Ranma 1/2 Shadowrunner
Chapter 2: Hiring Time
By: James "Phoenix" Jones
< > are thoughts
Herb watched coldly as two of his security guards removed Nabiki's body from his office. His chin rested lightly on his hand as he watched the proceedings. He hated to admit it, but he was actually sorry to see such a good decker killed so uselessly.
"Sir?"
At the sound, Herb shook his head and looked up. Before him, a guard stood holding Nabiki's bloody shirt. "Yes, what do you want?" asked Herb.
"Um... I asked what you'd like us to do with the body, Sir." Said the guard, the edge of nervousness in his voice evident.
Herb paused to consider. He knew that Nabiki had numerous contacts, and that she would eventually be missed if the body was simply disposed of. A simple accident wouldn't be plausible because of her "particular" wounds and, since Cortex Bomb were illegal, no one would believe it had gone off by accident. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as the guard stood at attention before him.
After a moment, Herb snapped his fingers and said, "I have it! Mint and Lime already trashed most of her apartment. Take the body back there and dump it. Once that's done, do a little more damage to the place."
"Sir?" asked the guard, not comprehending.
Herb growled inwardly; why he'd been cursed with such incompetent subordinates was beyond him. "The Lone Star will find what's left and write if off as a break in gone fatal." Said Herb. "Do you understand now?"
"Yes, Sir!" said the guard as he hurried to comply with the order. As he left, Herb shook his head sullenly.
Punching a button on his desk, he said, "Miss Kurenai, this episode has left me a little hungry. Please bring in another snack."
A moment later, the young secretary walked in carrying another large, covered dish. As she approached, Herb could not help but notice that her face was ashen. <Ah! To be young and free of the sights of death.> he thought.
Miss Kurenai sat the dish down and turned to leave. However, as she spun around, Herb gently grabbed her by the wrist. He smiled inwardly as she jumped.
"Are you alright, Tsubasa?" he asked, his tone gentle.
Tsubasa looked at him, her eyes filled with a mix of terror and respect. Silently, she shook her head.
"Are you certain?" Herb asked, gently.
Tsubasa looked at him and managed a weak, albeit cute smile. "I- I- um... well... I... I..." She trailed off, tears welling up in her eyes.
Herb forced a smile even though he was inwardly cursing his secretary's human weakness. Gently grasping her by the shoulders, he said, "You are scared... aren't you?"
Tsubasa looked at him closely and said, "Actually, Sir... I _am_... well... kind of anyway."
Herb smiled, only this time the smile was genuine; Seeing fear in the eyes of anyone was always amusing. "Why don't you go home, Miss Kurenai." Said Herb. "There is little left here but the clean-up and I shall not be requiring you're services until tomorrow."
"Sir?!" Tsubasa exclaimed. "I... I can't leave! Not when something like this... !"
Herb silenced her by placing his finger over her lips. "Go home." He said coolly.
Reluctantly, Tsubasa nodded and said, "Yes, Sir." Curtsying slightly, she moved toward the doorway.
"Miss Kurenai?" asked Herb. "I know you don't drive and I was wondering if you require someone to take you home."
Tsubasa looked at him for a moment and managed another weak smile. "Yes, Sir." She said. "I'd like that."
Herb nodded as Tsubasa left the office. Reaching to his desk he pressed the intercom and ordered a car to be waiting for her in front of the building.
"You're too soft on her."
Herb turned and regarded the speaker coldly. "Did I ask for your opinion, Lime?" he said.
Lime grinned smugly and leaned against the wall. "I said that you're too soft on her. That's all." He said.
Herb looked at Lime and smiled. Of all of the people whom he employed, both officially and unofficially, Lime and Mint were the only two people that he _couldn't_ intimidate. If he could ever go as far to call a creature lower than himself "friend," it was those two.
"Good secretaries are very hard to come by, Lime." he said. "I just wish she'd quit wearing so much damn perfume!"
"Whatever." Said Lime. "Anyway, what do you want me to do?"
"I just need you to wait around for a while." Said Herb. "By the way, how long till Mint heals up?"
Lime shrugged and said, "Who knows. Be a couple of day at least."
Herb nodded and returned to his desk.
*****
Tsubasa flashed the driver a quick smile and winked as he dropped her off in front of her apartment complex. The driver smiled back and said, "Care for a date, Miss? I'm off work in a couple of hours."
Giggling cutely, Tsubasa blushed and said, "Not today, my boyfriend might not like that."
At this, the driver blanched and quickly sped away.
"Jerk." Said Tsubasa, making an appropriate gesture. Turning quickly, she moved down a side street and entered her apartment.
Once inside the apartment, Tsubasa leaned against the door and sighed. Turning her head, she took stock of her surroundings.. The inside was sparsely furnished, with a small, sofa-bed, chair, a table with a computer terminal and an adjoining bathroom. It wasn't much, but it served her purposes well enough.
After locking everything, she quickly removed her dress, leaving her clad in oversized boxers and a loose muscle shirt. Reaching to her neck, she removed a small amulet and set it on the sofa. Immediately, her body began to change. Her chest flattened, her body grew and her hair shortened.
<God.> thought Tsubasa. <Illusion spells have their perks, but holding a form for ten hours a day's a little much!> Even as he thought it, Tsubasa couldn't help but shake _his_ head in disgust. His illusionist ability to disguise himself as almost anything had saved his life on numerous occasions, but even he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep up with the demands that were being placed on him as of late. Absentmindedly, he looked at the amulet he used to focus his spells and sighed again.
<Oh, well.> he thought. <At least the pay's good.>
Looking at the computer, he decided that a shower was in order before he made his report. One of the drawbacks of masquerading as a female was that he had to wear almost a whole bottle of perfume everyday to cover his scent. He hated wearing it, but it was preferable to being eaten by a dragon should he be found out.
A few moments later, Tsubasa emerged from the bathroom and made his way to the computer. Sighing, he sat down and checked the clock. <9:30.> he thought. <Hmm...>
Tsubasa stared blankly at the computer screen and cyberdeck in front of him. He was being paid well enough for his work, but for some reason he always felt scared about jacking into the matrix. The fear was unfounded of course, after all, he was as good at decking as he was at disguises. Still, there was always a lingering doubt.
With a deep exhale, he reached for the deck connector and pulled it out. Brushing away his hair, he brought the cord to his forehead and snapped the unit into his datajack. Taking a few deep breaths to calm his nerves, he punched in his phony access code. Unconsciously, he took a deep breath as the world fell away.
*********
Tsubasa felt his real world body smile as the matrix came into view. As always, his phony access code automatically put him into a random outside line. Checking himself, he found that his usual body was now replaced with a light filled, wire-frame samurai.
