It was just another day in Nerima, the birds were singing and the sun was shining bright. All was as it should be, except for a dot flying in from the West.
“Just my luck, overslept for my first day at my new school.” Pan grumbled as she flew her way to Furinkan High School. “And I still need to find a place to land where no one will see me. Mom told me to disguise my power at this school. Flying into class on the first day is definitely not a good way to start.”
Son Pan just transferred to Furinkan High School for this term, and, if she chooses, until she graduates. Her parents sent her to a fairly remote school so that she could go to school without any intervention from her Grandfathers’ legacies. Being the granddaughter of a great martial artist (and a not-so-great martial artist) is not easy. At her other schools the boys would either avoid her, or only want to date her to meet her Grandpa Satan. If they only knew the truth…
Pan was shook herself free of her thoughts as she saw the oncoming high school. Selecting a fairly secluded alleyway, Pan took a slight speed boost and landed unnoticed.
Pan took a minute to check her book bag. “Pencils, paper, books…Everything’s here.” She straightened out her clothes and her bandana. Even though she was quite boy crazy she still liked to dress comfortably instead of fashionably. T-shirt, jeans, bandana, and knuckle gloves all give her the comfortable-enough-to-kick-your-ass look.
As Pan walked through the front gates of Furinkan High, she took a look around at all students. Not much to speak about really. She thought. I can’t feel any Ki from any of these people. And most of these guys aren’t very cute either. Wait a minute. I feel fairly large power (for a human) behind me.
“RANMA!!!”
Pan turned around in time to see a dark haired pigtailed boy in a red shirt and black pants run through the front gates. He’s kinda cute. And he has a decent amount of power too! I might like this school after all! He is hiding most of his power though, so he’s not the one I sensed. There! Following the boy through the gates is a shorthaired girl with a mallet. I’m sure there’s a story here somewhere. This girl has some serious power, nothing compared to what that boy is hiding, but large.
“Ranma, I’m going to kill you!!!” Akane takes a golf swing at Ranma with the oversized mallet and propels him over the top of the high school.
Here’s my Chance to meet him. Pan chuckled to herself. Taking advantage of everyone’s attention to mallet-girl and Ranma, Pan disappeared. A super speed boost and short flight later, she was in line to catch Ranma on his way down.
Pan grabbed Ranma one-handed by the scruff of the neck and landed on the roof.
“Fly around here often?” Pan asked Ranma with her most winning smile. He’s a LOT cuter up close.
“You… You… Can Fly!?!” Ranma stammered out. He can tell this girl is very powerful, how powerful he can’t tell.
“Since I was 4. Grandpa taught me. My name’s Son Pan.” Pan held out her hand.
“Saotome Ranma. Pleased to meet you.” Ranma shook the offered hand.
“I’m kinda new here, you think you can show me around?” Again Pan gave her most winning and cute smile.
“Uh, sure. How old are you?”
“That’s not something you usually ask a girl when you first meet her.” She added a flick of eyelashes to the smile.
“I mean, uh…I need to know so I can tell what class your in.” I better get rid of this girl quick, or Akane’s going to kill me for trying to pick up another fiancée. I’ll just deposit her in her class and that will be the end of it. But then again, she does know how to fly…Maybe I could get her to teach me that without her coming on to me.
This being a lot of thought for Ranma in one setting, it started to take some actual time in the real world. Pan finally gave up.
“Sixteen. I’m a freshman.”
“What a
coincidence, so am I. You’re in my
class.” Ahh crap!
“How nice. Lead on. And by the way…”
“Yeah?”
“Could you keep the whole flying thing between us. I’m trying to keep a low profile.”
Here’s an opening! “Only if you teach me how.”
“Okay!” Pan did a short leap and clapped her
hands. He’s all mine!
Ahh crap!
A couple of minutes later (just in time for class), Ranma ushered Pan into the classroom.
“Here’s the classroom. Your napping place away from your bed.”
“Thank you, Ranma. Where’s your seat?” Hope. Hope.
