A Different Type of Visitor (ADTOV) Chapter 08

Standard disclaimer, don't own Ranma 1/2, or Rifts. Wish I had some stock or shares but I don't. I'm doing this for my enjoyment and for the enjoyment of any of my readers. May they continue reading my works after they read this.

Hope everyone liked the interlude. If you didn't, sorry but I needed it to move some of the side storylines along. After all, it's not just Ranma and Shakeera. But all of the cast that makes a story great. So I needed to do some development of the other characters, especially those who I've either changed, or redirected. Otherwise you'd just have another OOC fic without any of the character development to justify their being OOC.

I would like to take a few moments to share some of my reviews, and to thank my reviewers personally as their encouragement has helped keep my muse going and keep me motivated in my writings. As well as to answer a few of the questions or comments that have arisen in the reviews. 6, signed A good chapter that introduces a really interesting twist... Herb x Akane... Can't say I've seen THIS pairing before. Can be quite nice

Thanks Pheonix, an idea I got as it's rare to see an Herb x anyone in a fanfiction

CatOnFire
2005-08-08
ch 5, signed While I love your story (Ranma/Rifts crossovers rule) I find the erasing of Ranma's humanity a bit much (I've always been a pro-human Ranma) and feel that you should leave Ranma at least half human in male form. But I'm sure either way it will be good.

Oh and don't have Ranma learn techniques too quickly. Plus don't fall into the trap where Ranma mostly uses powerful and flashy moves exclusively, if I wanted to read a Dragonball Z fic I would have.

Actually CatOnFire, Ranma's part human in both forms. You think that Cologne get's everything right? As for Ranma learning techniques quickly. Didn't it take him five full days to learn the Kachu Tenshin Ameguriken? I'm using that and the Hiryo Shoten Ha as baselines for how quickly he learns techniques. Also one other note, Ranma never really learns the techniques flawlessly, especially if he's in a hurry.

Hiryo
2005-08-11
ch 6, signed Herb is as large if not larger as Ranma in his girl form.

Sorry I didn't guess which series you 'fused' Nododa with . . . but that's fate. In the original Herb asked Cologne where the Openlock bucket is. I wonder how you manage that. I also wait when Akane will be informed of him being her fiancee. That is if you decide do let her in her dreamworld 'of ignorance is bliss' of not knowing that.

Did I actually give a size comparison for Herb-Chan? Sorry if I did. She's about 5'6" 5'7" in female form. Ranma-chan is about 5' nothin. So sorry for the misunderstanding. If you guys noticed, I never went into the finding of the OpenWater bucket. I want two storylines, but do not want to overshadow Ranma and Shakeera's story with Herb's and Genma's. Don't worry though, I'm trying to wring the embarressment factor of Herb's engagement to Akane for all it's worth, both to teach the girl a lesson and increase the angst factor. Course as I've re-read most of the Manga prior to storylining this fanfiction I have come to the conclusion that Akane is the same if not more so than Ukyo and Shampoo in the dreamworld business.

Innortal
2005-09-19
ch 7, signed Damn, hope you explain that last one, like what the hell happened to them.

Great work, and looking forward to more, and the weird dichotomy of Nodoka.

Innortal

Thanks Innortal, and I like your works also. I've got some interesting things planned around Nodoka and hope that I get through book 3 in a timely manner as there will be much with her in that book.

As for the last bit... That's a secret for 7, signed A great chapter! You weave a really interesting story, you know I really hope your muse won't leave you and that the quality of the chapters will be preserved.
P.S. Are you planning to pair Ranma and Shakeera?
P.P.S. Having two parallel plotlines requires lots of work - and you are doing this really well!

Thanks for another review. I'm working on the quality of chapters, as well as keeping their length as long as I'm keeping them. That's one reason I sometimes don't post very quickly. Please bare with me on that point.

Ranma and Shakeera? Not sure, wouldn't it be a bit Cliche'. Of course it would fit as the whole friends leading to something more. And you're right two parallel plotlines are very hard to maintain. Even more so I don't have just two. Here's a basic list of the plot lines to follow, I'll just list the characters that are affected so as not to give my story away before it is time: Ranma and Shakeera. Akane and Herb. Herb and Genma. Nodoka, Ranma and Shakeera. Mint and Lime. Musk Kingdome and Warchilde(Not yet introduced). Nabiki and Shakeera. Ranma and Nabiki. Ranma, Nabiki, Akane, and Shakeera. Shakeera, Ranma and Herb. Ranma, Shakeera, Herb, and Genma.

Get the drift? I've got overall plot lines involving all of these characters in those combinations. There's actually about 12 more that get more convoluted. In fact I've been using Concept Draw(R) to keep them all strait in conjunction to the others. Dang program cost me $250 US, but was worth every penny. So please keep rootin me on as I'll be continueing to keep the convoluted but hopefully well written plot lines developing.

Jerry Unipeg
2005-09-19
ch 1, signed Great start.

GREAT CHAPTER! Nice change to the time line.

GREAT CHAPTER! She awaking!

GREAT CHAPTER! So, that what they falling into.

I LOVE THIS CHAPTER! Nice to see Ranma with a true master in traning.

GREAT CHAPTER! I love the all of the chapter.

GREAT CHAPTER! I am looking forward when Ranma and Nodoka meet face to face.

Ok I recieved all of these today, thanks for the pats on the back. I'm now writing the chapter, hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as you enjoyed the last 7. And yes, Ranma and Nodoka should meet face to face sometime in the near future.

