"So, this is where you live, Ritz?"
"Yes, it's a nice house, but my parents are almost never home. I don't expect them to be waiting for me."
"That's a shame, Ritz."
"Well, Marche, perhaps we'll see each other again sometime. Maybe for some coffee or something?" Ritz questioned with a wink. Ranma slowly smiled before nodding.
"Sounds wonderful, Ritz... Sounds wonderful."
"How about... tomorrow, around noon at the Clerigy Cafe?"
"Sounds good, see you there."
- - - - - - -
Tactics 1/2 - Part 2 By RankoSaotome
Disclaimer: FFTA and Ranma 1/2 belong to Square Enix and Rumiko Takahashi respectively. I repeat, they do not belong to me.
ranma hibiki, I want to thank you for your ideas, making this part possible. And I stated in one of the first paragraphs in Part 1 just when this took place, which is after the failed wedding.
- - - - - - -
"Good morning, Ranma-kun." Kasumi said and smiled sweetly, turning back to her cooking as Ranma watched her for several moments. With a smile on his face and a hand running through his blond tresses, he yawned and moved closer into the kitchen.
"Hey, what smells good this morning?"
"Pancakes. I decided on a little Western breakfast this morning, and this came to mind." Ranma smiled and moved up behind Kasumi, giving her a quick hug before settling in to watch her hands move across the food.
Of course, the peaceful scene could only last long enough for Ranma's stomach to announce itself and a blush to erupt on his face. "Wow, that was certainly loud, Ranma-kun! Maybe you should go set the table, it'll be done soon enough."
"Sure, no problem, Kasumi." Grabbing chopsticks and plates, Ranma left the room and set to the task of setting places.
With a smile on her face, Kasumi entered in not long after him, carrying a large plate of pancakes and setting them on the table along with three bottles of maple syrup. Ranma drooled slightly at the sight of such a large plate of food, but he managed to restrain himself.
The rest of the family, minus Akane who was still in jail, set to their places immediately. Of course, Soun and Genma tried to give Ranma a stern talking to for not keeping his fiance out of jail, when Ranma pointed out why they didn't go get Akane out of jail themselves. Soun slowly admit to, ahem, a "wanted" problem due to Happosai.
With no clear victor of the argument other than Ranma, the boy merely smirked and moved on after breakfast, grabbing a train to Juuban within thirty minutes.
- - - - - - -
"You made it!" Ritz exclaimed as she got to her feet, waving Ranma to her nearby table with a smile on her face.
Clerigy Cafe was a cafe opened by a group of gamers, with 24/7 service and filled with varying gaming posters, anime wallscrolls, and even game music played over the speaker system. They were currently playing Gypsy Heart, the main theme of Jean in Lunar 2. Right now was the Lunar 2 cd, next would be god knows what. But he knew the next song was Brave Warriors, he knew.
As both took a seat in the booth, Ranma looked down at the small monitors between them, watching Ritz playing her copy of Seiken Densetsu 3 on the portable monitors and systems the cafe supplied their guests with to keep them entertained while they hung out.
"Nice to see you again, Ritz. What did you want to see me about today?"
Ritz slowly tore her attention from her game to her guest, smiling before finally setting her controller to the side and turning off her game. Placing the monitor to the side, she turned and waited for a waitress. Signalling to one, she turned back to Ranma. "Do you drink coffee?"
"Um, no. But I have had cappucino before." Ritz nodded and made an order for the both of them, one coffee, with cream, and one cappucino. With that done, she turned back to Ranma.
"You seemed perfect as Marche last night, so I wanted to ask you something."
"Go ahead and ask."
"What would you say if I told you I was really Ritz and the FFTA world was real?" Ranma was silent for several moments as he attempted to digest these thoughts. The FFTA world... real?
"I'd inform you that weirder things have happened to me. Go on."
"Marche, the real Marche, died some several years ago. So I moved from St. Ivalice, in the US, to here, in Juuban. When I first saw you, I could have sworn you WERE him. In fact, you still look so much like him..." Their drinks arrived while they were talking, each going for their drinks and sipping from their cups.
"You loved him, didn't you?" Believe it or not, but after all this time, not even Ranma's clueless anymore. Well, except for Akane, she still doesn't know that Ryouga is P-chan, not even after two years.
"I... Yes, I did. But, that doesn't matter anymore." Ranma got the feeling there was more to the topic then it seemed, but he remained silent. "Anyways, I want to offer you to join me."
"Join you?"
"Yes, I want to return to Ivalice, but I don't want to go alone. Will you go with me?" Ranma had to stop and think about this. In Ivalice, he'd have the appearance of a dead man, and no weapons to use against the many warriors that lived there. However, he was no amateur in fighting, especially without weapons.
"Ok, I'll go with you. Do you need me to dress like Marche again?" Ranma remarked with a smirk, earning him a quick smack upside the head. Of course, it didn't hurt, but he imagined the punishment she could dish out in Ivalice was a lot more.
"What you wear is fine. Just meet me at my home around midnight tonight." And Ritz smiled, collected her game cartridge, and left Ranma to mull over what he'd learned this day.
'Ivalice is real, and Ritz wants me to go with her back to this other world. Can I really do this?' He thought, mulling over the various jobs and abilities that he'd share with the Human race. So far, only Paladin and Fighter caught his attention off the top of his head. Maybe Ninja... nah, he'd better just go with Soldier or Thief.
"I'd better get home and pack if I'm going to Ivalice with Ritz."
- - - - - - -
It took well over a week, but Ranma soon found himself on a flight for St. Ivalice. Of course, the Tendos and his parents invited themselves along, which he was somewhat mad about. He could still remember when he confronted them about it.
FLASHBACK
"What're you guys doing here?" Ranma asked as he shouldered his pack, idly noting the packs off to the sides of the Tendos and Saotomes, his hands gripping his backpack more tightly. He also noticed that Akane was once again present, having been released from jail in time to see him off. He also noticed she had a travelling pack as well.
"We're going too. Of course, you can't leave your fiance behind." Soun said, as if there was no bordering on argument.
"I'll leave her behind if I damn well choose. You are not following me." He turned and made his way away from the group, leaving them sputtering for a few seconds, long enough to allow him to catch up to Ritz. "Come on, Ritz, let's go." The neo-blond stated, the pair of them moving towards the plane gate.
"You will stop, Ranma!!" Ranma sighed as he turned back to his father and mother, a scowl growing on his face.
"Ritz invited ME to go with her to St. Ivalice, not everyone. In fact, I already stated back at the house that NO ONE was to follow me. Not Mr. Tendo, not Pops, not Mom, and definately not Akane. I told Kasumi she could come, and even Nabiki, but not you guys. I KNEW you were going to try and stop me!"
"You think I would trust some hussy with MY fiance?!"
"Hussy?!" Ranma immediately hit the ground as he became only too acutely aware of the battle aura that was slowly forming around Ritz. Slowly, he turned to her and gaped.
Her aura was gigantic!! It was far larger than even Saffron's had been, and he became only too aware how strong Ritz was. With a large feeling of dread, he watched her raise her rapier, and...
"Attention, the JAL flight 107 to St. Ivalice, USA is now deporting from gate 27A. I repeat, everyone flying to St. Ivalice on JAL flight 107 to St. Ivalice should report to gate 27A." Ranma was visibly relieved when Ritz's aura died down, bringing everyone out of shock.
"That's us, Ranma. Let's get going before these idiots bother us again." Ranma slowly nodded and leapt to his feet, the two rushing off to catch their flight, unwillingly getting the group they just left to follow them onto the flight.
END FLASHBACK
And thus, the Tendos and Saotomes joined Ranma and Ritz on their journey to St. Ivalice and the war-world of Ivalice beyond that.
"I only just met your parents, and already I dislike them." Ritz stated as she took her seat beside Ranma, amidst the icy glare of the jealous fiance. "Sorry about this..." Ritz whispered before hugging his arm, pulling herself closer to the teen. Already, Ranma could feel Akane's glare getting stronger.
"Stewardess?" Ranma was quickly brought out of his reverie by Ritz's voice. "Can we please be upgraded to first class seats?"
