Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ or Sacrifice™ or any related characters, terms or concepts.
Author's Notes: All right, most of you suggested I avoid the Sailor Moon scenario, and I agree; I know nothing about it and this fanfic can do fine without it. Just two things about the scenarios: Ranma's battle with Miss Hinako is a given, I just need to refamiliarize myself with her and the OVA she shows up in, secondly I'm going to use all of them, I just wanted to know which ones you wanted to see first (or didn't want to see at all). One final thing: when this is over, how would you feel about me doing "Alternate Universe/Side Stories", where Ranma chose a different God in Chapter 2?
Part 6: Attack of the Amazons!
Ukyo was very happy. Ranma –HER Ranchan- was back from wherever the violent tomboy jokingly referred to as his fiancée had sent him. True, he seemed a little… "different", but Ukyo attributed that to stress and being away from his real fiancée for so long. Ukyo's good mood was suddenly shattered by an all-too familiar sound; a sound dreaded throughout Nerima as a portent of doom- or at least considerable pain and property damage. It was the sound of a bike's bell ringing, followed by a female voice exclaiming
"Nihao!"
Ukyo pulled out her battle spatula in preparation for a fight as Shampoo landed her bicycle nearby. She simply grinned and sauntered over to Ukyo, with a delivery box clutched in her hand.
"Here your order"
She said, in her usual perky tone of voice. Ukyo blinked in confusion.
"Whatcha mean, sugar?"
"Shampoo, not Sugar! Sugar still in village. Anyway, this your order ramen from Cat Cafe."
"What are you talking about? Why would I order ramen from the Cat Café?"
"Shampoo wonder that too, great-grandmother get phone-call order and tell Shampoo it for you. But anyway- here your order, you pay now."
"What? No way! I didn't order it, I'm not paying for it!"
"You try to cheat Shampoo? Shampoo bring you ramen, you pay for ramen!"
Ukyo tightened her grip on her spatula as Shampoo assumed a fighting stance. That was when the one thing -if not the only thing- that could stop the impending battle appeared on the screen.
"Hey, what are you two doing? What's up?"
The effect of Shampoo was considerable. The delivery box fell unnoticed from her hand to the ground, her eyes opened wider than Ukyo believed was humanly possible and her jaw dropped open.
"AIREN!"
With that banshee-like cry, Shampoo leapt at Ranma, reaching a speed even Ukyo didn't know she had. She was so fast that Ranma, despite the fact he effortlessly dodged Ukyo's identical Glomp attack earlier that morning, failed to avoid it.
Ukyo would normally have been enraged by what Shampoo was doing. In fact, she initially started getting angry at what Shampoo was doing, but then noticed just how tightly Shampoo was clinging to Ranma, as though reassuring herself that he was real. She was speaking rabidly and emotionally in what Ukyo logically assumed to be her native tongue, and Ukyo could have sworn she saw tears in Shampoo's eyes. That was disturbing.
What was even more disturbing was Ranma's reaction. As Ukyo knew, there were several things that could affect Ranma's composure:
Attacks on his manhood- though no longer as effective, now that he'd, according to Akane, apparently cured himself.
Acts of intimacy- being embraced, touched or even approached by a girl in a romantic manner was one of the easiest ways to get Ranma flustered.
Girls' crying- Ranma had his own rough code of chivalry, and the one thing he hated more than anything else was for girls to cry because of him. Ukyo had known him to attempt to comfort girls he wasn't that close to, or even actively disliked.
Taking that knowledge into consideration, Ranma should thus be alternatively paralyzed and desperately attempting to comfort Shampoo, as well as in mortal terror of Akane appearing on the scene (as she always seemed to do) and smashing him with her mallet. She quickly looked around, afraid thinking of Akane would make her appear and do just that. When no livid mallet-wielding shorthaired tomboy appeared on the scene, she returned her attention to Ranma and Shampoo. This confirmed that, yes, Ranma was still being glomped and yes, he still seemed to be unaffected by it.
The look on Ranma's face was blank, as though he didn't really care what was happening, or at least as though he was disinterested in the turn of events. His demeanour was of solid ice; he seemed as cold and empty of emotion as an icicle. It was unnerving. When he looked at Shampoo though, Ukyo could swear that she saw a tiny glimpse of compassion in his eyes. Though that ought to make her mad, it really served to make her relieved; it was a sign that there was still something of the old Ranchan inside this newly returned Ranma. Finally, Shampoo seemed to calm down, which prompted a soft smile from Ranma.
