V .03
Neo Genus Jusenkyo
By Kevin D. Hammel
My attempt at a Ranma/EVA blend. Shaken, not stirred.
Episode 02 Akane in Action! Mallet of the Gods?
Ranma 1/2 is property of Rumiko Takahashi. Publishing Rights are held by
Viz in The US and Shogakukan in Japan. Neon Genesis Evangelion is
property of Hideaki Anno. Video rights held by GAINAX in Japan and ADV
Films in the US. My purpose is to honor these creators and their works.
No infringement intended.
***
Akane, in the purple JAVA Unit 02 and Ranma, in the red JAVA Unit 01,
were engaged in battle with a gigantic zoomorph flatworm which was
threatening the LEAF base at Joketsuzoku 3.
"Akane, roll!" Ranma shouted as she rolled Unit 01 to avoid energy
attack of the giant flatworm.
Ranma's shout and her instincts combined as Akane thought of rolling...
echoing, "roll." Unit 02 rolled, narrowly missing the energy blast.
"Good job, Akane. All you need to do is think of what you want your JAVA
to do, and it does. Do you want to try to charge it?"
"Da, Ranma, lets do it!" Akane imagined herself running toward pulsating
horror, and her Unit 02 performed exactly as she wished. "Ahhh! Akane
yelped as a energy beam hit her... arm, painfully wounding it... No, it
was the JAVA's arm!
"Use your control Akane... block out the... Ahhhhh!" Ranma's image went
blank, replaced by a blinking 'signal loss' display. Akane looked over
at Unit 01 and saw that its 'head' and been damaged, and 'blood' was
shooting out.
"Ranma?" No answer... "Ranma!" Unit 01 had sunk to its knees... Ranma
needed her help, now! Akane often called upon her mallet in times of
great need, or great anger. She... the team... *needed* Ranma... and
this thing had hurt her. As Akane yelled a battle cry of "RAAAANMAAA!";
a mallet of unusual size with a glowing chrome-steel head, appeared in
her JAVA's hands.
Akane attacked the worm with a vengeance, but could not touch it. She
continued to hammer away, and felt something starting to give. There was
a glow on top of the creature again, Akane rolled Unit 02, which was
only grazed by the twin beams the horror fired. Using her control, she
ignored the pain. Akane should have a few seconds more to POUND that
thing, while its' weapons recharged...
***
A huge LEAF insignia, a multicolored sand dollar ringed by words,
decorated the wall of the Control Center, but the large view screen was
the center of attention right now.
Klaxons blared.
A technician's voice came from behind a console. "The head's been
damaged, Comm link with Unit 01 lost."
"Ranma!" Shan Pu shouted. The captain looked cute in her short, pink
Chinese-style dress. Dress codes were relaxed at LEAF... She saw Unit 02
summon a gigantic mallet and begin to swing at the giant flatworm.
A woman wearing a deep purple mini-dress and black leggings stood next
to Shan Pu. A giant spatula in a holster on her back completed her
outfit. She had long brown hair in a ponytail. This was chief scientist
Dr. Kuonji Ukyou, who looked to be about the same age as Shan Pu. "Look,
I think she's actually affecting the JT field!"
Unit 02 dodged two energy blasts, then resumed its ceaseless attack.
"She's broken through!" Ukyou shouted, "Amazing..."
"Akane, help Ranma." Shan Pu whispered to herself.
***
Akane had finally broken through the energy field; and began to flatten
the worm.
"For Ranma!" she whispered, as she continued her attack.
She then saw great pieces of the horror flying past her. Unit 01 had
begun to butcher the creature in a berserk rage. A few more seconds, and
it exploded in a biohazardous mess.
Unit 01 now looked for something else to kill, so Akane willed her JAVA
to run as fast as possible. She noted a countdown appearing on the
screen. Though afraid what she might see, sneaking a peek back she saw
an unmoving Unit 01 collapsed on the battlefield. Akane slowed down
before the counter reached zero and everything went dark in the entry
plug.
