I do not own Kamen Rider Den-O or Ranma 1/2. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. Whatever you may think to the contrary, it is not true so let us move on and enjoy the fic, shall we?
Kamen Rider Ran-O
By Ten-Faced Paladin
Chapter 5: The Yellow Bear Cometh
Nerima was as busy as ever with local businesses going about their days with vigor. This was one of the few places in Nerima where unusual things happened very little. Sure, there were stores which sold odd objects or concoctions, but there was rarely any kind of destruction caused by it. The people milled about like normal and as if there weren't any super-powered martial arts battles that happened at the drop of a hat. Of course, the people were ready to run away very quickly if one of those battles happened to spark up near them. Luckily, the contractors had very low prices since they had so much work nowadays.
One of the people who were walking about was Ranma in female form. One would think that the ladle lady had struck again, but today that wasn't the case. Strangely, no one was noticing her. Otherwise, the people would be giving her a wide berth. There was something odd about her appearance. She was actually wearing feminine clothes that included a tight t-shirt and a pair of jeans which showed off her hips very nicely. A pair of bracelets was on her wrists and her shoes looked rather high-end. She was also wearing a pair of glasses and her hair was slicked to the side. What was the most obvious thing which caused people to be unable to recognize her was the fact that a streak of her hair was a bright blue that matched her eyes. Everyone who knew about Ranma knew that she never did anything crazy like streak her hair or wear glasses.
"Hmmm," Ranma Blue sighed. "Now where are the stores?"
'You know,' Ranma growled. 'I don't mind picking up a few things for Kasumi but I don't see why it has to be you! Why are we even dressed like this?!"
"I wanted to experiment," Ranma Blue replied. "With your amazing ability to shift genders, I am finally able to gain access to a whole different crowd of women."
'Eh?' grunted Momotaros. 'What the hell are you spouting now, Turtle Boy? Being a girl is bad enough but having to wear these kinds of clothes? Come on!'
"No need to be hostile, Sempai," Ranma Blue smiled. "I'll change back soon enough. As for what I'm talking about? Well, I have found out long ago that no matter how good at flirting I am, there are a certain crowd of women that do not enjoy the company of men."
'Oh,' Ranma grumbled. 'You mean those kinds of girls that like other girls?'
"Exactly, Ranma," Ranma Blue smirked as she peered into a store window. "I am no longer limited in flirting to just the majority of women now. I can now flirt with all women."
'Oh, no you don't!' Momotaros growled. 'You already flirted with enough women on the way here! Enough already!'
'Yeah!' Ranma agreed. 'Give me back my body already!'
Ranma Blue wasn't exactly willing to do this, but she got incentive to ignore Ranma's request when he saw a rather delectable woman walking down the street. Well, there was another bonus to being able to change into one of the female gender. She was able to get closer to many girls and get information for future flirting escapades.
While Ranma Blue had pulled a U-turn when the pretty woman walked by, there were some witnesses who had watched the event and had sinking feelings of despair appearing in them. These two were none other than Ranma's closest (loosely put) friends, Hiroshi and Daisuke.
"Aw, man," Hiroshi groaned. "That's it. We're sunk."
"Yeah," Daisuke nodded grimly. "If Ranma's finally using his gift of attracting girls then there's nothing left for us other boys."
"Yeah," Hiroshi agreed solemnly. "So long dreams of finding a girlfriend and finding the best parts of being a teenager."
"So long ambition of meeting the possible love of my life," Daisuke sniffed as he leaned against a wall of a building. "My dreams are lost."
"Yeah," Hiroshi sobbed into his arm. "I mean, Ranma was enough of a babe magnet before but now that his hormones finally kicked in, he's raking all the girls in."
Both boys turned to see Ranma's progress with the uber-babe they had seen and found the two chatting away. The older woman was even giggling with a small flush on her face. Hiroshi and Daisuke's depression just sank lower as they witnessed this.
"Damn!" Daisuke groaned. "He's even able to snag older women!"
"He'd be my new idol if I wasn't so angry at him!" Hiroshi sighed deeply.
"It's not like we can force him to cool off," Daisuke groaned. "They guy's like a martial arts god. There's no way we could even touch him."
As the two boys were lamenting their luck with women (or lack of), a light started descending from the sky. It was a yellow orb that was about the size of a basketball. It hovered closer to the people but seemed to be a little indecisive about who to pick for a host. When it had descended to only a couple of meters away from the people, it began to hear something interesting.
"You know," someone spoke. "Most of Ranma's rivals seem to have fanclubs of their own. Well, except maybe for Kuno anyway."
"I know," someone replied. "Maybe martial arts are the only way to attract girls these days."
The orb suddenly stiffened at the mention of martial arts. It turned its attention towards the two young men who had spoken. They were conversing about something. Deciding that it didn't have anything else to do at the moment, it began to listen in.
"That makes sense for around here," Daisuke nodded.
"Yeah," Hiroshi agreed. "I was sorta hoping that I could ask Yuka out on a date but maybe if I was a martial artist I would have a better shot."
"Maybe," Daisuke shrugged. "Going out with Sayuri wouldn't be so bad now that I think about it."
"I know what you mean," Hiroshi laughed. "You know, I wish that I was a martial artist like Ranma, Ryoga, and the others."
The orb suddenly snapped to attention at hearing the wish. It began to move quickly towards the two boys. It waved through the people so the two boys wouldn't see it coming. It finally got through the crowds and slammed into Hiroshi, making him stiffen.
"Hiroshi?" asked Daisuke. "You okay?"
"I...dunno," Hiroshi answered honestly before sand started spilling from his clothes.
The sand continued to spill until it finally started shifting into a humanoid form. It seemed to have a bulky body and was wearing a jacket with fuzzy lining. Its head was covered halfway with a helmet of some kind that had a horn sticking out of the forehead and a visor acted as a pair of eyes. A pair of legs that looked just as muscular with boots on was dangling above the head of the creature. Hiroshi and Daisuke could only sit there and stare at the creature which was only there from the waist up.
