Age of Titans
By Ozzallos
Prologue
Furuhata Motoki stared at the charred rubble surrounding
him, the remnants of what was left of the establishment once known as the Crown
Arcade. He shook his head with a sigh, picking up yet another destroyed piece
of furniture. This one appeared to be a chair. Maybe.
If it weren't so blackened and warped from exposure to high temperatures, he'd
have been able to tell for certain. Didn't matter anymore, he thought, tossing
it into the box where similar other discards now resided. Regardless of what it
had been, it was junk now.
Whatever else could be said about the Senshi and their anti-Youma activities, they were certainly thorough. Sure, it
probably wasn't their fault that the demon had chosen to attack right outside
the Crown, but the collateral damage the Senshi's battle had created was quite…
extensive. So extensive that the place probably wouldn't be
able to open for months. Half the front wall was gone, most of the
furnishings gutted and a good portion of the arcade demolished. Furuhata swept another pile of glass and brimstone into a
waiting dustpan. All in all, it was amazing that they hadn't gone out of
business years ago.
It was also damn miracle he even still had a job.
The crackle of rubble buckling beneath an anonymous foot caught
his attention, causing the blond to turn around while wondering just who would
visit the arcade in its current state. Furuhata's
eyes widened as they fell upon his visitor. "Oh, hi boss!"
A diminutive four foot, eleven inch redhead picked
through the maze of rubble, studying the damage with a neutral expression. She flicked her errant ponytail
back over her shoulder as she stepped around the remains of a shattered table.
"Didn't leave much, did they, Furu-kun?"
Mokoti nodded. "I would have stopped them,
but getting between a pack of youma and the Senshi
didn't seem like a good idea, Ms. Saotome."
The redhead smoothed out her tan slacks after stepping over
another pile of rubble that had one been part of the ceiling. She smiled
slightly at the young man's dry humor. "Good call. What are we looking at
here?"
"Not much left." He shrugged. "We're lucky the
water is still running. Finding a place to drink it, on the other hand…"
"Think I get the idea." The woman bent over, picking
up a mangled picture frame. The picture therein was little more than carbonized
cinders. "Damn, and I liked this one too…"
“Took out most of the east wall.” Furuhata
added sullenly. “I don’t see us opening back up any time soon.” He picked up
another piece of the trashed arcade and tossed it half-heartedly into the bin.
“I’m really sorry about this, Ms. Saotome.”
“Don’t worry about that, Furu-kun.”
His employer waved away his self-admonishing tone. “Stuff like this happens.
Not your fault.”
On one hand the blond was relieved that his boss wasn’t about
to bite his head off for something totally out of his control, though he should
have been used to her calm demeanor after five years under her employment. She
simply didn’t get mad, as if the very act were contrary to her soothing nature.
And God only knew why she was still single, for that matter. The twenty-six
year old redhead was absolutely stunning enough to make nearly any man look
twice, yet she didn’t go out of her way to flaunt it. On the other hand, she
was almost too calm. Surreally so. Things like youma attacks and Senshi hopping around Juuban simply
didn’t faze her. He’d almost accuse her of being the oblivious sort if not for
the fact that she was running a successful business and he had seen her
intelligence in action first hand.
“So…” He began tentatively as she surveyed the ruin. “Who do we
call first, the insurance companies or the contractors?”
His boss seemed to think about it for a moment, then reached into her powder blue sports jacket. “General
contractors will take too long.” She replied, pulling a business card from the
breast pocket. “We need a specialist. Call her. She’ll know what to do.”
Furuhata Motoki took the card with
some measure of curiosity. Exactly who would help them clean up after a battle
between the Sailor Senshi and otherworldly demonic forces in an expedient
manner? He studied the card and the gold leaf name printed on it.
“Nabiki Tendo?”
Age of Titans
By Ozzallos
Editor- Quizer
Backup- Yarrow, DCG
Chapter One
The Path Taken,
Regret not.
Forward.
Moving Time.
“Hi, Miss Saotome!”
The redhead behind the counter turned away from her
conversation to the chorus of greetings that accompanied the door chime of the
Crown, and couldn’t help but to smile. Not only was it good to see business
pick back up after the rebuilding of the arcade, but it was nice to see the
familiar faces as well. Especially these familiar faces.
“Hello girls, nice to see you again. Be with you in a moment!”
Ranma turned back to Nabiki Tendo, who was peering over her
shoulder at the girls in question, then returned to the redhead before her.
“They wouldn’t happen to be…?”
The owner of the crown arcade nodded with a peaceful smile, her
eyes full of mischief. “Yes. That’s them.”
The middle Tendo’s own eyes began to glitter with avarice. “Are
you sure they don’t need…?”
She was cut off with the simple shake of Ranma’s head. “Not
yet.”
Nabiki let a labored sigh escape her lips. “You tempt me,
Saotome. You sorely tempt me.”
An amused chuckle burbled from the Saotome. “I know you better
than that, Nabiki-chan. Now if you’re done stalking
my regulars, let’s talk about your payment.”
“Really, now.” The sister offered dryly. “And I thought
you knew me better than that.”
It was Ranma’s turn to sigh now, and she took the moment to put
a single finger to her lips thoughtfully. The moment passed and she pulled a
small pocket book from beneath the counter top. “Don’t make this difficult, Na-chan.”
“It’s a simple concept, Ranma-kun.” Nabiki admonished with mock
sternness. “Your money is no good to me.”
