The Great Crossover Crisis Disclaimer: Well? What are you looking at me for? < >: Thoughts (* *): Computer responses [" "]: Chinese language Kojiro: Cat Fist Fury T-Ranma: Ranmatech (Prototype, Tekno) D-Ranma: Dragon Child (Draco) P-Ranma: Fist of the Pikachu (Trainer, Ash) B-Ranma: Fighting Blind (Koga) Ranma: Ranma 1/2 Chapter 9 Part 2 Making an Impression "Class, I would like to introduce four new students to Furinkan High. Here we have..." The teacher looked at the similar Ranmas standing at the front of the school and became puzzled. "Uh, this must be a mistake! You wouldn't happen to all be Ranma Saotome?" "No." Kojiro said with a bit of irritation. "I'm Kojiro Shinkara. I'm only Ranma's cousin." "I'm Koga Saotome." B-Ranma replied. "I'm also his cousin." "Call me Draco Saotome, cousin number three." "And I'm Ashura Saotome, though you can call me Ash." "I see." The teacher looked down at the paper, then shrugged as he put it away. He then gestured to the four. "Well, even though you all came in late, it seems that I have a note here from the vice- principal, saying that you are not to be punished for today. So please take those four seats over there." He gestured to four empty desks near where Ukyo and Ranma were sitting. A little further back, Akane was giving the four an irritated glare. The four Ranmas smiled as they realized that T-Ranma had come through for them in getting them exempt from standing out into the hall. They walked over to the empty desks, drawing stares from everyone in the classroom. Many of the students were especially interested on what was perched on P-Ranma's shoulder. The teacher pointed to the Pikachu and said, "Ash Saotome. I'm afraid that pets are not allowed in this school." Trainer looked to his shoulder and then said, "No problem." He then set Raiden in front of him on the desk and took out his Pokeball. "Pika!" Raiden shook his head. He did not want to be put into a Pokeball. P-Ranma winked at him and then looked down at the pendant. Raiden then understood what his master was indicating and nodded. Without touching the activation switch of the Pokeball, the Pokemon trainer then said, "Raiden, return!" Raiden tapped the pendant and winked out of sight while briefly flaring his aura. To the others who observed the sight, to them it seemed that the Pikachu had been sucked into the Pokeball. "Cool!" "Just like in the anime!" "Pokemon are real!" P-Ranma smiled as he felt the invisible rodent ascend his arm and then perched on his shoulder. He then glanced back at the teacher and said, "Is that better?" The teacher had his mouth wide open for a long time before shaking his head to clear it. "Er, yes that will be fine." Akane then snorted at P-Ranma. Lunch time... It didn't take long for the dimensional Ranmas to become the talk of the school as their very presence started stirring up a lot of gossip. The native Ranma was besieged with questions about his so-called cousins and he found himself becoming very uneasy at how his counterparts were drawing attention. Nabiki on the other hand, was having a field day with charging eager girls with information about the otherworldly Ranmas as well as orders for photos. She had already made quite a bundle in the last hour and there would certainly be more to come. Having one Ranma was a considerable income generator, but having five more was a veritable gold mine! Many girls were at present crowded around a tree as B-Ranma casually lay back on a branch and played his flute. Every girl had a dreamy look on her as they listened in on B-Ranma's instrument The music that he played was unlike anything they had ever heard before as the blind fighter put forth a melody that was both romantic and moving. The empathic Unseen Light fighter had drawn a sizeable crowd and in the rear, one of Nabiki's flunkies was eagerly recording Koga's impromptu concert with a tape recorder. She had already gotten dozens of orders for copies of tape and was planning to contact a couple of recording studios. Trainer was entertaining the crowds with his Pokemon as he and Draco displayed their skills. The crowds were awestruck at the appearance of what they thought were creatures of an anime. The dragon warrior's demonstrations of magic were also a treat. Nearby on a bench, Ukyo was feeding Kojiro some of her okonomiyaki while constantly asking him questions about her counterpart in his world. "Mmmm. This is great. Just like Ucchan's back home! I haven't had okonomiyaki since I met my other selves." Kojiro was ravenously biting into the Japanese pizza. "So Ran-chan, what's she like? I mean the Ukyo in your world." The Cat Fist fighter chewed for a moment before swallowing. "First off Ukyo, don't ever call me Ran-chan or Ranma. I really HATE that name. The name is Kojiro, okay?" Ukyo was a bit surprised at the slight anger in his tone, but nodded. "Uh, sorry Kojiro. Force of habit. You look so much like my Ranma that it slipped out." "That's okay. Anyway, the Ukyo in my world is a lot like you. What am I saying? Basically she IS you. The big difference is that she's my kohlinshor." "Kohlinshor? That word means fiancée, right?" Kojiro nodded. "You see, I became the kohlinjar or enforcer of the Felinar Clan. That's the people who use the Neko Ken. As a result, I was obligated to take two mates." "Two?" "Yep. One girl had to be someone that had been born in the clan. She supposed to be the kohlinnor or 'inner fiancée.' The other girl had to be someone from the outside. That was the Ukyo in my world. She's my kohlinshor or 'outer fiancée.' After a year, if we're still together, the two girls become my kohlinnar and kohlinshar, respectively." "And... she doesn't mind? My other self I mean." "Well... she hasn't had to deal with it, since I haven't chosen my kohlinnor yet. I'm still a little nervous about the whole thing, but Bast is helping her in getting used to the idea of having a co-wife." "Bast?" "She's a cat goddess and the one who helped me overcome the Neko Ken madness." "Excuse me? Did you say goddess?" "Yep. In fact, Bastet (Bast for short), was the one who had taken part in creating the Neko Ken in the first place. She also explained about the laws of the Felinar. I was kind of shocked to hear that I had to marry two girls, but unlike your Ranma, I got the chance to choose. And let me tell you this. Out of all the girls I had to choose to be my kohlinshor, you would always be the number one choice for me. Your Ranma doesn't know how good he's got it to have you for a fiancée." Ukyo blushed when she heard this compliment and wondered how she could get her Ranma to think like Kojiro. This Ranma had his head screwed on right, but the native one never seemed to treat her more than just as an old childhood friend. Perhaps she could get some insight from the Cat Fist fighter on how to get Ranma's attention. "So how's your Ukyo like me and how is she different?" "Well, she looks exactly like you and she cooks okonomiyaki just like you do as well. Unfortunately, from what I've seen of Ranma's life... you also have the same problems as my Ucchan." "What do you mean?" Kojiro paused to think about it, then replied. "Well, mind