"I can make that wish come true," the creature spoke while gazing at the boys.
"Huh?" Hiroshi blinked.
"Your wish," the creature repeated. "I can help you become a martial artist strong enough to attract the attention of women."
Hiroshi and Daisuke blinked for a moment in confusion. The situation then began to make sense to the two boys. Here, right in front of them, was a creature who was offering to make their wish come true. They were shocked dumb for a minute before they started to get the urge to jump for joy and cry in happiness.
"However," the creature continued. "I can only do this if it is your true wish. I can only grant one for you."
"Hey," Daisuke blinked. "Does that mean that you're only going to grant a wish for Hiroshi?"
"Yes," the creature nodded. Daisuke could only groan in defeat while Hiroshi began to get happier.
"You serious?" Hiroshi grinned. "Okay! Yeah, that's my wish! I wish to be a martial artist strong enough to match the Nerima Wrecking Crew and catch girls' attention!"
The creature nodded before he rose from the sand and began to change. He had a large number of black spots on his body, but his biceps, legs, face, and a number of other spots were a golden yellow. When he was finished forming, he was even taller and was looking down on both boys. He just seemed to look at Hiroshi before giving a brief nod.
"Very well," the creature nodded. "Then let's begin."
The creature stepped towards Hiroshi before turning into yellow energy and phasing into his body. Hiroshi stiffened slightly before his eyes turned golden and yellow streaks appeared in his hair. A serious look appeared on his face before he turned to Daisuke.
"I must borrow your friend for now," Hiroshi Yellow spoke, his voice sounding just like the creature's. "I will return him eventually."
Daisuke could only blink before his possessed friend walked into the crowds for parts unknown. Daisuke was still for a moment before he leaned onto a nearby wall. His day just felt like it was going to suck. Here he was in depression and his best friend gets a wish to make one of his desires come true.
"IS THE UNIVERSE OUT TO GET ME OR WHAT?!" he cried to the skies.
What he didn't notice was another orb hovering out the corner, spying on him.
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Ranma Blue suddenly stiffened, which Ranma noticed.
'What's wrong?' Ranma asked.
'There's an Imagin!' Momotaros sent back, his senses tingling.
'You serious!?' Ranma yelled.
Ranma Blue looked to the woman she had been flirting with and bowed apologetically, before running towards where Momotaros' senses were leading her. Ranma decided to re-take over her body.
'What bad timing,' Urataros thought.
'What good timing!' Momotaros said gleefully.
Ranma just rolled her eyes at the two Imagin before she began roof-hopping to track the Imagin down.
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Hiroshi Yellow slid the door open to the room where the kendo club of Nerima High was practicing. Of course, due to his phenomenal strength, he accidentally ripped the door off its hinges. The kendo club stopped and watched as he attempted to fix his error.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Hiroshi Yellow apologized. Kuno stepped forward, a stern look on his face and pointing his bokken at Hiroshi threateningly.
"Hark, peasant! How dare you enter the sanctum of Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder of the Nerima High Kendo Club?" Kuno declared. Hiroshi Yellow merely bowed.
"I just came to challenge you all," Hiroshi Yellow said to Kuno, which resulted in all of the members of the kendo club laughing, with Kuno laughing the loudest.
"You challenge us?" Kuno mocked. "What jest is this? Very well, I shall humor you."
Hiroshi Yellow smiled as the entire Kendo club surrounded him.
Kuno announced, "ATTACK!"
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Ranma was still looking for the Imagin, when Momotaros pointed her towards the school. She landed on school grounds and looked around for anything out of the ordinary. Of course, out of the ordinary in Nerima was a pretty short list, what with all the weird goings-on. It was the people who actually acted normal that got noticed around the district.
"Okay, where is that thing?" Ranma asked Momotaros.
'It's close,' Momotaros told her, 'I can smell him.'
'Are you sure it isn't your feet, Sempai?' Urataros mocked.
'Shut it, Turtle Boy!' Momotaros yelled angrily at the turtle-like Imagin.
"Guys! Quit it!" Ranma yelled, shutting the two up. She then noticed a sound of a brawl, "Hey, do you guys hear that?"
'Sounds like a fight!'" Momotaros said excitedly.
'Is fighting all you ever think about, Sempai?' Urataros retorted.
Ranma shook his head before he carefully followed the sounds of fighting.
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With one last powerful punch, Kuno was sent flying by Hiroshi Yellow and slammed through the wall, making a hole in it. Around Hiroshi Yellow's feet were the bodies of the entire kendo club, either unconscious or in too much pain to get up. Hiroshi stepped over the each member while dropping paper napkins on each one of them.
"My strength has made you cry," he said, "Wipe away your tears with this." He stopped at Kuno and helped him out of the hole. "Sorry about that. I don't really know my own strength." He placed Kuno gently on the floor before dropping one last paper napkin on his face. "Please, wipe away your tears with this." He looked around and sighed, "Isn't there anyone worthy around here?" He went over to the door, only to see Ranma standing there in shock.
"Hiroshi?" Ranma-chan questioned, but then was interrupted as Momotaros took control. The red of his eyes glowed as she narrowed them, "Ore Sanjou!" she announced.
Hiroshi Yellow quirked an eyebrow and said, "So, you're like me."
"That's right!" Ranma Red growled. "So, let's fight!"
"My strength will only make you cry, little girl," Hiroshi Yellow spoke, bringing up a napkin. "I'll give this to you to wipe your tears away.
"LITTLE GIRL!?" Ranma Red roared before she threw her fist at Hiroshi Yellow, only for Ranma's possessed friend to catch it. Ranma Red attempted to pull it back, but Hiroshi Yellow was too strong. "Hey, you jerk! Let me go!" Hiroshi Yellow let her go as she tugged and she fell on her rear. She glared at him as he walked out of the room, "Oi! Come back here!" she stood up before giving chase.
