Don't own 'em. Not even a little.
[Panda signs]
Sound Effects
'Thinking'
"Computer Talk"
Alright class, let's take the apology for the delay and the grovelling for forgiveness as read and move straight on to the story proper. Any objections? No? Excellent!
Luna stared, aghast, at the savage feeding frenzy before her. Crunches, gulps and growls filled the air, and Luna decided to remain very, very still, lest she draw attention to herself.
Eventually, though, the sounds dies away, the beasts settling down, their hunger sated.
For now.
Staring in dismay at the scattering of crumbs remaining on what had formerly been a platter piled high with food, the black mooncat cast a critical gaze at the eight Senshi (and one Mau) now reclining on the tatami.
"Honestly, you lot! It's as though Usagi's table manners are contagious!"
"Like you were any, urp, different with that leftover sushi Ranma brought last training session." Grumbled Artemis, now sporting a gut-bulge so large as to give the impression that he had somehow ingested a softball.
"Yeah!" chimed in Minako. "Besides, after that fight we need comfort food, and there's nothing better for that than Kasumi-Sama's cookies!"
Realising from the chorus of nodding that further argument would be a lost cause, the black Mau sighed and settled back onto her cushion.
"Well, you've been 'comforted' now, Minako, so can we please get back to the matter at hand?"
The Senshi, noting the absence of Delicious Food, pulled their exhausted bodies into something resembling attentiveness and cast their eyes to the resident blue-haired genius.
"Alright," Ami began, calling up data on the laptop. "The basic information I have on the 'Crystal Youma', for want of a better term, is that they are essentially a silica construct based around a 'seed' that provides form, energy and direction."
"Like with a normal youma?"
"Similar, but not identical," Ami nodded to Makoto. "Where a youma seed infects and animates some existing being or structure, these crystal cores seem to provide a template and build the body around it."
"Does that explain the regeneration?" queried Haruka, her tone uncharacteristically pensive.
"Yes. It looks as though as long as the core is intact and there is a source of silica, they can regenerate."
"Which is anywhere with stone, soil or glass." Grumbled Makoto. "Damn."
"It's not all bad, though," continued Ami with a reassuring smile. "While it is tougher than normal, the crystal seems to have all the normal vulnerabilities."
"So, it's brittle and easily broken?" asked Artemis (who had been feeling more than a little neglected of late).
"Yes, as well as thermal shock and low tensile strength. I'm fairly sure high-frequency vibrations would be effective as well."
'Let them take the hint, let them take the hint…'
"'Thermal shock'. Is that what you did, Ami?"
'Squeeee! Thank you, Rei-chan!'
"Yes, that's right. I had you heat the crystal as much as possible, then hit it with an ice attack. The uneven stresses caused by the combination of extreme heat and cold effectively tore it apart, thus exposing the core."
There was a moment of contemplative silence before Minako spoke, her tone dry.
"You've been just dying to explain that, haven't you?"
"Oh sweet kami, you have no idea."
"…ok," said Michiru, picking herself up from the face fault. "That covers the physical traits. What about the rest?"
"Yeah! That mean youma-thing had a laser! That's not playing fair! I should have a laser!"
Nodding to the aqua-haired Senshi of water (and stifling a sigh at the continued grumbling of Usagi, her heart now apparently set on a "Pretty lunar ray-gun of Doom!"), Ami glanced at the Mercury Computer before answering.
"It's speculation, unfortunately, but I suspect it manipulates the flow of light in the crystal into a coherent beam, like the core of a ruby laser. Silica doesn't normally work like that, but technically it doesn't normally move or fight either, so…"
"'There are more things on heaven and earth…'"
Utter silence filled the room.
"…What?" whined Usagi defensively. "Like Mina-chan's the only one who can quote things?"
"I think it's more that you actually remembered something from class." Replied Rei with a smirk. "I'm amazed you were awake to hear it, Odango-atama."
"Rei's so mean!"
The others breathed a sigh of relief. Things were back to normal.
"So," spoke up Jupiter, a hard note to her voice. "What do we have for killing them, assuming more show up?"
"Well, thermal stress, as we said," replied Ami. "Theoretically, anything that inflicts an unequal stress over a large enough area would break them and expose the core."
"Which we then smash."
"Which we then smash, yes. Thermal shock, high-frequency vibration, sudden, massive impact, all will break crystal. Whether they'll break these crystal youma, I don't know. It seems likely, though."
Taking in the look of malevolent anticipation now adorning Makoto's face, Ami made a mental note to avoid being between her friend and the next enemy.
'Her expression has 'friendly fire' written all over it.'
"It'd probably pay to work on this with Ranma-sensei tomorrow," said Haruka. "It'd be best to have as many ways to crush these things as possible, just in case they break from tradition and learn from their mistakes."
"This is all assuming that there are going to be more of these things, you know," interjected Luna, her tone slightly waspish. "There has only been one, after all. Don't you think you might be being a little paranoid?"
The silence that followed that particular comment drowned out even the birdsong from outside.
"…you know, it's really appropriate that you're already black, Ms. Pot." ventured Minako after a moment.
"Besides," added Rei over Luna's angry sputtering. "Even if it was just an isolated event, what's the worst that could happen by planning ahead and training? Oh dear, the Senshi have a wider range of attacks and options, whatever will we do?"
"So," piped up Artemis in the slightly-too-cheerful voice of one desperately seeking a subject change, "we talk with Ranma and arrange some extra training? Cool. Now, girls, I believe there are still a few of the muffins Kasumi-san sent yipe!"
Barely escaping with his tail attached, Artemis shared a resigned glance with his frustrated fellow feline as the sounds of the Senshi snack squabble drifted in from the next room.
"Told you that 'Frantic Gecko' technique would come in handy," she sighed as the two Mau gently swung from the ceiling.
It was a strange mood that surrounded the Tendo dining table that evening, primarily due to Ryoga's presence. Shocks had been coming thick and fast over the last few hours, after all, and the poor lost boy had not yet found the time to mentally decompress. As a result, the Hibiki youth's demeanour could best be described as borderline catatonic, were it not for the fact that he retained enough awareness to return Ranma's playful jabs, defend his plate from a predatory Genma (Ranma being seated by Kasumi and thus out of reach) and somehow still grow flushed and bashful when Akane (sigh) addressed him.
Ranma had, on the way back from the fight, given Ryoga as complete an explanation as possible without revealing any secret identities, which was part of the problem. Ranma getting together with Kasumi-san he could deal with (although, he'd thought Kasumi-san would have had better taste than that). Akane (sigh) being ok with it was a little further out there, but he could cope. The training in Tendo-Ryu, new techniques and Akane-san fighting her sister? Business as usual, no problem.
Ranma training and fighting beside the Sailor Senshi against youma and giant crystal laser-shooting crab-scorpions? With Kasumi-san's apparent approval? That was where he was having problems.
'Still, if anyone could find a giant crystal laser-shooting crab-scorpion in Tokyo, it'd be Saotome.'
So engrossed in his thoughts was he that he nearly missed the eldest Tendo daughter's question, prompting a slight twitch (neatly flicking Genma's questing chopsticks into the koi pond) and sudden attentiveness.
"Er, sorry Kasumi-san. What did you say?"
"I asked if you'd like to stay here tonight, Ryoga-kun? You look a little tired after your outing, after all."
"Um, er, that's very kind of you, Kasumi-san, but-"
"Ah, come on Ryoga! You could help out with Kas-chan's training in the morning too." Grinned Ranma, amused at his trapped expression.
"Oh yes, please, Ryoga-kun! I need someone else to train with!" exclaimed Akane, unknowingly destroying the last of the bandanna-bearer's objection. "Ranma and daddy are ok-"
"Oi!"
"-but it's always good to have another victim, er, sparring partner. Please, Ryoga-kun?"
'Ranma's been teaching that puppy-eyes thing, I see.' He thought, sweatdropping.
"Well then, I guess I'll take you up on your offer, Kasumi-san. Thank you very much."
Mission accomplished, the table went back to their meal.
'Today has been a very strange day.' Thought Ryoga as he busied himself with his rice. 'Fight Ranma, fight with Ranma, the Senshi-'
He shivered for a moment.
