Ryoko Saotome
A Ranma 1/2 / Tenchi Muyo crossover
Parts 16-18 and Epilogue
By Thrythlind
Part 16: Planning the Second Honeymoon
Breakfast was quite subdued as Ranma and Ryoko picked at their food, both preoccupied with other things. Nodoka watched them with a slight frown on her face.
"Is something wrong?" Genma asked. He sounded on the verge of overjoyed with the prospect that it was. Nodoka didn't bother to glare at him, and instead paid careful attention to the couple in question. Ranma and Ryoko froze a moment and glanced at each other, and Nodoka saw the decision formed between them.
"Nothin'" Ranma answered firmly. Ryoko's response was slightly more colorful.
"Keep your fat ass out of our business."
"The city offices were destroyed yesterday, dear," Nodoka put in calmly, smiling as she did so. They were presenting a united front yet again. Her worries that something had gone wrong last night were rendered moot.
"Yeah," Ranma said. Then he blinked. "Yeah! That's it." Ryoko gave him a strange look for a moment and then caught on herself.
"What!?" Genma demanded. "It was destroyed?!"
"That's right," she agreed. "That pervert showed up and we had to bring the house down on him."
"But how will they anull the marriage then?"
"It'll just have to wait," Ryoko said. "Shouldn't take more than a month, right?"
"That sounds right," Ranma said. "The construction companies have been out of practice for a while now."
"And you say nothing's wrong?!" Genma demanded, wondering why he seemed to be the most upset about this.
"Stuff it, pop," Ranma said shaking his head. "I got to go check with Ukyou and Ryouga. I'm supposed to be helpin' them with the weddin' you know." He flinched and turned to look at Ryoko with a surprised expression, until she shifted her eyes in Nodoka's expression.
"That's a wonderful idea," Nodoka said cheerfully. "I'm glad you are so interested in weddings." Ranma groaned and looked at Ryoko's "you see'" expression.
Ryoko glanced over at Ranma as she floated along. That was one thing different between Ranma and Tenchi. Tenchi would have thrown a fit if she had been displaying her powers in public. She was never really certain just why he did so either. That, however was the least of her thoughts at the moment.
~Why did he hope I'd come back?~ Ryoko asked herself. ~Why did he kiss me when he was a cat? Why didn't he insist we go to the offices right away on the first day?~ Her thoughts paused for a long moment. ~Why didn't I? And why did I kiss him?~ Usually questions were easy to answer. She wanted something, so she took it, simple as that. For the first time Ryoko could remember, however, she really wasn't certain of just what she wanted.
Ranma was similarly distracted.
~I kissed back,~ he thought. ~Didn't I? Why did I do that? Is she mad about that? Why did she kiss me anyway, What about the first day we knew the city building was open.~ It was nerve racking series of questions, but at least he had experienced this second guessing before. And he was familiar with the consequences for letting such indecision run.
There the villain was, dragging his new victim along by means of some insidious spell that left her trapped in mid-air. He could tell by the expression upon the exotic woman's face that the sorcerer must have already attempted some vile deeds while she was under his dubious power.
Kuno feared that it must be growing too late to save the poor women from Akane's fate. Locked in an enchanted slumber, her family believing she was actually dead. Yet, when he defeated this foul demon-summoner certainly all the spells he had cast would be undone.
Kuno, the Bandaged Blunder, limped forward towards the pair.
Ran Ran settled herself in a tree, watching the approaching pair like a hawk. She played with a small globe in her hand, smirking at the simple and foolproof nature of her plan. All she had to do was get Ranma away from that sorceress long enough for him to see that it was time he finally obeyed Amazon law.
Really, that Pepe Le Pu was such a genius at these things. It seemed he always managed to catch his girl. So maybe following the little stinky cat's ways, she could catch her man.
Ran Ran was getting desparate.
"We should talk," Ryoko said out of the blue. "About what happens...while the offices are being rebuilt."
"Yeah," Ranma said agreeably. "We should talk." It was clear from his voice that he probably didn't agree with the subject matter though.
"I could just come back when the place is ready," Ryoko suggested. "I'm not sick or injured anymore."
Before Ranma could answer a small globe struck in front of them and exploded in a thick, evil smelling cloud. The greenish vapor expanded quickly to envelope them in mere moments. The air was rent with cries of "Die foul Sorcerer" as a short scuffle broke out in the cloud. The scuffle ended quickly and as the cloud faded away two figures could be seen lying prostrate upon the ground.
Ran Ran, wearing a thick scarf around her nose and mouth lay on her back and stared up sort of dazedly, spotting a huge bump on her head. Next to her was what seemed to be a green mummy with "stomach" problems.
Apparently Kuno's bandages didn't keep all the stench out.
"What is this?" Kuno demanded shakily, trying to keep the contents of stomach down. "The sorcerer has fled and left behind this child to appease my wrath? Of course, he must have known I was coming. It would account for his panicking and error. And now he has released one of what is probably many hostages. Certainly I can not be too far from destroying him!!!"
Kuno limped off, leaving a Ran Ran behind despite the fact that the poor girl had apparently been knocked unconscious by a blow to the head and was wearing a sling. Ran Ran didn't wake up for several minutes. When she did, she was positively beaming.
"He defeat me," she said proudly. "He know what that means, I win!!" She stood up, feeling a little nauseous herself from the head blow, and shuffled out after where she hoped they had left to.
"What was that?" Ryoko asked distastefully.
"That was Kuno and someone else," Ranma said.
"That girl?" Ryoko asked suspiciously.
"Probably," Ranma answered frowning.
"What is it with her anyway?" Ryoko demanded irritably.
"Amazon law," Ranma said, before explaining the Amazon Outsider policies.
"That has got to be the most bizarre story I have ever heard," Ryoko said simply.
"Getting accidentally married to someone you just met?" Ranma noted sagely.
"That is the most bizarre story I have lived," Ryoko corrected him. "Who is Kuno?"
"An lunatic," Ranma said. He paused for a moment before walking down the street towards Ucchan's again. "So you want to leave?"
"That's what you want, right?" Ryoko asked sharply.
"No," Ranma answered. Ryoko stared at him for a moment.
"You don't want me to leave?" she said, half disbelieving. "Are you certain you didn't eat something questionable?"
"Not that I know of," Ranma said, though the random love potion was always a cause for concern in Nerima.
"That's a ringing endorsement," Ryoko said smirking.
"Trust me on this one," Ranma said as they neared Ucchan's door. "Love potions leave you a lot less confused than the real thing does." That statement stopped Ryoko's sarcasm cold.
It had been a full day and no sign of Ryouga yet. Ukyou was hardly surprised, but she was hopeful. Recently Ryouga had been getting back from being lost fairly promptly. She had gotten used to this while they were dating, and while they were living together. As soon as they got married she expected that it would go right back to the level of occasional annoyance. The problem was that if this kept up she didn't see how she'd get to the wedding, much less past it.
She looked up as the bell rang and was surprised to see those friends of Ryoko's.
"Hello," she said cheerily. "How are you two today."
"Oh, we're fine!" the blonde said lightly. "Headquarters promoted us!"
"That's good news I guess," Ukyou said, noting that green-haired woman thought it was anything but.
"We're now first class Inspectors assigned to the Sol system," she said with a "whoop-te-do" tone of voice.
"We're now the ranking officers in the area!" Mihoshi added.
"You're the only two officers in the area, right?" Ukyou asked. Kiyone nodded irritably, though Ukyou suspected that the irritation and bitterness were mostly a habit rather than anything serious.
"Have you seen Ryoko?" Kiyone asked. "I have some news for her." That remark cooled the blonde's good humor some, and it certainly seemed that neither of them wanted to broach the subject.
"She's right outside the door," Ukyou said cautiously. Kiyone and Mihoshi turned around and the green-haired woman took a deep breath.
"Well here goes nothing," she muttered.
"Should I fear for my restaurant?" Ukyou asked the blonde.
"What did you mean by that?" Ryoko asked cautiously.
"What?" Ranma asked, giving an appearance of cluelessness.
"Did you just say that..." she paused. "You couldn't have meant that." Ranma debated with himself for a moment before answering. Waiting, keeping silent. That didn't work, it only wasted time, even if he wasn't certain.
Then the door opened next to them.
"Ryoko," Kiyone said. She locked at the somewhat frustrated expressions and frowned a little more. "Sorry to interrupt."
"Interrupt what?" Ryoko asked sharply, drawing a look from Ranma.
"There's some news," Kiyone said grimmly. Ryoko's attention was suddenly focused on her.
"What kind of news," she asked.
"Let's go inside," Kiyone said, "Get some privacy." Ryoko nodded and set her feet down on the floor.
~Bad news,~ Ranma thought, perfectly aware that Ryoko was thinking similar things. As they walked in he waved to Ukyou and noted the haggard expression on her face. "He's lost again?!"
