Chaos and Carnage
Chapter 2: Well, the shit has hit the fan.
Reviewer Responses:
Griever: I plan on 'Kao' Taking a completely different type of role in this fic than the cube did in power and responsibility. There is a reason Kao can talk, it is necessary for some of the later encounters, but I assure you that Kao will in no way begin to act like the cube (forgot the name _;)
X247: Oh shit, I knew someone who read KOS would see this. Grr. Ah well, My friend read it and started harassing me to update o_o;, the next chapter is half done. Oh, and the cliff hanger is about 10x worse XD
AN: Real quickly I just wanna thank the reviewers, it's nice to know that this idea wasn't wasted ^_^; I realize that the first chapter went way too fast, I will be doing a rewrite of that later most likely, but I was far too eager to get to the good stuff. XD
Pairing/matched stats (if I decide to do one _ No guarantees, I ain't good at writin love scenes, if another author would like to write it in, I would be glad to post it though ^_^)
Ryoko.. 2
Tsunami.. 1
Rogue.. 2 (I think I saw two at least. _')
Ryoko would be an interesting match up; I can see why they might be attracted to eachother. About 'Kao's' talking, I felt that it was a necessary step, and it makes it much easier for Kao and Ranma to converse. Later, you will find out why as well. Oh, and Kao doesn't have a gender, I was using daughter as a description, like daughter cell. Though I may refer to it as he sometimes, Kao has no gender.
It had been 3 weeks since Ranma has officially 'bonded' with Kao. So far, the being had been true to its word. Almost every night for the past week he had snuck out to experiment with these new powers and he had found that Kao had done everything he had said he would do. (He donned the combat suit; the last thing he wanted was one of his rivals recognizing him.)
His new strength had taken a day or so to get used to. He realized just how powerful he was when he had seriously injured his father in their morning 'sparring' sessions. Not that he cared, mind you. The panda got what it deserved, which in this case was a mild concussion.
He currently was hopping through Tokyo by way of rooftops, only a good 20 or so stories high. With no longer needing to fear the heights (he used the 'webbing' as a back up plan, finding roof-hopping more familiar) he could enjoy himself immensely. The peace and quiet of the altitude brought serenity into his life, the only peace amidst the chaos.
Ranma sighed, a light sweat dampening his unruly raven locks and lay down upon the cement roof of a building he had just landed upon. A blanket of dark clouds watched over him ominously, threatening to drench him and activate his curse. He thought back several weeks to when Kao had been introduced to his girl side.
~ (This is a flashback if you can't tell) ~
Ranma was currently having a blast. It was only several days after he had bonded with the symbiote, but he wouldn't trade them for anything. The new abilities proved to be ridiculously fun, and he had already subconsciously begun to integrate them into Anything Goes.
He walked upon the road, a goofy grin adorning his face as he thought back to what he had just done. He had climbed up a building. While it did not seem like much, It was very pleasing to Ranma, for he had not leapt to the top, nor had his fingers gripped the cement like a vice. He simply put his hand on the wall. and climbed. It was quite disturbing at first; his sense of gravity was thrown for a loop as he seemed to crawl right up the sheer surface. After a while he gathered his courage and stood, and stuck out, perpendicular from the building. Looking straight down, Ranma had been so excited he jumped in victory, only to realize that gravity still had a hold on him. The result, was a large face plant, where Ranma got a great taste of the pavement.
Unconsciously rubbing his bruised cheek, Ranma was still quite ecstatic about these new powers. So ecstatic in fact, that he failed to notice a little old lady on the side of the road, cleaning her sidewalk with some water. As always, the familiar change in height and center of gravity took place. Two large objects grew on his chest, and two others disappeared from his pants. Ranma sighed as she now walked down the street, cursing her luck.
[Ranma. you are no longer male.]
Ranma froze and remembered the other passenger on board.
"Uh. yeah, heh heh."
[Why did you not tell me of this ability? Host Ranma classified as Bio- energy manipulator and shape shifter.]
"What!? No no no, it's a curse. I turn into a girl with cold water."
[I see. Host Ranma classified as Bio-energy manipulator and trans-sexual.]
Ranma visibly flinched at that. He heard enough of it at school. "Now listen here. I AM A GUY!"
[The breasts on your chest and lack of phallus speak otherwise.]
Ranma tasted the pavement again as his face slammed into the ground. "I was born a guy! This is a curse damnit!"
[So?]
Ranma was about to retort when he realized that he couldn't come up with anything to shoot back. "Uh, so. Stop calling me a girl."
[But you are a girl, Host Ranma. Are you delirious? Do you need medical attention? My analysis states that you don't but I am not familiar with human minds.]