"You feel better now? Then could you let go of me please? You know Akane will get angry if she sees us."
Shampoo made a sound that could have been a sniff, but reluctantly released Ranma all the same.
"Airen? You is really back?"
"Have been since last night."
"Shampoo so-so glad to see you back!"
"I noticed."
"Where did stupid Violent-Girl send Airen anyway?"
"Yeah sugar, I wouldn't mind knowing the answer to that question myself."
Ukyo decided it was time to remind them both of her presence- she didn't want Shampoo to get any ideas about Ranma now that he was finally back. Ranma simply grinned and shook his head.
"I know you'll all want to hear about what happened, and I see no reason not to tell you. But I'm not going to waste my time chasing you all down and telling you individually. Just come by the Tendo Dojo after school and I'll tell you all what you need to know. Make sure you bring your great-grandmother Shampoo- and even that bird-brain Mousse."
"Okay, Shampoo bring great-grandmother and stupid Duck-Boy to Airen's after school. Bye-bye!"
With that said, Shampoo leapt back towards her bike, totally forgetting about the ramen (which Ranma picked up and casually began eating), and cycled furiously away. His eyes casually moved towards Ukyo, who got his silent message.
"Don't worry sugar, I'll be there."
"And what did you think you were doing flirting with those two bimbos at lunch today Ranma!"
"What bimbos? And for that matter, what flirting? I just broke up a fight between Ukyo and Shampoo and asked them to come around after school, that's all. You've been listening to the school gossips again, haven't you? When are you going to figure out that listening to that pack of morons is an exercise in futility?"
Akane was silent after Ranma had finished. Not because she believed that what he said was true, but simply because she was stunned by how eloquently put it was. Since when could Ranma speak in such a cultured manner? She shook off her confusion as they entered the house, but Kasumi called out to them before she could think up anything to say, disrupting her line of thoughts.
"Ranma, Akane, could you come in here for a second?"
Akane walked into the kitchen alongside Ranma- and promptly gaped in disbelief. Scattered around the kitchen were eight fuzzy little- well, to be honest, she didn't have a clue what they were. They looked something like a crossbreed between a cat and a rabbit, but with exceptionally large ears, eight legs and something like a jewelled tiara on their heads. Speechless, she turned to Kasumi for help, who simply smiled that smile of hers.
"I heard something scratching around in the laundry and, well, there they were. I don't know what they are, but they're very friendly. And don't you think they're cute?"
Akane just shook her head in disbelief, and turned towards Ranma, hoping for a beacon of sanity amongst this scene of madness. She was in for a disappointment; Ranma was staring at the creatures and twitching. Akane blinked in puzzlement for a second, then realized just how cat-like these creatures were.
Oh no! If they trigger the Cat-Fist…They triggered a reaction all right, but it wasn't the Cat-Fist.
"RYO!"
At Ranma's sudden shout, all of the little creatures turned towards Ranma and flinched, their facial expressions reminding Akane of little kids who know they're in trouble. A purple-furred whatever, sitting on the table near Kasumi, looked especially sheepish. Ranma didn't seem to notice, and simply folded his arms and glared.
"I told you all to stay behind, I'm very angry that you disobeyed me!"
The creatures all looked heartbroken, their eyes cast downwards. When Ranma suddenly grinned they perked right back up.
"But I'm not angry to have you here- I missed you all too."
At those words something of a stampede occurred, the things bounding from where they were to mob Ranma. Ryo, the purple-furred one and the biggest of them all, leapt straight into Ranma's arms and nuzzled there, squeaking or purring (they couldn't properly decipher the sounds) with happiness. Kasumi smiled; there were few things of wonderful as the love between a boy and his pet. Akane just blinked in confusion before deciding to go with what she knew to be correct and get angry.
"Ranma! What are those, those- things!"
"They're called Manahoars. I, well, picked them up in the place where I got sent too. I'll explain when I tell the rest of you."
The ringing of the doorbell cut anything Akane might have had to say off. Ranma's head turned towards where the rest of the Nerima Wrecking Crew were, for once in their life, entering the Tendo Dojo together without simply smashing a hole in the wall.
"Come into the living room, I'll talk to you all there."
