(Note: While I certainly will not take responsibility for the six layer fatesplit that lead to this episode, I will say that if the moderators wish to clean up some of this, I'd be very supportive. Cheers and enjoy! G.)
"Ma-chan! Are you okay?!"
"Nah!" Ranma said with a smirk as she pulled herself out of the Shakujii River just east of Toshimaen Park two kilometres from the border with Itabashi. Shaking her head clean, she accepted the towel from the pretty strawberry blonde with the lovely aqua eyes and the very shapely body now under the quite beautiful uniform worn by girls who attended the Nan'yô Academy in Kimitsu on the east side of Tôkyô Bay far to the southeast of Nerima. "Ah, thanks, Saku-chan! I needed that!"
"So what happened?! Who was it this time?!" Hakufu Sonsaku demanded as she stared teary-eyed at her lover. "Was it that meanie-meanie Akane?! That dork-ass Ryôga?! Who do I gotta beat up this time for hurting you, Ma-ch-…MMMLFH!"
That, of course, was Ranma giving Hakufu a kiss that could suck the air out of a whale. At first shocked by such an open and passionate display of her feelings for her, Hakufu was quick to warm up to it and move to draw the shorter redhead into her arms. After a minute, Ranma pulled away from her lover, a smile crossing her face. "Stop being my protector, Saku-chan," she gently scolded. "You know we get away with a lot when Akane goes crazy with her mallet. 'Sides, this'll ensure that we've got the whole day — maybe even more — together with each other away from Nerima!"
Hakufu blinked several times, and then she grinned, a sparkle of delight flashing in her eyes at the thought of a whole day making love to, sparring with, doing karaoke with and simply spending time in the company of her beloved Ma-chan. She then looked stern, though her eyes were still sparking with mirth. "Okay, they got a stay of execution for today!" She nodded towards a nearby public washroom. "Let's get some clothes on you so we can get on the subway and get the hell out of this place!"
"Smart girl," Ranma stated as she moved to dry herself off.
A half-hour later, two girls walked hand-in-hand into the Toshimaen stop on the Toei Ôedo Line, getting onto the platform for the southbound trains heading for Shinjuku, some stops beyond the point where the Ôedo broke into a loop that went around the centre of Tôkyô. Dressed now in a Nan'yô uniform like her lover was wearing, Ranma had her hair hanging loose; since she had long ago dealt with the Dragon Whisker problem, she never really had to braid her hair either as a girl or as a guy. Soon enough, a train came into the station and the two women boarded one of the girls-only cars, set up especially to ensure people like them didn't have to deal with chikan artists. Not that something as simple and stupid as people who wanted to grope them actually would concern a pair of human fighting machines like Ranma Saotome and Hakufu Sonsaku.
"So where are we going?" Ranma wondered as she sat down at a corner spot.
"Karaoke bar in Kabuki-chô," Hakufu replied. "Private suite."
Ranma smirked. All of her friends in the "Nerima Wrecking Crew" would be totally shocked to learn that she was a frequent visitor to the famous red-light district located to the northeast of Shinjuku Station. Not that they would have had enough problems accepting the fact that not only was Ranma comfortable having sex with another woman, but comfortable having sex as a woman with that other woman. Reflecting on that point, a giggle escaped her, causing Hakufu to blink. "What is it, Ma-chan?"
"Oh, I'm just thinking of what Akane and Shän are doing right now," Ranma whispered back. "Making love to each other, probably going to go to U-chan's to see her and make it a threesome, dreaming of ways of getting into my panties and making me their love slave…" She shook her head. "All they had to do was be honest with me, Saku-chan. That's all they had to do. Just be honest with me and their feelings for themselves and me. I would've been glad to help them in whatever way I could…"
"Well, you are helping them now," Hakufu stated after she took a minute to contemplate that as the train make the final approach into Nerima Station itself. She then smirked as she leaned up to whisper into her lover's ear, "Then again, Ma-chan, their loss is my gain. And I'm not letting a gorgeous thing like you go. Got me?"
