Chapter 6
Arrival of the Unknown Element Part 1
Disclaimer: I don't own this series or any other series. I am just floating an idea. I am making no money, nor plan to, off this venture. If you think of suing me over this, then grow up.
I would like to first personally thank all of those reviewing my stories. I enjoy reading your comments, and try to correct the grammatical errors I miss with my final read-through as well as my spell checkers. The suggestions you all make will help make this story better for everyone to enjoy, as well as allow my to fix some plot holes I may unintentionally leave. If you find any, let me know, and I will correct them and repost the chapters.
I find that if I let thinks sit for a while in my head; I can play them out farther. Plus by trying and keeping my chapters between 2500 and 3000+ words, it helps keep me from making the story slide out of control, turning a diamond to a pile of shit.
Please feel free to review, and make comments. If you find a spelling or wordage mistake, feel free to let me know. Thank you.
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Ranma's attacks:
Due to his doubly cursed nature, Ranma is unable to utilize such chi based moves as the Möko Takabisha. Instead, Cologne has taught him to utilize pure ki attacks. There are as follows:
HEAVEN'S LIGHT CANNON: a continuous shot of pure positive ki.
HEAVEN'S LIGHT CHARGE: a quick shot of positive ki.
HELL'S FURY CANNON: a continuous shot of negative ki.
HELL'S FURY CHARGE: a quick shot of negative ki.
BIPOLAR SHOT: a quick shot combining positive and negative ki, each generated by a different hand.
BIPOLAR CANNON: a continuous shot combining positive and negative ki, each generated by a different hand.
This is due to both the dual nature of Ranma's Jusenkyo curses as well as the personality of Ranko disrupting his ability to try and channel emotion based chi attacks. However, such moves as the Hiryü Shöten Ha and the Kachü Tenshin Amaguriken work as they require ki to enhance as well as perform; pure ki to enhance the speed as well as the conflict between hot and cold ki. The next chapter will go into more detail about this subject.
Dreamscape: a false world created by Ranma in his mind with the help of Cologne. Its purpose is to both provide a training ground for Ranma where time is not an option (weeks of dreaming can be fit into a single night's sleep), as well as a place for Ranko to exist without being alone or locked away in Ranma's mind. Though he may perfect training methods in the dreamscape, he will only acquire the ki aspects of them. He will need to practice in reality to gain the physical aspects of this training. As a result, dreamscape training in the Bakusai Tenketsu will only help Ranma see the breaking points, but will not help him earn the toughness also acquired with the training for this technique.
The current score is:
Hotaru - 36
Setsuna - 32
Nabiki - 15
Kasumi - 15
Ami - 9
Minako - 8
Makato - 6
Rei - 4
All Senshi - 1
Love Triangle - 11
Oh, the life of a neko-martial artist is fraught with peril, and apparently, many lonely girls.
Keep the votes and suggestions coming. Normally I would tell you how everyone had reacted to this update, but they are currently passed out drunk.
I had to, they just wouldn't shut up.
The Senshi had gathered at the home of the Outers, set to watch a tape that was to inform them more of their new ally.
After watching the tape, several of the girls had made trips to the bathroom to relieve themselves of their earlier meals. Usagi had made the most, as she returned from the bathroom, only to fill herself once again with snacks.
All were upset; even Mamoru appeared to be barely containing his anger. It was only by the grace of time his daughter was not visiting from the future, or he suspected she would be having nightmares from what he had just witnessed.
He risked a quick glance over to Hotaru, who had materialized her pole arm about ten minutes into the tape, fifteen. She was currently murmuring about seeing how an overweight panda would fare against her Death Reborn Revolution.
When the Nekoken training had been shown, the moon cats passed out.
Haruka was deep in thought, as were several of the other Senshi. Minako seemed to have developed a nervous twitch about halfway through the tape. But all had cried throughout the tape, even Setsuna, and she had made the damn thing.
