Strangers in a Strange Land. Chapter 1.
Harsh light seeped painfully through Ranma's eyelids. <Ranma,
is that my name?> Slowly she turned her head away from the light,
and equally slowly opened her eyes. <What's wrong with my head?
Of course I'm Ranma, Ranma Saotome.> Opening her eyes,
Ranma winced. <I feel so fuzzy. Akane must have hit me harder
than usual this time.> With that thought, Ranma sat up abruptly.
<Akane!> A vivid image came to her, of a girl with short black/blue
hair, a tomboy, but so cute when she smiled.... Ranma blinked, trying
to see in the harsh light, and denying her feelings to herself. <Akane,
cute? That'll be the day.> She took in her surroundings slowly as
her eyes adjusted to the light. Her body felt stiff and cold, as did the
strangely shaped table she lay on. One thing was obvious
immediately. <I'm a girl. Oh well, no real surprise.... What in the world
am I wearing?>
Ranma noted, blearily, the black one-piece suit she wore. It was
cut like a swimsuit, leaving her arms and legs bare, although it had a
high neckline. The material seemed strong and opaque enough to
suit her definition of modesty, so she took in the rest of the room.
The light was starting to die and her eyes could now make out
indistinct figures looking down at her. The room was gray, and filled
with harsh shadows. The people around her were hard to make out
at first, but Ranma stared at them until everything came into focus.
The two men standing to her left seemed familiar. Their clothing
reminded Ranma of the Japanese feudal period, however. That and
the expressions of intelligent curiosity on their faces seemed strange
to her. Ranma's eyes widened as she finally placed the faces. "Kuno!
Principal Kuno? What's going on here?" The two men, one young,
one middle aged, turned to each other in surprise.
"She recognizes us. She must think we are our own ancestors,
from the Kuno line, in her time," the older one explained to his
younger companion.
The younger man nodded his eyes widening. "Then the
memory transfer was a success!"
Ranma blinked in confusion, looking from one man to the
other. "What are you two going on about? My time? What's
going on? Where am I?" She looked down at the table she had
been lying on, and noted with growing confusion that it seemed
to be molded to fit her. Ranma scanned the room around her
once more. It was full of mechanical gadgets and electronic
gizmos of indecipherable use and origin. "What in the world is
going on?"
The older man stepped forward to explain. "This is not your
time. It has been over five hundred years since you remember
it. Five hundred years ago, Tatewaki Kuno, of the house of
Kuno, had made brain tapes of you, to preserve your memories
intact. The technology had just been developed, and you were
one of the first for it to be tried on."
Ranma interrupted. "What? Are you telling me this is the
future? You aren't Principal Kuno? How. what happened?"
The older man shook his head. "I am not the man you knew.
We are distant ancestors of that line. I am Godai, this is Yusaku.
We are very close, genetically, to the Kuno's you knew, thanks
to our modern cloning technology...."
Ranma interrupted again. "You said something about... tapes?
Brain tapes? I remember Kuno... Tatewaki, spouting something
about some crazy scientist's plan to... what did he say? Oh yeah,
to preserve memories? You mean it worked? No way!"
Godai nodded. "Exactly. Professor Iago was far ahead of his
time, hundreds of years, perhaps, beyond his peers. The
technology to transfer memories, successfully, that is, to a
marionette, has just recently been perfected. The storage of
your memories was unprecedented at that time, but it wasn't
until now that we could do anything constructive with that
stored information." He began to chortle happily to himself.
"Think of the possibilities!"
Ranma blinked, not really understanding. "Um. OK, so it
worked, right?" She looked around at all the scientific equipment.
"So you guys... brought me back to life?" Ranma looked
disturbed at that thought.
Godai and Yusaku failed to notice, grinning and nodding at
each other. "We've done it, father! She seems to be fully
cognizant of her past." Yusaku glanced over at her. "The
experiment has been a complete success!"
Godai nodded, smiling cheerfully. "Indeed, despite the
antiquity of the original memory storage device. My techniques
of data retrieval seem to be a complete success." The older man
turned back to Ranma, who was still looking confused. "What
is your name? The archives do not seem to record that single
detail."
The girl blinked. "I'm Ranma, Ranma Saotome."
Godai narrowed his eyes in confusion. "I don't understand.
I have recently read the journal of my ancestor, Tatewaki
Kuno, of that time. The name Ranma, is mentioned, but it
belonged to a man, a rival, in fact, of Tatewaki's, at that time.
Ranma chuckled nervously. "Heh. well. I guess five hundred
years is a long time...."
Godai frowned, then nodded. "All right, Ranma. Yusaku will
show you to the changing room, and you can find something to
wear. We'll talk later today."
Ranma hopped off the table, landing slightly awkwardly.
"Whoa." She teetered for a second, then found her balance.
It was slightly off, and her limbs felt a bit stiff. Ranma adjusted
quickly, well used to dealing with changes in her body.
Yusaku waited for her to get her balance, and then turned to
lead her out of the crowded room. Ranma followed the young
man out of the room, wondering to herself at how much he
resembled her old rival, Tatewaki Kuno. He was tall and
slender, like his ancestor, with short dark hair and the roguish
good looks that were one reason the old Kuno had been as
arrogant as he had been.
