Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ A Big Help ❯ The Story Begins ( Chapter 1 )

A Big Help

A Ranma one half/Sailor Moon crossover fanfic

By Michael A. Ivins

 

Mykon and Jora are my original creations so please nobody use them without permission. The rest of these characters are the property of their creators, publishers, anime production companies, etc. I write this for fun and make no profit off it.

 

Chapter One

The Story Begins

 

Scene: The Tendo Home in the living room. Tendo Soun is lying on a futon on the floor, passed out. He had been excited at the prospect of finally meeting Ranma, the son of his good friend and former training partner, Saotome Genma. He had received a postcard that had notified him that the pair were coming for a visit.

 

What actually appeared at the door of his home was a shock. A giant panda had come in the door carrying a pack and he had what people took to be a young man slung over his shoulder. When Soun's daughters had gathered behind their father the panda had set down the pack and put the boy down in front of Soun.

 

The young man was fairly short with fire red hair with bangs in front and a pigtail in the back. “Are you…?”

 

Somewhat shyly the young person said, “I'm Saotome Ranma. Sorry `bout this.”

 

In an overabundance of enthusiasm the tall, slender martial artist rushed forward to grab Ranma in a hug. When he did that he felt something pressing softly into his chest that shouldn't have been there when hugging a boy. He separated from Ranma and held him at arms length, looking at her chest.

 

Nabiki leaned in and took a closer look herself. The middle Tendo daughter reached out and poked her finger into a rather generously sized female breast. She turned to her father and said, “Daddy, he's a girl.”

 

The Tendo patriarch fainted dead away.

 

Kneeling by the side of his futon was Nabiki, Ranma-Chan and Akane. At the foot of the futon was Kasumi.

 

Kasumi said, “Poor father. He must be so disappointed.”

 

Nabiki frowned. “He's disappointed? What about the rest of us?”

 

Ranma-Chan held up a hand and said, “Uh, miss…?”

 

“Kasumi.”

 

“Yes, Miss Kasumi. Could I trouble you for a kettle of water, hot but not boiling. A pitcher of cold water might also be helpful.”

 

“That would be no trouble.” She got up and started toward the kitchen. Before she got there she commented, “He seems to be coming to.”

 

Nabiki demanded, “This is all your fault, Daddy. Don't you know the difference between a boy and a girl?”

 

The mustachioed martial artist protested, “When my old friend told me he had a son, I assumed he was a boy.”

 

Nabiki reached over and started to squeeze one of Ranma-Chan's breasts. To her father she said, “Does this look like a boy to you?” To herself she was thinking, “This is fun. She had really nice breasts, nicer even than my old girlfriend.”

 

Nabiki suddenly felt her wrist held in a grip that was firm but gentle. Ranma-Chan told her, “Look, I'm sorry if we're not what you expected us to be, but would you stop grabbing me like that?”

 

Akane spoke up. “Yes, Nabiki. A guest is a guest and what you're doing is rude.”

 

Nabiki pulled her hand back when Ranma released it.

 

Akane put a hand on Ranma's shoulder to get her attention. “Hi, I'm Akane. Would you like to be friends?”

 

The red haired girl smiled shyly. “I'd like that.”

 

“You want to go practice.”

 

Ranma hesitated before answering. “That might be fun, but I think we should wait for the water your sister is heating. I've got something I need to show all of you.”

 

Now hesitant herself, Akane said, “I can wait.”

 

Shortly Kasumi came back into the room with a kettle of steaming hot water and a pitcher of cold water. She set these down on the table where Ranma could reach them.

 

The red haired girl turned to the panda and asked, “Are you ready, Pop?”

 

“Growf!” answered the animal.

 

Ranma poured a small quantity of the hot water on the panda. All eyes except Ranma's looked ready pop from their sockets. The giant panda transformed into a smaller, but still large, man who wore glasses and had a bandanna tied over his bald head. He was dressed in a worn and travel stained gi.

