Gravity by Lerris

Chapter 2 -- Heroes

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. This piece of work is purely for enjoyment purposes. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Note: This is essentially a side story I said I wasn't going to write, but somehow it fell into place as I pondered where to go with this story. Who knew? The next chapter will be back to R N.

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Time passed in Nerima and with the return of Kimiko Tendo things began to move again. That is not to say they weren't moving before, but now there was a feel of moving forward albeit by a very strange and perplexing pattern. It took time. Two weeks passed before before either Ranma or Akane admitted that something very weird was going on. It was a very scary thing for both of them to admit how they felt about each other, especially when it seemed that their feelings were trying to be made known whether they liked it or not. They didn't know what was going on? Was what they were feeling real? Still in time, despite Ranma's attempts to avoid her presence in the hopes, well he didn't really know what he hoped, he just knew that what he was running from was scary. It seems that for some things Ranma truly did take the Saotome final attack to heart. Still despite obsessed fathers, manipulative sisters, crazy Kunos, amazon law wives, and lovesick friends their relationship did improve and grow. It was such a strange one, since they could hide nothing from each other. If you thought Saotome foot in mouth disease was bad, think what happens when you remove the thin layer that even a Saotome has to censor what he thinks. For a time, the number of malletings increased, as Akane had plenty more reasons to mallet him, but then she also had all those times he thought in such an endearing and precious way that she found in necessary to kiss him to properly thank him. All in all Pavlov would have been proud. Yet as Akane trained Ranma in her own way, Akane too grew and matured.

It was almost a month since Kimiko returned before the other fiancees began to grow suspicious. Sure they kept up the act in public, but it began to look more and more of a matter of going through the motions. Amazon's and Okonomiyaki chef's are not completely unobservant after all. The gig was up when both Ukyo and Shampoo caught them kissing very passionately in the dojo when they went to make their normal unscheduled deliveries.

Shampoo brought her bombori out and yelled, "You. Stupid husband stealer. I kill!"

"Ranchan! How could you. You slut. How dare you." She readied her battle spatula.

Ranma at first tried to avoid hurting them, but they were crazed, and Akane had already taken a couple hits and had a shallow cut on her stomach from the battle spatula.

"Enough!" Ranma spun and kicked Shampoo away from Akane and through the hole in the wall she just made. He followed that up with a punch to Ukyo that knocked the okinomiyaki chef down. Shampoo came back through the opening and Ukyo was getting back up. Akane was still out of it.

Nabiki had dragged Akane out of the battle. "You have to keep them away from her. I don't know how bad she's hurt. I'll call Dr. Tofu."

Ranma gave a brief nod and then went back to trying to stop Shampoo and Ukyo without causing them major damage. A medium Amaguriken on Shampoo had her down again. Several more hits and a sweep kick had Ukyo down as well. "What the hell is wrong with you two? You know she is not in your class. Have you no honor? Both of you claim to be after me for honor. For the honor of your dumb arse Amazon laws or a dang cart my idiot father stole, yet you do this." Ranma dodged several hits from Shampoo and Ukyo. As long as they were fighting him Akane was safe after all, and he truly did not want to hurt them.

As Nabiki was carrying Akane away Cologne pogoed in. "Just what is going on?"

"Husband stealer kissing airen. Shampoo kill!"

"No one steals my Ranchan."

Ranma's voice became cold yet quiet. "I didn't want it to end this way. Last time I was forced to not hold back to protect the woman I loved a mountain was destroyed and a kami lay dying at my feet. What will it be Cologne?"

Cologne peered at his continual dodging of Shampoo and Ukyo. In truth he was hardly paying attention to it. His attention was on her, with only the minimum needed to insure they didn't get any damage on him. No that wasn't it. His attention was focused on making sure they didn't get passed him. Then again both Shampoo and Ukyo weren't trying that hard either, since they were wondering what Cologne would do as well. Cologne pondered for a time.

"Granddaughter this battle cannot be won."

"No, cannot lose airen."

"You already have. The moment you struck Akane. Even if I were to manage to beat him and we hall him off to China, what then? Would you really want a husband that had to be drugged up 24 hours a day lest he destroy the village in his anger? No that I will not allow."

Shampoo hesitated. Now that time had passed reason was finding its way back to her. Her grandmother was right. This was worse than pointless. She stepped away and put down her weapons. Ukyo similarly stepped away, seemingly embarrassed and angry with herself for how she had acted.

