Disclaimer: Why are you asking me?
Ranma-Yami: Ranma merged with Yami
Ranma-chan: Ranma as a female (Ranko)
: Thoughts
New Ranma, New Rules
Ranma awoke suddenly in the middle of the night and looked about. He found himself in the guestroom of the Tendo home and nearby, his father was snoozing away like always. He then looked down at the puzzle which was hanging from his neck and wondered. Had that trip to a magical world, battling a wizard and defeating his dragon been all a dream? He looked at a nearby clock. The time showed that it was the same date and time that he remembered when he fell asleep. He quietly went to where his backpack was.
Sure enough, it was still laying in the closet. However, when Ranma checked its contents, he nearly shouted out in surprise. Glittering in the moonlight were handfuls of gold coins! Ranma began remembering back to when he was in that Shadow Realm. Then he remembered Yami, who had given him the gold. The former pharaoh had told him that it had been part of the treasure that had been buried with him after he had died, and that his host was free to use it for traveling expenses. After all, Yami had no use for it.
Ranma held up a palm and quietly began invoking a simple spell. A small dot of light appeared, which he quickly doused to keep Genma from awakening. There was no doubt now. That trip had been real and he had spent four weeks learning magic, honing his martial arts and battling sorcerers. Furthermore, he had been returned to the exact moment he had left this world. Now he remembered the rest while looking down at his Millennium Puzzle. It would be thirty days before he would return to that Shadow Realm. A mere thirty days to get even closer to becoming free of his curse. The pigtailed martial artist smiled as he began hiding the small fortune he had been given. It would not do for his greedy parent or Nabiki to find it.
----------
Furinken High, the next day...
Ranma was deep in thought as he sat at a picnic table that was under a tree. He held up his Millennium Puzzle and contemplated it as he recalled his adventures in that magical world.
Things sure has changed since I brought this.
"Hey Ranchan!"
Ranma looked up and saw that his old friend Ukyo was standing with a takeout box in her hands.
"Hey, Ukyo."
The okonomiyaki chef smiled as she sat down beside him. "You didn't get to eat the special lunch I made for you yesterday, so I made a new one."
Was it really yesterday? I spent four weeks in that other world. I can hardly believe that Yami sent me back to the exact moment I left Earth.
"Ranchan? Don't you want it?"
Ranma was snapped back to the present as he replied, "Oh, sure I do! I'm starving!" He then took the box and quickly began devouring the food within it. "This is great, Ucchan! You always did make the best okonomiyaki around!"
"Thanks, sugar. By the way..."
"Huh?"
"When did you learn how to play Duel Monsters? I thought that you couldn't play any card games that well." She recalled how difficult it was for him to beat the Gambling King, which involved cheating.
Ranma shrugged. "I guess I got lucky yesterday."
"That was some lucky streak, beating Obari five games in a row."
"Yeah, well... as soon as I thought of it like fighting and martial arts, I kind of got the hang of it."
"What's this?" She pointed to Ranma's puzzle.
"Oh, it's just a puzzle that I bought at the bazaar a couple of days ago."
"Weird-looking puzzle."
"Yeah, but it brought me luck yesterday."
She smiled at Ranma's humor. "Oh it did? Well, let's see if it can bring you luck again. How about playing me a game?" Ukyo took out her own deck of cards.
Ranma shrugged as he took out his deck. The okonomiyaki chef did not notice, as she began shuffling her cards, that the puzzle's eye glinted slightly.
----------
"And that brings your Life Points to zero." Ranma said as he turned over a Trap Card.
"Wow. You really do know how to play this game." Ukyo said as she began collecting her cards. She had lost three games straight against her fiancé. "What did you do, practice against real monsters?" Ukyo asked jokingly.
"You could say that I've been... training." It was actually the truth. Yami had been teaching Ranma the rules and strategies of the game in the Shadow Realm. And real-life experience in the Slayers world also helped.
"RANMA!"
Ranma winced as he heard the familiar screech of his other fiancée. He turned his head and saw Akane steaming mad as she stomped toward him and Ukyo with a bento. He frowned as he could guess why she was so angry right now. She had probably made another one of her culinary disasters for his lunch and saw that empty takeout box.
"I worked hard to make you this lunch!" Akane growled as she thrust the bento toward him.
Ranma winced again as he could already smell the putrid odor coming from it. He tried to defuse the situation by saying in a polite manner, "Well that was nice of you, but I already ate and..."
