% Weee! Another completed chapter of QD:

Heh.  This reply is much later than I originally planned on
doing this.  Hope nobody on the list minds.

Quantum Destinies
A Ranma � Fanfic
By Steven Thesken (jurai-knight@home.com)


Chapter 7 - Sins of the Fathers, Part One

           The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving
           iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the
           guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the
           children unto the third and fourth generation.

% That has Genma written all over it.

Yep.  He inspired me on this one.

                                                                   King
James Bible

Numbers
14:18

% Hmm. The formatting came out a little odd for me, but that might be just
my computer.

Nope.  I screwed up on the placement.  Have since fixed it.

***** Earth  0.000,0.000


own two eyes,* he briefly paused as he thought about the illogic of that
statement, *so to speak.  Another world, where the choices of time
flowed differently, and all the people I know, or knew in the past, are
different, if they even exist at all.  Such a very curious thing to
finally have an opportunity to see.*

% Get ready for the shock of your life, man.

No doubt.  ^_^

   "It is so wonderful having you both back," murmured Nodoka, her
body shifting a bit and relieving the weight on his arm.  "I was so lonely
while you were away, but you brought our son back a man."  She kissed
her husband on the neck and caressed his face with her hand.  "For that
you have my thanks.  It partially makes up for the many nights alone

% and the ones where she wasn't alone ^_^

Heh.

that I endured
while you were off gallivanting around to strange, foreign
lands with Ranma."

   "Gallivanting?" asked Genma, raising an eyebrow in amusement.
"You make it sound like we were playing.  I'll have you know that we
were involved in nothing but serious, scholarly pursuits."  His voice
sounded very stuffy and dignified at that moment.

   "Well," said Nodoka, drawing out the sound, "despite all of my initial
doubts at you taking him away from me at such a young age, it did all
turn out for the best."  She made a slight choking sound for a moment, a
muffled sob.  "I know that the Ministry asked you to do it, but it was
still hard living without my family."  Her voice firmed, and she said with
pride, "You promised to bring back our son as a prodigy, and you
succeeded, as far as I am concerned.  I am still amazed that you were
able to train him in the martial arts too.

% You aren't the only one that's been amazed by that.

And many more will come to be amazed.  ^_^

That was a pleasant surprise."

   "I'm glad that you're pleased," said Genma with a smile.  "I never
wished to make you unhappy.  It wasn't easy for me to be away from
you either, dear wife."

   Nodoka kissed him a little bit more insistently on the neck, her
breathing getting a little heavier.  "Would my lord and husband care to
see how grateful his loving wife is for all of his efforts?"

% Genma: Sure. Why don't you paint the house for me?

Nodoka: Yes, my loving husband.  I am your servant.

(And if anyone thinks this version of Nodoka is that subserviant, I
have some beachfront property in Oklahoma to sell you  ^_^).

Nodoka moved up and kissed him warmly, but firmly, on the mouth.
Not having the willpower to resist his wife's advances, he yielded to the
inevitable.  *She is going to kill me at this rate,* he thought jokingly,
amazed that he had actually forgotten about this particular side of
Nodoka.  *Practically every day since I got back.  Ah well, time for me
to do my husbandly duties once again.

% Five minutes later:

%Genma: Well, I'm off dear. See you later this evening.

Heh.  Not if he knows what's good for him, he won't be that quick.  ^_^

                       ******************************

   However, he had to admit that he was more irritated with himself
than with Nabiki.  He had been so confident in his own capabilities, so
arrogant in his skills.  *I can't let myself think like that other Ranma,
bulling my way through every obstacle,*

% Aww. How come? It always worked out for him in the end.

And it made even more troubles too.

he thought with a grimace as
his fists drove through imaginary targets.  *I just have to refine my
strategy against her, concentrate on my strengths and try and exploit her
weaknesses.*

% Yeah. Throw a wad of cash at her in the middle of the fight to distract
her. That should do it.

Hmmm... not a bad idea.  ^_^

   The vast majority of the citizenry of the Empire were unaware of
what went on here and especially what activities that the Institute was
involved in, due to a clever combination of governmental denial and
outright control of the news that the public saw through the eyes of the
Ministry of Public Information.

% ie: The Propaganda Department

Exactly.

   "I dislike this place, Kasuga-san," said Soun politely, taking another
puff of his cigarette.  "When I think of some of the things you have
contained within here,

% Like the singing purple dinosaur and those Telebubble things

The horror... the horror...

   Every one of these pathways met at a sort of crossroads in the lower
center of the picture; standing there were a small number of indistinct
figures, shadows only.  However, three stood in the center who were
drawn more distinctly in aspect and form, yet still indeterminate as to
their age and identity.