 

He sat up and introduced himself. “I am Saotome Genma and this is my son…”

 

Ranma interrupted, “Let me change first.” She poured some of the hot water on herself and in less time than it takes to describe the red haired girl was gone, replaced by a tall, handsome young man with his black hair in the same pigtail. He was muscular without being bulky and was quite a bit taller than his girl form.

 

“I'm Saotome Ranma. Sorry `bout this.”

 

Kasumi seemed to be having trouble collecting herself. She finally got out the question, “Are you really the girl who was just here?”

 

Ranma nodded. “I am.”

 

Nabiki asked, “You're the panda?”

 

“I am,” answered Genma.

 

Kasumi put her hand over her mouth for a moment. “If I hadn't seen you transform I wouldn't have believed it.”

 

The others looked at the eldest daughter as she tried to gather the tattered elements of her composure. “I've just seen panda change into a man and a girl into a boy. Magic is real.”

 

“Yeah, it's real. I sort of wish it wasn't. I'm kind of stuck with the result. If this idiot hadn't insisted on going to that cursed training ground I'd still be a guy all the time instead of half the time.”

 

“You sound like a GIRL!” Genma grabbed the front of Ranma's red silk shirt and hurled the boy out the door. There was a splash in the koi pond and a red haired girl emerged.

 

The girl shouted, “What'd you do that for?”

 

Genma stood on the porch demanding, “Were you not prepared to give up your life for the Art?”

 

Ranma grabbed a bucket that was nearby and scooped up some of the water from the pond. As she rushed forward to splash her father she exclaimed, “My life yes, my manhood is another matter.”

 

The girl and panda traded blows, neither penetrating the other's defense. After they had a little time to calm down each was doused with hot water and changed back to their birth forms.

 

Finally they settled down to give the story of their visit to the valley of Jusenkyo. They explained the pools, the curses and how both reacted to getting the curse. The two older men got into a low-voiced conversation.

 

The girls were looking at Ranma as if not sure what to say to him. Kasumi finally said, “That story sounds so fantastic. If I hadn't seen the proof with my own eyes I would have thought it was some kind of fantasy.”

 

“I'd say the same thing if hadn't happened to me.”

 

Nabiki looked thoughtful. “Isn't there some way to cure the curse? Is there a spring of drowned man or boy?”

 

Ranma nodded. “There is, but the curses don't work that way.”

 

“What do you mean?”

Ranma got a sad expression on his face. “If the water from Nannichuan could be used as a cure I would have already done it. Let me give you an example. Say that after I got out of the Spring of Drowned Girl I had fallen into the spring of Drowned Dog. If the curses worked the way you are thinking, my cursed form would be a dog instead of a girl, right?”

 

Nabiki nodded. “That's what I would have thought.”

 

“The Guide explained it. The second curse doesn't replace the first one, they mix.”

 

“Mix?”

 

“Yeah. If I'd fallen into the spring of drowned dog after getting out of the Spring of Drowned Girl my cursed form would be some kind of half-human, half-dog girl. I'd look like something out of an anime.”

 

Kasumi summed up, “So there is no cure for you at Jusenkyo, is there?”

 

Ranma sadly shook his head. “Nope. There may be a cure somewhere else in the world. All there is for me in Jusenkyo valley is more trouble. Since trouble seems to come looking for me, I know better than go looking for it when I don't have to.”

 

Nabiki asked, “So what will you do?”

 

Ranma's expression turned thoughtful. “I'll need to seek out people who know about magic and ask them. Maybe one of them will know of a cure or maybe can point me in a direction to search.”

 

Akane offered, “Dr. Tofu might know someone who could help you. He knows all kind of odd stuff.”

 

“Ok, I'll have to look him up. Until I find a cure I guess I'll just have to learn to live with the curse.”

 

“Live with it?”

 

“What other choice do I have?”

