Notes for Version 2: Well hehehe Chapter 4, Chapter 4 was problematic in a lot of ways… now I'll have to make some changes to it. Nabiki the girl who could talk fluent English until she was confronted by Captain Gloval is gone… I mean I could see her playing dumb for some reason but not her Dad going along with it. And the fact she could talk english again two paragraphs later... yeah, I was dumb back in the day. The Inverse cameo… I really wanted to get rid of it… but re-writing the flow of the story would be too much effort so I left it… no more little cameos like that will take place outside dimension crux. I'll say this now, while Ms. Inverse was originally supposed to be Lina when I first wrote this, she is no longer, lets just get that clear. Grrrr… the sailor moon cameo and the reference to the deceased Principal (Mizuno, aka mercury) stand… oh my god… I happen to know for a fact I was never on any drugs, so I wonder what inspired this madness.
RANMATECH 1/2
Episode 4: Beginnings Version 2
The Shampoo Minmei rivalry was inevitable
not so much for the great differences
in the two woman, more because of the great
similarities.
-"Star Struck" the unauthorized
biography of Lynn Minmei.
"The Captain wishes to speak with you," The military messenger repeated, "Please come with me," He walked out the Door, then stopped for a minute waiting for Genma and Soun to catch up. The two Martial Artist's stared at each other for a minute and then hastened to follow. They found a Jeep waiting for them in front of the restaurant. "Please get in," The soldier instructed.
As Soun and Genma where getting in they heard another voice, "May I come to?"
"Now Nabiki, I don't think that is such a good Idea," Soun told her.
Nabiki pouted, she wanted to know what was going on. Besides Information is money. "Come on, Daddy please!"
"I see no reason why she can't at least come along for the Ride," The messenger said smiling at the Teen. "After we get there it will be the Captain's decision weather or not she can stay.
"Thank you, very much," Nabiki bowed her head and entered the car.
"Alright we better get going," The messenger said, and with that the official car raced to RDF HQ.
When they arrived at the Base a tall Russian was there to greet them, "Hello, I am Captain Gloval. You Must Be Mr. Saotome and Mr. Tendo, welcome," Gloval shook their hands. "And who is this?" Gloval indicated Nabiki.
"Ah, This is my Daughter Nabiki. She wanted to come along I tried to dissuade her but…" Soun explained.
"It's quite alright," Gloval reassured him, "She can come along. There is nothing your going to see that she can't as well, come this way," Gloval led them through a long hallway. He decided that he should try to make conversation with this uninvited guest, "So Nabbiki what grade are you in?"
"I'm in grade 11, if you really must know," Nabiki replied, hoping she would see something interesting and profitable while she was here.
"Ah! Grade 11. You know Macross High will resume classes tomorrow. Is Nabiki all registered?"
"Yes we have both taken care of registering our children," Gema said.
Gloval gestured them into a small transport of some kind that moved along the walls of the fortress on a set track.
"Ah, we're here already. Gentleman you are now on the naval carrier Daedalus," Gloval explained.
"I didn't realize we had left the Super Dimensional Fortress," Nabiki was confused, "Did we pass through some kind of matter transport system?"
Gloval laughed out loud. "No we don't have anything that advanced; the Daedalus and the Prometheus where dragged along with us in the fold, like Macross Island was. And they have been attached to the Fortress. Now I want to you to see this," He brought them to an observation port where they saw Fighter planes transforming into Giant Robots and back again.
"Hey didn't one of those crash into the White Dragon?" Nabiki asked.
Gloval lowered his cap over his face so that Nabiki wouldn't notice his embarrassment. "Ah yes well, this is a Veritech it is our number one weapon against the Aliens. It is mostly controlled manually, though some of its functions can be operated mentally. As you can see in it's Battaliod configuration it is meant to resemble a human, and it is almost as agile. We find the pilots that have experience in the martial arts have a much easier time piloting the Veritech than those who don't. The martial arts are useful for two reasons: One the meditative state most eastern martial arts teach makes it easier for the pilots to use the mental controls of the Veritech, and two the Veritech can, replicate the moves a martial artist would use in hand-to-hand combat. You where invited to Macross Island to work as Hand to Hand combat instructors for that purpose. We where planning on setting up a permanent base on Macross Island after the departure of the SDF-1, and we wanted you to be instructors there. The offer still stands you can teach here aboard the SDF-1, we could use skilled martial artists such as yourselves. Think about it won't you? We could furnish you with a Dojo in Macross city, as well as training facilities here aboard the Daedalus. Of course we would also alot you a large salary."
