A Ranma ½ Alternate Histories Company Presents:
Robin 1 / 2
- - -
By Felix Webster (Felix Warstar)
- - -
Chapter 7
Themyscira -
- - -
All original Ranma ½ Characters and Back story Copyright Rumiko Takahashi, and all original DC Characters and Back story Copyright DC Comics Inc., and both are used without permission. Please don't sue... cause I have no money.
Any new characters are mine, but they can travel as their bags are always packed.
- - -
Notes: –in this chapter indicates the dialect of ancient Greek that the Amazons use being spoken. As if you couldn't figure that out for yourselves :)
- - -
Robin-chan looked herself over in the floor length mirror and sighed in defeat, she looked good in the old style white Greek outfit. It was a short skirted wrap that had a thin black band above and below a thick band of silver at all edges. Silver coloured wrap string sandals and a plain silver bracelet to balance out her magical one adorned ankles and wrist. She even had on a small silver tiara, after Princess Dianna had brushed her hair more times than she wanted to ever count in her life time. Silver earrings, clip ons, with a small gold core were sitting on her ears after a major argument about not wanting to pierce her ears.
She checked her golden utility belt, another argument that Dianna lost, to be sure it didn't look too out of place with the outfit. Satisfied she turned to Dianna and swallowed her pride, a feat none to small, "Okay, I'm ready for this 'light' makeup I had to compromise about…"
"Don't worry it will only be a small touch," Dianna smiled wearing her long gown outfit which she wore when meeting her mother on formal occasions.
Robin-chan sat down and touched her domino mask self-consciously, "Well at least I don't have to worry about eye shadow with this on."
"And I still don't understand why you insist on wearing it here," Dianna tried not to roll her eyes. "You're as bad as Bruce about that kind of thing."
"Thank you, that's a compliment," Robin-chan smiled then went back to neutral mode as Dianna started to put some lipstick on her. "What I can't understand is why a bunch of women warriors who could give a rats backside about what men think of them seem to need to wear so much makeup, it's supposed to be used to attract mates and you warriors don't do that. And I don't just mean here, in China too they wore a lot of makeup… I could even put it on myself from what I was taught by their elders."
"We wear it for ourselves. Some to play, some to feel better about themselves when a bad time has depressed them a little too much, and some to actually attract a 'mate' or let their current mate know they are in need of intimacy," Dianna explained as she did a bit of touch up to cover a few light scratches her found on the red head's face. She stressed the mate part to give a reminder that there was no men here.
"I don't think I've seen a single ugly.. heck not a single PLAIN woman on this island yet! You don't need the makeup," Robin-chan moved out off the stool as soon as she could and gave the Princess an exasperated expression.
"There was a lot more magic in the old days, and the Goddesses blessed, or cursed, the Amazons with beauty near their own," Dianna gracefully stood up giving a shrug as she did so.
"You're aren't getting the bracelet," Robin-chan stated firmly starring at Wonder Woman's back as the Princess opened the door leading out of the suite Robin-chan had been given for her stay.
- - -
I don't understand why this outsider is so important, Artemis complained again as she waited next to the door where the girl Princess Dianna had brought was to be staying. She carried a short spear as weapon of choice today and wore the armour almost identical to the woman on the other side of the door. The only thing that said something was off about her was that her ears had several piercing and her nose had a small silver stud to one side. I have seen the look of barely concealed contempt for the Princess this outsider has.
You mean a similar look to the one you have every time you see her too? the Amazon warrior currently partnered with Artemis asked sarcastically. She pulled the short stick today. And you are an outsider too.
I am an Amazon! Maybe not from this island, but I come from a line of warriors that separated from here, Artemis retorted as her anger started to rise. My contempt comes from experiences with the Princess, this girl is too young for that.
Coming from a girl who has yet to see twenty, the warrior rolled her eyes laughing softly. Complain again when you see three hundred, then you might have a gripe worth listening to.
Artemis's face started to snarl then both warriors snapped to attention as the door opened and both Robin-chan and Princess Dianna walked out. Artemis was the first to speak as she drew the command position, The Queen awaits you Princess.
Thank you Artemis, Dianna nodded to the long red haired warrior, who was about the same age as Batman's new partner, then looked to Robin-chan as they started walking, "Mother is pulling out all the stops, I believe the phrase goes, for this visit."
"Great, just great," Robin-chan rolled her eyes. "What's with the guards? Don't trust me on you island?"
"Why would we want to trust an weak outsider with anything? Especially on our island?" Artemis replied in accented English, an accent different from the others.