Cologne turned to face Ranma directly. "Ranma, it is given to senior elders the right to suspend certain laws if it is decided that doing so is in the best interest of the village as a whole. It is not something that I do lightly, but it seems certain that nothing good can come of continuing this. You might have been able to fall in love with someone who once tried to kill you, but you could never fall in love with someone who tried to kill the person you loved. As Shampoo's wife you would bring nothing but pain and misery to our village. I annul the kiss of marriage. You are free of us. Come on Shampoo, its time for us to go home, to our real home."

"Great grandmother. No. Please."

Nabiki had walked back in, since the doctor had made it in record time to the Tendo house. "That's it? After all that you are giving up?"

Cologne smirked. "Even I know when to bail on a bad investment. I will offer this. I am sorry for some of the things I put you through Ranma in my efforts to help my granddaughter. If Shampoo can earn both of your apologies in the next week then we will consider staying."

Ranma asked, "Why?"

"I just thought of a plan B."

Nabiki said, "And that is?"

"Get Ranma to Marry an Amazon revised -- Adopt Akane into the tribe... after suitable training of course.."

"You... You... You..." Ranma's mind seemed to be having difficulty with the concept of sentences right then.

Nabiki tried to resist it, but she burst out laughing. Ya gotta admire her. She sets her mind to accomplish a goal and sticks with it.

Ukyo still seemed lost in thought and tears. "Um Ranchan.. Tell Akane I'm sorry, I just kind of lost it... I should go.." She ran out the door.

Shampoo didn't say anything. The tears were running freely as she made her way to her bike and left.

Cologne said, "Please tell Akane my offer." With that she pogoed away.

In her bedroom Akane was lying on the bed when Ranma arrived with Nabiki following.

"She will be fine. I had to put a couple stitches in the cut on her stomach. With luck there won't be a noticeable scar. Because of the stomach wound I'm going to have to insist that she stay off her feat as much as possible and stay home for a few days. The other places she got hit should be mostly recovered by then too. At any rate, call me if you need anything else."

"Thanks Doc."

"Nabiki can I talk to your sister alone? If our parents come in perhaps you could think of something to keep them away for a little while please?"

"I'll do what I can."

Ranma was a little surprised that Nabiki didn't ask for money. "I'll owe you one."

"Of course."

Ranma smiled briefly. Some things never changed. Nabiki left and closed the door behind her.

"Akane, I'm so sorry. I hesitated too much, not wanting to hurt them, not believing they would truly try to hurt you. Its my fault that you were injured."

"I'm not made of glass. I'll be fine." She could hear his thoughts as well as his words of course. More importantly she knew how scared he was for her right then and how much he hated to have to fight them.

"Do you know the rest of what happened?"

"No, I was out cold till just before you came in."

"Ukyo apologized. Cologne apologized and annulled the kiss of marriage saying that the cost would be too high were this to continue. Cologne has a new plan though.."

"She wants me to be an Amazon and to train me?" Sometimes Ranma really hated this telepathy stuff. It was annoying to have people reply to words you hadn't said yet.

"Yes. What do you want though?"

I want you to train me. Haven't you ever listened?

I can't hurt you. I.. No.. please ..

"Sit by me."

Ranma sat on the bed near where she was lying.

Look at me. You can hear my thoughts now. What am I feeling when you tell me that you can't train me?

Ranma stared down into her lovely eyes, almost losing himself in them. "You are angry and sad that I would think you were so weak. You are happy that I care for you so much. You are frustrated with allways having to be saved by me."

I have come to realize many things lately. Not the least of which is that I often expect results without putting in the effort required to learn. I want to get better so yes I will take Cologne up on the offer unless...

With a sadness he didn't know he could posses and a certain hopefulness that surprised him he said three words that he prayed he wouldn't regret. "I'll do it." In gratitude she grabbed ahold of his shirt and pulled him down to reward him with a kiss. Pavlov would have been proud.

As stories go, there are neither beginnings nor endings, yet this was clearly a turning point. Shampoo, after being ordered to by her great grandmother apologized to Akane. She decided to return home as did Mouse. Staying was just too painful for her. Mouse died a year later in a Musk raid on the village when he took an arrow meant for Shampoo. Shampoo regretted his death. She regretting many things. If only Mouse could have been a little more like Ranma perhaps.. Who was she kidding. She did not love Mouse, yet still she was deeply touched by his sacrifice. Sometimes at night when she was alone she would weep, although whether if was for herself, Mouse, or simply lost opportunities it was hard to say.