"How many of you will be switching?" Before Akane could open her mouth, Ranma spoke up on Ritz's behalf.
"Just me and her."
"May I ask why?"
"Uninvited guests." Ranma and Ritz both quoted at the exact same moment. Akane once again began to fume.
"I'll see what I can do." And the stewardess left.
"What the hell was that about?! Ranma's my...!!"
"NOT your fiance. Your sister, Nabiki, had enough finances to pay for herself and Kasumi to go on this trip, and that's WITH a discount. Do you have any idea how you, your father, and Ranma's parents could come?"
"Ritz, I..."
"I paid for it. My family is rich because of my travels, so I can afford to head back on my travels anytime. I invited Ranma to go with me, but you and your family were so intent on going, I made a decision to let you come."
"So what, you..."
"What? Hussy? Your families owe me a great debt, and I plan to collect right now. Your engagement to Ranma is now over." Akane began to fume once more, when there was a tap on the back of her chair. A man in blue dangled a pair of handcuffs in front of her face, and she immediately went silent.
The stewardess returned at that moment. "I managed to find some seats, but it will cost 100,000 yen for the two of you. 150,000 if you want your friend along."
"Just us, she's one of the guests we didn't want coming, but wound up along anyways. Thank you." Ritz reached into one of her pockets, removing the money and donating it to the woman's hand. With a smile, the woman started down the aisle, leading the way, with Ranma and Ritz following soon after, carrying their bags.
"Did you plan this, Ritz?"
"Yes, I did. I admit this stunt put a bit of a dent in my personal savings, but, as I said, my family's rich because of my travels in Ivalice. The gold from Ivalice is so valuable, it's ridiculous. All I ask in return is companionship... and maybe another date..." Ritz added with a wry smile.
Ranma answered by taking hold of Ritz's hand, holding on as they walked to the first class section, leaving Akane to whine to their parents.
Over the time of the trip, Ranma and Ritz discussed the world of Ivalice, drinking coffee and cappucino supplied by the stewardess' as they waited during the flight. Soun and Genma, much to their discord, tried many times to break into first class and take Ranma back, but each attempt was thwarted by Ranma, Ritz, or one of the plane staff.
After finishing with Ivalice, Ritz insisted they learn more about each other. Hobbies, experiences, secrets, all were passed. Soon, it was enough for Ranma to learn that Ritz was, in fact, a virgin and had a dream Halloween night of losing said virginity to him. The thought was amusing, at the least.
The first night came and went, leaving the two with silence for the rest of the trip, drawing comfort from each other's presence. Ranma himself had the feeling they were similar to a couple heading out on their honeymoon. That thought couldn't help but bring thoughts of what life would be like married to the buxom, energetic redhead that was sitting just next to him, at less than an arm's length away.
The second night of the flight was equally uneventful, with Ranma staying up to catch up on a little reading while Ritz slept. Her head was resting on his shoulder, much to his delight of being able to watch the beautiful girl sleep beside him.
"Ranma..." Ranma's eyes narrowed slightly at the voice of his mother. No doubt the fathers sent her to get him to come back to Akane, after all their failures to bring him back. Slowly, he turned to the woman, placing his fingers to his lips before pointing to the sleeping redhead beside him.
"Ranma, why don't you go back and spend some time with Akane?"
"I don't see why you favor Akane over any of my fiances, Mom. Ukyou had as much, if not more, right to be my fiance than Akane ever did. Mine and Akane's relationship has always been on rocky ground, but her actions since the failed wedding... jealousy, distrust, anger... all of it was just the last straw."
"With Pops around, I always thought it was 'tough love'. But Ritz has shown me that all she was doing was using me as a punching bag, just something to take her frustrations out on."
"But Ranma, I'm sure she loves you very much."
"Maybe, but that love is long since gone. She doesn't trust me, doesn't listen to me, she just expects me to bow and kiss her feet, or tread on glass for her. All I ever hear is "stop picking on Ryouga" this or "don't ruin my life" that. I don't think she has ever once said something nice to me."
"But the first time I met Ritz, she not only accepted me, but she also complimented me. She's strong, fun to be around, nice... everything I could ever want in a woman... and even more that I can't tell you about. There's just something about her that draws me to her."
"Explains why you dyed your hair blond. Nice shade, by the way." Now that was Nabiki showing up, taking idle note of the sleeping redhead before moving closer into the area and keeping her voice down.
"She tells me it reminds her of a guy she used to know. Besides, I like my new look."
"So you're being her ex-boyfriend's replacement." Ranma was silent for several moments before opening his mouth to speak.
"No, of her dead best friend." Nabiki was silent this time.
"Besides, if Akane wants me back that badly, she herself should come see me, though it means nothing, after all Ritz did for us."
"She told you about her paying for us?" Nodoka blinked in surprise as she listened in. She caught something about the young redhead having paid for them to get on the plane, but she couldn't be sure.
"So she wants the engagement called off as payment?" Ranma nodded as Nabiki placed a hand on her forehead, massaging her temples. Never in her time knowing Nabiki had Nodoka ever seen the self-dependant girl so frazzled.
"So, what does she want out of this?"
"Companionship and a date. That's all she said she wanted." Nabiki could tell Ranma was not lying, since he made funny little movements whenever he lied. Ranma was a terrible liar.
"You're telling the truth. Fine, but Daddy's not going to like this."
"He has no choice in the matter." All present were surprised when the supposedly sleeping redhead spoke up. "He owes me a great debt and I plan to collect on it in the form of absolving the Tendo engagement. Then..." She pointedly hugs Ranma's arm affectionately. "I can take her place as his girlfriend."
Both women turned to Ranma pointedly awaiting an explaination. When met with a shrug of supposed confusion, they sighed and left to convey Ritz's message.
- - - - - - -
"This is St. Ivalice?" Ranma asked as he got off the plane, his bag over his shoulders as he re-wrapped his scarf around his neck and tightened his jacket. Never had he felt so cold before, and wondered if this Alaskan town was supposed to be this cold. Ritz had prepared for the cold weather, but Ranma usually prided himself on being prepared. Being caught like this really shamed himself.
Of course, the Tendos dug themselves further into debt by needing to purchase winter clothing to keep warm. They hadn't expected St. Ivalice to be a winter town.
"Yes, cold, isn't it?
"I thought it was just me, but I see you're cold too." He leaned in to whisper to the girl, sending the fathers away with a few mean punches before whispering to Ritz. "Should we ditch them and head straight for Ivalice?"
"Yes, let's." Ritz quietly replied, taking hold of Ranma's hand before the two rushed off in the direction of Ritz's home. The Tendos and Saotomes rushed to follow, after digging the fathers out of the snow and concrete.
Ranma and Ritz were the first to arrive at Ritz's home, rushing inside and stripping themselves of their winter clothing. They rushed upstairs, where Ritz kept the Book. They heard the front door open, then Ritz opened the book to the correct page and recited the spell within. Ranma's world went white.
By the time the families arrived, they had enough time to see the portal the Book had created before it shut.
Akane left to find something to vent her anger on, which would probably dig the family further into debt.
Nabiki started inspecting the room, estimating its worth while trying to spot something that could have made the portal.
Kasumi left to stop Akane from doing anything she'd regret.
The fathers cried about how disrespectful Ranma was acting and how much of a Harpy the new girl was.
Nodoka cried about how manly her son was for getting another girl to fall for him.
- - - - - - -
"Hey, Ritz, where are we? I don't recognize this from the game."
"That adventure is many years old, Ranma. Ivalice has changed since then. This, my good friend, is the Cyril Training Grounds. Around three years ago, all classes became open to all races, but not all genders. Snipers could only be female and Blue Mages could only be male. This ground is here so people can train in the class of their choice. I, myself, am a Fencer. You, Ranma, are a Summoner."
"SUMMONER?! But, I was more expecting Soldier, or White Monk, or maybe even Assassin. How can I be a Summoner?"
