Something brought to mind by the best comic book Marvel has put out in a 
while...(Don't let hatred of Marvel stop you from reading...)


(The Tendou dojo)

	"Ranma, could you come into the ceremonial room?  I'd like to 
talk to you for a bit."
	"Sure, Mom."  If there was a trace of nervousness in his voice, 
Ranma couldn't be entirely blamed.  Even after living with Nodoka for a 
year, the pigtailed boy still felt as though he was being judged by her 
each time she called him in for a serious talk.
	He relaxed a little when he saw that she'd laid the family katana 
some distance from her.   Instead, there was a small lacquered box in 
front of her, engraved with a storm scene.
	"How has school been for you, my son?" asked Nodoka.  Ranma 
understood this was not the main thrust of the conversation, but still 
did not want to treat it too lightly.
	"Okay, I guess.  Studying for the college entrance exams has been 
really tough.  I'm looking forward to the summer break." 
	"Yes.  That time is partly what I wish to speak to you about." 
	"Umm...yeah?"
	"Do you know my maiden name, Ranma?"
	Now why should she ask that?  "Uh, no, Mom."
	"It was Takayama.  Not a particularly large or powerful family, 
but one with an long history of honor and heroism.  Unfortunately, none 
of the branches of the family was very prolific, and they eventually died 
out.  By the time I married your father, there were no others of that 
clan left in Japan.  I like to think that part of your courage and 
integrity come from my side of the family."
	Ranma certainly couldn't imagine it coming from Genma's gene 
pool.  But he'd learned enough about his mother to keep his mouth shut. 
	"But my great-uncle Toshiro emigrated to the United States.  I 
recently learned that his granddaughter Hallie is his only living 
descendant.  Her parents were killed a few months ago in that Onslaught 
disaster in New York."
	Ranma shuddered.  Many of the world's bravest heroes had perished 
fighting that monstrosity.  No matter how much he prided himself on his 
fighting ability, he knew if he'd gone, he would have died too.  Hell, 
that thing had killed Captain America!
	"That's sad.  So what were you thinking of doing?"
	Nodoka smiled at him.  "It seems young Hallie has taken up the 
Takayama tradition of heroism.  As such, there are certain...keepsakes of 
the family line I'd like her to have."
	"So that's why the box.  But if you were just going to send it to 
her, you wouldn't need to tell me about it.  So what gives?"
	"Well, Ranma, I'm going to New York.  And I would like you and 
Akane to accompany me."  
	Ranma was thunderstruck.  "N-New York?  But Mom, you've never 
even been outside Japan before!  New York City is supposed to be 
incredibly dangerous!"
	"That's one of the reasons I'd like you to come with me, son.  
Also, I think you and Akane could use some relatively unpressured time 
together."
	Ranma nodded.  After the failed wedding, both he and Akane had 
started taking their engagement seriously.  He'd cut back on the insults 
and started encouraging Akane's strong points.  In return, she'd stopped 
hitting him nearly so much, and was getting a lot better at trusting 
him.  Except when it came to other girls.  Especially Shampoo, who with 
the increasing likelyhood of a Saotome-Tendou union had become 
more desperate in her attempts at seducing Ranma.  
	Shampoo had turned up naked and hugging him in more unlikely 
places every month.  Kodachi wasn't much better, and Ukyou seemed to 
swing between depression and determination (especially since Genma had 
started making payments for the stolen yatai.)  Yeah, some time away from 
the other girls and with Akane sounded pretty good.  Which meant there 
had to be a catch.
	"Sounds good, Mom.  But you better not tell anyone till we're on 
the plane."

(Four Freedoms Plaza)

	"NO!  This is intolerable!"  Citizen V pounded his desk to 
emphasize his point.  Fortunately, it was specially reinforced to 
withstand superhuman strength and thus not even dented.  
	The woman known as Meteorite smirked.  Her leader might be a 
genius in his own way, but sometimes he could be incredibly childish.  A 
fact she intended to exploit whenever possible.
	"V, you know that young Jolt is feeling very lonely just now.  
While the Thunderbolts act as a surrogate family for her, our `secret 
identities' make it impossible for her to fully trust us.  These distant 
realtions of hers may be just the thing to help Hallie deal with her 
grief." 
	The patriotically-dressed Citizen V grimaced behind his full-face 
mask.  "I don't care about her grief!  I care about the security of this 
team!  And with these strangers snooping around..."
	Meteorite buffed a smudge on her golden armor.  "They won't be 
staying here.  They'll be at a hotel.  And anything they see here won't 
make them suspicious.  Not unless you *make* them suspicious.  A quick 
guided tour, a tearful reunion with their cousin, and the Saotomes are 
out of your hair.  If you had any."
	V snarled.  Meteorite knew what lay behind his mask, and if Jolt 
knew also, she would be horrified for more than one reason.
	"Very well.  But have a care, my dear.  We are not here to play 
nursemaid to troubled teenagers."
	"Of course not."  *Although, if this plan falls through, that is 
an interesting suggestion...*


			Ranma 1/2 / Thunderbolts
 			Rain and Lightning

Anyone want to continue this?


SKJAM!