Nope, still don't own Ranma 1/2 or Sailor Moon. I'm sure I would have remembered.
"Thinking"
Sound effect.
Panda Sign
--
Genma was concerned. The Boy had been acting strangely the past few weeks, spending time at school (wasted training time, in Genma's opinion), reading (ditto) and not spending time at home with Akane (thereby risking his, Genma's, comfortable retirement!). He just knew the Boy was getting soft. Using the brain took attention away from the Important Things, like food, fighting, sleeping and providing for his, Genma's, retirement.
This couldn't go on! He'd have beaten the softness out of the ungrateful boy in their morning surprise training sessions, but Kasumi had made it clear that the quality of one of Genma's Important Things would suffer a sharp decline if he did. In terms of priorities, stomach came in above training every time.
This says a great deal about Genma, really.
Still, he needed to do something. He raised a sign to his old buddy and partner in crime Soun.
Something is wrong with the Boy -flip- He's not training enough. Getting soft.
Soun nodded. "He does seem to be a bit…off. He and Akane are fighting more, I think. Ah!" he cried, pointing over Genma-Panda's shoulder. "A Tanooki!"
"Growf?"
"Works every time" he thought smugly as he switched one of his opponent's rook for his own bishop.
Looking back at the board, Genma glared at the altered pieces before giving an ursine shrug and producing another sign.
Fighting is a sign that they -flip- are meant to be! We can't -flip- let the joining of the schools be -new sign- jeopardised by the Boy's -flip- foolishness!.
It was a pain, Genma mused as he surreptitiously slipped a knight from Soun's pieces, that he had to use these signs to talk in this form. They worked ok for short statements but it was hard to make an impassioned speech when you had to keep flipping signs and making new ones.
Genma's inner grumbling and Soun's silent thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Kasumi with two cups of tea and (to Genma's relief) the kettle. Taking it with a grumble of thanks he tipped it over his head, only to give a rather girly yell of pain as he realised just how hot it was.
"Ara, I'm sorry! I added some cold water to the kettle after I made the tea, but it must not have been enough!"
Genma, now human and slightly scalded, smiled weakly at the eldest Tendo daughter. This was the third time something like this had happened. Looking at Kasumi, Genma wondered for a moment. Could it be that…
No. Impossible.
"Not a problem, Kasumi," he said with a hearty laugh. "Accidents happen, after all".
"Have you seen Ranma, Kasumi?" added Soun, wondering how his queen had moved.
"Yes father, he's studying in his room. Isn't it wonderful that Ranma-kun is doing better at school?" she gushed, clasping her hands in enthusiasm. "I'm going to make a special dinner tonight to encourage him".
As Kasumi glided back to the kitchen a thoughtful silence overtook the two men, visions of previous 'Special Dinners' dancing in their heads.
"Then again, it's not like the Boy's stopped training altogether, eh Tendo?"
"Indeed! And as they say, 'a mind is a terrible thing to waste', eh Saotome?"
As the two men went back to their game, the figure listening in the kitchen smiled.
"Do your best, Ranma-kun"
--
"By the way Saotome, how did you get three flips out of one sign, anyway?"
--
Hibiki Ryoga was lost.
This was not unusual.
He was also depressed.
Again, this was not unusual. Much had happened in his life to be depressed about, after all. Turning into a mobile ham-hock with cold water, being kept from the woman he loved (Aah, Akane!) by those bastards who kept hiding and switching the street signs (and roads. And towns), never being able to properly beat Ranma (grrrr)…
What was unusual was that Ryoga, while not knowing where he was, was in fact heading directly for Nerima, the result of a chain of events leading back seven years to a minor rock fall on a mountain track in Hokkaido. Said fall had allowed a certain seed to germinate, growing into a strikingly pretty flowering bush that had resided at a fork in the road for the next seven years until finally catching Ryoga's eye as he passed by, leading him onto the right path.
Flap.
And so it was that Ryoga, depressed and unaware, made a beeline for Nerima and an encounter that would ultimately prove quite significant for many, many people.
--
"What should I try next?" Ranma asked himself as he lay on his futon. Having finished his homework a short while ago (And thank Kami THAT was over with!) he found his mind returning to his new puzzle.
"So far I've been using the Art to cast the spells. Maybe I could incorporate spells INTO the Art. Not all that different from Ki-attacks, really".
Hmmm. That could work, especially with these 'sigils' he'd been reading about.
"Maybe linking a sigil to a ki-bolt? Something like 'weaken' or 'be confused'. Heh, even 'sleep'".
He blinked. Now THAT had potential!
