Pretty Magical Girl Ranma
By Ozzallos
The Short Goodbye
Part One
"Bakuai Tenketsu!"
Ranma spun left as the Lost Boy's Breaking Point technique
turned what had once been a perfectly good sidewalk into a detonation of
hailing concrete. Fragments ripped through the air where the martial artist had
been standing, impaling the wall behind him like some misshapen shotgun blast.
"Ryoga, I really don't have time for this!"
He ducked under the next spinning roundhouse kick that took a
chunk out of the already pulverized wall behind Ranma. …And he was only aiming
for, oh, my head, He thought sarcastically and began to probe his opponent's
defense with a few combinations of his own. Ranma frowned. All the basic stuff
was meeting with solid deflections, which could only mean one thing-Ryoga had
been practicing.
"You'll make time for my vengeance, Ranma!" Ryoga
snarled and renewed his offensive with vigor. "I've seen hell because of
you! …AGAIN!"
Sidestep. Duck. Quarter flip. It was all automatic as Ranma
wondered just what hell he had inadvertently visited on the directionally
challenged combatant this time. For Ranma, hell was Akane with a kitchen all to
herself, but lord only knew what he had done to Ryoga. Dodge. Reversal. Roll
out. He's probably just pissed that he got lost in the bathroom again. In fact-
"I said pay attention!" Ryoga face contorted with
rage while both hands began to glow. Whatever, Ryoga. Like a stupid ki blast is
going to-Wait. Both hands? "Shishi Houkou Dan Double!"
Ranma's responses were still on automatic when the duel
ki-shots roared in. His initial movement would have neatly removed him from the
path of the first, but however neglected to take into account a second ball of
spirit energy. Blue light bathed his person as the blast flashed toward him at
high speed. For most people, the situation would have spelled certain disaster.
Of course, most people weren't Ranma Saotome, heir to the Anything Goes School
of Martial Arts either. There was a reason this boy was called a martial arts
prodigy and it showed even in how he reacted to the unexpected attack. It was a
nearly impossible movement as Ranma whipped around to face the blast and
generated his own blast. The two met in a blinding flash and the pigtailed boy
was blow across the street landing feet first into another wall that promptly
buckled on impact. He fortified his body with ki for the shock and flipped out
of the crumbling indenture and back onto the street.
Sloppy, Ranma chided himself. Sloppy and careless. I just got
too used to him dealing the same stale moves for months, that's all. I guess I
should take it as a complement. After all, he's just copying my Moko Takabishi
Double blast. Now Ryoga affected an arrogant smile from across the street and
it was starting to get on his nerves.
"Really P-chan," Ryoga's smile evaporated like a
snowflake in hell. Hit, Ranma smiled wickedly "Can't you come up with
something original?"
"DIE, RANMA!" The pig boy snarled in undistilled rage
and launched another Double blast downrange. Ranma was already in the air as
the energized balls of ki obliterated the street he'd been standing. Now that's
a difference, Ranma noted as tumbled through the air into Ryoga. Wonder how
many doubles he can actually light off? He put the question on hold and powered
up his own Moko Tababisha, bringing it down on Ryoga like a ki jackhammer.
"Cra-CraaaaCK!"
The shock stunned Ranma, his downward momentum stopped by two
more blasts that simultaneously intercepted his own. Power erupted around him,
reversing his fall violently. THREE doubles? He extended, turning his
uncontrolled aerial tumble into a controlled, skidding landing. Ranma now
considered his opponent in a new light as he recovered back into a combat
stance. While he could pump out single blasts all day long, doubles put
considerably more strain on his system and two was his limit. Ryoga had just
cut loose with three and by the looks of it, wasn't showing signs of
significant strain. Impressive, Ranma thought, but not good enough. He powered
up another ki blast and sent it down the street, where Ryoga was more than
happy to meet it with his own one more. The two flashed together, annihilating
one and other in a release of incoherent energy.
The second's worth of blindness was all it took and Ranma was
inside the lost boy's guard with three hard kicks to his mid-section. The force
sent him into the opposite wall with a satisfying crunch. He pressed the
attack, but Ryoga recovered and managed to deflect the next round of blows. He
rolled right and came to rest by his hiking pack, grabbling the traditional red
bamboo umbrella that was never far from his side. Ranma skipped back as the
umbrella swung in and watched it take another chunk out of the already abused
apartment building wall they had been dueling around. The umbrella popped open
and Ryoga gave it a mighty hurl. Now it was Ranma who had to roll away as it
cut it's own path down the street, it's bamboo edge slicing down light poles
and traffic signs in the process. The pig-tailed boy was up again and ready to
press his attack once more when he noticed the faintest edge of amusement on
Ryoga's face. Shit, the umbrella! The warning blasted through Ranma and he went
prone. The umbrella whistled back overhead, cutting brick out of the wall and
gutting a fire hydrant before returning to Ryoga's outstretched hand.