Mouse's death seemed to be the turning point for her. She threw herself violently into her training and excelled. Six months later the raider who killed Mouse raided again. It was his last raid. While she dealt the death blow to Mouse's killer, another musk warrior clubbed her and knocked her out. An arrow went through him a moment later and she was carried back to the village. She thought about many things but mostly about the marriage laws. Its true that there was already an exception in them for the musk, but save for that she would have been married to little more than a killer. She, with Cologne's help, began to work to the removal of the kiss of marriage and the kiss of death laws. They had caused enough heartache and enough pain.

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As Ranma trained Akane so to did Cologne train both of them. She trained Ranma to be a better teacher, and to polish his skills in the art yet further. To Ranma's great annoyance she demanded that both of them take academics very seriously. In her words, "Most battles are won without a punch being thrown. They are won with knowledge and wit." Ranma remembered all the times that Nabiki or others had manipulated him and nodded. When Ranma wasn't around she was almost gleeful in instilling in Akane the ability to control her temper. It was a hard lesson, but a lesson she truly needed to learn, and one that Ranma could never bring himself to teach her. All in all they grew up and Kimiko was most proud of them all.

Kimiko's most annoying problem was Ono Tofu. She had seen how he got around her eldest daughter and was quite fed up with it. Lacking a better idea she went to talk to him about Kasumi and continued to smack him every time he started to get silly. It took a couple weeks but Dr. Tofu was cured more or less. Well he still had a couple dental appointments to fix a few problems he recently acquired. Dr. Tofu mused that Akane must have gotten her strength from her mother.

Kimiko handled Happosai in a unique way. She bought some new clothes for Soun and deliberately left all of Soun's dirty laundry all over the house. It was so repulsive to Happosai that he eventually decided to leave and not come back. Well it was annoying to others as well, but they figured it was worth it.

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In time Ranma and Akane had a wedding. As such things go the Kuno's took a trip via Air Akane airlines, two previously unknown fiancees tried to stop the wedding using Martial Arts Singing, and Gosenkugi tried to voodoo Ranma. The paralysis effect of the singing was the worst, but Ranma had developed a partial immunity to paralysis considering how many times he had been potioned, magiked and clubbed over the head. For a Ranma and Akane wedding it was perfect. Nabiki made a fortune on the video and now everyone had a college fund. A month later Kasumi and Dr. Tofu had their own wedding. It was certainly ordinary by Nerimian standards, except when Tofu went catatonic after kissing the bride.

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Time passed. Ranma went to college to help in his teaching in the dojo. Akane did the same, but it all seemed so ordinary. When you are used to being kidnapped every few weeks and fighting off the forces of magical kingdoms ordinary life seemed so dull.

For several months they tried to conceive a child. Their doctor eventually told them that they could not have children. The doctor thought that some of the insane training in his youth destroyed his ability. This even carried over to his girl form since one was based on the other. Akane was in as bad of shape. It was a very rare condition, and she was otherwise perfectly healthy, but the odds of her ever conceiving a child no matter what the doctors did were essentially zero.

Their families tried to console them, but couldn't console themselves. Ranma was lost in thought. It was ironic. All that time Cologne put in to try to get his genes for the tribe and he wasn't even able... He punched his hand through a concrete wall in frustration.

Their love for each other saved them from despair when they were in the darkest shadows. Kasumi and Dr. Tofu had a child and Ranma and Akane determined to spoil him. It was almost enough to ease the longing in their hearts. Almost.

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Graduation came and soon it was time to begin classes at the dojo. They taught many successful classes at the dojo, but compared to what they were used to it was mind numbingly boring.

A random television commercial changed that. It said, "Looking for a true challenge? Be the best. Apply now for the Japanese space program." Nabiki was there at the time and decided to play with their heads a bit. It was getting quite hard to do, but some buttons were still too easy to press. "Well it looks like there is one thing Ranma won't be the best in.."