<I have to hand it to old Kuno, though.> Ranma mused
silently as she continued following his ancestor. <He came
through on one of his crazy promises for once. If only he
hadn't been such an idiot, we might have gotten along.>
Ranma shook her head with a quiet snort. <Me and Kuno?
I must be dreaming if I'd ever believe we could have been
friends.> Ranma noted that they had passed up a long flight
of stairs and through a door at its top. Suddenly Ranma
found herself in completely different surroundings. The walls
below had been of sturdy gray concrete, surrounding a
myriad of technological wonders. Up here, the walls were
rice paper and wood. The house was seemed the very
picture of a traditional Japanese mansion.
Yusaku took her down to the end of the hall, and showed
her a door. "Go inside and change. We'll be expecting you
for dinner." He started walking off, and Ranma went to the
door and opened it. Inside, a pale skinned woman with long
hair knelt, dressed in an elegant blue kimono. She faced the
door as if she had been waiting for someone to enter. Her
face, like that of Godai, and Yusaku, was startlingly familiar.
The room itself was plain, lined on either side with wall
closets, and having only a screen and a three-sided mirror
for furniture.
"Kasumi?" Ranma asked softly. "Is that you? Is it possible
you're here too?"
The woman looked up at Ranma slowly, her face devoid
of expression. "Yes." She replied with equal softness. "That
is my name. How may I serve you?"
Ranma looked worriedly down at her. "Kasumi? It's me,
Ranma. Don't you recognize me?"
Kasumi blinked slowly, looking at Ranma's face. "I'm
sorry." She said quietly. "I do not remember seeing you
before." Ranma became concerned. The Kasumi she knew
had never been one for excesses of emotion, but she had
almost always had a pleasant smile. This Kasumi seemed
completely emotionless, her face a mask. The pale Kasumi
looked inquiringly at Ranma once more. "Is there anything
you require?"
Ranma paused, slightly worried, but unable to come up
with any plan. "Actually, I do kinda need some clothes. Kuno.
I mean Yusaku, told me I could get a change of clothing here."
Kasumi nodded and got smoothly to her feet. "I will assist
you." Her eyes flashed with a barely visible inner light.
"Please lift your arms, and turn around." Ranma blinked, and
did so. After completing a turn, Kasumi nodded. "Thank
you. I have your size." She turned to the left, and went to
open a long wall closet.
Ranma watched as Kasumi went through the clothing in
the closet, several details bothering her. <Kasumi is still a
head taller than I am. Even if I have to be a girl, why couldn't
I be a taller one?> That wasn't what was really disturbing,
however, something was definitely off about her. This
Kasumi acted strange. Out of a large selection, Kasumi
took out a red and black Kimono, bringing it over to
Ranma. The shorter girl frowned, but decided not to
protest. With help from Kasumi, Ranma put on the Kimono.
After dressing, she checked her appearance in the mirror.
Once again, a familiar face peered out at Ranma, this time
from the mirror. <Well, at least I'm the same.> Ranma
frowned unhappily. <Not that that's a good thing.> The short,
busty, athletic, red head looking back at Ranma was the
person that she had expected to see there. Ranma was still
disappointed at the view. <Why do I still have to have this
curse after five hundred years? Can't I ever escape it?>
Ranma turned back to Kasumi, who was standing silently
waiting. She looked like the Kasumi Ranma knew, but her
expression, or rather, lack of any, seemed very peculiar.
Even her movements were strange, slightly stiff.
Ranma shook her head. "What in the world has happened
to you, Kasumi?" When Ranma had first met Kasumi, she had
been nineteen years old and taking care of her family in the
place of her dead mother. Kasumi, even at nineteen, had
been a perfect example of a modest Japanese housewife.
Ranma remembered an essay he had read in school that
seemed to fit her perfectly. It was called "The Angel in the
House." The piece had actually been about killing the 'Angel'
in themselves in order to be able to write, but Ranma always
remembered the Angel. Kasumi was always pleasant, happy
with her role in taking care of her father and younger sisters.
This Kasumi however, was like a moving doll.
Ranma sighed. "I don't understand it. I guess five hundred
years is a long time. But if I can remember everything, why
can't you, Kasumi?" The shogi door behind Ranma opened
suddenly, and Ranma turned to see yet another familiar face.
The girl standing in the doorway spoke. "That's because she
isn't Kasumi." Ranma blinked. "Nabiki?" The dark hair in the
pageboy cut framed a face Ranma knew very well indeed.
The girl Ranma remembered as the older of Kasumi's two
younger sisters nodded. "As quick a study as ever eh, Saotome?
It is me." Nabiki nodded at the pale skinned woman that had
her older sister's face. "That, however, isn't Kasumi. At least,
she isn't our Kasumi." The pale Kasumi didn't react at all, but
simply stood there waiting.
Ranma approached Nabiki, who, like herself, was dressed
in a kimono, hers, green and white. "Nabiki, do you know
what's going on? Kuno. well, he says his name is Yusaku, and
this guy that looks like the principal.... They say it's been five
hundred years.. I don't understand. What's going on?" Nabiki
frowned. "I'll explain, Saotome. Follow me. First I think
there's someone you'll want to see."
