VISIONARIES By: Matt Taylor Disclaimer: All Ranma 1/2 characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. All Tenchi Muyo characters are the property of AIC/Pioneer. I receive no payment for this and am doing it for my own amusement. ************** CHAPTER 3 Ranma, Tenchi, and Ukyo sat at the kitchen table, watching their blue haired guest drink tea, thankfully they had gotten out of the hallway without a fight, and down to the kitchen. Nodoka walked in, and sat down across from the demonness. "So, you say your name is Ryoko?" "Yep." "You say that, with the help of my son and his friends, you escaped the cave next to the Masaki shrine?" "Yeah, thanks by the way. It was really getting boring in there." "It must have been, how are you feeling anyway?" Ranma wondered why his mother was being so nice to the person who nearly wrecked the high school earlier today. He threw a dirty look at the woman, who threw a feral smile, and a slight red glow of her eyes, back at him. Ranma backed away slightly after that. "Well, do you have any place to stay?" "Not really." For a second, Tenchi could swear her feature became rather sad and afraid, but quickly returned to the oozing confidence look she had previously. "Perhaps father will allow you to stay here for awhile." Nodoka said. "I'll go get him." She stood up, and left the kitchen. "I hope you aren't expecting on staying here." Ranma said. "Actually yes, in a way I've been living here for a long time." Everything grew quiet around the table, then, and remained that way until Nodoka returned with Katsuhito in tow. If he showed any surprise at Ryoko's presence, he didn't show it. He sat down, and his gaze settled on her. "Well, Miss Ryoko, it is a pleasure to meet you. I hear you've been causing some havoc in my grandson's life today?" "Oh, that." She did a playful wave with her hand, as if pushing it aside. "Hey, you never been angry in your life?" "It...has happened to me on occasion." Katsuhito admitted. "Then you understand it." "Hhmm. I suppose you can stay with us for awhile." Said Nodoka. "Don't you think, Father?" Katsuhito's face was unreadable for a few moments, as he thought. Finally he looked up. "From what she says it's obvious she has nowhere else to go." "Very well." He said. "You may stay here miss Ryoko." Tenchi got a slight sick look to his face then, Ranma had a small scowl, and Ukyo looked unsure about this whole thing. "See, I told you everything was going to work out fine." She said as she put an arm around Tenchi and leaned up against him. "You're happy aren't you?" She asked him in a seductive voice. "Ecstatic." Tenchi said, in a voice that stated his real feelings all too clearly. Ryoko apparently missed the meaning though. "You really were incredible back there." She whispered, causing the young man to blush slightly. Ukyo over heard them and struggled to keep her giggling under control. Ranma continued to scowl at the woman. "Look, you can stay here, but I don't want to see you destroying everything in sight." He said. "Me! Destroy everything in sight? Surely you must be kidding?" She said, with that same playful wave. "Don't kid around with me, lady. I'm watching you." Ranma stalked from the room, his eyes never leaving the woman. Ryoko stuck out her tongue at the departing martial artist. "So Ryoko, what was it like in that cave?" Ukyo asked, trying to strike up a conversation. "Like I said, kid. Boring! You can only sit in water for so long, before you feel the need to do something." Ryoko answered. As she did so, Nobuyuki entered the room. "Tenchi, I here we have a new house guest?" His eyes settled on Ryoko. "And a very pretty one at that!" Ryoko shrugged at the compliment, throwing an smile that said "I know" into it. "Tenchi why don't you show her to a room. Do you have any things, Miss?" "Nope, I'm making a fresh start of it. Though there is something of mine, in this house." She looked over at Tenchi, and he hoped that she wasn't staking claim on him. "That sword you were using today? It has something of mine on it." Tenchi got the Tenchi-ken from his room and brought it downstairs. By the time he got back, his dad had already