Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. Gremlins is owned by
Warner Brothers.
The Importance of Rules
By: Kagato
Chapter 5
"Wa-huh?" Ranma said as he sailed out the window. Genma quickly hopped
after his airborn son, hopign to get a couple good hits in before Ranma
fully awoke. Spotting his wayward offspring glowing in the Koi pond, the
Saotome patriarch realized he'd be lucky to get any hits in, and waitef
for Ranma's seemingly-scripted outcry.
"Whadja do tha-" a piercing scream from Akane's room cut Ranma off, and
a moment later, Ranma had dissapeared, leaving a confused Genma staring
at the spot his son had been a moment ago.
"Akane!" Ranmy cried, entering the room. Nabiki Kasumi and Soun followed
him, drawn by Akane's shout. Upon entering, they all saw Akane sitting
in her bed, and staring at...
"What the hell is that?" Ranma asked. Nabiki frowned at it, and Kasumi
placed the back of her hand on Akane's forehead, makign sure her
youngest sister was alright.
"It's... It was M-chan." She said, quietly. Kasumi noticed a tear
crawling down her sisters cheek, and handed her a tissue to dry her eyes
with while everyone elses attention was on the... thing M-chan had
become.
"Akane..." Ranma said, quietly. Akane looked at him, shocked. Was that
sympathy she was displaying?
"... Did you try to feed him some of your cooking?" Ranma finally said,
seriously. Nabiki left the room then, and Soun, who had been standing
behind Ranma, seemed to materialize back by the door.
"..." Akane's stare faltered, before an engraged scowl took over. "You
insensitive jerk!"she snarled, leaping at her fiancee, fists extended.
"Akane, I- ack!" Ranma said, before being pummeled. Akane stopped after
a moment, feeling better, before she realized she was clad in only her
panties and a shirt.
"Eeeek! You.. you Pervert!" She cried, before resuming her assault with
new vigor. When Ranma's movements under her stilled, she quickly pushed
her out the door with her foot, before turning back towards the thing M-
chan had become. Kasumi was squatting near it, looking at it intently.
"Akane? I don't think M-chan is dead. This is some kind of cocoon."
"Cocoon? But... does that mean M-chan is going to turn into a
butterfly?" Akane asked hopefully.
"I doubt that." Nabiki said, entering the room now that Akane's anger
had dissipated.
"It's interesting. Catepillars cocoons are spun from silk, but this
looks like..."
"A giant booger?" Nabki offered, a wry smile on her face.
"Nabiki!" Kasumi admonished. However, looking back at the coccon, she
conceded "it does look like mucus, though."
"... M-chan's going to have trouble getting that out of his hair." Akane
said, pulling on her school uniform. Nabiki stared at her incredulously,
while Kasumi nodded.
"Oh my. Without being able to use water, that would be a problem."
"You know, " Nabiki said conversationally, "What comes out of there
might not even have hair."
"I'm sure that whatever M-chan becomes it'll be cute," Akane said,
sounding happier. Now that she knew M-chan wasn't in danger of dying,
she was looking forward to seeing whatever hatched. Shrugging, Nabiki
left to get ready for school, and Kasumi began contemplating the best
way to clean the floor around the cocoon.
"Ughn.." Ranma said intelligently as she made her way back to her room,
"stupid tomboy, hitting me like that. It was a good question..." Ranma
winced again as she fingered the bruise adorning her cheek. Pulling open
a drawer, she removed one of her red chinese shirts, and black pants,
before realizing she was still a girl.
"Stupid old man" she muttered, leaving to get some hot water. Returning
a minute later, Ranma pulled on his clothes quickly, before opening the
closet to check on his own Mogwai.
"AUGH!" he cried, spotting another thing lying on the closet floor.
"Yours too, eh?" Someone said from the door.
"Who wha.. huh?" Ranma asked, spinning to look at whoever had spoken.
Nabiki leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, and a smile on her
face.
"A hundred yen, and I'll tell you what's going on." Ranma frowned, and
looked at the thing on the floor.
"It's a cocoon." he said, suddenly. Nabiki faltered, surprised by this
display of brainpower. So surprised, that she blurted out her next
question without thinking. "How did you know that?"
Ranma grinned at her, his suspicions confirmed, before speaking, "I can
sense his ki.. only, it's changed. Changing." He shrugged, " it's weird,
but now that I'm looking for it, I can sense it. It reminds me of
spring, during the training trip. There were a bunch of them, and Pop
had me help some people pick the cocoons and put them in a basket."