To these other author/reviewers: Hiryo, Ranger5, Innortal, Calamite, Gangsta Spanksta, Iceland, CatOnFire, RubberNeck, DerektheRogue. Thanks for the reviews. in another 5 or 6 chapters I'll be doing another review commentary and reply. Sooner if I get a large amount of requests.

Now on with the fic.

Chapter 08

She felt the rhythm of the world. Beating in tune with her heart, as well as with the droplets of sweat that beaded on her brow only to be flung free with every quick movement of her revolution through the space inside her room as well as inside her mind. Though her eyes were closed, the martial woman could see in her minds eye the firing arcs that her hands faced if they truly held guns. Her feet slapped the ground in perfect eighteen to forty-five degree angles, stepping in such a way so as to set her torso and then her arms into position to fire upon any enemy before it had a chance to fire upon her. She was lining her left arm up for her fifteenth shot when she was pulled roughly from her meditative kata by the ringing of her house phone.

"God Bless it. Every time, I swear!" She grumbled to herself as she opened her eyes and took off into the house to answer the phone.

Nodoka Saotome quickly wiped her brow with the small white terrycloth towel she had grabbed on the way into the house, on the fifth ring of the phone she managed to pick it up. "Hello? Saotome Residence." She hastily answered before she even had a chance to regain her breath.

On the other end she heard a young woman's voice speaking an almost too flawless dialect of Japanese. Is Saotome Nodoka there? The young woman asked.

"This is she, may I enquire as to why you are calling me?" Nodoka answered, still trying to regain her breath.

I would inquire as to whether you have a husband by the name of Genma and a son by the name of Ranma.

Nodoka raised her eyebrow, as this was not a phone call she was not expecting. "Yes I do, however they have not been here in several years." Nodoka finally caught her breath, and with it a bit more clarity of thought. "Would you tell me your interest in them?" She asked politely.

I would be delighted to. I have met your son- The girl managed to get out before Nodoka interrupted.

"YOU HAVE! IS HE ALRIGHT!" She yelled before realized how she must have sounded. "Sorry about that."

No Problem. Ranma's all right, though I don't know about Genma. The voice answered.

"He's not with Genma? What happened?" Nodoka asked starting to get a bit worried.

That's a long story Mrs. Saotome, and one that I'd rather answer in person than over the phone. Ranma is here, but we would like to meet with you first instead of over the phone. Is there a place near to your residence that we can meet up?

Nodoka's eyes lit up with probably the first true hope and joy she had felt in a long time. "Can it be this afternoon? Is that too soon?" She asked.

No this afternoon's great. Give me a location and we'll be there.

Scene Break

"Kuno-Baby, by your own rules she is now taken. Why are you insisting on the morning fights still?" Nabiki asked the self proclaimed Shooting Star of Furinken High who sat across from her in the private booth of the local eatery that she liked to do business at. "Did you not proclaim that anyone who could Defeat Akane would be able to Date her?"

The elder Kuno sibling looked back at his intellectual foe and considered her words at great length before bestowing his own wisdom upon her. "That I did mercenary one. Though I have yet to see this so called 'Prince' that has defeated the Tigress of Battle that is your sister. Until I have seen his prowess first hand there shall be no relenting of the worthy masses of our hallowed learning establishment." Tatewaki continued to look at his opponent and saw that she was near to acquiescing to his better judgment.

Nabiki meanwhile was sitting there wondering how a person could not just be so dense, but also be so aggravating and self-righteous. "Kuno, you do realize that if you pursue Akane any further that she may hurt you in retaliation?" She said, trying to at least get him to back off on the physical affronts to her younger sister.

Days earlier Akane had come storming home as the Hentai horde had expanded their morning ritual to include an after school variant to it. Nabiki was happy to allow the morning version to continue as it was good stress relief for her younger sister she thought, as well as it funded the betting pool greatly and kept the dips of guys from asking other girls out leaving only the very best choices free for the women of Furinken. If not for that she might have personally shut it down ages ago. But recently they had been getting a harder edge to it and now an underlining fear was present in Akane's action, and that fear was what had galvanized Nabiki into action. Especially as her younger sisters fiancée had yet to return from wherever he had disappeared to with her father's friend Saotome Genma.

To make matters worse somehow a rumor had started at school about Akane dating a Prince from a far away land. And even though Nabiki knew the truth about the whole thing, she wasn't the one who started the rumor and to make matters worse the mercenary girl had no real clue as to who did.

Nabiki turned her attention back to the Buffoon at hand. "Kuno, ne Tatewaki. Please at least have your underclassmen at least honorably challenge Akane rather than attacking her in a mob, for that is the way of the Samurai is it not?" She added quickly as she realized that the only way to get Kuno to do anything was to hammer in on his delusions rather than just try to reason with him.

"I will ponder your words at length Tendo Nabiki. Till next we meet." Kuno said as he stood up and walked away in his normal and more than slightly imperious manner.

Scene Break

While Nabiki was trying to talk some sense into the elder Kuno sibling, Soun Tendo was sitting on the porch of the Tendo house looking at a small picture. On the picture could be seen a young looking woman wearing a kimono sitting on her knees underneath a cherry tree, the blossoms of the flowers falling down around her as she smiled serenely into the camera in such a way that no matter what angle you looked at the picture from it would appear that the woman was looking strait into your eyes.

"Kimiko..." Soun started, his eyes starting to tear up a little. "It's been so long Kimiko. But our family is finally growing up. I am so proud of them. I so wish that you could be here." He said to the photo before he was wrought over by a choking sob.