you... Prototype, (that's the guy who's calling himself Tekno), scanned this dimension when we came here, including what Ranma had experienced so far. Now, he has only given us a brief outline of Ranma's life up to this point. Now I know that your Ranma hasn't had all the breaks that we have had, but there are some problems he really should have settled a long time ago and I'm afraid that you're a part of those troubles." "What do you mean? I'm Ran-chan's 'cute' fiancée!" Kojiro held up a hand. "Hey, I'm not arguing with that. Genma was the one who took your family's yattai in which your Dad offered as a dowry, so technically speaking, he accepted the engagement between you and Ranma. That pretty much canceled out the promise he made to Akane's father, doesn't it? But let me ask you something. Do you really want to marry Ranma because of that promise or because you love him?" "W-What?! L-Love him?" Ukyo became nervous at being asked such a personal question from Ranma. "Well... er, I..." She began to twiddle with her index fingers. Kojiro shrugged as he finished off the okonomiyaki. "MY Ukyo is 100% sure of what she wants, and she's even willing to share me with another girl because she truly does love me. She accepts me for what I am, Felinar powers, weird customs and all. She couldn't care less about the yattai, and she was willing to start over with me, even after she had deduced my real identity. The Akane in my dimension calls me a freak and blames me for that ugly facial scar she has now." "Facial scar?" "It's a long story. But the main thing is that like you, Ukyo used to remind me about the engagement constantly, but she later learned to back off and give me some space. That's what I think you should do. One of the reasons why your Ranma can't make a choice is because of all the pressure he's been getting. You haven't been helping matters by always saying that he's your fiancée and treating him like a prize. I can tell that he doesn't like to be treated like an object. He's got enough pressure from Genma, Akane's father, Shampoo, Cologne and all the other crap he has in life. He doesn't need more. What he really needs is someone to understand him. He really needs someone who wants to be his friend. He doesn't have that many you know." "I'm his friend! I've known him since we were six!" "Yes, but now you're one of his fiancées and that puts him into a bind, doesn't it? He can't think of you of anything else but that old buddy that he knew so long ago. With you always reminding him of the engagement and trying to make him see you as a potential wife, the only thing you are doing is forcing him into a bad situation in which he doesn't want to make a choice. If he's anything like me, he'd rather not choose because he doesn't want to hurt anyone." Ukyo silently digested this information for a moment before nodding. "So what can I do?" "Well, I don't have the perfect solution, but the advice that I can give you is that Ranma needs people who understand him and are willing to give him a chance. Akane sure as heck isn't doing a good job, since she'll always jump to conclusions, get angry at the slightest hint, always assume that everything that goes wrong is Ranma's fault, even when it isn't and even when Ranma isn't calling her names and is actually nice to her, she looks at him as if he's sick or something. She says that she doesn't want him around, yet she gets mad and pounds him every times he's with you, Shampoo or someone else." "You got that right." Ukyo affirmed. "Yes, well I guess I may be biased as I'm using the experiences I had with Akane in my world and from what I've seen of your Ranma's life." Kojiro leaned back with his hands behind his head. "But then again, Ranma does go out of his way to defend Akane whenever she's in trouble and does try to get along with her." "I can never understand why he stays with her, especially after all the abuse he's taken!" Ukyo said with a bit of anger in her tone, which she quickly smothered. "Actually, I think I know why." "What do you mean?" Kojiro took a deep breath. "Well, of the five of us, me and Trainer are the ones who had lives that were close to what Ranma experienced before he came to Nerima. The main difference is that we left Genma after Jusenkyo. The thing is, we remember what it had been like training for a decade with nobody, but that idiot future panda for company. It was really lonely out there. We were always on the move, never staying in one place for too long. Always on the run from the certain people for whatever Pop stole or promised, using his son as collateral. Of course, you know exactly what I mean." Ukyo nodded. She did indeed. "Well, we saw what had happened when Ranma arrived at the Tendo dojo. It was raining at the time and the Tendos didn't know that Ranma was cursed to be a girl with cold water. Soun fainted when he thought that Ranma was a girl and that the pledge couldn't be fulfilled. Nabiki wasn't being supportive and going on about how Ranma wasn't at all what she expected. The only person who was friendly to her was Akane and Ranma being as lonely as he was, latched onto her as a potential friend. Now, in that case, I can understand him, since I remember how lonely I was. However, when the truth came out, and in a very embarrassing situation, Akane turned on him and blamed him for it, never mind that it was actually HER fault." "What happened?" "I'm surprised that you're asking me. I assumed that Ranma had told you. In any case, Ranma went to take a bath after easily beating Akane in a match and then she walked in on him to take a bath herself." "Hot water!" Ukyo exclaimed. "You bet! He had put up the occupied sign, but Akane naturally assumed that it was all right, since she thought that Ranma was a girl. Things got even worse from that point on, including Kasumi and Nabiki foisting Ranma off on Akane as Ranma's fiancée and more name-calling and stuff like that. From what I gather, your Ranma is severely lacking in social skills, especially tact. Probably got it from Genma. Yet another reason why he would have been better off without him." Ukyo nodded. "But I still don't understand what any of this has to do with the reason why Ranma defends her all the time." "Well, if I were to hazard a guess, it's because of that one time in which she was nice to him when she thought he was a girl. He was so desperate for company at that time, so I guess that he even sees Akane's abuse as a form of attention. I'm thinking that he feels obligated to her, never mind that she hasn't been treating him very well since then." "So what can I do to make him notice me more?" "Well, like I said before, I don't have the perfect solution, but I can tell you this. Ranma needs a friend at the moment, more than he needs a fiancée. He needs someone to actually believe in him and listen to what he has to say, without trying to force something onto him. I'd say that you're the best bet to be that person. You were his best buddy back when you were both six and now is the time for you to renew that friendship." "But we're engaged and..." "He knows that and you know that, so why bother reminding him