Ranma 1/2: Ranma No More Alternate History By: Dani Yanega yanega@mindspring.com (please respond to this e-mail address) Chapter Seventeen Ranma stirs as the sun coning in through the large bank of windows, beats down on her face. She feels warm and safe. [When _did_ I get a fur coat?] She slowly opens her eyes and looks into the back of the head of a large dog. Ranma sits up, her sudden movement wakes Ryoga, who gets to a sitting position and stares at her. "Well Ryoga I know the last encounter with the monks didn't change your curse form so it must have been when Ra Koh and I merged completely." If a wolf can look surprised Ryoga managed to do so. He looks down at himself and sees first his coloring has changed. Instead of a silver gray, he is now the color of the golden white light. He is all white with gold highlights shining in his fur. Second, he has grown in size, before where he was the size of a very large dog, he is now the size of a pony. He shifts back to human form and quickly dresses; Ranma turns her back to him so he has some privacy. Ryoga is about to ask what might have happen to him when he notices Ranma sitting with her legs pulled up under her chin, and a trickle of tears slowly traveling down her face. "How do you feel Ranma?" "Alone again, she was completely merged into me last night wasn't she." She places her forehead on the top of her knees, as the tears flow unchecked. "Yes, when you kissed her Tao symbol the final merging took place." Ryoga puts his hand on his friend's shoulder and gently turns the girl to face him. She lungs into his arms and cries pain filled gut wracking sobs of grief. Ryoga is so surprised, that at first he just sits there. Then slowly instinct begins to take over when being confronted with a crying girl. He puts his arms around her and makes soothing sounds until she finishes crying out her grief. /*\*/*\ Xian Pu has been left to watch the 'Joketsuzoku Village' while, her great grandmother and the others went to order the furniture, fixtures, and foodstuffs they will need to do business and furnish their living quarters. While she waits for their return she finishes some minor cleaning, and as requested by her great grandmother, she tries to work out a way to keep track of which Amazon's goods are sold. When she finishes cleaning she starts doing some katas to relieve the tension. She hates waiting it is so boring. "Where is great aunt Ku Lon?" It is a testament to Xian Pu's training that she did not jump and continues her kata. "Great grandmother went with others get things for store and restaurant. Cousin and friend like ramen, yes?" "That would be nice, but you are busy we can fend for ourselves." Xian Pu stops her kata and turns to the redhead, and her friend. "Is no problem please to sit Xian Pu will get." Before they can say anything the purple hair girl disappears into the kitchen to return a few minutes later with two large bowls of ramen a pot of tea and three cups. As the two Jusenkyo victims eat Xian Pu tells them of the plans for the complex. She then looks at the two friends across from her, and asks them. "What skill you have?" At first they were confused. Then Ranma begins to understand. If they are going to live here they will need to contribute in some way. "Well during my training trip, we would stay at Dojos where I could train and learn. I would do repairs to the Dojo, which really isn't a sellable commodity except to be able to make repairs to this place. I also found out I am a pretty fair builder. I repaired furniture and made cabinets and shelves and such for the Dojo owners, I also like to carve in wood as well." "Is good trade, what about dog boy." She says pointing to Ryoga, Ranma raises an eyebrow but there was no malice in the name. "My name is Ryoga, please use it." He says glaring at the Amazon as she blushes guiltily. Ryoga then answers her question. "Like Ranma I am good at repairs but other than that I do not have any hobbies that can be used to bring in income." "You can work with me Ryoga it is not that much different from repair and with two sets of hands I can build bigger and more intricate pieces." "Well then I am glad I told the counsel to send what our cabinet makers have built, as well." The three teenagers turn and see Ku Lon and the others standing in the door. The new comers enter the restaurant and sit at the table with the other three. Ku Lon introduces everyone, and begins speaking. "So how do you feel this morning nephew?" "I am better, but I grieve for the loss of great grandmother Ra Koh." The petite girl says with her head bowed. "Do not fear child she is still a part of you." Ranma nods her head but still does not look up. Ku Lon decides to change the subject. "Ryoga tells me you have selected your laboratory site, but need to build many things for it." Ranma nods as she looks up at the matriarch with red watery eyes. "Well we can help, I would also like to store some of the Amazon artifacts I brought with us there, if you don't mind." Ranma raises an eyebrow. "I am not sure elder, my laboratory is a private place for me." Ku Lon nods her understanding. "I will not come there unless invited Ranma, but with Genma's master imprisoned in this area, I need a safe hiding place. He stole many Amazon treasures and when he returns and