joined Ranma in the living room. "What is it, Miss Ryoko?" He asked. Ryoko looked at the sword. "Yes! I though I felt their presence, those gems on the hilt are mine, they're the source of my powers." "They are huh?" "Yeah, so could I have them back?" "I don't know. You're pretty powerful already." Ryoko started to pout, and she got down on her knees in front of him. "Please!!!!!!!!!!" "I don't know. You caused a lot of destruction at the school. I don't know if that's a smart thing to do." "Please!!!!!!!!!!" Ryoko was now wrapping her arms around his legs, Ukyo was laughing at the sight. "Oh come on, Tenchi. At least give her one of them." Ukyo said. Tenchi sighed. "Yeah, just one would work." Said Ryoko. "Okay, okay." Tenchi held up the sword. "So what do I do?" "Well, you have control of that thing, Tenchi." Ryoko said. "Just....you know...will it to me." Tenchi wasn't sure if that really explained it, but he tried it anyway. He focused his concentration on the sword, and one of the gems in the hilt disappeared, reappearing on Ryoko's right wrist. "Yes!" She jumped into the air, in her happiness. She grabbed Tenchi and Ukyo's wrists and started pulling them towards the deck. "Come on! I gotta show you guys something." "What?" "You'll see." They reached the deck, and stood out by the lake. "Now just watch this." Ryoko stuck her arms out towards the lake, and closed her eyes. Tenchi looked at her face and saw she was concentrating hard. For the next several moments, nothing happened. "Ryoko, what are you..." "Shush!" Ukyo did as she was told. Suddenly the lake started to ripple, and Tenchi could feel the ground shaking under him slightly. All of a sudden, something burst from the lake. It flung itself into the air, with what sounded like a loud "MIYA!" "What is that?!" Tenchi asked. "My spaceship." "I thought you were a demon?" "No, I'm a pirate, actually. Of the space variety." The large ship floated back to the ground. "MIYA?!" "Yes Ryo-ohki, it's me." "MIYA!!" It said happily. "It's been so long!" Ryoko said, flinging her arms onto the ship, as if trying to hug it. "MIYA!" It said in return. The ship had one large red jewel on the top of it, and four black crystal-like wings coming out of the it, the rest of the ships core looked almost like it was made of bone. All of a sudden, it started to glow, and disappeared, replaced by something small and furry. The small animal jumped up into Ryoko's arms and started rubbing her face against her owners. An act Ukyo had seen most pets do. "Miya miya miya!" "I missed you to, Ryo-ohki." Ryoko said. Ryoko turned and they both could see the little creature in her arms. "It looks like a rabbit." "No, I think it's more like a cat." "She, not it. Her name is Ryo-ohki, and she is a cabbit." Said Ryoko. The creature had brown fur, and two long ears, which had tuffs of white fur under them. The only other distinct characteristic was the small red jewel in her forehead. "She's so cute!" Ukyo ran up and took the small cabbit from Ryoko arms, and began gushing over the thing. Ryo-ohki, obviously loving the attention, smiled back. "So she belongs to you?" "Yep, she's the other demon from the legend." Said Ryoko. "That little thing is a demon!?" "No, she's a cabbit." "Oh I see." Said Tenchi. "And I am not a demon either, I am a space pirate. Please get it right." Said Ryoko. "Hey guys! What's going on?" Ranma walked out onto the deck, and saw Ukyo gushing over something. He walked over to take a look. "What you got there, Ucchan?" "This." All of a sudden, Ranma felt something rubbing against his leg. He looked down. "Miya!" Ryo-ohki said. Ranma jumped into the air in fright. "CAT!!!!" Ranma suddenly started to scurry around the deck at high speed, repeating the word "cat" over and over again. "Ranma." Said Ukyo. "Cat cat cat cat cat cat cat cat cat cat cat cat!" "Ranma!!" Ukyo said again, still no response. She looked over at Tenchi and Ryoko, a sweat drop forming on her forehead. "Sorry, Ranma has a fear of cats. Just a second." Ukyo retreated into the house for a moment, returning with her spatula. She stood in one place on the deck for a moment, before bringing the spatula