"Your favorite daughter has finally come out of her shell, she has been such a help keeping our estate together. I don't know what I would have done without all three of our darling daughters, but it was her that I regret leaning the hardest on." Soun wiped a tear from his eyes as he remembers the day so many years ago, shortly after his wife Kimiko Tendo had died. He had been sitting down at the kitchen table, bills and forms lying out in front of him. His face not shaved for days, and his hair a tangled mess. He had been just sitting there gazing at the chaotic mass of papers for many hours, then when he was about to just go outside and drink some more in frustration he heard his daughters come home from school.

Akane as usual just went into the dojo and started to yell out in her own lessons in the family system of martial arts. And Kasumi, dear Kasumi, had gone into the kitchen quickly to get something ready for their dinner. But he felt a tugging on his sleeve before he had a chance to get up. Looking down he saw little nine-year-old Nabiki holding up one of the papers and pushing it towards him. "Not now 'Biki, Daddy has to think for a bit." But she tugged on his sleeve again and pushed the paper in front of his face again. Soun decided to at least humor the girl and see what she had drawn in school, or what grade she had managed to achieve. Instead he saw a nearly completed form requesting state aid. The Kanji on it was neat, if not quite right. And as far as he could see there was only his signature required to finish the form.

"Wha..? Where did you get this Nabiki?" He asked concerned.

"From the school Daddy. I ask teacher, and he took me to see the principal. The Principal was nice and told me to talk to someone on the phone. That person told me where to find this form and I figured out what to do with it." She looked at the papers on the table then back up at her father. "Daddy? Do we have enough money? Is that what's wrong?" The little girl asked.

Soun felt his heart nearly breaking again as his middle daughter cut one of their problems so true to the quick. "Sweetie, we will have enough. Now why don't you sit down here with Daddy and show me what this form says." Soun asked her and patted his left leg. The middle Tendo sister clamored up onto her father's knee and then started to prattle off about the different area's of the form and what they meant.

After that memory finished Soun came back to himself and looked down at the photo, hearing Kasumi prattling around in the kitchen again he looked out at the yard, then back down at the picture and then over into the kitchen. "Maybe... Maybe it's time for me to come out of my shell as well." He said to no one in particular.

Scene Break

Ranma looked over at his red haired companion from where he sat in the outdoor cafe that his mother had directed them to. Shakeera was dressed in a pair of feminine cut tan business slacks the waist down to the lower thighs was very tight and form fitting, leaving the legs just above the knee with loose cloth that actually accentuated her thighs and when she was standing upright her butt. She also wore a chocolate silk looking blouse with a slight frill around the neck line that allowed for the fact that she had a generous bust, but actually kept it from being the center of a persons view. Instead the effect drew a persons eyes to the trans dimensional travelers eyes. Of course her disguise spell was active, they really didn't need to have people freaking out about a four-armed person wandering about.

He then looked down at himself and started to feel a bit under dressed next to his companion. Especially as he was dressed in his near ever-present silk Chinese tang with his black forearm bracers on and a pair of black draw string pants as well as his adjustable black silk slippers. If not for his curse and the radical change in size he went through every time he might be able to get a better unisex outfit that looked good on both of his forms, but he figured it was best not to tempt fate by wearing something that was solely one gender or another.

Suffice it to say, both of them were a touch nervous. Ranma as he had not met his mother in over a decade, and Shakeera as she was empathic and Ranma's almost over strong emotions were setting her off as well. He was just about to bolt again when he saw a woman walking up to their table looking just like a slightly older version of his female form, the two major differences was the woman's height and her hair was not fire engine red but rather a deep rust auburn.

The woman stopped directly in front of the two of them with a happy glint and a tear in her eye. Before Ranma could stand up or Shakeera ask her if the lady was Nodoka Saotome, she lunged forward and grabbed Ranma into one of the strongest hugs he had ever endured in his life. "Wai..UGH" He struggled to get out.

Lucky for him Shakeera came to his rescue. "Umm.. Mrs. Saotome, you might want to let your son breathe." She said laying one of her hands on Nodoka's shoulder gently. "Please, Ma'am. He'll still be here, I promise." Shakeera said with a pleasant grin on her face.

Nodoka pulled back slightly from her son, but kept her hands on his shoulders and looked at him very happy to be reunited with her lost son. "Ranma... Thank God you're alright." She said. Then Nodoka turned to Shakeera and as she released Ranma she went into a formal bow. "I thank you for the boon that you have done me. Is there any way that the Saotome Clan can repay you for your service?" She said and came out of the bow.

Ranma just sat there with his hand behind his head blushing a bit as Shakeera shook her head minutely a couple of times. "Mrs. Saotome, there is no debt. Your son Ranma has helped me to adapt to your land and it is I who am in debt to him. I would wish to travel with him for a time and to teach him all that I know in certain subjects before I part ways with your family." She said formally.

"Teach?" Nodoka started, "But you're so young, what would you be teaching my son?" She said.

"Mrs. Saotome, I am 27 years old. And am considered a journeyman in several fields and a master in several others. Not least of which is quantum mathematics, and singularity research. I only look young, please be assured that I am anything but." Shakeera said with an heir of authority. "As well though your husband succeeded in making Ranma one of the premiere martial artists of this age, he has neglected much of his scholastic training. It is one of the things that I hope to remedy, but would we be able to talk about this in a more secluded environ? I do not wish to share all of my secrets with the world at large."

