TENDO DOJO.
The Tendo Dojo was filled with noise. Nodoka Saotome and Kasumi Tendo were working together on dinner for tonight in the kitchen. In the family room, the two patriarchs, Genma Saotome and Soun Tendo, were doing their usual shogi match, moving the pieces along the board. The middle Tendo, Nabiki, was in her room, going through all of the money she had earned today selling pictures of Ranma's girl form. And Akane, the last Tendo daughter, was in the actual dojo itself, smashing through multiple sets of wooden blocks, and smashing the heads off of training dummies. Everyone was doing their thing.
But, Nodoka was lost in her thoughts, as she chopped up some vegetables. "Ranma still hasn't come home," the woman thought to herself, "I know him and Akane always get into arguments like this, but it's been a while since he's stayed out this late after one. I hope he hasn't gotten into any trouble…"
Kasumi notices the matriarch of the Saotome family's distracted expression. "Is everything okay, Nodoka-san?" she asks.
Nodoka snaps out of her thoughts, a smile on her face. "O-Oh, I'm fine, Kasumi dear," she responds, "I was just thinking about Ranma is all."
" Right," the eldest Tendo child says, "I understand. I was thinking about where he could be himself. I'm hoping if he stays somewhere else tonight that he's able to find something to eat. I'd hate for him to go hungry."
Nodoka nods in agreement. She knew how her son was when it came to eating. Almost inhaling the food in order to make sure he could eat it. She sighed thinking about it. "I need to talk to Genma again about his… 'training' of Ranma," she thinks to herself, "That boy has a couple of problems due to that father of his…"
Just then, a door opens, and a voice calls out, "I'm home…!"
The voice of Ranma.
The two women look at each other, relieved. They make sure everything they're cooking is safe, and then, they run into the family room, where Genma and Soun are sitting. However, the two men are confused, and then, Kasumi and Nodoka are as well.
Standing there is Ranma, in his guy form, a smile on his face. That was pretty normal. However, right next to him was a girl. She had dark brown hair, all shaggy and tangled. She had deep green eyes, tears about to well up and spill down her face. She was dressed in rags, and her body was littered with dried blood, scratches, and dirt.
" R-Ranma sweetie, who is that girl with you?" Nodoka asks, finally breaking the silence.
She points at the girl, who stays right beside Ranma. "U-Uh, well, Ma," Ranma mutters, "It's a long story…"
The boy looks at the girl, and nods his head, as if he's saying, "Go on…"
The girl gulps, nervous. She steps forward, and bows to the four adults. "H-Hello," she mutters, "I-I'm Koharu Kurohime… N-Nice to meet you."
" W-Well, it's nice to meet you, Koharu-chan," Nodoka says.
The girl nods in agreement. She was extremely nervous. It was then that a thought came to Nodoka. A glare spreads across her face, as she turns to her husband. The man, Genma Saotome, freezes in place. That glare was NEVER a good thing. "Genma dear,... did you stick Ranma in ANOTHER arranged marriage…?" the Saotome matriarch asks.
Genma shakes his head, saying, "N-No…! Of course not. I promise. I've never made a deal with any Kurohimes. I'd remember if I did…"
Everyone in the room sighs with relief, confusing Koharu. She looks at Ranma, thinking, "ANOTHER arranged marriage? Ranma-kun is in multiple? What kinda father does that to his kid?"
" Well, that's a relief," Nodoka mutters.
A smile soon spreads across her face, and she turns to Ranma. "So then, if it's not an engagement, why did you bring her back with you, son?"
Ranma looks at Koharu, the two of them sharing a worried expression. Just then, the sliding door leading to the backyard opens up, and in steps Akane Tendo, a surprised look on her face. She is still in her gi, her body sweaty from her intense workout. "R-Ranma…?" she mutters, looking at her fiancé.
The pig-tailed boy glances at Akane from the corner of his eye. "A-Akane…"
Akane then notices Koharu, the girl flinching at being stared at. Akane took a good look at the girl, taking in her appearance. "Hmm… She's dressed in rags," the blue-haired girl thinks to herself, "Is this the girl Ranma was talking about earlier?"
"H-Hello," she says, before turning to Ranma again, "Ranma, who is this?"
" I was just about to explain, actually," Ranma responds, "C-Could someone go get Nabiki? This kinda requires everyone here…"
MINUTES LATER.
" Okay, I'm here. What's so important?" Nabiki Tendo asks as she walks into the family room with Kasumi.
The middle Tendo daughter looked slightly confused at what's going on. "All Kasumi said was that Ranma showed up with some random girl," she thinks, sneaking a glance at Koharu, "That must be her…"
Nabiki and Kasumi sit down, next to Akane and their father. Now, all the Tendos and Saotomes were here in one place. Ranma stood next to Koharu, the girl's face blushing red from nervousness. "Alright, now that everyone's here, I can explain," Ranma says, "Like she said, this is Koharu Kurohime. I was walking around town and came across three weirdos in white cloaks chasing her around. I chased them off for a moment, and then I… well…"
" You what?" Nodoka asks.
" I… kinda said I'd offer to help her find someplace safe," the boy continues, "She's in danger the longer she sleeps outside…"
The two families stare at Koharu, the girl looking down to avoid eye contact. "W-Well, Ranma, what you've done is very courageous," Soun Tendo says, "But, why can't she go home to her parents? They must be worried sick about her."