Ranma’s grip on the pocket book wavered slightly as if
mirroring her exasperation on a well tread subject. “I’ll not be a freeloader,
Nabiki.”
The Tendo rolled her eyes. “Haven’t we beat
this horse into the ground enough, Ranma?”
“Call it a point of principle.” The redhead replied. “You
render a service, I pay. Simple.”
Nabiki began to rub her left temple, as if an excruciating pain
were running along it. “Alright, if you want to pay for services rendered, have
dinner with us.”
“How about Suko’s?” Ranma smiled pleasantly.
“They have an excellent—“
“At the dojo.”
The smile dropped off Ranma’s face immediately in favor of a
neutral expression. “I’m not so sure…”
“You wanted to pay so badly, that’s the deal.” Nabiki’s grin
was almost feral in nature. “See you around seven, Thursday?”
Ranma simply dealt her the neutral stare that served to
communicate her displeasure. “You’re not going to let me out of this are you?”
“Nope.” The woman formerly known as Furinkan’s
Ice Queen shrugged. “Besides, what fun are buttons if you can’t push them every
now and then?”
“I can’t say I’m thrilled.” Ranma managed, tugging at the
sleeve of her beige petticoat. “Are you sure you won’t accept double?”
The smile she received crushed all hope of getting out of the
dinner. “Not a chance.”
“Fine.” Ranma hung her head in defeat. “Just make sure—“
“I can’t believe you did it, Miss Saotome!” Ranma turned back
to the counter to find a blond haired, blue eyed girl in odangos and a school
uniform staring at the interior of the Crown with wide eyes. She was flanked by
two friends; another blonde teen and one with cobalt blue hair. “I thought the
“And rebuilt in only a week…” The shorter haired girl commented
with nearly the same amount of incredulity in her voice.
Ranma’s smile widened with pride. “Thank you
girls. I owe that feat to one of my best friends, Nabiki.”
“You sorely tempt me, Saotome.” She grumbled before
putting on her own smile. “Very nice to meet you…?”
“This is Usagi, Ami and Minako.” Ranma made introductions, and
the girls made slight bows as she ticked off the names. Then she winked
conspiratorially at Nabiki. “They very nearly keep me in business all by
themselves, especially Usagi-chan.”
Usagi’s friends smirked and filed the proprietors comments
under the ‘sad but true category’ while Usagi turned a light shade of pink.
Nabiki smirked as well, but for an entirely different reason.
“I wouldn’t let it worry you too much.” Nabiki began. “Ranma
used to keep several local ice cream shops in business back in the day. That is
when she wasn’t trying to use her good looks to get free food.”
"With that figure?" Minako stared in
disbelief.
Ranma inclined her head modestly and Nabiki’s audience couldn’t
help but to smile. Ami shook her head. “If I had your looks, I’d be raking in
free food left and right too.”
“Now, now.” Ranma waggled her finger. “Let's not harass
the hostess. Besides, torment her too much and my three favorite customers
won't get their ice cream on the house.”
"Ah, the joys of bribery." Nabiki commented as
Usagi's blue eyes lit up. Likewise, her friends
attention had been captured in its entirety.
"Not at all." Ranma wave the sarcasm
aside politely. "Call it a 'welcome back' special."
"Hmmf." The Tendo snorted, clearly
amused before turning to other topics. "Anyway, I have an appointment at
four, so I'll be taking my leave. Remember, dinner."
Ranma resigned herself to her fate. "I'm pretty sure you
wouldn't let me forget."
Nabiki made her way to the doorway, opening it with a light
chime. "Of course not. Ja-ne."
Ranma waited until her friend disappeared from sight before
turning back to the waiting girls, flipping her long red ponytail back behind
her back in the process. She folded her arms and scrutinized her patrons. “Now
where there’s one of you, there are usually more.”
Usagi nodded, blonde streamers of hair bouncing in the process.
“Makoto and Rei will be along in a few. Maybe—“
“You saved it!” Minako blurted, and ran across the room to an
arcade cabinet, beaming with delight. “I didn’t think…!”
“You didn’t think I’d open without the most played game in the
place, did you?” Ranma smiled kindly at the other blonde, who was
enthusiastically inspecting the Sailor V arcade machine.
“So how was your business trip, Miss Saotome?” Ami asked,
curiously. It was a well known fact that the owner of the Crown Arcade was well
traveled, often having to leave Furuhata in charge to
tend the shop. It was also a fact that intrigued the blue haired girl to no
end. After all, the furthest from home she had been was, well,
“For Love and Justice, fiend!” Ranma arched an eyebrow,
watching Minako give the new arcade game a fierce working over. Her battle cry
was awarded by several crunching sounds as a twelve hit combo laid her digital
opponent low.
“Mmmhmm.” Ranma nodded. “All business mostly. Humidity was absolutely horrid, but I
did find myself in the most interesting shop during on some of my free time…”
She let the pair hang hopefully on her words for a moment before continuing
with a wink. “But we’ll save that for later. Right now, I believe there’s a
bowl of chocolate-pistachio ice cream with your name on it, Sa-chan. Rocky road, Ami?”
“Oh, yes, definitely.” Ami shook her head vigorously while
Usagi was practically salivating at the prospect.
“Minako, Usagi’s going to get your Strawberry sherbet if you
don’t—“ No sooner had the words left her lips than the blonde practically
teleported over to the trio, taking her seat in front of the windowed glass
cooler from which Ranma was scooping. “So how has school been treating you
since I’ve been away?”