***
After what seemed like hours, but was only 15 minutes, Akane heard
mechanical noises outside and felt the jerk of the plug being released
from the immobile JAVA. When it felt like she was lying down, the
capsule was forced open, and light poured in. She saw a smiling Nabiki,
and Captain Shan Pu. Akane lifted herself out.
"Outstanding, Tendovski! You penetrated a JT field on your first try!"
Shan Pu congratulated her in Mandarin.
"Thank you! What's a JT field?" Her expression darkened a little. "How's
Ranma?"
Shampoo tried projecting some encouragement. "She's unconscious, though
her vitals are stable. We're taking her to LEAF hospital if you'd like
to visit. Your sister Kasumi's there too!"
"Thanks Captain!" Akane tried very hard to salute... Nabiki tried very
hard to suppress a laugh.
"Shampoo is fine. No need to salute, Akane!" Shampoo replied with a
grin.
"Thanks Shampoo!" Akane replied, appreciating the informality her
commander offered.
Akane and Nabiki got into Shampoo's weather-beaten jeep for a quick ride
back to Joketsuzoku 3 and the LEAF Hospital.
***
Akane stared at the unconscious girl in front of her. She wanted to
thank Ranma for her help on the battlefield. Akane hoped they would get
a chance for some simulator training, as she still didn't really know
much about how to make a JAVA work. Why had that countdown timer come
on, for instance? Ranma stirred, looking at Akane through almost-closed
eyes.
"Akane, that you?" The redhead asked, weakly.
Akane looked a trifle concerned. "Da, Ranma. How are you?"
"That's a stupid question, baka. It feels like someone is running a
jackhammer in my head." A tiny smile came to her face, "other than that
and throwing up this morning's breakfast, I feel great!" She laughed,
but ended up groaning. Ranma turned to Akane; her eyes alight despite
the pain. "What did I tell 'ya. It was all worth it when you got in that
cockpit, wasn't it?"
"Da, Ranma... Da. It was... worth it." The two girls smiled at each
other, though Akane's seemed a trifle forced... not that Ranma noticed.
"I'll let you rest, Ranma. Thank you for your help out there." She
ruffled Ranma's red hair a bit.
"Thank YOU, Akane! Bye." Ranma closed her eyes again.
Akane got up and went to visit Kasumi.
***
Kasumi seemed much more 'alert' than Ranma, thought alert rarely if ever
described Kasumi. Conscious or aware were better terms for her. She saw
Akane, congratulating her in a whispered monotone. "i heard you helped
beat a zoomorph today. congratulations."
"Thanks, Kasumi. Soon you'll be able to fight at our side."
"da, i look forward to that. i will be able to please father again."
Akane and Nabiki traded glares. Akane looked back down at her sister.
"Da, Kasumi, we will all be able to please him."
Kasumi looked at her sister, giving her a nod. She closed her eyes to
rest again.
Nabiki and Akane left the room.
***
Shampoo was waiting for them in the hallway. "I just got off the phone
with HQ. You two girls will be staying with me."
Akane smiled.
"You mean we don't get to stay with daddy?" Nabiki asked, stifling a
grin.
Shampoo smirked at the two. "We heard you don't get along too well."
"Look in there..." Nabiki pointed to Kasumi's room, slowly nodding her
head in the affirmative, "you will find our father's *perfect* child,
and even *she* doesn't live with him!"
Shampoo glanced at her watch for a moment, then looked up, struggling to
conceal a smile. "Come with me, you two! There's something I *have* to
show you..."
"Sure, Captain!" Both girls replied, then followed their commander out
of the hospital.
***
After returning to the underground JAVA base, the trio entered the
gigantic hanger building; Akane and Nabiki still amazed at its
immensity. They walked down the main corridor for a few meters, then
took a side passage to a gate, where each ran her ID card through a
reader. A few meters farther and the three women came to a rock wall
with a steel elevator door inset.