Ranma jaw just hung open for a second as he juggled some words in his mind. "I am a girl now, but I am not a girl. Damnit! Don't you care that I turn into a girl!?"
[It is not in my parameters to judge my host by gender, only by their actions and personality. I find no change to my host in either category, therefore have no opinion. I do find it an interesting ability however; perhaps I can absorb it as well.]
Realizing that people were staring at him. her, Ranma stopped talking to Kao out loud and kept walking, though now at a much quicker pace. 'It's a curse, magic ya know? I am not sure if you can absorb it.'
[Magic? What is this magic you speak of Host Ranma?]
Ranma's eyebrows furrowed in her concentration. 'Uhm, its stuff that can't be explained, like miracles and stuff. Nobody can explain what it is, or how it works. it's kinda an unknown variable.'
[I see. Magic classified as unknown substance; further study required to analyze.]
'Thanks for not freaking out about this Kao. It's been the source of a lot of pain.'
Memories flashed through Ranma's mind, and Kao observed them in silence before continuing. [It is not so odd to me, being a shape shifter. I know many alien races that have been known to switch genders; I find this to be no different.]
'Yeah, but do those races need hot water to change back?'
[No. However, now that I am with you, shape shifting is possible.]
Hope sprang in Ranma's heart, as the thought of being able to stay a guy forever went to his brain. 'Yo-You can control the curse?'
[I fear what tampering with it now will do to you if I do. With such little known about this 'magic' you speak of, I am afraid of the consequences. I will study the change further, and try to analyze a possible cure for your condition.]
'Thanks Kao, it means a lot.' And it did. To Ranma, this was one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for him. He felt closer to the alien that lived inside of him than he did to his own father (not that that was a hard feat) and in such short time too.
~ (back to the rooftops) ~
Though Kao still had not discovered a way to counteract or control the curse, Ranma knew that Kao would keep its word.
Ranma silently thought about that and smiled to himself. Bonding with Kao was definitely one of the better things he had done.
"Hey, Kao?" Ranma asked, somewhat hesitantly however.
[Yes, Host Ranma?]
Ranma cringed, wishing the symbiote wouldn't call him that. "What's this Spider-man guy like? These powers I 'inherited' from him are amazing! I mean, I have never imagined being able to climb up walls, sense danger, lift cars, bounce around even farther than I could before. He must be a pretty lucky guy." 'Like me.' Ranma added mentally, smirking a bit.
[He is not much unlike you when it comes to protecting others. He, however, concentrates more on his studies and trying to live a normal life, than the constant chaos and fighting that you partake in. He has settled down with a wife, and has many rivals.]
"Okay. so he is kinda like me. That's good. Wouldn't want a guy like Ryoga with these abilities." Ranma added, his eyes narrowing slightly at the thought of him.
[Yes, I have a great fear for the day Ryoga ever gains abilities such as the ones you now possess. His complete lack of observation and constantly putting innocents at risk would prove fatal, of this I am sure.] Kao responded, its ethereal voice whispering the words throughout the entire mind of the young pigtailed martial artist. A slight amount of contempt dripped from the light and mysterious voice that was Kao.
[Spider-man however, fights villains trying to kill, steal or simply cause havoc. Not super-strong martial artists that hold grudges.]
Ranma chuckled a bit and shifted, brushing a rock away from underneath him.
"Sounds like a helluva guy. I'll have to meet him and thank him."
[That may be unwise; my parent is currently bonded with a man who is set to kill Peter Parker.]
Ranma's brows furrowed in concern. "I thought you said you were stronger than your parent?"
Kao seemed to sigh in Ranma's head. [This is true, however I fear what others would think of me. My parent is a maniac, not caring if he kills or destroys, as long as he has a host. He loves the feelings of anger, malice and hatred.]
Ranma sat up, cross-legged and went over the information slowly. "Would Peter stand a chance against your parent?"
[It depends on if Parker knew of my predecessors weaknesses.]
Ranma ran that through his mind several times and sighed. He wanted to help this guy, after all he did owe him for the cool abilities, but he didn't have the money to get to America, and he doubted greatly if Genma would even let him go.
"We're gonna have to wait it out then. hopefully Spider-man can figure something out."
[I would advise that Host Ranma concentrate on his own future, rather than dwell on the futures of others.]
Sighing, Ranma smirked a bit at Kao. "Yeah, I know. School is almost over, I am pretty sure Akane is gonna go to college. Ucchan too. I doubt I got the grades to get into a college at the moment, even after your help. You came just a little late Kao."
[My apologies. I will try to hasten my future actions.]
"No, It's not that you were slow, its just you showed up too late for my grades to raise that much."
Silence reigned for several seconds as both entities were left to their own devices. Ranma thinking of his future and Kao silently observing Ranma's ideas.