With that question from Soun, tears begin to stream down Koharu's face. Everyone is surprised by this. "M-My parents… They're dead…," she mutters.
" What?" Nodoka gasps.
" Th-Those three cloaked figures… A-About a month ago…," Koharu explains, "They… They broke into our house… and… they killed my parents…! They took me… and… and…"
Koharu collapses onto her knees, crying into her hands. Ranma reaches down to her shoulder, putting his hand there. Everyone else just sits there, horrified at what they're hearing. "Th-They tortured me! Treated me like a puppet!" Koharu continues, "Me and this boy named Yukinosuke! B-But,... w-we were able to break out of our cell…, and I… I escaped…"
" I left Yukinosuke there…," Koharu thinks to herself, "I know he told me to run, but I didn't even think about it until now? Did he even make it out of there? Gorgom didn't mention anything about him, so who even knows?"
" This poor girl," Kasumi thinks to herself, "No one should have to go through that. Especially so young…"
" She has no family or friends who'll take her in," Ranma says, "H-Her parents were all she had…"
" N-None at all?" Nodoka asks.
Koharu looks up at the woman, nodding "no". "Why not?"
Koharu sits there, tears continuing to spill down her cheeks. She looks at Ranma, a worried expression on her face. The boy has a light smile on his face, and mutters, "It's alright. Trust me…"
The girl sighs, clutching her chest. She sits there, silent for a moment. And then, she looks at the Tendos and Saotomes. "I-I'm transgender…," she mutters.
Everyone just stares at Koharu, nothing being said. But then, Nodoka opens her mouth, and says, "Oh, really?"
Koharu looks at the woman, surprised by her answer. "Y-Yes…"
" Well, I must say, I'm still amazed at how well trans women can pass so easily," the woman responds, "Just like Ranma's friend Konatsu-chan. If I was never told, I wouldn't have known."
Koharu couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Th-This can't be real, right? Ranma-kun's mother is actually being nice to me?" she thinks to herself.
" Y-You… don't mind…?"
" Of course we don't mind, Koharu-chan," Kasumi adds, a soft smile on her face, "We've been around Konatsu enough to understand that when someone is trans, they're just a normal person with the wrong body. You can't help how you were born as much as she can."
Koharu sits there, tears flowing down her face at the words she's hearing. "I-I can't believe these people," she thinks, "They're so nice. I would've done ANYTHING to have a large support group like this…"
Koharu looks up at Ranma, the pig-tailed boy smiling at her. "See, told ya they'd be supportive, didn't I?" he asks.
Koharu smiles, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Y-Yeah…"
" Koharu-chan, we'd be delighted to let you stay here," Soun says, "The only thing is… we don't really have an extra room for you to stay in. The girls and I each have our own rooms, and the guest room is taken up by the Saotomes. I'm not sure where you'd sleep…"
Akane watches the girl closely, noticing her expression start to falter upon hearing the answer from her father. "How about the dojo?" she asks, causing everyone to stare at her.
" A-Akane?" Soun mutters, surprised by his daughter's suggestion.
" She could sleep in the dojo," Akane repeats, "We'd just move her stuff aside if one of us needs to use it in the future. Problem solved."
" That's not a bad plan, Akane," Ranma says.
" I agree," Soun says, turning back to Koharu, "Does that sound fine by you, Koharu-chan?"
The girl smiles widely, nodding her head in confirmation. "Y-Yep…!"
AKANE'S BEDROOM. THIRTY MINUTES LATER.
Akane Tendo was relaxing in her bedroom by herself, brushing her hair and getting ready to go to bed for the night. The blue-haired girl thinks to herself, "Well, today was definitely 'interesting'. With how it turned out, what's tomorrow gonna be like? Especially since we have no classes?"
KNOCK-KNOCK!
Akane jumps in shock at the sudden tapping sound she hears. Turning over to her bedroom window, she is shocked to see Ranma Saotome, crouched outside by the closed window. He motions for her to open it and let him in. The girl walks over, unlatching the window, allowing the pig-tailed boy to open the window. "Thanks, Akane," he mutters, as he steps into the room, landing on the ground.
" What's up, Ranma?" Akane asks.
" I just wanted to check up on you," he mutters, glancing around the bedroom, "See how you were doing…"
Akane smiles, her cheeks a slight red. "I'm doing fine," she answers, "How's Koharu-chan?"
" Oh, she's fine," he replies, "I just gave her a couple blankets and a pillow. Made sure she was comfy before we all went to bed…"
Akane chuckled upon hearing this. "Geez, this guy really can be a softie when he wants to be," she thinks to herself.
" That's good," she says, "Must be hard for her. Having to grow up in the wrong body, only having her parents respect her. Only for them to be killed and her abducted. I can't imagine what she's been through."
Ranma looks saddened. "If only you knew what she told me, Akane," he thinks to himself, "You'd be horrified…"
" Yeah," he says, "She looks like tonight will be the first time she can rest peacefully in the past month or so."
Akane looks at Ranma. The arranged couple have a quiet look on their faces, like they want to talk.
" Hey, Ran-"
" Hey, Aka-"
The two stop, as they started speaking at the same time. They chuckle, and Akane says, "You go first."