The resulting fountain of water doused both combatants, but
only one had an umbrella. Part of Ranma was getting pissed. He was now a she,
cold and wet. The other part had to give Ryoga his due. The umbrella had been
popped open too fast and too conveniently not to have been a preplanned move.
Two attacks and some humiliation all combined into one move. Nice. The pressure
from the hydrate dropped to a burble and the last of the showers pattered down
on Ranma who found Ryoga smiling coldly once more. Smile while you can,
pig-boy, she thought evilly. My overall power may have decreased, but my
technique is the same and I even get a slight bump in speed.
Ranma blurred forward in a spray of water and Ryoga brought his
weapon to bear, only to have it neatly sidestepped. Two deflections later and
she opened Ryoga's guard wide and unleashed the Haku Dato Shin Sho into several
parts of his body. The lost boy instantly knew it was the beginning of the end
of the fight. The attack would punch super-concentrated spikes of ki using the
girl's fingers tips through his body. Overall, the damage radius was minute
save the fact that the spikes would reach through his own ki fortified body and
into the vulnerable points. The first hit his chest. A second into his abdomen.
His arm. Another chest shot. Then the redhead's hand began to glow and began to
power up a ki blast at pointblank range. Ryoga watched with disbelief. Did she
even realize…?
Even as the ball of destructive ki energy coalesced in her
hand, she knew there was something wrong. Ranma shoved the ball of power into
Ryoga's chest only to watch it ablate off his person with slight pressure, it's
energy scattering harmlessly as her bare palm impacted his chest. It almost
burned, nothing more.
The moment stretched eternally as the two stood frozen in the
street, Ranma holding her striking stance while Ryoga simply stood there.
The moment passed and brought the umbrella back down and
swatted the girl into the already scarred wall, leaving another to match
Rtoga's previous. Stars blasted through her vision as she hit without
preparation and she fell to her knees. Ranma's mind was racing as it fought
around the daze. What the hell was that! The Haku Dato Shin Sho not going
through his body was bad enough, but the raw ki attack she had produced didn't
have anything behind it! The girl looked up to find Ryoga simply waiting behind
a neutral mask. Fine then. Again! Ranma recovered into an attack crouch and
powered up the next ki-ball and frowned. Something was very wrong. It was
everything she could do just to keep the matrix to contain the energy, let
alone feed power into the damn thing. Ryoga stepped forward, watching Ranma
curiously now. He could see it too. Ranma glanced at him, then the ball in her
hand. She willed herself to feed it. To power it. But power was dissipating
through the containment matrix she had woven faster than she could feed it and
the pathetic ball began to flicker. Her eyes widened. She couldn't power it?
Ranma shoved the dying ball into the waiting concrete where it hit with a dull
thud and scortched the ground, but otherwise did nothing to harm it.
She stared at the burn mark, unable to meet her opponent's
eyes. "The Haku Dato Shin Sho didn't get through." It was half
question, half knowing statement. If it had, he sure as heck wouldn't be
standing up strait right now.
"No. The ki blast was also… Pathetic." Ranma's
head snapped up, glaring at Ryoga. She drew up to her full height, which was
still a full head shorter than Ryoga. This can't be happening again. She could
attempt to draw the boy into the Dragon, but she wasn't going to take the fight
that far. Too much property damage associated with that attack for the nerima
suburb. Ranma tried to pull more power from her body and was barely able to
form the container for the ball this time. She was going to have to do the
unthinkable. Ryoga was too strong to fight on her female body's merits alone.
Sure she was fast, but the connection to the ki within her was tenuous and her
control fleeting at best. One good smack from Ryoga without her body fortified
by it and she would…
"Ryoga… I… I…"
"No." Ryoga stated with certainty. He knew exactly
what she was going to say. "I won't accept your forfeiture of this
match." Ranma stared at him now. If he decided to press this match there
was a very good chance he could pull it off. Kill her maybe. "You're not
even worth fighting right now. You're weak."
Ryoga glared at the girl in front of him with contempt before
snatching up his pack and walking back down the street from whence he came.
Akane watched her fiancé walk through the gates. He
was a she and obviously having a very bad day if the look on her face was any
indication. As the redhead passed by her, Akane knew just the thing to snap her
out of it.
"Baka."
Ranma paused, tilting her head to finding a warm smile on Akane
and the redhead managed a weak smile of her own. Truth be told, the engagement
had not been going well and they both knew it. That didn't stop either from
trying however, and the fact that they had gone from disgruntled acquaintances
to an almost sibling relationship was a miracle unto itself. Ordinary people
would have snapped long ago under the constant turmoil and stress that plagued
their daily lives, but Akane and Ranma weren't ordinary people. They had both
been entered into a prearranged marriage by their parents, bound by their will
and honor to continue the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts of which Ranma
was the heir apparent. As if that pressure weren't enough, Ranma had his curse,
two more fiancées that would claim him by any means necessary and numerous more
rivals that would kill him over the previous fact.
