Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Destiny of the Magi ❯ Small businesses, Big headaches... ( Chapter 4 )
The trio of new arrivals to Nerima sighed as they stood in front of the store named `Mystical dimension'.
"Wow, you guys actually got a name for the store that sounds half decent." Ryoga said matter-of-factly.
"Shut up Ryoga." Ranma glared.
"You're just mad because you didn't come up with this name." Kikori said.
Ranma growled.
"So did he made the names for all the other store?" Ryoga asked.
"Yep."
Ranma's head drooped, "Guys... can you PLEASE drop the subject."
"I'll definitely not have him name anything after knowing this." Ryoga smirked, "After all, I don't want to be laughed at for someone else's blunder."
Kikori nodded, "I should've named these stores myself a long time ago."
Kikori looked around hearing the lack of protest from Ranma, "Hey, where did Ranma go?"
Ryoga shrugged, "I dunno."
"He'll be back for lunch." Kikori shrugged.
"You want me to find him?" Ryoga suggested.
The green haired girl gasped and immediately grabbed Ryoga and pulled him in to the shop, "Umm... hehe, maybe you should stay here and watch the people unpack just in case some of them does something."
Ryoga scratched his head and frowned, "Umm, ok. If you say so."
<Whew, problem thwarted>
"Now, where is that Ranma..."
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Act 1: Chapter 4
Small businesses, Big headaches...
Ranma stared at the sky as the wind blew the clouds over him across it.
<Why am I even here? Why don't I just walk off and be off with all this? Why do I even want to reach 2nd circle?>
The pigtailed boy sighed "Stupid council..."
"RANMA! I KNOW YOU'RE HERE SOMEWHERE! COME OUT!"
"Damn, Kikori's here." Ranma's body slowly rights itself and looks around him, "Love this flying spell, the best thing is Kikori still hasn't figured out that I can use it so easily."
"RANMA!"
<Gotta get out of here!>
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"Stupid Ranma..." Kikori huffed, "That's the last time I count on him to help me put up fli-"
Kikori stopped when she saw the fliers she readied posted on the bulletin board in front of her with a seemingly blank piece of paper on the bottom right corner of it.
<Magic...>
Kikori looked around to see if anyone is around before reaching for her pendent, "Goddess of healing, aid me in the reading of the hidden."
The pendent glowed light blue and shone a beam of light onto the piece of paper. Words slowly appear on the piece of paper.
If ya think I was slackin' off, you better think again Ki-chan. You should really lighten up ya prissy girl. Ranma, your talented and handsome partner.
The young priestess's eye twitched slightly before grabbing the piece of paper and crumpled it into a ball.
"I have NO idea why the council would put me with him, are they trying to kill me off by annoying me to death."
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"Just put that box over there." Kikori pointed towards the storage room and looked at the inventory the mage tower sent, "So what do we have this time?"
The man walked out from the storage room, after putting all the magic stuff in, sighed before replying.
"Well, to tell the truth, I think they just give the really useless stuff that us imbuers can make in a second," the man thought for a moment, "Well except for the teleport marker and remote, and that bag with unlimited space."
"So they just send us the usual stuff?"
"Yep, taser sticks, paper candle, gum tracer, oh and my personal favorite, float ward."
"Well, I guess that's everything," Kikori said after scanning the inventory, "Thanks again Sodara."
Sodara winked and said, "Just doing my job ma'am." Before pulling out a remote and opened and portal and stepped in.
"Now I hope Ryoga didn't wander off again."
"What was that about me?"
"AH!" Kikori jumped, "Don't scary me like that!"
"Hmm, I was sure I went into the storage room, but then I ended up in the washroom, then now I'm here." Ryoga scratched his head, "I think there's something seriously wrong with this shop."
Kikori smiled, "No, it's just you."
"Not YOU too." Ryoga groaned in defeat, "My sense of direction CAN'T be THAT bad."
"Trust me, it is." Kikori said and pulled out a teleport marker and remote from a nearby box, "Here, this way you can come here anytime you like."
Ryoga stared at the items Kikori held, "How come I've never thought of that?"
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<The casting of spell is very delicate. If you do not concentrate, it will fail, if you think the wrong thoughts, it will fail. But if you say the wrong words, it won't fail, the problem is, can you concentrate without saying the words?>
"Can I concentrate without saying the words..." Ranma mumbled as he posted another flier on a telephone pole.
<What is MORE important is that you must learn to wield the power that the spirits give you. If you can only cast spells from the spell book, you are not a true mage. Likewise, if you can ONLY cast spells with your mind only, you are NOT a true mage. A true mage must be able to follow AND create instructions.>
Ranma sighed, "Instructions to reach 2nd circle. MAN those old men really don't want me to reach 2nd circle do they."
The pig-tailed mage/martial artist sullenly walked in a zombie-like state.
<The worst part is, I don't think... No... must NOT think like that...ARGH why am I think of this again.>
"THERE YOU ARE!" Ranma turned around to see Kikori panting and clutching her chest.
"You should work out more Kikori." Ranma stated, "Build up endurance ya know!"