Still, how to practice it? Ideally a living target, someone tough enough to stand up to the attack and possible side-effects. Someone like Ryoga. Shame he was (apparently) out of town.
"Ah well," thought Ranma as he grabbed a pad and pencil. "I can at least draw the sigils now. I have a feeling I'll run into pig-boy soon."
"Lessee now. 'Sleep' should look soft, swirling…"
The gentle scratching of pencil on paper filled the room.
--
Ranma was pulled from his ruminations (having finished the sigils, he'd been working on hitting gnosis easier) about an hour later by Kasumi's gentle call, as well as the delightful aroma that gripped him by the stomach.
Bouncing down the stairs, he stared in awe and anticipation at the culinary art display laid out on the dinner table.
"Wow, this all looks awesome Kasumi! What's the occasion?"
"Oh my, it's to encourage you with your studies, Ranma-kun. I'm so happy your grades are improving, so I wanted to help." Her face fell slightly "Though, this is all I could think of…"
Crap! Kasumi was upset! Damage control!
"Are you kidding Kasumi? This is wonderful!" Any further comments Ranma might have made were drowned out by a loud growling. Flushing, he grabbed his gut as Kasumi stifled a giggle.
"See? That's confirmation!"
Kasumi's giggle became an outright laugh at that, Ranma joining in a moment later. Picking up the final platter, Ranma followed Kasumi into the living room as the sound of footsteps heralded the arrival of the other lucky diners.
After a moment's hesitation, Ranma leaned over to Kasumi.
"Seriously Kasumi" he whispered. "Thank you. I promise I'll repay all your kindness".
Hurriedly sitting down at his usual place, a slight blush glowing on his cheeks, he missed a matching blush on Kasumi.
--
On the outskirts of Tokyo, Ryoga noted the darkening clouds apprehensively. Pulling out his umbrella, he growled to himself.
"Damn you Ranma!"
--
"Ha-CHOO!"
"Are you sick Ranma-kun?"
Ranma rubbed his nose as he turned to the Tendo patriarch, absentmindedly fending off his father's hashi strikes as he did so.
"Nah, Mr. Tendo, I'm fine. Someone must be talking about me".
"Probably someone you've hurt, pervert!" snapped Akane, who had been silently glowering at the pigtailed Martial Artist throughout the meal.
It should be mentioned that Akane was, for want of a better term, stressed. She had been angry all day and needed to mallet something (or someone) to calm down, but she'd promised Kasumi, and to make matters worse the Baka hentai hadn't said anything to give her a reason to punish him.
The Reader at this point might well suggest an, ahem, alternate method of stress relief. Sadly, Akane had such an adverse (and deeply conditioned) reaction to anything even remotely 'Perverted' that, were she to indulge, she would very likely mallet herself on instinct.
Anyway, back to the scene.
Ranma opened his mouth to deliver a sharp retort…
stop
Akane blinked as Ranma paused and went back to his rice.
A grinding sound began to fill the room as Akane clenched her jaw.
"That wasn't very nice, Akane-chan" said Kasumi reprovingly.
"Yeah sis, Ranma's been a lot nicer lately. Why're you so down on him?"
Everyone at the table blinked at that (except for Genma, chewing in gustatorial heaven). Kasumi defending Ranma was not all that out there. Nabiki defending him was, however (at least without charging him a fee).
Ignoring the stunned silence, the mercenary middle Tendo continued.
"He hasn't even been insulting you , I've noticed. What's he done to make you so mad, sis?"
Shaking off her astonishment, Akane growled. Not only Kasumi but now Nabiki as well? What had that hentai done to her sisters? She'd show HIM!
"He's just a jerk and a hentai! He's always picking on poor Ryoga and teasing P-Chan and sneaking off to visit his sluts-"
"I will not have that kind of language around this table, Tendo Akane!"
Silence fell like a knife stroke as Kasumi's voice snapped out. "Whether you like them or not, Ranma's fiancées do not deserve to have you calling them such horrible names!"
Kasumi sent a glare at her father who was sitting in the same state of shock as the rest of the room. The Glare (and it deserved the capital letter, oh yes) bringing him to his senses, he nodded.
"Yes. Go to your room, Akane. I think you need some time to consider your words".
Akane stared in shock. Nothing made sense! Kasumi has yelled at her! Her father had agreed! Nabiki had defended Ranma! Ranma…
Now her shock had an outlet. Ranma had turned her family against her!
Her mallet flickered into existence as her rage spiked to new levels.
"RANNNNMMMAAAAAA!!"