" Akane, I'm sorry about earlier," Ranma says, "I know how much you're trying to get better at cooking. I shouldn't be using that same taunt like I have since I first had your cooking a year ago."
" You don't have to apologize, Ranma," Akane responds, "I'm the one who relied on an old insult. I once again called you a 'pervert'. I've been trying to cut that out ever since the incident with Konatsu, and I just relapsed into it. I'm no better than I was before then."
" You're wrong, Akane," Ranma said, walking up to his fiancée, putting his hand on her shoulder, "The fact that you're apologizing shows you're better than you were. You never would've done that before."
The blue-haired girl smiles. "Yeah, well, the same with you. And besides, since when were you so uplifting about people changing?"
Ranma shrugs, saying, "Don't know. Probably cause Pops ain't the only person I'm spending so much time around anymore. I'm around a lot more responsible people now…"
The two laugh at the comment. If there was anything they agreed on, it was slight jabs at Genma.
FAMILY ROOM. THE NEXT MORNING.
The following morning, it is a normal morning for the Tendo Dojo. Kasumi and Nodoka are preparing plates of food for breakfast. Meanwhile, Nabiki and Akane are sitting at the table in the family room with their father. Nabiki looks at her sister, a smug smile on her face. "So, Akane, what did you and Ranma get up to last night?" she asks.
The blue-haired girl jumps in shock. "W-We did nothing last night!" she shouts, "H-How do you even know he was in my room?!"
Nabiki chuckles, winking as she says, "I've got my ways, little sister!"
Soun looks at his youngest daughter, tears ready to fall from his eyes. "A-Akane!" the father mutters, "A-Are you and Ranma moving forward in your relationship?! Oh, good day! I have been waiting for this day!"
Akane growls at her father, the man freezing in shock. "We did NOTHING! Nothing but TALK!" she screams, "That's IT!! Got it?!"
Soun nods nervously, turning away from his child. "Akane sure is scary…," he thinks to himself.
Just then, a sliding door opens, causing everyone in the room to look at it. Standing there, dressed in her rags, is Koharu. She has her head held down, avoiding eye contact with them. Soun smiles, saying, "Ah, good morning, Koharu-chan! Did you sleep well?"
The girl stands there. Her cheeks are bright red. "U-Uh, kinda…," she mutters, "It was comfy…, but… I had nightmares last night…"
" It's understandable," Akane says, "You've been through a lot in the past month. Why don't you sit down? We're about to have breakfast."
Koharu looks at Akane, and nods her head in agreement. "S-Sure…"
The girl sits down across from Akane, a nervous expression on her face. "So, when I left the dojo, I saw Ranma-kun and his father sparring?" she asks, "Do they do that every morning?"
" Yeah," Akane answers, "Not only that, but they're also too loud every morning as well."
" It is imperative that they train as early as they can, Akane," Soun says, "As practitioners of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts, they must be at the peak of fitness."
" Why don't you do it then?" Akane thinks to herself, a deadpan expression on her face as she stares at her father.
Nodoka walks into the room, smiling as she turns to Koharu. "Ah, good morning, Koharu-chan," she says.
Koharu bows to Nodoka, muttering, "U-Uh,... good morning, N-Nodoka-san…!"
" It's nice to see you up and joining us for breakfast," the Saotome matriarch says, "I know you seemed to enjoy the dinner Kasumi-chan and I made last night."
Koharu looks down, blushing all over from the comment. She thinks back to last night, where she scarfed down a whole plate of food like it was nothing. "Damn hunger," she thinks to herself, "So embarrassing…"
" I-I'm so sorry about that, ma'am…! I know it's not really ladylike…"
" Oh, don't worry about that dear," Nodoka responds as she walks to the sliding door, "I can imagine you weren't fed that well by your captors. So, it's only reasonable you'd be starving."
The woman opens the sliding door, calling out, "Genma dear! Ranma sweetie! Breakfast's just about ready! Come on in!"
The woman then walks away from the door, and heads back to the kitchen. Ranma and his father walk into the family room, their bodies sweaty from the sparring they were just doing. The pig-tailed boy has a smile on his face, as he looks at Koharu. "Morning! You sleep alright?" he asks.
" Uh, it was okay," the girl answers.
Ranma sits down beside Koharu, as he responds, "Well, don't worry. I'll be by your side, so you've got nothing to worry about."
Koharu smiles at this. "Thank you," she says.
Genma Saotome glares at his son, the stocky man shouting, "Ranma! Why are you so focused on this… 'girl'…? Don't forget! Your fiancée is Akane!"
Ranma glares at his father, as does Akane. Meanwhile, Koharu winces in fear at the man's words. "Shut the hell up, Pops! Akane and I aren't worrying about the engagement at the moment!" Ranma shouts in anger, "And besides, Koharu needs our help right now! As a martial artist, shouldn't I look out for innocent people? Isn't that what you always say?"
Genma scowls in response to Ranma's question. "Ranma sweetie, you shouldn't talk to your father like that," Nodoka says, holding bowls of food.
She sits them down on the table, a calm expression on her face. The pig-tailed boy looks up at his mother. "B-But, Ma…! He was-!"
" I know, Ranma," the mother interrupts, "And I will handle your father's comments myself."