Kikori glared at Ranma, "Well the shop is going to open tomorrow and I want you to actually KNOW where everything is before we open up."
Ranma smiled and said softly, "Dun worry about me, ya look tired, get some rest OK?"
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Kikori blinked and stared at Ranma, <...>
"Hey Kikori, you OK?"
"..."
"Kikori?" Ranma waved his hand in front of her face.
"umm..."
"Are you OK?"
The green haired priestess cleared her mind, <What happened, why did I...>
"I'm fine... I think." Kikori replied slowly.
"You should rest Ki-chan." Ranma whispered to Kikori's ears as he lead her back to the "Mystical Dimension".
<This Ranma... is this the REAL Ranma?> Kikori pondered as she was guided carefully by Ranma with his arm wrapped around her waist, <This is the sixth time he's been like this ever since I knew him. Is the Ranma I think I know nothing but an illusion?>
Kikori once again look upon Ranma's calm visage, <...>
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"Hey Ryoga! We're back!" Ranma yelled as he carried a sleeping Kikori into the shop.
"Where have you been!" Ryoga growled, "You KNOW I can't run this place by myself! I already used up the charges in the Teleport controller just to stay in this place today!"
Ranma raised an eyebrow, "Ya betta not waste all of `em."
"Yeah." Ryoga turned his attention to Kikori, "What happened to her?"
"Ran herself to exhaustion after casting a spell." Ranma replied with a shrug, "So ya think ya can hold up this shop for a few more moments?"
"Just as long as you come back quickly." Ryoga said as he continue to put items on the shelves, "Oh yeah, this month's magi mag came in, where do you want them?"
"Magi mag?" Ranma asked.
"You know, that weird magazine with all the latest magic news." Ryoga chuckled.
"Ohh, ya mean the one Ludandai always talks about?" Ranma shook his head, "I really need to put her to bed. She's pretty heavy ya know."
"Your lucky she's asleep, or else you won't be able to fight me in that duel." Ryoga grinned showing his fangs.
"Feh, you won't be THAT lucky." Ranma retorted as he went up the stairs.
Ryoga watched Ranma walk up the stairs, "God... what's WITH those two, one minute their at each other's throats, the next, they'll be all mushy and stuff."
A cold breeze blew into the shop, "Creepy..."
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Kikori groaned as she was laid on to her bed, "Ranma?"
Ranma smiled, "Hey, how ya doin?"
"Just tired."
"You should really try not ta tired yourself, ya know how badly it taxes on a person's body after ya cast a spell."
The girl sighed, "I don't know what's wrong. It's like I don't have the will power to keep going really far after I cast a spell." Kikori looked towards the ceiling, "What's wrong with me?"
"Nothin's wrong wit ya, just relax." Ranma grinned, "Your too stuck up, maybe THAT'S why."
Kikori stuck out her tongue at Ranma, "I'll show you stuck up."
The pigtailed mage chuckled, "Now that's the Ki-chan I know."
"Well, one of us have to be serious." Kikori said sadly.
"No, we just need to follow our heart." Ranma replied as he headed to the door, only to be stopped by Kikori.
"But how do you know your heart will lead you to your destiny?"
Ranma stood at the doorway in silence, "If it doesn't, it would be my fault."
The priestess pushed herself up and sat the her bed, "Ranma..."
"Get some rest, tomorrow is gonna be a long day."
"...don't destroy the shop before it opens."
"Kikori..." Ranma replied annoyingly before heading downstairs to the shop.
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"How is she?" Ryoga asked off-handedly while sitting at the counter.
"Ya know her, she'll be ok in a bit." Ranma replied tiredly.
"How are you?" The fanged boy studied Ranma, "You look tired enough to sleep for a whole week."
Ranma sighed, "Like Kikori once said, she's the brain and I'm the brawl of this team. One of us has ta be tough enough ta stay awake when we're tired."
"And who's going to catch YOU when you drop?"
"Either you'd wander in or Kikori would know what ta do." Ranma grinned arrogantly, "Besides, there isn'ta THING in this world that could drop me!"
"Oh yeah?" Ryoga smirked, "What about me?"
"Ya couldn't touch me if I went full out!" Ranma retorted.
"In your dreams Saotome."
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"This is the biggest crowd yet for the open of the shops we've ever opened." Ranma remarked after taking a glance out the front door.
"Well, considering how weird this town is compared to others, I'd say they have a reason to come." Kikori noted.
"We'll, it's time," Ranma let out a breath, "let's get this shop open."
Ranma gave his rival a nod an the pushed the front doors open at the same time revealing a large lineup of people waiting to go into the shop.
"Wow, that's a lot of people." Ryoga stared at the amount of people walking into the shop.
"Ryoga, just stay at the counter and work as a cashier please." Ranma grinned, "we don't wanna lose you like the last time ya helped out."
"I'm NOT that bad!!"
"That's NOT the counter Ryoga."
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"What's a taser stick?"
"I dunno, looks like a normal stick to me."
"Well I THINK it's a taser guys, I mean it IS called a `taser' stick."
Kikori walked over the girls who is studying the `sticks', "Can I help you with anything?"
The first girl points the stick at Kikori, "What's this?"