 

Nabiki thought about that a moment and commented, “You do have a point.”

 

The two older men stopped their conversation and Soun turned to the teenagers. “Well, your problem isn't so bad. It shouldn't prevent you from fulfilling your duty to family honor.”

 

He stepped forward and rested a hand on Ranma's shoulder. “You've already met my daughters. Kasumi is 19, Nabiki is 17 and Akane is 16. Pick whichever one you want, she will be your fiancé.”

 

“Fiance?”

 

Kasumi spoke up, “Oh, he wants Akane. He's too young for me. Younger men bore me.” The unspoken thought came, “I'm starting to lose patience with the older man that I've been working on. Maybe I should just go back to girls instead.”

 

Nabiki nodded, “Couldn't agree more.”

 

Akane protested, “Why would I want a perverted, sex changing freak like him for a fiancé?”

 

Somewhat unhelpfully Kasumi offered, “You're always saying how you hate boys. Well, you're in luck - he's half girl.”

 

Ranma was offended. “What's the idea of calling me a pervert? You just met me. How can you be saying something like that now?” Nabiki noticed that he didn't protest being called a sex changing freak.

 

“I can already tell you're a jerk.”

 

Ranma seemed to pause and listen to something that was off to one side of him. He turned back to Akane. “I'm sorry you feel that way. Say, would that offer to practice martial arts still be good?”

 

“What? You want to…”

 

Kasumi suggested, “It might be a good way to work out some of the tensions that have come from this unusual meeting.”

 

Akane looked at her sister as if not believing what she was hearing. Finally she got up and said, “Oh, all right. Whatever.”

 

She turned to Ranma and in an angry tone said, “Come on, I'll show you the dojo.”

 

Ranma followed but took a quick look over his shoulder to make sure that his father stayed with Soun. When they got to the dojo he took one more look toward the house to be sure that Genma had not followed.

 

After he closed the door of the dojo he said, “Akane?”

 

“What!”

 

When he was sure he had her attention he bowed low. “Tendo Akane I wish to apologize for my behavior. If I have in any way offended you, it was not my intention to do so. I know I can be a jerk sometimes, but being around my father brings out that kind of behavior in me.”

 

Akane stood with her mouth open. She had not been expecting this. She was used to seeing a certain kind of behavior from boys her own age and this was different. “Uh… Ok. Apology accepted, I guess.”

 

Ranma bowed again. “I will need to warn you in advance. I am trying to give my father the impression that I'm a dumb, arrogant jock with no education and few manners. The reason behind that is a bit too complicated to explain now, but please trust me that I do have a reason.”

 

The black haired girl just stared, wide-eyed.

 

The boy said, “I wish you wouldn't call me a pervert before you get to know me. It's not fair to make that kind of judgment on a first meeting. Just because I change into a girl doesn't automatically make me a pervert.”

Akane frowned. “I'm not saying you're a pervert because you can change into a girl. I'm saying that because you're a boy.”

 

A look of extreme confusion came to Ranma's face. “I don't understand.”

“All boys are perverts. You're a boy so you must be a pervert too.”

 

“Huh? Do you really believe that?” Ranma wasn't sure he was following her reasoning.

 

“All the boys I know are perverts. They all want to do perverted things to me. I'll bet you do all kind of perverted things to that girl body of yours.”

 

Ranma shook his head. “”I'm not sure I know what you mean by doing perverted things to my girl body but it's not fair to say all boys are that way. That's just as bad as when my father says all women are weak, silly and stupid.”

 

The statement caught Akane's attention. “You don't believe all women are weak?”

 

Ranma looked shocked to be even asked the question. “Of course not. Some women are weak, some are very strong and most are probably somewhere in between. It's the same for men.”

 

Akane thought, “If that's what he really thinks, it's a pretty enlightened attitude.”

