Half a Sleeper and Half an Alien von migele ================================================================================ The First Dream - A Time to Sleep, The Time to Wake --------------------------------------------------- Half a Sleeper and Half an Alien Disclaimer: I claim that the Fusion was my idea, that's it, can't even claim to have money. Warning: Don't know any as of yet for this fic. Other warnings, don't start with Baguettes, you can get hooked easily. Timeline: I figure Ranma is taking place about 1987-89, I use 2004-05, Onegai Sensei probably around 2032 by some nice estimates, I'll use 2021, especially when looking at the mobiles used in Onegai twins. This will therefore start in 05, when Ranma is 17 and 2016. Special Thanks to: pcheintz72, Duct Tape, rootathell The First Dream - A Time to Sleep, The Time to Wake Japan, Tokyo, Nerima: 14 April 2005 "Enough!" The scream of rage, anger, hurt betrayal was boosted by a flare of a battle aura that surpassed even what some of the contestants had seen at Mount Phoenix. To some it was a humbling experience, but those were very few, Ryoga was impressed, for a second before growing angry again. Shampoo felt the power and felt meek and weak. Mousse had always been blind to reality and today was no exception. Akane wanted to get Ranma for picking on Ryoga but that was kind of hard with the energy pushing her away. Kasumi was afraid, afraid for Ranma's sanity. Nabiki decided to run, because Ranma just casually backhanded the to stupid for his own good panda not into a wall, but through two houses. This was definitely a looker for the Darwin Award. Khu Lon and Happosai were anxious, they feared for the lives of the Nerima Wrecking Crew. Kuno was rambling of about the foul sorcerer showing his true colours, Ukyo was standing aside pretty spooked. "Why can't you let me heal? Why can't you give me at least ONE GOD DAMN WEEK to recover from that FUCKING PHOENIX and that BLASTED WEDDING?" Ranma's voice dropped low "I just want to have peace and heal. That is all I want." To the oldest two martial artists this was sobering, Ranma had just outclassed them in power and complained about having to heal. "He has grown strong." Happosai said in awe. "I just hope that his breaking will not destroy everyone." Cologne replied truly fearing for their safety. "Ranma because of you I've seen hell!" Ryoga had just proved another worthy candidate for the Darwin Award. Ranma made a casual move with his hand in Ryoga's direction and the lost boy saw a tornado heading his way, he briefly wondered if he would survive that. Before getting enraged that Ranma wasn't even treating him seriously. The attack hit dead on and ploughed the lost boy through a couple of houses destroying them and everything in its way. "Is that to much to ask? I just want to sleep." "What?" Happosai said eyes wide. Cologne stared wide eyed. The Ki of Ranma's Aura started streaming back, into Ranma, it seemed to cover him, every move left a trail of Ki that flowed back at Ranma. Akane attacked and hit Ranma, rather she tried to, an arc of Ranma's Ki slammed into her and threw her into a wall, ignoring her as it entered the pig tailed boy. Ranma slumped to the ground. Kasumi was the first to react. She ran over to the boy and checked him, no heartbeat, no breathing, no pulse and no reaction. But somehow she felt that he was still alive. The arrival of the two grandmasters was met with a glare from her that clearly unsettled every one. "He is alive, You all pushed him to far and he still spared you." Happosai for once didn't defend himself, after all it was true. Cologne sighed "Yes he is alive, but his body is sleeping, no one could wake him now. We will see tomorrow." Kasumi pulled a water bottle out and doused Ranma, picking the smaller girl up she headed for the house. Soun was wailing at Ranma dying and him hitting Akane. Mousse decided to look for Ryoga, and was talking to a large dog, said dog didn't like that one bit. Ukyo got Ryoga out of the rubble and called for an ambulance at once. Ryoga was a mess, the attack, casual as it was, would have killed every one less resistant to damage that him. It made her wonder how much Ranma had been holding out on them. Kasumi brought the small girl to her sanctuary, her room, the one place no one but her ever entered. Maybe Ranma, but he had been invited two times and he had only entered on her prodding. Now the red haired girl was lying on her bed. Kasumi ran her hand across the the girls face and gave her a soft smile "I know you are alive, but you finally had enough, thank you for not killing anyone." The elder girl got up and left the room, knowing that, while not even breathing, the girl in her bed was alive, even if lost to the world. ------ The next morning brought chaos, especially once the others realized that Ranma had slept in Kasumi's room, in her bed, as had Kasumi. It was actually funny to see a group of super powered martial artists being glared down by a Japanese housewife, the housewife winning easily. Khu Lon was allowed to come close and called out her diagnosis "Son-in-Law has withdrawn from us, he couldn't face this mess any more and decided to leave, I don't know anyone to have ever returned before, he will probably die in a few months." she then turned to Ranma and said "It was a pleasure meeting you, the Kisses are hereby nullified." The Amazons cheered and cried out respectively. "It's not manly running away" Nodoka said. Kasumi wondered how she had ever liked auntie. "Out" It was soft but the silence that spread Kasumi's room made it clear that everyone had heard. "I said get out" Happosai and Cologne decided to heed this advice, yes it would be better. Seeing the strongest leave, the