THE FLASH POINT
(The lights come up in the theater to highlight Trident and Sakura as 
they wait for the arival of Flashman.)

Sakura: What's taking him so long?  SKJAM! asked us to do this MSTing 
DAYS ago.
Trident: He has been having personal problems lately and acting 
strangly because of it.
Sakura: "Strangly"?  You mean even more so then usual?
Tridnet: Yes.

(Suddenly, the song "Sexy Boy" starts to play and Flashman, dressed 
as Shawn Michales, dances into the theater, doing the whole HBK ring 
entrance routine.)

Sakura: O_O
Tridnet: What are you DOING?!
Flashman:(As he sits in his seat) Well, it seems as if I've been 
pushing everybody's buttons lately, unintentionaly I asure you.  
Being called an "asshole" by one of the FFMLs most prominant writers 
and thretening to be Kill Filed by another for something in TRIO has 
made me decided to act like the biggest button pusher I know and....
Sakura: Wear them like badges of honor?
Flashman:(Shrugs) What else can I do?  Now, on to the fic.
_____________________

			RANKO'S LIFE S
		      by Scott K. Jamison
	
	(Note:  Ranma 1/2 and the associated characters created by Rumiko  
Takahashi, and no infringement of rights is intended.)

		 Chapter Two:  What *are* you?

[Trident: That remark sound familiar to me...]

	A female voice, friendly but touched by worry.
	"Kaneda-kun?"
	He was being held by someone warm and soft.
	"Kaachan?"
	"No, silly, it's me, Ranko."
	Kaneda suddenly remembered what he'd just seen and realized where 
his head must be laying.  He sat up quickly.  "GA*umph*"  Ranko had 
put her hand over his mouth.

[Sakura: Rats.  I was hoping it was something else.
Flashman: And you call ME a pervert?
Sakura:-_- I was talking about a kiss.]
 
	"Who--what *are* you?"
	"I'm Ranko Saotome, your fiancee.  And I'm a girl.  Well, mostly.  
It's a long story--"
	"You're some kind of freak!" Kaneda hissed.  "I'll never marry 
you!"

[Tridnet: That line sounds dredfully familiar...]

	She looked very hurt.  "Don't say that, Kaneda-kun!  You can't 
refuse, not now, not after everything..."

[Flashman: But a very different response.]

	Kaneda was becoming uncomfortably aware of how close they were.  He 
grabbed a towel and tossed it at Ranko.  "Cover yourself, willya?"
	She sighed.  "That's what I've been doing all along, it seems."  

[Tridnet:(Confused) But she is just putting the towl on now.
Flashman: I don't think she meant it in the litteral sense.]

	She began again.  "It began a long time ago.  As I told you earlier, 
I was born Ranma, a boy.  My father was training me in the Art..." 

[Flashman: FLASH BACK ALERT!
F/S:(Doing waving wotions with their arms) DIDLEU DIDLEU DIDLEU!
Trident: I will never understand you two.]

	She should never have let them leave in the first place.  But Genma 
had been so insistent that a mother's coddling would spoil the boy.  
He'd even talked about making Ranma a "man among men."  Fortunately, 
Nodoka had talked him into a much more sensible pledge.  After all, a 
yearly visit to his mother wouldn't do Ranma much harm, and might do 
him a world of good.

[Flashman: Ah, this world has a much more sensable Nodoka.]

	That was, of course, assuming Genma kept his promise.  It was 
beginning to look like he'd forgotten, and after only one year, too.

[Sakura: Looks like Genma's no different though.]

	"Where are you, Dearest?  I miss you and Ranma so.  Still, I must 
have faith, mustn't I?"  A year alone had started her talking to 
herself.  
	Nodoka turned back to her embroidery.  It was slow, painstaking work,
 but the money kept her at a level of comfort above what her small 
trust fund could provide.
	No sooner had she begun stitching than she heard a call from the 
entryway. 
	"Coming!" she cried.  She wasn't expecting any visitors; who could 
it be?  Perhaps Genma had sent word at last?
	Nodoka's heart sank as she saw the callers were two men in police 
uniforms and long faces.  One she recognized as Officer Ise, one of 
the day shift at the local police box.  The other was unfamiliar.
	"Ma'am", the stranger said, "I'm Sergeant Herita of the Tokyo Police.
  Are you Nodoka Saotome, wife of Genma?"
	"Y-yes.  May I ask why you've come?"
	Her worst fears were realized when he said, "There's been an 
accident.  We'd like you to come down to Headquarters with us."