every time? It hasn't done you any good in the past, now has it?" Ukyo slowly shook her head. "Right. There's no arguing your claim, since it is valid, so what's the point of always reminding him of it? It's making him uncomfortable. What I'm suggesting to you is to follow MY Ucchan's example. Don't pressure him. He's got enough pressure as of now. Show him that you are the best choice by listening to him and give him the benefit of the doubt. If you can do that, then you'll already be higher than Akane, since she never listens to him, nor trusts him. He already likes you and there's an old saying. Before you can love a person, you have to like her. Be the friend that he needs, because being a friend is one of the best platforms to being something more. Once you've gotten around that, then you can work up from there, right?" Ukyo nodded again as the bell rang. "Well, I guess we'd better get back to class. One last thing though, Ucchan. If you truly want Ranma, then you'll consider what I told you. If you're only after him because of that promise ten years ago, then perhaps it would be best if you were to find someone else." "But... who else could I...?" Ukyo then looked at Kojiro, but the Neko Ken fighter held up a hand. "Don't even THINK about it. I like you, but there's already an Ucchan waiting for me back home. The reason why I'm giving you this advice is because I think you deserve to be happy after everything that you had to endure for ten years." Ukyo gave Kojiro an embarrassed smile and said, "Well, I can always dream." Kojiro patted her on the shoulder as he went off to his afternoon clases. Ukyo remained for a while, wistfully watching the Neko Ken martial artist as he left. No doubt about it. Kojiro had left her with quite an impression and had her wishing that her Ran-chan could be like him. She then began considering his suggestions. Later on that day... "Well, that wasn't too bad for the first day." Prototype commented as he and his counterparts walked home. "Aside from a minor, yet constant nuisance." B-Ranma commented. Flashback... "Ranma Saotome! Prepare to taste the wrath of... urk!" Kuno found himself immobile. In less than an instant, his skeletal muscles were paralyzed as B-Ranma used a series of pressure points and the Chestnut technique. "Wrong guy, you dope! I'm Koga, not Ranma!" "It matters not whom I smite! A copy of the foul sorcerer or the genuine article! They shall all fall beneath the noble blade of... ack!" "Oh shut up! Hearing your voice all the time is punishment enough for my ears!" B-Ranma then walked away after paralyzing Kuno's larynx for an hour. End of flashback... "You got attacked by Kuno too?" Kojiro asked. Flashback... "Prepare to meet your end Ranma Saotome!" SLASH! Kuno halted and wondered why it was so drafty. He looked down and saw that his robes was now in tatters on the ground and he was only clad in his boxers. His sword had been reduced to kindling and Kojiro simply walked away from the dumbfounded wannabe samurai. "Don't EVER call me Ranma. The name's Kojiro Shinkara. Call me Ranma again and I'll cut out your spleen and shove it down your throat!" Kojiro growled. End of flashback... "What is WITH that guy?" Draco asked. "Did he go after you as well?" B-Ranma inquired. D-Ranma nodded as he began relating his encounter. Flashback... "Now prepare to die, you foul copy of the sorcerer!" "DRAGON FIRE!" Kuno went off screaming as he tried to find something to douse his burning hair. End of flashback... 'That guy just didn't know when to quit." P-Ranma said. "You too?" The others asked simultaneously. "Pika!" Flashback... "You sorcery will not work on me THIS time! Feel my steel!" P-Ranma looked over his shoulder and saw Kuno charging at him. He noted that Kuno was wearing actual samurai-style armor with METALLIC plates and helmet. He was also waving around a STEEL katana. Bad mistake. "Raiden..." Pika... CHU!" ZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPP!!!!! Anyone like their Kuno extra crispy? End of flashback... "How about you Prototype?" Draco asked. "Well, Kuno doesn't seem to have any respect for his teachers, just like back home." Flashback... T-Ranma smiled at the class as he began introducing himself. He noted that all the female students were showing dreamy expressions as they gazed on his well-built form. "Hello class. I'm Tekno Saotome. I'll be your history teacher and..." "What ridiculous jest is this?" T-Ranma glared at Kuno, who was standing up from his desk in disbelief. "Do you have something important to tell the class, Kuno?" "I shall not acknowledge a mere peasant such as yourself as my teacher! I am far above that knave Ranma Saotome and all of his so-called 'cousins!' Be gone foul copy of the demon!" Kuno charged while taking out a bokken, but T-Ranma simply disarmed him with a flick of his wrist, then hooked his baby finger around Kuno's. Using a Galforian Digit Fighting maneuver, the nanotech martial artist nonchalantly tossed the insane kendoist out of the classroom. Kuno slammed headfirst into the wall of the hallway and was out cold. "Go stand, (or in your case), LIE in the hall, Kuno!" He called out to the sprawled form of Kuno before turning back to the class and addressing the students. "I will not tolerate any disruptions in my class. Is that CLEAR?" After seeing Kuno get defeated by T-Ranma's baby finger, the students straightened up in their seats and all said in unison, "HAI SENSEI!" End of flashback... "Man! That guy is totally screwed up! Am I glad that I don't have to worry about him in the Pokemon World." P-Ranma commented. "Pika!" Raiden agreed as he and his master had enough loonies in Team Rocket after them, without someone like Tatewaki always attacking. "You know," T-Ranma began. "Once the ship is fully operational, I CAN send you back to the world you came from and..." "NO WAY!" Trainer shook his head. "If THIS is what's waiting for me back home, then you can just forget it. I like my life the way it is now!" "Chu!" Raiden agreed wholeheartedly. "Suit yourself." Prototype said as he shrugged his shoulders, then suddenly stopped walking. "What's the matter?" Draco asked as he and the others also stopped walking. T-Ranma cocked his head to one side, then shrugged again as he replied. "Oh, it's nothing. I just received a transmission from my ship. Somebody just tried to break into it. Don't worry, he didn't get in." This information alarmed the other Ranmas. B-Ranma then asked the obvious question. "So who was it? Genma?" "Yep." T-Ranma affirmed. "I told him and the Tendos to stay clear of it, but I guess that greedy panda was just too stupid to heed my warning about the auto-defense systems. The only person I know who could get past those security measures is Washu." Some time ago... Genma was quietly sneaking toward the empty lot where the ship was parked and cloaked. After waiting for the six Ranmas to leave for school and making certain that no one was around, Genma decided that now was the perfect opportunity to see what was in that craft. He reasoned that there must be lots of technological goodies and who knows what other treasures inside, just waiting to