"Artemis! That was uncalled for!" Dianna scowled in anger by the younger woman's tone and words.
"Weak? I'm far from weak," Robin-chan laughed at the unfunny comment taking a better look at the girl with the similar hair colour. "And I'm not impressed by the level of 'Warriors' I've seen so far. My father was a better fighter than what I seen here."
Artemis spun on the girl lunging the spear to be just a fraction of an inch from Robin-chan's nose as anger broke out, "HOW DARE YOU COMPARE ME TO A MAN!"
Dianna rolled her eyes at both girls, it seemed the hair colour between the two had some control over their oh so pleasant attitudes, "Could we please just get to the great hall so my mother, the Queen, doesn't send out search parties."
She has given me a mortal insult and you simply wish me to lay down and take it! Artemis switched to the old Greek dialect.
No, she expects you wait until we finish with her mother before you can challenge me to a fight, Robin-chan replied in the same dialect to make sure the Amazon knew she understood her.
"You know the language!" Artemis stepped back a step in shock.
"Not in the least," Robin-chan smirked as she held up her right hand to show a small ring, "This allows me to do that. Old magic."
"Artemis, your attitude and tone are inappropriate to MY guest. If you wish to SPAR with Robin you may REQUEST a match after we finish with my Mother," Dianna turned on Artemis stressing her displeasure before starting off towards the throne room.
Robin-chan followed and both guards fell into step, although Artemis was muttering angrily under her breath. Several minutes later Robin-chan was led into a hall that made her want to drop her jaw at the design, simple but very beautiful. She barely registered the fact she was in front of a throne as she was looking at the ceiling, a display of the old Greek gods and Olympus done to extremely high detail, the Goddesses more so than the Gods.
So you are the girl my daughter has talked to me about, Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, said shaking Robin-chan back on focus. You move like a warrior.
Martial arts, lots of years training… not as many years as some of the women here but enough, Robin-chan replied taking in the woman who didn't look old enough to be Wonder Woman's mother, but then again she remembered that these Amazons had the gift of limited immortality.
As I have heard, Hippolyta smiled. Then I hope the small contest I arranged for tomorrow will be of enjoyment to you.
Yeah, sure, Robin-chan replied chaffing on this polite talk as she really wanted to get on with why she was brought here. I'm not giving up the bracelet to you. When I no longer need to use it I'll send it back to the Amazons who gave it to me.
The 'Chinese' Amazons if my Daughter told me right, Hippolyta didn't look put off by the girl's bravo, or lack of respect, and that shocked Artemis who stood in the back near the door. I asked you here so I could see for myself the bracelet and if it is what my Daughter claims It to be I would most like to hear about our long lost sisters. Is that agreeable to you?
Ah.. Yeah, I can do that, Robin-chan blushed slightly as she knew she was being a bitch out of fear of losing the only thing keeping the terror that came with her curse at bay. It wasn't a lot of magic but it was enough to keep her sane. I don't know all that much about the history of the Villages… just the basics that one of their Elders tried to teach me before the other Elders ordered her not to.
May I see the bracelet? I promise to return it to you, Hippolyta asked politely seeing that the girl was calming down but still nervous. The girl seemed to think several times about that promise then slipped the sliver bracelet over her hand and passed it up to the Queen. Hippolyta's eyes widened as the she looked at the magical object she once knew so well. She could feel a welcoming sensation in the magical shackles she wore as the metals touched briefly. This was real.
Handing back the bracelet was one of the hardest acts Hippolyta had done in many years, but she had promised, and the bracelet wasn't hers. It is real.
I told you it was Mother, Dianna smiled at the older woman proudly. We have more sisters in patriarch's world than we expected.
Not so fast Daughter, we know nothing about these Sisters, Hippolyta corrected Dianna then looked to Robin-chan, who had put on the bracelet almost as fast as she had it returned to her. We need to know about these women…
Robin-chan spent the next several hours explaining what she knew of the Chinese Amazons, and about the cursed springs of Jusenkyo as the Queen was very interested in the 'Waters of Womanhood'.
- - -
Robin-chan watched from the side as several of the Amazons were sparring, having fun playing with each other more than what she remembered sparring was like with her Father. She was feeling the loss of him again. Genma Saotome may have been a heartless bastard, but as the saying goes 'he had been her heartless bastard'. He did whatever he thought would make her the best Martial Artist regardless of what damage it would do to her. Seeing a new style of fighting, or rather a very old style heavily improved on, would have had her Father salivating over the idea of ripping off the best parts to teach his heir and only son.