"It's just how the gods chose for you to be. Frankly, I find it a little humorous... Well, my friend Freya can take care of you. Ask her to teach you Unicorn first, or just tell her I sent you. She'll give you a pretty good training session." Ranma could have sworn the girl was smirking, but he quickly dismissed the thought.
Finding Freya was surprisingly easy, despite that numorous instructors were Viera. He was tempted, as he spotted some Bangaa, to start a fight by calling them lizards, but decided against it. If Ritz were stronger than him, who's to say these people aren't stronger as well?
Freya was the only instructor who used different methods of teaching. Most used "I'll show it to you, you show it to me" style. She, however, used "I'll USE it on you, you USE it on me".
"Hi, my name's Ranma. Ritz said you could help me develop my summoning skills."
"Oh, you're Ritz's friend, are you? Well then, I'll take good care of you..." Ranma couldn't help but notice the cruel, feral glint in the Viera's eyes. With a nervous disposition, he took his place across from her.
"Ok, first thing you must learn is all summoning spells have a range of effect. This range is a ten foot radius from the origin point of the spell. We'll start with Ifrit." Ranma caught the feral glint once more and finally got the hint, leaping to the side just moments before a flaming beast burst his area into a pillar of flame.
"What the!!!"
"Darnit, almost got you... now you try."
"How the hell was I supposed to do that? I only just found out I was a Summoner less than an hour ago!!"
"Well then, we'll have to go over the basics..."
- - - - - - -
It's been a week since Ranma's training began, and he took to it like a fish to water. Personally, his favorite summon was Shiva, since he just loved her mid-range ice attack. Not to mention the eye-candy.
"MADEEN!!!"
"UNICORN!!"
"RAMUH!!!"
"SHIVA!!"
"IFRIT!!!!"
"CARBUNCLE!!"
"PHOENIX!!!"
"KIRIN!!!"
"Very good, Ranma. You got them all in order. Now, go find Ritz and get ready, the class tournament starts in a few hours." Freya finished as she bowed to her student, who bowed to his teacher, before both moved their seperate ways.
"How was training today, Ranma?"
"Well, I graduated from training today. Also, she wants you and me to participate in the class tournament. Um, perhaps you can tell me about this tournament?"
"Well, it's held yearly between the students of the graduating year with or without guests. Since I cosigned to get you into training, that makes me involved too. Anyways, it's a series of teams made up by trainees and cosigners. These cosigners are often untrained, so they don't participate in battle. Each class takes one representative. You, Ranma, represent all the Summoners in the school."
"ALL of them?!" Ranma asked loudly, his eyes threatening to bulge out before Ritz splashed him, turning Ranma into a she. It hadn't taken Ritz too long to discover the curse, and she'd taken to it quite well, as a matter of fact. Even Freya and her class knew.
"Calm down, Ranma. You're also among the best Summoners in the school. Your advantage is you have a Fencer as your cosigner. Thus, our team has magical and physical advantages."
"Mail." A voice proclaimed as a few letters were slid through the slot of their room, Ritz moving over and picking them up. Opening one from the school, she smiled and walked towards Ranma.
"Look here, it's the class list showing who you were facing and when. Each tournament is single elimination, so you have to beat everyone in a single go. You can rest between matches to heal up and buy new equipment. The school will supply you with equipment that declares your specialities. Here's the chart."
Soldier
-
Summoner-----
Paladin
-
Red Mage-----
Fighter
-
Elementalist-
Thief
-
Fencer-------
Ninja
-
Sniper-------
White Mage
-
Assassin-----
Black Mage
-
Sage---------
Illusionist
-
Morpher------
Archer
-
Alchemist----
Hunter
-
Gladiator----
Time Mage
-
Defender-----
Animist
-
Dragoon------
Mog Knight
-
Warrior------
Gunner
-
Templar------
Juggler
-
Bishop-------
Gadgeteer
-
White Monk---
"So, we fight the Soldier representative soon. Oh, and Ranma, carry no money on you tomorrow."
"Because of his 'Mug' ability?"
"You'll see..."
- - - - - - -
ROUND 1
- - - - - - -
Team 1 - Nate - Soldier
Team 2 - Ranma - Summoner, Ritz - Guest
"Sorry, boy, but you can't beat me."
"We'll see about that."
Round one was quick lived, being Nate had next to no combat experience while Ranma weeved between blows. To enhance their abilities, Nate carried a Bronze Helm, Bronze Armor, Blood Sword, and a Bronze Shield. To even the playing field between the students, Ranma wore a Light Robe, held a Snake Staff, and a Magic Ring.
"Your mama's so fat, when she sits around the house, she sits AROUND the house."
"Wha?"
"Your mama's so stupid, when people say they're gonna put her on ice, she brings the ice."
Ranma blinked a few times before an overwhelming urge to bash the guy's face in with his staff assailed him. With high amounts of speed wrought from the man's insults, Ranma struck.
Nate was sent back several feet.
"Oh my, did Nate's 'Provoke' ability fail?"
'Provoke? Of course! Enrage your opponent to cause them to go berserk. Got to keep cool... Soul of ice...' Ranma slowly took a deep breath, concentrating on his hands before raising them into the air. Ritz stood off to the side, wanting to see what Ranma had accomplished in a week of training.
'Ok, wait for him to try and Provoke me again, knock him down, then cast my spell.' Ranma waited until Nate regained his feet, moving forward and opening his mouth. 'I knew it! Blood Sword enhances Provoke, so it must be his speciality!'
"I saw your mother last night. But she was too busy between my legs to talk about you much..." Ranma's left eye twitched as he swung his staff back for another strike.
'Amaguriken!!!' And his second attack was far faster than his first, his staff biting out for Nate's legs before sending the Soldier for a tumble. Ranma immediately raised his hands, aimed for a spot just eight feet behind Nate, then cast his spell. "SHIVA!!!!"
The ice goddess that appeared encased the area in ice in a heartbeat, leaving Nate frozen to the ground. "HEY!!! No... fair?" And that was all Nate said before he got whapped by Ranma's staff upside the head, sending him to dreamland.
The Judge spoke. "Winner! Ranma and Guest!!" There was some loud cheering from the Summoners' and teachers as Ranma left the arena, moving towards Ritz and bowing to her. Then, he enveloped her in a hug and cried out. "YES!!!!"
Summoner
-
Red Mage-----
Fighter
-
Fencer-------
Sniper
-
White Mage---
Black Mage
-
Morpher------
Alchemist
-
Gladiator----
Defender
-
Dragoon------
Mog Knight
-
Templar------
Bishop
-
White Monk---
- - - - - - -
ROUND 2
- - - - - - -
Team 1 - Ranma - Summoner, Ritz - Guest
Team 2 - Celine - Red Mage, Shara - Guest
"This has to be a joke."
"If this is a joke, it's not a funny one."
Ranma was only slightly surprised to find that his next opponent also had a warrioress on their side, which only brought him to a higher amount of worriment. 'How can I get Ritz to fight with Shara? Those two are best friends!!'
"Why am I not surprised to see you here, Ritz?"
"Oh, shut up. You beat my team last year, but we'll win this year."
"Then goto your little girly-man, Ritz. You always were one to like girls, weren't you?"
'Ok... that was surprising...'
"Somehow..." Ranma looked up to his opponent, the Viera girl speaking to him, as it seemed, and not to her partner. "I get this feeling our guests will be too busy fighting each other to help us."
"Yeah, I get that feeling to. Funny thing is, I could have sworn those two were friends!" Celine blinked and checked her equipment nervously. She'd never been in actual combat before, so she checked to make sure everything was there. Barette, Chain Plate... and Flamberge. 'Blizzard is her speciality.'
"Don't you know? When Shara wanted to start helping students here, she and Ritz had a big fight. I guess they're not quite over it yet, despite it's been almost two years since."
"Two years... This should be an interesting match."
"Why do you say that?"
"You specialize with the Blizzard spell, I specialize with the Shiva summon. Ice versus ice." Celine giggled as she caught Ranma's meaning, both of them mentally swearing to use Fire/Ifrit during the match.
