RANdom Multiform Android: 1/2 Type
char tm various other people.
gregg sharp, Metroanime@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/greggsharp/index.html
         voting ends today at 5pm PST on the Bet.
--------------------------------------------------
	Toltiir was bored. This was generally
considered a bad thing. Watching various timelines,
he watched as Bast scowled at another timeline
where Ranma had died in the Nekoken training.

	With a wink and a nod, the two 
moved the already dissolving timeline to parallel the 
methane breather's timeline, then...

	Toltiir got mischievous. Bast got tricky.

	A small audience formed to watch.
--------------------------------------------------
	"...and so Kuno told the sword to
grant the pigtailed girl a wish." Ranma stared
in frustration at the sword. "I tried wishing for 
the sword to cure my curse, and it buzzed at
me saying that there was a conflict."

	"I see," Kasumi said. "If you 
wished yourself free of the curse, you would
not be the pigtailed girl, and therefore the
sword would not have granted the pigtailed
girl a wish. Oh my."

	Everyone stared briefly at Kasumi.

	"Serves the pervert right," Akane
said, sipping her tea. "Honestly, the way you
acted around Kuno..."

	"Hey! It's not my fault! You see 
what it's like with a curse like this, and see how
well you cope. Geez, I got girls coming onto
me in boyform, guys coming onto me in my
girlform, and nobody listens to me in either
form!"

	"Hmph," continued Akane. "You're
always getting yourself into these problems, Ranma,
and it's always your fault. Pervert."

	"Airen!"

	"Ranchan!"

	Ranma's head slumped. "Oh no."

	"Ranma! How could you invite them
over!?" Akane managed to give Ranma a hurt look.

	"Actually, sis, I gave them the option of
buying an info service where I call them whenever
Ranma's about to go off on an adventure or do something
that might impact their relationship with him." Nabiki
smirked. "This qualified."

	"Hey, Ranchan, if you're gonna wish,
why don't you wish to marry the fiancee that
really loves you?" Ukyou smirked, knowing that
neither Akane nor Shampoo could compete in
that arena.

	Ranma looked up, that actually didn't
sound too bad. He tried to think of what would be
so bad about that one.
	
	Nabiki huffed arrogantly. "Oh, get it
_over_ with, Saotome. There is no single thing that
can solve all the problems _you've_ managed to
accumulate. You _know_ that whatever you wish 
will just make your problems worse anyway. Why
not just give it up?"

	Ranma looked downcast at the table.
"Well, Kasumi?"

	"Ranma?"

	"Everyone _else_ seems to have something
to add, I just thought I'd give you an opportunity to 
throw in your bit as well, is all." Ranma's voice was bitter.
Here he had something that could end his curse, and he 
couldn't get any help in figuring out how to do it.

	"Why would I do that, Ranma?" Kasumi
asked as if she didn't understand.

	"BAKA, will you quit bothering my sister
and GET IT OVER WITH!" Akane yelled.

	Ukyou spoke up. "Hey, maybe Nabiki's got
something there."

	"Excuse me," Nabiki looked startled. She
hadn't given away something for free, had she?

	"Look, if you wish for a fix to your current
problems, you got too many. Maybe you should turn
your attention to what CAUSED all your problems."
Ukyou smirked. "Your father."

	Elsewhere, a panda sneezed and felt this
awful premonition of doom.

	"Oh, right, maybe if his father had been
rich or related to wealth," Nabiki snorted.

	"...more mature, more intelligent," said Kasumi,
but in a very polite manner.

	"and if he wasn't such a cowardly, freeloading,
immoral wretch," said Ukyou, thinking of her own 
treatment at the hands of Genma.

	"...and if even stronger fighter who could
teach airen much useful techniques, so Ranma even
better and more powerful fighter," Shampoo said, 
clasping her hands together and looking at this 
wonderful vision in her mind.

	"That could have been cool," Ranma
agreed. "I wish I did have a father like that..."
------------------------------------------------
	Toltiir, Bast, Marduk, the wishing sword,
Horus, Tyr, and five others all said it at the same
time. "GRANTED!"

