*What could go wrong?*
Suddenly, the sound of a Happodaikirin echoed over Nerima.
"CUT!!!! Someone get me some water a moment, here."
Splash
Kodora looked to the ladle lady. "Thank you. Good aim." Then she turned to the area offstage. "HEY! WRONG SOUND EFFECT!!!"
"Sorry!" Came a voice from offstage. "Wrong tape!"
"I guessed as much. HOT WATER!"
Splash
"I've gotta learn how to do that with water. Okay, Take Two!"
******
*What could go wrong?*
Suddenly, the sound of a lion's roar echoed over Nerima.
"CUT!!!! WATER!!!"
Splash
"Thank you. WRONG EFFECT AGAIN!"
"I'm sorry! Really, I am! But the labels on these tapes are totally unintelligible!"
Everyone in the cast and crew turned to the sound-effects machine. In unison:
"MOUSSE YOU IDIOT! PUT YOUR GLASSES ON!!!"
There was a pause.
"Ohhhhhh...."
**************************************************************************** *************
Passenger
Chapter 19: It Just Gets Worse and Worse.
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction by S. Starblade
Dedicated to Chex Corn Bran Squares.
You know the warning already. I'm gonna stop giving it now.
Disclaimer: I don't own them, except for the ones I do. And it's probably pretty obvious which is which. Okay then.
Key:
= English
" " = Japanese
[ ] = Jusenkyoo Cursed Signs
{ } = Chinese
* * = Internal conversation between Ranma and Kodora
**************************************************************************** *************
*Really, what could go wrong?* Asked Ranma.
Somewhere in the distance, lightning struck, and thunder rolled over Nerima.
*Ranma, you idiot! Now we're REALLY doomed!*
*Huh?*
*Oh, nevermind. You'll figure it out yourself, I bet.*
******
Ranma sighed in relief as he returned to the ground, after leaping the splash from the ladle-lady. *That was close. We DO need to arrive at school human.*
*Kodora...*
*I know, I know.*
******
Everyone was staring at him.
He could tell. Mostly because they were also whispering to each other about him.
"Hey, he was here on those days...""Yeah, but he disappeared...""Maybe he had something to do with...""I wonder if this means Kuno's gonna get trashed again?""He's back from the hospital already?""So, who is this guy?""Hey, he's cute! I wonder if he'll give me his phone number...""Didn't you hear? He's the one who's engaged to Akane.""What! Taken already? Why don't I ever get any luck?"
Right. Well, at least there ought to be someone who he could have a decent conversation with, right?
******
They were all a bunch of weak perverts. This sucked.
Ranma sat in the middle of a huge cluster of boys between the first and second periods, most of whom were asking rather... improper... questions, without giving him a break to answer.
Kodora was just shocked.
*Now I KNOW you can't possibly do that with a duck. For one thing, noone would let you, especially not Akane, and besides, it wouldn't fit!*
*Kodora, you're scaring me.*
*Ah... sorry. But it wouldn't!*
*Kodora.*
*Right. Sorry.*
*Did the guy with the long hair just say what I thought he just said?*
*Ranma, even KUNO wouldn't dare go within forty miles of that idea. Not willingly.*
******
Komura-sensei frowned at Hiroshi.
"Buckets. Hall. Now."
Grumbling, Hiroshi got up, went to the side of the room and picked up a pair of water-buckets. As he passed Ranma's seat, Koto stuck a leg out.
"WAK!"
Ranma looked up into a bucket.
*Heads up, Kodora.*
SPLASH
Hiroshi clambered to his feet, leaving the bucket he'd held onto on the floor. He glared at Koto.
"What the heck was THAT... for?"
Why was everyone staring at him like that?
He began to back away slowly, and bumped into something.
Something pointy.
Slowly, Hiroshi turned around. And joined everone else in staring.
In Ranma's seat was a very small girl wearing a bucket on her head. She was just finishing tying a bow around her very strange hair.
All eyes except Akane's followed the girl's hands as she reached up and grabbed the bucket. Lifting it up, she balanced it on the horizontal palm of one hand, and turned blood-red eyes on Hiroshi. As she leaned her head on the other hand, her still-slightly-damp quills rattled against each other softly, sounding like a distant wave. She held the bucket out to Hiroshi, and spoke, baring her small fangs.