[I believe that it would be ideal for us to return to your abode, Host Ranma. My sensors indicate that it is nearly one in the morning.]
Jerked from his thoughts by the wispy voice, Ranma quickly stood up and walked to the edge of the building. "Sheesh! 1 o'clock already? We gotta hurry home." Ranma muttered as he began to walk down the side of the building, his feet gripping the sheer windowed surface of the office building like a magnet."
[I would advise that Host Ranma train more with the web, it seems that he has been negligent to using it.]
Ranma frowned lightly and looked down at his palm. It wasn't that he was afraid, oh no. It was just that it didn't feel. right. He didn't know how to explain it. "Yeah, I guess your right Kao. I know how to use all my other abilities well." Ranma said, and slowly raised his palm and flexed his wrist.
A thick strand of black and red ooze flowed forth from his wrist, strands spinning and wrapping about themselves as it flew forward, tumbling about before it finally hit the top of another building, the amorphous solid instantly cementing itself to the slick surface and providing a solid strand for Ranma to swing from.
"Here goes nothing."
Ranma lifted his feet and gracefully fell downward, his arms spread behind him as he drifted to the roads below, before the strand of his suit that he was holding in his hand became taut, and his descent slowed and he slowly began to swing forward in an arc, building up speed steadily before he reached the peak of his ride and let go of his first strand, making another shoot from his other wrist and gripping that as he swung his way towards Nerima.
So focused on his swings, Ranma did not notice the figure below, watching him with a keen eye, bearing a camera.
~The next morning, Tendo Dojo~
Ranma lazily flipped himself upright as his father once again tossed him out the window. He landed upon a rock that circled the koi pond, lazily yawning and scratching his stomach as he watched his father leap out after him.
"You're getting lazy boy! I can easily detect attacks against me in my sleep!"
"Only 'cuz you get attacked in your sleep so much, old man. With all the people who tried to get you for stealing for them, I am not surprised." Ranma responded, stretching his sore muscles and paying little attention to his father.
"Silence! Come on boy! HYA!" With that, Genma leaped into the air and stretched his leg out, preparing to deal a flying kick to his worthless offspring.
Ranma looked at Genma with half-lidded eyes and sighed as he caught Genma's foot with one hand and quickly redirected Genma's motion over his head and into the pond.
A muffled thud resounded as a soaking panda floated to the surface of the Tendo pond bearing a large bump on his head.
Ranma ignored his father and slumped into the family room, taking his seat at the table and waiting for Kasumi to bring out some of her culinary expertise.
Soun Tendo, head of the Tendo household, Disciple of Happosai, and all around cry baby sat at the head of the table and looked at Genma's still form floating in the pond.
"Should we not help him, Ranma?" Soun asked, his eyes portraying the message that Ranma should go heft his father out of the pond.
"Nah, he says he can wake up when he is attacked, I am pretty sure that goes for being drowned too."
As if by some signal, Genma suddenly started thrashing wildly and making as much noise as he could, holding up various signs that said things like: "It wasn't me I swear!" "The boy already has a fiancée!" and "I didn't do it, it was my no good son!"
Ranma promised that the old man would get a good beating sometime in the future when Kasumi walked in, a kind smile upon her face. "Here is the paper, father."
Soun thanked his daughter and took the paper, instantly flipping to the comics.
Ranma ignored the entire exchange, until something on the front page caught his eye.
A picture covered most of the front page, and on it was a silhouette of a man standing on a building, sideways. The moon sat directly behind him, and softly illuminated his features. His arm was raised directly above his head, and from it a rope-like object hung.
The heading above it was written in bold letters, easily seen by Ranma.
"Spider-man in Tokyo!"
'Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit.' Ranma thought as his muscles tensed. He immediately snatched the paper from Mr. Tendo and looked over the article, trying to discover what they knew.
"Now son, if you wanted the paper you could have asked and I would have given it." Mr. Tendo said in a condescending voice, apparently failing to notice Ranma's attention, or lack thereof.
But Ranma paid it no mind as his attention was solely focused upon the paper in his hands, quickly reading through it as fast as he could, trying to discover what they knew.
A heavy sigh of relief escaped Ranma as he finished reading. They knew nothing of his identity, and apparently the only witness was a drunken reporter who just happened to have a camera on him when he had swung off. Ranma made a mental note to be more careful in his future; his senses were obviously becoming lax.
'Kao?' Ranma thought, studying the photograph with a firm frown upon his face.
[Yes, Host Ranma?]
'I need you to take those blocks off of my senses. I think I need them.' Ranma decided, and cringed as he remembered what happened the last time he let his senses run rampant. His already abnormally high senses had been boosted even more so with the bond, and he found that even a footstep was deafening. Thus, he had Kao place several limiters on his senses and help with his dilemma.
