DRAGON'S DESTINY 4: Tool Time

a Ranma 1/2 Altered Destiny fanfic by Gregg Sharp
   i don't own these characters, that doesn't keep me
   from having fun with them. http://members.aol.com/metroanime/main.html
i am NOT sending out prior chapters, wait for the finished
   version if you deleted the last post.
note: this is planned as a six part, so i'm skipping
   ahead quite a bit. the whole thing will be rewritten
   if this is the winner in "The Bet" story arc.
--------------------------
   Nabiki was having a pleasant recurrent dream. The
dream usually had her as the agent, standing nearby
as her husband/client was the subject of a photo shoot,
modelling the latest in men's fashions and making large
sums of money before the two would go off to their
private little mansion. She'd work her stock portfolio
then, getting more and more turned on as those extra
digits filled her bank account. Finally...she'd wake up
with the disappointment that was reality to find Ranma
was still down the hall and to the left instead of right
there at hand.

   There seemed to be significant differences tonight.
She realized that SHE was the photographer, snapping
photos and directing Ranma in his various poses. The
feeling of personal control was a bit of a rush, 
however, so she didn't mind. 

   That big sister Kasumi was the makeup artist 
registered about five minutes into the photo shoot. This
was sufficiently jarring that she took note of the other
changes. There was Akane who was working the lighting
and otherwise acting as Nabiki's assistant. Shampoo was
working security, keeping the crowd of women at bay.

   Nabiki shrugged. Why was she including them in the
dream? Who cared? Who was that girl with the spatula
looking sadly from across the field? All sorts of odd
details were intruding. She concentrated on getting the
pictures she wanted and the dream continued.
----------------------
  Shampoo dreamed of returning to her home, her husband
in tow, properly deferential to her in public as was
custom. Shampoo stopped as the dream took an unexpected
turn. What was Akane doing here? Kasumi? Nabiki? Akane
she could almost see as an amazon, but Kasumi was almost
the antithesis of an amazon. Nabiki she could almost see
as an amazon too, just in a purely financial 
battleground.

   It was very confusing but oddly satisfying.
--------------------------- 
   Akane dreamed of having Ranma, and continuing on the
Anything Goes dojo. There she was, fixing curry tonight,
as her husband taught the evening class of students.

   Akane stumbled as one of their children ran into her
leg. Why did he have purple hair? It was an oddly 
jarring detail. Everything was right and proper and in
its place. Kasumi was watching the children. Shampoo 
was teaching the women's self-defense course at the
Civic Center. Nabiki was overseeing the family's
finances. Yes, everything was perfectly normal.

   Something didn't feel right, though, and that 
continued to nag at her.
----------------------------
   Kasumi dreamed. She looked up from her medical 
textbooks to see Ranma keeping the children occupied
while mommy studied. Nabiki brought in a hot tea, with
the exams coming up she wasn't going to cut down on the
caffeine. Extra study time was mandated.

   Looking out her window, Kasumi could see the dojo
where Shampoo and Akane were instructing the evening
course. Turning back to text, she concentrated on her
studies, letting the feeling of peace and contentment
wash over her.
----------------------------
   Morning in Nerima. Kasumi was the first to awake,
as was her routine. What she found was sufficiently
startling to bring her to full awareness immediately.

   "Oh my!"

   Kasumi's startled exclamation immediately roused
Shampoo, who'd realized she'd been hugging Ranma during
the night. Not that Shampoo saw anything wrong with
that, with some physical contact the circulation of chi
seemed stronger.

   Shampoo blinked as she registered that sometime
during the night one of her rivals had also moved close
to Ranma. Nabiki hadn't woke up, and was mumbling 
something as she moved a little closer.

   "He's breathing," Kasumi whispered to Shampoo. 

   Shampoo nodded, he'd started doing that about 
midnight. A weak pulse had started about the same time.
Now with better lighting, she checked his chest, waking
Nabiki as she flipped the cover back.

   "Airen getting some color back." Shampoo nodded. "Is
good. Pulse stronger. Tattoo outline much firmer."

   "Eeeep!" Akane covered her face as she realized that
she: a) wasn't dreaming.
     b) Shampoo had pulled off more than just the cover
        of the futon while checking her patient.

   "Yowza!" Nabiki whistled.

   "Oh my. He really is a 'man among men,' isn't he?"

   Everyone else stared at Kasumi briefly. Finally 
Shampoo covered Ranma again. "Is good to see airen has
proper color coming back....Why everyone stare at 
Shampoo now?"
----------------------
   Shampoo sat back against the wall. She was still
an outsider here, and not accepted into any of the 
little cliques that formed among the students.

   She could go sit with the other two gaijin, an
American and a Brit, who would welcome her company, but
didn't feel like dealing with the two.

   Shampoo glanced back over the cafeteria. There were
a LOT of missing students today. Ryouga's attack had
damaged the front of the school, plus the number of
students suffering frostbite and exposure was high.

   Some girls were approaching Akane. They hadn't been
seriously injured in yesterday's attack, but were now
swathed in bandages. Could it be Ryouga? Shampoo moved
closer, hoping to hear the details.