% Let me guess. It's Moe, Larry, and Curly. (Well, you have to admit, it
would throw everyone for a loop.)

Hmmm... true.

   "Yes," replied Director Kasuga simply, then sighed briefly.  "It was
too small, whatever it was, too minute and delicate an alteration of the
course of events.  I had one of my best and most trusted operatives peer
into the depths of her visions to try and see what had happened, but he
was only able to discern a very little bit.  Where before there had only
been an immense darkness, a void of nothingness that yawned across all
of the many possible pathways of the future, now there were a few
timelines beginning to open up that led beyond it.  There were very few
of them though."  He leaned against the glass and suddenly looked every
year of his age.

% Now this is good. At last we get a glimpse of what the big picture is
all about and that there is an ending that is being built up to.

True.  I am trying real hard to reveal it a piece at a time though to build up
the suspense.

And to answer the questions of anyone who was curious, yes, the woman
is supposed to be Takahashi-san.  ^_^

   "So, what happened next, Kasuga-san?" asked Soun, after taking a
fresh puff on his cigarette.

   "To my eternal shame, I had my man link with her more deeply to try
and determine more detail," said Director Kasuga, briefly pausing as if
pained by the memory, "and he almost went permanently mad.  His mind
was simply unable to deal with the details in the swirling chaos of all of
those possible futures revealed to him through her Sight.  Until he
eventually recovered three weeks later, his mind apparently tried to
interpret the images he saw, and he just kept babbling a single, cryptic
phrase in his waking moments: 'When the two halves of Tao become
one, then the dark destiny may be undone.'

%Soun: Hmm. Not a bad rhyme, but I prefer haikus myself.

The problem is that is expresses the thought I wanted, but the rhyme
scheme would not match up (9 syllables and then 10 syllables).  I confess
to lacking poetic ability.

   Director Kasuga looked at Soun pointedly, a frown on his face as he
said, "Whatever this crux event is, according to my sources it seems to
be forming within the vicinity of the Nerima region,

% ie: It's all Ranma's fault. It doesn't matter what reality it is, he's
always to blame.

Quite true.  And more will be revealed on this one.

and it is slowly
building in power and strength.  Some of our other precogs have caught
glimpses of events that might be linked to this, and we've identified them
as occurring in that area.  So I have placed one of my very best agents
on the scene to monitor the situation and also to provide help if any odd
situations develop as a result of the event,

% Odd situations? In Nerima? Surely you jest.

Well, it has been quiet up until now.  The dam is about to break.  ^_^

   "Kyousuke is there for another reason," replied Director Kasuga, a
little curtly.  "Though I am pleased that he has taken such a liking for
his current assignment, and the Mano girl is quite comely.

% Given what happens to most of the guys in Yohko's life, Kyousuke might
not want to get together with her. He could end up the next sacrifice in
some demon's plans involving her.

Well, either death, insanity, or falling to the Dark Side are reader's current
guesses as to his fate by the time I finish this story.  ^_^

   *Is everyone aware of what I am up to?* wondered Soun with the
faintest of grimaces on his face.  *First that annoying witch, Hinako, and
now him.*

%Yeah. We haven't seen Miss H in a while. What's she up to lately?

Plotting, planning, scheming... what else would a Security Director be up
to?  ^_^

   "No need to answer, Soun," said Director Kasuga with a smile.  "I
can see it in your face, even one as well-schooled as yours is at hiding
emotional outbursts."  He paused, his telepathic abilities scanning the
surface thoughts in Soun's mind.  *Ah, Soun, if only I was permitted to
tell you what Project Phoenix did to those children, beyond what you
think you already know.  There is far more at stake here than you
realize.*

   A brief memory surfaced in the Director's mind, of the delicate and
rather detailed subliminal programming that each and every one of the
Children had received here at the Institute, buried deeply into their
psyches.

% Heh. Too bad some of them now have other personalities running around in
their skulls. Subliminal programming in them will probaby be shot to hell
now.

You better believe it.  Ranma is changing all the plans.

   "Of course, Ono-san," said Kyouko, bowing as she moved aside in
the doorway.  She watched as Kasumi came in with flowing grace, and
then she closed the door while Kasumi removed her shoes.  "I will be in
the kitchen fixing breakfast if you have need of me."

% Still kind of odd seeing someone other than Kasumi cooking in the Tendo
household, especially with her present. Not a complaint. Just an
observation.

