Once more intro the breech...

<snip!>

"Um... Hi, I'm Ranma," it said. "Sorry 'bout this..."


As this statement had been said by a blue furred animal about the
size of a cat that bore a strong resemblance to a stylized kangaroo
rat,
there was much silence in response to it. Mostly because what had
just happened was so far out of nearly everyone's experience, other
than those of Genma Saotome, that they had a hard time believing that
it had occurred after all. This, in the face of the magical rodent's
continued existence on their table despite their natural inclination
not
to believe that it was there, left the Tendo family in a bit of a
quandary.


"WAAAAH! Ranma! How could I have let this happen to my son!?"
Genma cried out in grief and self loathing as he burst forth a font of
tears to rival any that Soun had been known for. In a way, this
reassured the Tendo sisters that what was happening was real after
all, however strange. Ranma, on the other hand (or paw, if you prefer)
was looking at his father as if he had grown another head.


"Woah, Pop! Get a grip already!" Ranma looked at his father in worry.
"Pop? Are you feeling well? You've lost weight since the last time I
was out..."


"WAAAAH! My noble son is worried about my health despite what
I did to him!!" Genma cried out again, showing no signs of stopping
his fountain of tears. Soun Tendo sweatdropped as he got an insight
to how he must appear to others during his own tirades.

I'll say this only once. I make out 'sweat dropped' as two words when
referring to this anime effect. I'm probably the only person on planet
earth that does so. If I see an odd spaced version anywhere, I will point
it out though, so it's all consistent.

"NOW CUT THAT OUT!" Ranma snapped sharply. Surprisingly,
Genma did seem to calm down at that. "Now, if you're done cryin'
that river, could you tell me where we are? This ain't Joketsuzoku,
Pop. The building style is all wrong, there are way too many modern
features, and we were the only Japanese there anyway."


"We are back in Japan, Ranma," Genma explained. "In the Nerima

Ranma, -> Ranma.

ward, just outside of Tokyo, to be specific. This is my good friend

Um...Nerima is PART of Tokyo. That would be 'In Tokyo, Nerima ward."

Soun Tendo, and these are his daughters. One of them was to be
your bride. If only..." Genma's voice grew halting and sorrowful yet
again. "If only I had never taken you to that cursed place! Jusenkyo!
Why have you taken my son from me! WAAAAH!"


Ranma cocked a furry little eyebrow at this. "Um... Could somebody
run that by me again? It sounded like my Pop brought me over to
meet some girls I'm supposed to marry, except that I can't while I'm
in this form..."


"Oh dear," Kasumi responded softly. "I do believe that is actually
the case, Ranma-san."


"Oh," Ranma responded flatly. "I see." And then the rather large
mouse fainted.


O O O


Later, after calming down a panicked Genma who was frantic over
Ranma's sudden collapse, and then getting the whole story from
him, Soun had taken him out to the Dojo, where he could provide
his old friend with a harder proof of comfort without having his
daughters watch him get another man falling down drunk. Not that
they hadn't had to deal with either him or some of his friends after
they had gotten a little too celebratory before, but those had been
happy occasions which lead to happy, if somewhat tipsy behavior.


Genma was far from happy, and would not be fit company for
anyone, sober or drunk, so it was off to the Dojo, where anything
that got broken could be easily fixed. Besides, with everything
that was going wrong, Soun decided that he could use a few stiff
drinks himself...

Could probably drop the ellipses in this last sentence.

O O O


Back in the family room, the three Tendo sisters sat around the
table looking at their unusual guest, who was currently curled up
on some blankets set in a whicker basket that Kasumi had dug out
of storage. Kasumi was still wearing the formal kimono that she had
on before, and Nabiki stayed in the somewhat outrageous outfit
that had been painted on her by the magical water effects that
preceded Ranma's appearance. Akane, on the other hand...


"Akane, you might want to change into a different outfit." Kasumi
pointed out helpfully. "I believe part of your kimono got caught in
Nabiki's magical girl transformation."


"Yeah, Akane, you're kind of showing... Wait. Magical Girl
Transformation?" Nabiki cocked an eyebrow at Kasumi as Akane
'eeped' and ran to her room to change.