Ukyo's nose wrinkled as she caught a whiff of whatever was in that box. "Eeew! What's in that box?"
"Shut up!" Akane snapped as focused her rage on Ranma. "Well? Aren't you going to eat it?"
Ranma considered the offering in front of him. He truly did not want to eat it. However, should he refuse it, then Akane would get even angrier and pound him with that mallet of hers. And there was Ukyo to consider, who would most likely start a fight with Akane should she attack him. There seemed to be no way out of this predicament.
Luckily for him, Yami had decided to give him a new option. The Millennium Puzzle glittered slightly as Ranma felt Yami's presence merge with his own spirit.
"No."
"What do you mean no?!" Akane became angrier by the second as Ranma-Yami showed no fear.
"I said no. Have you tasted it?"
"No, but..."
If you're not willing to taste it yourself, then why expect me to eat it?"
"Ranma..." Akane growled. "You'd better eat some now, before I get mad!"
"Oh? So now we're resorting to threats? Tell you what. I'll make a little wager with you." Ranma-Yami produced a standard deck of cards and began shuffling. "We'll play one hand of poker. If you win, then I'll eat anything that you make without any complaints. However, when I win, then I won't ever have to eat your cooking, until you are able to eat it yourself! Deal?"
Akane then took an a grin as she asked, "You mean, you'll eat anything I make? No complaints?" She knew Ranma's weakness with cards.
"If you win."
Ukyo became a bit alarmed at this. Sure Ranma was good with Duel Monsters, but poker was an entirely different game. "Ranchan, are you SURE about this?"
"It's a deal!" Akane said quickly as she knew that she would beat him easily. She wasn't the best card player, but she was certainly better than Ranma.
----------
"HAH! Full House!" Akane said triumphantly as she showed her hand. "I guess now you're going to eat my cooking!"
"No. I've got two pairs." Ranma-Yami said quietly.
"Two pairs doesn't beat a Full House!"
"It does when it's two pairs of threes." He laid down his hand on the table.
Akane's eyes widened as she saw Ranma's four of a kind.
"Wow." Ukyo breathed out. "Well Ranchan, I guess that you don't have to worry about being poisoned anymore."
"RANMA NO BAKA!" Akane went into a fit of outrage and produced her mallet. As she swung her instrument of pain toward Ranma-Yami's head, it was suddenly intercepted by Ukyo's Battle Spatula.
CLANG!
"Hold it right there, Sugar." Ukyo said with a hard tone. "You agreed to the deal, and Ranchan won that game fair and square."
"HE CHEATED! I KNOW HE DID! THERE'S NO WAY HE COULD HAVE WON!" Akane screeched.
"Hmpf! It's just like you Akane, making excuses and blaming Ranma for every time things go wrong for you. As far as I can tell, he played that game fairly. So now you're going to keep your end of the deal! No forcing that stuff down Ranma's throat until you can eat it yourself!"
"Fine! I'll show you that it's good!" Akane then unwrapped the bento she had brought and picked up a pair of chopsticks. The meal she had prepared looked like an unidentifiable mass of toxic sludge. She then picked up a piece and put it in her mouth.
"See? It's good and... erk!"
The insides of her mouth suddenly felt as if it were on fire as she pitched forward and passed out.
Both Ukyo and Ranma-Yami sighed as they picked her up and began carrying her to the nurse's office.
----------
The Tendo home...
"YOU WILL EAT AKANE'S COOKING!" Soun's Deomon Head shouted, just as Ranma got home. Behind Soun, a certain Panda was waving about a sign.
#Son, you will eat your fiancee's cooking and like it!#
At that moment, Ranma's Millennium Puzzle glittered again and he became Ranma-Yami. The Game King stood with no fear while crossing his arms in front of him.
"I see no reason for you two to be involved. The deal was between myself and Akane and she lost. I am holding her to our bargain. Until she's able to eat her own food, I will not eat it."
Kasumi then came onto the scene with Akane. In the younger sister's hands was a tray filled some kind of gelatinous mass that wouldn't stop changing colors. Akane was feeling smug as she knew that with her father and sister's help, she'll get that baka to eat her cooking.
"Please Ranma, won't you try it? Akane worked so hard on it."
