"Blah" Spoken Word, Japanese or English, figure it out.
Blah Usually Kao Talking but may also be telepathy.
Chapter 10: Enter Magneto
"You!" Logan growled, his claws extending in rage.
Ranma blinked.
More than one girl in the Tendo residence shouted in worry for Ranma after seeing the man they had been entertaining sprout a set of wicked claws on each hand and charge towards their love.
With lightning quick reflexes that had been honed to nigh perfection, Ranma let his body flow into a more suited position to defend against the incoming attack and prepared to dodge to the side and counter-attack.
But as Logan grew closer and Ranma prepared to commence his strategy, an astounding phenomena occurred. Odd circles of light captured the wrists and ankles of the clawed mutant and restrained him, a mere few feet from Ranma's position.
Ranma blinked, confused at first but turned and saw Washu smiling mischievously. She turned to him and gave him a little smirk, to which Ranma smiled weakly at.
"My Ranma, you surround yourself with such interesting people!" Washu exclaimed, dashing over to the restrained mutant and inspecting his claws closely, tracing them with her fingers and up to his hand and studying the bone structure. "You're a goldmine for a scientist like me!"
At this point the people inside the house had just realized that Ranma had not come alone, and in fact had brought what appeared to be a seven to eight year old girl who had a rather odd hairstyle and regarded Ranma with a familiarity that a few of the women did not appreciate. As they were about to initiate the interrogation which Ranma already knew was coming, another girl, one who appeared much older and had a rather revealing (in their minds) outfit on with the wildest greenish-blue hair in a style that matched the red-headed girls floated down from the roof and beside Ranma, placing her arm on his shoulder and leaning on him in a friendly fashion. "Looks like he found you… or rather we did."
"Ano… Ryoko…" Ranma began, pushing her arm off of his shoulder with a nervous laugh before turning to her and his face losing any humor it might have held and spoke in a low whisper. "Cut it out!" Ryoko just frowned and rolled her eyes, wondering why he was so uptight.
"Let me go you little brat!" Logan shouted, struggling against his bonds of light that were restraining him in mid-air.
Washu clicked her tongue condescendingly as she walked to the front of the rather gruff and uncouth man, a disappointed look twinkling in her eye. "Now that's no way to talk to your elders is it?"
Logan snarled and growled at the little girl that had somehow tied him up. "I'm a lot older than I look girl…"
Washu, completely unimpressed shrugged. "As am I."
Peter, who was watching from within beside the girls who had suddenly started glowing, decided to intervene at that point with an intelligent question. "What is going on here?"
"That's what I'd like to know…" Akane stated, a slight grind in her teeth.
"Me too sugar." Agreed Ukyo, who looked no happier than Akane.
Ranma instantly put up warding gestures with his hands and laughed nervously, much to the surprise of both Peter and Logan. It seemed the so-called ladies man was whipped, who would have guessed. "Uh, Washu? Can you let the guy down first?" Ranma asked, an almost pleading hint in his voice but he would have denied it later, Ranma Saotome never begs.
Washu pouted before complying, pressing a button on her watch and causing the restraints to fizzle out of existence and drop the floating figure of Logan from the air rather unceremoniously onto the terra firma below. "You're no fun" Washu stated with an upset voice. "But you can make it up to me Ranma-chan!"
As the girls inside pondered the meaning of that statement and coming to several false conclusions, Logan rose to his feet, glaring at the redhead rather harshly before turning to Ranma and raising a finger to eye level, pointing accusingly at the teen. "You and me got some unfinished business…"
Peter coughed from behind Logan and rose, walking to stand beside Logan and spoke with a much more easy going voice. "Look, we don't want any trouble; we just have a few questions alright?"
Ranma looked to the newcomer, recognizing the voice vaguely but unable to place it at the moment. Filing it away in his mind to think about later, Ranma nodded, although skeptically. "Ok…"
"But first I think you should introduce your guests Ranma…" A somewhat angry voice stated, and the murmurs of agreement echoed the statement.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Ranma turned to Akane, who looked none to pleased he noticed, and realized just how big his audience was when noting that Ukyo, Nabiki and the rest of the Tendo family had gathered to hear Ranma's response.
"Ah! Excuse us for being so rude." Washu stated, stepping forward and smiling quite cutely. "This is my daughter Ryoko, and I am Washu, the greatest scientist in the universe!" At this, a small, holographic puppet like figure appeared on each of her shoulders, bearing a close resemblance to Washu herself, holding signs that said "Washu is the greatest!" and "Hooray Washu!"
Ranma's groan broke the silence that had inhabited the room after Washu's display.
"But you can call me Washu-chan!"
"D-Daughter? But you're like, twelve!" Akane stuttered, looking between the two aliens with a rather horrified expression. "And she looks… like, 30 or something!"
"Wait just one damn minute!" Ryoko shouted, a large scowl gracing her lovely face. "Whaddya mean I look 30?" Ryoko prided herself on looking young and maintaining her beauty.
