Nabiki crossed the room with a head full of steam. She wanted to yell and scream and take Ranma for every piece of currency she had on her. By the time she reached him she was babbling incoherently. Soft sobs came from her as she burred her face in her t-shirt. Ranma stiffened for several moments then when it became apparent that the girl wasn't going to bill or extort her she folded her arms around the one time fiance. She quietly asked, “Slow down Nabiki, start at the beginning. What happened to you?”
Ranma gestured to the seats and the two sat down. Nabiki stayed conspicuously close to Ranma. The now blond girl started her tale, “I was in my room after class and then there was a flash and a fuzzy feeling. Next thing I know I'm driving a jeep on the wrong side of the road. I've never driven a car before and I panic. Next thing I know there is an explosion and a flash of light. I remember the paramedics loading me into the ambulance then I was unconscious for a few days. When I wake up I know fluent English and I'm in a hospital. They have me covered I was unconscious for almost two weeks. Took me another two weeks to get my bearings and figure out to come here because my alter ego knows that this is one of the few places I may ever get any answers. I get flashes of knowledge like when I came here I knew a few people and a few things it's...”
Ranma finished her sentence, “Like having someone's memories.”
The Tendo's normally quick wit caught up to the situation, “Wait, if you know that why do you look the same. Why don't you look like an American? Did you come to rescue me?” Internally she raced with many questions but her cynicism quickly set in, “No, that would be far too easy. Oh no, Kasumi was in the kitchen, she might be here as well.” Her eyes narrowed, “Just how exactly did we get here Saotome.”
Xavier quickly answered for him, “Apparently there was an accident involving explosives and a Naban Mirror.”
The middle Tendo's thoughts cycled rapidly through the fighters of Nerima singling out the fighters that used explosives. Nabiki growled, “Happosai...”
Storm eyed the girl who seemed to almost radiate anger and pressed, “What is a Happosai?”
Ranma started to explain, “The old lech started this mess. Yet another hair-brained scheme to get me locked in my girl form. If he's here.” She trailed off in her sentence quite disturbed by the conclusions she was coming to. The professor was now actively scanning Nabiki's thoughts to fill in the blanks as the conversation went on. Ranma was clearly annoyed by the fact this person might be here as well. Nabiki gave off mostly anger.
Nabiki then turned to anger, “If he's here I am going to...” The displaced Tendo vented a large chunk of displeasure. A small explosion erupted from beneath her palm. Xavier, Ororo and Ranma flinched backwards. The blonde Tendo cursed, “Damn it Saotome why didn't you tell me I could blow stuff up. I haven't been doing any ridiculous martial arts training lately.”
Saotome rolled his eyes Nabiki's confidence had recovered now that she had at least one ally, “You ain't a martial artist yet. You're a mutant. They have weird powers here.”
Memories that Nabiki hadn't previously focused on came to the fore front as the definition and popular opinion of mutants flooded into her mind. The blue martial artist considered the blonde's actions and words for a moment. She definitely was not her normal self. Then again he wasn't exactly him self either. The events of the past few weeks had put him through the wringer and he was still processing over a hundred years of memories.
Xavier quickly addressed the comment, “Mr. Saotome has the same problems you do Nabiki, apparently the memories have to be triggered in some way before he can access them. We should have that wound looked at.”
Several small cuts on her leg and had only served to annoy her. Nabiki changed the topic, “What about Kasumi, is there any way to find her if she is here. She was probably closer to the mirror than me.”
Ranma knew he was going to regret it but asked any way, “Akane and the old men too they might be here as well.”
Nabiki shrugged, “The lazy bastards were at a bar, Akane was with the drama club that day. If that many people were caught up in this we'd know.”
Ororo ushered the two teens to their feet, “Come now lets get you two to the med lab.”
As they walked down the hall Xavier reassured them that he would do a scan with Cerebro to find her sister. Nabiki fidgeted with her make shift bandage on her hand, “You still haven't told me why you look the same.”
The petite red head smirked as her form shifted and she held out her hand, “Five thousand yen.”
Nabiki stopped and her face grew pale, “That isn't even funny.” Her eyes narrowed and she grabbed her doppelganger by the shirt English slipped away and her hands started to glow, “There will be no mercy if I catch you abusing that form. I will have you married to both Kunos when we get back just for a warm up.”
The doppelganger simply kept laughing clutching her sides as if it was the funniest joke in the world. Ranma tried to suppress the laughter, “Oh that was priceless.” She resumed laughing as she slumped to the floor. Nabiki's hand seemed to search for something in the air for a moment as it produced a mallet of considerable size.
Ororo scalded the children, “Do not abuse your powers here. We set an example for the younger students here at the institute.”
Ranma quickly returned to his birth form and Nabiki got a hold of her temper to make her hands stop glowing. Both responded to Storm like a motherly figure. Ranma responded first, “Yes ma'am, sorry about that.”
Nabiki chastised herself, “Sorry, I am usually in more control.”
Around the corner several students watched in mixed fascination and horror,
“Was Mystique getting chewed out by Storm?”
“Was Mystique rolling on the floor laughing?”
“Wow Tabitha really must have a pair threatening Mystique like that.”
“What was with the hammer?”