"Pity we don't live in Canada," Ranma noted.
Hearing that, Hakufu's eyes watered. "Oh, Ma-chan…"
Ranma smirked, quickly realising that her companion was now losing herself in a fantasy about a wedding between them, done by a justice of the peace in Toronto or maybe Niagara Falls. Staring at Hakufu, who now had a dreamy expression on her face, Ranma quickly allowed her own imagination to draw off Hakufu's school uniform and replace it with a beautiful wedding dress. Oh, damn, that would look SO beautiful…!
You are mine, I am yours, she thought to herself as the train pulled into the station, she giving Hakufu's hand a warm squeeze…
And then she tensed. Oh, shit…!
The devastatingly beautiful, dusky-skinned girl with the pale-blue grey eyes and the ankle-length raven hair tied off near the end by a brace — dressed in her own racy version of the white-and-blue seifuku of Seito High School, located near Shiroku JR station in Chichibu, forming the southwest corner of Saitama Prefecture — watched as the train came into the station, her eyes locking in on the two women at a seat near the corner of one car. While her physical eyesight was quick to denote the uniforms of Nan'yô students on those two girls, her ki senses were screaming alarms at the sheer power both of them had within their bodies. And while one of them was totally unknown to her, the other had a pattern that was VERY familiar to her.
Hakufu Sonsaku, the woman known to her peers as Unchô Kan'u was quick to think as she moved into the car behind the one being occupied by Hakufu and Ranma. The Shôhaô herself. So she's finally come to join us here in Tôkyô…
Unconsciously, her hand tightened hard around the dragon-headed guändäo she carried with her at all times. Around her, people were quick to see that and move to give her room as she took up a place beside the doors facing the centre of the track line.
The white magatama hanging off her left ear spoke volumes.
High but normal ki levels, nothing weird like Saku-chan has, also carrying some sort of ancient magical weapon. Most likely Unchô Kan'u, Ranma mused to herself as the train headed out of Nerima station towards Shin-Egota. Wonder what she wants…?
"Ma-chan…?"
Ranma perked. "What is it, Saku-chan?"
"What's U-chan doing on the train?"
Ranma blinked, and then she smirked as she leaned over to swamp Hakufu with a tongue-filled kiss. Hakufu gasped, and then she purred as she leaned into that warm touch. Seeing that, many of the people around them gaped in awe at such an open and public display of affection between the two beautiful teenagers. Even some of the more traditionally-minded riders, while inwardly cringing at the sight of two obvious lesbians being so passionate in public, had to nod their heads in awe at their willingness to be so public with their feelings for each other.
They pulled apart as Ranma reached up to gently stroke her lover's hair. "I'm so proud of you, Saku-chan," she whispered. "Did you see who else was there?"
Hakufu blinked, and then her eyes widened. "Oh! Un-chan's here, too!" She then paused to think about it, and then she leaned up to Ranma. "What do you suppose they're doing here together, Ma-chan? I thought U-chan was in love with Bi-chan!"
Ranma started at her, and then she sighed. "Who knows…"
"She sensed me!"
Unchô gasped on hearing that calm yet clearly disturbed voice, and then she looked over her shoulder to see a familiar woman standing nearby, her hand tightly grasping the Muramasa katana she always had with her. "Chôun-san," she said. "What…?"
"She sensed me, Kan'u-san," the silver-haired, close-eyed Shiryû Chôun stated, not turning her head to "look" at her schoolmate and co-protector of their beloved leader, Gentoku Ryûbi. "Both of them did. The Shôhaô and her lover."
Unchô blinked. "Her LOVER?"
"Hai," Shiryû stated with a nod. "Furthermore, there is a problem."
"Being?"
"Sonsaku-san has full control over her dragon."
The raven-haired tôshi nearly dropped to her knees in shock. "HOW…?"
"That, we must investigate," her silver-haired companion stated.
"I think I'm scaring Un-chan, Ma-chan."