'-the orange and green ones scare me. And now I'm helping out with Kasumi-san and Akane-san's training. What a day.'
Ah well. That last one, at least, he could deal with.
'After all, how tough could Kasumi-san be?'
ThumpCrunch!
Had Ryoga's head not been spinning from its sharp introduction to the dojo floor, he might have recalled his dismissive thought from the night before with some irritation at his foolishness. As it was, it was only through the bakusai tenketsu training that he remained more or less coherent.
Now if only those annoying birds would stop orbiting his head…
"Where did you learn that move, Onee-chan?" asked Akane in a slightly shocked voice. "I don't remember daddy mentioning anything like that."
"Oh no, I saw that one on television the other night. Ran-kun suggested several programs with interesting styles in them."
"What style is that from?" groaned Ryoga, silently praising the cushioning effect of multiple bandanna layers.
Kasumi frowned prettily. "I'm not sure, actually. It was a tournament between two men in interesting costumes and tight-fitting masks. It seemed rather agressive to me, but some of their techniques were interesting."
"So, did that move have a name?" queried Ryoga, fighting a sinking feeling.
"Yes, I think they called it a 'Pacific Suplex' Ryoga-kun. Why?"
"Oh, no reason."
'I was put in a Puroresu move by the goddess of Nerima. My life has become truly strange.'
"Alright then. While Ryoga-kun recovers from his loss ("Hey!"), I'll spar with you, Onee-chan. I wanna see what Ranma and daddy have been teaching you."
"That's fine, Akane-chan. Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."
'Huh,' thought Ryoga over Akane's irate sputtering. 'Saotome Trash-Talking Technique as well. Ranma's taking her training pretty seriously.'
Protests aside, the young man was grateful for the break. However tough you may be or become, the simple fact of the matter is that being slammed head-first into the floor hurts.
Yup. Sitting out and watching the two sisters spar sounded just fine right now.
"Ready, Onee-chan?"
"Ready!"
"Then let's go!"
Fiercely grinning, Akane rushed at her sister, firing a series of sharp jabs to keep her on the defensive.
Meeting the attack, Kasumi responded with a compass step to the left and, seizing her sister's extended right arm in a spiralling joint lock, turned in an attempt to force her opponent to her knees.
"Not today, Onee-chan!" shouted Akane cheerfully, breaking the hold through main strength. Both fighters stepped back, Kasumi shaking off the sting from some lucky hits from her forearms, Akane carefully flexing her elbow.
Another moment of stillness, each combatant preparing themselves. Then-
"Tendo-Ryu: Hailstorm Dance!" Akane's limbs blurred as the young woman lunged at her sister. Punches, strikes, kicks and blows flickered through the air, slower than the Amaguriken, Ryoga noted, but blindingly fast nonetheless.
And through it all, Kasumi drifted like a leaf in a stream, avoiding the whistling strikes seemingly by instinct.
Akane, scowling in frustration, forced her strikes still faster (unknowingly making use of her ki), only to have her frustration shift to apprehension as here sister's ever-present smile took on a distinctly evil cast.
"Kasumi-Ryu: Dance of the Five-Star Chef!"
What followed was, to Ryoga, more reminiscent of a slapstick comedy than a sparring match. Akane, by now equal parts alarmed and annoyed, was throwing strikes furiously, the air almost ripping from their speed and force.
And Kasumi-
Kasumi looked like nothing so much as someone cooking a meal with invisible utensils, utterly stymieing Akane's efforts in the process.
A twist and reach, as though retrieving something from a shelf, slipped around a torso strike and stuck a leg into her opponent's path. Setting a frying pan aside jammed an elbow into her opponent's gut, the motion of the whisk that followed launching a series of pinpoint strikes to the arms. Finally, the "Play of the Table-Setting" ended with Akane knocked from her feet with Kasumi (somehow) kneeling primly in seiza on her back.
"Oh my, Akane-chan, do you give up?"
After a few experimental twists confirmed that no, she could not, in fact, escape, Akane sighed and nodded.
Only to be blasted to her feet in shock at the joyful yell of "Yatta!" that was her sister's response.
"I did it! I did it! My first special attack! I beat Akane-chan, finally! Yatta! Oh my, I can't wait to tell Ranma-kun!"
"So, Onee-chan-"
Pausing in her joyful dance of glee, Kasumi coughed slightly and visibly composed herself.
"Ahem. Er, yes Akane-chan?"
"What was that move? The motions looked familiar, but I couldn't place them."
"Oh, that was a move Ran-kun inspired, 'Dance of the Five-Star Chef'."
"'Ranma inspired'?" cut in Ryoga, suddenly fascinated. "What do you mean?"
Walking over to the wall Ryoga was leaning against, both sisters took a seat before Kasumi began her explanation.
"Akane-chan already knows part of this, Ryoga-kun, but when I started training in Tendo-Ryu I was having a terrible time. I felt clumsy and awkward and upset. In the end, Ran-kun suggested I picture somewhere I felt calm and in control when I practiced, which for me was preparing a big meal in the kitchen. That helped me so much that I wanted to expand on the idea a little."
"Martial Arts Housekeeping." Mumbled Ryoga in sudden understanding.
"Eh?"
"If I'm following this," continued Ryoga at Kasumi's gesture of invitation, "Kasumi-san is using the motions of a chef in a kitchen as a base for an attack pattern, like the Shaolin use the motions of animals. Is that right, Kasumi-san?"
The saintly woman favoured him with a smile.
"Essentially, yes, Ryoga-kun. A cook needs to be aware of their surroundings, to be economical and precise in their motions and to ensure all takes place in the right sequence and at the right time."
"Well, my back says it worked, alright," agreed Akane with a grimace. "Did you really have to kneel on me, though?"
"Oh no," replied Kasumi innocently. "That was just for fun."
Contrary to popular conception, it is possible to facefault while seated.
'I'm not sure I like Playful Kasumi.' Grumbled the bluenette mentally. 'She's got a nasty streak.'
Hauling herself to her feet, Akane took in the eager look on her sister's face and sighed in resignation.
'The same look as when she's learning a new recipe,' she thought, mentally bidding farewell to the rest of the morning.
"So…"said Ryoga, apparently drawing the same conclusion. "Any idea of when Ranma'll be back? To help with your training, I mean."
"What's he doing, anyway?" added Akane. "He mentioned picking up some supplies?"
"Yes, Ran-kun is collecting some training equipment for his students and me."
"We have equipment here, though," pointed out Akane, gesturing at the racks of shinai, training dummies and assorted other tools of the dedicated martial artist.
"Yea, I know, but Ran-kun told me he's planning something special, so he needs something out of the ordinary."
Both listeners paled as they contemplated what Ranma, of all people, might consider 'special training' and offered a silent prayer for his victims, before shivering in silent dread at the eager gleam in Kasumi's eye.
"Now, we still have a little time before I need to start on lunch, and I have some more manoeuvres I'd like to test out, so…"
'It's going to be a long day.' Thought Ryoga, a slight whimper escaping him. 'Hurry back, Ranma!'
"Tadaima!"
"Welcome home Ran-kun!" Kasumi beamed as she emerged from the kitchen, apron tied over her gi. "I thought you had a training session today."
Ranma nodded, taking Kasumi into a quick hug before joining her at the table.
"Yeah, I'm gonna head back out in a while. The girls wanted a break, and I figured they earned it, so…"
"I see." Said Kasumi, passing him a bowl of rice. "I do hope you're not being too hard on them, Ran-kun."
"Come on Usagi, that boulder isn't even a tonne! Three more laps!"
"Hate…you…"
"Oh my, is this one of your cookies in my hand?"
"Waaah!"
---
"Ok Minako, for every three pieces you bust that rock into, I will give you one brownie."
"Dark chocolate?"
Ranma nodded, his expression serious. "With walnuts, too."
"DIE, ROCK!"
"…Nothing they're not ultimately willing to do, no."
Kasumi made a mental note to restock her baking ingredients.
"Oh, that reminds me!" said Ranma suddenly. "I was wondering if you'd like to come out for training this afternoon? The girls really wanna meet you."