Minako finally spoke up. "Setsuna, what about the other tape?"
The entire group turned towards her, looking confused. "There's another tape?" Usagi looked towards Setsuna with a look that made you wonder if she was hoping there wasn't another tape for fear of what it would hold, or hoping there was one that would show some happy points in Ranma's life.
Setsuna sighed, wondering which of the group would recognize their pig-tailed ally first. She pulled a second tape out of her subspace pocket. "Ranma has had several run-ins with various members of our little group. I placed them in order of meeting. If you want to look at it now, it's fine with me. You should realize though, that Ranma has only showed any recollection of meeting Sailor V.
Setsuna popped the tape inside the VCR and everyone turned their attention to the screen. Even Hotaru put her pole arm away.
(Scene 1)
A four-year-old Usagi is trying to catch a butterfly. A boy with black hair done in a pigtail walks up to her.
Usagi looked at the boy carefully. "Hello?"
The boy just smiled and pointed at her. "Bunny!"
Usagi looked a little upset, but the boy spoke again.
"I'll get you, you wascalwy wabbit."
This brought a smile to her face as the boy began to chase her around. During their little game of tag, Usagi kept jumping around like a rabbit.
The tape was paused as everyone looked at the moon princess. Rei was the first to speak. "Well, I guess we all know why she keeps her hair like that."
Usagi tried to look innocent. "But he was so cute and so nice and we shared ice cream and we raced all the time but he was always able to eat faster than me." She then stood up fast, taking on her classic Sailor Moon pose. "I will challenge you, Ranma Saotome, to an eating contest. I shall defeat you in the name of the Moon."
Everyone sweat-dropped at her statement. Rei was once again the only one to speak. "Well, at least now we know who taught Usagi to eat like that."
"WAH! Rei, you're so mean!" Usagi began to cry her crocodile tears.
"We should execute him for it. Off with his bread!"
"That's, 'off with his head,' Minako." Makato shook her head. "And Usagi eating like that isn't a crime."
"You don't have to pay for it," murmured Mamoru.
"If everyone is done?" Setsuna looked around and hit the play button again.
(Scene 2)
We see an older boy sitting under a tree when a kid with short blond hair showed up.
"Hey, what are you doing in my spot?"
The boy looked at the new person, yawning. "I was here so I decided to take a nap. Ain't like you had some special right to it, unless you're claiming it like a girl."
"Damn it, I am a girl!" The blond-haired girl stood ramrod straight, sending a death glare to the boy who stole her spot.
"Ya can't be a girl, you're flat-chested."
"I AM NOT! SEE!" The girl ripped open her shirt, showing the boy her pink training bra.
The boy looked at her again. "Man, you really are flat-chested; mine are bigger."
The girl grew red, before shouting, "DIE!" She charged the pig-tailed boy and began fighting him.
The tape was paused again as everyone now stared at Haruka. This time, it was Hotaru who spoke first. "Haruka-papa, why did you flash Ranma?"
Michiru was giggling while Haruka just sat there, trying to look as small as possible and keep her face from blushing. This can't get any worse.
Of course, Setsuna had been waiting for this moment. "Actually, Hotaru, they were each other's first kiss, and guess who initiated it. Here's a hint, they are here…in this room…right now."
Everyone stared wide-eyed at her, while Haruka grabbed a pillow off the couch and put it to her face, screaming into it.
Minako smiled. "Oh, now we understand. It's so tragic. The boy of her dreams leaves to continue his training journey, leaving Haruka distraught that her love cannot be continued. Now that he has returned, old feelings of betrayal arise and she must fight her very soul to no longer feel love for him."
Makato wiped some tears from her eyes. "It…it's so beautiful, like Beauty and the Beast."
Michiru started to join in, acting sad. "Oh, my love has left me to pursue a soul-mate from the past. How will I ever go on? Hotaru, you will have to pick a new Senshi to replace Haruka as your papa, for she now must hunt her lost love and try to regain the love she lost oh so long ago."