Nodoka glares at Genma, her hands now placed beside her katana. Genma freezes in place, as does Koharu. "I-Is that a katana?!" the girl thinks to herself, "Wh-Why does Nodoka-san carry that?!"
" Now, Genma dear, I believe you should apologize to Koharu-chan," the matriarch says, "As she did nothing wrong."
Genma gulps nervously. He growls, and looks at Koharu, giving her a slight bow. "I-I apologize for my comments…," he mutters.
" Wow, what a sincere apology…," everyone else in the room thinks.
Minutes pass, and now, everyone is seated at the table. Nodoka and Kasumi had prepared a nice breakfast, consisting of rice, fish, miso soup, and eggs. The two families, as well as Koharu, were digging in. "So, Koharu-chan, have you thought about what you're gonna do while you live here?" Kasumi asks.
Koharu looks at the eldest Tendo daughter, a confused look on her face. "Uh, I haven't really thought about it," the girl answers, "I guess it'd help if I went back to school, but it'd be hard without my records from my previous school."
" Oh, don't you worry about that, dear," Nodoka says, "I'll take a trip to Furinkan High School, and see about them getting you enrolled."
" R-Really?!"
" Yes, of course," the woman adds, "It'd be no trouble at all. But, what will you do today?"
" I could take her out exploring," Akane says.
Koharu looks at the blue-haired girl, surprised by her answer. "R-Really? You'd do that for me, Akane-chan?" she asks.
" I mean, why not? Someone's gotta get you used to Furinkan, and the best one here is either me or Kasumi," Akane replies, "And I'm sure Neechan is busy…"
Akane takes a bite of fish, chewing it before swallowing. Nodoka looks over at Ranma, and says, "Ranma sweetie?"
The pig-tailed boy, whose been scarfing down his meal, looks over at his mother. He puts down his chopsticks, and asks, "Yeah?"
" Would you mind joining the girls on their trip?" his mother asks, "It'd be a huge help if they had a man like you watching them."
" Oh, Akane and Koharu can handle themselves, Ma. I'll tell you that," he thinks to himself, "But,... might as well… It'd be nice to walk around today. Plus, I'll get away from Pops for a while."
" Sure thing," he says aloud.
" Th-Thanks, Ranma-kun. You too, Akane-chan," Koharu says, bowing to the both of them.
Nodoka smiles at the result of her suggestion. "Great!" she says, "We'll look for some clothes for Koharu to wear as soon as we finish breakfast…"
STREETS OF FURINKAN-CHŌ. THIRTY MINUTES LATER.
" Th-Thank you again, Akane-chan," Koharu mutters, walking alongside Ranma and Akane, "For lending a pair of clothes for me to wear…"
" Oh, it's no problem, Koharu-chan," Akane responds, a smile on her face.
" Though, it's a good thing we're the same size…"
The two girls and the pig-tailed boy were making their ways along the streets of Furinkan-chō. Koharu was dressed in a light blue top, with a small hood attached to it, the word "LOVELY" written across the chest. She has on a gray, pleated skirt, with a dark blue plaid pattern. There's a pair of white leggings and a pair of sneakers on her feet. Her face is blushing bright red, as she looks around. "I-Is anybody looking at me?" she thinks to herself, "Maybe I don't pass well. Maybe they can tell I was born a boy…"
" Are you okay, Koharu-chan?" Akane asks, noticing the girl's panicked expression.
" U-Uh, I'm fine…!" she responds, "I… I just… worry that I'm not passing well…"
" Passing?" Ranma asks, confused.
" It means she's worried she doesn't appear like a girl, which is bullshit," Akane says, turning from Koharu to Ranma, and then back, "You're beautiful, Koharu-chan."
" Y-You think so?" Koharu asks, and Akane responds, "I KNOW so."
Koharu smiles at this response. "Th-Thank you, Akane-chan! I appreciate you and Ranma-kun doing this for me!"
" It's no problem, Koharu," Ranma says, "After all you've been through, you deserve it."
Koharu looks around at all the buildings she sees. "So, where are we going first?" she asks.
" I don't know," Akane says, "Where do you want to go?"
The girl puts her hand on her chin, thinking to herself. "Hmm, that's a good question," the cyborg thinks, "I wonder what's around here…"
The girl looks around, and notices a small shop from the corner of her eye, to her right. It has a sign sitting by it, which reads:
Houten's Antique Shop
The girl points to the shop, saying, "How about there?"
Ranma and Akane look over to where Koharu's pointing. Ranma looks at her, asking, "You wanna go in an antique shop?"
" I mean, why not?" Koharu asks, "We might find something cool in there. I did used to collect old manga and toys before I got kidnapped, so it'll be like how my life was before."
Akane looks at Ranma, glaring at him. "Great job, Ranma! You're gonna remind her of what happened!"
" Well, sorry! I was just confused, is all," Ranma grumbles, looking away from Akane, "Just didn't expect for her to suggest an antique shop, is all."
Koharu chuckles to herself nervously. "Y-You two argue a lot, don't you?" she asks.
" I mean, yeah," Ranma answers, "That's just how we are. We get along, then one of us says something to upset the other, we fight, and then we make up. I mean, we're trying to get better, but it ain't easy. What's that line they always say?"
