rev. 2 - very minor edits

Well here I go again.

The Juuban high uniforms were taken from a Sailor Moon sketch book that my daughter has. She has promised me that is the correct uniform, if she's wrong she swears to wash and wax the cars all summer.

(Note: since I first wrote that many people have sent me jpegs of the uniform, and there are variations. It is generally as describe in the story, except some pics I received have a blue bow in front or a blue kerchief that goes under the collar. Just for those who are interested, the Sailor Moon Art book that the original description was based on was the one that Usagi was wearing and it did have a red bow. I'll pick the blue bow for this story.)

Be it as it may, if anyone spots something that's waaay out of character with the Sailor Moon cast- please let me know.

With that in mind I would like to thank everybody who has took the time to send in a review .

Boldly going where others had gone before and meekly going where few have been.

I do not own anything in this story, which means I am little owned.

________________________________

Juuban - part 2

********************

Ranma was preparing to do something she loved more than almost anything: training.

She looked out across the city from her high vantage point, while waiting for the others to arrive. Watching the people far below attend to their daily lives, she wondered idly what it would be like to be one of them, among the mass of humanity that surrounded her. She sighed, she was happy but sometimes things could be a such a drag. She loved the training, but sometimes she'd hope to sneak away and explore the haunts kids her age flocked to, just to see or experience it for a short time.

She let out another sigh just as the door behind her opened.

A faceless man entered followed by a faceless girl. Ranma knew her from before, and bowed low as the faceless girl addressed her casually, her voice was like bells but the words were unhearable. The faceless man in turn bowed to Ranma and handed her a folder with some papers in it.

Opening the folder, she read the text-less pages and looked up at her companions with a raised eyebrow. This was not just a training session, but a test of one of her lower high-ranged attacks. She smiled, this was going to be fun.

Taking not even a second to touch her soul,or in this case, a crystal pictured in her minds eye that represented her soul, she then touched the magic within and something else - but what that was wasn't quite clear. She felt the explosion of power, the swirling magic's that was infused within her body and soul then stood there before her - friends - yes, friends, and in a moment of mirth giggled at something the faceless man said, the faceless girl also joined in.

The faceless man then handed Ranma a device shaped like a bracelet that would record the test, she absently mindedly and with much practice, clamped it onto her left wrist, just forward of where her bracers came to. The faceless girl who wore ponytails talked a little more to Ranma with her bell like voice, Ranma nodded to whatever she was saying before turning and stepping toward the edge of the balcony.

Ranma then stepped over the rail.

She didn't fall.

Rising higher and higher, she felt and rode on the fabric of, of, whatever, and with her sword in her hand; (where did that come from) and a thought - cut something, the air?, making something in her path. No! making a path. The next thing she knew she was in a big empty, no not empty, there was something else here. Something big. Turning. A sun! But not not our sun.

She found herself surrounded by the deadly void of space... but still breathing?

She extended a hand and felt, actually felt the four planets that circled this star. She felt no life, digging deeper she found that there was never life here and never would be. She smiled. Perfect.

Extending both hands, she felt - that something again, like fabric, but intangible. She can feel it and manipulate it and pull and push the- magic?, no, magic and power through it. She could pull power from it too. Rolling the fabric of space/time? And feeling the foreign sun before her, she readied her attack.

Igniting the endless points? Embedded in the fabric she spun a web of magic and power. The sun of this ever dead alien solar system exploded outward suddenly and with such force that it looked like she barely had time to erect a .. warp bubble? to protect her from the fruits of her power.

All that was left of the star and four planets was expanding clouds of gases.

All in all a successful test.

She wondered what it would be like to go all out - but that would be way to dangerous, even out here, thousands of - light years? - from home.

Taking her sword, she literally cut for home.

*************************

Ranma woke with a start.

[WHAT IN THE HELL WAS THAT?] shaking her head to clear it, [That's it. No more wasabi ice cream before bed.] remembering the treat she had the night before.

Looking at the illuminated face of the living room clock on the wall from her spot on the futon, she was a least pleased to find she was up early enough to do some training. She spent part on last night planning on what she needed to concentrate on and was eager to implement it.

And without further ado, she did.

