Ranma 1/2: Ranma No More Alternate History By: Dani Yanega yanega@mindspring.com (please respond to this e-mail address) Chapter Thirty Eight Soun and Genma land in a dumpster in an alley behind a restaurant near the Dojo, the slowly crawl out both are covered in garbage, bruises, frost burns, lightening burns, plus a few other burns from fire and chi. They stagger slowly to the Dojo trying to hold each other up while trying not to touch any area that has burns. This is hard to do for Genma is one massive burn, and Soun is now just as bad. They enter the gates to the Tendo home and head for the house, once inside they remove their shoes and head for the stairs. They stop when they hear a low groan. They slowly head to the dining area, when they arrive they are shocked to find Akane sprawled out on the floor, a plate of Kami-sama knows what on the table bubbling and belching noxious gas fumes in the air. "WWWAAAHHH! MY BABY'S DEAD!" Soun cries a torrent of tears, which Genma is unable to get out of the way of. "AAAAGGGGHHHGGGGRRRROOOOWWWWLLL!" The change to panda is slow and excruciating, Genma passes out from the combination of pain from the change and the burns. Soun rushes to his daughter and is relieved to see her still breathing; he picks her up and carries her up the stairs stepping on Genma while heading for the steps. Soun carries her to her bedroom, and puts Akane to bed then leaves, to go to bed himself, leaving Genma on the floor in the dining room. /*\*/*\ The sun shining into her eyes causes her to slowly wake and look around. Her face a cloud of confusion. Sitting up she recognizes she is in her bedroom. [How'd I get here I last remember getting sick at dinner.] She thinks putting her feet on the floor and standing she falls back to the bed, clutching her stomach with one hand and her head with other while waiting for the dizzy spell to pass. [Ohh, what's happen..urp, uh oh!] Akane runs madly to the bathroom, barely making it in time before her stomach retaliated for last nights meal. Fifteen minutes later Akane stumbles out of the bathroom, she heads downstairs to the kitchen to fix herself some tea. While she walks through the living room she steps on the stomach of Genma not even realizing he is on the floor. [Man what happen last night I fixed dinner and sat down to eat it, then every thing got so kaleidoscope like, I must have passed out. Could every one be right _am I_ a lousy cook?] Akane wonders as she walks into the disaster area lovingly called a kitchen. [No, I am just as good a cook as Kasumi after all we're both girls and aren't girls suppose to be great cooks. We also had the same mother so I _am_ just as good as they are! I must have gotten hold of some bad ingredients, that's it I will need to clean out the food stuffs we have they must have gone bad!] She sets about making herself some tea after rationalizing last nights events. /*\*/*\ Genma's eyes snap open when he feels the weight of someone as they step onto his badly burned torso, he groans in pain, but the intruder continues on paying him no mind. He slowly sits up and sees he is in panda form and decides this is just fine with him. "Saotome! Your up early here let me see if there is any hot water." Soun is about to leave when Genma stops him. /Don't bother Tendo, I'll just pass out because of the pain, I'll just stay a panda for a while./ He finishes flipping the sign several times. "Saotome how do you do that with the signs?" Soun asks in awe. /Saotome secret sign writing technique!/ He tells his friend with a cheeky panda grin. Some time later Akane comes out of the kitchen with the teapot and several cups. She sits down and pours tea for her father, Genma and herself. She takes a sip then looks at her father and the panda. She is about to douse Genma when he stops her. /Don't bother for now dear, but thank you./ Genma tells her trying to appear nice. "Father I am afraid we will need to eat out this morning, the supplies I used in last nights dinner must have been bad. The whole meal made me sick. I will need to go shopping for new supplies for lunch and supper." Akane tells the two martial arts masters whose faces have just hit the floor. There is a knock at the door and Akane goes to answer it, when she returns she is carrying a large 11x14-inch envelope nearly bursting at the seams. She stares at it curiously then hands it to Genma. "Here Mr. Saotome, this was just delivered for you special delivery." She sits down and watches intently as Genma tries to fumble with the package with his bear paws. Akane gets up, she pours the remaining tea water over the panda but nothing happens. It has cooled too much to be effective. She runs quickly to the kitchen to retrieve the one still boiling on the stove. When she returns she douses the panda, which changes with a loud scream. "GGGGRROOOWWLLLAAAAHHHHHH!" Genma glares at the young girl as he pants and fights to stay conscious. She ignores him as she stares at the packet in front of him, Genma sees her intense stare and smiles evilly. Picking