk down to her child form.
"But I think you should know that things can get worse." The girl-teacher added. "But at
least the jobs never boring."
Ifurita seriously considered hitting the child with a cushion.
***
Physical Education.
A game of softball for the girls, athletics for the boys. Nice, simple and peaceful.
Oops, sorry. Wrong school. Don't know where that came from.
Furinkan High School had known weirdness. But the girls staring at the guys for a change
WAS strange.
Makoto-kun was running round the track, admiring eyes following.
Ranma was on the bars, showing a grace and power that some of the girls found irresistible.
Tenchi was pole-vaulting. Without the mat to break his fall. He didn't seem to mind.
In fact, the three of them were, ever so slightly, showing off. Makoto was on his eighth lap
in about 7 minutes, Tenchi was approaching seven metres and Ranma looked like he was
readying himself for a gold medal.
Thus a fair number of the girls were drooling. Those not drooling were playing something
like softball. Some bright spark had put Ayeka and Ryoko on the same team as Akane and
Makoto-chan. Most of the time the other team was getting out of the way as some very fast
balls came at them.
"That wasn't a game." Rei said as that team came off the field. "It was a slaughter." She
shrugged. "Not that anybody else noticed." She added quietly, looking over with disgust at
the drooling Minako and Usagi. Even Ami was looking in that direction, though she was
surreptitiously using the Mercury computer to scan them. Some of the readings were
unbelievable, so she kept quiet. Besides, there was that file Nabiki-chan had provided. It
wouldn't be long before she had a lot more on the new students.
~ I'd better warn the others. ~ Ami thought. ~ Nabiki-chan is more than capable of
finding out our secret. And selling it to the highest bidder. ~
"O HOHOHOHOHOHO!!!!" The laugh cut through the daydreams of most of the students.
"What the hell was that?" Minako asked.
Akane and Ukyo just sighed.
"Kodachi." They said.
Ranma was already shuddering. Couldn't he get through a single day without encountering
the damn crazy Kuno family? Boken-boy was bad enough.
"Ranma-sama!" The deranged gymnast called as she landed in a swirl of black rose petals,
twirling her ribbon.
Tenchi walked up to his cousin.
"Friend of yours?" He asked.
"Don't start Ten-chan." Ranma complained.
Kodachi took one step forward, and the ground exploded from underneath her. When the
smoke cleared a blackened and burnt young woman stood there, blinked a few times, then
collapsed.
Ranma looked over at the skinny group of boys that comprised the chemistry club.
"I thought you guys cleared up all those mines!" He called.
Ami watched this, got up and walked over to Akane.
"So..." She asked. "Is it always like this?"
"Nah." Akane replied, not noticing Ami's expression of relief before continuing. "Today's
pretty tame."
She definitely heard Ami's body hitting the ground in a faint.
***
Early evening.
School had been out for hours. Homework had been done (or attempted at least) and dinner
was being served.
"Wow." That was all Hotaru could say at the experiences of her foster parents.
"Well that's one way of putting it Hotaru-chan." Haruka muttered loudly. She turned on
Setsuna. "I very much doubt this was in your plans."
"It wasn't." Setsuna admitted. "But I can't undo what has been done, so we must live with
it."
***
Ifurita closed her copy of the dossier Makoto had bought her, sat back, and tried to sum up
the situation.
"I think..."
"Hum?" Makoto prompted her.
"I think 'Oh Shit' would be the appropriate response."
"We must have faced worse." Makoto scoffed.
Ifurita turned to look her love in the eyes.
"Not by much."
***
Skuld was busy at her computer, trying to get a handle on the information in the dossier
open beside her. Unfortunately, most of the files on Jusenkyo were locked.
In the dining room Urd was waiting for Bell to come back in from the kitchen. Keiichi was
outside with Megumi working on an engine.
Belldandy came into the room to pick up the remaining tea things, but paused as she felt
Urd's privacy spell snap into being around her.
"Urd!" She rounded on her older sister.
"Put the pots down, come over here and sit down LITTLE sister." Urd said calmly. She
hated having to pull seniority like this.
The raw seriousness in Urd's voice, not to mention the sheer power she had put into the
privacy spell, really got Belldandy's attention.