Ranma shifted his form once more to the male form as they rode the elevator down to the med lab. Nabiki raised an eyebrow to the slight change in appearance but didn't comment on the slight changes. A slightly older appearance looked good on him. The silence that filed the air was quickly broken once the doors of the elevator opened. Ranma frowned as he saw. Less than twenty minuets and they were already fighting. Heated words were exchanged. Then Rogue shot off a low yield red ki blast at Toad.
A shout from Ranma silenced the room and brought order to the situation, “Woe unto me for recruiting such undisciplined fools.” The sarcasm kept rolling off his tongue as he looked over the boys of the brotherhood, “You can't even abuse the hospitality of Xavier for an hour without screwing up. If I wasn't so damn hungry I'd send you to bed without dinner. Seriously how do you screw up such a simple training exercise.”
Several people Scott and Jean did great fish impressions as Ranma entered the room. Spyke and Avalanche glared at the de facto brotherhood leader. Toad, Wanda and Rogue had slightly embarrassed looks mixed with curiosity. Toad was the first to find his voice to offer a rebuttal, “Whadaya mean training.”
Ranma spelled it out in painful detail, “Everything is training, this was a simple subversion exercise. You don't like them they don't like you but for some reason you need to play together.”
Scott assumed a smug look knowing that the brotherhood was getting chewed out for failing to succeed at a task.
“Oh don't look so smug pretty boy. You needed me to spell it out too. We could have hit up a motel six you know.”, The group sufficiently cowed Ranma turned to Rogue, “Never, use anger to fuel that attack. You may be using some of my ki to fuel it but it will leave an imprint on you.”
All eyes turned to the shape changing martial artist. He just laughed, “If you have enough energy to squabble then you have enough energy to train.”
McCoy watched with a bit of amusement as the entire room went silent. The assorted teens gaped at Saotome for a moment.
“Outside now!” Ranma bellowed out. The brotherhood quickly made their way to the elevator, “What are you waiting for X-twerps.”
Kitty stuttered, “But our gear. I don't want to ruin this top.”
Ranma chucked a harmless Ki blast at her, “Battle doesn't wait for you to get ready.” The blast fizzled on the floor as Evans threw several spikes at the martial artist. Only to have them plucked out of the air harmlessly, “Oi, like the initiative on this one. A real hidden weapons master. Aggression with instinct I can work with that.”
“My med lab is not the danger room. All of you out now!” the blue haired scientist shouted.
Spyke swallowed hard as he realized that he had been assessed like a side of beef. Nabiki smirked off to the side already tallying up odds and making observations. She watched Jean, Rogue, Scot and Evan march off to join the brotherhood. Storm moved closer to Nabiki and quietly asked, “You have a sharp eye young one, can you tell me what is going on.”
The normally profiteering girl smiled as she weighed her options as the African woman bandaged her hand, “I can give you some basics it seems my information is woefully out of date.”
Storm eyed the girl with a bit of wonder. Nabiki continued, “Ranma is a natural leader. Give him a few weeks and he'll have those eight marching in lock step. Not literally mind you but if one is in trouble seven others will come to their aid.”
The older X-Woman eyed her carefully, “How can you be so sure?”
She laughed softly, “No less than three women went from hunting for his head to wanting his hand in marriage in under a year. Nine rivals went from trying to taking his head to at least having his respect. He is a force of nature when it come to people he likes.”
Xavier carefully studied this new Tabitha. Part of his mind debated the ethics of the situation while the tactician in his mind quickly asserted that an enemy had been turned to a potential ally. Nabiki caught the look on the older man's face and smirked, “You are not nearly ready enough to start trying to manipulate him.”
The professor blinked several times completely caught off-guard by the very direct comment from an unusual source. The teen teased, “Oh don't be embarrassed. I've seen that look more times than you know.”
The professor took a mildly aggressive posture in the conversation as he eyed the blonde trouble maker, “And what would you suggest I do. We face many challenges. Ones that by your very nature you now share with us.”
The mercenary role slipped into place, “Would the offer of room, board and an education still be open to me?”
Xavier quickly realized that he was in a negotiation. He added that to the list of details about this new persona inhabiting Tabitha, “The institute is always open to mutants in need.”
She smiled and replied, “Then wait and observe. You have nothing Ranma wants and you never will unless you can pull some mythic martial arts technique out of nowhere to teach him. Try to manipulate him and he will figure it out and hate you for it. Let him teach the hard cases and let him be friends with the rest. Encourage him to rebuild the boarding house and be autonomous.”
Storm carefully asserted, “The world isn't ready for mutants, we really must conceal our existence.”
A thoughtful expression crossed Nabiki's face. She considered Tabitha's knowledge of current events and her own assessments of Ranma. She quickly formulated a concise and adequate answer, “Then help him understand that you are protecting the weak by keeping an innocuous profile and not disturbing the peace. Ranma always loves being the hero. I warn you, first bully that he comes across and all bets are off. He will respond in kind.”
She looked over the pair's faces and smiled, “Now, while your keeping an eye out for my sister, watch out for the old perv too. Don't worry about Ranma so much, it's a great floor show once you find your rhythm. Come on this should be amusing.”
Behold!
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(Posted Fri, 17 Jul 2009 06:20)
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