"Ya dropped this."
The entire classroom, excepting Akane and Kodora, performed a unison blink.
Kodora sighed. "Take a picture. It'll last longer."
CLICK
Kodora blinked her eyes, trying to get rid of the three little green spots in her vision. The three members of the Photo Club at the other side of the room quickly hid their cameras, and whistled tunelessly.
"Thank you." She grumbled. "Can we continue the class already? I already know this stuff, but I'll bet the rest of the students could use the instruction, ne, Komura-sensei?"
"Ah... hai, Saotome-san..."
"Sensei, do not call me that when I am like this. Call me Tendo. Tendo Kodora."
Half of the class chorused "Shaken, not stirred!"
The rest of the class hushed the first half up.
The sensei blinked. "Okay, whoever-san. Back to the lesson..."
Kodora just grumbled and bore the repeat stares, her tail lashing slowly, attracting some of the attention to itself.
******
Kodora sat alone in the cafeteria. Very alone. All of the other students had cleared out from the four tables nearest her.
This really sucked.
Sighing, she got up to go get some hot water from the bathroom.
*Kodora.*
*Yes, Ranma?*
*You promised-*
*I KNOW I promised. But I can't handle this. It's driving me nuts! This is as bad as it was in grade school! I have to go get some warm water and bring you up, because people will at least SIT near you!*
*NO, Kodora. You're going to have to deal with this sometime, aren't you? I mean, eventually you'll have to be up front around people, and you're going to have to get around this. Better now than later.*
Kodora sat back down.
*I guess you're right... but... dammit, it hurts...*
She folded her arms on the table, and thumped her head, face-down on them.
******
That was it. Noriko had had enough. She folded her bento back up, stood up, and took it over, across the huge empty space in the cafeteria. Stopping by Kodora, she reached down and touched the smaller girl on the shoulder.
Kodora looked up, eyes somewhat moist. "N- (sniff) ...Noriko-san?"
Noriko shook her head. "We're friends, aren't we?"
The small girl blinked. "Hai..." she said, slowly starting to smile, "Hai, Noriko-chan." She sniffled a little.
The older girl beamed down at her friend. "Is this seat taken?"
Kodora shook her head. "No, go ahead and sit."
Noriko continued to smile. "So, how are you doing?"
******
Kodora finally finished obliterating Kasumi's tenpura.
"So.." Noriko asked, "I keep hearing that some Ranma person or other turned into you or something?"
Kodora sighed. "I guess you'd have to find out eventually, anyways. ...I'll be right back, don't go anywhere."
She got up, and headed for the bathroom, noting that the large empty area of the cafeteria seemed to follow her.
When she returned, there was a small crowd around Noriko, which froze when she cleared her throat.
The people disappeared so fast, it looked like they'd teleported or something.
Sighing, she sat down, putting the cup of warm water on the table, and turned to Noriko.
"Now.. don't be freaked out by this..." She began. "A few months ago, I was on a trip in China, training in martial arts. My father and I knocked each other into these pools at a wierd training grounds. He came out a panda, and I came out... well... like this. Since then, cold water turns us into our 'cursed forms', as we call them, and warm water returns us to normal. I actually look..."
She poured the warm water over her head, and suddenly Ranma was there, continuing in a much deeper voice.
"...like this."
The silence was so complete, many students would swear later that they had heard dust bunnies forming under the edge of the counter.
Noriko blanched. "But... before the practice session... the changing room... you... you saw us..."
Ranma immediately began flailing his arms about.
"Wait, wait! No! Stop! It's not like that! When I'm like that, I AM a girl. Just like I'm a boy when I'm like this! It's not just a body thing."
Realization slowly dawned on Noriko.
"Ohhh, I get it. Hey, that actually makes sense! Okay, then. So you're both Ranma AND Kodora, huh?"
Ranma nearly fell out of his seat. Since when did people just accept things like this?
"Is it a total personality change, or just some minor stuff? I mean, do you still look at things the same both ways?"
"Um... no, they look different when I'm Kodora. She even has different likes and dislikes. The change, though... 'ts sorta... hard to explain..."