be sold for billions of yen. He knew that the ship was a gold mine and he aimed to milk it for all that it was worth. He had been trained by Happosai after all, and there were no security measures or locks that he couldn't get past. As the creator of both the techniques of the Noisy and Silent Thief, the contents of that ship were as good as his! With this in mind, he had (ahem) 'borrowed' a few tools from the neighbors to help him break into the craft. He slowly crept up and then felt about the empty space where he remembered where the main hatch of the ship was located. When he felt the hard metal hull, he then hefted a sledgehammer and then took a mighty swing at it. Unfortunately for the greedy martial artist, the ship didn't react too kindly to his pathetic attempts to gain access. Over the years, the ship's computer had been forming a rudimentary, artificial intelligence from its many interfaces with the nanites in Prototype's body. A personality patterned after its master had begun to form and along with the AI, it began to develop a sense of humor. T-Ranma had instructed the computer to use whatever measures required to protect itself from unauthorized intruders. Anything was permitted, save for lethal measures unless it was absolutely necessary. After evaluating the physical and mental capabilities of Genma Saotome, the computer decided that a painful demonstration of its defense system was in order. (*Subject Genma Saotome is attempting to breach the outer hull with a sledgehammer. You're kidding, right? Activating microwave tazer field.*) ZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPP! "YEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW!" As soon as the hammer's head hit the hull, Genma lit up like a Christmas tree and briefly showed his skeleton before being thrown back a dozen feet, as a huge energy field sprang up and gave him a massive shock. The father of Ranma Saotome was smoking a bit as he found himself flat on his back. He shook his head to clear it and got right back up. He then saw that a pile of ash was all that was left of the sledgehammer. Now a normal, 'sensible' person would have gotten the message and left the ship alone. However, the greedy disciple of Happosai was anything, but sensible. Undaunted, the stupid Genma decided on a different approach as he picked up a drill and approached the ship again. (*Subject is now planning to utilize a drill to breach the hull. He has GOT to be kidding! Apparently, the tazer field by itself has proven inadequate in persuading Genma to abandon his futile quest to break into the ship. Time to use stronger methods.*) Genma was about a dozen feet away, when a laser bolt shot out from a hidden gun port and vaporized the tool in his hand. This startled the martial artist and that was when the computer extended the range of its tazer field and zapped Genma again. This time, at double the voltage! "YEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWW!" By this time, Genma was a little more wary as he picked himself off the ground again and looked to where the ship was. At this time, his body was giving off small sparks and he had several impressive burns. He decided on a different approach and moved to the back of the craft, where he believed that there might be a rear entrance for him to get through. There was, but there was also the fact that the main thrusters were located in the stern. (*Subject is STILL intent on gaining access. Intelligence quotient comparable to that of Dromaxian Primate. Correction, it is lower. Time to test fire main thrusters. *) Genma wondered where that quiet whine was coming from when he saw an area of white light suddenly appear. beside him and then... "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!" Genma was sprawled on his back, red and charred with huge wisps of smoke rising up from his body and his face had a glazed look on it. It was clear to anyone who had seen that comedy of errors, that Genma wasn't getting up any time soon. The computer had only fired the engines at a very miniscule fraction of their full power. It wasn't much, but it had given Genma the granddaddy of all sunburns. And eventually, his eyebrows WOULD grow back. (*Threat to ship security, though extremely nil, has been neutralized. *) Present time... "Don't worry about it guys. Genma didn't even scratch the paint." T-Ranma affirmed as he and his counterparts continued to walk back to the Tendo home. When they reached an intersection near the Tendo compound, B-Ranma decided to turn and head in another direction. "Yo, Koga! Where are you going? The Tendo place is this way." P-Ranma called out. B-Ranma called back to his counterparts. "Go on ahead. I'll be home in a little while. I just want to visit Shampoo and her great- grandmother. She told me last night that she and Elder Cologne lived in a restaurant near here, and I thought I'd check up on them. I'll get back with you guys later." "You know where this restaurant is?" Tekno asked. "Yeah. I don't need any help in finding it. Catch you guys later." The blind martial artist then leapt up to a nearby rooftop and then began bounding away. The others watched as the Unseen Light fighter depart, then shrugged as they continued home. A few minutes later, on top of a roof that was across the street from the Nekohanten... The sightless Ranma began focusing his extraordinary senses toward the inside of the building and noted the familiar ki signatures within. Inside the Nekohanten's kitchen, the aged matriarch suddenly stopped cooking the pickup order as her own senses began to alert her that someone was probing in her vicinity. She began using her considerable talents and tried to discern who was scanning her. She was very impressed with the subtle ki control this person displayed. She had more than 300 hundred years of martial arts training under her belt and she had almost missed it! The ki was sharpened to a state of near-perfection, at a level far beyond her own and the other Elders of the village. Whoever this person was, he or she was true ki master. Her eyes opened wide as she finally recognized the ki signature. It didn't make any sense to Cologne. Though Ranma had developed substantial control over his ki, it wasn't anywhere near the level she was sensing now. Ranma could use his ki to augment his physical abilities and project it by using his feelings of confidence. The ki she was sensing at the moment was serene and pure. It was so incredibly focused that it would have taken a normal person centuries to develop. It was then that she heard Shampoo cry out in joy as someone entered the restaurant. "AIREN!" The Elder looked out from the kitchen and saw her great- granddaughter rush up and glomp Ranma as he walked through the door. To her surprise, Ranma did not push her away as he usually did, but instead returned the embrace and swung her around a couple of times before setting her back down on her feet. It was at that moment that Cologne noticed that Ranma was taller and sported a far more developed physique than she remembered, the last time she had seen him. Then, a new surprise came. He spoke to Shampoo in flawless