True, but would you really want Akane or Nabiki taking over that duty?  ^_^

   Ten-year old Nabiki grunted slightly as she struggled against twelve-
year old Kasumi.  The two sisters kept shifting their grips on each other,
searching for leverage as their mother watched them both, a grim smile
on her face.  Out on the mat, both girls were trying hard to plant the
other into the floor, a sisterly rivalry that their mother had always
encouraged as a means of getting the best out of her daughters.

% Kimiko: That's it. Kick the shit out of each another, my little angels.
^_^

That about sums up her motivational methods.  ^_^

   Now, seven years later, the two sisters faced each other once again.
Nabiki was dressed in one of her Chinese-style shirts and black gi pants,
and Kasumi was dressed in one of her old, white gis.  It looked a little
snug on her, something Nabiki had commented on with a grin.  Kasumi
had simply smiled pleasantly, but there was a glimmering in her eyes that
left the middle Tendou daughter wondering if she might have pushed her
unusually calm, older sister too far.

% Are you implying that joking about a girl's figure might provoke an
angry reaction? Naaa.

Judging by Ranma and Akane in the original timeline, that is a firm 'YES!'
^_^

   Kasumi and Nabiki circled each other at first, studying each other for
weaknesses for several moments, and then they attacked.  Like in so
many matches before, Kasumi quickly gained the upper hand, her skill
and technique as near flawless as Nabiki remembered.  However, that
was before she had gained nearly ten years of intensive combat
experience, skills layered on top of the well-defined physique that her
school's physical regimen had given her.

% Announcer: However, unbeknownst to Nabiki, we've secretly substitued
Quantum Destinies's Kasumi with A Scary Thought's Kasumi. Let's see if
Nabiki can tell the difference. (The announcer throws some cold water on
Kasumi)

% Nabiki: (In shock) Oh my god! You just changed into a good looking gUNH!
(Nabiki gets thrown into the mat by Kasumi-kun, and subsequently knocked
unconscious.)

% Announcer: It looks like she can tell the difference. Next week, we'll
play around with Terry Bogard as we substitute his brother with another
alternate world relative where X chromosomes ruled the roost. It's Terry
Bogard versus his temporal sister, Andrea Bogard. Until next week this is
the announcer, signing off

Heheheheh... now would I be so cruel as to do something like that to poor
Nabs?  She will have enough on her plate soon.  ^_^

sister now sported.  However, the sheer intensity of the match had given
her a cleansing feeling, and she was grateful to Nabiki for helping her
work off so much stress.  She studied her sister and finally said, "You've
been studying Kempo."

% Nabiki: Study. Download. What's the difference?

Not much, I guess.

at Ranma had
continued unabated throughout the remainder of the day.  He had
carried Mikado's unconscious body to the car, the other boy awakening
during the short passage over to the grounds of Whitehall.  They had
made a solemn vow together, to defeat Saotome no matter how many
attempts were required.

% Try infinity, boys

Heh, but they will keep trying, especially Kunou.  After all, he is fighting
for his sister's chastity and honor.  ^_^

was even considering transferring Ranma's name to the registry of the
Kunou Family if he wed Kodachi.  When he had heard that, Tatewaki
simply could not believe it.  *Ranma Saotome as my brother-in-law?*

% I can see where that would drive Kunou-Baby over the edge.

Yes, wouldn't it?   ^_^

he thundered in his mind, careful not to speak aloud at the table.  *Nay,
worse than that, as a Kunou?  As a Lord of the Empire?  I must defeat
him.  That trumped-up commoner must not mix his baseborn blood with
the purity of the Kunou line.  I forbid it!*

% Ah, Kunou is Kunou in any reality.

And he is pretty easy to write this way, too.  ^_^

heart fill with paternal love for her.  *Kodachi, my child, you have no
idea how pleasing it will be to me to wed you to the Saotome boy, and I
am happy that you have fallen so obviously in love with him.  The
offspring that Ranma will father upon you will strengthen our Clan
immeasurably, not to mention the value of having another Newtype
under my control.  It will make things so much easier for me and my
plans for improving our lot in the Empire.*

% Hmm. Ranma Kunou. Can't say as I see that one coming to pass, though I
suppose we shall see. Interesting to see Lord Kunou knows about the
project, but since his kids were test subjects in it, I suppose it makes
sense.

Yep, and just wait until he reveals his plans for having them manage his
pineapple plantation in Hawaii....

   Lord Kunou scooped up the last of his rice and held his bowl out for
a refill.  As a servant quickly refilled it, Takashi allowed himself to

recall

the past, and a stray thought suddenly occurred to him.  He studied his
son for a moment, remembering an agreement with an old friend from
his youth.  *I wonder if Soun even remembers that promise he once
made me so long ago?*

% Methinks Akane is REALLY going to be unhappy now.