down, stopping Ranma in place. Ranma fell to the deck, twitching. "It's not a cat Ranma!" Ranma turned his head, and got a good look at Ryo-ohki, the little cabbit miyaed a greeting. Ranma now saw that it wasn't a cat, it was even slightly cute. "Oh, sorry." "Kids!" Came a voice. They all turned to see Nodoka standing in the doorway. "You three better get plenty of sleep, you both start school tomorrow." Ukyo slapped herself on the forehead. She didn't think that Nodoka could get them registered for school so soon. "Come on Ranchan, it's almost time for supper anyway." Said Ukyo, dragging her fiancee back into the house. "They seem like an interesting couple." Said Ryoko. Tenchi remained silent. Ryo-ohki jumped up on Ryoko's shoulder. "Come on, might as well head in now." Ryoko followed after them, leaving Tenchi alone on the deck, wondering why his life was suddenly becoming so weird. ************* "Yokohama high school." Ranma said to himself, from his place on top of a stone wall. He had been walking along it ever since he, Tenchi and Ukyo got off the bus. Ranma looked up at the sky, and breathed a sigh of relief. Not even one cloud in sight, he should be able to get through the day without his curse asserting itself. "Look at this place, Ranma! A lot better looking than some of the schools we've gone to." Said Ukyo. Tenchi looked at the young girl, and couldn't help but wonder why she was wearing a boys uniform. Aunt Nodoka had tried to get her into a girl's uniform, but she refused. Tenchi was relieved, though, that Ryoko wasn't here. He didn't think things would go very smoothly if he was seen with the woman who nearly destroyed the school yesterday. He could just imagine Kuno's reaction to that. "Masaki! So you are a cohort of this foul beast! You both die under the sword of the Blue Thunder!" Tenchi chuckled slightly at that. "Masaki!" Tenchi was still coasting along, lost in thought, but he could swear he heard someone call his name. "Masaki!" That was starting to sound more and more like Kuno himself. "Masaki!" Tenchi finally turned and saw a man in a traditional kendo uniform, Tatewaki Kuno. "Ah, you finally responded, it is not good to ignore me, Tenchi Masaki." "Right, sorry." He said. "Who's this yutz?" Asked Ranma. "Oh, this is Tatewaki Kuno, the leader of the school kendo team." Said Tenchi. "Tatewaki, this is my cousin Ranma Saotome, and his friend Ukyo Kuonji." "Hello." Said Ukyo. "Hhmm." Said Ranma. Kuno looked up at the young man, and they shared dirty looks. "Hhmm, new students? Interesting. I am Tatewaki Kuno, as Masaki said, head of the school Kendo team, and Blue Thunder of Yokohama." "What's with the bokken?" Ukyo asked, pointing to Kuno's sword. "A true warrior is never without his weapon." Said Kuno. "I and my sword are one. When I use it, it becomes an extension of my soul, a weapon that is unbeatable!" "Right." Said Ranma. Kuno looked up at him. "You speak to freely Saotome. Were I not headed towards my class, I would teach you a lesson for speaking to me in such a way. But I must leave. I suggest you do the same, or be punished for your tardiness." Kuno walked towards the school gates then. "What's his problem?" "It's just the way Kuno acts. He still lives in the middle ages, or something." Said Tenchi. "He doesn't look that tough." Said Ranma. "He's not really. At least not against someone trained well enough to block a bokken. He's really very good with a sword, but that's all he knows. He doesn't practice any other fighting techniques." "That isn't very smart, any real martial artist practices at least several, in order to be prepared for whatever an opponents style might be." Said Ukyo. "Come on, let's get to class." ************* "Class, we have some new students today." Ranma and Ukyo got up in front of the class, and let the teacher introduce them. Ranma seemed to enjoy the attention, but Ukyo looked slightly self-conscious, especially at all the stares she got from both girls and boys. She sat down, with some of the stares following her. Ranma sat next to her, and saw some of the looks, and threw a look of his own at them. All of them turned away. Ukyo looked away from the students and pulled one of her books out. Perhaps concentrating on her school work would put those questioning gazes out of her mind. ************* "Aaaauuuggghhhhh!" Rama stretched against a tree, during lunch time, Tenchi and Ukyo next to him. Ranma could see the debris from the sector of school that Ryoko destroyed yesterday, and the people working to clear it away. 