Chapter 2 version 1.0
Clark woke to the sounds of fighting. He looked out from the bedroom window and saw Ranma sparring with his father again.
"Man, how do these guys do it?" he said to himself as he watched both Ranma and Genma hang in the air several times, all while beating the stuffing out of one another. Not to mention, moving at speed he wasn't certain humans could do.
"Morning Clark," Soun Tendo cheerfully said. "Don't let them bother you. It's part of their morning routine."
"Yeah, I kind of figured that part out... Still, it's amazing to say the least."
"Yes, Ranma and his father have studied the art everyday since they were born. It's their life I suppose. It used to be a part of mine too."
"What happened?"
"Oh, I grew up and realized life was too short..." Soun lied. He still denied the real reason from himself, so he wasn't about to share it with a stranger. "Breakfast should be ready soon. Just go downstairs when your ready, ok?"
"Ok sir." Clark turned back to Ranma and Genma's mid-air combat, but soon the two moved out of the windows view. Just as he thought the show was over, Ranma's body suddenly came crashing through the wall. Clark was suddenly bowled over with the force of a car. The two bodies continued through several more walls before coming to a complete stop.
Ranma rubbed his head and starred at the destruction his body's flight had caused.
"Good going Pop," he yelled before realizing who he was laying on top. "Clark, man, are you ok?"
"Yeah, never better...," Clark responded as he dusted himself off. "Don't worry, I seem to get hit quite a lot where I'm from."
"You a martial artist back home?" Ranma asked with a hint of suspicion.
"No, but I wasn't aware that being a martial artist was a prerequisite to being hit."
"Nah, but it is to survive..."
"Guess some of us just have a lot of luck, huh?"
"Yeah... luck...," Ranma drew back and punched Clark. His fist sent Clark flying backwards fifteen feet. "Damn, what are you? My hand hasn't hurt like this since I hit Ryoga after his breaking point training."
"Why'd you hit me?" as he put his hand to his jaw, he realized that unlike the girl Akane's punch, this one really did sting a bit.
"To prove a point. Your not just an ordinary person. Your either a martial artist or an alien from a distant planet. Personally, I shooting for martial artist. Not to mention, liar."
"Ranma, why are you attacking our guest!," Akane shouted. "Leave him alone or you'll be sorry!"
"Akane, it's not what it looks like... he's hiding something from us!..." this was all that he could get out before being to put sleep by Akane's mallet.
"First, Ryoga, then P-chan, and now our guest from America. Sometimes you make me so sick Ranma."
"Actually, I need to tell you guys something. He's right..."
__________________________________________
"So your what? Some kind of alien... from another world?" Akane asked him carefully.
"Yup... that's the short and sweet of it," Clark answered. 'Mom and dad are gonna kill me when I get home...'
"Ok. No problem," Ranma said as if everything aliens were a normal part of his life. "Since your going to live around these parts for a while, you'd better not be afraid to use your full strength. People around here can tell when your holding back."
"I can't let people know I'm an alien though."
"What makes you think people will think your an alien?"
"How many people do you know that can bend steel like it was a pipe cleaner?"
"Depends... Do you want a complete list or just the top twenty?"
"Your kidding right?"
"Clark, you've know me how long?"
"About..."
"Don't answer that. Look at it this way," Ranma started as he pulled out a steel bar from mallet space. "You think you're hot stuff cause you can bend steel. Well, your not... At least around here."
Ranma drove the point home by turning the bar into a pretzel with ease and handing it to Clark..
"I don't suppose you can shoot fire out of your eyes?" as Clark asked this, he used his heat vision to melt it into a pile of slag.
"Clark, don't be silly. Of course not. I use my hands."
"Oh..."
"And Clark."
"Yeah?"
"That punch... It wasn't even close to my strongest one. I reserve that one for demi-gods and members of the Musk Tribe."
"We'd better get ready for school or we'll be late," Akane told them.
__________________________________________
A half hour later, they were out the door.
"Hey Clark, how fast can you run?"
"I don't know? I've never clocked myself. Why?"
"Cause, if we don't run as fast as we can, it's likely we'll be late!" Ranma took off, doing a mild run. He was glad to see Clark was able to keep up with no troubles. "Try to keep up Clark!"
The two continued to increase their speed of running while Akane simply walked normally.
"Boys...," she groaned.
__________________________________________
Just as Ranma turned a corner, his day took a turn for the worst. Splash!
"Damn it!" Ranma-chan shouted. Clark turned the corner and stopped dead in his tracks.
"Man, he must've moved light speed," Clark commented to himself. "Guess I'm not the fastest person on Earth." To his left, Ranma-chan face-vaulted.
'At least he's not the brightest person...,' she thought to herself. "Hey, you headed to Furinken High?"