"Sorry, but I need to find a worthy opponent," Hiroshi Yellow told her before attempting to walk away. Ranma then took over her body and leapt over Hiroshi Yellow, her blue eyes glaring.
"Okay, get out of my friend!" she demanded, "Or else!" She whipped out the Terminal Buckle. At this, Hiroshi Yellow's eyes widened.
"Den-O?" Hiroshi Yellow said, tilting his head to the side as Ranma strapped it on and pressed the red button. The DenLiner tune began to play as the emblem glowed red.
"Henshin!" she called, before swiping her Pass over the buckle.
"Sword Form!" the buckle announced as her armor appeared and covered her. The red peach that slid over her face then split in half as it flashed. Den-O SF then struck a pose.
"Ore Sanjou!"
(I'll be referring to Den-O SF as 'He' because Momotaros has taken over and then you can't really tell his/her gender under that armor)
The Imagin that had taken control of Hiroshi then exited from his contractor's body in a haze of yellow energy. Hiroshi blinked in confusion. He brandished an axe. "My strength will make you cry," he announced before he then charged with Hiroshi watching. Den-O SF dodged to the side as he began combining the four pieces of the DenGasher to create his weapon.
The red blade extended before Den-O SF went to charge at his opponent. The Yellow Imagin blocked with his axe before throwing a punch at Den-O SF, knocking him back and staggering.
Hiroshi was watching the battle with a mixture of confusion and awe. Who was the armored person and why was he fighting with the Yellow Imagin. Hiroshi knew he just had to put a stop to this, but how was he without getting hurt?
Sparks flew as the weapons clashed against one another. The Yellow Imagin had finally found a worthy opponent as Den-O SF was attempting to put him down. Then , Den-O SF gave the Yellow Imagin a powerful kick before leaping back to make some distance.
"Usually I'd milk this fight for all it's worth, but you've really ticked me off! So, have a taste of my hissatsu attack," Den-O SF said cockily as he held the pass over the buckle, "Part Two!"
"Full Charge!" the belt announced before red energy surged into the sword. The blade detached and Den-O SF swung the handle, controlling the blade's trajectory.
"NO!" Hiroshi shouted before he ran and stood in front of the Imagin as the blade came down. Den-O SF, shocked, pulled his arm back and the blade took a chunk out of the school building instead. The chunk began to fall down upon Hiroshi. However, the Yellow Imagin protectively covered Hiroshi with his own body, allowing the chunk to shatter harmlessly against his body.
Ranma, inside Den-O SF, was surprised, 'He protected Hiroshi.'
Den-O SF scoffed "Only because if the kid dies, he goes too if the contract ain't complete."
'But Hiroshi protected him too!' Ranma reminded. 'Let's talk to this guy first.'
"Talk!?" Den-O SF gaped, but then his hand moved against his own will and whipped off the belt, allowing the armor to vanish and Ranma to take control again.
Hiroshi was shocked to see this and was overwhelmed before he fainted. The Yellow Imagin caught him before he landed on the ground, hard.
"I think we need to talk," Ranma said to the Imagin carefully.
"I agree. I saw his memories and you are his friend," the Yellow Imagin said.
"Come on," Ranma offered, "Let's go back to the Tendo Dojo so we can discuss this, and maybe I can get out of these clothes."
'But, Ranma,' Urataros whined. 'They look so good on you!'
Ranma ignored the flirtatious Imagin's whining before she began walking with the Yellow Imagin towards the Tendo Dojo. With all the weird goings-on in Nerima, no one would bat an eye at seeing the Yellow Imagin unless he did something wrong. Besides, they could say he was a guy in a costume.
Now, how would Kasumi and Nabiki react to seeing a solid Imagin who wasn't out to kill anyone? And how would he sneak the Imagin into the house without alerting Soun, Genma and Akane?
She looked down at his Pass and got an idea. There was only one way to sneak back into the house.
-----------------------------------------------DenLiner------------------------------------------------
Hana was somewhat confused as Momotaros reappeared in the dining car in one of his usual moods. He seemed particularly upset for some reason or another.
"Hmmm," Urataros snickered. "It seems that I am rubbing off on Ranma more than I thought. He, she at the moment, is actually using her head."
"What do you mean?" asked Hana. "I thought you guys were tracking another Imagin?"
"We were!" Momotaros snapped. "We found him too! He pummeled the kendo club and that moron Kuno!"
"I see that as more of a service to the community rather than a crime," Urataros commented from his side of the car.
"So what happened?" Hana asked urgently, getting in Momotaros' face. "Did something happen?"
"I'll say it did!" Momotaros continued to rage. "The brat he's contracted to got in the way and protected this guy! Then the Imagin turned around and saved the kid from getting crushed!"
"The boy saved the Imagin?" Hana asked. That didn't make sense to her at all. Usually people who contracted Imagin did it after some fear and hated it when the Imagin even got close to them. Why was the boy risking his life to try and save it?
"Then Ranma boots me out as she tries to talk to the bastard!" Momotaros growled.
"Talk?!" Hana cried in shock. "Is he crazy?!"
"Welcome to DenLiner!" Naomi suddenly spoke up with the usual cheer in her voice. This caused Hana and the two Imagin to quickly look to the entrance of the car and their eyes widened while their mouths gaped.
"Hey, guys," Ranma waved as she stepped into the car. "Hope you don't mind but we have a temporary guest for a short while."
Ranam was right. Coming behind her was the Yellow Imagin that she and Momotaros had been fighting but a few moments ago. Slumped over his shoulder was Hiroshi, who was still out cold from all the shock.
"Hello, everyone," the Yellow Imagin bowed politely.
"Him and Hiroshi are sharing my pass for this brief trip," Ranma explained as she took a seat. "We'll be out of your hair soon enough."