Shampoo pushed the 'up' button, then turned to her two new pilots. "I
think this won't be the last time the two of you take *this* elevator."
An understated chime and silently gliding doors announced the elevator's
arrival. All three entered.
The door closed, and the elevator began a high-speed ascent. After what
seemed like an eternity, the elevator slowed and stopped. The door slid
open again, revealing a dark room lit with a galaxy of blinking red
lights.
A technician in a LEAF uniform turned and saluted the Captain, who
returned it. "As you were." Shampoo said, allowing the tech to resume
her work. She smiled for a moment, realizing that in LEAF's Joketsuzoku
staff there were only 2 men... the ones at the top.
Shampoo turned to face Akane and Nabiki. "In this room." She gestured to
encompass the entire facility. "Are the eyes of our operation... Up
here, you can see everything." She walked to a door and motioned for the
two to follow as she opened it.
When both girls were in the anteroom with her, Shampoo closed the door
then opened another. A blast of cold wind chilled the room and its
occupants, and a burst of sunlight blinded them for a moment. Their
commander turned to the two girls with a grin. "This wind must make you
homesick."
"Da. I *really* miss the cold..." Nabiki replied with a smirk.
When they walked out the door, all conversation stopped. They were
almost at the edge of a mountaintop cliff. Three hundred meters below
was a village which seemed almost carved out of the rock, trees dotting
the outcrops between the buildings... Five hundred meters below that was
a deeper forest containing an older village. A few thin threads of
silver, traversed by metallic ants, seemed to bind the two villages
together. And on the other side of a ribbon of rock from the lower
village, myriad sapphire pools glistened in silent beauty... Jusenkyo.
Shampoo looked at Akane. "I thought you might like to see the cities you
helped save today." She turned and pointed down. "You probably recognize
Joketsuzoku 3..." She said as she pointed at the higher city. "And below
that is Joketsuzoku, our original home," she said as she pointed to
herself. "You can just make out the cog railway which connects the two
cities."
"And Jusenkyo's over there..." Akane intoned flatly, pointing. Her
companions inhaled sharply.
"So, where's Joketsuzoku 2?" Nabiki hurriedly asked, desperately wanting
to change the subject.
Shampoo looked upset for a moment, then answered. "Well, when LEAF first
came here, they thought Joketsuzoku should be relocated underground, to
be better protected from a Zoomorph attack..."
"Well, it does make sense." Nabiki interrupted.
"To an *outsider*, yes... But we..." Shampoo pointed to herself again,
almost overflowing with pride. "Sisters live under the sun, stars, and
sky. We breathe fresh air purified by nature, not machines. We live with
the Earth, on its surface; not entombed beneath it."
Akane looked curious. "So, what happened to Joketsuzoku 2, Shan Pu?"
Shampoo's expression darkened... just a bit. "Only the JAVAs live there
now. It was converted into the JAVA Base."
Nabiki looked puzzled. "Live there?"
Akane's face became blank. "Yes, Big Sister, *live* there. When I
synchronized with my Unit 02, I felt someone else. I felt her pain...
and her rage. Then I saw Ranma's Unit 01 go crazy... tear that Zoomorph
to pieces... and come after me... us." Tears began to fall from her
eyes.
Nabiki looked concerned. "So, why couldn't Ranma control it?"
Akane recovered her composure, and spoke again, her voice ice-cold.
"Ranma wasn't even awake when that... thing went nuts." Akane looked
down. "Our fathers expect us kids to control their... monsters."
Shampoo offered Akane a handkerchief
"Thanks Shampoo." Akane said as she accepted her commander's offering
with a tiny smile.
No one spoke for a few minutes, Shampoo finally breaking the silence.
"Akane, all I can say to you is... Thanks. You and Ranma saved both our
cities today."
