Ranma^Z

 

Chapter Three

 

Making an Enemy of a Friend

 

            Ranma flows through his kata ⁽¹⁾, a smile plastered to his face.  (“This is the way it should be!”)  He thinks as he pushes his body to its limits.  (“Pushing myself as far as I can go.  Becoming stronger and better, becoming the best!”)

 

            Kasumi looks out on Ranma, with her mouth open in shock.  She, like the rest of the Tendo household, has witnessed Ranma do many amazing things.  Kasumi, however, cannot recall Ranma ever floating during one of his katas.  After a few minutes she simply shrugs and returns to the kitchen.

 

            Ranma continues his training for a few more minutes before something causes him to come out of his meditative state.  He looks off in the distance and frowns.  (“That’s Happousai’s ki ⁽²⁾,”) He notes.  (“He probably finished up his panty raids and is headed back.”)  Ranma shrugs his shoulders and is about to go back to training when he gets an idea.  “Let’s have some fun!”  Ranma yells out as he flies off.

 

            Setsuna frowns as she, Hakaru, and Michiru walk through Nerima.  It is early, not even nine.  Hakaru yawns and looks at Setsuna in announce.  “We might not have school today but neither does that kid.”

            “Calm down, Hakaru,” Michiru implores.

            Hakaru humphs and crosses her arms.  “The least you could have done is got this guy’s address.  All we’ve got to go on is a first name.”

            Setsuna growls.  “Sorry.  I was too busy trying to kill him.  I couldn’t very well stop and ask him his name.”

 

            “What a haul!  What a haul!”  Happousai says happily as he roof hops back towards the Tendo Dojo ⁽³⁾.  He stops and takes a look inside the giant bag.  He pulls out a bra and exclaims, “A D-cup!”  He cuddles the bra to his face.  He is about to stuff it back into his bag when he notices something.  He looks down on the sidewalk smiles.  “Two healthy young ladies with breasts just begging to be touched!”  He stuffs the bra back into his bag and hops down to the street at full speed.

 

            Setsuna catches something descended upon her and the others out of the corner of her eyes.  She stops and takes a step back.  The figure lands and then blurs out of sight.  “Nani?”

            A scream causes her to turn.  There buried in Michiru’s chest is a shrunken gnome, or something.  “Get this thing off of me!”  Michiru cries out.

            “Ah sweeto, such a nice chest,” Happousai cooes as he nuzzles Michiru’s chest.

            “Hentai ⁽⁴⁾!”  Hakaru yells out as she swats at the little pervert.  Her punch, however, meets air.

            “Ah, this one is nice too,” Happousai says softly as he squeezes Setsuna’s chest.

            “You little…Die!”  Setsuna cries out as she knocks the freak off of her.

            “Ah, two lovely ladies with wonderful breasts.  It’s like a dream!”

            Hakaru arches an eyebrow before getting angry.  “Are you saying that my chest isn’t wonderful?”

            Happousai turns to Hakaru and looks her over for a second.  He laughs before saying, “I thought you were a man.”

            Hakaru growls and lunges at Happousai.  “Die you pervert!”

            Happousai easily dodges the punch by hopping back.  “If you want to embrace me so badly,” He says as he jumps forward at Hakaru.  Happousai, however, stops halfway through his jump as he notices something.  He hops back and scowls.  “You’re always ruining my fun, you know that Ranma?”

            “I know.”  The girls turn to the voice.  Setsuna growls.  “But it’s so much fun messing with you.”  Ranma smiles as he holds something up with his left hand.  “By the way, is this yours?”

            Happousai looks in horror at the bag Ranma is holding.  “My silky darlings!  Give them back!”

            Ranma smirks.  He tosses the bag in the air towards Happousai.  “Catch!”  Ranma smiles as he watches the scene unfold.  Happousai is so happy but just before the bag is in his hands.  “Ha!”  Ranma yells as he fires a ki blast that quickly destroys the bag.  Ranma blows the smoke from his hand and smiles.  “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”

            “My silky darlings…”  Happousai looks down at the chard remains on the ground.  For a second he is in a shocked stupor, then there is rage.  “Ranma!”  He cries out as his battle aura flares up.  “You will pay!”

            “Fun time!”  Ranma says as he takes up a fighting stance.  He and Happousai blur out of sight.