“Finals suck.” Minako spat, but quickly soothed herself with a
bite of sherbet from the bowl the redhead had pushed in her direction. “Sa-chan fell asleep in class again.”
“HEY!”
“Says you.” Ami retorted. “Finals are downright
relaxing after some of the yo-,
uh… extra-curricular activities we do.”
Both blondes to either nearly choked on their own desserts over
the verbal stumble, staring at a Ami who steadfastly
refused to make eye contact with anything, let alone the twenty-seven year old
shop owner in front of her. Ranma Saotome savored the moment silently, then put on her best vacant smile. “Oh my…You girls are so
active in your after school clubs.”
Kasumi would have been proud.
Even as the trio sighed in relief at having dodged a bullet,
Ranma smiled inwardly, idly wondering if she could induce a heart attack by
admitting aloud to knowing that the girls sitting in front were none other than
Sailors Moon, Mercury and Venus. And they did try so hard to keep their
identities a secret, too, she thought with amusement.
Ding-ding!
“See, I told you it was open!” Rei exclaimed, pulling her
taller counterpart through the front entrance.
“Ow! Okay, okay! I see!” Makoto
complained, snatching her arm back.
“I see pecan praline and vanilla caramel have arrived.” Ranma
grinned at the pair also known as Sailors Mars and Jupiter. “Pull up a stool,
you two.”
“Hi Miss Saotome!” Makoto piped
enthusiastically. “Wow! I thought that last youma
took the Crown out for sure!”
“Takes a lickin’, keeps on tickin’” Minako grinned.
“Not for lack of trying, though.” Ranma nodded. “The Senshi
play rough with their demon toys. I should have Nabiki send them the
repair bill, you know.”
The red head pretended not to notice the sudden paleness of
their faces.
“Eh heh… heeheheh…”
Usagi chuckled nervously. “But don’t the pretty magical girl soldiers of love
and justice protect people from evil and villainy?”
“Of course, of course.” Ranma waved aside the
comment. “Besides, I’ve seen places come back from worse.” …And I’ll be
going to one of them for dinner Thursday, she appended mentally, none to thrilled at the prospect. “No big deal,
really.”
Tension quickly drained from the girls around her, and she
further lightened the atmosphere by pushing Sailor Pralines and Sailor Caramel
their respective flavors of ice cream, who were themselves delighted that it
was on the house. The girls began their conversation in earnest and Ranma was
invariably drawn away by other customers, only to be drawn back into it minutes
later.
“So, Ami, did you ask him out?” Minako leaned toward the girl
with a conspiratorial smile plastered across her face. The question instantly converged the girl’s many splintered conversations onto one
focused topic. Ami shuffled uncomfortably under her friends combined gaze.
“Look, I’m just not ready take that step yet.” She replied, her
voice quavering slightly. “Besides, I don’t even know if he likes me.”
"Chicken." Rei commented between
spoonfuls of ice cream. "It's easy. Just walk up to him and ask him
out."
Ami favored her friend with a dry look. "And that's
obviously worked oh-so-well for you."
"Hey!"
"Maybe you should ask somebody with more experience."
Usagi inserted, glancing down the counter to the
Makoto let her spoon hand in her mouth for a moment, analyzing
her friend's suggestion. "You know, Ami, meatball head might just be right
this time around. She's totally hot, for lack of a better word. I'd be
surprised if she doesn't get her pick of guys."
Ami poked at her own bowl pensively. "I don't know…"
"Come on, she helps us out all the time." Minako
added, nudging the dark haired girl. "She won't mind giving you pointers
on how to nab Shiro-kun. Miss Saotomeeeee!"
Ranma’s attention was drawn from her idle chatter with another
patron and back to the girls. She drifted back over to their group with a
peaceful smile that was all but guaranteed to put anybody at ease. “What can I
do for you girls?”
Minako grinned broadly, jabbing her thumb into her friend. “Ami
has a question for you.”
“Umm… Uh…” The gentle curiosity radiating from Ranma’s crystal
blue eyes all but drew the words from Ami. “I, um… Need help picking up a guy.”
The redhead blinked, stroking the ponytail that had seen fit to
drape itself over her left shoulder. “I… You don’t really need my advice.”
“Oh, pah-lease.” Rei rolled her eyes. “You
have to dress down to keep the guys off you.”
Among other things, Ranma thought, trapped by some measure of truth
in Rei’s statement. While she didn’t exactly dress
down, per se, just very conservatively, which in turn did affect the number of
guys that tended to ask her out… if only by a small margin. The woman mentally
shrugged. The fact that she actually was beautiful was a condition she had long
since become used to and indifferent to simultaneously. Unable to refute the
girl’s observations, she simply waited while they took her silence as an
invitation to continue.
“Ami really likes this guy at school,” Usagi began.
“…but is just too darn shy for her own good.” Makoto continued.
“So she needs some pointers on how to approach him.” Rei
rounded out the explanation.
“And we know the guys are just all over you.” Minako pointed
out as a closing argument, eliciting nods from all five girls. In that moment,
Ami’s involuntary counseling session turned into a pointed group interest for
every girl involved. After all, what aspiring, boy-crazy teenage girl wouldn’t
want advice from a master such as the one before them? The woman was just too
good looking not to have her pick of men.
