Ranma ½: Stranger Things

Authors Notes: I've spent more time on this Fanfic then I did on my last one. I've tried to make this one more realistic and also to keep everyone somewhat in character. I don't know if the plot is really believable (could be because I thought it up after 2 am), but some pretty strange stuff has happened in the anime and manga. Anyway, let me know if you don't understand something or if you think its good.

Disclaimer: The characters in this story are not my own. I do not own them or have any permission to use them.

Ranma crouched low, hiding behind a table in the neko-haten restaurant, all around him he could hear slight rustling noises that gave away the position of the others. The room was almost completely dark, the only light came from the street lights shining faintly through the windows. A sound came from the door "Click....Click." Time seemed to freeze and Ranma prepared himself, the sound of a door slowly opening and footsteps could be heard. He felt a sudden tightness in his chest as he waited, finally the lights were switched on. He made his move in the same instant as all the others, who had hidden themselves. As one they shouted "SURPRISE!!" The shout rang loudly throughout the large room and Shampoo's eyes were wide with shock. "Why you scare Shampoo!?" she asked angrily. Ranma grinned "happy surprise birthday Shamps!" Shampoo's features softened and she glomped onto her airen. "Ranma do all this for Shampoo?", the pigtailed boy shook his head "I had a lot of help, Mousse is the one you should be thanking."
The purple haired amazon pushed harder against Ranma "Shampoo no care." Ranma sighed and tried to free himself while the other fiancee's glared angrily at them. Cologne hopped into the room on her staff, a large, pinkish purple, cake balanced in one hand. The pigtailed boys eyes widened and were drawn to the delicious looking food while his stomach grumbled in anticipation. "Happy birthday Great-Granddaughter" the old ghoul said, setting the cake down on one of the larger tables. The amazon and others gathered around, on the cake were seventeen brightly light candles and the words "Happy Birthday Shampoo" writing in red icing.
Shampoo looked at the flaming candles "why Shampoo's cake on fire?" Cologne grinned "its tradition. You make a wish and blow the candles out." Shampoo nodded and lost herself in deep thought.
She was about to wish to return to China, she had been away for over a year now and deeply missed her home, but then she looked over to where Ranma sat, Ukyou and Akane sitting close beside him. I wish Ranma and Shampoo to be happy together. She blew out all of the candles in a single breath.

* * *

Ranma contentedly rubbed his tummy, it had been a very good cake and didn't seem to have been laced with drugs. He looked over at the amazon and saw her happily opening up her birthday presents. The gift she was currently working on unwrapping was about three feet in height and was roughly catus shaped. Once all the wrappings were away the present was reveal to actually be some kind of greenish, potted, catus plant, only without any pointy needles. Ranma's curiosity got the better of him and he rubbed his hand against the plants shiny smooth surface.
There was a surge of energy jolted through his brain and Ranma found himself hugging the plant, rubbing his face against it smooth, warm surface. The others stared at him for a minute and then just ignored him, after all this was too usual to give much attention.
"So Shampoo my love, what did you wish for?" Mousse asked the purple haired blur. The amazon grinned "Shampoo wish to be rid of stupid Duck- boy", Mousse flinched and decided to keep his mouth shut. He'd received a special offer in the mail for free experimental eye surgery, once he had full vision again Shampoo would return his loving affections. Until then he'd just have to patiently wait.

* * *

Akane dragged Ranma towards home, he still had that stupid plant grasped in his arms. "What is wrong with you Ranma?!" she demanded. The pigtailed boy looked at her confused "what do you mean Akane-san?" The youngest Tendou growled "how could you spend all night dancing with some dumb catus plant!?" Ranma seemed angered by the comment "hey! C-chan is not 'some dumb catus plant.' You're just jealous is all." Akane shook her head in disbelief "I am not jealous! You can marry your precious C-chan for all I care." She picked up her pace, mumbling something about weird, insensitive, perverted, jerks that needed psychiatric help.
Ranma held the plant closer to himself and sighed in contentment, meanwhile the plant began glowing a faint bluish pink. When they arrived back at the dojo Akane stormed to her room and Ranma walked into the kitchen where Kasumi was busy preparing a late dinner. "Ranma, that's a pretty plant you have there" she said upon seeing the pigtailed boy. Ranma nodded "thanks Kasumi-chan, could I have some water for it?" The eldest Tendou smiled and filled a glass of water for him, Ranma thanked the eldest Tendou and walked into the family room.

