Okay you can blame this on the Children of Nerima
RPG...well me actually, since I did name the
character...you see I play a character named Ryoko
Saotome, or am going to, and the name has been working
on me....don't know if I'll continue this or not.
Anyway, I'm borrowing an idea from John Morales that
he used in Deft Touch...and expanding on it...in this
case it is four years after Jusendo, and within a
month of the Battle of Jurai...Tenchi died in killing
Kagato...and Akane died at Jusendo....also I don't
know where exactly in Japan the Masaki shrine is...but
for the story I'm going to cheat and say its near
Tokyo even if its not
*******************************************************
Ryoko looked about the leaf-covered courtyard and
hovered. She sat there looking about wistfully before
landing, and letting gravity take hold again. Almost
immediately she dropped to her knees, clutching her
side. Ryo-Ohki jumped down from her shoulder and
looked up at her in concern.
Ryoko had other injuries of course, but nothing
quite as bad as where Kagato had speared her. It was
the only thing that kept reopening at least. Of
course, if she stopped using her powers it would
eventually heal. If she wanted it to heal of course.
"Miao?"
"Don't worry about it Ryo-Ohki," Ryoko growled.
"Ryoko!? Are you okay?" Ryoko whirled toward the
voice before she realized it was just her imagination
again. Then she slumped.
"No, he's dead," Ryoko said quietly. "And I
brought him to it."
"Miao, MIAO!" She stared down at the lecturing
cabbit, and then looked at her hand. There was blood
there, but not much. She stood up a little
unsteadily.
"I'll be fine!" She snapped. "I don't need a
doctor, especially not on THIS world." She had no
qualms about letting herself die, not with Tenchi
gone, but she had no intention of becoming a lab
experiment either.
"Miao?" The cabbit sounded desperate.
"I have an idea for that," Ryoko said. "Can you
hack some records to make me the owner of the land,
shrine and house?"
"Miao," Ryo-Ohki was nervous about this, Ryoko
sounded suspiciously like she was tying up loose ends.
"Miao?"
"You know as well as I do!" Ryoko snapped. "Tenchi
and Kagato killed each other, and Yosho and Tenchi's
father died when the Yagami crashed."
"Miao?"
"I don't TRUST anybody else," Ryoko snapped. "How
do I know his family wouldn't just sell it to some
developer."
"Miao?"
"No, I don't want them to know I'm alive," Ryoko
said. ~Might keep me from joining him.~ The cabbit
phased out of site, probably taking space ship form so
she could hack the Tokyo records. The cabbit returned
a couple of minutes later.
"Is it done?"
"Miao, Miao!"
"I have to SIGN something?" Ryoko repeated.
"Miao."
"They're going to be closed for a week after
today?" Ryoko was off for the municipal offices.
Ryo-Ohki was moderately worried that she was
flying, but as long as she didn't teleport or
something more energy consuming she should be all
right. Plus the cabbit didn't think she'd risk
herself before securing the shrine.
*******************************************************
"Well, there he is," Soun said, looking down to his
childish-looking wife. Hinako's child form had aged
some at least, she looked about fourteen or so now.
He pointed out the kneeling figure at Akane's
tombstone, laying down flowers.
Ranma stood and turned as he heard the approach of
another person. He relaxed when saw Hinako and Soun.
For a moment he had thought that it was Kuno, "paying
his respects" again. Restraining orders, hospital
visits, not even enlisting Kodachi's aid had convinced
the would-be samurai to stop using this as an ambush
point. The next time it happened, Ranma planned to
press charges of assault.
"Thought you were Kuno," Ranma said evenly.
"That delinquent is STILL attempting to desecrate
Akane's grave?" Hinako was furious.
"No, he's trying to goad me into making a mistake,"
Ranma said. It was a futile effort, Ranma hadn't
really showed any emotion since Jusendo.
"We haven't seen you since Nabiki left for school,"
Soun noted, changing the subject.
"Did you get Ryouga and Ukyou's wedding
invitation?" Ranma asked. "You'll see me there."
For a month or so after Akane's death Ranma had
been almost a zombie. Ukyou, and, surprisingly,
Ryouga, had finally snapped him out of it. That
wasn't when they had become a couple, however. No,
that didn't happen until much later.
Ukyou and Ranma had tried to make a go at a
relationship first, about a year after he'd "woken
up". They had broken off by mutual agreement after
about two months. Then Ryouga had come back after
Akari had picked at his nerves for the last time.
After that Ranma had two babysitters. The two of
them keeping track of his motions together was
probably when they starting becoming an item. He was
happy for them, but it was also rather annoying to be
treated as a child. Looking at Soun and Hinako now,
he began to realize why he hadn't noticed either of
them following him.
Hinako had been Mr. Tendo's mental salvation.
Ranma was almost jealous of his father's friend.
Shampoo and Cologne had given up on Ranma as hopeless
before Ranma came back to life. Kodachi hadn't wanted
to put up with him either. Only Ukyou had tried to
help, but he hadn't given her much of a chance.