Kikori took a step back, "Careful where you point that stick!"
The girls looked confused and looked at the stick.
"Here let me show you what it does." Kikori smiled sweetly, "RANMA!"
A moment later Ranma appears beside the green haired girl and gave his `I'm a hard worker' smile, "What's up?"
"AH!" Kikori jumped and pokes the stick at Ranma, electricity flowed from the stick into Ranma's body causing Ranma's hair to stick up and giving him a shock. Which also caused the three girls to stared at the pair of mages showing off their merchandise.
"DON'T DO THAT!" Ranma yelled after Kikori removed the stick, "And don't tell me I caught ya by surprise `cause I KNOW ya know I was beside ya!"
"Well I needed to demonstrate what the stick does." Kikori smiled.
"Thanks for the demo." The girls said before taking a pack of them and headed towards another part of the store.
"I'll get ya for this!" Ranma glared.
"'Scuse me! Can someone help me?"
"Well you heard the call Ranma, you better go."
"Yeah yeah."
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Ranma stood in front of the `Mystical dimension' sweeping the ground and enjoying the sunset from where he stood.
<That was quite a day> Ranma rubbed his arm, <I havta request for the mage tower to quit sendin' those sticks over! I'm getting hurt from Kikori more `cause of those things compared to the renegade mages we've been dealing wit!>
"Ranma are you done sweeping?" Kikori said from the apartment above the store.
"Yeah I'm done." Ranma replied.
"Well come up here, we're celebrating for a good start of this store!" Kikori said cheerfully.
"Comin' right up!"
"The wind is my walkway." The air in front of Ranma turns foggy. Seeing his spell working Ranma walks towards the foggy air and jumps up towards the window. The area with the fog seems to have less gravity but in reality, it has just turned denser so that you can `swim' through the air.
"You look like some character from Chinese kung fu movies." Ryoga said with a smirk, "Not that I can't do that even without that spell of yours."
Ranma just snorted, "Not MY fault we're not ALL super human like ya."
"Guys, stop arguing like a couple." Kikori said keeping a serious expression, "Anyway, I just want to say that this is the best store we've open since the first time and hopefully it's going to stay this way so that we can at LEAST stay in budget for 6 months."
"Well don't worry about me," Ryoga said with a shrug, "I'm only here till I have my duel with Ranma then I'm outta here."
"Why can't you stay?" Kikori asked, Ranma also gave Ryoga a curious look.
"I like traveling." Ryoga said plainly, "Sure having a home is great and all, but ultimately, I like traveling better."
"I'd havta say I agree wit Ryoga there." Ranma said with a knowing nod, "It's great to have a bed, but it's better to sleep underneath the stars."
"I will NEVER get what goes on inside you two's heads." Kikori shook her head while rubbing her temples.
"Pray that you NEVER know what's inside Ranma's." Ryoga joked with a grin, in which Kikori giggled at.
But no one that night noticed a sullen expression on Ranma's face as Ryoga said his joke...
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<I never realize that I really don't want to have people know what is going on in my head...> Ranma stared at the stars as he laid on the roof of their temporary home, <Actually, I think Kikori knows too much already, and she still thinks she should know more, what's WITH girls!>
Ranma let out a frustrated sigh, "Forces of wind, spirit of nature. Gather upon my hand."
A gentle breeze blew from all direction towards Ranma gathering where Ranma has cupped his hands together. A white glow lit up the dark rooftops of Nerima and Ranma stared at the glowing white orb.
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Kikori watched from the `backyard', which is actually more of a thin strip of grass behind the store and their home. She watched as Ranma called forth the orb and whispered into it, as if to tell it his greatest secret.
"He's going to kill himself one day." Kikori whispered sadly to herself, "So much pain, just like the boy I've meet years ago. It's like he's slowly turning back to his depressed self ever since he came to Nerima. Is it because of the Tendos?"
The priestess went back into her room and stared at the ceiling, <Maybe THAT'S why the tower won't give Ranma a different partner.>
Sleep came slowly to the priestess. It eluded the girl long enough to hear her door creak open a bit, then closed again a moment later.
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A bit shorter than the last chapter, mostly because of the fact that there isn't a real event happening in this chapter, just the opening of the shop and some humor scenes (Ok, so MAYBE it isn't THAT funny, but still... I'm working on it! REALLY HONEST!)
I wanted to introduce the darker side of Ranma in this chapter also. You might think, but you already did that in the first and second chapter! Well I didn't REALLY do that, I just introduced the idea of Ranma's dark side. This Chapter I FORMALLY showed the dark side of Ranma and one can see that his arrogant self is just a side of him he brought out to act as a façade of his. Also I added some scenes with Ranma/Kikori interaction. It's hard to say if it's brotherly and sisterly relationship from the scene, but you'll find out later in the story (if you keep reading -,-) what it REALLY is.
That's about it for this chapter, hope you enjoyed it and hopefully you'll keep reading cuz I really like to have input on this story.
Finally the next chapter is where I reveal what type of mage Ryoga is (Of course if you read my description of the different type of mages in the second chapter notes, you'd know right away.) and also who `SHE' is! So till next time, cya!