“Over there between Akane and Ukyou. There’s an empty seat over there.” Ranma pointed to a seat fairly close to the front.
This whole time Akane was giving both Ranma and Pan a glare that would kill most people. Ranma pointed Pan to a seat and took his beside Akane.
“An WHO is that.” Akane growled.
“Just a new student. Nothing to get jealous about.”
“Who’s jealous? Not like we’re really in a relationship.”
“Yeah, Yeah. Arranged marriage and such. But still nothing you need to worry about. Oh by the way, I’m sorry.”
“For this
morning?” Ranma’s actually
apologizing for once? This could
actually mean something.
“No. For all those times I called you a tomboy.” Pointing to Pan. “That’s a Tomboy.”
“Ranma no BAKA!”
Pan only saw Ranma pointing at her. I hope he’s not telling about the flying thing. “WHAM!” The next moment Ranma was completely buried into the floor under the ever-present mallet. That has to hurt.
Ukyou picked up the hammer and checked underneath. “Ranma-honey, you alive under there?”
Ranma HONEY!? This could be a definite problem. Pan decided that she should better pay attention to what they were saying. And this girl has more power than the other one. Still nothing compared to me, or Ranma for that matter.
“Just great.” Ranma said as he picked the splinters out of his teeth and took his seat.
“Good morning class!” A bubbly child with long brown hair jumped into the room and behind the desk at the front.
“Good morning, Miss Haniko.” Chorused the class.
Who’s the kid? Thought Pan. She CAN’T be the teacher.
“Class, we have a new student. Would you please introduce yourself?”
Oh my god, she is.
Pan stood up from her desk and moved to the front of the class. “Son Pan. Pleased to meet you.”
Class ended
for the day without incident. Pan was
trying her best to catch up with Ranma, but the crowds were getting in the
way. I can’t fly or nothing to get
to him! Just then Ranma jumped out
of one of the windows to the ground below.
If he can do it and nobody notices, then so can I!
Pan opened the window closest to her and launched herself after Ranma. Ranma was leaning on the wall waiting for Akane to make her way out.
“Hi, again.” Pan gave Ranma the smile again.
“Yo, Pan. Enjoy your first day?”
“Yup. So when do you want to learn how to
fly? I’m free now.” And available…
“Saotome, you cur!” Shouted another teenager in a kendo outfit running for Ranma.
“Hold that thought, Pan. I have to take care of something first.”
“Does this happen everyday?”
“Usually I take care of him in the morning after my morning ‘flight’. I just missed it when I was talking to you.”
“Hate to cut into your busy schedule.” Pan smiled with a wink.
“Saotome, you barbarous lout. I wilt smite thee today!” The kendoist was getting closer.
Pan moved in front of Ranma and stood arms akimbo. “You mind. We’re trying to have a conversation here.”
“Ah, what a fire burns within such beauty. I shall introduce myself.” The kendoist rose to his full height.
“Please don’t.” Ranma had a very bored look on his face.
“I am the blue thunder of Furinkan High School. Kuno Tatewaki, age 17.” A brief flash of thunder appeared behind him. “If you defeat me, I will allow you to date with me.”
“Sorry, I don’t date weaklings.”
Kuno’s jaw dropped to the floor. “Such utter disrespect for your betters. Even though you possess great beauty I will have to teach you a lesson…by defeating Ranma to show my strength! Have at thee!”
Kuno took a flying leap at Ranma with his Bokken held high. Pan caught the sword mid-swing. The wooden sword splintered into several pieces.
“Hey, remember me. The one who you should be fighting.” Pan said with an evil grin.
“You have destroyed my sword! No matter.” Kuno reached into his outfit and pulled another. “I will forgive you this transgression and still let my first offer stand.”
“Oh, shut up!” Pan punched Kuno in the stomach.
Kuno flew backwards. “WHAM! WHAM!”
“Y’know Kuno, most people stop at the first wall.” Ranma knew Pan was powerful, but that was impressive.