Setting the paper down, still ignoring Mr. Tendo's banter, Ranma slowly walked outside and leapt to the roof, immediately taking a lotus position and concentrating deeply. He let out a deep breath, allowing calm to envelope his body.
[Are you ready, Host Ranma?]
'Drop em Kao.' Ranma thought, and immediately opened his mouth in a silent scream, raising his head to the heavens as the sounds, scents and sights took over.
He heard a dog chasing a cat several blocks down, roaring as if a grizzly was next to his ear, chasing a tiger. Arrogant driver's curses and honking washed over his mind, allowing nothing else to be concentrated on.
He could smell the vomit on the shirt of a drunkard in an ally several houses down. The putrid stench of bile and sake heavily invading Ranma's sensitive nose, causing him to retch in disgust.
And when he finally managed to open his eyes, he gasped at the fluorescent kaleidoscope that had become his field of view. He could see the energies every object was giving off, from rocks to trees, even the insects that crawled amongst the grass. Looking down, Ranma gave off a surprised gasp as he saw the outlines of every figure in the Tendo household, each one giving off a unique aura that catered to their personality. Nabiki's was a calm cool, Kasumi's a heavenly serene glow that engulfed her. Mr. Tendo's was of cowardice and trickery, as was Genma's. Looking to Akane, Ranma saw the familiar red glow of anger and malice engulfing her.
'Kao. too much, stop.' Was all Ranma could hope to think as he tried to stand.
In his state of wild and erratic sensory though, Ranma tripped over his own feet and tumbled down the roof, hitting the ground face first with a satisfying thud, before he rose to his knees and suddenly got one last strong whiff of the hobo's vile puke, then emptied the contents of his own stomach on the lawn as the scent became too much to bear, the fell backwards and stared at the sky with half-lidded eyes, lying in his own filth.
The Tendo's immediately rushed out to Ranma, asking him if he was alright and questioning what had occurred. Ranma could not answer, as he stared at the gigantic aura of the sun, surrounding the entire planet in its god-like power, before finally all of Ranma's senses dropped from their enhanced state, allowing him to regain some of his mind and answer the Tendo's, albeit shakily.
"Fine. just need sleep. something bad, poison maybe." Ranma murmured, trying to rise to his feet without success.
"Maa. But Akane wasn't cooking." Kasumi stated, her gentle voice attracting the attention of one particular Tendo.
"Kasumi! I am not that bad of a cook!" Akane shouted, turning an atomic red and turning away, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"Yeah right, sis. We both know your cooking is considered a biohazard to anything that consumes its health." Nabiki smirked at the witty comment, causing Akane to fume silently.
Ranma was going to snicker, but thought of his current state and decided that a mallet ride to who knows where was not a good idea. Instead, he shrugged off support and finally triumphed in his quest to stand, and moved on shaky legs inside.
From behind, a call from one of the Tendo daughters made him pause. "Hey, get better Ranma."
Ranma turned, identifying the speaker as Nabiki, smiled and nodded. "Thanks for your concern Nabiki. I just need some rest."
Nabiki was about to retort and deny any concern, but found that it would be pointless. Instead, a gentle blush came to her cheeks and she nodded back.
The second the fact that she was blushing registered in her mind Nabiki's eyes widened and she quickly retreated to her bedroom.
'I can't be falling for him.' Nabiki thought as she lay on her bed, one arm resting across her forehead as she stared at her ceiling. Turning to her nightstand, she opened up the top drawer, withdrawing a leather-bound notebook from within. Opening it carefully, she flipped through the pages until she found the object she was looking for and pulled it out.
It was a picture of Ranma, nude in his male form. The only one she had been able to get a hold of. And the only picture she had not sold.
'Who am I kidding.' Nabiki thought wryly, and slipped her hand down her pants, engaging in some more intimate acts with the thoughts of a certain pig-tailed martial artist doing things to her that involved whipped cream, chocolate syrup and his tongue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AN: I'll let you figure out what Nabiki was thinking. ^_^. Chapter 2, done and done. Hrm, I am not as pleased with this chapter as I think I should be, so a rewrite may be in the future, when I get far enough along. I have never written a lemon, and not really sure if I am ever going to, but as this is an R fic, some of that stuff may turn up. I know some of you are going, WHY NABIKI!? But know this, loyal readers (you better all review too) Nabiki has the hots for him, but does not have him. (R/N Fics always get my attention for some reason.) This should add some sexual tension at least, especially if Ranma does get matched up with another girl. (Whoo, catfight here I come!)
Read and Review please. Domo.
