Alternate Future
By: James Lee
Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me. Ranma 1/2 belongs
to Rumiko Takahashi. Evangelion was created by Hideaki Anno. No money
is being made off this.
Part 11
"We have visual confirmed of the target. Target is currently in
earth orbit over the Pacific ocean." Said Hyuga as an image of
the Angel appeared on the main viewing screen. This Angel looked like
a giant bird, glowing in space. Many people would of consider it very
beautiful, if they didn't know it's true purpose.
"So is it looking for a nice spot to land or is it going to destroy us from way up there?" said Misato sarcastically. "Prepare EVA units 02 and 03 for launch."
"We're not going to use unit 01?"
"Unit 01 is to remain in cryostasis, commander's orders." Misato turned and looked up at the commander's station. "And considering what's happen. I guess we better listen this time."
"Are we going to use Asuka and unit 02?"
"We'll be using unit 02." Said Ritsuko entering the control room. Misato turned to her.
"Your late."
*Hey! That's my line.* "Sorry, had a slight situation to defuse. Asuka's friend Hikari, saw Ranma transform."
"Really? Did you explain things to her."
"Not necessary, she's convinced herself that it was dream."
"Oh. So, have you worked something out."
"Yes, we'll have Nabiki pilot unit 03. We'll then try to get Ranma to sync with unit 02..."
"What if Ranma can't sync with unit 02?"
"Then we'll have Asuka reboard and put on standby as backup for Nabiki." Misato nodded.
*What's taking so long* thought Asuka in unit 02's entry plug. Suddenly Ritsuko voice came over the com system.
[Asuka, exit unit 02.]
"Exit unit 02? What for?" *Oh god, maybe they don't think I'm good enough anymore!* What came next however, was the final insult for Asuka.
[We're going to use Nabiki....]
"WHAT!!? That bitch piloting MY unit 02 into combat! Over my dead body! EVA UNIT 02 LAAUNCH!!!!"
"ASUKA!!" Yelled Ritsuko as unit 02 shot to the surface. Misato glared at her.
"You could have worded that a little better, Ritsuko! Well there's nothing that can be done now. Aoba, send up the rifle."
Up at the surface it was raining. Asuka waited until the rifle, one of the most powerful in NERV's inventory, shot up out of the ground next to unit 02. Grabbing the rifle, Asuka started taking aim.
[Enemy target still out of range.]
"Damn it come on!" Asuka waited impatiently for the crosshairs of her unit's gunnery computer to align. Just as the crosshairs were about to align Asuka saw a bright light. "Huh?"
Suddenly like a ray of sunshine braking through the rain, a beam of white light engulfed unit 02. Asuka screamed as she felt something entering her head..
"A particle beam!?" asked Misato in a panic.
"Negative, were not getting any readings on the thermal scan!" Replied Hyuga.
"Nooo! Don't come inside me! Stay out!" Screamed Asuka as she started pulling the trigger. Two of the shots went skyward, but passed harmlessly underneath the Angel. Asuka however, continued to pull the trigger. The landscape seemed to explode as the remaining rounds landed on Tokyo 3 and the surrounding area. Finally the weapon clicked as the last of the ammo was fired.
"Damn, unit 02's rifle is out of ammo and the target is still out of range!" Yelled Aoba.
"Asuka's syncograph is dropping rapidly!" Maya called from her station. "Reporting Mental contamination!"
"Is it trying to figure out the human mind!?" asked Ritsuko.
"What the hell is that beam!?" Misato demanded.
"Beam composition unknown!"
Ritsuko turned to Misato. "We've got to get Asuka out of there NOW!" Misato nodded.
[Asuka get out of there!]
"Noo.."
[Asuka retreat that's an ORDER!]
"No, I rather die than be defeated again!" Asuka clutched her head. "STOP IT! Stay out!"
Meanwhile in another part of Tokyo three unit 03 was taking aim with THE most powerful rifle available to NERV, the SSDF positron cannon.
[Cooling systems at 100%]
[Power output at 100%. Directing to main chamber.]
[Compisation for the Earth's rotation at 93.6%]
Ranma(1) waited for the crosshairs to align. His earlier anger forgotten, he hope that Asuka could hold out. As soon as the crosshairs aligned, Ranma fired.