 

Looking thoughtful, Ranma said, “I'm pretty sure it's the same thing with perversion. The Jusenkyo Guide told me there is a spring of Drowned Virtuous Man. If I'd fallen into that one, in my cursed form I'd never even be able to think a single impure thought. On the other end of the range there are totally sick perverts that you wouldn't even want to meet.”

 

He paused. “As for me, I think I fall somewhere in the middle of that range. I may have a perverted thought once in a while, but it isn't the only thing I think about.”

 

His expression grew sad again. “It sounds to me you've had bad luck in the boys you've met. You should keep trying. Somewhere out there you'll find someone you like who isn't a pervert.”

 

Now Akane looked confused. “Aren't you going to say you're the one for me? I mean we are supposed to be engaged.”

 

“We only just met. It would be silly for me to say I'm the one for you, engagement or not. Before we try romance, let's see if we can be friends. I'm still only 16; I'm not ready to get married yet. I want to experience life a bit more before I take on the responsibility of raising a family.”

 

Akane finally managed to think of an intelligent response. “Ok, I'll accept your apology for acting like a jerk. About being a pervert, I'm not so ready to give in. You're on probation for now.”

 

Ranma shrugged. “I guess I can live with that.”

 

He got into a defensive stance, “Let's spar.”

 

Akane rushed forward and went at Ranma with all she had. It was like trying to attack the wind. She was not able to land a single blow and couldn't even get close enough that the boy had to block. She had the distinct feeling that he was evaluating her.

 

After about ten minutes Ranma switched from defense to offense. He still avoided her attacks but now was throwing punches and kicks of his own. His attacks were light and probing. Those blows that did connect were hard enough so Akane knew she had been struck but not hard enough to really hurt.

 

After the sparring session had been going on for about half an hour, Ranma jumped back and held out his hands. He said, “Let's take a break.”

 

Akane picked up a towel from the stack and started blotting the sweat from her face. She also picked up a bottle of water from several that were on the shelf.

 

As Ranma was wiping sweat from own his face he asked, “Are you willing to listen to some constructive criticism?”

 

Akane's face looked like storm clouds gathering. “What do you think is wrong?” she asked in a dangerous tone.

 

Ranma said, “There is a lot of power in your attacks. Like when I said that some girls are strong, you are obviously one of them. Unfortunately that's about all you have going for you. You are using a brute force approach with almost no finesse. Also (and please excuse the language) you defense sucks.”

 

“What? I'm one of the best martial artists in Nerima.”

 

“That may be, but with the skills I've seen, you would do well against a strong unskilled opponent. Against a really skilled martial artist you'd be in serious trouble.”

 

“And what makes you think you're so great?”

 

“Ten years on the road training with every sensei we could find. I also got some special training from very advanced masters of martial arts.”

 

He paused, “I noticed something else when we were sparring. When I said there is a lot of power in your attacks I wasn't kidding. In fact there is more power in those attacks than you muscles should be able to provide. Were aware you have been using ki to enhance your moves?”

 

“Me, using ki? My dad never taught me how to do that.”

 

“With some of the strongest martial artists that's how it starts. They start using ki to add power or speed (or both) to their attacks without being aware of it. The tricky part is learning to take conscious control of it.”

 

“Oh, and I suppose you can already control your ki.”

 

Ranma held out his hand palm up and in the air just above it a small pinpoint of light appeared. As Akane watched the pinpoint grew until it was a softly glowing white sphere the size of a basketball.

 

The pigtailed youth continued in a lecturing tone, “Most people begin using ki based on an emotion such as anger, which I think is what you are using. I first started to use ki based on confidence. There is a problem with that, though.”

 

“What kind of problem?”

 

“When you use ki based on an emotion it leaves a residue of that emotion in your aura. If you use that kind of ki only rarely that wouldn't be any trouble because it would clear out of your aura in a relatively short time. If you use it often it can build up. With ki based on anger if it builds up enough you could go into a rage and start killing people.”

 

Akane looked slightly ill at the contemplation of that. “What about ki based on confidence?”