- Gundraw
Chapter 2: Well, the shit has hit the fan.
Reviewer Responses:
Griever: I plan on 'Kao' Taking a completely different type of role in this fic than the cube did in power and responsibility. There is a reason Kao can talk, it is necessary for some of the later encounters, but I assure you that Kao will in no way begin to act like the cube (forgot the name _;)
X247: Oh shit, I knew someone who read KOS would see this. Grr. Ah well, My friend read it and started harassing me to update o_o;, the next chapter is half done. Oh, and the cliff hanger is about 10x worse XD
AN: Real quickly I just wanna thank the reviewers, it's nice to know that this idea wasn't wasted ^_^; I realize that the first chapter went way too fast, I will be doing a rewrite of that later most likely, but I was far too eager to get to the good stuff. XD
Pairing/matched stats (if I decide to do one _ No guarantees, I ain't good at writin love scenes, if another author would like to write it in, I would be glad to post it though ^_^)
Ryoko.. 2
Tsunami.. 1
Rogue.. 2 (I think I saw two at least. _')
Ryoko would be an interesting match up; I can see why they might be attracted to eachother. About 'Kao's' talking, I felt that it was a necessary step, and it makes it much easier for Kao and Ranma to converse. Later, you will find out why as well. Oh, and Kao doesn't have a gender, I was using daughter as a description, like daughter cell. Though I may refer to it as he sometimes, Kao has no gender.
It had been 3 weeks since Ranma has officially 'bonded' with Kao. So far, the being had been true to its word. Almost every night for the past week he had snuck out to experiment with these new powers and he had found that Kao had done everything he had said he would do. (He donned the combat suit; the last thing he wanted was one of his rivals recognizing him.)
His new strength had taken a day or so to get used to. He realized just how powerful he was when he had seriously injured his father in their morning 'sparring' sessions. Not that he cared, mind you. The panda got what it deserved, which in this case was a mild concussion.
He currently was hopping through Tokyo by way of rooftops, only a good 20 or so stories high. With no longer needing to fear the heights (he used the 'webbing' as a back up plan, finding roof-hopping more familiar) he could enjoy himself immensely. The peace and quiet of the altitude brought serenity into his life, the only peace amidst the chaos.
Ranma sighed, a light sweat dampening his unruly raven locks and lay down upon the cement roof of a building he had just landed upon. A blanket of dark clouds watched over him ominously, threatening to drench him and activate his curse. He thought back several weeks to when Kao had been introduced to his girl side.
~ (This is a flashback if you can't tell) ~
Ranma was currently having a blast. It was only several days after he had bonded with the symbiote, but he wouldn't trade them for anything. The new abilities proved to be ridiculously fun, and he had already subconsciously begun to integrate them into Anything Goes.
He walked upon the road, a goofy grin adorning his face as he thought back to what he had just done. He had climbed up a building. While it did not seem like much, It was very pleasing to Ranma, for he had not leapt to the top, nor had his fingers gripped the cement like a vice. He simply put his hand on the wall. and climbed. It was quite disturbing at first; his sense of gravity was thrown for a loop as he seemed to crawl right up the sheer surface. After a while he gathered his courage and stood, and stuck out, perpendicular from the building. Looking straight down, Ranma had been so excited he jumped in victory, only to realize that gravity still had a hold on him. The result, was a large face plant, where Ranma got a great taste of the pavement.
Unconsciously rubbing his bruised cheek, Ranma was still quite ecstatic about these new powers. So ecstatic in fact, that he failed to notice a little old lady on the side of the road, cleaning her sidewalk with some water. As always, the familiar change in height and center of gravity took place. Two large objects grew on his chest, and two others disappeared from his pants. Ranma sighed as she now walked down the street, cursing her luck.
[Ranma. you are no longer male.]
Ranma froze and remembered the other passenger on board.
"Uh. yeah, heh heh."
[Why did you not tell me of this ability? Host Ranma classified as Bio- energy manipulator and shape shifter.]
"What!? No no no, it's a curse. I turn into a girl with cold water."
[I see. Host Ranma classified as Bio-energy manipulator and trans-sexual.]
Ranma visibly flinched at that. He heard enough of it at school. "Now listen here. I AM A GUY!"
[The breasts on your chest and lack of phallus speak otherwise.]
Ranma tasted the pavement again as his face slammed into the ground. "I was born a guy! This is a curse damnit!"
[So?]
Ranma was about to retort when he realized that he couldn't come up with anything to shoot back. "Uh, so. Stop calling me a girl."
[But you are a girl, Host Ranma. Are you delirious? Do you need medical attention? My analysis states that you don't but I am not familiar with human minds.]