Ranma shrugged. Nabiki smirked.
"Silkworms. They were collecting their cocoons to make silk." Ranma
blinked, then nodded, remembering hearing about that in school between
naps. Turning to look at the cocoon once more, he shut the closet door,
picked up his schoolbag, and left, Nabiki following him out still
surprised by his intelligent outburst.
***************************
A few blocks away, Ukyo Kuonji was inspecting a disgusting looking lump
of... something that had replaced her little helper.
"Well, whatever you are, I guess you'll have to wait till I get back
from school... Konatsu?"
"Yes, Ukyo-sama?" The kunoichi asked, appearing from the darkened hall
outside her door.
"I'm going to school. Keep an eye on things, will ya?" She asked with a
small grin. Ukyo knew Konatsu would do that without being asked, but she
liked the way he acted like she'd given him a yacht. He didn't
dissapoind her, lighting up like a christmas tree, before nodding.
"With honor, Ukyo-sama!" Ukyo just nodded, before leaving. Said sxodus,
however, was interrupted by a small cough. Ukyo turned, a brow raised.
"Umm.. Ukyo-sama, what should I do about... that?" Konatsu asked,
pointing at the thing in the corner. Ukyo shrugged.
"I'll think of something. Just leave it alone for now," she said, before
leaving. Konatsu stared at the object for a moment, before turnign away.
"I have a bad feeling about this, Ukyo-sama..."
***************************
The Kuno Estate typically bristled with activity, the workers keeping
the large household looking like the Samurai dwelling it was reputed to
be. Today, however, the workers found the doors unopenable, and the
windows blacked out from within. One faithful servant who managed to
peer over the wall into the rear yard quickly turned to go, muttering to
himself about the need to get a new job.
The inside of the house was now covered in cocoons similar to the ones
at the Tendo Residence and Ukyo's apartment. However, instead of one or
two, there were hundreds, located throughout the mansion, the thick
material gloung them in place also holding the doors and windows shut
against all but the strongest of force.
The Kitchens, all three, were left in shambles, the refridgerator door
swinging in the air conditions draft, and food wrappers layering the
floor beneath the multitude of cocoons that obscured the floor from
view. A few Mogwai lay upon the counters, twitching as their bodies
fought the effects of Kodachi's Paralysis-Powder-laced foods, and a
couple more lay dead after ingesting too much of her more potent
potions.
Kuno's shrine to his pigtailed Goddess and Fierce Tigress was in
tatters, the pictures and posters that had adorned the walls torn by
tiny fingers, untill all that remaned were colorful pieces of paper that
were glued to the floor by the multitude of cocoons that had formed in
there.
And swinging from the branches of a larger tree out back, the Kuno
siblings slept, the multitude of bumps and bruises inflicted the night
before slowly fading as they slept on, unaware of what grew within the
walls of their home.
***************************
"What is it, great-grandmother?" Shampoo asked.
"It's a cocoon, child. As I feared, your pet has eaten after midnight,
and begun it's metamorphosis."
Cologne sighed, looking out the small window on the far wall for a
moment. If the others, and she knew there were others out there, had
eaten, then Nerima would be facing the small, evil creatures by evening.
Perhaps even the afternoon. She muttered a curse in a language long-
dead, before looking at the cocoon. It had been so long since the last
time there was an outbreak of these... things. And that long period of
relative peace was about to end.
"I should have given it to him last time he offered..." she said
quietly, "next time..."
"What, great-grandmother?" Shampoo asked.
"Nothing child." Cologne said, turning to look at the cocoon again. Her
trained eye could see the life inside growing, changing, and she
shuddered, remembering the last time she'd faced the metamorphosed
creatures. Turning to Shampoo, she spoke quickly, "Go to son-in-law,
Shampoo. Tell him that Nerima is about to be invaded by evil magical
creatures, and if he sees one, kill it. Tell Akane and Ukyo, as well."
"Shampoo tell Husband, yes, but why Shampoo tell Violent Girl and
Spatula Girl?"
"Because, child, we're going to need all the help we can get." Shampoo
nodded slowly as she saw how serious her great-grandmother was, and
turned to go. Cologne shot a glare at the cocoon after Shampoo had left.
"And as for you," she said quietly, her grip tightening on her staff,
"I'll be waiting."
***************************
Authors Notes:
Ha. I didn't forget, I was just... umm... okay, so I got pre-occupied
and forgot. Better late than never though, right? Next Chapter: A quick
chat at school, Our hero's arrival at him... and Kasumi's Encounter. DUN
DUN DUN!