   "You want me to defend the school's honor? That's 
fine but in Rhythmic Gymnastics?" Akane shook her head.
"I don't know..."

   "Please Akane, you've got to help us." One of the
women pleaded. "She keeps winning matches for Saint
Hebereke by attacking members of the opposing team 
before the match. You're the only one we can count on."

   "But I..."

   Shampoo smiled. "Akane go. You need defend school.
Is much honor."

   Akane glared at Shampoo. "You just want time to spend
alone with Ranma!"

   Shampoo shook her head. "Shampoo will have rest of
life to spend with Ranma. When is match?"

   "Uhm, it's next week."

   Shampoo smiled at Akane. "Akane train in one week.
Then defend school like Shampoo would defend village.
By then, airen maybe good enough he can come too."

   "Oh, Ranma will be there!" Two of the girls sighed.
"Oh, yes, with Ranma there we're sure to win!"

   "Yeah, Kodachi won't be able to keep her mind on
the match," the third suggested.

   Akane watched with a sinking feeling as she realized
that just being silent had somehow committed her. Now
she not only had to participate, but win because she
couldn't bear losing in front of Ranma.

   Shampoo kept her expression neutral. If Akane lost
in front of Ranma, then a rival would be humiliated. If
Akane won, then Shampoo's help in setting this up would
defuse some of the hostility towards her. She just loved
win-win situations.
------------------------
   Kasumi noticed that Genma and Soun were watching
that soap opera again. She'd normally wait until they
were out of the room before cleaning, but she'd noticed
that Ranma's health seemed to decline when none of those
recipients of his chi were around.

   The two on the couch never looked up as she swept
the room, engrossed in the program as Noriko Sakai 
stalked a young couple, intent on blackmailing her
former manager from her idol singer days. Kasumi shook
her head, the same old thing, over and over again.

   The two didn't pay attention to her at all, until
Kasumi (intent on getting that dust bunny that had just 
rolled under the couch) lifted one end of the couch.

   What caused the two fathers to lose interest in the
soap opera was that it was the end of the couch that
Genma's panda form was occupying. That, and Kasumi was
holding it up with one hand while sweeping underneath
with the other. Satisfied that no dust bunny would 
survive while SHE was on duty, Kasumi gently placed the
couch back into position and finished up. After all,
she had to check on Ranma now.
--------------------------
	"Uhm, Kasumi?" 

	"More rice, Nabiki?"

	"Yeah. That wasn't it, though. Have you noticed
anything strange today?"

	Kasumi thought. "No, not really."

	The sound of Soun and Genma backing a little
farther back from the table and away from the three
daughters (and guest) could be clearly heard in the
brief silence.

	"I have," Akane fixed her father and his friend
with a "don't mess with me, I've had a pretty hard day"
glare.

	"Shampoo notice odd things too."

	"Such as how much we've been eating today?"
Nabiki pointed at her third bowl of rice. "At this
rate we'd look like Mister Saotome by the end of the
week. Somehow I doubt it."

	"Shampoo notice. Shampoo always strong warrior,
strong fighter." Shampoo picked up the can of "Pocari
Sweat" she'd just finished off. Very delicately, she
flattened the can and rolled it up into a tiny cylinder.
"Shampoo get stronger."

	"Big deal," Akane waved off Shampoo's little
feat. "You should have seen the shot I made in 
basketball today." 

	"Shampoo did. You miss basket. You miss basket
by at least 20 meters."

	"Can I help it? It went through the damn 
backboard!"

	"Oh my."

	"I take it then, that none of you have checked
your own tattoos." Nabiki smirked. It was one of her
standard "I'm so clever" smirks. She had almost as many
smirks as Akane had glares or her father had wails. It
had often been a joke growing up that her father was, in
fact, the prince of wails.

	There was a groan from both Mr Saotome and Soun
Tendo as Shampoo checked.

	"Shampoo, haven't you ever heard of modesty?"
Akane's head thumped on the dining room table. She 
couldn't believe the amazon sometimes.

	"No, Akane, what that mean? Aiyaaa. Nabiki 
right. Tattoo much more visible."

	Soun made an odd noise as he looked at the
way the tattoo coiled up Shampoo's ribs, deftly moving
past...

	Kasumi waited until Shampoo had pulled her 
shirt back down before removing her hands from in front
of her father's eyes. "Oh, father, father, father."

	"Kasumi's moving as fast as a trained martial
artist," Nabiki held up one finger. "I myself tried this
sort of thing out today. I'd say that I'm in fair shape,
but nothing compared to THIS."

	"Daughters, we've got to find that cave and
get you turned back before it is too late."

	Shampoo nodded. Everyone else simply looked at
the two fathers as if they had gone insane.

	"No, father," Nabiki sighed. "If we were turning
into 'men among men' or something like that, there would
have been other signs visible before now. Believe me,
I DID check for that. As far as I can tell, there's only
this odd strength."