* * *

The next day bright and early Mousse was walking down the street, a crumpled letter in his hand. Today was the day he'd have the surgery that would restore his sight. He hoped nothing went wrong during the experimental surgery, but it was a risk he was willing to take. The only thing that mattered was winning his beloved Shampoo's heart.
When he arrived at indicated address on the letter he was surprised to find himself at what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse by the docks. He knocked on the heavy metal door and it slowly "clanked!" open to reveal a large, well muscled, man in a blue suit. "Who are you?" the man asked while looking down at a sheet of paper in his hand. Mousse frowned "names Mousse, I'm here for the experimental surgery." The large man stepped aside and allowed the Chinese boy inside.
Mousse was relieved to see all the fancy looking machinery set up in the center of the warehouse. He had been wondering about the strange location, but everything seemed to be clean enough. Besides this was something he had to do.
A man in a stained white shirt who had been adjusting one of the high tech machines looked up at him. "You must be Mousse. I'm Dr. Akira" he motioned to the waist high platform at the center of his equipment "please lie down." Mousse did so and a moment later felt the glasses being removed from his face. "We'll begin the surgery right away., but before we start you are aware of the risks right?" Mousse nodded and the Doctor smiled "good, good." He then pulled down an overhead machine and Mousse had to fight back his nervousness. Dr. Akira just hoped their wouldn't be any unusual mutations like the last time, they were using a highly volatile new technology that was still unproved and the risks were plentiful.

* * *

Ranma had spent the night with C-chan in his arms, the strange dreams he had were very unusual and left him with the powerful need to please his master C-chan. He was sitting at the table and had C-chan sitting beside him in Akane's usual spot. The youngest Tendou was not too happy about this, but there was no way she'd admit being jealous of a plant. Akane was more convinced that the catus type plant was somehow controlling her fiance's weak mind then before. She began the process of plotting ways to destroy the plant, but feared Ranma would try to protect it and if he did she'd need help.
She felt anger boil within her as the pigtailed boy stroked the plant with his hand. Kasumi however was smiling, glad that the Ranma seemed to care so much for plants. The eldest Tendou was also surprised that C- chan was still alive under the pigtailed boys care. She'd have to ask Ranma to help her in the garden later today, it'd be nice having someone around that shared her interest in plants and flowers.

* * *

On the way to school Akane held P-chan in her arms, she'd found him walking aimlessly down the street. She hugged the pig close to her breasts and turned to glance at Ranma, hoping to see him looking jealous. He just looked at her and smiled before kissing C-chan and continuing down the street. Akane looked down, seeing P-chan was pushed snugly between her breasts and completely unconscious with blood dripping down his nose. She frowned in confusion and quickened her pace.
When Ranma was splashed with cold water by the Ladle Lady Akane was surprised that C-chan spayed some greenish liquid that turned her fiance back to normal form. The youngest Tendou briefly wondered where it was that the plant had come from and who had giving it to Shan Pu as a birthday present.

* * *

Ukyou stared across the classroom at her fiance, he was sitting at his desk with the evil plant in front of him. She was surprised that the pigtailed boy actually seemed to be listening to the class and was writing down notes in between answering difficult questions. Ukyou was very afraid for him, the plant was a mystery, no one had admitted to having giving it to Shampoo and they knew almost nothing about it. It was also very odd that Ranma had become so attached to it.
She had also noticed that Akane had her P-chan with her today and wondered if she was trying to make Ranma as jealous of pig as she herself felt of C-chan. Probably. Ukyou went back to listening to the teacher, but her mind was already pondering ways to find out more about this strange plant.

* * *

When Mousse woke the first thing he noticed was a man in front of him, he assumed it was Dr. Akira. The amount of detail he could make out and lack of blurriness made him want to jump and shout with glee. He was no longer a pathetic, blind, fool and now Shampoo would love him as much as he loved her. The second thing he noticed was that the Doctor was looking at him with a very worried and disappointed expression. "Wh...." Mousse started to say, but then he noticed something horribly wrong. Raising his hand to check his mouth, and felt a very large duck bill.
The world became a shade of crimson red to the duck boy and only one thought passed through his mind "this is all Ranma's fault! I'll kill him!" he shouted. Akira looked after the running duck-boy and frowned, he had no idea who this Ranma was or how his patient had grown a bill, but was glad to not be the target of any violence. Besides he had to find another patient to test his wonderful machine on, after all it did look like duck- boys eyes had been fixed.
Looking through the Nerima phone book he stopped at the name Tendou, perhaps someone there would be in need of his help. The doctor chuckled to himself and went back to readjusting his machine while trying to figure out what could have gone wrong. "Maybe if I increase the power of the dual matter converters by 95 percent. Hmmmmmm."