Amazon dragging Mousse and Shampoo with her and Happosai commanding his students with him, the remaining ones were uncertain. "This is no place for pigs." Ryoga paled and left, as he found himself in the hall he wondered what he had done, it had to be Ranma's fault, it always was. Especially since Kasumi knew now and had threatened him, gentle Kasumi. Ryoga looked up and found himself on the street "Ranma this is all your fault!" Before wincing, they had patched him up but he was in no fighting condition, struggling to stand straight. ------ Kasumi glared at her sisters, Ukyo and Nodoka, Ukyo was the first to decide that antagonizing Kasumi was not worth it, Nabiki followed dragging Akane with her. The combat resumed, now being Nodoka against Kasumi, Kasumi wining. "You barged into my room, you want to cause bloodshed in my room, you threaten a guest in my room. Is this the way of honour?" Kasumi delivered a 3 hit combo followed by a clean knock-out. Nodoka left. Kasumi sighed and turned to the one that had helped her a few times, making things easier for her whenever possible. "I will help you through this, I promise." A promise from Belldandy couldn't be stronger, more important. "I will wait for you." A smile graced her lips. "Oh my, time for breakfast." Fate facefaulted. ------ Kasumi sighed, evening had gone by and she understood what Ranma was going through, only his was several times worse. She had caught Nabiki two times in her room taking pictures of Ranma-chan, once even stripping her. Akane had been glared at three times. The suitors had been all thrown out with a few looks and not so kind words. Nodoka was forbidden from entering the room, after she had wanted to take Ranma out to enforce honour. Kasumi decided that things were beyond repair in Nerima, it was just to crazy here. She packed light, a few personal mementos and was surprised to find that Ranma owned even less stuff than she did. No, things were not good. They were beyond helpless and bad. So with a surprising ease she put a small backpack on Ranma-chan's shoulders and pulled said unresponsive redhead on her back. A small note had been stuck on the fridge. Kasumi left her home without a single word, there was nothing to say, no 'safe journey' to answer to, home was where the heart was, and her heart was not here, not any more. "Take care of him" she heard Happosai from one side "Make his last journey pleasant to him" Cologne answered from the other side. Kasumi snorted in a very Ranma like way "I'll wait, I promised, and you know him." The Amazon shook her head "I think your believes foolish, but if, well, here is something only for him, no other may look inside." the Amazon hopped onto Ranma-chan and placed a scroll into the backpack. "Only the best and most trained in the mind can wake up again from this, I think the modern term for this is stasis." Cologne explained. "I have yet to see someone recover, I wish he would, but I don't think so, Ranma choose death over a live like this. I am sorry it has come this far." Kasumi just nodded. "Tell him once he's awake to read this book, Someone has to take over the school, better him than anyone else. If I'm still around, I'll visit you once he's back for the fun." Happosai grinned. "After all I have to make sure he has learned everything, from the scrolls I packed into your bag." Kasumi blinked, true weight on her back was more than it was before, could he ... he did, only when? "Thank you, I will take good care of him." with this Kasumi gave them both a smile and slowly trudged down the street. From the open door of the Tendou-ke brown eyes followed her until she blend into the darkness under a damaged street lamp. "I wish you good luck sister, where ever you are going." Nabiki Tendou closed the door and slid to the ground starting to sob quietly. She had lost their mother first, now she had lost her sister and Ranma. She wished so much she could have done something to prevent this, but she had fuelled the fires, had prevented peace with her petty games. Ranma was dead, or as good as. Kasumi left, not being able to take the injustice any more. "Why did I do it? I should have kept him." "Here" The voice startled her, she saw their perverted grandmaster sitting. Looking older than he had in a long time. In his hand were not some panties, but a clean tissue. "Some good advice, it's not too late for you unlike me." Nabiki nodded thankfully "If you tell anyone about this, I'll make your life hell" Happosai nodded "We can't show any weakness, can we?" Nabiki smirked "So how do we keep them from running after them, and Nerima form getting destroyed?" Happosai took out his pipe thoughtfully, damage control was going to be hell "Maybe we should enlist Cologne?" "I thought you would never ask" came the reply from above. Nabiki was not surprised "I need to work at your restaurant and train" she decided, the alternatives were harder, the pay was okay and she had to learn to protect herself and her family with Ranma gone. She couldn't count on anyone else in this. "You start tomorrow after school." "I'll keep my students occupied, that should take care of any ideas they will have." Unsaid went Nodoka, she was an uncertain factor. ------ A room, 5 of April 2016 Blue eyes opened and looked at a white ceiling. The softness of a real bed was unused. There was a feel of wrongness to her body. Something was off and yet, she felt better than she had ever before.. Remembering the fight was easy, he had snapped, then everything went dark. "What the hell happened?" A gasp alarmed him to the door. Looking at the woman in the modest night gown he felt a feeling of familiarity, until "Kasumi?" it looked like her, only that she looked older, more mature somehow, and