Noriko shook her head. "That's all right, Ranma... but, I have a question..."
"Yeah?"
"Could you turn back into Kodora?" Asked Noriko, somewhat embarrassed. "I'm... really not comfortable about the idea of talking with you about certain things when you're like this. Don't get the wrong impression, you seem nice enough, but..."
Ranma shook his head, smiling. "'Course not. I know whatcha mean. Here, you got any water?"
Noriko held out her bottle of Aquafina. "You look kinda silly with that bow in your hair as a guy anyways. Here. I didn't drink any yet."
Nodding, Ranma carefully poured half the bottle out over his head, triggering the change. Kodora loosened her hairbow, and then brought the water bottle to her nose, smelling it. She handed it back to Noriko.
"Pure spring water, my great aunt Rheba."
Noriko gave her a blank look. "Huh?"
Kodora smiled slightly. "That's not pure water, and it's not pure springwater either. Smells wrong."
Noriko blinked. "You can smell water? Isn't it supposed to be odorless or tasteless or something?"
The smaller girl chuckled lightly, her tail beginning to lash slowly. "Myth. It's just a very subtle smell and flavor."
"Ah, Kodora-chan?"
"Nani?"
"Since when do you have a tail?"
******
Ku Lon, Xian Pu, and Sin Ku exited the house, all three looking slightly green.
{Really.} Stated Sin Ku. {Who makes a soup with zucchini? I feel rather ill.}
{I know what you mean...} Replied Ku Lon, walking on the ground for once, leaning on her staff. {I think we should find somewhere to camp for a while before returning to the trail.}
Sin Ku nodded in agreement.
Xian Pu moaned quietly. {And after fixing that koi pond, too... Bleah. What a horrible reward...}
And so, Ryoga's wandering brings a possibly beneficial effect to Ranma.
Won't he be livid if he finds out.
******
Ryoga himself, however, had just made it to Furinkan, and was waiting by the gate. Sitting on his pack under the remaining tree, opposite the one Kuno chopped down, he was attracting a lot of attention from the people at the window seats.
He didn't notice them, however. He was deciding what he would say to Ranma when he saw the other boy.
Before he used the Perfect Shishi Hokodan to beat him into submission.
******
Ranma stepped out of the school building.
*That wasn't so bad, was it Kodora?*
*(sigh) I guess not, Oniisan...*
Ranma suddenly looked up, and jumped back four feet. Ryoga crashed, umbrella-first, into the ground, leaving a two-meter-diameter crater.
Ranma blinked.
"Wha..."
"At last, Ranma!" Said Ryoga, not yet looking up. "I finally caught up to you."
Ranma blinked again. "It's.... it's you! Ryoga Hibiki from Tomori Junior High, isn't it?"
Ryoga looked up now, with eyes half-hollow, half-raging. "Why did you run out on our fight, Ranma? Was I not worth it to you? Do you even now refuse to take martial arts seriously?"
Ranma snorted. "Fat lot you know. Martial arts is all I got. And I waited for three days! I only-"
"BUT WHERE WERE YOU ON THE FOURTH DAY?!?!?!?" Howled Ryoga, beginning to glow a sickly green. Suddenly, he calmed, but the odd-colored battle aura stayed. "Ranma." He hissed, "Thirty minutes. The soccer field. I want our duel now. I know I can beat you. And be on time. I know I will."
Ranma blinked. "Okayyy...."
"You!" Exclaimed the Lost Boy, pointing at a random student (who happened to be Daisuke). "Come here, now!"
Very intimidated, Dai walked timidly up to the broad, glowing martial artist. "Y-y-yes?" He managed to squeak out.
"Lead me to the soccer field. I will wait there until Ranma is ready."
Dai nodded quickly, and went to head for the soccer field, but Ryoga shot an arm out and grabbed him firmly by the collar. Then the fang-toothed martial artist turned to Ranma, releasing Daisuke once he was sure the student would not leave without him.
"Just a taste, to show you how hopeless it truly is for you."
He focused, reveling in his personal despair at the family curse of directionlessness. Half-crouching, he crossed his arms over his chest, raising his battle aura further. Dai began to feel distinctly down.