Kuno, for his part, was splattered spread eagle on the wall of a building across the street from the high school. He was muttering something that sounded like, “Such beauty. Such strength. She rivals the fair Akane, and even the fierce pigtailed girl!”
By this time Akane had caught up with Ranma and Pan.
“Yo, Akane. This is my new friend Pan. Pan this is Akane.”
Akane and Pan exchanged looks filled with daggers.
“Nice to meet you.” Akane bit out between clenched teeth.
“Same. So how to you know Ranma?” Pan said in much the same manner.
“He’s my
fiancée…Err.” As soon as she had said
it she realized something. Oh my
god, I didn’t just...
Ranma’s jaw
nearly fell to his feet. She didn’t
just…
Admit that we’re fiancées!? Both thought simultaneously.
“I don’t see a ring. Where’s the ring? You can’t have a fiancée without a ring.” Pan’s Ki level started to rise.
Ranma finally decided he should do something before someone got hurt (most likely himself). “HOLD IT! Our parents arranged the marriage. It’s nothing to fight about, really. Why don’t we all just settle down?”
Ranma trying to stop a fight? Who is this guy and what did he do with my Ranma? Akane’s aura began to shrink.
One down, one to go. I gotta settle Pan down before she does something to Akane. “You’re a martial artist, right Pan?”
“Yeah, so?”
“We’re doing this so that we can continue ours parents martial arts school and dojo. You have to under stand that.”
“Yeah, so? I already own a dojo.”
Akane and Ranma both looked in shock at that. “What?!”
“Yeah, my grandpa gave it to me for my 16th birthday. Ranma could run my dojo.”
“Listen, girl. If you want a shot at Ranma, you’re going to have to get in line. He has already been taken several times over.” Akane stated matter-of-factly.
“You love him that much?”
“I never said I loved him!”
“There’s that Hussy! I told you she was eyeing Ranma-honey.”
“Shampoo take care of new girl.”
A brown-haired, Ukyou, and purple-haired girl, Shampoo, came running toward Pan brandishing a large spatula and bonbari respectively.
“That’s
part of the line I was telling you about.”
Akane added with a slight smirk.
They’ll take care of her.
“Wait!!!” But Ranma was a little too late.
Shampoo was the first to reach Pan. She swung one of her bonbari head level at Pan. Pan didn’t even attempt to dodge. The weapon connected, and shattered! Ukyou slammed down with her giant spatula and accomplished nothing but denting her spatula.
While the two girls were staring in shock, Pan spun around with a high roundhouse kick that sent both of the other girls flying in opposite directions. Both landing with an audible “Thud!”
What is she?! She can’t be human! Akane thought as she backed away from the new rival. She took out Shampoo and Ukyou without even breaking a sweat! How am I going to get out of this one?
Pan finished her turn looked directly at Akane. “One more.” She began to walk toward Akane cracking her knuckles.
“Ra-Ranma…” Akane took a step back
“Happo 10 Yen Satsu.” After brief flash of light, Pan fell
unconscious. Standing behind her was an
older and more curvaceous Ms Hinako holding a ten Yen coin between her
fingers. “I swear you are all
delinquents.” With that being said Ms
Hinako continued her walk away from the school.
Ranma went over and checked on
Pan. Surprisingly enough she was only
unconscious. Usually after that massive
of a drain, Ms Hinako’s victim was usually paper thin.
“What hit Shampoo?” Shampoo came around shaking her head trying
to clear it.
“You can say that again. I still need to find my back teeth.” Ukyou looked to be in the same shape.
“You two all right?” Ranma called to them.
“Just peachy, sugar.” Ukyou picked up her spatula. The large part of it had a human head-shaped
dent in it. What was that girl made
of?
“Shampoo give girl Kiss of
Death.” Shampoo started to move toward
the unconscious Pan.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
“Husband have feelings for new girl already?!”
“No! But if you try to kill her, she WILL kill you. What she used to take you and Ukyou down was only a small piece of her power. You’d be signing your own death warrant.”