"He went out to beat on Happosai and hasn't been seen since," Ukyou said through gritted teeth. Ranma rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"Ranma," Ryoko said firmly. "Are you coming or not?" Ukyou smirked as Ranma rolled his eyes again and followed his accidental wife to a booth.
The smirk quickly faded as she regarded the expressions on the four faces. She frowned herself before picking up her business smile and carrying over an order of Okonomiyaki's to the table.
"So what's the news?" Ryoko asked.
"There is some good news," Kiyone said. "Ayeka pulled out her coma. For a little while at least."
"Coma?" Ryoko said. "I thought she was dead."
"I thought so to," Kiyone said, not bothering to mention that this news was about five days old. "But maybe there's still a chance after all."
"She's alive," Ryoko said, wonderingly staring at the table in front of her.
"What's the bad news," Ranma asked. Ryoko's attention focused on Kiyone again.
"They lost the convoy moving Nagi," Kiyone said grimmly.
"She escaped," Ryoko said.
"There could have been an accident," Mihoshi pointed out. "They were supposed to be travelling quiet."
"Oh please," Ryoko snapped back. "An accident killing her?"
"Don't go chasing her, Ryoko," Mihoshi pleaded. Ryoko turned toward the blonde with an angry expression but caught Ranma's concerned, if quiet expression as well.
"I don't have to, do I?" Ryoko said. "She'll come for me." She stayed quiet for a moment, brooding over the situation. Some part of her was glad for the chance to get her vengeance on the bounty hunter, for she surely would get that chance now. "Have you heard what Ayeka's chances are?"
"I don't know," Kiyone said. "And I don't know how much she'll remember, either."
Ryoko looked to Ranma and considred the talk they were trying to have on the way here. She no longer was certain what she should do. She would have talked to Yosho about this, but he was dead. Besides, there was really only one other person that she could reasonably hope would understand the situation. Aside from Ranma, and she wasn't sure she could talk to him about this yet. Not until she was certain.
"I need to see her," Ryoko said, still looking at Ranma.
"I don't see how that's a problem," Ukyou said suddenly. "It isn't like Ryouga's going to need his best man if he's not around. A trip would be good for you, and I'm certain your mother wouldn't mind."
"And you do need to testify about those slavers," Mihoshi noted. Ranma and Ryoko frowned at that.
"That would mean we would have to take-"
"What is beauty that lies before eyes?" a young voice said stiffly, as if trying repeat something she heard. "Sha...Share...umm...CERTAIN you must be...uh...must be..." All eyes turned to Ran Ran as she struggled to recite her speech in a bad French accent.
"What did I tell ya before?" Ranma asked as she continued. Ran Ran blanched and snapped her mouth shut.
"But you defeat me!" she said in protest. Ranma frowned and tapped his fingers, glaring at Ran Ran until she backed down. The young Amazon settled for sticking her tongue out at Ryoko.
"We can take her in our ship," Kiyone suggested. This actually going a lot easier than she thought it would. She didn't even have to mention that Sasami had virtually demanded she bring Ryoko to Jurai. "Come on Mihoshi, we have to talk to her sister again."
"She's the one that went crazy last time, right?" Mihoshi asked as they stood up and grabbed the girl.
"Where you taking me?" Ran Ran demanded.
"Just let me do the talking this time," Kiyone said in an exasperated tone.
"I guess that's settled," Ukyou said watching them go. She gave Ranma and Ryoko a knowing smile before she left to attend to some new customers coming in.
"You don't have to go," Ryoko said. "They don't really need a testimony that says, 'I don't remember anything because I was a cat at the time.'"
"Nah," Ranma said. "But I need to go anyway." Ryoko smiled faintly and nodded, looking down at the table.
"After we sparred," Ryoko said. "Why didn't you insist we leave right away?"
"Why didn't you?" Ranma said. "You knew they were open too."
"I..." Ryoko sighed. "I don't know."
"Neither do I," Ranma said. He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "But I can tell you I've felt a lot better recently than I have for a long time." Ryoko glanced at him in surprise.
"You did mean what you said," she whispered, shaking her head. ~I was never confused about Tenchi. I never wondered if it was right.~ Ranma had been mourning his Akane for four years, he had a right to start again. But Tenchi had only been dead a few months, was she just that callous? Life used to be simple. See what you want and take it. Why couldn't it just stay that simple?
"Yeah," Ranma said. "I guess I meant it."
Sasami was half asleep, sitting next to her sister. Ayeka was no longer in one of Washu's rejuvenation tanks, lying instead on a hospital bed that was much more traditional in its design. Her hair was just started to grow back, and she looked deathly thin despite the IV solution essentially feeding her. Her vitals, however, were steady if weak.
The younger princess had grown used to the constant beeps and noises that told her that her sister was still alive, even if she only barely held onto that life. Any fluctuation in that rythym galvanized her. So when Ayeka drew a thin, gasping breath, she was instantly alert.
"Onechan!" Sasami gasped, seeing that Ayeka's eyes were open. A nurse noted the movement and called over a doctor before heading for the room herself.
"Sasami?" Ayeka whispered weakly. "My head hurts..."
"It's okay," Sasami said, crying for joy. "Washu put you back together all fine."
"Washu?" Ayeka responded. "She's a legend...have to find Tenchi...they left her awake in there...going insane." She began to sit up, but Sasami gently pushed her back down in the bed.
"Ayeka," Sasami said. "Everything will be fine, just rest. We'll take care of everything." She was still crying, afraid of what Ayeka would do when she learned that Tenchi was dead.
"I feel heavy," Ayeka said, contrary to her thin appearance. "Tell Tenchi, she's going insane...they left her awake in the cryotube." Ayeka's voice faded into deep steady breathing as her eyes closed. As she returned to unconsciousness this time, the shallow breathing of her coma was not present, and the Crown Princess slept a natural sleep.
Part 17: Suffering
Ryoko looked out into the star field and leaned back into the deck chair. She had spent most of her life looking on that sight. Wandering, always wandering.
She had been getting tired of it. She hadn't really realized just how much the endless desert of the star field was wearing her down until she crashlanded on a backwater planet past the defined edges of civilized space. She could have easily spent the remainder of her life on Earth if it were not for Kagato.
She typed a few keys on the control ball next to her and the view changed to an Earth receeding in the distance. She was leaving again.
"That still looks weird," Ranma said. Ryoko snapped to face him, moderately annoyed for the first moment. She calmed down quickly though, in truth the sound of another voice was welcome.
"Never thought about it," Ryoko said. She couldn't even remember the first time she'd seen a planet falling away behind her. She frowned and corrected herself. "Not usually anyway."
"Never stayed anywhere long?" Ranma asked. "Me either, until Nerima."
"It's a little..." she paused for a moment. "I guess it isn't different."
Ayeka's eyes cracked open again to the sound of that incessant beeping again. Her head still pounded with a dull, muffled ache. She looked around, the action of moving her head hefty strain alone. The room design looked to be a hospital maybe.
Ayeka frowned and struggled to remember the last few days, but little if anything made sense. Something was gnawing at her, some worry, but she couldn't remember precisely what.
"Good morning," a voice said, and she looked to see what seemed to be a young girl in a lab coat. She seemed familiar, but Ayeka couldn't quite grasp from where.
"I know you..." Ayeka said uncertainly.
The girl didn't say anything for a little bit, checking the machine next to the bed, but she glanced at Ayeka with a comforting smile. She looked to young to be a nurse or doctor, but somehow Ayeka got the feeling that she should be there with the machines. She felt both safe and vaguely, horribly, at risk from something truly and greatly dangerous.
"Where's Tenchi?" Ayeka asked, she moved to sit up, this lying down was not dignified. There was danger somewhere, it was clear before, or was that a fever dream?
"Don't push yourself," the girl warned sharply. "You'll have to deal with a little undignified recuperating for a month or two."
"What happened?" Ayeka asked. "Who are you? Where's Tenchi?" Her eyes widened and she tried to sit up again and the girl gently pushed her back down. "Ryoko! There's a malfunction in her cell! I could hear her thinking!!"
"My name is Washu, and Ryoko...is fine," the girl said in a strange manner. "She's coming here to Jurai last I heard. Please calm down." The urgency in her voice was directed totally at Ayeka.
"This is not Earth?" Ayeka asked. "No, we left Earth...with...walking legends," she gave Washu a funny look. "....and..." there was an image of falling debris flashing through her mind. "Where's Tenchi? And my sister?"
"Sasami is fine, too," the girl said. "She's been here as often as she can."
"I demand you tell me what is going on!" Ayeka commanded.
"I thought I told you not to push yourself," her red-headed attendent firmly insisted. "You've been in a coma for nearly two months..."
"Two...months?" Ayeka said in quiet disbelief.
"And I am not going to have you relapse on me," Washu said firmly.