"I was going to see around 34 actually…" Ukyo said, to which the rest of the Tendo family muttered agreements and their own estimates.
The part Masu female gritted her teeth and clenched her fists tightly, her false gems glowing with her rage.
"Ryoko… calm down." Washu stated tersely. Ryoko grumbled out several obscenities beneath her breath and the gems slowly lost their energy.
Though unseen, the gathered females that had been commenting about the girl released a breath they had been holding.
"Greatest Scientist in the Universe eh?" Logan said with no small amount of mirth in his voice. "What makes you say that?" He knew many scientists, human and otherwise and sincerely doubted this little girl knew as much as they did.
Washu smiled happily and answered the man as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Why, after living for a couple thousand years and exploring the known galaxies of course!"
A stunned silence filled the Tendo compound, and was interrupted by Nabiki finally turning to Ranma and speaking. "How do you do it Saotome?"
Ranma didn't really understand the question, so he just shrugged.
Logan's eyebrow rose to a peak on his rugged face, signaling his disbelief, before turning to Peter and telling him what she had said.
Peter too shared this belief that the girl was simply stating something she had made up or was from a game, but to his surprise one of the women behind him spoke up and stated the opposite of what Logan and had said.
"Oh? That's really cool!" Ukyo said, smiling happily. Just how many galaxies are there?"
Logan turned and gave an incredulous look to the brown haired chef and made sure he heard clearly.
"Oh only several dozen… the other universes however, that's a different story." Washu stated knowledgably.
"There's more than one universe?" Akane shouted, looking disbelieving.
Logan paused to catch peter up to the events that were taking place, from what Washu had stated to everything the others had said as well.
"Wait a minute!" Peter finally shouted, looking around as if everyone had gone crazy. "You believe she's over a thousand years old and has seen every galaxy in this infinite universe, but NOT that there are other universes? What is with you people?"
Of course, only several of the residents knew English well enough to translate, though his sudden outburst did attract a lot of attention.
"Who are you anyway?" Ranma asked in his native language, making others quietly ask the same.
Peter saw that everyone was staring at him after their target had spoke and turned to Logan for an explanation.
"They're wonderin' who you are." Logan stated in English
Peter blinked, not really having expected being asked that and immediately realized that he was now the center of attention, and grew rather flustered. "Oh uh… tell them that I'm a reporter or something, here for the story on Ranma."
Logan did so, but most of the people could already translate it as English was taught in the high school.
"I didn't realize that Ranma's feats were known well enough to even reach the media in the States, I figured they were busy with their own heroes or whatever." Nabiki said curiously, switching over to English for the time being so she could be understood.
"Yeah, I mean Ran-chan has been around for a while, I wonder why no one else has come before." Ukyo confirmed in agreement with the middle Tendo sister.
"Uh, it takes a while for news to trickle over to America?" Peter said, though it sounded like he questioning himself more than stating a fact. Nabiki picked up on this but said nothing, curious as to where this was leading.
"So if you don't mind…" Logan interrupted. "We got some questions for ya."
Ranma shrugged. "Sure, shoot."
Logan glanced around at the gathered company and looked back to Ranma. "You got somewhere a bit more… private?"
Blinking several times before looking around at everyone, he really didn't know where to go that was really "private" as little went on that Nabiki wasn't aware of.
"You guys can head into the dojo if you want." Nabiki stated, quickly covering for Ranma before he said something that she would make regret.
He glanced at Nabiki and saw her looking at him with a "don't ask questions" look and decided that it was against his better judgment to do so. So knowing, Ranma said: "Come on, this way." And hopped up onto the floor of the compound, then gesturing for the two gaijin to follow, which they did.
As the group left, the Tendo's, Genma, and Ukyo turned to Ryoko and Washu and stared for several seconds before Kasumi broke the awkward silence. "Would you two like some tea?"
Washu nodded and smiled. "That'd hit the spot! What was your name again?"
"Oh my, how rude of me, my name is Kasumi Tendo, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Washu immediately liked the kind young woman, though if anyone was asked they would agree it was very difficult not to like the somewhat oblivious but otherwise angelic Kasumi.
"I suppose it is long overdue time for introductions…" Nabiki stated. "I'm Nabiki, and this is Akane." She said, signaling to herself and then to Akane. "We're Kasumi's sisters."
Akane nodded and a soft smile graced her face. "Please come in."
Ryoko needed no further invitation and floated inside, making herself comfortable. Though it wasn't the weirdest thing they had seen, the casual disregard for her powers surprised the people gathered, sans Washu of course. Who, on the other hand had stepped up onto the wood and bowed deeply and thanked them for their hospitality.
Nabiki continued, pointing to her father. "This is our daddy, Soun."
Soun bowed and smiled. "Hello."