"So what happened?" Akane was almost afraid to ask,
because the look in her eyes spoke of a heavy burden. It was something she had
seen too many times and recognized it instantly. There was little they could
keep from one another these days.
Ranma's weak smile vanished and was replaced by a slight frown.
"It's… It's gone…"
Gone? What's gone, Akane wondered? Ranma saw the question on
her face and simply stretched out a hand. A look of intense concentration
flickered across her face and her hand tensed. Akane watched as a ki orb
flickered to life and Ranma strained herself even more. The ball grew slightly
and gained more presence, then began to waver. Her breathing began to labor and
beads of sweat popped from her forehead. The ball was now the size of a
cantaloupe, but it wasn't like any Akane had seen before. The ki ball suspended
in Ranma's hand was a pale imitation of the destructive force she knew her fiancée
could unleash at the drop of a hat and this ball was… dying. Her eyes widened
as the containment matrix began to unravel and raw ki diffused into open air
before collapsing entirely in on itself.
Ranma dropped to her knees, plainly exhausted. "That's the
best I can do, Akane… I can barely feel it inside of me…"
Akane simply stared down at the redhead, still piecing together
the implications. That can't be the best! He's unleashed ki blasts that would
annihilate a small building! "You can't… At all?"
Ranma stared at the ground. "Nothing. Ryoga won't even
fight me now…"
Which was probably for the best, Akane thought, but neither was
she kidding herself. The only time the two passed up a brawl was if it would
constitute a breach in their honor. Without ki to tap, Ranma was… Almost
ordinary. Which by any measuring stick was still exceptional, just that going
to toe to toe against an opponent like Ryoga would be tantamount to suicide. No
ki to augment his movements, to fortify his body or to unleash the devastating
attacks he had come to rely on in dealing with any number of advesaries he
faced over the last three years. She may be pleased that he couldn't fight
Ryoga, but there was no understating the magnitude of the problem.
And once his rivals found out…
…Let alone the other fiancées in waiting.
"Come on, baka." There was no harshness in her voice
as the redhead looked up at Akane. "I'll get Kasumii to draw you a bath
and we'll schedule an appointment with Doctor Tofu."
The Doctor's hands pressed down Ranma's spine with
deliberate precision as the young martial artist waited shirtless on the
physician's examination bed. Doctor Tofu walked around him now and poked a few
more fingers into his pecs and abdomen. "And you say you first noticed this
in your female form?"
Ranma nodded. "I was able to produce two Moko Takabishas
before the change. Now it's like I can barely grab onto anything inside of
me…"
Doctor Tofu stood up, and looked from him, to Akane and back.
"Then I think I'm going to need to examine your girl-type as well."
Ranma visibly twitched and Akane's face froze.
"I'll be waiting outside." Akane stated with no small
frost and exited the examination room promptly. It never helped to remind Akane
of the curse.
Ranma sighed. "Alright, Doc. If you think it's best."
He wasn't looking forward to a partially nude examination as a chick, but it
wouldn't be the first time he'd had one at Tofu's hands and Ranma always
appreciated his professional demeanor throughout the checkup. A cold glass of
water and some shivers later, The Doctor was back at her spine, tracing the ki
lines along it, then around the breasts. The girl's cheeks turned a light shade
of pink but she otherwise maintained her silence.
Doctor Tofu turned from the table and retrieved a thermos or
warm water, offering it to Ranma. She proptly spilled the contents over her
person. "You can come back in, Akane." The fiancée opened the door
and returned to her seat staring at the two men expectantly.
"I'm not sure how to explain this…" Doctor Tofu
picked over his next words carefully. "For a high ki user such as Ranma,
there are well established routes and points his power flows along, normally
the result of years of training and discipline in the art." Both followed
so far. It was a fact they were both intimately aware of as martial artists.
"Through that discipline, the user can call upon the reserves stored
within his or her body. The more orderly the distribution and storage, the
easier it becomes to access. That would be Ranma on any other day."
"But not today." Ranma grumbled.
"But not today." Tofu confirmed. "From what I've
been able to map throughout your body, there is very little order in those
pathways at the moment. In fact, there was even less order when you transformed
just now." Ranma was beginning to look very unhappy. "It was almost
as if the transformation disrupted the established lines of ki throughout your
body…" He thought intently for a moment, then retrieved another glass of
cold water. The doctor placed a single finger on Ranma's forhead, a powerful
point of chi, while the other held the glass ready. "One more time with
permission?"