But who with is the question?

   "How did your talk with Ranma go, Dearest?" asked Nodoka with a
contented smile.  She now stood in the doorway to the kitchen, a pair of
lunches made up and resting in her hands.

   "Quite well," Genma replied with a smile, standing up from the table
and taking the prepared meals from Nodoka.  His thoughts were on the
few schematics that his son had shown him over the last several months.
"Ranma is just going through a phase of sorts.

%Phase. Having another personality mix with his. What's the difference?

In a teenager, not much.  ^_^

Nothing for you to be
concerned about.  He'll be fine.  If you need me today, just call my
cellular number.  I should be with our son all day."

% A prophacy of doom if ever there was one.

Heh.

   When they were gone, Nodoka went back into the house and closed
the front door.  She busied herself with the beginnings of her chores for
the day.  She wanted to be done early so that she could get in some time
for target practice at the archery range, as well as a bout with Achika at
Kendo.

% But remember, if she pulls out some lighthawk wings, give up.

Well, only if Nodoka really presses her.  ^_^

each of the girls, and they are all eager to have their daughters meet
Ranma.  I have a tentative schedule made up for you and your family to
meet the girls.  To start, the Kuonji family was simply overjoyed at the
prospect of their daughter, Ukyou, meeting Ranma.  I sent them the
information on your family, and Kuonji-san was on the phone to me
within an hour to schedule a date for the first meeting.

% Not a sign of desperation. Nonononono.

Don't think that.  ^_^

   "I-I would be honored to accept this invitation on behalf of my son
and husband," said Nodoka with only a moment of hesitation.  *To dine
at a Lord's estate,* she mused happily.  *I am sure that it will be a most
memorable night.

% So am I, but not for the same reasons she's thinking.

Yep.  Just wait until the two mothers catch sight of each other.  Could be
good, or could be bad.  ^_^

   "Oh, well, let me think," stammered Nodoka a bit, caught off-guard
by the suddenness with which everything was happening.  It sounded as
if all three fathers were eager to engage Ranma to their daughters,

% They are.

Heh.  Yep.

and it
brought a surge of pride within her.  *Ranma is so manly,* she sighed
with pleasure, *to have so many women seeking his favor.*  She smiled
at the thought of the grandchildren that he would provide her after he
married.

% Boy. She sure takes things slowly, doesn't she?

Well, this is how many mothers think.  ^_^

"Friday evening at six would be a good time for my family."
Two days spacing between the meetings gave them a sort of symmetry
that appealed to Nodoka.  That would leave an evening free for Ranma
between each meeting, to spend time with one or more of the girls and
perhaps even take them on dates.

% Or just recover from the disasters they will be.

Hmmm... 'A Date With Disaster' sounds like a possible chapter title.  ^_^

   Genma and Ranma walked along at a brisk pace, both of them lost in
their own thoughts as they approached the quiet grounds of the
Academy.  Genma was pondering the fulfillment of seeing his life's work
at long last.  Ranma was hoping that nothing bad happened today.

% *SNORT* Don't hold your breath.

Heh.  He is young and innocent.

   Genma sat there in surprised amazement.  "You used a device like
this while you were alone?" he asked, after contemplating what Ranma
had said for a moment.  "That was very careless, Son.  Something far
worse could have happened to you than what did happen."

% Yeah. You could have gotten a download of a world where Ranma was as
lecherous as Ataru Morobishi or something.

Hmmm...

   There was a sudden, loud cry of outrage, definitely female in origin,
something that sounded like, "Aiyah!  Stupid boy!"  Then a body came
flying out past him through the kitchen window with a loud crash of
glass.

% Ah. Shampoo's ritual 'Good-Morning' for this world's Ranma.

You were saying about lechery?  ^_^

   The sounds of an intense martial arts combat taking place began to be
heard a moment later.  More cries drifted out of the house, both male
and female, mainly 'kiai' shouts, but mixed in with those were the
occasional snarled remark in broken Japanese (female voice) and slurs
against Chinese Amazons in general but especially "purple-haired,
psycho Amazons" in particular (male voice).  That last was usually
followed by a briefly more intense-sounding round of combat and the
distinctive noises of furniture breaking,

% Expensive mating ritual.

Yes, it can be, but Ranma is making it worse by being insulting to her. ^_^

   "Ranma is so manly," Nodoka whispered with an approving smile.

