NEUTRAL GROUND 6/6:  
"Cats, Dragons, & Borgs, Oh my"   by Gregg Sharp
	"Konnichi wa, this is one of several fanfics in 'The Bet'- where
Toltiir (elder god of chaos and mischief) has challenged several other 
beings to a contest, to see who can evoke the greatest change in a particular
world/pond with the smallest pebble. Neutral Ground deals with the Saotome
and Tendo family meeting on Neutral Ground, the very last training site that
Ranma visits in China in the timeline you're more familiar with.
	"Yes, that's right, Jusenkyo. As a result of...problems that he's
encountered, Ryouga attacks what he thinks is Ranma and a group of 
the very same amazons who've been chasing after him. This is, of course, 
the Saotomes and the Tendos.
	"Everything is the same, but different. Ranma turns into a dragon-girl
while Nabiki turns into a catgirl. Kasumi has the spirit of a long dead amazon
warrior awaken within her, while Ryouga turns into a duplicate of Akane. If
you
want more details check the RAAC for back issues.
	"Since this is just a six episode teaser of the story that COULD be,
expect a lot of details to be glossed over.
	"As for me, well, I don't actually appear in this story at all, and
I only get mentioned once in chapter 5. Bummer, huh? Well, it could be worse,
I mean in 'Role Paying Game' I get hit with an ersatz Jusenkyo curse that
turns
me into a yellow chocobo when I get hit with cold water.
	"Anyway, we re-enter this story one month after Chapter 5. Kuno and
a lot of the 'Akane suitors' are still in traction or casts, so me 'n Daisuke
are 
actually dating Yuka and Sayuri (due to decreased competition) a year earlier
than we would in the main timestream. Cool, huh?"
-------------------------------------------
	Holding the scrap of newspaper in her hand, she scanned the 
skies. This was Nerima, where the dragongirl, the catgirls, the green and red
haired beast, and all the others had come.

	She glanced down at the newspaper clipping again, though she had
memorized it weeks ago when it had first come out. "EUGENICS TESTING IN
NERIMA?" was the headline. It was a line much further in, talking about the
Chinese Amazons and their companion "Ranma Saotome" that had caused 
this journey.

	"Ranma," she murmurred, drawing her battle spatula. "I shall find
you and PUNISH you."

	"'Scuse me, pardon me," said a boy in Chinese clothing as he
raced through the crowd and past the girl in boy's clothing. "Coming through."

	"AIREN!" Shampoo on her bicycle scooted past the dramatically posed, 
spatula wielding girl a moment later.

	"Mrrooooowwwww!" Nabiki made another of her infamous 30ft leaps,
landed on a streetlight, then bounded around the corner after the other two.

	"Rannnmmaaaa, you forgot your lunch, dammit!" An attractive woman
of about nineteen, carrying a quarterstaff and a wrapped obento raced past,
almost 
keeping pace with the catgirl. She was wearing a frilly apron and a dress and
blouse
combination that seemed out of place on someone who was making  leaps almost
as
impressive as the catgirl.

	"Nabiki-chan, Heisei-chan, Shampoo-chan!" A young man with a vapid
expression shot past Ukyou a few seconds behind THAT woman.

	Ukyou bigsweated. This was not what she expected. Unfortunately, she
still had the spatula lifted up over her head in the dramatic pose.

	<Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzaaaaap!>

	"DARLING NO BAKA!" A green haired woman, throwing lightning
at the youth who had just passed Ukyou, found that some of her voltage struck
the upraised metallic object clenched in one hand. Being Lum, she didn't
really
consider the possibility that person now twitching on the ground could be
hurt.

	Ukyou groaned and started to lift herself up, noting that her hair, 
which was a great source of pride to her, was currently kinky and lightly
fried.
"R-R-Ranma?!" Why was the ground shaking? With a feeling that she was going
to regret it, Ukyou started to look behind her.

	<TRAMPLE> "Rokkon! Why don't your exorcisms work against that 
demon?" 

	<SLAM!> "I have no idea, Miss Ayaka!"

	<STOMP>"Who ya gonna call!"

