[FFML] [FANFIC] [Ranma ½/Rifts RPG/Orig] Rift Asunder Part 2

Here's the part that delayed the release of the rest of them...
Enjoy! I know I did!! ^_-

* * * * * * * * *
Awaking with a pained groan, Ranma shifted under the sheets of the sickbay bed.
Forcing his eyes open, like they were Super-Glued shut, he stared balefully into
the fluorescent lighting above. Clutching his head as he forced his way to a
seating position, he groaned more so, attracting the attention of another in the
room. Turning from her console at the med-station, "Ahh! Good! You awake,
finally!" Mai said cheerfully and loudly, for her voice thundered in Ranma's
ears. Wincing from her volume, "Could you turn that down a littleï¿½my head REALLY
hurtsï¿½" he said hoarsely, turning to the side of the bed, totally failing to
notice the red-head on the other behind him.
Nodding, "Ok.." Mai whispered, getting a look of thanks from Ranma. He wrinkled
his nose, "Godï¿½I stinkï¿½" taking note that his frame and what clothing he has on
is soaked with sweat, as the same for the sheets themselves. Laughing lightly to
Ranma's bluntness, "Straight to the pointï¿½I like thatï¿½" Mai face turned solemn,
getting up from her chair and padding over to him, "If you can moveï¿½then you can
get yourself into the wash room, " pointing to the nearby door, "ï¿½Otherwise, the
Meds will have to help youï¿½" She stopped to his look of dread, "Noï¿½I'll make
itï¿½I *WILL*ï¿½"
With that Ranma slid off of the bad, stumbling a little bit, "By the wayï¿½what
happened? And how look was I out?" he asked her, unable to hid the fear creeping
up into his voice, from the last memory that came up. Sitting back down, Mai let
out a long sigh, "I don't know exactly what happenedï¿½" looking him straight into
the eye, "ï¿½But we'll talk some more when you get out and able to move more
freelyï¿½" she stated to him, matter of factly. He nodded simply and walked into
the wash room.
As soon as he left the room, another groan split the air. This time, much more
feminine, but just as greatly pained, if not more so. Mai turned to the
red-head's bed, where she is still lying down, not bothering to get up and
holding her head, trying to stem the inevitable headache coming to her. "Did
someone get the number on that train that hit me?", Ranma-chan grated out while
she is trying to get upright. Mai was about to answer her, like she did with
Ranma-kun, but was cut off as his mirth filled cry filled the room,
"YAAAAAHOOO!!!" Both women turned suddenly to the cry, watching the door open
with Ranma-kun bounding out the door chanting, "Never gonna be a girl againï¿½
Never gonna be a girl againï¿½ Never gonna be a girl againï¿½!!" he stopped dead in
his tracks when his eyes caught view of the red-head on the other bed, tears
starting to fill her eyes, all thoughts about staying 'manly' flew out of the
proverbial window.
Anger clouded Ranma-kun's mind when he saw her, "*YOU*!!! You are supposed to
be GONE!!!" he bellowed into Ranma-chan's direction, "Dead! You hear me?!?
You're supposed to be DEAD!!" all his previous thinking about fighting women
flew out the same window. He would have flew in to take her apart, to be out of
his life forever, but a cool hand grasped his shoulder _FIRMLY_, almost making
him cry out in pain and spun him around to the very angry visage of Mai's face.
The look on her face calmed him a little, the joy of not turning into a girl
filled in the spaces that the anger once filled. "*YOU*! *WILL*! *NOT*!
*ATTACK*! _*HER*_!!" she hissed harshly into his face, "YOU. LEAVE. *NOW*!!"
that was all the Mai trusted herself to say, even though she knew that Ranma-kun
would be overjoyed about being rid of the curse, but she didn't think he would
react to Ranma-chan being there with him. Ranma just shrugged off what Mai said
to him, "Whateverï¿½" then he bounded out the other door, chanting ' Never gonna
be a girl again!!" again.
About ready to order some of the Honor-Guard to subdue and throw his
insensitive ass into the brig, but feminine sniffling to down right bawling cut
all that off, for the moment anyway. Mai turned back to the Red-Head, who curled
her knees up to her face, hugging her legs fiercely and bawling her eyes out.
Mai's expression softened considerably as he watched her, almost helpless in
trying to help her calm down.
With one last sniff, Ranma-chan looked up to Mai's concerned and helpless
looking face and buried her own back into her knees, "Now I'll never be a guy
again!!" she cried, or would have. If not for a cool hand brushing though her
hair and someone rocking her. Ranma-chan looked back up to Mai, who's doing
everything she can for her, "What is so bad about being a woman?" she asked the
Red-Head. Ranma-chan was about to answer in her own stereo-typical answer, the
ones that Genma drilled in her head for so many years. She was about to answer
when Mai cut her off, "Other than that crap your father taught youï¿½"
Ranma-chan's jaw clicked shut when she couldn't find an answer right away, "I
see nothing bad about being a womanï¿½for example, look at me."
Curiousity piqued, Ranma-chan did so, blushing a little bit. Mai sighed
slightly, "What I mean is, I have accomplished many things in my lifetimeï¿½like
this ship you're inï¿½" Mai emphisised the entire room by spreading her arms wide.