Every window within twenty blocks was shattered by the shockwave of the shot. The top floors of the building that the weapon was resting on were destroyed by the guns recoil. The beam tore through the sky and into space; only to be stopped by the Angel's AT field.
"It's no good. The beam didn't have enough power."
"Asuka's sync rate is almost at 0%!" shouted Maya in alarm. "All of unit 02's systems are losing power!"
Ritsuko looked over Maya shoulder at the screen. "Reroute all power to life-support."
The little girl ran through the hallways.
*Asuka Darling.*
*Please Mommy!*
*I made your favorite.*
*Don't stop being my Mommy!*
*Daddy doesn't want us anymore.*
*No Mommy!*
*Come to heaven with Mommy.*
*Please don't kill me Mommy!*
Asuka screamed. "Stop it! I don't want to remember those awful things!"
The Angel however continued it's assault on the girl's mind. Asuka found herself standing in another hallway with a smoking gun in her hand.
*You killed me!*
*N-No! I-I didn't want to!*
*But you did.*
*B-But I didn't mean to!*
*Oh that's good. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to implode your chest with your own gun!*
*No.*
Suddenly Asuka found herself sinking in a pool of blood. Around her stood Misato, Ritsuko, Shinji, Rei, Hikari, Nabiki, and Ranma. All stared at her with accusing eyes.
*What were you thinking!?*
*I-I didn't want...*
*How could you do that!?*
*No.*
*You're such an evil person!*
*N-No!*
*You're a murderer!*
*No!*
*Murderer!*
*No!*
*Murderer!*
*No!*
*MURDERER!!!*
"NNNOOOOOOOO!!!!"
Inside unit 03 Ranma gritted his teeth. That thing was doing god knows what to Asuka. He was sure it wasn't pleasant.
[My mind.] *Huh?* It was Asuka, her voice no more than a whimper now. [It's defouling my mind.]
*No.* Ranma's anger at the Angel boiled. That thing wasn't just hurting Asuka; it was RAPING her. He had to do something to stop it.
[What do I do.....What do I....K-Ka..Kaj.....Ranma.]
That was all Ranma could stand.
"Unit 03 has increase speed. It's headed strait for unit 02."
"What!?" Ritsuko's eyes then widen. *He wouldn't!* "Ranma NO! Quick cut all power to unit 03!"
But it was too late. Unit 03 crashed into unit 02, pushing it out of the beam. Unit 02 dropped to the ground as unit 03 now found itself trapped in the beam.
Up in space the Angel noticed the change of targets. It began to search the targets memories for something it could use. It was quickly surprised to find that this human seemed to have very few memories and almost nothing it could use to attack him with. Then it found something. A fear. A fear so deep that it was imbedded into his subconscious. Yes, with this fear the Angel would destroy this human. It began it's assault anew and Ranma screamed.
[Nooo! Get off! Get off! Help me! Argghhhh..]
"Oh no." Ritsuko turned to Maya. "How's his sync rating?"
"I can't tell."
"What do mean you can't tell!?"
"I mean I can't tell! His syncograph has gone crazy! It's jumping all over the place from 30 to 180!"
Ritsuko blinked. *Why isn't it going down like with Asuka? Could Ranma's dual sexual nature have some odd effect on the beam?*
Misato gulped, she didn't like the way the syncograph was acting. "You don't think he's going to reach 400% like Shinji did, do you?"
"I-I don't know. I hope not."
Hyuga spoke up. "MAGI estimate chance of target entering within range of our weapons 0.02%."
"Great, there's no way to reach it."
[Let me out there.] Misato looked up. It was Shinji in unit 01. Sub-commander Fuyuzuki leaned forward.
"Impossible! We can't risk unit 01 being contaminated!"
[That won't happen. Not if I win. Please Father!]
"We can't risk it." answered the NERV commander.
[But we have to do something!]
Gendo nodded his head. "Your right, alert pilot Tendo and
prepare unit XX for
combat deployment."
Ritsuko gasped. "B-But sir, we haven't even had an activation test with that unit yet!"
"Well now would be a good time doctor." Ritsuko glared up at Gendo, but nodded.
Nabiki was bored. When the alert came, she had reported to headquarters like she was supposed to, quickly gotten into her black plugsuit, and awaited orders. And waited and waited and waited.