"What is it sister?" Bell asked in a worried tone.
"Certain...information has come to my attention concerning a...certain group Hell would do
ANYTHING to...neutralise. As the only Class 1 deity available, I'm going to have to bring
you in on this. I want your promise that you will not tell anyone but Kami-sama about this,
unless that being happens to be part of our group."
"Urd, you're scaring me."
"Good." The Goddess of the Past stared hard at her younger sister, the Goddess of the
Present. "I need that promise."
"I promise, as a Goddess First class, not to divulge any of the information I am about to
receive to anyone other than Kami-sama or a member of the group dealing with this."
Belldandy didn't pay attention to the 'click' she felt at that pronouncement. She was curious
and a little scared at the measures Urd was taking.
Urd nodded slowly and said three words.
"The Senshi survived."
To Belldandy, Urd might as well have pronounced the end of the world.
"All...all of them?" She asked weakly.
"Yes, all eight plus the Prince of Earth and the Moon Princess."
Bell leaned on the table to stop from fainting.
"Also," Urd added, "There are a lot of individuals of high power there."
"How high?" The Goddess of the Present whispered hoarsely. She wasn't sure how much
more she could take.
"Several at deity level and one I'm not sure on. Maybe class zero equivalent."
Bell just nodded.
"I assume you want wards put up."
It was Urd's turn to nod.
"I'm going to need help." Bell pointed out.
"I thought as much. We'd better discuss this."
Belldandy could only agree.
***
Ranma was in a good mood. This helped in his major thrashing of his father during practice
that evening. Nodoka noticed this, and the unusual good-natured smirk Nabiki was wearing.
Even Akane seemed more pleasant than usual.
"So son," Nodoka opened the conversation, "Have a good day at school?"
"Yeah Mom. Ten-chan and Rei started at Furinkan today." The pig-tailed boy replied,
absently deflecting his father's attempts to steal food from his plate.
"And Ami-chan also started today Kasumi." Akane told her eldest sister.
"That's wonderful!" Kasumi exclaimed, avoiding the waterfalls of joy coming from her
father. Seeing the Saotome Matriarch's puzzled expression, she explained. "Ami-chan is
Akane's god-sister, but we all treat her as part of the family." The mood of the Tendo sisters
turned solemn. "Ami helped us out of some dark times."
Nabiki turned to Ranma.
"How about your relatives?"
"Well, Tenchi's my cousin from pops side. In a fight between him and Kuno, I'd bet Tenchi
by a mile." Ranma put on a nasty grin. "I reckon Ten-chan's grandpa could thrash Cologne
and Happosai, hands down."
"What makes you say that?"
"Pops is about as scared of him as the old pervert."
"Ah yes, Masaki-san." Nodoka smiled. "I wonder if I should restart my lessons?"
"Saotome?" Soun asked his friend.
"Yes Tendo?" Genma replied.
"Don't anger your wife."
"Believe me, I know that all too well."
Ranma continued.
"Rei's from my mom's side of the family. I think she's training to be a Shinto shrine
priestess." He grimaced. "The curse kinda spooked her today."
"She'll get used to it." Nabiki predicted.
***
In some other place, a presence stirred. It could feel power, power it craved, coming from
outside...this place. Information, that's what it needed if it was to get the power.
And slowly, it prepared
----------
groan
The things I do...
The inspirations for this fic are too varied to list, but the major ones are...
Ah! Megami-sensei (A!MG/Ranma Xover in a Teenagers from Outer Space setting) by Peter Ward.
http://www.best.com/~falcon/fanfics.htm
Lines of Destiny (See the top of this post)
(Note: I'm a number and a Human Being! ;)
Happy Ever After...? (El Haz/A!MG) by Barry Cadwgan.
Shin Ranma Muyo! (Ranma/Tenchi) by Achariyth.
Oh! My Brother (A!MG Self Insert) & God's Toy (Oh! My Brother Xover) by Chris Angel.
http://angel.megami.net
Toltiir was created by Gregg Sharp for The Bet series.
http://metroanime.home.mindspring.com/
shrug
It seemed right.