'If she gets like this back home....' Ranma's thoughts trailed off, an image of the house in ruins, entering his mind. He was jolted out of his thoughts by the familiar klack of bokkens. He saw Kuno over by the school, dueling with another member of the kendo team. Ranma had to admit, from looking at the curriculum, that there was a lot of unusual sports, and clubs here, all associated with martial arts in some way. There was martial arts rhythmic gymnastics, to something called martial arts auto repair! "You in any of the clubs, Tenchi?" Asked Ukyo. "No, I'm really not interested. I once thought about joining the Kendo team, but everyone there just becomes one of Kuno's main lackeys." Said Tenchi. "I see." Ranma's gaze stayed on the duel. "You cannot stand against the Blue Thunder!" Kuno yelled. Kuno brought his bokken up, and down against his opponents. The other bokken shattered, and Kuno brought the sword down again, stopping just a millimeter from the young man's face. "You have been defeated, return to me when your skill improves." Kuno said. Ranma was now on his feet, and watching the match more closely. "What is it Ranchan?" "Look at him. Those "opponents" are barely worthy to hold a dinner knife, let alone a sword. And he acts like he's beaten some great and powerful samurai." Said Ranma, disgust in his voice. "Any of us could beat the pants off him!" "Ranchan, please don't start anything." Said Ukyo. Ranma's gaze was still on the kendo team, as they circled round and congratulated their leader. "I take it he's acted like this before?" Tenchi asked. Ukyo nodded. "Come on Ranma, just sit down." Ranma finally relented, and sat back down. But Tenchi could see his eyes, directed towards the team captain. This wasn't going to end in a pretty way. ************* Ranma was happy, right now. He had managed to separate from Tenchi and Ukyo for a bit, and promised to meet them at the entrance to school once class was dismissed. Now all he had to do was find the Blue Thunder. He didn't have far to look. Standing in a hallway, looking through his locker, and surrounded by pretty girls and his servants was Kuno. "Hey Kuno!" Ranma shouted. Kuno turned, and saw Ranma standing in front of him. "Ah yes, the new boy. Saotome, was it?" "Yeah. I just wanted to say, you think you're pretty hot stuff don't you?" "Hot stuff? My boy, I am the Blue Thunder, rising star of the high school fencing world, and the greatest warrior in all of Yokohama." Ranma stared at him for a moment, before bursting out laughing. "You?! The greatest warrior!? Oh that's funny! Hell, that's hysterical!" Ranma was now on the floor, laughing. "You dare mock the Blue Thunder!?" "I do. Pal, I could beat you, and I'm not even as good as grandpa." "You are obviously deluding yourself, I am Tatewaki Kuno, warrior born, you are nothing compared to me." "Pal, my cousin Tenchi could kick your ass." "Masaki? Surely you jest." "Hey, he defended the school and drove off that monster yesterday, while you got nailed." "That small incident? I was merely distracted by the sun in my eyes. If not, I would be holding that foul fiends hide right now. Masaki is hardly a warrior, probably cannot even hold a sword." Ranma's laughing stopped at that. Tenchi was a hell of a lot better with a sword than this guy could ever be! Ever since his Aunt Achika died, Ranma had been slightly protective of his cousin, and insults to him, usually translated to insults to Ranma. "Masaki is at best a weakling." "You want to put your money where your mouth is?" "Is that a challenge?" "It is. After school today, out there in the fields, you bring yourself, and I'll bring Tenchi." "Very well." Kuno smirked and turned away. Ranma turned as well and headed for the staircase, unaware of the bucket of cold water the janitor had left