"Oh! Um, well, I don't know. Juuban is quite a way off, we'd have to rush back home for dinner…"
"Well, um…" mumbled the pigtailed one, once more doing a striking impression of a certain lost boy. "I thought we could, um, go out for dinner?"
'Oh yeah. Smooth, Saotome, real smooth!'
"Well…yes. Yes! Yes, that sounds wonderful! Should I bring anything?"
"Just a change of clothes, Kas-chan." replied Ranma, grinning in relief.
Favouring him with a smile at the honorific, the young woman busied herself with her meal.
"Oh yeah," said Ranma after a few minutes of companionable silence. "How did your training go today?"
Taking in the radiant smile on his fiancée's beautiful face, Ranma tuned out briefly, a goofy grin making its way onto his features.
'I'm a lucky, lucky man.'
"So…tired…"
Usagi's groan was echoed (either in voice or in spirit) by all present, moon-cabbits included.
Ranma-sensei was brutal! Warm, nice, slightly goofy Ranma vanished the moment training started, only to be replaced with Ranma-sensei, the evil, wicked, make-a-drill-sergeant-weep-with-professional-envy martial arts instructor from hell. Makoto would later remark that the only training cliché Ranma-sensei had failed to borrow and build upon had been the eighties power-ballad montage scene.
'Figures. The one cliché we could have lived with, but nooooo.'
Practicing kata blindfolded? Hah! Try blindfold, earmuffs and nose-plugs.
Running laps while weighted down? "Alright girls, grab a boulder each and let's go!"
No catching flies with chopsticks here, oh no. More like intercepting paintballs flung at high speed from odd angles.
While blindfolded.
'Where on earth did Ranma-sensei get all these things, anyway?' wondered a wincing Ami, gingerly applying ointment to her bruises.
---
A district away, the proprietor of 'Hoshi's Esoteric Training Supplies' sneezed abruptly. Rubbing his nose, he shrugged and returned to updating the Tendo/Saotome account.
---
Still, as tired as they were, as bruised, scraped, twisted and aching as they were, as much as they wished upon Ranma-sensei a painful fate (and oh, they did), they had to admit that there were indeed some good points to the training.
First, their definite improvement in ability. Just an hour ago, Minako had managed to smash a meter-wide boulder into fragments with a single punch (brownies were both her weakness and, apparently, her greatest strength). Ami herself was becoming, according to the others, downright frightening with her various ice weapons (shredding eight dummies in ten seconds when informed that one contained a box of chocolate truffles) and Makoto was beside herself with glee at her first non-transformed roof-hop. Granted, it had been to avoid a barrage of ink-filled water balloons, but she'd done it!
Even little Hotaru had been showing improvement. Pronounced by Ranma-sensei to be unsuited to any of the harder styles he was teaching the others (to take proper advantage of their sailor-forms' strength and toughness), he had taken the delicate girl through an intensive course of judo, aikido, pa gua and had finished off with a firm grounding in tai chi chuan. Already, the elfin girl was looking better, moving with an increased grace and poise.
The most jarring change, though, was on the part of Usagi. Sure, she cried when Ranma threatened her cookies as motivation and cheered when they were given as a reward. Yes, when the training halted for a moment, she would grumble.
But she did not whine, argue, or stop. The long haired blond took every mad training technique Ranma-sensei could come up with and faced it head-on. Weight training, running, sparring (and she'd tagged Haruka a good one earlier), she faced them all.
"Ranma-sensei is doing all this to help us keep people safe," she had said when a curious Ami (used to hearing Usagi's litany of complaints about gym class) had asked her about it. "I'm not going to be silly or childish about something as important as that."
Hearing those words, spoken in tones of utter certainty, had kindled a fire in her friends, a determined drive that was still present, much to Ranma's pleasure and satisfaction.
There had been extra cookies at their next break, much to Usagi's pleasure and satisfaction.
Yes, the training was going quite well indeed.
Now if only it didn't hurt so much!
"I'm back, ladies!"
An atavistic shiver overtook the Senshi as the cheery voice of their sensei came from outside. Slowly, painfully (Makoto giving a now quietly crying Usagi a comforting hug), they clambered to their feet and headed for the door-
To halt in surprise at Ranma-sensei's companion. Taking in the full chestnut hair, the warm, gentle smile, and the way Ranma-sensei's arm remained firmly but gently clamped around her waist, a faint aura of envy flickered around the collected Senshi.
"Ladies," said Ranma, blissfully unaware of the inner turmoil of his students. "I'd like you to meet Tendo Kasumi, my fiancée. Kas-chan, the Sailor Senshi."
"It's a pleasure to meet you all," the graceful girl bowed. "Ranma-kun suggested I join in with your training, so…" she trailed off, blinking.
"Oh my," she continued, noting the 'staring into headlights' look on the faces of all present, moon-cabbits included. "Are they alright, Ran-kun?"
"T-Tendo Kasumi?" croaked Rei, a slight shiver evident in her hands.
"Hai."
"Brownie Baker?" asked Minako, eyes very intent.
"Er, hai?"
"She of the kitchen and dojo, provider of the Food Divine?" breathed Makoto, her air that of one hoping against hope.
"Um…possibly?"
Ranma, knowing the collective intake of breath for what it was, resignedly covered his ears while gesturing to Kasumi to do the same.
"EEEEEEEEE!!! The Goddess has arrived!"
"What on earth have you been telling them about me, Ran-kun?" murmured Kasumi in a tone equal parts exasperated and flattered.
"Good things, good things. I might have gotten a little carried away on how nice you are, but the 'goddess' thing is Rei's fault. She's a Miko, and when I said your miso soup was "food of the gods", well…" he grinned sheepishly.
Turning back to the Senshi (now locked in a joyful group hug), he cleared his throat.
"Now girls, Kasumi-chan's going to be joining us for the afternoon's training, but don't think this changes anything! The Rule of the Cookies is still in effect and I expect results, or I may have to spoil my dinner."
"Waah!"
"Still won't work, Usagi. So, out to the clearing, warm up and get started on rapid sparring, switching off every two minutes. Luna, Artemis, keep them on task, ok? Kasumi-chan and me'll be along shortly. Go!"
With a heartrending groan, the Senshi jogged around the temple and out of sight, the surprisingly fast moon cabbits easily keeping up.
"So, what do you want me to do, Ran-kun?" asked Kasumi. "I hardly think I'll be much of a challenge to a group of superheros, after all."
Ranma flashed a grin as the pair followed after the younger girls at an easy pace.
"Actually, I'd say you're equal or ahead of all but Makoto and Haruka in terms of skill, Kas-chan." he replied comfortingly. "They're the only ones with any formal training, really. The others have basically been relying on their magic and strength boost, at least from what Ami told me."
"Besides," he continued as the trees gave way to the now-familiar clearing. "The girls have all been training in hard styles, except for Hotaru-chan, o'course. It'll do them good to face a softer style like yours. Also," his smile gained something of an edge. "I can't wait to see some of these special moves you mentioned over lunch."
'Oh dear. Ran-kun's got his 'Evil Sensei' grin on again.' Thought Kasumi as Ranma strode out to correct Usagi's stance. 'It's so cute how he enjoys teaching so much.'
"Ok Kasumi, you pair up with Minako." The pigtailed one gestured to the blond in question. "Makoto, you and I are going to watch and offer advice after our spar. Once everyone's faced everyone else, transform and start again. Begin!"
As sounds of combat filled the clearing, Kasumi bowed to her oddly-nervous-seeming opponent before darting forward, a faint but bright smile on her face.
This was going to be so much fun!
---
"Graagh!"
"Haruka! Temper!"
"Sorry, sensei." The androgynous blond sighed as she glared at her opponent, standing to her side in a basic ready stance.
"That's enough for now, anyway," said Ranma, walking by the line of combatants. Based on all the huffing and puffing, Haruka was inclined to agree. Ranma-sensei had pushed them extra hard today, and it was beginning to show in the form of the gentle tremors of muscle fatigue, the gritty eyes from concentrating on an opponent's motions and-
Gurglegrowl
-the 'gentle' rumbling of Usagi's stomach.