really happy. "Ranma!" the glomp performed of her reminded Ranma-chan of Shampoo, only it was pleasant, an expression of happiness. "What's going on?" Kasumi tightened her grip for a moment before releasing the girl. "You finally woke up, get out of the bed, you need to look in a mirror, then I will explain everything you want." Ranma followed Kasumi into the bath and saw herself, she was younger, probably 12 or even 11, the bust was much smaller luckily and she felt reminded of the mushrooms, but first something more important. Hot water. A quick splash later Ranma was male and still 11 or 12. "what happened?" "You withdrew, your Ki inverted and obeyed, I heard you wanted peace and time to heal, it did that, your body went into stasis and you slept, usually people die after a few months since they don't eat, don't breathe. But you regressed in age, You healed scars, brain damage, signs of broken bones, everything that ever happened to you was reversed, your body was never healthier. We have all he documentation from the years you have slept." Ranma looked at Kasumi and at himself "How long?" Kasumi hesitated for a moment "Eleven years in a few days." Ranma's world spun, he had slept for eleven years and had turned five to six years younger. This was crazy, this was easily on par with Jusenkyo, this was ... ultimate Ki mastery. Eyes widened as Ranma extended his Ki, if anything his reserves were full, he was healthy, he could feel the flows in his body perfectly, many small things had been healed. It should not be possible, but he had done it, this body was much weaker, but he could train, now he could really become one of the best. He had gotten a second chance. "Thank you for caring" Ranma said looking up "I know it was you, nobody else would have done that." Kasumi didn't refute this, as it was true. "I'm sure you are hungry" she said before hugging the boy again. ------ Ranma was eating slowly, this was more due to confusion than anything else. He was in a different time, he was younger, he was sitting next to Betty. Kasumi was sitting opposite him and opposite Betty was Doc Tofu. He found out that he was now Ranma Ono, adopted son of Kasumi Ono, actually adopted before she became an Ono. That made Tofu somehow his adopted Father. In a spur of the moment he decided to call Betty "Aunty". This had led to him sitting next to her. "So what did I miss?" Ranma asked not really knowing what to expect. Kasumi decided to talk. "Akane married Mousse, Nabiki is still unmarried but close friends with Cologne, Herb married Shampoo after knocking her out. The Phoenix decided that this was bad and wanted to engage Kiima to you, Saffron finally grew up last year and put a stop to that." Ranma sighed in happiness. "She is your slave instead." Ranma wept on Betty's shoulder. Betty somehow putting an arm over his shoulder. "Ukyo married Konatsu, we are still not sure after two daughters who the man in the relationship is. Kodachi drugged Ryoga and is keeping him on a tight leash ever since, I think he is still passing out from seeing her naked, but he escapes sometimes. I have seen him twice since I left Nerima." Ranma nodded "What about mo... Nodoka and the panda?" "Nodoka has been searching for you for some time, once you were adopted she got angry but she couldn't do anything. Genma has tried to steal you at least eleven times, he tends to come when Kiima is around, we had to keep her from killing him a few times." Kasumi blushed. "I glared at him once and he disappeared for some time. Soun is a wreak, only Happosai is keeping him alive any more with his threats." Kasumi finished softly. It was a hard topic, even for her. Not that anyone blamed her. "Ranma, I'm finally a nurse." she smiled sweetly, he had told her to do it, after all that happened at least two really good things had happened. Kasumi married Tofu and was a nurse. Two dreams come true for someone Ranma had cared about. "Any other engagements, slaves, suitors and such things I should know about?" Ranma asked wondering if Betty was alive since her arm was now round his shoulder. He didn't put it past her, really. "Ukyo has two daughters but seems to be wary of starting another fiancée war. The older one is eight years old, so you are in the clean for now. Marriage age age is still the same, the girl has to be at least 16." "Yes." Ranma was happy. "But Kiima is still your slave, she'll drop by in May. She comes twice a year and usually spends a week just watching you. I think for her coming here is some kind of vacation." "Oh great, I just ruined her holiday resort." Everyone laughed. ------ mid April 2016 Kiima flew towards the house her master slept in, she could see him, at times her, becoming younger and younger. It was incredible to watch, it was like Saffron reversed. As she passed the mountains and entered the valley she felt it, everything was being blanketed with Ki, pure Ki was flowing and charging the air, and it was not much but this Ki had a taste to it, it belonged to someone. Whoever that was, was very powerful, gliding down she landed in the backyard of the village clinic. A young girl opened the door for her, smiling, as if expecting her. "Hello Kiima, want something to eat? I was just making dinner." Kiima nodded, folded her wings and entered. She froze as she recognized the red hair of the girl. "Ranma?" "Yes, that's me, I'm back from my trip as the sleeping princess or prince, depending on the week. Kasumi told me about the windows bursting open and such, if she didn't change me a t least once a week." Ranma said, while tossing some carrots in the air and cutting them cleanly "I'm still not used to this body." Ranma said inspecting the one piece of carrot that landed on the