However, Ranma-Yami would not be swayed, not even by Kasumi's pleas or Soun's Demon Head. "I'm sorry Kasumi, but a deal is a deal. She keeps on saying that she's a TRUE martial artist. Well then, a true martial artist should ALWAYS keep her word. Isn't that right, Mr. Tendo?" He then gave the Demon Head a glare that made it melt back into Akane's father.
"Well, uh... that is... er..." Soun was at a loss. Ranma had a point and the Tendo patriarch had always harped on him about honor and such. A martial artist should always hold one's honor.
Nabiki, who was standing nearby, was impressed. She had not thought it was possible for Ranma to refuse Kasumi or actually get her father to back down. There was something about Ranma's new confidence...
Genma however, was still as stubborn as ever. #Boy, you WILL eat what your fiancee made for you!#
"You can't make me." Ranma-Yami said simply.
At this point, Genma growled and charged his son to force Akane's cooking down his throat. The Game King simply swerved and grabbed at the spoon that was on the tray Akane was carrying. with one deft movement, he scooped up a spoonful of her cuisine and shoved it down Genma's open maw.
The panda swallowed by reflex, turned blue, then green, then purple, then plaid before letting off a gout of fire from his mouth. He then fainted dead away with a glazed look on his face.
"Hmpf! As I thought." Ranma-Yami snorted as he glared at Akane. "You didn't even bother to taste it. Not a day has gone by and you've already gone back on your word. Some martial artist!"
That was the final insult as Akane's temper skyrocketed. "RANMA NO BAKA!"
Ranma-Yami dodged every one of Akane's attacks and then shoved another spoonful of her cooking into her mouth when he saw an opening. The youngest Tendo daughter was on her knees and retching.
Soun was about to go into his Demon Head again, but Ranma-Yami's glare kept him cowed.
"Do not bring more dishonor to your daughter's inability to keep her word. I repeat, I will NEVER eat her cooking until she's able to eat it without getting sick! That was the bargain and I will hold her to it!"
It was a fortunate thing for Akane that Ranma-Yami had decided not to punish her in the same way that all his opponents had received when they lose to him or go back on their word.
----------
"Well, I am impressed." Nabiki said as she approached her best source of income. "So exactly when did you become so good at card games?" She had heard from Akane of how Ranma had beaten her, and was no longer obliged to eat her horrendous cooking.
"None of your business." Ranma replied simply. When he saw that Nabiki was about to press for information, he added, "And don't think that you can threaten me. Remember our little game? I owe you nothing."
The middle Tendo daughter gritted her teeth slightly as she recalled how Ranma had beaten her. This wasn't good. Genma's son was actually winning without using his fists. This would not do.
Ranma shurgged as he said, "In any case, I'm actually doing Akane a favor."
"How do you figure that?"
"Simple. If she's forced to eat her own cooking, then it just MIGHT get through that thick head of hers, that she needs to READ the recipe and watch what she's adding. I'm NOT going to lie to her or say that she's getting better, when she's actually getting worse. That will only encourage her to repeat those mistakes. If she wants to be a good cook, then she'll have to go through the motions like everyone else. There's a reason WHY a recipe is there. It's there so a person can cook something that CAN be eaten. If she can't even do something as simple as follow a recipe that laid out for her, then there's no point for her to even try. And knowing Akane's learning curve, it's going to take a LONG time, before she can make something that won't turn on her a few seconds after she eats it."
"Point taken." Nabiki admitted. "So in any case, about this new ability of yours, Ranma. I know of some ways in which we can make a LOT of money and..."
"Stuff it Nabiki. I'm NOT interested." Especially since I've got a fortune in gold hidden away.
With that, Ranma walked away, leaving a very irritated Tendo girl.
----------
The next day, at the Cat Cafe...
"Nihao!"
Ranma barely managed to avoid the Amazon Glomp as a certain purple-haired warrior girl bounced toward him to greet her Airen.
"Hi." Ranma said nonchalantly.
"Shampoo hear exciting news. Airen no have to eat Too, Too Violent Girl's cooking! You come in to eat Shampoo's cooking, yes?"
"Well... I am kind of hungry..."
"Shampoo get ramen for you!" She then happily bounced away to fill out the order.
Ranma shrugged as he sat down.
----------
Cologne was intrigued when she saw her future son-in-law. There was something about him that seemed different from when the last time she had seen him. His aura was... off, somehow, and he was projecting a kind of confidence that wasn't his usual arrogance. Then her gaze fell on the strange pendant that he was wearing.