Ranma shrugged and was doused with the water. Tofu concentrated
on the points feeling the complacent ki shear and tear with the change. He then
grabbed the warm thermos and repeated the process. Again, the ripples tore
through the point, creating disorder. Doctor Tofu stepped back and contemplated
the experiment. Then he noticed Akane's and Ranma's pink face as they stared at
one another. "Uh, right. Sorry about that. It would appear as if my
hypothesis was correct. I could feel the shearing that time."
The shirtless martial artist didn't like where this was going.
"Every time I change?"
"It would appear so." The Doctor confirmed, handing
Ranma his silk shirt back. "It's not that your ki is gone, so much as it's
impossible to form in an orderly manner. It would certainly explain your fight
with Ryoga."
"But why now?" Akane asked the most obvious question
before Ranma could open his own mouth.
Doctor Tofu scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Well, you've
had the curse for about three years, right?" Ranma nodded. "Maybe
it's just taken that long to break down the path ways. It could even be the
curse further adapting to your body for all I know. You might want to ask
Cologne or-" He stopped short as both teen's radiant glare fell upon him.
Both had enough Amazon games to last them a lifetime, and neither wanted to
know the old hag's price for help this time. "Or maybe not. But
regardless, I can theorize two immediate conditions these ripples create.
First, every time you change, your ki becomes impotent. Second, the longer you
remain in one form or the other the more of a chance it is given to rebuild
their pathways."
Ranma was now looking at the man in horror. "Um… How long…
To rebuild the pathways?" And that wasn't even the least of his problems.
Everytime he changed! He was a water magnet for cryin' out loud! That was a
hell of a combat liability against the people he faced on a regular basis.
"But Ryoga wasn't affected…"
He hated to keep giving the boy unknowns, but… "Honestly,
I'm at a loss. Maybe it's simply a random element imbedded with the curse.
Frankly, magic isn't my specialty." Doctor Tofu thought on it a moment
longer. "But if you would rather avoid the Amazons I might be able to help
with a referral…"
"A referral?"
"A friend of a friend of an uncle, actually." Tofu
elaborated. "Maybe he'll be able to tell you more. The only thing I can
suggest is to keep your changing to a minimum."
Ranma looked at the good doctor with a critical eye.
"Right. A minimum."
Somehow he just didn't see that happening.
"Oh look! Halley's Comet!" Genma pointed
off into the air and Soun twisted around to see. After all, those things only
come by every seventy-five years or so. Genma scooped another shogi piece from
his distracted opponent's board.
Soun Tendo turned back to their game. "I must have-"
He stopped, eyeing the board carefully. He could have sworn there was a piece
right there… "Old friend, did you happen to see piece I just moved?"
"What?" Genma feigned ignorance with a skill that
could only come from years of practice. "Wait a minute. You're not trying
to cheat again are you?"
"No, no… but I could have sworn…" Soun tried to
retrace the moves that led up to his subsequent missing piece.
"Look Tendo, I don't have time for-" Genma's banter
was cut off as the front dojo gate opened, admitting a diminutive figure. He
stood only slightly talker than Happosai and the most obvious features to
strike the casual observer was the rather large domed shell he wore over his
head. Next was the long cane resting lightly on his shoulder, ending in the
shape of a bronze spade ring with two more rings hanging from it. The rings jingled
lightly as the old man approached the pair playing shogi on the house porch.
"Where might this one find Ranma Saotome?" The
crackled old voice addressed the Soun and Genma as he came to a stop next to
the board.
Genma Saotome eyed the old man warily. No significant ki
readings. He's old. Not much of a threat by himself. A monk maybe? "You're
not here concerning a fiancée are you?" The old monk shook his head.
"A rival?" Negative. "Seeking revenge?" Another no. Genma
considered the old man once more and shrugged, turning back to the house.
"Get your butt out here, Boy!"
Ranma padded down the stairs and found the parents with a guest
outside. "Keep your shorts on, Old …man?" He found the monk staring
up at him, studying him intently. Oh god, not another old ghoul…
"This one hears you have a minor problem, young one."
The old man smiled mischievously and Genma's ears perked up. Problem? This
would be the first he'd heard of one.
Ranma winced. Damn. Secret was out. "Um, yeah. A
problem."
"With a curse." The monk probed deeper.
"Uh, yeah… Are you…?"
Genma relaxed. Whew… Thought he had a new problem there for a
moment.
"This one was referred by Doctor Tofu, yes." The old
man confirmed. "The ki is still disturbed?" Ranma nodded and his
father's gaze narrowed on him. Maybe there was something to this after all. The
boy was holding out on him, he was sure of it.
"Kneel." Ranma did so, coming down to the monk's
height. "This one does not deal with ki, but with magic. Mind you this one
is not your personally physician to help or call at your whim, as only the
curse interests him…" He paused, staring at Ranma with ancient eyes.
"…Not you."
Ranma arched an eyebrow. Pretty damn direct, but whatever. Not
as if they were going to become best buddies anyway. Just tell me what's
happening so I can get on with my life. Ranma nodded, and the old man seemed
placated.