up the packet he almost drops it again when he sees the return address is from the government's court of clerks office. He gulps and excuses himself from the table. Akane and Soun watch the man leave and head for the Dojo. Soun with concern and Akane with anger and curiosity. Genma enters the Dojo an evil grin on his face, he takes a silent exaggerated bow for his acting. He then sits down against the wall and opens the packet, he is just as curious as the brat Akane. He pulls out a stack of legal looking documents and flips through them the only thing he understands is his name, Nodoka's, Ranma's, and divorce. Frantic he looks again through the papers trying to understand them when he finds a letter from the most prestigious law firm in Tokyo. He opens the letter and begins to read. Mr. Saotome Genma: Enclosed please find copies of all documents pertaining to your divorce from Nodoka Takashi-Saotome, herein referred to as Nodoka Takashi. Evidence was provided to the courts of your kidnapping of one Ranma Saotome and abandonment of Nodoka Takashi. Evidence was also provided of your ten years of abuse of said Ranma Saotome. In addition, your theft of property from the Kounji Family and the abandoning and endangering of one Ukyo Kounji. Proof has also been furnished to the satisfaction of the courts that on your recent trip to China, it ended in the death of Ranma Saotome. The court has granted Nodoka Takashi a full divorce and all Saotome property left in her care during your absences was awarded to her. Please note Mr. Saotome that the court is now looking into proceedings against you for child abuse, endangerment and manslaughter charges. Enclosed is also a restraining order preventing you from going within a minimum of five hundred yards of Miss Nodoka Takashi and any of the Takashi clan. Masaki Hiromi Attorney at Law Genma drops the letter in his lap and stares at the documents scattered around him. He has always wanted to be free of his marriage to be able to do as he chose. Now that he has that freedom, it seems so empty so not right. He closes his eyes as a single tear escapes, it trickles down his cheek to plop onto the letter from the Takashi lawyer. /*\*/*\ Nodoka wakes to an empty bed she sits up looking franticly for her missing daughter, the room is empty. Nodoka grabs her robe and dashes out, she opens the door to the hallway and runs right into her mother. "_Mother!_ Ran Koh is missing again we have to find her!" Nodoka tries to get past her mother but can't. "It is alright child she is down stairs fixing _you_ breakfast." Taji tells her with a smile. "They sent me up here to get your lazy behind moving." She tells her with a motherly smile. Nodoka runs back into the bedroom, while Taji waits for her in the parlor. Nodoka finally emerges wearing a lavender kimono with a pink obi. Her hair though was in a loose ponytail. Nodoka ignores her mothers shocked gaze and heads down to see her daughter. Nodoka entered the Nekohanten and sees that the leaders of the Light Warriors are still here. They refused to leave after last nights near kidnapping. She smiles while she watches Samuel follow her daughter around the room with his eyes. She notices she is not the only one too see this, Mirako smiles at her, then nods to the boy. "Good morning everyone. How are you doing today Ran Koh?" She asks her daughter while taking her shoulders and staring directly into her eyes. "I am fine really I am. I am just embarrassed that the panda got the drop on me. I guess I will have to learn his secret techniques just to protect myself." She huffs, while she heads back into the kitchen. Everyone in the room stares after Ran Koh's retreating form with curious stares, all but her mother, who has one of shock and fright. Ku Lon notices this and turns to the young mother with a questioning gaze. Nodoka notices and with slumped shoulders she faces the room. "Genma created two very dangerous techniques one was the Yama-sen- ken and the other was the Umi-sen-ken, they are very destructive and because of that he destroyed all record of them. How does Ran Koh know of them?" She asks the Amazon elder, before Ku Lon can tell her Ran Koh answers the question. "The second time I did a mind search on him when we got caught in the chifire, I went deeper into his mind to find the truth. I found the truth of everything that has happen to me or will happen because of him. I also found these techniques hidden away so I removed them from his mind I now have them in mine and I plan to learn them." Ran Koh tells her mother with glowing eyes. "They will help to protect us from the panda, well the Neko-Ken could do that I think, but these techniques will be very helpful with the upcoming war." She tells everyone, while placing a tray of food on the table for her mother. Nodoka sits down and begins to eat as Ran Koh sits down between her and Samuel. Nodoka watches the sect leaders as they seem to be waiting for something. She looks to her mother who looks nervously at the door to the 'Joketsuzoku