   Meanwhile, Ranma peeked into the kitchen and grinned.  Shampoo
was cleaning up the last of the dinner dishes, softly humming a tune that
he did not recognize.  He took a moment to admire her figure from the
rear, studying the gentle movements of her swaying hips as she worked.
He still could not believe how lucky he was in owning a beauty like her.

% Ranma with a sex drive. Oddly disturbing, in a way.

Well, with infinite possibilities...  ^_^

Shampoo was wearing a silk peasant outfit in light purple, composed of
snug pants and long-sleeved blouse.  *It's hard to believe that it was
only earlier today that I first saw her for sale in the slave auction,* he
thought with a smile.

   His brief blackout before and during the slave auction he attributed
to his excitement.

% It was either  that or someone using a resonator to eavsdrop on his
life, but it was most likely the former.

Heh.

   The fact that Shampoo was a Chinese Amazon somehow made her
even more desirable to him in some exotic way.  He had heard all of the
stories about the women of her tribe, that they were all expert fighters
trained in martial arts.  Ranma had hoped that she was pretty good.  *It
might be nice to have a live-in sparring partner to practice with,*

% Then again, it might not.

Yeah, but he isn't worried about losing to a girl.  ^_^

he had
thought with a smile.  *Of course, I'll have to go easy on her though,
since she's just a girl.*

% Ranma: "Of course, I'm also just asking to have my ass kicked for
thinking that line.'

And Shampoo will administer the Amazon methods of kicking arrogant
male asses, perfected over three thousand years of Chinese Amazon
history.  ^_^

   Ranma was the first of his friends to own a female slave, and he had
enjoyed the envying looks of many of his peers attending Furinkan
Military Academy.  His best friend, Ryuu Kumon, was already making
plans to purchase one of his own, using money given to him from his
parents and relatives for his birthday.  He had shown Ranma quite a
number of photos from one of his catalogs, mostly of the types of slave
girls available from the Western American Prefectures.  Ryuu had long
been fascinated by them.

% Ah, having read the first version of this, I know this is going to come
up later. Nice way to keep the continuity.

Well, I try.

The girls in outfits of fringed buckskin were
sort of interesting and exotic-looking, but Ranma was sure that a girl
like Shampoo would be able to satisfy him for a long time.

% Depends completely on your definition of 'satisfy'. If satisfy is meant
in the sense you are going to have sex, then the answer is no. If is meant
in the sense you are going to end up thrown out of windows frequently,
then you are certainly going to end up satified.

Maybe this Ranma gets off on having women be violent with him?  ^_^

   There had been an unexpected problem with Akane Tendou.  As she
was a student of the rival Tendou School of Anything-Goes Martial
Arts, he had been fighting with her for years.  He had never thought of
her in any sort of a romantic way, but she had apparently seen things
quite differently.

% Most women do, Bub

Heh.

So when he had been showing pictures of Shampoo
around earlier that afternoon, she had gotten extremely angry at him,
beat him up, and then stormed off.

% Yep. I'd say she saw things differently, all right.

Yep.

   *Forget about Akane Tendou,* Ranma had thought with a rather
lecherous grin.  *Just look at the incredible body that Shampoo has.*
Immediately taking his own advice on the matter, he went back to
ogling her callipygian

% And this is really a word? I don't which is worse, that it exists or
that you knew it. ^_^

It is very appropriate when applied to that area of anatomy, and I
actually first saw it in a comic book.  ^_^

derriere from his position standing in the
doorway.  It truly was a magnificent sight, especially encased in snug
silk.

   Ranma had originally decided to let Shampoo adjust to the house for
a day or so before he made his move,

% Aww. How sweet. ^_^

Heh.  Ranma is a true gentleman here.

but after dinner he found that he
couldn't wait any longer.  After all, she was his slave now, and he was
allowed to use her in any way that he saw fit under Imperial law.

% I sense the foot as about to drop.

But where?  ^_^

   They had given Shampoo her own small but comfortable bedroom,
and she had smiled at seeing it.  Seeing that smile appear on her face
was like watching the sun coming out from behind a cloud for Ranma,

% And hitting on her will be like being struck by a bolt of lightning.

But might not the pain be worth it, DB?   ^_^

and he had taken it upon himself to show her around the house.

% Especially his bedroom.

MOST especially there.  They could break in his new futon.  ^_^

 He
noticed that Shampoo had seemed rather fascinated by the family dojo
out back, so Ranma had shown off some of his better martial arts
moves, honed through many hours of training.  She had watched him
with an interested expression,

% then broke out laughing at how uncoordinated he was.

Heh.  Doing wonders for his male ego.

   Swallowing slightly in sudden nervousness, Ranma closed the door to
the other room and approached her from behind.  He put his arms gently
around her, and Shampoo's posture suddenly stiffened.