"How's your education going, Saotome-san?" Hinako
asked as he passed them. They knew perfectly well
that he had graduated with his physical education
degree, Genma and Nodoka had passed that message
along.
"I'm finished," he said, turning around. "I plan
to sign for the license to teach today."
"You'll need a dojo," Soun noted. Ranma's eyes
narrowed dangerously.
~He's NOT going to suggest that HERE!~ Ranma
thought.
"How would Akane feel about the dojo being empty?"
"She wouldn't like it," Ranma agreed reluctantly.
"I'll think about it, but this is the LAST place you
should have EVER tried something like this!!" Ranma
snapped before leaving.
"You made him angry," Hinako noted.
"I did," Soun agreed.
"That's a good sign."
*******************************************************
~Why do I need ALL of this just to make sure that
no one ever tears down the Shrine?~ Ryoko thought to
herself. ~Ryo-ohki gave me an entire life history!~
It had taken Ryoko forever to get the paperwork
that Ryo-Ohki had faked for her. She didn't have much
time before these offices closed and then it would be
another week before she could come back to sign things
again.
~You've planned this, haven't you?~ Ryoko thought.
~Damn walking carrot plague.~ Ryoko irritably sorted
through the pile of papers the last clerk had handed
her, trying to figure out which ones were pertinent to
her task.
Else where a similar scene was occuring.
~I did NOT want all this stuff,~ Ranma growled to
himself. ~All I wanted was my degree, transcripts and
dan certifications.~ Ranma tried to find the
documents in question in the sheaf of documents as he
walked along.
Ryoko and Ranma both looked up and towards the
lines of people at nearly the same time. Though they
were interrupted in identifying the proper lines by
colliding with each other. Both of them were angry,
Ryoko suffering from a fresh loss, and Ranma on the
verge of venting four years of pent up emotions. They
exploded.
Ryoko snapped her mouth shut as she hit the ground
amidst the shower of papers. She stood up quickly
trying to avoid seeming awkward. Next to her, Ranma
stood up much smoother, but no less angrier.
"Watch where you're going asshole!" Ryoko shouted
as she began randomly picking up papers.
"You ran into me!" Ranma retorted as he picked up
papers as well. He blinked when Ryoko's hand darted
for her side as she reached for a paper. "Are you
okay?"
"I'm FINE!!"
"Excuse me for caring!"
"You don't want to mess with me, punk," Ryoko
snarled as she picked up the last paper she could find
started sorting through them. "I'll take your head
off."
"Punk!? Have you looked at your hair recently..."
he looked at one of the papers in his hand. "Ryoko?"
"Well...Ranma," They switched papers as they walked
forward, not paying attention. "Your not one to talk
with that girly little pig tail."
"What did you say?!?"
"You heard me fem-boy!" Tenchi had had a similar
hair style, but Ryoko was feeling less than forgiving
at the moment, and it seemed that she had struck a
nerve somewhere.
"May I have your documents, Ma'am?" Ryoko shoved
her papers at the clerk, still glaring at Ranma.
"Hey, at least I'm not dressed like some slut from
a hentai manga."
"You're papers sir," Ranma slapped his pile down.
"You...You..."
"What's the matter, can't keep up?" Ranma smirked,
this argument had an oddly nostalgic quality about it.
He wasn't about to admit to himself why though.
"Keep up with a brainless, effeminate, weakling
like you?" Ryoko snapped. "Why should I bother?"
"Excuse me, I need your signatures," the clerk said
nervously. Ranma and Ryoko both paused to get what
ever it was the little man wanted out of the way so
they could continue the fight.
"I ain't no weakling, Ryoko!"
"So, Ranma, you're just effeminate and brainless
then?"
"Here you go," they turned to glare at the clerk
pushing their documents towards them in one stack.
"What do you want!?" They both snapped. Ranma
picked up the stack of documents and was about to flip
through them when he noticed what the top document
said.
"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Saotome," the clerk
said before shutting his window and making a mad dash
for the time clock.
"NANI!!?" Ranma and Ryoko looked up at the sign
above the counter. "MARRIAGE CERTIFACTES!?!"
"Hey," Ryoko smashed through the thin wooden cover.
"Come back here!! That little weasel is gone
already!"
"Great, just great," Ranma growled. "I thought I
was finished with fiancees and marriages."
"ACK!! They're closed!! I have to wait a week
now!"
"So do I!"
"This is all YOUR fault," Ryoko declared. She held
her hands in front of her to gather power.
~Deja vu,~ Ranma thought bitterly. "Now there's
something I haven't heard before." He stuffed the
documents in his shirt and put his own hands forward
ready to deflect a chi blast.
Ranma's preprations ceased as Ryoko cried at and
clutched her side. He looked at a play of what looked
like chi power sparking from were her hands went. The
silver-haired woman crumpled to the ground, her tail
twitched once (tail?) and then she seemed to pass out.