Nabiki sighed. It wasn't like she really wanted to go into battle, she just want to know what was going on. All she could hear was the intercom calling this person to here or that group to there. She had thought of going up to the control room, but figured she'd only get in the way.
So Nabiki sat waiting for orders that would probably not come. Sighing again, Nabiki looked down at her skintight plugsuit. *Who ever design this thing must have been a real pervert. Heh I'm Nabiki the S&M queen! I'm into skintight leather, whips, and chains...*
[Nabiki Tendo, report to cage 13.]
Nabiki nearly jumped at her name being called. She looked up as the intercom repeated the message.
[Nabiki Tendo, report to cage 13.]
Nabiki gulped and started to head to the cages. Suddenly, boredom didn't seem all that bad to her. *Well you got yourself into this mess.* Entering the cages Nabiki blinked at the giant EVA, it looked different from the others. Not paying it a second thought, Nabiki nervously entered the cockpit.
[OK I'm in, but I don't think this unit's got a power cable attached.]
"Don't worry about it. The unit you're in doesn't need one. We're activating the unit now." said Ritsuko, there was no time to go through all the procedures for a first time activation or reactivation as in this case. She could only hope that nothing went wrong.
"Activation complete holding at 45%." Ritsuko sighed in relief at Maya's words.
"OK, prepare for launch."
"Negative." The bridge crew turned to look at the commander. Gendo continued. "Send unit XX to Dogma and get the lance."
Ritsuko nervously nodded, then turned. "Nabiki follow the lighted path to Dogma. You'll need to retrieve a special weapon there."
[Roger.]
"You can't use the lance!" said Fuyuzuki. "It's too soon!"
"Don't worry this falls within the plan." Not that Gendo cared about the plan anymore. "That angel must be stopped and the lance is the only weapon that can do it."
"The old men, will never go along with this. You know that!"
"Yes, that is why we must move quickly before they can stop us."
Misato turned to Ritsuko. "But, if the EVA should come into contact with Adam won't that start Third Impact?" *Or is that a lie too.*
Ritsuko ignored Misato turning to Maya. "What's Ranma's status?"
"His sync ratio still hasn't stabilized. Now ranging from 50 to 240%!"
"His lifesigns have become completely erratic!"
"Prepare to eject the plug."
"No." Ritsuko stared at Misato in disbelief. "If we eject the plug the Angel will just change targets. Maybe to Nabiki. Maybe back to Asuka. Ranma's holding up a lot better than Asuka and we can't risk losing another EVA."
[WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!??]
Misato looked up. "Sounds like Nabiki's reached Adam's chamber."
Nabiki look at the form before her. It was something out of a horror picture. A giant white humanoid crucified on a large cross. It's face was a mask with seven eyes. Where it's lower torso should have been, instead hanged what look like sets of human legs. Nabiki gulped and once again wondered what the hell she had gotten herself into.
[It's an Angel Nabiki. Don't worry, it can't harm you. Now what we need you to do is to remove the lance from it's chest...]
"You want me to what!?"
[We want you to remove the lance.]
"B-But..."
[Nabiki, the lance is the only weapon that can destroy this Angel. If you don't retrieve it Ranma and Asuka will DIE!]
Nabiki took a deep breath. "Roger."
Entering the pool of LCL that the cross stood in, unit XX reached up and grabbed hold of the lance. Nabiki was thankful that she had not eaten much in the past few hours. She wondered just how this lance was suppose to destroy the angel. After all if guns didn't work, how was a hand weapon going to work.
However, as unit XX pulled on the lance, Nabiki could feel an incredible force. Slowly Nabiki realized her unit was holding something of immense power.
Finally the lance was free. Nabiki yelped as the Angel's torso suddenly exploded and formed legs. Unit XX hopped back ready to slam the lance back in.
"That thing just grew legs!"
[Don't worry about it.]
Misato turned to Ritsuko. "She doesn't have to worry about that right?"
Ritsuko shook her head, no. "We don't have time for her to get back to the launch pads. Open up all the bulkheads to Dogma except the last two. Nabiki?"
[Yes]
"The unit you're in is equipped for flight. We need you to fly up from Dogma."
Misato looked at Ritsuko. "That EVA can fly?"
"It's equipped with a new experimental flight system." answered Maya. "It's uses the unit's AT field as a propulsion system, much like a rocket pack. It's base on the flight systems used by past Angels."