As Nabiki led Ranma quickly down the hall, the red head
spoke up. "Nabiki, what are you doing here? If what I was
told was true, Kuno had. tapes made, of my memories. I
kind of remember him saying something like that. back then,
but.."
Nabiki snorted to herself. "You want to know why
Kuno-chan had a brain tape made of me? He was never
one for half measures, you know. I can at least say that
much of him. Kuno, naturally, wanted permanent copies
of all his 'girlfriends'." She snorted. "I'm surprised Azuza
Shiratori and that cheerleader Mariko aren't here too."
Ranma blinked. "Oh yeah, you did go out with Kuno
a couple times, eh?"
Nabiki shrugged. "He was a lousy date. I really wish
I had never agreed to go out with him." She frowned.
"Regardless of getting a second chance at life. Not that
I'd call this that." As Ranma tried to puzzle that last
statement out, Nabiki stopped at a door. "This is it.
We don't have a whole lot of time before dinner, and
I've got a lot to explain to you." She slid open the door.
"Here you go, Ranma."
Ranma turned to enter room. It was an ordinary
sitting room, with a few paintings and flower vases for
color. She started to enter it as a voice rang out from
inside. "Ranma!?!" Once again, a familiar face
confronted Ranma. A girl with short, blue/black hair,
and large eyes, a smile that Ranma couldn't mistake for
anyone else's on her face. The girl came running toward
the red head, her eyes wide in astonishment. "It is!
Ranma! Ranma is it really you?" She halted a couple
feet away, staring at Ranma in amazed joy.
Ranma blinked. "Akane? Akane! You're here too?"
The youngest of Soun Tendo's three daughters, Nabiki
and Kasumi's little sister, Akane, smiled wryly at her. "Yes
Ranma. I'm here too."
Nabiki sniffed disdainfully. "You thought perhaps Kuno
would go without one of his two 'goddesses'?"
Ranma rolled her eyes and turned back to Nabiki. "I
should have guessed. Kuno couldn't make up his mind
between me and Akane back then, why chose just one
of us now? So, is anyone else here? What's with Kasumi,
anyway? She's like a robot or somethin."
Akane frowned. "Nabiki, you haven't told him yet?"
Nabiki glanced at Akane at her use of "him" then
shrugged. "I just found Ranma-"chan" a minute ago. I
was about to explain."
Ranma narrowed her eyes. "OK, how much, Nabiki?"
Nabiki shook her head. "I'm well aware you don't have
any money, Ranma. You can owe me."
Akane spoke up softly. "Ranma. Kasumi seems like a
robot. Because she is a. robot."
Ranma's eyes went wide. "Whoa. I couldn't tell. I guess
in five hundred years there's been a whole lot of new stuff."
The red head turned to Nabiki. "So, Kuno made a robot
copy of Kasumi? Wild." She frowned. "I don't like it. She
may just be a robot, but it's not right her being the Kuno's
servant."
Akane sighed. "You don't know the half of it, Ranma.
Don't you understand? We are robots too. That's how
they brought us back. Yusaku and Godai put our
memories into these bodies. They built us."
Ranma's eyes got progressively wider as Akane spoke.
Her disbelief grew even as Akane's face became sad.
Nabiki spoke up to support her younger sister. "It's
true, Saotome, all of it. We're all robots. They call us
marionettes here."
Ranma shook her head. "No way. No way! I can't be
a... marionette. I'm alive!" Ranma looked at her hands,
rolling them over and examining her fingers carefully. She
felt her wrists, prodded her face. "I'm me, nothing's
changed.."
Nabiki approached the distraught girl, shaking her head.
"I know it feels right. It was hard for me to believe too, but
it's true. You're a marionette, like Akane and me." She
sighed, and started undoing the front of her kimono. "I'll
show you."
Akane started to protest. "Nabiki!"
The older girl rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to show
Ranma anything new, and "she" needs to see this." Nabiki
pulled the kimono off her right shoulder, holding it up at the
same time to keep her breasts covered. She showed Ranma
her shoulder. "Here Ranma, look."
Ranma had covered her eyes with her hands when Nabiki
had started to disrobe. "Uh uh. I'm not falling for that."
Akane sighed. "Go ahead, Ranma. It's only her shoulder."
Ranma peeked slowly out of her fingers, then lowered
her hands. "What?" She stepped forward, peering at Nabiki's
shoulder closely. "Is that... a seam?"
Nabiki nodded, staring herself at the line going around her
arm a few inches beneath the shoulder. "I'm told it's a vent, for
when we overheat. There is one on my other arm as well.
That's about all that's obvious. We don't need recharging.
We've got some kind of primitive matter conversion unit for
power. We eat, like anyone. It doesn't really matter what we
eat, although we can taste, and sense normally. It's really
incredibly sophisticated. " Nabiki started to pull her kimono
back together. "Go ahead, Ranma, see for yourself. Check
your own arm."
Ranma gulped, but did so, slowly opening her own kimono
and looking intently at her upper arm. She felt the seam carefully
but thoroughly, hen slowly pulled her kimono back up. Her face
was ashen. "It's... it's true. I'm... I'm a robot... a marionette...."
