With one look at Akane and Ranma Soun and Genma leapt to their feet, each grabbed their children by the arm, and dashed out of the room with them, leaving Nabiki and Kasumi watching speechless at their behavior.
"Dad!" Akane shouted as he carried her upstairs, "What are you doing?"
"Father" Ranma replied politely, "Put me down."
"I'm sorry Akane" Soun said shoving her in her room.
"It's for your own good boy" Genma added pushing Ranma into the room behind her and closing the door.
"But?" Ranma began perplexed.
"Hey!" Akane shouted again running to the door as she heard the key go in, "What's going on?" she asked banging on the door, "Dad! Mr. Saotome!"
Genma and Soun sighed and then nodded to each other in agreement.
"Mhm."
They walked back downstairs to the sitting room and took their seats once more.
"Father?" Kasumi said confused.
"What's going on daddy?" Nabiki replied, "What did you do that for?"
"Saotome" Soun began.
"Yes Tendo?"
"Do you really think that is going to hold them?"
"I don't know" Genma said with a shrug, "It looks like it's up to us to protect our children" he replied standing up with his fist raised.
"I agree" Soun nodded standing with him in determination, "Before anything strange happens."
"Uh daddy" Nabiki interrupted, "What is going on?"
"Uh that is none of your business young lady" Soun frowned at her.
"But father" Kasumi replied, "You locked Akane and Ranma up in her room. Why would you do that?"
"What's this?" Happosai suddenly appeared with a sack of woman's underwear on his back, "Ranma and Akane are locked up in the same room? Hold could you?"
"Relax master" Soun held up his hands in defense, "They're both girls right now, so it's no big deal."
"No big deal huh? Then I want to see for myself!" he said jumping ahead, "Akane! Ranma!"
"No master!" Soun cried out.
"Please!" Genma begged him.
"We have to stop him" Soun replied.
"Yes at once" Genma nodded, "Before it's too late" they dashed forward, flung themselves around the old man, and pinned him to the ground.
"What are you doing you two ingrates!" Happosai shouted, "Get off of me! Let me go! Let me go!"
"I'm sorry master" Soun began, "But we cannot allow you to release Akane and Ranma."
"He's right" Genma agreed, "We have to stop you."
"Oh father" Kasumi said sadly as she and Nabiki stood behind them.
"You two did something didn't you?" Nabiki replied cynically with her arms crossed.
"Huh?" they all stopped struggling as she continued.
"You've been acting strange since that letter came. You did something bad again didn't you daddy?"
"Well I wouldn't say that" Soun replied trying to defend himself.
"Then why would you lock Ranma and Akane up after reading that letter father?" Kasumi asked, "It doesn't make any sense."
"What letter?" Happosai asked curiously.
"Uh" Genma sweat dropped, "Be quiet you old pervert."
"How dare you talk to your master that way" Happosai spat, "You'd better get off of me or you'll be sorry."
Soun and Genma took a step back as the old man got to his feet glowing brightly and holding onto a very familiar object.
"No master" Soun begged, "Anything but that."
"You asked for it. Happo- fire burst!" he threw the large bomb towards them making them fly into the air through the roof.
"AHHH!" they shouted.
"Huh. Serves them right" Happosai replied, "And now to the more important thing. Ranma! Akane!" he ran towards the steps.
(Next Scene)
Akane meanwhile was hitting the door hard while Ranma sat on her bed with a sullen expression.
"Akane" Ranma said, "I don't think you should do that anymore."
"What are you talking about Ranma?" Akane replied angrily, "Aren't you just the least bit suspicious about why they locked us up in here?"
"Well a little bit" Ranma nodded, "But they must have a good reason."
"Yea right. I don't think so. Why don't you at least help me kick down the door, that would be helpful?"
"But that would be wrong" Ranma said with a shake of her head.
"Huh?" Akane blinked.
"We don't want to break the door."
Akane clenched her fists angrily, marched over to Ranma and lifted her up by her shirt.
"Listen you, we don't have time for your little innocent cute girl act all right! So turn back to normal!" she shouted shaking her.