"nnngh...." Ryoga grunted, then shifted his hands, looking like he was striking a two-fisted blow, but with his hands slightly uncurled, one above the other. "Shishi Hokodan!"
Ranma blinked, and then underwent a short inadvertent flight when the rapidly-moving ball of luminescent green impacted his chest. He sat up slowly, wary now.
"Remember, Ranma. Half an hour. I WILL be there. See that you are." He turned to Daisuke. "C'mon, kid, I haven't got all day."
Ranma shook off the last effects of the blow. For some reason, the air felt weighty now.
*Ranma.... I... I think that was a chi-attack!*
*Wha?*
*Look, I read about it somewhere. You use your chi to land from big jumps, and to make the big jumps in the first place, right? And you use it to make your blows stronger and faster in combat, right?*
Ranma nodded to himself. *Yes, on both counts, Imootochan. What does that have to do with it?*
*Ranma, he's found a way to focus his chi outside of himself, and throw it at us. I mean, you. I mean, whatever he wants to throw it at.*
*Okay, but why did it do that? I mean, what made it so... solid?* Ranma rubbed his slightly sore chest.
*I... don't know. Usually to use something like that, you need something to focus on... Like a goal or an emotion or something...*
*Then I should be able to do that, no problem. I just need a little time to work out how to do it.*
*We don't have time, Ranma... but I think I can do it.*
*What? You mean, you've done that before?*
*No, no, but... it's like... I read about people with 'phantom limbs', didn't I tell you about that?*
*Y' mean when the person gets their arm cut off, but it still feels like they got an arm?*
*Exactly. Now, think about it a minute. You know how to focus your chi inside your body, but you could probably do it with a phantom limb. And I've already adapted to having a tail... it's not too far a cry to consider it like an extension of yourself into the air. But I'll need something to focus on...*
Kodora mentally shuddered. The stronger, the more major the influence of your focus on your life, the stronger the willpower would manifest. And she knew many things with influence on her life. One was overwhelming, though, and she hoped she wouldn't have to rely on it.
Because it might kill her. And that would mean killing Ranma. She couldn't do that to Ranma.
But she kept it in mind, just in case things began to get out of hand.
And it was always safest to be prepared....
*Ranma, I may need to fight for this one...*
Ranma frowned. *Kodora, I know Ryoga. You can't handle him. Especially not with his new attack, no matter what you know.*
*You think I don't know that? But if things look really bad, you'll have to switch with me. I have something, but it's rather... last-ditch. Oh, and in case I have to use it... we'd better go find Akane. I need her to do something...*
******
Akane was frustrated, but running as fast as she could anyways. Ranma, looking a bit pale, had pressed the folded note into her hand, and told her to get it to Kasumi ASAP. Then she was to bring Kasumi to the school soccer field.
Normally, she would have told him to take it himself, but he had seemed so serious...
She decided to take a peek at the note while she was running. He hadn't said not to read it, after all.
Half a block later, she nearly stopped and fainted. Akane shook herself. That was serious. She had to get to Kasumi faster...
Akane ran as hard as she ever had in her life.
More than one life might depend on it.
******
Ranma stood on the soccer field, facing Ryoga.
"Are you ready Ryoga?"
Ryoga looked up from the list of his own faults he had been reading. "It's not time yet, Saotome. Five more minutes. We will end this exactly on time, because it started always early or late."
Ranma shrugged. "Suit yourself."
******
Kasumi stumbled out the door, still wearing her housedress and apron. She hadn't even bothered to get her coat. Akane ran beside her, surprised that her oneechan was still able to move so fast.
The fight should be beginning within another minute. She had to get there as quickly as possible. Things were worse than she had suspected. Her face carried an expression that had not been seen on the Tendoo girl since her mother's death.
Panic.
**************************************************************************** *************
Finally, something comes to a head.
Sorry to start light, and then go down, but the story flows in that direction here, partially so that it can rise up again later.
Rather roller-coaster-esque, you could say.
But what effect will this have on the Ranmaverse?
And what, exactly, is Kodora's 'last resort' thing, anyways? How will it win the battle if it is truly needed?
Will Kodora be making another visit to Toohuu's office?
And just what scared Akane, Ranma, and even shook Kasumi to the core?
For once, some answers will follow the questions in short order.