Akane went to the stunned girl and tentatively put her hand on
the other girl's shoulder. "We all are, Ranma. At least. at least
we're all here together."
Ranma looked up as Akane self-consciously withdrew her
hand. "Yeah. sure."
Akane tried to smile. "Come on, its not all that bad. Like
you said, we feel normal. I can hardly find any differences, at
least, not any really important ones.." She sighed. "We're alive,
and together. That's something, right?
Ranma realized that Akane was trying to cheer her up, and
nodded, orcing herself to smile slightly. "Yeah. Yeah, Akane,
that's something." Ranma frowned suddenly, then her face
lightened. "Hey, do you know where I can get some hot water?
Maybe this Kasumi has some clothes for my male side."
Nabiki slapped her forehead in dismay. "Ranma, you're a
marionette. You don't have a curse anymore."
Ranma blinked. "What do you mean? I'm still a girl." Suddenly
it hit her. "A girl marionette." She paled. "Oh no! You're right!
This isn't my old body.. I'm stuck ike this! Stuck, as a girl,
forever?" Ranma sunk to her knees, her eyes going blank.
Akane stood by uncertainly, not certain what to say. Nabiki
frowned, but was also silent.
(Ranma Fans, skip to next gap)
Akane thought back to when she had first met Ranma,
now over five hundred years in the past. For her, it was
only two years ago. Her father had arranged for her to
marry the son of an old friend, Ranma Saotome. When
Ranma had shown up at their door, female, Akane had
been relieved that she wouldn't have to go through with
the marriage. Ranma, however, turned out to be male after
all. He had been cursed to turn into a girl whenever he was
splashed with cold water. It had been raining the day he
and his father had shown up, which is why Ranma had
shown up female, but as Akane had learned, hot water
would change Ranma back to normal.
Both Ranma and his father, Genma Saotome, had
gotten themselves cursed at a legendary training ground
in China called Jusenkyo. It was a valley full of springs.
If you fell in a spring in Jusenkyo, you would be cursed
to take the body of whatever, or whoever had drowned
in that spring. Ranma had fallen into a spring where a
girl had drowned, one thousand, five hundred years
before, and had been cursed to change into that girl
whenever he came into contact with cold water.
With that matter understood, both Ranma and Akane's
fathers had insisted that the Tendo and Saotome houses
be joined. Genma and Soun had trained together under
the same martial arts master, and had formed a lifelong
friendship years before. Later, Soun had founded his own
martial arts Dojo, while Genma spent the same time training
Ranma to become one of the best martial artists in the
world, so he could run the Dojo when he grew up. The two
houses were to be joined to strengthen their school of
martial arts and to ensure their legacy continued.
During the next two years, Ranma had looked for a cure
to his curse while living at the Tendo home. He and Akane
had fought the engagement not wanting to be forced into
marriage, although with little success. With both their families
honor on the line, they found it difficult to completely dismiss
their parent's wishes. In the last months Akane could
remember, she and Ranma had finally been starting to
accept each other.
(Ok Ranma fans return, story time.)
< Two years, we were only kids when we met, just
sixteen years old. I still can't believe I was engaged to a
guy that turned into a girl half the time!> Akane sighed.
<But I was finally starting to accept it. Ranma, his curse,
I was coming to terms with it. I. I love him. Ranma's curse...
it didn't really matter all that much to me, but..> Akane closed
her eyes. <But now Ranma's a girl permanently, and I never
told him how I really felt. Our families are long gone, and the
engagement was five hundred years ago. What am I supposed
to do now?>
Akane came back to herself, looking down at her distraught
fianc�. <We didn't start off too well, Ranma and I... I never thought
I could actually fall in love with someone like him. But now... is
there anything left for us? Five hundred years in the future, does
anything that we went through back then still matter? We're both.
marionettes. Does our engagement even exist now?> Minutes
passed as Ranma sat dejectedly, and Akane tried to think of some
way to comfort the redhead. Finally, a knock came at the door,
and it slid open.
The pale Kasumi marionette looked into the room. "The masters
call you to dinner. Will you come please?" She waited patiently by
the door for an answer, her face blank.
Nabiki turned to her. "We'll come in just a minute, OK?" Kasumi
nodded and left quietly.
Akane put her hand gently on Ranma's shoulder. "Ranma.."
The petite red head nodded once. "Yeah, I heard, dinner." Ranma
got to her feet heavily. "I. I'm OK. It's not like I haven't gone through
this sort of thing before.. It's just this time... it's permanent." She
shrugged. "I'll be alright. Come on. I suppose we should go to
dinner."
Akane sighed. "Oh Ranma.."
Ranma shook her head. "At least I've had time to get used
to being changed." She shrugged again, and headed for the
door. "It's not like I'm even really a girl. We're all marionettes,
right? It's not like I have to worry about guys hitting on me
or nothin."
Akane blinked, looking relieved. "You know, I hadn't
thought of that. I was worried that I'd have to fight off the
Kunos. but why would they want us when there have to be
plenty of real girls out there?"
Nabiki followed Akane and Ranma toward the dining
room, and frowned. "I feel real enough. I'm pretty sure most
people wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I hope our
"Creators" don't decide they prefer us to the real thing."