Ranma sat at the table, encircled by those he was closest to (well, in Nerima anyway). The Tendos, his father, the Amazons, Ukyo and Ryoga (there had been no sign of Happosai, for which everyone was grateful) formed a crude semi-circle arranged at the opposite end of the table. No one dared to speak; Ranma's "normal" persona, which seemed so carefree and confident, had melted away like an illusion when he'd sat down. The persona revealed beneath stared at them with ice-cold, emotionless eyes, his very bearing speaking of a frigid disposition and an iron-hard will. His gaze silently and matter-of-factly promised extreme pain for anyone to arouse his displeasure, forcing all of them into silence. He idly stroked one of his Manahoars, then began to speak.
"In a way, I suppose I should thank Akane for what she did, for it truly changed my life for the better. When the light engulfed me, I was blinded. I couldn't see anything; all I could feel was a sensation as though the wind was carrying me. When I could see, I was alone on a bare island of rock, floating in this sea of blue-silver mist. At least, I was alone at first. They materialised out of the mist, five regal figures. They were the gods of this world, of Otherworld, and they took pity on me. They each offered me succour, a chance to choose one of them as a patron, who would aid me and tutor me in their style of magic, which would let me get home."
"Magic?"
Asked Nabiki, clearly incredulous. Ranma turned a gaze upon her that pierced her like an icicle to the heart, which quickly wiped the expression from her face.
"Yes, magic. Only two months passed for you, but three times that amount of time passed for me in Otherworld. Under the tutelage of my patron, I mastered the Arcane Arts until I finally achieved the power to return here."
"Exactly who did you choose as your patron anyway Son-in-law?"
Asked Cologne; she alone amongst them seemed to have the least trouble accepting what Ranma was saying.
"Stratos. God of Air and Supreme Lord of the Heavens, The Bringer of Storms and the Master of the Winds. Under his tutelage, I became an Elementalist, a master of frost and wind and lightning."
"Pah! Do you actually expect us to believe this garbage?"
Scoffed Genma.
FRZAAK!
Genma shot backwards from the formation, his twitching form crashing to the ground and falling still. The others simply looked from his still-crackling form to Ranma's outstretched hand, which was still covered in wispy arcs of electricity.
"I personally would consider that a very convincing argument, wouldn't you? Besides, whether you believe it or not, it won't change things. I went there, and now I've come back."
Nobody said anything, but Ranma sighed in exasperation.
"Very well, if I must give you a more practical demonstration of my powers…"
He stood up from the table, prompting a mass scramble backwards from almost everyone sitting down; none of them wanted to be his next target. But Ranma didn't even pay them any attention; he simply walked out towards the Koi pond. To the accompaniment of startled gasps, he drew an ornate, jagged dagger from hammerspace and slashed it across his palm. Instead of blood though, a faintly luminescent silvery-blue liquid slowly oozed from the cut. Whispering faintly in some alien tongue, he slowly dripped three drops of the fluid into the Koi pond. Soun twitched, as though he wanted to attack Ranma for polluting his Koi pond, but considering how often Ranma himself got thrown in there it was a wonder any Koi were left.
As the droplets touched the water's surface it began to roil and seethe, thick misty vapour beginning to pour from its depths. As Ranma continued to chant and gesture, the mist thickened and surged from the pond, spreading its tendrils across the ground. As the group watched, thin tendrils of ice suddenly erupted from three points, forming a triangle around the pond. The ice tendril grew like mad, stretching upwards from the ground and curving into delicate, twisting shapes. They interwove into a breathtaking piece of sculpture, with an overall shape of a thick ring supported on three pillars.
When one looked closer however, the ice formed stunning patterns and decorations literally grew from its surface, ranging from masks to stylised lightning bolts to flowers, all of it perfectly formed. As a pillar of white flame surged into life in the center of the structure, floating just above the water (the Koi seemed unaffected by the structure's presence), Ranma sighed in satisfaction and turned towards the Wrecking Crew.
"Proof enough?"
A stunned silence was all the answer he received.
Now, several people have asked for me to bring in the Musk Dynasty, but the problem (as I've mentioned) is that I only know the Anime contingency, where the Musk Dynasty is absent. Thanks to Xtor49 (who also provided a comprehensive, straight-from-the-manga list of Umisenken moves), I now know the basics of the Musk, including the names of their treasures and Herb's special techniques. However, I still need to know some stuff about the Musk who came to Nerima:
Precisely what were the circumstances that brought Herb there? AKA precisely how did he get cursed and why would he come looking for the Kaisuifuu in Nerima?