Warner Brothers.
The Importance of Rules
By: Kagato
Chapter 5
"Wa-huh?" Ranma said as he sailed out the window. Genma quickly hopped
after his airborn son, hopign to get a couple good hits in before Ranma
fully awoke. Spotting his wayward offspring glowing in the Koi pond, the
Saotome patriarch realized he'd be lucky to get any hits in, and waitef
for Ranma's seemingly-scripted outcry.
"Whadja do tha-" a piercing scream from Akane's room cut Ranma off, and
a moment later, Ranma had dissapeared, leaving a confused Genma staring
at the spot his son had been a moment ago.
"Akane!" Ranmy cried, entering the room. Nabiki Kasumi and Soun followed
him, drawn by Akane's shout. Upon entering, they all saw Akane sitting
in her bed, and staring at...
"What the hell is that?" Ranma asked. Nabiki frowned at it, and Kasumi
placed the back of her hand on Akane's forehead, makign sure her
youngest sister was alright.
"It's... It was M-chan." She said, quietly. Kasumi noticed a tear
crawling down her sisters cheek, and handed her a tissue to dry her eyes
with while everyone elses attention was on the... thing M-chan had
become.
"Akane..." Ranma said, quietly. Akane looked at him, shocked. Was that
sympathy she was displaying?
"... Did you try to feed him some of your cooking?" Ranma finally said,
seriously. Nabiki left the room then, and Soun, who had been standing
behind Ranma, seemed to materialize back by the door.
"..." Akane's stare faltered, before an engraged scowl took over. "You
insensitive jerk!"she snarled, leaping at her fiancee, fists extended.
"Akane, I- ack!" Ranma said, before being pummeled. Akane stopped after
a moment, feeling better, before she realized she was clad in only her
panties and a shirt.
"Eeeek! You.. you Pervert!" She cried, before resuming her assault with
new vigor. When Ranma's movements under her stilled, she quickly pushed
her out the door with her foot, before turning back towards the thing M-
chan had become. Kasumi was squatting near it, looking at it intently.
"Akane? I don't think M-chan is dead. This is some kind of cocoon."
"Cocoon? But... does that mean M-chan is going to turn into a
butterfly?" Akane asked hopefully.
"I doubt that." Nabiki said, entering the room now that Akane's anger
had dissipated.
"It's interesting. Catepillars cocoons are spun from silk, but this
looks like..."
"A giant booger?" Nabki offered, a wry smile on her face.
"Nabiki!" Kasumi admonished. However, looking back at the coccon, she
conceded "it does look like mucus, though."
"... M-chan's going to have trouble getting that out of his hair." Akane
said, pulling on her school uniform. Nabiki stared at her incredulously,
while Kasumi nodded.
"Oh my. Without being able to use water, that would be a problem."
"You know, " Nabiki said conversationally, "What comes out of there
might not even have hair."
"I'm sure that whatever M-chan becomes it'll be cute," Akane said,
sounding happier. Now that she knew M-chan wasn't in danger of dying,
she was looking forward to seeing whatever hatched. Shrugging, Nabiki
left to get ready for school, and Kasumi began contemplating the best
way to clean the floor around the cocoon.
"Ughn.." Ranma said intelligently as she made her way back to her room,
"stupid tomboy, hitting me like that. It was a good question..." Ranma
winced again as she fingered the bruise adorning her cheek. Pulling open
a drawer, she removed one of her red chinese shirts, and black pants,
before realizing she was still a girl.
"Stupid old man" she muttered, leaving to get some hot water. Returning
a minute later, Ranma pulled on his clothes quickly, before opening the
closet to check on his own Mogwai.
"AUGH!" he cried, spotting another thing lying on the closet floor.
"Yours too, eh?" Someone said from the door.
"Who wha.. huh?" Ranma asked, spinning to look at whoever had spoken.
Nabiki leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, and a smile on her
face.
"A hundred yen, and I'll tell you what's going on." Ranma frowned, and
looked at the thing on the floor.
"It's a cocoon." he said, suddenly. Nabiki faltered, surprised by this
display of brainpower. So surprised, that she blurted out her next
question without thinking. "How did you know that?"
Ranma grinned at her, his suspicions confirmed, before speaking, "I can
sense his ki.. only, it's changed. Changing." He shrugged, " it's weird,
but now that I'm looking for it, I can sense it. It reminds me of
spring, during the training trip. There were a bunch of them, and Pop
had me help some people pick the cocoons and put them in a basket."
Ranma shrugged. Nabiki smirked.