The Judge approached. "Team 1 ready?" Celine looked back to her partner, who was currently in a fist fight with Ritz. She immediately figured both would be useless for the match.
"Yes, I'm ready."
"Team 2 ready?" Celine checked her partner once more before answering.
"Yes, I'm ready." The Judge began backing away on his chocobo, raising the flag to begin the battle. And the flag went down. The combatants met.
They started with simplicity, testing the other's defenses with jabs, blocks, thrusts, and parries. During all the attacks and blocks, each began their chants.
"Spirits of defending, heed my call..."
"Spirit of Carbuncle, heed my call..."
"BUILD FOR ME AN UNBREAKABLE WALL!! BARRIER/CARBUNCLE!!!"
"Barrier?" "Carbuncle?" Both asked after their spells were cast, protective barriers surrounding them both, Ranma's being purplish in color while Celine's was yellow and blue alternating. Celine acted first.
"Spirits of flame, gather and flare,
Fall from above and ensnare! Doublecast!! Fira!!"
Unfortunately, Celine neglected to realise until it was too late that Carbuncle created a REFLECTIVE wall of protection. Thus, she fell victim to her own spell. "AGH!!!!"
"Winner! Ranma and Guest!!" Ritz, whom just looked up with a multitude of bruises, cuts, and a black eye, idly cheered for her partner whom she helped... in a way.
"Damn you, Ritz."
"Come on, you two. It's been two years and you're still fighting! Why?!" Ranma's question was met with silence.
"To tell the truth... I don't even remember why we started fighting. Do you, Shara?"
"No... I think it had something to do with your old crush on Marche."
"Oh... right. I guess... it's about time we made up, huh?" Ranma smiled while a friendship was rekindled, watching them both as, in the background, the Summoners' cheered over another victory.
Summoner
-
Fencer-------
Sniper
-
Black Mage---
Gladiator
-
Defender-----
Templar
-
White Monk---
- - - - - - -
ROUND 3
- - - - - - -
"Winner! Ranma and Guest!!" Ranma was mildly surprised when the Judge announced his win. During the round, the Fencer, Kidd, had approached the Judge and declared she forfeit the match. Apparently, she'd found out just who Ritz was.
"I feel... so cheated." Ritz could only nod.
Summoner
-
Black Mage---
Defender
-
White Monk---
- - - - - - -
Round 4
- - - - - - -
"Winner! Ranma and Guest!!" Glenn, the Black Mage, lay unconscious on the ground beside his guest, a Juggler named Onyx. Both had gone out with one Amaguriken style strike of Ranma's staff, followed by a quick Madeen summon. Team 2 never knew what hit them.
Summoner
-
White Monk---
- - - - - - -
BEFORE FINAL ROUND
- - - - - - -
"Great, I just HAD to fight the White Monk. I can't just beat him with speed or strength, I have to magically overwhelm this guy."
"Girl."
"What'd you say?"
"You're fighting a female White Monk Viera named Reis. She has a partner who happens to be a Fighter named Kevin. They're both a very strong team."
"So, how're we gonna tackle this guy?"
"It's time we take your uncanny ability to copy your opponent's moves. Here's the plan..."
- - - - - - -
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the final match of this year's tournament. In Team one, we have a dynamic duo that took this year by storm. Ranma is a Summoner with the past experiences of an unarmed fighter. Ritz is a Fencer who's making her second tournament appearance. Let's give them a big hand."
"In Team two, we have an unstoppable pair of warriors. Reis is a White Monk with many years of experience as one, and Kevin is a Fighter trying to follow in the footsteps of Gaol. Both are a formidable team."
Team 1 - Ranma - Summoner, Ritz - Guest
Team 2 - Reis - White Monk, Kevin - Guest
"Ok, you two know the rules of the final. Should either main fighter be knocked out, the team automatically loses, whether or not your guest is still up or not."
"Judge?"
"Yes?"
"As long as we stay within the fighting arena, anything, within reason, goes, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Thank you."
"Match start!"
'Ok, follow the plan exactly...' Ranma thought as Ritz rushed to engage Kevin in combat, so it was up to Ranma to pull off the plan. Charging his voice with his ki, he spoke.
"Macho chick! Built like a stick! Dumb as a brick! Thighs are too thick! Can't even kick!" Reis' eyes went wide for a few moments, then she swung, trying to pound the elusive Ranma into the pavement.
"What's this? A Summoner using the Soldier's Provoke skill?"
"Make it meaner, Ranma!" Now THAT was something Ranma was good at!
"Your mother gets around so much, even a record player can't keep up." Swing! "Uncute suits you, it really does." Swing! Bash! "Is there a breeze or is it just me?" Crunch! "Missed me." Whiff! Crash! Bam! "Over here, uncute one." Swish! "If you're trying to distract me by letting me see your panties, it's not working."
"YOU BASTARD!!!" The charge was exactly what Ranma was waiting for, Reis' aura flaring to life as Ranma led her into his infamous spiral.
Ritz had, by now, knocked out Reis' partner, Kevin. She now turned to Ranma and cried. "Ranma!! Now!!"
"HIRYU SHOTEN HA REVISED!! DIAMOND DUST!!!" The tornado that burst to life erupted with shards of ice blasting away inside the tornado. If one looked closely enough, you could swear Shiva was inside the tornado, lifting Reis from the ground while blasting her with ice.
When the tornado died down, Reis was unconscious.
"What an upset! Reis, the favorite for this match, is out cold! Ranma and Ritz win the tournament! The Summoner class of the year gets 100,000 gold to be split between the graduates."
Since there were only four graduate Summoners, that meant 25,000 each. Cool.
- - - - - - -
Back in St. Ivalice, a portal opened in a young woman's room late at night. The rest of the household was either asleep or not there, but the two forms born of the portal could care less.
"Well, that tournament was pretty profitable, wasn't it, Ranma?"
"I'll say, we could get a heck load of money with all this gold. Sure was nice of the girls to let me have 40,000 instead of 25,000."
"What do you say we celebrate?"
"How?"
"Hehe, you'll see..."
- - - - - - -
Ranma awoke later in an unfamiliar room. In an unfamiliar bed. Next to a familiar woman. Of course, thinking back on last night, rather a VERY familiar woman. He slowly smiled. 'I never knew that felt so good. If I had, I might have done it sooner... then again, I'd rather NOT think of doing that with any of my fiances!!'
A slight moan beside him brought Ranma's attention to the naked redhead he shared the bed with. Their things, clothing, armor, and bags, were strewn across the floor, without any real set placement. "Wake up, sleepyhead."
Ritz slowly opened her eyes and smiled, closing her eyes again and burying her face into Ranma's chest. Ranma merely smiled and started running his fingers through her fiery lochs.
After a few minutes, she opened her eyes once more, slowly surging up on the bed to meet their lips in a kiss. Gently, Ranma wrapped his arms around her, holding her to himself before they slowly parted. Each got to their feet, and started going for their clothes.
Ranma decided to pack his robes away, but placed the Magic Ring on his finger, allowing the black ring to lay naked on his hands. He wore his new attire, made up of a red sleeveless tunic and blue jean pants. He also wore an optional yellow scarf that Ritz had made for him during their stay in Ivalice.
Ritz was wearing contrasted with Ranma's outfit, hers being made up of a sky blue blouse with deep red skirt and thigh-high stockings. The skirt was made for winter wear. She also wore a pair of Sapphire earrings.
They left her room before long, descending the stairs of her home only to gaze in horror around Ritz's home. Ritz looked about ready to cry at the sight.
Pottery and various dishes lay broken all across the floor, with the occasional destroyed collectable. Pillows and chairs were strewn far from their respective homes, with the table snapped in half and the coach flipped completely over. Ritz didn't even want to see what kind of condition the kitchen was in.
With body trembling, Ritz turned on Ranma and immediately buried her face into his chest, the young man holding her as he tried his best to comfort her. He knew Akane and the fathers had done this. He knew it, and swore that they would pay.
He'd make sure they paid in spades.
END PART 2
- - - - - - -
Next time, Ranma hunts out their guests and confronts them with his new powers. But how awry can a battle without a Judge go? Or will he take this matter to Ivalice? Be here for the finale of Tactics 1/2.
