Chapter 7: Free at last! Free at- What's this? Do not pass go.... Do
not.... WHAT THE!?
Disclaimer: I posted it already, go back and read it you lazy bums. (Of course, by not writing it I am being a total hypocrite.)
"Speech"
[Symbiote]
Telepathy/Mind Link
Well, this chapter isn't action packed... the big fight you all are going to want to see is next chapter. That's right. I am talking Wolverine on Ranma. Who will win? Who do you think would win? (Note: Your opinion makes no difference, I already chose) It would be cool to see if people agree with me though.
I was surfin' ff.net the other day, and came across a fic... Nothing special, but it was the reviews that got me. Someone listed me as one of the better authors to check out. That was like, a turning point for me! It's what got most of this chapter done at least... See the power of positive reinforcement? Keep sending in those sweet, sweet reviews! The precious desires them!
On another note, the final matching vote/poll thing ends NEXT CHAPTER! If you want a Ranma/Ryoko/Rogue or a Ranma/Ryoko/Nabiki you better enter your votes, because I believe they are close... (is too lazy to count them right now oo) And if you people want a Ranma/Ryoko/Someone else pairing... You better damn well start voting your asses off.
Finally, I have it in mind to start another fic, this one being a Ranma/GD crossover... Not sure if I am, but I would like to know if you guys think I should or not. I already got a sort of "preview" chapter 1 done, but I am not going to further work on it if no one will read it. Anyway, no one reads these anyway, so here is the fic.
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Groaning a bit, Ranma tried to move but found that he was being held by something and was unable to move. Wincing a bit at the pounding headache he had, he pulled against his bonds, but still was unable to get himself free. He was about to get Kao to do something, when echoing footsteps met his ears, and he immediately feigned unconsciousness.
Washu entered with Yosho at her tail, her head shaking in frustration. "I don't get it Yosho-dono... all my readouts list him as human, but that is impossible, you saw the recording I got from Ryoko."
Yosho remained silent and observed the sleeping boy with a keen eye. Even to Yosho, he looked human, which meant he very well could be. He didn't seem to have any powerful energies inside him, it looked like Ryoko had kidnapped an everyday human. But... there was something off about the boy. Yosho didn't know what, but he knew something was drastically wrong with the situation.
Washu took an appreciative glance over the boy's body, silently comparing him to Tenchi. He had the same boyish look about him, but with more muscle, making him the roguishly handsome type. "The only thing that was odd about him was his muscle density... it was through the roof!"
Yosho raised a brow and looked at Washu. "Oh? How high are we talking here?"
Washu shook her head and frowned. "Enough to be worried about... I estimate that his punch can at least put out 30 tons of force."
Yosho blanched and looked at Washu incredulously, his eyes asking her if she was serious. Seeing her nod, Yosho took another look at the boy and frowned. Something was definitely wrong.
"Dinner is ready." Washu suddenly stated, turning to head for the door to her lab.
Figuring Ryoko had informed her over the link, Yosho took one lasting look at the boy before going to eat some of Sasami's delicious cooking.
The second they were out of site, Ranma opened one eye and watched them leave, sighing and letting his aura back out. His father, the sneaky bastard he was, had taught Ranma how to fool anyone into think that they were unconscious, at least as long as they didn't do any further examination than with the naked eye.
Letting out the breath he was holding, Ranma spoke to Kao. 'Hey, you think you can cut through these... arms... tentacles... things holding me Kao?'
Kao examined the tentacles, and after classifying the force needed and how sharp he needed to make himself, a small worm of itself seeped through Ranma's skin and molded into a knife that's edge was only several molecules thick, before whipping about Ranma's body and cleanly severing the arms holding.
Ranma smirked and rubbed his wrist. "Thanks Kao, can you form my usual outfit?"
More of Kao seeped out and shifted like clay being molded without a hand, changing and shifting colors before becoming Ranma's standard set.
Ranma quickly inspected the clothing, smiling at Kao's handiwork before heading in the direction that he saw that old man and girl walk off to.
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Washu and Katsuhito both entered the kitchen, discussing the origins of the young man currently cooped up in Washu's lab.
"Any idea what species he might be?" Katsuhito asked, sitting at the head of table.
Washu frowned and shook her head. "No... All I have to go on is Ryoko's memory, and that is not nearly enough information to classify which species he is. It appears similar to the MASU, with the ability to form itself into any shape or form..."
Ryoko floated down from her rafter, a rather forlorn look on her face as she sat next to her mother and looked down at her lap.
Washu gazed sympathetically at her daughter, having witnessed what Tenchi had done over the link. While she didn't approve of Tenchi's actions, she couldn't really blame him for Ryoko's depression. Ryoko had come on too strong, and Tenchi wasn't receptive. She should have taught Ryoko a bit more about picking up men. Washu looked over the link and into Ryoko's mind, seeing what was on her mind. As expected, Tenchi was the primary focus, but there was something that Washu didn't expect in there. The boy, Ranma Ryoko called him, was there. A tiny bit of sorrow for betraying him after he had shown her nothing but kindness.
'Sorry dear...' Washu thought, patiently waiting for the food, 'But he may be dangerous... we need to know what he is!'
Tenchi walked downstairs, attracted by the delicious scents of Sasami's cooking, Aeka following minutes afterward and sitting down next to Tenchi.
Sasami exited the kitchen with several bowls and plates in her hands and Ryo-Ohki sitting on top of her head. She smiled happily and prepared to place the dishes on the table when the door to Washu's lab opened, and a pig-tailed boy wearing a red Chinese shirt and black drawstring pants exited, gasping for air.
"Man, glad that's over..." Ranma muttered, puffing. "Felt like I had got Ryoga's sense of direction or something! Plus there were all those creatures..." Ranma shuddered and took a gander about him, almost instantly noticing the group of people sitting at the table.
"Oh shit..." he muttered, turning about face and dashing forward to the window, preparing to jump through. Before he actually jumped though, Ryoko teleported in front of him and glared.
"How did you get out of Washu's lab?"
Ranma, not being able to stop on a dime when running, collided into Ryoko and sent both flying out the window and down the short drop. Instinctively, his arms wrapped around Ryoko and he spun about, cushioning the landing and falling on the bed of broken glass below. He winced as the glass poked into his back, only held back by his symbiote.
Ryoko nearly screamed in rage when the guy ran into her, and only grew more furious when he wrapped his arms around her. But then she noticed that he was not coping a feel, he was trying to protect her from the small fall. When they impacted, Ryoko felt nearly nothing, Ranma's body taking the brunt of the fall. She also noticed how well chiseled his front was as he held her close.
Ranma became acutely aware of the woman on his chest and eeped, appearing five feet away standing, and leaving Ryoko on the ground.
Ryoko's eyes crossed at the speed Ranma moved at, knowing it wasn't a teleport because no energy had been emitted.
The rest of the gang came outside from the door now, Katsuhito with his bokken ready, Mihoshi with her pistol drawn, and Tenchi with the Tenchi- ken.
"Ano..." Ranma stammered, seeing all the people with weapons was giving him a serious sense of déjà vu he'd like to forget. Deciding on the best course of action, Ranma turned and fled, darting into the forest before anyone could attack.
For moments on end, the residents of the Masaki household looked at the dust devil that was picked up, before glancing around at each other and giving chase, albeit at a much slower pace than Ranma.
With years of experience with the Saotome Secret Technique, and fleeing angry women, Ranma was easily the superior. Even if they could catch up to him, his evasion techniques and skill in martial arts would easily allow him to escape.
"He's long gone..." Tenchi wheezed, clearly out of breath as he rested his hands on his knees and gasped for the sweet air.
Katsuhito, who appeared winded but better still better than Tenchi nodded, looking to the direction their evasive captive had run off to. He knew that that boy had some sort of secret, whether it was something he did or something he had, he couldn't tell. Shaking his head, Katsuhito turned and began to walk back to the shrine.
Ryoko stayed silent. She knew where Ranma lived; she had followed him home the night before. She bit her lip and glanced about, wondering if she should tell anyone else, but in the end stayed silent. She took one last glance back at the way Ranma had run, before walking back to the house. She didn't know why she felt bad. The guy said he had a fiancée... maybe that was it. She felt bad because she worried the guy's fiancée; she understood how a woman could be protective of her man. Yes, that was it. Ryoko nodded, and walked back with a new bounce to her step, though it quickly faded when the thought of protecting a man brought her thoughts back to Tenchi. Wiping a lone tear that traveled down her cheek. Slowing to a halt, Ryoko looked up at the other figures fading in the woods and thought a little, before smiling and disappearing in a shimmering display of power.
Washu smirked as she trudged next to Katsuhito. 'Good luck dear...' She thought with a wry smile, before removing it and walking in silence.
====early that morning====
Ranma drearily opened the door of his apartment, and dragged himself in. He all but collapsed in the chair that he had, rubbing his temple. Escaping the lab had been an odd experience, with all those creatures and robots that girl had. Avoiding capture and fleeing through the forest had been easy. But getting a ride home, that was tough.