"Silkworms. They were collecting their cocoons to make silk." Ranma
blinked, then nodded, remembering hearing about that in school between
naps. Turning to look at the cocoon once more, he shut the closet door,
picked up his schoolbag, and left, Nabiki following him out still
surprised by his intelligent outburst.
***************************
A few blocks away, Ukyo Kuonji was inspecting a disgusting looking lump
of... something that had replaced her little helper.
"Well, whatever you are, I guess you'll have to wait till I get back
from school... Konatsu?"
"Yes, Ukyo-sama?" The kunoichi asked, appearing from the darkened hall
outside her door.
"I'm going to school. Keep an eye on things, will ya?" She asked with a
small grin. Ukyo knew Konatsu would do that without being asked, but she
liked the way he acted like she'd given him a yacht. He didn't
dissapoind her, lighting up like a christmas tree, before nodding.
"With honor, Ukyo-sama!" Ukyo just nodded, before leaving. Said sxodus,
however, was interrupted by a small cough. Ukyo turned, a brow raised.
"Umm.. Ukyo-sama, what should I do about... that?" Konatsu asked,
pointing at the thing in the corner. Ukyo shrugged.
"I'll think of something. Just leave it alone for now," she said, before
leaving. Konatsu stared at the object for a moment, before turnign away.
"I have a bad feeling about this, Ukyo-sama..."
***************************
The Kuno Estate typically bristled with activity, the workers keeping
the large household looking like the Samurai dwelling it was reputed to
be. Today, however, the workers found the doors unopenable, and the
windows blacked out from within. One faithful servant who managed to
peer over the wall into the rear yard quickly turned to go, muttering to
himself about the need to get a new job.
The inside of the house was now covered in cocoons similar to the ones
at the Tendo Residence and Ukyo's apartment. However, instead of one or
two, there were hundreds, located throughout the mansion, the thick
material gloung them in place also holding the doors and windows shut
against all but the strongest of force.
The Kitchens, all three, were left in shambles, the refridgerator door
swinging in the air conditions draft, and food wrappers layering the
floor beneath the multitude of cocoons that obscured the floor from
view. A few Mogwai lay upon the counters, twitching as their bodies
fought the effects of Kodachi's Paralysis-Powder-laced foods, and a
couple more lay dead after ingesting too much of her more potent
potions.
Kuno's shrine to his pigtailed Goddess and Fierce Tigress was in
tatters, the pictures and posters that had adorned the walls torn by
tiny fingers, untill all that remaned were colorful pieces of paper that
were glued to the floor by the multitude of cocoons that had formed in
there.
And swinging from the branches of a larger tree out back, the Kuno
siblings slept, the multitude of bumps and bruises inflicted the night
before slowly fading as they slept on, unaware of what grew within the
walls of their home.
***************************
"What is it, great-grandmother?" Shampoo asked.
"It's a cocoon, child. As I feared, your pet has eaten after midnight,
and begun it's metamorphosis."
Cologne sighed, looking out the small window on the far wall for a
moment. If the others, and she knew there were others out there, had
eaten, then Nerima would be facing the small, evil creatures by evening.
Perhaps even the afternoon. She muttered a curse in a language long-
dead, before looking at the cocoon. It had been so long since the last
time there was an outbreak of these... things. And that long period of
relative peace was about to end.
"I should have given it to him last time he offered..." she said
quietly, "next time..."
"What, great-grandmother?" Shampoo asked.
"Nothing child." Cologne said, turning to look at the cocoon again. Her
trained eye could see the life inside growing, changing, and she
shuddered, remembering the last time she'd faced the metamorphosed
creatures. Turning to Shampoo, she spoke quickly, "Go to son-in-law,
Shampoo. Tell him that Nerima is about to be invaded by evil magical
creatures, and if he sees one, kill it. Tell Akane and Ukyo, as well."
"Shampoo tell Husband, yes, but why Shampoo tell Violent Girl and
Spatula Girl?"
"Because, child, we're going to need all the help we can get." Shampoo
nodded slowly as she saw how serious her great-grandmother was, and
turned to go. Cologne shot a glare at the cocoon after Shampoo had left.
"And as for you," she said quietly, her grip tightening on her staff,
"I'll be waiting."
***************************
Authors Notes:
Ha. I didn't forget, I was just... umm... okay, so I got pre-occupied
and forgot. Better late than never though, right? Next Chapter: A quick
chat at school, Our hero's arrival at him... and Kasumi's Encounter. DUN
DUN DUN!