Scott Jamison wrote:

Another enjoyable chapter....

Thank you.  :)  The storyline is actually getting a little easier to
write as I go on.  Do other fanfic authors find this to be true?

On Tue, 1 Sep 1998, Jurai-Knight wrote:

Quantum Destinies
Chapter 5 - Further Complications

Of course!

It wouldn't be Ranma if it didn't keep getting more and more
complicated.
 

closest place to get hot water.  *I could use some time to think.  If
the recall doesn't occur, then I have to start making plans for
building another projector.  I only hope it doesn't have to come to
that.*

Especially since you'll never find your home dimension again...

Luckily, it didn't come to that, or this story would have turned into a
self-insert fic that was cleverly disguised. :)

     <Greetings, Matriarch Khu Lon,> said Ranma absently in
accented Mandarin as she stepped in.  Cologne blinked in surprise.
*Make that _two_ surprises in one day.*

"Son-in-Law is obviously possessed!"

Give that boy a kewpie doll!  :)

     "Uhh... I've been practicing in case I'm someday able to return
to the springs of Jusenkyo," she said reasonably.  Cologne nodded, a
little uncertain what to make of Ranma's improved manners.  She

He's possessed, Cologne!  Get out the Exorcism scrolls!

Hmmm... could sorcery affect science?  Let us also remember how
_reliable_ magic seems to be in Martial-Ranma's world.  If Scholar-Ranma
was exorcised, things could get pretty dicey for him (Quantum Leap meets
Sliders anyone?)

     Cologne smiled.  *Definitely not the same Ranma.  I think I like
this one better.*  She hopped into the kitchen and grabbed the kettle

Well, since he has the hots for Shampoo, you should...

It would make things easier in some ways.  On the other hand, he's not
nearly the idiot that Martial-Ranma is.

     Nodoka was looking over the menu in the restaurant to try to
distract herself from her nervousness.  *This will be a big step in
my son's life.  I hope Ranma appreciates what I'm about to do for
him.*  She became absorbed in the selection on the menu, not

Not a chance...

I'm looking forward to writing Scholar-Ranma's reactions to his mothers
"help."

     "Yes," Nodoka said with a smile.  "A friend of mine
recommended your agency, since you found her daughter a good
husband."

Well, at least Nodoka isn't being a complete idiot...

It still will make Scholar-Ranma feel a bit twitchy.

     "My husband thought it was a foolish idea when I asked him this
morning," replied Nodoka.  "He told me to do what I wished, but he

He thinks he should get drunk with one of his buddies and pick that
way...

Heh... Genma hasn't even been on camera much in this world, and such a
rep he has to live with.  :)

     "I'm sure we'll find your son a fine bride," said Otsu as she
picked up her menu.  "The best families in the Empire are
registered with us.  I took the liberty of doing a search on the
Saotome family register.  I must say, from what I saw the Saotome
family has managed to have quite a distinguished history.  Your
husband's father even earned the Imperial Star, I saw."

whoo.

I was picturing it as something equivalent to the United States Bronze
Star.

husband is a good man though.  He raised my son to be a fine
scholar."

And Ranma also has a secret ability to learn martial arts overnight...

Always a bonus with the sudden increase in martial artists that are
about to hit the neighborhood in the coming weeks.

the afternoon sun kept the day warm.  A single figure slowly
maneuvered down the walkway, lazily sweeping the dust and stray
leaves from the path.  It was a girl, dressed in the white and red
robes of a shrine maiden.  Her hair was pulled back into a single

Ukyou as shrine maiden?  Hmm...

Only her secret identity.  In reality she is... Ninja Girl.

grown.  I actually had to work a little bit to sneak up on you.  Your
mother would be so proud to see how her daughter has grown up
into such a fine young shadow warrior."

altUkyou the ninja?  And what does this mean for altKonatsu?

I suppose I could turn him into a Mousse type of character from another
clan nearby. :)

He suddenly looked up as he sniffed the wind.  He turned to her
with a smile.  "A change is coming to these mountains, child.  I can
sense something marvelous for our clan looming on the horizon.
Be prepared."

Ooh...

Don't you just love these cryptic old men?

     "What of the third daughter,"asked Nodoka as she looked over
the two photographs.  Both were in Security cadet uniforms.  Akane
had a slight smile as she looked into the camera.  Nabiki managed

She can smile?

Well, only under orders.  :)

to convey an air of grace as she smiled brightly into the camera.
Nodoka was convinced that she had seen these two girls somewhere
before.

Standing over her son's battered body...

That would only apply to Akane.  Nabiki has more _civilized_ ways to
deal with people she doesn't like.

     "That was another of my successes," said Otsu with a large
smile.  "Kasumi, the eldest daughter, married a fine young doctor
serving in the Ministry of Health.  I understand that they are
expecting a child before the winter months will be over."

"I'm out of that madhouse!"

You got it.

the Officer's Training Program for the Security Directorate.  Nabiki
has regularly received high marks across the board from her
instructors.  When I interviewed her, she was a charming young
lady."

Like a serpent is charming?

Ooohhh.  I think you went on Nabiki's list with that one.
 

     Otsu picked up Akane's photo.  "This young lady is best
described as a healthy and high-spirited girl.  She regularly excels

yup.

Some things never change...

"I am sure that she would be able to give you many fine
grandchildren."

Assuming her husband lived through the honeymoon...