   "What Ranma doing?" asked Shampoo in a serious voice.

   "Shh," Ranma whispered into her ear from behind.  "I just want to
show you how attracted I am to you."  He moved his mouth down to
kiss her on the neck when he felt her body suddenly shift in front of him,
and her elbow slammed back into his solar plexus with surprising force.

% Amazon foreplay is rough.

It makes the men tough.  ^_^

   "Read contract!" Shampoo commanded him while he was laying on
the ground.  "Shampoo not allow kiss unless Ranma defeat Shampoo in
single combat!  Shampoo Amazon warrior!  Ranma read contract!"
After saying that, she stomped off, muttering something in Mandarin.

   Ranma picked himself up off the floor.  *Shampoo hit me!* he
thought, his mind still not quite grasping the fact.  *I can't believe
that she actually hit me!*

% Bugger didn't hear a word she said, did he?

You were asking about a Ranma version of Ataru, yes?  ^_^

thought, staring out the window of his bedroom and seeing Shampoo
now driving punches and kicks into one of the heavy workout bags in
the dojo.  Ranma gingerly touched the bruise on his cheek for a moment
as he held the paper in his hand.  *I could have bought one of the quiet
Korean girls,

%And end up with Mina Li? Nahh. You're better off having Shampoo beat you
up.

Well, he might not think so at the moment.

but nooo... I had to buy myself an Amazon.*

% You are cursed to live in interesting times in any universe, deal with
it.

Heh.

   When he admitted to his parents what had happened and told them
the whole story, reactions had been mixed.  Nodoka actually found it
amusing

% Oh yeah, castrate that ego on the spot.

What else is a mother to do?  ^_^

and had gone out to talk with the Amazon.  While his mother
was out with Shampoo, his father had told him that he was ashamed to
have his only son beaten by a girl again, even if she was a Chinese
Amazon.  To have his son and heir lose so easily to a teenaged girl was
more than Genma Saotome could handle, so he had ordered Ranma to
do three extra hours of training each and every day until he could defeat
Shampoo.

% Oh yes, Genma is suffering, all right.

Heh.  He is in agony here.  ^_^

   Ranma was never told that everything was actually going according
to Genma's plan.  When Ranma finally defeated Shampoo, as Genma
knew that the boy eventually would if he trained hard enough, then the
Amazon would be a most formidable mother for the next generation of
the Saotome Clan.  They would be strong heirs to its proud martial arts
traditions.

% Intersting plan. I think the Joketsuzoku would approve.

You would be correct too.  ^_^

   The fight raged around the yard, as much an aerial duel as taking
place on the ground.  Cuts and bruises were mounting on both young
fighters, a fairly even match going on between them, and Genma was
impressed at the level of skill that they were demonstrating.  He was
joined at his seated position by Nodoka.

   "Isn't young love wonderful?" asked Nodoka, watching the two
teenagers apparently trying to maim each other.

% Heh.

   "Are we watching the same two people here?" asked Genma, a bit
surprised to hear Nodoka say such a thing.  He wondered how his own
Nodoka would react in the same situation.  She was such a refined and
gracious lady in his eyes.

% I assume you are going to have him find out about his own Nodoka's
sordid past.

It will come up eventually, but I don't know if sordid is the right word.  ^_^

   "If Ranma defeats her, then she becomes eligible for Citizenship by
marriage," said Nodoka, leaning against him.  "I think she'd make him a
fine wife.  The Empress is a Chinese Amazon, after all."

% Hmm. One wouldn't wonder if they would go for more, then. After all, if
you have one then you can be like the Emperor too.

True.  But what a sales pitch it makes though.

   "Oh, your mother was already making plans to wed the two of you
together,"

% Not all that different from this world's Nodoka, really.

Heh.  True.

   "It seems that a Citizen wedding an Amazon is an acceptable sort of
practice in that timeline," said Genma, replacing his glasses.  "Even the
Emperor, a practicing martial artist of quite some skill, has a bride of
his own.  A Chinese Amazon named Silk, of all things."

% Cute. She's been getting around lately.

Yeah, but what might she be like on Earth 0.000,0.000 though?  ^_^

   Ranma blinked again, trying to picture the current Emperor fighting
and couldn't.

% A lard butt, eh?

Heh... something like that...

Emperor: And now, young Saotome... you will die...

Sorry, could not resist after seeing Phantom Menace yesterday.  ^_^

   "It took me a few tries to get used to it, too," said Ranma.  "So, now
you've tried one of my pre-tested worlds.  Do you want to try for a scan
of a new world?"