* * *

Ranma-chan kneeled on the ground, beside her was Kasumi, who was helping the pigtailed girl plant transparent green seeds in the moist earth. "Ranma-chan, where did you get such pretty seeds?" she asked, the redhead smiled brightly "C-chan gave them to me." Kasumi nodded "how kind of her" she patted the catus type plant on the head, only finding it slightly odd that Ranma considered this plant to be human. Besides Ranma had so few actual friends, probably not even one, that she kind of expected something like this to happen. Kasumi knew what it was to be lonely and she herself spent much time talking to her flowers as if they were able to understand her.
Unknown to Kasumi, Ranma-chan, and C-chan, they were being watched. In the nearby bushes there were three slightly horrified girls. Akane's voice could be heard whispering "oh no! It got Kasumi too!" Ukyou whispered back "we should confront Ranchan as soon as possible, before we lose anyone else to it." There was a rustle and Shampoo made her way out of the bush. "Aiyah! Shampoo ask Great-Grandmother for help. This too too strange", she then quickly ran across the yard and down the road.
Ranma watched Kasumi enter the house for some more water, she then turned to face C-chan "do you think we can trust her?" The plant pulsed with light and Ranma frowned "fine then. We'll do this your way." She grinned evilly and looked over the garden "soon your army will be ready....soon." The plant pulsed a few more times and Ranma wrapped her arm around it.

* * *

Akane and Ukyou sat in the family room with determined expressions on their faces. They were prepared to finally confront Ranma and C-chan. Ukyou had her battle spatula ready and Akane was rubbing her lucky mallet. "Here's the plan" Ukyou whisperd "when he comes in we separate them and I'll keep Ranma away from C-chan by blinding him with pepper, then we both smash and dice the plant into little okonomiyaki pieces before he recovers." Akane nodded her head in agreement "mmmm."
A moment later the door slid open and Ranma stepped in, she saw the two girls' expressions and set C-chan down on a nearby table. She approached the other two girls, prepared to fight. "Ranchan? What's happened to you!?" Ukyou asked. The redhead shrugged "what do you mean Ucchan?"
The okonomiyaki chef motioned to Akane and then suddenly threw pepper into her fiance's eyes. Ranma screamed in pain and lunged forward blindly. She then heard the two girls behind her, knowing that they were after her precious C-chan. She needed a distraction and fast, something that would buy her enough time to recover and save her master. Ranma clutched her stomach "ARRRGH! CRAMP! CRAMP!" both girls turned to stare at the petite redheaded girl, quite startled.
Kasumi choose that moment to enter the room and said "oh dear, Ranma- chan I think we should have a private talk." Kasumi's distraction gave the two fiancee's enough time to finish off C-chan, the plant lay in a squashed pile on the floor. Ranma doubled over in agony as the mind link was broken. Kasumi only frowned and picked up her pace, dragging Ranma out of the room.

In the bathroom the eldest Tendou daughter turned to the confused redhead and motioned her to sit down on the toilet. "Ranma-chan, there's a time in every young woman's life when her body goes through some changes, I already had this talk with Nabiki and Akane several years ago" Ranma still not recovered from the mental trauma could only stare blankly and nod her head.

* * *

P-chan was hungry, he hadn't eating in days and he'd gotten lost again before Akane could share her lunch with him. As the black piglet walked down the street his snout sniffed the air. He smelled something good and headed off in the direction it came from.
He walked through a door into a house and saw a mess of green goo mixed with hard green chunks on the floor. He figured someone most have dropped their dinner and had left to find something to clean it up, well he'd just have to eat it all before they got back. He couldn't let good food go to waste now could he? P-chan began gulping down the green stuff and felt his empty belly enlarging. After he had finished the carpet was completely clean and he was too full to move. That's how Akane and Ukyou found him when they returned with a shovel, plastic bag, and bucket of water.
"P-chan! You didn't!?" Akane gasped, the pig "bweeed!" at her confused while Ukyou just shook her head in disbelief. Akane pick little P- chan up and headed towards her room muttering something about how this was all Ranma's fault. P-chan decided to find some hot water as soon as possible so he could figure out what was going on. He had a strong feeling that this was somehow all Ranma's fault.

* * *

That night while Shampoo lay in bed she had the strangest feeling that she was supposed to have done something today and had completely forgotten about it. In the end she figured it must not be important. She briefly wondered where Mousse was, she hadn't seen him all day, she then closed her eyes and was soon dreaming of her airen.

* * *

In the Tendou's garden the soil was glowing a pale green, unfortunately everyone was already in bed sleeping and very oblivious to the outside world. Everyone that is except a little black piglet that had gotten lost looking for the bathroom. Suddenly thirty figures burst from the earth and began searching for their leader. P-chan looked worriedly at the many monsters looming over him and wondered why they were calling him "master".

The End