Looking around, he saw the crisscrossed network of lines that marked the entrance to various SAN around him. Launching a browse program, he smiled as the various, different markers appeared over the SAN. Finding the correct one, he leapt up to one of the beams and sped off to his destination.
Flashing his code to a doorman construct, he moved through the SAN and into the outside telephone lines. Moving forward, he randomly selected over a dozen other SAN before finally arriving at his destination. Overhead, he saw the words "Jusenkyo MegaCorporation" blazing on the top of the SAN.
Too one side, he read the words, "Access denied: Red-4."
Tsubasa stared coldly at the SAN and felt his real world fingers punching his cyberdeck; trying to find the right code. Launching a sensors program, he found several IC closing in on him and unconsciously sped up his movements. Finally, the code hit and the SAN opened. Grabbing the light beam, Tsubasa entered the Jusenkyo mainframe. Once inside, he moved along his pre-planned route toward the central datastore.
Several minutes later, he finally arrived and was unable to suppress a wolf whistle at the damage he saw. All around him, data constructs lay in various states of wholeness. Many of them still had small amounts of illumination coming from inside them, but still more had gone completely dark.
<Yeesh!> thought Tsubasa. <And I thought _my_ attack programs were dangerous!>
Tsubasa stopped his movements for a moment and considered his options. He knew that the main system would be in a state of disrepair for several days at least and that most of the technicians wouldn't be back until early the next day. That would leave him a little time at least. Launching his browse program again, he watched the remaining SAN and SN light up and Tsubasa scanned them all in turn. After a few moments, he finally found what he was looking for.
Grabbing onto another light beam, he sped off toward the SN marked, "Taro: Security Chief."
As expected, Tsubasa saw Taro's matrix persona busily working at the console construct in the Slave Node. Quickly, he launched a deception program and smiled as his persona mutated into a separate console similar to the one Taro was working on.
Once the program had taken affect, Tsubasa slowly inched his way toward the real console as he felt his real world body swallow hard. Fighting ice was one thing, but fighting another decker was something else entirely. Once in position, Tsubasa looked cautiously over Taro's shoulder.
On the screen in front of him, several pictures depicting a girl and her family were being analyzed by various programs. Looking closely, Tsubasa recognized that most of the pictures were of the girl that had killed herself in Herb's office earlier that day. Reading the screen, he found her name quickly.
<Hmm... Nabiki Tendo.> thought Tsubasa. <What's the sudden interest in her is all about?> Tsubasa knew all about how Herb had set up the shadowrunner team, but he didn't know what bait had been used. Even though he'd listened in on the conversation between Herb and Nabiki, he was still no closer to figuring out what had been stolen. Of course, that was what he was being paid to find out.
<Time to earn my keep.> he thought.
Realizing that Taro would be at his work for several hours, Tsubasa quickly backed out of Taro's area and into the SN that took him back to the central mainframe. Unlike the rest of the area, the central data tower was relatively undamaged. It was as good a place as any to start his task. Moving in, he quickly tried to retrace the steps Nabiki had taken a few hours earlier.
Unfortunately, the effort proved to be useless and he felt his real world body smile grimly. Mentally, he congratulated Nabiki on her cleverness in erasing the original file. However, Tsubasa doggedly refused to admit defeat and continued to search the central tower.
Finally, after nearly four hours, he managed to find a file marker that registered a deletion at the time he assumed Nabiki had been in the area. The only clue to the erased data was the file name which read, "SJT-Project-Classified Red - 4."
Tsubasa shook his head in disgust and moved back into Taro's system. Sure enough, nearly four times the previous amount of data was displayed on the screen. Re-launching his deception program, he moved back to his previous position and waited. The moment he knew Taro was distracted, he reached out and began to copy the onscreen files.
As the files downloaded, he considered his options. Taro was not only older than he was but, if you believed the rumors, he had also been trained in matrix combat. The thought of going up against someone with that sort of reputation was not exactly thrilling to Tsubasa.
<But.> thought Tsubasa. <If I can crash the datastore, that'll slow Jusenkyo down and I can up my fee.> Tsubasa smiled to himself; once again, the prospect of the almighty nuyen had overridden common sense. Thus, as the end of file marker appeared, Tsubasa lashed out.
Canceling his deception program, he loaded his Blackhammer. Immediately, a _huge_ cannon appeared on his shoulder. "Excuse me, Mr. Taro?" he said.
Tsubasa smiled again as Taro's persona spun round in shock. Without waiting, Tsubasa launched the program. Immediately, a wave of bright red energy erupted from the cannon and plowed into Taro, sending him flying away from the console.
Wasting no time, Tsubasa canceled the Blackhammer and launched a standard attack program against the console. He couldn't help but laugh as the wire frame samurai sword cut the console to ribbons. Suddenly, something plowed into him and sent him flying. Looking up, he saw a monstrous construct charging at him. He immediately recognized Taro's attack program.
Launching the attack program again, Tsubasa slashed downward and cut deeply into the beast's arm, but did little damage. As he fought, he felt his real world fingers close around the connection and pull. Immediately, the matrix fell away.
*********
Tsubasa fell out of his chair with a loud "THUMP!" Immediately, he clapped his hand over his mouth as the wave of nausea hit and he fought hard to keep from vomiting. Touching his face, he found blood streaming from his nose and from his left eye. He suddenly realized that Taro had used a Blackhammer against him as well and was thankful of his automatic response in breaking the connection.
Standing up, somewhat shakily, he straightened his chair and sat back down. On the screen before him, was the data he'd stolen. Despite the pain he was feeling in his head, he smiled and reached for the phone. Dialing a number, he waited.
"Hello?" said a voice. "Nekonron MegaCorporation, Lychee speaking."
Tsubasa breathed a heavy sigh of relief, thankful that it was Lychee he was speaking to and not Monron. "Lychee." He said. "This is Tsubasa Kurenai, I'd like to speak to Kirin."
"One minute, he talking right now." came the reply.
Tsubasa leaned back in his chair and waited patiently. A moment later, another voice came over the phone.
"Kirin here. Who wishes to speak to us?"
Tsubasa rolled his eyes at the man's words and said, "This is Tsubasa, Kirin."
"Ah, Tsubasa!" said Kirin. "Kirin is very pleased to hear from you."
"Thanks, boss." Said Tsubasa. "How's life."
"Kirin is not in the mood for word games, Tsubasa. If you wish to tell Kirin something, you will tell him now!"
Tsubasa couldn't help but chuckle as he said, "Okay, Kirin. I've got something here that I think you shall find _very_ interesting."