Ranma had no money at the time, and so he was forced to find... other means to get home. In this case, it was hitching a ride atop a train that was headed to Tokyo. Now, this would normally prove somewhat difficult, even for a martial artist of Ranma's caliber. But with the spider powers he had gained, he could stand atop the speeding train and still not fall off. He'd probably fall backward from the wind, but not fall off.
So, the thoroughly windswept Ranma made his way back to his apartment and here he was. Preparing to doze off, Ranma groaned at the unfairness of it all when a voice interrupted his daze.
"So, you made it back in one piece."
Sitting upright with a speed that would make a cheetah jealous, Ranma quickly identified the intruder's location and leapt into a ready stance.
Not wanting to fight because she had no idea what the limits to this guy were, Ryoko stepped out of the shadow she had been waiting in and gazed at Ranma. "Relax kiddo."
Ranma just blinked and his surprised expression turned hostile. "Relax!? What did you do to me!? One moment I am in a park minding my own business and then bam, There I am in some sort of alien lab in Okayama!"
Ryoko winced and hung her head. "Ok, yeah... I suppose I shoulda tried something else.... I'm sorry alright?"
Ranma hesitated but nodded, but not without getting chided by Kao for being too trusting. He knew that it was true, but could not help it, it was his nature. "Fine fine... What the heck did you take me for though...?"
Ryoko sighed and took a step back, looking out the lone window in Ranma's apartment to the dark sky above. "I told you Earth is a Juraian (AN Thanks for the spelling tip ) colony. What are you doing here?"
Ranma blinked, cocking his head ever so slightly. "What? Look, I am a human lady..."
"Bullshit." Ryoko shot back, giving Ranma a sharp look that said 'cut the crap,' "What did you turn into last night then? Huh? Answer that big boy!" Ryoko asked, her eyes narrowing at Ranma who flinched at the mention of that incident.
"Look... Fine, looks like I am not getting anywhere by trying to avoid this anyway... Kao, can you, come out here or something?"
Ryoko raised an eyebrow and watched silently as Ranma's shirt rippled and shifted, and a small tendril grew out and a began expanding exponentially, slowly molding into a human like shape, with the same large white eyes and chaotic black and red pattern Ryoko had seen earlier. The jaw extended and elongated, rows of jagged and sharp teeth concealing a red void for a mouth. Once the figure had completely formed, it seemed to smile and bow, before its mouth began moving and it talked.
"Greetings. I am bio-amplifier Kao-Soldier enhancer number 132. It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person Ryoko, despite what you have done to my host. I do hope that we can solve this with the least amount of conflict." Kao stated diplomatically. Kao did not approve of Ranma's actions, he did know that he had to make the best of the situation, and thus decided to try to forge some sort of good relationship while he could.
Ranma blinked at the red figure in front of him, expecting Kao to cover him and not form his own body.
Ryoko was gawked at the figure before her, acting so civil and kind despite its hellish appearance. "W-What is that...?" Ryoko stuttered, raising a finger and pointing at Kao.
Ranma took a step forward, the tentacle connecting he and the form of Kao sliding around and keeping them together comfortably. "Er, meet Kao. He's a symbiote from another planet."
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Back in her lab, Washu drooled at the site of Kao in all his magnificence, obviously thinking of all the lovely tests and examinations that could be done to this fine specimen. Oh, and Ranma could come too.
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Ryoko just couldn't keep her eyes off of Kao, staring at him with a mixture of fear and awe, unsure of how to act or what to say.
"Look." Ranma said, walking in front of Kao to get her attention. "I am human. Kao chose me to be his... 'host' when he saw me protect some kids from my rival. No big deal right? We don't mean any threat to Jurai, so please don't kill Kao..." Ranma pleaded, with a deep sadness within his eyes.
Ryoko shook her head and assimilated the words, before nodding ever so slightly. "W-We'll be back after we talk about this for a bit..."
Fading away, Ryoko teleported back to the Masaki residence, preparing to speak with the residents to confer about the alien discovered on Earth.
Back at his apartment, Ranma collapsed on his futon, Kao automatically shifting to a boxer-tank top combination that Ranma typically wore to sleep. Nearly the instant his head hit the pillow he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
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His eyes fluttered open, and he groaned. Stretching and sitting up, Ranma scratches as his stomach absently as he rose and prepared to go take a short shower.
He was aware of the conversation he had held with Ryoko the previous night, and had long since come to the conclusion that she wasn't human. He also suspected a good amount of those at the shrine were aliens too, especially the girl who had that lab.
He shuddered a bit at that experience.
Taking a quick shower, Ranma toweled himself and had Kao turn into the set of clothes before walking out the door and into the main room. He froze when he noticed someone was inside the room, sitting on the couch and flipping through a magazine. It didn't take long for Ranma to recognize the person, the hair being a dead giveaway.
"R-Ryoko?"
Said person looked up from her magazine and smiled. "Ah, you're up. Are you always up this late?"
Ranma didn't know how to answer and just stood there like a statue, unable to find the words to say.
"Anyway, I talked it over with the others and we decided to watch over you. I got chose because I can teleport and keep up with you, if your demonstration yesterday was any indicator." Ryoko stated, talking about Ranma's hasty retreat.
Ranma just continued to stare, failing to make any sign that he had heard her. He was, simply put, speechless.
"Nothing to say big boy?" Ryoko asked, lifting a brow up on her forehead.
Ranma shut his gaping mouth and pursued his lips. "Is that some sort of pet name now?" He inquired, realizing that it was not the first time Ryoko had called him this.
Apparently, she too only just realized this and a slight red hue rose in her cheeks when she realized she had given him a pet name when she hardly knew him.
Shrugging, Ranma muttered "Whatever." Before walking to the door, only to be halted by his new sentry.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Ranma stopped and glanced back at Ryoko. "What?"
Rolling her eyes, Ryoko floated up to Ranma, uncaring about her show of powers and looked Ranma in the eye. "Didn't you hear me? I said I was going to watch you from now on, or at least until we can decide what to do with you."
"Forgot about that...." Ranma deadpanned, sighing. "Well, I was going to the park to practice, like I was before someone took me to some shrine in Okayama."
Ryoko had the decency to look mildly embarrassed, and Ranma used that moment to exit the apartment and start his short trip to the park to perform a couple of katas and try to work out some thoughts floating about in his head.
He arrived at the park some few minutes later, and was not too surprised to find Ryoko sitting there with a very annoyed look on her face. "Listen pal," She started, pointing at Ranma and trying to drive the point home with the apparently hollow headed Ranma. "I don't care what you think; it has been decided by the Prince of Jurai himself that you should be watched!"
Ranma tried to look interested, he really did. Unfortunately the yawn about midway into her little lecture caused all hope of this to be thrown out the window and then run over by a lawnmower, then light on fire when a stray cigarette fell onto it.
Ryoko glared at the (in her mind) immature little prick that she had been asked to watch. 'Wow... I think I hit a new low...' she thought as Ranma ventured several feet away and started moving about with a fluid-like grace. Ryoko turned to see what her "assignment" was doing and paused when she noticed that he was moving about slowly, almost as if dancing, but his movements were so smooth and graceful, it was astounding.
Ranma may not be the best or brightest person in the world, but when it came to martial arts, it would be insulting to not even recognize that this was his. Ranma was the art, and the art was indeed Ranma. They coexisted in a perfect harmony that few could doubt after watching him fight or practice.
Ryoko too had become mesmerized by his slow and rhythmic dance, which grew faster after every moment. More complex attacks and maneuvers were incorporated as he twirled and danced about, making Ryoko question whether he was practicing combat or some sort of ritualistic dance.
Ranma stopped some minutes later, wiping his brow with the back of his arm, a light sheen of sweat glimmering in the morning light. He glanced toward his new companion, and just gazed at her amazed expression with regret. He got too into it once again. Ranma couldn't help but get a little carried away when he practiced. And when he did this at parks or vacant lots in Nerima, a crowd always somehow manifested beneath his nose and he was left with quite a few amazed people to deal with.
"At least it's just her..." Ranma grumbled, walking to her and snapping his fingers in her face several times.
Awareness seemed to flood back into Ryoko's slitted eyes and she gazed at Ranma. "How long have you been practicing martial arts?"
Ranma shrugged and began walking back to the apartment, Ryoko following close behind. "Since I can remember really... pops always wanted me to be the best."
Ryoko had little doubt that Ranma's father had succeeded, if the display was correct.
The rest of the short walk to Ranma's apartment was in silence as both Ranma and Ryoko reflected on the new situation that had been dropped into their laps. Ranma was weary, but with good reason. Another gorgeous woman watching over him every minute of the day was suicide. With his fiancées, there was a chance of serious damage to his body daily, and this was certainly no help, what with his fiancées tendency to jump to conclusions about other women and Ranma.
Ryoko was not too eager about watching over Ranma, despite the fact that she would be the only one able to. With the heartbreak she had just went through, being near a man that had qualities that Tenchi had wasn't going to help at all either. She seemed to notice that Ranma wasn't quite as wise, but had much more skill in the physical areas. He seemed to be quite good at martial arts, and had a lot of muscle mass in a compact form that wasn't too overbearing with giant bulges.