"I vote for Minako or Makato." Rei turned towards the girls who often complained the most about there being no good men left for them. "Now they don't have to worry about finding guys, and Haruka can take the place of the one who Hotaru picks."
"DAMN IT, I AM NOT STILL IN LOVE WITH THAT JACKASS!" Haruka tried to get her anger under control, before she slapped her hand over her mouth, realizing what she had just said.
Michiru just poked her in the ribs. "So, you admit that you were in love with him."
Setsuna just smiled. "You need to talk to him about this Haruka, before some other girl finds his fancy, and you are left a bitter old maid who never got any."
Haruka's pillow soon found itself flying across the room and hitting the Senshi of Time in the face. "Can we continue the damn movie? I want to see what he did to Minako."
Setsuna shook her head. "We have one more before Minako."
Ami just shook her head. This is bad, even a confirmed lesbian is getting more men than me. I really need to ask my mom about dating. This is getting too pathetic.
Usagi smiled. "Okay, we'll start the tape again, but we will continue with this discussion. Oh, maybe he was your lover in the Silver Millennium?"
Before Haruka could scream at her, the tape began again.
(Scene 3)
A young boy with black hair done in a pigtail was running through a kata, dressed in a shrine priest outfit.
"Ranma, Ranma, I did it!"
The boy stopped the kata to look at a young girl running to him wearing a priestess outfit. "Did what?"
Rei went up to him, still smiling. "I was able to do my first fire reading. It was so cool. But it was a little weird. All I saw was this bunny stealing my food and eating my manga. Even Grandpa doesn't know what it means."
Ranma could only start laughing. "I think it means someone's been peeing on the sacred fire again. Looks like we'll have to beat up my Pops again."
Rei let out a breath she had been holding. "Thank the gods; I was beginning to think that a rabbit was going to attack me."
As they were walking back to the temple, Rei kept looking over at Ranma. "Ranma, do you think I'm cute?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
Ranma stops, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, Pops says that whenever a girl asks something like that, a man should always say yes without hesitation or otherwise the girl will beat him with a sword. I never got that last part."
Rei had moved to standing in front of him, her eyes boring a hole through his body. "So you don't think I'm cute?"
Ranma is starting to sweat a little. "I didn't say that, Rei."
"Oh, then what are you saying?"
Ranma took a step back. "Oh man, why are you so upset?"
"Just answer the damn question: am I cute?"
"I guess so."
"You GUESS SO!"
"Well, not when you're yelling at me like that. You sound more like a violent tomboy."
"RANMA YOU JERK!" She then proceeded to hit Ranma with a punch that knocked him back into a tree, before turning around and running back to the shrine, tears in her eyes.
Ranma, meanwhile, had just sat there, holding his cheek. "What the hell is it with these violent tomboys always coming after me?" He stood up, rubbing the impact zone on his back from where he hit the tree. "At least she don't hit as hard as Haruka."
The tape paused again as the scouts now all turned their attention to the blushing shrine maiden. It was Ami who spoke first this time, "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"
Rei tried to look innocent. "I guess I owe Ranma's old man for the beating I gave him. Who knew my first fire reading told me of Usagi's arrival."
"WAH! REI, YOU'RE SO MEAN!"
"Not that," said Minako. "She means you flirting with Ranma."
Her face took on a full-blown blush as Rei tried to figure out what to say. "Well, he was cute. And it was hard back then to meet any cute boys with Grandpa sending me to an all-girls private school, and then my training here at the shrine didn't exactly leave me with too many options."
Makato moved over to her. "Well, how far did you get with him? Did you get farther than Haruka?"
Rei's blush got deeper. "We never even got to kiss. He always said something stupid and I ended up knocking him silly."
"Amazing," said Ami. "He seems to draw violent girls who show affection through physical assaults."
"Enough of this!" screamed Minako. "I want to see my part."