The hitherto silent and stoic Ranma slipped into battle mode. Unconsciously calculating force, trajectory and speed, he realised that Kasumi, having leaped to her feet while telling off Akane, was in the line of fire. Without thinking he shouldered her aside and folded around the mallet head, bleeding off enough force to avoid being pureed but, sadly, too little to avoid a high-velocity departure from the Tendo home.
"Ah well" he thought, "some more thinking time. Hey, maybe if I use a sigil for 'lightning'"...
--
Kasumi sat on her bed about an hour later and wondered what to do.
Akane was getting worse, that much was clear. Where before she would more or less ignore Ranma unless he actively provoked her, now it seemed as though she was actively seeking out reasons to hit him.
Kasumi felt the prickling of tears. The dinner that she had worked so hard on had been ruined! After Ranma had been knocked skyward Soun had physically dragged Akane to her room and had ordered her not to come out until further notice. The sounds of her resulting temper tantrum had lasted for half an hour, finally ending in a sullen silence.
The rest of the diners had scattered, Soun and Genma seeking sake and shogi and Nabiki to her room, leaving the cleanup to Kasumi.
"As usual." she thought. "If Ranma had been here, he would have helped".
And he would have, she realised. Ranma could no more see a bad situation and not try to help than he could breath underwater. Granted, the means and methods he used to help could be rather odd and often backfired, but you couldn't doubt his intent.
Kasumi vainly tried to stifle the sobs as her tears started to flow. This admirable, kind, passionate young man who could be so gentle and so strong, stuck in such a horrible situation! Engaged to a girl who seemingly hated him, under pressure from all sides, constantly attacked by rivals!
"Onee-chan?"
Jerking to her feet at the voice, Kasumi opened her door to see Nabiki, a look of sympathy on her face.
"It's about Ranma, isn't it?"
Kasumi could only nod, tears still flowing, as Nabiki drew her into a hug.
"H-He just tries so hard, and h-he has such awful luck, and-, and-"
"And you want to help him, right?" prompted Nabiki with a slight smile, causing Kasumi to nod again.
"Y-yes. It's not fair that he's in such a bad situation. He's kind and gentle and brave, and…"
"Kasumi's so passionate about this. It's not like her. It's almost like-"
Nabiki's eyes widened as it dawned on her.
"Oh my!"
Stepping back, Kasumi looked at her younger sister questioningly.
"What is it, Nabiki-chan?"
The middle Tendo pointed a shaking finger at her sister.
"You're in love with Ranma!" she blurted.
"EHH!? I-I love him? Could I love him?"
Images and feelings flickered in her mind. Ranma training (admiration of his graceful form). Ranma being malleted by Akane (fear for Ranma, anger at Akane). All the girls Genma had sold him to (hot, protective fury). Ranma helping her in the kitchen as Ranma-chan (happiness). Ranma and her talking (peace). Ranma smiling that wonderful smile at her…
Her eyes widened as the realisation came.
"Oh MY! I, I l-love him!"
Nabiki grinned in genuine happiness and pride at her big sister.
"Good for you, sis. You gonna make your move soon?"
Kasumi stared at her for a moment before a nuclear blush spread across her face. Suddenly shy, she stared at her folded hands.
"I shouldn't. He's engaged to Akane".
"Soooo, get daddy to switch the engagement".
"No!" Nabiki's eyes widened at Kasumi's sudden forcefulness.
"No", she continued in a calmer tone. "Ever since he came here he's been treated like his opinions and feelings don't matter. If I had father switch the engagement without asking Ranma, I'd be no better than all the others."
Nabiki's face set in a determined look.
"Then tell him how you feel and ask him".
"What?"
"You heard me. Tell Ranma you love him and ask him to switch the engagement to you. Think about it Onee-chan. Akane's getting worse, even though Ranma's being nicer and the other fiancées lost a lotta face after the wedding fight. You, onee-chan, are what Ranma needs, and you are what I think Ranma wants".
"And he is what you need, as well".
Kasumi had nearly reached her limit.
"I love him, but what if he doesn't feel the same? But I CAN'T leave him with Akane. Could I tell him? Could I have the courage?"
Seeing the doubt fading in her sister's eyes, Nabiki decided to give the final push.
"I'll help you all I can Sis. You deserve him".
Kasumi straitened, a new certainty on her face. Taking Nabiki in a surprisingly strong hug, she smiled, her joy apparent.
"Just make sure I get a few beefcake photos when you two're together and we'll call it even, ne?"
"Nabiki!" Kasumi sputtered, blush back in full force.
"Kidding, Kidding!" The younger girl laughed. "Now, when are you going to tell him?"
--
45 minutes earlier.
"Ok, this sucks."