Mandarin, Amazon dialect. ["It's good to see you again cousin, but I'm not your husband. I'm Koga, remember?"] Shampoo released her hold on Ranma as she realized that she had glomped the Amazon version of her Airen, and stepped back in slight embarrassment, though very reluctantly. She had enjoyed pressing up against his well-muscled form. ["Sorry about that. It's just that you look so much like him."] ["That's all right. Is Elder Cologne busy? I'd like to speak with her."] ["Oh! That's right! You haven't met great-grandmother yet."] Shampoo turned to call for her relative. ["Great-grandmother!"] By this time, Cologne had exited the kitchen and was balancing on her cane in front of them. "Welcome back, Son-in-law. So what brings you here? And when did you learn to speak our language so fluently?" Koga smiled as he bowed his head to her and knelt down on one knee. He placed his right arm across his chest and placed the hand over his heart, while held out his left hand toward her with the palm up. ["Elder Cologne... you honor me with your presence."] At that moment, Cologne thought she had died and gone to heaven. Ranma had just given her the ancient Amazon greeting that a member of the village gave to the Elder that he or she respected the most. The last recorded time that a male ever did that before an Elder was more than seven hundred years ago. Since then, most males were usually too intimidated or broken to show the proper respect. Ranma continued to hold out his hand to her, and Cologne realized that he was waiting for her to complete the ritual. She was bit puzzled and confused as she looked to her great-granddaughter for answers. Shampoo could only smile sheepishly and shrug as she nodded to her relative to acknowledge him. Cologne looked back down at the person kneeling before her and sensed nothing but total sincerity from him. She decided to reward such a grand display of respect. She hopped down from her staff and then placed a hand over his and patted it three times, thereby signaling that she accepted his greeting and that he may rise. Koga smiled as he got his feet and gave her a polite bow. ["I thank you, Honored Elder Cologne."] ["Er... you're... welcome... Son-in-law. But... why do you call me that? Not that I'm complaining, but... you're usually quite rude."] B-Ranma smirked as he motioned for the two of them to sit down at a nearby table. Some time later... "So, Shampoo wasn't pulling an old woman's leg when she told me about five other Ranmas last night. So you are from an alternate world in which you were raised in our Amazon tribe?" Koga nodded as he took a sip of the tea that Shampoo had prepared for them. "Yes. I was adopted by Jasmine when I was eight. She raised me as her own son and took me on as a apprentice village healer." "Jasmine?" Cologne remarked with surprise. "That is a name in which I haven't heard of in over twenty years." "Jasmine was Shampoo's aunt, yes?" The purple haired girl asked. "Yes child. However, she and her husband died during an attack from the Musk four years before you were born. She was exceptionally talented in shiatsu and herbal medicine. She had a promising future as a village healer. Such a terrible waste." "Oh." B-Ranma became saddened to learn that the counterpart to his adopted mother had not survived in this world. He then took a deep breath and continued his discussion with the Amazons. "In any case, Jasmine and the Cologne in my world were acquainted with a practitioner of the Unseen Light. Master Koga helped me overcome the blindness that the Neko Ken training had caused and it also serves me well in the healing arts." "Unseen Light? Now that's a fighting style that I've never heard of before." "I'm not surprised that you've never heard of it. If you've never heard of Master Koga or Master Shogo, then I suppose that the fighting style doesn't exist in this world. It is a martial arts discipline that was created by a group of blind Zen monks thousands of years ago, and I'm the last practitioner of that ancient discipline." "So you are truly... blind?" Cologne asked. "I prefer to be called physically challenged, but yes, I am sightless. However, I am far from helpless. I sparred with Ranma this morning and I defeated him, though I must admit, you've trained him well. Although he could still improve and his techniques are somewhat sloppy. He also has a tendency to underestimate his opponents and could stand to be less cocky in a fight. He has great potential, yet he does suffer from impatience. Probably got that from staying with Genma." "How did you know that I trained him?" Cologne inquired with interest. "I sensed your handiwork in the way he tried to use the Chestnut Fist on me during our match. I countered with my own." "Excuse me? You SENSED it? And you can DO the Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire technique?" "Yes. My senses are very extensive and I felt the faint impressions of your own training imprinted on him. And as for the technique, yes I have mastered it, among other things." Koga decided to demonstrate by making a sweeping gesture and his silver flute appeared in his hand. Placing it on the table, he then made several daggers appear, followed by a dozen shurikens and then a few of his medicinal supplies. After placing them all in a small pile on the table, he then made another sweeping gesture and made them all seemingly vanish. "Aiyah! He knows how to do Hidden Weapons like Mousse!" Shampoo remarked. Koga nodded. "Yes, I find his techniques very useful in carrying my supplies and some extra weapons. Unlike your Ranma, I do understand the value of weapons for their extended reach and added protection. However, I am just proficient in unarmed combat. Like the old Amazon saying goes, use all weapons, but trust in none." "Very true. I must say that I AM impressed, Son-in-law." Cologne said with a smile and a slight glint in her eye. B-Ranma nodded, but held up a hand. "Thank you Elder, but I would prefer if you were to call me Koga. Though my real name is Ranma, I had decided to use my mentor's name of Koga while I am here, to avoid confusion with your Ranma. Technically speaking, I am not your son-in-law. Truth be told, since I am Jasmine's son, though adopted, and since she was one of your granddaughters, I suppose that would make you MY great-grandmother as well, wouldn't it?" Cologne gave B-Ranma a smile and sighed as she reluctantly nodded. "I suppose it does, if you look at it that way." The aged Amazon was very impressed with this version of her future son-in-law. He was polite, respectful, and from what her own senses were telling her, extremely talented. He was a warrior of vast skills and from what she saw of the medicinal supplies he had brought out, an accomplished healer as well. He was well-versed in their ways, their history and their laws. The boy was practically a member of the tribe, and in his world, he was! He was tall, strong, and very handsome. And the fact that he was blind made him seem even more impressive. To think that he had become so skilled with such a handicap! That got Cologne to thinking. Why not add this one to the tribe as well