 

“What happens to a martial artist who gets overconfident?”

 

“He makes mistakes that can hurt him in a fight. Oh...”

 

Ranma smiled. “Exactly! What you see here is pure ki with no emotional content. It is harder to learn how to control, but worth it. There are no side effects to worry about.”

 

Ranma paused for a moment. “I have heard it's possible to use ki based on love or compassion. I've never tried it, but the scrolls I've read say that it can be used for healing or defense but not for attack. I'm guessing you should only use it if you are around someone that you already have feelings for.”

 

Akane gazed at the ki sphere with childlike wonder. She wanted to learn how to do stuff like this. Her eyes shifted to look at Ranma's face with a look of indecision. Several emotions seemed to war for a while until determination seemed to win.

 

Somewhat hesitantly Akane asked, “Ranma, will you train me? I'd like to learn how to control my ki and to plug the holes in my defense.”

 

Ranma gave a quirky little smile. “Are you sure you want a perverted jerk like me teaching you?”

 

Akane looked annoyed. “I already accepted your apology about being a jerk. On the pervert thing, like I said, you're on probation. That's the most I'm willing to give you for now.”

 

“I can live with that. I would still like to be friends.”

 

“We'll wait and see about that too.”

 

Ranma put his towel in the laundry basket. “Let's head back to the house. I want to get washed up before dinner.”

 

Akane nodded. “Good idea.”

 

Later that evening, after dinner Ranma walked into the kitchen. Kasumi was washing dishes. Ranma said, “I'd like to talk to you for a moment. Could I dry dishes or something while we talk?”

 

Kasumi gave Ranma one of her best smiles. “Thank you, Ranma. That's very nice of you.”

 

Ranma picked up a towel and started. While he worked he asked, “I was hoping you could tell me something about Akane and her attitude that all boys are perverts. Did something… happen to her that made her feel that way?”

 

A look of great distress came to the face of the eldest Tendo daughter. “Oh, I don't know if I…”

 

She rinsed another dish and put it in the drainer while she thought. “Since you are Akane's fiancé, I suppose you have a right to know. I just ask that you never let her know I told you about it.”

 

“I promise.”

 

With a sad expression she said, “There is no single thing but a combination of factors. The first was a couple years ago when Akane was in Junior High School. She had stayed late to watch a soccer game and was going home alone. A boy came out of an alley and grabbed her and dragged her back to the alley. He then held her down while a boy who was with him pulled up Akane's dress and pulled down her panties.”

 

“Akane knew some martial arts at the time, but not enough to get away from these boys at first. It was when the one boy had his legs tangled from having his pants down around his ankles that Akane was able to kick him. That also allowed her to get away from the boy holding her. She ran away from them.”

 

“Poor Akane was so terrified that she was nearly incoherent when she tried to describe her attackers. From what she did say, the police thought they might have been high school or college boys. I heard from the police that they never caught the two boys.”

 

Ranma felt close to tears for what Akane had been through. “Man, it's no wonder she hates boys.”

 

“There's more.”

 

He looked at Kasumi. “What else?”

 

“If you get to school at the same time as Akane, you'll see for yourself.”

 

Ranma could sense that this was all he was going to get out of the eldest Tendo sister. Maybe he could get more info out of Nabiki. At least he was in male form so she wouldn't be trying to fondle Ranma-Chan's breasts.

 

The following day Ranma, Akane and Genma were all up early. While Akane was out on her run, Genma tried to spar with Ranma. The results were that Genma was unable to land a blow and took several hits. He ended up in the koi pond and ate bamboo for breakfast while in panda form.

 

After Akane got back from her run they went into the dojo for some practice. Akane asked, “Why are you willing to spar with me? Isn't your dad better than me?”

 

“While it's true that my dad is better than you, with the help of friends, I've gone beyond what he can teach me. He's no longer a challenge.”

“Then what challenge can I be?”