" Rome wasn't built in a day?" Koharu says.
" That's right!" the pig-tailed boy replies, with Akane giving him a deadpan expression.
" I can't believe him some times," the blue-haired girl thinks to herself.
" Let's just go in," she says, walking towards the antique shop.
Koharu and Ranma look at each other, before they run up to Akane. The three of them open the door of the shop, walking inside. A bell rings, signifying to whomever is working that a potential customer has entered. A man in his thirties appears before the three, a smile on his face. He bows to them, saying, "Ah! Welcome to my store, you three. It's not everyday that teenagers come by here."
" Uh, yeah, our friend here is new to town, so we thought we'd show her around," Ranma explains, "She's really into collecting old nerd stuff, so we stopped by."
" Oh really? Well, feel free to take a look around," the man, supposedly Mr. Houten, says.
Koharu bows to him, a smile on her face. "Thank you, sir," she says, "We'd be glad to."
Koharu looks around the store, amazed by all the items she sees around. Ranma and Akane follow right behind her, smiles on their faces from seeing the girl excited. "This is the first time I think I've seen her smile like this since I met her," Ranma thinks to himself, "I mean, I seen her have a small grin on her face before now, but this is what she was like… before those Gorgom bastards messed up her body. I swear, if I ever come across them…!"
The three turn a corner, and Koharu notices something as they do so. There's an odd figurine sitting on a table, it quickly catching her eye. "That figurine…!" she thinks to herself.
The girl walks up to the figure, and is amazed. It is of a person, standing in a heroic pose. They appear to be wearing a black suit, with white lines going down the arms and legs. There is green padding on their torso, and the image of bug wings on the back. Their gloves and boots are a brilliant silver, and they have a red scarf, which is crafted to look like it was flowing in the wind. But, the most noticeable aspect to Koharu, was the head.
The head was shaped like a helmet, and it was mainly a teal green, except for the silver mouthpiece. It had a silver stripe down the center, with a red gem shining in the middle. Two attanae rise, one on each side of the gem. And… there were two red compound eyes. The figure almost resembled Koharu's armored form. "Wh-What…?! Why does this statue look like my transformed state?!"
Ranma notices the figurine's appearance as well, turning to Koharu. She nods at him, the two confirming how odd it is. "What are y'all looking at each other for?" Akane asks.
The two jump in shock, and Ranma cries out, "Jeez, Akane! Give us heart attacks, why don't ya?!"
" Well, excuse me for being confused why the two of you were so interested in such an odd figurine!" Akane retorts.
" Ah, I see you three found my statue of the Kamen Rider!" a voice says.
The three turn around, where Houten is standing behind them with a smile on his face. "K-Kamen Rider?" Koharu mutters, confused by the name.
" Yes, the Kamen Rider," Houten explains, "Have you kids never heard about him?"
The three shake their heads from left to right, confirming they hadn't. "Well, it's an urban legend," he says, "They say that in 1971, some man was kidnapped by some evil organization that worshiped the Nazis or something. But, he was able to break free, and so, since they modified him for combat, he fought against them as the Kamen Rider. At least, that's what they all say. The Kamen Rider has never been proven to exist. Though, some people have tried to claim they were the man, in order to win fame and fortune for his 'heroic' efforts."
The man turns around, and begins to walk off, leaving the teens there. Koharu turns back towards the statue, eyeing it deeply. "If that story is real, then… that man went through the same sorta thing I did," she thinks, "And… he went on to stop them. At least, he'd have to if the story's real, or else we'd be ruled by a group of Nazi sympathizers…"
" Well, let's look around some more," Akane says, moving ahead.
Ranma stands there, noticing Koharu's stare. "Kamen Rider, huh?" she mutters to herself.
Ranma leans towards his friend, a curious look on his face. "You okay, Koharu?" he asks.
The girl jumps back in shock, her face bright red from how close the boy got. "U-Uh… yeah, Ranma-kun! I'm fine… Just thinking…!" she stutters out.
" Yeah, I noticed," he says, "Kinda weird how similar that Kamen Rider's story is to yours, huh?"
" Yeah," the cyborg replied, "Honestly, it's kinda terrifying. Cause… if it's true,... then how does it happen twice?"
Ranma puts his hand on Koharu's shoulder. "Don't worry, Koharu," he says, "Gorgom won't do anything else to you while you're with us!"
Koharu smiles at Ranma, her cheeks red. She looks at him, but her eyes begin to wander. She takes note of something behind the pig-tailed boy. Something that's in black and white. "Hey, Ranma?"
" Yeah?"
" Can you hand me that item behind you?" Koharu asks, pointing at what she's looking at.
Ranma turns around, and noticing the item, grabs it. He turns to face Koharu, and hands it to her, saying, "Here."
Koharu unfolds the object, taking note of what it is: a newspaper. And not just any newspaper, one that reads "Ni-chōme Times". Koharu's eyes go wide as she reads this. "Th-This is from my home area!" the girl thinks to herself as she looks at the date: it was from three weeks ago.
" What's up? It's just a newspaper, ain't it?" Ranma asks.
" This isn't just a newspaper, Ranma-kun," Koharu explains, "This is from Shinjuku Ni-chōme! I'm from there! And it's three weeks old! Maybe there's something about my parents here!"