********************

It was early morning, before the dawn.

When she arrived downstairs it was still dark, and the light switch was located across the room. On a whim, she decided to try something while crossing over to it. Holding her arms out before her like she was holding someone, she hesitantly at first spun, and then added a touch of sway into it as she danced her way more gracefully than she though possible around the tables to her destination. She stopped half way to the light switch, and pondered. This was not like a dream, it was more like a half forgotten memory. How could she remember something she didn't do? She tried to ignore it, but it kept coming back to nag her. The tickling sensation she had been feeling in the back of her mind increased every time she thought about it. Shaking her head she finished crossing over to the light switch, this time by simply walking over to it and flipped it.

It was time to get to work.

********************

Spin, kick, parry, jab

Ranma's aggressive kata flowed through the room as she gracefully and powerfully worked through some of the high end exercises. She concentrated on her "close combat" forms since the ceiling ruled out any of the aerobatic styles that had become her signature, and for which, she has since come to realized, depended upon too much in all of her fights. Using the opportunity, she decided to take the time to polish her confined space maneuvers. She didn't want to limited herself to just one style, even if it was one she preferred.

She thought, [... not going to depend on one thing in my life, or my art.]

Anything Goes, ideally is a blend, a mixture of different styles that flow together seamlessly and made you unpredictable to your opponent. However, Ranma found the better you got and the more styles you infused and the more you practice you start developing a style all your own based on all the other styles you have learned. If you get really good enough she found, you get predicable, favoring moves and styles that you like over others that maybe better in the circumstances that you are in, but harder to do or having a personal dislike for doing them. Ranma discovered that fact last night, when she was thinking of different katas and techniques to practice indoors. When the realization hit her, that lately she had been basing most of her forms and exercises on a select few dozen moves and techniques that she liked, and not the whole of her knowledge in the combat arts. She began to realize how vulnerable she really could be.

Maybe that's why the little pervert and the old ghoul were so good, they practiced everything and not just what they liked.

So early this morning before anyone else awoke. she climbed down stairs, turned on the lights and rearranged the tables in the dinning room of the restaurant, for some exercise. She decided that instead of using a combination of her favorite few attacks, she deliberately chose forms and parts of the art she disliked. Some of those parts she disliked with a passion.

This, of course meant no arial stunts, no ki attacks and no of anything she liked to use in her fights.

It sucked.

Technically she was amazingly good if not great, but she felt it was more of a chore now than the art she had come to love. It didn't feel fulfilling.

[Gotta take the good with the bad] thought Ranma, [If I can pull this off, I'll find an open space somewhere and go all out. As a treat.]

twist, kick, jab, jab, jab, spin

Ranma smiled, [... I'll think about it as motivation, work before play.]

*******************

Akiko woke up at her usual time, and dutifully tended to herself via way of her morning routine. Dressed, she descended the stairs to the dinning room and was mesmerized by the performance that was taking place there. She stood at the foot of the stairway and watched as Ranma danced, dodged and flowed close to the ground - so close that to the ground that Akiko wondered if Ranma compressed herself to hardly appear to have any height at all. Ranma at that point flowed up from the ground and spun. Legs and arms flashed out from her spinning form almost too fast to see. With a flourish Ranma finished, breathing steadily and with a light sheen of sweat covering her body.

"Good morning, that looked like quite a workout." Akiko said after finding her voice.

"Good morning," Ranma nodded, "yeah, trying some new things. Got sloppy a few times, but I'll get it right."

"Good for you." Akiko said with a warm smile on her face, "Why don't you straighten up down here, then wake Michiko and bathe. By the time you two get down, I'll have breakfast ready."

"Yes, Granny" Ranma said with some cheer in her voice. She always felt better after a workout, even one that she didn't particularly feel good doing, it was the physical exercise, the exertion that did it.

Quickly reassembling the dinning room (chestnut speed room rearranging), Ranma then climbed the stairs. Having no shoes to remove, for her feet were already bare, she went directly to the stickered covered door and rapped lightly. Hearing a soft groan from the other side, she cracked the door open an inch and peered inside. The morning sun was on its way to rising so any light from the outside world that worked its way around the drawn blinds was not enough for Ranma to see clearly by, all she saw was an outline of a lump on the floor that emitted a groan.