Overall, they were both skeptic as to how this was going to work. Willing to try, but doubting the overall success of the operation.
Ranma entered the apartment, holding the door for Ryoko before walking into the bathroom and grabbing a towel to wipe the little bit of sweat he had worked up.
Ryoko wandered over to the couch and took a seat, crossing her legs and draping her arms across the back. Getting comfy in general.
Ranma exited the bathroom with a towel around his neck and took a seat on the opposite side of the couch, putting his feet up on the low coffee table he had.
A very uncomfortable silence settled into the room as both sat there. They shifted occasionally, their faces screwing into different expressions as they kept to themselves and did not initiate any sort of conversation.
Finally, Ryoko got so uncomfortable with the silence; she was forced to start talking.
"So uh, Is Kao the only alien that you have met?" She threw out into the open, hoping for a bite.
Ranma was surprised that she actually wanted to talk, but played along. Talking to Kao got a little tedious after a while, with his logic nonsense. "He was the first. You and the others at that shrine were the others." He replied nonchalantly.
Raising an eyebrow, Ryoko smirked. "You figured it out huh?"
Ranma snorted. "Please. I may not be a very bright person but when people walk through solid objects and teleport, I tend to figure it out. That and your aura isn't that of a human. I noticed you guys have different auras then humans do, like Kao does."
"Aura?" Ryoko asked, getting genuinely interested now.
Ranma nodded, but kept his eyes off Ryoko. "Yup. Every living thing creates an aura, it's the energies they produce. Normally, people can't see these. I trained enough that I can see them and when Kao came along, he only improved that. I have trained enough that I can bring my aura into this visual spectrum..." So saying, Ranma lifted his arm and a blue-ish flame erupted around his arm, engulfing it and flaring and lashing out like a flame would.
Ryoko phased out and reappeared behind the couch with her energy blade drawn, her stance wide and ready for an attack.
He jumped slightly at Ryoko's sudden disappearing act, but chuckled when she reappeared. "It's okay... I can control it... I had to learn, because my rival did." Ranma smiled at Ryoko as he spoke, and shifted his spectrum of vision to the aural one and quickly analyzed the sword she was holding, how it was formed and energies it used. (AN: This, in my opinion, is one of the coolest things about Ranma. Able to pick up on things so quick and adapt them to his own use. Damn cool. is thinking about how he wishes he was in an anime TT)
Ryoko never picked up on Ranma's quick analysis of her energy sword, but eyed the ki-engulfed arm wearily, before standing straight and dispelling her sword. She approached cautiously, ready to teleport or move at the drop of a dime. Seeing Ranma act so casual about all this was very confusing, considering the fact that humans were not supposed to be able to harness that sort of energy. "Can I touch it?" She asked, still gazing at the amazing blue flames that were wrapped about Ranma's arm.
He nodded, and Ryoko reached forward tentatively, pausing before actually reaching the odd looking energies, before finally pushing her hand into the depths of the writhing blue power. She gasped the moment her hand was immersed in the depths of the flame as sensations rushed through her body. She felt... lonely, confident, scared, and powerful all at the same time. She turned her gaze to Ranma with a confused look on her face. "Why... do I feel so strong?"
Ranma grinned, and lowered the aura around his hand. "The feelings you felt are the feelings that I feel. Ki is a direct representation of one's soul, so you felt what I was feeling. Seeing her nod in understanding, Ranma continued. "You saw that the aura was blue, which means confidence. I use that emotion to channel my ki. It makes it less powerful than if I used some other emotions, but it makes it much easier to tap into my ki."
"Which emotions are more powerful...?" Ryoko asked, now glad she had started some sort of conversation. She would never admit it, but she had a curiosity that she believed was "inherited" from Washu.
Ranma shrugged and leaned back again, gazing at the wall with distant eyes. "Anger... depression... hate. Emotions that... aren't healthy to feel regularly. While they are much more powerful... the downsides outweigh the benefits. Besides, it's much easier for me to feel confident then depressed."
She nodded and relaxed too, considering what he had said. It seemed he had much experience in this field. This energy... Washu would most definitely be interested in it. "What is it called? The energy I mean."
"Hm?" Ranma asked, breaking out of his stupor. "Oh, we call it Ki... the spiritual energy that resides within."
Ryoko filed that little piece of information away for Washu later, she would most likely be interested if humans could generate that type of power. It may help the Juraians too, as they needed their trees for power. If they could generate that energy without a tree to assist... well, it would be quite beneficial.
"So, what's your story?" Ranma asked of Ryoko, turning a curious eye to her.
She pursued her lips, knowing that it was only fair that she reveal a little bit as well. "What about me?"
"You know... You are an alien right? What's it like?"
Ryoko snorted. "What kinda question is that? I dunno what it's like to be alien. To me, you are an alien."
Ranma narrowed his eyes. "On this planet, you're the alien."
"Fine." Ryoko conceded, "What do you want to know?"
"You've been in space and stuff... right?"
"Of course I have! Idiot! How do you think I got here?"
Ranma shrugged. "You can teleport, so I thought-"
"Well... I can only teleport over short to medium distances. Compared to the planet hopping idea that is. How do you think I got here so fast last night...?" Ryoko interrupted, gazing into Ranma's eyes.
Ranma nodded and looked to think before speaking again. "Do you have a spaceship then?"
"Yup!" Ryoko stated when she suddenly thought of something. "Ryo-oh-ki!" Her form blurred and disappeared with a buzzing noise, leaving Ranma alone.
Ranma blinked several times, taking a look about the room to try and see where his watchdog had gone now.
He needn't look any more, because she reappeared, floating in mid-air, now holding something in her arms.
Ranma leapt backwards in surprise, stumbling over the couch and falling on his back. "Don't do that!" He shouted, gripping his chest where his heart was beating a mile a minute within.
Ryoko laughed and lowered herself onto the couch, holding the furry bundle in her arms rather protectively.
Ranma frowned at Ryoko, before rising to his feet and looking at the bundle of brown fur in her arms. To his surprise, two yellow eyes emerged from beneath two furry eyelids and large drooping ears twitched and perked up.
"What is it...?" Ranma muttered, asking himself more then Ryoko.
"This..." Ryoko began, beaming with pride. "is Ryo-oh-ki! My spaceship and companion!"
"... Spaceship...?" Ranma questioned, reaching out hesitantly and stroking the creatures head.
"Well, she turns into a spaceship."
Ranma raised a brow but shrugged, petting Ryo-oh-ki's head, much to the cabbit's delight. "I'll take your word for it. Sure is a cute little-"
Ryo-oh-ki was meeting a new potential friend, who seemed scared of her at first, but now was petting her! What a nice person this Ranma was! She couldn't help but voice her appreciation of his petting! "Miyah!" She sounded out.
Ranma froze and his eyes glazed over as he stared at the cabbit, yet beyond it. Suppressed memories rose to the surface and replayed repeatedly in his mind, consuming his thoughts with darkness and pain.
"Ranma...?" Ryoko asked, noticing how rigid he had gone. "You okay?"
Ranma just continued gazing blankly at Ryo-oh-ki, but managed to force a word out. "C-c-cat..."
Ryoko smiled and laughed. "No, Ryo-oh-ki's a cabbit. Washu made her! A mixture of a cat and a rabbit, plus some other minerals." She stated factually, only to realize that Ranma seemed somewhere else.
Ranma slowly withdrew his hand, backing away slowly before screaming in primal terror and turning about, running like a madman and backing into a corner, trying to escape from the cat-thing.
Ryoko smirked and raised a brow, approaching Ranma with her cabbit. "Come on... don't tell me you are afraid of cats?"
"Miyah miyah!" Ryo-oh-ki added with concern in her meows.
Ranma winced and twitched each time Ryo-oh-ki "spoke" his eyes welling with tears. "G-Get that thing away! Get it away!"
Ryoko grinned like the Cheshire cat and held Ryo-oh-ki out in front of Ranma.
Ryo-oh-ki looked sad and meowed pitifully, "Miyah?"
Ranma broke into sobs, covering his face with his arms and twitching violently, almost as if he was having a seizure. "N-no! Father...! Not again... Not in the pit! Please!"
Ryoko stopped when she heard him babbling about something and freaking out. She pulled back a sad Ryo-oh-ki with a hint of regret in her eye.
"The eyes... oh god... not again, not the claws... the smell... the pain..." Ranma mumbled, shivering intensely.
Wincing at the fear and horror in his voice, she retreated to the couch and put Ryo-oh-ki in her lap, scratching her absently as Ranma continued his mental breakdown in the corner of the apartment.
It took nearly thirty minutes for poor Ranma to recover enough sanity to move, and he stood and sat opposite Ryoko, keeping his gaze off of the creature in her arms. "I suppose I owe you an explanation." Ranma stated with his eyes red and puffy from crying and tear tracks running down his cheeks. He had no shred of dignity left, so he felt no need to preserve it by acting tough.
Ryoko nodded dumbly, cursing her stupidity in aggravating the situation.