Ranma just looked at his friend for a moment, eyes a little bit large and expression a little bit dazed. Internally he was a bit seized up as he knew much about his friend and her capabilities, but he didn't expect her to be this hard charging and intelligent in dealing with adults.

Nodoka though had a slightly dazed expression for another reason. Her son had this woman as a traveling companion, and apparently as a tutor as well. "Miss, I am thankful that you have taken it upon yourself to help out my son. May we continue this in the Saotome residence? I would be delighted to hear more of your story and to find out more about my son's journey." She then turned back to Ranma and her eyes got big and tearful again. "RANMA!" She squealed out and pulled him into another bear hug.

"UNGH!"

Scene Break

In the wilderness, on top of a new mudslide somewhere to the South East of Tokyo, a lightning bolt hit the ground from the clear evening sky. However this wasn't a normal lightning bolt as it stayed there, twisting and writhing around like a giant snake whose tail retreated into the heavens. Blue white ethereal whisps started to flow down the length of the bolt, pooling around the dancing base of the supercharged electrical phenomenon. After a few moments the bolt started to widen around the base, and the split from the ground upwards to almost four meters above the ground.

Daylight could be seen through the portal that had just opened up, as well odd-looking trees and some buildings that were not part of the forested landscape around which the strange bolt from the heavens opened up. After the bolt stabilized a bit a figure could be seen walking through the dimensional portal.

He wore a set of tan and black armor with severe shoulder guards made in such a way so as to protect his arms and shoulders from any attack from above. The plates on his torso were molded to a strong human physique and consisted of overlapping material of a pseudo plastic ceramic material. He also had forearm guards and shin guards that terminated into boots of the same tan and black armored material. In between covering his upper arms and upper legs was a black streaked with tan heavy cloth vaguely reminiscent of Kevlar or super heavy canvas by the way that it moved.

But the most alien part about this being was the visible portions of his body. Specifically his neck, head, and hair. His skin consisted of a charcoal black, that almost seemed either blue or gray in turns. His hair seemed to be almost a living corona of fire that although it moved around as such it gave no light other than what was reflected through its red gold's and orange hues. But his eyes were perhaps the most alien portion of his body, as they were pure black pits with small golden motes that seemed to emit a glow of their own. The various little pinpricks of golden light were moving in a nearly stellar pattern across the black scape of the orbs that made up his eyes.

Over one of his eyes and leading around to the back of his head was a technological visor of indeterminate origin with a red crystal screen that covered his left eye. He looked into the screen, and watched as a basic geographical map overlaid the landscape around him. He turned his head to look in an arc leading to the North West and after several moments a small ovoid with an unknown language written underneath it flashed briefly several times before disappearing.

The being looked towards where the blinking light was and grinned in a almost horrid way showing absolutely no teeth as his lips remained pressed tightly together. A throaty chuckle emanated from him as a black corona of power winked into existence around him and he leapt into the air.

Only to fall back down to the ground with a low groan. The black corona of power flickering in and out of existence until it completely dissipated and the being frowned darkly then set off on foot towards the North East instead of flying.

Scene Break

Princess Herb of the Musk Dynasty looked over to her also sodden companion as they walked along the worn game path out of her now ruined Kingdome. They were on their way towards Jusenkyo as a first stop on their way towards Japan. Though Herb-chan dearly wanted much of the writing that was on the well-preserved and protected painting that they carried with them, she was not nearly so desperate to request the aid of the tribes of the Jokentetsu.

Her main reason to try to keep the painting away from them was the fact that though she may be accepted as a woman, she knew the first things that they would do if they discovered that she was actually the Prince of the Musk and not the Princess was to imprison her.

So she and her Pandafied companion continued their sojourn towards Jusenkyo and then to Japan to recoup and plan. At least if they could find son Ranma then she could finally pursue Akane to be her queen. If for no other reason than to restart the Line of Dragons and a new Musk Dynasty.

Scene Break

Nodoka opened the gates to her families home, and led the way towards the front entrance to the Saotome house all the while steeling glances back at her prodigal son and his young looking companion.

Once they stepped into the entrance hall to her home and had shut the door Nodoka turned around to face the other two people in the room.

Nodoka was about to speak when Shakeera beat her to it. "Mrs. Saotome, Nodoka. Do you believe in Magic?"

At first the Saotome Matriarch did not know what to make out of the bizarre question, so she decided to just be as frank as possible. "I'd be stupid not to. I've seen to much to believe that science has all the answers." She answered to the younger woman.

Shakeera just shakes her head a little before she continued. "Not like parlor tricks, or simple spells. Also not anything invisible. But real, down to earth, physical Magic." She replied. When Nodoka nodded her head in a continue type of motion the disguised girl did. "Nodoka, I hope that you are as open minded as you seem, please watch closely as I release the holds on a spell that I maintain so as not to engender panic in the populace of your planet."

Nodoka looked at the other girl as if she had grown a second head, or even a second set of arms. Unfortunately for Ranma's mother, that was just what Shakeera had done. Grown a second set of arms. Well not really grown. More like they faded into existence. A second set of arms, starting just under the armpits of her upper set. The finely tailored blouse showing the extra set of sleeves nicely as if they had always been there, and Shakeera's face gaining an almost Elvin cast to it as both her eyes elongated a little and her features themselves sharpened.

Shakeera was about to start into a speech that she had prepared last night. But was unprepared for what happened next. Nodoka Saotome, her friends mother and by all reason looked to be able to handle the truth, had slashed out with a silvered dagger that she had managed to retrieve from somewhere unseen.