"Are you enjoying the show?" Artemis asked sarcastically as she approached the outsider girl from behind but stood a few feet away instead of attacking her as she had wanted so much to do before.
"It's an interesting martial style but I can see the holes in it," Robin-chan replied calmly as she had sensed Artemis approaching, she could here a conflicting tone in the other girl's voice. After a few minutes where Artemis didn't continue Robin-chan turned to look at the Amazon curious about many things, "You're not one of these Amazons?"
"What gave it away?" Artemis looked a little confused.
"Well for one you're speaking English," Robin-chan smirked and Artemis laughed as the girl caught onto the obvious. "also, you don't look like any of the others here and I don't see anyone else your age. What are you fourteen, fifteen?"
"Fifteen," Artemis smiled back, she didn't feel comfortable starting to like this outsider but she had from the moment she stood her ground with the Queen. A warriors spirit to be sure. "I come from the sisters that went into the middle east… I came here after seeing Princess Dianna defeat our best warriors. I wanted to understand our past. Where we.. I came from."
"Sometimes the answer you get isn't the one you want," Robin-chan lost the smile and turned back to watch the sparring. The other red haired girl came to stand beside her also watching the warriors.
"I know of the Japanese and I don't think I've ever seen a red haired one who was natural," Artemis said after another minute of silence. "From what you described of this Chinese branch they mostly have odd hair colours, like natural purple and blue… and that this curse of your did not change your heritage just your gender…"
"I don't know. Ku Lon, the Elder who took responsibility for me, said it might be an after effect of the cursed waters since an Amazon drowned there… but none of the other non Amazons ever cursed there came out with 'Amazon' hair," Robin-chan sighed as she had been wondering about that since her time in the Village, it only became more pressing after meeting her Mother and seeing the reddish brown hair the older woman had… and the bright red hair her little sister also had. "It runs in the family as my Mother has auburn hair and my little sister in another redhead."
"You are telling the truth about being a 'cursed' man?" Artemis asked feeling a little sick about the idea of having one's gender turned inside out, even if she had no compassion for men of any kind.
"Born and raised," Robin-chan stated coldly. "Although that little bit of info has been promised never to leave this island. Don't worry, I won't change suddenly, the bracelet can hold my cursed form as long as I want to. Why?"
"My Amazons have no love of men at all. We keep them as caged breeders since they are too dangerous to be allowed freedom," Artemis looked down sadly. "When I came here I was told that we shouldn't have done that regardless of what men had done to us. They have no men here but they really don't hate them, the odd one here does but not many… I don't understand the idea that our sisters in China have men living as patriarch's world have women live."
"That's not what's bothering you here right now," Robin-chan stated giving the girl a patient glance.
"No.. no it's not," Artemis sighed again unhappy with herself. "I'm just trying to avoid what is disturbing me… If you are a boy in the guise of a girl when we fight I might lose, I don't know if I can handle the idea of losing to a boy."
"You still want to fight?" Robin-chan gave a cocky crooked smile towards Artemis.
"You do not? I insulted you. I called you weak," Artemis looked confused. "We may be talking politely but there is still bad air between us… a challenge was given."
"You didn't challenge a boy, you called me a weak girl not a weak boy," Robin-chan smiled more boldly. "And as long as you agree to a non-lethal fight I look forward to that fight. I enjoy fighting."
"So do I," Artemis nodded quietly.
- - -
Princess Dianna looked at the two girls about to fight and wanted to slap a bit of sense into one of them. She knew she couldn't, she couldn't really interfere more than to referee this fight. Artemis had changed into a white short wrap that was similar to what Robin-chan had worn earlier, and Robin-chan had changed into a red sports top and black knee length spandex shorts, with black Chinese soft shoes. Both girls had finished warming up and they stood a few feet from each other in the standard fighting circle waiting for the signal, Remember that first point comes from first blood and the next two points comes from being knocked down.
We know what was agreed on, Artemis almost snarled as she psyched herself up. Her opponent was way too calm, she hadn't even gone into a stance yet.
Fine. Start! Dianna rolled her eyes at Artemis's typical rudeness.
Artemis moved first coming straight at her opponent to tackle the outsider around the waist but Robin-chan rolled on her feet to the right and rammed her elbow into the Artemis's back that drove the girl to the ground. Artemis rolled after she absorbed a bit of the impact and Robin-chan missed with the follow through of a stamp attack. Springing to her feet Artemis thrust a foot at the other girl that clipped Robin-chan while trying to dodge, having misjudged Artemis's speed slightly.