"Now that we understand one another, let us begin."
Genma and Soun watched as the Monk lowered the staff and hanging rings onto the
boy's head, closing his eyes. The bronze spade began to glow with a light
jingle and the old man closed his eyes, concentrating. Ranma could feel a wave
pour through his body, reflecting around inside his very being. The feeling
continued for several minutes before finally washing away entirely.
The Old man returned the staff to his shoulder, frowning.
"The damage is irreparable." Ranma's jaw dropped with proclamation
and the old man continued unaware. "The taint of death magic surrounds
you. Powerful death magic. If your doctor was correct, the side effect is most
likely associated with the chaos of its implementation."
Ranma's mind was barely able to form his next coherent thought
into words, still stunned by the certainty of the old monk's prognosis.
"Wah… What about removing the curse?"
"Ha!" The monk laughed and his staff jingled lightly
as his small body shook. "This one does not believe it can be done, but
will humor you. Tell this one about the curse and its result."
"It's the Jyusenkyou curse." Ranma explained through
his ever-mounting depression. "Basically a hundred springs, each with
their own drowned victim. Anybody who falls in," He shot a hot glare at
his father, "will take the form of whatever drowned there last. Cold water
activates the curse, warm water reverses it."
The monk looked at the boy thoughtfully for a moment and
shrugged. "The amount of spilled blood is enormous. And it
continues?"
Ranma shook his head. "No longer. The site is
destroyed."
The old monk considered him, watching the flames glow in his
eyes. Destroyed in a manner that he had no small part in, this one bets…
"Unless you are will to sacrifice a greater number of souls or ally
yourself with extremely powerful magic, this one does not believe the curse can
be reversed."
The glowing flames switched to panic. Damn it! I'll be dog meat
before the end of the year! I can't stop myself from changing long enough for
the ki to settle and while I could probably take out the lower level opponents
around here on skill alone, anybody even approaching Ryoga's level is going to
hurt. Bad. Think… Think… Think…
The old man nodded and turned his back on the Ranma, walking
back toward the gates. "Um, maybe I can learn magic!"
Genma's eyes popped open. He didn't know what was going on, but
that was most likely the most ridiculous comment he'd heard from the boy in
years. "Magic! Are you daft, boy? You're a martial artist, not some stage
magician!"
The monk turned back to Ranma with a frown. "You are an
unsuitable vessel. Willing, yes. Good student, yes. But your body is closed to
those arts by nature. Nothing you can do-"
Ranma was standing over his father now breathing anger down on
the man. "Dammit, Pops! Keep you mouth shut! I'm in serious trouble
here!"
Genma's fist shot out and grabbed the boy by his shirt, pulling
him down. "Listen, Boy! A true martial artist must be ready day or night
for trouble!" His father used the downward momentum to plant a foot into
Ranma's chest. "And not rely on magical parlor tricks!" Genma kicked
out hard, rolling backward and suddenly, Ranma was in flight. There could be
only one landing zone.
SpaLOoooSH!
"Waddja do that for?"
The Monk stopped short of pulling the gate open and looked back
toward the female voice, finding a soaked redhead waist deep in the property's
koi pond. He walked back over to the pond's edge and stared at the girl
curiously.
Ranma wasn't exactly happy and his sum total experience with
old people staring at her such as this one was that they were either perverts
or manipulative backstabbers. "Whaddya want now? You already said no, so
leave already." Besides, it was time for her to kick some panda ass, she
thought darkly.
"Your curse?" The monk asked simply.
"Yeah…?"
He nodded. "This form is open to the teaching. It has
great potential."
It wasn't the first time in Ranma's life that she was both
thrilled and crushed simultaneously. So she could learn magic, but he couldn't.
Great. Would anything else like to conspire against my male form, she thought
sarcastically? But still, it was a shot. Not just at restoring his ki, but his
form as well…
"But why not me as a guy?"
"Because magic is not like ki. You harness the forces
around you and manipulate them as they pass through you." The old monk
explained patiently. "Life force creates ki. Magic is. Your body must be
naturally receptive to those forces so that it may pass through you and your
male self is dead to magic. This one believes that your female self however,
hold great potential."
Ranma stepped out of the pond and was processing the new
information when her father stormed over. "Boy, you ARE a MARTIAL
ARTIST!" A hand reached out to grab her shoulder, but paused just out of
reach. The redhead blinked in surprise and found her father floating a foot off
the ground. Floating?
She looked down at the monk, who simply smiled mischeviously.
"This one has not had a promising student in several hundred years. Do not
disturb us." Genma's arms and legs flailed wildly as he drifted lazily
over the pond.
"Ra- Ranma! Stop him!" Genma pleaded desperately and
the girl smiled. If the old monk was looking to score points with her, he was
certainly doing a fine job of it now. Now if he'd only drop-
SpaLOooosh!