"What happened?" Ayeka asked again. "Where's Tenchi?" Washu breathed deeply and sighed, then she sat down at Ayeka's side.
"I don't know how much you remember yet," the small scientist said. "I can regenerate brain matter to some degree, but I can't recreate it...yet."
"Just tell me," Ayeka insisted, in her normal imperial tone. Then she relaxed her dignified image. "Please."
"Tenchi died," Washu said reluctantly.
"...died..." Ayeka said hollowly.
"In battle," Washu said.
"Where was Ryoko when it happened," Ayeka asked coldly.
"She was badly hurt when..." Washu hesitated. She didn't know how Ayeka would take the idea that this all happened to rescue her. "In the last fight with the enemy. I'm told she went as far as she could. We didn't think she could have survived."
"You said she was fine," Ayeka pointed out, sounding tired.
"She turned up alive, back on Earth," Washu said. "It would be best to ask Mihoshi and Kiyone about her when they get back. They'll know more. Now, I want you to relax, but tell me if you feel like you are going to sleep."
"I suppose I must live," Ayeka said. "For the empire."
"Living is enough for now," Washu said, leaving it perfectly clear that they would expect more eventually.
"This is very big inside," Ran Ran said in Mandarin, looking around, then she wandered into a room and up to a wall, giggling as the wall again turned transparent with her approach.
"Would you please stop doing that?" Shampoo insisted from the hallway. The window-walls did not amuse her nearly as much as they did Ran-Ran. She didn't like knowing her feet weren't on the ground. Or at least within twenty feet of it. Heights were one thing, a void something completely different.
Shampoo was beginning to have doubts about the decision to return to Nerima. Less than a week back and she was on the way to act as a guardian for Ran Ran in a galatic trial. Of course it had to be her, Mousse was more suited to dealing with the Japanese than she was and they still had to look for property to support a true colony of Amazons.
Ran-Ran sighed and stepped away from the wall. She sat down on a chair at a desk and pouted.
"You said Ranma was supposed to be mine," Ran-Ran said. "Now he's over there with that...witch, and I'm here."
"Grandmother suggested I try to match you up," Shampoo told her.
"But Amazon Law..."
"If Amazon Law were irrefutable I would be married to Ranma," Shampoo snapped, she sighed. "It would be better if you would find someone else."
"But..."
"The Tribe will not support a claim that involves making an enemy out of Ranma," Shampoo said. "We do not have the power to force Ranma to marry anyone."
"He is just..."
"The man that killed Saffron," Shampoo reminded her. "And he is not the only problem. There is Ukyou, her fiancee, her ninja and that crazy girl. There are Ranma's parents, and the Tendos..." Ran Ran started to protest. "Don't underestimate them. Akane is dead, but Natsume and Kurumi both consider themselves Tendos, they are both beyond exceptional fighters and Kurumi would surface if she felt she had to.. The modern world is Nabiki's playground. And that isn't considering that 'witch's' friends." Shampoo gestured at the spaceship around them. "We are surrounded by people that would make a permanent stay in Japan impossible."
"Why did you bother even saying anything to me," the younger girl demanded. Ran Ran didn't want to listen to it. She sat down and pouted trying not to pay attention to her sister.
"I didn't know Ranma already had someone," Shampoo said. "I wanted him to be happy. If he is, then I need do nothing."
"How do you know that sorceress didn't cast a spell on him," Ran Ran asked. Shampoo sighed and shook her head.
"She knows as much about magic as that blonde would," Shampoo said.
"But," Ran Ran started to protest.
"Is Great-Grandmother Teaching you?" Shampoo asked, knowing the answer. "Then don't presume to know more than me."
"Yes, sister," Ran Ran muttered. Shampoo walked over to her and hugged her comfortingly.
"You are young," Shampoo said. "You'll find someone."
~I don't want 'someone',~ Ran Ran thought to herself.
"Sister!" Kuno shouted as he entered the estate. "Sister! I demand your presence." He turned a corner and found himself facing a rather surprised looking Kodachi.
"Brother?" she asked. "Is that you under those filthy bandages?"
"Yes, but that is a minor detail," Kuno said. "We must pool our resources, for even you must see the evil that Saotome is commiting now."
"What evil is that, brother?" Kodachi asked, her nose wrinkled back as she covered her mouth and nose with a hand and handkerchief.
"Can you not see that he is working to enslave yet another fair maiden to his evil ways?" Kuno demanded.
"If you mean his wife," Kodachi said, looking down to the...substance her brother was leaking onto the floor. "Then I am told that she is an ex-criminal strong enough to fight Ranma to a standstill. I think perhaps she can take care of herself."
"And where have you learned this information, Sister?" Kuno demanded. "Certainly these must be lies crafted by that foul diabolist Saotome."
"It is amazing what you learn when you attend dinner parties," Kodachi said. "And despite Nodoka-san's protests and attempts at distraction, Ryoko is quite outspoken about her past."
"You see, he already has her spreading these foul lies about herself," Kuno insisted.
"Yes...I see," Kodachi said. She looked him over again. "Perhaps you could take a bath while I make a call."
"Yes, of course," Kuno said. "I must appear my best when I destroy the foul demon." And he stomped off toward the baths leaving a slithering trail of....something that smelled less than healthy.
"Might I ask what call you mean to make, mistress?" Sasuke asked as Kodachi reached for the phone.
"The one you think I'm making," Kodachi said.
"Ah," Sasuke said, torn between loyalties. "How long will he be staying this time?"
"Oh, I don't know," Kodachi said. "He never generated multiple lawsuits in less than two weeks before. Or soiled my floors for that matter."
"I recognize this system," Ryoko said quietly as they passed a gas giant. "Why is Kiyone bringing us this way?"
"Is something wrong?" Ranma asked.
"We stopped here," Ryoko said. "All of us."
"Oh," Ranma said. He moved close behind her.
"We...I spent all our money," she said. "On a karaoke machine." She sniffed and laughed a little. "We were all taking turns on it. Mihoshi, Washu, Tenchi's father...he couldn't sing at all." She laughed again. "And me and Ayeka...we were still competeing over...Tenchi. I can still remember the song..." Ranma gripped her shoulder comfortingly and Ryoko's hand reached up to hold his.
"...but maybe they're right..." Ryoko sang softly, under her breath. "...but tonight's the night...to give your winning charm a try. Most people think...I'm a loon..." Her voice trailed off. She was always competing with Ayeka, always uncertain which one he would choose. Uncertain. Confused.
"Sorry," Ranma said, "I shouldn't have asked."
"I'm fine," Ryoko said.
"We...used to sing at parties," Ranma said. "Akane, her sisters, Shampoo and me. Nabiki had us record a few copies of a CD once. I still have it, in a box with a lock of Akane's hair."
"You're lucky," Ryoko said. "I don't have any souvenirs. All I have is memory."
"They ain't quite a substitute," Ranma said softly.
"You go to...your Akane's grave how often?" Ryoko asked cautiously.
"Every month," Ranma answered after a moment of consideration.
"I can't do that," Ryoko said. "I don't know where Tenchi's grave is, and they probably buried him at Jurai in some royal cemetary or something."
"You could stay on this Jurai place probably," Ranma reminded her.
"No," Ryoko said. "I'm going back to Earth, one way or another." Ranma frowned at the phrasing. "If...Nagi does kill me, you'd see to that wouldn't you?"
"I would try," Ranma agreed reluctantly.
"Good," Ryoko said. "That's...I think that's home now. And if he's anywhere, he's there." She remained silent after that, still holding Ranma's hand. "You're right," she said finally. "It is confusing."
"Yeah," Ranma said. "You think you know what you want..."
"But is it okay to take it?" Ryoko finished. "You think you know what you want?"
"Yeah," Ranma said looking down at the seated space pirate. She smiled softly back and then frowned pensively.
"I hope..." she was cut off as a communicator screen popped into existence.
"Ryoko, I think you should check the..." Kiyone stopped as she saw the scene. "Is everything okay?"
"I'm fine," Ryoko said bringing her hand away from Ranma suddenly. "I was just remembering the last time we were here," Ryoko said. The cop appeared confused and then a pained look crossed Kiyone's face for a moment.
"The last time we were here," Kiyone said. "Right, that was fun."
"Yeah," Ryoko said, focused now. "It was fun. What were you asking?"
"Turn on the news," Kiyone said with a good deal more confidence. "You should probably see this, and then we should probably stop for a talk, face to face. Is...this planet alright for you?"
"I'll see you in the docks, Kiyone," Ryoko said. Kiyone nodded and almost eagerly shut off the communication. Ryoko sighed deeply.
"Ciao?" Ken-Ohki inquired to her side. Ryoko flinched, she was still not to used to the white cabbit being around. She didn't really trust him either, he was loyal to Nagi, and that did not leave her with a good feeling.