"What are you talking about Akane?" Ranma asked as she shook her, "I am normal."
"Oh Ranma. All right if you won't help me with the door. Perhaps we can escape from the roof" she replied opening up the window.
"Huh? But Akane it's high out there."
"What do you mean by high?"
"I mean dangerous. I'm terrified of heights" she clutched her hands close to her chest.
"Since when?" Akane practically shouted in exasperation.
"I've always been afraid of them. Please don't make me go out there" she closed her eyes.
"Okay. That does it Ranma" Akane said moving forward and grabbing her hand, "Let's go you."
"But, but Akane" she cried.
"No buts about it!" she shouted, "Get out there" she kicked her onto the roof and then climbed out herself.
"Oh. So high" Ranma cringed closing her eyes.
"Oh honestly. You're pathetic" Akane shook her head as she closed the window.
"Now there's no need to call me names," Ranma said.
Akane sighed.
"Well we did that, now we have to find a way down."
"And how do we do that?" Ranma asked in a scared tone looking down around her.
"Well the ladder is around here somewhere" Akane said looking around, "Huh?" she glanced up into the sky at a strange object coming towards them.
"What is it Akane?" Ranma asked.
"Do you seethat star? It's coming right toward us."
"Huh?" Ranma looked in the direction she was pointing just as the light came closer.
"Ranma look out!" Akane shouted grabbing Ranma around the waist and pulling her out of the way just before the object hit them both.
Soun and Genma he had heard the commotion ran outside just as Happosai burst through Akane's bedroom.
"Akane!" Soun yelled up at them.
"Ranma!" Genma shouted.
"Dad!" Akane called down as Ranma shielded her eyes afraid, "Mr. Saotome!"
"You get back in your room young lady!" Soun shouted.
"Ranma! You'd better listen to your father!" Genma added.
"Huh?" Ranma looked down at her father surprised.
"What!" Akane shouted, "What are you talking about? That does it. Dad!" Akane called out, "I want to know what's going on and I want to know now!"
"But I uh" Soun stammered.
"Well" Akane said crossing her arms as Ranma listened in.
"It's kind of complicated."
"I'm waiting."
"What's going on out here?" Happosai asked as he hopped out, "A party. Am I invited?"
"Oh grandfather Happosai" Ranma replied surprised.
"What are you doing up here you letch?" Akane asked frowning.
"I just wanted to see if you were all right" Happosai began his fake crying, "Is this anyway to treat your elders?" he cried.
"Oh grandfather" Ranma said sympathetically wrapping her arms around.
"Oh honestly" Akane shook her head in disbelief, "Don't do that."
"But he's sad" Ranma insisted.
"Trust me you don't want to" she pulled him from Ranma's chest just in time.
"So cruel. Perhaps you want to be first!" he added jumping towards Akane, startling her so much that she began to fall from the roof, grabbing Ranma in the process.
"Ahh!" they screamed as they fell off the roof straight into the pond.
"Akane?" Soun yelled out as they dashed over to the pond to find them.
Just as they reached the pond however more stars came down from the skies and began to attack the two old men so that they couldn't help their children. Akane pulled Ranma from out of the pond and Ranma sighed.
"I'm all wet again," Ranma said sadly as Genma and Soun ran from the pond and into the house for shelter.
"Hey look Ranma!" Akane pointed into the sky, "It's those stars. They're landing all over Nerima."
"So they are" Ranma nodded.
"Let's go find out what they're all about" Akane suggested taking her hand and pulling her towards the front gate at a run.
"But Akane" Ranma protested.
"Ranma!" Genma shouted out to them as they left.
"Akane! Come back!" Soun cried out bitterly.
(Next Scene)
Meanwhile all over Nerima the stars were falling and things were catching on fire. Ukyo was outside her restaurant cleaning up when a star hit her trashcan and she hurried to put it out.
"What in the world is going on?" she thought as she put it out with a bucket of water and looked up into the sky, "Those aren't ordinary stars. Huh?" she blinked, "They're landing mostly at the Tendo dojo. I'd better hurry" she added running back inside and grabbing her large spatula, "And go see if Ranma honey is okay" she ran towards the dojo.