"And that is?" asked Kirin.
"Well..." said Tsubasa. "It seems that Herb set up a shadowrunner team earlier today. As per my 'boss'' expectations, the whole team got wiped out."
"This is very interesting, Tsubasa." Said Kirin. "Unfortunately, Kirin is not paying you to tell him meaningless trivia."
"On the contrary." Tsubasa began. "The runners actually made it into the main datastore and managed to get something _very_ hot out of the tower."
"What!?" asked Kirin, unsuccessfully trying to mask excitement in his voice.
Tsubasa thought for a moment. He had Kirin right where he wanted him, and now all he had to do was reel in the line. "First off, 'boss'." Said Tsubasa. "Let's talk about my fee."
"Kirin is paying you handsomely Tsubasa, do not make him angry."
"Wouldn't dream of it." Said Tsubasa, matter-of-factly. "But I got hammered getting this stuff out and that wasn't in our deal. Up the pay by twenty percent and I'll give you the data."
The line was silent for a moment and then Kirin spoke. "How 'hot' is this data, Tsubasa?"
"Hot off the presses."
"Kirin shall increase your pay by ten percent."
"Fifteen."
"Done." Said Kirin. "Now... what is this data you have for us."
Tsubasa smile and said, "It ain't much, but I think you'll find it useful." With that, Tsubasa began to tell Kirin exactly what he'd discovered.
Kirin listened intently and said, "Very well Tsubasa. Kirin shall see that you are paid the moment the data is on his computer."
"Okay." Said Tsubasa. "You'll have it in five."
******
Kirin looked calmly at his monitor as the data transferred itself into words. Once the download was complete, he typed in an account number and transferred the arranged payment into Tsubasa's private account. That done, he turned back to face the screen.
Before him, was a small, computer scanned picture of a young girl with short, brown hair and piercing brown eyes. To one side, was a small biography of her. Punching a few keys, he proceeded to read the data.
[Name: Tendo, Nabiki
Age: 20 DOB: 24 May 2033
DOD: June 12, 2053
Nationality: Japanese Place of Birth: Tokyo.]
Kirin shook his head thoughtfully. He had dealt with the Jusenkyo MegaCorporation in the past and he knew that Herb only did research on people whom had been a thorn on his side. The fact that they were researching the girl _after_ they had killed her made him nervous.
<Why are they taking such a interest in you, Miss Tendo?> Kirin asked himself.
According to the other data Tsubasa had provided him with, the girl had stolen something that was supposedly valuable, but he had no clue as to what that data was. Punching a few more keys, he read the rest of the bio. Most of it was simple things like the date she had graduated from school and some cross references to people she might be in contact with. After the first few of these references, he scrolled down to the lower areas. Finally, one small group of lines caught his eye.
Looking closely, he recognized it as a coroner's report. The first few lines were meaningless to him, he had seen numerous such reports. However, the very last line was a different story.
[Surviving relations: Tendo, Akane. Age at time of report: 19]
<So.> thought Kirin. <The Shadowrunner may have had an Achilles Heel.> Typing in a command, he scanned the rest of the data. Unfortunately, it seemed that Herb hadn't found Akane's address yet.
<No matter.> thought Kirin, grimly. <We have her name so it shall not be too difficult for us to find her.>
Shaking his head, he picked up the phone and moved his hand to switch off the monitor. Suddenly, something caught his eye. Scrolling upward, he read the line quickly. Immediately, he smiled.
<Perhaps we shall not need to find her after all.> he thought, looking coldly at the screen. Mentally, he congratulated Herb on doing such a thorough search in such a short amount of time. On the screen before him, placed on a cross referencing line, was a single name. A name Kirin was _very_ familiar with.
Clearing the screen, he called up another list and scanned it quickly. Taking out a interface pen, he underlined two names and pressed send. Pushing down on his intercom, he said, "Lychee, Kirin has just sent you two names. Please contact both persons and tell them to come in immediately.
"Lychee, call." Came the reply. "What you want Lychee say if they ask what you want."
Kirin scratched his chin for a moment before answering. "Tell them... that it is hiring time."
"Yes, sir." Came the reply.
With a smile, Kirin leaned back in his chair and made himself comfortable. If all went well, he would have nothing to worry about. Swiveling the chair around, he gazed out his window and waited.
*************
Several minutes later, the intercom sounded and Kirin turned around. Pushing the button, he asked, "Yes?"
"One of the persons you have Lychee call is here." Came the response.
"Send them in."
As he finished the command, the door to his office opened and a young girl with long brown hair walked in. As she approached the desk, Kirin stood and bowed. "Greetings Ukyou Kuonji." He said. "Kirin trusts that you are well today."
Ukyou returned the bow and said, "I've been well, thank you."
Kirin smiled warmly and motioned for her to sit in one of the plush chairs in front of his desk. Ukyou smiled as well and took her seat. "So, Kirin." She said. "Why'd you call me in here. You know that I..."
Kirin waved his hand, calling for silence. "You shall be told soon, Ukyou." He said warmly.
"I've got a restaurant to run, you know." she said. "I got out of this business two years ago for a reason. So why don't you just spill it."
Kirin laughed and said, "You will be told when the other arrives."
"Other?" asked Ukyou. "What other?"
"You shall see." Said Kirin.
<Sometimes I hate this business.> she thought to herself. <Now I know why I got out of it. Well part of the reason at least.> The last thought was added with a degree of anger and sadness that Ukyou was hard pressed to ignore.
"Could you at least give me a hint?" asked Ukyou.
"The run should not be too difficult." Said Kirin. "However, it may well be against the Jusenkyo MegaCorporation."
"Jusenkyo?" asked Ukyou, her voice betraying nervousness. She had heard about the Jusenkyo and she wasn't exactly thrilled with the prospect of going up against them. Still, the thought triggered her long buried curiosity and she asked, "So what's the job."
Kirin smiled again and said, "You shall see."
"But..."
"You shall see." Kirin repeated. "Would you care for a snack?"
Ukyou opened her mouth to say something else, but realized further talk would be futile. After about a minute, she said, "Pickles and rice aren't exactly my idea of fine dining, Kirin. I think I'll pass."
"Pity." Said Kirin as he opened a small drawer and withdrew a bowl of steamed rice topped with a pickled turnip.
An uncomfortable silence followed. As Kirin ate, Ukyou mused over her thoughts. She had been more than a little surprised when Lychee had called her and she wasn't exactly thrilled. Still, it _had_ been a long time and she wanted to know what was so important. <I can't believe I came back here.> she thought. <I promised myself I'd give this up.>
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the intercom sounded again. Pushing the button, Kirin asked, "Yes?"