Ranma sighed, looking down at the floor before starting. "When I was six... my father told me of a technique that would make me... well... invincible. Supposedly, this technique was unbeatable. Well, being the fool I was, I was all for learning the technique. Of course, it did not matter if I didn't want to, he would have made me learn anyway."
Ranma paused to let that sink in before continuing his tale, still unable to look at Ryoko. "The technique is known as the neko-ken. The cat-fist. It uses the ferocity and speed of a cat, as well as ones own energies to make them an unstoppable fighter. The problem, is that it makes them deathly afraid of cats. I... The training involves the trainee being wrapped in various fish products, depending on what you think would work. Then he is thrown into a pit that has already been dug and filled with cats, which are not fed for several days. The result is the trainee being... attacked by the cats to get the food."
Ryoko just stared in shock with her jaw slack. What kind of sickos were on earth? She thought some aliens were bad... Sheesh.
"I was put through that several times, with different fish foodstuffs wrapped about me every time. It left me with a fear of cats. However... when my fear gets to a point where I can't take it anymore... I snap."
Ryoko swallowed and asked tentatively. "Snap?"
Ranma nodded gently. "I... My mind just snaps and I start to think that I myself am a cat. The result is an unbeatable technique, but I act like a housecat and make a fool of myself."
Ryoko winced and lowered her head. "I-I am sorry. I wouldn't have done that had I known..."
Ranma raised his head, and to Ryoko's surprise, she found him grinning. His lip was quivering, but it was a grin regardless. "Hey... don't worry about it. You couldn't have known."
Ryoko raised her head in shock. How could he forgive her?! She had just tortured the poor guy and here he was straight up forgiving her. It just... It wasn't right. He should be trying to throw her out or some such thing, but instead he was swallowing his pride (For Ranma, were talking monumental effort) and just saying it's alright.
"So... you say Ryo-oh-ki here isn't a... cat?"
Ryoko shook her head vaguely. "No... She's a cabbit."
Ranma nodded and knelt down, getting level with Ryo-oh-ki. He looked up at Ryoko and asked, "Can she understand me?" She nodded in response and watched as Ranma lowered his head. "Sorry bout me freakin out... I know it probably wasn't very nice of me. You were just curious about me huh?"
Ryo-oh-ki looked up at Ranma with big, sad eyes and nodded, nearly on the verge of tears.
Smiling, Ranma reached out and pet the cabbit, scratching her behind the head and caused Ryo-oh-ki to close her eyes and lean into the petting. "Sorry... It's me, not you. At least you don't look like a cat. But... while you are around me, can you keep the meowing to a minimum, at least until I get fixed of this little problem?"
Immediately a difference could be seen in Ryo-oh-ki as she opened her eyes and nodded happily, leaping up and onto Ranma's shoulder and nuzzling his cheek. She could tell that he was a nice guy, like Tenchi! If she had to be quiet to be friends with a new person, then she would try her best.
Ryoko was amazed at how quickly Ranma had gained Ryo-oh-ki's affection. He seemed to be amazing her again and again. She had him pegged for a snotty, arrogant little punk, and here he is coming out with this kindness that completely warped her view of him. And that story he told her... that was obviously a traumatic experience, at six most kids would die or go mad. But here he is, living strong and still with kindness in his heart. More investigating was definitely in order, but for now she thought that he was finished with telling her of his past.
Ranma stood and went to the kitchen to fix something up for lunch, idly petting a very content cabbit that was resting on his shoulder.
Ryoko followed and sat at the table, watching him go about fixing some ramen for the both of him before setting both bowls on the table before taking a seat. She sniffed at the ramen and took a cautious bite and was pleased by it's flavor. Not nearly as good as Sasami's of course, but nothing to sneeze at.
Before he even took a bite, Ranma swallowed his pride again and looked at Ryoko. "Thank you... for not laughing at my... phobia."
Ryoko looked up and paused stuffing her face before nodding and slurping up the noodles hanging out of her mouth. "Yeah... uh, no problem."
Ranma smiled weakly before digging into his own bowl. The rest of the meal was eaten in comfortable silence as Ryo-oh-ki fell asleep quite comfortable on Ranma's shoulder and Ranma and Ryoko ate, the only noise being the noodles sucked into the endless stomachs that sat across from each other.
================================
"So... how long you been working at this joint?" Ryoko asked after slugging down another bottle of sake.
Ranma just watched the alien down another bottle as he stood behind the counter and shook his head. "That's just... crazy..." he muttered, thinking about how much damage she must have done to her liver. "Actually, the day you came in was my first."
Ryoko seemed surprised. "Huh, you're pretty good for a new guy."
Ranma thanked her and continued serving the slow trickle of people that entered, which was not very many at all. Ranma had already realized that his job was one at a not so popular bar, not that he minded mind you. That was fine with him, as long as he got paid.
A gruff, unshaven man entered an hour or so into Ranma's shift, and Ranma noted the odd hairstyle. He had long sideburns, trailing down to the center of his cheek, and his hair was put up into two spikes, which had an odd, almost animalistic trait to it. He was slightly hunched over as walked, as if he was some sort of beast. A thick cigar stuck out of his mouth, the red embers burning brightly as he took puffs. He was foreign, that much was certain, but Ranma knew this man had fighting experience.
"Kirin." The man said as he took a seat a couple spaces away from Ryoko, eyeing the woman oddly as she gulped down more sake.
Ranma got the bottle of beer and set it and a glass out, pouring it for the man.
"Thank you." The man muttered in only slightly accented Japanese.
Ranma went back to tending behind the bar as he spoke. "Your Japanese is good."
The man looked up from the beer, eyeing Ranma as if he was sizing him up. "How did you know I spoke Japanese?"
Chuckling, Ranma shrugged. "Well, I guessed. You speak it well, hardly any accent at all."
The man shrugged, obviously not much of a talker. "I used to live in Japan."
"You are here on business then?"
Raising a brow, the man appeared interested as to why Ranma kept badgering him.
Ranma smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, gets kinda boring 'round here. Thought I could talk to help time pass."
Nodding, the other man seemed to accept the explanation. "Well, you could say that."
Ranma nodded and wiped several glasses. "My name is Ranma by the way."
"Logan." The man gruffly answered, finishing his beer off and putting some yen on the table before getting up and leaving.
"Sheesh, no one wants to talk these days..." Ranma muttered, taking the money and the glass and starting to take care of them.
======================
"Ryoko? Oi! Ryoko!" A voice disturbed her slumber as she groggily awoke, her eyes half-lidded.
"Huh...? What?" She responded smartly, looking about and getting her bearings.
"Place is closing up, let's go."
Ryoko immediately woke up and noticed that Ranma was the one who had awoken her, and she gazed into his blue eyes which smiled as she looked into them.
"Come on, let's get you home."
Assisting the still very intoxicated Ryoko, Ranma steadied her and helped her walk back to the apartment, where he opened the door.
Ryoko immediately started floating up, expecting her rafter to be there but paused when she noticed only a ceiling up there. "Where'd mah rafter go!?" She shouted, looking about frantically.
"Rafter... Ryoko what are you talking about?" Ranma asked, his eyebrow coming to a peak as he gazed at her.
"It's my room! I sleep up there!" She stated as she looked under the couch as to try and discern her rafters location.
Ranma froze at that and stared at the alien girl he hadn't known for more than a week. She slept on a rafter...? What kind of monster did this to her? "Ryoko." Ranma said, loud enough to get Ryoko's attention. That seemed to knock her out of her drunken stupor as she stood and gazed at Ranma. "Go ahead and take my room, I'll sleep on the couch."
Ryoko winced and shook her head. "No! That's ok, I mean, I can sleep on the couch."
Ranma frowned and marched up to Ryoko. "Look, I may not be very smart, but I know how to treat a lady. Making her sleep on a rafter or on the couch is not proper! Don't worry about it, I have slept with rocks for pillows for most of my life. This, this is luxury to me." Ranma said, flopping on the couch and getting comfy as his clothes molded themselves into his casual tank top and boxer combination.
She watched the shift with awe. No matter how many times she saw it, it was simply... astounding. His words finally registered and Ryoko nodded, slinking her way into Ranma's room, which was quite bare. All that was within was a backpack and a futon.
She the carefully folded futon and laid it out nicely, before climbing in to it's warm depths and getting comfy. She rolled over once and was surprised when a squeal came from the depths of the futon. Gasping in surprise, Ryoko raised the covers and took a peak deep within the depths of her bed and found...
Ryo-oh-ki, pinned underneath her leg. Giggling, she reached down and pulled her partner up and set her up by her head. She patted her cabbit once before getting snuggly in her new bed.
"Miyah..." Ryo-oh-ki meowed softly, as to not scare her new friend.
A small smile crept onto Ryoko's lips as she shifted a bit. "Yeah, you're right... He is special."
--------------
Fin! For this chapter at least. Well... this one took me longer, but as you can tell by the length, it should have been. This is a pretty decent sized update compared to my past ones, so enjoy it. Because next is KoS. I promised them some love, and they shall receive from their uncle Gundraw. But fear not, my loyal fans! For their shall be... another update!