ground. Kiima was happy on one hand, on the other she was now his, her fate was in his hands. "I have come to serve you master." She knelt before him and bowed her head. "Don't want you," Ranma eyes widened as he realised how that had sounded and how Kiima had cringed."I mean I don't want a slave, if you want to help me get back to form, sure. But I ain't ordering you around." Kiima looked startled. He could do everything he wanted with her, and he just wanted her to help him? Kiima nodded and smiled "Than let's train later, I have learned a lot since our last fight." Ranma smiled "I hope so, after all you had eleven years to get better." The smile on his face was feral. "Ready to fight like we did before?" "Bring it on Master" "Okay, after lunch." "You cook?" "Learned from the best." "Want help?" "You cook?" "Had the same teacher you did." Oh yes they would be good friends. ------ Kiima and Ranma trained a lot, for Kiima Ranma's new found not yet perfect Ki control was astounding. Only he did not have enough of it yet to fully utilize his full capabilities. Dodging arcs of cold Ki, flying around balls of hot Ki, seeing Ki claws grow, was very disconcerting to the warrior. Of course when Ranma said he needed to rest and heal he did exactly that, and slept for a week in that stasis like coma. They found that Ranma's control was partly not even conscious, his will and unconscious were what was making the impossible possible, they easily blamed the Ki claws on the Neko-ken, and were happy that there were so few cat's in the valley. ------ When they parted, both Ranma and Kiima were both looking forward to their next meeting. "If you don't learn something new, I might just beat you next time." Kiima laughed, a clear pleasant sound, like coming from a bird. "So you think Ranma." It had taken him two months to get her to call him that. "I almost had you last time." It was true but Kiima had had eleven years to train after all, eleven years in which Ranma's strength had digressed. At least now he was used to his new body. ------ Ranma got into school fast and openly showed the curse off, the resulting discussion on who he would have PE with was a bit over his/her head. When he showed off his skills it was decided to make him assistant teacher, actually some even wanted him as their PE teacher. At least this way Ranma had the possibility to use the teachers shower. One week he was training the boys, the other week she was training the girls. To say that the school never had a better teacher was an understatement. For reasons the Ranma didn't want to know he suddenly turned substitute teacher for PE at the age of 13, after catching an 80 kg student from a really bad fall. Ranma's knowledge was increasing at an incredible speed, as did the martial art skills. The only thing still above his head was arts, he knew how to draw, she had a great singing voice, but she did not really understand their meaning. ------ New school year. "Hello, I'm Herikawa, want to be friends?" Those words reminded Ranma of Akane, Herikawa Koishi was a lively girl too, but far gentler. Ranma-chan, currently female and with the girl in swimming class, blinked. "You know I'm usually a guy?" The girl nodded. "Sure, I'm Ranma, want to eat lunch together?" The girl nodded. Ranma made a few other friendships. Not to many but a few. The most interesting person around was Ichigo Morino, Ranma knew that her Ki was too tightly controlled, something about her felt just off, but well Ranma was one to talk. The interest in his changing was a bit weird but he couldn't really blame her. At least he had kept his martial art abilities a secret. Or rather tried not to show the TV style feats. Kaede Misumi was a nice girl and a good cook. Ranma liked her, she kept blushing whenever he was male but didn't treat him any different, very much to his relief. She was also nice enough to start taking thermos bottles with hot water to school for him when he wanted to stay male. Actually she kind of became his best female friend, even after she asked him to teach his fast cutting techniques to her, not the aerial ones, he didn't show those off in school. Too dangerous since that could draw new opponents. In the next few years their relationship grew much closer. Hyosuke Magumo reminded Ranma a bit of Hiroshi and Daisuke, lively and always talking. A bit of jock, actually he reminded Ranma a bit of himself, trying to be carefree and such. Shido Matagu was a little more eccentric, he was different, but he accepted Ranma with the word. "Wow, does it hurt? Isn't it confusing to change so often?" ------ Of course Genma showed up. "You will stop this foolishness boy and come with me." "This was taking place by the lake where Ranma-chan wanted to test her new Ki control by using the sharkfist. That she had bought a new bikini the other day had nothing to do with it, nope, really not ... why isn't anyone believing her? "Hey Genma, I just wanted to try a new technique, stay there for a moment." Ranma-chan launched the attack. Her super sized shark made the one from TV pale in comparison. It ripped into Genma with an unrivalled power that made Ranma-chan wonder if he would survive. Actually the flooding of the forest grated more on her conscious. Unfortunately Genma survived, he just had a hospital stay in Tokyo for the next two months. ------ So the years were passing and they were a rather close group, the girls being closer to each other, and the boys on the other side. Ranma found himself/herself right in the middle. The two groups were meeting often and doing a lot of stuff together. Ranma enjoyed himself immensely, or herself. She/he had a private life and was an active part of both groups, somehow she and Ichigo were the grown