	<STEP!> "Oh shuttup, Ray."

	<CRUNCH!> "Hmmph. These Japanese leave so much trash on
their sidewalks. Hurry up, I'll show that boy to trifle with ME!"

	"Yes, mistress Morrigan."

	"Ooooo. Leopold! Come to Azusa!"

	Ukyou managed to look up again, just in time to see some little girl
on roller skates grab her battle spatula and go racing off with it. "Rrranma,
I'll
find you..." Everything went black for Ukyou.

	This was really a pity as the nine foot tall dull metallic cyborg that
picked her up and slung her over one shoulder a moment later would have been
of particular interest to her.

	He cocked his head, adjusted his unconcious passenger, and activated
a sort of pop-out jetpack on his back. Roaring off to a more quiet area, he
did a 
quick dodge to avoid the "Sparkling Wide Pressure" that had been aimed at him.
Very carefully, he stuck one hand back and proceeded to give Sailor Jupiter
the
finger.
-------------------------------------------
	Ukyou woke up and pondered. "Unfamiliar ceiling." The room itself
appeared to be a small office, with a heavily reinforced cot. Getting up, she
looked
outside the large window. A construction company of some kind from the piles
of brick and lumber.

	A large metal statue moved. 

	After screaming and jumping three feet in the air, Ukyou realized that the
figure was still just sitting there and regarding her.

	"You really ought not to jump around like that. You may have a 
concussion from all that."	
	
	"Where am I?"

	"I brought you home." The statue shrugged. "At least until I find out,
are you here to help Ranma Saotome, or hurt him?"

	"I'm here for revenge! That jackass and his father abandoned me when
I was six years old!" She watched as the statue got up, moved past her, and
opened
the door.

	"Leave." It was a simple statement, but the voice was sad.

	"Sure thing. Uhm, do you know where I can find him? And, uh, WHAT
are you?"

	"A construction worker." A deep sigh. "A time traveler, stuck in the
distant past, who came to a strange and backwards country because of the very
same article that brought you here. Oh, and yes, I know where Ranma Saotome
is."

	"So, where is he?" 

	The metallic head with its almost skull-like face shook from side to side.
"Not telling you. I've already had enough misunderstandings with Ranma and his
friends. Oh, and yes, I'm a military grade transforming cyborg named Ralph."

	Ukyou moved past the cyborg, thinking that maybe she should get
this over with quickly so she could get out of Nerima quickly. It was way too
weird
for a Kansai girl like herself.
-------------------------------------------

	Daisuke and Hiroshi sat in a booth across from Yuka and Sayuri,
comparing notes for the tests when the subject came up of Akane's latest.

	"Yeah, she's so depressed about all the boys just sort of 
avoiding her." Yuka sipped on her cola and watched as some guy wearing
a bandolier of spatulas went stalking past.

	"Went from the most popular girl in school to avoided by everyone
in one day," Daisuke nodded. "Gotta hurt."

	Sayuri shrugged. "I thought she'd enjoy it. I mean she always hated
to go through all that before."

	"Her garage kits are selling well, I hear." Hiroshi knew Nabiki had 
something to do with that.

	"Oh yeah," Yuka rolled her eyes. "You know Akane's never fired a 
gun and they give her a BFG to tote around in that thing. Rambo-Akane. What
was Nabiki thinking of?"

	"Money," shrugged Daisuke, thinking it was obvious.

	"Got you there," Sayuri sipped on her Cherry Coke.

	"I hear that Bandai's doing an action figure, with 'kung fu
death grip' or something." Hiroshi smiled. 

	"Figures." Yuka pointed. "Hey, there's Akane now."

	"Or it could be Ryouga." Daisuke stopped and looked. "Hard to
tell, except Ryouga doesn't wear dresses." The girl walking by was wearing
a jogging outfit.

	"Maybe we ought to tell Ranma." Yuka said thoughtfully.

	"Nabiki. That way she can set up the betting pools, then let Ranma
know. If Nabiki makes a profit off it, she'll remember the favor." Hiroshi got
up.

	"Damn, 'Roshi, I always knew you had a brain in there somewhere."