“What Shampoo supposed to do? Is Amazon Law!”
“Forget about the whole thing. Act like nothing happened until I can figure out some way to keep her contained.”
“Great-Grandmother no like this. Shampoo is bruised.”
“Just tell her I accidentally hit you while I was fighting Ryouga or something. That’s believable enough.”
“More believable if say Ryouga hit Shampoo.”
“Whatever. I just don’t need any casualties. In fact I’d suggest that both of you lay low for a while.”
“Shampoo hear wisdom and concern in Husband’s words. I do it for you.” Shampoo tried to slide up next to Ranma, but was stopped by Ukyou.
“I’ll stay out of it until my head stops rattling. But I want payback somewhere.” Ukyou had restored her spatula to its original shape and returned it to its place on her back. “What do you plan on doing with her?”
“I’m going to take her back to the Tendo Dojo and see if dad, Soun, or the old freak can tell me anything.”
“You are NOT taking this girl to OUR house!” Akane had finally snapped out of her mini-coma. “She’ll kill us all!”
“Don’t worry Akane. Ms Hinako took a large helping of Ki away from her. She’ll be a little easier to handle until she gets her strength back. In the mean time, we can try to talk some sense into her.” Ranma walked over and picked Pan up off of the ground. He noticed something wasn’t right.
“She weighs a ton!”
“Ranma you’re not supposed to talk about a woman’s weight like that!” Even though only Akane said it, all of the girls were glaring at him with bonbari, spatula, and mallet at the ready.
“Wait a minute! I didn’t say she was fat! It’s just that she weighs about three or four times more than a person her size should.”
“Whatever. Let’s just get her home.” Akane started walking toward home.
Ranma turned toward the remaining girls. “Remember, lay low. I don’t want anybody getting hurt.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice, sugar.”
“Shampoo no like it, but will do as husband say.”
For once. Thought Ranma.
As the two girls left to their respective homes, Ranma carried the sleeping form of Pan back to the Tendo Dojo.
Back at the Tendo Dojo several hours later. Pan finally stirred. I feel so weak. I haven’t felt this weak since…well…I’ve never felt this weak! Where am I? I can feel Ranma and Akane nearby. Pan finally opened her eyes.
A kindly young woman was watching over her. Her brown hair was draped in a ponytail over her right shoulder. She was wearing a dress and just had a general feeling of motherhood and kindness.
“You’re awake. Good. My name is Kasumi. I’m Akane’s sister. Ranma and Akane brought you to our home after Ms Hinako drained you.”
“’Drained me’? What do you mean ‘drained me’?”
“Why don’t you come into the dining area and we can answer your questions with everyone else present. You can also join us for dinner if you like.”
Pan’s stomach rumbled very audibly as if on cue. “I think I’d like that. Can I use your phone? My parents are probably worried about me.”
“Sure. It’s right over there. After you’re through the dining area is down the stairs and to your right.”
“Thank you. I’ll be there in a little bit.”
Kasumi left to finish dinner.
Pan checked her watch. 7:00! I’ve never been knocked out that long, even when I was sparring grandpa Goku. Mom and dad are probably worried sick. She picked up the phone and dialed her parents’ number.
“This is Videl.”
“Mom.”
“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE BEEN OUT HOURS AGO!!!”
Pan had to
hold the receiver at arms length to keep her eardrums intact. She may not be blood related to grandma
Chi Chi, but she definitely has the same lung capacity.
“Mom, I made some new friends at school, and I was wandering if I could, uh, stay and have dinner with them.”
“It’s good that you’re making friends Pan, but why couldn’t you have called sooner…like after school was out!?”
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you when I get home. I still don’t have all the details. I was kinda…knocked out at school.”
“WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT FIGHTING AT SCHOOL!!!”
“Always win.”
“DARN RIGHT. We can’t have the granddaughter of two Tenkaichi Budoukai winners being beat up by just anybody.”
“That’s why it’s a long story. They’re waiting on me. Can I stay please! I promise I’ll tell you all about it when I get home.”