Village". When she finishes her meal, she takes a sip of tea. "Alright what is going on here? Why are you all so nervous?" Nodoka asks looking directly at her mother. "I can answer that daughter." Nodoka turns at the voice to see her father standing there with his lawyer Masaki Hiromi. "Hello father, Masaki-san." Nodoka says as she bows to them, they come forward and Hiromi hands her a large packet similar to the one Genma received. Nodoka takes the packet and opens it. She pulls out copies of all the documents that Genma received, with only one difference she knows what they mean. She goes through all of them the whole time being closely watched by everyone in the room. When she finishes there is just a single tear going down her face. Her daughter reaches over and wipes the tear away. Nodoka opens her eyes and looks into the amethyst eyes of her child, who smiles at her. "Now we start _our_ new life together, mom." Nodoka smiles at her daughter and takes her in an embrace. The solemn mood is broken when the rest of the 'Warrior of the Light' enters the Nekohanten. They join their team leaders, with questioning looks upon their faces. The two Amazon matriarchs motion for them to sit down. They take their seats and Ku Lon begins. "I can see you are wondering why your leaders are already here. It is because we had an incident last night." Ku Lon pauses while Che Ri and Xian Pu serve tea to everyone. "Ran Koh's father and his friend tried to kidnap her last night, I believe because of your leaders telepathic link plus the telepathic link Ran Koh and Ryoga have with all cats is what saved her." Ku Lon stares into the faces of fourteen confused and shocked warriors not to mention the Takashi clan. "Ah, you did not know of that telepathic connection." Everyone shakes their head. "Well we will explain later right now Genma Saotome and Soun Tendo are stepping up their efforts to try and take Ran Koh to force her into marriage with Soun's daughter. They will not attack during the day. They know, very well they can not defeat her. "Then they will continue to attack at night, and they may harm her mother to get to her." Msu Tsu states quietly, while trying to think of a solution. "Yes, boy we are afraid of that, we know Nodoka can handle herself but when they use drugs not even the best martial arts can fight against it." Mas Cra tells them placing the bottle of chloroform on the table. "Now I don't have the spell personally but we might have it now." Alex starts slowly then looks up from the bottle to the rest. "I have heard of protection spells that can be placed around a building or encampment that will turn anyone or thing tying to get in into a living statue until they are released." He looks to Ran Koh and Samuel, for conformation or understanding. "I see, I don't think I have it but I have not looked through all my tomes yet for fear of damaging them more, but with all the tomes left to us by the monks we may find something." Ran Koh says showing the light of understanding. "I think until we find that spell though Ran Koh should not stay here." Alex continues, ignoring the growing angry stares of the Takashi women, save Ran Koh. "Yes I agree, her safest place during the night would be at her laboratory, only she can open it and I don't think those men would even dare climb a mountain at night." Samuel agreeing with Alex also ignores the looks from Ran Koh's mother and grandmother. "I will not allow my daughter to be hold up in a cave alone with two men!" Nodoka tells them rising to her feet. "Actually Auntie Nodoka it will be three men I will not let my soul mate out of my sight, until that spell is found." Ryoga adds his comments to the party. "Hey! Don't I get a say in this decision process?" Ran Koh asks a little annoyed. "NO!" Everyone shouts out her, Msu Tsu just chuckles at her plight as he watches her slump in her chair, with crossed arms and an angry pout. The room continues to make plans to keep Ran Koh safe, only Msu Tsu watches the effect this has on the party in question. He smiles slightly as he sees her aura start to form not her golden white but her own multi colored one. He shakes his head and sends a quick message telepathically to his teammates to be warned all hell is about to break loose. His teammates suddenly turn to the Chinese boy who continues to watch Ran Koh, his prediction coming true. "ENOUGH!" Ran Koh screams slamming her fist on the table, wood can be heard cracking under the assault. "_I will not_ live in fear of those to jackasses!" She continues eyes burning with lavender fire. "My _whole_ life was run by that idiot _I will NOT_ allow it any longer!" She glares at everyone in the room. "I have sat here listening to how I am to run and hide, well I won't do it! I listened to what your ideas were, _NOW_ I will tell you how we will do it." She gets up and starts to leave toward the kitchen, she pauses and turns looking at the people in the room. "WELL, lets go I need to show you something!" They all look sheepish and get up and follow the