Hmmm, now where have I seen that pendant before? It looks vaguely familiar. Perhaps... I should look back into my old texts. I'm certain that I've seen that symbol before. Over the past centuries, her tribe had collected a large amount of ancient scrolls and tomes throughout their travels through Asia and Africa, before finally settling down in what was now known as the Bayankala Mountain Range. Some of those scriptures were about ancient Egypt.
----------
As Ranma ate, he began thinking about what he was going to do for the next thirty days until the Slayers dimension and the Shadow Realm would come into alignment again. It was then that he felt another presence. He then heard the telltale sound of someone hopping on a staff toward him.
"Hello son-in-law."
"Hello... Cologne."
The old woman's left eyebrow raised in surprise. This was the first time Ranma had ever addressed her by her proper name. Furthermore, he had addressed her with none of his usual arrogance. Usually, he referred to her as old ghoul, dried-up mummy or some other insulting title. There was definitely something different about him.
Unknown to her, Ranma's alter-ego had taught his host not only the rules and strategies of Duel Monsters, but also the rules and strategies of the game called Life.
----------
Flashback...
"Remember Ranma." Yami said. "Like Duel Monsters, life can be seen like a game, with its own rules, prizes and penalties. You cannot just blindly move forward all the time without learning the rules, nor believe that the game will eventually turn in your favor. If you are unwilling to play certain games and follow their rules, then you shall always be the loser. Do you understand what I am saying to you?"
"Uhhh... no?"
"Well, at least you are honest enough to admit your ignorance." Yami shrugged, then continued. "Every situation you encounter, be it old or new, will be scored in accordance to your performance. You must use those scores to plan your future strategies so that you will receive higher scores. Misplaying the game will result in penalties. Playing the game correctly and smartly, will result in prizes. And once you learn the rules of the game and which strategy works the best, then there will be no game that you cannot master."
----------
End of flashback...
It had taken Ranma two weeks in the Slayers world, before he finally understood what Yami had told him. All he had to do was think of each challenge in his everyday life as a game, just as if he were training in the martial arts.
For example, social skills and tact were things in which he was severely deficient in. He just didn't know how to act in polite company. In other words, he had never been taught the rules. That was something that his father had deliberately neglected during his upbringing.
Once Ranma had learned the rules, it was just a matter of applying the best strategies. Name-calling and rude remarks usually invoked penalties, so he would address people by their proper names. Calling Shampoo's great-grandmother Cologne instead of old ghoul would result in not getting bonked on the head by her staff, and there would be less hostility. It was that simple.
Noting Cologne's slight surprise, Ranma decided to use another strategy that was known to work, being nice. He smiled at her and said, "Very nice day today, isn't it? How are you?"
This almost made the Elder fall off her staff. Ranma was actually being civil to her? This was an absolute first!
"Ummm... yes, it is. I am... well. And may I ask what brings you here?" Though she maintained eye contact with him, she kept Ranma's Millennium Puzzle in sight. There was just something about it...
"Lunch." Ranma replied simply as he finished off the ramen. Then he reached into his pocket. "How much do I owe you?"
Ranma was actually willing to pay? Usually, he would assume that the meal was free and he'd leave without even a thank you.
"Well, it's..."
"Here, this should cover my meal and all those other times I ate without paying." Ranma whispered as he slipped a small, heavy object into Cologne's hand. He then bowed to her. "It was delicious. My compliments." He then left quickly to get back to class.
Cologne was still puzzled when she looked down at her hand. Her eyes widened as she saw the gold coin that was in her palm. Judging by its color, it was pure gold. She estimated its worth to be more than enough to pay for all the times Ranma had eaten at the Nekohanten. Just where did he get something like this?
She saw the same, strange eye symbol on the coin's face, as was on Ranma's Millennium Puzzle. She quickly pocketed the coin and hurried up the stairs to her room. She just had to find out what was going on.
----------
Ranma felt different as he walked down the street. For the first time in which he could remember, his mouth had not gotten him into trouble within a few seconds after opening it. All he had to do was pause for a moment to think before saying anything. That all that was needed to make a substantial, if not critical difference in how he handled things. He was no longer limited to fists and insults, which were inappropriate in any situation that didn't involve a fight. It was a whole new game and this time, Ranma understood the rules.
----------
Meanwhile...