Though Akane brightened at Ranma's mention, her face was clouded by
concern as well. "Ranma... I wonder how she's doing?"
"Lets find out..." Shampoo lead the two children back to the elevator.
***
Shampoo, Akane, and Nabiki were outside the hospital again.
Akane looked at Shampoo, offering her a smile of genuine gratitude.
"Thanks Shampoo, I really appreciated seeing the cities." She looked
thoughtful for a few moments. "You guys go on ahead, I'll go up and see
how Ranma's doing."
"Don't worry sis, I don't think Kasumi's going to steal him away."
Nabiki taunted. "Akane's in lo-ove, Akane's in lo-ove."
Akane shot to the defensive, raising her voice a bit. "I am not! I just
wanted to be sure she's all right. We're teammates."
Nabiki smirked at her sister. "Sure, little sister, sure."
Akane smirked back. "I'm only your little sister by 45 minutes, Nabiki!"
"You're still my little sister. Bye!" Nabiki gave Akane a little wave.
Shampoo scribbled on a piece of paper. "Here are directions to my
apartment, Akane."
"Thanks again, for everything!" Akane said as she turned to enter the
hospital.
Nabiki and Shampoo left; Akane headed for Ranma's room.
***
It seemed a couple hours of rest had done wonders for Ranma, but then
Akane had heard about her amazing recuperative powers.
"Hey, Akane!" She said in greeting. "Long time no see."
Akane smiled. "I just wanted to see how you're doing."
"Pop'll be by to pick me up. I'm not great, but well enough for bed rest
at home."
Akane's face showed her happiness at the news. "Glad to hear it. I'm
sure I'll be by to visit you. Oh yeah, one other thing. Nabiki and I'll
be staying with Shampoo."
Ranma showed a bit of playful disappointment. "Aww, I was expecting two
new additions to MY household. I don't blame you. The only reason I stay
there is so they won't throw those two out in the street, though pop
does have his moments, every week or so!"
Akane's expression became thoughtful. "Wow, I'm still waiting for our
father to have his moment."
Both girls laughed, sharing their pain.
"Bye, Ranma!" Akane gave a little wave, which her fiancee returned.
"See 'ya, Akane." Ranma winked at her new friend, receiving a flush from
Akane in response.
Akane left the hospital, making her way to Shampoo's apartment.
***
Akane pushed the button by the door, ringing the bell.
"Coming," she heard from inside. Nabiki opened the door. "Hi, sis, come
in."
Akane entered the apartment as Nabiki shut the door. It was quite neat
and orderly.
"Where's Shampoo?" Akane asked.
"She went shopping. It seems she likes to buy fresh food to liven up the
packaged stuff. Shampoo even offered to give us cooking lessons."
"Cool!" Akane enthused.
Nabiki looked just a bit concerned for a moment, then responded. "Speak
for yourself, Akane. I'd rather PAY someone to cook than do it myself,
as far as I'm concerned... but you're welcome to take her up on the
offer."
"Hello, I home!" Shampoo said in her approximation of Japanese.
"Mandarin, please" the Tendovskis asked.
Shampoo showed a bit of chagrin, soon replaced by a brighter expression.
"Sorry, I'll try to remember. So, Nabiki do you want to help cook?"
Nabiki looked completely uninterested, answering in a bored monotone.
"Nah, but Akane does."
Shampoo's gaze went from Nabiki to Akane, and was rewarded by a look of
expectation from the younger Tendovski. "Good. Let's get washed up.
Here, I'll run some hot water so we can wash."
As Akane and Shampoo washed using the hot water, Shampoo explained her
peculiar approach to cooking. "I use rubber gloves when I cook, I don't
think you two like cold water much either!"
Akane looked at her commander with genuine concern. "Are you cursed,
Shampoo?"
Shampoo looked pained, but only for a moment. "Yes, I am, and it's a LOT
more inconvenient than yours!"