Only Shakeera's innate Sixth Sense had warned her in time to bring up her arms before the dagger would have nicked her jugular or related area of her neck. Cursing herself for not wearing her bracers as she felt the knife cut a shallow furrow in her upper right forearm. Before she could call up any of her own powers or counter attack herself though Ranma had jumped forward and was holding the knifes blade in-between the thumb and middle finger of his left hand. He slowly forced Nodoka away from his friend and watched as reasoning returned to his mother's eyes.

"Mom?" Ranma asked quietly.

Nodoka meanwhile just looked at Shakeera and noticed that she was just sitting there and stemming the blood pouring out of her forearm rather than attacking. "Really, Mrs. Saotome." She said to the now calm Nodoka. "I'm not a demon. And Silver does not aggravate my wounds." She said and showed the forearm and how the flesh was now starting to seal itself back up.

"Why did you attack my friend Mother?" Ranma asked her again, he still held on to the dagger, then let go of it to allow his mother some time to recover the rest of the way.

"I am sorry about that Shakeera, and Ranma. I did not mean for you to see that." She looked down at the dagger in her hand and noticed that it was now warped around where Ranma's fingertips had held it. She looked up at Ranma then and back down at the dagger. "Ranma? What happened to you?" She asked.

"What do you mean Mother?" The young man answered, unsure of what he should say or do at this point.

Nodoka held up the dagger so that Ranma could see the blade. "Ranma, this blade is stronger than Titanium. No normal human could warp it with finger pressure alone." She put the blade to her side and looked back at Ranma, this time looking at him different than the heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts had ever been looked at before. After several moments of this Nodoka gasps out loud and slowly reaches forward to lift some of his unruly hair above his ear. After she had seen the elongated point to his left hear she proceeded to trace the back side and the strangely lobe less lower portion of it. "An Elf? How?" She said.

Shakeera looked at the woman in front of her. "How do you know about elves? I did a scan of this planet from orbit and detected no non human life forms."

"I am a hunter." Nodoka said simply. "Both of the mundane and of the Supernatural. If they break the treaty, then they must be brought to justice or to death."

"Treaty Mom? What treaty are you talking about." Ranma asked.

"The Treaty between the Human worlds, the Underrealms, and the Overworld. I am one of the hunters that keep the balance in check." Nodoka said and motioned them to go and to sit down.

Shakeera stood there for a moment. "And you thought that I was part of the Underrealms." Nodoka nodded her head in answer. "I am not, I'm actually not even from this plane of existence. My race is a warrior race known as Rahu-Elf. We are a cross gene race between Rahu-men and Elf. I came to this planet, not through a dimensional portal, but via a malfunctioning star drive." She then looked over at Ranma. "Your son helped me after I foolishly tried to rescue him from some pools of chaotic magic. That magic merged with the natural magic of my race and a miscast spell. And changed your son permanently."

"Mother, I am now a cross between Rahu-Man, Elf, Dragon, and Human. There may be something more, but we do not know." He said with his eyes downcast. "That is not all mother. I also have a curse, though others have tried to convince me it is a blessing."

Nodoka looked a little bit afraid at first at his mentioning of a curse. "Is it less human in looks or nature than you are right now?"

Ranma shook his head no before continuing. "No, it isn't. But I should show you, please do not hate me for it Mom." He said. "I need some water to show you, can you please tell me where the kitchen is?" He asked.

Nodoka pointed him towards the kitchen and he left. She then turned towards Shakeera. "He'll be gone for a moment." She said. "Now one thing quickly. What are your intentions."

Shakeera was momentarily taken aback by the sudden shift in Nodoka's manner but steeled herself quickly nonetheless. "Honorable Mrs. Saotome. I do wish to teach him everything I know. Especially as if not for me he would only have one curse, but would still be human."

"What do you mean, only one curse?" Nodoka asked quickly.

"He would have fallen into a human based spring according to the guide at the cursed springs of Jusenkyo."

"Jusenkyo? He was there?" Nodoka said with widened eyes. "And he is still human in his cursed form?" She asked.

"Yes, do you know of the springs?"

"I do. Two years ago a beast had come through here, I did not originally know of the springs but he had to be killed. I found out later that he was originally a boar that had wandered into the spring of drowned man, and that he had learned enough as a human to decide to take out the human race. As a human he was bad enough. But he had allied with a minor demon that changed his curse into something worse. That is all I will say on the matter." Nodoka cocked her head slightly to the side. "He is back. We will talk again later." With that her manner shifted from battle hardened mercenary back to concerned mother.

"Mother." Ranma began. "When in the springs of Sorrow, I gained a curse. It is activated with cold water, and reverted with hot." So saying he dumped the cold water over his head and turned into his female form. Nodoka saw how he shrunk down in height, and though his hips seemed to stay almost the same, his torso shrunk down a bit but expanded into a truly impressive bust. As well his hair turned from raven black, to fire engine red just like his companions. As well his eyes elongated a little and facial features turned slightly more Elvin than before.

The petite but buxom girl had her face down cast away from her mother. Nodoka looked down at the girl and put her hand on her chin to pull her face slowly up to face her. "Ranma?" She asked. "Are you still you?" She asked.

"Yes mother. I'm still me. My body changes, but not my mind." Nodoka grinned a bit weakly.

"Then I accept you. Thank you for not trying to hide this from me. I have something I'll need to tell you eventually, but it can wait for today." She said. "Ranma, there is one important thing I must know though."

"What is it Mom." Ranma-chan asked, uncomfortable having to look up at her mother.

