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 money from this and am ding it for my own amusement. ************ CHAPTER 7 Tenchi, Ranma, Ukyo, and Ryoko stood outside a door. Inside the guest-room lay the still unconscious form of Shampoo. Tenchi, still unaware of the light that had slammed out of his body as Shampoo was about to attack, wondered just what had happened. It all seemed to take place in an instant in his mind. "I tell you Ukyo, it's weird that that glass of water just happened to go at me." Ranma said, eyeing Ryoko accusingly. "Hey don't look at me! Ayeka had just as much to do with that fight as I did!" "That's true." Ukyo said. "But we can talk about who's fault it was later. Right now we should hope she's okay." "Right, right." Ranma said, tired. In all honesty, Ryoko was felling rather guilty over the whole mess. It was her idea to splash Ranma with water, in front of Shampoo. This would in turn, cause Shampoo to go ballistic, seeing the red-haired focal point of her vengeance in front of her. A fight ensued with Shampoo taking out Ranma, and Ukyo before being confronted by Tenchi. She knocked him to the ground, and charged, only to be met with a large blast of white light from the young boy. The blast had knocked her out instantly. Now she lay in the guest-room, still out of it. Ryoko had not meant for it to go as far as it did, but there was no use to brood over it now. They all turned to see Nodoka walking out of the guest room, followed by Ayeka and Sasami. "Well, she's okay, she has regained consciousness, and want to speak with you three." She said to Ranma, Ukyo and Tenchi. All three of them looked at each other for a moment, before reluctantly going in. Inside they saw Shampoo sitting up in bed, smiling. "Miss Shampoo. Are you alright?" Tenchi asked. "Hai, Shampoo better now." She said. "You very good fighter." "Uh...thanks." "Shampoo just wish she know how red-haired girl appear and disappear in thin air." The three shared another nervous look. The jury was still out on whether or not they should tell Shampoo about Ranma's curse. Since she was leaving tomorrow morning they didn't think it would be a good idea. "Well, Shampoo find out eventually." She said. "Oh yes, can Shampoo ask you a question?" "Sure." Tenchi said. "What move you use to beat Shampoo? She never see it before." Ranma looked at the Amazon's face and couldn't help but notice an odd sparkle in her eyes as she looked at Tenchi. He hadn't ever seen that look in her eyes before. "I really don't know. My eyes were closed when it happened, and I didn't really see anything until afterwards" Shampoo looked slightly upset at that, but put it aside. She had already decided that she would have plenty of time to find out. She had to admit that he was fairly handsome, and showed great potential as a warrior, few people had a weapon powerful enough to cut her bonborri in half. She was going to enjoy being married to him. She beckoned Tenchi to come closer, and he did so, apprehensively. She suddenly grabbed the scruff of his shirt, and pulled him downwards, locking him into a deep kiss. Tenchi's eyes rose in shock, as did Ranma and Ukyo's. 'What the....' was the only words that came through Tenchi's mind, as Shampoo finally let go, and pulled him down to whisper in his ear. "Wo ai ni." She said. Tenchi jerked back up, shock still apparent all over his face. "Uh...um...uh..." Was all he got out." Shampoo was now smiling a very happy smile at him. Suddenly a piece of information Ranma had learned at Shampoo's tribes suddenly clicked into place in his head. "Oh no." Ranma put his hand to his forehead, and suddenly he started to chuckle. "What's so funny?" Ukyo asked. "Don't you remember? Shampoo has been defeated by a male outsider." Ranma said to her. Ukyo remembered, and was not sure how to react. Tenchi wished he knew what they where talking about. Ranma came up and patted Tenchi on the back hard. "Congratulation Tenchi! You've got yourself a fiancee!" "What!!??" "WHAT!!!!????" The door suddenly exploded off it's hinges as Ryoko (listening from outside) barged in. She grabbed Ranma by the cuffs of his shirt and lifted him off the ground. Ryoko bared her teeth in the most bloodthirsty manner possible, and even Ranma felt a bit of fear, but he was still laughing. "It's a law where Shampoo lives. If a amazon warrior, all of them are women, is beaten by a female outsider, the warrior must track the woman down and kill her. But if they're beaten by a male outsider, they have to marry him. Shampoo is now engaged to Tenchi." Ranma was now grinning ear to ear at this situation. Tenchi had retreated to his familiar heart-attack pose, While Ryoko looked ready to kill both Ranma and Shampoo. Ukyo still unsure of what she should be doing. "Tenchi is NOT married to that woman!!!!!" Ryoko