sorceress outside, she talks as they go. "I will go look for that spell Alex mentioned I will however _not_ hide in my lab." They exit the delivery entrance to the back of the building. The building is a hundred yards from a forest. She waits till they are all out side. She is about to begin again when they hear a question from a new voice. "What is everyone doing out here? I brought the school uniforms for everyone." They turn to see Nabiki standing there with a confused grin. "I am about to show everyone my idea for the threat Genma and your father poses to me and my family." Ran Koh tells her. Nabiki shudders inwardly, when she sees the anger and determination in the eyes of the white hair girl. She is about to ask for more when a hand clamps on her shoulder stemming any more questions. "Wait Nabiki she is about to explain." Hayashi tells her, while he watches his niece proud of her determination and strength. "First I have put in place an early warning system." Everyone but Ryoga looks confused since he is beginning to understand. "You have the cats watching for them don't you?" He asks his soul mate, she smiles and nods affirmative. "You see we told you of the Neko-Ken training Genma put me through, well when the monks made Ryoga and me soul mates they split the Neko-Ken _spirit_ between us. We both have conscious control over the Neko-Ken which makes us more dangerous then normal people because the uncontrollability of a cats ferocious nature is now a part of us." Ran Koh pauses to let that information sink in to everyone, it didn't take long. "We also found a side benefit, which for me is more important than anything I could have ever dream of." They all stare at Ryoga with a look of confusion, except of course the Amazons as they knew all this and were beginning to see where it was going. "Nephew's family has its own curse they have the worse sense of direction ever. They can get lost turning a corner." Ku Lon puts in to help the confusion. "*SIGH* Yeah it stinks too, but when the Neko-ken was merged into Ran Koh and me we got an unexpected benefit, we now are telepathically linked with ALL cats." He finishes looking into the faces of skepticism. "Please watch I will have the cats near by show themselves." Ran Koh tells them, while closing her eyes. {Please, show yourselves my friends, so my human companions will know I am safe.} Ran Koh asks the nearby cats. The group watches Ran Koh with disbelief until the hear the roar of hundreds of cats as they come forward. Everyone looks around shock evident on their faces even the elders are impressed. Ran Koh kneels down to one cat in particular a smoky blue gray cat with golden eyes. It was a huge cat for a stray, and when Ran Koh bends down it jumps into her arms. The people can hear Cali meowing and watch while the blue gray cat bats at the location of where Cali sits on her shoulder. "This is Golden Blue, he likes that name, but Ryoga and I call him Blue, he is the leader of the stray cats and will coordinate them for watching the Tendo Dojo and the 'Joketsuzoku Village'." She says while she scratched behind Blue's ears, he purrs loudly while closing his eyes. "They will tell me and Ryoga when those to morons are on their way. Plus if something happens and we can't get ready fast enough to stop them ole' Blue here has a backup plan don't you boy." Ran Koh purrs at the large muscular cat, it still purring happily in her arms. "What might that be, niece?" Ku Lon asks, her curiosity peeked. "Watch the forest everyone and see our surprise warrior." Ran Koh tells everyone. {Alright your turn come to the edge of the forest show them the pride of our cat army!} Ran Koh requests, while she and the others watch the woods. Everyone turns to the woods behind the 'Joketsuzoku Village' where a rustling can be heard. They all gasp when a large Siberian tiger steps to the edge of the woods. "RANCHAN what are you doing? Get away from it!" Ukyo shouts as Ran Koh walks toward the tiger Ryoga following her. "Its alright he won't hurt us will you boy." The tiger lays down in front of the soul mates. Blue jumps down from Ran Koh and proceeds to play with tail of the tiger, Cali joins him in the play, and the big cat does nothing, but encourage the activity. "Ran Koh where did he come from that tiger is not native to Japan!" Hayashi asks with his sword at the ready. "Oh I don't know for sure he probably came from a traveling circus or something like that. He stays to the wooded areas and tries to avoid calling attention to himself." She tells her uncle while she is scratching the ears of the tiger. "H..He's not going to k..kill my father, is he?" Nabiki asks fear for her father's safety showing, Ran Koh stands and stares into her eyes. "I will tell you truthfully, he _wants_ to, but he has agreed not to unless it is the only way to protect the people living in this building." She tells the Tendo girl, Nabiki looks to Ran Koh and the large tiger standing next to her, she nods her understanding. The tiger comes forward, standing between