Akane and Ranma both shivered in real fear. They entered
the dining room, which, rather than continue the house's
traditional Japanese motif, was done in European style, with
a long table, and fancy wooden chairs, surrounding china
and pewter place settings and fixtures.
Dinner was an awkward affair. The Kasumi marionette,
(who Godai explained had been created from pictures and
descriptions of the original Kasumi) served, then left, leaving
the Kunos alone with Ranma, Akane and Nabiki. Godai and
Yusaku spent most of the time staring at the three girls, then
whispering to each other earnestly.
Nabiki, tired of trying to make out their words, finally spoke.
"Godai-san, you told me earlier that all marionettes are female?
Why is that? Why aren't there any male robots? I'd think that
some men would want their memories preserved forever like
ours were."
Godai looked a bit surprised at the question. "Male
marionettes? No, that's never been done. although the
emperor and his chancellor did, upon their death, have their
memories transferred into their best marionettes. That, in
fact, is what gave me the idea to have you three built." He
grinned. "Quite the success, don't you think?"
Nabiki nodded politely. "I won't deny that. I can hardly
tell I'm any different than before."
Yusaku smiled at her widely. "You seem very real to me,
Nabiki-chan." He laughed. "Male marionettes, what an idea!
Why would anyone want to build one? There are more than
enough men around already!"
Nabiki frowned, an unpleasant suspicion coming to her.
"What do you mean, "There are more than enough men"?
What about women?"
Yusaku blinked. "You mean you don't know?"
Godai laughed. "Of course not. Naturally they would only
remember their previous life. The usual programming wasn't
done with them." He looked at Nabiki. "There are no women
here on this world." He shrugged. "Well, actually, there is one,
Lorelei. One woman on a world filled with men. Until a few
months ago, there wasn't even one."
Akane, Nabiki and Ranma all looked shocked. Nabiki
spoke first. "How did this happen? What happened to all
the women?"
Godai started to explain. "We are the survivors of a
colony ship from Earth. There was an accident, and only
six men managed to reach this planet alive, on a shuttle.
For the last three hundred years, we've populated this
planet with clones of the original six survivors. We were
able to mix and match the genetics somewhat, to produce
a greater variety, until today there are six full cities of
different individuals. All men, unfortunately. One of those
six men was an ancestor of the Kuno line, and the two of
us bear those genes.
Akane spoke up swiftly. "You said there was one woman...
IS one woman, now. Where did she come from?"
Yusaku answered. "Apparently, Lorelei was the sole survivor
on the colony ship itself. She managed to put herself into
suspended animation, for these three hundred years, not
aging. She was rescued by a group of marionettes, just last
month, after the colony ship went crazy and started attacking
the planet."
Nabiki spoke up. "So this Lorelei is the only woman on
the whole planet?"
Godai nodded. "At least for awhile. Our cloning facilities
are working on creating an entire generation of women. It will
be years before any of those grow up, of course, and
centuries more before the number of women equals men,
so marionettes still have their place."
Nabiki sat back heavily. "Oh." Akane's eyes went wide in
full understanding moments later. Ranma glanced at the two
Tendo sisters, then her eyes went wide as well. Nabiki looked
at the two men steadily. "So, for what purpose, exactly,
were we created?"
Godai smiled politely. "Why naturally, you three are to be
our concubines."
Akane started turning red. "Concubines?!?"
Ranma was shaking her head. "Uh uh. No way. I ain't
being no one's concubine!" She looked at Akane and
whispered, "What's a concubine?"
Nabiki winced internally as all chance of subterfuge
flew out the proverbial window. Godai and Yusaku were
slowly going from surprised to annoyed. She tried to
salvage the situation as best as she could. "Naturally,
we're grateful for you bringing us back, creating these
bodies for us...."
Yusaku broke in. "At great expense!" He turned to the
older man. Father, I think there might be a flaw in their
Maiden circuits."
Godai frowned. "My technology was perfect! If there is
any flaw, it was in the collected data."
Nabiki cleared her throat. "Actually, I'm pretty sure your
technology and your data were fine. As far as I can tell,
we're all pretty much the way we were, five hundred years
ago." The two men regarded her with interest.
"Indeed?" Godai began. "I was not aware that human
females were so intractable, normally."
Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "And how many human
females have you met?" Godai opened his mouth to
speak, then closed it.
Yusaku answered for him. "Our records, from the
house of Kuno in your time, indicated that Akane Tendo
and the 'pigtailed girl'," He nodded at Ranma. "were
'paragons of virtue'. Mild and polite, well mannered and
disciplined, bursting with health and beauty."
Nabiki couldn't help but chuckle. "My sister, and...
Ranma?" She broke out into laughter again. "At least he got
the healthy part right."
Godai frowned, looking disappointed. "I had hoped our
ancestor's reports were more accurate." He shook his head
sadly. "I suppose I'll have to make some modifications."
Akane spoke up worriedly, not noticing Nabiki's warning
shake of her head. "What do you mean by. modifications?"
Godai answered her, speaking out loud to himself. "Hmm,
some behavior modification, command protocols...." Nabiki
started to look visibly nervous as Godai rambled on to himself,
while Akane started getting angry again.
Ranma protested confusedly. "What are you talking about?