At the cat café Mousse and Shampoo were putting out a fire towards their front door just as several panicked people ran by.
"Aya!" Shampoo replied, "Where these stars come from?"
"They're no ordinary stars, that's for sure" Mousse frowned removing his glasses.
"Shampoo! Mousse!" Cologne said appearing, "We must hurry to the Tendo dojo. Rumor has it that that's where all the stars are falling" she hopped out on her stick.
"Aya" Shampoo repeated, "Ranma!" she dashed after her great grandmother, "Grandmother wait up!"
"Wait Shampoo!" Mousse shouted, "I'm coming too!" he ran after the Amazon.
Ryoga at the same time was walking near the Tendo dojo when he saw the scattering of stars.
"Huh?" he blinked, "That's the Tendo dojo. Akane!" he yelled dashing towards it.
In the park Tatewaki Kuno and his sister Kodachi were fending off stars of their own as they were on their way home.
"Look brother dear" Kodachi replied, "All the stars seem to be falling towards my darling Ranma's humble abode."
"Akane Tendo!" Kuno shouted, "Pig tailed girl! Here I come my loves!" he ran forward with his sister right behind him.
(Next Scene)
"Akane" Ranma said trailing behind her as she pulled her along the streets, "Please slow down. I can't keep up," she breathed out heavily.
"Huh?" Akane stopped and let go of Ranma's hand so they could catch their breath, " I'm sorry Ranma. I didn't mean to pull you so hard."
"That's okay" Ranma nodded with a smile, "But where are we?"
"What? I don't know" Akane shook her head after a few minutes, "I don't think I've seen this part of Nerima before. Then again I've hardly ever been out at night."
"Akane I'm scared. Let's go back."
"But Ranma."
"Our fathers will be worried about us."
"Good. Maybe they should be."
"You don't mean that."
"No. All right Ranma" Akane agreed, "Let's go back" she agreed moving towards her.
"Hmm" Ranma smiled, "Huh?" she said as the wind began to pick up around them and Akane moved in front of Ranma, as a dark figure appeared, "Who's there?" Ranma asked a bit frightened.
"Huh?" Akane looked up and saw the figure, "Hey who is that? Show yourself!" she demanded.
"Akane Tendo" the man replied with a smile not showing his face since it was bent over, "Ranma Saotome. I have found you at last."
"Huh?" Ranma said.
"What do you mean?" Akane asked, "Found us?"
"Akane!" Soun shouted making the girls turn around.
"Ranma!" Genma called as they ran towards them.
"Father?"
"Dad?"
"You will not interfere" the man replied making the wind blow around the girls once more, making the two of them scream.
"Ranma!" Genma shouted at the same time as Soun yelled, "Akane!"
But when the wind cleared the girls were nowhere to be seen. Soun and Genma fell to their knees.
"Oh no" Genma replied, "We were too late Tendo."
"Yes Saotome" Soun nodded, "This is all our fault" he cried as several figures appeared behind them.
"Go on boys" Happosai replied making their backs tighten.
"Yes, do go on," Ukyo said angrily, "What's all your fault now?"
Genma and Soun looked back over their shoulders and saw Ukyo, Ryoga, Mousse, Shampoo, Cologne, Kuno, Kodachi, and Happosai all staring back at them with angry frowns on their faces.
"Something tells me" Ryoga replied, "You two have a lot of explaining to do" he punched his fist into his other threateningly.
Genma and Soun just looked at each other and cringed in complete horror with looks of pity on their faces as the stars in the sky returned to normal.
(Till Next Time)
Authors Note: Phew! Finally got it done. I didn't know how this one was going to turn out. But I think it turned out all right with more Happosai then usual. See you all later for the next two chapters. I'm gonna try to get quite a few done this week because I have a specific goal in mind so we shall see. Hope you enjoyed it!
Next Chapter: The Tower
Akane and Ranma back to normal but still in his girl form wake up in strange surroundings where the two of them have to figure out the trick to find the main door. See what happens next time!