"She couldn't remember," Ranma guessed, remembering the first time he had met the woman.
"She isn't even certain of what her relationship with Mihoshi was," Ryoko said, she looked up. "And I can't answer that question, I really can't. And Ayeka might be worse. I don't ever want to forget...any of them." She tapped a few keys on her console to call up a news screen.
"Ya shouldn't," Ranma said as the news started running.
"A crew of independent miners made a grisly discovery today when tapping a previously undiscovered asteroid field," the reporter said. "There was heavy debris scattered about the field, some pieces large enough for the miners to identify the debris as multiple Galaxy Police patrollers. The GP is making no comment, but our sources indicate that the serial numbers they identified belong to three of the five ship convoy assigned to escort Nagi."
"An asteroid field," Kiyone said as she noted the coordinates on the back screen. "Nice touch." She didn't want to think about the lapse Ryoko had just caught her in, especially when this time the pirate hadn't teased her about it.
"Apparently the villian's series of murders and terrorists activites have been ended, not in a court of law, or field of battle, but due to natural phenomena."
"Don't count on it," Kiyone said, shutting off the broadcast. "She used the Evslin Field as a dumping site. Probably took one of the patrollers until she could find something less conspicuous."
"I don't get it," Mihoshi said. "Didn't Ryoko say she thought Nagi was a police officer?"
"Yes," Kiyone said. "About four or five years ago."
"OHHH!!" Mihoshi said. "Are we stopping here again?"
"Yes, Mihoshi," Kiyone said. "We're stopping here."
"They're not coming along?" Ryoko asked, indicating the two Amazons. "Are they?"
"Well of course they're coming," Mihoshi said. "The more the merrier after all."
"I will not be treated like some weak farmer that must be protected," Shampoo said.
"It ain't your fight Shampoo," Ranma said, without much hope of having an effect.
"After what happened to Ran Ran," Shampoo reminded him, eliciting a flinch from the younger Amazon. "And it has been four years Ranma, even I speak better Japanese than you do."
"That don't..." Ranma started. He stopped as Shampoo arched an eyebrow and Ryoko snickered a little. "That doesn't mean anything."
"What funny?" Ran Ran asked.
"I am at least sitting in on these plans," Shampoo said. "And I shall contribute if it at all possible."
"And the kid?" Ryoko asked pointing at Ran Ran.
"She stays out of the way," Shampoo said. Ran Ran started to protest but stopped when Shampoo turned to glare at her. "But I want her to watch and learn at any rate. Stupidest young warriors become good old leaders sometimes." Ran Ran beamed. "Of course most of them just get themselves killed."
"Big Sister..." Ran Ran whined.
Ken-Ohki watched the group leave down the docks and started to follow them. In all likelyhood they would be talking about Nagi, and he wanted to be there when they did.
"Miao?" Ryo-Ohki yawned quietly from where she was curled up resting from her travels. Of course, it was just like the humanoids to forget that they weren't machines. Did they expect to just leave her alone like that, what if someone broke into the ship?
Ryoko glanced back to look at them and nodded towards Ryo-Ohki, and Ken-Ohki understood. The woman trusted him with Ryo-Ohki, but she didn't trust him around her. She wasn't leaving him a choice.
"Ciaaoo," Ken-Ohki sighed wearily. "He could still warn Nagi off of this hunt, if she got close enough to listen that is.
"Do you need anything to drink, ladies and gentleman?" the waiter asked, succeeding wonderfully in not sounding shaky.
"Yeah," Ryoko started. "I'll have..."
"Something that ain't got alcohol," Ranma interrupted. Ryoko turned to look at him and tapped her fingers irritably. Ranma returned the look with one of his own.
"I was going to have the klah, thank you," Ryoko said after a moment, and a quick glance at the menu. "No alcohol, just caffeine."
"Bleh, not as bad I guess," Ranma said. "Ain't they got fruit juices or something?"
"We certainly have a selection of fruit juices, sir," waiter said. "What would you like?" Ranma looked at the menu's breverage section and frowned.
"What these drinks?" Ran Ran asked.
"I don't recognize anything on this menu," Shampoo echoed.
"Start with the leej juice," Mihoshi suggested. "It tastes almost exactly like orange juice." The three Terrans shrugged and decided to go with the blonde's suggestion.
"I'll have a klah, also," Kiyone said, massaging her forehead and sounding as tired as usual.
"All right," the waiter said. "I'll be back shortly to take your order." He bowed and stepped away from them, as soon as he was out of their sight, he grabbed the closest pay-communicator and started dialling. Ryoko did not wait long past when the waiter disappeared.
"You don't think that she's dead," Ryoko said sharply. "Nagi would not be taken down by something as meaningless as an asteroid field."
"The convoy certainly wouldn't have had trouble with a field that has been a GP landmark for the last two years," Kiyone added. Ryoko blinked and looked at her. "What, you don't think that pirates are the only ones using undocumented phenomena, do you?"
"I guess not," Ryoko said. "Still think letting her live was a good idea?"
"I'm not bounty hunter, Ryoko," Kiyone said. "I don't have the luxury of doing what I want to do. I have my own duties and obligations."
"And when you were on the run with us?" Ryoko asked. Kiyone hesitated.
"I didn't have a choice then, either," Kiyone said. "Nagi has to be stopped, secured, but I am not going to her level to do it!" Ryoko and Kiyone stared across the table at each other, and everyone tensed.
"She wouldn't have gotten far in a GP ship," Ryoko said finally, eliciting a group sigh of relief.
"Yes, well, I'm checking all the reports of missing vehicles," Mihoshi said. "But there are a lot of them."
They quieted down as the waiter returned with their drinks, until they asked for more time to decide.
"She will come for you," Shampoo said, simply. "Yes?" Ryoko nodded, frowning at the Amazon's entrance to the conversation. "Then we wait, and while she attacks you, we take her."
"I am not going to be a decoy while the rest of you take down Nagi," Ryoko said. "I am not doing that."
"What about someone dressed like you?" Mihoshi asked.
"Right," Kiyone said. "There's nobody here that can pass for more than a couple of seconds, and then she knows its a trap."
"We don't need a decoy anyway," Ryoko said. "She wants to fight me full out. Not take me down from hiding like some sniper."
"How about a couple of seconds at a time?" Ranma asked. Ryoko snapped her attention to Ranma.
"What do you mean?" Kiyone asked.
"What about that thing where you blink in and out?" Ranma asked turning to Ryoko. "Can't get a good look at someone doing that." Ryoko froze.
"And who else can teleport?" Kiyone asked wearily.
"Or move fast enough to look like it?" Ryoko asked hesitantly. She shook her head. "It won't work, how the hell do we know where Nagi's going to attack? We just have to wait for her."
"Giving up the iniative loses the battle," Shampoo lectured.
"What do you know about it?" Ryoko asked.
"Nagi is hunted, and she is desperate," Kiyone said interrupting the potential argument. "She'll strike soon or she'll lay low and strike years from now. If she strikes soon, it will be somewhere she knows we're going to be. Where we should be relaxed and feel safe. With high security, but not too high."
"You know a place like that, doncha?" Ranma said.
"No, this is a bad idea," Ryoko said.
"Do you have any other idea?" Kiyone asked. Ryoko frowned, but said nothing.
"And who is this we see sitting in animated conversation around a table," the reporter asked as a small image appeared in the corner above him. The image zoomed forward to fill the screen to show six people at a back corner table of a small restaurant. The small group consisted mostly of women or girls with a variety of hair colors. There was, in fact, only one male in the group. "We recognize prominent hero police officers Kiyone Makibi and Mihoshi Kuramitsu, and the pardoned space pirate Ryoko. As for the other three, your guess is as good as ours."
"I'll bet those bigwigs in the Jurai are really chewing their fingers off now," someone laughed in the bar as the news turned to something else.
"Yeah, bet they never expected Ryoko to turn up alive when they pardoned her," another added.
"It would be better if she had been dead," someone muttered.
"What are you talking about?" someone asked. "It's the biggest tag the powers that be have taken in ages."
"If she's turned bounty hunter?" the nay-sayer pointed out. "She'll be more dangerous than ever Nagi was." A figure in the corner of the bar frowned at that, and the way that the rest of the bar seemed to take it seriously. Ryoko could never be as dangerous as her.
The broadcast itself proved it. It was sloppy. Getting caught on film like that was something Nagi would never allow to happen if she didn't want it to. She silently tsked as she sipped her drink. It just went to prove that even Kiyone was not up to her standards.
"So you've left Earth," Nagi whispered. "But you aren't following my trail. Hmmm. Where are you going?" She glanced up again as the television news gave an update on the status of the crown princess Ayeka. Nagi smiled darkly.
There was only one entrance to the Jurai inner systems.
"Well?" Ranma asked.