" Y-You mean…?" Ranma says, before gulping, "Like… their obituaries?"
Koharu sighs, responding, "Yeah. And if it says where their ashes were buried, I can… I can go visit them…"
Ranma could see the look on Koharu's face. The girl was on the verge of crying, holding back the tears in order to not stain the newspaper. "Do… Do you wanna go after we leave here?"
" Y-Yes…"
NI-CHŌME FAMILY CEMETERY. FORTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER.
Koharu, along with Ranma and Akane, are walking through the Ni-chōme Family Cemetery, looking around at the graves as they pass. After finding the info they needed, Ranma and Koharu grabbed Akane and they left, promising Houten to return at some point. "So, this is where your parents are buried?" Ranma asks.
" According to the newspaper," Koharu responds, "I just need to find their gravestones."
Within a few minutes, Koharu notices a pair of gravestones. Her cybernetically-enhanced eyes see the names on the stones. Her eyes widen, and she runs to the stones' location. Ranma and Akane stand there, watching the girl as she runs ahead. Koharu stops in front of the stones, staring at them. "H-Here they are…," she thinks to herself.
The gravestones are brand new, compared to a lot of the other ones, and printed upon them are the names:
Chikao Kurohime
Banira Kurohime
Taken from the World Too Soon
Koharu stands there, tears falling from her eyes. She crouches down on one knee, and wipes her eyes. "H-Hey, Mom… Hey, Dad… It's me, K-Koharu," she mutters, "I… I escaped from those bastards. Took me a month, but I did it."
Ranma and Akane watch from a distance, their faces falling in sadness at watching their friend speak to her parents' graves. "U-Unfortunately,... they fucked me up real bad," she continues, "They… made me into a freak. And I don't think I'll ever be normal again. B-But,... at least I now have the power to do something about them. Those bastards are gonna pay for what they did to us."
Tears fall continuously from Koharu's eyes. She sniffles, trying to keep her nose from running. "I'm… so sorry. So sorry that you were cursed with a pathetic daughter like me. If I didn't exist… you wouldn't have been killed…"
Koharu stands up, wiping her nose and eyes clean. "I promise," she thinks.
She turns around, and walks over to Ranma and Akane, who are staring at her. "A-Are you okay, Koharu-chan?" Akane asks, a worried look on her face.
" Y-Yeah," Koharu responds, "I'm fine, Akane-chan… I just… I just needed that. Needed to speak to them. To let them know I'm safe."
Ranma puts his hand on Koharu's shoulder, a soft smile on his face. "I'm sure they're proud of how strong you are," the pig-tailed boy says.
Koharu's cheeks go red at this compliment. "U-Uh… Th-Thank you, Ranma-kun…"
The three turn around, and begin to walk away from the gravestones. "So, should we head home now?" Ranma asks.
" Might be a good idea to at least stop by there," Akane responds, "We can drop off the stuff we bought and decide what to do then."
THWIP!
The three freeze in place, as suddenly, a thin white line hits the ground in front of them. The teens are confused. Koharu slowly approaches the weird line, the energy inside her body flaring wildly. "Wh-What is this feeling?" she asks herself, "Why do I feel on edge?"
The cyborg crouches down by the line, and reaching out, she plucks the line. It is hard, which is surprising, considering it almost looks like a thread. "What is this stuff? It reminds me of… WEBBING…!"
A dark thought rushes into Koharu's mind. She runs to her friends, a frantic expression on her face. "We've gotta run! Now!" she screams, grabbing Ranma and Akane's hands.
She pulls them to the side, curving around the thin white strand. "Wh-Whoa! K-Koharu-chan! What's wrong?!" Akane asks, confused.
" I'll explain later! Just run!"
The three weave around the burial places of the dead. However, suddenly, another thin strand shoots out. It grabs Ranma's art, which surprises him. "Wh-What the hell?!" he shouts, tugging on the strand, "I-It won't come off!"
Koharu chops at the thread, separating it from Ranma. Him and Akane are shocked at this display of strength. "Th-Thanks!" Ranma says, but Koharu responds, "Don't thank me yet…"
" Wh-What? Why?"
" Cause… we've got company…"
The arranged couple are confused by this statement. "Company?" Akane thinks to herself.
Just then, the ground thuds, as someone… or something… lands, a few feet away from them. They turn to the figure, and freeze at what they see. Standing before them… is a monster, unlike anything Ranma and Akane have seen before. It stands in a weird, hunched pose, growling wildly. It has no hands on its six arms, only weird hook-like protrusions. A large abdomen hangs off their backside. It has shaggy black hair, and its body has multiple shades of brown and yellow. On its forehead are four small and two large red eyes, situated above its human-like eyes. It has an odd mouth, with two large fangs situated on opposite sides. This monster looked like a mix between a man and a spider.
Akane is horrified at what she's seeing. "Wh-What the hell is that thing?!" she screeches.
Koharu stands in front of her new friends, blocking them protectively. "I was right," she thinks, "It IS a Gorgom Kaijin!"
Just then, four more figures appear out of nowhere, all of them Spider Kaijins as well. They stand there, in front of the teens, growling. "There's more of them?!" Akane shouts.