"Yeah... How'd you know?" As Clark asked this, Ranma-chan had to fight a grin from forming. This caused Clark to blush slightly.
"Well, I see you've got a book bag and your running like the devil's after ya."
"You know, you remind me of someone... He even wears the same clothes..."
"You mean Ranma Saotome?"
"Yeah, that's him."
"Tell you what, since your probably gonna be late any ways, I'll tell you over a pot of hot water. Trust me when I say, your not the only one in town with a secret... Clark Kent."
"How do you know my name?"
"I told you I'd tell you. Just follow me."
__________________________________________
The pot lifted and tipped. The contents fell on the red head and seconds later, a raven haired boy stood in her place. Clark, for the first time in his life, face vaulted.
"It's painful ain't it?" Ranma asked as Clark stood back up.
"What they heck happened?"
"I'm not sure... Something about Japan's gravity I think..."
"No, I mean, how did you just change genders?"
Ranma quickly explained his trip to Jusenkyo, how he fell in thanks to his Pop, and how cold water activates it.
"In the end, it just seems to make my life more... interesting."
"And I thought being from another planet was the worst thing that could happen to a person," Clark said under his breath.
"What was that?" Ranma demanded.
"Oh nothing..."
__________________________________________
As Clark and Ranma approached the school entrance, a surprise was waiting for them. Ryoga was waiting at the entrance.
"Oh man, just when I thought I'd be early for a change. Ryoga, what do you want?"
"I'm here to settle our fight Saotome!"
"Man, I'm not interested right now. Come back and bother me when schools done. I'll be bored enough then."
"Vengeance doesn't know time Ranma! Now die!"
Clark watched in horror as Ryoga charged at Ranma. He had to stop this boy from killing Ranma, so using his top speed, he charged in and punched Ryoga's stomach.
"What the?...," Ryoga tried to ask as he doubled over while clutching his stomach. "Why you! Hiding behind someone else now Ranma!"
"Clark! Man, what are you doin? This is my fight!"
"But he was going to kill you. I couldn't just stand by and watch him do that."
"Ah, don't worry about that. He says that a lot, but he obviously hasn't yet," Ranma told him confidently. Clark didn't look convinced, but Ranma really didn't care. "See you latter P-chan. Let's go Clark. If we hurry, we'll still be early."
"Ok..."
_________________________________
The school day went by quickly and thankfully without any more challenges or threats. Clark, Ranma, and Akane decided to stop for some ice cream on the way home.
"Hey Akane, I'll be right back?"
"Where are you going?"
"To the bathroom," Ranma answered.
"Brother. For once, can't you eat your ice cream as a guy?"
"Nah, cause then I wouldn't get as much."
"Does he do this every time?" Clark asked.
"Yup. Every single time..."
_________________________________
"So Clark, how'd you get so fast and strong?" Ranma-chan asked between bites of her ice cream Sunday.
"I'm still not entirely certain, but I've always been a bit stronger. As I got older, it just continued to increase."
"So I'm guessing whatever is responsible hasn't stopped yet?"
"Nope. Every year I seem to get stronger and faster."
"Man, I wish I had that kind of ability. I've been training every day of my life to be like I am today," as Ranma said this he immediately changed his mind. "Scratch that. I'm happy with how I've gained my strength."
"So Clark, what did you think of our school?" Akane asked.
"I liked it. It was different not having to change rooms at the end of each period, but at least it save me from going to a locker."
"Yeah, I guess your right. I've never had a locker for my books. Just my shoes."
_________________________________
"Where am I now?" Ryoga shouted.
To his left, a giant sign stated, "Welcome to Smallville"
He walked around, trying to find some way of making himself stronger.
"Damn Ranma for hiding behind that new guy. Who does he think he is? I'll make both of them pay!" he lashed out at a nearby phone pole with everything he had. As soon as his fist hit, the pole exploded into shards, causing the power lines on top to fall right on Ryoga. He shouted as the lines sent thousands of volt into him. Seconds later, he fell into a small crater. The line was still on him, pumping him full of electricity.
_________________________________
The power company came out and shut the line off and the paramedics came and found the body of the boy that the line hit.
"Have you ever seen anything like this?" one of the paramedics asked.
"Nope," the other responded while tapping the chard looking body with the toe of his boot. That's when Ryoga's eyes opened.
"I... survived?" as he asked this, the two paramedics ran for their lives. "I did..."
As he stood, he brushed the chard skin off of himself and marveled at how he felt. Minutes later, Ryoga appeared to be fine except on difference. On his back, several tiny meteor fragments were embedded in him.
(Thanks again for reading. I know some people are going to be a bit angry at the fact that Ranma was able to hurt Clark, but he's not the man of steel yet. He's still growing and developing. Eventually, Ranma would have a very difficult time, but for now, their almost even. Almost... Clark does have a bit more natural strength. [ideas on how to improve this story would be great!])