"You don't look at all like me," Ryoko said, looking over Ranma-chan in the wig they had procured and a spare outfit of hers that had to be altered somewhat to fit. "She's going to know something's off. She'll..."
"You want to get her right?" Ranma asked.
"This isn't going to work," Ryoko protested. She'd been protesting the whole month of travel since they had first come up with the idea.
"Hey," Ranma said. "I can take care of myself."
"Only if you see it coming," Ryoko snapped. "She wants to humiliate me, but you are not me. She'll know and she'll just kill you out of spite. Before we know she's there."
"Do you have a better plan?" Ranma asked. "She won't catch me of guard like that."
"She wants a fight," Ryoko said. "I can give it to her."
"That's right," Ranma said. "SHE wants the fight."
"I want her to suffer," Ryoko growled.
"Fine with me," Ranma said. "Don't see how you'll do it, I don't she cares if she lives or dies. As long as she fights you to the end."
"You won't give up on this will you?" Ryoko said.
"Excuse me, miss," the officer said, approaching a serious looking woman in a heavy coat. "I need to ask you to clear this area."
"What's the problem," the woman asked. The tone of voice set the young Jurain security officer on edge, and he narrowed his eyes. There was word that an assassination attempt might be made in the next day, by Nagi no less. Really, he should have called for back-up in handling any apparent vagrant considering the circumstances, but he doubted anything would happen. And if it was Nagi, he'd be a hero.
"There's no loitering here," he said.
"I'm not loitering," the woman said. "I'm waiting for someone."
"There are any number of restaurants to wait for your other party," the officer said. "We've had too much trouble recently to allow people to hang about the checkpoint proper." He said, catching a glimpse of something through her coat.
"Enjoying the view officer?" the woman asked irritably. He looked her over cautiously and his eyes widened, when he came back to her face. He started to draw breath and move for his sidearm.
The woman moved quicker and dragged him out of sight. A few moments later Nagi was looking into the darkened window next to her and frowned. The make-up had rubbed off her facial tattoos somehow. They made things so cheap these days. She dragged the rookie's body into a closet and eased her way back into where she could see the lines of people heading for the check point.
Any moment now.
It was coming close, they'd all know she was here soon, and something was wrong.
Ryoko wasn't coming here, that was it. Ryoko wasn't coming.
"Time to..." Nagi stopped as she caught a glimpse of silver hair in the line ahead. "Maybe I was wrong." She smirked and eased out into the main section. Something was still wrong. She could feel it as she broke from the shadows of the stations structure.
She glanced about for a moment and returned her focus on Ryoko as she got closer to the silver-haired woman. That sense of warning was getting stronger, almost like something...or someone, yelling in her head.
Nagi stopped.
"Ken-Ohki?" she asked and then frowned. "You chose your side. Leave!"
Ken-Ohki realed in shock as Nagi forcibly cut the connection between them, hardly willing to believe it.
Nagi turned back toward Ryoko and was surprised to notice the former pirate staring at her.
"Excuse me," a man next to her asked before she could react. "I didn't hear....y...y..you're...NAGI!!!" Half a dozen heads turned to the shout and then there was screaming as the area around Nagi cleared. The bounty hunter cursed as officers started to respond to the screams. They'd be working their way through the stampede any moment.
"RYOKO!!!" Nagi shouted, charging forward.
She made it about half the fifty feet before something smashed into her leg. She tumbled to the ground, feeling another solid blow to her back. Her whip skittered across the floor and she struggled to get up and reach it. Whoever her attacker was kicked her across the room.
Nagi barely held onto consciousness now as somebody lifted her off the ground. She blinked and tried to focus on the person holding her, finally focusing on a angry, pained face. Ryoko's face.
"This isn't the way it ends Ryoko," she wheezed. "We're warriors both, this isn't the way warriors end things." Ryoko growled and pulled the hunter to her face.
"What kind of warrior are you?" Ryoko growled. "I could kill you now easily."
"You won't," Nagi said smirking. She was recovering now, and she still had an ace in her hands.
"No," Ryoko said. "I won't. You're going to sleep."
She shoved the woman away and Nagi flew across the room and slammed into a pillar. She crumpled painfully to the ground, coughing and looked up to see Ryoko and one of her accidental husband's acquaintances. That Shampoo woman. Kiyone and Mihoshi were coming from another side of the room with side arms drawn. All the civilians had left, and now the room was flooding with Jurai and GP.
"By the time you wake up," Ryoko snapped. "I'll be thousands of years dead and buried. You'll never get your fight." Nagi sneered angrily as Ryoko turned away and let the authorities close in on the battered fighter.
"No one kills you, but ME!!" Nagi shouted, reaching into her coat and drawing out a small cynlider. Before she could do anything with it though, somebody grabbed her arm and twisted it, shattering the bones into splinters. Ranma grabbed the cylinder out of her hand and looked at it curiously.
"This goes boom, right?" he asked, tossing the thing to Ryoko who glanced at it. Kiyone next to her glanced at it and swallowed before sighing in relief.
"She could have breached the hull with that," she said. "We'd all be dead."
"Fuck you all," Nagi snapped angrily from her position on the ground.
She couldn't do much more. She couldn't feel her legs after Ryoko threw her into the pillar, which was partially good since she couldn't feel it was broken. Her right arm was useless, and her whip was twenty feet away from her. She wasn't getting away this time.
"You're a coward, Ryoko," Nagi shouted as they carried her away. "I always knew it, you're a soft coward that can't do anything but run!! You could never beat me! Never!"
Ryoko growled and looked down with closed eyes, with eyes clinched.
She wasn't the only one fighting conflicting emotions as Nagi was carried away. Ken-Ohki perched within easy sight of Nagi's stretcher and watched her taken away. Nagi's eyes brushed past the cabbit, held for a moment and then right back to ranting about Ryoko. As if she had never seen the cabbit.
"Did I do the right thing?" Ryoko asked from the deck chair as they were leaving the checkpoint.
"Well," Ranma said.
"I'm letting her live," she said. "Tenchi's dead, Yosho's dead, Tenchi's dad is dead. Kiyone and Ayeka have had chunks of their life ripped from them. And I know for a fact that none of it would have happened if it weren't for her."
"You said it yourself," Ranma said. "You can't trust what that mirror shows you."
"Oh kami, I wish I knew," Ryoko said. "I wish Tenchi would tell me what he wanted." Ranma walked next to her and crouched down to be level with her.
"That would be nice," Ranma agreed. "But I think ya were right." He hesitantly wrapped a comforting arm around her.
"I still want her dead," Ryoko said. She turned and looked into his face, close to hers. She looked over his face and sighed. "But I guess its over now."
"How about you," Ranma asked. "Still want to die?" Ryoko hesitated for a moment.
"No, I don't," she said finally, smiling lightly. "Do you?"
"I still have to keep track of you," he said, smirking. Ryoko laughed once and then her face turned serious as she leaned forward and closed the difference between her and Ranma. "Ryoko?"
~I should talk to Ayeka first,~ Ryoko thought as she closed her eyes. She had always made snap judgments. She had fallen for Tenchi when she first woke up in the remains of Ryo-Ohki's last incarnation. She'd never had a problem admitting what she thought before. ~I should ask her if I have the right.~
She certainly never expected to take more than a month on any decision. The month between leaving Earth the second time and coming to the Jurai checkpoint to be precise.
~I should�~ It was Ranma's offer to act as decoy that finally made the, she realized that now. Nagi would have just killed him, she was sure of that. Shot from the dark like an assassin just to give Ryoko another message. She could not have borne that again. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Ranma said as they started to kiss.
Part 18: Two to One
This was good, right. And for at least a moment all their worries seemed distant and unimportant. What mattered at the moment was that this chance at life would not be lost.
In the background the flow of air seemed to be a pair of sighs, as of relief.
Mihoshi stared at the blank screen in a small amount of confusion.
"Is something wrong, Mihoshi?" Kiyone asked.
"Ryo-Ohki isn't accepting calls," Mihoshi said. Kiyone narrowed her eyes and looked over. "Didn't Washu say there was no way to block this out?"
"Ryo-Ohki is a living being," Kiyone said. "So maybe it changes the rules a little."
"Should we be worried?" Mihoshi asked.
"She probably just wants to be left alone," Kiyone said. "There's nothing we really need to tell her anyway."
"If you think so," Mihoshi said, then brightened. "Maybe she's doing something with Ranma?" She smiled brightly. "You think?"
"Mihoshi," Kiyone said. "That isn't our business."
"I just hope she's okay," Mihoshi said.
"I'm sure she is," Kiyone said.
"Look at what we did," Ryoko said quietly.
"What?" Ranma asked, not catching the thread of humor in her voice.
"We can't very well anull the marriage now," Ryoko answered with a slight smile.
"Oh," Ranma said, then he smiled, catching on. "Guess we'll just have to
stay married then."