"And over here in the white gi is Ranma's dad, Genma." Genma, who had remained rather quiet up until that point rather awkwardly bowed, unfamiliar with the social situation. The moment he was announced Washu's eyes locked on him, disregarding everyone else and focusing her sole attentions on him. At first he had thought it was because he was announced, but as time went on and her gaze did not avert he began to think it was something else entirely…
"And my name's Ukyo Kuonji, nice to meet you both." Ukyo said, smiling to hopefully set a good impression.
Washu bowed to each as they were introduced, and only tore her eyes from Genma when they were all finished and it was time to reiterate. "Well as I said, my name is Washu Habuki, and this is my daughter…"
"Ryoko." The cyan haired beauty said from her place floating above the table.
"It's a pleasure to meet the friends of Ranma!" Washu said sincerely.
"Speaking of..." Nabiki said, immediately launching into a question. "How did you two meet him?
"I met him at his job…" Ryoko said, immediately receiving several incredulous stares from the people.
"Ranma has a job?" Akane asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.
Ryoko blinked, not realizing the significance of something like that and nodded. "Yeah, he works at a bar in downtown Tokyo… seems like a sweet gig since the bar didn't seem too popular."
"Bartender eh?" Ukyo said, a soft smile emerging on her lips.
"Mhm.. and then after seeing him… 'dispose' of some thugs, I knew that there was more to him than there seemed so I took him to Washu." She said.
"That's correct. Our first meeting didn't really go well…" Washu stated, recalling the escape he had made with a heavy sigh.
"I don't think any of Ranchan's first meetings go too well…" Ukyo said, recalling her own time with the pig-tailed boy.
The two present Tendo sisters muttered agreement darkly.
"Well, anyway, after that was all cleared up, we got to meet him and took interest in him and his potential to the human race." Washu said.
"So you two really are…?" Akane began, and Washu nodded and answered before she could finish.
"Yes, we aren't from Earth if that's what you mean."
Ukyo smiled and turned somewhat giddy. "Wow, real aliens! I mean, I've seen some really weird stuff, but I never thought that aliens really existed!"
"You know…" Ryoko said with a half-lidded stare. "To us, you're the aliens."
Ukyo stuttered and smiled meekly. "Yeah, I guess so…"
In the dojo
Ranma lead the two strangers into the dojo, unconcerned of any threat they may present, sure he could counter whatever they had planned. "So, whatcha guys want to know?" Ranma asked in English, figuring it would be easier to talk in a language they both could understand.
Logan and Peter exchanged a quick glance before Peter started, knowing that if Logan ran the show nothing good would come. "Well, let me begin by saying that I saw you at the bank robbery the other day…"
Ranma stared for a moment. "Bank robbery…?"
"You know… the other day? When those guys in the weird costumes showed up, the big guy in the black one and the other one in the red and blue…?" Peter elaborated.
"Oh yeah!" Ranma said, punching his palm in realization. "What of it?"
"Well uh, it's not often that anyone takes out Venom that quickly…"
"Venom?"
"The guy in the black suit. Anyway, there are very few who can do something like that so we just had some questions about your powers…" Peter said.
"Whaddya mean powers?" Ranma asked, growing confused.
Peter sighed and explained again. "At the bank you moved fast. Like, really fast, inhumanely fast! So, is your power super speed or something?"
"Oh you mean the Kachu Tenshin Amagriken?" Ranma asked. "That's not a power, it's a technique."
That peaked Logan's interest. "Technique? Like what kind of technique?"
"Martial Arts, it's an Amazon technique the ol' mummy taught me."
Logan seemed surprised. "Martial Arts? I have heard of stuff like that but I figured it was all legend…"
Ranma waved it off. "Nah, it's all real, the amazons have some pretty nifty techniques."
"Wait, you're saying that this… Katsu Tenshi Amaburi-whatever gives you super speed?"
"Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken." Ranma said, correcting the gaijin with a half-lidded stare. "And I dunno about super speed, I mean there were faster people that me, like Mint, man that guys fast… but uh yeah it made me a lot faster."
"How good at martial arts do you have to be to learn this technique?" Logan asked.
"Well first you gotta be friends with the Amazon's, and actually finding em is another story. Then you gotta be… I dunno, maybe third degree black belt?"
One of Logan's brows rose. "What rank are you then?"
"Well… I'm not really ranked anymore, I've already surpassed all the other masters that I've challenged, and most won't even attempt to challenge me anymore, they know I'm in a league in my own." Ranma said happily, petting his own ego.
"You're telling me that you've beaten the masters around the world?" Logan asked, clarifying what Ranma had said.
"Yeah most of em, I went on a training trip with my pops since I was about 5 or so, and only stopped two years ago… we went around the world and trained and he got me to challenge all the masters of the art and stuff… the ones that I haven't challenged won't even accept anymore because they heard about what happened to the other guys." Ranma actually pouted a bit at that, he had always wanted to defeat all of them just so he can officially claim the title of the best.