"I own this ship, I created most of the things that you see in hereï¿½I created
the company that funded the consturction of this, it is that company that spans
many universes, being the pillar of countless economiesï¿½" Mai trailed off at
Ranma-chan's wide-eyed, but almost blank look.
Scratching her chin for a moment, then an idea came to her to better explain
this, "Come over hereï¿½" she called out to Ranma-chan, getting off of the bed and
over to the consoles nearby, "Just to give you a vague idea of the items and the
holdings I haveï¿½" Ranma-chan complied, the curiousity still pinging at her, she
padded over to the panels. There Mai punched a few keys on the board, maiking a
few screens light up. Ranma's eyes widened considerably as she watched the list
go on and on and onï¿½She shook her head, in awe for Mai's accomplishments and
respect for her went up a few notches. It was until she looked at the impossibly
long number on the screen, "THAT is how much I am worthï¿½" Mai explained to her,
"Now explain to me of what I woman can't do that a man canï¿½" trailing off as she
turned around in her chair, totally oblivious to what happened to Ranma-chan.
Wondering where she went, Mai looked around, until she looked blow her, to see
Ranma-chan. On the floor. Fainted dead away.
* * * * * * * * *
Still bounding down the hall, chanting the same. Ranma felt giddy about finally
losing the curse. All that came to a screaching halt when he stopped in front of
a squad of humanoid machines. The same ones that stopped Ryouga cold. Ranma was
about to turn around and go the other way, "I wouldn't do ANYTHING, if I were
youï¿½" and angry woman's voice called out. Ranma spun around, wondering where
Mai's voice came from, "You will be led back to the SickBay, to talk and for me
to explain a few things to youï¿½" Mai's tone left no argument in his throat,
where his usual retorts died instantly. He was about to start walking, when a
pair of big, mettalic black hands clentched on both arms, listing him up and
carried him away.
Watching the 'new' Red-Headed girl fitfully sleep, Mai sighed to herself,
'Looks like I'm going to have to set some terms for Ranmaï¿½' looking back to the
girl, watching a tear roll out of her eye, 'For her sakeï¿½'
"LET ME GO, DAMNIT!!!" Ranma yelled as the door opened, he was about to turn
around to yell at them some more, only to meet with Mai's dark visage, "Ranmaï¿½"
she called out to him, her tone able to deep-freeze water if given half a
chance. Gesturing to the chair in fron of her desk, "Sit downï¿½I have a few
things to explain to you." Confused, "What is there to explainï¿½You someHOW got
rid of my curse, now all I have to do is fill my end of the barginï¿½" he trailed
off, for he thought he saw Mai's eyes literally glow, "I'm sure the CURSE is
no-more, but that is besides the pointï¿½" letting it hang to point her finger to
the cot next to her, "ï¿½SHE is experiencing true torment for she cannot turn back
to what you areï¿½" Locking eyes with him, "Think about itï¿½It could be YOU that
could be stuck in that body and from what I understand, YOU hold your
masculinity very highly, thinking that a woman cannot do the same things a man
can." Ranma opened his mouth to argue, but his jaw clicked shut under that
arctic gaze she leveled at him, "You now have a sibling, Saotomeï¿½a sister, who
does in fact, think AND act like you doï¿½Has the same love for the Martial Art
like you doï¿½" Mai let it hang there, leaning back into her chair, desciding to
let him stew there for the moment.
Thinking back to what Mai said, Ranma looked over to the sleeping red-head, he
thought about what it would feel like being trapped in his girl-form for the
rest of his life. That gave him the shivers. Watching a tear roll out of the
red-head's eye, whimpering sadly, as if her confidence is absolutely crushed. He
could never stand the sight of a girl crying, 'Especially a cute one as herï¿½'
Ranma instinctly bit that thought back, 'WHAT AM I THINKING?!?!? That's ME in
there for crying out loudï¿½' wonder filling him again, 'Now I have a sisterï¿½'
another thought just occurred to him, "Hey, Mai?" She looked up to him
questioningly, "What are we going to do about the name thing?" he asked her
simply.
Mai couldn't hold back a chuckle to such a menial question, "Wellï¿½'Wild
Stallion'ï¿½" Ranma flushed to that, "I was thinking about naming her, 'Wild
Mare'ï¿½.Ranko as a matter of fact. Makes sense, neh?" He nodded, "Now that is out
of the wayï¿½." Ranma looked up to her as she stood up, many questions he had,
died in his throat. Leaning down to him, staring him straight in the eye, "ï¿½I
want for FULL cooperation on this," Ranma nodded again, wondering where this is
going, "You are going to get along and team up with Ranko here in the Four
Dragons training, or so help meï¿½I'm going to toss you out of the nearest airlock
in deep-space."
Having watched some sci-fi/horror flicks, Ranma remembered some of the gory
mess that explosive decompression can do. So, in turn, he gulped heavily.
Nodding, "I'll do my bestï¿½" still biting back the fear of what this woman can do
to him, without fighting even. "Good! I'll deliver you two to the Four Dragon's
Shrine right quick, since I have many things to doï¿½" Mai smiled, "I have a
Super-Corperation to runï¿½"
* * * * * * * * *

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