Clark woke to the sounds of fighting. He looked out from the bedroom window and saw Ranma sparring with his father again.
"Man, how do these guys do it?" he said to himself as he watched both Ranma and Genma hang in the air several times, all while beating the stuffing out of one another. Not to mention, moving at speed he wasn't certain humans could do.
"Morning Clark," Soun Tendo cheerfully said. "Don't let them bother you. It's part of their morning routine."
"Yeah, I kind of figured that part out... Still, it's amazing to say the least."
"Yes, Ranma and his father have studied the art everyday since they were born. It's their life I suppose. It used to be a part of mine too."
"What happened?"
"Oh, I grew up and realized life was too short..." Soun lied. He still denied the real reason from himself, so he wasn't about to share it with a stranger. "Breakfast should be ready soon. Just go downstairs when your ready, ok?"
"Ok sir." Clark turned back to Ranma and Genma's mid-air combat, but soon the two moved out of the windows view. Just as he thought the show was over, Ranma's body suddenly came crashing through the wall. Clark was suddenly bowled over with the force of a car. The two bodies continued through several more walls before coming to a complete stop.
Ranma rubbed his head and starred at the destruction his body's flight had caused.
"Good going Pop," he yelled before realizing who he was laying on top. "Clark, man, are you ok?"
"Yeah, never better...," Clark responded as he dusted himself off. "Don't worry, I seem to get hit quite a lot where I'm from."
"You a martial artist back home?" Ranma asked with a hint of suspicion.
"No, but I wasn't aware that being a martial artist was a prerequisite to being hit."
"Nah, but it is to survive..."
"Guess some of us just have a lot of luck, huh?"
"Yeah... luck...," Ranma drew back and punched Clark. His fist sent Clark flying backwards fifteen feet. "Damn, what are you? My hand hasn't hurt like this since I hit Ryoga after his breaking point training."
"Why'd you hit me?" as he put his hand to his jaw, he realized that unlike the girl Akane's punch, this one really did sting a bit.
"To prove a point. Your not just an ordinary person. Your either a martial artist or an alien from a distant planet. Personally, I shooting for martial artist. Not to mention, liar."
"Ranma, why are you attacking our guest!," Akane shouted. "Leave him alone or you'll be sorry!"
"Akane, it's not what it looks like... he's hiding something from us!..." this was all that he could get out before being to put sleep by Akane's mallet.
"First, Ryoga, then P-chan, and now our guest from America. Sometimes you make me so sick Ranma."
"Actually, I need to tell you guys something. He's right..."
__________________________________________
"So your what? Some kind of alien... from another world?" Akane asked him carefully.
"Yup... that's the short and sweet of it," Clark answered. 'Mom and dad are gonna kill me when I get home...'
"Ok. No problem," Ranma said as if everything aliens were a normal part of his life. "Since your going to live around these parts for a while, you'd better not be afraid to use your full strength. People around here can tell when your holding back."
"I can't let people know I'm an alien though."
"What makes you think people will think your an alien?"
"How many people do you know that can bend steel like it was a pipe cleaner?"
"Depends... Do you want a complete list or just the top twenty?"
"Your kidding right?"
"Clark, you've know me how long?"
"About..."
"Don't answer that. Look at it this way," Ranma started as he pulled out a steel bar from mallet space. "You think you're hot stuff cause you can bend steel. Well, your not... At least around here."
Ranma drove the point home by turning the bar into a pretzel with ease and handing it to Clark..
"I don't suppose you can shoot fire out of your eyes?" as Clark asked this, he used his heat vision to melt it into a pile of slag.
"Clark, don't be silly. Of course not. I use my hands."
"Oh..."
"And Clark."
"Yeah?"
"That punch... It wasn't even close to my strongest one. I reserve that one for demi-gods and members of the Musk Tribe."
"We'd better get ready for school or we'll be late," Akane told them.
__________________________________________
A half hour later, they were out the door.
"Hey Clark, how fast can you run?"
"I don't know? I've never clocked myself. Why?"
"Cause, if we don't run as fast as we can, it's likely we'll be late!" Ranma took off, doing a mild run. He was glad to see Clark was able to keep up with no troubles. "Try to keep up Clark!"
The two continued to increase their speed of running while Akane simply walked normally.
"Boys...," she groaned.
__________________________________________
Just as Ranma turned a corner, his day took a turn for the worst. Splash!
"Damn it!" Ranma-chan shouted. Clark turned the corner and stopped dead in his tracks.
"Man, he must've moved light speed," Clark commented to himself. "Guess I'm not the fastest person on Earth." To his left, Ranma-chan face-vaulted.
'At least he's not the brightest person...,' she thought to herself. "Hey, you headed to Furinken High?"
"Yeah... How'd you know?" As Clark asked this, Ranma-chan had to fight a grin from forming. This caused Clark to blush slightly.