[Flashman:(Hums the Dragnet theme)]
			*		*		*
	Nodoka tried to compose herself as she was led to the Juvenile 
Division.  The identification had been mercifully brief; Genma's face 
had miraculously been unharmed.  She was a widow, with a child to 
care for now.  She had to be strong for Ranma, and the time to weep 
would be later. 

[All:(Singing) DING DONG THE WARLOCKS DEAD!  WHICH WARLOCK?  THE BAD 
WARLOCK!]

	The female officer led Nodoka through a swinging door, and she saw 
Ranma hanging from the ceiling lamp, apparently trying to hook his 
feet so he could hang upside down.
	"Ranma!"

[Flashman:(Raspy voice) No... call me... Batman.
Sakura: Okay, but don't expect me to be Robin.
Tridnet: Or me to be Spider-Man.
Flashman: Wrong company Tridnet.]

	Nodoka stepped back and took a good look at her child.  Ranma looked 
healthy enough, and had an infectious grin.  But the filthy state of 
his gi and the bedraggled ponytail he was wearing spoke of days on 
the road without proper hygiene or changes of clothing.
	"Ranma-chan.  Do you understand that your father is dead?"
	His face fell.  "Yes.  Touchan was hurted by the logs he was puttin' 
up as a trainin' course for me an' him.  He stopped breathin' and 
wouldn't talk to me no more...Why'd he have to die, Kaachan?"

[Sakura: Because he's a heartless beast that deserved it!
Flashman: Be nice Sakura.
Sakura: For Genma, that WAS being nice.]

	Kaneda sat back, his anger lessened slightly at hearing about the 
tragedy. 
	"That must have been really rough on you, Ranko, uh, Ranma, but what 
does it have to do with, uh, this?" he asked, waving at Ranko's chest.

	"It's Ranko now, and I'm getting to that."
			*		*		*

[Flashman: Flash back number two!]

	Nodoka wasn't looking forward to this next call.  As bad as the ones 
to her husband's various creditors were, she much more dreaded 
talking to this man.

[Sakura: It was Rumiko Takahashi's agent, informing her that her 
contract had expired.]

	Souun Tendou had apparently been Genma's best friend for years.  
Genma had often talked of their days training together.  In fact, 
they'd promised to engage their children to each other to combine the 
families and the Anything Goes style.  Nodoka had only met the man a 
few times, once at the wedding, and a couple of times when he came 
over for dinner before Ranma was born.  Come to think of it, he'd 
spent all those visits drinking and playing shogi with Genma.  She 
knew practically nothing of his family, save that he was also married 
and had at least one child.

[Flashman: Well, he has a ditzy 19 year old who obsessed with keeping 
things clean, a 17-year old mercinary and an overly violent Tom Boy.
Sakura: Except in this reality, it really IS a boy.]

	She picked up the receiver and dialed.
	It rang a few times, then was picked up.  Nodoka heard a loud 
banging noise in the background.  
	"Kaneda, cut that out!  Ah, moshi-moshi, Tendou residence," came a 
voice Nodoka recognized as Souun's.
	"This is Nodoka Saotome, Genma's wife."
	"Oh, yes, I remember you!  How is the old bear?"
	"I'm sorry to say my husband is dead.  It was a training accident." 

	There was silence from Souun, but the background sounds of running 
and shrieking continued.  There was someone playing a videogame too. 

	"I am deeply saddened to hear that," came the man's voice at last.  
"Genma was a true friend to me.  Why I remember when we pledged--
Kaneda, that is not acceptable behavior!  Goro, off the table!  I'm 
sorry, Saotome-san, but you know how it is with a house full of boys.
"
	"Ah...did you say a house full of *boys*?"
	"Yes!  Rather a handful at the moment--Put that down!"
	"Excuse me, Tendou-san.  I--I'll call again later."  
	Nodoka hung the receiver back on the hook.  All boys.  Well, there 
went that promise.