"Ah shit," Ranma said as he noted the blood begin
to pool around her side. In a blink of motion he
swooped her up and was running out of the building.
"Kasumi and Tofu's ain't that far away from here."
"Just let me die." Ranma was about half-way to Dr.
Tofu's when he heard those horribly familiar words.
"Hey, I ain't letting no one else die, if I can
help it," Ranma snapped.
"No one else?" Ryoko repeated. ~Damn, I really
ripped it open this time, good I'll see Tenchi soon.~
"Who di.." She passed out again.
"Damn it."
*******************************************************
"Well that was interesting," Tofu said as he walked
back to the front of his house where Ranma was
waiting.
"So how is she, Doc?" Ranma asked.
"Ranma," Kasumi said as she entered the room after
Tofu. "Were you aware that she is not human?"
"Well, the tail was a clue," Ranma said. "But I
just met her today, so I didn't have much chance."
"Just met her today?" Tofu repeated, arching an
eyebrow. He was surprised, elated really to see Ranma
behaving more like his old self. He was angry, yes,
but he wasn't cold any more.
"Yeah, so." Kasumi produced the marriage license.
"Oh, that. We were sort of fighting and didn't notice
what line we were in."
"I see," Kasumi said. "This does sound like
something that would happen to you."
"Yeah, so how is she?"
"She's going to live," Tofu told him. "It took me
a little while to find some safe shiatsu points on
her, though. So she lost a lot of blood, I'd suggest
you take her to a hospital, if I thought she'd come
out again."
"You mean the thing about her not being human?"
Ranma asked. "You don't believe that alien autopsy
crap do you?"
"Ranma, watch your language," Kasumi blinked. She
hadn't heard Ranma curse since his return from China.
"That is a concern though, yes," Tofu confirmed.
"What can you tell me about the wound?"
"She already had it," Ranma said. "She was
summoning a chi blast when it sort of short circuted
or something."
"Hmm, I wonder if I can apply a chi block to her,"
Tofu thought. "Keep her from further aggravating the
wound. That sleeping point I found on her should last
a little longer."
"Miao?" Ranma leaped onto a table, as the other two
turned toward the worried sound.
"Oh my, where did that come from," Kasumi asked.
Ranma looked to the little rabbit-like thing and
cautiously came down from the table.
"That's not a cat...is it?"
"It doesn't appear to be," Dr. Tofu said. "I
wonder if this perhaps connected to your mistaken
wife."
"Miao?"
"He means, Ryoko," Ranma said nervously from the
other side of the table.
"Miao?"
"Do you understand us?" Kasumi asked. The little
rabbit creature nodded. "Don't worry Ranma, this is
not a cat."
"You're sure?" Ranma asked. Moving nervously back
around the table.
"Yes," Kasumi said soothingly. "Tofu, dear,
perhaps you should tend to that chi block you were
discussing." Tofu glanced at his wife, noted her
expression, and nodded. As the doctor moved to return
to the still unconscious Ryoko she turned to face
Ranma.
"Well, that isn't a cat," Ranma agreed sitting down
still eyeing the cabbit, which was looking at him
curiously.
~No one has been afraid of me like this before.~
"You seem better than you have been," Kasumi
started. "Its been a long while since anything beyond
a real cat has gotten a reaction from you."
"Mr Tendo was at Akane's grave today to ask me
about running the dojo," he said.
"I know," Kasumi said. "I suggested it."
"NANI!?"
"Well I suggested that they make you angry," Kasumi
said. "Everybody else came up with the details.
"Why the hell would you WANT me angry?" Ranma
demanded.
"Because it is better than cold," Kasumi noted.
"And you are acting more like your normal self at
last. And please watch your language."
"Sorry Kasumi," Ranma said.
"Now why are you so interested in this woman,"
Ranma opened his mouth. "And don't tell me you
aren't, I know you to well for that."
"She told me to just let her die," Ranma muttered.
"And I rememebered saying that to Ukyou."
"Hmmm, I see," she turned to the cabbit. "Does she
have any friends to look after her?" The cabbit shook
its head after a moment. "Yes, but not in the area
then?"
"Miao," the cabbit nodded.
"This seems to be a fortunate meeting then," Kasumi
said. "You won't be able to anull this wedding for
another week, correct?"
"Again, Yeah, so?"
"Then you are honorbound to look after her at least
until you anull the wedding, then," Kasumi said.
"I guess so," Ranma shrugged, not sure he liked
where this was going.
"Then do so," Kasumi spoke softly, but it still
held the note of command. "It might do you both some good."
=====
"Caffeinated Kender? What's that, a berserk spell?" -
Tribble, Kender Warrior of the Celestial Kingdom
Signed
He of Too Many Names (Thrythlind/Thryth/Luke/Hyperbole/Pika/Pooka)
http://members.aol.com/thrythlind/snake.html
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