The room was silent for the sound of the train going over the tracks. The only person who wasn't shocked dumb by this little turnabout was Naomi and she was busy preparing a new cup of coffee for the newest arrival to DenLiner. Silence reigned for a few more minutes before everyone exploded.
"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Hana shrieked.
"I think I may not be a great an influence as I thought I was," Urataros shrugged.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Momotaros raged.
"Hey, I need to get him inside the Tendo house somehow!" Ranma frowned. "Besides, I really doubt that Hiroshi would go out of his way to protect this guy if he was like the other two Imagin we faced."
"Ranma," Hana tried to reason. "You can't be sure about that. Some Imagin are pretty tricky."
"Call it a gut instinct," Ranma shrugged. "There's just something that I feel that connects me to him. You know, like something we have in common."
While Hana and Ranma were talking, the Yellow Imagin had taken a seat elsewhere in the car. He had placed Hiroshi down on the seat opposite of him. The hapless high school boy was still out cold from the shock he had received. The Yellow Imagin just sat down and crossed his arms over his chest. He really didn't take notice of Momotaros glaring at him.
"Oi, Bear Boy!" Momotaros called while stepping closer to the Yellow Imagin.
"Yes?" the Yellow Imagin asked.
"Don't go thinking you're all that!" Momotaros growled threataningly. "If I was in Ranma's male form then I would have kicked your ass all over the place!"
"My strength would have made you cry regardless," the Yellow Imagin retorted calmly.
"What?!" Momotaros raged. "You want to try again huh? I'll prove it to you!"
"Hmmm," The Yellow Imagin just grunted, which got Momotaros even more pissed off. "I was under the impression that Den-O was a man. Was my information wrong?"
"Oh no," Urataros, who had been listening in on the conversation, replied. "Ranma has this blessed ability to switch his gender with a splash of cold or hot water. I find it quite handy."
"It's a hassle! That's what it is!" Momotaros shouted at the blue Imagin.
"Most interesting," the Yellow Imagin nodded. "It would explain a number of Hiroshi's memories."
Naomi watched the various guests talk and make a ruckus. Hana and Ranma were arguing over the Yellow Imagin while the Imagin on the train were conversing. Momotaros would continue to rage at the Yellow Imagin while Urataros would keep calm and make conversation. The dining car was becoming a rather noisy place. All of a sudden, a loud tap caught everyone's attention and drew their gaze to the door of the dining car.
Ranma blinked as she looked at the man. He seemed to be someone who was into his late thirties to early forties. He was wearing a rather nice suit and was holding a cane in his hand. Ranma was feeling apprehension when she saw the man. There was just something in his eyes that someone just had to respect.
"Owner!" Hana gasped as she stood up quickly.
"Owner?" Ranma blinked, now confused.
"Ranma, he's the owner of DenLiner!" Hana hissed. "He's the one who kept the Hyper Pass and the Terminal Belt before you got them!"
Ranma blinked at the revelation. What Hana was saying when all the bells and whistles were removed was that this guy was Ranma's boss! Ranma immediately decided that she had better keep her foot out of her mouth or she might lose his job as Den-O.
"Ranma Saotome," Owner nodded in greeting. "I regret not having met you until now. May I ask why you have brought this Imagin aboard DenLiner?"
"W-well," Ranma muttered. "It was the only way I could think of to sneak him into the Tendo Dojo without Pop, Akane, or Mr. Tendo seeing him."
"Very well," Owner nodded. "And what will you do once you get this Imagin to the dojo?"
"Uh..." Ranma gulped. She hadn't been this nervous in a while. This guy sure meant business when it came to his train. "I figured if Nabiki could hear his story then we can find out if he's telling the truth or not. She's good at pointing things like that out."
"Hmm," Owner nodded, his attitude lightening up. "Very well. He is sharing your pass so he is permitted to be here. If he proves to not be a threat to the timeline then you might have a new ally to assist you."
"Thank you Owner," Ranma smiled. Owner returned the smile before heading to the bar where Naomi was preparing something for him. Ranma then turned to her friends with a grin. "I guess that means our plan is a go."
Hana just heaved a sigh in defeat.
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The new Imagin leapt upon a building, spying at the entire city for its target. The Imagin was clad in black armor with tall brown boots and brown gloves. On its belt was a rapier. The Imagin held the appearance of a cat and wore a cape as well. It also wore a fedora with a feather in it.
"So," the Imagin purred, "Now to grant my contractor's wish so I can cause some real damage, Nyow," The Cat Imagin rubbed its hands gleefully before leaping off the building
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"Here is some coffee!" Naomi said happily before placing the cup of coffee with yellow foam on top of it. The Yellow Imagin took a whiff of it and picked up the cup before taking sip. The Imagin looked pleased.
"It is delicious," the Imagin said calmly. Naomi was looking at him. "What?"
"You need a name," Naomi said.
"A name?" the Imagin responded.
"Yes, a name."
Ranma said in agreement, "Yeah, you need a name. We can't just call you 'You' all the time."
"But what should my name be?" the Yellow Imagin rubbed his chin.
"Well, we already got Momotaros from 'Momotaro' and Urataros from 'Urashima Taro." Naomi then gasped in realization, "I know…Kintaros!"
"Kintaros!?" everyone on the DenLiner, except the Owner, responded.
"Hm, Kintaros," the Yellow Imagin, now dubbed Kintaros, nodded, "A strong name, I like it."
"Hey, I don't wanna be associated with this bear-boy!" Momotaros shouted angrily.
"Somehow, I don't doubt that Kasumi-chan would've named him the same thing, Sempai," Urataros commented. The Oni-like Imagin grumbled in annoyance.
Hana, again, got Ranma's attention again, "Ranma, are you sure he's safe?" she was talking about Kintaros.
"Of course. Why?" Ranma said to her.
Hana looked down to the floor. Should she tell Ranma about herself? How she ended up on DenLiner. She took one look at Kintaros and looked away, her eyes narrowing. Ranma blinked in confusion.