Even Kasumi-sensei was looking tired, although her predominantly soft style made it less obvious than the others, something Haruka found more than a little aggravating. Sure, against something that could drain ones life-force, a soft, grappling style would be more liability than asset, and sure, the elegant girl had had personal training from both Ranma-sensei and the Master of her family's style, and sure, she provided delicious food, so Haruka could forgive her a lot…
But to be beaten by a self-admitted, less-than-a-month novice! That was just embarrassing!
Her instructor's voice broke through her mental grumbling as the panting girls stirred in anticipation.
"Ok, that's the physical conditioning done for the-"
"Day?" interjected Usagi hopefully.
"-moment."
"Aww…"
"-So it's on to technique. Everyone transform please."
Ranma grinned at the look of open-mouthed wonder on the face of his beloved as activation phrases were shouted, swirling light shows appeared and tracksuits altered to stylised fuku.
"Cool, huh?" he chuckled gently.
"It's beautiful, Ran-kun. I'm so glad I came along."
"Me too, Kas-chan. Now," he turned to the Senshi as the magic flares faded, "I make that an average of three seconds faster to transform than last time. Well done! Ok, Kasumi-chan and I are going to be fighting with each of you one-on-one. Just like we talked about, focus on the feeling of your transformation and just let yourself move."
The Senshi smiled in anticipation, Kasumi in slight alarm. It was another of Ranma-sensei's surprising moments of insight. After observing some recordings of previous Senshi battles, a few questions with Ami and the moon cabbits and a quick experiment with Hotaru had led to the startling but extremely welcome discovery that their muscle memory, reflexes and combat-sense developed much, much faster in their Senshi forms. Initially sceptical (not of the fact, but the stated speed of the increase), the Senshi had been convinced by the sight of an ecstatic Hotaru moving smoothly through a mid-level tai chi form, a form they would swear she had had no knowledge of just an hour before.
"It makes sense when you think about it," Ranma had said when the barrage of excited questions had faded. "The Senshi are soldiers, fighters, right? Well then," he said at their confirming nods, "a soldier who can learn a new style or technique faster's a better soldier. Makes sense to have that as a feature of your transformation."
"So…" Minako had ventured in a hopeful tone. "If we practice in our fuku, we'll learn moves and styles a lot faster?"
Ranma nodded. "That's right."
"Yay!"
"So, we can spend more time on your conditioning!"
"Boo!"
Ranma-sensei had docked her two cookies for her poor attitude.
Back in the present, Ranma dusted his hands briskly.
"Ok Kas-chan. Start with the mid-level soft forms and work up from there. Haruka, Makoto and Minako in that order. I'll be doing the same with the hard forms, starting with Hotaru. Everyone waiting, observe the fight and try to feel the movements. Ready?"
A collective "Hai!" was heard.
"Good. Begin!"
Darting toward the tomboyish blond, Kasumi once more chuckled with excitement. She would probably have been quite pleased to know that her smile mirrored the one now adorning her fiancée's face.
---
Time passed. Noon drifted toward dusk. The western sky flushed crimson as the sun began its final descent, painting the main hall of Hikawa Shrine red, as well as the collection of limp, exhausted piles of fatigue that inhabited it.
"Uggghhhhhh…"groaned Rei, glaring accusingly at the only figure still upright. "How…are…you…not…dead…?"
"I'm just that good, I guess." Ranma replied smugly, before a chiding look from Kasumi (who was, incidentally, making good on her earlier daydream and indulging in a bit of acceptable-in-company snuggling) prompted him to assume a more serious expression.
"It's mostly just pure physical conditioning. Being on the road all my life's been pretty bad most times, but at least it's made me strong."
"And the rest?" inquired Haruka, her generally hardier constitution aiding her recovery.
"Ki manipulation. Ki can be used to strengthen your muscles, right? Well, at a certain level of ability, you can use it to help you recover faster. Tricky, but do-able."
Usagi was suddenly (without apparently moving through the intervening space) at Ranma's feet, puppy-dog eyes fairly shining up at him.
"Please please please teach us! My legs huuuurrrrt…"
Sweatdropping slightly, the pigtailed youth awkwardly shuffled away from the pleading girl, nervously glancing at Kasumi out of instinct. Heartened by the serene, affectionate glance she sent in reply, he looked back to Usagi.
"I would, but it needs a level of control for your ki that don't have yet. Besides, it only works up to a point, and you're all past that, so it'd do more harm than good. Sorry."
"And on that note," said Ranma briskly as he rose to his feet, taking Kasumi's hand and gently drawing her up as well, "Kasumi and I have somewhere to be. Get some food and rest and be back here by eight am, ok?"
"Haiii…"
"Actually, Ran-kun, I would like to talk with your friends alone for a moment. Meet you at the main gate?"
Ranma looked at Kasumi oddly for a moment before mentally shrugging.
"Sure Kas-chan, I'll meet you there. Don't take too long, though. We don't wanna get caught in the evening rush."
"Don't worry, Ran-kun." she said as the youth slid the shoji closed, casting the room into semi-darkness. "I just need to make a few points, that's all…"
---
A few minutes later saw the gentle girl trotting up the great Torii that marked the entrance to the shrine lands.
"That didn't take long," remarked Ranma as he carefully gathered the young woman into his arms preparatory to the run to the restaurant.
"No, it wasn't anything all that important," Kasumi replied, nearly purring in contentment as the strong arms encircled her. "Just clarifying a few points, that's all."
"Like what?"
"A rule entitled 'Look, but don't touch'." The gentle woman smirked as the pair took to the rooftops.
---
Back in the hall, no-one moved. Makoto was pure white, Haruka was shivering uncontrollably and Luna's tail was puffed out like a bottlebrush. Only Hotaru and Artemis appeared normal, though even they were affected.
"…Kasumi-sama is scary…" whispered Usagi, to the other's silent agreement.
A few more minutes passed in fearful silence.
"…I'm hungry."
And the moment was lost.
The next morning saw the Senshi wide awake and, if not precisely ready and eager for training, at least willing to entertain the notion. The scale of said willingness ranged from Rei, Haruka and Ami (all quite used to rising early, for shrine duties, from natural inclination and through long-ingrained study habits, respectively) to Minako, Artemis and Usagi (for whom there was no real difference between "eight A.M" and "the middle of the night"), with the rest evenly spread between.
Ranma, to judge from the expression of barely-restrained anticipation on his face (and to Minako's silent disgust), appeared to be of the former group, bound and determined to inflict his never-to-be-sufficiently-damned energy on poor, innocent souls yearning for the loving embrace of pillow and plushie.
"Poetic, Minako." Grinned Ranma at the suddenly wide-awake and panicked blond. "Of course, I'm going to have to add to the training now, you realise."
Minako, feeling the air thicken with the glares of her companions, silently attempted to achieve invisibility.
"Ok!" Ranma decided to take pity on the imperilled Senshi. "Yesterday you trained your bodies. Today, it's your magic we'll work on. I aim for you to improve the speed, force, control and variety of your transformations and attacks."
The expressions that met the pigtailed instructor were quite a study in contrasts. Anticipation was a good portion of it, certainly, anticipation of being stronger, better, tougher, more effective as the defenders they had been in many ways born to be.
On the other hand, the amazing effectiveness of Ranma-sensei's training was perfectly balanced by its deviousness and potential for pain and exhaustion, so the anticipation was tempered with a goodly portion of utter dread.
Judging by the glint in their sensei's eye, this was both apparent and appreciated.
"So now, the first drill; the fastest time I've recorded for your transformations is thirty seconds. I aim for you to halve that, so right now, transform and change back ten times in a row. The Senshi who gets through the fastest gets to take one item from the Picnic Basket 'o Goodies."
One could well have kindled a campfire from the flames of determination in the Senshi's eyes at that pronouncement.
Henshin rods were raised, activation phrases shouted and magical light bathed the clearing as Ranma said a silent prayer of thanks for Nabiki's hard-learned lessons.
'It's really true,' he thought. 'It's all a matter of finding the right motivation.'