The redhead gave her ponytail another stroke before flipping it
back over her shoulder, resigning herself to her fate with a patience won only
through years of experience. Maybe she could even steer them away from her more
extreme experiences. With that thought in mind, Ranma settled in. “Well, first,
you should never come on too strong. Few guys like a strange girl who suddenly
comes out of the blue and hangs all over them, glomps
and such.”
“Makes sense.” Makoto shrugged.
“Take notes, Minako.” Rei grinned, causing the blonde to growl.
“Likewise, don’t chase them all around.” Ranma continued, as if
instructing pupils in a classroom. “Everybody likes attention, but everybody
needs space too. If you chase him too much, you’ll chase him away.”
“Subtlety.” Ami concluded, mentally jotting the point
down. Ranma nodded.
“Exactly. But in moderation.” The proprietor warned,
clicking a nail on the counter as if to emphasis the point. “There’s a fine
line between subtlety and manipulation. The latter will end your romance before
it even starts.”
“She’s good.” Usagi whispered over to Rei, who nodded in
kind.
“And the last thing you want to do is resort to drugs,
blackmail and explosives.” Ranma stated with utter seriousness, and the nods
that had been following her lesson in romance instantly ground to halt. Explosives? ”Extorting or brainwashing your
date will not endear him to your affections. And don’t—“ Ranma paused, noting the wide eyes riveted to her person.
“What? Why are you staring at me?”
Usagi opened her mouth, but words failed to come out. Ami,
Minako, Makato and Rei simply stared. “That was… um…”
Riiiing!
All eyes snapped to the phone down the counter, and every
female involved was grateful for the distraction, if for their own separate
reasons. Ranma flashed them a brilliant smile. “Oops. Continue this later,
girls.”
The eyes tracked her as she moved off, and once the proprietor
was out of nominal earshot, the conspiratorial whispers began.
“What the hell was that!”
Minako hissed in disbelief, still unable to tear her eyes away from the owner
of the Crown Arcade across the room.
“Where, exactly did that conversation go horribly wrong?”
Makoto asked, shaking her head.
“Drugs.” Rei replied with equal disbelief. “I think around
the mention of using drugs to seduce Shiro.”
Ami had been reduced to a blinking stupor. “I wasn’t planning
on using explosives…”
“You think it was a joke?” Minako finally managed to tear her
eyes off the redhead.
“You know Miss Saotome better that.” Usagi glanced back at
across the room. “She doesn’t joke. At least not like that.”
“Then what was that?” Makoto questioned, still unable to wrap
her brain around the turn in conversation. “Oh my God… you don’t think…?”
“It’s the only explanation.” Usagi Tsukino nodded. “I mean,
what else could it be?”
Ami cocked her head. “So you’re saying…?”
“She was describing her own experiences!” Rei concluded,
bridging the same mental gap. “Miss Saotome used all those methods in her
younger days to catch guys…!”
“…And only reaped sorrow.” Usagi confirmed sadly. “Leaving her
much wiser… but alone.”
Makoto was practically sniffling now. “That’s so sad!”
“We have to do something to help her!” Minako piped, gaining
the nods her friends.
Usagi pushed a fist into her palm, purpose burning in her eyes.
“Let’s go girls. We have some planning to do!”
Red hair wafted lightly in the warm evening breeze
as Ranma Saotome made her way down the all-too-familiar streets of
Speaking of the past, Ranma mused idly as she paused at a gate
and the wooden plank that hung above it. '
"Don't you normally teach the advanced class,
Ryoga-kun?" Ranma queried the advancing man, eyeing the students behind
him.
Ryoga Hibiki nodded curtly. "'Kane-chan's
busy." He smiled back as she took his hand gently. "How has Juuban
been treating you? Old Nerima misses you, you know?"
Ranma chuckled softly at their customary banter. "Somehow
I doubt that. Nabiki isn't cooking tonight is she?"
A sufficiently horrified look occupied the Hibiki's face. "Goodness no! Akane has the kitchen tonight."
"Oh, thank God." The woman feigned relief. "I
don't think I could take another meal like…"
"…the rainbow jello dinner. Yes,
I know." Ryoga simply shook his head sadly. "It took us a week to
catch the damn—“
“RYOGA HIBIKI!”
Ranma blinked, and her head swiveled left to find a young
blond, no more than seventeen by her estimate, standing on the property wall of
the dojo. His weather-worn black cloak flapped in the wind, but that wasn’t the
primary feature dominating his fashion statement. That was left to the buckles
that seemed to cover every square inch of his leather clad person. Arms. Legs. All in all, Ranma was
impressed that the boy was still able to move with some modicum of stealth. Not that she hadn’t sensed his approach with absolute clarity.
Then she noticed Ryoga’s slumping body language, indicating that this was, in
fact, a regular occurrence. Even his students were
groaning. Then there was the bag on buckle-boy’s back… those couldn’t possibly
be…
“Golf clubs, Ryoga?” She asked with a small amount of
skepticism creeping into her usually calm voice. The martial arts instructor
looked like he was about ready to answer when another outburst from the young
man cut him off once more.
“My name Shindo Genji! You killed my father! Prepare to die!” With that
proclamation he reached to his back, pulling one of the clubs. His weapon of
choice appeared to have a fat steel head and he brought it to bear on the
Hibiki.
“You killed his father, Ryoga-kun?” Ranma asked with her most
innocent voice and wide eyes to match. Ryoga favored her with a dry look. “Oh
my, you’re not a nice person.”
