A few minutes earlier...
“Now remember,” said Genma from his seat, “we were hired by my old friend, so I expect you two to be on your best behavior.”
“Brother,” said Ranko Saotome, at the controls driving, “could you smack the Old Man for me.”
“OW!”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it, Sis.”
“How dare you two disrespect me so?” cried Genma. “How could I have raised two such uncaring youths.”
“You say something, Pops?” asked Ranma, eating what snacks his father had set out to eat.
“Boy, how dare you!”
“Stuff it, Old Man,” snarled Ranko. “Just be glad we didn’t leave you in the desert for all the crap you’ve put us through.”
“Like what?” asked Genma. “I dare you to point out a single instance where my teaching methods were wrong.”
“The Nekoken,” said Ranma with a snarl.
“Tossing us into that cavern because you heard rumors it was an ancient Zoidian training ground. This rumor was told to you by a five-year-old boy, if I remember.”
“Don’t forget the stamina training by chasing after us with a Zoid and using live ammo,” said Ranma.
“What about when he tied us to a Reynos to try and get us to learn to fly?
“Or when you left us behind after you pissed off the police, after trying to claim the reward for turning us in,” she added. They were just lucky that the police determined Genma had filed a false report, hoping to use the standard reward fees for criminals to get some quick cash.
“Or when you made us rob a Backdraft arena,” Ranma said. Though that hadn’t been too bad; the two had found a buffet table first, and enjoyed it. They were so stuffed and content, they had forgotten about stealing the purse. Of course, Genma just happened to be waiting nearby a laser turret, which activated when he snuck too close, expecting his children to bring him the overstuffed purse.
“Then there was that time he sold us as mechanics to that Bloody Claws team in order to teach us how to repair Zoids,” said Ranko. The team had been stuffed with lunatics who liked to slice and dice people who pissed them off.
“Don’t forget when he sent us into Battle Zones to salvage Zoid parts during active battles, so he could sell them before the teams could recover them.”
“Or putting us in that shipping container, and then setting off explosives nearby to teach us how to absorb shock.”
“I said one thing!” cried Genma. “Besides, it is because of my hard work that you have such high class Zoid skills, as well as your abilities as martial artists!”
Ranko snorted. “I hope you aren’t planning to try and claim credit for finding our Zoids,” she said.
“Yeah,” added Ranma. “You were drunk and stewing in a prison cell when me and Ranko found them in that cave.”
“It was my plan,” said Genma. “I wanted to see if you would find them on your own.”
Truthfully, he had celebrated a ... deal ... a little too much the night before. So the two had gone off and found a secret base long forgotten. But the truth and Genma were not that closely related. He had been more upset that they refused to allow him to sell those Zoids for some cash, and that they had refused to tell him where the base was, so he could ... explore it.
“Just so you know, Old Man,” said Ranma, directing a glare at his father, “if you do one more thing that’ll get us banned from Zoid battles, you’ll wish Mom had finished you off when we were eight.”
“And just so you know, Old Man,” smirked Ranko, “we plan to call Mom when we get to the Tendos.”
“Y-y-you keep in contact with her?” Genma asked, suddenly paler.
“Yep,” said Ranma. “And she wants to see her kids become great Zoid pilots.”
“Especially with what we’re piloting,” said Ranko with a smile.
Present time, partially copied from Earthchild...
The twins bowed politely.
Genma smiled, trying to appear jolly. “I'm sure Soun had already told you that these two would be joining the Wreaking crew.”
“That's right. It's been a long held dream of ours to form a team that can reach Class-S in the rankings. Now that dream looks close becoming reality,” Soun said as he held up a fist while looking to the heavens. “With both families together, we can't lose.”
There was much blinking at that. Class-S? Only the elite of the elite reached Class-S. Arguably the prize money was much higher but still... “Let me get this straight,” said Nabiki. “You want us to reach Class-S so that you can live off our winnings.”
“That's rig—” started Genma, his children nodding in agreement and glaring at him, before he realized what he was saying. “No!! I mean of course not. The only reason would be pride. To show what kind of material you are made of. To show—”
“Put a sock in pops. You can't make speeches worth a damn,” shouted Ranma as he bopped his father.
“And an awful liar too,” added Ranko as she stuck her foot out to trip him. Genma landed face first on the floor.
He was up instantly. “Insolent children; treat your elders with respect!” he shouted.
“Now, now, Saotome, relax a little. Let’s celebrate the formation of this new team with a few drinks.” Never let it be said that Soun didn’t look for something to celebrate in these dark and poor times. Sadly, he found a lot to celebrate, and thus the poor times grew worse.
“Good idea, Tendo. Let’s head out.” With that the two disappeared, already singing bar songs before their voices faded away as well.
Akane stood up and glared at the two interlopers who dared to think they could just waltz in and join their team. “Just for the record; we are doing fine, so we don't really need your help,” she said angrily before stomping off to the hanger.
“What's her problem?” growled Ranko.
“Maybe she knows Pops from somewhere,” said Ranma in a quiet voice, so that only his sister could hear.
“Oh don't mind her, she's usually a sweet girl, if a little hot tempered,” Kasumi said, a smile on her face.
“A little, sis? Isn't that like saying a mountain is tall,” Nabiki raised her eyebrows at Kasumi before turning towards the siblings. “Anyway from the looks of things, we don't get much say in this matter. So you guys might as well settle in.”
“Oh my; I’ll have to get a few more rooms ready. Why don't you two get your stuff until then.”
The twins shrugged and stood up. “We'll move the Zoids to the hanger first,” said Ranma.
“I'll get the hanger door,” replied Nabiki, also standing up. “The doorway is around the corner. Just drive up.”
Ranko nodded. “Okay; see you in a bit. Come on, bro. Felicia hates being under a tarp.” The two left the room as Nabiki made her way to the hanger.
“I'll come with you, Nabiki. I want to see their Zoids,” Kasumi followed.
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(Posted Fri, 25 May 2007 11:35)
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