"Where is your father, where is Genma?" Nodoka asked seriously.

"I don't know. Just after I had gotten cursed he disappeared. I haven't seen him since. Shakeera and myself traveled to Japan on our own." The petite girl answered, unsure if she was saying the right thing.

"And you're sure he's alive?" Ranma nodded her head at this. "Then I have something I'd like to play on him when we finally see him again." She said with a mischievous glint to her eye.

Scene Break

Sayuri sat during her lunch break eating the small bento that she had prepared for herself that morning. Nothing to out of the ordinary there. However next to her and her fried Yuka sat Akane, and that's where things were starting to get out of the ordinary.

In Fact it was entirely about Akane that things were out of the ordinary. The girl had just run the gauntlet of the new lunch time Hentai Horde attack for her hand out to a date. And instead of being pissed off or angry, she instead seemed to be happy.

"What's up Akane?" Yuka asked eyeing the girl. "You barely managed to get out of that group this time, and you're happy. What happened?"

"Huh? Oh, I was going easy on them. I've been wanting to try out a few things my Sensei has been teaching me." The raven-haired girl said with an almost vacant air to her tone.

"Ooo! Ooo!" Sayuri started bouncing excitedly in her seat. "Is he dreamy?" She asked as she leaned forward, instantly interested in the conversation now.

That question took Akane by surprise however and she almost did a spit take of her drink. "What! No, Herb-chan's a girl. Like us, but she's a great martial artist." She said after recovering from her near choke. "Well, she's not really like us. She's actually from China." Akane said as an after thought with her finger on her chin in thought. "She's staying at the Dojo and has something worked out with Uncle Genma."

"So what brought on the change in tactics with the Horde Oh Baka's?" Yuka said thumbing a few of them who were watching the trio eat from a distance.

"Oh that." Akane started. "Herb-chan has been teaching me some group fighting tactics, and they've become so easy this last time that I'm not sure that it'll be worth fighting them anymore."

"So what's different in the way you fight them now?" Sayaka asked.

"Simple, I don't punch so hard. And I sidestep a lot more. Did you know that they take themselves out that way? They're so stupid." Akane finished disdainfully before she perked up and continued. "I can't wait till this afternoon, I have a new technique I'd like to try."

The three friends continued to eat for a bit before Akane spoke up again. "Besides, I've been mulling over something that Herb-chan has told me." Yuka and Sayuri both perked up at this, as they loved hearing some of the tidbits of information that Akane told them. "She had said that dealing with a group attacking in mass can over time lower a persons skill. And that using them to determine your rank and skill is a sure way to artificially boost your estimation without actually being that good." She then looked directly at the other two. "In other words, I'm probably not the best." She continued with a slightly sorrowful cast to her features. "Actually, Kuno's probably a bit better than me right now."

"Wow Akane, I didn't think you'd ever say something like that." Yuka said.

"Yeah. I mean you beat him and the Hentai Horde all the time. Why wouldn't you be the best?" Sayuri continued.

"It's because Herb-chan is so much better than me. And Uncle Genma is better than Daddy is by leaps and bounds. I thought that I knew everything my father knew, but the other day I saw him and Uncle Genma sparring with someone I didn't know. And they all moved so fast with such precision. I have years to go before I get to that level." Her expression lighted up a bit again. "But my Sensei says I can get there, even beyond where my father is at right now! She says that I could become one of the best, but it would take dedication. So I'm going to give it my all, and learn more now that I have a dedicated Sensei to teach me."

"Wow Akane, I never thought that you could say something so profound. You're sensei must have made a real impression on you." Yuka said. "Can we meet her sometime? She sound's wonderful."

"Oh she is. But she's a slave driver. I've never been so sore in the morning before." Akane said as she rubbed her left hip in remembrance of a rather nasty blow that Herb-chan had landed on her the other night.

Yuka and Sayuri on the other hand thought that she was thinking about something else and just edged slightly away from the still deep in thought Akane.

Scene Break

"Well Mom? What was it you were going to tell us earlier?" Ranma-chan said from where she sat in front of her mother. Shakeera was sitting on the couch nearby facing the two Saotome women who were on the other couch in the western style living room.

"Well, first off Ranma-chan." Ranma shudders at the -chan part while Shakeera just raises her eyebrow a bit. "I am a Freelance Merc and Bounty Hunter by trade. I wasn't always that, but shortly after you and your father left on your training trip I ended up helping my first client by accident." Nodoka sits there and tells Ranma-chan and Shakeera about her first adventures, her mind falling back into the past as she did so.

It had been a tough day, and Nodoka had started to carry the Saotome honor blade around, as it was one of the last things left to her after her husband and son had left two years prior. At the time she was sitting on the subway going to another private investigator for another pointless meeting on trying to track down her husband and son. After several stops an old lady sat down next to her, so far nothing seemed remiss until the old man across from them stood up and grinned an evil grin. Then he chucked off his cloak and seemed to almost melt or flow into another form.

The man's clothes seemed to ripple and change into almost coal or volcanic rock that appeared to be crumbling. His head grew in size and his jaw elongated. A pair of great bat like wings with shredded wing membranes grew out of his back, and his arms elongated and grew vicious looking claws at the end. His legs grew an extra joint and his feet shifted to appear to be giant birds feet. Nodoka could tell that the demonic entity in front of her was male, as its organ hung limp between it's grossly deformed legs. She was so shocked by the transformation that she stood motionless.