“Oh all right, but I want you back here by ten. You still have to go to school tomorrow.”
“I know. I’ll be home in time.” It only takes about 10 minutes at top speed anyway.
“Bye, Pan”
“Bye, Mom.”
Pan hung up the phone and joined the Tendos and Saotomes in the dining area. Ranma and Akane were at each other’s throat like usual. Soun and Genma were out on the deck playing a game of Go. Nibiki was thumbing through her black book figuring out tomorrow’s accounts due.
“Yo, Pan. How you feeling?” Ranma asked.
“A little weak, but ok. What happened to me?”
“That would
be Ms Hinako’s Happo Satsu
technique. She can use it to drain any
powerful auras. She just saw that you
were fighting on the school grounds and drained you. She has this thing against delinquents”
“How could the school board allow a
vampire to be a teacher!?”
“It was the principal’s idea
actually.”
“What? What kind of nutball is he?”
“Funny you should put it like
that. He is a freakin’ nutball. You’re lucky you haven’t met him yet.”
“Or had to get chased for a
haircut…” Akane added.
Pan ignored Akane and continued talking to Ranma. “So is there anything else I should know about this school?”
“That’s kinda what I wanted to talk to you about.” Ranma went into his life story (neglecting the whole Jusenkyo curse). Ranma told Pan of his engagement to Akane, the trouble it’s caused him (in response he received a malleting from Akane). After recovering, he continued to tell of his engagement to Ukyou and Shampoo. He also told her about the psycho Kodachi and the general havoc that is his life.
“So you see, I can’t date you because I got enough girl problems already.”
Akane, although still slightly mad about his earlier comments, was impressed with Ranma. He’s actually doing something responsible. Now if he could do this with all his other fiancées.
Ranma, despite what Akane was thinking, had always tried to do this with his other fiancées and admirers. Pan was the first one that actually looked like she was listening.
Pan was crushed. She should have known that a man this good would be taken. She just didn’t realize how many times he was taken. Of course, she hadn’t missed his looks at Akane when she wasn’t paying attention. She also noticed how Akane called out to Ranma when Pan was about to take her out. Even now with their little spats. It was so obvious that they were in love. Obvious to anyone but those two, that is.
Oh well, if you can’t beat them…
“Okay. I’ll lay off. But I still have a promise to fulfill.”
Akane’s aura started to flare up. Ranma jumped back.
“It’s nothin’ like that! I Swear!”
Pan giggled. “Don’t worry Akane. It isn’t. I just told him I’d teach him how to fly.” Might as well spill all the beans. These people seem trustworthy enough.
Akane was still staring at Ranma, mallet materializing in her hands. “You sure it’s not…”
“Akane! She can really fly! I made a deal that if I didn’t tell anybody at school then she would teach me!” Ranma was almost out the door.
“Here. I’ll show you.” Pan lifted up from her seat. Kasumi entered with dinner. Pan flew over and helped her.
Kasumi using her large repertoire of wit said, “Oh my!”
Pan helped Kasumi set the table and the family gathered around the table and began to eat. The Soun and the girls were all eating like any normal person would, and, like normal, Ranma and Genma were fighting over the best parts of the meal.
“So, Pan. Who taught you martial arts?” Soun asked between bites.
“Mostly my grandpa Goku.”
At that statement, all the men in the room froze in position.
Genma looked like deer caught in the headlights. “Grandpa Goku…you mean ‘Son Goku’? THE Son Goku?”
“You’ve heard of him?” Pan asked. Not everyone knew of the existence of Son Goku. Especially 11 years after his last public appearance.
“You’ve heard of him pops?” Ranma was always amazed when his father knew something that was actually useful.
“It’s something I’ll remember to my dieing day. I was six years old and I was present at the 22nd Tenkaichi Budoukai. Son Goku, the second place winner from the year before, was in the finals facing a terrible foe, Ma Junior. Ma Junior was the spawn of Piccolo Daimaou, the Great Demon king. The battle was epic. The heavens and earth shook. In the end Son Goku had won the day, and the earth was saved. The whole experience inspired me to be a martial artist.