[Flashman: O_O ALL BOYS?!!
Sakura: Something tells me that there's more to it.
Trident: I do not like where this is headed.]
			*		*		*
	"All boys?" asked Kaneda, incredulous.
	"Ever notice the echo effect you get in the bath?  Yes, that's what 
she thought your father said."  Ranko adjusted her towel, and Kaneda 
looked away.

[Flashman: Modest fellow, isn't he?]

	"But why...how old were you then?"
	"Six.  I'm sixteen now."
	Now it came to Kaneda.  "My sixth birthday party!  I had a bunch of 
guys from my first grade class over.  Kasumi and Nabiki went shopping 
with Okaasan, and Otousan was watching us.  I remember he got a call 
and got all grumpy...  Then when Okaasan got home, he told her 
something away from us.  It was the first time I saw him cry."

[Flashman: The first of many...]
			*		*		*
	Nodoka leafed through her husband's effects.  If the marriage was 
off, then the best way to honor Genma's memory would to ensure that 
Ranma learned the martial arts as his father had intended.  Even if 
that meant risking that her son would die too.
	She shuddered as she read of the Neko-Ken.  What sort of madman 
would come up with such a horrid training method?  And the next two 
pages were partially stuck together, making it easy to miss the 
warning on the next page.  Nodoka saw visions of Ranma scratched to 
death or permanently driven insane.  And that was not even the most 
dangerous training method described in the book.

[Flashman: So in this reality Ranko, who hasn't been trained in Neko-
ken, isn't scared of cats?
Sakura: Well, there goes Shampoos primary weapon.
Trident: Did you not once tell me that Shampoos primary weapons were..
..
Sakura:(Menacing voice) Don't go there Trident.]

	She put down the training methods text and picked up one on famous 
training grounds.  Volcano...underwater cave...homeland of the Tcho-
Tcho tribe...  She struggled through the Chinese text, grateful she'd 
taken it as her foreign language in college.  Then a particular 
passage caught Nodoka's eye.
	"That can't be right.  Can it?"  She read it again, carefully, and 
it still seemed to say the same thing.  A hope began to burn in her 
heart.

[(An ominous crash of thunder.)]
			*		*		*
	"That is most...impressive," said Nodoka to the little boy sitting 
opposite her.  The little boy who moments before had been a wrinkled 
old man.
	"Pshaw.  'Tain't nothing."
	"Even so, Lukkosai-san, I thank you for taking the trouble to show 
me this."
	"Call me Lucky, Toots."  The boy had a distinctly wicked twinkle in 
his eye.  Not surprising when you considered his usual company.  
Nodoka's search for information on the springs of Jyuusenkyo had 
eventually led to this man, who had actually been there. 
	"Very well, Lucky-san.  I was given to understand you also have a 
map of the area?"
	"Sure do.  Made you up a copy, in case you wanted one.  But it'll 
cost you."
	"How much do you want?"  Nodoka hoped he wasn't too greedy.
	"A quick grope and a snuggle ought to do me."

[Flashman: O_O
Sakura: Yeash, gotta be a friend of Happosais.]

	Oh.
	"You are much like my husband's sensei then."
	"Yep, like two peas in a pod we are, 'cept I'm handsomer.  How is 
Happy, anyhow?"

[Sakura: Told ya.]

	"He is on a retreat from the world, or so my husband said."
	Lucky's grin widened.  "Locked him up somewhere, eh?  So, you want 
the map?"
	Several very uncomfortable minutes later, Nodoka had the map.  It 
showed the springs, with many named.  "Yeti Riding Bull While 
Carrying Eel and Crane?"  There seemed to be several very odd ones.  
But the one she wanted was clearly marked.

[Trident: Once again, I do not like where this is headed.]

	Nodoka checked her figures again.  A properly-equipped trip to China 
was economically out of the question right now.  But with a little 
scrimping and saving, she could lay the groundwork now.  It was just 
a matter of arranging things properly.

[Flashman: Why don't they just swim?
Sakura: Nodoka, not Genma.]
	  
	She brought out a tray of sweets, and led Ranma into the family room.
  They seated themselves, and Nodoka waited while Ranma stuffed his 
first cake into his mouth.

[Flashman: Uh oh, whenever the mother brings out sweets, it's a good 
idea to...
S/F: RUN AWAY!!!!
Trident: Why?
Flashman: You'll see.]

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