"Just five more minutes grandma," a sleepy voice muttered, "just five more minutes.", this time more softly .

Ranma considered her options. Though she contemplated of a bucket of water and being thrown out the window, she didn't really like being awakened that way and thought Michiko wouldn't either. In the end she rejected both tactics. She just settled instead for something more mundane, but new to her: gently shaking Michiko on the shoulder.

"Michiko."

groan

"Michiko" Ranma repeated, this time putting alittle bit more effort behind the shaking part.

"W...what?" Michiko's eyes fluttered open, "Oh, hi Ranma. What time its it?"

"Around six," Ranma answered, "Granny asked me to get you up. I need a bath, so I'll see you downstairs."

With that Ranma left Michiko. By the time Ranma made the door, Michiko managed to sit up in her futon, rubbing her eyes with one hand. Ranma for her part managed to get a somewhat vague look at the interior of Michiko's room now that her eyes adjusted somewhat to the dim light. Her only mental comment to herself was [How many posters does she have?]

After retrieving some clothes from her pack, clean ones, that she considered were in fairly decent shape, she headed for the bathroom. Upon entering Ranma stripped out of her workout clothes and folded them, then placed them on one of the shelves. Taking a stool, she rinsed and lathered herself up - that was when Michiko walked in.

Ranma stared with a mixture of shock, fear and well - more fear, as Michiko removed her night clothes and walked over and sat beside Ranma on the remaining stool.

"Did you work out this morning?" Michiko asked offhandedly.

Ranma nervously shook her head. [I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die,...]

"Ranma -are your alright?" Michiko asked, becoming aware of her bathing partners stone-like countance.

"I.. I... I...I'm a guy, remember?" Ranma managed to get out.

"You also said you weren't sure anymore. Besides, I have nothing that you don't have - well maybe you have more than me, but we're all girls here now."

Ranma blushed at the reference to her 'assets', [Jezz the girl who drowned in that spring would have to be stacked.] she thought, choosing to not remember at the moment that was not quite how the springs worked.

The springs turn people and animals physically, into whatever drowned there last, as if the person or animal that fell in were born as the same species, or in this case, sex of what had drowned there. So Gemna came out as he would be if he was born a panda, Ryoga as if he were born a pig and Ranma if he was born a girl. For some reason Ranma always felt a little uneasy thinking about it that way, even if it was the reality of the situation.

"Here, can you get my back?" Michiko asked while turning away from Ranma. Ranma hesitated, but complied. These people have been so nice to her, so nice she didn't want to do anything that would look like she was remotely rejecting them. With butterflies in her stomach and steeling her slightly shaking hands, Ranma proceeded to wash Michiko's back. When she was through Michiko took the wash rag from Ranma's hand and motioned her to turn around; she then returned the favor.

Drying off, Michiko reminded Ranma that they needed to get to school early, before returning to her room to dress. Ranma dressed in the bathroom, donning her trademark red silk shirt and pants then headed down stairs.

Ranma breathed in the smell of breakfast that wafted through the open kitchen door and invaded the dinning room. [Man! That smells good, I wonder what it is?]

"Breakfast is ready, is Michiko with you?" Akiko inquired.

"She should be down in a minute, she's getting dressed."

**************************

Dawn. Someplace nearby.

A small twinkle of light appeared mid-air in front of an all-night convenience store, in the space between the vending machine and a newspaper rack, widening, it deposited with a "splort" a flesh-colored glob that quickly bounded into a nearby alley. It was confused, all the briefings and reviewing of past intelligence should have prepared it. But this was nothing like any of the information that was given to it before leaving.

Scanning in a multi-channel, it detected a sizable living being near is location. Flowing toward it, it spied a creature that was a quadra-ped, had a layer of gray fur and had trianglar ears atop its head.

It scanned its internal memory before going higher thru hyper-space uplink to call up the information needed. It hated to do that so soon after arriving but there was only so much information that could be stored in its biomass. Cat was the answer that came back along with other supplemental data. The glop then slowly reformed its mass into the approximate likeness of the cat it had scanned. Since the information stated that this particular type of cat was not intelligent and not part of the Moon Kingdom advisors,there would be no reason to depose of it.