At the word 'salary' Nabiki jumped in. "Come on Father, it's not like you have anything else to do. I bet you would just love to take on new pupils right?"
Soun could see through Nabiki's rather transparent encouragement, but he also knew that his daughter was indeed correct it had been a long time since Soun had a pupil. And besides if Genma got money of this as well he wouldn't have to freeload of Soun anymore. "Very well I accept."
"Very good. You will start on Saturday. Now as for you Ms. Nabiki, I suggest you go home and get some rest so you can be ready for school in the mourning. I hope I haven't bored you too much," Gloval smiled at the girl.
"Not at all, Captain. Not at all," In fact Nibikki thought some of what she heard, especially about the veritechs would come in handy later.
That night Nabiki booted up the old p-4 computer the Lynns had at the White Dragon, "I hope this thing can read this disk," Nabiki said to her self. Then she put in the disk she got from Colonel Edwards that day back on Earth. "I can't give it to Kan Shimida and I am a million miles out in space. So having a little peek won't hurt," As she examined the contents of the disk she found it very interesting indeed.
Nabiki realized she had slept in when she heard her Sister Kasumi calling her. "Nabiki your late. Ranma and Akane, have already left, with Minmei."
Nabiki looked at the clock. Then she realized just how late she was, "Crap" Nabiki yelled as she quickly pulled on her clothes and ran out the door.
"See you later," Kasumi said.
A short while later Nabiki, arrived at Macross High, and was directed to classroom 2-C. She found her desk and sat down. Her teacher was a short red haired woman. "Ms. Tendo? I think you owe me a apology," The teacher scowled at her new pupil.
"Sorry I'm late," a slightly winded Nabiki replied.
"Well now I suppose I should introduce myself. I'm the young teaching genius Ms. Inverse," the teacher informed her. A breeze blew past and the woman's dress flapped dramatically in it. Nabiki couldn't figure out where the wind was coming from. There where no window's in this room that opened to the outside and the wind was blowing towards the door. Nabiki could swear the breeze was coming from nowhere almost as if it was conjured up, almost as if it where 'magical'.
Nabiki didn't have time to explore that thought further as there was an announcement on the intercom. "All staff and students are to gather in the gymnasium for a assembly,"
Nabiki gathered up her stuff, and walked with the rest of her classmates to the school's large sports arena. The students sat on the bleachers on either side. The student's attention was drawn to a makeshift podium at the gyms far north. A blonde woman who wore her hair in two pony tails, with little odango like balls at the top, at that Nabiki had to smirk, cause the girl looked like a certain Mahou Shoujo character, who was popular back in Japan. The woman walked up to the podium and raised a microphone to her mouth. "Good mourning," the woman took a moment to scan her audience to make sure she had their attention. "Today Macross High officially reopens. We are now the first High School in outer-space!" If the woman expected any sign of enthusiasm from the students she was disappointed. "Most of you here know me, for the others my name is Mrs. Chiba. I regret to inform you that our old principal Ms. Mizuno is missing and presumed dead. Taking over her duties will be the head master of Furinkan High School Mr. Kuno," a stuned silence went across both the old student population of Macross High and it's new members from Furinkan. The Macross High students had loved Ms. Mizuno; she was a brilliant educator, and a kind person. The Furinkan students had thought the one thing they would have gained from being stranded on a strange space ship, in the middle of nowhere, would be freedom from Headmaster Kuno.
The new principle walked up to stand adorned in his usual Hawaiian T-shirt. "Hey kekei's it's the big kahuna. I be taking over this school as of today; so you better behave."
Mr. Kunou stepped down from the stand, and Mrs. Chiba stepped back up to the podium. She had a slightly nervous look on her face. "Thank you Principal Kunou. There will be other changes you will notice over the next few days. As well as a few more staff members, also a former teacher at Furinkan is Ms. Hinako," Mrs. Chiba indicated the teacher who looked like she was a young kid. Nabiki had to smirk again, this school was getting an all-star staff, she had to wonder how long it would last before everything went to hell.
Ms. Hinako went up to the stand and said her little piece about delinquents. The assembly went on for what seemed like forever.
When lunch finally came, Nabiki welcomed it gladly. "Ranma, Akane, Minmei, how are you guys?" Nabiki asked of her sister and friends.
It was Minmei who replied, "I'm fine thank you."
Nabiki frowned at the Chinese girl, "Come on Minmei. You don't need to be so formal. We're friends after all."
The four of them sat down under a tree and ate their meals. All that is except Ranma, "Nabiki I forgot to bring food, could I have some of yours?"