Five minutes later saw a delighted Hotaru munching on a decadently large slice of brownie and the rest of the Senshi looking at her with drooling envy and at Ranma with trepidation.
"Ok," he said as a happy sigh announced Hotaru's consumption of the delectable treat. "Not bad, not bad. Anything from five to twenty seconds off the transformation time. Well done. From now, every time you transform, I want you to make it faster, even if it's just a second each time. Quick to transform equals quick to the fight, right?"
"Haaaiii."
"Good!" he smirked. "Another two times with the Henshin drill, then we'll move on."
"Awww..."
'Oh yes,' he mentally chortled, 'that's the stuff. Is this how the old ghoul felt teaching me? I can see why she did it.'
"They're faster already." Observed Artemis from his position on a convenient boulder. Ranma nodded absently, attention fixed on the magical lightshow, when a thought occurred.
"Hey, that green-haired girl who tried to blast me, what's her name…"
"Sailor Pluto, Meioh Setsuna." Supplied Luna, awkwardly scrabbling onto the rock (dratted ears!) next to her counterpart.
Ranma nodded in thanks. "Yeah, her. Know why she isn't here? I mean, I'm training the Senshi, and she's a Senshi, ain't she?"
"She hasn't been home since Friday night, I think," offered Hotaru between Henshin. "She was muttering to herself, using a lot of those words Michiru-mama says I shouldn't use but Haruka-papa used when Michiru-mama isn't around."
"Oh yeah," chuckled Artemis nervously as Hotaru, message delivered, went back to her drills (and a certain Bishounen blond began to sweat under the arctic glare of her lover), "I knew there was something I was forgetting! I told her about the training, but she said something about the time gates, butterflies, needing a big drink and a whole lot of techno-jargon I couldn't follow, then hung up. I'm guessing she's not coming, sorry."
Waving off the white moon-cabbit's apology, the young sensei nodded approvingly as the Senshi went into the second rep of the drill.
"Nah, it's alright Artemis. Just a shame, you know- No resting, Usagi! Ten more shifts!"
"Hai…"
"-she looked like she knew some interesting tricks. You're slowing down, Ami! Keep up the pace!"
"H-Hai!"
"Haruka, less posing, more transforming!"
"Hai, Shisho!"
"I really hope she gets past that," grumbled Ranma, sweatdropping at the blond's earnest tone.
Artemis nodded. "I know. It's creepy seeing her go all fangirly, even if it is good motivation for her."
"At least she doesn't giggle madly and blush when you talk to her anymore." Added Luna teasingly from her patch of sunlight.
"Though now I come to think of it, the blushing's mainly when you're in your girl form, so maybe Michi- Ow!"
"Thanks Luna," murmured the dark haired youth as said being smartly cuffed Artemis about the head. The litany of protests from the felinoid faded at the click of a stopwatch as the lightshow faded, leaving the Senshi, to a woman, slumped and gasping.
"Good, very good, even faster that time!" Ranma grinned approvingly as he rummaged through the basked of goodies. "Good enough, in fact, that you have earned a treat."
Heads snapped up at the magic words in time to register the rapidly approaching paper-wrapped objects. It was a tribute to their training that each bundle was smartly swatted from the air on pure instinct.
"Good reflexes, too," Ranma smirked at the sound of rustling paper faded into squeals of delight as the home made red bean buns were received.
"Eat up and get your energy back ladies. Five minutes and then we're working on doing without the transformation phrase and lightshow."
"But the phrase triggers the transformation," protested Minako, looking up from her treat. "How can we transform without the words?"
"Well…" began Ranma, now the focus of attention and surprisingly comfortable with it. "I've been thinking. The magic's in you, right, not the Henshin pens? Otherwise, anyone who grabbed a pen and said the words could transform."
The Senshi nodded. That made sense.
"So I figured, the rod and the phrase are really tools for channelling the magic properly, like hand seals and emotions in ki attacks. Same principle and all."
Already attentive, Rei, Makoto and Haruka perked up still more at the mention of ki attacks as Ranma continued.
"Now, it might not work, but if the Henshin rods and the words are just tools, it should be possible to transform without 'em. The fact that you can speed up the transformation through will's a good sign, I think." He grinned. "Being able to transform gagged and without your magic stick'd be a fun surprise to spring on a bad guy, ne?"
Ignoring the frankly evil grins that had appeared on her friend's faces at the thought, Ami spoke.
"How sure are you that this is possible, sensei?"
Ranma considered for a moment before answering.
"Pretty sure. Your magic seems kinda similar to my ki attacks, just a different source for the power. I don't really need to shout the attack name anymore, but it helps my focus when I do. I can't think of any real reason you shouldn't be able to do the same with a little work. And on that note," his tone quickly became brisk as he rose to his feet and dusted himself off, "finish your snacks and on your feet. There's training to be done!"
The chorus of groans (half joking, half very, very real) that arose at his words warmed his heart.
'Yup, I really like teaching.'
In the end, the work of three hours and more than a little baked-goods bribery bore Ranma's theory out. Ordering the Senshi to transform while focusing on the distinctive sensation of the magic, followed by changing back, then repeating the process with progressively quieter activation phrases had worked quite well, though there had been a few close calls when concentration slipped mid-henshin. The grass would probably grow back, but Ranma doubted the poor sapling would ever be quite the same.
When all the Senshi had managed to transform with a whisper at the very loudest and the Henshin rod no closer than a meter (apparently it provided a link to the magical energy needed, so it couldn't be eliminated entirely, just used further and further away), they had moved on to avoiding the "Magic Disco Display", as Ranma termed it, to Usagi's visible ire.
That task proved rather more difficult.
Apparently, the Henshin lightshow was the magical equivalent of static electricity on a TV screen, energy bleed-off from the transformation process, or at least so said the Mercury Computer, font of all Senshi knowledge (when asked the correct question, that is). As such, eliminating the light-and-twinkle show would be difficult at best.
Ranma had been flummoxed, and the Senshi hopeful of an early break when Haruka had made a suggestion.
"So, it'll take way too much effort to just stop the lightshow, right?"
Ami nodded after a quick glance at the laptop's display.
"Yes, I'm afraid so. Our planetary links lack the fine control to eliminate the bleed-off from the energy levels they channel. Apparently, that level of control would be too delicate for combat."
"You know, I always wondered about that," said Minako to Michiru as an aside. "It never made sense for a soldier to have a big flare-up making them stand out like a sore toe."
"A bug rather than a feature, as it were," replied the elegant woman, stifling a wince at the mangled saying.
"I…I don't get it…"
"-so," continued Haruka, ignoring the side conversation, "if we can't block out the bleed-off, how about we use it?"
"Eh?" came the consensus cry of the group, Ranma and Mau included.
"I mean, somehow pull the wasted magic back in, maybe even make the strength boost bigger or the armour tougher or something."
The silence that met that question was nonetheless loud with the sound of eleven brains furiously considering, the expressions of their owners making it clear that the idea was one they liked a great deal, oh my yes.
"So, do you think it's doable?" asked the tomboyish blond.
"In…theory, yes." Replied the resident blue-haired genius. "At least, I can't think of any reasons it wouldn't. Luna, Artemis?"
The felinoids shared a thoughtful look before turning back to the group with a shrug (a gesture, incidentally, that looks quite odd on a cabbit).
"Honestly?" started Artemis. "I can't recall anything like that, but it's not like I was a scientist or a thaumaturge or anything."
"Nor I." added Luna. "It seems plausible to me, but my knowledge of magical engineering is all practical. The theory…" she trailed off with a regretful sigh before being swept up by Usagi. A few minutes of ear-scritchies (and the cabbit forms had a lot of ear to scritch!) and the resultant mood improvement later and the black moon-cabbit continued.
"No, as much as I wish I could tell you one way or another, I think this will come down to direct testing."
"You mean, one of us will transform while trying to keep the magic in and you all watch?" gulped Usagi, her look of concern mirroring that on the faces of Hotaru, Minako and Makoto.
"That's right." Chirped Ami brightly, calling up applications on the Mercury Computer.
There was a thoughtful pause.
"Not it!"