	"Aw, shuttup, Dai."
-------------------------------------
	"Ryouga," Ranma acknowledged the presence of his rival.

	"I'm not here to fight you, Ranma." Ryouga sat a few feet away on
the roof of the Tendo-ke. "Just wandered in, I'll fight you some other time."

	Ranma grunted. He'd had a pretty wearying day as well.

	"Ranma, this girl I look like..."

	"Yeah, you seem to like wearing that shape, don'cha."

	"Could be worse, I suppose." Ryouga sat back. "She means
something to you, doesn't she?"

	"Yeah. No. I dunno!" Ranma sighed and checked for any amazons
that might be around. He didn't SEE any, at least. 

	"What do you mean, you don't know?" Ryouga scowled.

	Ranma had to admit that made Ryouga look even more like Akane,
but Akane had been wearing a sundress earlier, and Ryouga was wearing his
usual clothes, even if they didn't fit right in his cursed form. "I mean I
don't know.
Geez, Ryouga. What you want to know for?"

	"Hey, I'm a teenage BOY too, you know. I heard you think she's cute."

	"HEY! That uncute...well, yeah. I mean when she's not mad, and when
she's smiling, I mean...well kinda."

	"So you do like her?" Ryouga chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't tell her.
My word on it."

	"Uhm. Yeah. Oh what difference does it make?" Ranma got up and 
walked to the edge of the roof. "Thanks to YOU she's scared to death of me,
I got Nabiki coming on to me when she's half-c-c-c-cat, and after Pop told
Heisei
that I had said her amazon fighting arts were lame..."

	"So that's how that happened." Ryouga got up and walked to the side
of the building. Then something that Ranma had said penetrated. "What does he
mean, 'scared to death' -honestly that boy has SUCH an ego."

	"Akane?" Nabiki looked up from a ladder. "You done up here."

	"Sure am," smirked Akane as she took off the bandana. "By the way,
what's up with Ranma and Kasumi?"

	"Oh, Daddy's little plans. Mister Saotome told Heisei that Ranma had
referred to Amazon fighting arts as a crutch for the inept. Heisei challenged
Ranma,
Ranma got kicked around the yard a few times, but managed to knock Heisei
out."

	"So Heisei would have given Ranma the 'Kiss Of Marriage', and since
Kasumi and Heisei are in the same body..."

	"I AM planning on discussing this with Daddy later." Nabiki's eyes
narrowed. "Paybacks are a bitch."
----------------------------------------
	The cyborg noted the presence of the visitor but didn't turn his
attention from the task at hand.

	"Bridge got busted, huh?"

	"Yes." Ralf welded the I-beam into place with one hand while holding
it up with the other. He'd already identified his visitor and determined that
the
stance was non-threatening. Now, if it had been those Senshi...

	"You work for the city?"

	"Nerima Public Works, Emergency Repairs." Ralf let go of the newly 
welded beam, confident in the molecular fusing technique he'd used. The new
beam was now literally of one piece with the rest of the framework. "They pay
fairly well, though I'm considered 'gaijin tarento' with them."

	"Can I ask you something?"

	"You must have met Ranma," Ralf was turning his attention to the
crumbled concrete. A quick radar pulse showed fracture lines in the remaining
concrete that would also have to go. "He's not what you expected, is he?"

	"No." Ukyou watched the metallic figure at work. "He's..."

	"A jerk. A likable jerk, mind you. But then most sixteen year olds
who've spent their life being dragged around on ten year training missions
and not allowed to interact with much of anyone, tend to be jerks."

	"Uh, yeah." Ukyou felt again the desire to go to back to Kobe, to
leave the madness of Tokyo behind. "Where else could you find a combat 
cyborg from some impossible future happily repairing damage from a battle 
that had involved otherdimensional demons fighting sailor suited teenage
girls?"

	"You get used to it." Ralf shrugged. "With all the news coverage of
those Chinese Amazons, the dragongirl, oh- and Nabiki getting hired as a 
spokesmodel for that new economy sportscar- the Whisker, lots of strangeness
has been migrating locally."

	"Uhm."