 

            The Senshi, meanwhile, are stunned and sickened.  “I can’t believe that pervert!”  Michiru says.

            “I’m gonna kill that freak when I get my hands on him!”  Hakaru says.  She grits her teeth in anger.

            Setsuna has recovered from her initial shock.  “Transform.  We’ve found the boy.”  It takes the others a second before they nod.

 

            Ranma casually dodges another punch thrown by Happousai.  “That all you got old man?”  He asks.

            “You little!”  Happousai pumps more power into his aura and increases his speed.

            Ranma smiles and blocks a kick.  “That’s more like it!”  Ranma yells out as he begins to counter with some punches and kicks of his own.  They continue fighting, slowly making their way back towards the Tendo Dojo.  Ranma notices this.  (“Better end this soon.  I don’t wanna have to repair the house.”)  Ranma smiles.  He waits for Happousai to attack.  He doesn’t have to wait long.  Happousai throws a punch towards Ranma’s head.

            Happousai smiles as the punch looks like it will connect.  Instead, it passes through the boy’s head.  (“An after image?”)  He thinks before everything goes dark.

 

            Ranma smiles as he holds Happousai back the back of his shirt.  “Not a bad fight old man.”  Ranma says.

            “Dead Scream.”

            “Oro ⁽⁵⁾?”  Ranma says as he is hit by the attack.  He coughs and tries to get the dirt out of his eyes.  When he finally succeeds he is surprised to see who is standing in front of him.  “You again?”  He asks in annoyance.  “Can’t you just leave me alone?”  He groans.

            Pluto shakes her head.  “No.  You are a disruption in the time stream.  I cannot allow you to live.”

            “So we’re gonna fight again?”  Ranma asks.  Pluto nods.  “Fine.  But have your friend come out of hiding.  Not like it’s doing them any good.”

            Pluto barely lets the surprise register on her face.  Neptune and Uranus walk out from behind Ranma as she speaks.  “I knew trying to surprise you wouldn’t work.”

            “Yeah sure, like I care.”  A groan causes him to look at the person in his hands.  “Anyway, let me put him down somewhere first.  He may be a perverted old freak, but…”  Ranma’s words die in his mouth as one of Happousai’s bombs is shoved in his face.  A singed Ranma looks down at Happousai in annoyance.  He smiles at Pluto.  “Just a second, k?”  Pluto, although she is confused, nods.  Ranma casually punts Happousai into the air and yells out.  “And don’t come back you perverted old freak!”  He takes a second to compose himself before turning back to Pluto.  He smiles just like he did a moment ago and says, “Whenever you’re ready.”

 

            Washu smiles.  “This time I’ll be able to locate you without any trouble.”  Her keystrokes are fast and accurate as she tries to determine the whereabouts of the Saiyan before it hides its energy again.

 

            Ranma smiles as he looks at the girls in front of him.  (“You wouldn’t guess it by their clothes, but they’re pretty strong.”)  A growls distracts him for a split second.

            “An opening!”  Uranus cries out as she rushes the monster.  It may have been able to repeal all of their attacks so far, but it was distracted now.  (“No way it’ll dodge this!”)  She thinks as her fist flies towards her target.  Her punch ends up much like Happousai’s.  It flies through an after image.  “Nani?”

            “Um.”  All three of the girls turn to see Ranma stand on a stone fence with is hand over his stomach.

            (“No one’s that fast!”)  Uranus declares.

            “I’m kinda hungry.  Could we take a break for breakfast?”  He asks.  The innocent and hopeful look on his face cause all the Senshi to facefault.  “Oh wait, I’ve gotta work today.”  He thinks for a second then snaps his fingers.  “I know!  We could fight again at the soccer field tonight!  I’ll be off by like seven.  That all right?”

            Pluto growls.  “No, that is not all right!”  She yells.

            “Demo, I’m really hungry and…”  Ranma stops.

            “Ranma-kun ⁽⁶⁾, gohan ⁽⁷⁾!”  Kasumi’s voice calls.

            Ranma smiles.  He turns back to the Senshi but is greeted rather rudely.  “World Shaking!”

            “Deep Submerge!”

            “Dead Scream!”

            All three attacks hit home and destroy the fence.  “We did it!  No way he survived that!”  Uranus declares.