Not-! Damn!" griped Minako as she glared at the smug Usagi ('Ten years of fighting with Shingo over chores, baby. Yeah!'). "I don't wanna be the guinea pig! I'm always the guinea pig! I might blow up or something!"
"Which is why I will be the subject." Interjected Ami, her tone firm. "I have the lowest attack power of the Senshi," she ticked off her fingers at the shocked and questioning looks, "my transformation is short and mild, meaning less energy to break loose if something goes wrong, and besides Hotaru-chan, I would benefit the most from an increase in strength or toughness and Hotaru's too powerful to make a safe test subject. No offence."
"None taken." Replied the petite powerhouse with a smile.
"Besides, I've already set the Mercury Computer to record, so we may as well do this, right?"
The Senshi, as one, took several paces to the rear. Then several more as Ami raised her Henshin rod and (with a look of intense concentration) called out "Mercury Star Power!"
To general astonishment and gratification, it seemed to be working. A slow distortion surrounded the bluenette, her garb somehow flickering between her casual blouse-and-slacks outfit and her blue-trimmed fuku.
Right at the point where the audience had started to hope for success, though, something went awry. Ami's face twisted in concentration as she fought for control, only to be surrounded in a chaotic cloud of blue light, freezing mist and flying ice crystals, her friends and trainer bolting for cover.
"Everyone, sound off!" called Ranma, gently placing a shocked but blushing Hotaru back on her feet and looking cautiously around the tree he was sheltering behind. "Any injuries?"
"Me and Michiru are ok," called Makoto from behind one of the training boulders.
"I've got Luna and Artemis, we're fine!" added Minako. "Although, Luna's tail looks like a bottlebrush- Ow!"
"Rei? Haruka?"
"I'm fine." Replied the Miko with a groan. "Haruka-san, while I appreciate the assist, was the rugby tackle really necessary?"
"Ehehe. Sorry, spur of the moment." Replied the young racer, sure and unhappy in the knowledge that a sofa would be her resting place tonight, at least if the (appropriately enough) arctic glare being directed at her by her love was any indication.
"Good then." Said Ranma in relief. "Oi, Ami! You alright?"
"F-f-f-f-f-fine! J-j-j-just a little c-c-cold."
Carefully ducking out from their improvised shelters, the Senshi (plus three) stood and stared.
It was not the fact that Ami's clothes now resembled a chaotic amalgam of both fuku and street clothes that prompted the looks. Nor was it the light dusting of frost that adorned her hair.
No, it was the fact that her lower legs, still clad in slacks, were now encased in clear, twinkling ice, ice that continued onto the ground and out for a radius of nearly a meter.
"A-a-a-a little help, please?"
A round of flustered apologies later and Ami was freed from her icy shackles (low-powered Breaking Point and Fire Souls, for the most part) and carefully examining the recordings.
"I was concentrating on moving the bleed-off into the armour functions. It was clearly working, too, but there was more power than I expected and I lost my grip on it. Now that I know what it feels like, though, I'll be able to do it better."
"'Do better'?!" Squawked Minako, casting an incredulous look at the still-solid ice-disk. "You got frozen to the ground and you're going to do it again?"
"Yes, Mina-chan. Yes I am." Replied Ami with a resolute air. "I am sick of being the support Senshi, being the physically weakest. I know this can work. Besides," she added, her tone now slightly maniacal, "This is for Science!"
In the end, it took three more attempts before Ami managed to perform the 'Quiet Henshin', the ice circle expanding each time. Still, once it had been achieved, the young soldier seemed to have no further trouble. Really, the only problem was-
"Bwahahaha! Who's the weak one now, huh? Who?!"
Crunch.
Ranma winced at the spray of rock shrapnel. It would seem that the strength boost was just a tad intoxicating.
"Ok, ok, that's enough for now, Ami. The silent Henshin works. What's the strength boost like?"
"Hmm?" replied Ami absently from where she was happily running through a set of bicep curls using one of the smaller fallen trees. "Oh, I'd say my strength's increased by about five or six times."
'Assume a similar boost for armour or magical attacks,' thought Ranma. 'Oh yes, this is going to be fun!'
The Senshi (including the thoroughly chuffed Ami) felt a chill at the look of anticipation on their pigtailed sensei's face, before unconsciously snapping to attention at his sudden exclamation.
"Right! Now that we know the silent Henshin is possible, I want you all practicing. No stopping until you can change without even a glimmer, then try using the magic for different stuff. Strength we know works. Try it for speed, toughness, senses, anything you can think of. This'll be a big old ace-in-the-hole, so I wanna see you take it as far as you can."
Pausing in his instructions, he fixed Ami with a warm smile.
"It takes a lotta guts to step up like you did, and that's something I respect. Nice work, Ami! And on that positive note," he continued, turning from the happily-flushed bluenette to the others, "get started! Transformations without the lights, ladies! Hop to it!"
Once the girls had begun and looked to be making progress (read, the circles of elemental destruction remaining less than six meters in diameter), Ranma left Ami in charge and sought out a secluded spot for some training of his own.
'Gonna need magic in this fight, I can tell,' he thought, gently settling into a relaxed seiza posture on the soft grass. 'Magic means gnosis. Faster, longer gnosis means better, longer magic. Martial Arts Meditation for me, then.'
Empty the mind. Easier said than done, all things considered. Gnosis from taking a hit or landing a blow was easy enough, but it was also momentary, just a single instant, a single effect. Keeping the mind empty for more than a split-second was gonna be hard.
'Shoulda paid more attention to the priest at that temple,' he thought ruefully before jerking back to the task. 'Focus, Ranma! Just the breathing, that's all there is. In, out, in…out…'
While the Saotome youth definitely favoured the physical Art, never let it be said he was a slouch at the spiritual. Focused on his breathing, Ranma felt his mind drifting, external sensations ignored and fading one by one.
The sounds of the training Senshi.
Gone.
The breeze on his face.
Gone.
The ground beneath him.
Gone.
The sound of his heartbeat.
Gone.
The feel of his breathing.
Gone.
How long he drifted there, in the velvet blackness of his mind, he couldn't say. Gone was any hint of the outside, leaving nothing but that all-encompassing blackness and a sensation of…potential. Not a force, 'force' implied action. Rather, this was the sensation hinted at by a boulder teetering on a ledge. Unmoving, yet needing only a breath, a feather, a thought to leap into implacable motion.
The thought came slowly.
'This…this is gnosis. My unmanifest will, needing only a trigger. Stillness holding action.'
Gently silencing the thought, Ranma drifted off once more in his quiet ocean of darkness and potential will.
---
"I'm hungry."
The Senshi paused in their training to share a grin, Usagi was Usagi after all.
That being said, none could find it in their hearts to be too critical. She had, after all, surprised everyone there by not only managing the silent Henshin after only four attempts (her higher power levels making that a not-insignificant achievement), but had managed to boost her strength and toughness at the same time.
By silent consensus, the others decided to let their bubbly leader have her way.
Just this once.
"Ok, ok Usagi," chided Makoto, reverting to her normal form and heading for the picnic basket. "We'll stop for lunch."
"Yay!"
"Artemis, Luna, could you go and get Ranma-sensei? If he's meditating he may have lost track of time."
"Sure" replied Artemis. "Just save some sushi for us, ok?"
"I'll keep Usagi off, but don't take too long," quipped Rei. "I'm nor sure how long I'll be able to hold back her appetite."
Laughing as Usagi fumed, Makoto busied herself with the food when a thought occurred.
"If he's meditating, make sure you don't startle him!" she called after the departing Mau, only to find them already out of sight.
'Uh-oh.'
---
Luna had seen people meditating before and had always privately thought of it as 'sitting with style'. That being so, the most she expected to see was Ranma sitting, or perhaps kneeling, on the ground and breathing rhythmically.
Artemis, on the other hand, had been the liason to the Military/Magical division of the MDC (as opposed to Luna's Intelligence posting) where meditation was an accepted and fairly widely-used training tool. His expectations, therefore, extended across a rather broader set of possibilities than his counterpart, ranging from 'sit and breathe' or a slow kata to finding the young man sheathed in an elemental aura.