“In fact, boy, you should remember him from our training journeys. When you were five we went to the 28th Tenkaichi Budoukai. Where that battle between Son Goku and that little powerhouse Uub took place. Do you remember feeling the power coming off of that platform? It was overwhelming.”
“Yeah, I remember going. But all I really remembered was that there was a kid my age fighting and I was mad you wouldn’t let me fight.”
“That was me! I was the one fighting!”
Ranma looked at Pan with disbelief. “You beat up all those adults on stage when you were only five?”
“What happened?” Akane was getting interested in the conversation.
“Pan won third place. Behind Majin Buu and the great Mr. Satan.”
Pan laughed at the last comment.
“What is so funny?” Genma didn’t think he had said anything wrong.
“Sorry. Family secret.” And joke.
“So you’re really that powerful?” Ranma was still having a little trouble accepting it.
“Want to spar a little bit. I’ll show you what a real martial artist is like.”
“Sorry, but I don’t fight girls.”
“How about full speed, light contact?”
“Aren’t you still weak from Ms. Hinako’s drain?”
“I could still take you. What? Are you chicken?”
“You’re on!”
Ranma and Pan leapt from the table and into the backyard. They both took up fighting stances. Pan jumped at Ranma. Ranma managed to just barely turn the hit into a glancing blow. Again Pan took the offensive with a leg sweep. It caught Ranma and threw him to the ground.
Damn she’s fast! Ranma had to do something, and quick!
“KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!” Ranma’s fists became a blur.
Pan what taken completely by surprise; and, because of her weakened condition, she could barely keep up blocking the incoming punches. He’s fast. If I was at full power I could take him easily, but he could give Uncle Krillen a run for his money.
I’m just barely keeping her busy. Ranma thought. I need more speed. I know!
Ranma broke away from the fight and back flipped right into to pond. Pan almost started to laugh until the female Ranma-Chan came back out.
“Now, where were we?” Ranma-Chan was ready to go.
“You! You turned into a girl!” Pan began to back up.
“KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!” The shower that came this time was much too fast for Pan to keep up with, and the shock of what happened to Ranma was enough to make her jump backwards-in retreat.
“All right. Now it’s my turn for surprises.” Pan took the bandanna off her head and threw it aside. The bandanna landed with a “THUMP!” She then proceeded to remove her gloves and shoes. These also made similar sounds on impact. Then she started to pull off her shirt.
“WHOA! No more stripping! You’ll get me in trouble again!”
“Shut up! I have an undershirt on.” Pan finished removing the shirt and threw it aside. The ground caved in a little around it.
Ranma-Chan realized why she had weighed so much when he was bringing her home. She was wearing weighted clothing! She used that to get stronger, just like Ryoga does with his umbrella and backpack.
“Now let’s see you try that again.” Pan crouched back into her fighting stance.
“KACHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!”
This time the results were drastically different. Pan even started hitting back…Hard!
“And you want to use secret tricks? Fine.” Pan extended her hand and let loose a Ki blast at Ranma-Chan’s feet. The ground exploded and Ranma-Chan just barely had time to dodge.
“Remember: You started this. MOKO TAKABISHA!” Ranma-Chan released a large Ki blast at Pan.
Pan wasn’t expecting Ranma-Chan to be able to do that, but she still had a few tricks up her sleeve. Crouching down, she cupped both her hands to her right side.
“KA-ME…” A small ball of Ki started to form between her hands.
“HA-ME…” The ball grew in size to match Ranma-Chan’s incoming shot.
“HA!” Pan threw her hands forward and released the massive ball of Ki.
The two balls collided and exploded knocking several of the spectators off their feet. The two combatants, however, were still standing and ready for more.
I haven’t had this much fun sparring in a long time! Pan was overjoyed. Her Saiya-Jin heritage was working overtime. She proceeded to attack Ranma-Chan with her fists and feet as fast as she could.