Suddenly, the sound of a Happodaikirin echoed over Nerima.
"CUT!!!! Someone get me some water a moment, here."
Splash
Kodora looked to the ladle lady. "Thank you. Good aim." Then she turned to the area offstage. "HEY! WRONG SOUND EFFECT!!!"
"Sorry!" Came a voice from offstage. "Wrong tape!"
"I guessed as much. HOT WATER!"
Splash
"I've gotta learn how to do that with water. Okay, Take Two!"
******
*What could go wrong?*
Suddenly, the sound of a lion's roar echoed over Nerima.
"CUT!!!! WATER!!!"
Splash
"Thank you. WRONG EFFECT AGAIN!"
"I'm sorry! Really, I am! But the labels on these tapes are totally unintelligible!"
Everyone in the cast and crew turned to the sound-effects machine. In unison:
"MOUSSE YOU IDIOT! PUT YOUR GLASSES ON!!!"
There was a pause.
"Ohhhhhh...."
**************************************************************************** *************
Passenger
Chapter 19: It Just Gets Worse and Worse.
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction by S. Starblade
Dedicated to Chex Corn Bran Squares.
You know the warning already. I'm gonna stop giving it now.
Disclaimer: I don't own them, except for the ones I do. And it's probably pretty obvious which is which. Okay then.
Key:
= English
" " = Japanese
[ ] = Jusenkyoo Cursed Signs
{ } = Chinese
* * = Internal conversation between Ranma and Kodora
**************************************************************************** *************
*Really, what could go wrong?* Asked Ranma.
Somewhere in the distance, lightning struck, and thunder rolled over Nerima.
*Ranma, you idiot! Now we're REALLY doomed!*
*Huh?*
*Oh, nevermind. You'll figure it out yourself, I bet.*
******
Ranma sighed in relief as he returned to the ground, after leaping the splash from the ladle-lady. *That was close. We DO need to arrive at school human.*
*Kodora...*
*I know, I know.*
******
Everyone was staring at him.
He could tell. Mostly because they were also whispering to each other about him.
"Hey, he was here on those days...""Yeah, but he disappeared...""Maybe he had something to do with...""I wonder if this means Kuno's gonna get trashed again?""He's back from the hospital already?""So, who is this guy?""Hey, he's cute! I wonder if he'll give me his phone number...""Didn't you hear? He's the one who's engaged to Akane.""What! Taken already? Why don't I ever get any luck?"
Right. Well, at least there ought to be someone who he could have a decent conversation with, right?
******
They were all a bunch of weak perverts. This sucked.
Ranma sat in the middle of a huge cluster of boys between the first and second periods, most of whom were asking rather... improper... questions, without giving him a break to answer.
Kodora was just shocked.
*Now I KNOW you can't possibly do that with a duck. For one thing, noone would let you, especially not Akane, and besides, it wouldn't fit!*
*Kodora, you're scaring me.*
*Ah... sorry. But it wouldn't!*
*Kodora.*
*Right. Sorry.*
*Did the guy with the long hair just say what I thought he just said?*
*Ranma, even KUNO wouldn't dare go within forty miles of that idea. Not willingly.*
******
Komura-sensei frowned at Hiroshi.
"Buckets. Hall. Now."
Grumbling, Hiroshi got up, went to the side of the room and picked up a pair of water-buckets. As he passed Ranma's seat, Koto stuck a leg out.
"WAK!"
Ranma looked up into a bucket.
*Heads up, Kodora.*
SPLASH
Hiroshi clambered to his feet, leaving the bucket he'd held onto on the floor. He glared at Koto.
"What the heck was THAT... for?"
Why was everyone staring at him like that?
He began to back away slowly, and bumped into something.
Something pointy.
Slowly, Hiroshi turned around. And joined everone else in staring.
In Ranma's seat was a very small girl wearing a bucket on her head. She was just finishing tying a bow around her very strange hair.
All eyes except Akane's followed the girl's hands as she reached up and grabbed the bucket. Lifting it up, she balanced it on the horizontal palm of one hand, and turned blood-red eyes on Hiroshi. As she leaned her head on the other hand, her still-slightly-damp quills rattled against each other softly, sounding like a distant wave. She held the bucket out to Hiroshi, and spoke, baring her small fangs.