Ah, that's the stuff, Ranma smiled wickedly, and led the old man
back to the house, leaving a giant wet Panda in their wake.
"It is not so easy." The old monk sat
inside at their dining room table, sipping the tea Kasumi has so graciously
served them both. "To reverse the death magic surrounding you requires an
equal or greater amount of magic, either willing or …Unwilling."
Ranma nodded slowly, Akane having found his side only moments
before to hear the explanation. "So we're not talking about a quick fix
here."
"Years of practice. Dedication to the Art will be required."
The old man confirmed solemly.
It sucked, but there was one thing about the Old man that had
his immediete respect-He didn't sugar coat the issues or mislead him. Yet.
Sakkarin he called himself. Evidentially he found Ranma worthy of revealing his
name considering they might be working together.
"Look, I know better than anybody that the arts require
sacrifice," Ranma sighed wearily. After over a decade in constant
unceasing training, he had better know that fact by heart. "But I've got a
lot of… friends who have just been waiting for an opportunity like this to get
to know me better."
Sakkarin nodded. "You concentrate on the end goal, yet
there are many steps to strengthen one from here to there. Endure and you will
face your… 'friends' easily." He said the last with a twinkle in his eye.
Ranma was thinking long and hard on the old man's words. Even
something simple like floating people around would make his opponent's think
twice… The idea was already gaining merit in his mind when another, more pressing
question rolled forth. Nabiki, who was out at the moment, would have been
proud.
"What's in it for you?"
Again, the mischievous smile appeared. "You, of course. As
this one's apprentice, you shall carry out tasks for him. And if you have as
much potential as this one thinks you do, his name will be carried far and wide
through circles most powerful."
Ranma thought on it some more. Apprenticeship wasn't so bad.
Performing tasks wasn't bad either. Can't be much worse than Old Pops has
already put me through, he thought grimly. But there was…
"All that time as a girl, Ranma?" Akane voiced his
concerns as if she were his thoughts manifest. Ranma nodded soberly. Yeah, that
was going to be a problem.
Sakkarin took another sip of tea. "Only during class and
practice. It is the only way you may learn but you are not required to stay
female exclusively." The monk watched Ranma dwell on the matter and
decided not to push too hard. "This one does not require a decision
today." He slid a gold coin across the table. "Think on it tonight
and tomorrow and let this one know before sunrise of the day after."
"More tea?" Kasumi walked in smiling gently at the
old monk, who returned her smile.
"Thank you, but no." He pause a moment and cocked his
head slightly. "Kasumi Tendo, you are fascinated by the medical arts, are
you not?"
Kasumi looked down at Sakkarin. "Oh my, yes… How did you
know?"
"The house whispers of your desires, Kasumi Tendo."
He smiled. "It is very fond of you."
She had known the dojo was part of her just as much as she was
part of it, but had never considered the relationship from a metaphysical
standpoint, let alone from one that would find the house aware of her presence.
"The house is… fond of me?" Now Akane and Ranma were starting at the old
Monk.
"Indeed." Sakkarin confirmed. "It also desires
you to pursue your dreams…" Then he winked. "As long as those dreams
do not take you away from it for so long."
Medical school had always been on her mind… A nurse's license,
maybe more were the dreams floating though her head. Kasumi was a sponge when
it came to medicine. She had borrowed numerous books from Doctor Tofu and
raided the public library for everything she could get her hands on. She just
didn't spend her days at the house idle and now she found herself actually
running out of material that could be considered easy access. The next logical
step would be a university, but she couldn't even think of that until Ranma and
Akane got together. Kasumi's mood soured a bit. And they were certainly taking
their sweet time to do it. No that she could blame them, but…
"Are you offering… To teach me as well?" She ventured
and the Ranma-Akane couple's eyes widened. Kasumi? Magic!
"Magic, yes," Sakkarin grinned a wrinkled smile.
"but the divine art of healing is best left to others, not this one.
Still, this house whispers highly of you and your desire, while this one can
feel your potential as well. An excellent student you would be."
Now Akane was feeling slighted as her older sister began to
seriously consider the offer. Everybody was going to run off and learn
something but her! "Um, what about me? Can I learn some magic too?"
she asked hopefully.
Sakkarin had already decided on that from the moment he saw
Akane Tendo, the un-fiancee of Ranma Saotome. "Goodness no!" Akane's
eyes flew open in shock. "Too much chaos flows through you. Discontent.
This one could not assure your own safety in the teaching."
"WHAT!"
A bright blue aura flashed to life around the girl as her eyes
lit with fury over the perceived slight. Her hand slowly pulled a large mallet
from behind her back.
Ranma was now mentally at DEFCON one. "Akaneeee…" He
whispered up to her softly, but with much trepidation. First, the last thing he
wanted to do was interpose himself between the girl and her anger, second, she
was about to assault his potential sensei and third… "Remember the
panda." He hissed softly.