Ranma had discovered that yes, clouds were indeed sufficiently cold and wet to trigger his curse. As a result, Ranma was currently cold, wet, female and in the final moments of decent.
"At least I'm not over a forest again. Damn branches sting".
As she fell low enough to make out smaller details on the ground, a familiar figure caught her eye.
"Backpack, bandanna, hey, that's Ryoga! Right in my flight path, too.
Uh-Oh".
Too late to try and dodge. Assume the brace position and hope for the best.
"Heads up!"
Whock!
The trudging Ryoga was startled out of his depressive rumination by the impact of a buxom redhead on his upper back, said impact driving him into a four-meter face down slide.
Hopping off the prone part-time porker, Ranma-chan took a wary step back.
"Hey, Ryoga? You ok there? Sorry for landing on ya and all".
"…Ranma."
"Yeah?"
"Prepare to die!"
With a spray of debris the lost boy came to his feet, battle umbrella swinging.
Ranma-chan grinned broadly. At last, a chance to try out some new tricks!
"Ah, good, you're ok! Wanna match P-Chan?"
"Don't call me P-Chan!"
Dancing between the umbrella strikes, avoiding the occasional hurled bandanna, Ranma-chan laughed as she countered with an occasional joint-strike. Pissing Ryoga off was always a good way to get him to go all-out, and nothing pissed a power-fighter off like not being able to hit their opponent.
"Damn you Ranma, I'll kill you!"
Yup, seemed like it was working.
"Not that I really mind, seein' as I'm after a good fight," Ranma-chan said in a friendly, conversational tone, "but what has ya threatening my life this time?"
"You landed on my head, you bastard, now die!"
"Well, at least he's blaming me for something that I actually did for once" she thought wryly.
"Ok, let's try this out!"
Ducking under an umbrella swipe that would have taken her head off, the scarlet-haired spitfire slammed home a strike at Ryoga's right shoulder, concentrating fiercely.
"Numb"
Gnosis.
For a moment, Ryoga panicked. He couldn't feel his arm! Ranma had punched off his arm! Ranma had punched off his arm! Looking down and finding the limb in question to still be in its accustomed place, he heaved a heavy sigh of relief.
Relief that rapidly transformed into consternation when he noticed its complete lack of feeling and movement.
"What the hell did you do, Ranma?!"
"Just a new technique I've been working on. Like it?"
"Fix it!" demanded the enraged and apprehensive Bandanna-boy. "Now!"
A puckish grin spread across Ranma-chan's face, a grin of equal parts satisfaction and mischief. "Oh quit whining, it'll wear off in an hour, tops. Now, are we fighting or talking?"
A hoarse bellow was the only answer as Ryoga charged forward, a left-handed haymaker stinging her chin, a leg sweep following.
Ranma jumped the leg, drifted past a claw-hand strike and smacked an open palm against Ryoga's undefended back.
Ki pulsed from the hand.
"Stillness"
Gnosis
The Lost Boy's eyes bulged as he felt his limbs slow and stop.
Ranma leaned in, a look of slight apprehension on her face.
"Hey, Ryoga buddy, you still breathing? It was just supposed to stop ya".
Noting that Ryoga was indeed still breathing and that (to judge from the look in his eyes) he was quite, quite angry, Ranma decided to take pity on the porcine pugilist.
"You look like you want some answers Ryoga. Ok, first, you should be back to normal in about half an hour or so. An hour, tops. What I did there was pulse some ki into ya with an idea attached. That's all I'm sayin' about it, by the way. Now," she said, brushing her hands together, "let's get you someplace dry, it looks like rain". Dragging her rival under a tree and sheltering him with his umbrella, Ranma gave a cheery "ja ne!" and set off for Doctor Tofu's, hot water there to find.
--
Ranma's glow at the successful test of his latest technique lasted until he arrived at the gate of the Tendo home.
"Oh yeah, great. Akane, Oyaji, Mr. Tendo".
"May as well face the music" he sighed. "Go in, get blamed, go to bed."
Quietly opening the door, Ranma noted the silence that pervaded the house. Silently creeping toward the stairs ("Silent Fall of the Dust Bunny" technique. Sometimes he worried about Konatsu, he really did…) he was abruptly dazzled by a square of light from the living room door.
"Ranma-kun" came Kasumi's voice from the light, "may I talk with you for a moment?"
Stepping cautiously into the living room, Ranma noted several things. First, Kasumi looked both apprehensive and hopeful. Curious. Next, the table was bare apart from a single setting, meaning Kasumi had cleared up (most likely by herself). Third, the fact that the food had been left out, apparently for him to judge from its location on the table, reduced the odds that this was a bad kind of 'talk'. One did not often get fed during a Bad Talk.