"Well, I see you've got a book bag and your running like the devil's after ya."
"You know, you remind me of someone... He even wears the same clothes..."
"You mean Ranma Saotome?"
"Yeah, that's him."
"Tell you what, since your probably gonna be late any ways, I'll tell you over a pot of hot water. Trust me when I say, your not the only one in town with a secret... Clark Kent."
"How do you know my name?"
"I told you I'd tell you. Just follow me."
__________________________________________
The pot lifted and tipped. The contents fell on the red head and seconds later, a raven haired boy stood in her place. Clark, for the first time in his life, face vaulted.
"It's painful ain't it?" Ranma asked as Clark stood back up.
"What they heck happened?"
"I'm not sure... Something about Japan's gravity I think..."
"No, I mean, how did you just change genders?"
Ranma quickly explained his trip to Jusenkyo, how he fell in thanks to his Pop, and how cold water activates it.
"In the end, it just seems to make my life more... interesting."
"And I thought being from another planet was the worst thing that could happen to a person," Clark said under his breath.
"What was that?" Ranma demanded.
"Oh nothing..."
__________________________________________
As Clark and Ranma approached the school entrance, a surprise was waiting for them. Ryoga was waiting at the entrance.
"Oh man, just when I thought I'd be early for a change. Ryoga, what do you want?"
"I'm here to settle our fight Saotome!"
"Man, I'm not interested right now. Come back and bother me when schools done. I'll be bored enough then."
"Vengeance doesn't know time Ranma! Now die!"
Clark watched in horror as Ryoga charged at Ranma. He had to stop this boy from killing Ranma, so using his top speed, he charged in and punched Ryoga's stomach.
"What the?...," Ryoga tried to ask as he doubled over while clutching his stomach. "Why you! Hiding behind someone else now Ranma!"
"Clark! Man, what are you doin? This is my fight!"
"But he was going to kill you. I couldn't just stand by and watch him do that."
"Ah, don't worry about that. He says that a lot, but he obviously hasn't yet," Ranma told him confidently. Clark didn't look convinced, but Ranma really didn't care. "See you latter P-chan. Let's go Clark. If we hurry, we'll still be early."
"Ok..."
_________________________________
The school day went by quickly and thankfully without any more challenges or threats. Clark, Ranma, and Akane decided to stop for some ice cream on the way home.
"Hey Akane, I'll be right back?"
"Where are you going?"
"To the bathroom," Ranma answered.
"Brother. For once, can't you eat your ice cream as a guy?"
"Nah, cause then I wouldn't get as much."
"Does he do this every time?" Clark asked.
"Yup. Every single time..."
_________________________________
"So Clark, how'd you get so fast and strong?" Ranma-chan asked between bites of her ice cream Sunday.
"I'm still not entirely certain, but I've always been a bit stronger. As I got older, it just continued to increase."
"So I'm guessing whatever is responsible hasn't stopped yet?"
"Nope. Every year I seem to get stronger and faster."
"Man, I wish I had that kind of ability. I've been training every day of my life to be like I am today," as Ranma said this he immediately changed his mind. "Scratch that. I'm happy with how I've gained my strength."
"So Clark, what did you think of our school?" Akane asked.
"I liked it. It was different not having to change rooms at the end of each period, but at least it save me from going to a locker."
"Yeah, I guess your right. I've never had a locker for my books. Just my shoes."
_________________________________
"Where am I now?" Ryoga shouted.
To his left, a giant sign stated, "Welcome to Smallville"
He walked around, trying to find some way of making himself stronger.
"Damn Ranma for hiding behind that new guy. Who does he think he is? I'll make both of them pay!" he lashed out at a nearby phone pole with everything he had. As soon as his fist hit, the pole exploded into shards, causing the power lines on top to fall right on Ryoga. He shouted as the lines sent thousands of volt into him. Seconds later, he fell into a small crater. The line was still on him, pumping him full of electricity.
_________________________________
The power company came out and shut the line off and the paramedics came and found the body of the boy that the line hit.
"Have you ever seen anything like this?" one of the paramedics asked.
"Nope," the other responded while tapping the chard looking body with the toe of his boot. That's when Ryoga's eyes opened.
"I... survived?" as he asked this, the two paramedics ran for their lives. "I did..."
As he stood, he brushed the chard skin off of himself and marveled at how he felt. Minutes later, Ryoga appeared to be fine except on difference. On his back, several tiny meteor fragments were embedded in him.
(Thanks again for reading. I know some people are going to be a bit angry at the fact that Ranma was able to hurt Clark, but he's not the man of steel yet. He's still growing and developing. Eventually, Ranma would have a very difficult time, but for now, their almost even. Almost... Clark does have a bit more natural strength. [ideas on how to improve this story would be great!])