The next day Ranma and Akane signed up. As Akane put it, "There is no way I'm letting you have all the fun." The interviewer was having a really bad day. They were remodeling his office and he was forced to hold the interviews outside at a picnic table. He mentally reviewed those he had interviewed today. Way too many people were just too ordinary. They needed the best. He reviewed the resume of the couple coming in next. "Bah martial artists. Useless. He prepared to give his rejection speech as he asked his secretary to send them out."

Ranma was running away from an angry Akane. An event no one would find truly out of the ordinary. It had become a game to them. He quickly avoiding a mallet strike. He jumped up in the air and was glad he had finally figured out how to use his chi to fly. The examiner's jaw dropped. "Your flying..?"

"So? Its just a martial arts technique."

"Get down here and take your punishment!"

"Come get me." She threw her mallet and he dodged easily.

Needless to say, they got the job. After all being able to fly has to be a useful thing for an astronaut to know.

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[Author's Note: At this point 20 years have passed since the beginning of the story. Ranma and Akane are now 38 years old, but due to their martial arts training look to be in their mid 20's.

Warning past this point Ranma and Akane's story will be progressing past the point I reintroduce Nabiki and Ranma in the next chapter. For the purists that do not wish to read the story in other than a linear manner you have been warned.]

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It took a few years of specialized training for Ranma and Akane to be qualified as astronauts. They became the best and survived many missions that most deemed to dangerous to attempt. Throughout the world they became almost legends.

They went on mission after mission. They were able to rapidly accelerate the pace of space station construction due to their ability to propel themselves precisely and quickly throughout space. Many of their fellow astronauts tried to learn, but could not do so without many years of training. Needless to say it was incredibly annoying to watch them zip around like birds when they were crawling with crude jet packs and trying to avoid running into anything or drifting away.

It was slightly over 30 years since the beginning of the story when they were called in for a mission briefing.

"You know of the new X9 prototype?"

Ranma and Akane nodded with equal looks of hope and trepidation on their faces.

"You know of the dangers involved in its mission? It will be the first of our deep space craft scheduled to go well beyond our solar system. The mission is scheduled to last for a year. Six months out and another six to return." He looked at them carefully. What is with these two? They thrive on challenges anyone else would run away from screaming. "The mission is open if you want it. This is volunteer only. Frankly I think you would be crazy to take it. None of the others want it."

"We'll do it." they said in unison.

He sighed. I just pray it will go ok. This is the most dangerous space mission anyone has ever attempted. "Sign these forms. They indicate your acceptance. Should you not make it, this contains a clause to insure your family is well taken care of financially."

"But we don't have any children.." Akane said sadly.

"The benefits pass to your extended family, should ... should the worst happen."

Ranma and Akane signed.

Elsewhere Peorth viewed their signatures through a bit of magic. A tear ran down her cheek. She had hoped for this moment and dreaded this moment. The path to the best possible future was still open. She let the spell lapse and left to find that bar Urd mentioned. It was time to get really drunk. Sometimes she hated her job.

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The mission went well until a month had passed. Akane's father had died of natural causes. He held her and comforted her as best he could. A month later it was her turn to comfort him for the panda died as well. It seemed that the life left him once Soun died.

Time passed. They were now well beyond the solar system and exploring the outer reaches of the galaxy. Their on board telescopes were gathering pictures that inspired many astronomers to name their pets and children after the courageous pair. Everything was normal until they were awakened from their sleep by the message beeper.

"The following is classified. You are hereby directed to give focus on planetoid Z34625 with all available instrumentation. Current estimates indicate it is on a course that will eventually cause it to impact with the earth in a year. We estimate that if this occurs it will kill 90% of the Earth's population either directly or through environmental changes as a result of the impact."

No! It can't be. came from Akane.

Ranma was already directing the computer to follow the orders and was conducting his own computer aided analysis. They are right Akane. It will hit.

We've got to do something! Our family... Our friends..

"Computer. Is their any known way we can stop or divert it?"

"Negative. Fuel is adequate to reach the planetoid while it is still 10 months away from the earth, but there is no known way to alter the trajectory of it with what is on board."

Ranma's thoughts were frenzied. He knew a way, well more of a chance. He didn't like the price though.

Akane turned to stare directly in his eyes and nodded.

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Over the next two months they eat what was intended to be 7 months of food. They used the energy to continually build their chi. It was self destructive to force things like this, but they knew it didn't matter. They sent many messages to their family and those they loved. On earth the world governments spun the news so that Ranma and Akane were certain to stop the threat and that their was nothing to worry about. Most believed.