Nothin is wrong with my behavior."
Godai glanced up momentarily at Ranma, then looked
down, pulling a pen from an inner pocket and started jotting
down notes on a napkin. "Vocabulary booster."
Yusaku was listening to the older man, and began to add
suggestions. "Perhaps we could add a Doxi training program.
These prototypes don't seem to have the proper attitude or
skills."
Akane's eyes went wide. "I beg your pardon?!?" Nabiki
put her hand over her younger sister's mouth to prevent
further outbursts. She shook her head warningly at Akane,
then signaled Ranma to stay quiet. Somehow, Nabiki
managed to keep her sister and Ranma from exploding
in outrage at the dinner table.
When Godai and Yusaku finally left, still discussing
changes to their new prototypes, Nabiki stood up. "Alright.
Now we have to talk."
Akane nodded vigorously. "We sure do! They're planing
on... reprogramming us, making us their perfect concubines!"
"Exactly," Nabiki replied, nodding as well. "Which is why
we need to think of a plan."
Ranma sniffed disdainfully. "Why don't we just tell those
idiots we ain't gonna let them do it, and beat em up if they try
anything funny? Worked on Kuno."
"We don't know enough yet." Nabiki said, glaring at Ranma.
"Can you imagine what might go wrong with your brilliant plan?"
Ranma blinked in confusion, and Akane spoke up. "They
built us. What if they can just. turn us off?" Akane shuddered
at her own words.
Ranma's eyes went wide. "Can they do that?"
"Who knows?" Nabiki shrugged. "The point is. we don't."
Before we can make any sort of move, we've got to know more."
Akane spoke up, appearing anxious. "But how do we find
out more? What can we do?"
Nabiki looked thoughtful. "We get information, any way we can.
Ranma, if Yusaku is anything like the old Kuno, it shouldn't be too
hard to pump him for information. Get him alone, and use your...
feminine wiles on him. Find out what you can without tipping him
off what we're doing. Find out about how he'd stop us from doing
whatever we want. Play on his ego."
There was a quiet groan from Ranma. "Oh man. do I gotta?"
Nabiki glared at Ranma, then shrugged. "Well, if you can't
handle it, Akane can deal with him.."
Ranma blinked, then rolled her eyes. "Yeah right, as if the
tomboy has got any 'feminine charms' at all to use. If we're
lucky, she'll just cook for him, and he'll be so sick he won't
want to do anything to us...." WHAM!
Akane brought the table down on Ranma's head. "Are you
saying I can't cook?!?"
"Well duh...." Ranma winced then pushed the table off her
head slowly. "Hey, if I'm a robot, how come that hurt?"
Nabiki shrugged. "We are supposed to be realistic. I just
wonder how tough these bodies are. No sense taking chances
though. Since we're robots, we're not going to be able to just
heal. That means no smashing Ranma with heavy objects,
Akane. If any of us get damaged, who knows what it'll take
to get fixed." Akane nodded, blushing in embarrassment.
Ranma frowned in concern. "I didn't think of that. We'd
better be careful." She shrugged. "I guess I'll go handle
Yusaku. I've got the 'cute little girl' thing down to an art form."
Akane rolled her eyes. "Sure, for scamming ice cream."
Ranma shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, it works, don't it?"
"Let's hope you've still got it, Saotome." Nabiki said.
She looked seriously at the red headed girl. "Whatever
you do, don't let them know what we're planning."
Ranma nodded back. "No sweat."
Nabiki turned to her sister. "Akane, you question the
other marionettes. They may not be as. advanced as us, but
they must know something. Find out whatever you can.
Maybe they know if we have off switches, or remote controls,
or whatnot. Try to learn about the outside, too. The area,
proper behavior for marionettes, anything we can use." She
paused. "I'll try to find a computer, or library, or something,
and get the information we need that way." Nabiki jerked her
thumb toward the door they had entered the dining room
through. "We'll meet back at that room Akane was waiting for
us in. Say, an hour from now?" Ranma and Akane nodded in
confirmation, and Nabiki smiled slightly. "Alright, let's go, and
be careful."
Ranma grinned cockily and winked. "I'll dazzle him." The
red head went out the door confidently.
Akane paused before following. "You be careful too, OK
sis?"
Nabiki nodded once more, firmly. "Don't worry about me.
It's Ranma that I'm worried about." Akane sighed, then turned
and left as well.
Nabiki heard Ranma's voice faintly in the corridor. "Hey,
Akane, I forgot to ask, what's Doxi training anyway?" Nabiki
tried not to smile as she imagined how Akane would answer
that question, then turned to go as well.
The middle Tendo sister began going from room to room,
looking for a source, any source of information to start with.
After several false starts, she finally stumbled upon what was
unmistakably a small, but well stocked library room. Nabiki
entered, closing the door behind her and crossing her fingers.
"These books had better be written in Japanese...."
**************************
Meanwhile, Akane had found the Kasumi marionette in
the dressing room. "Kasumi?" She began. "Can I ask you
some questions?"
Kasumi, who had been kneeling in the center of the
room, looked up at Akane obediently. "Yes Akane-san?
What is it that you wish to know?"