   "Why not?"

% Because it is now time for something bad to happen to someone.

Tsk.  Such cynicism in one so young.  ^_^

asked Genma.  A sudden smile lit his face.  "Why don't I
try that same region you keep connecting with, son?"  He adjusted his
glasses.

   Ranma looked at his father in surprise.  "Are you sure about that,
Father?  It's a rather significant divergence from our world since it's a
fair distance across superspace.  The changes are going to be far more
dramatic than the one you just visited.  This is five hundred years of
alternate history that we're talking about, after all."

   "I'm curious to see what sort of father I would have been in this
region of tangents,"

% No, you aren't.

Yes, but it does promise to be exciting.

***** Earth  +1.612,+1.509

   Genma became aware of himself as he was about to put some food
into his mouth.  He paused and set the morsel down, not really feeling
hungry.  He only had a limited amount of time in this life, and stuffing
his face was not how he wanted to spend it.  It was a humid day, and he
appeared to be seated in a park somewhere.  He looked down at the
dish of food and was disturbed at the oddly wrong smell emanating from
it as it warmed in the sun.

% Well, I can't say this is completely unfamiliar to me. ^_^

Heh.  I can imagine so.  Now we get to watch DB critique my work and
his own work at the same time.  ^_^

   Genma looked up at the sky and took a deep breath.  *Even the air
smells quite different from home,* he noticed, somewhat surprised.  *I
guess the last one was too much like home to notice that particular bit
of difference.  This seems like such a peaceful life.*

% Wait for those memories to download and see if you still feel that way.

Heh.  True.

He watched some
of the children in the park, playing on the swing set off in the distance.
He studied the well-worn, white gi that he was wearing, noting with a
little distress that he seemed to be about twenty kilograms heavier in this
body, even more overweight than his own, but it also seemed to be in
good shape underneath the thick layer of fat.  *I guess I'm some sort of
martial arts teacher here as well.  That's two lives that happened in now.
I wonder if my own life might be some sort of statistical anomaly?*

% By the number of fanfic universes, yep. ^_^

Heh.  Well, Genma doesn't show up as a nice, supportive father figure in
very many, does he?  ^_^

been the one good thing he had ever done with his misbegotten life, and
he had almost destroyed it.  Cowardice, selfishness, stupidity, and many
other weaknesses to which man is subject; so many of them were
present in his counterpart, and it made Genma feel an ache that went to
the core of his soul.  *Oh, my quantum brother,* he thought mournfully.
*What have you done?*

% S 1/2 Genma: Well everything seemed like a good idea at the time.

Heh.  I could see him say that, too.

   *Oh, damn,* thought Genma.  One of those very girls wronged was
now standing, armed and dangerous, right behind him.  He blinked at
the weapon in her hands.  *A spatula?*  He studied it for another long
moment.  *Correction: a giant spatula.*

% *WHAM*

% Genma: A giant spatula with my blood on it.

Poor Professor Saotome.

   "I can see that you're angry," ventured Genma, hoping to defuse the
situation with some properly chosen words.

% Talking your way out of a problem in the Ranmverse? Blasphamy. ^_^

Heh.  Well, he had to try.  ^_^

***** Earth  0.000,0.000

   Ranma looked up from his book when the system beeped.  Recall was
about to commence.  He studied the two merged sine waves, a few
small power fluctuations had occurred, but they peaked out at 0.8%,
and they did not last long, only a second or two each time.  He set his
book down and watched the last seconds tick down to zero.

   Then something happened that would change his life forever.

% Once again.

True.

   There was a puff of smoke from within the casing containing the
resonator, and the system flashed an alert.

*WARNING!  HARDWARE FAILURE.  RECALL PROCEDURE
CORRUPTED.

   "WHAT?!" shouted Ranma.

% It says you just got fuc*ed.

And he wasn't even kissed either.

   Genma stared up at his son, at the different clothes that the boy was
wearing, and at the equipment in this strange room that he suddenly
found himself in.  His body felt a bit odd,

% Try, not overweight.

Well, not as much, but still a little overweight.

***** Earth  +1.612,+1.509

   Genma opened his eyes, finding himself half laying on the remnants of
a park bench.  *What the hell happened to me?* he thought with a
grimace, feeling painful bruises all over his body and a dribbling of
blood from his face.  The answer suddenly came back to him.  *Oh, yes.
That Kuonji girl is a menace.*

% To you, anyway.

Very true.

   Stumbling to his feet, Ranma quickly checked the corridor to see if
anyone was still there, but the hallway stood empty.  After checking the
outside of the building and finding no signs of his father anywhere,
Ranma returned to his laboratory.