"Other one is here." Came the response.
"Send him in." said Kirin.
A moment later, the door opened to reveal a young, redheaded female dressed in a red shirt and black pants. As the girl walked forward, it was apparent she had just been splashed with something because water was running down the sides of her face.
Stifling a laugh, Kirin asked, "Greetings, Ranma Saotome. May Kirin asked what happened?"
Ranma reached to her hair and rung out her ponytail. "Decided to take an impromptu shower." She said sarcastically.
Kirin chuckled quietly and motioned the girl to the other seat.
Ranma chuckled as well and moved to take the other chair.
As she watched, Ukyou swallowed nervously and looked at Kirin out of the corner of her eye. Unconsciously, her mind began to drift back to a time several years earlier when both she and Ranma had been sitting in these same chairs. Each one waiting for Kirin to give them their first major Shadowrun. However, Ukyou quickly tore her thoughts from the past as she felt her chest begin to tighten painfully at the memory.
Oblivious to Ukyou, Ranma leaned back in the chair and asked, "What's the job this time, Kirin?"
"First of all; Let me introduce, or should I say reintroduce, you to someone." Said Kirin, motioning to Ukyou. Ranma followed his gesture slowly until she finally met Ukyou's gaze. Immediately, Ranma froze.
"Ranma, I believe you know Miss Ukyou Kuonji." Said Kirin.
Swallowing nervously, Ukyou mock waved and said, "H... hi, Ranchan."
"Yeah, I know her." Said Ranma, standing up quickly. Turning to Kirin, she asked, "What's _she_ doing here?" Turning slightly to face her, Ranma fixed Ukyou with a stare cold enough to freeze her blood.
"Will you please sit down?" Asked Kirin.
"Not till she leaves." Said Ranma, indicating Ukyou.
As Ranma said the words, Ukyou could once again feel her chest tighten painfully. "Ranchan...?" asked Ukyou, her voice strained.
"Don't 'Ranchan' me, Ukyou." She said coldly.
"Kirin does not understand, Ranma." Said Kirin. "Kirin thought Ukyou was your partner."
Ranma stared hard at Kirin and then fixed her gaze on Ukyou. She smiled inwardly as Ukyou tried to sink down in her chair. "Yeah, but 'was' is the right word choice." she said, her tone completely emotionless.
"Kirin wishes her to remain." Said Kirin. "The Shadowrun you are being hired for may require her assistance."
"If she stays" said Ranma, "I leave."
"The job will pay you both very well, Ranma." Said Kirin. "Kirin thinks you should..."
"Forget it!!!" shouted Ranma. "I ain't working with her! Got it!?"
Turning on her heel, Ranma began to walk out of the office. However, she stopped as she heard Ukyou call out her name. Turning, she stared at her coldly.
"I... I don't want to cost you a job, Ran...ma." She said. "Kirin, thank you for thinking of me, but I really should leave."
Kirin stared at her silently. He couldn't believe what he was seeing and the spectacle left him speechless.
Ukyou looked at Ranma, then at Kirin and shook her head. No matter what, she couldn't go through this again. "I- I'm sorry, I really need to leave."
"Yeah, get out of here." Said Ranma coldly.
Ukyou choked back tears as she walked from the room. Even though she couldn't show it, she could feel her heart breaking all over again. She didn't look back as she closed the door behind her.
Once Ukyou was gone, Ranma turned back to Kirin and said, "You had know right to call her in here."
At the words, Kirin snapped back reality and said, "That was... unlike you, Ranma Saotome."
"So?"
"Kirin thought that you and Miss Kuonji were..."
Raising her hand, Ranma said, "My love life is none of your business."
"Kirin will remind you, _Mister_ Saotome, that you are an employee of this company and you will show Kirin respect."
Ranma smirked and said, "Don't pull that 'you're an employee' drek with me Kirin, I'm a Shadowrunner, pure and simple. Officially, I don't even exist."
Standing, Kirin rested his hands on the desk and locked his gaze with Ranma's. He couldn't remember a time when Ranma hadn't been at least a little bit rude, but today she seemed to be in a rare mood. At times, Kirin wondered why he continued to put up with the young Shadowrunner, but results spoke for themselves. "Very well, Ranma." He said. "Kirin shall ignore your outburst if you will sit down."
Reluctantly, Ranma took her seat and leaned back, crossing her arms across her chest.
"Before we begin, would you like some hot water?" asked Kirin.
Ranma shook her head slightly and said, "Tempting, but your guards saw a girl walk in. It'd look suspicious if a guy walks out."
Kirin nodded and continued. "Kirin has a question he would like you to answer."
<I should of known.> thought Ranma. "You dragged me out of bed to ask me a question?"
Leaning back in his chair, Kirin picked up the printout of Nabiki's picture and passed it to Ranma. Leaning forward, she picked it up and examined it.
"She's cute, but what's she got to do with me?" asked Ranma, her expression unreadable.
Raising his hands to his chin, Kirin said, "Her name is Nabiki Tendo. Do you recognize the name?"
"Should I?" asked Ranma.
Lowering his hands to the desk, Kirin said, "She is... was... a shadowrunner, Ranma. A decker to be precise and, according to her reputation, very good at what she did. However, earlier today, she was killed during a run against the Jusenkyo MegaCorporation."
Ranma could feel her interest level rising, but decided to play it cool and aloof. Leaning back, she said, "That's fascinating, Kirin, but what's it got to do with me?"
"She stole a file that is supposedly very important to Jusenkyo. However, according to data another of Kirin's runners procured for him, the data was dumped sometime prior to her death. The reason Kirin has asked you here is because in the data, the name of her father, one Soun Tendo, was cross-referenced with your own father, one Genma Saotome."
Despite herself, Ranma could not contain a look of surprise. It was true that, prior to his death, Genma had had a lot of friends and Ranma had met almost all of them during their training journey. However, the name Tendo didn't ring any bells. "Pop had lots of friends, Kirin." she said. "I don't remember all of them."
"Kirin understands." Said Kirin. "However, some of the stolen data indicates that Nabiki has a younger sister named Akane. Do you recognize that name."
Ranma looked around slowly and thought hard. The name sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it. In the end, she decided to play dumb and said, "Never heard of her."
"We understand." Said Kirin, looking downcast. The 'interview' was not going exactly as planned. Looking at Ranma he said, "It is highly probable that Nabiki sent the stolen file to her sister Akane to keep it safe. Kirin would like to hire you to find Akane and deliver her here safely."
Ranma looked at Kirin and nodded. "Got any good details so far?" she asked.