What she didn’t notice was Ranma-Chan lowering his Ki level and moving in a spiral while dodging Pan.
I really shouldn’t do this to her, but I need to pull out all the stops to defeat her. Ranma-Chan completed the spiral and made her ultimate attack.
“HIRYU SHOTEN HA!”
The next thing Pan knew she was flying through the air caught in an
unnatural twister. She had to project
all of her Ki outwards to keep from taking any damage. The winds died just as suddenly as they
began and she fell, power spent.
Ranma-Chan caught her in mid-air, let her down gently, and put her in
an arm bar.
“Say Uncle!” Ranma-Chan said
with a grin.
“You know you could never take me at full power…” Pan grumbled.
“Hey. You were the one that
turned this into a serious match. I’m
just doing what it takes to win.”
“All right. You win.” Mom’s going to love this.
Ranma-Chan
let her go and they both went back into the house.
Pan’s stomach growled.
“Uhh…Kasumi, may I please have some more food? I’ll pay for it if I have to.”
Kasumi just smiled. “No need
for that. I always have to make a lot
for Ranma and his father.”
“Can you grab the kettle while you’re at it?” Ranma-Chan asked.
“Sure.” Kasumi left for the
kitchen.
Pan turned to Ranma-Chan.
“Okay, spill it! Are really a
girl or a boy?”
“Hey! I’m a guy! I just change this way whenever I’m doused
with cold water.” Ranma related all the
details about he and his father’s fateful trip to Jusenkyo and how they were
cursed to transform with cold water and return to their original forms with
warm.
Kasumi returned and set a healthy serving of food in front of Pan and
handed the kettle of hot water to Ranma-Chan.
“See. Watch.” Ranma-Chan poured
the water over his head and, right before Pan’s eyes, he returned to male form.
“That’s incredible!”
“I used to think that it completely sucked. But after a while I found out that I was much faster in girl
form. And you also get a lot of free
food as a girl!”
“Baka!” Akane said under her
breath.
Pan quickly shoveled all the food down. Her speed at downing the food put Ranma and Genma to shame.
“Thank you, Kasumi, for the food.
And I thank all of you for the hospitality.”
Pan collected all of her clothes and put them back on.
“Where do you live?” Asked
Soun. “Do you need a ride?”
“I live at Mt. Paozu is 440 East District.”
That made Nabiki take her eyes from her books. “440 East District? That’s a five-hour ride in a jet! You can’t be doing that every day.”
“Sure I can. I just fly it.”
“Well, why don’t you stay here during the week?” Soun suggested. “We have a spare room, and you could teach us more about your martial arts.”
“Yeah, and you wouldn’t be all tired and sweaty when you got to school.” Nabiki’s mind was going at full speed. A Granddaughter of a Tenkaichi Budoukai champion, hmmm...This could bring in lots of dough. Plus her pictures could be sold to more people than Ranma and Akane’s.
“Okay. I’ll see about it. I have to clear it with mom and dad first.”
“No rush.” Akane didn’t like this.
“I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow.” With that, Pan grabbed her bag and rocketed toward the horizon.
Soun went and stood beside Genma. “It looks like our lives have become a little more interesting. Eh, Soatome?”
“Indeed Tendo. Indeed.”
Ryoga Hibiki was lost. This was nothing new to him; he wasn’t called “The Eternal Lost Boy” for nothing. Today he found himself on a shear face of a mountain. He came to about half way up the mountain and found a cave. The night was coming soon, so he decided to make camp. He checked the cave to see how deep it went.
After a fairly short walk he came to a metal door. Who would put a door here? Nobody could live here. There’s no place to get food. He knocked on the door anyway.
A small access panel opened. “State your name and access code.” It demanded.
“Hibiki Ryoga…uh…Access Code?”
“Intruder detected. Containment process initiated.”
“Containment? Whaaa!!!”