Robin-chan ducked a second rounding kick as Artemis spun and changed feet, she then weaved through a series of four interchanging punches and deflected a punch to kick combo. As she dodged another punch she returned the move and contacted with Artemis's abdomen sending the Amazon flying halfway across the circle. Artemis skidded to a stop just inside the circle, even though that boundary had little bearing to this fight, holding her stomach and giving her opponent a feral smile before coming back at an even faster speed.
After another set of exchanges between the two Artemis found an opening and rammed her palm up and under Robin-chan's chin launching the outsider into the air. She watching as the girl flipped in the air and land lightly on one foot barely touching down as she sent a spinning kick at the Amazon who thought she had a moment to catch her breath. The foot caught Artemis to the side of her mouth and it split her lip sending blood in an arc.
First blood to Robin, Dianna stated proudly waiting for the two to return to their ready positions.
Artemis wiped at her mouth and smiled at the blood, I thought I had blood when I hit your chin.
Continue!
I'm sure you'll get blood soon, Robin-chan smiled and shifted her head to avoid a punch from Artemis. She weaved her head from side to side and even back a few times to avoid the combos of strikes that the Amazon launched relentlessly. It took an attempt at a foot sweep to make Robin-chan to change to an offensive action again. She skipped the foot as it came under her and then flip rolled in the air to contact with both feet to Artemis's chest sending her flying back.
Artemis held her chest and caught her breath after stopping herself by landing on her feet. She realized Robin-chan wasn't lying about enjoying to fight, thankfully not in the bad way that most who enjoyed combat did. She took a moment to size up her opponent then smiled at an idea, shifting her stance she came at Robin-chan once more. She came in for a right side tackle but as Robin-chan moved only slightly to avoid it she switched it to a left side one arm tackle wrapping an arm across and over the outsider's chest and shoulder she picked her opponent up to slam her into the ground.
Point for Artemis, Dianna sounded a little shocked but smiled none the less. One point all.
Robin-chan took the offered hand of Artemis who stood over her smiling proudly then dusted herself off, I've been dodging too tightly haven't I?
Conserving your energy, yes, Artemis nodded and returned to her starting position.
Continue.
Then I'll have to use the more flamboyant moves then! Robin-chan laughed as she launched herself, her first offensive start. She came in close and set a series of wild punches that Artemis had to block or dodge in a very tight area to avoid the outer barrage of punches that all seemed wild arm movements. Every third strike hit the Amazon as she couldn't move enough until Artemis felt a foot hit the back of her knees and as she started to fall Robin-chan pushed her down. Artemis sat looking up at the other redhead shocked and Robin-chan smiled as she explained, Schoolyard fu… my Father came up with it when I was little to keep bullies off me. It doesn't require a lot of skill to use but the defence is to just simply step back and wait until the user tires themselves out.
Artemis tried not to laugh, Did your Father come up with a style for everything?
Didn't have to, we found lots of schools for silly martial arts to cover most of what he couldn't figure out, and I came up with a few myself, Robin-chan winked as she went back to her starting point. Our style is meant to adapt to anything we encounter… and with the help of the some concentration training from the Amazons in China the style is just that much more dangerous.
Point to Robin, Dianna smiled at the pair happy to see them talk during the fight as it showed that the pair might get along after this fight. She was surprised at the change in Artemis. Two to one. Continue.
Artemis was first to move, coming in low then snapping up to confuse Robin-chan as to where she was going to attack but Robin-chan wasn't there. Looking up she saw what looked like the red haired outsider suspended in air above her head then the form flipped behind her so Artemis spun into a back kick. Robin-chan slowed her descent enough that she landed lightly on the spun leg and used it to spring off and come back down with a straight leg impact as Artemis finished the spin of her kick leaving her back open. Artemis fell from the force that hit her back and kissed ground.
Last point Robin. Robin is the winner. Dianna called out not at all surprised.
Not bad, Robin-chan nodded and smiled as she offered Artemis a hand up. Artemis took the hand and fought off the urge to pull the other girl down. If I hadn't had the training at the Village I would never had beaten you three to one… probably would have ended in a tie.
I lost to a boy. Artemis seemed to have a problem with that thought for a moment then she smiled, I lost to a man strong enough to be comfortable as a woman. I can live with that. Giving Robin-chan a sudden kiss Artemis leaned back and smiled slyly at the other red head, Next time won't be so easy. I plan to win.
Next time. Robin-chan nodded.