"I guess we will," Ryoko said, and then sighed. "You don't feel guilty about this?" Ranma frowned at the question and considered it.
"I don't know," Ranma said. "I kinda think that Akane would be yellin' about how stupid I was being all the time. Ya know, like on the show, 'don't waste what I've given you, baka.'"
"Yeah, same here," Ryoko said. She paused a moment. "I think that was part of it, too."
"That your Tenchi would want you to be happy?" Ranma asked.
"Yes," Ryoko said. "And I didn't want to be a zombie the rest of my life."
"I thought I was the zombie," Ranma said.
"Yeah, well," Ryoko said, tracing her hand along the floor. "Takes one to know one. Maybe I should tell Ryo-Ohki to let calls come in again."
"Wait a minute," Ranma said, looking around nervously. "She was watching?"
"Good morning," Sasami said encouragingly as she entered the hospital room. Her sister rewarded the effort with a brief, polite smile. "They'll be here tomorrow."
"Ryoko, Mihoshi and Kiyone," Ayeka responded. Her younger sister nodded as she sat down. Ayeka remembered Sasami excitedly reporting of Nagi's capture to her only a few days before. It had been a somewhat chilling discussion for the first two minutes.
Ayeka had been shocked at the initial enthusiasm with which Sasami had approached what sounded to be a rather painful and humiliating experience someone else had been put through. There were things she couldn't remember, but she was been quite certain that Sasami would never wish pain on someone. She was very, very glad when Sasami had quickly revealed that her enthusiasm was because everybody left was safe. That nobody had died this time.
Ayeka couldn't truly remember the bounty hunter, and Washu wasn't interested in educating Ayeka on the missing chunks of her life yet. What she knew about Nagi was acquired by pretending to know what people were talking about and listening. So she guessed that Nagi had something to do with Tenchi's death, and everything else that had gone wrong. But it was an intellectual knowledge that left her unconnected to the person emotionally, and as a result, unsatisfied with the woman's capture.
She would probably never be satisfied.
"Onechan?" Sasami asked. Ayeka blinked and looked at her sister.
"Hmmm," Ayeka said in response. "Oh, I do apologize Sasami, my thoughts wandered. You were saying?" She didn't have to feign interest in what Sasami was saying very often, it was how she learned about her past.
"Umm...Washu said you took a walk yesterday," Sasami mentioned.
"Yes," Ayeka said, distastefully. Granted she was recovering faster under Washu's care than she would have expected otherwise, but she still did not like to think of her rather pathetic physical state. "I shambled about on a cane, like some decrepit old woman."
"You're getting better though," Sasami said. "It won't be long before you can be up and around." Her tone was hopeful but strained, something was worrying her.
"Is there something wrong, Sasami?" Ayeka asked. Sasami flinched and sighed.
"Mihoshi and Kiyone told us something," Sasami said, hesitating. "That you might not like." She knew enough of her sister to know that Ayeka might see this next peice of information as a betrayal. Still, Sasami felt she was following the spirit of Washu's rather stringent concerns regarding rude surprises this way. The alternative was to spring it on her tomorrow.
"What is that?" Ayeka asked cautiously.
"Ryoko married someone," Sasami said soothingly. Ayeka narrowed her eyes and sighed. Sasami was surprised when there was no violent outburst about betraying Tenchi's memory. The elder princess shook her head and considered the information slowly, carefully.
The paths of her thought brought her to things she'd rather not consider. She did have clear memories of both Ryoko and Tenchi. A large number of clear, unfoggy memories considering her predicament and the amount of time she had known Tenchi. She did have a strong emotional tie to both of them. And despite Washu's best efforts she did know they had gone to battle to rescue her. Ryoko and Tenchi. Tenchi had died and Ryoko, by all reports, had nearly done so as well.
She had to wonder why Ryoko had risked her life and the life of her loved one to rescue a rival. There might be holes in her memory, so didn't know for certain, but she thought that the Ryoko she knew would have tried to take Tenchi away from danger. Even if she herself tried later, why would she let Tenchi come. Unless...
"Oh, Lord Tenchi..." Ayeka whispered.
"Onechan," Sasami said nervously. "You're not...going to fight with Ryoko are you?"
"No, Sasami," Ayeka said. "I do not believe I will."
"That's good," Sasami said. She sighed again. "I can't stay too much longer, Onechan, is there anything you want to talk about?"
"Nothing specific," Ayeka said, unconcernedly.
"There's Jurai," Ryoko said tensely.
The rings of defense satellites were gone, by Ryoko's hand, and had not yet been replaced. There were, in fact fewer satellites in orbit than even Earth had. The serene glow that it had had when Ryoko had last been here was muted somewhat, though not much. They were on the wrong side of the planet to see where the palace had been, where the damages were heaviest.
"Ryoko," Kiyone's face flashed into view.
"What do you want, Kiyone?" Ryoko asked.
"Before we start dealing with the landing zone," she said. "Why don't you come on board. No sense having two ships on approach, and I'm certain Ryo-Ohki would appreciate the rest."
"Miao," was the cabbit's echoing reply, sending Ranma into momentary convulsions. The only thing that kept him mostly under control, while surrounded by cat-like sounds, was knowing it was Ryo-Ohki
. "Something wrong?" Kiyone asked.
"No," Ranma said tightly. "I'm fine."
"Sounds good," Ryoko said quickly. She paused. "What was the last word on Ayeka?" She'd seen the news herself, but she was betting that Kiyone knew more.
"She's recovering very quickly," Kiyone said. "She's walking on her own now. She's using a cane, but she's out of bed at times. Sasami says that Washu is going to let her out of the hospital in another week or two." She frowned a moment.
"What is it?" Ryoko asked.
"Mihoshi told Sasami about Ranma," Kiyone said. "I didn't know if you wanted that to be a secret or not, but thought you should know the cat was out of the bag." Ranma shivered.
"Can you not say that word?" Ranma asked.
"What word is that?" Kiyone asked.
"I'd don wanna say it," Ranma answered.
"Well, how can I not say it if you don't tell me what not to say?" Kiyone asked.
"Just don't say it!" Ranma insisted.
"Cat," Ryoko interrupted. "Ranma's afraid of cats, okay?"
"Ohhh kay," Kiyone said. "Anyway, we're ready for you to come over."
"Maybe we'll be talking over one of Sasami's meals by the end of the day," Ryoko said hopefully.
"She's got a few responsibilities these days," Kiyone said.
"How they do that?" Ran-Ran asked as Ranma, Ryoko and the cabbits popped into existence in front of her.
"Now you behave," Shampoo insisted quietly in Mandarin.
"Or I will tell Musk you interested," Ranma added seriously, narrowing his eyes.
"When did you learn Mandarin?" Shampoo asked fixxing her eyes on Ranma.
"College," Ranma said. "Good for reading scrolls in old pervert's stash."
"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Shampoo asked Ran-Ran.
"Ummm, it slipped my mind," Ran-Ran said.
"We'll talk later," Shampoo said.
"What are they saying?" Mihoshi asked.
"Why are you asking me?" Ryoko asked. "I don't speak the language."
"Oh, sorry," Shampoo said, returning to Japanese. "I was just reminding my sister to behave herself, and Ranma was saying something that goes past profanity and verges on blasphemy."
"For an Amazon, maybe," Ranma said with something of a vicious smirk.
"That's the point, isn't it," Shampoo asked, frowning. "I have explained things to her, she WILL behave herself." She glanced down to Ran-Ran who pouted.
"We're next in line," Kiyone called back over the intercom. "Mihoshi get up here for the landing."
"Well, gotta go," Mihoshi said, standing up and walking forward to the cockpit.
Sasami waited impatiently for the ship to land. Her friends, her family, were on that craft, and she wanted to see them. The small-seeming craft landed, and slowly, too slowly, taxied into a parking hangar. Sasami nervously switched her attention to the doors leading to the hangar.
"Calm down, your highness," Azaka said. "It will only be a few minutes more."
"I know," Sasami said, nodding.
She didn't calm down, though. She continued to shuffle nervously and impatiently until a familiar silver-haired woman passed through the doors. Several people jumped in surprise at the sight, as the more usual passengers came in through the doors normally behind her.
"Ryoko," Sasami said, smiling. Now that Ryoko was back, she was almost afraid that she'd wake up and find herself beside Ayeka's bed. Ryoko still missing and her sister still fading despite Washu's best efforts.
"Hey kid," Ryoko said. "Still doing everybody else's work?" Sasami hugged the ex-pirate tightly. Ryoko smiled and patted the girl on the back.
"Lady Ryoko, it is good to see you well," Azaka said respectfully, bowing to the further surprise of Sasami's more official attendants.
"Yeah," Ryoko said. "Well, somebody insisted."
"Hey Sasami!" Mihoshi yelled out. Sasami released Ryoko and looked past her to see Kiyone and Mihoshi.