"So, how do you rate yourself?" Peter asked. He wasn't sure what the significance of defeating all these masters was, but he gathered it was something special.
Ranma snorted. "I'm the best of course."
Logan grinned and saw an opportunity. "Want to prove that?"
Ranma looked to the Canadian fellow and shrugged. "I already beat you remember? You were spewing in the gutter."
Logan grit his teeth in silent anger at the response, and before he could retaliate Peter interrupted.
"Anyway, uh, are you a mutant Ranma?" He had already been answered but figured it safer to ask the person in question.
"Mutant?" Ranma asked, and looked down at himself. "What you mean like toxic waste shit? Like growing tentacles and all that?"
Logan only grit his teeth further, silently thanking his adamantine covered skeletal structure so that the teeth would not shatter. "What he means kid is whether you have an active mutant gene in you or not…" His claws slowly emerged from beneath his flesh, puncturing their fleshy container and emerging.
"Woah! Those are pretty cool man, where'd you get em?" Ranma asked, looking down at the claws. It was like Mousse did, but beneath the skin! Hell it was pretty damn spiffy.
Might I remind you that I could do the same at any moment Host Ranma? Kao interjected, making himself known for the first time. Such acts are relatively simple and hardly impressive.
'Yeah but I mean, well… never mind.' Ranma thought, the coolness factor of the claws deflating a bit.
"You there kid?" Logan asked, shaking Ranma from his temporary stupor.
"Oh uh, yeah. So how'd you get those anyway?"
"I didn't ask for em if that's what you mean, they were… assigned to me I suppose you could say." Logan muttered darkly.
Ranma noted he hit a sore spot, but the curiosity over rid the fact that it was rude to press the subject. "So, why were they… assigned or whatever to you?"
As subtle as a trainwreck Host Ranma. Kao muttered.
"Cause of my mutant power." Logan said, now grinning however. The claws retraced back into his fist and Ranma watched as the skin resealed itself in mere seconds.
"Woah!" Ranma said, his eyes widening. "That's really cool! I knew you healed fast cause of that fight we had but, that's really nifty! I mean, a couple seconds to reseal an open gash? That must come in handy."
Though Kao said nothing, Ranma had no doubt that the symbiotic creature was interested in this ability.
Logan smiled at the youth for the first time, and realized that he was dealing with a teenager, despite his skills and how dangerous he was, the kid was still… well, a kid.
"Do you have any powers like that though Ranma, innate abilities that make you different?" Peter asked.
"What's innate mean?"
Peter nearly collapsed, but managed to remain upright. "Uhm like, natural… you were born with them."
Ranma thought for a moment before shrugging. "Nope."
Peter and Logan exchanged glances again.
"So, how much longer is this gonna take? I gotta get back to Tokyo and the train takes an hour or so to get near where I live and I still gotta talk to Nabiki…" Ranma asked, now well and bored.
"You got anything else?" Peter asked of Logan. Though they had no definitive answer, they had been told multiple times that Ranma was indeed not a mutant, though his own explanation seemed rather absurd. They'd have to regroup later and figure out what to do.
"Nah.. I got nothing…" Logan said, giving the pig-tailed boy another once over, still rather surprised that this was the same kid he had been fighting only a day earlier. Of course, he'd make the kid pay for it later, but at the moment he still needed to talk to Chuck about a few things.
"Alrighty then!" Ranma exclaimed as he brushed by them. "You guys know the way out right?" At their nod, he smiled and exited. "See ya later then!" With that, the boy walked out and into the home, out of line of sight.
"You believe him?" Peter asked.
"No reason not to, the kid didn't seem like the type to just lie… lemme talk to Chuck real quick…" Logan said, pulling out his cell phone to make a quick call. Peter made the connection from Chuck to Professor Xavier and waited for Logan to finish up.
"Heya Chuck?"
"Yes, Logan?" The calm voice of the professor answered from the other end of the line.
"We just got done talking to this 'Ranma' kid, from what he and his friends know, he isn't a mutant, but me and Spidey here still got our doubts." No doubt Professor Xavier knew who Spider-Man really was, but Logan knew Peter liked to keep his secret identity… well, secret. He and only a handful of others knew, but that was too many already in Peter's opinion.
"I… see. You have no proof of this however?"
"Right."
"I think I'll send Beast over to run a couple of tests… this boy is truly an enigma Logan, and we must press our advantage over Magneto while we can, no doubt he will find that the boy could be beneficial to his cause." Logan nodded to himself and responded.
"Ok then, when will he be coming?"
"I'll send him in the Black Hawk with Gambit, just in case… Be wary Logan, I dislike the situation. The boy is still up for grabs as it were in this war we wage… it would not do to have him slip into Magneto's hands."
"I gotcha Chuck… tell Beast to call me when he gets here, bye."
"Well?" Peter asked.