"What if it doesn't work?"
"Then we might have a problem." Ritsuko replied.
[What do I do?] asked Nabiki.
"Expand you field and concentrate on flying. Like if you were Superman."
Nabiki looked as the hatchways over Central Dogma. Expanding her AT field, Nabiki concentrated on flying. She yelped as the massive EVA unit shot up towards the surface. As soon as unit XX past the first two hatchways, they started to close behind it. Nabiki then noticed the hatches at the surface opening. In an instant, unit XX shot up over the city...and landed face first onto the ground.
*Oww I guess I'll have to work on that.* thought Nabiki. It would have probably been rather funny, if the situation wasn't so serious. Slowly unit XX began to get up.
*So that's unit XX.* thought Misato as she got her first look at the rebuilt unit 00. The first thing she noticed was the color. Where unit 00 was blue with white trim, unit XX was white with blue and red trim. The next thing she noticed were the two large protrusions from the back that look sort of like wings. *That must be the flight system.* The last thing she noticed was the head. The unit now had two eyes instead of one and a very large blue horn. A small tab still protruded out from the mouth area and was now painted red. Misato figured that was someone's idea of a joke, as it made the EVA look like it was sticking it's tounge out.
"all right Nabiki, engage and destroy the target. You get only one shot at this so make it count!"
Inside unit XX Nabiki nodded, as she pulled back to throw the lance. As Nabiki did this she notice the lance morph into a giant javelin. Yes, there was no doubt in her mind that this awesome weapon would destroy the Angel.
With all it's might, unit XX hurled the Javelin at it's distant target. As soon as the weapon left the EVA's hand, it became a bolt of such intense heat, that it vaporized rain clouds over Tokyo 3. Tearing into space, the bolt slammed through the Angel's AT field then through the Angel itself. With a scream that no one could hear, the Angel disintegrated.
"Target destroyed."
Misato sighed in relief. "Where's the lance?"
"It's in a lunar orbit." replied Hyuga.
"So there's no way of getting it back, is there?"
"No ma'am, we don't have the technology to recover something that large from orbit.
"Oh well. Stand down. Prepare to...huh?" Misato looked up as a roar came over the intercom system. She could see unit 03 on one of the monitors. It was now on all four and looking back and forth like an animal. *Oh shit! Not again.* "What's Ranma's sync ratio?"
"210%!" Yelled Maya.
Nabiki watched as the black EVA growled and crawled around on all fours. As it came to a building and started clawing the side off it, only one thing came to Nabiki's mind.
"N-Nekoken."
"It's going berserk!" yelled Misato. *Crap! Just what we need after an angel attack. An out of control EVA.*
"Try to eject the plug." ordered Ritsuko.
"Ejecting plug. Plug is clear!" Maya said she then blinked. "Umm unit 03 is powering down."
"What!? Why's it doing that?" *Could it be something with Ranma?* Ritsuko wondered fearfully.
"Hey, let's not look a gift horse in the mouth." said Misato, heading out the door. "I going to check on them."
"Wait for me." said Ritsuko as she followed Misato out.
*****
Ritsuko jumped out of the jeep as it arrived at the site. Misato turned off the engine and looked around. She noted that the entry plug had gone down near unit 02. Misato could see Asuka sitting by herself, surrounded by yellow quritine tape. Ritsuko went over to one of the rescue personnel.
"Where's the entry plug?"
"It's over there Ma'am," said the tech pointing at a nearby lot. The plug sat in the center of the lot also surrounded by yellow tape. "However, we were told not to open it until you arrive."
"Alright, get the biohazard gear out and...." Ritsuko stopped as her cell phone beeped. Taking out her phone, Ritsuko answered. "This is Dr. Akagi."
[Ma'am it's me, Maya. There's something odd happening with unit 03's entry plug..]
Ritsuko narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean? Is Ranma alright?"
[Well Ma'am his life signs are still very erratic, but he is alive. The thing is his brain scan is showing almost no activity. He should be unconscious, instead we're picking up a lot of movement inside the cockpit.]
"Your picking up movement. It might be the plug sensors. They could have been damaged....] (boom.)
Misato looked up. "What's that?"
Ritsuko looked around. (boom!) "I-It's coming from unit 03's entry plug."
(BABOOM!!)