Her immobility may have saved her life though as the creature lunged forward to the old lady who was screaming only the scream of someone in mortal terror could scream. As soon as the demonic being reached the woman it tore into her throat and proceeded to feed on her soft neck and chest area.

A small splash of gore hit Nodoka on the upper cheek and shocked her back to awareness. Quietly, though quickly the Saotome Matriarch drew her honor blade from its sheath until it was ready beside her gripped in her left hand. She let out a small hiss as she prepared to use a cutting blow that she had learned in her youth, the long unused talents coming to the surface of her mind in time to save her. Though not in time to save her fellow passenger.

The Demon heard her quiet hiss, and turned to face the new threat. But not in time as its head fell to the ground below the perverse flesh eating demons feet. Nodoka came out of her stance on the other side of the creature with a slightly feral glint to her eye, her entire being taken over by the fight or flight rush of instinct that she had used to kill the creature from another plane. Just before she came out of the trance one of the doors of the subway car burst open and a man stood there wearing a suit and tie and pointing one of the biggest hand guns that Nodoka had ever seen in her general direction.

Still in the fighting trance Nodoka let loose a banshee like wail and boosted towards the man with the gun, he managed to fire three shots at her before she was on him. The first shot grazed her left shoulder, the second her right hip. The third shot she managed to deflect with the length of her sword. Just as she was sweeping downward in a body-cleaving blow her sword was halted by what appeared to be blood read claws about a half a meter in length. Five total blocked her blade, and she traced them to the hand that they sprung from over to the face of the beautiful woman that the arm was attached to.

"Shi-Ne!" Nodoka cried and riposted off of the red claws to spin around into a knee-severing blow from a crouched position. The claws intercepted her sword again and again she allowed the rebound to further her spin and spun for another lethal blow that would sever a man at the waist. "SHI-NE!" She cried once more only to find the blade clapped between the woman's hands, her claws shrunken down to just fashionable red nails again.

The strange woman held onto the blade as the man she had defended stepped forward and held onto Nodoka's hands as the rush left her.

As her world came back into focus, Nodoka realized what had happened and turned around to look at the Demon that she had slain. Then she looked at the man and the woman who she had tried to murder, and then back over at the old woman who had been gored by the demon. Nodoka then threw up the remnants of her lunch and her world faded to black.

She came back to herself to see the disgusted look on her sons face, but a knowing look on Shakeera's. She was about to comment something when Shakeera beat her to it. "It sounds like you faced a rather nasty little creature there Mrs. Saotome." The four-armed woman said. "Probably an incubus or melchior by the sounds of it."

"You know of these fiends?" Nodoka asked amazed. Shakeera nodded her head, and then motioned the older woman to continue. "Well the gentleman who I had almost killed was one of the agents used to keep the veil of the Underrealm from overrunning into the Human world. He trained me in a gun wielding style of martial arts and got me in contact with a group that trained me and now hires me on a case by case basis to help hunt down and kill anyone or anything that threatens the veil or Humanity."

She looked around the room for a moment before continuing. "Since then I've been taking jobs by more than just the Agency, and I work with several Private Eyes and the local law enforcement agencies on a freelance basis. They pay me money, and I hunt it down. I'd do much of what I do for free, but I've found that I get many more of the real jobs if I have a price. Though I will take on charity cases rather than let an innocent die."

"I don't feel so bad about pop's training now." Ranma-chan said then looked down at the other cup in her hand and poured the water over her head to turn herself back into a guy. "I mean that it was tough and demeaning. And sometimes down right dangerous. But nothing like hunting down demons and murderers." Ranma then looked down at his hands and decided to continue. "But aren't I now what you hunt down Mother?" He said, an almost fearful tone to his voice.

Nodoka looked at him almost in shock then she lunged forward and pulled him into another hug. "I could Never hunt you Ranma. You are my son. I would love you no matter what." She said close to tears herself now. "But we both have to learn to live with each other from now on." Nodoka then pulled her son to arms length and looked directly into his eyes. "Son, you must not ever tell anyone what I do. If you did you would make yourself and everyone around you a target." Nodoka then looked over to Shakeera. "I trust you to do the same."

In response Shakeera just held up her lower set of arms and looked at them pointedly. "I would ask the same of you Mrs. Saotome."

"Please, call me Nodoka, or Auntie. Mrs. Saotome just sounds so... well.. Old."

"Ok Auntie." Both Ranma and Shakeera said with cheeky grins.

Scene Break

"Genma, wait." Genma stopped in his tracks and looked over to the Musk Prince. Herb-kun was standing looking at the local government building in the port town that they were at.

"What is it Herb?" The middle aged martial artist asked his companion.

Herb continued to stand there in thought. "I would like to enter Japan legally this time."

"Ok... Why?" Genma asked in a guarded fashion.

"I'm tired of sneaking around. I wish to travel in comfort this time. To actually be recognized and not to be hidden. It has gotten old." The dragon prince said in a worn tone of voice. "Wait here, I am going to renew my old visa." With that the Prince walked into the building looking nothing more than a vagrant in his Chinese Tangs and worn travel gear.

Scene Break

Akuma was not happy. He had not been able to summon up enough Ki to be able to fly, and he hadn't been able to determine the cause. He looked down at his arms, no longer encased in his royal battle armor, now clothed in a faded yellow shirtsleeves, with metallic forearm bracers. Instead of his glorious hands free to the world he had covered them in black leather gloves from a store he had encountered earlier.