Finally the night before they were at the asteroid was here. They were one as they were so many times in the past. It was precious and beautiful. It brought tears to Peorth's eyes as she watched. Her father had long ago told her what was to come. The future was not set in stone, but certain things had to be. He had said, "It is through sacrifice and struggle that mankind grows." It was then that he explained the mission which led to Nabiki and Ranma's rebirth.

She smiled at their sleeping forms and took a picture for her album. She then carefully let herself merge with Akane for a few minutes while she still slept peacefully in Ranma's arms. A few minutes later she got up carefully and wiped a tear from her eye. A small smile graced her face before she was gone.

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An hour before dawn Urd and Skuld appeared. Urd passed into Ranma and Skuld into Akane. Their final day dawned. Ranma landed the X9 on the planetoid at the precomputed coordinates the engineers gave them. They eat a very lite breakfast and kissed for several minutes and then put on their space suits. All this was done without a single word, not even in their thoughts. No more were needed. Akane gave the computer the final instructions of moving to a safe distance and transmitting back to Earth. On Earth everyone that could find a television watched.

They had worked out the details in the two months it took to get here. It would not be like a normal ki attack. Their chi levels were now far beyond what their bodies could handle, but soon it would be over. They named their final attack life because they hoped that by expending all of their power all of their lifeforce at once they could divert the asteroid. It was insane of course, but it was their only chance. What's worse is it was obviously impossible to practice the attack given its very nature.

They started about ten miles apart on the asteroid and began laying down chi. Ranma made his cold as space and Akane made hers hot as the sun. They spiraled into the center never touching. To any kami that might have been watching two more forms superimposed directly behind them. Soun Tendo knew that it was impossible to save their lives, yet perhaps he and Genma could add what little power spirits can add and help them. They dearly hoped it would be enough. Their other children had so much ahead of them yet.

Finally Ranma and Akane met in the center of the spiral and ignited the bomb. It made a nuclear weapon seem like a toy. Ranma and Akane's bodies were instantly incinerated in the resulting carnage. Soun and Genma were kicked back to the spirit world in the resulting shock wave. Such was the power they poured from their very life essence that had Urd and Skuld not merged with them temporarily they might have been permanently lost. Belldandy came and helped them home. Her father wanted to thank them after all. There was also one other matter.

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The unexpected destruction of the X9 in the explosion delayed analysis of the results of their sacrifice for several days. They had done a truly amazing thing but it had not been enough. Their best estimates were that instead of 10 months they now had 4 years. The explosion was enough to slow the planetoid considerably, but its ultimate destination remained. A month later an engineer later found the flaw in the calculations. Had they done what they did from a different position the Earth would have been spared. It seemed so wrong that the fate of the world was doomed due to a bad unit conversion.

The governments of the world agreed to keep a very optimistic spin on the news. "They had plenty of time. A plan was already underway that was guaranteed to stop it." In truth they had no such plan, just vague ideas that mostly consisted of build a big ship with very big nuclear weapon and hope. This was easier said than done of course. The X9 was the result of 5 years of development and construction. Most of the parts were custom made. Sure they could build a new one in a couple years if they really rushed it, but by then it was questionable if they would be able to divert it enough anymore.

End of Chapter 2

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Author's Notes:

Ok first this is covering a lot of time in one chapter, but then this was never meant to be a R A story. Was the resolution of all their problems rushed? Probably. When I thought of how I was going to proceed with this story, this became part of the larger story much to my surprise. Was I particularly cruel to Ranma and Akane? Perhaps, however the story is not over yet. One thing to clear up. There are no dragonballs here and no one is due for any wishes.

At any rate, I hope you enjoyed it. The original Ranma and Akane may make a cameo or two in the rest of the story since it begins before this chapter ends but from this point on it is Ranma and Nabiki's story.

If anyones curious, I got more reviews for this story so I was more inspired to write more on it before the other. I do intend to finish the other, although exactly when is up in the air.

According to what I have down Akane and Ranma were 49 years old at the end. This was a total of 31 years since the story began. The end of the world is scheduled for 35 years after the story began. In order for timelines to work out I've changed the previous chapter's sentence which read, "You will each be born into a new family 30 years in the future." to 19 years.

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