Ja! Gundraw
Disclaimer: I posted it already, go back and read it you lazy bums. (Of course, by not writing it I am being a total hypocrite.)
"Speech"
[Symbiote]
Telepathy/Mind Link
Well, this chapter isn't action packed... the big fight you all are going to want to see is next chapter. That's right. I am talking Wolverine on Ranma. Who will win? Who do you think would win? (Note: Your opinion makes no difference, I already chose) It would be cool to see if people agree with me though.
I was surfin' ff.net the other day, and came across a fic... Nothing special, but it was the reviews that got me. Someone listed me as one of the better authors to check out. That was like, a turning point for me! It's what got most of this chapter done at least... See the power of positive reinforcement? Keep sending in those sweet, sweet reviews! The precious desires them!
On another note, the final matching vote/poll thing ends NEXT CHAPTER! If you want a Ranma/Ryoko/Rogue or a Ranma/Ryoko/Nabiki you better enter your votes, because I believe they are close... (is too lazy to count them right now oo) And if you people want a Ranma/Ryoko/Someone else pairing... You better damn well start voting your asses off.
Finally, I have it in mind to start another fic, this one being a Ranma/GD crossover... Not sure if I am, but I would like to know if you guys think I should or not. I already got a sort of "preview" chapter 1 done, but I am not going to further work on it if no one will read it. Anyway, no one reads these anyway, so here is the fic.
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Groaning a bit, Ranma tried to move but found that he was being held by something and was unable to move. Wincing a bit at the pounding headache he had, he pulled against his bonds, but still was unable to get himself free. He was about to get Kao to do something, when echoing footsteps met his ears, and he immediately feigned unconsciousness.
Washu entered with Yosho at her tail, her head shaking in frustration. "I don't get it Yosho-dono... all my readouts list him as human, but that is impossible, you saw the recording I got from Ryoko."
Yosho remained silent and observed the sleeping boy with a keen eye. Even to Yosho, he looked human, which meant he very well could be. He didn't seem to have any powerful energies inside him, it looked like Ryoko had kidnapped an everyday human. But... there was something off about the boy. Yosho didn't know what, but he knew something was drastically wrong with the situation.
Washu took an appreciative glance over the boy's body, silently comparing him to Tenchi. He had the same boyish look about him, but with more muscle, making him the roguishly handsome type. "The only thing that was odd about him was his muscle density... it was through the roof!"
Yosho raised a brow and looked at Washu. "Oh? How high are we talking here?"
Washu shook her head and frowned. "Enough to be worried about... I estimate that his punch can at least put out 30 tons of force."
Yosho blanched and looked at Washu incredulously, his eyes asking her if she was serious. Seeing her nod, Yosho took another look at the boy and frowned. Something was definitely wrong.
"Dinner is ready." Washu suddenly stated, turning to head for the door to her lab.
Figuring Ryoko had informed her over the link, Yosho took one lasting look at the boy before going to eat some of Sasami's delicious cooking.
The second they were out of site, Ranma opened one eye and watched them leave, sighing and letting his aura back out. His father, the sneaky bastard he was, had taught Ranma how to fool anyone into think that they were unconscious, at least as long as they didn't do any further examination than with the naked eye.
Letting out the breath he was holding, Ranma spoke to Kao. 'Hey, you think you can cut through these... arms... tentacles... things holding me Kao?'
Kao examined the tentacles, and after classifying the force needed and how sharp he needed to make himself, a small worm of itself seeped through Ranma's skin and molded into a knife that's edge was only several molecules thick, before whipping about Ranma's body and cleanly severing the arms holding.
Ranma smirked and rubbed his wrist. "Thanks Kao, can you form my usual outfit?"
More of Kao seeped out and shifted like clay being molded without a hand, changing and shifting colors before becoming Ranma's standard set.
Ranma quickly inspected the clothing, smiling at Kao's handiwork before heading in the direction that he saw that old man and girl walk off to.
=============================
Washu and Katsuhito both entered the kitchen, discussing the origins of the young man currently cooped up in Washu's lab.
"Any idea what species he might be?" Katsuhito asked, sitting at the head of table.
Washu frowned and shook her head. "No... All I have to go on is Ryoko's memory, and that is not nearly enough information to classify which species he is. It appears similar to the MASU, with the ability to form itself into any shape or form..."
Ryoko floated down from her rafter, a rather forlorn look on her face as she sat next to her mother and looked down at her lap.
Washu gazed sympathetically at her daughter, having witnessed what Tenchi had done over the link. While she didn't approve of Tenchi's actions, she couldn't really blame him for Ryoko's depression. Ryoko had come on too strong, and Tenchi wasn't receptive. She should have taught Ryoko a bit more about picking up men. Washu looked over the link and into Ryoko's mind, seeing what was on her mind. As expected, Tenchi was the primary focus, but there was something that Washu didn't expect in there. The boy, Ranma Ryoko called him, was there. A tiny bit of sorrow for betraying him after he had shown her nothing but kindness.
'Sorry dear...' Washu thought, patiently waiting for the food, 'But he may be dangerous... we need to know what he is!'
Tenchi walked downstairs, attracted by the delicious scents of Sasami's cooking, Aeka following minutes afterward and sitting down next to Tenchi.
Sasami exited the kitchen with several bowls and plates in her hands and Ryo-Ohki sitting on top of her head. She smiled happily and prepared to place the dishes on the table when the door to Washu's lab opened, and a pig-tailed boy wearing a red Chinese shirt and black drawstring pants exited, gasping for air.
"Man, glad that's over..." Ranma muttered, puffing. "Felt like I had got Ryoga's sense of direction or something! Plus there were all those creatures..." Ranma shuddered and took a gander about him, almost instantly noticing the group of people sitting at the table.
"Oh shit..." he muttered, turning about face and dashing forward to the window, preparing to jump through. Before he actually jumped though, Ryoko teleported in front of him and glared.
"How did you get out of Washu's lab?"
Ranma, not being able to stop on a dime when running, collided into Ryoko and sent both flying out the window and down the short drop. Instinctively, his arms wrapped around Ryoko and he spun about, cushioning the landing and falling on the bed of broken glass below. He winced as the glass poked into his back, only held back by his symbiote.
Ryoko nearly screamed in rage when the guy ran into her, and only grew more furious when he wrapped his arms around her. But then she noticed that he was not coping a feel, he was trying to protect her from the small fall. When they impacted, Ryoko felt nearly nothing, Ranma's body taking the brunt of the fall. She also noticed how well chiseled his front was as he held her close.
Ranma became acutely aware of the woman on his chest and eeped, appearing five feet away standing, and leaving Ryoko on the ground.
Ryoko's eyes crossed at the speed Ranma moved at, knowing it wasn't a teleport because no energy had been emitted.
The rest of the gang came outside from the door now, Katsuhito with his bokken ready, Mihoshi with her pistol drawn, and Tenchi with the Tenchi- ken.
"Ano..." Ranma stammered, seeing all the people with weapons was giving him a serious sense of déjà vu he'd like to forget. Deciding on the best course of action, Ranma turned and fled, darting into the forest before anyone could attack.
For moments on end, the residents of the Masaki household looked at the dust devil that was picked up, before glancing around at each other and giving chase, albeit at a much slower pace than Ranma.
With years of experience with the Saotome Secret Technique, and fleeing angry women, Ranma was easily the superior. Even if they could catch up to him, his evasion techniques and skill in martial arts would easily allow him to escape.
"He's long gone..." Tenchi wheezed, clearly out of breath as he rested his hands on his knees and gasped for the sweet air.
Katsuhito, who appeared winded but better still better than Tenchi nodded, looking to the direction their evasive captive had run off to. He knew that that boy had some sort of secret, whether it was something he did or something he had, he couldn't tell. Shaking his head, Katsuhito turned and began to walk back to the shrine.
Ryoko stayed silent. She knew where Ranma lived; she had followed him home the night before. She bit her lip and glanced about, wondering if she should tell anyone else, but in the end stayed silent. She took one last glance back at the way Ranma had run, before walking back to the house. She didn't know why she felt bad. The guy said he had a fiancée... maybe that was it. She felt bad because she worried the guy's fiancée; she understood how a woman could be protective of her man. Yes, that was it. Ryoko nodded, and walked back with a new bounce to her step, though it quickly faded when the thought of protecting a man brought her thoughts back to Tenchi. Wiping a lone tear that traveled down her cheek. Slowing to a halt, Ryoko looked up at the other figures fading in the woods and thought a little, before smiling and disappearing in a shimmering display of power.
Washu smirked as she trudged next to Katsuhito. 'Good luck dear...' She thought with a wry smile, before removing it and walking in silence.
====early that morning====
Ranma drearily opened the door of his apartment, and dragged himself in. He all but collapsed in the chair that he had, rubbing his temple. Escaping the lab had been an odd experience, with all those creatures and robots that girl had. Avoiding capture and fleeing through the forest had been easy. But getting a ride home, that was tough.