Ranma being Ranma, though, the sight that greeted the two kinda-cats was both like and unlike their expectations.
The pigtailed youth was indeed kneeling and breathing. The difference, however, lay in the fact that said breaths were taking approximately two minutes between draw and exhale.
The aura was a point of departure from Luna's expectations as well. Artemis, while correct in predicting the aura, was rather off concerning said aura's nature. To start with, it wasn't made up of any form of energy he was familiar with. Not elemental, not etheric, most certainly not ki.
When asked later, Artemis would try his best by describing it as "like a heat-haze, but not moving the same". Extending from Ranma by about an arm's length in every direction, the clear sphere of…something…flickered, half-formed images and shapes sparking around and through it, faster than the eye could grasp, yet somehow utterly still, a sense of potential filling the area.
The two Mau gazed warily at their pigtailed friend for several moments before Artemis (stung into action by an image of vanishing sushi) stepped carefully forward, taking a deep breath and forcing down his misgivings.
"Ranma!"
---
In the spoken tongue, the sound of discharging electricity is typically converted to text through the onomatopoeia "Zap!" or "Crack!". Bursting flame is "Whoomph!", light is "Flash!" and a concussion is "Boom!"
The humble Author mentions this only to give context to the lament that, to date, there is yet no onomatopoeia coined to describe the sound of a discharging field of highly potent unmanifest will, and thus no word to properly describe the sound that caught the attention of the happily-snacking Senshi.
Oh well. We'll go with "Fzark!" for now.
The sound is described. The sight that greeted the Senshi as they ran into the clearing transformed, armed and ready (odd noises, in their experience, typically requiring immediate investigation), will take rather more than a word.
Luna, formerly small, black and gracile, now more closely resembled a bull mastiff in size and a spilled artist's palette in colour. Somehow having hung onto her cabbit disguise through the unexpected alteration, the unfortunate feline was awkwardly upended against a nearby tree, pupils gently spinning independent of each other as her brain rebooted.
"Oi! Quit staring and get me down!"
And then there was Artemis. Having been the closer of the two, he had (through an effect not dissimilar to the eye of a cyclone) been spared the more extreme effects of Ranma's will-worked accident. One might even say he had been quite fortunate, all things considered.
The Mau in question, however, had other opinions. Being turned a positively radioactive shade of neon pink and apparently locked into a gentle orbit around the stunned and semi-conscious self-trained sorcerer was not anything Artemis would ever call fun. Nor was the fact that his voice had somehow been raised in pitch by at least three octaves, to say nothing if the fact that his tail (pride and joy for any self-respecting Mau, even in cabbit form) was now clashing horribly as it gave off a lurid green glow.
Credit should be given to the Senshi, though. They lasted fully ten seconds before the first snicker escaped. After that, though, it was inevitable. Like water from a broken dam, the Senshi let loose with a veritable torrent of hilarity.
"Oh yes, ho ho ho, very funny!" growled Artemis, deliberately forcing his helium-squeaky voice into the lower registers with limited success. "Now that you've had your little laugh, GET ME THE HELL DOWN FROM HERE!"
Predictably, Ami and Michiru were the first to calm down and make a grab for the frantic feline, only for their target to, apparently involuntarily, bob away like a soap bubble in the breeze.
Giving it up as a lost cause, the Senshi of water cocked an elegant eyebrow at the instigator of the effect, currently tweaking his pigtail nervously, a confused and embarrassed expression on his face.
"Any time now, Ranma-sensei."
"Um, yeah, sure…" started the young man, taking in both the two alarmed Mau and the slightly angry looks being cast his way by the Senshi. "Thing is, I'm not too sure how that happened. They startled me while I was in gnosis, so the effect is from right down in my mind. I think I can fix it, though!" he stammered, hands making warding signs against the suddenly laser-like glare emanating from Usagi from where she was fussing over Luna.
Gathering will and ki, Ranma calmed his mind and pictured the original forms of Luna and his irritated satellite.
"Revert!"
Minako, seeing her friend and advisor shift back to his true snow-like shade and fall to the ground with a slight "oof!", leaned over to Rei.
"Probably a good idea not to startle Ranma-sensei when he's meditating. Ever again."
The volatile Miko nodded, watching as Luna seemed to implode, regaining her normal size and tone.
"Yeah, good call."
"Alright then," carolled the cheerful-again Usagi. "Back to lunch!"
Two dust trails led the way back to the clearing as the resigned Senshi and Mau shook their heads in resignation.
'Magnitude Ten Temporal contamination detected. Upgrading countermeasures to Level Two.'
Conversation was casual as the Senshi enjoyed their brief respite to the utmost, chiefly due to the understandable urge to indulge in good food and forget, even if just for a few moments, the gruelling training still yet to come.
And so, sitting on the porch of the shrine, they talked of little things. School, with Ranma sympathising with Usagi's laments over English class and the Senshi laughing at his tales of Principal Kuno (and privately promising a firm "attitude adjustment" for the younger Kuno, should he happen into their sphere), movies (Ami had been horrified that Ranma had never seen Star Wars), even hobbies (in a surprise to everyone, Hotaru revealed her recent fascination with card games. In a surprise to no-one, Usagi revealed her long-time fascination with discovering new ice cream flavours).
"By the way, Ranma-sensei," said Haruka in a momentary lull, "what's Kasumi-sama doing today?"
Ranma swallowed a bite of rice before replying.
"She's taking the day to get in some intensive training while Ryoga's still here," he said, causing the ears of two of his companions to prick. "He's really tough, so he makes a good mobile practice dummy. Apparently Kasumi-chan's got some new moves she wants to try out."
Back at the Tendo Dojo.
Ryoga was asking himself why he had decided to stay. Then his head impacted with the floorboards yet again, the thump nearly drowning out Kasumi-san's happy yell of "Dusting the Futon technique!"
And he knew no more.
"At the rate she's progressing, I'd say she'll be ready for the advanced stuff in a week or so."
"She's coming up with special techniques already?" asked Makoto, her tone impressed.
"Yeah!" replied Ranma, his expression full of pride. "She's already adapting unrelated actions into her style. I'm so proud!"
"Kasumi-ryu: Dusting the Eaves!"
Leaping away from a hail of Naginata strikes, Akane mentally cursed her sister's fiancée, his training and whatever mental shift or blow to the head had prompted her sister's sudden improvement.
Kasumi was not supposed to chuckle madly while sparring, dammit!
'Please wake up soon, Ryoga-kun!'
"Achoo!"
"You ok, Ranma-sensei?" asked Haruka (silently grateful that the sneeze had ended the 'Proud Sensei' rant).
"Yeah, no problem," replied the pigtailed pugilist. "Speaking of missing people, could you let Greenie know about training next weekend? It seems a shame that she has to miss out. I can tell she's good, but even if she just wants to advise..."
"Setsuna-san's not really the sociable sort," explained Michiru. "If she mentioned the Gates, she probably won't show up for a while, unless it's something really important."
"Oh well," chirped Usagi. "We'll just have to save her some Kasumi-goodies to have later."
"And on that note," groaned Rei as she took in both Usagi's cheerful smile and Ranma's altogether more menacing one, "I suppose we should get back to training."
The chorus of protests was more for the sake of it than any real feeling of dissent as the Senshi rose to their feet.
"Right, magical attacks until five thirty, then you're free," stated Ranma, 'Sensei' face firmly in place. "Focus on force and concentration of power. When you can pass the 'Bust the Boulder' test with a single attack, move on to adapting them, like Rei and Makoto did. Be creative, ok?"
"Hai!"
Ranma smiled as the magic began to fly. A loving true fiancee, tough enemies with interesting abilities, new allies (who didn't want to marry or kill him) and ample opportunities to further the Art (and possibly get some new sparring partners) by training said allies?
'I love my life right now.'
---
The hours passed productively before several events occurred, all quite predictable to anyone familiar with Ranma's life.