screamed. "No, he's only engaged to her." Ranma retorted. "I...I think I'll leave now." Ukyo managed to slide her way out the door. Ranma started to realize that Ryoko was now clutching him around the throat, and he couldn't breathe. "Ryoko....I...can't....breathe." He said. By now Shampoo was on her feet and hugging Tenchi with all her strength. Ryoko saw this and dropped Ranma. She stormed over and managed to push her hands in between Tenchi and Shampoo, pulling them apart. "You listen to me, you lousy piece of shit! You stay away from my Tenchi! Or else I'll rip that pea brain of yours out!!" "You no keep Shampoo away from airen!!" Shampoo reached into her outfit and pulled a mace out. "Shampoo make you go away!" "Oh you wanna fight do you!? Okay then!!" A red laser sword appeared in Ryoko's hand. "Let's go little girl!!" "Shampoo teach you monster girl!" "What did you call me!!!!!" "Guys, stop it!!" Tenchi thought he must have gone insane as he wedged himself between the two women. "Ranma! Help me!" Ranma grabbed Ryoko from behind and pulled her away, with Tenchi holding Shampoo back. "Come on girls! We don't want anymore damage to the house!" Ranma yelled over the crackle of energy. Both girls glared dagger at each other until finally calming down. Tenchi and Ranma directed both of them out of the room then. Tenchi looked at the two girls and found himself glad Shampoo was leaving soon. Then another thought creeped up, she thought she was engaged to him now, would she leave? ************* "Hhmm. This shouldn't be too difficult to fix." Nobuyuki and Genma stood in front of the hole made in the wall last night during the fight. Both of them already had been filled in about what had occurred. Nodoka sat at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of tea. She had been told by Genma what happened when a male outsider defeated an amazon warrior. She wondered how Tenchi would take it. The screaming sounds coming from upstairs answered her question. She sighed and returned to reading her paper, as Genma and Nobuyuki got to work fixing the wall. ************* This is Castle Kuno, home to the great Tatewaki Kuno. Even now the young master is in his training gym, practicing at the fighting skill which he has made his life. Kuno stood before the practice dummy, his bokken out towards it. He stands still for a moment, eyes closed, as he visualizes the dummy in his mind. After what seems like forever he leaps forward and swings the weapon. The dummy falls in two to the floor. "Beautiful as usual brother." Came a slightly mocking voice from behind him. Standing the doorway was an attractive young woman, with rich black hair and dressed in a green leotard. "You're just as...effective as always." "But not good enough! My honor and name has been sullied! I must be at the top of my form if I am to renew my honor." "Poor brother, are you still smarting over being defeated by a commoner?" "No simple commoner can defeat me, Kodachi! At the time I was already distracted by other things. He caught me off guard the first time, but this time I must be at 110 percent! My honor and title as Blue Thunder depend on it." "You always were the one to take the hard way, weren't you brother?" "Are you suggesting I use your method for "defeating" opponents my twisted sister?" Kodachi's eyes grew dark at that. "In case you forget, I have always been more successful than you." She swings her arms back dramatically, revealing a huge set-up of trophies and plaques, the majority of them for martial arts rhythmic gymnastics. "Hmph! That you take pride in such things shows how little honor you have sister. Each of those trophies gained through your cheating." "Cheating! It is not my fault my opponents came unprepared." Kuno knew that there was a very good reason all her opponents were "unprepared," as images of his sisters visits to her opponents before matches came to his mind. He shook the images away and returned to his training. "I have not the time to argue with you, Kodachi, I must prepare myself, distracted or not, I can be nothing but my best when I face Masaki again." Kodachi shook her head and left the room. She walked up to her greenhouse, and strolled comfortable through the huge garden. It wasn't like her brother to be this fanatical in his practice. Sure, before the duel with this Masaki, he hadn't lost a fight in ten years. Of course, most of his enemies where idiots, who, if given a sword, would cut off their own heads. Kodachi sighed. She was actually glad that someone had finally defeated her brother. She always enjoyed seeing him embarrassed. Still, from the way he had described it, this Masaki was apparently an very capable fighter. Perhaps she should take a look at him? ************* Tenchi, Ranma, Ryoko and Shampoo walked into the dining room, and saw the huge