"Yes, it's a nice house, but my parents are almost never home. I don't expect them to be waiting for me."
"That's a shame, Ritz."
"Well, Marche, perhaps we'll see each other again sometime. Maybe for some coffee or something?" Ritz questioned with a wink. Ranma slowly smiled before nodding.
"Sounds wonderful, Ritz... Sounds wonderful."
"How about... tomorrow, around noon at the Clerigy Cafe?"
"Sounds good, see you there."
- - - - - - -
Tactics 1/2 - Part 2 By RankoSaotome
Disclaimer: FFTA and Ranma 1/2 belong to Square Enix and Rumiko Takahashi respectively. I repeat, they do not belong to me.
ranma hibiki, I want to thank you for your ideas, making this part possible. And I stated in one of the first paragraphs in Part 1 just when this took place, which is after the failed wedding.
- - - - - - -
"Good morning, Ranma-kun." Kasumi said and smiled sweetly, turning back to her cooking as Ranma watched her for several moments. With a smile on his face and a hand running through his blond tresses, he yawned and moved closer into the kitchen.
"Hey, what smells good this morning?"
"Pancakes. I decided on a little Western breakfast this morning, and this came to mind." Ranma smiled and moved up behind Kasumi, giving her a quick hug before settling in to watch her hands move across the food.
Of course, the peaceful scene could only last long enough for Ranma's stomach to announce itself and a blush to erupt on his face. "Wow, that was certainly loud, Ranma-kun! Maybe you should go set the table, it'll be done soon enough."
"Sure, no problem, Kasumi." Grabbing chopsticks and plates, Ranma left the room and set to the task of setting places.
With a smile on her face, Kasumi entered in not long after him, carrying a large plate of pancakes and setting them on the table along with three bottles of maple syrup. Ranma drooled slightly at the sight of such a large plate of food, but he managed to restrain himself.
The rest of the family, minus Akane who was still in jail, set to their places immediately. Of course, Soun and Genma tried to give Ranma a stern talking to for not keeping his fiance out of jail, when Ranma pointed out why they didn't go get Akane out of jail themselves. Soun slowly admit to, ahem, a "wanted" problem due to Happosai.
With no clear victor of the argument other than Ranma, the boy merely smirked and moved on after breakfast, grabbing a train to Juuban within thirty minutes.
- - - - - - -
"You made it!" Ritz exclaimed as she got to her feet, waving Ranma to her nearby table with a smile on her face.
Clerigy Cafe was a cafe opened by a group of gamers, with 24/7 service and filled with varying gaming posters, anime wallscrolls, and even game music played over the speaker system. They were currently playing Gypsy Heart, the main theme of Jean in Lunar 2. Right now was the Lunar 2 cd, next would be god knows what. But he knew the next song was Brave Warriors, he knew.
As both took a seat in the booth, Ranma looked down at the small monitors between them, watching Ritz playing her copy of Seiken Densetsu 3 on the portable monitors and systems the cafe supplied their guests with to keep them entertained while they hung out.
"Nice to see you again, Ritz. What did you want to see me about today?"
Ritz slowly tore her attention from her game to her guest, smiling before finally setting her controller to the side and turning off her game. Placing the monitor to the side, she turned and waited for a waitress. Signalling to one, she turned back to Ranma. "Do you drink coffee?"
"Um, no. But I have had cappucino before." Ritz nodded and made an order for the both of them, one coffee, with cream, and one cappucino. With that done, she turned back to Ranma.
"You seemed perfect as Marche last night, so I wanted to ask you something."
"Go ahead and ask."
"What would you say if I told you I was really Ritz and the FFTA world was real?" Ranma was silent for several moments as he attempted to digest these thoughts. The FFTA world... real?
"I'd inform you that weirder things have happened to me. Go on."
"Marche, the real Marche, died some several years ago. So I moved from St. Ivalice, in the US, to here, in Juuban. When I first saw you, I could have sworn you WERE him. In fact, you still look so much like him..." Their drinks arrived while they were talking, each going for their drinks and sipping from their cups.
"You loved him, didn't you?" Believe it or not, but after all this time, not even Ranma's clueless anymore. Well, except for Akane, she still doesn't know that Ryouga is P-chan, not even after two years.
"I... Yes, I did. But, that doesn't matter anymore." Ranma got the feeling there was more to the topic then it seemed, but he remained silent. "Anyways, I want to offer you to join me."
"Join you?"
"Yes, I want to return to Ivalice, but I don't want to go alone. Will you go with me?" Ranma had to stop and think about this. In Ivalice, he'd have the appearance of a dead man, and no weapons to use against the many warriors that lived there. However, he was no amateur in fighting, especially without weapons.
"Ok, I'll go with you. Do you need me to dress like Marche again?" Ranma remarked with a smirk, earning him a quick smack upside the head. Of course, it didn't hurt, but he imagined the punishment she could dish out in Ivalice was a lot more.
"What you wear is fine. Just meet me at my home around midnight tonight." And Ritz smiled, collected her game cartridge, and left Ranma to mull over what he'd learned this day.
'Ivalice is real, and Ritz wants me to go with her back to this other world. Can I really do this?' He thought, mulling over the various jobs and abilities that he'd share with the Human race. So far, only Paladin and Fighter caught his attention off the top of his head. Maybe Ninja... nah, he'd better just go with Soldier or Thief.
"I'd better get home and pack if I'm going to Ivalice with Ritz."
- - - - - - -
It took well over a week, but Ranma soon found himself on a flight for St. Ivalice. Of course, the Tendos and his parents invited themselves along, which he was somewhat mad about. He could still remember when he confronted them about it.
FLASHBACK
"What're you guys doing here?" Ranma asked as he shouldered his pack, idly noting the packs off to the sides of the Tendos and Saotomes, his hands gripping his backpack more tightly. He also noticed that Akane was once again present, having been released from jail in time to see him off. He also noticed she had a travelling pack as well.
"We're going too. Of course, you can't leave your fiance behind." Soun said, as if there was no bordering on argument.
"I'll leave her behind if I damn well choose. You are not following me." He turned and made his way away from the group, leaving them sputtering for a few seconds, long enough to allow him to catch up to Ritz. "Come on, Ritz, let's go." The neo-blond stated, the pair of them moving towards the plane gate.
"You will stop, Ranma!!" Ranma sighed as he turned back to his father and mother, a scowl growing on his face.
"Ritz invited ME to go with her to St. Ivalice, not everyone. In fact, I already stated back at the house that NO ONE was to follow me. Not Mr. Tendo, not Pops, not Mom, and definately not Akane. I told Kasumi she could come, and even Nabiki, but not you guys. I KNEW you were going to try and stop me!"
"You think I would trust some hussy with MY fiance?!"
"Hussy?!" Ranma immediately hit the ground as he became only too acutely aware of the battle aura that was slowly forming around Ritz. Slowly, he turned to her and gaped.
Her aura was gigantic!! It was far larger than even Saffron's had been, and he became only too aware how strong Ritz was. With a large feeling of dread, he watched her raise her rapier, and...
"Attention, the JAL flight 107 to St. Ivalice, USA is now deporting from gate 27A. I repeat, everyone flying to St. Ivalice on JAL flight 107 to St. Ivalice should report to gate 27A." Ranma was visibly relieved when Ritz's aura died down, bringing everyone out of shock.
"That's us, Ranma. Let's get going before these idiots bother us again." Ranma slowly nodded and leapt to his feet, the two rushing off to catch their flight, unwillingly getting the group they just left to follow them onto the flight.
END FLASHBACK
And thus, the Tendos and Saotomes joined Ranma and Ritz on their journey to St. Ivalice and the war-world of Ivalice beyond that.
"I only just met your parents, and already I dislike them." Ritz stated as she took her seat beside Ranma, amidst the icy glare of the jealous fiance. "Sorry about this..." Ritz whispered before hugging his arm, pulling herself closer to the teen. Already, Ranma could feel Akane's glare getting stronger.