"He's sending Beast and Gambit over to do some tests on the kid, we just gotta persuade him to come along now…"
In the Tendo living room, some handful of minutes earlier.
"So wait, you're telling us that Earth is actually owned by an alien race?" Akane asked.
Washu nodded as she sipped at her tea. "The Juraian empire to be exact, an intergalactic empire spanning several galaxies and easily one of the most powerful races in the universe."
"What like Star Wars?" Ukyo asked.
"What's Star Wars?" Ryoko responded.
Realizing that she was serious and looking to Washu and seeing the same blank look she waved the question off. "Forget it."
"Anyway, we are friends of the crown prince of this empire, and I generally like to survey the progress of the race." Washu explained. "Seeing what Ranma could do and hearing about it from Ryoko here, I just had to meet him and do a couple… tests. What I found was quite astounding! Would you believe that the amount of pheromones that boy releases is exponentially higher than the average male?"
"I'd believe it…" Ukyo muttered, blushing lightly,
"So how did you all meet Ranma anyway?" Washu inquired.
"Well, Ranchan is a friend from my childhood…" Ukyo responded, smiling. "He was my best friend and still is. I met him again a couple years ago after his father abandoned me after promising to take me on their training trip looking for revenge. I met Ranchan again and… " She blushed for a moment as she remembered the moment she fell in love all over again when he had called her cute. "Well, after finding out that his father had engaged us he-"
"Wait, engaged?" Washu asked.
Ukyo nodded. "I'm Ranchan's cute fiancée."
Ryoko floated over to Ukyo. "You say that like he has more than one."
"Because he does…" Nabiki sighed, explaining the situation for the second time today. As she told the two aliens of what the current count was they didn't seem too surprised at all.
"Well, I've heard of this in other cultures…" Washu said. "But never in earthlings…"
"That's cause it doesn't usually happen!" Akane shouted. "His stupid father engaged Ranma to everyone he came across for whatever they offered as a dowry."
Genma took this moment to try and defend himself, but the look from the gathered females quickly extinguished any argument he may have held.
"So… Ranma is a hot item I take it?" Washu asked.
"Oh yeah… Ranchan has quite a few girls chasing him daily, or at least he did before he moved…"
"It's hard sometimes…" Akane said. "I mean, having to compete with someone every day for a boy's affections, you have no idea how hard it is sometimes."
Ryoko remained quiet as Washu spoke. "You have no idea."
"Is anyone hungry?" Kasumi asked, emerging from the kitchen once more with the ever present serene smile on her face.
Ryoko perked up and nodded. "Yeah!"
The others looked to each other and agreement ran through the people that some food would be nice.
"Oh my, I'm not sure if we have enough for everyone… I think I'll just order out." Kasumi stated and left to place the order.
Footsteps padding along the floor alerted everyone to Ranma's arrival and he smiled at every gathered and gave a little wave. "Yo!"
"How'd it go Ranchan?" Ukyo asked, giving him her best smile.
"Meh, no biggie. Just wanted to know about the martial arts I practice and stuff. Anyway, I gotta outta there so I could talk to ya Nabiki, what was so urgent that you called me about?"
Ukyo and Akane froze and turned to Nabiki. "You knew his number?" They simultaneously shouted.
Nabiki silently cursed and put on her best smile. "Only the number of the apartments where he lives…"
"He has an apartment too? Where did you get the money for all this Ranma?" Akane asked, genuinely surprised.
Ranma shrugged. "I'd been saving for a while."
"Where are the apartments?" She continued.
"Oh it's right downtown, I got one a kilometer or so north of the imperial palace."
Akane and Ukyo gasped. "No way! That's right near where we're going to college!" Ukyo exclaimed. Now when she'd be going to college she could visit her Ranchan anytime she desired!
Ranma smiled rather meekly, knowing that it'd only cause trouble if she did go to meet him. He turned back to Nabiki to get an answer from his original question. "So anway, what was it that you were calling about Nabiki?"
The room adopted a pregnant pause as Nabiki looked into Ranma's eyes, the soft blue orbs she could get lost in gazing into her own deep brown ones before she ran forward and nearly tackled the boy, tears trailing from her eyes.
"Please don't leave again Ranma! I don't know if I could take it!" She sobbed, stunning the household.
"N-Nabiki!" Akane shouted. "Not you too!"
"I'm sorry Akane…" Nabiki whispered, tears still draining from her eyes. "I can't help it… I got so jealous watching him do everything for you, save you and help you… I just got so envious and I began to realize that… I really do… love you Ranma."
Ranma was frozen sold with a look of despair on his face.
Ukyo turned to the Habuki's and sighed. "Add another to the list."
"Please Ranma… I'll do anything, take me with you though! I need you, I couldn't stand being here without you…"
"Uh… Nabiki… I just… I would but I already have a couple roommates…"
Nabiki looked up with large, watery eyes and sniffled. "W-who?"
Ranma glanced to Ryoko and Washu. "Er… Them."