ups in both groups. Ranma studied the girl over time and marvelled at how tight Ichigo's control over her Ki was. The girl had a lot potential but Ranma wasn't a master yet. She was working herself through the scrolls from Happosai. While the sexual ones were not important, yet, they told him a lot about the Ki pathways. The principles of the 7 chakras, the meridian systems of the body. acupuncture and acupressure. The very base principles of shiatsu pressure points and the whole system they were based on. Somehow Kaede became Ranma-neko's chosen lap, the first few times Kaede had been confused but after a few, heavily edited, explanations, she accepted it. Besides she thought Ranma to be really cute when he/she purred. Kaede usually made Sushi on those occasions, as 'Kitty-Ranma' as she started to call him/her, liked the stuff, with lots of wasabi and soy sauce. When Kaede had her first menstruation it was actually Ranma-chan that helped her and eased the pain through massages and the correct pressure points. The teasing she earned lasted for a few weeks, since it was supposed to a mothers job to do that, everyone called her mom. This caused her to withdraw once. It forced her to explain this to Kaede, who had been present and was a sobbing wreck when Ranma awoke 15 minutes later from having no heartbeat and not breathing. After that episode however, even the last girls stopped complaining about Ranma showering with them. Of course this led her to help Herikawa as well when she hit her first one. Ranma was happy as hell that she had had her first period almost 13 years ago. Back then it had been without any good help or advise so she did everything in her power to help others. On the other side Ranma helped the guys with their own problems, or fantasies. Knowing some of a girls life, he managed to give both sides the correct version 'the talk', not the screwed up edited edition their teachers told them. Whenever asked why he/she knew so much, Ranma blamed his parents, this caused Doc Tofu and Kasumi to become some kind of confidants for the local teenagers. ------ Kiima kept visiting, She kept complaining about her shorter temper in Akane's body. They both improved in leaps and bounds together and Kiima admitted that she might actually be able to fight Saffron and survive for some time. Ranma would probably beat him. Betty seemed to like Ranma just fine, it was however a little disconcerting to find a skeleton sitting next to your bed upon wakening first thing in the morning. All in all Aunty Betty was member of their little weird family. Ranma's Ki control was growing in leaps and bounds, surpassing everything even Tofu had ever seen before, however it was dangerous since whenever Ranma was confused, in emotional turmoil his body just shut down. It happened once when after Kaede had called her 'ka-san' once again through a sleepy haze after a sleepover, Ranma actually managed to stay awake until everyone had left before breaking down and withdrawing. He found Kaede upon awakening, in tears once again as she thought that it was her fault. Oh yes, Ranma decided a few hours later, peaceful life had its dangers too. Those were of 'the for your sanity' kind. And those time jumps were annoying, Ranma often lost himself while in deeper meditation. Withdrawing was not something he liked. It made meditation so dangerous that Ranma only practised deep trances and such on holidays and weekends, often loosing the whole weekend since the body just relaxed far too much. One painful lesson was waking up and having Kiima fuming at him since he withdrew for long enough to make her wait for a week. The next sparring session was painful as he let her get a few hits in. As fortune wanted it Genma dropped by again. Ranma-chan and Kiima made short process of him, testing the more dangerous techniques on the fat panda while chasing him out of their valley. ------ In Summer Nabiki came by. Ranma was the physical equivalent of 13 and he was surprised at Nabiki. Gone was the cold woman, she was a predator, a hunter. She moved with Amazon grace and you could still see the will to protect her family behind those eyes. Ranma jumped from the roof and lashed out with an easy punch, Nabiki true to her ability blocked and did a leg sweep that Ranma easily jumped over. They separated after a few more attacks. And Ranma smiled. "Back again Nabs?" "Ran-Ranma?" the boy nodded and bowed. Of course Nabiki had learned the Amazon Glomp, as Ranma found out. Holding the sobbing woman in his arms was something he had some experience with, this time around. "Everything is alright Nabiki. I'm back, besides it wasn't that bad. You got something out of it, I just know it." Nabiki felt herself being adjusted in his arms and they left the ground, on the roof Ranma had built a small platform. There he sat down with the grown woman in his lap. "You know, anyone would think this weird!" Nabiki snorted, proving that Ranma had had more impact on her that anyone had estimated. "Only you could wake up after 11 years and not really think about it." "It's one of my good points. You got your life under control and the life of the others." Nabiki left Ranma's lap. "I showed enough emotion for now, so spill it, I heard from Kiima through the Amazons, it's your fault anyway, Kasumi hardly ever talks to us. And never about you." Ranma took a few steps back. "so you are a real Amazon then?" "Japanese Tribes. Actually, we became officially recognized last year. The rules that were so annoying for you were revised, this actually makes some of the Chinese Amazons come to us. Some of the more extreme ones tend to venture to China. We have some Musk here too." Nabiki explained. "Welcome to my Valley Matriarch." Ranma bowed. "Thank