"Stewardess?" Ranma was quickly brought out of his reverie by Ritz's voice. "Can we please be upgraded to first class seats?"
"How many of you will be switching?" Before Akane could open her mouth, Ranma spoke up on Ritz's behalf.
"Just me and her."
"May I ask why?"
"Uninvited guests." Ranma and Ritz both quoted at the exact same moment. Akane once again began to fume.
"I'll see what I can do." And the stewardess left.
"What the hell was that about?! Ranma's my...!!"
"NOT your fiance. Your sister, Nabiki, had enough finances to pay for herself and Kasumi to go on this trip, and that's WITH a discount. Do you have any idea how you, your father, and Ranma's parents could come?"
"Ritz, I..."
"I paid for it. My family is rich because of my travels, so I can afford to head back on my travels anytime. I invited Ranma to go with me, but you and your family were so intent on going, I made a decision to let you come."
"So what, you..."
"What? Hussy? Your families owe me a great debt, and I plan to collect right now. Your engagement to Ranma is now over." Akane began to fume once more, when there was a tap on the back of her chair. A man in blue dangled a pair of handcuffs in front of her face, and she immediately went silent.
The stewardess returned at that moment. "I managed to find some seats, but it will cost 100,000 yen for the two of you. 150,000 if you want your friend along."
"Just us, she's one of the guests we didn't want coming, but wound up along anyways. Thank you." Ritz reached into one of her pockets, removing the money and donating it to the woman's hand. With a smile, the woman started down the aisle, leading the way, with Ranma and Ritz following soon after, carrying their bags.
"Did you plan this, Ritz?"
"Yes, I did. I admit this stunt put a bit of a dent in my personal savings, but, as I said, my family's rich because of my travels in Ivalice. The gold from Ivalice is so valuable, it's ridiculous. All I ask in return is companionship... and maybe another date..." Ritz added with a wry smile.
Ranma answered by taking hold of Ritz's hand, holding on as they walked to the first class section, leaving Akane to whine to their parents.
Over the time of the trip, Ranma and Ritz discussed the world of Ivalice, drinking coffee and cappucino supplied by the stewardess' as they waited during the flight. Soun and Genma, much to their discord, tried many times to break into first class and take Ranma back, but each attempt was thwarted by Ranma, Ritz, or one of the plane staff.
After finishing with Ivalice, Ritz insisted they learn more about each other. Hobbies, experiences, secrets, all were passed. Soon, it was enough for Ranma to learn that Ritz was, in fact, a virgin and had a dream Halloween night of losing said virginity to him. The thought was amusing, at the least.
The first night came and went, leaving the two with silence for the rest of the trip, drawing comfort from each other's presence. Ranma himself had the feeling they were similar to a couple heading out on their honeymoon. That thought couldn't help but bring thoughts of what life would be like married to the buxom, energetic redhead that was sitting just next to him, at less than an arm's length away.
The second night of the flight was equally uneventful, with Ranma staying up to catch up on a little reading while Ritz slept. Her head was resting on his shoulder, much to his delight of being able to watch the beautiful girl sleep beside him.
"Ranma..." Ranma's eyes narrowed slightly at the voice of his mother. No doubt the fathers sent her to get him to come back to Akane, after all their failures to bring him back. Slowly, he turned to the woman, placing his fingers to his lips before pointing to the sleeping redhead beside him.
"Ranma, why don't you go back and spend some time with Akane?"
"I don't see why you favor Akane over any of my fiances, Mom. Ukyou had as much, if not more, right to be my fiance than Akane ever did. Mine and Akane's relationship has always been on rocky ground, but her actions since the failed wedding... jealousy, distrust, anger... all of it was just the last straw."
"With Pops around, I always thought it was 'tough love'. But Ritz has shown me that all she was doing was using me as a punching bag, just something to take her frustrations out on."
"But Ranma, I'm sure she loves you very much."
"Maybe, but that love is long since gone. She doesn't trust me, doesn't listen to me, she just expects me to bow and kiss her feet, or tread on glass for her. All I ever hear is "stop picking on Ryouga" this or "don't ruin my life" that. I don't think she has ever once said something nice to me."
"But the first time I met Ritz, she not only accepted me, but she also complimented me. She's strong, fun to be around, nice... everything I could ever want in a woman... and even more that I can't tell you about. There's just something about her that draws me to her."
"Explains why you dyed your hair blond. Nice shade, by the way." Now that was Nabiki showing up, taking idle note of the sleeping redhead before moving closer into the area and keeping her voice down.
"She tells me it reminds her of a guy she used to know. Besides, I like my new look."
"So you're being her ex-boyfriend's replacement." Ranma was silent for several moments before opening his mouth to speak.
"No, of her dead best friend." Nabiki was silent this time.
"Besides, if Akane wants me back that badly, she herself should come see me, though it means nothing, after all Ritz did for us."
"She told you about her paying for us?" Nodoka blinked in surprise as she listened in. She caught something about the young redhead having paid for them to get on the plane, but she couldn't be sure.
"So she wants the engagement called off as payment?" Ranma nodded as Nabiki placed a hand on her forehead, massaging her temples. Never in her time knowing Nabiki had Nodoka ever seen the self-dependant girl so frazzled.
"So, what does she want out of this?"
"Companionship and a date. That's all she said she wanted." Nabiki could tell Ranma was not lying, since he made funny little movements whenever he lied. Ranma was a terrible liar.
"You're telling the truth. Fine, but Daddy's not going to like this."
"He has no choice in the matter." All present were surprised when the supposedly sleeping redhead spoke up. "He owes me a great debt and I plan to collect on it in the form of absolving the Tendo engagement. Then..." She pointedly hugs Ranma's arm affectionately. "I can take her place as his girlfriend."
Both women turned to Ranma pointedly awaiting an explaination. When met with a shrug of supposed confusion, they sighed and left to convey Ritz's message.
- - - - - - -
"This is St. Ivalice?" Ranma asked as he got off the plane, his bag over his shoulders as he re-wrapped his scarf around his neck and tightened his jacket. Never had he felt so cold before, and wondered if this Alaskan town was supposed to be this cold. Ritz had prepared for the cold weather, but Ranma usually prided himself on being prepared. Being caught like this really shamed himself.
Of course, the Tendos dug themselves further into debt by needing to purchase winter clothing to keep warm. They hadn't expected St. Ivalice to be a winter town.
"Yes, cold, isn't it?
"I thought it was just me, but I see you're cold too." He leaned in to whisper to the girl, sending the fathers away with a few mean punches before whispering to Ritz. "Should we ditch them and head straight for Ivalice?"
"Yes, let's." Ritz quietly replied, taking hold of Ranma's hand before the two rushed off in the direction of Ritz's home. The Tendos and Saotomes rushed to follow, after digging the fathers out of the snow and concrete.
Ranma and Ritz were the first to arrive at Ritz's home, rushing inside and stripping themselves of their winter clothing. They rushed upstairs, where Ritz kept the Book. They heard the front door open, then Ritz opened the book to the correct page and recited the spell within. Ranma's world went white.
By the time the families arrived, they had enough time to see the portal the Book had created before it shut.
Akane left to find something to vent her anger on, which would probably dig the family further into debt.
Nabiki started inspecting the room, estimating its worth while trying to spot something that could have made the portal.
Kasumi left to stop Akane from doing anything she'd regret.
The fathers cried about how disrespectful Ranma was acting and how much of a Harpy the new girl was.
Nodoka cried about how manly her son was for getting another girl to fall for him.
- - - - - - -
"Hey, Ritz, where are we? I don't recognize this from the game."
"That adventure is many years old, Ranma. Ivalice has changed since then. This, my good friend, is the Cyril Training Grounds. Around three years ago, all classes became open to all races, but not all genders. Snipers could only be female and Blue Mages could only be male. This ground is here so people can train in the class of their choice. I, myself, am a Fencer. You, Ranma, are a Summoner."
"SUMMONER?! But, I was more expecting Soldier, or White Monk, or maybe even Assassin. How can I be a Summoner?"