"Kirin is afraid that the information is limited to what his other runner procured." Said Kirin. "Unfortunately, the data did not include Akane's address. However, that is easily remedied."
"How much?"
"Your usual fee." Said Kirin. "Plus expenses. Fifty percent is payable now and the rest will be transferred to your account once you have completed the run. Do you find this agreeable."
"Sure do." Said Ranma. "Looks like you've got yourself a runner."
"Excellent." Said Kirin, as he stood and bowed.
Ranma did likewise and said, "What time can I expect the details to get to me?"
"Kirin shall have his deckers begin a search immediately." Said Kirin. "You should have them later tonight or early tomorrow morning."
Ranma bowed again and, turning, strode confidently out of the office.
*********
Ukyou leaned heavily against the oak door after making sure it was closed. Raising her hand to her chest, she held it tightly against her aching heart and began to take several deep breaths. In the back of her mind, she could still hear Ranma's words and each one seemed like a dagger that was slowly being twisted in her chest.
<Oh, God.> she thought. <Why? Why did I have to do that?>.
Breathing deeply, she replayed the scene that had just happened, searching for something she could have - no! _should_ have - done different. Unfortunately no alternatives came to her. It had been over two years since she had seen Ranma and, after all that time, she really thought she knew what she would say when she saw him again. Now though, those thoughts had crashed around her like the rubble of some demolished building.
Raising her other hand, she quickly wiped away her tears and pushed herself away from the door. <I need to get out of here.> she told herself as she began to walk away. Looking to one side, she noticed that Lychee was looking at her with a curious expression and Ukyou managed a weak smile. Lychee shrugged and went back to her work.
Shaking her head quickly, Ukyou continued walking away, but stopped as she heard the door to Kirin's office open. Spinning quickly, she saw Ranma walk out and close the door. Like a deer caught in headlights, Ukyou immediately froze in place.
Ranma turned around and began to walk toward her, the other girl stopped as she saw Ukyou staring at her.
"R... Ranma?" asked Ukyou nervously.
Ranma "humphed" sharply and resumed walking. Upon reaching Ukyou, she walked passed her as though she wasn't even there. To Ukyou, having her friend angry at her was like being slapped. However, being ignored by her almost made Ukyou's heart stop.
"Ranma...wait!" Ukyou pleaded.
"Give me one good reason."
At the words, Ukyou felt her heart speed up quickly. Ranma's tone had been emotionless, but at least it was a response. Turning, she looked at the back of Ranma's head and said, "I... um... it's really good to see y-you again."
Without turning, Ranma said, "Wish I could say the feeling was mutual." That said, she started to walk away. Immediately, Ukyou sprang into action and ran to block her path. As she ran in front of the other girl, Ranma once again fixed her with his icy stare.
"Get out of the way, Ukyou." She said.
"Ranma..." said Ukyou. "I... really need to talk to you."
Shaking her head slightly, Ranma cracked a sadistic smile and said, "I've got nothing to say to you. Now get out of my way."
Fighting back tears, Ukyou said, "Please, Ranma! I... really...just... can we talk for just a few minutes?"
Ranma stared hard at Ukyou, but was finding it harder and harder to keep the menace in her look. More than anyone, Ranma understood that friendship was a rare and precious thing in the sixth world. Mentally, she kicked herself for the way she had acted while Ukyou had been in Kirin's office. Still, it wasn't always easy to forgive someone.
After thinking it over of a second, Ranma exhaled sharply and said, "Okay, Ukyou."
Ukyou smiled and let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. <Thank God.> she thought. "Thanks, Ranma... but lets not talk here. Why don't you come over to the restaurant and I'll fix you some dinner... err... breakfast?"
At this, Ranma could feel anger building up again. Part of her said that Ukyou was plotting something and that she should just leave. However, another part of her said that she really did just want to talk. "Whatever it is, just say it." She said. "We don't need to go to your restaurant, Ukyou."
"I... I can't, Ranma." Said Ukyou. "It's... well... kinda private and... um... I... I'd just like to talk to you away from here. Besides... Mia would love to see you."
Deep down, Ranma was growing more and more suspicious of what Ukyou wanted to talk about, but she didn't think it could hurt to find out. She didn't really trust Ukyou anymore, but the girl was still her friend. "Okay, Ukyou." She said. "Well play it your way for now. Let's go."
"Thank you, Ranma." Said Ukyou. "I appreciate it."
Ranma nodded as the two walked out of the building.
**********
As they entered the Ucchan, Ranma was amazed at how little the place had changed since she'd left three years earlier. The tables and chairs, both immaculately clean were still in the same places and the grill had the same metallic sheen to it. As Ranma looked around a wave of nostalgia washed over her, but she quickly beat it back.
"Ranma." Said Ukyou. "I have to go get Mia from the neighbor. If you'd like, you can get some hot water and change back."
Ranma replied with a curt nod and watched as Ukyou walked out the door quickly. <Now... let me think.> she said to herself. <If I remember right, the kitchen is... this way!> Walking forward purposefully, Ranma brushed aside a curtain and entered Ukyou's sparse, but well maintained kitchen. Again, the wave of nostalgia hit as she remembered how many times she'd helped Ukyou prepare food in this very space.
Shaking her head quickly to keep old wounds closed, Ranma set about finding her objective. Sure enough, it was where it had always been. Leaning forward, Ranma retrieved an old, beaten up tea kettle and walked to the sink with it. After filling the kettle, she placed it on the stove and waited. As the water heated, she took her first good look at her old home.
She couldn't help but marvel at how things looked as though they had been frozen in time within the restaurant. Not a single speck of dust covered the cabinets or counters and all the dishes, glasses and silverware where in the same places they had been when she had left the place.
<The more things change, the more they stay the same.> she thought, remember something a fellow runner had once said. Looking to one side, she saw steam escaping form the spout of the kettle. Picking it up, she tested the water and, once she was sure it wouldn't scald her, she up ended the kettle over herself.
Immediately, she felt the change take control of her body. If asked to describe the feeling, she could only say that if felt like a tingling sensation that started from the top of her head and ran to the tip of her toes. Looking down, she watched as her chest flattened and her body grew in height. Reaching around, she grabbed her pony tail and pulled it around. Sure enough, it was now black.
"Man..." said Ranma. "It is _great_ to be a guy again." Removing the shirt from his, now male body, he held if over the sink and rung it out. After putting it back on, he walked out into the dining room and began to look around.
Like the kitchen, the dining room had changed very little in his absence. However, one new addition caught his eye. In one corner of the room, reverently placed over a small, ornamental cabinet, hung Ukyou's old combat spatula. Unconsciously, Ranma made his way to the weapon and ran his hand over it.