"What..." Misato started, but stopped as shadow came over her. Her eyes then widen as she realized what it really was. "LOOK OUT!!!"
Misato grabbed Ritsuko and dived to the side just as the entry plug hatch crashed into the jeep, crushing it. Misato's blinked as she looked at the jeep. *T-The entry plug hatch!?* It wasn't just the entry plug hatch, but the main entry plug hatch (1)!
"MEEOOOWWW"
"Now what!?" Misato turned to see a black form lept from the entry plug onto a nearby van. Misato blinked, as nearby was twenty meters! In an instant the figure jumped onto an open area where Misato could make out that it was indeed..."Ranma?"
"Meow." Ranma looked around on all four. His eyes were that of an animal. It was almost as he was acting like a cat. Misato signaled the NERV security troops. Ranma hissed as he suddenly found himself surrounded by several soldiers.
Nabiki ran to where the entry plug landed. She had hoped that Ranma didn't remember the Nekoken. *Maybe being ejected from unit 03 snapped him out of...* Nabiki yelped as a badly beaten NERV security guard flew past her. She could see Ranma now sitting in a circle of battered soldiers, his pigtail on end. *Shit! Not only is he in the Cat Fist, but now he's pissed.* Nabiki then noticed a very nervous Misato hiding behind half wreaked car with Ritsuko. Misato had her gun out. Ritsuko looked to be putting a tranquilizer rifle together.
Nabiki had to come up with something quick. Although a tranquilizer gun would stop Ranma, it would take several shots. Nabiki thought about calling out to him, but would he respond. Nabiki gulped, she wasn't sure. What if he didn't?
"Ranma!" Ranma Neko looked at her, but didn't respond.
"Nabiki, get back! There's something wrong with him." yelled Misato from behind the car. Ritsuko had now finished putting the rifle together and was taking aim. Nabiki then noticed Asuka. she had been pulled behind a car for her safety. Nabiki rushed over to her.
Kneeling down Nabiki looked at the German girl. She seemed to be in a world of her own. Nabiki gasped as she looked into Asuka's eyes, they were practically lifeless. Shaking her head, Nabiki started shaking her.
"Wake up, wake up!" Nabiki then slapped her. Suddenly Asuka eyes flared for an instant before returning back to near lifeless.
"Leave me alone." It was so low that Nabiki could barley hear it. Nabiki grabbed on to Asuka's shoulders. *Well at least I got her to respond.*
"No damnit! Ranma needs us!"
Asuka looked at her. "R-Ranma..."
"Yes, Ranma needs us. Now come on get up."
"Wh-What can I do?"
Nabiki started guiding her around the car. "Call to him. Pretend he's a big kitty cat."
Asuka blinked at her.
Meanwhile Ritsuko took aim with the rifle and fired.
"REOWWW!" Ranma lept as the dart ricochet off the street.
"Damnit Ritsuko, give me that!" shouted Misato as she grabbed the rifle from the NERV doctor. "Give me another dart."
Ritsuko started preparing another dart. As she did this, Misato noticed Nabiki guiding Asuka from behind the car. *What are they up to?* Ritsuko noticed Nabiki giving some instructions to Asuka.
Asuka knelt down. "Ranma."
"Meow?" Misato gulped as Ranma then looked strait at the German girl. "Ritsuko, hurry up! Give me the dart!"
"Just a second, if this isn't done right it could kill him."
Asuka then held her hand out. "Umm here kitty, kitty, kitty.."
"Meow!" Suddenly Ranma lept at her.
"Asuka!" Misato screamed as Ranma crashed into the girl's lap and...purred? She then blinked as Ranma settled himself down and seemingly went to sleep.
Nabiki went to her knees as things suddenly became very clear to her. *Damnit it isn't far.* Taking a few deep breaths, Nabiki composed herself. She then felt a shadow coming over her. Nabiki turned around to see Ritsuko looking down at her.
"We need to talk Miss Tendo."
"W-What do you mean."
"That's never happened before, yet you seem to know how to stop it. You also knew about his condition. I want to know how, you know so much about Ranma."
"Umm." Nabiki frantically started looking for an excuse. Misato then stepped forward. It was time she settled this.
"We can do this with drugs and machines if you like, Nabiki."