“You’re getting entirely too good at that.” Ryoga snorted, then turned his attention entirely onto his buckled
challenger. “I didn’t kill your father, you idiot!”
“I shall avenger his life with your death!” He bellowed,
swishing his golf club through the air decisively. “Your existence ends now!”
Ryoga shook his head and stepped into a loose attack stance
while Ranma simply burbled with amusement. “I’ll be in the dojo helping Akane
fix supper.” Ranma took one last look at the advancing blond and smiled
mischievously. “You boys have fun.”
The martial artist shot the redhead one last glare as she
turned on a heel and cleared the immediate strike zone for the house without a
look back, totally disinterested in the violent activities about to take place.
Have fun, boys. The words echoed in his mind, causing him the slightest
of shivers after all these years. They had a distinct feminine lilt to them,
one that would never belong to the person named Ranma Saotome in his view of
the world. Before he could turn the matter over further in his mind, his
musings were interrupted by an angry battle cry.
“FIVE IRON FRENZY!”
Suddenly, Ryoga Hibiki was engaged in a practical classroom
demonstration of his Art.
A slight rumble reverberated through the house
structure, sending ripples through the pot of soup Akane Hibiki was preparing.
The vibration of her kitchen caused a slightly perturbed look to cross her face
as Ranma fished an apron from a nearby wall hook.
“Honestly, are those two going at it again?” Akane growled, her
tone matching the irritation on her face. “I swear,
I’m going to beat both of them down myself if they ruin things in here.”
Finding the vegetables neglected and a lonely knife, Ranma
picked up the cutting implement and began chopping lightly at an offending celery. “Yes, I hear your husband is an axe
murderer now.” The redhead’s humorous demeanor and easy smile seemed to siphon
off some of the cook’s anger.
“Hmmf. You don’t know the half of
it.” She sniffed and returned to seasoning her stew. “Last time, it was his
mother. The time before that, his sister.”
“A different family member each week?” Ranma arched an eyebrow,
finishing off the stalk of celery and moving on to a hapless carrot.
Akane chuckled. “Pretty much. We’re
waiting to see just how large his family is.”
Ranma shared a mutual smile with her long since ex-fiancée, then twisted her head around the kitchen. “So where is the
little scamp, anyway?”
“Doc’s office.” The cobalt haired woman
answered simply.
The redhead nodded knowingly. “Should have figured if she
wasn’t here cooking with you…”
“I’m not sure which is worse, honestly.” Akane grinned. “Aikio destroying the kitchen or
destroying Kasumi’s patients.”
“The patients, I think.” Ranma decided. “We know for a fact
that this kitchen can take a beating.”
Akane Tendo managed a mirthful chuckle through her own silent
air of regret at her best friend’s words. It would be so easy to read shades of
the old Ranma in her humor, shades that in reality hadn’t existed for nearly a
decade. Either that, or they had been suppressed so
deep as not to matter, she thought as her psychology minor surfaced for a
moment. Back then, that comment would have been aimed squarely at her and her
total lack of skill in cooking. It still was today, but with an important
difference-- it not only encompassed her past experience in the culinary arts,
but her kitchen feuds with Ranma herself and Nabiki’s own disasters as well. In
fact, Ranma never made a joke about anyone anymore that couldn’t be turned
directly on herself in some way, shape or form. She
sized her friend up, who was every bit the woman she was. Both were twenty
seven and fit, though Akane still had an inch or so on
her in height. The red head’s bust was was still a
sore point that made up for that inch, and Akane knew that while she would
always be good looking, Ranma was literally stunning. In some ways it had been
a good change… Ranma had grown up. She was a respected member of the community.
Went to school. Owned her own
business… but the price had been high. So very high.
Who would have thought she would so long to hear Ranma call her a tomboy one
last--
“I know that face, ‘Kane.” Ranma had stopped her tender mercies
concerning the vegetables before her, and Akane now found herself looking into
a neutral expression. “Let the ghosts tend to the past. They aren’t the reason
I’m here tonight.”
Accept it and move on, in other words, Akane thought and let her
sigh escape from the mental prison of her thoughts to
open air. “Of course. Speaking of the present, could
you go get Aikio, and Kasumi for that matter? All I have left is those
vegetables and dinner is ready.”
The neutrality of Ranma’s countenance was cleared away with a
pleasant smile and a nod. “Of course. I might even try
and pry that husband of yours away from that silly boy he insists on playing
with.”
Akane nodded. “Oh, definitely that.
Send him home before the street lights come on.”
The redhead chuckled and turned away for the door, untying the
apron as she proceeded to her appointed rounds. Even as she departed the
kitchen, Akane couldn’t help but to stare after her one time fiancée and the
mystery she held. Let the ghosts tend to the past, indeed, she thought
wistfully. A difficult task when you’re pursuing your own, right Ranma? It
wasn’t obvious. In fact, Ranma hid the fact quite well from the world, but she
had known the red head for over a decade now and her walk told her everything
that wasn’t said. Each visit, Ranma Saotome’s walk
was slightly different. The girl had all but forsaken violence, challenges,
open sparring and teaching, but the walk was there and so was the Art, even if
she took pains to hide it. Nobody Akane knew of had seen Ranma practice in the
last decade, but she was all but certain that whatever her families Art had
become, it most certainly wasn’t gathering dust.