Another long pause took over the room.
"Well that's a little detail you left out!" Akane stated.
Washu smiled and shrugged.
"It's just a one room apartment anyway, I'm sleeping on the couch already and-"
"If space is the only problem I can take care of that." Washu said. She failed to realize the look of horror that Ranma's face twisted into. "I mean, I could add a few rooms onto the place if you really wouldn't mind if she'd move in…"
Nabiki smiled at the red-haired girl and nodded hastily. "I would! I'd do anything! Please, let me stay!" She begged once more, and Ranma's resolve crumbled.
"Er… I guess it's ok…" He muttered, his will all but broken.
"Hey, if it's ok if she does… is it ok if I do too Ranchan? I mean, you're so close to my school and if it's closer to you…"
"I'm moving in too then!" Akane proclaimed. "If they can there's no way you're leaving me here Ranma!"
"Where Akane moving to?" A new voice said as it bounded into view over the wall to the complex. It revealed to be a very buxom young girl in a scandoulsly short Chinese dress, with long purple hair reaching past her waist. She wore her hair down, except for two small balls atop her hall that were tied together with several bells hanging down by her ears. In her hands she balanced several square containers that had a simply delicious aroma drifting off of them.
It took her a moment, but once she had spotted a certain pig-tailed boy, she squealed in a high pitched shout of delight. "Aiyah! Airen come home!" She dashed forward and deposited the containers onto the table and gave Ranma her patented Amazonian glomp, once again nearly bowling over the boy and purred as she rubbed against his chest in a rather lewd display.
"I hope no one minds that I ordered ramen." Kasumi said from the doorway.
"She was just saying that she wanted to move in with 'lover boy' there." Ryoko said with a mirthful grin on her face.
"Akane move in with Airen? Not without Shampoo!"
Washu blinked and nodded. "Ok then, let's see here… Me and Ryoko, Nabiki, Akane, Ukyo, Shampoo and of course Ranma. Anyone else?"
Nothing.
"That's easily done." Washu said proudly. "With my prowess in subspace dimensions I can easily make a new little universe for everyone." She broke into a fit of cackling glee, causing everyone present to stare at her.
"Aiyah."
More footsteps came from the hallway and the two foreigners made themselves known again. "By the…way…"
Seeing Ranma now being nearly fondled by two young and rather beautiful women in the middle of the room caused them to gaze at the boy with questioning looks.
"Not a word." Ranma muttered.
Logan merely grinned.
Peter spoke up, unsure of how to word the question in the current situation. "Uh, we need a way to contact you, we got some more questions for later."
Nabiki looked back from the man to Ranma and sighed in defeat before leaving for a moment to write down the number to the apartment complex and handed it to him. "That should get you in contact with the people who own his apartment." She stated in accented, but passable English.
"Er… thanks." He replied, before grabbing Logan and exiting the room and building altogether.
"Still think the little punk's lucky." Logan muttered.
After several moments of more rubbing and purring from the Amazon, she extracted herself (albeit reluctantly) and sat down to get caught up to date on the events that have passed thus far.
"Aiyah! You are aliens?" She asked with wide eyes.
"You're the alien!" Ryoko shouted.
"Quiet big ear woman." Shampoo said. "Ask little girl, not you."
Ryoko silently fumed, but restrained herself from doing something that would make her look bad.
"Anyway… I better get goin…" Ranma said, much to the chagrin of the others present. "I bet it'll take a while for those new rooms to get made and all that so I shouldn't be wasting time here so-"
"Actually Ranma-chan…" Washu said. "It shouldn't take me more than a few minutes to set it up."
Ranma's open mouth flapped several times more before he sighed in defeat.
"I'll go get my things!" Nabiki said as she rushed off to pack.
"Wait for me!" Akane said as she rushed away with
"I better get packing too!" Ukyo said.
"But, what about the shop?" Ranma asked, seeing an opening.
Ukyo however waved it off. "I only really set that place up as a way to pass time, I have the money from my father to rent the place out. Besides, Konatsu will probably want to keep the place running."
Ranma's smile evaporated. "Oh yeah…"
"Shampoo go tell great grandmother good news and go pack too!" The bubbly amazon said. She blew Ranma a quick kiss goodbye and exited the same way she had entered, by means of jumping over the wall surrounding the area.
"Don't either of you two have something to say about this?" Ranma asked, turning to his father and Soun.
"Now son…" Genma began, appearing behind Ranma with his old friend. "There comes a time when every man must live with a large group of women and be surrounded by them."
Soun nodded wisely as Genma continued.
"Besides, this will bring you and Akane closer, so we can finally join the schools!"
"It's brilliant Saotome!" Soun agreed.
Ranma knocked both on the head and they both fell unconscious to the ground. "Idiots."
"And he's your father?" Washu asked.
"Sadly yes."