	"Don't let it get to you. It's not that big a deal. Oh yeah, got something
for you." Moving to his truck, the cyborg shifted a few items around. "Here we
go."

	"My spatula!" Ukyou took her combat spatula back. "Where did you find
it?"

	"The police periodically have to go to the residence of one 'Azusa
Shiratori' and recover a number of items. Why they don't just arrest her, I'll
never
understand. Anyway, they recovered a bunch of stuff swiped from all over the
place,
including that spatula. I heard 'em mention it on my commlink, and contacted
them
as I knew the owner."

	"Thanks." She felt a LOT better with this back in her possession.

	"No prob." The cyborg actually looked at her. "I've got a question,
though, why are you dressed like a boy?"

	"Vengeance thing. You can tell?"

	"Thermographic readings, among other things. Around here the 
crossdressing isn't all that strange, but if it is something to do with
fighting
you might want to reconsider. There are plenty of women fighters around
here..."

	"Look! It's that metal youma again!"

	Ukyou and Ralf's eyes met. "The Sailor Senshi, AGAIN!"

	"Gotta go," Ralf activated a jetpack, "they do WAY too much property
damage. Later."

	"In the name of the moon, hey, get back here!"

	"Flame sniper!"

	"Mars! You almost hit that boy!"

	"I don't understand, I'm still not reading any Negaverse energy."

	Ukyou watched as five sailor suited girls, plus two cats, raced off in
the general direction that Ralf had just left in. It looked like Ranchan
wasn't the
only one around here who was clueless.

	THAT determined, Ukyou decided to have a little talk with one of
the others around here before the scheduled fight with Ranma.
=======================================
	A year passed. The cyborg saw Miss Kuonji's business taking off,
and arranged to stop by.

	The two sat and discussed the changes of the past year.

	 Nabiki's cursed form being used in various ads where her semi-feline 
exoticness was a big draw. Just the feline slinkiness in her movements was
enough
to be a fair draw. Though the bets were being taken even now as to whether she
would give that line up for her manga artist career now that "Amazon Warrior"
was
taking off. Then there were the residuals she was getting from being the agent
representing three amazons (Akane, Shampoo, and Rie Ga.)

	Ranma still had problems with Nabiki's cursed form, not that she could 
spare any time to pursue him anymore in any case. Akane was still scared of
him,
almost to the extent that Ranma was afraid of cats. Kasumi/Heisei had talked
to the
parents and the engagement between Kasumi and Ranma had been called off.

	Shampoo and Rie Ga had been detained by the police, eventually 
released, and were working as part of a "sentai" show. Their schedule, with
the
various promotional appearances, kept them on the road for long periods. Rie
Ga
loved it. Shampoo didn't care for it, especially considering what happened to
her
airen while she was on the road.

	Kasumi remained Kasumi. Heisei helped Nabiki out by posing for 
sketches. Kasumi and Heisei hadn't completely merged yet, but each had started
picking up mannerisms from the other. Heisei was teaching Amazon Combat 
Techniques at the dojo.

	"And what of you, Miss Kuonji?" 

	"Business is good," Ukyou nodded and flashed a smile. "Oh, and it's
Mrs Saotome, now."

	Ralf nodded. About time that Saotome boy settled down. Now if 
everyone else would, maybe he could schedule a vacation.

	"Look, it's that youma!"

	Ralf covered his face. He was really tired of the Senshi. Almost as much
as he was tired of  the Legion Of Substitute Senshi. 

	Amy restrained Lita. "You can't attack him there, Jupiter!"

	"Why not? It's that metal youma that keeps flipping me off!"

	"That's Ucchan's. Remember?"

	"Oh." Jupiter paused. "Well, he's lucky then. Otherwise, I'd..."

	Ukyou smirked. Having the various groups declare Ucchan's to
be a neutral meeting place between all the various groups had been a stroke of
genius. She'd have to thank that Belldandy again, next time she saw her. Yes,
there was a certain profit to be made, in being neutral ground.
========================================
	THAT'S ALL FOLKS!
	Neutral Ground opening theme: "Twilight" by ELO
	Neutral Ground ending theme: "Hearts In Motion"