Realizing that the situation was not what they were expecting it decided to reject the preparatory ground work for its mission and improvise. Trotting off deeper into the alley, it scanned the area for any of the Lunar Guards or Techo-mages. It found none. This was definitely not what was expected. If the Moon Kingdom was no more then it would greatly simplify things - but they had to be sure. Thus the reason for this reconisance.

Reopening the hyper-space uplink it requested a flyer. Locking on to the pseudo-cat, another twinkle of light appeared and this time deposited a slightly larger glop that made a slightly larger "splort". The pseudo-cat approached the glop and transfered what little data it had collected.

During this, the multi-channel scan alerted that another life form was approaching, slightly smaller in mass that the earlier cat. The just arrived larger glop flowed toward it and visually analyzed the new intruder. It was a small black pig with a piece of colored cloth secured around its neck - apparently dragging a large pack that was several times the pigs mass.

The larger glop slowly assumed the shape of the pig, though it was larger than the original. The black pig, upon seeing this, its eyes got real big before it took off and disappeared. It was of no consequence, though it was curious how the small animal disappeared from the current scanning range of ten miles in mere seconds. The pseudo-pig took a few minutes to prepare and then took flight, climbing higher and higher until it was a dot in the morning sky before vanishing.

No, this definately was not what was expected, the pseudo-cat thought, if the Moon Kingdom did fall then they would have to try to bring it back. Even if it meant killing everything on this world and starting over.

**********************

Upon entering the building that was Juuban High, Michiko escorted Ranma to the office where Akiko's friend worked. Opening the marked door Michiko let Ranma enter first then followed. The office was your typical high school office outfitted with a long counter, behind which were desks and chairs manned by nondescript middle-age women, Ranma could tell none of them were fighters, except for one. One desk was occupied by a women that couldn't be any older than Kasumi. She was dressed smartly and semi-professionally and had dark hair with green highlights that worked well with her deep red eyes, there was something else about her too.Something that tickled the back of Ranma's mind. Ranma then wondered if she was related to the Amazons.

While Ranma was checking out the environment of the office and the possible fighting skills of its occupants, Michiko had inquired about her grandmother's friend to one of the ladies at the front counter.

"Miss Meioh, you have a new student." The woman called over to the green haired women that Ranma was examining moments before.

"Miss Meioh here is in charge or our attendance, registration, and the student records," the women at the counter informed Ranma and Michiko. "She'll help you get started."

The red eyed woman rose from her desk and cross over to Ranma and Michiko, extending a hand to Ranma she spoke. "You must be Ranma, Akiko told me all about you yesterday."

"All about me?" Ranma squeaked out, feeling nervous.

"Oh yes, everything she said while smiling reassuringly. Miss Yonai, would you please come with us and help your friend find a school uniform after we fill out some paperwork? I think there maybe even some book bags and gym uniforms mixed in there."

"Yes ma'am." Michiko replied.

Following Meioh, Ranma analyzed her moves. She was a fighter, but it was hard to rate her. She was either very good, or very good at masking how good she was. Ranma mentally blinked at that thought, then shook her head.

"Something wrong Miss Ranma?" Meioh asked.

"Ah... No, everythings fine. Um... Do I really have to wear a uniform?" stressing the word "really".

"I'm afraid so, it is the rules of this school. Don't worry, they're not that bad looking," indicating what Michiko was wearing, "and much better than what you have on." indicating what Ranma was wearing with a wave of her hand.

Ranma would have been offended by that comment if it were not for the fact that Miss Meioh was right. Though what she had on was the best she had, it left little doubt that it had seen better days.

Miss Meioh explained to Ranma, how she acquired records and altered them to fit her current condition. She also suggested some things as tutoring if couldn't bring her grades up and other academic matters. It all kind of made sense to Ranma who nodded through most of the conversation before signing her name on a few forms.

After about fifteen minutes of paperwork and another fifteen rummaging through stacks of donated uniforms and school supplies and still another fifteen minutes getting dress in the girls restroom. Ranma was ready for her first day at Juuban High.