	"Of course, you realize," Toltiir said with
a grin, "that Genma's gonna be the 'adopted' father."
------------------------------------------------
	Doctor Gero prepared to flush his latest 
experiment. Sixteen through Eighteen were prepared
and the latter two were incubating. Cel was being
slowly developed, but an earlier project had hit a
wall that he hadn't expected.

	Son Goku had developed a devastating
energy ball attack. Leaching off some of the energy,
Doctor Gero had found ways of infusing his newest
bio-samples with that energy and had prepared an
entirely new approach to his bio-soldier program.

	Unfortunately, it appeared that the child
incubating in tube R was insufficient in power level
and insufficiently mindless to be of use. Somewhere,
perhaps from the blood and bone of the donors, there
were signs of resistance to the programming. The
fighting skills and knowledge bases could be 
downloaded without problem, but the obedience and
destruction programs failed every time.

	Doctor Gero pulled the switch and the
baby shimmered and vanished in the blast. Almost
as if it weren't there anymore.
-----------------------------------------------
	"So who's his father?" Holly, a wood nymph,
asked.

	"The blood samples were procured from a 
cleaning robot at the Tenkai-ichi-budokai," answered
Tyr with a grin. "Doctor Gero had no idea who was
what. They're all mixed together."

	"That's why he's named Random then," the
nymph concluded.
--------------------------------------------------
	Genma was more than a little surprised at
returning home to find his wife had found a child and
adopted it. That the child LOOKED like her son, was
about the same age (a year older) and had appeared
(as near as both could tell) the exact moment that a
little boy had been eaten alive by starving cats 
indicated to them that this might somehow BE the
very same child somehow.

	A single metal tag on an ID bracelet
read "Random" - which SOUNDED like Ranma
in a way. Genma thought it good to return to the
Nekoken training, so as not to lose any more time.

	Nodoka...disagreed. Shorter training
trips, and he could teach the returned Ranma as 
much as possible. No techniques that involved
mutilation and animal cruelty.

	Genma protested. Nodoka was polite,
firm, and unmovable.
----------------------------------------------
March 5, 1992
	"Mom's gonna kill you for this, y'know."
Ranma poured hot water over himself and glared
at the panda. He handed over the pot, though a
little reluctantly.

	The panda transformed back into
Genma. "Not only me, boy. How do you think
she's going to take having her darling son show
up as a daughter?"

	Ranma shrugged. "I'd go find out,
but there's no way I'm going to carry you for
hundreds of miles, old man."

	The Guide walked a little quicker. 
"Here sirs, we come to rustic village of amazon
warriors, Nichieju. You watch, sirs, we in luck
today is day of fighting tournament."

	""

	"<Well, no, young sir. It _is_ kind
of expected, though.>"

	Genma looked back and forth, sure
that his son was badmouthing him again. Then
he caught sight of the banquet and all other 
thoughts fled.

	Ranma assessed the power levels of
the two warriors on the log. He was surprised the
fight lasted as long as it did. "Pathetic."

	The winner started stalking forward
and Ranma realized that "baka oyaji" had done
it again.

	"<Why you two eat my prize? Are you
stupid or something? This tournament only comes
once a year, and...>" The girl broke off as Ranma
held up a hand.

	"<So if I win against you, there's no problem,
right? I wanted to see some of your wu shu anyway.>"

	"<You speak Mandarin? You challenge me?
A mere male challenges the Champion of the Nichieju!?
You ARE stupid or something.>"

	Ranma smiled and gestured to the log. "<Then
you won't mind settling this challenge?>"

	Shampoo settled into position on her side of
the log. The arrogant male waved and grinned at her from
the other side. Shampoo could barely restrain herself from
racing over and pummelling him BEFORE the referee could
drop her arm.

	Shampoo sprinted across and repeatedly slammed
her bonbori home against the unmoving male. It penetrated 
slowly that he still wasn't moving. 

	Shampoo took two steps back and stared at the
dented surfaces of her maces.

	"My turn," said Ranma, turning his smile up
slightly. He thought he might as well give them a show,
if nothing else it might remind his father not to try anymore
crap like those springs. Ranma slipped into a basic horse
stance and raised chi.

	Golden fire snapped into a blazing aura around
Ranma, setting off chi alarms all over the village. He brought one
arm up, pointed the palm at Shampoo's head.