"Ya dropped this."
The entire classroom, excepting Akane and Kodora, performed a unison blink.
Kodora sighed. "Take a picture. It'll last longer."
CLICK
Kodora blinked her eyes, trying to get rid of the three little green spots in her vision. The three members of the Photo Club at the other side of the room quickly hid their cameras, and whistled tunelessly.
"Thank you." She grumbled. "Can we continue the class already? I already know this stuff, but I'll bet the rest of the students could use the instruction, ne, Komura-sensei?"
"Ah... hai, Saotome-san..."
"Sensei, do not call me that when I am like this. Call me Tendo. Tendo Kodora."
Half of the class chorused "Shaken, not stirred!"
The rest of the class hushed the first half up.
The sensei blinked. "Okay, whoever-san. Back to the lesson..."
Kodora just grumbled and bore the repeat stares, her tail lashing slowly, attracting some of the attention to itself.
******
Kodora sat alone in the cafeteria. Very alone. All of the other students had cleared out from the four tables nearest her.
This really sucked.
Sighing, she got up to go get some hot water from the bathroom.
*Kodora.*
*Yes, Ranma?*
*You promised-*
*I KNOW I promised. But I can't handle this. It's driving me nuts! This is as bad as it was in grade school! I have to go get some warm water and bring you up, because people will at least SIT near you!*
*NO, Kodora. You're going to have to deal with this sometime, aren't you? I mean, eventually you'll have to be up front around people, and you're going to have to get around this. Better now than later.*
Kodora sat back down.
*I guess you're right... but... dammit, it hurts...*
She folded her arms on the table, and thumped her head, face-down on them.
******
That was it. Noriko had had enough. She folded her bento back up, stood up, and took it over, across the huge empty space in the cafeteria. Stopping by Kodora, she reached down and touched the smaller girl on the shoulder.
Kodora looked up, eyes somewhat moist. "N- (sniff) ...Noriko-san?"
Noriko shook her head. "We're friends, aren't we?"
The small girl blinked. "Hai..." she said, slowly starting to smile, "Hai, Noriko-chan." She sniffled a little.
The older girl beamed down at her friend. "Is this seat taken?"
Kodora shook her head. "No, go ahead and sit."
Noriko continued to smile. "So, how are you doing?"
******
Kodora finally finished obliterating Kasumi's tenpura.
"So.." Noriko asked, "I keep hearing that some Ranma person or other turned into you or something?"
Kodora sighed. "I guess you'd have to find out eventually, anyways. ...I'll be right back, don't go anywhere."
She got up, and headed for the bathroom, noting that the large empty area of the cafeteria seemed to follow her.
When she returned, there was a small crowd around Noriko, which froze when she cleared her throat.
The people disappeared so fast, it looked like they'd teleported or something.
Sighing, she sat down, putting the cup of warm water on the table, and turned to Noriko.
"Now.. don't be freaked out by this..." She began. "A few months ago, I was on a trip in China, training in martial arts. My father and I knocked each other into these pools at a wierd training grounds. He came out a panda, and I came out... well... like this. Since then, cold water turns us into our 'cursed forms', as we call them, and warm water returns us to normal. I actually look..."
She poured the warm water over her head, and suddenly Ranma was there, continuing in a much deeper voice.
"...like this."
The silence was so complete, many students would swear later that they had heard dust bunnies forming under the edge of the counter.
Noriko blanched. "But... before the practice session... the changing room... you... you saw us..."
Ranma immediately began flailing his arms about.
"Wait, wait! No! Stop! It's not like that! When I'm like that, I AM a girl. Just like I'm a boy when I'm like this! It's not just a body thing."
Realization slowly dawned on Noriko.
"Ohhh, I get it. Hey, that actually makes sense! Okay, then. So you're both Ranma AND Kodora, huh?"
Ranma nearly fell out of his seat. Since when did people just accept things like this?
"Is it a total personality change, or just some minor stuff? I mean, do you still look at things the same both ways?"
"Um... no, they look different when I'm Kodora. She even has different likes and dislikes. The change, though... 'ts sorta... hard to explain..."