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Ranma (now male thanks to Naomi, some hot water, and some clothes he had stashed on DenLiner for just such an emergency) stuck his head out of a door while the DenLiner sped away behind him. "All clear," he whispered to his companion as he snuck in. Behind him was Hiroshi Yellow. They quietly entered and found themselves in the dojo.
"Okay, we're in the dojo," Ranma said, breathing a sigh of relief that no one was around.
"I humbly thank you, Ranma Saotome," Hiroshi Yellow bowed.
"Please, just Ranma," Ranma said humbly before leading his companion out of the dojo. They entered the house quietly. So far, they had not encountered anyone. Genma and Soun were quietly playing shogi as Ranma and Hiroshi Yellow snuck towards Nabiki's room. They tip-toed up the steps and walked down the hall until they reached her room. Ranma knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" Nabiki called.
"It's Ranma," he replied, "And we have a bit of a situation."
Nabiki opened the door to allow both Ranma and Hiroshi Yellow in before shutting it. Nabiki eyed Hiroshi and noticed the yellow streak of hair and using her sharp mind immediately made a connection.
"Imagin again, right?" she concluded.
"Got that right," Ranma nodded. He turned towards Hiroshi Yellow, "You can come out now."
In a haze of yellow energy, the Yellow Imagin exited Hiroshi's body. He was also solid, much to Nabiki's shock. Hiroshi's body fainted yet again but Kintaros caught him before he hit the floor and lay him down gently. Kintaros then got on his knees and bowed towards Nabiki.
"It's good to meet you," Kintaros greeted.
"Ranma…" Nabiki said slowly.
"Don't worry, Nabiki," Ranma assured her. "He's pretty much harmless. Hiroshi here apparently made a wish from him."
"Hiroshi?" Nabiki said, her eyes on the unconscious boy.
"Yes, that is correct," Kintaros nodded.
"Um…do you have a name already?" Nabiki asked.
"I am now known as Kintaros."
Nabiki looked Kintaros over and there was no doubt in her mind that if Kasumi was here, she would've had the same idea as well. The name Kintaros fit him perfectly.
"So, what do you want me to do?" Nabiki asked.
"Hey, you're the smart one here," Ranma said. Suddenly, sand spilled off his body and then reformed into Urataros.
"And the beautiful one as well," Urataros complimented.
"Flattery will get you nowhere," Nabiki smirked. "Nice try though. Now, why is there a contracted Imagin in our house, Ranma?"
"Well," Ranma grimaced. "I ran into him after he beat up the kendo club in Hiroshi's body. Momotaros stepped in and Kintaros assumed we were a normal girl. Momotaros didn't like it that much."
"I underestimated your power," Kintaros spoke up. He then bowed deeply towards Ranma. "I humbly apologize for the insult."
"No problem," Ranma grinned. "I don't hold grudges."
'Well, I sure do!' Momotaros snapped. 'Let me at him!'
'Quiet!' Ranma growled internally. He then turned his attention back to the one person and two Imagin around him. "Anyway, we fought and at one point Hiroshi protected Kintaros, which made us move our attack at the last minute. Kintaros here then protected Hiroshi from some large bits of debris. It was then I figured we could at least talk to him."
Nabiki was silent for a moment as she considered Ranma's story. She could tell that he was leaving some important details out of the story. She could guess that those details involved a certain individual dressed in either red or blue armor. Nabiki decided that this wasn't the time for digging for details. Right now Ranma had brought Kintaros home for a reason.
"So what do I have to do with this?" Nabiki asked coolly.
"Well," Ranma grimaced while scratching the back of his head. "I figured we could ask Kintaros a few questions and you can tell us if he's on the level."
"I also decided to lend my expertise in this field," Urataros commented. "It sometimes takes more than one hook to catch a fish after all."
This, Nabiki could understand. Ranma was utterly hopeless when it came to lies. He couldn't tell when he was being duped and he couldn't tell a lie to save his life. Nabiki knew she could pick out a lie a mile away, but having a fellow expert like Urataros was going to help as well.
"Okay, Ranma," Nabiki nodded. "I guess I can help. You owe me though. We can discuss payment later."
Ranma shivered, fearing what Nabiki might decide would suit as payment. He then remembered that this was for the greater good and resigned himself to it. He turned his attention back to Kintaros, "So, Kintaros, what did Hiroshi wish for exactly?"
"Hiroshi had wished to become a martial artist strong enough to match The Nerima Wrecking Crew," Kintaros explained. "That way he could finally capture female interest for himself."
"...why am I not surprised?" Ranma sighed to himself. "I really should have expected something like that."
"So why did you battle the kendo club?" asked Urataros.
"I had learned that Kuno would be there," Kintaros replied. "I figured that I could challenge him and the other club members to test my strength. As I learned, my strength had made them cry."
'Why does he keep saying that?!' Momotaros raged. Ranma just ignored him.
"I wish I could have seen that," Nabiki snickered. "I could have made a killing off the bets."
"A shame," Ranma shrugged. "Okay, so what are you going to do when you complete Hiroshi's wish? You know, after you go to the past and stuff?"
Kintaros twisted his head to the side slightly, "Go back to the past?" he then stiffened as it dawned on him. "Oh, I had forgotten about that."
Ranma, Urataros, and Nabiki had all held back the urge to facefault. The whole point of an Imagin granting a wish was to go back to the past and change it to benefit them. Then they meet Kintaros and find that he had completely forgotten about that part.
"Wait," Nabiki frowned slightly. "You completely forgot about getting something in return for your wish? Then why are you helping him in the first place? Just out of the goodness in your heart?"
"Yes," Kintaros nodded. "Despite what some people think, Hiroshi is a little lonely. He has a desire to date a girl named Yuka. It is his belief that girls around here only pay attention to boys that are strong martial artists. That is why he made the contract with me. I believe he wishes to catch Yuka's attention."