Ranma had no money at the time, and so he was forced to find... other means to get home. In this case, it was hitching a ride atop a train that was headed to Tokyo. Now, this would normally prove somewhat difficult, even for a martial artist of Ranma's caliber. But with the spider powers he had gained, he could stand atop the speeding train and still not fall off. He'd probably fall backward from the wind, but not fall off.
So, the thoroughly windswept Ranma made his way back to his apartment and here he was. Preparing to doze off, Ranma groaned at the unfairness of it all when a voice interrupted his daze.
"So, you made it back in one piece."
Sitting upright with a speed that would make a cheetah jealous, Ranma quickly identified the intruder's location and leapt into a ready stance.
Not wanting to fight because she had no idea what the limits to this guy were, Ryoko stepped out of the shadow she had been waiting in and gazed at Ranma. "Relax kiddo."
Ranma just blinked and his surprised expression turned hostile. "Relax!? What did you do to me!? One moment I am in a park minding my own business and then bam, There I am in some sort of alien lab in Okayama!"
Ryoko winced and hung her head. "Ok, yeah... I suppose I shoulda tried something else.... I'm sorry alright?"
Ranma hesitated but nodded, but not without getting chided by Kao for being too trusting. He knew that it was true, but could not help it, it was his nature. "Fine fine... What the heck did you take me for though...?"
Ryoko sighed and took a step back, looking out the lone window in Ranma's apartment to the dark sky above. "I told you Earth is a Juraian (AN Thanks for the spelling tip ) colony. What are you doing here?"
Ranma blinked, cocking his head ever so slightly. "What? Look, I am a human lady..."
"Bullshit." Ryoko shot back, giving Ranma a sharp look that said 'cut the crap,' "What did you turn into last night then? Huh? Answer that big boy!" Ryoko asked, her eyes narrowing at Ranma who flinched at the mention of that incident.
"Look... Fine, looks like I am not getting anywhere by trying to avoid this anyway... Kao, can you, come out here or something?"
Ryoko raised an eyebrow and watched silently as Ranma's shirt rippled and shifted, and a small tendril grew out and a began expanding exponentially, slowly molding into a human like shape, with the same large white eyes and chaotic black and red pattern Ryoko had seen earlier. The jaw extended and elongated, rows of jagged and sharp teeth concealing a red void for a mouth. Once the figure had completely formed, it seemed to smile and bow, before its mouth began moving and it talked.
"Greetings. I am bio-amplifier Kao-Soldier enhancer number 132. It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person Ryoko, despite what you have done to my host. I do hope that we can solve this with the least amount of conflict." Kao stated diplomatically. Kao did not approve of Ranma's actions, he did know that he had to make the best of the situation, and thus decided to try to forge some sort of good relationship while he could.
Ranma blinked at the red figure in front of him, expecting Kao to cover him and not form his own body.
Ryoko was gawked at the figure before her, acting so civil and kind despite its hellish appearance. "W-What is that...?" Ryoko stuttered, raising a finger and pointing at Kao.
Ranma took a step forward, the tentacle connecting he and the form of Kao sliding around and keeping them together comfortably. "Er, meet Kao. He's a symbiote from another planet."
=====================
Back in her lab, Washu drooled at the site of Kao in all his magnificence, obviously thinking of all the lovely tests and examinations that could be done to this fine specimen. Oh, and Ranma could come too.
=======================
Ryoko just couldn't keep her eyes off of Kao, staring at him with a mixture of fear and awe, unsure of how to act or what to say.
"Look." Ranma said, walking in front of Kao to get her attention. "I am human. Kao chose me to be his... 'host' when he saw me protect some kids from my rival. No big deal right? We don't mean any threat to Jurai, so please don't kill Kao..." Ranma pleaded, with a deep sadness within his eyes.
Ryoko shook her head and assimilated the words, before nodding ever so slightly. "W-We'll be back after we talk about this for a bit..."
Fading away, Ryoko teleported back to the Masaki residence, preparing to speak with the residents to confer about the alien discovered on Earth.
Back at his apartment, Ranma collapsed on his futon, Kao automatically shifting to a boxer-tank top combination that Ranma typically wore to sleep. Nearly the instant his head hit the pillow he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
=======================
His eyes fluttered open, and he groaned. Stretching and sitting up, Ranma scratches as his stomach absently as he rose and prepared to go take a short shower.
He was aware of the conversation he had held with Ryoko the previous night, and had long since come to the conclusion that she wasn't human. He also suspected a good amount of those at the shrine were aliens too, especially the girl who had that lab.
He shuddered a bit at that experience.
Taking a quick shower, Ranma toweled himself and had Kao turn into the set of clothes before walking out the door and into the main room. He froze when he noticed someone was inside the room, sitting on the couch and flipping through a magazine. It didn't take long for Ranma to recognize the person, the hair being a dead giveaway.
"R-Ryoko?"
Said person looked up from her magazine and smiled. "Ah, you're up. Are you always up this late?"
Ranma didn't know how to answer and just stood there like a statue, unable to find the words to say.
"Anyway, I talked it over with the others and we decided to watch over you. I got chose because I can teleport and keep up with you, if your demonstration yesterday was any indicator." Ryoko stated, talking about Ranma's hasty retreat.
Ranma just continued to stare, failing to make any sign that he had heard her. He was, simply put, speechless.
"Nothing to say big boy?" Ryoko asked, lifting a brow up on her forehead.
Ranma shut his gaping mouth and pursued his lips. "Is that some sort of pet name now?" He inquired, realizing that it was not the first time Ryoko had called him this.
Apparently, she too only just realized this and a slight red hue rose in her cheeks when she realized she had given him a pet name when she hardly knew him.
Shrugging, Ranma muttered "Whatever." Before walking to the door, only to be halted by his new sentry.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Ranma stopped and glanced back at Ryoko. "What?"
Rolling her eyes, Ryoko floated up to Ranma, uncaring about her show of powers and looked Ranma in the eye. "Didn't you hear me? I said I was going to watch you from now on, or at least until we can decide what to do with you."
"Forgot about that...." Ranma deadpanned, sighing. "Well, I was going to the park to practice, like I was before someone took me to some shrine in Okayama."
Ryoko had the decency to look mildly embarrassed, and Ranma used that moment to exit the apartment and start his short trip to the park to perform a couple of katas and try to work out some thoughts floating about in his head.
He arrived at the park some few minutes later, and was not too surprised to find Ryoko sitting there with a very annoyed look on her face. "Listen pal," She started, pointing at Ranma and trying to drive the point home with the apparently hollow headed Ranma. "I don't care what you think; it has been decided by the Prince of Jurai himself that you should be watched!"
Ranma tried to look interested, he really did. Unfortunately the yawn about midway into her little lecture caused all hope of this to be thrown out the window and then run over by a lawnmower, then light on fire when a stray cigarette fell onto it.
Ryoko glared at the (in her mind) immature little prick that she had been asked to watch. 'Wow... I think I hit a new low...' she thought as Ranma ventured several feet away and started moving about with a fluid-like grace. Ryoko turned to see what her "assignment" was doing and paused when she noticed that he was moving about slowly, almost as if dancing, but his movements were so smooth and graceful, it was astounding.
Ranma may not be the best or brightest person in the world, but when it came to martial arts, it would be insulting to not even recognize that this was his. Ranma was the art, and the art was indeed Ranma. They coexisted in a perfect harmony that few could doubt after watching him fight or practice.
Ryoko too had become mesmerized by his slow and rhythmic dance, which grew faster after every moment. More complex attacks and maneuvers were incorporated as he twirled and danced about, making Ryoko question whether he was practicing combat or some sort of ritualistic dance.
Ranma stopped some minutes later, wiping his brow with the back of his arm, a light sheen of sweat glimmering in the morning light. He glanced toward his new companion, and just gazed at her amazed expression with regret. He got too into it once again. Ranma couldn't help but get a little carried away when he practiced. And when he did this at parks or vacant lots in Nerima, a crowd always somehow manifested beneath his nose and he was left with quite a few amazed people to deal with.
"At least it's just her..." Ranma grumbled, walking to her and snapping his fingers in her face several times.
Awareness seemed to flood back into Ryoko's slitted eyes and she gazed at Ranma. "How long have you been practicing martial arts?"
Ranma shrugged and began walking back to the apartment, Ryoko following close behind. "Since I can remember really... pops always wanted me to be the best."
Ryoko had little doubt that Ranma's father had succeeded, if the display was correct.
The rest of the short walk to Ranma's apartment was in silence as both Ranma and Ryoko reflected on the new situation that had been dropped into their laps. Ranma was weary, but with good reason. Another gorgeous woman watching over him every minute of the day was suicide. With his fiancées, there was a chance of serious damage to his body daily, and this was certainly no help, what with his fiancées tendency to jump to conclusions about other women and Ranma.
Ryoko was not too eager about watching over Ranma, despite the fact that she would be the only one able to. With the heartbreak she had just went through, being near a man that had qualities that Tenchi had wasn't going to help at all either. She seemed to notice that Ranma wasn't quite as wise, but had much more skill in the physical areas. He seemed to be quite good at martial arts, and had a lot of muscle mass in a compact form that wasn't too overbearing with giant bulges.