Nabiki looked from Ritsuko to Misato. She knew the major could make good her threat. Taking a deep breath, she nodded. Nabiki then looked back at Ranma and Asuka.
"C-Can we go somewhere else?"
Misato nodded and started guiding Nabiki away.
"Hey wait a minute!" Nabiki turned to see Asuka a little flustered with Ranma sleeping on her lap. "What am I supposed to do now?"
Nabiki thought for a moment. She could tell Asuka that changing him to a girl might snap him out of it, but...
"Oh you'll just have to sit there until he wakes up. Whatever you do don't disturb him or he might get worse. So don't do anything no matter what. I have to warn you, he's pretty much a cat right now so he might do something catlike like lick your face or something. Whatever you do don't lash out or we might lose him."
Asuka gulped as she looked down at the now sleeping Ranma. She then nodded.
(1) The entryplugs have two hatches built into them. The emergency
hatch (A) is built into the side of the entryplug. This is one that
Gendo burned his hands on trying to get Rei out in episode 5. Then
there is the main hatch (B) built on the top of the entryplug. This
hatchway is big enough to allow the removal of the entire cockpit.
See diagram below.
_________________________________________
| \_________B_____________| |
|__[A]____________________________________|
*****
Later:
Ritsuko looked at Nabiki in disbelief. They were now sitting in a
command van. Misato had ushered everyone but Maya out. Ritsuko took a
deep breath. "Now let me get this strait. Ranma is acting the
way he is right now because his father threw him into a pit of
starving cats?"
"Umm hmm" replied Nabiki, nodding.
"And he changes sex because the same father knocked him into a cursed spring in China?"
"Yep."
"And both you and he are actually from another universe and were sent here by goddesses?"
"Umm that's right."
"And you expect me to believe this?"
"Sure. Why not?"
"BECAUSE IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!"
"Oh, how come?"
"Magical curses? Goddesses? None of that stuff is real!"
"The angels are real."
Ritsuko almost winced. "Angel is just a code name we give to the alien invaders. They're not actually from god!"
"And what about some of the stuff Ranma does?" Nabiki countered.
"What do you mean?"
"That ki blast he threw at that one Angel!"
"A modified use of the EVA's AT field!"
"What about what he just did outside. He ripped the main entry plug hatch off and threw it! That things got to weigh at least 300 kelos!"
"Adrenaline charged superhuman strength caused by fear induced stress. There are hundreds of reported cases!"
"He turns into a girl when he gets wet!"
"A.....A....I'M WORKING ON IT!!!" yelled Ritsuko as both Misato and Maya snickered. Getting a glare from Ritsuko, Misato stopped and turned to Nabiki.
"Nabiki, I told you there are other ways of finding out truth."
Nabiki narrowed her eyes. Hitting the pressure release on her plug suit, Nabiki began taking it off. "All right. Hook me up to your machines! Pump me full of whatever drugs you use! You'll get the same answers you got ten minutes ago!"
Misato just looked at Nabiki. The EVA pilot then took a deep breath. "Listen, maybe it's not really magic. Maybe there's some chemical in the water at Jusinkyo that mutates people into shape shifters. Maybe the Goddess was really an alien from Planet X. All I know is that one day Ranma disappeared and six weeks later a woman claming to be a goddess, offered me a wish."
"And you wished to be with Ranma." said Misato. Nabiki nodded.
"So why did your family kick Ranma out, in the first place?"
Nabiki stiffened at that. "I rather not talk about that."
Ritsuko looked at Nabiki. "Why not?"
"Because it was stupid OK!" Nabiki then calmed down. "Could I ask you favor?"
"I don't know." said Misato. "Depends on what the favor is."
"Don't tell Ranma about any of this."
Misato narrowed her eyes. "Why not? You don't think he deserves the truth?"
"What good would it do him?" Nabiki sighed. "I don't know how we could get back home. Besides he seems very happy here. Most of the stuff about his past would...would only hurt him."
*****
Meanwhile Asuka was still sitting outside with Ranma sleeping in her lap. She could only hope he would wake up soon. Although he had not licked her face, he had rubbed his head against her side and purred. She had almost beat the crap out of him for that, but then remembered what Nabiki had said. Still it was embarrassing as all hell to have him sleeping on her lap in public. She just hoped they didn't sound the all clear and let the people out of the shelters before he woke up. *That's all I need, the whole world to see me like this.*
Ranma's eyes then slowly open. He blinked a bit, before sitting up. "A-Asuka!? Where am I?"