He may not even live through the engagement, if it occurs that is...

twenty-four hours just in case there were any problems.  Nabiki read
a new fashion magazine while she waited for her father to come
home.  She could have had one of the servants watch over her sister,
but she preferred to do it herself.  *Since Kasumi left, this house
just seems lonelier.  I miss her.*

aww...

Giving her some more humanity makes it a little easier to avoid turning
her into a cardboard cutout.  I wanted there to be _some_ sympathy for
the character to develop.  She, like Akane, have their reasons for the
way they act in my story.

cast-iron bitch would be gone.  *A woman has to be strong and tough
to survive in this world, especially in service to the Empire.  I will
be strong and tough at all times, and make Daddy proud of me.  I intend
to be every inch the officer that he is.*  She flipped the page of her
magazine, and continued to read.

Ah.  Mr. Tendou is a bit more of a role model in this world...

Soun Tendo has a bit more strength of character than the one in
Martial-Ranma's world.  He's not _quite_ the cold-blooded bastard of the
alternate band one world, but he shares many qualities.

     "Three young ladies to choose from for my son already," said
Nodoka with a smile.  "A mother should always have such
problems."

How about four? :-)

Do I hear five?  How about six?  More?

     "Ranma will be allowed to make a choice himself," replied

Wow, that's a change.

Heh.  It won't make things much easier though.

Nodoka.  "Since I'm pre-screening the candidates for his bride, any
one of them would be acceptable to me.  I suppose I could engage
him to them all, and then let him choose one for himself."  Nodoka

aiee!!

Heh.  Complications and more complications...

     "I am sure that we will find the best bride for your son," said
Otsu.  "Perhaps he will find one himself that will surprise you."

You can say that again.
Apparently, the Kunou family was too high up to consider initially...

They are of fairly high station here.  Armed with her new info on Ranma,
perhaps Kodachi will be picked up in the second round of draft picks. 
:)

     "Ranma happy to be on date with Shampoo?"  Shampoo
whispered her question into his ear.  He turned to answer her and
almost bumped his nose against hers.  They stared into each others
eyes in the darkness for a time.

Trick question...

I actually haven't settled on any girl yet.  I prefer to let the
relationships build more gradually.  Scholar-Ranma could also go for the
Ninja-Ukyou.

     "Akane?"  Ranma paused a moment to think.  He turned back to
her.  "Not at this moment."  He gave her a friendly squeeze.

But as soon as I'm in my right mind again....

He will have a _lot_ of explaining to do before the violence begins,
assuming he gets his mouth open before it does.

     *Oh, Shampoo,* he thought with a slightly wistful air that
surprised him, *I wonder if you even exist in my own world?*

Yes.

Of course.  What Ranma world would be complete without a version of
Shampoo of some sort?  :)

audience favorite, so she wore it for most matches.  *It makes me
look like a kung fu video starlet,* she thought to herself with a
slight sigh in her native Mandarin.  She went into her cubicle.

And you're not going to be?

Let Mortal Combat begin...

corners of the Empire.  There was even one girl of Native American
stock, a tall, reddish-tan skinned beauty who called herself Running
Deer in the language of her people's conquerors.  She never spoke
her name in her native Apache.

hmm...

Another potential love interest for our hero?  Could it be?

     Running Deer was one of the few girls here that Shampoo would
consider a friend.  They had been together for the last couple of
years, ever since they were placed together in the same elite training
class.  They had alternated for the top slot of their class, along with
the Korean girl Mina Li.  Mina was a powerful Tae Kwon Do fighter,
and perhaps Shampoo's strongest and most mutually disliked rival in
the Arena.  That rivalry began the first time that they had faced each
other, and it would probably only end when one of them was dead.

uhoh....fighting movie plot #3...Mina Li will kill or at least severely
wound Running Deer within the next two chapters...

Somebody has been looking over my notes?  Anything is possible at this
point... revenge is always a great motivation though.

beat her up as a form of courtship.  She eventually made Shampoo a
solemn promise that she would come visit the Amazons and see for
herself.

RD's doomed.

Such fatalism...  :)  I'm not saying one way or the other...

     "Look who's admiring herself again," she heard whispered
loudly from across the way.  Shampoo turned to glare at Mina, who
then whispered something more softly to the newer girl next to her.

"Support me or die."

Mina was actually a fun character to write about.  Just wait until she
meets Scholar-Ranma. :)

     Mina had left a string of broken bodies behind her on her climb
to the top of the Imperial Arena's Junior Division.  She had even
killed three times since her debut fight almost two years ago, two

uhoh...

Not a nice girl.  She likes dealing out pain.  I skirt on the edge of
darkfics with this character, I guess.

stuff my bra, you barbarian giant!  These are the real thing, and I
have several male conquests who will confirm that!"

"Or I'll tear their balls off..."

Heh.  Ever wonder who would get intimate with a borderline psycho like
this?  Especially with her combat ability.

     "RANMA!  HOW DARE YOU BETRAY AKANE LIKE THIS!"  Ranma looked up
to see a figure falling out of the sky at him, the sun at its back,
a large umbrella shape held above the head.

Uhoh.  This is going to be a much tougher fight...

Not so quick and easy as Mousse.

     *Oh yeah,* he thought wryly, *it will be _so_ good to get back
home where my life is simpler.*

I love irony, when it's not directed at me...

Scholar-Ranma's simple life is gone.  He just doesn't know it yet.  :)

Chapter Six-Playing the Hand That You're Dealt, is half-way done.  I
hope to post it later tonight or tomorrow.  Please let me know what you
think of it.  This story is proving to be a lot of fun to write, but I'm
afraid that I've only begun the storyline.  :)