"Okay," Ranma blinked. "That I was not expecting."
"It does explain why he wants to be as good as the wrecking crew," Nabiki nodded. "You guys get all the attention and are without a doubt the strongest fighters in Nerima. If Hiroshi can get as strong as you guys then he would get just as much attention."
"Exactly," Kintaros nodded.
"But, why did he just not wish to make Yuka his like that Gosunkugi fellow did for Akane?" asked Urataros.
"Maybe he knew he couldn't force Yuka to like him," Ranma suggested. "Who knows? Hiroshi's out cold at the moment so we can't really ask him."
Before any more guesses could be made, there was a soft knock at the door before it opened to reveal Kasumi. She had her usual smile on her face before she saw Kintaros and Urataros sitting in Nabiki's room. She was slightly surprised at the moment before she started smiling again.
"Oh!" she gasped. "Hello. Who might you be?"
"Hello," Kintaros bowed. "My name is Kintaros. It is a pleasure to meet you."
"My name is Kasumi," Kasumi bowed in return. She had been slightly disappointed to hear that this new Imagin had been named already, but whoever had done it had done a good job. She couldn't have thought up a better name herself. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Kintaros-san."
Kasumi stepped into the room and shut the door behind her. She then took a seat next to Kintaros and struck up a conversation with him by asking a few questions about himself. While the two were chatting, Ranma turned to Urataros and Nabiki.
"So what do you two think?" he asked.
"I see no leaks in his story," Urataros replied.
"Same for me," Nabiki agreed. "I think he honestly wants to help Hiroshi. That's pretty rare these days."
Ranma nodded. He couldn't help but feel happy for Hiroshi, knowing that he had actually gotten one of the few good Imagin to help him out with his wish.
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Mousse was busy making deliveries for the Cat Cafe. It didn't mean that he was particularly pleased about it. He hated working for Cologne who just didn't give any measure of respect to him. Him! Shampoo's future husband! He just couldn't understand what Shampoo saw in Saotome and what made her try so hard to make him go to her. It was obvious that he didn't deserve her and that he didn't want her. He would constantly wonder why Shampoo wouldn't just come to her senses and see that her future husband was right in front of her? He had been petitioning for her love since they were three and all she did was hit him for it. He was one of the strongest males in the village and he could barely get her to notice him.
"That shriveled old mummy," Mousse growled. "It's always people like her and Saotome who are always getting in my way. If it weren't for them then Shampoo and I would be happily married by now!"
As he was biking, a sudden shadow appeared over him. Mousse looked up through his thick frames before a large mass of...something hit him. He crashed and tumbled across the ground. The takeout was ruined, but his glasses miraculously stayed on for a change. He looked over to see what had hit him and felt some measure of surprise to see some kind of cat-like creature wearing fancy clothes and a cape looking back at him. Mousse naturally took a moment to check that his glasses were on. Satisfied that they were, he looked back at his opponent.
"Nyow," it purred. "You are Mousse, correct?"
"I am," Mousse nodded. "What of it?"
The Cat Imagin grinned as it drew its rapier, "Then it shall be my pleasure to get you out of the way!"
"Heh," Mouuse smirked as he slipped two large scimitars out of his sleeves. "I'd like to see you try!"
With a loud 'nyow', the Cat Imagin charged forward with its blade raised. Mousse likewise began his charge. Slashes were traded in the blink on an eye before both combatants ended up on either side of their battlegrounds. The Cat Imagin simply stood up while some hairs hell from its ear. Mousse likewise stood up, feeling that he had gotten out unscathed. That is, until his glasses snapped in half at the middle and fell to the ground. In the next moment, his swords met the same fate as they fell to pieces. His eyes widened in shock as he tried to turn around and draw another weapon. Before he could actually get a weapon, his view was filled with the blurry image of a leather boot.
"Prrgh!" Mousse cried as he slammed into a brick wall.
"Nyow," the Cat Imagin grinned as it raised its rapier. "I win."
"Not yet!" Mousse cried as he brought a large metal shield out of his sleeve to protect himself.
"Nyow! Nyow! Nyow! Nyow!" the Cat Imagin called as it slashed several times.
Mousse felt the slashes stop immediately as soon as they started. He dared to peek out from the shield and saw the blurry image if the Cat Imagin sheathing its sword. He took the reprieve to draw a new pair of glasses before slipping them onto his face. The Cat Imagin just continued to watch with a look that said, 'I just got the canary and the robin is next'. Mousse was slightly confused at the look. Of course, that confusion quickly vanished when he heard crumbling sounds. He turned around and was caught by surprise by the number of cut up (and heavy) bricks that came down on him.
"AUGH!" Mousse cried in shock and pain when several hundred pounds came crashing down on him. If he had gone through the Bakusai Tenketsu training, Mousse might have been able to shrug it off. Unfortunately, Mousse decided that Hidden Weapons was the perfect way to show his beloved Shampoo how strong he was. In his arrogance, he felt that if he mastered Hidden Weapons, he wouldn't have to worry about getting hit by an opponent. That foolish decision came back to haunt him every time Ranma beat him up and right now with a brick wall coming down on him.
The Cat Imagin purred in delight as it watched the debris come to a stop and the dust settle.
"One down and three to go," it purred before walking away with a swish of its cape.
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Ranma's head snapped up as Momotaro's presence took over him. His hair became messier as the red streak of hair appeared in it as his eyes flashed and turned red. He then got on to his feet.
"What is it, Momotaros-san?" Kasumi asked as she noticed the change. Momotaros had taken Ranma over so it was only appropriate to call him by the name of the Imagin possessing him.
"There's an Imagin here!" Ranma Red said to her before he went for the door. At the same time, Kintaros flew into Hiroshi's body, possessing his body once more. Hiroshi's now yellow eyes snapped open as a yellow streak appeared in his hair too. He then stood up. "Hey, what do you think you're doing!"