The spatula's cold, metal surface felt as smooth as ever, but it was obvious the weapon had not been used or sharpened for some time. Running his thumb over the end, he was surprised to find the blade completely rounded over. Opening the cabinet, he saw Ukyou's bandoleer, complete with over twenty tiny spatulas, folded neatly on the cabinet's only shelf. Looking back to the large spatula, Ranma slowly picked it up off the cabinet and examined it.
<This is the spatula I gave her after she lost her old one.> he thought. As he did so, he could feel his thoughts going dark again. Ever so slowly, the memory of the day they had parted company came back to him. Anger, grief, hate and a multitude of other emotions had surged through him that day. Of course, at the time, he had had no idea where Ukyou was and he hadn't cared. He had rummaged through his meager belongings, packed quickly and left the restaurant without any word of goodbye.
Ranma felt his brow knit tightly at the memory. In the past two years, he had often let himself be lulled to sleep by images of how Ukyou must have been hurt by his sudden departure. At the time, those thoughts had been a comfort, however, he was seriously questioning his choice.
Running his hand down the grip, Ranma suddenly felt several tiny grooves in the otherwise smooth surface. Looking closely, he examined them.
"Always and Forever - R. S. and U. K."
Suddenly, Ranma felt the weight of the world crash down on his shoulders. <Always and Forever.> he thought. The phrase rang in his ears like gunshots. He remembered the look on Ukyou's face when he had given her this spatula on her seventeenth birthday. He also remembered how he had told her that, no matter what, they would be always be friends.
Ranma smiled grimly at the thought; He and Ukyou _had_ been friends for what seemed like an eternity. For a time, they had even been more than that. However, both relationships had crashed in one day because of his own anger. Now he understood why, no matter how comforting his thoughts of hurting Ukyou had been, they had never brought him any pleasure. Slowly, he placed the spatula back on the holder and closed the cabinet.
Without thought, he walked to a booth in the far corner of the restaurant; the same both he and Ukyou had sat in every night after closing; laughing, joking and enjoying each others company.
<Like a family.> he thought. Taking a seat, he was surprised to find a thin layer of dust on the cushion and he realized the booth hadn't been used in some time. Unconsciously, Ranma let his mind drift. This booth was also where he and Ukyou had planned out their strategies for their shadowruns. It was then that it hit him.
<That's why she was so surprised to see me!> he thought. Turning, he looked again at her spatula. Ukyou hadn't been planning on seeing him; she had given up on the run. Realization struck him like a freight train. Ukyou had given up on the run... because of him.
"Mom!" he heard a voice call out. "Do you have to walk so fast? I can't keep up!"
"Sorry." Said another voice. "Here, hop on."
Ranma smiled softly and turned to the door. A moment later, Ukyou walked through the door with a young girl perched on her shoulders. Immediately, Ukyou sat the little girl down and Ranma stood up. Upon seeing him, the little girl ran toward him, yelling, "Uncle Ranma! You came back!!!"
Kneeling down, Ranma opened his arms and allowed the little girl to hug him tightly. Wrapping his arms around her, he stood and cradled her against his chest.
"Where have you been?" asked the little girl. "I missed you so much! Me and Mommy were really sad when you left."
The words stabbed Ranma like a dagger, but he kept his expression calm. Looking at the little girl, he smiled warmly. "I know, Mia." He said. "I'm sorry."
"Are you gonna come back and live with us again?" Mia asked excitedly.
"Mia." Said Ukyou, her voice strained.
Undaunted, Mia continued her barrage of questions and statements. "Why did you leave? Did I make you angry? If I did I'm sorry. Did you know I grew another inch last month? Pretty soon I'll be..."
"Shhhh." Ranma said quietly, placing his finger over his mouth. "I'll talk to you later, Mia." He said. "Right now I'd like to talk to your Mother. Is that alright?"
Mia made a slight face and said, "Okay, Uncle Ranma. Mommy always did smile more when you talked to her."
"Mia!" Ukyou pleaded.
Sitting her down, Ranma patted Mia on the head and said, "You better go upstairs, pip squeak, it's way past your bedtime."
"I'm not a pip squeak!" she said, making a face. "I'm almost six!"
Ranma smiled again and said, "Go to bed Mia. I can't stay long, but I'll come back in a few days. We can talk then."
"You promise?" asked Mia.
"I promise." said Ranma. "When I come back, we'll spend a whole day to together. Is that okay?"
Mia giggled and nodded enthusiastically. "Good night, Uncle Ranma!" she chimed.
"Good night, Mia." Ranma replied.
With that, the little girl reluctantly left. Both Ukyou and Ranma were silent for a moment as they heard the sound of a door shut. After a moment, they turned to face each other again.
"Ranma, I'm sorry... I didn't know that she would..." Ukyou stopped abruptly as Ranma chuckled.
"Some things never change." Said Ranma. Motioning to the booth, he continued, "Let's talk."
Surprised by his change in attitude, Ukyou walked to the booth without a word. As she sat, the rising dust caused her to sneeze. Ranma sat across from her and leaned heavily on the table.
"Ranma..."
"Ukyou..."
They both blushed slightly, embarrassed at speaking in such synch. "Go ahead." Said Ranma.
"Ran... ma." Ukyou began. "I... I really... t-t-thought that I'd know what to say. You know... when - if - you ever came back but..."
Reaching out across the table, Ranma took Ukyou's hand gently and said, "Don't say anything then, Ucchan."
Ukyou's head snapped up at his use of her old nickname. "R-Ranma?" she stammered.
Ranma shook his head silently and an awkward silence followed. He could see Ukyou was searching for the right words of forgiveness and he wanted to tell her the same. However, some things were hard to forgive and betrayal was high on that list. Looking across at Ukyou, he finally took a good look at her.
"What happened to your eye?" he asked, noticing a scar just above her right eye.
Ukyou let go of his hand and rubbed the scar gently. "I caught a gel round and had to have it replaced." she said. "That last run did a number on me."
"I'll bet." Ranma said sarcastically. Leaning back in the booth he asked, "So... how's things been going with you?"
Ukyou felt a pang of anger mix with her grief at Ranma's nonchalant attitude. Still, she reminded that he had at least agreed to talk to her. "N-not too bad." She stammered. "How about you?"
Ranma grinned slightly and said, "The same. I've had a few runs lately but nothing really major."
Another awkward silence followed as the two sorted their feelings. Finally, Ranma spoke up and asked. "Um... how's Mia been doing?"
"She's been... doing really well." Said Ukyou. "She even started pre-school last month."