"It's just how the gods chose for you to be. Frankly, I find it a little humorous... Well, my friend Freya can take care of you. Ask her to teach you Unicorn first, or just tell her I sent you. She'll give you a pretty good training session." Ranma could have sworn the girl was smirking, but he quickly dismissed the thought.
Finding Freya was surprisingly easy, despite that numorous instructors were Viera. He was tempted, as he spotted some Bangaa, to start a fight by calling them lizards, but decided against it. If Ritz were stronger than him, who's to say these people aren't stronger as well?
Freya was the only instructor who used different methods of teaching. Most used "I'll show it to you, you show it to me" style. She, however, used "I'll USE it on you, you USE it on me".
"Hi, my name's Ranma. Ritz said you could help me develop my summoning skills."
"Oh, you're Ritz's friend, are you? Well then, I'll take good care of you..." Ranma couldn't help but notice the cruel, feral glint in the Viera's eyes. With a nervous disposition, he took his place across from her.
"Ok, first thing you must learn is all summoning spells have a range of effect. This range is a ten foot radius from the origin point of the spell. We'll start with Ifrit." Ranma caught the feral glint once more and finally got the hint, leaping to the side just moments before a flaming beast burst his area into a pillar of flame.
"What the!!!"
"Darnit, almost got you... now you try."
"How the hell was I supposed to do that? I only just found out I was a Summoner less than an hour ago!!"
"Well then, we'll have to go over the basics..."
- - - - - - -
It's been a week since Ranma's training began, and he took to it like a fish to water. Personally, his favorite summon was Shiva, since he just loved her mid-range ice attack. Not to mention the eye-candy.
"MADEEN!!!"
"UNICORN!!"
"RAMUH!!!"
"SHIVA!!"
"IFRIT!!!!"
"CARBUNCLE!!"
"PHOENIX!!!"
"KIRIN!!!"
"Very good, Ranma. You got them all in order. Now, go find Ritz and get ready, the class tournament starts in a few hours." Freya finished as she bowed to her student, who bowed to his teacher, before both moved their seperate ways.
"How was training today, Ranma?"
"Well, I graduated from training today. Also, she wants you and me to participate in the class tournament. Um, perhaps you can tell me about this tournament?"
"Well, it's held yearly between the students of the graduating year with or without guests. Since I cosigned to get you into training, that makes me involved too. Anyways, it's a series of teams made up by trainees and cosigners. These cosigners are often untrained, so they don't participate in battle. Each class takes one representative. You, Ranma, represent all the Summoners in the school."
"ALL of them?!" Ranma asked loudly, his eyes threatening to bulge out before Ritz splashed him, turning Ranma into a she. It hadn't taken Ritz too long to discover the curse, and she'd taken to it quite well, as a matter of fact. Even Freya and her class knew.
"Calm down, Ranma. You're also among the best Summoners in the school. Your advantage is you have a Fencer as your cosigner. Thus, our team has magical and physical advantages."
"Mail." A voice proclaimed as a few letters were slid through the slot of their room, Ritz moving over and picking them up. Opening one from the school, she smiled and walked towards Ranma.
"Look here, it's the class list showing who you were facing and when. Each tournament is single elimination, so you have to beat everyone in a single go. You can rest between matches to heal up and buy new equipment. The school will supply you with equipment that declares your specialities. Here's the chart."
Soldier
-
Summoner-----
Paladin
-
Red Mage-----
Fighter
-
Elementalist-
Thief
-
Fencer-------
Ninja
-
Sniper-------
White Mage
-
Assassin-----
Black Mage
-
Sage---------
Illusionist
-
Morpher------
Archer
-
Alchemist----
Hunter
-
Gladiator----
Time Mage
-
Defender-----
Animist
-
Dragoon------
Mog Knight
-
Warrior------
Gunner
-
Templar------
Juggler
-
Bishop-------
Gadgeteer
-
White Monk---
"So, we fight the Soldier representative soon. Oh, and Ranma, carry no money on you tomorrow."
"Because of his 'Mug' ability?"
"You'll see..."
- - - - - - -
ROUND 1
- - - - - - -
Team 1 - Nate - Soldier
Team 2 - Ranma - Summoner, Ritz - Guest
"Sorry, boy, but you can't beat me."
"We'll see about that."
Round one was quick lived, being Nate had next to no combat experience while Ranma weeved between blows. To enhance their abilities, Nate carried a Bronze Helm, Bronze Armor, Blood Sword, and a Bronze Shield. To even the playing field between the students, Ranma wore a Light Robe, held a Snake Staff, and a Magic Ring.
"Your mama's so fat, when she sits around the house, she sits AROUND the house."
"Wha?"
"Your mama's so stupid, when people say they're gonna put her on ice, she brings the ice."
Ranma blinked a few times before an overwhelming urge to bash the guy's face in with his staff assailed him. With high amounts of speed wrought from the man's insults, Ranma struck.
Nate was sent back several feet.
"Oh my, did Nate's 'Provoke' ability fail?"
'Provoke? Of course! Enrage your opponent to cause them to go berserk. Got to keep cool... Soul of ice...' Ranma slowly took a deep breath, concentrating on his hands before raising them into the air. Ritz stood off to the side, wanting to see what Ranma had accomplished in a week of training.
'Ok, wait for him to try and Provoke me again, knock him down, then cast my spell.' Ranma waited until Nate regained his feet, moving forward and opening his mouth. 'I knew it! Blood Sword enhances Provoke, so it must be his speciality!'
"I saw your mother last night. But she was too busy between my legs to talk about you much..." Ranma's left eye twitched as he swung his staff back for another strike.
'Amaguriken!!!' And his second attack was far faster than his first, his staff biting out for Nate's legs before sending the Soldier for a tumble. Ranma immediately raised his hands, aimed for a spot just eight feet behind Nate, then cast his spell. "SHIVA!!!!"
The ice goddess that appeared encased the area in ice in a heartbeat, leaving Nate frozen to the ground. "HEY!!! No... fair?" And that was all Nate said before he got whapped by Ranma's staff upside the head, sending him to dreamland.
The Judge spoke. "Winner! Ranma and Guest!!" There was some loud cheering from the Summoners' and teachers as Ranma left the arena, moving towards Ritz and bowing to her. Then, he enveloped her in a hug and cried out. "YES!!!!"
Summoner
-
Red Mage-----
Fighter
-
Fencer-------
Sniper
-
White Mage---
Black Mage
-
Morpher------
Alchemist
-
Gladiator----
Defender
-
Dragoon------
Mog Knight
-
Templar------
Bishop
-
White Monk---
- - - - - - -
ROUND 2
- - - - - - -
Team 1 - Ranma - Summoner, Ritz - Guest
Team 2 - Celine - Red Mage, Shara - Guest
"This has to be a joke."
"If this is a joke, it's not a funny one."
Ranma was only slightly surprised to find that his next opponent also had a warrioress on their side, which only brought him to a higher amount of worriment. 'How can I get Ritz to fight with Shara? Those two are best friends!!'
"Why am I not surprised to see you here, Ritz?"
"Oh, shut up. You beat my team last year, but we'll win this year."
"Then goto your little girly-man, Ritz. You always were one to like girls, weren't you?"
'Ok... that was surprising...'
"Somehow..." Ranma looked up to his opponent, the Viera girl speaking to him, as it seemed, and not to her partner. "I get this feeling our guests will be too busy fighting each other to help us."
"Yeah, I get that feeling to. Funny thing is, I could have sworn those two were friends!" Celine blinked and checked her equipment nervously. She'd never been in actual combat before, so she checked to make sure everything was there. Barette, Chain Plate... and Flamberge. 'Blizzard is her speciality.'
"Don't you know? When Shara wanted to start helping students here, she and Ritz had a big fight. I guess they're not quite over it yet, despite it's been almost two years since."
"Two years... This should be an interesting match."
"Why do you say that?"
"You specialize with the Blizzard spell, I specialize with the Shiva summon. Ice versus ice." Celine giggled as she caught Ranma's meaning, both of them mentally swearing to use Fire/Ifrit during the match.