Akane slowly got to her own knees in front of this
emotionless copy of her elder sister, and looked into her
eyes. Kasumi gazed back patiently without changing
expression. Akane sighed, shook her head, and looked
at Kasumi again. "Kasumi-san, I am. new... at being a
marionette. I don't really know anything about this body.
Could you help me?"
Kasumi shook her head slightly, her eyes still. "I do not
understand, Akane-san."
Akane tried again. "I have the memories of being a human,
not a. marionette. I don't know anything about marionettes."
Kasumi blinked, the most human mannerism she had yet
shown, and quirked her head slightly. "You were programmed
as a human?"
There was a moment's hesitation. "Sort of." Akane
answered finally, shrugging. "Can you tell me about being a
marionette?"
Kasumi paused, then nodded. "I. understand. What
information do you require?"
Akane hesitated again considering her first question, then
spoke. "Well, for starters, could you tell me about our.
bodies? How do we move. do we sleep? Do we have an
off switch?"
Kasumi spoke clearly after a short pause. "I am not well
versed in our motive systems. We do not require sleep. We
do have an off switch, for when we require repairs."
"Where is it?" Akane's eyes were focused intently on
Kasumi.
Kasumi pointed to her neck. "It is inside, not accessible
without tools."
Akane looked relieved, but went right to her next question.
"Alright, do we have controls inside of us, that can be used at
a distance?"
In response to Akane's question, Kasumi blinked. "We have
an internal radio receiver and transmitter, for receiving orders."
Akane raised an eyebrow. "Do you have to obey those
orders?"
In a manner that seemed to be more of an imitation than
the real thing, Kasumi appeared to be slightly puzzled. "I do
not understand."
Akane sighed and tried again. "Does the radio control
your actions?"
Kasumi blinked again then shook her head. "It is a radio.
Some models have a remote control device for use in combat.
I am a household model."
Akane thought about that for awhile. "OK, which am I?"
Kasumi looked at her expressionlessly. "I do not know, Akane-san."
******************************
Ranma walked about looking for Yusaku Kuno.
<Is his family name till Kuno?> She wondered idly to herself.
<Or does everyone just call him Yusaku? I wonder how
many people there are on this planet.> Ranma aused,
blinking. "Hey, that's right, we're on another planet, aren't
we? Why does this look so much like some place on Earth?"
A slightly familiar voice spoke up, startling her slightly.
"We have done everything we could to make this world into
as familiar a home as possible." Yusaku walked out from a
nearby doorway, his hands inside his kimono sleeves and his
slippered feet making almost no noise on the wooden floor.
Ranma flushed in embarrassment. <How in the world did
he sneak up on me? I've got to pay more attention.>
Yusaku continued speaking, taking Ranma's reddened face
for shyness. "No need to feel uncomfortable, my dear. You will
be very happy here, I'm sure. There are a few glitches in your
maiden circuits, but don't worry, we'll have them fixed in no time."
Ranma caught that phrase again and jumped on it. "Maiden
circuits? What are those?"
Yusaku answered easily, as if the question had just been on
his mind. "Why, the maiden circuits are what allows you to feel
emotions. They are very sophisticated, giving the marionettes that
have them very strong feelings of loyalty and love for their
masters...."
He droned on, but Ranma stopped listening, instead fixing on
one statement. <They give us emotions? OK, I can buy that. I've
felt plenty of things since I woke up here. One thing doesn't fit
though, he says these maiden circuits make us feel love, and
loyalty for our "masters" but I don't feel anything like that. Why?
Didn't he and Godai build us? No, wait, Godai said something
about that one woman, Lorelei creating them. Maybe the Kuno's
don't really know how these maiden circuits actually work.> With
a slight grin, Ranma focused on what Yusaku was saying.
"... and with a few new programs, I'm sure you'll be
performing up to your best potential as the perfect concubine.
How does that sound?"
Ranma blinked, not liking the sound of that at all. "Oh my,"
she said, in her best imitation of the Kasumi she had known,
and skillfully hiding her distaste. "Do you really think that will be
necessary? I'm sure my. skills, will please you." She smiled
knowingly up at him, batting her eyelashes winningly. <Heh.>
Ranma thought in triumph. <He'll be putty in my hands. How
can any guy resist? After all, I'm in the position to know exactly
what guys like.>
Yusaku looked interested. "Oh? I'm glad to hear your
training wasn't completely neglected. Why don't we go to my
room, and you can demonstrate. Who knows, you might know
something not included in the current doxi skills program."
"Your room?" Ranma blinked again, trying not to let her
shock show. <Did he suggest what I think he just suggested?
What kind of girl does he think I am?>
Yusaku nodded to her. "Of course, my room. Where else?
I was intending to retire with one of the Cherry blossoms
tonight. They're usually just programmed for combat, but I've
added some things. They have much higher capacity than the
average servant marionette, and their reflexes and sensors are
top of the line. Much more entertaining."
Ranma kept blinking through the young 'masters' speech.
"You have?" She stammered uncertainly. "You mean, they can?
And the servants? K-Kasumi? I mean... aren't they... robots?"
Yusaku looked surprised. "Certainly. What did you think
the marionettes were built for? They were created to serve
men. That is why, naturally, they were all made female."