            “If you say so,” A voice from the dirt declares.  All of the Senshi ⁽⁸⁾ take a step back in fear.  “If ya asked me I thought your attacks lacked power,” Ranma declares as he exits the cloud.  He looks at the watch on his right wrist.  “Anyway, I’m going go eat then head to work.”  He reaches into his pocket and takes out three cards.  “Here’s our card.”  He says as he tosses them to the Senshi.

            “Nekohanten?”  Neptune reads.

            “It’s a Ramen Shop,” Ranma explains.

            “A restaurant?”  Neptune asks.

            “Yep.  We also deliver.  Anywhere in Japan in thirty minute or it’s half off,” Ranma declares with a smile.

            “You’re…You’re kidding right?”  She asks.

            “Nope.”  Ranma floats up a few feet.  “Ja ne,” He says before rocketing off.

            Pluto looks at the card.  She crushes it in a fit of anger.  “Come on.  We can’t let him get away.”  She says as she hops to what is left of the fence.  Uranus quickly joins her.

            “What’s wrong Neptune?”  Uranus asks.

            Neptune is picking up the card Pluto had crushed.  “There’s a coupon for a buy one get one free on the back,” She explains.

            Pluto and Uranus produce sweatdrops in response.

 

            Ranma smiles as he eats with all the quickness that a Saotome is taught to.  “And where were you this morning boy?”  Genma asks.

            Ranma shovels some more rice into his mouth.  “I was out giving Happousai a tough time.  It’ll probably be a couple days before the freak gets back here.”

            “So you defeated the Master?”  Soun asks.  Ranma nods.  “How about we celebrate by having you marry one of my daughters?”  Ranma gives Soun a look that says, try and die.  “Or how about we don’t?”

            Ranma nods.  “I agree with that last choice.”  Ranma sets his bowl down and stands up.  “Time for work.”  He exits through the back of the house.

            “Hold it boy!”  Genma yells as he kicks Ranma in his back.

            “What was that for?”  Ranma demands as he lands near the koi pond.

            “We haven’t sparred this morning.  I can’t have my heir getting rusty!”  Genma declares.

            “Rusty?  I just beat up on Happousai.  How can I be getting rusty?”  Ranma asks as he takes up a defensive stance.

            “That doesn’t matter,” Genma rushes forward and attacks Ranma with all his strength.

            But… “Abunai ⁽⁹⁾!”  Ranma cries out as he rushes forward.  “Duck, Oyagi!”  He cries out.

            Genma, understanding by the tone of Ranma’s voice that he is not kidding, listens to his son.  He ducks and is a bit surprised to feel some heat pass over his back and go on.  He looks up in time to see Ranma bat three attacks away from the house.  Genma turns towards where the attacks came from.  “Who?”

            Akane answers his question.  “The Sailor Senshi!”

            Ranma nods.  “Naze ⁽¹⁰⁾?  You could have killed him!”  He screams in anger.

            “Those who are unfortunate enough to get in our way may die,” Pluto says.  Her voice betrays no emotions.  “You are our enemy, Saiyan.  And anyone who allies themselves with you is also our enemy.”

            Ranma growls and looks over at the other girls.  He looks down at the ground and chuckles.  “What’s so funny?”  Uranus asks.

            “You’re funny.”  He looks up at them and grins.  “You think you can beat me?”  He asks.

            “I know we can!”  Uranus declares.  Her voice is shaky.

            Ranma laughs.  “I’ve been toying with you so far.  I don’t care if you come for me…” Ranma sets his feet.  “But when you mess with innocent people…” He begins to draw up his ki.  “That really pisses me off!”  He yells as his aura explodes around him.

 

 

Kata- A martial artist’s warm up.  Sometimes the moves are set, sometimes they aren’t.

Ki- The energy in a person, it’s what keeps them alive.  Sometimes called chi.  In my stories chi is the energy from none living things and the Earth itself.

Dojo- A place to practice martial arts.

Hentai- Pervert

Oro- A more stunned what than nani.

Kun- mister, Kasumi just being polite and saying kun instead of san (which means mister, usually older) because Ranma’s younger.

Gohan- in this case breakfast, but it can be used for lunch or dinner, and also means rice.

Senshi- soldiers, warriors

Abunai- look out

Naze- why