**************************

Ranma soon found herself at the front of a very non-descript classroom. [Why does every school look the same?] she mused.

"Class, we have a new student starting today. Miss Ranma would you please introduce yourself?"

Ranma felt very exposed standing in front of a room full of people she didn't know and being the center of attention. It didn't help that she was wearing a uniform. The knee length blue skirt wasn't as much of a problem, nor was the white short sleeve shirt with the blue collar sporting red trim or the uwabaki that graced her feet. But man, somehow that blue bow in front has got to go. It was a small comfort that all the other girls were dressed identically, but it was a larger comfort that Michiko was in the same class.

Steeling herself for the second time today she decided to get it over with, and with a formal looking bow, "Hello my name is Ranma. I am new to this ward. I am excited to be here and I am looking forward to learning with all of you." Ranma almost choked on her words.

"That will do, would you please have a seat next to... Hiroshi would you please raise you hand?" a tall boy with thick glasses wearing the male version of the uniform complied with the request.

Ranma made her way past Michiko, who was two desks in front of where she would be sitting, and over to the unoccupied desk and hung her book-bag on the hook built into the side of the desk for that purpose. Akiko's friend Miss Meioh was thorough. Ranma had everything she needed to start school in the worn book bag and had no excuse for being, at least materially, unprepared. With that thought she slid into the seat and readied herself for what was to come.

************************

The day was going surprisingly well for Ranma. Between classes when the teachers switched out, Ranma was introduced to a few of Michiko's friends. They all seemed very sympathetic to Ranma's plight. Ranma was glad that she and Michiko decided the night before to give an edited version of Ranma's life, leaving out the weirder moments and the curse. She didn't like lying, but Michiko convinced Ranma that it would be for the best. After-all, how could she prove everything that had happened to her. All that they really told them was that she was thrown out by her father because she refused to marry a man that was her father's age, on top of having a daughter from his previous wife the same age as Ranma herself. Michiko's friends as well as every other girl in the classroom were suitably outraged.

First being introduced to Chiyo which was an interesting experience, if you were interested in basketball as much as she was. She was on the girls team and had the height for it. She was probably one of the tallest girls Ranma ever met, she had to be almost 5' 7"!

Hitomo was an open small girl. The phrase "she has a wonderful personality" fit her to a tee. It wasn't that she was ugly or unattractive, quite the opposite, but her personality just shine through and dominated over her looks.

The last of Michiko's friends Ranma was introduced to was Tamami. She was average. Average looks, average height, average hair and average weight. Hard to get to talk, having a book in front of her face all the time. Michiko assured Ranma that she was really a sweet girl, just a little shy around strangers and people she had just met.

When lunch came about, being a such a nice day outside, Ranma, Michiko and her three friends decided that outside would be the place to be. Ranma chatted with Michiko and her friends as they carried their bentos and walked the halls toward the exit, Ranma having resisted the urge to leap out the window, as was her habit from her previous school. Walking and talking with her new friends in the crowded hallway, Ranma was siezed by the creepy feeling she always gets when she is being watch that crawled up her spine and nearly raised the hair of her long ponytailed hair.

Trying to look casual Ranma looked around the hall, as if she were exploring a new place for the first time all the while answering questions from Michiko' friends, including Tamimi who had warmed up to Ranma. It didn't take long for Ranma to spot where the feeling was coming from. Trailing far behind Ranma's group was another group of girls, four of them.

The one leading them was a tall, about as tall as Chiyo, brown haired girl that had her haired tied up in a high ponytail. She seemed to be exasperated about something. Slightly behind her was shorter girl with short dark blue hair and a calculating, studying look. She reminded Ranma, in her own way, of two someone's she would rather not think about. Behind her was a average height blond. Her long hair was tied with a rather large red bow, the rest of her hair came down past her buttocks and was like a cloak that trailed behind her as she walked. And behind her was another blond who had the weirdest hairstyle Ranma has ever seen, two ponytails with balls on top. She seem familiar somehow. Then it clicked. It was the same girl that almost bowled Ranma over yesterday while walking with Michiko.

[That's probably why they're looking at me.] Ranma concluded.