(Scene 4)
Sailor V was obviously having a bad day.
Currently, she was tied up by the small hair ribbon she always wore. But to add insult to injury, her chest ribbon on her outfit had been used to suspend her above a dumpster of a port restaurant. She tried to break free before someone came and saw her. But the bane of her existence hung upside down across the street from her on a separate fire escape. "How dare you impede the quest of justice of Sailor V? When I free myself, I shall hunt you and that fat asshole and see you brought to justice!"
The boy just shook his head, his pig-tail hanging like a horn. "It ain't like I wanna help the bastard, but my Pops is all I got. If you lock him up, he'd just break out and then we'd have more nuts chasing us."
Ranma righted himself, before securing a backpack onto the fire escape. "Look, I'm leaving some of my school's techniques here for you to study since the old man decided we're heading out tonight. I figured a cute girl like you would just keep trying to be a super hero so I thought I'd help you out. At least you've gotten faster, but you're still slow as a brick. Later."
With that, the pig-tailed menace of Sailor V, her most diabolical enemy, left her fair city forever.
"Damn it! I will beat you one day, boy! Count on it!"
Her final vow would have been more impressive, if her ribbon hadn't chosen that moment to tear apart and dump her into the trash bin.
As the tape stopped, everyone stared at Minako as she slowly stood up. "Damn you, Saotome. Because of you, I've seen hell! For the offenses you have done to Sailor V, for making our princess into an eating machine no shop can handle—"
"HEY!" screamed Usagi.
"And for betraying Haruka's love for you—"
"DAMN IT, I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH HIM!"
"And for destroying Rei's only chance at not ending up old and alone—"
"HE IS NOT THE ONLY BOY OUT THERE. I CAN GET ANOTHER, ANYTIME I WANT!"
"I, Sailor Venus, shall punish you for all of your offenses!"
"Yeah!" screamed Hotaru, her pole arm back in view. "Nobody breaks Haruka-papa's heart and gets away with it."
The Senshi who had no previous connection to Ranma, minus Hotaru, began to laugh at what was going on.
Yes, Ranma had led a very sad and poor life. But this shit was just too funny.
Of course, they were still no closer to understanding Ranma's outburst towards Uranus, but at least Haruka would not be going after the boy for a while.
A shadow figure sat on a throne. A long, violet carpet ran from the throne to the entrance, guarded by two golems that appeared to be made of a mixture of light and darkness, giving both the appearance that they had no specific outline or predefined appearance.
The doors opened to reveal a pale man with short orange hair, a thick lab coat covering his form, walking quickly to the shadow king. "My Lord, we have new information for you. Do you wish to hear it now?"
"Yes." The figures voice was deep, but seemed to resound and come from all directions.
The man smiled. "Subject group Alpha appears to be well defined. Soldier 1A3FC was able to absorb and deal with their attacks, allowing its own energy reserves to grow. I suggest that we include this ability in all future series that we send to Earth Realm."
The shadow figure brought his dark hand to his face. "What of the anomaly? How did that soldier fare against it?"
The man looked fearful for a moment before steadying his face. "While the anomaly, now known as Subject Beta was able to quickly destroy Soldier 1A3DR, the subject had a much more difficult time with 1A3FC. It was able to effectively counter the physical attacks with extreme efficiency. However, its absorption ability did not work on Subject Beta's magical attacks. It was destroyed when Subject Beta changed to a new personality profile and energy pattern, as well as a new biologic configuration.
"With your permission, I would like to continue to modify the absorption ability to try and nullify Subject Beta's immunity to it, as well as perhaps try and capture Subject Beta. If we could adapt its abilities and strengths into future Soldiers, then we would be well prepared for the realms after Earth."
The shadow stared towards the scientist. "Proceed."
The man smiled and ran from the room, happy that his master had not deemed him worthless enough for death. But his master was nothing if not patient. Unlike the fools who had tried to take this world before, they would take their time, learn from their enemy, and take them down or make them servants to the Shadow Empire.