It took some time but soon the two Tendo daughters came back downstairs with several suitcases full of clothes and other things they thought they would need. They had no need to take everything as they did live close enough to make a trip back at any time they so desired. They waited for Ukyo and Shampoo as well, despite Ryoko complaining about how bored she was and Nabiki suggesting that they could just leave, Ranma's conscience wouldn't let him do something like that and so he waited with the girls for the other two to arrive, which they did and quite quickly considering how much time they had to prepare.
"Well daddy… you knew this day would come." Akane muttered, emberassed at her father's waterworks.
"Nabiki take care of your little sister ok…? Oh how I will miss you both!" Soun wailed as he gave them both a giant hug.
Ranma waited out front, carrying a majority of the luggage with a grimace. "How come I got stuck with all the stuff?"
Nabiki walked outside with Akane and smiled. "Because you're a gentleman and it's the proper thing to do. We all appreciate it you know that." She said and leaned forward to give Ranma a peck on the cheek.
Ranma blushed and said nothing more.
Akane was surprised at Ranma's acceptance of the kiss, for the only times she had ever really seen him accept a kiss willingly were… well, never.
Not to be outdone, Ukyo and Shampoo too leaned in on either side of him and kissed him as well, this time extending the kiss by several seconds before pulling away. The blush on his face deepened and he started walking before anything else could happen that would embarrass him. Akane silently fumed she wasn't given a chance but tried not to show it.
With the bags it took them a half hour or so before they made it to the train station and Nabiki was kind enough to pay for tickets for herself, Akane, Ryoko, Washu and Ranma. However, Ukyo and Shampoo were left to pay for themselves, and already a small rivalry had formed between them. They entered the train easily enough, only having trouble fitting all the bags through the door
They found the compartment they had all gotten together and Ranma carefully managed to place all the bags in the areas above and below the seats and then slumped down into a seat. As soon as he sat there was a mad rush to be the one who got to sit next to him, much pushing and shoving between Ukyo and Shampoo erupting as they tried to be the first next to him. As they fought however, Washu squeezed by their legs and jumped up onto the seat next to Ranma, making sure to cuddle up nice and close.
Seeing this, it became a mad race between Ukyo and Shampoo to get the only spot left, Shampoo managing to dart ahead in time to take the seat from Ukyo,who seemed pretty upset about it and squeezed in between Shampoo and the window.
Ryoko, Akane and Nabiki watched as the fight went on and rolled their eyes as they took the seat across from them. Nabiki didn't care because she had gotten what she wanted, she was going to live with him, without her or any parents around! Akane was just angry that the other two were once again going at it over him. And Ryoko had no idea why anyone would fight over a guy like that.
Ranma accepted his fate as the train started rolling, finally coming to terms with the fact that he'd be living in an apartment with six women no less and was currently being rubbed and coddled by a beautiful young woman and a very cute little girl who he had witnessed become a sex bomb.
Most men would envy you, Host Ranma. Kao's voice drifted into his head and Ranma rolled his eyes.
'Most men don't know the trouble that it is.' Ranma thought as he started to relax, the motion of the train feeling quite relaxing.
I am unsure on what those two men you met today are truly after Host Ranma.
'Meh, don't worry too much about it.' Ranma thought. 'Nothing that I can't handle.'
Overconfidence can be our end Host Ranma, I'd ask that you be more wary of what others ask of you.
Ranma sighed and conceded. 'Fine fine, I'll be a little more careful, ya happy?'
Don't be curt with me, I simply care about your well-being as my host and partner Host Ranma.
'I… I know. I'm sorry Kao, I'm just still… I dunno, kinda new and unsure about this whole thing still ya know? Like, I've never had anyone really care about my well being and all that.'
I understand Host Ranma, I just ask that you do not disregard my thoughts so readily.
'I gotcha Kao.' Ranma responded in his mind before looking out the window. The various buildings passing by produced a collage of colors that was a fantastic sight and a small smile grew on his face.
A small tingle in the back of his head suddenly started, slowly at first but soon spreading to a magnitude the likes of which he had never felt before.
"What the hell…" Ranma muttered as he felt it spread beyond the back of his head and soon all over his head.
"What's wrong Rancha-" Ukyo began, but was cut off as the train was brought to a deafining halt as the train went from full speed to a complete stop in less than a second.
Akane and Nabiki screamed as they went flying across the compartment and into Ranma's waiting arms, who had been ready to act the moment he felt the tingle.
Ryoko merely became intangible and let the train pass through her before drifting back into the room. She may not have been as ready as Ranma had been, but she was a trained fighter, and knew how to act in sudden situations such as this.
"You two ok?" Ranma asked, his gaze concerned for the two down in his arms.
Nabiki and Akane, though rather shaken nodded in disbelief. Ranma carefully set them down and turned to everyone beside him. "Are you all ok?" He asked. Shampoo and Ukyo shook their heads to clear the cobwebs but nodded. Ranma turned to Washu and saw her typing at some sort of holographic console, muttering some obscenities.