Ranma at that point decided to put it out of her mind as her group changed into their street shoes and finally made its way outside. Heading toward to one of the many tables that were nearby, she continued to answer questions about her life to Michiko's friends. She was hungry and anxious to eat.

**************************
There was no trace of the Moon Kingdom anywhere, but something was there, it was hard to detect, and track. It seemed that there may have survivors of whatever happened, but not enough to rebuild. Maybe the plan could be altered and bio samples from the survivors could be used to create others with built in random genetic sequencing - it could be possible. Then again there was something definately off with the readings, it wished it could locate them and have time to do a more detailed scan. The life energies were much higher than should be, but out of phase making it difficult to pin point. The energy seemed to be consistent with a project that they discovered the Moon Kingdom Techo-mages were working on just before the Last Confrontation.

If it was what it suspected, these were warriors of the Moon Kingdom. And they would have to dealt with first. Permanently.

******************************

Ranma felt it was not too bad of a day, all things considered. No samurai wannabe's wanting to date her, no one trying to make money off her, no weird girls trying to glomp her, no violent tomboys malleting her for the smallest reasons, no "Ranma prepare to die!''s and no being called a fiend, sorcerer or pervert . The downside was that this school expected you to learn something, and with that felt it necessary to give out homework - and to Ranma it seemed like alot of it. Seeing that her last school hardly gave out any, she used that as a gauge for this amount, which would be classified as average for any Japanese high-school student. She sighed, she did promise Akiko that she would do as well as possible in school, which means - shudder - studying.

Rushing home with Michiko so that they could get to work on time, Ranma noted that the same four girls that triggered her "someone-is-out-to-get-me" reflex earlier, were standing around near the gates of the school and seem to be scrutinizing her as she ran past. It made her feel a bit nervous and the tickling in the back of mind seem to increase a little, but she put it aside, favoring to concentrate on getting home on time.

She had a job waiting on her.

*************************

"So that's her?" the tall brown haired girl said more as a comment than a question.

"Yes, and Setsuna said to stay away from her." the short dark blue haired girl answered.

"Well at least she was more informative than usual last night. This Ranma must really have her rattled." the blond with the red bow added in.

"I'm hungry, I know! Let's stop off somewhere on the way home and get a snack." the twin ponytailed girl merrily interjected.

The other three just looked at her.

****************************

Upon entering the restaurant, Michiko called out a loud "I'm home!" before heading up the stairs trailed by Ranma. They both shucked their shoes on the foot rug in the hall and went into Michiko's room to change. The night before they spent some time in the living room, altering one of the waitress uniforms to fit Ranma's frame.

Closing the door behind her, Ranma got a good look at Michiko's room for the first time, it was much like her door. Every surface of the walls were covered with posters, instead of stickers, of idol singers. CD cases littered the floor next to a portable player and little "do-dads" cluttered the top of a small, low laying dresser. Michiko handed Ranma her uniform, then both girls disrobed, redressed, then grabbed their book bags and headed down stairs.

The waitress uniforms were of a non-offensive and somewhat modest cut. The skirt came down just short of the knees and the shirt that came with it had buttons up the front that you could use to show as much or as little cleavage as you wanted. Ranma chose to show little. The white apron that covered it was devoid of frills and lace (thank god) and had sizable pockets in front for keeping the items that were needed to perform her job. All-in-all not bad.

Except for one thing.

Pink.

The uniforms color would have to be a pale pink.

Ranma had to fight the gag reflex that threatened to overtake her last night when she first saw it.

Soon they were presenting themselves before Akiko.

"My, you two look lovely, come dears, we are about to open. Michiko could you get the door and Ranma please come with me, I want you to meet someone." Akiko rattled off in her gentle but commanding way.

Michiko nodded, and took Ranma's book bag from her and along with hers placed them on a long waitress station that was situated along the back wall. Here was where the extra glasses, silverware, pitchers of water, cups, saucers, two hot tea brewing machines and various other tools of the trade were.

Also it was a good place to do homework when it was slow.

Spying through the opening in the wall for passing orders between the dinning room and the kitchen Ranma spotted a man. A big man, not fat, but big. Age-wise he looked to be about in his mid-thirties, maybe older. He was working on shredding some lettuce with a machine when Akiko lead Ranma into the kitchen.