After all, his master would always reward those who performed well.
Those that failed to perform? Those were souls that not even the gods could save.
But those were thoughts not befitting this man. He picked up speed through the corridors of the castle. After all, he had a new mystery to solve.
Subject Beta: the neko-human aqua-transsexual would prove an interesting specimen. First he needed enough information to capture it, and then contain it for study. With those abilities, nothing would stand in the way of his master.
Just as it was meant to be.
Besides, if there was no challenge, what was the point?
Nodoka was walking with Ukyo towards the home that held her now transformed son and her worthless husband, who had obviously failed in his promise to make Ranma a man among men.
After all, one can hardly be considered a man among men when they change gender depending on water temperature, let alone when they are part cat.
But she had relented to Ukyo that she would not hold her son to that contract.
So what would she do now? Could one kick a member out of their clan for simply no longer being human? She knew there were rules for people who made pacts with demons, lost their souls to the darkness, and such. But was her son one of these beings? From what little Ukyo had told her, her son had merely acquired a curse that made him part cat.
It was the description of the Nekoken that sounded like a ritual to bond a demon's soul to that of her child. Could that be cause enough to remove Ranma from the clan scrolls? Did she want it to be?
Why did I ever trust that bastard? First, he left me with no money to support myself. Hell, our home would have been lost had my family not stepped in and saved my ass. Father was eternally grateful when I admitted that perhaps I made a mistake with my husband.
But I did everything mother taught me in how to deal with a husband who does not follow the path.
Perhaps I really should have removed his manhood when I found him drunk at that bar. It was of little use to me anyway. The fact that I got a son out of it was a miracle enough.
Nodoka refocused herself on the walk with Ukyo. The girl had admitted that she did care for her son, even with the misfortune that had befallen him because of his father's stupidity. Should the information that had reached Nodoka prove true, then her son had only come across a small portion of what his father had done to dishonor the family name.
Officially, Genma was no longer on the Saotome clan register: more of a preventative measure when the fourth marriage promise arrived on her doorstep. His dishonor would be his own from now on and, depending on the state she found her son in, ending her marriage to him may soon join in the removal of his tainted name.
But for now, she needed to focus on the prospect of seeing her son again. Surely, he had to be very manly to win this woman's love at the tender age of six, and even now to rekindle it despite his doubly-cursed nature. Now, if this held true, then she would be left with no choice but to conclude that her son's misfortune had not affected his manliness. She could only hope that she had some pure human grandchildren running around, but she began to try and imagine what her future neko-grandchildren would be like.
She could easily see them, running around, little tails wagging as they went about playing. She could see her son beside her, black fur gleaming in the sunlight, with several women in the background, tending to their children with her handsome son. She could just imagine a grandchild jumping into her hands, hugging his precious grandmother, purring softly.
Her dream self smiled. "Oh, my son is so manly, and my grandchildren so cuddly."
As they neared the section of Nerima Ward where the Tendo Dojo was, she came out of the dream, watching Ukyo warm up as they moved closer to their target.
Yes, this girl would make a fine mother for the many grandchildren she wanted. She had an excellent head on her shoulders, could keep her husband in line, and provide delicious food for her family, once she got over this obsession with okonomiyaki. Yes, Ukyo Kuonji would make an excellent wife or mistress.
Not the only mistress, mind you. Her son must be manly enough to have multiple women giving themselves to him. She just would have to have a talk with the young woman to help her past this ridiculous notion that her son could only have one female lover.
Nodoka smiled. Yes, this would be a good thing.
If I messed anything up, then let me know including typos.
Any suggestions on how I should continue the story or improve it would also be accepted.
Also, if you have any suggestions for how this should go, let me know. My own imagination, while vast, always enjoys a new thought. Also, catch me if you don't think I am making the characters true to form, or a way to make them better.