"Everybody's here," Sasami said happily, though it was touched by a bit of sadness. She noticed, at last, the three strangers that were in the party and looked at them curiously. Especially noting the young man that had been in the news reports. "Oh, hello, you must be Ryoko's...husband."
"Yeah," Ranma said. "That's me. My name's Ranma, you're Sasami?" Sasami nodded and then looked up, questioningly, toward Ryoko.
"It's a long story," Ryoko said. "I'll tell you later."
"Okay, and who are your..." Sasami started to indicate the two Amazons when one of her officials cleared his throat.
"Your highness," the man said. "Your presence is needed at the clean-up sight." Ryoko frowned at the man. Ran-Ran perked at the use of the honorific, though Shampoo merely nodded as her suspicion was proved.
"She's no fighter," Ran-Ran said in Mandarin. "Why is she the ruler?"
"Not all countries are ruled by the warriors," Shampoo esplained back.
"That's right," Sasami said wearily.
"Hey, lay off her," Ryoko said. "She's just a kid, she works too hard as it is."
"She has to make an appearance soon," the man protested. "Morale is..."
"Morale is high since Nagi was recaptured," Kamidake interrupted. "Princess Sasami has plenty of time to spend with her friends."
"Of course," the man said weakly. "If you say such things, they must be true."
"That's all right," Sasami said. "Ayeka will be taking control soon anyway." She sounded both hopeful and worried in that statement. "They'll get your rooms and everything and I'll be back to talk to you real soon, okay?"
"I guess that's fine," Ryoko said, not seeming to think it was fine. "But don't let them push you too ragged, Sasami."
"I won't," the little girl promised. "See you in a bit okay? Nice to meet you Ranma."
"Okay," Ryoko said as Sasami was escorted out of the area by Azaka and most of her attendants. "She works too hard."
"If you'll follow me, Ladies, Gentlemen," one of the remainder said. "I shall take you to the rooms you'll be staying.
"This is her house?" Ranma said, surprised. "I thought it was an airport or something." Shampoo and Ran-Ran nodded somewhat similarly as they followed the servant to their rooms.
"I suppose this would be Princess Sasami's place of residence in time," the servant said. "Though Crown Princess Ayeka will probably dwell here, at least until the main palace is repaired."
"MAIN...palace?"
"This is what that guy called 'sparse'?" Ranma said looking about the guest room with a trace of disgust. It was a near monument to the fortune and power of one of the oldest families in the galaxy.
"They're Jurai nobles," Ryoko said, lounging comfortably on the bed and frowning up at the ceiling. She was not one to be annoyed with lavish luxury, as Ranma apparently was. So that wasn't bothering her, she was thinking of her coming "discussion" with Ayeka.
"Well, well," a familiar cocky voice said. "The prodigal returns." Ranma turned around as Ryoko sat up and both looked to the door to see a little red-haired girl leaning against the door frame.
"Washu," Ryoko said. "I was wondering when you would show up."
"Who's this?" Ranma asked.
"Only the greatest scientific mind in all this universe," Washu said, standing away from the doorframe, and walking in.
"Where are the dolls?" Ryoko asked. Washu shrugged.
"I thought that would be a little much," Washu said. "Don't you think?" She approached Ryoko and looked her over curiously.
"What are you doing?" Ryoko asked, nervously. Ranma tensed ready to act if he had to. Washu held out her hands and summoned one of her key pads and started typing a few keys.
"Just checking something," Washu said. "Nothing to worry about."
"With you there's always something to worry about," Ryoko said. At that a circle of light appeared over her. Ryoko looked up and sweated, getting a little more nervous. Last time she'd seen that she'd been a kappa for an hour. Trying to move proved futile, she seemed to be frozen for the moment.
"Hey!" Ranma snapped and started forward, only to slam into a solid, invisible something and find himself hanging upside down a few feet away.
"Come, come," Washu said, pausing to smirk. "Let the doctor do her job." The light above Ryoko faded away after she spoke, shortly before Ranma smacked into the floor, and Ryoko found herself able to move.
"Okay," Ryoko said angrily. "What did you do?"
"Just a quick check up, Ryoko," she said. "And looks like everything is fine and healing well. No trace of the energy feedback I expected to find."
"Energy, what?" Ranma asked.
"You probably noticed while trying to use your powers," Washu said. "The Dark Jurai attacks produce a feedback in someone using normally aspected Jurai power. It's like a poison. Kamidake might have survived his other injuries if it weren't for that, or vice versa. He seemed to be recovering fine the first week, but eventually the complications proved too much."
"I thought he was dead," Ryoko muttered. "Otherwise why just one of them with Sasami." Washu nodded.
"Ayeka caught some in the fight as well," Washu said. "And it interferred with my treatment of her as well. Until I figured out how to flush her energy field. If she had taken a direct injury, from Kagato no less, then I probably would have failed. It still might cause her problems later."
"What about Ryoko?" Ranma interrupted insistantly.
"Ahhh, he's worried about you," Washu said, smirking again.
"Get to the explanations, you little runt," Ryoko snapped, leaning down angrily in Washu's face.
"Yes, I was afraid that Ryoko would be likewise 'poisoned'," She paused. "Especially when I saw how you handled Nagi. I almost expected to find you basically crippled, by this point feeling wracking pain and probably unable to metabolize food. I guess you don't have enough Jurai in you for a foothold though." Ryoko sat back heavily on the bed, swallowing nervously.
"They had to take away my powers for a few days," Ryoko said. "I was hurting for a month before that, and the wound kept reopening."
"They," she glanced to Ranma.
"A doctor I know," Ranma said. "She got hurt when she tried to blast me so I had him block her chi until the wound healed. She's going to be okay right?"
"You flushed her energy field," Washu said, ignoring the question.
"I guess," Ranma said. "Block her powers and let the chi rebuild itself naturally, right."
"How'd you know what to do," Washu asked.
"There're lots of chi poisoning moves," Ranma said, shrugging. "Ain't my thing, too slow. But been hit by other stuff not so bad. The Doc knows most an' how to stop em though. I only know the gist of it." Washu looked over Ranma for a moment.
"I might have to pay this doctor friend of yours a visit," Washu said. She turned to Ryoko. "Well, Ryoko, looks like you were lucky. Mixxed blood and access to people that actually know more about something than me."
"You can actually admit that?" Ryoko asked.
"There has to be something left to learn," Washu said tsking. "And there's always going to be somebody that knows something I don't. I just know more things than everybody else."
Washu stretched out and walked out the door to the confusion of the occupants. A moment later she stuck her head back in the room. "I'm going to check on Ayeka, you coming?" Ryoko hesitated a moment.
"Yeah," she said. "Just give me a moment." Washu shrugged and turned back into the hallway, stopping and leaning against the far wall.
Ryoko considered the, now, fast approaching meeting and took a deep breath before standing up off the bed.
"Want me there?" Ranma asked.
"You watched...Tenchi's death with me," Ryoko said. "This can't be as hard." She didn't sound too certain. "Let's go."
"Physical therapy time, I see," Washu said as she found Ayeka. The princess had her back to the door and was at the moment trying to hold her arms out straight with small weights in each hand. A nurse stood nearby just in case.
"Physical torture you mean," Ayeka muttered, though the statement lacked the old vehemence her insults used to possess, as if it was said merely for form. She let the weights dropped and turned around. "Certainly you have a..." she paused and stared for a long moment. "Ryoko."
"How're you doing, Princess?" Ryoko asked nervously.
Then Ryoko saw something she never expected to see directed at her from Ayeka. A small, sad smile.
"It is good to see you," she said. She glanced past Ryoko and saw Ranma. "And this must be your husband that I have heard about." Washu blinked in surprise.
"Somebody's been talking to you," she said disapprovingly. Ayeka nodded and shifted around in her seat to more easily face the newcomers.
"Wait, your not mad at me?" Ryoko asked, confused.
"Tenchi would have wanted you to be happy in any case," Ayeka said quietly, frowning. "I have blank spots, I'm sure you've been told about that. But I am certain that Tenchi would not want to have hurt you, even if he had lived."
"Even..." Ryoko repeated confused. ~Wait, she must be certain that Tenchi chose her over me!~ She almost protested out of long habit. Fortunately Ayeka spoke before she could.
"You'll forgive me if I do not stand to greet you," Ayeka said formally, directing her gaze on Ranma. "But I am still recovering you see. I am given to understand that we have you to thank for Ryoko's continued existence." Ryoko twitched a little, this was hardly the Ayeka she knew. She was formal, yes, and stiff, yes, but the Ayeka she knew had a lot more spirit.
~Let her think that,~ Ryoko thought to herself finally. ~That fight doesn't matter anymore.~
"My I ask your name?" Ayeka asked, she had heard it before, but it was polite to let guests introduce themselves. Ranma stepped forward to stand next to Ryoko.
"Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Martial Arts," Ranma said, giving a polite bow. He looked to Ryoko's momentarily annoyed face and gripped her hand encouragingly.
"Perhaps while you're here you can participate in a tournament," Ayeka said haphazardly. "Ryoko is a Hero of the Jurai for helping Lord Tenchi rescue me." Washu flinched again and gave Ayeka another surprised look. "And again for capturing Nagi, I suppose since you helped in that regard...that would make you a Hero as well."
"If you say so," Ranma said.
"Take a seat," Ayeka said. "Both of you, I would like to know something of what I missed and what I've forgotten. If that is okay with Washu, of course."
"I'll listen in," Washu said. "But it sounds like you know the biggest ones anyway."
Sasami joined them soon after, as they were talking to Ayeka about things that had happened in the past. Kiyone and Mihoshi weren't far behind. Ranma relaxed as the friends discussed old matters, generally only talking when someone asked a direct question about him. It reminded him of his own friends, and recent discussions. Times when he had been quiet and non-participatory for quite another reason.
But Sasami was called off on government business, and the police officers had duties of there own and so Ryoko and Ranma were the last, besides Washu, to leave. Only leaving when Washu started insisting it was time for Ayeka to rest.
"Thank you for talking with me," Ayeka said. "Today has been most educational."
"Could you stop with the act, Ayeka?" Ryoko asked. "It's me you're talking to, not another Jurai noble."
"I suppose you expected me to rant and snap like some rabid beast," Ayeka said.
"Well, yes," Ryoko said. Ayeka shrugged.
"I was going to," Ayeka said, narrowing her eyes. "My first response when..." she glanced at Washu and then back at Ryoko. "I was told about your situation, Lady Saotome, was just along those lines." Ryoko was actually comforted by the spark of anger she saw in the Princess's eyes.
"So what changed your mind, then," Ranma asked, saying the question for Ryoko.
"It seemed pointless," she said shrugging. "If our earlier encounters were often childish, we had the excuse of being children. I do not have that excuse now. Besides, not all of those memories were of battles. Though, I suppose, my memory can't be trusted."
"No, we didn't always fight," Ryoko agreed.
"And, as I said," Ayeka added. "Tenchi would want you to be happy."
"You too, Princess," Ryoko said. Ayeka smiled slightly, though it didn't touch her eyes.
"Perhaps," she said. "But not yet, I think. I shall see you again, of course, a Jurain trial is short, but you'll still be here some time."
"Don't give up, Ayeka," Ryoko said. "Sasami would never forgive you."
"Of course not," Ayeka said. Ryoko and Ranma started out the door when Ayeka called out again. 'Oh, and Ryoko?"
~Here it comes,~ Ryoko said tensing, almost hopefully. "What is it Princess?"
"Perhaps, before you visit Tenchi's tomb," Ayeka said. "You can wait for Washu to release me. I would appreciate being with you when we both attend for the first time."
Ryoko hesistated, she had been planning on doing that much sooner, but she nodded. She did owe Ayeka that right, she supposed.
"Will do," she said.
It was another month before the trial was finished. A month that saw Sasami finally step down from active participation in government and Ayeka to take her proper position again. Rumors and jibes about how effective a brain damaged Princess would be were quickly silenced afterwords. Talks ranged from who the Princess would marry to the idea that she might take the Imperial Throne on her own.
Ranma, Ryoko, Kiyone, Mihoshi and the Amazons stayed on for another month after that, but eventually they all had to return to Earth.
"Do come and visit sometime soon," Ayeka said, she still made use of the cane to walk. "I shall try to visit myself occasionally, but I now have a number of duties."
"It's only a month from her to Earth, right?" Ranma asked. "That ain't much."
"Yeah," Ryoko agreed. "We'll visit when we can. But we should be getting ready soon."
"Well there is one matter to attend to," Ayeka said.
"What is that?" Ryoko asked sharply.
"A favor I was asked to attend to, two actually," Ayeka said. "First, Sasami wishes to return to Earth. She hasn't said anything about it to me, but she does. I think perhaps she would make a good ambassador, don't you? If we ever reveal our existence to your governments that is."
"So we're taking Sasami back with us?" Ryoko asked.
"If she will go, yes, I'd appreciate it," Ayeka said. "She would be happier there, away from all this."
"The second favor," Ranma asked, suspicious of that part.
"Oh, just another ferrying request," Ayeka said. "There are some passengers that would like to make a return trip back to Earth with you, I hope you don't mind."
"There are more terrans here?" Ryoko said, disbelievingly.
"Yes, quite a few," Ayeka said. "They arrived by chance today, and after they handle there business they would require travel back. I thought that between your two cabbits and that 'shuttle' Washu built for Kiyone and Mihoshi, you should have no problems."
"What business do they have here?" Ranma asked, thoroughly confused.
"Come along," Ayeka said. "It should be getting started soon. We can sit through it then you can all be off." Ayeka started limping down the hallway. Ranma and Ryoko glanced after her and then at each other before following her.
"Isn't this the grand hall?" Ryoko asked as they approached a huge set of doors.
"Yes," Ayeka said, smiling. She still seemed quite subdued to Ryoko's mind, but Ayeka proved that she still did have plenty of spirit, even if she generally only applied it to ruling now. The Princess opened the doors and walked in, with the couple behind her.
The first thing they noticed was that the Terrans who had business here all seemed to be one of Ranma's friends.
"Hey, Ranchan," Ukyou shouted from the front of the room, standing next to Ranma's parents. Ranma only barely noticed that his mother seemed to be putting on a little weight, but was too confused to put that together. "About time you showed up."
"What? Is this?" Ryoko asked, blinking.
"I understand you have not yet had a wedding," Ayeka said. "Merely a civil marriage. I contacted Lord Ranma's parents and his mother indicated that his father had an interesting idea for a surprise wedding. Somewhat unorthodox, true, but then so are you."
"This is a wedding?" Ranma repeated.
"Yes," Ayeka said.
"For us?" Ryoko added.
"Yes," Ayeka said tightly. "And I believe it is time to get started." Ryoko and Ranma, still glancing about in some shock didn't seem to be reacting. "That means rise up to the altar and proceed with the ritual."
They both blinked and then laughed nervously in response to Ayeka's continued efforts to get the idea through to them. They walked nervously to the altar, where Ayeka took a place at Ryoko's side, and Ryouga stood up next to Ranma.
"Oh, the city offices are open," Ryouga said, drawing a pair of unamused looks. Then the ceremony was started, and everything seemed to be a blur, mostly because they were trying to follow along to a Jurain wedding ritual without having any rehearsal and in Ranma's case, no experience with one, until...
"And now rise," the Jurain priest intoned solemnly. "You who were once two are now one. Ranma and Ryoko Saotome."
Epilogue:
"And they lived happily ever after," Ryoko said softly.
"The pirate and the fighter never had any more problems?" the little silver-haired girl asked, doubtfully.
"Well, of course they did," Ryoko said. "But that is for another night."
"Awww, Mom," the little girl complained.
"Quiet you," Ryoko said with obvious good humor. "Remember, Minagi, we have to be up early tomorrow." She was never really certain why she had suggested naming the girl that, it just seemed right. Perhaps, she wanted to atone for her part in the bounty hunter's fall from grace, she did not know for certain.
"Yeah!" the girl declared excitedly. "We're going on a trip!!"
"Yes," Ryoko said. "We're going on a trip to see Akane graduate the academy." Her own daughter, a cop, in Galaxy Police even, imagine that.
"And we're all going right?" Minagi asked.
"Right," a voice said from the door. "Your grandparents, your Aunt Ranko and Uncle Kaneda, all your Aunties, even Auntie Ayeka is meeting us there. But Mommy's right. You need to get some sleep so you can wake up early tomorrow."
"Okay," Minagi said reluctantly, settling down in bed. "Oyasumi, Mommy and Daddy."
"Oyasumi, kid," Ranma and Ryoko said almost together as they shut the door quietly behind them.
"How're the twins?" Ryoko asked as they walked away from their youngest child's room.
"Nodoka and Yosho are sleeping like logs," Ranma said. "I think even Tenchi got to bed early."
"Oh," Ryoko said. "Of all the miracles. We might even all be awake when whatever happens this trip happens. Ayeka said she had a surprise for us as well, I hope its what I think it is."
"Who knows," Ranma said, shrugging. "This time, we might even get there without trouble." Ryoko gave him a sidelong glance. "We can always hope."
"Right," Ryoko said, amused. "There is always hope." She turned toward him and they kissed quietly in the doorframe. Then Ryoko smirked as they reluctantly broke off. "Such as I hope we can afford another mouth to feed."
"Wha...oh..." Ranma said, laughing nervously as Ryoko watched him still smirking.
~Life is good,~ Ryoko thought.