Noriko shook her head. "That's all right, Ranma... but, I have a question..."
"Yeah?"
"Could you turn back into Kodora?" Asked Noriko, somewhat embarrassed. "I'm... really not comfortable about the idea of talking with you about certain things when you're like this. Don't get the wrong impression, you seem nice enough, but..."
Ranma shook his head, smiling. "'Course not. I know whatcha mean. Here, you got any water?"
Noriko held out her bottle of Aquafina. "You look kinda silly with that bow in your hair as a guy anyways. Here. I didn't drink any yet."
Nodding, Ranma carefully poured half the bottle out over his head, triggering the change. Kodora loosened her hairbow, and then brought the water bottle to her nose, smelling it. She handed it back to Noriko.
"Pure spring water, my great aunt Rheba."
Noriko gave her a blank look. "Huh?"
Kodora smiled slightly. "That's not pure water, and it's not pure springwater either. Smells wrong."
Noriko blinked. "You can smell water? Isn't it supposed to be odorless or tasteless or something?"
The smaller girl chuckled lightly, her tail beginning to lash slowly. "Myth. It's just a very subtle smell and flavor."
"Ah, Kodora-chan?"
"Nani?"
"Since when do you have a tail?"
******
Ku Lon, Xian Pu, and Sin Ku exited the house, all three looking slightly green.
{Really.} Stated Sin Ku. {Who makes a soup with zucchini? I feel rather ill.}
{I know what you mean...} Replied Ku Lon, walking on the ground for once, leaning on her staff. {I think we should find somewhere to camp for a while before returning to the trail.}
Sin Ku nodded in agreement.
Xian Pu moaned quietly. {And after fixing that koi pond, too... Bleah. What a horrible reward...}
And so, Ryoga's wandering brings a possibly beneficial effect to Ranma.
Won't he be livid if he finds out.
******
Ryoga himself, however, had just made it to Furinkan, and was waiting by the gate. Sitting on his pack under the remaining tree, opposite the one Kuno chopped down, he was attracting a lot of attention from the people at the window seats.
He didn't notice them, however. He was deciding what he would say to Ranma when he saw the other boy.
Before he used the Perfect Shishi Hokodan to beat him into submission.
******
Ranma stepped out of the school building.
*That wasn't so bad, was it Kodora?*
*(sigh) I guess not, Oniisan...*
Ranma suddenly looked up, and jumped back four feet. Ryoga crashed, umbrella-first, into the ground, leaving a two-meter-diameter crater.
Ranma blinked.
"Wha..."
"At last, Ranma!" Said Ryoga, not yet looking up. "I finally caught up to you."
Ranma blinked again. "It's.... it's you! Ryoga Hibiki from Tomori Junior High, isn't it?"
Ryoga looked up now, with eyes half-hollow, half-raging. "Why did you run out on our fight, Ranma? Was I not worth it to you? Do you even now refuse to take martial arts seriously?"
Ranma snorted. "Fat lot you know. Martial arts is all I got. And I waited for three days! I only-"
"BUT WHERE WERE YOU ON THE FOURTH DAY?!?!?!?" Howled Ryoga, beginning to glow a sickly green. Suddenly, he calmed, but the odd-colored battle aura stayed. "Ranma." He hissed, "Thirty minutes. The soccer field. I want our duel now. I know I can beat you. And be on time. I know I will."
Ranma blinked. "Okayyy...."
"You!" Exclaimed the Lost Boy, pointing at a random student (who happened to be Daisuke). "Come here, now!"
Very intimidated, Dai walked timidly up to the broad, glowing martial artist. "Y-y-yes?" He managed to squeak out.
"Lead me to the soccer field. I will wait there until Ranma is ready."
Dai nodded quickly, and went to head for the soccer field, but Ryoga shot an arm out and grabbed him firmly by the collar. Then the fang-toothed martial artist turned to Ranma, releasing Daisuke once he was sure the student would not leave without him.
"Just a taste, to show you how hopeless it truly is for you."
He focused, reveling in his personal despair at the family curse of directionlessness. Half-crouching, he crossed his arms over his chest, raising his battle aura further. Dai began to feel distinctly down.