The Judge approached. "Team 1 ready?" Celine looked back to her partner, who was currently in a fist fight with Ritz. She immediately figured both would be useless for the match.
"Yes, I'm ready."
"Team 2 ready?" Celine checked her partner once more before answering.
"Yes, I'm ready." The Judge began backing away on his chocobo, raising the flag to begin the battle. And the flag went down. The combatants met.
They started with simplicity, testing the other's defenses with jabs, blocks, thrusts, and parries. During all the attacks and blocks, each began their chants.
"Spirits of defending, heed my call..."
"Spirit of Carbuncle, heed my call..."
"BUILD FOR ME AN UNBREAKABLE WALL!! BARRIER/CARBUNCLE!!!"
"Barrier?" "Carbuncle?" Both asked after their spells were cast, protective barriers surrounding them both, Ranma's being purplish in color while Celine's was yellow and blue alternating. Celine acted first.
"Spirits of flame, gather and flare,
Fall from above and ensnare! Doublecast!! Fira!!"
Unfortunately, Celine neglected to realise until it was too late that Carbuncle created a REFLECTIVE wall of protection. Thus, she fell victim to her own spell. "AGH!!!!"
"Winner! Ranma and Guest!!" Ritz, whom just looked up with a multitude of bruises, cuts, and a black eye, idly cheered for her partner whom she helped... in a way.
"Damn you, Ritz."
"Come on, you two. It's been two years and you're still fighting! Why?!" Ranma's question was met with silence.
"To tell the truth... I don't even remember why we started fighting. Do you, Shara?"
"No... I think it had something to do with your old crush on Marche."
"Oh... right. I guess... it's about time we made up, huh?" Ranma smiled while a friendship was rekindled, watching them both as, in the background, the Summoners' cheered over another victory.
Summoner
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Fencer-------
Sniper
-
Black Mage---
Gladiator
-
Defender-----
Templar
-
White Monk---
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ROUND 3
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"Winner! Ranma and Guest!!" Ranma was mildly surprised when the Judge announced his win. During the round, the Fencer, Kidd, had approached the Judge and declared she forfeit the match. Apparently, she'd found out just who Ritz was.
"I feel... so cheated." Ritz could only nod.
Summoner
-
Black Mage---
Defender
-
White Monk---
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Round 4
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"Winner! Ranma and Guest!!" Glenn, the Black Mage, lay unconscious on the ground beside his guest, a Juggler named Onyx. Both had gone out with one Amaguriken style strike of Ranma's staff, followed by a quick Madeen summon. Team 2 never knew what hit them.
Summoner
-
White Monk---
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BEFORE FINAL ROUND
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"Great, I just HAD to fight the White Monk. I can't just beat him with speed or strength, I have to magically overwhelm this guy."
"Girl."
"What'd you say?"
"You're fighting a female White Monk Viera named Reis. She has a partner who happens to be a Fighter named Kevin. They're both a very strong team."
"So, how're we gonna tackle this guy?"
"It's time we take your uncanny ability to copy your opponent's moves. Here's the plan..."
- - - - - - -
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the final match of this year's tournament. In Team one, we have a dynamic duo that took this year by storm. Ranma is a Summoner with the past experiences of an unarmed fighter. Ritz is a Fencer who's making her second tournament appearance. Let's give them a big hand."
"In Team two, we have an unstoppable pair of warriors. Reis is a White Monk with many years of experience as one, and Kevin is a Fighter trying to follow in the footsteps of Gaol. Both are a formidable team."
Team 1 - Ranma - Summoner, Ritz - Guest
Team 2 - Reis - White Monk, Kevin - Guest
"Ok, you two know the rules of the final. Should either main fighter be knocked out, the team automatically loses, whether or not your guest is still up or not."
"Judge?"
"Yes?"
"As long as we stay within the fighting arena, anything, within reason, goes, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Thank you."
"Match start!"
'Ok, follow the plan exactly...' Ranma thought as Ritz rushed to engage Kevin in combat, so it was up to Ranma to pull off the plan. Charging his voice with his ki, he spoke.
"Macho chick! Built like a stick! Dumb as a brick! Thighs are too thick! Can't even kick!" Reis' eyes went wide for a few moments, then she swung, trying to pound the elusive Ranma into the pavement.
"What's this? A Summoner using the Soldier's Provoke skill?"
"Make it meaner, Ranma!" Now THAT was something Ranma was good at!
"Your mother gets around so much, even a record player can't keep up." Swing! "Uncute suits you, it really does." Swing! Bash! "Is there a breeze or is it just me?" Crunch! "Missed me." Whiff! Crash! Bam! "Over here, uncute one." Swish! "If you're trying to distract me by letting me see your panties, it's not working."
"YOU BASTARD!!!" The charge was exactly what Ranma was waiting for, Reis' aura flaring to life as Ranma led her into his infamous spiral.
Ritz had, by now, knocked out Reis' partner, Kevin. She now turned to Ranma and cried. "Ranma!! Now!!"
"HIRYU SHOTEN HA REVISED!! DIAMOND DUST!!!" The tornado that burst to life erupted with shards of ice blasting away inside the tornado. If one looked closely enough, you could swear Shiva was inside the tornado, lifting Reis from the ground while blasting her with ice.
When the tornado died down, Reis was unconscious.
"What an upset! Reis, the favorite for this match, is out cold! Ranma and Ritz win the tournament! The Summoner class of the year gets 100,000 gold to be split between the graduates."
Since there were only four graduate Summoners, that meant 25,000 each. Cool.
- - - - - - -
Back in St. Ivalice, a portal opened in a young woman's room late at night. The rest of the household was either asleep or not there, but the two forms born of the portal could care less.
"Well, that tournament was pretty profitable, wasn't it, Ranma?"
"I'll say, we could get a heck load of money with all this gold. Sure was nice of the girls to let me have 40,000 instead of 25,000."
"What do you say we celebrate?"
"How?"
"Hehe, you'll see..."
- - - - - - -
Ranma awoke later in an unfamiliar room. In an unfamiliar bed. Next to a familiar woman. Of course, thinking back on last night, rather a VERY familiar woman. He slowly smiled. 'I never knew that felt so good. If I had, I might have done it sooner... then again, I'd rather NOT think of doing that with any of my fiances!!'
A slight moan beside him brought Ranma's attention to the naked redhead he shared the bed with. Their things, clothing, armor, and bags, were strewn across the floor, without any real set placement. "Wake up, sleepyhead."
Ritz slowly opened her eyes and smiled, closing her eyes again and burying her face into Ranma's chest. Ranma merely smiled and started running his fingers through her fiery lochs.
After a few minutes, she opened her eyes once more, slowly surging up on the bed to meet their lips in a kiss. Gently, Ranma wrapped his arms around her, holding her to himself before they slowly parted. Each got to their feet, and started going for their clothes.
Ranma decided to pack his robes away, but placed the Magic Ring on his finger, allowing the black ring to lay naked on his hands. He wore his new attire, made up of a red sleeveless tunic and blue jean pants. He also wore an optional yellow scarf that Ritz had made for him during their stay in Ivalice.
Ritz was wearing contrasted with Ranma's outfit, hers being made up of a sky blue blouse with deep red skirt and thigh-high stockings. The skirt was made for winter wear. She also wore a pair of Sapphire earrings.
They left her room before long, descending the stairs of her home only to gaze in horror around Ritz's home. Ritz looked about ready to cry at the sight.
Pottery and various dishes lay broken all across the floor, with the occasional destroyed collectable. Pillows and chairs were strewn far from their respective homes, with the table snapped in half and the coach flipped completely over. Ritz didn't even want to see what kind of condition the kitchen was in.
With body trembling, Ritz turned on Ranma and immediately buried her face into his chest, the young man holding her as he tried his best to comfort her. He knew Akane and the fathers had done this. He knew it, and swore that they would pay.
He'd make sure they paid in spades.
END PART 2
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Next time, Ranma hunts out their guests and confronts them with his new powers. But how awry can a battle without a Judge go? Or will he take this matter to Ivalice? Be here for the finale of Tactics 1/2.