"As an apology towards Ranma Saotome, I wish to assist!" Hiroshi Yellow said strongly.
"I don't need your help, Bear-Boy, so get lost!" Ranma Red shouted.
"I believe you should let him, Sempai," said Urataros. Ranma Red glared at the turtle-like Imagin.
"You may need backup," Nabiki agreed. "I mean, maybe this Imagin could be stronger than Kintaros here."
Ranma Red grumbled and said, "Okay, but the Bear-Boy better stay out of my way!" He then walked out of the room, followed by Hiroshi Yellow.
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Ryoga was carrying his large backpack as he walked into town. He was finally back after weeks of traveling. This time, he would defeat Ranma once and for all and claim Akane for himself.
"Are you Ryoga Hibiki, nyow?" purred a voice and then Ryoga turned to see the strangest sight he had ever seen. However, this reminded him of the confrontation he had before with that bull monster. The person, if you could call it that, standing before him was a humanoid black cat wearing fancy looking clothes. It was leaning against the wall as it picked its teeth with one of its claws.
"So, who wants to know?" Ryoga said as he dropped his backpack. Maybe fighting whatever this thing was would be good practice for him. The Cat Imagin drew his blade and pointed it at Ryoga.
"Then I shall defeat you to grant my contract holder's wish, NYOW!" the Cat Imagin then charged at Ryoga.
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Ranma Red and Hiroshi Yellow came across Mousse's buried and unconscious body on their way to find the Imagin. Kintaros, being the noble Imagin he was, stopped to help.
"Hey, leave that idiot alone," Ranma Red growled. "We got more important things to do!" Suddenly, Ranma pushed Momotaros out as he walked over to Hiroshi Yellow and Mousse. Hiroshi Yellow was picking up the rubble burying the myopic Master of Hidden Weapons as Ranma helped him out. When they were done, Ranma pulled out Mousse and laid him against the wall.
"I think we found ourselves a clue here," said Ranma as he looked Mousse over, "I bet the Imagin we're looking for came past here."
'His scent was here, Ranma!' Momotaros said to him, after Ranma had looked Mousse over. 'I bet the blind duck here ended up with his ass kicked!'
"And that Imagin's strength had made Mousse here cry," Hiroshi Yellow nodded before dropping a napkin on Mousse's face. "When he awakens, he should wipe his tears with this."
Ranma gave Hiroshi Yellow a peculiar look. Just what was the deal about Kintaros and crying? He shook his head. There was an Imagin to look for and the sudden sound of a battle alerted them.
"Come on!" Ranma shouted as he ran ahead, followed by Hiroshi Yellow.
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"BAKUSAI TENKETSU!" Ryoga cried out as he stabbed his finger into the ground, causing it to explode and shatter, sending stone flying at his unusual opponent. The Cat Imagin was agile and had good reflexes, so it had no problem dodging the flying debris. Anything to big to dodge, it slashed to pieces with its rapier. Apparently, its weapon was a slashing as well as a stabbing weapon.
Ryoga's eyes narrowed as he glared at the Cat Imagin, who appeared to be purring in amusement and Ryoga's futile attempts to defeat it. Well, now Ryoga was getting pissed. It looked like he needed to use his strongest technique: The Lion's Roar Blast.
"Shishi…" Ryoga began as he collected his depression powered ki and focused it. The Cat Imagin could feel Ryoga powering up and got a little nervous. Who knew humans were capable of such a thing?
"HAKODAN!" Ryoga yelled as he fired a blast of green depressive energy at the Imagin. The Imagin's eyes widened as the attack came barreling towards it. Then, when the attack made impact, an explosion erupted. Smoke billowed all around and Ryoga panted, hands on his knees.
"I did it," Ryoga said. Suddenly, some water splashed upon him, turning him into a black piglet. The black piglet squealed in confusion. Then, his eyes realized that in the explosion he had accidentally hit a drain and the water splashed out and hit him. His eyes then looked around for his opponent.
The Cat Imagin was staggering and stumbling. Its clothes were ruined by Ryoga's blast but it was relatively unscathed. It looked around for Ryoga when its eyes fell upon little P-chan. The Cat Imagin licked its lips as it gazed upon the piglet.
"Nyow…" the Cat Imagin purred, "Lunch." It then began stalking towards P-chan as the black piglet scrambled away as fast as its little legs could carry him. The Cat Imagin would enjoy this hunt immensely as it got on all fours and dashed after its prey.
"BWEEEE!" the little piglet cried as it ran for its life. The Cat Imagin didn't seem to have much trouble as it got closer to catching the tiny porker. It was almost upon P-chan when something came from the side and slammed into the Cat Imagin. The Imagin was sent flying before crashing into another section of the wall and making it crumble. Dust flew from the rubble.
P-chan looked up to see who had rescued him and was surprised to see that Hiroshi guy he had seen hanging around Ranma. When did he have yellow streaks in his hair? The pigtailed martial artist wasn't far behind his friend. Now P-chan was even more confused. Ranma had started putting red streaks in his hair? Weren't they blue before?
"Did you get a look at him?" Rama Red asked Hiroshi Yellow. "I didn't get to see before you tackled him."
"Yes," Hiroshi Yellow nodded. He then looked down on the black piglet. "He was chasing this black piglet."
Ranma Red looked down on P-chan and snorted in distaste. He didn't like the lost boy/pig that much. He was always taking advantage of Ranma's word of honor and being a major pervert by sleeping with Akane.
"Oh, the perverted pig," Ranma Red grumbled. "Well, it's another clue anyway."
Ignoring the outraged squeals, Hiroshi Yellow focused his attention on where he had punted the Imagin. "We can discuss it later. We must fight now!"
"First thing you said that we agree on!" Ranma Red grinned while preparing to pull out the Terminal Belt.