cloud of dust being generated by the two boy's fathers as they proceeded to "fix" the hole in the wall. "I'm telling you Genma! You need to put the board there!" "Don't think that just because you're an architect that you know everything about home repair! I happen to know how to repair a simple hole in the wall." Nodoka put her paper down and looked at the two men's "work." "I don't know. I seem to recall the wall not having this many smaller holes in it." Nodoka said. "We were just about to work on that, actually." Genma said. Nodoka looked over her husband, not wearing his usual white gi, instead he had a pair of white overalls and a white shirt on, along with his head wrap. He had a tool belt on as well. Martial artist, even her husband couldn't resist the pull of fixing something with tools. Nobuyuki was an architect, and probably would have had this finished long ago if not for her husband's "help." "Come dear, have some tea with me." She started to pull Genma away, slowly, from the wall. "How's things going pops?" Ranma asked. "Fine, but Masaki here doesn't know how to fix a simple hole in the wall." Nobuyuki merely huffed and returned to his work. "Well, grandpa's gonna want me to be up at the shrine for practice soon, you coming Ranma?" Tenchi asked. "Sure." "Shampoo come to!" "Okay, what about you Ryo...." Tenchi turned and saw Ryoko digging through the refrigerator and come out with a large bottle of Sake. "What was that Tenchi?" She said as she popped the top off, and began to drink from it. "You wanna come up to the shrine with us?" Ryoko eyes shifted over to Shampoo, and narrowed. "Sure." "Tenchi." They where interrupted, as Nobuyuki walked up to them. He put his arm around his son then. "Nodoka told me about Shampoo, and these Amazon rules, is this true?" "Hai!" Shampoo said before Tenchi could react. "Tenchi Shampoo's groom!" "Tenchi, I'm very proud of you. Marriage is a big step." Nobuyuki said. "I'm not marrying her!!!" Tenchi said. "Yeah, he's not marrying her!" Said Ryoko putting her arm under Tenchi's and pulling him over to her. "You let go Shampoo's groom, monster girl!" Shampoo put her arm under Tenchi;s other one and started to pull back. Tenchi groaned, as he somehow managed to maneuver out the door, a chuckling Ranma following them. ************* "Hhmm, interesting." Kodachi Kuno sat among the tree tops, hidden from view as she watched these four young people. The one who beat her brother, Tenchi, was currently fighting an old man in a kendo outfit, the old man was winning. Their was a man off to the side that she couldn't quite make out, and two woman, one with a very large sake bottle, watching from the sidelines. The boy was definitely better that Tatewaki, an the old man made him look like an amateur. Finally the fight came to an end. "Excellent Tenchi, you're lasting much longer lately." The old man said. Kodachi had to admit that she was impressed, she had never seen a commoner handle a sword that well. Tenchi sat down across from the two girls, and that one man stepped into her field of vision. Kodachi's breath caught in her throat, he was absolutely...gorgeous! ************* "I'm gonna beat you this time, old man!" Ranma said, as he went into position. Katsuhito merely smiled and pulled out his bokken. Ranma yelled out and charged him. The old samurai was ready for him though. Katsuhito side-stepped him, and stuck out his leg. Ranma saw it and jumped. He turned quickly and sent a jumping kick at him. Katsuhito blocked the move, along with the combo his grandson followed it with. Ranma continued to throw lightning fast punches which where mostly blocked. Ranma flet a bit of pride in the fact that he didn't block all of them. Ranma slammed into the chestnut fist, which was blocked by the bokken. However Ranma saw some dents in the weapon, which meant he was improving. He couldn't let his mind wander though! Not when he was this close. Katsuhito blocked the last fist, and twirled around, bringing the sword around in a flat arch. Ranma ducked, and tried to sweep his legs out, but the old man leapt into the air. He landed and did a flip backwards, Ranma leapt forward at him, but was met with the flat side of the Bokken against his head. Ranma shook away the jarred sensation, but not quick enough to block the next Bokken strikes. Ranma did his own flip away, and screamed out... "Fierce Tiger Domineering blast!" Katsuhito just missed the chi blast, and almost got hit by the flying kick that was sent at him, The old man grabbed his grandson by the ankle and flipped him around slamming him head first into the ground. The fight was over. "Much better this time Ranma." Katsuhito said. He turned around and returned to the shrine. Tenchi went over and helped Ranma up. "One of these days, old man....one of these days." Ranma muttered to