	Shampoo blinked, her jaw open.

	Having something against shooting fish in a 
barrell, Ranma moved his aim slightly. He released the blast.

	Shampoo blinked again as a softball-sized sphere
of light shot past her head. Belatedly she tried to brace herself
as the slipstream dragged her off the Challenge Log.

	The audience's eyes watched as the ball shot through
three roofs, an irrigation ditch, tunnelled into a mountain, then
exploded with a rather large detonation.

	As one, the audience swiveled their eyes back to
the stranger, as he flew down, grabbed the prize-eater and
flew off to the East.

	Shampoo got up, dazed. "<I've been defeated by
an outsider male?>"

	"<Shampoo, you have been defeated by an outsider
male whose strength is sufficient that the Chinese can send their
tanks and we could laugh at them. IF you bring back your husband
like you're supposed to.>"

	"<Excuse me, Elder?>"

	"<What NOW, Rei Ga?>"

	"<When Shampoo came down, she knocked out three others.
Her bonbori knocked out Sugar. So the outsider male has defeated four
other amazons besides your daughter.>"

	"<Five,>" came a correction from one of the impact sites.

	"<Fine. Just SOMEONE catch the boy! I'd prefer it was
Shampoo, but to let someone with THAT level of power go...>"

	That a lot more than five amazons left the village abruptly
was the subject of conversation for days. Cologne frequently made
the observation that amazons had more dignity in HER day.

	Past behavior with Happosai notwithstanding.
-------------------------------------------------------
	"Saotome, my old friend!" Soun began to move for the door,
only to have to step aside as Nabiki moved far quicker despite the
kimono.

	Nabiki opened the door, stepping out to see what this 
Ranma might look like. Her eyes widened. "Y-y-you _couldn't_ be
Ranma...Saotome?" For the first time in years, Nabiki's mind froze as
she took in the picture before her.

	Tall, the boy before her was at least 6'7" in height. 
Piercing blue eyes seemed to plum the depths of her soul. A 
gentle smile teasing on a sensuous mouth seemed to indicate that 
whatever those eyes saw, it was NOT more than he was prepared to handle.

	He was BIG. Every proportion, every muscle, was lean but
suggestive of tightly controlled power. Taut and with the grace of some
tiger stalking prey. The whole package seemed to speak to Nabiki of
a confidence and strength that the boys she was used to meeting could
only dream of.

	Nabiki  was vaguely aware of this same boy gently reaching
out to guide her jaw up from where it was hanging.

	"Saotome, my old friend, it has been too long." 

	Nabiki blinked. Her father was talking some to some guy over
there but neither seemed terribly important at the moment. Her attention
was completely fixed on the Greek god before her, except that those statues
seemed scrawny compared to the warrior before her.

	"Hi," Nabiki managed when she could get her mouth working
again. "I'm Nabiki, your new fiancee. Pleased to meet you. Is next weekend
too early for the wedding?"

	Ranma smiled and one hand shot out to grab his father's
should. "Oyaji? Is there maybe something you'd like to tell me?"
------------------------------------------
	



	Power level of this Ranma: High. Really high. Less training
in the Art, greater strength, greater endurance, and "oodles and oodles
of chi." Think of 17 or 18 from DBZ in terms of raw power. Flight, chi
blasts, regenerates, can pull in ki to form a shield, and can detect/feel
chi levels when he concentrates. 
	Noncombat abilities include an eidetic memory, speed reading, 
and great talent for mathematics. He's also plays guitar, bamboo flute, and 
synthesizer. His "mother's" influence + his noncombat talents have him as
a juku student who doesn't need the juku. Especially inclined in mechanical
areas and spatial relationships, possibly Yamcha's influence.

	Curse: other than his cursed female form more resembling
Ako from Project Ako, not much difference. Oh, no monkey tail, turning
into King Kong, third eye, or antennae.