you for having me, Lord of the Valley." Nabiki responded. Nabiki stayed for a month, speaking about several laws and such. They made plans for the future and on the Amazon schools. Ranma corrected a few Amazon katas, so that they could be used to teach normal humans. He actually got a scroll from Khu Lon making him a Master of Amazon Whu Shu in both genders. When Nabiki left everyone welcomed her to come again sometime. She was only annoyed that Ranma toyed with her in their sparring matches, at least he hit girls now. ------ New School Year 2020 Ranma entered high school and his close knit group of friends managed to end up in the same class. If Ranma had to describe their group it would have been like this. Ichigo, kind and wise grandmother, Ranma the parents, Kaede eldest sister, a lot like Kasumi was. The other the younger kids, Ranma was happy that there was no one too much like Nabiki in this group, Ichigo actually reminded him more some king of Sherlock Holmes. Skills for deriving and observation were awfully dangerous since he had to keep a low profile. Her guessing was scary at times as well. Time went by, Ranma, now body more like 16 but much more balanced, the muscles were not as visible as they had been in Nerima but they were much denser, His girl form didn't look like a busty 14 old any more. She was about as tall as Herikawa. Still the girls and boys teased her a lot, it was hard to believe that a boy had the biggest assets in class. They were not exactly melons, but they were maybe a little bigger than the last time Ranma was this age. Since she was taller this time around, it didn't show that much but it still annoyed Ranma to no end. ------ Peace was not an option in Ranma's life, so Ranma prepared himself mentally over the years and just hoped he wouldn't withdraw to much. Besides he really liked the valley and wanted to keep damage to a minimum. It happened when Happosai came for a visit. "Sweeto!" "Aaahhh!" Kaede screamed, clearly close to panicking. Ranma and the others heard her scream, they were just going to meet Kaede for break under a few trees, Kaede had once again enough to feed Ranma. Kaede didn't have her mother any more and looked up to Ranma. Her grandmother approved of the boy/girl, even if it was an unusual relationship. Ranma growled, and disappeared. Her friends just blinked, suddenly there, suddenly gone. They knew Ranma was a good Martial Artist, she participated in a small tournament once and won, without being hit once. But something like this was ... surprising. "She is keeping secrets." Ichigo said. The rest just nodded, the sound of an explosion made them remember what had happened. They ran. ------ Kaede hated this, this ... thing was all over her. When suddenly her saviour came. Ranma just flashed forward and caught Happosai by the the head. "I'll deal with you later, IF you touch anyone here you are dead." Happosai tried to get a word in, Ranma sounded dead serious, but she should know that he was doing it for fun. Ranma kicked the old pervert with an Ki enhanced kick to the gut and whipped a fast angry red Ki ball after the old pervert. The next moment she dropped on her knees and puled the taller distraught girl into her lap, mumbling "Sorry I came so late, I should have know he would come around sometime." Kaede just sniffled and held herself close to her mother figure. Besides, she was rubbing her back just the right way, she fought the urge to purr, especially when knowing hoe Ranma reacted to that. ------ Happosai hurt, the kick was a surprise, there was real anger in it, somehow he had the feeling that he just did a major mistake, the big angry ball of Ki that was closing in somehow made him realize that this was the understatement of the year. He had somehow managed to get on Ranma's bad side by groping the girl, a few moments before impact he was happy not to have gotten bra and panties from a girl in probably the first time in his perverted life. The explosion lit the sky and most just wondered why someone fired hanabi [fireworks] in the middle of the day. Happosai spend the rest of the day occasionally twitching in a mountainside and healing. ------ After some time Ranma had managed to calm Kaede down. "Sorry I wasn't faster, that was unfortunately the grandmaster of my school." Kaede's eyes widened, "You mean he is here to test you? You will finally get your Mastership?" "Yes and I will make it as painful as possible for him. I promise." Ranma nodded. Kaede smiled and embraced Ranma tightly. "Give him a few good ones from me." Ranma patted Kaede's back, they separated as the others came. "Everything alright?" Herikawa asked. Kaede smiled. "Yes, Ranma took care of it." "Doesn't she always?" Hyosuke asked, earning elbows from Herikawa, Kaede and Ranma. "See the next time you need me for anything." Ranma threatened. That shut him up. ------ Happosai actually managed to get home before Ranma did. That didn't mean he was out of danger. "Tadaima, I'm home. Old Perv, I know you are here, come your sweet Ranma-chan is here and waiting for you." No matter with how much sugar Ranma-chan sang this. Happosai felt an actual feeling of doom and dread. "I'm dead?" he asked Kasumi. "Oh my, what did you do?" "I groped a tall girl with orange hair." Happosai blinked, did Betty just fold her hand and start praying? "I'll prepare a bed in the office. If you grovel enough she might let you live." Kasumi said exchanging her apron for a lab coat. "Would you like implants for new teeth?" Happosai was starting to feel creeped out, it couldn't be that bad. "Why? I just did what I always do." Kasumi looked at the old man with clear pity in her eyes, meanwhile Tofu was scrambling around hiding anything breakable. "She is