himself. Nonoe of them noticed when Ryoko's gaze went to the forest, and she suddenly teleported away. ************* Kodachi was impressed. The boy was incredibly talented, though you could have seen that last flying kick coming from a mile away. He had the potential to be one of the best warriors she had ever seen. She leapt down to the ground from her hiding place. She had enough information for now. Perhaps she should accompany her brother when he challenges Masaki again? Maybe then she could get to know this...Ranma better. Kodachi walked through the forest heading home to castle Kuno, she suddenly started to get a weird feeling. She looked around the general area and found nothing out of the ordinary. But she couldn't shake the feeling. All of a sudden something grabbed a hold of the back of her leotard and started lifting her off the ground! "So, you enjoying spying on people, huh?" Kodachi struggled in the air, until whoever it was finally dropped her, rudely, to the ground. The enraged gymnast turned and saw a woman in a blue an yellow dress. She had golden eyes and spike, light blue hair. Plus a sake bottle. She immediately recognized her, as one of the woman watching the fights. "You? What do you want?" "What where you doing watching us?" Ryoko placed her foot firmly against Kodachi's chest, holding her to the ground. Kodachi had never felt anyone this strong before. "Just...getting some information." "For who?" "Myself." "Who are you?" With flash, Kodachi was out from under Ryoko's foot, and twirling in the air. A ribbon appeared in her hands, and she twirled it around her body, as a shower of black rose petals flew out around them. "I am Kodachi Kuno. The Black Rose, rising star of the martial arts rhythmic gymnastic world! All bow before my superior skill and unmatched beauty!" Ryoko was taking another swig from her sake bottle, and had missed the entire performance. "Huh?" "Listen to me when I'm talking to you, you worthless peasant! I am Kodachi Kuno! The Black Rose, rising star...." "Right, right, so what do you want here?" Ryoko interrupted her. "I have what I came for, and now shall take my leave!" Kodachi was about to, when a voice shouted out. "MASAKI! Come and face me!!!" Ryoko turned in surprise, as Kodachi sweat dropped. "Brother..." She said. ************* "MASAKI! I know you are here! Show yourself!" Tatewaki Kuno stood in front of the Masaki home, bokken out. "I, Tatewaki Kuno, the Blue Thunder, rising star of the high school fencing world, the embodiment of the greatest warriors of our time, he who shall smite all evil from this world, doth challenge you!!!!" The entire family came rolling out the door, minus Ryoko. Tenchi stepped forward a few feet, nervous. "What do you want, Kuno?" Ranma asked. "I have come to avenge my defeat at this knaves hands!" He pointed the wooden sword towards Tenchi. "Look, Kuno, I really don't want any trouble." Tenchi said, nervously. "This is a matter of honor! If you refuse my challenge, then you have none!" "Hey pal! Tenchi gladly accepts your challenge!" Ranma said. "I do?" Tenchi asked. "He does?" The rest of the family asked. "That's right." Ranma ran back into the house, and came out with a bokken, tossing it to his cousin. Tenchi caught it, still nervous. "Look Kuno, does it really matter if you defeat me? Huh?" Tenchi asked him, still hoping to stop this before it started. "Tenchi beat stupid swordsman, he beat Shampoo, didn't he?" Shampoo said. That much was true. Shampoo was definitely better than Kuno. "No! There is no other way to do this! Raise your sword!" Tenchi very reluctantly did so. Kuno brought his own up, and prepared to attack, when a piercing screech cut through the air. All of them looked up to see a woman in a leotard, flying, haphazardly, towards them. "Kodachi!?" Kuno asked, just before she landed on him. Both of them where knocked out upon impact. "Well that was quick." Ukyo said. All of a sudden there was a shimmer in the air, and Ryoko appeared next to the heap of Kunos. "Well, looks like I hit it right on the mark, ey?" She looked down at the two unconscious fighters. "Ryoko, did you do that?" Sasami asked. "Yep, I found Kodachi hear in the forest, and she told me about this whole challenge, so I decided to help out." "By throwing her at him!?" Tenchi asked. "Yep, and it worked, didn't it?" Everyone face-faulted. "Are they all right?" Sasami asked, walking up to them cautiously. She rolled Kodachi off her brother, both now lay on the ground, side by side. "Come on, let's take them inside." ************* Tatewaki Kuno fought his way upwards through the haze, unsure of what he was doing and where he was. The darkness started to fade, as a pair of colorful images appeared before him. "He's waking up!" Said a young, high-pitched voice. He opened his eyes to see a little girl