Overall, they were both skeptic as to how this was going to work. Willing to try, but doubting the overall success of the operation.
Ranma entered the apartment, holding the door for Ryoko before walking into the bathroom and grabbing a towel to wipe the little bit of sweat he had worked up.
Ryoko wandered over to the couch and took a seat, crossing her legs and draping her arms across the back. Getting comfy in general.
Ranma exited the bathroom with a towel around his neck and took a seat on the opposite side of the couch, putting his feet up on the low coffee table he had.
A very uncomfortable silence settled into the room as both sat there. They shifted occasionally, their faces screwing into different expressions as they kept to themselves and did not initiate any sort of conversation.
Finally, Ryoko got so uncomfortable with the silence; she was forced to start talking.
"So uh, Is Kao the only alien that you have met?" She threw out into the open, hoping for a bite.
Ranma was surprised that she actually wanted to talk, but played along. Talking to Kao got a little tedious after a while, with his logic nonsense. "He was the first. You and the others at that shrine were the others." He replied nonchalantly.
Raising an eyebrow, Ryoko smirked. "You figured it out huh?"
Ranma snorted. "Please. I may not be a very bright person but when people walk through solid objects and teleport, I tend to figure it out. That and your aura isn't that of a human. I noticed you guys have different auras then humans do, like Kao does."
"Aura?" Ryoko asked, getting genuinely interested now.
Ranma nodded, but kept his eyes off Ryoko. "Yup. Every living thing creates an aura, it's the energies they produce. Normally, people can't see these. I trained enough that I can see them and when Kao came along, he only improved that. I have trained enough that I can bring my aura into this visual spectrum..." So saying, Ranma lifted his arm and a blue-ish flame erupted around his arm, engulfing it and flaring and lashing out like a flame would.
Ryoko phased out and reappeared behind the couch with her energy blade drawn, her stance wide and ready for an attack.
He jumped slightly at Ryoko's sudden disappearing act, but chuckled when she reappeared. "It's okay... I can control it... I had to learn, because my rival did." Ranma smiled at Ryoko as he spoke, and shifted his spectrum of vision to the aural one and quickly analyzed the sword she was holding, how it was formed and energies it used. (AN: This, in my opinion, is one of the coolest things about Ranma. Able to pick up on things so quick and adapt them to his own use. Damn cool. is thinking about how he wishes he was in an anime TT)
Ryoko never picked up on Ranma's quick analysis of her energy sword, but eyed the ki-engulfed arm wearily, before standing straight and dispelling her sword. She approached cautiously, ready to teleport or move at the drop of a dime. Seeing Ranma act so casual about all this was very confusing, considering the fact that humans were not supposed to be able to harness that sort of energy. "Can I touch it?" She asked, still gazing at the amazing blue flames that were wrapped about Ranma's arm.
He nodded, and Ryoko reached forward tentatively, pausing before actually reaching the odd looking energies, before finally pushing her hand into the depths of the writhing blue power. She gasped the moment her hand was immersed in the depths of the flame as sensations rushed through her body. She felt... lonely, confident, scared, and powerful all at the same time. She turned her gaze to Ranma with a confused look on her face. "Why... do I feel so strong?"
Ranma grinned, and lowered the aura around his hand. "The feelings you felt are the feelings that I feel. Ki is a direct representation of one's soul, so you felt what I was feeling. Seeing her nod in understanding, Ranma continued. "You saw that the aura was blue, which means confidence. I use that emotion to channel my ki. It makes it less powerful than if I used some other emotions, but it makes it much easier to tap into my ki."
"Which emotions are more powerful...?" Ryoko asked, now glad she had started some sort of conversation. She would never admit it, but she had a curiosity that she believed was "inherited" from Washu.
Ranma shrugged and leaned back again, gazing at the wall with distant eyes. "Anger... depression... hate. Emotions that... aren't healthy to feel regularly. While they are much more powerful... the downsides outweigh the benefits. Besides, it's much easier for me to feel confident then depressed."
She nodded and relaxed too, considering what he had said. It seemed he had much experience in this field. This energy... Washu would most definitely be interested in it. "What is it called? The energy I mean."
"Hm?" Ranma asked, breaking out of his stupor. "Oh, we call it Ki... the spiritual energy that resides within."
Ryoko filed that little piece of information away for Washu later, she would most likely be interested if humans could generate that type of power. It may help the Juraians too, as they needed their trees for power. If they could generate that energy without a tree to assist... well, it would be quite beneficial.
"So, what's your story?" Ranma asked of Ryoko, turning a curious eye to her.
She pursued her lips, knowing that it was only fair that she reveal a little bit as well. "What about me?"
"You know... You are an alien right? What's it like?"
Ryoko snorted. "What kinda question is that? I dunno what it's like to be alien. To me, you are an alien."
Ranma narrowed his eyes. "On this planet, you're the alien."
"Fine." Ryoko conceded, "What do you want to know?"
"You've been in space and stuff... right?"
"Of course I have! Idiot! How do you think I got here?"
Ranma shrugged. "You can teleport, so I thought-"
"Well... I can only teleport over short to medium distances. Compared to the planet hopping idea that is. How do you think I got here so fast last night...?" Ryoko interrupted, gazing into Ranma's eyes.
Ranma nodded and looked to think before speaking again. "Do you have a spaceship then?"
"Yup!" Ryoko stated when she suddenly thought of something. "Ryo-oh-ki!" Her form blurred and disappeared with a buzzing noise, leaving Ranma alone.
Ranma blinked several times, taking a look about the room to try and see where his watchdog had gone now.
He needn't look any more, because she reappeared, floating in mid-air, now holding something in her arms.
Ranma leapt backwards in surprise, stumbling over the couch and falling on his back. "Don't do that!" He shouted, gripping his chest where his heart was beating a mile a minute within.
Ryoko laughed and lowered herself onto the couch, holding the furry bundle in her arms rather protectively.
Ranma frowned at Ryoko, before rising to his feet and looking at the bundle of brown fur in her arms. To his surprise, two yellow eyes emerged from beneath two furry eyelids and large drooping ears twitched and perked up.
"What is it...?" Ranma muttered, asking himself more then Ryoko.
"This..." Ryoko began, beaming with pride. "is Ryo-oh-ki! My spaceship and companion!"
"... Spaceship...?" Ranma questioned, reaching out hesitantly and stroking the creatures head.
"Well, she turns into a spaceship."
Ranma raised a brow but shrugged, petting Ryo-oh-ki's head, much to the cabbit's delight. "I'll take your word for it. Sure is a cute little-"
Ryo-oh-ki was meeting a new potential friend, who seemed scared of her at first, but now was petting her! What a nice person this Ranma was! She couldn't help but voice her appreciation of his petting! "Miyah!" She sounded out.
Ranma froze and his eyes glazed over as he stared at the cabbit, yet beyond it. Suppressed memories rose to the surface and replayed repeatedly in his mind, consuming his thoughts with darkness and pain.
"Ranma...?" Ryoko asked, noticing how rigid he had gone. "You okay?"
Ranma just continued gazing blankly at Ryo-oh-ki, but managed to force a word out. "C-c-cat..."
Ryoko smiled and laughed. "No, Ryo-oh-ki's a cabbit. Washu made her! A mixture of a cat and a rabbit, plus some other minerals." She stated factually, only to realize that Ranma seemed somewhere else.
Ranma slowly withdrew his hand, backing away slowly before screaming in primal terror and turning about, running like a madman and backing into a corner, trying to escape from the cat-thing.
Ryoko smirked and raised a brow, approaching Ranma with her cabbit. "Come on... don't tell me you are afraid of cats?"
"Miyah miyah!" Ryo-oh-ki added with concern in her meows.
Ranma winced and twitched each time Ryo-oh-ki "spoke" his eyes welling with tears. "G-Get that thing away! Get it away!"
Ryoko grinned like the Cheshire cat and held Ryo-oh-ki out in front of Ranma.
Ryo-oh-ki looked sad and meowed pitifully, "Miyah?"
Ranma broke into sobs, covering his face with his arms and twitching violently, almost as if he was having a seizure. "N-no! Father...! Not again... Not in the pit! Please!"
Ryoko stopped when she heard him babbling about something and freaking out. She pulled back a sad Ryo-oh-ki with a hint of regret in her eye.
"The eyes... oh god... not again, not the claws... the smell... the pain..." Ranma mumbled, shivering intensely.
Wincing at the fear and horror in his voice, she retreated to the couch and put Ryo-oh-ki in her lap, scratching her absently as Ranma continued his mental breakdown in the corner of the apartment.
It took nearly thirty minutes for poor Ranma to recover enough sanity to move, and he stood and sat opposite Ryoko, keeping his gaze off of the creature in her arms. "I suppose I owe you an explanation." Ranma stated with his eyes red and puffy from crying and tear tracks running down his cheeks. He had no shred of dignity left, so he felt no need to preserve it by acting tough.
Ryoko nodded dumbly, cursing her stupidity in aggravating the situation.