The pile of rubble began to shudder as the Imagin within started moving again. Hiroshi Yellow tensed in preparation of a fight while Ranma Red placed the Terminal Belt on his waist. The pile of rubble shuddered some more as the Imagin started trying to get out. Finally, the rubble seemed to explode as the Imagin rose from it.
"Nyow! That wasn't nice!" the hissed as it came into full view of the two possessed young men.
'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!' Ranma screamed in his mind. The sheer volume made Ranma Red flinch.
'Would you just calm down?' Momotaros growled. 'He isn't that scary!'
'CAT! CAT! CAT! CAT!' Ranma continued to freak out.
Ranma Red's body began to jerk and shiver as Ranma's fear continued to grow. Momotaros tried to keep in control but it was quickly slipping. His jerks were becoming more violent as Ranma continued to freak out. Hiroshi Yellow watched in confusion as Ranma Red seemed to have a spaz attack.
"Are you alright?" he asked in confusion. P-chan was watching, but he thought he knew what was wrong. He had heard that Ranma was afraid of cats, but he hadn't actually seen it in action before.
"No, I'm not!" Ranma Red growled in frustration. "Get the pig out of here! We'll meet later!"
Hiroshi Yellow nodded before snatching up P-chan. He then ran while Ranma Red did the same. Hiroshi Yellow was using the streets, but Ranma Red had dashed through a door and apparently vanished from sight. The Cat Imagin was left standing in the middle of the street just staring into space.
"Nyow?" it meowed. "How odd."
-----------------------------------------------DenLiner------------------------------------------------
Hana felt her fear spike slightly as she watched Ranma Red stumble through the door to the dining car. It seemed like he had been injured at first, but then she heard Ranma Red growling and hoped that it was just because he was angry.
"Momotaros?" Hana asked. "What happened?"
"Gck!" Ranma Red growled. "Get...back! GYAH!!"
Ranma Red's cry was most likely heard from all over the train. There was a blast of red energy before Momotaros was hurled straight out of Ranma's body. The red Imagin was sailing through the air before he crashed into one of the booths that were lined along the walls of the car. Naomi and Urataros were both shocked to see what had happened. Hana was now even more concerned.
"Ranma?" she asked, trying to see him through the bits of residual energy that hid the martial artist from sight.
"Meow," was all she got for a reply.
Before anyone could even blink, Ranma leaped out of the haze and straight at Hana. He was making cat noises the whole way before he managed to tackle the surprised young woman. She was knocked over onto the ground before she felt something heavy land in her lap. Once everything had calmed down, Hana could now see Ranma curled up in her lap. He meowed happily before he nuzzled her. Hana blushed an atomic red before Ranma settled down in her lap curled up in a small ball. He was purring loudly as well.
"W...what just happened?" asked Hana nervously. Her cheeks were still a bright red.
"I believe that Ranma has taken on a cat-like personality and is now expressing affection to you, Hana-chan," Urataros remarked.
"Uh..." Hana blushed. "Is..is there any reason why?"
"Ugh," Momotaros growled as he struggled to get to his feet. "Something called Neko-ken. I didn't get to see much since I was trying so hard to keep it together."
"Hmm," Urataros nodded. "Then the answer lies in Ranma's mind. I'll just be a minute."
Urataros stood up from his table and stepped closer to Ranma. When he was close enough, he turned into blue energy and dove inside Ranma's body. The purring martial artist didn't even flinch at the action. Everyone was silent as they waited for some kind of answers. Only Momotaros made noises as he tried to get the pains out of his body. Finally, Urataros came out of Ranma's body and solidified. He was quiet for a moment as he seemed to be trying to keep his cool.
"Ranma's father is lucky I don't have a body outside of DenLiner," Urataros spoke coolly. "Otherwise I would turn him into panda steaks for what he did."
Now Hana was getting very worried. Momotaros and Naomi were both reflecting that same worry for Ranma. Just what had Genma done to make Ranma act like he was now?
"It is called Neko-ken, just like Sempai said," Urataros spoke up as if he had read their minds. He then returned to his table before explaining further. "It is a martial arts technique that has been banned for a long time now. The training is very simple. All one has to do is dig a pit and throw in a couple of cats and let them starve for a few days."
"That's cruel!" Hana cried out, her anger was beginning to rise.
"That is just preparing for the technique," Urataros continued. "The actual training is much worse. All one has to do is wrap the trainee in some kind of fish product. Fish sausage, fish steaks, it doesn't matter. Then they throw them into that pit and repeat until the technique is learned."
All was silent on the train. They could not believe that anyone would put their own son through that kind of torture. It was just unthinkable!
"Ranma was only six years old at the time," Urataros added.
"WHAT?!" Momotaros raged. "I'M GONNA KILL THAT PANDA! I'LL SKIN HIM!"
Hana just looked down at the boy sleeping in her lap. She absently stroked his back, which only made him purr more loudly. Her heart went out for the boy in her lap. She may have lost everything she ever knew at one point, but Ranma never had it in the first place. All he had was an idiotic and greedy father who was a dumb as a box of rocks.
"It gets worse," Urataros spoke up again.
"Worse?" Naomi squeaked, close to tears.
"After the training is complete, the trainee, if they SURVIVE, gains an incredible fear of cats," Urataros explained. "They can't even get close to a cat without becoming overwhelmed with fear. If they can't escape the cats, then they take on a cat persona like Ranma has here."
"But...if Ranma can't get near cats," Hana gasped as she realized something.
"Then he can't fight this new Imagin," Momotaros growled. "We can't even smother the fear either! It's just too strong!"
Things did not look good for the group. If Ranma couldn't fight this new Imagin then the timeline was in very serious danger.
To Be Continued...
A/N: Whew! How's that for a cliffhanger? Kintaros makes the scene, but now Ranma has to deal with an Imagin that has taken the form of his greatest fear. Will he be able to defeat it? Well, you guys will just have to find out when the next chapter is posted.