with blue hair, and pink eyes looking at him. "What? Where am I?" Kuno asked. "You're in our house, Mister Kuno." Sasami said, offering him a cup of water. Kuno looked around at the gathered faces, until finally stopping on Tenchi. He jumped off the couch, and reached for his bokken, only to find it gone from his side. "Where is my sword?" "Right here." Ryoko grinned and held it up. "Give it to me, woman." "So you can use it to hurt Tenchi? I don't think so." "You have no right to keep my sword from me! I am Tatewaki Kuno! The Blue Thunder, the embodiment of the great spirits of the past, the......" All of a sudden Ranma's hand was covering his mouth. "We all heard the spiel the first time, Kuno. Why don't you take the girl here and leave?" He pointed to the still unconscious form of Kodachi on a chair across from him. He rushed over and took her hand. "What have you done to her?!" He asked, his voice rising in anger. "Threw her at you." Ryoko said. Kuno stood up, to face the woman, before pausing. He took in Ryoko's face. "You!!!! You are the foul beast which destroyed the school recently!" "Destroyed, redesigned, what's the difference?" She asked. "Consorting with evil, Masaki? I would expect no less from you and this foul manipulative soul!" He pointed to Ranma. "Excuse me?" Ranma responded. "This only proves how you are nothing but a evil stain on the face of all that is good in this world! I must destroy you and your evil brood!!" Tenchi just stared at him confusion written all over his face. Ryoko suddenly stepped in front of him, her energy sword out, Ukyo stepped beside her, battle spatula out. Shampoo followed suit, pulling out a mace. "Hiding behind woman, Masaki! Are you nothing more than a coward?" "Look pal, we've all seen Tenchi kick your sorry ass, he's got nothing to prove to you! Get out of here, before I send you to meet all those great spirits of the past!" Ryoko bared her teeth, and brought the sword up. Kuno seemed to pale slightly at the sign of her fangs and sword, and returned to his sister's side. "As it seems the odds are stacked unfairly against me, I shall take my leave for the time being, but know this! The Blue Thunder shall never give up! Soon I shall take the evil here and banish it from reality." He picked up Kodachi, and walked out. Tenchi, and everyone else blinked, wondering what to make of what just happened. "Well...he was an interesting sort." Ayeka said. "Looks like your type of guy, Ayeka. You're into the old fashioned sort." Ryoko teased. Ayeka grew red, but kept her temper. "Well, I suppose I should start on supper." Sasami said. Ukyo grew slightly tense and walked over to her. "Why don't you let me handle supper tonight?" Sasami looked slightly confused. "Okay, if you want." She smiled. Ukyo walked into the kitchen, beaming. "Come on Ayeka, you want to take a walk?" Sasami asked. "All right Sasami, if you want." Ayeka was glad to get out of the house, she was already this close to frying the demon where she stood. Ryoko stuck out her tongue at the departing princess, who merely scowled back. "They always like this?" Shampoo asked Tenchi. "Pretty much so, yeah." Shampoo merely nodded in response. ************* Somewhere in the depths of space. Here is the Galaxy police headquarters. Home to the hardworking people who have made it their life's goal to keep law and order in the universe, even now two detectives stand before their commanding officer, about to receive their newest orders. "All right ladies, as you know, Princess Ayeka of Jurai had been absent from that planet for the last 700 hundred years, along with her ship the Ryu-oh. Lady Misaki had personally asked up to keep a close eye on her daughter's ship. We have done so by placing an energy tracer in the ship's main hold before it's initial lift-off." He looked up at the two woman before him. One was a tall professional woman, with dark green hair, so dark some people mistook it for black upon first notice. The other was a tanned blonde woman. Her hair done in a huge mess of curls, her eyes gave the impression of her being in a constant state of joy. "We have kept track of the ship ever since, however, recently the ship's energy signature vanished. Detective Kiyone Makibi, Detective Mihoshi Kiramitsu, we want the two of you to go to the last place it was seen, and investigate for the princess whereabouts." "You can count on us sir?" Kiyone said. "Where is the area?" Mihoshi asked. "Its signature was last seen here." He pointed to a small planet on a universal map. "On a small planet called Earth, in a country called Japan, here are the exact coordinates. Get your ship fueled up, and get going." "Yes sir!" They both said with a salute, and exited the office. TO BE CONTINUED. NEXT CHAPTER: MIHO-KIYO FALL TO EARTH, RYOGA'S AWAKENING, AND THE RE-BIRTH OF RYO-OKI!