   "This is bad," muttered Ranma.  "This is very bad."

% You got that right.

And it is only going to get worse, Ranma.

   Ranma wasn't sure why he suddenly had that thought, but it refused
to leave him alone.  His mind very quickly ran through the probability
calculations and power feedback computations and kept coming up with
almost the same answers each and every time.  It was very possible that
his father's mind wasn't scrambled.  If that was true, then something far
worse might have happened.

% You got that right too.

Yep.

   "If I'm right, then what am I going to tell my mother?"

% Try 'Pop took a blow to the head and thinks he's a shifty martial
artist, so don't worry if he acts weird.

Genma: Shifty?  Me?  I just have a flexible code of ethics.

Ranma asked
the empty air.  When no answer was forthcoming, he sighed and began
setting up for the test.  He programmed the machine for an hour, hoping
that it was enough time to make sure that what he now feared had
happened, hadn't.  He lay back on the couch with a faint groan and
hoped that his instincts were right about this.  Unfortunately, they were
all he had.  He settled the headset onto his skull and waited.

   "Activating cycle," said the computer voice.

% And so it begins again.

Yep.  But it was a fun segment to write coming up.

   At that moment, Ranma's new memories finally leaped up and
grabbed him by the throat, leaving him appearing dazed for a moment or
two.  With an ease born of a growing familiarity with the phenomenon,
his mind quickly sorted through the chaotic blizzard of images and
memories to pick out all of the important points.

% Nice to see he is getting used to this sort of thing.

Well, he has been practicing at it.

   "<Did ya think I was just some dumb jock martial artist?>" asked
Ranma,

% Nice little stab at his counterpart.

Well, every Ranma thinks they are the best.  It is the Saotome ego at
work.  This Ranma is really no different.

   The screen went dark for a time, but, several minutes later, the
monitor blinked back on with a new message.

*ALERT!  ENERGY SURGE IN QUANTUM FLUX COIL NOW
PASSING DESIGNATED BORDERLINE.  NOTING ALERT IN
SYSTEM LOG.

*POWER LEVELS +6.52% OVER BASELINE.  DURATION OF
SURGE: 2.13 SECONDS.

% QD Ranma, enjoy your new S 1/2 Ranma download. I'm sure he'll get along
with the other three or four perosnalities already running around in your
head.^_^

Voice: The Council of Ranma will now come to order.

Sorry, read Evanjellydont one time too many, I guess.  ^_^

   *Wonderful,* thought Ranma wryly, grateful that silly things like this
didn't happen to him in his real life.

% Different universe, different rules. ^_^

Yeah, but the Chaos Factor hasn't quite kicked in at his home one yet.

 *A kidnapping intended to force my
counterpart into a challenge, pretty obviously.  Looks like somebody is
going to get a very big surprise.*

% Oh yes. That they are.

A thinking man's Ranma, scary, eh?  ^_^

   After a bottle of sake had gone down his throat, paid for by some of
the money in the fat wallet that he found on himself,

% Heh. Fat wallet. Somethign Genma has neverhad in his entire life.

True.  But he is adjusting quickly.

down enough to deal with things a little better.  The new memories had
settled down into his awareness, and he had spent most of the last few
hours doing something almost all would have thought to be extremely
uncharacteristic of him, thinking.  A smile lit his face as he thanked the
kami once again for the unexpected blessing that he had been given, all
of his past actions wiped away.  It was a very good day to be Genma
Saotome.

   *This is a wonderful life,*

% Then where's Jimmy Stewart? ^_^

I think four different readers picked up on that line.  ^_^

thought Genma, letting the girl pour him
more sake into his cup until it was almost filled to the brim.  He waved
her away and downed the cup, spilling only a few drops, enjoying the
feeling of the burning sensation running down his throat.  He was well
on his way to becoming drunk, and he was happy.

% I do picture Genma as a happy drunk.

Me too.  Soun would be the sad drunk.

the first time
in his life, he could now understand), and a pioneer in the theory of
quantum mechanics applied to the possibility of the existence of multiple
worlds.  He had recently returned home from a ten-year long "training
mission" with his son, Ranma, who had been educated at Ministry
expense at the finest institutes of learning around the globe, in dozens of 
areas of scholarly study.  *That is all well and good,* Genma supposed,
*but the boy spent no time studying what was truly important in life.*

   Martial arts.

% Hehehehe. That is a true Genma line.

Yep.  One of those segments that wrote themselves.

% Very nice work, as always. Look forward to seeing the next one.

Thanks kindly, sir.  Now on to the reply for 8.

JK

D.B. Sommer