The first of these, utterly unsurprising to anyone aware of the 'water magnet' aspect of Jusenkyo curses, was Ranma being caught in the backlash of Neptune's newly-named "Tsunami Crush" attack, the frigid spray announcing the long-awaited return of Ranma-chan ("That's Ranma-chan-sensei to you!"), along with the traditional nosebleed from Uranus (silk shirt plus cold water plus generous curves equals mesmerising clinginess).
This, grumbling notwithstanding, was dealt with.
The next predictable event was the strident beeping of the Mercury Computer alerting the defenders of Love and Justice (plus one) of a nearby youma attack. Predictable, as Ranma knew very well the universal laws of dramatic timing, and once the eager Makoto had wondered aloud as to "when we can try out our cool new skills", it was a forgone conclusion that an attack would occur.
The smiles that adorned the Senshi's faces as they roof-hopped to scene had been positively wicked.
Once is an isolated event. Two may be a coincidence, Ranma knew. But when third time's the charm, he thought as he gazed at the crystal constructs lurching up out of the asphalt, someone's out to get you.
"Well, Jupiter, look's like you'll get your wish. Let's make this fast, ok? Take it to 'em, ladies!"
'And when this is over,' he thought from the rooftop as spell fire, shouts and shattering crystal filled the air, 'I am going to be hunting for some answers.'
Almost half a world away, in the city of San Francisco, Chiba Mamoru bolted upright in his bed, visions of shattered glass, broken towers and streets filled with the dead lingering before his eyes even as he fumbled for the light. Staggering to the bathroom, he splashed a handful of water on his face and caught his bleary gaze in the mirror, heart slowly calming from its former frantic hammering.
This confirmed it. Premonitions had been coming for weeks now, a looming sense of some great doom lurking in the near future. Tonight had merely confirmed his decision.
University could wait. There was a higher duty that took precedence here.
Dragging out a suitcase from the closed and flinging open the wardrobe, he felt a moments excitement at seeing Usako again, then forced it down. Romance was all well and good, but this wasn't the time.
He had a job to do.
Author's notes:
Ok friends and loyal readers, here's the new chapter! I'm honestly, truly sorry for how long it took to get done, but the damn words just would. Not. Come!
I realise it's a bit of a cop-out, having a training chapter and all, but it's necessary for the plot.
Yes, I DO have a plot, astonishing as that may be. ;)
Expect the plot to pick up a little in succeeding chapters, though the next one will be rather more geared to romance and humour than action/drama. Anyway, I've finally managed to arrange some time to (hopefully) get ahead in my writing, so the next chapters should be up rather quicker than this one was.
Thanks for being patient with this humble Author, friends!
And now, Reviews:
MWkillkenny84: Thanks for the ideas, mate! No Ranma cast becomming senshi in this story, though. Sorry. Wouldn't mesh well with the plot i've worked out.
Wonderbee31: Glad you liked it, my friend. And Kasumi is indeed improving. Pity the poor soul who considers kidnapping her. Pity...
primedirective: Thanks friend, i try my best.
RanmaChaos: will do!
Prustan: Thanks mate! And sorry, while i'm usually pleased to answer questions, that one's a little too close to some plot points to address. Gomen!
AnFan-n-More: Glad you liked it. I like Nabiki with emotions. that whole 'Nabiki-is-a-Mentat' thing is good and all, but humour is adding the odd to the familiar, so...
erikalikesfire: All excellent points, and thank you for them! I have to thank you, too; your review (and that of AnFan-n-More) helped me clear up where i wanted this fic to go. Granted, some of the points you raised affected me in a "scared straight" kinda way, but it was just what i needed at the time, so i thank you.
AnFan-n-More (Mk. 2): As i said above, thank you very much for the review. Just the kick in the literary pants i needed. I now have a plan and an idea of character developement i lacked before. many thanks indeed!
daniel 29: Thanks!
Wrin: Will do!
Quathis: Ryoga's funny when he's off-balance, isn't he? As for Kasumi's progress, it's like i learned from Maths: It's all in how you relate to the material. "Anything Goes Houswife Style"? hope you liked it! expect some more!
Lord Sia: Glad you liked the omake. sorry there's none here, the inspiration just wasn't there.
The long answer to your question is that Ranma is more of a "Do it now" kind of fellow and works best under pressure. The short is that it fits with the plot i've nutted out better this way. good thoughts, though!
Bobboky: Thanks!
Dumbledork: thank you very much.
Hero Slayer: Yeah, i love the interesting names in Ranma. Though, given the Italian longsword style has a stance called the "Iron Door" and the German a defensive move called the "Parting of the Hair (and the scalp, and the skull...)", i suppose it's not that odd, really.
Yeah, i see the Tendo school being hard and ground-based, the Saotome being softer and aerial. Hence the urge to 'Join the Schools', i suppose.
Thanks for the feedback!
cjonbloodletter: i really do get the best feedback from you folks. thanks!
Megatyrant: thanks for the kind words, friend. It means a lot.
Tri-Emperor of The Twilight: Not a gamer, me, so i don't really get the reference, sorry. thanks the the review!
TegwenielWestwind: Thanks mate. Keep in mind, Ranma's coming at magic from the perspective of a fighting tool, just another branch of the Art. he'll use it a little, make no mistake, but it's still a fighting tool for him.
borg rabbit: Good to hear, mate. and a good thought, right enough. there may be developments in that direction later. possibly...
OBSERVER01: Glad you liked it, mate. and yes indeed, you have the right of it as regards the cabbit-forms.
Shadewolf7: The idea for this story actually came to me while i was out on a walk and the thought of how similar the attitude of Chaos Magic was to that of Anything Goes and things just went from there.
PhiloWorm: Indeed, my friend. Indeed.
dogbertcarroll (1 through 8): So...you liked it? Heh. Unfortunately, answering your question would utterly ruin the rest of the story. sorry!
I think the Panda Sign Omake has more or less run its course for now. maybe later...
Tergar no Konoha: I know what you mean mate, but fear not! i have used the time since my last update to plan ahead and work out enough plot twists and bumps to (i hope, at least) escape plot stagnation. thanks for the suggestions friend!
Hiryo: thanks for the thought and the kind words. the relationship between Setsuna and Ranma will be explored in later chapters, though not in the next one. sorry.
Ancalador: thanks! hope i met yer expectations.
mmoondragon: Thanks. While i have no problem with the idea of Ranma in a fuku (or Ranma-chan, for that matter;) ), i wanted to go in a different direction.
The care and feeding of a Muse is tricky, isn't it?
Baughn: Well, thanks very much!
silverstreak93242: well, i'm glad you liked it, thank you. Sadly, i think i'm crossing over with enough as it is without dragging Kung fu panda into it as well. I just thought having two (or technically three) Kung-Fu pandas throwing down would be perfect for an omake, really. Maybe if i put together a 'Butterflies' version of 'Tales of Oops!'...
tatewaki2000 (ep. 1-5): Yeah, you make some good points there. in my defence, this is the first work of this size i've ever made, and i'm still working out my style.
As for Ranma's changes (and the others', for that matter), well, that's the way i see them developing. I really don't think any of them are OOC, just developed in different ways. while i realiose there are limits to how far i can tweak the characters before they are no longer really them, i think i'm a good distance from that point yet.
Thanks for the comments, though. And rest assured, i've taken them on board.
Kariston Draconis: Indeed, i am a dweller of the Great South Land. well spotted! As for your question, it may happen, but it won't be soon, sorry.
Cor Strike FX: No, as much as i'd like to, i think it'd strain my writing skills too much to try to incorporate all the extra characters and interactions. Omake it is, sadly.
7 Winds: With praise like that, i can only apologise for not getting the above up sooner. thank you very much!
TenWings: Is this soon enough? sorry for the wait.
TheCentauress: Now, that image just made me roar with laughter when i read it! i might have to borrow the idea, with your permission, though it'd have to remain an Omake, unfortunately. i don't think the plot would be able to sustain the weight of the Awesome.
Ray Venn Hakubi: thanks mate. will do!
Phew! and that's that done. thanks for being patient, everyone. with a little luck the next chapter'll be up sooner rather than later. It's in the writing phase as we speak, so here's hoping!
Next up: Action! Romance! Princes! Ninja! Code-names! And an outing.
Stay Tuned.