"What else would you call it?" Kasumi asked. "Between the water
effects and the fact that your hair is blue and your eyes turned
green, I do believe that it is a safe call to make, all things
considered."

Who knew Kasumi was a maho-shojou otaku?

Nabiki blinked and suddenly wished that she had a mirror handy to
examine herself with. She was somewhat surprised when water
flowed out of the sapphire in the silver and steel fittings on the
back of her right hand, forming into a flat plane with a somewhat
fancy border and handle, which suddenly froze solid. And then
fell to the floor, shattering into ice chips.


"Really, Nabiki," Kasumi chided gently. "If you are going to use
your magical girl powers to make things like a hand mirror, you
should be ready to catch them before they break."

Kasumi: It's not hard. I learned how to control my powers right away.
Nabiki: O_O ...
Kasumi: (secretive little laugh) Really, sister, how do you think I
manage to keep this house clean all of the time?

"I'll try to keep that in mind," Nabiki responded flatly, stunned at
what had just occurred.


O O O


Far away, in a certain village in China, near Jusenkyo...


"Great Grandmother! Will you let me go after the fat panda that
stole my Guardian Stone now? It has been two whole months!"
Shan Pu whined, only to get bopped on the head by Khu Lon.


"Shan Pu! How many times do I have to tell you that Ranma's
Guardian Stone belongs to nobody but Ranma!"


"But I could use it! Doesn't that mean that I've been chosen as a
magical warrior? Doesn't that make Ranma my guardian beast?"


"Shan Pu, while being able to bring Ranma forth from his Guardian
Stone is a sign that you have potential as a magical warrior, the
fact remains that were Ranma truly yours, his father would not have
been able to take him from you. Some other woman will become
Ranma's chosen warrior."


"But who, Great Grandmother?" Shan Pu whined. "What Outsider
woman can fight better than the Nichieju? Surely, if that was the
case, Genma would have been caught by one of our warriors and
another candidate would have been revealed!"


Khu Lon sighed, having had this argument with her great
granddaughter many times before. "There are other types of
strength that strength of arms or strength in martial arts, Shan Pu.
Besides, your elemental affinity with Earth is but one of what may
be six or eight elemental aspects that Ranma can potentially support,
so Ranma is most likely charged with being the Guardian Beast of a
group of Magical Warriors. Not, as you would like to believe, just
one. But enough about this. The other candidates from the village
have had their two months to track down and attempt to retrieve
Ranma's Guardian Stone. The council and I agree that this can only
mean that Ranma is destined to serve his duty as a Guardian Beast
wherever it is that his father is taking him."


The Nichieju Elder closed her eyes for a moment as she continued.
"Given that you have already activated Ranma's Guardian Stone
and have been revealed to have an elemental affinity as an Earth
Warrior, you should have no particular difficulties in tracking
down Ranma's sapphire Token. With that in mind, we have finally
agreed that you may go after Ranma and find out... Shan Pu?"
Khu Lon addressed the now empty air, noting that the door to
her home was only now just slamming shut. "Oh my. I do believe
that she has jumped to an inconvenient conclusion. I had better
warn the council of my upcoming prolonged absence."

Yeah, time for a good vacation. She sounds bored stiff.

END CHAPTER TWO


O O O


OMAKE THEATER PRESENTS: Not quite the battle Ranma
thought he was destined for...


"Get your's now! Prices as shown, or reasonable fees negotiable
for custom work!" Nabiki yelled from her carnival stall.


"Um... Nabiki?" Ranma tried to get the attention of his excited ward.


"Beat the heat! Custom ice scuptures! Frozen treats! Made by
magic before your very eyes!"


"Nabiki, I really think that I was given this form so that the girls I
empowered could fight Youma, not make a profit..."

"Get your's today!"

why is this an omake? This sounds like something she would actually try.

O O O

<snip>

I think I'm getting a little sleepy. Nothing to correct. Ku Lon sounds
very stiff, but I'm not sure I'm up to correcting that. Besides, I'll
probably suggest making this chapter twice as long. Oh well, onto chapter
3! ...after a good night's sleep perhaps.


		
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