near it. ************* "We'll show him." Ranma thought to himself, as he walked further towards his unknowing doom. As he reached the steps his foot hit the bucket of water, some of it splashed on the floor, and Ranma started to slip. He soon was tumbling down the stairs, followed close behind by a bucket of old water. Ranma finally hit the bottom, and felt a cold splash as the water came down around him. Ranma looked down, and saw his chest was now protuding! "Aw man!" She said. Ranma looked up and saw a lot of kids looking down at him. Had they seen him change! "Are you okay?" One asked. "Yeah, you're not hurt are you?" Another said. Ranma breathed a sigh of relief, they hadn't seen him. "I'm fine." She said, getting up, and hurrying down the steps to find some hot water. As she did so, the group of students at the top of the stairs dissipated. The Blue Thunder turned away from the stairs, with his hand over his heart. "That...was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen! I must find her!" ************* "You did what!!??" "I put a challenge, in your name, to Kuno. You'll be meeting him after school." Said Ranma. "But...I don't want to fight Kuno!!" "Oh come on! You know you could beat that chump anyday." Said Ranma. Tenchi looked like he was going to strangle his cousin. Ukyo finally stepped in between them. "Ranchan, you probably should have asked him first." "Come on, Ucchan! You know Tenchi could beat that blowhard." "How long do we have?" Tenchi asked. Ranma smiled and grabbed his cousins arm. "Let's get going!" "Oh great." ************* Ranma dragged his cousin to the field in front of the school. There was Kuno, surrounded by members of the kendo team. "So you cam, Masaki?" "We came." Said Ranma. Kuno pulled his bokken out. "Uh...I don't have a sword." Tenchi said, still trying to get out of this. Kuno motioned to one of the team members, and a bokken was flung at Tenchi, landing at his feet. Tenchi hesitantly picked it up. "This man has offered a challenge in your name, Masaki. Being the honorable man I am, I offer you the chance to back out." "We aren't backing out!" Ranma yelled. "Y...yeah." Tenchi said. Kuno smiled. "Very well." Kuno yelled out a battle cry, and ran towards Tenchi, bokken held up. Kuno leapt into the air, and brought the sword down. Tenchi brought his own up to block. Kuno swung the sword down at him several times, each attack blocked. "Come on Tenchi! Cut his sorry nose off!" yelled Ukyo from the sidelines. Tenchi went on the offensive, jabbing his own sword at Kuno. Kuno dodged most of the blows, one of them cutting a hole in his kendo uniform's shoulder. Kuno put his hand against the small hole, and saw there was no blood. "Very good, but you cannot match the skill of Kuno!" Kuno suddenly sped up, his blows coming at incredible speeds, and Tenchi was hard pressed to block them all. Once that assortment was done, Tenchi was still un-touched. Tenchi jumped over Kuno, and trie to sweep out his legs, knocking Kuno on the ground. He tried to knock Kuno's sword from his hand, but was blocked. Kuno crawled back to his feet, and Tenchi pushed his attack. Swinging faster, and more elegantly. Kuno now had to struggle to block the blows. Ranma was grinning ear to ear. Tenchi brought his sword up once again, and brought it down, Kuno meeting it with an upward strike. The swords connected, and Kuno's bokken shattered. Suddenly Tenchi's bokken was pointed at Kuno's throat. Kuno looked absolutely furious. "Looks like you win, Tenchi!" Said Ukyo. Tenchi dropped the bokken and walked away. Followed closely behind by Ranma, and Ukyo. Kuno started after them in shock. The rest of the kendo team started whispering to themselves. "Kuno got beat!" "Can you believe it?" "I guess he's not that good after all." "That Masaki was a better fighter than we thought." "Guess Kuno wasn't that tough after all." "SILENCE!" Kuno's voice rang out. "No one is too know of this! You here me?" He said, the rest of the team nodding in fright. Kuno stared at the spot where the trio had disappeared. "I'll get you back Masaki, my honor will be redeemed." TO BE CONTINUED. NEXT CHAPTER: THE PRINCESS OF JURAI.