The kitchen door closed with a soft click and Akane Hibiki
turned back to her soup, staring at the off-color reflection on its surface.
There was only one reason Ranma would keep up the art after all she had been
through.
Akane sighed again, banishing her reflection with the soup
spoon once more.
“OwOwOwOW!”
Ranma smiled as the rubbing alcohol was applied with liberal
measure to the blond’s wounds through layers of
shredded leather and broken buckles. Only moments before Shindo
Genji’s tormentor had been Ryoga Hibiki. Ranma hadn’t
seen the battle that transpired, but it had obviously been a short, painful
lesson for his students to observe. His current tormentor was now female, only
four years older than herself. She wore her hair in unbound brown waves and
wore a peaceful expression; one Ranma had made every attempt to emulate over
the years. Next to her was a small girl in a karate gi,
sporting a short crop of dark blue hair, cute fanged smile and rich brown eyes
that seemed to glitter every time a cotton ball touched the boy’s wounds,
eliciting a yelp of pain.
“Do it again, Aunt Kas!” The little
girl squealed. Much to her delight, Kasumi smiled and dabbed another wound,
producing another yelp.
“OW!” The young man scowled. “I don’t need this!”
“Of course you do.” The eldest Tendo sister countered. “It
would be very impolite of you to bleed all over the court yard.” Shindo looked as if he were about ready to argue, but found
himself unable to counter the kind rebuke. Instead, he
mumbled a barely intelligible apology and Kasumi continued with a smile. “And
that arm of yours will need to be popped back into place.”
“Look, it ain’t gonna
need— OWWWW!” Aikio Tendo’s jingling laughter
mixed with Shindo Genji’s
holler of pain as Kasumi reached in and grasped his arm and shoulder, expertly
forcing the joint back into the socket. Ranma couldn’t help but to smile at the
little girl, having long since decided that Aikio’s
perverse affinity for pain was well in line with the parents who sired her.
“Oh, Ranma-kun, could you do something about the pain?” Ranma
nodded amiably with the request and gave the teen two quick pokes to the back,
one at the base of his shoulder blade and the other to the left of his spine’s
sixth vertebrae.
“HEY! Stop poking—...!” A confused expression crossed the
buckled martial artist’s face and he flexed his arm. Shindo
gave the smartly dressed redhead a puzzled look. “Uh, wow. Thanks. You a doctor too?”
An amused expression overtook Ranma’s face as she considered
the boy. “No, no. Just a hobby. And I apologize in
advance.”
“Apologize in advance?” he blond mimed, wondering why, exactly,
she would apologize for eliminating his pain with a single touch. Any further
questions along those lines, however, were cut off as the master of the
Tendo-Hibiki School of Indiscriminate Grappling stuck his head through the half
open door and into Kasumi’s practice.
“Done with buckle-boy yet? Getting hungry out
here.”
Shindo’s eyes widened and angry
fury burned within them. “You’re gonna die,
Hibiki!” He lurched off of Kasumi’s examination bed and managed two steps
across the room before those same fury fueled eyes fluttered and rolled into
the back of his skull, sending the boy stumbling into the floor, unconscious.
Ryoga looked down to the crumpled boy at his feet, then up at Ranma
and Kasumi, who stared back innocent as could be. The Hibiki rolled his eyes.
“And I’m supposed to believe he just fell over.”
“Oh my, that’s an improper place to sleep.” Kasumi blinked with
all the naivety in the world, looking at Ranma.
“Maybe he has narcolepsy?” Ranma blinked
back, equally clueless.
The Hibiki simply shook his head, then
looked to his daughter, who was now poking at the corpse of Shindo.
“Don’t suppose you know what’s up with him, Aikio?”
To his dismay, she adopted a similarly vacant expression. “Just
found him here, Pop.”
Ryoga Hibiki stared blandly at the trio of innocent females and
finally sighed. “Alright, fine. Free Pocky for
whoever spills it.”
“Ran-chan did it!” The little fanged
girl blurted, scrambling over the buckled corpse to her father.
“Rats.” The redhead feigned disappointment and stuck her tongue
out at the girl, who promptly stuck her own out in turn.
His ruse successful, Ryoga scruffed
his daughter’s head. “Now can you tell me how she did it?”
“Ummmm…” Aikio
studied the redhead intently, trying to recall the technique from memory. She
began to look a bit lost until Ranma subtly wiggled an index finger with a
slight grin. The daughter’s eyes lit up. “Oh! Pressure
point!”
“Very good.” Ryoga gave her a squeeze as she beamed with
pride. “Somebody gets some Pocky after dinner. Now go
help your mother set the table.”
Aikio was out of Kasumi’s examination room in a
flash, leaving the three bemused adults in her wake. “Defintely a sharp one.” Ranma mentioned with a smile
as the three filed out behind her. Ryoga hefted Shindo’s
inert body over his shoulder and followed. “Better watch that mercenary streak
of hers though.”
“Tell me about it. She’s already trying to negotiate her chores.”
Ryoga admitted. “Let ‘Kane-chan know
I’ll be right in. Gotta toss buckle-boy here out.”
Ranma and Kasumi nodded, letting Ryoga go about his duties
concerning the disposal of Shindo Genji.
Eldest sister noted Ranma’s curious expression and preempted the inevitable
question. “Oh, he’ll just set him outside on the curb. Most of the time
Shin-kun just wakes up and wanders home.”
The Saotome chuckled and paused, noting the building they had
just stepped out of with a critical eye. “You remodeled?”