As usual, Ryoga was lost. As usual, he was either angry, depressed or both. In this case, it was option number three. He was angry at what Ranma had done to Akane and depressed that he couldn't find that bastard and make him pay. And as usual, he blamed it all on Ranma.
Ryoga, as P-chan, had come to the Tendo Dojo yeasterday, when he saw that his beloved Akane was sick. After hearing what had happened to her, the Lost Boy was determined to make Ranma suffer. How dare he insult her cooking and cause her pain!
Just as he turned a corner, he saw the source of all his troubles and Akane's pain across the street.
----------
"RANMA, PREPARE TO DIE!!!!"
The pigtailed martial artist and duelist sighed. He could pretty much guess as to why Ryoga was out for his head this time around.
Almost by reflex, Ranma jumped back and went into a defensive stance as his rival charged in with umbrella swinging. He found himself standing in front of a nearby park fountain.
"Hello Ryoga. So what are you so angry about this time?" As if I didn't know.
"You'll PAY for hurting Akane!" Ryoga screamed as he charged at his opponent again.
Ranma leapt up and avoided the umbrella swing, then used Ryoga's head to bounce off on. This sent the Lost Boy crashing face first into the pavement. At that moment, the Millennium Puzzle glowed.
Ryoga snarled as he got back up and faced Ranma-Yami. He was so caught up in his fury that he didn't notice that his rival's hair was now unruly. What got the Lost Boy really steamed up was the Game King's condescending glare.
"Ryoga Hibiki. You are truly a pathetic individual to attack someone without just cause. Akane has no one to blame for her pain but her own cooking. Your claim to be a martial artist is no better than Akane's. It's nothing but an empty claim."
"What?! How dare you mock me?!" Ryoga prepared to attack, but Ranma-Yami simply stood his ground with his arms crossed over his chest.
"I'm not mocking you, Ryoga. I am simply stating the truth. And we all know how this will end. You will attack, and I will defeat you as always. It's getting to be quite tiresome and I feel that I shouldn't waste energy on something so pointless."
"Are you chickening out, coward?!"
"No. I simply feel that you're no longer a challenge anymore. You do the same thing, over and over again. It's truly pathetic. However, if you wish to prove me wrong, then there is a way."
"What are you talking about?!"
"Why don't we have a little contest to see which of us is the better man?" The Game King raised a hand. "I'm so certain that I can beat you, that I will only need one finger to do so."
"WHAT?!"
"That's right, Ryoga. Only one finger. Now then, the rules of this contest is simple. We shall each choose only one finger to attack each other with. You can choose whichever finger, even the thumb if you wish. The one who can defeat his opponent with only that finger will win. Simple enough?"
"What is this nonsense?!"
"Do you agree to these terms... or are YOU now acting like a coward? Do you have the courage or are you just going to be the little piggy that went wee, wee, wee, all the way home? That is... if you could ever find your home."
That last quip sent Ryoga into a boiling rage, just as Ranma-Yami had intended. "You dare question my courage?! Fine then! I only need THIS finger to beat you!" He held up a clenched fist with the index finger extended.
Ranma-Yami nodded as he had been expecting Ryoga to use the digit that he normally used for the Breaking Point. He responded to the Lost Boy's gesture by calmly holding up a closed hand with the pinky extended. "And I shall use this finger. Ready when you are, Ryoga."
"ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Ryoga charged at his opponent and when he got close enough, poked his finger into the concrete. "Backusai Tenketsu!"
There was a huge explosion as chunks of pavement went flying everywhere. The Lost Boy smiled. He had planned to use the explosion as a diversion. As he saw a shadow in the cloud of dust, he assumed it was Ranma and began swinging his fist at it. However, his punch met only empty air as Ranma-Yami taunted him from within the cloud.
"You're only supposed to be using that one finger, Ryoga."
Ryoga growled as he swung at the sound of Ranma-Yami's voice. However, he missed again as he felt a light tap on the back of his head.
"Over here, Ryoga."
"Stand still!'
WHOOSH!
"Missed me."
"I'll get you!"
WHOOSH!
"Not likely." Ranma-Yami poked Ryoga in the forehead, then backed off again.
"Stand still!"
WHOOSH!
Ryoga made several more blind punches as he stumbled about. When he saw another shadow, he charged at it. That was when the cloud of dust settled down.