Despite the train having stopped, the tingle only grew stronger and stronger, and Ranma's eyes narrowed as he realized that he worst was not over.
"You girls stay here, I'm going to go check what's going on." He said and left before anyone could say a word.
"Ranma wait!" Akane called after him but it was too late. "Good luck…" She muttered under her breath.
Ranma ran down the isle, looking inside to make sure everyone was alright as he passed. As he ran towards the front of the train, he felt the danger sense that Kao had blessed him with start going out of control, nearly to the point of pain.
He gripped his head and swore loudly. "Damnit Kao! What's going on?"
I know not Host Ranma, though I sense something at the front of the train…
"Thought so…" Ranma muttered as he kept a hand on his head and ran faster, pushing past people who were running in the opposite direction.
A lump slowly grew in his throat as he ran, finding more and more people running in the opposite direction, some of them with very scared looks on their faces.
Then the train creaked unnaturally, as if under some sort of great strain, and then the people running started screaming and it was like trying to push past an immovable wall. It wasn't gonna happen. Ranma grunted as he was shoved aside by the horrified people and swore once more before turning to the window to his side and smashing it open with his elbow. In a surprising display, he squeezed himself out of the window and flipped himself up to the top of the train. He was only several cars away from the front of the train, and so when he emerged on top he immediately saw what the problem was.
A man was floating in front of the train, wearing a metallic looking suit of regal colors, reds and purples complimenting each other rather nicely, though that wasn't what Ranma noted.
It was the fact that his hand was raised, and the front of the train was bending and crumpling before him as he made simple gestures with his hand, seemingly bored as he did so.
On the ground in front of him were a group that looked only somewhat less dangerous, but still not people that you would usually get in an argument with.
One fit the definition of savage completely, his hair long and ragged, a solid blonde in color. He seemed to be wearing some sort of brownish suit with a ring fur around the neck that almost looked like more hair. His eyes were nearly a solid gold, and they very much resembled a predator of somesort but Ranma couldn't place exactly what.
Next was an enormous man, easily eight feet in height and wearing a reddish brown suit of armor that was completely enclosing his body. The helmet of which was a large dome made him look like some sort of machine more than a man. The muscles that the suit showed were massive and if they were real, than this man had the strength of a beast.
The third member of this little motley crew was a man wearing a blue body suit with pieces of some sort of silver metal around his neck. His gloves and boots too had this silverish metal like substance covering them, and he had a smooth helmet that covered his eyes but left his mouth and nose exposed. On his chest was a large, prominent "A" that was easily discerned.
The last member of the group was a female, who's skin was a pure, dark blue. Her hair was a wild red that matched Ranma's female sides own, and her eyes were that of a solid yellow, nearly glowing with some unknown power. She wore a very loose fitting white ensemble that only just covered her chest and drifted between her legs like a loin cloth.
"Ah…" The one in the red and purple finally said as Ranma finished surveying the people. His cape drifted elegantly in the soft breeze, fluttering behind him in a rather dramatic effect. "You must be this Ranma I've heard so much about." The deep baritone of the voice was like velvet with an underlying power that just couldn't be explained. Ranma realized it was akin to Herb's or Saffron's… like royalty that knew of it's own power and needed no reason to kill on a whim.
His helmet covered most of his head, only letting his eyes, nose and mouth into the open. He let his hand drop and as he did so the train that had been floating in the air and crumpled like a can too dropped, crashing loudly into the railway below. "Let me introduce myself… I am Magneto." He said, a soft smile growing. "And I have a proposition for you."
Nice little Christmas Present eh?
Well, the triumphant (somewhat) return of Gundraw. I realize that you all must have been terribly worried about me and…
sees the angry glares
Fine fine this took forever to come out. Sue me. Laziness really, though I did decided what order to do the next few arcs in (we're about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way through this arc… meaning I have a LOT planned for this story) So now that I have some sense of direction I might write faster.
Might.
I know what you're all thinking. Washu, Ryoko, Nabiki, Akane, Ukyo AND Shampoo all under one roof with Ranma? Good god man what are you on. And to this I say… bwhahahaha! I think it'd be interesting for the situation to somewhat fuse with what Tenchi's been going through, that and it let's me not have to worry about writing Soun, Genma and Kasumi. Besides, if all goes to plan they won't stay there too long.
And you may think that I may have overdone the dialogue in this chapter but I needed to get this outta the way. I guarantee I shouldn't have another chapter with this much dialogue, but I needed to get one solid talking chapter in to clear some things up, sorry to disappoint.
Another cliffhanger… ain't I a bastard? The suspense is what does it really, I like to leave people hanging (as you have no doubt seen).
King of Storms WILL be updated next, there's only 4 or 5 chapters to go before that thing's done and the plot will really unfold in this next chapter so that should be fun.
Any reviews can either be sent to my e-mail, or posted on or where I post the story.