"Oh." Ranma looked embarrassed. "I should have realized."
Inwardly she swore to herself. <Oh great! Now what am I
supposed to do? How am I supposed to vamp some guy who
gets. whatever girl he wants. however he wants her?>
Yusaku took her by the arm and started leading her down
the corridor. "I'll instruct you in how to properly pleasure me
best. Perhaps, if your skills are up to par, we won't have to
reprogram you after all."
Ranma resisted the urge to pull free and let herself be
escorted. <OK, think, damn it, think!> She She grimaced
as nothing but images of what was most likely to follow
flowed through her mind. Before she could shake off her
mental paralysis, Yusaku had gotten her to the end of the hall
and had taken her into his room.
Ranma looked around at the palatial bedchamber with
dismay. It had few details to pull the eye away from the
central piece of the room, the large, curtained bed. There
was a desk off in one corner with a straight-backed chair.
A pair of paintings adorned two walls, an unfamiliar
seascape, and an unremarkable mountainside lending some
color to the room. Ranma kept coming back to the bed,
however, in mounting horror, somehow certain that was
where she was about to be.
Yusaku cleared his throat to catch her attention. "Ehem.
Let's get started, shall we? Remove your clothing."
Ranma blinked, hesitating. <My god, doesn't this guy
doesn't have any patience at all? What kind of a girl does he.?>
Ranma's eyes cleared in sudden understanding. <That's it. He
doesn't think of me as a girl at all. Marionettes are built to serve
men. There haven't been any real women on this planet for
three hundred years, so he's treating me like a machine.>
Yusaku started looking annoyed. "What are you waiting for?
I gave you an order."
Ranma looked at the young man and nodded, schooling
her expression. <He thinks I'm loyal to him, that I'll do
anything he says, because he's never had a marionette do
anything else. If I don't, he really will have me...
reprogrammed.> The petite red head started to disrobe,
attempting to keep her feelings to herself.
As Ranma undressed, Yusaku shut his bedroom door
behind him and nodded approvingly. "Very nice, my dear.
Let's hear no more of these silly questions. Now remove the
rest of your clothing and wait for me on the bed."
Ranma finished undoing her kimono and let it fall to her feet,
swearing silently to herself. <This is not going according to
plan!> She hesitated, grimacing, then started removing her bra.
<This is a waste of time! By now, the Kuno I knew would
have done whatever I asked, but this guy just thinks I'm a...
robot, some sort of toy for his amusement. He's not going to
tell me anything this way.>
Only wearing panties now, Ranma got onto the bed and
beckoned the young man toward her. "Come here,
Yusaku-sama." Yusaku leered at her and started forward
eagerly. Ranma rolled her eyes. <Forget it, I know Nabiki
said we shouldn't let on what we're planning, but there is no
way I'm letting this creep touch me!>
As Yusaku reached the bed, his arms reaching out for
the petite red head in front of him, Ranma punched him
squarely in the jaw. She had intended to simply stun him,
and was surprised when Yusaku flew back into the far
wall with a crash. The mountainscape above him tilted to
the left from the impact.
Ranma shook her head in astonishment. "How strong
exactly am I? I pulled that punch." She hopped off the bed,
moving over to check the fallen man. "I hope I didn't kill
him. He's a sleaze, but I didn't want him dead." Ranma
breathed a sigh of relief as she noted him breathing. "Hmm,
before he wakes up. I think I should get ready for a little
chat."
*****************************
Later, back at their meeting place, Akane entered the
room at a run, and sighed in relief to find Nabiki and
Ranma already there. "I'm sorry Nabiki, I know you
said not to do anything to give away our plans, but.."
Akane took a second look at her fianc�. "Ranma! What
are you wearing?"
Ranma shrugged. "I borrowed Yusaku's shirt. I didn't
want to wear that kimono again. Too restrictive, if we got
into a fight."
Akane glanced down at the long expanse of leg
Ranma was showing off, but decided not to complain.
At least Ranma borrowed his shirt, and not just his
pants. <I swear, that boy just has no sense of feminine
modesty.> Akane's memories flashed back to all the
times Ranma had forgotten to wear a shirt, much less a
bra, after getting changed into a girl. <He nearly gave
dad a heart attack a few times....>
Nabiki cleared her throat. "Alright, what did you do,
Akane? Ranma here decided to knock out Yusaku."
Ranma frowned. "Hey, I was out of options! He kept
on telling me I wasn't functioning right, and he'd have to
reprogram me, every time I tried to ask him stuff. All he was
interested in was getting me in bed!"
Nabiki sighed. "Did you really have to knock him cold?"
Ranma glared angrily at her. "It was that or sleep with him!
Anyway, I figured I could tie him up and interrogate him." She
shrugged sheepishly. "Only I kinda hit him too hard. He's still
out cold for all I know, so I grabbed his shirt and got here
just now."
Akane shook her head. "There wasn't anything else you
could do. Anyway, it doesn't matter. We should get out of
here right away."
Nabiki sighed, muttering under her breath. "She could
have just done it.." She sighed again and spoke up. "Never
mind. What did you do, Akane?"
Akane chewed nervously on her lip. "Well I kind of...
broke their master computer."
END of Chapter 1