"That's good." Ranma answered.
"She always wondered where you went, you know." Ukyou said quietly. "For a while, she kept me up at night crying for you to tuck her in. She really missed you."
Choking back a pang of guilt, Ranma retorted, "What about you, Ukyou? Did you miss me?"
Ukyou nodded. "More than you'll ever know, Ranma." She said. "When I got back here after that... I knew you wouldn't be here. The way you yelled at me told me that." She paused and wiped a tear out of her eye. "But... when I went upstairs and found all of your stuff gone... I... it really hit hard that you weren't coming back."
Ranma leaned forward and took her hand again. This was the moment he had been dreading. "I had to leave, Ukyou." He said.
"Why!?" she asked, almost screaming.
"W-when you ran out on me... I had to use every trick I knew to stay alive." He said, letting the anger enter his voice again. "All I could think about was how betrayed I felt. I had to leave because... because if I hadn't, I may have done something I would have regretted."
"You would have killed me."
Ranma started at the words. They weren't formed into a question, they were a statement of fact. The worst part was, every word was true.
"Yes, I would have." Said Ranma.
"Ranma... for a while - after you left - I can honestly say that I hated you." Said Ukyou. "After all of the things we went through together... for you to just leave without a word... that really hurt me."
Hanging his head slightly, Ranma could feel his rage laughing at him, proving his actions had had the desired effect. He angrily beat them down and said, "Ukyou... you know why I ran out. What's your excuse?"
Guilt ran through Ukyou as she contemplated her answer. It was possible that Ranma had never seen her face after they had split up in that warehouse. In the end, she decided the truth was the best. "Ranma, do you remember what the other runners use to call us?"
"All kinds of names." Said Ranma, chuckling slightly.
"Well... do you remember what Ryouga use to call us?"
His brows knitting together tightly, Ranma tried hard to recall what Ryouga might have called them. He hadn't seen that old friend for a long time either and the memories were a little fuzzy. Finally, the answer came to him.
"The 'Immortals.'" He said.
Ukyou nodded. "That's right." She said. "And... for a while that was true. Run after run, neither one of us took so much as a cut from a combat knife. After a while Ranma, I- I really did start thinking we might be immortal."
"So?" asked Ranma.
"When that round hit my eye, mortality caught up with me _really_ quick." Answered Ukyou. "Everything that I'd believed in just crumbled and I ... I got scared. I didn't want to die and I panicked."
"That's no excuse, Ukyou." Said Ranma. "I needed you and you weren't there."
"That's no worse than what you did. I wanted to explain everything and then you just vanished." Said Ukyou, through clenched teeth. "I didn't know what had happened to you; Mia wanted to know where you were and I couldn't tell her. In the end I told her some lie I don't even remember! Do you know what that's like Ranma!? Lying to your own daughter like that!?"
"No, I don't know what it's like, Ukyou." Said Ranma. "I know what is like to _be_ lied to; my old man used to do it all the time. But we both know Mia isn't your daughter."
"That's beside the point!" shouted Ukyou. "She'd called me 'mom' ever since she could talk, just like she's always called you 'Uncle Ranma!' Hurting me was one thing, but you never even stopped think about her did you!?"
Ranma couldn't help but hang his head in shame. Ukyou was right and he knew it. In the back of his mind he was amazed how quickly the conversation had gone from him being mad at her, to her being mad at him. "Ukyou." He said. "They say one thing leads to another. You ran out on me, so I ran out on you."
"Your point?" asked Ukyou.
"If you want the truth, Ukyou, I'll tell you." Said Ranma. "But you _won't_ like what you hear."
"Tell me." Said Ukyou.
"You remember Konatsu don't you?"
Ukyou nodded but said nothing.
"I never liked Konatsu, you knew that and you always respected it." Said Ranma. "I was really surprised when you wanted her on that last run with us. When... when Konatsu turned out to be a spy, my first thought was that she had betrayed us both. But, when I... when you... I thought you'd sold me out too." He paused for a moment and then continued. "The reason I left... the _real_ reason... is that I was scared I might kill you. I was so far gone from anger I wasn't thinking straight and... well...."
"Ranma." Said Ukyou, interrupting him. "I... I think I can see where you're coming from and, I understand. Looking back, I know I should have stayed. I'm just like you, you know. I'm mean, they say that that which doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Right?"
Ranma nodded and said nothing.
"Do... do you think that, you can forgive me?" Ukyou asked hopefully.
Ranma looked back and forth for a moment, then looked up at her and smiled slowly. "Only if..."
"Only if what?"
"If you can forgive me." He said.
Ukyou looked at him and, for the first time in years, gave a genuine smile. "I can do that." she said.
"Then so can I." Said Ranma. Standing, he walked to the other side of the booth, pulled Ukyou up next to him and hugged her tightly. Ukyou rested her head on his chest and hugged back.
It was then that a loud growling noise was heard. "Some things never change. Do they, Ranchan?" Said Ukyou, not bothering to hid a laugh.
Ranma blushed slightly and nodded.
"Come on." Said Ukyou, disentangling herself from Ranma. "I'll make your favorite and we can catch up on old times."
As Ukyou heated the grill, the two of them continued to talk as though nothing had ever happened to make them angry with each other. <That's the greet thing about friendship.> thought Ukyou. <It lets you forgive.> Looking across at the grinning Ranma, she saw her thoughts mirrored in his eyes.
Finally, after several minutes, she got up the nerve to ask something she'd wanted to ask since she saw him in Kirin's office.
"Ranchan... are you... would..." she struggled with the wording, but every choice seemed awkward or stupid. "Do you think you could live here again?" she finally blurted out.
Ranma looked around for a moment and then shook his head. "I... no." he said flatly.
Ukyou's head dropped slightly. She had been expecting that answer, but hope had forced her to ask anyway. Changing the subject, she asked, "So... what was the run Kirin wanted us... um... you to take?"
"Somebody stole something from, Jusenkyo earlier today." Said Ranma. "They killed the decker, but not before she dumped the data with somebody. Kirin wants me to find that somebody and bring them back."
"Could you... use some help?" asked Ukyou, her voice hopeful.
Again, Ranma shook his head sullenly. "Ukyou." He said. "I want you to understand something. I still count you as a friend. You're one of the only true friends I've ever had, but... I can't trust you to watch my back. Not anymore."
"But..." Ukyou began.
"Besides." Ranma continued. "It looks like you're doing pretty well for yourself in the restaurant business and you've got Mia to take care of. I don't want to put that in jeopardy."
Ukyou nodded but said nothing. Ranma was, if nothing else, stubborn and she knew he had already made up his mind. She saw no use in trying to change it.