believe me he will return, he may come after what we have with us. I am just asking for place to hide them. Plus if we can retrieve what he has taken..." She let the thought hang. "Very well, I will store them there I will also make sure they are labeled thoroughly so as not to mix them up with my things." "Thank you nephew, I do hope you will at least allow us to help you build what you need for the laboratory." "I will think about it." /*\*/*\ Later that day much of the supplies, furniture and fixtures are delivered, since Ku Lon paid for rush delivery service. There are also three signs delivered. The sign installed over the outside door has 'Joketsuzoku Village', in gold kanji on a red background. Inside the sign for the restaurant which is on the left of the complex reads 'The Nekohanten' it has black kanji on a white background with a basket of four kittens on the right end of the sign. The last sign is also written in black kanji on a white background and it proclaims the store on the right as 'The Amazon Emporium'. Ranma ducks into a storage room to shift to male. He then helps the delivery people with the placing of the deliveries. Figuring he will need the extra strength. He and Ryoga help with the setup of the furniture, and fixtures. They put away the supplies, make some minor repairs to the tables left in the Nekohanten. Once all the heavy labor is done Ranma shifts back to female. It cost much to furnish the building but they did it, the top two floors were sleeping chambers there were ten per floor, and Ku Lon bought furniture for all of them, plus each chamber has two rooms, since they were designed as offices. So the first and smaller portion of the rooms where made into sitting areas. Therefore, they could have guests and private conversations. The larger section is to be the sleeping quarters. They also decorated the common areas on the third floor. With the plumbers coming the next day to remodel the bathrooms, and make repairs to the plumbing, things were looking up for the 'Joketsuzoku Village'. Ku Lon is proud of her accomplishments she had visited several stores and explained what she was looking for and how soon. She demanded a forty-percent discount since she planned to buy everything from one store. However, most of the stores were fools who could not see past their own noses. The last store that was near the 'Joketsuzoku Village' she had to try before leaving the district, was a new furniture store. /*\*/*\ The owner is a gajin named Michael Sanders. He is 6' 3" tall and about two hundred and fifteen pounds with a muscular build. He has shoulder length blonde hair, with turquoise colored eyes that twinkle when he smiles and is in his early thirties. He realizes this deal will start his business off right and that they will come back to him for more if needed. In addition, it is good business, to help new a business getting started. He has already decided to be one of their first customers when they open. Maybe they will even give him a tour so he can see how everything looks. /*\*/*\ When the items from Sanders' store 'The Yankee Trader' are being delivered, he comes also, to make sure everything is satisfactory. He is met at the delivery door by a sixteen-year-old with purple hair, and bright cheery smile. She escorts him to where her grandmother is overseeing the installation of the Amazon Emporium sign. "Greetings Elder Cologne, I came with the furniture to make sure no mistakes were made in your order and if there was, to rectify them." Ku Lon looks over at the young man and smiles at his eagerness to please. [Yes this will be a good partnership.] She thinks, then responds to his statement. "Thank you Sanders-san, I will check the order as soon as they finish with this sign it should be but a moment." He nods that he will wait, and while waiting, he looks around. He looks into the emporium and sees the other three he had met yesterday working on fixing and setting up shelves in sections for the different goods. As he is about to turn and look in the Nekohanten window, a spot of fire engine red catches his eye. He turns and sees her, the petite redhead is strong, and he is surprised when she lifts an entire shelf unit as if it was a basket of clothes. Next to her is the only male within their group and he seems just as strong. Suddenly the boy and girl stop as if they know they were being watched. They turn and face Michael. That is when he sees the symbols on their foreheads, well on Ranma's since Ryoga was wearing a bandana but his symbol is visible through the bandana to those who know how to see it. /*\*/*\ Ranma and Ryoga are helping in setting up the Emporium with the other Amazons when they feel someone watching them. They turn to look out into the main corridor and see a gajin male standing there watching them. What surprises them, is he has a glowing Tao symbol just like Ryoga's white on the left gold on the right. He then raises his left hand to reveal the image of a white tiger with gold strips overlaid on the same Tao symbol that is on his forehead. Ranma and Ryoga show their emblems to him as well. They didn't understand why but the need to do this is strong within them. "Well it seems we are going to have more to talk about then just furniture." Ku Lon says as she comes up behind Michael.