"WHOA! WHOA! WHOA!" Ryoga found himself at the edge of the fountain and flailed his arms desperately to keep from falling in. He was badly off-balanced and it would only take a small push to get him to fall foward. That was exactly what Ranma-Yami had in mind as he came up from behind and gave a firm nudge to the back of Ryoga's head with his baby finger.
SPLASH!
"BWEEEEEEEEEE!"
Instant P-Chan.
Ranma-Yami shrugged as he gazed upon the piglet as he thrashed about in the water. He then hooked his baby finger underneath P-Chan's bandanna and hoisted him up.
"Well, I guess this proves who's the better man, Ryoga. I should punish you for breaking the rules, but I believe I'll just send you on a little trip so you can think about how dishonorably you acted today."
With a casual flick, Ranma-Yami tossed P-Chan into the back of a passing truck as it sped by. The pig's enraged squeal was heard in the distance as the truck headed out of town.
----------
At the Nekohanten...
Here it is! In her room, Cologne was studying a page of a very old tome. Her eyes widened as she saw a crude, but accurate drawing of Ranma's Millennium Puzzle. Hmmm... the legendary Millennium Puzzle... one of seven Millennium Items from ancient Egypt, which is said to contain the power of the Shadow Games? The book became vague on the details of the Shadow Games, since they existed even before the time of Cologne's people; far surpassing their three thousand years of Chinese Amazon history.
After a while, the Elder closed the book and shook her head. Though the text was one of the oldest records in her possession, it had been rewritten and revised over the centuries by her village's scholars. As a result, some vital information had been lost over the long passage of time, and the matriarch only had a rough idea of just what her future son-in-law had in his possession. She knew for a fact that it was a mystical item, but without knowing the full extent of its power, she couldn't risk trying to take it from him. She could only observe Ranma for now.
----------
Nabiki was just counting the wad of yen notes in her hand after fleecing yet another poor sap, when she caught sight of Ranma as he walked toward a gaming shop. She quickly put the money in her pocket and began following her main income generator. Though Ranma no longer owed her anything, she figured that learning the secret to his new attitude and card talents could prove to be very lucrative.
----------
Ranma looked over the shelves of Duel Monster game packs. He figured that he could improve his current deck with some new monsters and magic cards for the next time he went to the Slayers world. Once added to the deck that Yami gave to him, the new cards would become active after he passed through the Shadow Realm. Now that he didn't have to pay Nabiki any more, he had the money to spend.
He looked over the boxes of game packs and decided to let his instincts choose the ones he would purchase. Closing his eyes, he concentrated his inner energies as his Millennium Puzzle glowed slightly. Reaching out with one hand, he selected three packs of cards.
----------
All right! These will really help me when I go back! Ranma flipped through the first pack of new cards he had bought as he exited the store. I've got the Flame Swordsman, the Time Wizard, Magician of Faith, and four Magic Cards; Shield and Sword, Polymerization, Salamandra, and Negate Attack.
When Ranma opened the second pack, he nearly dropped the cards when he saw the first two. I don't believe it! I got them! One Blue Eyes White Dragon and one Red Eyes Black Dragon! Talk about rare cards! Ranma's mind boggled at the thought of these two powerhouses at his command. He quickly flipped through the rest of the cards and found that he had also gained both Swamp Battle Gods, another Polymerization Card and two new Trap Cards. The third pack revealed that he had gained the Axe Raider, the Celtic Guardian, the Mystical Elf, and four more Magic Cards. He couldn't wait to get back to Lina Inverse's world!
----------
Speaking of whom, in the Slayers World...
"Are you sure you've never heard of this... Game King?" Lina asked as she, Gourry, Amelia and Zelgadis were currently at Sailoon's Mystical Hall of Records.
The head librarian shook his head. "I'm afraid that there is no listing for this Ranma fellow. As you know, aside from the Claire Bible, Sailoon happens to have the largest archives and lists of the magic users and spells in our world. Even your name is here, Miss Inverse. Whoever this Game King is, he's not in our records. And there is no listing of the spell cards or monsters that you had described. Are you certain that he exists?"
"Of course I'm sure! He saved Amelia and a small town mayor from some wizard named Remele."
The librarian made a simple gesture with his hand and invoked a scrying spell to scan though a large tome that was on the desk he was sitting at. "Ah yes. Here we are. Remele Teyan is listed as a Class B sorceror who is in possession of a pet dragon and..."
"He's gone." Lina interrupted. "The Game King destroyed him. We were there."