“I was inspired.” Kasumi nodded, pleased that her efforts had
been noticed. The structure in question had been shoehorned onto the Tendo
property nearly four years ago after she had obtained her medical license. It
was, after all, the easiest, least cost-intensive solution for the newly
licensed doctor to set up her own practice; simply put some of the family's
land to good use. In a way, it pleased Ranma, as there was a certain synergy
that existed between the Tendo-Hibiki martial arts school and Kasumi’s medical
practice. Between that synergy and Nabiki’s innate gift for all things
business, the dojo was seeing some of its most profitable years since being
built.
“The interior remodeling was especially nice.” Ranma agreed,
opening the door for Kasumi. The smell of delicious food wafted around the pair
and suddenly small talk was the last thing on the redhead’s mind.
Kasumi smiled warmly as Ranma made her way into the house. It
was nice to know that after so much change, some things never would.
Ranma Saotome politely dipped a slice of steamed
pork into an expertly prepared brown sauce and popped it into her mouth with
precise care. Had they not known the woman for the last ten years, Ryoga,
Akane, Nabiki and Kasumi might have thought it odd that she wasn’t wolfing down
her food with careless abandon. As it was, they had
and the behavior went by and large unnoticed, except by Aikio,
who was miming her ‘older sister’ with uncanny accuracy.
“Ono says ‘hi’, of course.” Ranma continued for her audience as
she ran through current events. “I know for a fact that he wouldn’t mind the
company next time you come through Juuban.”
“I’m pretty sure I know somebody he’d like to see more than
us.” Akane replied, winking at Ranma with a sly grin, causing the Saotome to
chuckle.
Nabiki frowned, her rice laden chopsticks pausing before her
mouth. “Oh, don’t you two even start that again.”
“Too late.” Kasumi replied, her eyes glittering with
the same mischief as Akane and Ranma’s. “He’s mature, handsome, successful,
single… Did I mention handsome, successful and single?”
“The thoughts had crossed my mind.” The middle Tendo stated
dourly. “And since when is my personal life the topic of dinner table
discussion?”
“Since we found out about just how well you two have been
getting along.” Ranma pointed out with a wide smile. “It’s not as if he could
keep that sort of secret from me, anyway.”
"Well you are practically his family." Ryoga
mentioned, then sent a smirk her way. “Are you sure
you’re ready for Nabiki as your mother, Ranma?”
The redhead cocked her head, as if to consider the prospect.
“Hmmm… Nabiki Tofu…”
"And I think you're the only sister not to have a crush on
him yet." Akane smiled sweetly, leaning into her husband.
"Seems to run in the family." Kasumi pointed out
inoffensively and Ranma nearly choked on the intended humor of her comment, as
well as the dumpling she had been nibbling at.
The Tendo scowled and opened her mouth for a retort, only to be
cut off by the smallest attendee. “Ono and Nabiki, sittin’ in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!”
The business woman cast a sidelong glare at the young girl.
“Can it, squirt. But since we’re airing everybody's dirty laundry, inquiring
minds will be interested to learn that Ranma-kun here is host to the Sailor
Senshi.”
Eating and conversation stopped instantly. Ryoga’s gaze
narrowed on Ranma. “You know the Sailor Strumpets?”
Akane gave her husband a slight nudge to the ribs, and instead
forwarded her own question. “Tell us you’re not hanging out with the pretty
girls of love and justice now. It’s just so… so…”
“Demeaning?” Nabiki supplied with a feral grin, and Akane
nodded.
“Exactly.” The youngest sister confirmed. "I
mean, what is up with those skirts? No wonder they attract so much
trouble."
“Now, now.” Kasumi inserted herself into the discussion.
“Fighting for love and justice is an admirable pursuit.”
Ranma nodded in agreement. “For who
they are, they manage remarkably well. Nice girls. Well meaning. Can't ask for
anything more."
"And good customers." Nabiki added, causing
Ranma to nod.
"There is that."
"So are you a magical girl too, now Ranma?" Kasumi
questioned between sips of tea. Akane leaned forward with interest, as stranger
things had happened ‘back in the day’. That, and there was the point that if
Ranma were a magical girl, it also meant she was more than likely
engaged in violent activities, something her friend had forsaken since days
best forgotten. It still wouldn’t quite be the Ranma they all once knew, but it
was a step in the right direction…
…whatever that direction was these days.
“No, of course not.” Ranma waved the theory
away. “While I would look absolutely fabulous in one of those fukus, I’ll stick to running the Crown.” Akane and Ryoga
simply nodded with the truth, having long since lost the ability to flinch at
the redhead’s non sequiturs. “And they do try so hard to keep their
identities a secret too.”
“I hear Nabiki did a fine job with the reconstruction.” Kasumi
commented as the conversation evolved around the Senshi. “It was a youma attack then?”
“Yes,” The red replied with the slightest hint of weariness in
her voice. “While the girls are well meaning, they still need to learn a lesson
or two concerning collateral damage. Thankfully, I have an expert
troubleshooter on my side.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere Ranma-kun.” Nabiki bowed her
head modestly. “Though it’s not as if I haven’t had to expedite rush repairs
before, I mean with you and Akane…” She watched as Ranma’s face lapsed from an
easy smile into veiled neutrality, ghosts of the past flickering in her eyes.
The rest of the family seemed to hold its breath at the conversational faux
pas. “I… uh, sorry about that, Ranma-kun. Wasn’t thinking.”