Nabiki stared at him sympathetically, "Sure Ranma. I'll only charge you 20 credits too," the girl said holding out her hand.
Ranma looked at the girls hand, "Come on Nabiki hungry or not, I am not gonna pay 20 creds for some lunch."
Akane looked at her fiancé, "Ranma I have…"
"I have some Tempura and Ramen I made this mourning," Minmei said examining the contents of her lunch box. "I made it back at the White Dragon. But I always make way to much so here have mine."
Ranma gladly took the piping hot food (which had remained that way thanks to Minmei's insulated lunch box, which was actually meant for deliveries.). At that moment Ranma heard a familiar voice yelling "Ni Hao," Shampoo's bike skidded to a halt just short of the foursome. Shampoo grabbed one of the two delivery packages from her bikes handrail and handed it to Ranma, "Shampoo brought you some Ramen from the cat café. Ranma you eat."
Minmei stood up and walked over to the amazon warrior. "Shampoo, Ranma already has some Ramen from my White Dragon. Your stuff will just give him indigestion,"
Shampoo's eyes glanced from the other girl, to her gift for Ranma then back again. The two Chinese girls' eyes locked on each other. "Ranma is going to eat Shampoo's cooking. Right Ranma?"
Minmei laughed, "Fraid not, Ranma is going to eat my food,"
Shampoo lifted her gaze from her rival, and tilted her head in a cocky manner. "Shampoo warn you once before to leave Ranma alone. Shampoo, give you one more chance. You no see Ranma anymore."
"I choose who I do and do not hang around with. Care to do anything about it Shampoo?"
"It seems Minmei no learn her lesson. You meet Shampoo behind school at 4 O'clock. Then we settle this once and for all."
"That's fine with me," Minmei replied.
Shampoo got back on her bicycle and rode off.
"Minmei are you sure you want to do this?" Akane asked.
"No, I don't want to fight her. She is a Chinese amazon even if I win I end up loosing. But I can't let her boss me around. I have to stand up to her."
The rest of the day went by uneventfully until the hour of the fight. Ranma and Akane had decided to stay by the bike racks and just watch. After all this was Minmei's fight and they couldn't interfere. Nabiki had been taking bets among the students, who had also gathered. Most of the Macross High students had their money riding on Minmei and the Furinkan students on Shampoo.
The two contestants squared off facing each other. Shampoo smirked, "I give you one more chance, to say you leave Ranma alone."
"Shampoo, I already told you I chose for myself who I do or do not hang around with," Minmei raised her fists.
"Okay, it's your funeral." Shampoo raised her Bon-bari in response.
For a few seconds neither girl moved. Then Shampoo leapt into the sky, intending to bring her maces down on the other girl's head. Minmei jumped straight up and out of the way of the attack. Minmei landed beside Shampoo and hooked her leg around the amazon's causing the other girl to come crashing down. Shampoo quickly lept back to her feet.
"You know you can't beat me, right?" Shampoo asked.
"You never know till you try,"
Shampoo chose to discard her Bon-bari, for the more personal touch of her bare fists. Both Shampoo and Minmei lept at each other and the two met in mid air. Both where attempting to jump kick the other. From Ranma's vantage point he couldn't make out who landed the blow, until Shampoo started falling from the sky. Shampoo began to right her self in mid air, much as a feline would. She came down to the ground feet first. But upon landing Shampoo accidentally found herself, stepping on a Basketball that had been left lying around. Shampoo fell down, smacked her head and fell unconscious.
Minmei couldn't believe it. She beat Shampoo. She rushed over to the amazon to see if she was okay. Shampoo had a shallow cut on her temple but with some ice she would be okay. Ranma went to get the ice, Akane stayed with Minmei and Shampoo and Nabiki gathered her money from the betting pools. The Furinkans where not very happy about their horse loosing they thought that Shampoo had been cheated, but they all paid none the less.
In about an hour Shampoo opened her eyes. She was in the school's infirmary. Ranma, Akane and Minmei where standing over her. "Oh what happen?"
"During our fight," Minmei began to explain, "You stepped on a Basketball and fell over."
"You mean, you beat Shampoo?" The purple haired girl asked.
"I guess so," Minmei replied nervously.
Shampoo leaned over to Minmei and gave her a light kiss on the cheek. Shock washed over both Ranma and Akane's faces. Shampoo had just given Minmei the Kiss of Death.
Preview for next episode:
Shampoo has sworn to end the life of Minmei, but then something unexpected happens. The next chapter in the saga of Ranmatech½ is: Secret of the Lynn Clan. And the next chapter hails the return of the Dimension Crux crew.