As well, gone was the chest plate that denoted his status as a Warrior Premiere of his planet. In it's place was a stiff yellow and tan shirt. Tucked into black denim pants that in turn were tucked into black combat boots. Over it all was a tabard style-traveling cloak of a dusty brown color with a similar hood up over his head. And a scarf of the same color as his pants around his lower face. He also wore a full head bandana to prevent the humans of this planet from seeing his flame like hair.

Over his eyes were a set of fur lined riding goggles, the red gleam visible behind one of them of his computer scanner. He's still following the blinking dot on the scanner.

The dimensional traveler stood on a cliff overlooking a large suburbia with minimal technology as far as he could see. However the blinking dot on his visor told him that he needed to travel through the valley. He raised his foot to take a step only to stop as he felt his limbs solidify.

Akuma stood there in mid step as his flesh, and even the clothes he was wearing turned into hardened granite. One leg in the air. The change took but moments, but to the coal skinned being it took eternity. After he had turned into a stone statue a glow appeared around him and whisps of blue white smoke started to waft down off of his hardened body.

The ethereal whisps travel to a point about a meter in front of the being for several minutes until a small ball about 30 cm across is formed. After such the ball flows like smoke into a small humanoid figure that looks back up at the stone statue in disgust before turning around to float over the valley that Akuma was traveling towards.

Scene Break

It been a couple of days since Ranma was reunited with his mother. Nodoka had requested them to move in with her immediately afterwards. At first Shakeera had tried to just have it be Ranma, but Nodoka would have none of that. And requested the both of them to stay with her. She then took care of the apartment that they had leased, and arranged for some tailored clothes for Shakeera with a contact of hers so they could avoid any questions.

Shakeera was secretly pleased with this as she was running out of clothes to wear and didn't like tearing holes in new shirts or sewing them herself to get the extra set of arms that she required to be comfortable.

"Mom?" Ranma asked as he came up beside Nodoka in the kitchen some time that morning. "What are you gonna do 'bout Pops?" He asked, starting to fall back into his bad grammar.

"That depends on what he does when I see him." She answered. "I won't go into detail, but he has much to answer for."

"Whaddya mean?" Ranma said.

Shakeera had come into the room wearing a black tank top cut to allow all four of her arms freedom, and a pair of blue cut offs. She goes up to the sink and pours herself a glass of water.

"I mean this." Nodoka says then pulls a piece of paper out of a drawer on the other side of the kitchen and places it in front of Ranma. "Your father took you and left this in your place on your bed. If I had not encountered that demon when I did, and continued on my path I might have become twisted in my views of honor to actually enforce that piece of filth."

"Hmm?" Ranma said as he pulled the paper and looked at it. "DAMNIT POP'S. I'M GONNA SKIN YA ALIVE!" He yelled out as his aura came to life around him. Only to be dashed quickly as Shakeera splashed him in the face with a glass of water. Ranma-chan blinked a couple of times then looked at Shakeera bashfully and apologized.

"That's about how I feel." Nodoka said as she looked at her son turned daughter. "I seem to remember though, your father had promised many years ago to his old training partner. Something about an arranged marriage."

Ranma-chan started to sputter at this and Shakeera threatened her with the rest of the water to which she calmed down enough to listen to her mother continue.

"Well, Genma had promised something about joining the schools through marriage with his old training partner. And as I remember it the only other authorized teacher of Anything Goes Martial Arts. I don't remember his name off hand, but I do remember that he had at least one daughter." Nodoka then looked strait at Ranma instead of off in the distance as she tried to remember some of the details. "I won't enforce it Ranma. But we should see to it and any way to dissolute or work with it as it is a manner of honor."

"But what honor is there, if the same man who made that promise stole your only child away like a thief in the night?" Shakeera asked Nodoka.

"There is little, but if Ranma is to remain a Saotome then the name must be strengthened. And if that is through marriage then it is. If it is through combat, then that is the way of it. But I will not allow a son of mine to have tarnished honor." Nodoka said looking directly into Ranma-chan's eyes. "Do you understand?"

"But what if Pop's made more than one of these agreements?" Ranma-chan asked quietly.

"Then you may no longer need to uphold the Saotome name. However we will cross that bridge if, not when, but if we come to it." Nodoka then grabbed the seppuku contract still in Ranma-chan's hands and put it back in the file drawer. "I'll arrange to find out who it was that Genma foolishly promised you to. Then you'll go to their house and determine if it is worth it to be with one of Genma's friends daughters." She turned around and faced Ranma directly. "And you will give it a good effort young lady! I don't want you to just show up say hi and then leave."

Shakeera and Ranma both shuddered a bit at Nodoka's fierce manner.

"Oh, and do have fun there kids." The woman continued switching moods faster than a pair of shoes. "And please keep in contact, I expect to hear all sorts of juicy details."

Shakeera turned to Ranma-chan and whispered conspiratorially. "Your mothers scary."

To which Ranma-chan just nodded before looking over at Shakeera and noticing the clothes she was in. "Hey, wanna spar? You don't have ta change or anythin." To which she received a bonk on the head by Shakeera.

"Grammar Ranma, Grammar."

"Sorry." She said with her eyes slightly downcast.

End Chapter

Authors Notes.

Well, here's chapter 08. And only a couple of days after Chapter 07. My muse was in OVERDRIVE!

Well, I'll keep writing and plugging away at it. But my muse late last night swapped over to another X-Over I'm working on called Juraian Rebirth. I'm trying to outline it's first couple of books and get at least one chapter posted before I continue to much further on ADTOV. However I still expect to get the chapter 09 of this particular story done and posted before Halloween.

Till then.

Enlu.