as Ranma? She deiced to table those thoughts for later as B-Ranma slowly got up from his seat and bowed to her and Shampoo. "Forgive me Elder. Though I have enjoyed speaking with you, I must be going now. Before I leave... would you allow me to... see you?" Ranma held up a hand in front of Cologne's face. Cologne realized that B-Ranma wished to feel her face with his fingertips and gave him permission. She closed her eyes as Koga's fingertips lightly traced over her wrinkled cheeks, forehead, nose and mouth. B-Ranma smiled as his fingertips told him of her appearance. "Ah. You look just like the Cologne in my world. Thank you Elder." "Do you have to leave?" Cologne asked with a bit of disappointment. She had been thinking of arranging a kind of match between Koga and Shampoo. "I had hoped that perhaps you would give us more of a demonstration of your skills. Perhaps a quick sparring match with Shampoo here? I would like to see how you match up against Son-in-law's abilities." "I'm afraid that I must be going and it's getting late. " B-Ranma affirmed as he finished off the tea and then started to walk toward the front door. Shampoo and Cologne got up to follow him. When they came out of the Nekohanten, the Unseen Light fighter turned to bow respectfully to Cologne, then warmly embraced Shampoo. ["Though you aren't MY Shampoo and Cologne, it was still good to meet you again."] It was at that moment that a certain lost boy came upon the scene and saw what he thought was Ranma hugging another girl. "RANMA! HOW DARE YOU CHEAT ON AKANE?! PREPARE TO DIE!" Koga had long since sensed Ryoga's approach as he gently pushed Shampoo out of the way and then dodged the flying kick that was aimed at his head. As Ryoga flew by, the sightless Amazon got into a ready stance and smirked at the native version of his rival. Shampoo went over to her great-grandmother and asked her if they should help their fellow tribe member. Cologne shook her head and replied. "No child, I believe that Son-in... I mean, Koga is quite capable of taking care of himself. I had wanted to see this Ranma in action, and now it seems that I have the opportunity. Just stand back and watch." B-Ranma smirked as he casually dodged or blocked Ryoga's wild punches. With his sixth and seventh senses, it was too easy to anticipate each of Hibiki's attacks. "Oh, what do you want Ryoga?" "You cad! How dare you put yourself in another woman's arms?! You pig!" "Hmpf! What I do is none of your business. And don't you call me a pig, P-chan." B-Ranma was already aware of the native Ryoga's curse from T-Ranma's scan of Ranma's life. He could also sense the energies of Jusenkyo within Ryoga. "Don't call me P-chan!" Ryoga raged as he threw another series of punches. As they fought, the blind Ranma began assessing his opponent's fighting style. Koga threw a few practice blows into Ryoga's midsection, which the lost boy made no effort in dodging or blocking. He was mildly surprised to find that his opponent withstood the impacts with ease. Ryoga sneered at Ranma as he launched a haymaker at B-Ranma's chin. "HAH! You still hit like a baby!" Koga decided to let that blow connect. However, to Ryoga's surprise, it had felt as if he had slammed his fist into a steel wall! He winced as his fist connected with B-Ranma's jaw and then he doubled over when the person he thought was Ranma landed a hard knee to his stomach. As Ryoga backpedaled from the blow, Koga simply launched a triple combination of fast, but hard jabs to Ryoga's face, then another blow to his gut. Ryoga's breath whooshed out as he actually FELT the impacts. What was going on? Since when could Ranma hit THAT hard? And he shrugged off a blow that usually cracked through concrete. Unknown to the native Ryoga, this version of Ranma had been raised by the Amazons and had gone through more extensive endurance training than Hibiki. This included regular bouts with the giantess Dowel. Furthermore, he could also hit a LOT harder than the native Ranma could. Coupled with his extraordinary speed and senses, the native Ryoga was seriously outclassed. B-Ranma snorted as yet another blow got through Ryoga's woeful defense. "You're not the only one who's gone through high- endurance training Ryoga. The Bakusai Tenketsu may make you resistant to hits, but it doesn't make you totally invulnerable. It looks like you rely too much on it for protection. Well, let's see how well you do without it!" The Unseen Light fighter then lashed out with his Chestnut technique, striking specific shiatsu points on Ryoga's upper body. He then stepped back a few feet and smiled. Ryoga sneered again at Ranma. "Hah! What a lame attack! I didn't feel a thing!" "Oh really? Well how about this one?" B-Ranma then casually landed a glancing bow on Ryoga's jaw. Ryoga staggered back as pain suddenly flared where B-Ranma's fist had hit. This took him completely by surprise as his opponent then began landing relatively light punches on his upper torso and with each impact, his body screamed out in agony! B-Ranma smirked as he landed another series of light punches. "What's the matter Ryoga? Not USED to feeling pain again?" The lost boy howled out in anger, then tried for the suicidal lunge forward. However, B-Ranma easily avoided the attack, then lashed out with a semi-hard kick into Ryoga's side. The lost boy was sent crashing into a nearby wall and then slumped down into unconsciousness. B-Ranma simply dusted himself off, then made a casual comment as Cologne and Shampoo came to up to him "Well, that was easy." "How you do that?" Shampoo asked. She had seen Ryoga battle her Airen before, and it usually took Ranma a considerable amount of time to defeat his rival. This Ranma had taken out the impossibly strong Ryoga with almost no trouble at all. B-Ranma shrugged as he replied. "Oh, I just used a reverse application of the anesthetic pressure points in my healing practices. Instead of deadening the nerve endings toward impacts, I temporarily increased Ryoga's sensitivity to pain." "Ah, I see." Cologne said in understanding as she remembered back to when B-Ranma launched his attack against Ryoga's chest. He had targeted specific shiatsu points on his upper torso. "So in other words, you had eliminated the endurance Ryoga had gained during the Breaking Point training." "Right. Since he relied too much on that endurance to pull him through, it was child's play to get past his so-called defense and I didn't even have to hit him very hard. Simple really." "I must say, that I AM truly impressed Koga. Son-in-law would have taken much longer and used more fancier moves to defeat him, but you had shown both ingenuity and skill." "Thank you Elder. Well, it has been quite a day and I must be going, but first..." The blind Amazon then bent down to where Ryoga was still lying on the street and pressed several points on his body with a finger. "There we are. I've undone the shiatsu points I used to make him more sensitive to impacts. Although he will still be aching for days. Serves him right though, attacking me like that! When he awakens, please explain things to him, won't you? Also tell him that he got off easy. I could