Ranma's best friend, Neko-Ranma's favourite and sort like a daughter to Ranma. Tofu stopped for a moment. "If you die, want a coffin or an urn?" Happosai felt Ranma-chan in the door, the killing intent was ... frightening. He bolted out of the, closed, window. Ranma-chan was hot on his trail. Kasumi looked at Tofu. "Dear, prepare the clinic, I'll finish dinner, we will eat once it's finished. Betty you can stop preying." ------ As luck wanted it, Kiima chose that day to arrive, Ki fires that Ranma-chan burned in her battle against Happosai drew her to ground zero. If she were to comment on it she would have said it was the greatest battle she had ever seen after the one with Saffron. Her Mistress was clearly out for the old perverts head, while he on the other hand was trying to stay alive, hard with Ranma's Ki arching all over the place in colourful coronas. It was a dangerous Ki cage. Happosai showed trick after trick, used technique after technique. They all failed against Ranma-chan's ultimate Ki control. After several hours off this frightening display Happosai was on his back, his clothes mostly burned away, bloody, bruised and with several broken bones. His reserves were almost zero and breathing wasn't easy. Most of his emergency stash was ashes upon the ground. His executor was calmly walking towards him, she was probably using Ki to keep herself from limping, but she was standing and he wasn't. "Happosai, listen closely, if I hear about you doing something, I will not let you live next time. Everyone here is under my protection, and the girl you touched especially." Kiima's eyes widened, she knew Kaede, the pleasant tall girl, a lot like Ranma's substitute mother. It was really no wonder that Ranma was angry. Somehow she didn't pity the old pervert any more. She jumped out and caught Ranma as she withdrew, the emotional turmoil had been to much. Spreading her wings she took to the skies and flew home. Kiima allowed herself a small smile, she didn't know when she had started to see of that place as her home but it was, in a really twisted kind of way. Her human form was welcome there, her phoenix form was always appreciated by those that knew. Even Ranma-chan' friends were accepting of her when Ranma explained that she was friend and changed with water temperature, not a single one had asked what her other form was. No one asked her any questions but the one time Ranma's daughter, she came to think of Kaede like that, saw her true form would always be remembered. **Obligatory Flashback** Kaede was 14 and visiting Ranma. At the Ono's place she heard that Ranma was out training with Ranma. Starting to think about it she decided to talk a walk, it would be nice to see Kiima again, she had something regal about her. Kaede smiled, Ranma's friends were all so very weird, she briefly wondered if Betty talked. The girl walked down to the lake, one of the parts where there was less paths, the wilder ones. That was when she heard it, fighting. It sounded very intense, especially as she guessed that she was still a bit away from it. As she approached what looked like a clearing she heard them stop. "Kaede we know you are here." Ranma called out. Kaede walked past a tree and saw them ahead. At least she guessed that it was them, Kiima was cursed ... to be an angel? Kiima was nervous, she liked Kaede and knew how important the girl had grown to Ranma in the last three years. She really considered him a friend and was at home here. "Angel?" the tall orange haired girl asked. Kiima smiled, as did Ranma, they knew that everything was going to be alright. "Actually that IS my true form." Kaede blinked. "You are an angel?" "I'm a phoenix, I was given to Ranma first as a wife, than as a slave." "Kiima!" Ranma didn't sound happy. Kaede understood "And became his friend instead." She blushed. "May I touch them?" Kiima looked at Ranma. "Your choice" Ranma shrugged the question off. Kiima jumped and landed with a gentle flutter in front off the girl. "Be gentle, if you want a feather, ask." Kaede hesitantly touched a wing, gently running her fingers through the feathers. "There is more to your story, isn't there?" Kiima and Ranma shared a look. "We will give you a brief overview, you already know the Neko-ken, the rest is only slightly better." that night Kaede found herself sandwiched by Ranma and Kiima as they held her. Ranma had fought and taken down mountains, had killed to protect his love, Kiima had let it slip that that had paled to what Ranma was doing for Kaede. She was happy and afraid at the same time. It made her feel special, protected, warm, fuzzy and sad at the same time. Afraid that her family would be ripped apart once again. **Obligatory Flashback End** ------ Ranma-chan woke up, she was in the clinic. The weigh on her arm was quickly identified as Kaede, the Aura in the door was recognized as Kiima. "You brought me back?" Kiima snorted, a habit she had picked up from Ranma, much to the amusement of Saffron, she was even prone to speaking before thinking when she was aggravated. "Like someone else could drag your sorry carcass from the top of the mountain. You should really watch your weight girl." Ranma snorted likewise. "Said the woman always complaining about having to loose weigh once she leaves us." "Kasumi is a great cook." Kiima defended. "I live constantly with her and Kaede makes a mean sushi." "A draw?" "I agree." Ranma-chan got out from under Kaede and picked the girl up, who snuggled into the embrace. "Let's get her to my bad, we can do a little sparring later, a few of my muscles are sore and I need to get them back to normal before he returns." Kiima shook her head. "He won't return any time soon, he'll survive, but I doubt that he is going