"Mind if I check it out?" Nabiki asked, holding a glass of water with an
almost evil smirk.
Shampoo returned the smirk with change. "OK, but only if we share the
water!"
First Akane and Nabiki used the water, then Nabiki poured it on Shampoo.
She seemed to shrink, then they saw a lump under her dress. A cute
lavender cat came out.
"Shampoo?" The two surprised boys asked.
The cat bowed.
"Want some warm water?" Nabiki asked the cat.
The cat bowed again.
Nabiki looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hmmm... How much is hot water
worth to you right now?"
Akane had heard enough. "*Oooooo N A B I K I!*" He hollered at his older
brother.
Nabiki looked contrite. "Uh... Sorry, Captain..." He said as he poured
the water on the cat, which quickly became their red-faced commander.
Shampoo hurriedly put her clothes back on. "Like I said, yours is MUCH
easier to live with."
"But when you change, at least you're still a girl." Nabiki argued.
Shampoo considered what her young friend said for a moment, then
dismissed it. "Point taken, Nabiki, but how would you like to be an
*animal* in your cursed form? At least you're still a human... Do you
two want to change back?"
"Sure!" Nabiki replied, using the hot water.
"Nah, I think I'll stay like this so I don't have to worry about the
cold water," Akane replied.
Shampoo nodded with a slight grin. "Okay, Akane. Let's start."
Cooking lessons began in earnest. Today it was merely chopping
vegetables and seafood to add to packaged ramen. Akane carefully
followed Shampoo's instructions. Shampoo resisted all of Akane's
attempts to "liven up" the food. A box of pepper became a pinch, a box
of salt became none, etc. When dinner was ready, Akane changed back.
All three ate, and the food was excellent.
A frankly surprised Nabiki showed her appreciation. "Wow, Akane.
Something you cooked and it's still edible!"
Shampoo looked at Akane with concern. "Do you have problems cooking
Akane?"
Anger flashed to Akane's face, "Of course not! I cook *very* well, thank
you. Nabiki just likes to tease me about it because she's jealous!"
Nabiki was not going to let her little sister off the hook *that*
easily... "Come off it, Akane. You seem to ruin everything you touch in
the kitchen. Remember the time use used *turpentine* instead of..."
"Well, this isn't ruined!" Shampoo hurriedly added; offering Akane her
hand and a smile. "Bad cooking ends HERE. I'll help you, if you'll let
me."
"Sure!" Akane took her commander's hand and shook. She was beaming.
Nabiki looked heavenward; perhaps deliverance had come at last. "Maybe
you can finally rest in peace, mom." She looked at Akane. "I got it, you
just need to cook as a boy." Nabiki found herself drenched by cold water
from Akane AND Shampoo.
***
Genma, Soun, and Ukyou stood in an office overlooking a hanger like the
adjacent one that housed the active JAVA units. This one was being used
to repair Unit 00, Kasumi's JAVA.
"Did you visit Kasumi in the hospital today?" Ukyou asked Soun, her
voice as emotionless as his eldest daughter.
"Yes, her recovery has gone well. She should be ready to pilot again in
three weeks." Soun offered in a returned monotone.
"Isn't it hard on the children?" Ukyou asked with an edge of concern to
her voice.
"Ranma exalts in piloting." Genma replied with pride.
"But what of your SON? What will be left of Ranma when 'she' is no
longer needed as JAVA pilot?" Ukyou tried hard not to show the anger she
felt.
"At that point, the child will be of no use to me, or the world... I
don't care what happens to her then." Dr. Saotome looked thoughtful for
a few moments. "What are the lives of a few children when balanced
against the survival of the world, and Man taking his rightful place in
the cosmos?" Genma replied... with a far away look in his eyes.
Soun looked at his friend, nodding agreement. "Indeed, Saotome. That is
one reason why we have restricted the piloting pool to our families,
only our children will pay the price."