- - -
"Do you always do that?" Dianna asked awhile later as she and Robin-chan relaxed in a large open bath that had several other women bathing in different corners.
"Do what?" Robin-chan returned confused and somewhat distracted as she and everyone else were totally nude and nobody was covering up. Her domino mask just wasn't helping her feel any less exposed.
"Get people angry at you then turn them into friends by fighting them." Dianna refined her question. "Artemis has had a chip on her shoulder from the moment she came here… None of us have ever seen her actually happy."
"Artemis isn't that much different from myself," Robin-chan shrugged her shoulders trying to relax. "We both enjoy martial arts. Fighting. She just has to accept that the world isn't the one she thought she was in."
"So how are you taking that same world?" Dianna raised an eyebrow at the young girl.
Robin-chan leaned her head back to look at the wonderfully painted mural on the ceiling of the bath's roof and sighed, "I starting to cope… it's a slow process." Continuing to look at the mural she added, "If I'm welcomed back next time I'd like to bring a friend, she'd like it here."
"No promises," Dianna replied honestly but smiled.
- - -
We have discussed what you have told us of our sisters in the far east and will be sending out a message to them about talking about our differences, Hippolyta stated from her throne indicating the small circle of women beside her on either side.
I'm sure Elder Ku Lon and Elder Tonic will be thrilled, Robin-chan smiled slightly at the Queen, but my only concern at this moment is your intentions about my bracelet.
I am sure of that, Hippolyta replied with a not so pleasant smile. As to the bracelet… I gave my word through my daughter that I would not take it away from you. Unlike many I have known in my life time I keep my word.
Thank you, I wouldn't want to have had to fight my way off this island, Robin-chan nodded and everyone in the room knew she was not jesting with their Queen.
Our Soothsayer has informed me that you will not have the bracelet much longer as it is, the Queen continued ignoring the possible threat. She says one will come in great need to claim it, and that you will part with it willingly.
It's a possibility. Robin-chan shrugged her shoulders. As I said I'm only using it until I don't need it any longer… Batman has suggested he was going to look for a technical way to do the same thing since he doesn't like magic much.
Please take my thanks for coming here, and know you are always welcome on our island. Any one who can tame our little Artemis is worthy of that welcome at the very least, Hippolyta's smile turned friendly as others around her laughed. Just contact my daughter when you wish to come back and we will make arrangements.
Um.. thank you again… Robin-chan bowed. I guess I have to come back just to give Artemis another chance to defeat me. If I don't she might show up in Gotham.
She might, Dianna nodded sure it had crossed the other red head's mind at least once since the match.
Please enjoy the last of your stay and I hope you have an easy trip home, Hippolyta finished then got out of her throne and headed for the back area.
- - -
"So?" Bruce asked as he came into his ward's room. Ranma was drying off his hair and looking happy to be a male again.
"It wasn't as bad as I expected," Ranma stated not sounding all that believable. "I may have made a friend there… I just hope she stays there."
"Ah…" Bruce nodded knowingly. "I've had to deal with a few of those before."
"I still have the bracelet. They know about the Chinese Amazons. I'm welcomed back any time I want to go. I made a friend who can hold her own with me… if she puts more effort into to it. I'd say it went well." Ranma sat on his bed and folded the wet towel. "Any decisions about Akane?"
"Train her." Bruce's tone changed and he turned to leave.
"I was going to do that regardless, I meant about the suggestion I made before I left." Ranma stood again.
"Train her then we'll see." Bruce walked out of the room.
"Fine. We'll see." Ranma said the empty place where Bruce had been.
/ -- -- \
\ -- - -/
AN: Done! Took bloody long enough! Biggest problem here was I touch on comic series I only had a small knowledge of so I started reading the current Wonder Woman comics (over 200 issues) which took forever then I realized it was a merged world and as long as I didn't totally mess up it would fine. Plus I finally bought a Laptop so I could write on a computer at work again (this helps a lot).
The Artemis introduced is more in line with the one that shows up at the end of the Trinity series, younger and more worldly. I use this version since she was closer to Ranma's age and a strong fighter. I'm almost tempted to bring her in as a running problem similar to Shampoo but I'm not sure yet.
I've almost finished the 'Annual' but I hit a snag with chapters 8 & 9 ( I've written three different chapter 8 on paper and four different chapter 9's) It'll be a bit to organize them before getting added in the laptop. So the Annual will show up first (in it's own separate list) but won't happen until after at least chapter ten or twelve.
Until next chapter…
Let's hear it for Aquatranssexual Vigilantes.