to be back to normal in the near future if ever. He had a bra and some panties stowed away, so he'll survive." Ranma-chan's response was hard and damning. "I thought I got them all." ------ Kiima and Ranma ate at midnight. Any questions concerning Happosai were answered. "He's alive." "I don't see at night." "I was kind of in a rage so don't ask me where he is." "He is like a cockroach, unless you squish it completely and burn the remains there will be others." "He had it coming." "Ranma you are awake." Kaede just came down for the midnight dinner Ranma was having. "Yep, he got a few good hits in." "And lost so extremely that he won't show his face any time soon hopefully." Kiima continued. "Good." hearing something like this from kind Kaede was bad. "Want some it's great." Ranma offered Kaede some food. "Thank you Ranma, how are you Kiima?" "I am fine, those stupid nobles, they try talking Saffron into how superior he is, when I told them off they told me that a slave has no place in the council. I just reminded them that I was keeping an eye on them for Ranma. The tried to throw me out, I kicked them all out instead. I'm thinking of taking Saffron along next time." Kiima admitted with a look at Ranma. Ranma chewed and swallowed. "Why not, if he learns some better control over his powers and not just what he was born with all the better. Besides I wanted to excuse myself for killing him." Kiima slept in the guest room while Kaede and Ranma-chan once again shared Ranma's bed. They were both looking at the stars. "Think there is someone out there?" "Yes, and probably female and out to marry me by some strange twist of fate." Kaede had learned that Ranma was special, many of Ranma's remarks were based on a bad past. "Do I want to know?" "Truth? No, it would give you nightmares for days. Even Kiima had a bad night after I told her everything." "Promise you tell me everything sometime." "Promise, you already know that I was engaged a few times and lost some years. I'll tell you a story about the Nerima Wrecking Crew and the Fiancée Wars soon" The stars just seemed to dare Ranma-chan open her mouth and say it. "Not tonight." With that Ranma-chan went to sleep enjoying the comfort Kaede gave her. ------ It took Happosai two days to reach the clinic. It took him one week to recover enough to safely move again. He made Ranma Grandmaster once he was fit enough to leave, it wasn't easy holding back from all those cute girls in the valley. It was plain suicidal trying to touch them. He had his heir and decided to make a world tour, he wanted to get to France in time for the new lingerie designs. ------ 2021 Ranma Ono, adopted daughter of Kasumi Tendou and later Kasumi Ono, Grandmistress of Anything Goes and high school student lay on the grass and watched the stars. She looked 16 and that was her physical age, she was 31 and aiming for 32 soon. She had been withdrawn for 11 years. Her Ki mastery was unsurpassed. Her best friend was a girl, sort like a daughter maybe even. Her life was just plain weird. It had been calm in the last few years mostly. But all she could do was wait for the shoe to drop, she just hoped it wouldn't be one of those reinforced combat type boots. Of course something invading her valley caught her attention. It came from above and was big. She felt it hovering over the water before slipping inside, the water rippling and a vortex building. Of course a female materializing out of thin air and glowing was on par with her life. "Oh crap." This caught the figures attention. Ranma-chan decided fleeing was the better part of the valour. She took off like a rocket. The female, it was a female from the feeling of her Ki, kept up by reappearing somewhere close or in the way, Ranma sighed, and invoked the Umisenken, fading from view. She stopped in a tree and saw the glowing female stop too. It was a woman, a very pretty too, the hair was reminding Ranma of the Amazons. The darkness and her glowing some kind of orange made disconcerting the shade hard but it was something red, maybe maroon. "Not completely human." Ranma-chan whispered. "Kaede you and I will talk about summoning things from outer space." The cloaked girl watched the woman fade away again in a shower of glittering energy, she dropped from the tree and didn't reappear until home. "Kasumi, I have an alien after me!" From three different doorways three different faces were looking at her. If you could say Betty had a face that is. "Yep, just had a female alien land in the lake. I just know this is the revenge for having a quiet life those last few yeas." Kasumi always the practical one was first to recover. "I hope she eats normal food." "I'll see if I can find some forgotten scroll on non terrestrial anatomy, she looked human?" Tofu asked pushing his glasses up. "Yes, she was pretty human from her Ki. Something weird in there, but I think she could handle some modified pressure points and medication." Tofu nodded. "That's good, I wonder if she has any interesting recipes." Betty was back in front of the TV and watching some film with some aliens taking over earth. Ranma just hoped this wasn't a bad omen. "Kaede this is all your fault." Ranma said and went for the telephone. Author's Notes v0: I had some fun writing this. While sort of the first chapter I personally see this more like a prologue. But it has too much action inside. I know I need to expand some of it, please tell me where. Author's Notes v0.1: wow, almost 8000 words now. I added close to 2000 for this version. Find anything off again, tell me please. Author's Notes v0.2: Again more to correct. Added Genma and corrected a few forgotten words and stuff that had been sounding weird. Hosted by Animexx e.V. (http://www.animexx.de)