" What can I do? I don't know if they stand a chance against these Kaijin," Koharu thinks to herself, "But, if I have to fight them alone, then… I'll need to…"
" Stand back, you two," Koharu says.
Ranma and Akane look at the orphaned girl. Ranma has a grim look on his face, and Akane is shocked. "Wh-What?! You expect us to let you fight those things on your own?!" she asks, "No way! You're our friend now, Koharu-chan."
Koharu turns to face Akane, and says, "Trust me!"
Akane is confused. The look on Koharu's face. It's one of fear. One of anger. Like the girl's making a rash decision that she knows she'll have to live with. Just then, Ranma puts his hand on Akane's shoulder. She looks over at him. "Ranma?"
" Let's do as she says, Akane," he mutters.
Akane looks at her fiancé, surprised by what he's saying. "Ranma's never been one to turn down a fight, especially if a friend's in danger," the blue-haired girl thinks, "If… If he trusts Koharu-chan that much… then I will too."
Akane nods affirmatively, saying, "Fine."
She turns to Koharu, who is staring at the Spider Kaijins. "Koharu-chan, if you need help, we're gonna help! But, I'll trust you for now."
" Will you if you see my transformation…?" Koharu thinks.
The girl focuses on the enemies in front of her. "Gorgom… I'm gonna make you pay!" she thinks to herself, "For killing my parents. For what you did to me and Yukinosuke. For attacking me and my new friends."
Koharu strikes a pose, her fists clenched at her right side. Akane is confused by the pose she sees the girl make. The cyborg then moves her right arm to her side, and her left arm moves to her left. She then swings her arms back to the right. As she does this, she shouts one word:
"Hen…shin…!"
Her belt, the Vital Charger containing her Kingstone, appears around her waist. Lights flash from the red center of the belt, a weird mechanical pitch coming out. Green energy surrounds Koharu, morphing her into her monstrous form. But then, the body shifts into its armored appearance, and the weird symbol from before appears on her left pectoral area. The cyborg then leaps, flipping over the Kaijins, landing behind them. She turns to face them, and they do the same to her.
Akane stares at Koharu, her eyes wide. "Wh-What the-?! What did Koharu-chan just do? D-Did she… transform into something like them? A… grasshopper…?" she thinks to herself.
Steam bellows from Koharu's body, mainly from the fleshy points around her joints. "I will not give up. I will not be the Century King. I am not Black Sun!" she thinks to herself.
The image of that figurine from earlier pops into her head. The one of the Kamen Rider. He was like her. A person kidnapped by an evil organization and turned into a cyborg against their will. "That's it! I am-"
Koharu strikes a pose, and as she does so, she shouts, "KAMEN RIDER… BLACK!!"
The girl, Kamen Rider Black, stands there, in a heroic pose. "Kamen Rider Black, huh?" Ranma says, "She must've been really inspired by that urban legend…"
Akane turns to the pig-tailed boy, surprised by his response. "R-Ranma! Did you… know about this…?!" she asks him.
Ranma looks nervously at his fiancée. He rubs the back of his head, muttering, "U-Uh… yeah. We agreed to keep it secret. Just in case it could ruin the chances of her staying at the Dojo."
Akane grimaces at this response. But, it soon turns into a saddened expression as she turns to look at Koharu. "W-We wouldn't have turned her away…"
Koharu, aka Black, meanwhile, delivers a high kick upwards, as one of the Spider Kaijins leaps at her. It connects with the monster's stomach, sending it back towards Ranma and Akane, who jump back in shock.
Another one of the Kaijin then runs at Black, but she tosses it off her. Once the being stands, she delivers a punch to its face, knocking it back. The one she kicked charges her, and she punches it as well.
But then, the five mutants surround her, and out of nowhere, they each shoot a strand of webbing from their mouths, which wrap onto Black. Two on the arms, two on the legs, and one around her throat. The cyborg grabs at the one around her throat, struggling to free it from her. However, the Kaijjn make it hard. They dance around erratically, causing their weblines to become tangled, and Black falls to the ground.
Akane looks on in terror. "We've gotta do something!" she says to Ranma.
"You're right," he says, and as the two are about to approach, Black shouts, "St-Stay back, y-you two…!"
The two freeze, with Akane looking irritated. "Wh-What?! You can't be serious! You need our help! Didn't I say we'd help in a situation like this?"
" I-I've got this…!" Black shouts, as she thinks to herself, "There's only one option…"
Black gets on one knee, and shouts with all her might, "BATTLE HOPPER!!"
Her compound eyes flash red, which surprises Akane. "Battle Hopper?" she thinks, "Ain't that the bike Ranma mentioned she had yesterday?"
Just then, as if on cue, the sound of a motorcycle can be heard. The arranged couple turns to the direction the sound is coming from, and in the distance, they see it. A motorcycle with the appearance of a green grasshopper, it having bright red eyes. "He's here!" Ranma calls out, a smile on his face.
The bike speeds past them, driving towards Black and the Kaijin. Akane stares at the bike in shock, noticing there's no one on it. "Y-You weren't kidding! I-It… It really is sentient…!" she says to Ranma.