"Yoshi , do you have a moment?" Akiko asked.

"Sure, mom, just a sec." the man replied without removing his attention from his task, in a surprising high-pitched voice. Wiping his hands on the unpocketed apron he was wearing he looked up with the same piercing hazel eyes that Ranma had grown familiar with over the last two days and smiled.

"You must be Ranma" he said in his high-pitched voice.

"Ah... Yes sir." was the only thing that came to Ranma's mind as a reply.

"Yoshi here is my youngest son. He lives not far from here with his wife and two children, which he neglects to bring over more often," she jabbed, "and works as the cook."

"Heck, cook, maintenance man, occasional bouncer..." he added flippantly, the humor reaching his eyes.

"Ah... great." was Ranma's reply.

"Ranma here had some kitchen experience, she may be of some help back here if things pick up too fast." Akiko said.

"That would be great." Yoshi said Then to Ranma, "But don't worry, that doesn't happen too often. I got a system back here that works real well."

"You should, I taught it to you." Akiko added.

"Mooom!" Yoshi said in mock embarrassment, "Not in front of the help."

"Oh, you!" Akiko answered in the same mocking tone, "get back to work."

"Yes ma'am." came his reply with a smile on his face that truly reached his eyes. With that he returned to his interrupted task, while Ranma and Akiko re-entered the dining area.

Michiko had just unlocked the front door and was crossing to meet her grandmother and Ranma.

"Now we relax until the dinner crowd gets here." Akiko stated to both Ranma and Michiko.

Ranma having been "shown the ropes" and where everything was yesterday afternoon when the restaurant was closed, felt pretty much at ease. She had done this type of work before and was eager to prove herself to her hosts. She didn't really think about it as work, but as a challenge. She wanted to do it right and not be a disappointment to the Yonai's. She felt that it would be bad to let them down after they treated her - like a human being.

Before too long a small, noisy gathering of people in their early to mid-twenties entered. This time it was truly time to get to work.

**********************

Later...

Ranma was mopping the dining room at near "chestnut speed", after first placing the chairs atop the tables and reflecting on her first night of her new job. For a restaurant that is only open from about 4:30 to 7:30, it sure drew a crowd. She had been very, very busy but felt good about it too. The crowd was mostly young college-age men and women out on the town with some money and lots of time. This looked like the place where many couples started their dates. Which was a good thing, after-all no guy is going to flirt with the waitress if his date is sitting right there in front of him.

The food served here was American, well as American you can find without going to a chain eatery. Hamburgers, hot-dogs and small pizzas were the mainstay. Ranma kinda doubted though that American's put dried, shredded eel in their burgers - but what did she know? She never has been to America and has heard that they eat some pretty weird stuff.

Finishing the floor in the dinning room, she noted the time 8:22. She then proceeded into the kitchen to help the others clean up.

Looking around the dining room for any spots she may have missed, Ranma smiled.

[I think I'm going to like it here.]

*****************************

All the information, as little as it was so far, was collected and sent through the hyper-space uplink. However, it will be at least one more day for the flyer to reach the palace on the Moon and three days more for it to return after is has made its inspection. The inspection could take as long as one to four days. Maybe the answers could be found there.

The lack of Techo-mages will factor heavily in their favor. However, this civilization the pseudo-cat found itself among, may be able to defend itself from outside threats without using such methods that the Moon Kingdom employed. It had to find out.

The pseudo-cat continued its trek throughout the city as it scanned in multi-channel. It had detected some powerful entities within the metro area it had found itself in and was heading in that direction to assess their potential threat. It may take awhile to complete the intelligence gathering, but it had time. They had waited since just after the founding of the Moon Kingdom, they could wait some more.

It also kept coming back to that, what could have happened to the Moon Kingdom?

Yes, it will scout around some more, assessing the technology and defensive capabilities of it's surroundings while waiting for the report from the flyer and its eventual return.

Maybe it would have found its answers by then.