The overall effect of these observations was to put Ranma in a wary but cautiously optimistic frame of mind.
"So…what can I do for you, Kasumi?"
Gesturing at the plates of what Ranma joyfully saw was leftovers from dinner, Kasumi began to speak.
"First, Ranma-kun, I want to apologise for Akane's behaviour earlier. She had no right to say that and I'm so sorry I let the situation go on as long as it has."
This was surprising enough that Ranma stopped eating.
Holding up a hand as he went to speak, she continued.
"The fact is, you don't deserve to be treated as poorly as you are. I hate it when Akane hits you, when you get blamed for things, when your father-".
Kasumi paused and took a calming breath, her hands shaking slightly.
"I want to help you, Ranma-kun. I want to help you have the life you deserve to have". She looked up at him, a bright flush on her cheeks.
Shaking off the shock of Kasumi's words, Ranma struggled to think of the right thing to say.
"Ah, Kasumi, I, er…why are you…you help me a lot already, I mean, ah…"
Kasumi giggled in spite of herself. He was so cute when he was flustered!
"Come on Ranma, rub those brain cells together!"
"I mean, you do so much for me as it is. Why would you wanna go outta yer way for someone like me?"
"'Someone like you'? what do you mean, Ranma-kun?"
Ranma sighed. "C'mon Kasumi, look at me. I'm clueless, arrogant, rough…about all I'm good for is fightin'. Can't even talk to people without insultin' them."
"That's not true, Ranma."
The quiet certainty of Kasumi's words smoothly cut through Ranma's building tirade.
"You're brave, caring, intelligent and absolutely loyal, even to those who might not deserve it. You try to be fair to everyone and you can be very, very kind. That's why I love EEP!"
It took a moment for Ranma's brain to process what Kasumi had said. When it did he jerked his head up (fast enough to cause an audible crack from his vertebrae), to behold the eldest tendo daughter, hands clapped over her mouth and glowing a deep red.
"Did she just say…?"
Summoning every dreg of courage he possessed, Ranma forced his voice into action.
"W-What were you going to say, Kasumi?"
"I- I…"
"Please Kasumi" Ranma asked, failing to hide his trembling. "Please tell me".
"Ranma-kun. I- I… love you".
Those simple words, almost whispered, nonetheless sucked the strength from his body, causing him to slump onto the table.
"Ranma!" cried a startled Kasumi, the older girl darting to his side in concern.
"I-I'm ok Kasumi" he managed to force past the lump in his throat. Uncaring of the tears streaming down his face, he continued. "I've just never been this happy before".
"You mean-"
"Yeah. I love you too, Kasumi-chan".
All trembling gone, a fountain of joy building within him, the young Martial Artist took drew the happily weeping young woman into a gentle embrace.
--
From the Author.
Wow, a good 4000 words or so. Not too bad for chapter three.
Worry ye not, good Readers, the plot'll pick up a little in further chapters. I know Ranma looks a little overpowered right now, but there is meaning in my madness.
he he he.
Ok, on to responses to the reviews. Thanks a lot for them, by the way.
Nim Maj: Will do, thanks. as for crossovers, you'll have to wait and see. Ain't I a Stinker?
Kamen Rider Den-O: Thanks. your wait is over!
NightmareSyndrom: Hmm, an interesting thought there. I really see Ranma as more of the kind of fellow who relies on his own efforts, but i might use it for a comedic scene or two. thanks!
Rose1948: Yeah, i'm not too fond of the other Fiancees, either, though i do think Akane's the worst of the bunch. Given the choice between clingy and violent, i know which i'd pick.
RanmaChaos: Will do!
moritynz: Thanks. I hope i'm capturing Kasumi's character properly. As for Nabiki, i'm going to include her, but i'm seeing her as more of a supporting character, really.
ranko lina Inverse: That...is a secret! heheh sorry, couldn't resist. I will neither confirm or deny the rumours of crossoverishness in this story, but yes, Ami-of-the-Computers will make an appearance.
Dumbledork: Yeah, it's an interesting system. you should be able to find out more from a google search. i have an idea or two as to where Ranma will take it, and i think they'll be pretty cool places.
Eric Thorsen: Hey, thanks for the nice comments. Aye, that's my impression of Ranma as well. Like the old saying, "If all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail", it's the same with him. As for the magic, i figured he's often the victim of it, so...
lighthalk: will do.
Aondehafka:Oh my, thank you (huh, channelling Kasumi there, methinks). Glad you like the story, and i shall endeavour to respond to every review i get, briefly at the least.
Again friends, thank you for the kind comments and advice.
Smylingsnake out.