Ranma blinked the ghosts away and forced a slight smile. “No
worries, Nabiki-chan. That experience is why I called
you anyway. You were the best back then too.”
Nabiki smiled weakly herself. Even after stumbling over the
girl’s grave, she still had a knack for making people feel good about themselves. “Thanks, Ranma. But don’t think the next one
will be free.”
“Oh my.” Ranma put her hand to her lips in mock horror. “If
tonight’s payment was supper, I shudder to find out what other horrors await
me. So, how is your father?”
“Oh, he’s as well as can be expected.” Akane took over the
topic with the fluidity Ranma had broached it. That fluidity was, of course, a
lie. She knew that it was a polite formality to be dispensed with for Ranma and
nothing more, as her friend really had no interest in her father’s current well
being. None what-so-ever, in fact. “Wants
to take Aikio on a training mission.”
“Mmm.” Ranma murmured
noncommittally between sips of tea.
“I really hope you’re not going to let him pull those antics
again, Sis.” Nabiki frowned, obviously displeased with the news. The small
girl’s ears perked up with the mention of her name.
“Grampa says there are
Amazon-dragon-phoenix-squids in
“When you’re older.” Ryoga stated in a tone
that left no room for negotiation.
“Awwww!”
Ranma smiled and opened her mouth to speak, then cocked her
head, as if listening to something. Ryoga noted the pose and extended his own
martial arts senses out beyond the dining room walls. “Dammit.”
Akane turned from Ranma, to her husband. “What?”
“I’m afraid I’ll have to call it a night.” Ranma stated
pleasantly, rising from her sitting position at the table, taking Akane’s hand. “Thank you for the wonderful meal. Kasumi,
Nabiki. Good seeing you again. Be a good girl, Aikio.”
“What? You can’t be going so soon! It’s only—“
Akane Hibiki’s objections were halted by her husband’s gentle hand on
her shoulder.
“He’s back.”
Akane stared as his words set in, then
up at Ranma, who nodded. “But… we sent him out. He should have been busy for
another hour and a half. At least.”
“We can have dinner at my place to make up for it.” Ranma
smiled, then turned to the door. “I’ll make the most
scrumptious—“
Click.
All eyes swiveled onto the door and the graying mustachioed man
who stepped through it. He slipped out of his shoes and dusted off his brown hakama before returning his attention to the interior of
the house. “I’m home gir—“ The
words died on his lips upon noting the redhead in tan slacks and a short
sleeved black blouse. “Oh, ah, it’s good to see you, um, Ranma.”
The words spilled forth nervously and Ranma barely acknowledged
the greeting, as if it were a given. There was nothing on her face now but an
emotional void as she considered Soun Tendo. “I was just leaving.”
The room seemed to palpably cool with her words and she took
the opportunity to move toward the door, stepping past the Tendo patriarch with
an air of indifference. Her hand reached for the doorknob when another hand
closed around her shoulder, stopping her.
“Ranma, I just want to…” Soun began softly, only to be cut off
almost as soon as the words left his mouth.
“Remove your hand, Soun Tendo.” Ranma ordered icily, never
taking her eyes off the door. Her tone was a sharp contrast to the calm
pleasantness she had carried through the dinner. “I should hate to have the
police disturb the neighbor’s peace this time of night.”
“But… I… You…”
“Daddy, just let her go.” Akane ordered sternly, but softly.
Her father’s frame visibly slumped, and his hand slipped off the redhead’s
shoulder. Without another word, she was gone through the door and out in the
night. Soun stood in place, motionless, while Aikio
looked from one solemn adult to another.
“Why doesn’t Ran-chan like Grampa, Mommy?”
Akane sighed, pulling the small girl close. “That’s a long, long
story…”
Author’s Notes;
Honestly, I’ve really got to get off the SM-Ranma xover
kick. Too bad my Muse-O-Matic 5000® finds the subject
matter just too darn attractive. Anyway, chapters will be alternating between
past and present, as to fill in backstory. Yes, everything
will be explained, but you’ll have to bear with me as I open the Gates of WTF®
wide.
Matchups; Probably
not. Definitely not A) Any member of the NWC or, B)
The Senshi.
Shindo Genji; You’ll get it. Maybe not.
do-ji.
The Crown Arcade; In canon,
this place is used to varying degrees as a communications base to the Moon. In
reality, the concept was no more than a plot speed bump, existing in the anime
for only one season before being dropped entirely as a plot device. As such,
I’ve taken the liberty of altering events slightly, in that it is not a ‘secret
senshi base’ of any sort. The SM plot obviously did
just fine without it, and so will this story. The Crown
Timeline: Approximately ten years after Ranma ½ canon, book
38. Sailor Moon canon has just ended.
Ranma Saotome; Twenty seven, presently retains a
female persona for reasons to be outlined later. If this bothers you, shrug.
Special Thanx to Yarrow and
DCG for some great scene ideas; Quizer,
of course, for the editing.. All three are invaluable
when it comes to making this fic better than it
originally was.
Final note; My homepage is
slowly coming back up, updating as I have time. ATM, only my mjor releases have been posted. Some concerns have been
expressed about the more minor ones not being there, not being updated, etc,
but no worries. I plan on not only posting them, but finishing them as well.
Releases will now be posted for a few days on my website first before being
posted here, just for kicks and giggles, and note the new snippet section.