Ranma jaw just hung open for a second as he juggled some words in his mind. "I am a girl now, but I am not a girl. Damnit! Don't you care that I turn into a girl!?"
[It is not in my parameters to judge my host by gender, only by their actions and personality. I find no change to my host in either category, therefore have no opinion. I do find it an interesting ability however; perhaps I can absorb it as well.]
Realizing that people were staring at him. her, Ranma stopped talking to Kao out loud and kept walking, though now at a much quicker pace. 'It's a curse, magic ya know? I am not sure if you can absorb it.'
[Magic? What is this magic you speak of Host Ranma?]
Ranma's eyebrows furrowed in her concentration. 'Uhm, its stuff that can't be explained, like miracles and stuff. Nobody can explain what it is, or how it works. it's kinda an unknown variable.'
[I see. Magic classified as unknown substance; further study required to analyze.]
'Thanks for not freaking out about this Kao. It's been the source of a lot of pain.'
Memories flashed through Ranma's mind, and Kao observed them in silence before continuing. [It is not so odd to me, being a shape shifter. I know many alien races that have been known to switch genders; I find this to be no different.]
'Yeah, but do those races need hot water to change back?'
[No. However, now that I am with you, shape shifting is possible.]
Hope sprang in Ranma's heart, as the thought of being able to stay a guy forever went to his brain. 'Yo-You can control the curse?'
[I fear what tampering with it now will do to you if I do. With such little known about this 'magic' you speak of, I am afraid of the consequences. I will study the change further, and try to analyze a possible cure for your condition.]
'Thanks Kao, it means a lot.' And it did. To Ranma, this was one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for him. He felt closer to the alien that lived inside of him than he did to his own father (not that that was a hard feat) and in such short time too.
~ (back to the rooftops) ~
Though Kao still had not discovered a way to counteract or control the curse, Ranma knew that Kao would keep its word.
Ranma silently thought about that and smiled to himself. Bonding with Kao was definitely one of the better things he had done.
"Hey, Kao?" Ranma asked, somewhat hesitantly however.
[Yes, Host Ranma?]
Ranma cringed, wishing the symbiote wouldn't call him that. "What's this Spider-man guy like? These powers I 'inherited' from him are amazing! I mean, I have never imagined being able to climb up walls, sense danger, lift cars, bounce around even farther than I could before. He must be a pretty lucky guy." 'Like me.' Ranma added mentally, smirking a bit.
[He is not much unlike you when it comes to protecting others. He, however, concentrates more on his studies and trying to live a normal life, than the constant chaos and fighting that you partake in. He has settled down with a wife, and has many rivals.]
"Okay. so he is kinda like me. That's good. Wouldn't want a guy like Ryoga with these abilities." Ranma added, his eyes narrowing slightly at the thought of him.
[Yes, I have a great fear for the day Ryoga ever gains abilities such as the ones you now possess. His complete lack of observation and constantly putting innocents at risk would prove fatal, of this I am sure.] Kao responded, its ethereal voice whispering the words throughout the entire mind of the young pigtailed martial artist. A slight amount of contempt dripped from the light and mysterious voice that was Kao.
[Spider-man however, fights villains trying to kill, steal or simply cause havoc. Not super-strong martial artists that hold grudges.]
Ranma chuckled a bit and shifted, brushing a rock away from underneath him.
"Sounds like a helluva guy. I'll have to meet him and thank him."
[That may be unwise; my parent is currently bonded with a man who is set to kill Peter Parker.]
Ranma's brows furrowed in concern. "I thought you said you were stronger than your parent?"
Kao seemed to sigh in Ranma's head. [This is true, however I fear what others would think of me. My parent is a maniac, not caring if he kills or destroys, as long as he has a host. He loves the feelings of anger, malice and hatred.]
Ranma sat up, cross-legged and went over the information slowly. "Would Peter stand a chance against your parent?"
[It depends on if Parker knew of my predecessors weaknesses.]
Ranma ran that through his mind several times and sighed. He wanted to help this guy, after all he did owe him for the cool abilities, but he didn't have the money to get to America, and he doubted greatly if Genma would even let him go.
"We're gonna have to wait it out then. hopefully Spider-man can figure something out."
[I would advise that Host Ranma concentrate on his own future, rather than dwell on the futures of others.]
Sighing, Ranma smirked a bit at Kao. "Yeah, I know. School is almost over, I am pretty sure Akane is gonna go to college. Ucchan too. I doubt I got the grades to get into a college at the moment, even after your help. You came just a little late Kao."
[My apologies. I will try to hasten my future actions.]
"No, It's not that you were slow, its just you showed up too late for my grades to raise that much."
Silence reigned for several seconds as both entities were left to their own devices. Ranma thinking of his future and Kao silently observing Ranma's ideas.