Battle Hopper runs across the weblines, shredding them and freeing his rider. Black stands, wiping the rest of the webbing from her body. "Th-That was unpleasant," the girl thinks, "Don't know if I can enjoy Spider-Man ever again…"
The girl runs to Battle Hopper, and gets on. Revving it up, she rides away from the battle, before turning around, charging straight at her enemies. Two of them jump out of the way, but one is hit by a wheelie that Black performs. The creature is knocked back, and as the bike lands, the Spider Kaijins regroup, running off. "Oh no, you don't!" Black shouts.
" I'm not letting them get away!"
Black and Battle Hopper race away, chasing after the monsters. Akane grabs onto Ranma's arm, shouting, "C-C'mon! We've gotta make sure she'll be okay!"
" R-Right!"
The two run after the fighters, with Akane thinking, "I hope you know what you're doing, Koharu-chan…"
Black finds the creatures reaching the exit of the cemetery, revving up Battle Hopper more. "We've gotta speed up, Battle Hopper! I won't let them escape after trying to hurt Akane-chan and Ranma-kun!" she shouts.
The bike beeps, agreeing to his rider's sentiments. The two race towards the Kaijins, and she jumps off a small hill, landing in front of the creatures. But then, before she can turn around, more webbing is shot out, wrapping around her neck. This causes her to fall off of Battle Hopper. She rises, and tears at the webbing around her neck, but then, two other weblines shoot out, wrapping around her arms. The Kaijins who shot it out run off, tripping Black, and dragging her along the ground. "Damn spiders! I'm getting really pissed off here," she thinks to herself, "What do I do here? There's gotta be some way to take them out…"
Just then, an idea flashed in Black's mind. The image of her belt came to her. "The Kingstone! That's right! It's some super powerful artifact. Surely it has the power to enhance my attacks, right? I've gotta just get this webbing off."
Black looks up, and sees that the two Kaijins dragging her are approaching a tree. "There!"
Black pulls back at the weblines, and slams her feet against the ground, her cybernetic enhancements allowing her to kick off from the ground. Kicking off the tree, she lands on the ground, twirling her arms to flip the Spider Kaijins onto their backs. "Got you, bastards!" she shouts triumphantly.
The other Spiders appear beside their two partners, which rise to their feet. Tearing the webbing off her arms, Black takes her hands, and slams them onto the buttons on the top of her belt. Light flashes from the center, before suddenly her right fist is surrounded in a red aura. She jumps up, flying at the Kaijins. Her fist stretches out, her shouting, "RIDER PUNCH!!"
Her fist collides with the face of one of the Kaijins, knocking it away. She charges at another, delivering another punch. She then delivers a back-handed punch to a third, before hitting a fourth with another jab. Then, she jumps into the air again, as the red aura surrounds her right foot. She stretches out her right foot, and tucks in her left leg. "RIDER KICK!!" she shouts.
Her foot connects with the torso of the last Spider Kaijin, it slamming into the ground. Black lands on the ground in a crouch, her right foot smoking from the energy and the impact. The five Kaijins stand up, twitching in pain, before suddenly, they explode on the spot. Black stands there, as smoke surrounds her. She pants to herself, thinking, "Thank god! I was worried that wouldn't work…"
Ranma and Akane run up to the site of the battle, having noticed the group of explosions. The arranged couple are amazed by the sight of Black, surrounded by smoke. The grasshopper cyborg stands there, as she turns to her friends. "Sh-She beat five monsters all by herself?" Akane mutters.
Black is surrounded in a glow, before reverting to normal. Koharu Kurohime stands there, a saddened look on her face. Ranma and Akane run up to her, the girl thinking, "Here we go… Akane's gonna be disgusted by me… She's gonna tell her family, and then I'm gonna be kicked out…"
" You okay, Koharu?" Ranma asks.
" U-Uh… yeah…," she responds, "Was a little worried for a moment, but… I did it…"
Akane stares at Koharu, which the girl notices. "A-Akane-chan…," she mutters, "Listen, I-"
Koharu is then left speechless. Akane grips tightly onto Koharu, hugging her in a tight embrace. The cyborg's face is blushing bright red from this, and Ranma is surprised. "A-Akane?" he mutters.
" They did that to you?" the blue-haired girl asks, looking at Koharu.
The girl nods "yes". Akane has tears start to fall from her eyes. "How horrible," she says, "I can't believe they'd do such a thing. It's despicable! Koharu-chan, I promise you this… I don't care what they did to you! You're my friend now… And I'm gonna make sure that NOTHING like that… happens to you again."
Koharu couldn't believe what she was hearing. Akane saw what Gorgom turned her into, and she was… okay… with it? She wasn't disgusted? Tears fall from Koharu's eyes now. She accepts the hug from Akane, crying loudly from being accepted by someone. Ranma stands there, a smile on his face. "Me too, Koharu," Ranma says, "We're your friends, and you don't have to fight these bastards alone! We won't stop until Gorgom pays for what they've done to you and everyone else they've hurt!"
Koharu smiles as she stares at her friends, a warm feeling enveloping her. "R-Right," she mutters, "Thank you… Akane-chan… Ranma-kun…"
The evil organization Gorgom turned Koharu Kurohime into a cyborg. But, she vows to overcome her sorrow, and fight for the freedom of mankind. Alongside her friends, she will stand and fight against Gorgom! She is the defender of freedom and liberty, Kamen Rider BLACK!
TO BE CONTINUED…