"nnngh...." Ryoga grunted, then shifted his hands, looking like he was striking a two-fisted blow, but with his hands slightly uncurled, one above the other. "Shishi Hokodan!"
Ranma blinked, and then underwent a short inadvertent flight when the rapidly-moving ball of luminescent green impacted his chest. He sat up slowly, wary now.
"Remember, Ranma. Half an hour. I WILL be there. See that you are." He turned to Daisuke. "C'mon, kid, I haven't got all day."
Ranma shook off the last effects of the blow. For some reason, the air felt weighty now.
*Ranma.... I... I think that was a chi-attack!*
*Wha?*
*Look, I read about it somewhere. You use your chi to land from big jumps, and to make the big jumps in the first place, right? And you use it to make your blows stronger and faster in combat, right?*
Ranma nodded to himself. *Yes, on both counts, Imootochan. What does that have to do with it?*
*Ranma, he's found a way to focus his chi outside of himself, and throw it at us. I mean, you. I mean, whatever he wants to throw it at.*
*Okay, but why did it do that? I mean, what made it so... solid?* Ranma rubbed his slightly sore chest.
*I... don't know. Usually to use something like that, you need something to focus on... Like a goal or an emotion or something...*
*Then I should be able to do that, no problem. I just need a little time to work out how to do it.*
*We don't have time, Ranma... but I think I can do it.*
*What? You mean, you've done that before?*
*No, no, but... it's like... I read about people with 'phantom limbs', didn't I tell you about that?*
*Y' mean when the person gets their arm cut off, but it still feels like they got an arm?*
*Exactly. Now, think about it a minute. You know how to focus your chi inside your body, but you could probably do it with a phantom limb. And I've already adapted to having a tail... it's not too far a cry to consider it like an extension of yourself into the air. But I'll need something to focus on...*
Kodora mentally shuddered. The stronger, the more major the influence of your focus on your life, the stronger the willpower would manifest. And she knew many things with influence on her life. One was overwhelming, though, and she hoped she wouldn't have to rely on it.
Because it might kill her. And that would mean killing Ranma. She couldn't do that to Ranma.
But she kept it in mind, just in case things began to get out of hand.
And it was always safest to be prepared....
*Ranma, I may need to fight for this one...*
Ranma frowned. *Kodora, I know Ryoga. You can't handle him. Especially not with his new attack, no matter what you know.*
*You think I don't know that? But if things look really bad, you'll have to switch with me. I have something, but it's rather... last-ditch. Oh, and in case I have to use it... we'd better go find Akane. I need her to do something...*
******
Akane was frustrated, but running as fast as she could anyways. Ranma, looking a bit pale, had pressed the folded note into her hand, and told her to get it to Kasumi ASAP. Then she was to bring Kasumi to the school soccer field.
Normally, she would have told him to take it himself, but he had seemed so serious...
She decided to take a peek at the note while she was running. He hadn't said not to read it, after all.
Half a block later, she nearly stopped and fainted. Akane shook herself. That was serious. She had to get to Kasumi faster...
Akane ran as hard as she ever had in her life.
More than one life might depend on it.
******
Ranma stood on the soccer field, facing Ryoga.
"Are you ready Ryoga?"
Ryoga looked up from the list of his own faults he had been reading. "It's not time yet, Saotome. Five more minutes. We will end this exactly on time, because it started always early or late."
Ranma shrugged. "Suit yourself."
******
Kasumi stumbled out the door, still wearing her housedress and apron. She hadn't even bothered to get her coat. Akane ran beside her, surprised that her oneechan was still able to move so fast.
The fight should be beginning within another minute. She had to get there as quickly as possible. Things were worse than she had suspected. Her face carried an expression that had not been seen on the Tendoo girl since her mother's death.
Panic.
**************************************************************************** *************
Finally, something comes to a head.
Sorry to start light, and then go down, but the story flows in that direction here, partially so that it can rise up again later.
Rather roller-coaster-esque, you could say.
But what effect will this have on the Ranmaverse?
And what, exactly, is Kodora's 'last resort' thing, anyways? How will it win the battle if it is truly needed?
Will Kodora be making another visit to Toohuu's office?
And just what scared Akane, Ranma, and even shook Kasumi to the core?
For once, some answers will follow the questions in short order.