The battle aura dimmed slightly and the hammer drawing hand
froze in place. The panda in question had been dunked into the pond with little
to no effort on Sakkarin's part. That wasn't so much of a big deal, except for
the fact that the panda continued to be dunked. Repeatedly. He'd fall into the
pond, rise back up, fall and rise again. All courtesy of the little monk's
magic. To their knowledge, the process was still going on outside even as they
spoke. Akane slide the hammer back in place and settled for a heated glare
before spinning away from the table and stomping upstairs to her room.
Sakkarin smiled that mischievous smile once more, then looked back
to Kasumi. "Ranma learns this art out of nessesity. You learn it out of
desire. This one is certain that at the conclusion of your training you will be
a Healer of the highest rank and regard." Kasumi's own eyes widened now
and the possibilities raced though her mind. Her dream could come true! Albiet
in a most unorthodox way, but she loved…
"Again, you need not decide now." The old monk
stated, standing up from the table. "I thank you for your hospitality
Kasumi Tendo, Ranma Saotome." His fingers snapped and the monk was gone in
a flash of light and poof of smoke.
Tendo and Saotome were left to simply stare at one another in
awe.
"Boy, you had seriously better not be
considering learning magic." Genma snapped at his son from across the
dinner table.
For once, he and Akane were in agreement. "Honestly Ranma,
magic tricks are for kids."
Ranma ignored his fiancée and smirked at his father. "Yeah
Pop? I didn't exactly see the special technique that got you out of the
pond."
Now it was Soun Tendo's turn to jump in. "Your father is
right. This is the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts, not Magical
Arts."
"What happened to the 'Anything Goes' part, Daddy?"
Nabiki quipped and Ranma had to smile. He tried not to let it spread to wide
since the knife called Nabiki would just as soon slit his own wrists as their
parents.''
Ranma consumed another morsel of food. "Look, I explained
the problem already. My transformation disrupts my ki now. I am a water magnet.
Do the math, people." Then he had a wicked idea. "Heck, Nabiki oughta
be happy to have me out of the house just to get rid of the damage and food
expenses anyway."
Nabiki snatched a glance at the young Saotome. It was an
obvious ploy to get her on his side, but an effective one regardless. That was
no small consideration, but she couldn't let him off too easily. "True,
but then I loose all the income from your pictures." Ranma's cheeks turned
pink. That's what I was looking for, the middle Tendo thought with delight.
"But he's right. Our outgo would be substantial less."
He mentally sighed in relief. Nabiki was a lock. "Besides,
it's not as if I'm giving up the art or running out on the engagement. In fact,
I'm doing it to get the art back."
"Hmmf." Genma snorted. "We'll see. But don't
even think of running off until we've decided."
"Oh, hey, no problem, Pops."
Truth be told, he had decided for himself by the
next morning. Ranma had been thinking on the matter for the entire night and
realized learning that art wasn't just a means to an end, but something
fascinating in and of itself. I mean come on, he thought that night. If you can
make something float around, what else can you do? And disappear before their
very eyes? You can't tell me that wouldn't be useful in a battle. So the day
rolled along, marked only by the passing of the occasional fiancée glomp, a
mallet queen's temper and surprise attack by Mousse. I was lucky, Ranma
realized. The fiancées weren't hostile and Mousse was easily taken out by his
natural abilities. Granted, without the ki to fortify his body, he had to avoid
Akane's mallet of death, but thank God he was fast enough for that.
Now night had fallen and the decision was made. He only had one
thing left to do before he did whatever he was supposed to do with the coin.
Tap Tap tap.
Kasumi looked up from her book and found a male Ranma hanging
down into her window. She smiled and opened it up, letting the young man in.
"You really ought use the door, Ranma." She said with mock reprove.
Not only was it his normal mode of entrance concerning the sisters, but she
could guess easily enough why he was here, but she asked anyway. Besides, it
was a rare occurrence to find Ranma in her room. Helping her in the kitchen,
yes. Miscellaneous chores, sure. But she could literally count the number of
times he had been in her room on one hand.
"What can I do for you Ranma?"
Ranma looked her, uncertain how to proceed. "Well, the old
guy offered, um… Well, that if you wanted to come along… Y'know. Just thought
I'd stop by before I left."
"You're not going to wait, are you?" Kasumi observed.
Not that it was a surprise. "Neither of our fathers will be pleased."
Ranma shrugged with indifference. "It's not as if I'm
running of to China. Or marrying another fiancée. Heck, I've even got a shot of
getting rid of the damn curse. Ain't no way I'm passing that up."
Kasumi saw the certainty in his eyes. She had been on the fence
herself, which was surprising in its own way. She had a strong loyalty to her
family and the house, and it no small part in her thoughts. Now that the monk
Sakkarin had mentioned it, she could feel the house. Its approval. It was
willing to let her go. Encouraging her to live her dreams. Kasumi looked at
Ranma. His confidence. The house's approval. It was all she needed to tip the
scales.