Ranma sighed, looking down at the floor before starting. "When I was six... my father told me of a technique that would make me... well... invincible. Supposedly, this technique was unbeatable. Well, being the fool I was, I was all for learning the technique. Of course, it did not matter if I didn't want to, he would have made me learn anyway."
Ranma paused to let that sink in before continuing his tale, still unable to look at Ryoko. "The technique is known as the neko-ken. The cat-fist. It uses the ferocity and speed of a cat, as well as ones own energies to make them an unstoppable fighter. The problem, is that it makes them deathly afraid of cats. I... The training involves the trainee being wrapped in various fish products, depending on what you think would work. Then he is thrown into a pit that has already been dug and filled with cats, which are not fed for several days. The result is the trainee being... attacked by the cats to get the food."
Ryoko just stared in shock with her jaw slack. What kind of sickos were on earth? She thought some aliens were bad... Sheesh.
"I was put through that several times, with different fish foodstuffs wrapped about me every time. It left me with a fear of cats. However... when my fear gets to a point where I can't take it anymore... I snap."
Ryoko swallowed and asked tentatively. "Snap?"
Ranma nodded gently. "I... My mind just snaps and I start to think that I myself am a cat. The result is an unbeatable technique, but I act like a housecat and make a fool of myself."
Ryoko winced and lowered her head. "I-I am sorry. I wouldn't have done that had I known..."
Ranma raised his head, and to Ryoko's surprise, she found him grinning. His lip was quivering, but it was a grin regardless. "Hey... don't worry about it. You couldn't have known."
Ryoko raised her head in shock. How could he forgive her?! She had just tortured the poor guy and here he was straight up forgiving her. It just... It wasn't right. He should be trying to throw her out or some such thing, but instead he was swallowing his pride (For Ranma, were talking monumental effort) and just saying it's alright.
"So... you say Ryo-oh-ki here isn't a... cat?"
Ryoko shook her head vaguely. "No... She's a cabbit."
Ranma nodded and knelt down, getting level with Ryo-oh-ki. He looked up at Ryoko and asked, "Can she understand me?" She nodded in response and watched as Ranma lowered his head. "Sorry bout me freakin out... I know it probably wasn't very nice of me. You were just curious about me huh?"
Ryo-oh-ki looked up at Ranma with big, sad eyes and nodded, nearly on the verge of tears.
Smiling, Ranma reached out and pet the cabbit, scratching her behind the head and caused Ryo-oh-ki to close her eyes and lean into the petting. "Sorry... It's me, not you. At least you don't look like a cat. But... while you are around me, can you keep the meowing to a minimum, at least until I get fixed of this little problem?"
Immediately a difference could be seen in Ryo-oh-ki as she opened her eyes and nodded happily, leaping up and onto Ranma's shoulder and nuzzling his cheek. She could tell that he was a nice guy, like Tenchi! If she had to be quiet to be friends with a new person, then she would try her best.
Ryoko was amazed at how quickly Ranma had gained Ryo-oh-ki's affection. He seemed to be amazing her again and again. She had him pegged for a snotty, arrogant little punk, and here he is coming out with this kindness that completely warped her view of him. And that story he told her... that was obviously a traumatic experience, at six most kids would die or go mad. But here he is, living strong and still with kindness in his heart. More investigating was definitely in order, but for now she thought that he was finished with telling her of his past.
Ranma stood and went to the kitchen to fix something up for lunch, idly petting a very content cabbit that was resting on his shoulder.
Ryoko followed and sat at the table, watching him go about fixing some ramen for the both of him before setting both bowls on the table before taking a seat. She sniffed at the ramen and took a cautious bite and was pleased by it's flavor. Not nearly as good as Sasami's of course, but nothing to sneeze at.
Before he even took a bite, Ranma swallowed his pride again and looked at Ryoko. "Thank you... for not laughing at my... phobia."
Ryoko looked up and paused stuffing her face before nodding and slurping up the noodles hanging out of her mouth. "Yeah... uh, no problem."
Ranma smiled weakly before digging into his own bowl. The rest of the meal was eaten in comfortable silence as Ryo-oh-ki fell asleep quite comfortable on Ranma's shoulder and Ranma and Ryoko ate, the only noise being the noodles sucked into the endless stomachs that sat across from each other.
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"So... how long you been working at this joint?" Ryoko asked after slugging down another bottle of sake.
Ranma just watched the alien down another bottle as he stood behind the counter and shook his head. "That's just... crazy..." he muttered, thinking about how much damage she must have done to her liver. "Actually, the day you came in was my first."
Ryoko seemed surprised. "Huh, you're pretty good for a new guy."
Ranma thanked her and continued serving the slow trickle of people that entered, which was not very many at all. Ranma had already realized that his job was one at a not so popular bar, not that he minded mind you. That was fine with him, as long as he got paid.
A gruff, unshaven man entered an hour or so into Ranma's shift, and Ranma noted the odd hairstyle. He had long sideburns, trailing down to the center of his cheek, and his hair was put up into two spikes, which had an odd, almost animalistic trait to it. He was slightly hunched over as walked, as if he was some sort of beast. A thick cigar stuck out of his mouth, the red embers burning brightly as he took puffs. He was foreign, that much was certain, but Ranma knew this man had fighting experience.
"Kirin." The man said as he took a seat a couple spaces away from Ryoko, eyeing the woman oddly as she gulped down more sake.
Ranma got the bottle of beer and set it and a glass out, pouring it for the man.
"Thank you." The man muttered in only slightly accented Japanese.
Ranma went back to tending behind the bar as he spoke. "Your Japanese is good."
The man looked up from the beer, eyeing Ranma as if he was sizing him up. "How did you know I spoke Japanese?"
Chuckling, Ranma shrugged. "Well, I guessed. You speak it well, hardly any accent at all."
The man shrugged, obviously not much of a talker. "I used to live in Japan."
"You are here on business then?"
Raising a brow, the man appeared interested as to why Ranma kept badgering him.
Ranma smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, gets kinda boring 'round here. Thought I could talk to help time pass."
Nodding, the other man seemed to accept the explanation. "Well, you could say that."
Ranma nodded and wiped several glasses. "My name is Ranma by the way."
"Logan." The man gruffly answered, finishing his beer off and putting some yen on the table before getting up and leaving.
"Sheesh, no one wants to talk these days..." Ranma muttered, taking the money and the glass and starting to take care of them.
======================
"Ryoko? Oi! Ryoko!" A voice disturbed her slumber as she groggily awoke, her eyes half-lidded.
"Huh...? What?" She responded smartly, looking about and getting her bearings.
"Place is closing up, let's go."
Ryoko immediately woke up and noticed that Ranma was the one who had awoken her, and she gazed into his blue eyes which smiled as she looked into them.
"Come on, let's get you home."
Assisting the still very intoxicated Ryoko, Ranma steadied her and helped her walk back to the apartment, where he opened the door.
Ryoko immediately started floating up, expecting her rafter to be there but paused when she noticed only a ceiling up there. "Where'd mah rafter go!?" She shouted, looking about frantically.
"Rafter... Ryoko what are you talking about?" Ranma asked, his eyebrow coming to a peak as he gazed at her.
"It's my room! I sleep up there!" She stated as she looked under the couch as to try and discern her rafters location.
Ranma froze at that and stared at the alien girl he hadn't known for more than a week. She slept on a rafter...? What kind of monster did this to her? "Ryoko." Ranma said, loud enough to get Ryoko's attention. That seemed to knock her out of her drunken stupor as she stood and gazed at Ranma. "Go ahead and take my room, I'll sleep on the couch."
Ryoko winced and shook her head. "No! That's ok, I mean, I can sleep on the couch."
Ranma frowned and marched up to Ryoko. "Look, I may not be very smart, but I know how to treat a lady. Making her sleep on a rafter or on the couch is not proper! Don't worry about it, I have slept with rocks for pillows for most of my life. This, this is luxury to me." Ranma said, flopping on the couch and getting comfy as his clothes molded themselves into his casual tank top and boxer combination.
She watched the shift with awe. No matter how many times she saw it, it was simply... astounding. His words finally registered and Ryoko nodded, slinking her way into Ranma's room, which was quite bare. All that was within was a backpack and a futon.
She the carefully folded futon and laid it out nicely, before climbing in to it's warm depths and getting comfy. She rolled over once and was surprised when a squeal came from the depths of the futon. Gasping in surprise, Ryoko raised the covers and took a peak deep within the depths of her bed and found...
Ryo-oh-ki, pinned underneath her leg. Giggling, she reached down and pulled her partner up and set her up by her head. She patted her cabbit once before getting snuggly in her new bed.
"Miyah..." Ryo-oh-ki meowed softly, as to not scare her new friend.
A small smile crept onto Ryoko's lips as she shifted a bit. "Yeah, you're right... He is special."
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Fin! For this chapter at least. Well... this one took me longer, but as you can tell by the length, it should have been. This is a pretty decent sized update compared to my past ones, so enjoy it. Because next is KoS. I promised them some love, and they shall receive from their uncle Gundraw. But fear not, my loyal fans! For their shall be... another update!
Ja! Gundraw