have done a lot worse to him if I had wanted to." "Of course. We shall look after him until he awakens." Cologne affirmed. "Thank you Elder. Oh and by the way?" "Yes?" Koga gave the Elder and endearing smile as he walked toward her, then leaned forward to whisper into her ear. "If you were planning to trap me into a marriage with Shampoo when you suggested that I spar with her, then it wouldn't have worked. Since I am a part of the tribe already, though from another world, law number 46, subsection five would not apply to me. Good evening to you." B-Ranma then strolled away, leaving Cologne with a surprised look on her face. Later... Cologne and Shampoo were currently sitting at a booth, waiting for Mousse to return from his deliveries. Ryoga had been taken upstairs and was resting in the myopic martial artist's room. "So Shampoo... what do you think of this... Koga?" "Aiyah! He is very nice and Shampoo like a lot! He strong, handsome, smart and very kind!" "Yes child. He is very impressive. Now let me ask you a question. How would you feel about marrying him, instead of Ranma?" Now ordinarily, Shampoo would have told her great-grandmother that she would marry Ranma and no other, but now she wasn't as sure as she used to be. Koga was indeed a fine specimen and unlike the native Ranma, this one enjoyed her company. Shampoo was silent for a long time as she considered what it might be like with such a husband. The Amazon Elder was also deep in thought as she considered adding this Ranma to the tribe. He was certainly a better catch than the native Ranma. Koga was thoughtful, well-mannered, and very sharp-minded, in addition to the fighting skills he had just displayed. The way he moved in battle was sheer poetry. His moves were more refined and efficient, making the native Ranma seem clumsy and wasteful of energy. It was if he knew each of Ryoga's attacks before Ryoga did! He had displayed a mastery in shiatsu, a telltale sign of an expert village healer. A truly perfect catch! Now the real challenge would be how to bring him into the tribe. Koga seemed very aware of his surroundings, despite his lack of eyesight and he had already stated that the Outsider Law would not work on him. Yes, this would require quite a bit of thought and there was still those other Ranmas that Shampoo had told her about. If they proved to be just as promising as this one, then the Amazons may have the golden opportunity to raise themselves to greater glory. B-Ranma alone had already left quite an impression. Later at the Tendo home, in the broom closet... "Hey Koga! So how'd it go with Shampoo and her great- grandmother?" Draco asked as Koga entered the main hall area. and joined the others. "It was great meeting up with Elder Cologne again." Koga replied. "That's nice." T-Ranma commented. "However, keep in mind that this Cologne may be different from the one you know of in your world." "I know." B-Ranma said. "I remember the scans you showed us. Still, it was great meeting up with someone familiar." "I felt the same way when I talked to this world's Ukyo." Kojiro remarked. "So what's for dinner?" P-Ranma asked as he let out his Pokemon so they could get some air. "Actually," T-Ranma began. "I was thinking that for our second night here, we'd all go out to eat. Maybe check out Tokyo while we're here. My treat of course." "Hey that sounds great!" Kojiro said. "What about my Pokemon?" Trainer asked. "Well, why not give them the night off?" T-Ranma suggested. "You can bring whichever Pokemon you want with you and the rest can stay here to relax. The caretaker robots will tend to their every need." The nanotech Ranma gestured to several small, squat machines which roamed about the complex. He signaled to one of them, which responded by moving toward him. The caretaker automation was a metallic half-sphere with two photoreceptors mounted near the top. It was about the size of a small dog. Its appearance resembled that of cartoon ladybug, but instead of legs, its bottom half was flat and it jetted about on small, anti-gravity field generators. A large number four was etched above its photoreceptors. As it stopped before them, the top portion then raised itself from its base on a telescoping column, forming a kind of head and body. Two slender robotic limbs popped out from the column as the machine addressed its master in a cheerful, high- pitched tone. "Care-Bot Unit 4 is online. What are your orders, my master?" T-Ranma nodded to Unit 4 and replied. "My counterparts and I will be going out for dinner tonight. Trainer will be leaving some of his Pokemon here. You and the other units will tend to their every need until we get back. I also leave the security of this complex to you and the other Care-Bots." "Yes sir!" The machine gave them a smart salute, then was about to relay the message to its fellow units, when T-Ranma added some new instructions. "Oh yes, I almost forgot, Unit 4. Do you recall those 'other' instructions I gave to you and the other Care-Bots, concerning a certain Nabiki Tendo?" "Yes, my master. However, subject Nabiki Tendo has not tried to enter this complex as of yet. However, given the scans that you had observed of this person, it is very likely that she will attempt to do so within the near future. Given her personality, probability calculations indicate that she may try to enter tonight after you and the others depart." "Make certain that you extend to her all the proper 'courtesies' when she comes here, all right?" "Yes master. Care-Bot Unit 4 is online." Unit 4 then shrunk back into its more compact shape and zipped away to inform its fellow units of the new instructions. Later on... Nabiki Tendo smirked after watching the five dimensional Ranmas leave. After waiting for about a half-hour, and making certain that they were not going to come back any time soon, she then made her way toward the broom closet. Contrary to popular belief, money wasn't the only concern in the middle Tendo daughter's life. The accumulation of large amounts of yen would become the focal point of her life in later years. However, she also enjoyed her creature comforts, which was the reason why she had her bath things with her. Nabiki had not attempted to try and infiltrate the dimensional Ranma's living quarters earlier, after seeing what had happened to Genma when he tried to break into the ship. T-Ranma had not been kidding when he said that the auto-defense systems were none too pleasant. Her father and her two other sisters had taken Genma to Dr. Tofu to tend to the serious burns he received from the ship's thrusters. However, her curiosity and thoughts of avarice had gotten the better of her as she opened the broom closet. She had only seen the main hall of the complex and from what Ranma had told her this morning, it was a veritable palace with rooms that catered to every possible need or want, and then some. Nabiki took a deep breath and stepped into the supposedly small storage space. To her pleasant surprise, she found herself in the main lobby of the complex and was awestruck by its splendor. When she had been here the last time, it had still been under construction, but in its