[I believe that it would be ideal for us to return to your abode, Host Ranma. My sensors indicate that it is nearly one in the morning.]
Jerked from his thoughts by the wispy voice, Ranma quickly stood up and walked to the edge of the building. "Sheesh! 1 o'clock already? We gotta hurry home." Ranma muttered as he began to walk down the side of the building, his feet gripping the sheer windowed surface of the office building like a magnet."
[I would advise that Host Ranma train more with the web, it seems that he has been negligent to using it.]
Ranma frowned lightly and looked down at his palm. It wasn't that he was afraid, oh no. It was just that it didn't feel. right. He didn't know how to explain it. "Yeah, I guess your right Kao. I know how to use all my other abilities well." Ranma said, and slowly raised his palm and flexed his wrist.
A thick strand of black and red ooze flowed forth from his wrist, strands spinning and wrapping about themselves as it flew forward, tumbling about before it finally hit the top of another building, the amorphous solid instantly cementing itself to the slick surface and providing a solid strand for Ranma to swing from.
"Here goes nothing."
Ranma lifted his feet and gracefully fell downward, his arms spread behind him as he drifted to the roads below, before the strand of his suit that he was holding in his hand became taut, and his descent slowed and he slowly began to swing forward in an arc, building up speed steadily before he reached the peak of his ride and let go of his first strand, making another shoot from his other wrist and gripping that as he swung his way towards Nerima.
So focused on his swings, Ranma did not notice the figure below, watching him with a keen eye, bearing a camera.
~The next morning, Tendo Dojo~
Ranma lazily flipped himself upright as his father once again tossed him out the window. He landed upon a rock that circled the koi pond, lazily yawning and scratching his stomach as he watched his father leap out after him.
"You're getting lazy boy! I can easily detect attacks against me in my sleep!"
"Only 'cuz you get attacked in your sleep so much, old man. With all the people who tried to get you for stealing for them, I am not surprised." Ranma responded, stretching his sore muscles and paying little attention to his father.
"Silence! Come on boy! HYA!" With that, Genma leaped into the air and stretched his leg out, preparing to deal a flying kick to his worthless offspring.
Ranma looked at Genma with half-lidded eyes and sighed as he caught Genma's foot with one hand and quickly redirected Genma's motion over his head and into the pond.
A muffled thud resounded as a soaking panda floated to the surface of the Tendo pond bearing a large bump on his head.
Ranma ignored his father and slumped into the family room, taking his seat at the table and waiting for Kasumi to bring out some of her culinary expertise.
Soun Tendo, head of the Tendo household, Disciple of Happosai, and all around cry baby sat at the head of the table and looked at Genma's still form floating in the pond.
"Should we not help him, Ranma?" Soun asked, his eyes portraying the message that Ranma should go heft his father out of the pond.
"Nah, he says he can wake up when he is attacked, I am pretty sure that goes for being drowned too."
As if by some signal, Genma suddenly started thrashing wildly and making as much noise as he could, holding up various signs that said things like: "It wasn't me I swear!" "The boy already has a fiancée!" and "I didn't do it, it was my no good son!"
Ranma promised that the old man would get a good beating sometime in the future when Kasumi walked in, a kind smile upon her face. "Here is the paper, father."
Soun thanked his daughter and took the paper, instantly flipping to the comics.
Ranma ignored the entire exchange, until something on the front page caught his eye.
A picture covered most of the front page, and on it was a silhouette of a man standing on a building, sideways. The moon sat directly behind him, and softly illuminated his features. His arm was raised directly above his head, and from it a rope-like object hung.
The heading above it was written in bold letters, easily seen by Ranma.
"Spider-man in Tokyo!"
'Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit.' Ranma thought as his muscles tensed. He immediately snatched the paper from Mr. Tendo and looked over the article, trying to discover what they knew.
"Now son, if you wanted the paper you could have asked and I would have given it." Mr. Tendo said in a condescending voice, apparently failing to notice Ranma's attention, or lack thereof.
But Ranma paid it no mind as his attention was solely focused upon the paper in his hands, quickly reading through it as fast as he could, trying to discover what they knew.
A heavy sigh of relief escaped Ranma as he finished reading. They knew nothing of his identity, and apparently the only witness was a drunken reporter who just happened to have a camera on him when he had swung off. Ranma made a mental note to be more careful in his future; his senses were obviously becoming lax.
'Kao?' Ranma thought, studying the photograph with a firm frown upon his face.
[Yes, Host Ranma?]
'I need you to take those blocks off of my senses. I think I need them.' Ranma decided, and cringed as he remembered what happened the last time he let his senses run rampant. His already abnormally high senses had been boosted even more so with the bond, and he found that even a footstep was deafening. Thus, he had Kao place several limiters on his senses and help with his dilemma.