A flow of tears made its way down Ukyou's face. She had a warm spot in
her heart for Ran-chan. Perhaps someone might care, Ukyou thought to
herself. She needed to find Ranma's mother.
Exercising all her self-control to keep from breaking down, Ukyou spoke
at last. "I understand your feelings, thank you." She left the two men
to their dreams.
***
Ranma stared at the ceiling of his room. His father would be gone for a
while tonight, so he figured it would be a good time to get used to his
birth-form again. There was a knock at the door. Ranma peeked through
the window, seeing his friend Dr. Kuonji, the chief scientist for
Project JAVA. Ranma opened the door. Ukyou was surprised to see a boy
instead of a girl.
Sensing Ukyou's surprise, Ranma spoke first. "Hi, Ucchan, I guess you
didn't expect to see me like this. The fathers will be out for a while
tonight, so I though it would be a good opportunity to remind myself I'm
a boy."
"I'm so glad to see you like this." Ukyou said with real happiness,
holding out a box quite familiar to Ranma.
He opened it up, smelling the fresh okonomiyaki Ukyou had cooked in her
office for him, a smile slowly broadening on his face. He hurried into
the kitchen to get some utensils and began to devour it.
"Very good, thank you!" Ranma said between bites. Soon he was done.
Ukyou looked thoughtful for a moment. "Ranma, do you know anything about
your mother?"
Ranma's expression lost a little glow. "My pop says she's dead, but I
think he's pulling my leg."
The scientist's face showed a bit of concern. "Well I'm going to look
for her, but you can't tell your pop, OK?"
Ranma tried hard to control the excitement he felt. "Thanks, Ucchan. I
know enough not to tell him!"
"Can I have the box back?" Ukyou asked, deciding to cover her tracks.
"OK" Ranma replied, happy to return the box to Ucchan.
"Good night Ran-chan" Ukyou gave her young friend a quick hug.
"Bye, and thanks!" Ranma let Ukyou out.
He felt much better. Ranma hoped Ukyou could find his mom, and if anyone
could, SHE could!
***
Ukyou was back at her office doing a little detective work. It was
actually very easy to find Ranma's mother's name. She had access to his
records, including birth certificate. There it was...
Saotome Nodoka
Now, where did she live? A few keystrokes and Ukyou had photos, a phone
number, and a street address.
Nodoka lived in Tokyo 3. Perhaps a phone call would be in order. Ukyou
knew just where to go, her tribe could help her.
She carefully cleaned up the digital footprints left in her search and
turned out the light in her office. She would be home before midnight.
It was always nice to get to bed early.
***
Next on Neo Genus Jusenkyo...
Episode 03 A Heart Divided! The riddle of...Kasumi?
(END)
***
Thanks for reading (again),
Literary credits of course first must be to Ms. Takahashi and Mr. Anno.
Nick Leifker's Sunrise, Jeff Hosmer's Amazons, Mike Koos Bubble Gum
Splash, and James Lee's Alternate Future most influenced this specific
series.
This is my (hopefully) RAAC-worthy version of NGJ Chapter 2. I finished
the first draft of the story in June of 1998. Then, it was a scene and
quite a bit of descriptive prose shorter than it is now. It is my
earnest hope that this version is an improvement over my initial effort.
As always, I must thank my 'usual gang' of pre-readers: Mike Koos and
James Lee. I also owe a debt of gratitude to Nick Leifker and Jeff
Hosmer, who in their critiques on my writing in other stories had a
direct impact on my rewrite of this one. If you'd like to pre-read,
please drop me a line, or go to my website, download an unreleased
chapter and... Let me have it! Even a scathing critique (if
constructive) is always welcome.
Thanks Again,
Kevin D. Hammel
December 13, 1998
========================================
khammel@mail.geocities.com
http://www.geocities.com/~khammel/ff/
"For St. Petersburg 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,
10, and the Motherland!" Tendovski Akane
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