How does Herb get on with his retainers, Mint and Lime? Speaking of which, what ancestry are Mint and Lime? And what are their special techniques and personalities?
How does Ranma defeat Herb in the manga? I think I've heard that he essentially reverses the Hiryu Shoten Ha so that he gets sucked up into the air and then shoots down a spiralling ki bolt, but how does he think it up and what is it called?
Another thing: precisely where does Ranma's mother live? I'm sure she knows the Tendos (I've only really seen her in OVA #3), but does she know about Ranma and Akane's engagement or not? From what I've read, in the Manga she actually approves of Ranma's multiple fiancées once she finally meets him (when does she do so anyway?), is this true or not?
Here are two more scenarios I want your opinions on: should I use them, or not?
With his Altar now constructed, Ranma is effectively immortal AND he has a permanent gateway between Nerima and Dalara Peaks. Suppose Ranma has to go to Otherworld for some business (settle a quarrel between two villages, organise a trade treaty with another island or just have some fun) and drags the NWC along (intentionally or otherwise) for the ride? Just what sort of trouble can they get up to there? How about Mousse accidentally challenging a Frostwolf warrior-woman to a marriage battle? Or Ryoga provoking a war between Dalara Peaks and nearby Petroglodyte when he gets lost and insults the Sorcerer-Lord of the Petroglodyte?
Similar to the above, a notorious criminal Mage from Otherworld somehow slips through the portal between Dalara Peaks and Nerima. Now, she's running around causing even more chaos in Tokyo. Ranma has to get her back, but things get complicated when she falls in love with Ukyo's annoying suitor, Tsubasa Kurenai, and Ukyo refuses to let Ranma break up the "happy couple".
Finally, here's a short list of spells I created for this story, as well as a list of Mana and Hybrid Techniques I've thought up. Before you ask, Hybrid Techniques blend mana and ki together as their power source.
Crashing Shock Bolt: a powerful bolt of electricity and concussive force that spirals down upon its target from above, easily capable of flattening a building. Because it descends upon the target with no physical connection to the caster, it is very good for surprise attacks and very hard to anticipate and/or dodge.
Thunder Blast: one of the most powerful electric spells, its sole problem is that it requires external fuel (electricity equivalent to a minimum of three lightning bolts), which the caster must draw into himself before he can unleash the spell. Once the requisite electrical energy has been absorbed, the caster concentrates the energy as a sphere between his hands and then unleashes it as an incredibly destructive beam.
Call the Storm: your basic weather-control spell, this conjures a violent storm, complete with lashing lightning bolts, gale-force winds and even mini-tornadoes (rain and hail optional). Commonly utilised in unison with Thunder Blast, because the caster can mentally direct the lightning bolts produced by this spell, allowing him access to the power needed to unleash the Thunder Blast.
Rampage of a Thousand Rabid Squirrels: okay, this isn't a Mana or a Ki Technique, but Ranma never would have been able to develop this if he hadn't gone to Empyrea. Essentially, this is a kicking version of the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken, directed… well… below the belt.
Caress of the Jellyfish: a Hybrid Technique, Ranma bleeds lightning magic into his Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken, thus shocking his enemy as he punches.
Dance of the Snowflake: a Hybrid Technique, Ranma focuses his ki and wind magic into his body to become swifter, more graceful and harder to detect.
Power Switch: technically a Hybrid Technique, Ranma focuses and transitions from using his Ki to sustain his fighting ability to using his Mana instead. This allows him to keep fighting if his Ki is depleted somehow, though he cannot use any techniques that utilise ki (which is most everything- the Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken, the Moko Takabisha and the Hiryu Shoten Ha). In addition, while using this technique, Ranma is invisible to ki detection techniques.
Desperation Technique- Embrace of the Electric Eel: like the name suggests, a Mana Technique Ranma only uses if he can see no other choice. Ranma grapples his target (using the Cradle of Death as a basis) and then spontaneously discharges his entire mana reserve through his skin as raw electrical current. This sudden violent discharge leaves Ranma disorientated (and thus vulnerable) for several seconds afterwards, but a few gigavolts of electricity can usually stun and/or paralyze any foe. After using this technique, Ranma cannot cast any spells or use any mana techniques until he recharges his mana reserve.