Ranma was not looking back towards the other car carrying Unchô and Shiryû. "They're worried that you clearly better trained and skilled than what they anticipated," she whispered as the train made its way into Shin-Egota station. "And I think Chôun realises you've got full control over Shàobà. Her ki's like yours now."
"She has a dragon, too?" Hakufu asked.
"Definitely. And by the feel of her ki, she was able to get control of it on her own." Ranma then smirked. "Now there's someone I'd like to spar with!"
"That'd be a good fight," Hakufu said with a giggle. "I'll fight her, too!"
"Pleasure before business, first, Saku-chan."
"But of course!"
Both girls laughed as the train pulled into the station, and then shared another kiss before they tensed again. "Ah! It's Fu-chin and Kyû-chan!" Hakufu said as she looked forward as two girls dressed in the dark burgundy school uniform of Rakuyô Senior High School boarded the car ahead of them. She then winked at Ranma. "Definitely a date!"
Both girls laughed.
"Ryofu-sama! We've been marked!"
"Calm down, Kôdai," the very busty senior student with the green eyes and the aqua green hair done in side ponytails said as she and her companion, a brown-haired, brown-eyed tomboy wearing the proper Rakuyô school uniform — Hôsen Ryofu never bothered with the button shirt or tie that Kôdai Chinkyû wore now, much less any sort of bra under her jacket — took their seats. They were keeping their voices down as they relaxed just as the doors closed and the train pulled out of Shin-Egota for Ochiai-minaminagasaki station, which was well past the ward line border into Nakano Ward. "Fu-chan and her sexy friend aren't the only ones on the train today," Hôsen mused as she glazed over Kôdai's shoulder. "You see who I see a couple cars down?"
Kôdai looked, and then she gritted her teeth. "Unchô Kan'u and Shiryû Chôun!"
"Yep," Hôsen said with a nod.
"It's an alliance between Nan'yô and Seito!"
"Calm down."
Kôdai jolted on hearing the steel in her lover's voice, and then she bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Ryofu-sama," she whispered.
Hôsen squeezed her companion's hand in reassurance. "Relax. Let's just follow along and see what they're all up to, okay?"
A nod. "Hai."
"Ryofu, Chinkyû and Sonsaku," Unchô whispered as she crossed her arms, keeping Lêngyànjù close to her as the train made its way towards Ochiai-minaminagasaki. "No doubt, Ryofu and her bitch are here to find out what Sonsaku's doing."
"We are in the heart of Rakuyô territory, Kan'u-san," Shiryû reminded her. "No doubt, Tôtaku herself can sense Sonsaku-san's presence. Perhaps even her companion, too."
"If they stay on the train, they'll stay in Tôkyô itself," Unchô said. "They could transfer into a train to take them into Kanagawa, which would alert Sôsô. Go all the way to one of the other stations to connect onto a line to Chiba, which is home territory for Sonsaku. Or maybe go up to Ibaraki, Tochigi or even to Gunma."
"The latter would be part of her destiny," Shiryû noted; Gunma Prefecture was where Gogun Prefectural High School — and the woman destined to kill the Shôhaô, the ultra-strong Ukitsu — was located. "Somehow, I don't think that will happen."
"Because she controls her dragon?"
"Hai. That clearly means someone's trying to alter her destiny." A hum escaped the silver-haired tôshi as she considered that. "Her lover, maybe?"
Unchô hummed as she slowly found herself nodding. Hakufu Sonsaku was just a recent transfer into Nan'yô. According to a friend — a spy in the Nan'yô ranks, not to mince words — the Shôhaô had been given the chance to show off her skills to her new schoolmates when she was challenged by a welcoming party of over thirty tôshi, including the very tall, intimidating and exercise-loving Gakushû. She had beaten them all, even Gakushû — one of Nan'yô Academy's so-called "Four Divas" — with great ease, which clearly belied the E-rank she had been given as a new kid on the block. The spy had also reported that Kôro Enjutsu and Genpô Saji were taking close interest in Hakufu. The latter didn't surprise Unchô; Genpô had been quite the manipulator and shit-disturber in all her incarnations all the way back to her first life as the great Taoist sage, sorcerer and psychic, Cí Zuô. And if Kôro was looking closely at her, there was no doubt at all that Chûei Tôtaku, the boss of Rakuyô and Kôro's puppet-master, was also interested in the current incarnation of Cè Sün, the Little Conqueror who helped establish one of the Three Kingdoms, Eastern Wú.