She pulled the packed suitcase from under her bed and Ranma
about fell over in shock. "You've already packed!"
"Shhhh…" Kasumi smiled, finger at her lips. "I
had not decided until a moment ago. Still, this whole business about leaving in
the middle of the night…"
"Tell me about it." Ranma rolled his eyes. "I'd
tell 'em if I could, but you know the parents. Pops said maybe, but maybe means
no. Akane would get furious and if the other fiancées ever caught wind of it,
I'd never have a moment's peace. And that's not counting the likes of Ryoga,
Mousse, Kuno, Kodachi and God knows who else."
Kasumi nodded with sympathy. His life was horribly complicated
most of the time, and she certainly couldn't blame the boy for running off in
the middle of the night to pursue his dreams. It inspired her at the same time,
though. To pursue her dreams as well-- A world-class physician! A giggle
escaped Kasumi's lips and Ranma smiled knowingly. Her face turned to a visage
of contemplation for a moment.
"We should leave a note."
Ranma nodded. Wish I had thought of that, he mused. "You
better write it. We both know anything I put on paper will be mud." Kasumi
smiled again. So true. She sat down at her desk and began scribbling a note to
indicate their leave of absence. "Oh, and make sure to tell them I didn't
seduce you or nothin'." Kasumi couldn't help to giggle once more and it
heartened Ranma. "And remind 'em that I'll make sure nothing will happen
to yas. Oh, and that Akane-"
"I think they'll understand, Ranma." She smiled back
at him. Maybe he really does need a break form all this. There's just entirely
too much pressure on him for a boy his age.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." He said agreeably, then
something else occurred to him. "Jeez, I hope they don't starve."
Now Kasumi couldn't decide whether to frown at the disparaging
of her sister's cooking or smile at the compliment to her own. Lacking a clear
avenue, she opted for a mild instruction. "I'm sure Akane will be fine. I
think the house will take care of her."
The house, Ranma thought. That was still an odd concept to
grasp, but he had to agree. The martial artist patted a wall gently.
"Yeah, it's been a good house. First real home I've had in nearly a
decade." Then he chuckled. "It'll probably be happy with the break
I'm givin' it and all."
"Ok, done." Kasumi left the note sit on the desk and
stood before Ranma. "Now what?"
Ranma dug the gold coin out of his pocket. Thank God Nabiki
hadn't seen it or he'd be risking his life and sanity keeping it from her.
"Um, he just said use it." The eldest Tendo looked at it curiously as
well. "Hmmm… We'd like to see ol' Sakkarin now?"
The coin began to vibrate in his hand and Ranma dropped it to
the floor in shock. What the--! The golden disk began to glow as it sat on the
floor, and continued to glow until no detail could be discerned from its
surface. Both Tendo and Saotome took a step back when it started to change
shape, first into a bright square, then elongating into a three-foot by
two-inch rectangle. Then it began to grow. The base dimensions remain the same
but it climbed in height to about the size of a…
The glow faded and before them sat a door, supported by nothing
and complete with doorknob and intricate oak finish.
"Uh, right." Ranma stepped forward, looking around
the other side of the unsupported door. Weird, but cool, he thought. Kasumi
looked at him with uncertainty and he grasped the doorknob, turning it. The
door itself clicked open, and their eyes looked on in awe.
"Well, come on you two," Sakkarin quipped. "This
one doesn't have all day!"
Author's notes
Ok, ok… Standard Fanfic Plot #6: Ranma goes magical,
gets some back. I dunno, it just seemed like it'd be fun to try out myself.
Hopefully I'm doing a good enough job so far for yas. Enjoy part 2.
Sakkarin; In casting this character, you'll need a reference to the
game Samurai Showdown (or Spirits, depending on how anal you are). He looks
exactly like the character Caffeine-Nicotine, but is of course, a mage. I would
have just used Caffeine-Nicotine as his name her if it were so damn cumbersome
and corny. So I chose an artificial sweetener instead. Hey, doesn't that stuff
cause cancer too?
Kasumi; I didn't originally intend on the Kasumi match up, but after
about page five, I decided I like the idea the more I thought on it. Generally,
Nabiki is more fun because of all the angst that she brings to the table, but
I'm sure I can get by with magical girl Kasumi quite well. It'll be fun, trust
me.
Thanks-
Shaule Sachs/Zaxxon - The Travelers; Somewhere along the way, my idea got
kind of tangled up with his and I have to admit, it is one of the better
multiverse Ranma fanfics I've read. …Even if it is a tad on the lemony sub-dom
side. Seriously though, this fanfic originally started out staying within its
own timeline and world with Ranma learning magical arts. Frankly, it's a lot
more fun now :D