	Problems: quite a few actually. He has more women after him
than in TOS, plus more enemies. He's quite powerful but he's also drawn
to find/fight powerful opponents. He does NOT get along too well with
his father. Because of his hair/eye color, height, and facial characteristics,
most people assume he's "ai no ko" - half Japanese. He faces some considerable
discrimination as a result.
	Why more women? Face it, he's a Straight A (equivalent) student
who knows more about a number of subjects than his teachers. Tall, strong,
poised, confident...plus Genma has done the Ukyou sort of thing more often
as a petty vengeance against the child who had upset his careful plans. By
the time it was obvious that this wasn't a returned Ranma, both Saotomes were
used to thinking of him as such. This despite his "ai no ko" appearance...it's
mainly adults/authority figures that seize on his hybrid looks as a way of 
feeling superior to this youth.
	Why more enemies? He's intimidating, when he DOES lose his
temper he's capable of reducing property values faster than you can say
"Hurricane Ranma" and, again, Genma has done even MORE stupid things
than in TOS. Such as selling him to Mishima Heavy Industries as a prototype
combat android. Mishima HI is about the only group to realize that he IS a
sort of bio-roid or genetically engineered near-human. They're not telling
anyone until they can catch him, get samples, then get the patents. This 
doesn't even begin to scratch the surface. Want another? Dr Gero coming
to reclaim his prototype...
	Schoolwork, etc.: Starts going to Furinkan, same as TOS. Kuno
tries the same thing as the first time, but is a little intimidated by the
black
sorcery of this Ranma. Ranma's attitude is more along the lines of, she's the
sister of my fiancee, and if you don't treat her with respect you're going to
get hurt. Akane doesn't like being patronized, but with her hand broken from
punching Ranma the previous day, isn't going to try THAT again.
	Kasumi. This is definitely not a BOY in her mind. He's strong and
mature, used to lending a hand with the chores, and capable of quoting any
number of authors a bit more accurately than Tatewaki. Anybody out there
see Kasumi get at least a LITTLE interested?
	Nabiki. The True Fiancee. Took her opportunity and RAN with
it. Considers serious thoughts of violence when Akane starts showing an
interest. "You hate boys, remember?" Money is being offered her, though,
both early on (from various girls/guys wanting pictures of his guy/girl form)
and larger sums later (Mishima H.I., Genetech, Knightelf Productions, etc.)
Can she be tempted to betray him, only to find that she's lost him as a
result?
	Akane. Starts out REALLY resenting how effortlessly she gets
shown up by this Ranma. Especially when she punches him in the jaw and
breaks her hand. Kicks him in the nuts the next day (pervert!) only now she
needs a cast on that foot too. She REALLY starts to have an inferiority 
complex around this guy. The turning point starts to occur when Ranma
gets Kuno and the other pack off of her back...
	Ukyou. There was Genma, running off with the cart, after having
drank the money Nodoka gave him. Ukyou waving and crying, running along
behind, when Ranma hears what she's saying, goes and gets her, and is back
on top of the cart with Ukyou before Genma realizes what's going on. Nodoka
gets very upset and gives the cart back and dissolves the engagement, as this
was supposed to be two unrelated two week training journeys. Ukyou is a 
friend who WANTS to be a fiancee. Ranchan & Ucchan are old buddies, which
frustrates the heck out of Ukyou sometimes.
	Shampoo, Cologne, & Assorted Amazons. He's strong, smart, a 
genetically engineered superman. Cologne wants his genes added to the tribe.
Shampoo wants that hot body all to herself. There's a few others with varying
degrees of Cologne's or Shampoo's motivations here.
	
	Oh well, posting this to say the Bet's done, folks. At least for
now. In terms of new votes, Featherbrite's Tale has (astonishingly) been
a favorite. (Considering that i wrote it specifically to annoy some of my
more outspoken critics, this is quite...odd.) i'll do a final tally of the
votes
and post 'em later. Another reason for posting 'em is this is an indication
of what kind of fics are the most popular. There were a variety of stories,
going for different flavors and relationships, and if the reactive flamers
and slammers weren't so ready to throw stones they'd have noticed that.
	Still on FFML hiatus. E-mails asking me for "what the heck is
this Bet thing" will be ignored the same as "Akane is the only true fiancee
and you're a dirty stupid pryck for trying to suggest otherwise" messages.
Frequent offenders get added to the "delete on sight" list.

Ja matta
gregg-san