A bright flash of light appeared next to the iron gate. When it disappeared, a big bird with golden feathers was standing on the pavement, carrying a boy with a spotted bandana.
Ryoga took a deep breath. "Man... that was close. Any second later, and this silver-haired maniac would've sliced me up with that ridiculous long sword of his. Wonder where we are now..."
Choco looked at a sign that was attached to the metal fence. "Kweeeh," he squawked and pointed at it with his beak.
Ryoga read. Then blinked. "Furinkan High? Does that mean... we're back in Nerima?" He groaned. "Choco, you must have taken the wrong turn at that mako reactor..."
He shrugged. "Well, if we're here, we might have a look at how things are around here, before hitting the road again... Now, which direction was the Tendo Dojo again...?"
----
Nodoka Saotome looked sternly at her husband. "I just came here to visit my son, and now I can see that he and most of his fiancees have vanished. I want to know where they are and most important: Is this some stupid plan of yours to get the houses joined?"
Genma and Soun shook their heads furiously. "N-not at all, No-chan! You see... Kasumi and Nabiki have vanished as well. No one has seen them. Cologne was here as well and asked for her great-granddaughter."
"I hope you're right, husband... for your sake!"
Genma gulped and took a glance at her wrapped katana.
Suddenly, someone knocked at the door. "Hello? Anybody home?"
Nodoka looked around. "Ryoga-kun! My, what a surprise? Are you here to visit Ranma or Akane?"
"Um, not really," he answered, before a golden feathered head appeared from behind his back. "Kweeeh!"
"Oh, right! Sorry! This is Choco, a friend of mine! We're travelling together."
"A strange-looking bird, right, Saotome?" Tendo pondered. "Would make one hell of a roast chicken, don't you think?"
Ryoga and Choco threw them dangerous glares.
"Ryoga, have you by any chance seen my son on your journey? Or his fiancees?" Nodoka asked.
"That I have," Ryoga nodded. "They're off to fight a big evil somewhere... And I just realized the world they were in would have been my destination as well... damn..."
"I... see. And where are they right now?"
"Umm, that's kinda difficult to explain," Ryoga said while scratching his head.
'Let me speak to them.'
"Are you sure?" Ryoga asked.
'Yes, I will tell them. As their parents, they have the right to know.'
Ryoga shrugged. "Well, it's your decision."
Nodoka and the fathers blinked. Did Ryoga just speak with himself?
Ryoga pulled out a strange gleaming gem out of his pocket. "Come down, Ramuh, ancient sage of the heavens!"
And with a loud 'CRACK-A-BOOM', a lightning bolt jutted out of the skies, made a nice hole in the roof and left a smoking black circle on the floor.
Ryoga groaned. "I remember, have to do this outside..."
An old man with a long, white beard and elaborate robes appeared where the lightning had struck.
"Greetings," he said to the stunned parents. "I am Ramuh, Esper of lightning!" He looked up at the hole in the ceiling. "Hmm, sorry about that! But take a few nails, some wood and a hammer, and it's as good as new."
"It's not the first time we have to fix holes in this house," Soun sighed in defeat.
Ramuh chuckled slightly. Then he cleared his throat. "Well, I'm honored to tell you, Nodoka and Genma Saotome, that your son has been elected to serve the universe as part of a heroic group that can be called upon in dire times of need. Right now, he's in the world of Spira and helps a young woman called Yuna defeat an ancient evil named Sin - Oh, and your daughters are with him as well, Mr. Tendo."
Nodoka beamed. "A young woman? Oh, how wonderful! Another fiancee for my son! He's truly manly! Think of all the grandchildren! WAI!!"
Ramuh sweat-dropped. "Um... right... Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, but I'm afraid my young master and I have to leave. We're on our own quest, after all..."
"How can I visit my son?"
That took Ramuh by surprise. "What?"
Nodoka smiled. "I'd like to see the pretty new concubine of his - she is pretty, is she? - and wish him good luck! My Ranma! Always ready to help out others. You're making your mother so PROUD!"
"Well, he went there by the services of our time & space branch, directed by Eden... but according to regulations, not every human can just be transported between worlds, not without offering his or her services for a greater need..."
"Then I want to help my son. Can I join your little corporation? I'm sure we can negotiate something..."
Now Ramuh got REALLY nervous. "Well... there IS one way..."
"Yeeeeees?"
"You, um, have to become an Esper yourself."
"Really? And how do I do that?"
Ramuh took a careful look into Nodoka's proud, smiling face. "You're really serious about that?"
"Of course!"
Ramuh sighed and pulled out a contract. "Here you are, sign on the spotted line..."
Nodoka nodded while smiling and pulled out a katana-shaped pen. She wrote down her name and returned the paper to Ramuh without reading it.
Ramuh took the contract and nodded. "Welcome aboard."
A another bright flash of lightning struck down where Nodoka was standing seconds ago. Only a second black patch of torched wood remained.
Genma could only stare. "You... just grilled my wife!"
"Not really," Ramuh said. "She's just being sent to our human resources department. Once she has been prepared for her job, we'll send her down to Spira, to an appropriate temple. Well, has been a pleasure, gentlemen!" He turned around to face his young master. "Shall we, Ryoga?"
"Um, sure..." the eternally lost boy stuttered. He called Ramuh back and took one last look at the place where Nodoka just stood. "Um, see ya, Mr. Tendo, Mr. Saotome..."
He re-mounted his Chocobo, and with another bright flash, they were gone.
For several moments, everything was silent.
"You know, Tendo," Genma finally said. "I don't know if I should be happy or upset about my wife's disappearing. What do you think?"
"I don't know," his friend replied. "Want to play Shogi?"
"Excellent idea, Tendo! I'll get the board!"
"But no cheating this time!"
"Who, me?"
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(Posted Sat, 29 Jul 2006 14:47)
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