Lifting a fresh Okonomiyaki off the grill, she passed it to Ranma who immediately began to eat. Several minutes later, he stood and thanked her for the meal. "I've got to go now Ukyou." Said Ranma. "Kirin said that the information should be in by late tonight and its already late."
Ukyou nodded and walked around the counter to stand in front of Ranma. Looking deep into his eyes, she had the urge to kiss him. However, she knew that those days were long gone and settled for giving him a hug instead. "Good luck." She whispered.
"Always." Said Ranma. Turning he began to move to the door, but stopped as Ukyou grabbed his arm. He spun around and looked at her with a curious expression.
Reaching to her neck, Ukyou untied a small, golden chain and held it out to Ranma. "Will... will you take this?" she asked.
Ranma looked at the chain for a moment and then noticed the gold ring that hung at its base. The same ring he'd given her a few days before their last run. Shaking his head he said, "That was for friendship, Ukyou. I can't take it back."
"I... I know you d- don't love me anymore but... well... please take it." She said. "For luck?"
"Alright." Said Ranma. Smiling, Ukyou reached up to him and tied the necklace around his neck. A moment later, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks, Ukyou." He said, returning the kiss. "Just remember, just because we aren't lovers, that doesn't mean we aren't friends." With that, he was gone.
Ukyou watched silently as the door slide closed behind him. She felt more alive than she had in years. Although part of her was sad at loosing the one man she loved, another part of her was happy that she still had an old friend. And, somehow, that was enough.
***************
A few moment later, Ranma entered his own sparsely furnished apartment. Locking the door, he walked into the living room. Part of him was screaming that he had forgiven Ukyou far to easily. However, he again beat down the feeling and looked at the ring that now hung around his neck.
<Friends for and ever and always, Ucchan.> he thought, surprised out how philosophical he sounded. Walking to his computer, he turned it on and, sure enough the data was displayed before him. Sitting down, he scanned it quickly.
[Saotome, this is all the information we were able to gather in such a short amount of time. We regret that we were unable to find a picture of the mark for you, as our search as been limited to personal information only. Quantity of information has, unfortunately been reduced due to the speed required to reach the mark before Jusenkyo can reclaim their files. We are certain you understand.
Best of luck on your run.
-Daikokusei / Daihakusei
P.S. The promised price of 5,000 nuyen has been deposited into your account.]
Ranma looked at the message and re-read it quickly. He had hoped that Kirin's deckers would be able to find him a picture of Akane, but he had been on a blind run before so he wasn't worried about it too much. Shaking his head, he read the rest of the information.
[Name: Akane Tendo
Age: 19 DOB: 15 March 2034
Nationality: Japanese Place of birth: Tokyo.
Current Address: 2283 Viper Street Apt. 36 -- Hiroshima, Japan]
<Hiroshima.> thought Ranma. <Hmm... well, if I can't find her, at least I've got an excuse to visit old friends.> Tearing his thought away from nostalgia, he continued to read.
The rest of the information was a small biography of Akane which stated she was currently an intern at one of the MegaCorps in lower Hiroshima. Standing, he switched off the computer and walked to his bedroom. Opening his closet he quickly took inventory. Inside, was a small arsenal composed of dozens of weapons of various types and designs.
<Hmm.> thought Ranma. <What do I take?> He knew that he was going up against Jusenkyo and, despite Kirin's assurances to the contrary, Ranma had a suspicion that this assignment was _not_ going to be a cake walk. Removing his shirt, he traded it for a dark blue one of the same design. Removing the soft-soled shoes he favored while on the street, he replaced them with a pair of thickly padded boots. Reaching into the back of the cabinet, he withdrew a dark gray trenchcoat which he immediately donned. That done, he proceed to take out his weapons.
Although he was supremely confident in his hand to hand combat prowess and adept abilities - some would argue a little _over_ confident - hard lessons had taught him to augment the arsenal whenever possible. Reaching back into the closet, he withdrew several small flash grenades and pinned them to his belt. Next, he fastened a combat knife onto his left calve. As an after thought, he reached above the shelves and withdrew a large bundle wrapped in cloth. Immediately, he sat the bundle on his desk and proceed to undo the wrappings.
Opening the bundle revealed an Ares Predator combat pistol and four clips of ammunition. As he reached to pick up the weapon, his hand stopped as it always did. The gun was evil looking and, for Ranma, it never carried the feeling of warmth that a knife or sword carried. The weapon taunted him every time he took it out and every time, he swore he would never use it again. But, just as all the times before, he broke his own oath and picked up the gun.
Checking the clip, he found it was full. Fastening weapon's holster under his left arm, he placed the gun cautiously holstered the weapon and closed the closet. Walking out the door, he turned to face the rising sun and smiled. Hiring time was over. Now the run began.
************************************End Chapter 2.
First off - BIG Thanks to James Palmer and Francis Gilbert for being my pre-readers on this. I don't think I would have gotten a lot of this written without their help and/or prods.
Thanks guys! I really appreciate it.
***BEGIN DISCLAIMER***
--All Ranma 1/2 characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi and the company that published them.
--Shadowrun (an excellent game BTW) and all of its related, slang, equipment, races, etc. are the property of the FASA Corporation
--All of the above are used _WITHOUT_ permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
--Any other names that appear in this fanfic are made up and belong to no one in particular.
***END DISCLAIMER***
AUTHOR'S NOTES
I hope you all enjoyed this. I had a little trouble writing it because of the interaction between Ranma and Ukyou, but I'm trying to go for a lot of character development as I move along. If that section dragged on a little bit, I'm sorry.
However, like I said, this story will have a lot of stuff like this because I want to do a lot of backgrounds and character development.
To Ukyou Fans: I know I had Ranma treating Ukyou pretty harshly in this chapter and I'm sorry. I hinted at the reason and most people should be able to figure out the whole story, however for those who don't, the whole story will be explained in a later chapter. Sorry, but Ukyou is not going to end up with Ranma in this story. I'm an Ukyou fan too and I did not reach any of the decisions involving her easily.
Thank you for reading and I hope you're enjoying the story thus far. I hope to have the next part out sometime soon. C&C will be greatly appreciated, but please limit it to story content or the story itself. Please do _not_ comment on grammar or spelling. Also, if you feel the need to comment on anyone being OOC, you may do so, but please bare in mind this qualifies as an "Elseworlds."
NOTE: For anyone who plays Shadowrun, if you are interested, I've got a character sheet made up for most of the main characters in this story. If you'd like a copy, e-mail me and I'll send you one.
Thanks again.