"Maybe," she said as the train made its final approach into Nakai station. She then tensed on sensing another familiar nexus of ki, one tainted with the touch of a dragon. "Oh, joy…" she hissed out as her grip on Lêngyànjù tightened even more.
"Ah! Mô-chan's here!"
"Yep, it's her," Ranma mused as the doors opened, allowing another girl in the uniform of Nan'yô Academy — At least she's not wearing that ridiculous maid outfit she likes so much! — stepped into their very car. "What's she doing here?"
"Let's ask her," Hakufu proposed as the blue-haired tomboy with the bandage strapped over her left eye looked their way. She then waved. "Mô-chan! Over here!"
Hearing that hail from the woman she had just been ordered to fight, Shimei Ryomô tried not to allow her jaw to drop before she put a clamp on her emotions and walked over to join them. People in the car got out of her way as she focused her exposed light blue eye on the couple nearby. Seeing the other girl in the uniform of their school, Shimei then paused as confusion warped through her. Wait a minute! She knew every student that attended Nan'yô! This one was a total mystery! Who the hell was…?
Her eyes then locked on Ranma's left ear.
No magatama.
What the HELL?!
"Hey, Mô-chan! What's wrong?!"
Shimei jolted, surprised by the concern in Hakufu's voice, and then she walked over to sit beside her schoolmate. "Nothing. Who's your friend, Sonsaku?"
Hakufu grinned. "Oh, this is my girlfriend, Ranma Saotome."
"Pleased," Ranma said, nodding.
A curt nod from the blue-haired tôshi. "Like-…"
It hit her.
"RANMA SAOTOME?!"
"Ranma…?"
"…Saotome?"
Unchô and Shiryû exchanged a look (the latter's eyes were still closed).
"Oh, my…" the silver-haired tôshi breathed out.
"Oh, CRAP!" her raven-haired schoolmate moaned.
The implications of THIS were just mind-boggling.
The Shôhaô of Nan'yô…
…and the Godslayer of Nerima…
Lovers?!
This was JUST terrific.
"Um, Ryofu-sama…?"
"What is it, Kôdai?"
"Isn't Ranma Saotome supposed to be a boy?"
Hôsen tried not to giggle. "Zhòuquán-xiäng, Kôdai. The cursed ponds near the Nyûjiézú village in the Bäyánkälä Mountains of Qïnghâi Province. One of the springs there is the Niángnìquán. Ranma-chan fell into it when he was training with his father." She then glanced over her shoulder at the redhead holding Hakufu close to her as they chatted with her distant cousin as the train made its final approach into Higashi-Nakano station. "Though something tells me now that he — pardon me, she! — doesn't seem to mind what happened to her there."
Kôdai looked herself. She was also quick to see and sense the closeness between Ranma and Hakufu. A flash of envy warped through the brown-haired tôshi as she stared at them, and then she looked away. "They're so close."
"As close as you want to be with me."
Kôdai's cheeks reddened as she sensed the tender caring in her companion's voice, and then she stared at Hôsen. "I'll be with you no matter what, Ryofu-sama."
Hôsen returned her look, and then she pulled her close. "You can never be that."
"All the way, Ryofu-sama."
The aqua-haired tôshi took that in, and then she smiled, drawing her arms around her lover as they held each other close. "Arigatô, Kôdai."
Kôdai grinned as the train moved on towards Shinjuku, five stations away.
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(Posted Sun, 20 Sep 2009 04:54)
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