"You're in my lap. Do you mind getting off now."
Ranma jumped up, and looked down at her. "W-What happened?"
"You were acting like a cat. You were tearing apart the whole place, before Nabiki got me to calm you down."
"A-A cat, why was I doing that?"
"That's what I want to know. Don't you remember?"
"I-I remember the Angel. It...It kept showing me things." Asuka frowned as Ranma thought. "It showed me a man, a big man with glasses. He kept throwing me into this pit of starving cats. I-I cried, I begged him not too, but he still kept throwing me in. Then I woke up here. I-I think that man was my father. I think that Angel was showing me my past."
"What were you thinking Ranma!?" Ranma looked at Asuka who was glaring at him with tears in her eyes.
"W-What?"
"Jumping in front of that Angel. Why do you always do stupid shit like that!?"
"I-I couldn't just stand there and let that thing torture you! I...It made me so mad when I heard you crying. I-I had to stop it."
"Why did you have to stop it huh? I treat you like shit, you should hate me. You should have been enjoying it!"
"Well I wasn't. I don't hate you Asuka, I-I like you." There he'd said it, at least part of it.
"NO!" Asuka turned around, her face now full of tears. *Damn you, Ranma* How was that he could always do this to her. "Y-You can't like me!"
Ranma sat down beside her. "Why Asuka? Why can't I like you?"
"Because I can't care for anybody, that's why!"
Ranma blinked, he had never heard of anything like that before "Why not? Why can't you care for anybody?"
"I loved daddy and he walked out on us. I loved Momma and she died. I loved Kaji and he..." Asuka started sobbing. "Don't you see Ranma? It's always like that."
"No, that doesn't matter. Just because all those things happen doesn't mean I'm going to stop caring for you. I wasn't lying Asuka. I really do like you and all those bad things aren't going to make me stop. I-I want to be your friend, Asuka. I-I...please be my friend."
"R-Ranma." Asuka just looked at him for a moment. Could she do it, could she be his friend. Would it be like all those other times. She remembered all times he had saved her. How a small part of her felt good when he came to her rescue and protected her. Asuka took a deep breath and held out her hand. "Um Hi I Asuka, Asuka Soryu."
Ranma smiled. "I Ranma, Ranma Saotome. Want to be friends?"
"Ah sure." said Asuka nervously.
"I think you should know though, I turn into a girl when I get wet."
"I-I guess I can live, but I should warn you. Lot's of bad things happen around me."
"Don't worry, I always be there. I don't like to let my friends down..."
*****
Nerima, present-day:
Akane watched as Dr. Tofu entered the room frowning. She had the
feeling that he did not like what he had found. Not that he had been
very pleasant to begin with. Akane wonder at that. He hadn't talk to
them since...*He couldn't be upset about Ranma, could he?*
Taking a deep breath the doctor began. "I've found out what it is. Both Akane and Kasumi have been poisoned."
"NANI!?" Everyone shouted at once.
"My baby girls are going to die! BWAAAHHH!"
"Dr. Tofu, how bad is it?" asked Kasumi.
"The poison is non-lethal..." Akane sighed in relief. "However, if you are not given the antidote soon, neither you nor Akane will be able to have children."
Akane's eyes bulged. "Who do you think did this?"
"Well the poison is a magical one from China. I'd have to say Cologne is behind this."
"Great. We have to fight her and Shampoo for the cure."
Dr. Tofu held up his hand. "I already have a copy of the cure."
"You do!" said everyone.
"Yes I do. How ever we have a problem. One of the ingredients we need for the antidote is the blood of a boy with a Jusinkyo curse..."
"I'll give you all the blood you need!" shouted Ryoga, but once again the doctor raised his hand.
"It's not that simple Ryoga. We need the blood of a boy who has fallen into the Spring of drowned girl."
Akane didn't like where this was going. "U-Umm, maybe we can get some of Herbs blood."
Ryoga shook his head. "There's no chance of that happening."
"B-But with Jusinkyo flooded, the only other boy we know with the girl curse is...is...Ranma."
To be continued.
Next:
-Asuka and Ranma face danger, and Misato arms herself to the teeth,
as the Tendo's Strike Back!