 

Ranma smiled, “If we were trying to hurt each other, you wouldn't be any challenge at all.”

 

The thunderclouds of anger began to show on her face. Ranma held up a hand, “Hear me out.”

 

Calming herself with some effort, Akane nodded.

 

Ranma continued, “When I spar with you I can practice my moves as well as I can in a kata. What I get with you that I can't with my dad is practice at being a sensei. There is more to being a martial arts sensei than just being a good fighter.”

 

Akane looked thoughtful. “I never thought of it like that. It makes sense, though.”

 

They began to spar and Akane found that Ranma was a patient teacher. He pointed out the holes in her defense without being obnoxious about it. He also demonstrated some blocking moves that she could add to her katas.

 

After they had been at it for an hour they stopped. They needed to get cleaned up before breakfast. Ranma told Akane, “We can practice some more after school if you like. I also want to teach you some meditation techniques. Mastering those will help you learn to start taking conscious control of your ki.”

 

Ranma was not familiar with the routine at the Tendo home and the sparring and bathing after had taken more time than he had anticipated. They had to eat quickly and run. Ranma ran on the top of the fence while Akane ran on the sidewalk. Ranma seemed to have no more trouble balancing on the fence than the black haired girl did on the sidewalk.

 

Akane muttered, “Showoff.”

 

Akane was surprised when Ranma heard her. In spite of the speed of his run on the fence he was not breathing hard. “I'm not doing this to show off.”

 

“Then why?”

 

“My father may be an idiot about a lot of things, but this is something he was right about. `Almost any situation can be used as training'.”

 

“What does running on the fence teach you?”

 

Ranma grinned. “This is balance practice. I already have good balance, this helps to keep it that way.”

 

Akane reflected on that for a moment. Balance was important to a martial artist. “Do you think I could do that too?”

 

Ranma answered, “You could, but I wouldn't recommend it right now.”

 

Instantly angry, she demanded, “And why not?”

 

“If you got up on the fence right now people would be able to look up your dress.”

 

Akane's face flared crimson. “Oh, I didn't think of that.” A little further thought and she said, “Maybe when we go to school tomorrow I could wear my jogging outfit and change into my uniform when we get to school.”

 

Ranma offered, “Why don't you wear the jogging shorts under your dress. That way it's easy to get out of when you get to school. Also, even if anyone does look up your dress they won't see anything they shouldn't.”

 

The black haired girl responded, “Thanks. That's actually a very thoughtful suggestion.”

 

Ranma could resist getting a little dig. “You see, not all boys are perverts.”

 

“Humph!” was the only response she gave to that.

 

Ranma jumped down from the fence. As he did so he was hit with a splash of water. She looked and saw an elderly woman who stood by the gate of her yard with a bucket and a ladle.

 

Girl Ranma yelled at the woman, “Hey, why don'tcha watch where you're throwing that water! Don't you know there are people walking here?”

 

The old woman seemed surprised at being addressed. “Oh, did I splash you, dear? I'm sorry, I didn't notice you there.”

 

Akane said, “Normally I'd say we should stop at Dr. Tofu's office to get some hot water but we're way too late for that.”

 

Ranma grumbled, “I guess I can change back when we get to school. I only need someplace private.”

 

Akane grabbed her hand and practically dragged her away. Ranma was muttering, “Senile old fool. Doesn't even watch where she's throwing the water.”

 

As the girls passed out sight an evil grin came to old woman's face. “I got another one. It's strange, though. Only the red haired girl got wet. Oh, well. Playing the senile old woman to get school kids wet is lots of fun.”

 

Author's Note: This is an AU so Ranma is OOC. While Akane appears to be OOC as well the difference in her is more in response to the way Ranma is acting. I've always thought the ladle lady was an evil old woman who splashes school kids for fun, I just made it a little more obvious here. I also give you fair warning that it will be a while before my OC's will show up and even longer before the Senshi make their appearance.