Setting the paper down, still ignoring Mr. Tendo's banter, Ranma slowly walked outside and leapt to the roof, immediately taking a lotus position and concentrating deeply. He let out a deep breath, allowing calm to envelope his body.
[Are you ready, Host Ranma?]
'Drop em Kao.' Ranma thought, and immediately opened his mouth in a silent scream, raising his head to the heavens as the sounds, scents and sights took over.
He heard a dog chasing a cat several blocks down, roaring as if a grizzly was next to his ear, chasing a tiger. Arrogant driver's curses and honking washed over his mind, allowing nothing else to be concentrated on.
He could smell the vomit on the shirt of a drunkard in an ally several houses down. The putrid stench of bile and sake heavily invading Ranma's sensitive nose, causing him to retch in disgust.
And when he finally managed to open his eyes, he gasped at the fluorescent kaleidoscope that had become his field of view. He could see the energies every object was giving off, from rocks to trees, even the insects that crawled amongst the grass. Looking down, Ranma gave off a surprised gasp as he saw the outlines of every figure in the Tendo household, each one giving off a unique aura that catered to their personality. Nabiki's was a calm cool, Kasumi's a heavenly serene glow that engulfed her. Mr. Tendo's was of cowardice and trickery, as was Genma's. Looking to Akane, Ranma saw the familiar red glow of anger and malice engulfing her.
'Kao. too much, stop.' Was all Ranma could hope to think as he tried to stand.
In his state of wild and erratic sensory though, Ranma tripped over his own feet and tumbled down the roof, hitting the ground face first with a satisfying thud, before he rose to his knees and suddenly got one last strong whiff of the hobo's vile puke, then emptied the contents of his own stomach on the lawn as the scent became too much to bear, the fell backwards and stared at the sky with half-lidded eyes, lying in his own filth.
The Tendo's immediately rushed out to Ranma, asking him if he was alright and questioning what had occurred. Ranma could not answer, as he stared at the gigantic aura of the sun, surrounding the entire planet in its god-like power, before finally all of Ranma's senses dropped from their enhanced state, allowing him to regain some of his mind and answer the Tendo's, albeit shakily.
"Fine. just need sleep. something bad, poison maybe." Ranma murmured, trying to rise to his feet without success.
"Maa. But Akane wasn't cooking." Kasumi stated, her gentle voice attracting the attention of one particular Tendo.
"Kasumi! I am not that bad of a cook!" Akane shouted, turning an atomic red and turning away, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"Yeah right, sis. We both know your cooking is considered a biohazard to anything that consumes its health." Nabiki smirked at the witty comment, causing Akane to fume silently.
Ranma was going to snicker, but thought of his current state and decided that a mallet ride to who knows where was not a good idea. Instead, he shrugged off support and finally triumphed in his quest to stand, and moved on shaky legs inside.
From behind, a call from one of the Tendo daughters made him pause. "Hey, get better Ranma."
Ranma turned, identifying the speaker as Nabiki, smiled and nodded. "Thanks for your concern Nabiki. I just need some rest."
Nabiki was about to retort and deny any concern, but found that it would be pointless. Instead, a gentle blush came to her cheeks and she nodded back.
The second the fact that she was blushing registered in her mind Nabiki's eyes widened and she quickly retreated to her bedroom.
'I can't be falling for him.' Nabiki thought as she lay on her bed, one arm resting across her forehead as she stared at her ceiling. Turning to her nightstand, she opened up the top drawer, withdrawing a leather-bound notebook from within. Opening it carefully, she flipped through the pages until she found the object she was looking for and pulled it out.
It was a picture of Ranma, nude in his male form. The only one she had been able to get a hold of. And the only picture she had not sold.
'Who am I kidding.' Nabiki thought wryly, and slipped her hand down her pants, engaging in some more intimate acts with the thoughts of a certain pig-tailed martial artist doing things to her that involved whipped cream, chocolate syrup and his tongue.
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AN: I'll let you figure out what Nabiki was thinking. ^_^. Chapter 2, done and done. Hrm, I am not as pleased with this chapter as I think I should be, so a rewrite may be in the future, when I get far enough along. I have never written a lemon, and not really sure if I am ever going to, but as this is an R fic, some of that stuff may turn up. I know some of you are going, WHY NABIKI!? But know this, loyal readers (you better all review too) Nabiki has the hots for him, but does not have him. (R/N Fics always get my attention for some reason.) This should add some sexual tension at least, especially if Ranma does get matched up with another girl. (Whoo, catfight here I come!)
Read and Review please. Domo.
- Gundraw