"Oh?" The librarian used another scrying spell to confirm Lina's claims. "Well in that case..." He made another gesture, which changed the enrty for Remele to 'deceased.'
----------
"I've got to have those cards!" Lina pouted as she and her group left the building. "Do you know what I could do with that kind of power?"
"Take it easy, Lina." Gourry said. "It's not like this Game King is just going to show up and give them to you."
Zelgadis nodded. "And besides, we know next to nothing about him or how those cards work."
Lina however, was not deterred. She knew that she would encounter Ranma again, someday. And when she did, those cards will be hers!
----------
Back on Ranma's Earth, a few weeks later...
"You've gotten really slow, Pops." Ranma commented as he left his father in a battered heap next to the koi pond. The daily sparring session had been a joke. Genma didn't even know what hit him.
When did Ranma get THAT good?! The fat martial artist wondered as his body ached all over. He had been losing consistently for some time now. His son's punches and kicks packed more power than he remembered and his speed had been substantially increased. Furthermore, Ranma seemed to fight with less of his usual cockiness. The confidence was still there, but without the arrogance or recklessness. He had been unaffected by any of the insults that the Panda-man had thrown. Not even the usual 'you fight like a girl' quip could get a rise out of him. He remained focused as he sytematically beat the snot out of his parent. It was almost as if Genma had fought an entirely different person.
What he didn't know was that Ranma had gained extra training during his stay in the Slayers World; fighting bandits, monsters and sorcerors. As a result, his martial arts skills had dramatically improved. Furthermore, with Yami's help in controlling his ego, Ranma wasn't so quick to anger or (to Nabiki's dismay), manipulate.
As for the rest of the Tendo household...
----------
"Aren't you going to eat it?" Akane growled as she thrust a plate of what appeared to be nuclear waste, in front of Ranma-Yami.
"Did you taste it?" The Game King asked while keeping his arms crossed in front of him.
"Of course I did! It was fine!"
"Oh? Then you won't mind if you taste it right now?"
"What?"
"I want you to PROVE that your cooking has gotten better."
"I TOLD YOU, I ALREADY... ERK!"
In a flash, Ranma-Yami shoved a spoonful of whatever Akane had concocted into her open mouth. A moment later, she dropped the plate and was on the floor retching again.
"Hmpf! And you call me a liar." With that, Ranma-Yami walked away.
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Another time, a few days later...
"C'mon Nabiki! Just have a little?"
"What? Why do you want ME to taste it?" Nabiki became extremely nervous as she saw Akane's 'souffle' breathe in and out.
"I want to prove to Ranma that my cooking is good and..."
"The deal was for YOU to be able to eat it! Keep me out of this!"
"Just one bite?" Akane pleaded.
"No way! I'm not going to get... ARRRRRGGGGHHHH!"
Nabiki wasn't a martial artist so she was unable to avoid getting a mouthful of the 'souffle' when it suddenly jumped forward.
"It's good, right?" Akane asked.
Nabiki was unable to reply as she was on the floor and convulsing. She wondered how something that had just come out of the oven could be ice cold. She mentally promised to make Akane pay, provided that she survived this.
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At the Ucchan's, a day before the next dimensional alignment...
Ukyo smiled as she read the flyer. In two days, the Regional Duel Monsters Tag Team Tournament would be held in Tokyo. She wondered if Ran-Chan would be interested in being her partner and decided that she would ask him to participate. The tournament was sponsored by the creators of the Duel Monsters Game; Industrial Illusions and the winners would receive a prize of ten million dollars. With Ranma's remarkable new skills as a Duelist, she was certain that they would be an unbeatable team! That would also mean that she would get to spend time with her fiancé!
Ukyo nodded as she put the advertisement away and decided that she would ask Ranma tomorrow.
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Midnight...
Ranma took a deep breath as he stood in the backyard of the Tendo Home. Everyone else was fast asleep as he stood quietly with his deck in one hand. The new cards he had purchased were already in the deck, ready to be used.
The Millennium Puzzle shimmered in the moonlight as the portal to the Shadow Realm opened up. With his backpack slung over one shoulder, Ranma stepped through the gateway and vanished from the Earth. To be continued...
Author's notes
Well, that closes ch.2. The next couple of chapters will be about Ranma's adventure in the Slayers World as he searches for the next Millennium Item. We'll have a few surprises and twists as he meets up with Lina and the Slayers gang.