finished state, it made the Ritz look like a rundown motel. Elaborate chandeliers hung from the ceiling, lighting the area in a soft glow that wasn't blinding, but allowed for proper illumination. The floors were tiled with a white marble and on the walls hung fantastic murals that were made of various precious metals. Nabiki was awestruck by the sheer opulence of the place that she almost tripped over one of the Car-Bots that was busy buffing a section of floor with one of the many devices that was built into its structure. It retracted the device back into itself, then telescoped its head to meet with Nabiki's startled gaze. "Care-Bot Unit 3 is online. Visitor is identified as Nabiki Tendo. Welcome." "Whoa!" Nabiki backpedaled while dropping her bath things. "Do not fear. I am Care-Bot Unit 3. I am one of the many units that is programmed to maintain the order of this complex. The one you know of as Prototype has instructed me and my fellow Care-Bots to extend the proper courtesies to visitors." Nabiki gathered her wits about her as she looked up and down at the machine. "You mean... you're some kind of robo-butler?" "That is basically my primary function." It then looked down at the scattered bath things and shook its robotic head. "Now, now, we mustn't leave our bath things all willy nilly." In a flash, the Care-Bot extended its robotic arms and picked up all of the bath items. It then zipped away and while saying, "Follow me please." A minute later... Nabiki's eyes widened as she walked through the door that lead to the 'jacuzzi.' The term jacuzzi was in fact an understatement. What she saw was something that long exceeded opulence and went for sheer decadence. The room was about the size of a deluxe bathhouse and had a sunken area complete with its own hot spring. On all four corners were statues of various creatures pouring warm, pure mineral water which gave off a light, pleasant herbal scent. Off to the side were elaborate bath stools, shower stalls and even a sauna. The mercenary Tendo sister was awestruck at the sight, that she didn't notice that two more of the Care-Bots had entered the bathing area with towels and a fluffy robe. It was then that Unit 3 tapped her on the shoulder. "Nabiki Tendo. Please take off your clothes so that we scrub your back and get you all nice and clean. Your clothes shall be cleaned in the meantime." Another few minutes later... Nabiki sighed contentedly as she sat naked in the hot water as Unit 2 gently massaged her shoulders. "Aaaaaaaahhhhhh! There's nothing like a good hot soak and a massage to ease off the tension of a long day. Ooh, a little lower please." "Compliance." After a half-hour of warm luxury, Nabiki finally emerged from the bath area in a robe behind Units 2 and 3. She smiled warmly at the Care-Bots as thoughts of getting a hold of one of those technological marvels raced though her mind. She could certainly use one those caretaker robots and she knew of many corporations that would pay big yen for the schematics. "Say, Unit 2 is it?" "Care-Bot Unit 2 is online. What would you like now?" "I'd really like a tour of this place, if you don't mind." "Very well, please follow me." Nabiki was given the same tour as Ranma had this morning and she was very impressed with the recreation and kitchen facilities. She saw that P-Ranma's Rapidash, Golduck and Sandslash were well taken care of. However, as they approached a section of the complex that was labeled restricted, Nabiki knew that she was close to the motherlode. "Er, what's behind that door?" Unit 2 raised a hand and shook a finger. "No, no, no. That is a restricted area. The main computer system and data files are located there." Information! Nabiki's eye glinted. Of all the commodities that were considered valuable, there was nothing more coveted than knowledge. The link to the secrets of T-Ranma's technology! She mentally noted the location of that room as the Care-Bot led her back to the main hall. Unit 4 buzzed by and handed Nabiki her cleaned clothes. "Thank you for visiting us Nabiki Tendo." Unit 2 intoned. "The robe is yours to keep. I trust that you can find your way out from here. My fellow units and I must shut down for a while to regenerate our power cores. Once more, I bid you goodbye and come again soon." The Care-Bots waited for Nabiki to leave through the dimensional gate before they all went into a state of dormancy. A few minutes later, Nabiki poked her head back through the gate and smiled as she saw that the Care-Bots were indeed shut down. She saw that now was her chance. She quietly made her way back to the main computer room and smiled as she saw that one of the Care-Bots had left the door ajar when it had shut down. She stepped over the silent machine and entered the room. However, when she went inside, she found herself standing in an empty chamber. She became confused at the seeming nothingness and then began to suspect that this might be a... SNAP! The floor panels opened up and Nabiki found herself inside of a cage that was only tall enough for her to stand in. It was then that the door behind her opened up and three Care-Bots entered the room. "Care-Bot Unit 1 is online." "Care-Bot Unit 2 is online." "Care-Bot Unit 3 is online." "What the...? What's going on here?" Nabiki demanded. Unit two moved forward and addressed the imprisoned girl. "Nabiki Tendo, when I said for you to come back soon, I did not mean THIS soon. I had hoped that your personality would be different from the all the others versions of yourself, but I see that you could not resist such an opportunity to get a hold of our master's secrets." "What are you talking about? Let me out of here!" "My master's ship had been recently upgraded to scan alternate versions of your world, and you are following a pattern of behavior that has been seen in over one hundred and twenty-three realities, in which your main goal of obtaining material wealth ended in a self- destructive spiral with no friends and total isolation. Our master would experience 1.23 seconds of regret at this outcome." "W-What?!" "Fortunately, all is not lost. You can still change and we have been instructed to show you how. This chamber is not the main computer system, but a virtual reality chamber which will allow you to experience the lives of the alternate versions of yourself. Mind you, many of those realities are not very pleasant. Enjoy!" "Wait a minute!" Meanwhile, in a very fancy and expensive restaurant... T-Ranma smiled as he received a mental transmission from his Care-Bots. Right at this moment, Nabiki Tendo was getting quite an impression as she experienced the lives of her alternate selves and how they ended up when they did not change their mercenary ways. He chuckled a bit before returning to his meal. To be continued... Author's notes Well, Nabiki is certainly going to look a things far more differently after she gets out of that room and perhaps back off from blackmailing the canon Ranma. Our five dimensional Ranmas are going to cause more chaos as time goes by, so stay tuned. The idea of Nabiki being shown alternate versions of herself was suggested to me by Gregg Sharp. Thanks Gregg!