A trapdoor opened under Ryoga and he fell to what he would swear was two stories. With a little effort he avoided all the sharp objects at the bottom. He took a look around and saw a pile of bones and packs that they once carried. Then the trapdoor closed leaving him completely in the dark. Ryoga panicked. He ran straightforward and hit the wall of the cell.
“BAKUSAI TENKETSU!” Ryoga’s finger penetrated the wall, and the wall exploded! Behind it was a hallway. Instead of turning left or right, Ryoga did what he always did when there was no forward alternative: he made one! “BAKUSAI TENKETSU!” The next wall exploded.
This continued apace until Ryoga came to a place that looked like a lab.
“What is the place?” Ryoga wandered aloud. “Looks like some sort of Frankenstein’s lab.”
Ryoga’s wandering tripped a laser trip line. When the laser was broke, a pair of inhuman eyes opened. The dark form stepped forward and quickly grabbed Ryoga by the top of the skull. A brief flash of light and the lost boy was unconscious.
“Processing incoming data.” The form stepped into the light. For all appearances it looked like a human man, all except the silver hair and glowing red eyes. The Red Ribbon logo was scrolled across his black vest. Except for the black combat boots; the rest of his outfit was red.
“Processing conscious.” The android started going through Ryoga’s conscious memories. He was processing everything that Ryoga actively knew and remembered. He learned secret techniques and fighting styles and caught up on current events, surprisingly, worldwide. This boy, Ryoga, was well traveled. Ryoga also knew a wide array of languages. Oddly enough the only thing he knew how to say in most of them was, “Which way to Tokyo?”
“Processing subconscious.” The android scanned Ryoga’s past. He could also find out a lot about the world of the past. Past impressions of people and the world around him, school history lessons long forgotten, and other interesting tidbits were opened up to him. The subconscious scan always provided more information because even though a person does not consciously remember everything in their life, the subconscious remembered all.
From this download the android learned of what happened to his primary target, Son Goku. He had fought Dr. Gero’s ultimate creation, Cell. TV transmission was lost, but everyone claimed that Mr. Satan had won that bout. Impossible. The boy Ryoga had accidentally met Mr. Satan. Although the conscious was in awe, the martial arts subconscious of the boy told that Mr. Satan didn’t have enough Ki to light a match. Goku must have been the one. Later he learned of the last Tenkaichi Budoukai’s. Mr. Satan had a champion Majin Buu that had more power than almost anything else on the planet.
This human is so full of surprises! The android was again surprised that the boy had actually been there. Where hasn’t he been? Again from the subconscious, even though the boy was only five, Ryoga could tell that Son Goku was more powerful than even Majin Buu.
“Conclusions. Unit in current capacity cannot harm Son Goku. Information network logon.” The android searched the Dr. Gero’s intelligence network. The bugs were everywhere watching and logging everything. The android found out about Goku’s son, Son Gohan and his wife. Information on Son Gohan also pointed to a deficiency in the android’s power. He browsed to Goku’s second son, Goten. Again, the target was too powerful to harm.
Further search brought him to Son Pan. Power assessments said that she had not even reached the level of “Super Saiya-Jin” that all the rest of Goku’s descendents had reached. “Target redesignate: Son Pan. Location: Capital City.” Dr. Gero had programmed in some psychological warfare into his machines. If you can’t destroy the main target with force, destroy him from the inside: Kill someone close to them. Killing a grandchild is ideal for this.
“Access hatch: Open.” Several layers of doors opened until there was a straight egress to the outside world. The android rose through all the hatches and prepared for his search for Pan.
The mighty android powered up his thrusters and rammed straight into the side of the next mountain.
What
happened to my directional unit? Was it
something I absorbed?
A short time later Ryoga awakened. The hatches were still open so he managed to get out. Other than his brains being a little more scrambled than usual, he was ok. He decided that he should find another place to stay for the night. As he was walking out, he spotted a tarp on the floor, about blanket size. Can’t let that go to waste. I may need to make a tent. Ryoga put the tarp in the top of his pack and left the facility.