	"This would indicate a general strengthening or
enhancement of the musculoskeletal system, including the
tendons and ligaments, probably due to a factor in the
chi transfusion." Kasumi stopped as everyone stared at
her. "Uhm, right?"

	"Yeah, sis." Nabiki shrugged. "Well, I need a
bath, and somebody needs to go check on 'Sleeping 
Beauty' - we don't want to leave him alone too long."
Nabiki realized that she was suddenly the only one in
the room excepting the two fathers. "Yeah, a good soak
is definitely in order."
---------------------
	"Ah, and what have I found here?" Kodachi crept
through the window. She'd come seeking her next 
opponent, but this, this was too good to pass up.

	Unconcious and cute, just the way she liked 
them. Kodachi Kuno smiled. This one was beyond cute,
and slept in the nude too. She glanced over the 
recumbent form and stamped the mental picture as "Prime
Beef." She could always come back to deal with that
upstart Akane Tendo, yes.

	She left the room by the window, just as she'd
entered, but paid for her "withdrawal" with a bouquet
of black roses. Unfortunately the boy seemed to be
heavier than he looked.

	"WHO THAT!?" 

	"Shampoo, get out of the way!"

	"Oh dear."

	Kodachi looked at the three girls now giving
chase. None of them looked particularly dangerous, in
fact, that older girl looked like she'd be a pushover.

	"Now, now, girls, finder's keepers... ohohohohoho." A snap of the wrist and a
black rose
dart was sent towards the weakest-looking one, once she
was down one of the others would stay behind to make
sure she was all right. A tactic that had served Kodachi
well in the past.

	Kasumi saw the rose coming, her eyes widened.
She vanished.

	Kodachi meant to leap atop the Tendo Compound
Wall, but caught a glimpse of Kasumi's leap and lost
her timing completely. 

	<SLAM!>

	Kodachi looked up at the sky. She must have 
imagined it. That frumpy looking older woman couldn't
possibly have leapt THAT high. She felt the boy being
taken away from her. A moment later a girl about her
own age was looking down at her.

	"You must be Kodachi, the Black Rose?" Akane
grabbed Kodachi's shoulder and easily pulled the other
girl up. Kodachi noticed that the grip there was just
shy of the pressure required to crush bone. As it was,
Kodachi was pretty sure that she would be bruised there.

	"She call herself Black and Blue Rose, very 
very, soon." Shampoo cracked her knuckles. She grabbed
Kodachi's other shoulder and held tight.

	"You vicious harridans," Kodachi was having
a hard time talking and clenching her teeth at the
same time. "Let me go!"

	"Shut up!" Both Akane and Shampoo tried to
shake the leotard clad girl. Unfortunately neither
had quite managed to take the effects of their
newfound strength into effect.

	"She faint?"

	"Hmmph. I guess she's like all those other 
bullies, she can take it but she can't dish it out."
-----------------------
	"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa." Kasumi finally landed.
Dusting herself off and looking around, Kasumi wondered
where exactly she was. "Oh my. That was actually kind
of fun."

	One young boy was staring at her, as well he
might since she'd just dropped out of nowhere.

	"Excuse me," Kasumi smiled at the boy who was
standing behind some kind of gas grill. "Could you tell
me where I am?"

	"Uhm, you're in Kobe. Uhm, are you..."

	"Oh yes, I'm fine." Kasumi nodded. "I've got
to get back to Nerima. Is there a train station nearby?"

	The boy nodded. "It won't be here for a little
while though."

	"Oh my, but I've got to get back home. Ranma
is still quite sick."

	"RANMA!?!" The boy glared at Kasumi but there
was just something so "doggone nice" about the woman,
and anybody who could survive a fall like that and just
get up and walk away was pretty damn tough. "You 
wouldn't mean Ranma Saotome?"

	"Why yes, do you know him?" Kasumi wasn't 
concerned about the brief look of hatred passing over
the boy's face. It was probably just a misunderstanding.

	"You could say that," said Ukyou Kuonji. "Where
did you say he is?"
===================================
NOTES:Oops. this came out a little faster than i had
planned. any questions, comments, parts that need clarified?

Another idea for a fusion, hope someone's done this.
  Happosai wants to teach his pupil a little respect,
unfortunately it doesn't go anywhere near the way he
was hoping it would. Very bad you play FF7 on cursed
TV set, Ukyou. 
  Ranma Saotome > Cloud Strife
  Ukyou Kuonji  > Tifa Lockhart
  Kasumi Tendo  > Aeris
  Ryouga Hibiki > Barrett
  Nabiki Tendo  > Yuffie
  Akane Tendo   > Red XIII (Akane="Scarlet",that's why)
  Shampoo	> Cid Highwind
  Mousse	> Mrs Highwind (forgot her name)
  P. Tarou	> Vincent Valentine
  Tatewaki Kuno	> Dr Hojo
  Kodachi Kuno	> Scarlet (or would you rather Akane
                   was an maniacal villain?)
  Happosai	> Sephiroth
  Cologne	> Cait Sith
  Hiroshi	> recruitable monster
obviously this is gonna depart from FF7's usual plotline
pretty damn quickly.