************************************

The week went by and Ranma surprised herself, she had found that her grades have improved over what she was used to getting. Not being attacked every five minutes for no reason had really helped her. Also Michiko and Tamami were good tutors in helping Ranma catch up to where the class is. Tamami was good at english, but hated it with a passion, so it was surprising that she helped Ranma with it. She was still behind, but making headway. Another girl that Tamami knew from another nearby class helped explain a daunting math problem so that Ranma could understand the ways and whys of the equation. Her name was Ami and Ranma recognized her from among the group of the four girls that were eyeing her on her first day, but that was the only time they did that, so Ranma had put it behind her.

Also over the course of the week Ranma managed to add to her wardrobe. Lots of plain everything to wear was in her mind. Usually they would finish clean up about 8:30 and that left about thirty minutes for her to run next door to pick up some much needed items with her tip money. Michiko volunteered to help her when Ranma did do a quick "clothing run". The inside of the Team Leader Clothes and Fashions proved to be just loudly decorated on the inside as it was on the out. Right now Ranma had about five outfits in her collection and three of them were what she had with her when she came here.

After that they would usually hit the books till about 11:00, bathe together quickly then retire for the night.

It was also over the course of the week that Ranma found out more about Michiko's life. It seem she was orphaned at the age of seven when both her parents were killed by a drunk delivery driver as they were out for a morning stroll. She was devastated by the deaths, but came through it with the love and support from her family, especially Akiko.

Ranma wondered about that. It seem that everyone she has gotten close to has had something bad happened to their parents. Her on the other hand still had both parents alive - but she was just as much an orphan as Michiko. Ranma's father was never really there for her when she was growing up. Sure they spent a lot of time together, but it was all training. Anytime Ranma truly needed her father she was on her own. Her mother, she wasn't there either, sometime she wondered why she even missed her to begin with, a mother that would let a man like Genma take her only child away like that. No, Ranma felt no love for her parents anymore, not after seeing how her friends parents treated them.

She swore to herself that she would never be anything like her parents.

*************
Ranma then discovered that Juuban had half-day classes on Saturdays only every other week, this week being a Saturday off.

That Saturday morning was fun too, Michiko had drug Ranma up early and met up with her friends for some window shopping and talking, and talking, eating, and talking walking around and more talking. Who knew girls talked so much? For some reason, Ranma felt relaxed around her new - friends, yes they were becoming friends, and it made her feel something she couldn't quite describe.

Ranma thought about that some. When was the last time she really had a group of friends that she hung around with that wasn't trying to kill her or marry her? She couldn't remember when. In her past, her friends as well as Genma had always wanted something from her or for her to do something for them. Many times being something she shouldn't do or could not give. When she refused to comply with their wishes and demands, things got violent. What kind of friend would try to kill you to gain something you didn't possess to begin with? Ranma wondered if she truly had any friends before now, and that thought somehow depressed her.

So here it was another Sunday, over one whole week since - she was found. She was walking alone to the nearby park to practice her favorite forms. She had been doing so well in her morning practices she wanted to reward herself. Michiko, not caring for the art, was with her friend Hitomo going to a capsule toy store to find more for Hitomo's collection which Ranma has seen, and admitted was kinda cool.

Approaching the park, she felt truly happy for the first time since... she couldn't remember. Ranma stopped at the park gates at that thought. For the first time in her life she actually felt truly happy. She listed the thing that made her feel that way, she had a job and a roof over her head. Akiko who has become a surrogate parent to Ranma and Michiko that has become somewhat of a sister. Both accepted the story of her life with little reservation explaining that having weird magic girls that run around the ward fighting demons helped. Ranma had friends that didn't want to use her for their own gains and were fun to hang out with.

Yup, life seemed to stop beating on Ranma for once and started actually treating her nice for a change.

The sun was shining, the birds were singing and a gentle wind was blowing, Ranma was in her trademark clothes (with a sports bra, Akiko insisted) to partake in the refining of something she found she truly loved. The art. With that thought she entered the park.

Then she sensed it. Her heart froze.

[No! Dammit! NO! I'm happy, for the first time in my life! I'm happy! My life is finally coming together, no please not this!] She begged any god that would listen her.

And the battlecry was heard.

"SWEETO!"

____________________________________

I think you can tell what's going to happen next.

Yes, there is wasabi ice cream, and some schools in Japan do half day Saturdays ever other week.