Ryoga and Ran Koh, daring anyone to make a move toward them. Nodoka stares at the big cat with defiance. She steps forward, she takes her daughter in a hug, and kisses her forehead. "We will do it your way daughter, it is just we worry for your safety." She stares deep into the eyes of her child and Ran Koh smiles. "I know mom but now that we have the cats on alert Genma and Soun are going to find it harder to pay us unwanted visits. She tells her mother with a smile. The tiger steps forward sniffs Nodoka closely, deciding she is alright nudges her leg until she drops her hand onto his head. She then begins to scratch his ears. The three look down at the tiger and begin to laugh. "Well mom I guess your ok, Sera seems to like you." The rest of the group begins to unwind but no one else wants to test the favor of the giant cat. Soon the cats all disappear back into hiding, and everyone reenters the building. They all head to the restaurant to begin making alternate plans. Even though Ran Koh is not happy with them. Nodoka holds her daughter back in the kitchen as she wishes to talk with her. "Ran Koh, dear I have a favor to ask you." Nodoka asks hesitantly. "What is it mom?" Ran Koh responds with a curious stare. "I want you to start teaching me magic. I want to be able to help you in this war." Nodoka tells her daughter. Ranko looks at her mother her eyes wide with fear and worry. Ranko starts to step back while shaking her head no, but Nodoka reaches out and grabs her shoulders. Determination gleaming in Nodoka's fiery blue eyes. "Please daughter I want to learn, I _need_ to learn!" She continues while staring deeper into Ran Koh's eyes. "But mom, this fight is going to be dan...!" Nodoka cuts her off with a cold stare. "Child I am a Takashi and a swordswoman, I will fight with or without the knowledge of magic. It is just that you and Genma have the bond of martial arts, I just thought...!" She leaves the sentence hang, Ran Koh nods and hugs her mother tightly. "Alright mom I will, I will, start your training right after we find the protection spell, ok?" Ran Koh asks, her mother nods. The two Takashi women rejoin the others in the main restaurant, everyone watching them as they return. They sit at the table with the others. They look from face to face with curiosity. "So what is going on?" Ran Koh asks those present. "It is time child, for you and the other two mages to go check the tomes for the protection spells. We will keep a watch out for those two idiots, in case they try anything." Mas Cra tells the sorceress. "Maybe we won't have to, I know Genma is to dense to give up but maybe Mr. Tendo will be more reasonable." Ran Koh tells them hopefully. She hates being babied. "I am afraid that my father is just as dense Ran Koh, when he gets a hold of an idea, even the Kami-sama can't move him." Nabiki tells the young girl with sad eyes. "*SIGH* Then this will have to do for now, until we can think of something else. Michael do you have an estimate on when the order for the new bookshelves will be in?" Ran Koh turns to her teammate, with a questioning look. "I put a rush on the order for you I should get it in about a weeks time." He tells her, Ran Koh deflates a little. "Ok, I guess we can start building the walkways why we wait. Ryoga did the lumber yard have what we need?" She turns looking hopeful at her soul mate, he smiles sheepishly at her. "Well, I don't know how to tell you this, Ran Koh." He looks at her with a look of nervousness. "Oh don't tell me we gotta wait for that too!" She asks exasperated at the delays. "Well actually no, I was just teasing! Everything is at the 'Yankee Traders', Michael is going to drive the truck for us like last time." Ryoga tells his friend then dodges as she tries to bop him on the head. "I'll tell you what, why don't we all go with you we can help Ryoga build what needs building why the three of you go through the tomes." Taj suggests to them, Ran Koh reluctantly agrees. Nodoka is about to ask if she can go when she is stopped by a small wrinkled hand. She turns to look into the small black eyes of her distant cousin. She sighs, while she watches the 'Warriors of the Light' disappear. "I know you wish to be with her but you must let her be who she is, she is highly independent, and will not tolerate being smothered. Don't worry she will be fine. They are a team now and Ran Koh needs this time alone with them to learn to act as a team player, nephew needs this as well. He has been alone most of his life, lost, these team efforts will help them when the battle finally begins." Ku Lon turns and heads into the kitchen to start preparing for today's customers. Today is big day the shipment from the village has arrived and today will be stocking of shelves, and final touches on the book keeping. For tomorrow the 'Amazon Emporium' opens its doors. There is much to do, before that happens. Hayashi and Nodoka have agreed to help. Mirako and Tofu are busy enhancing Derek's skills, and Nabiki is off for her first day at Takashi Industries.