[Ranma/Eva][FanFic] Past/Future - Chapter 8
Short Yes
Spoiler Warning!!!!!
This is the first time I've ever added a spoiler warning. So please read at
your own discretion. Hope you all like what I consider the turning point in
the Past/Future story line. As before, please send any hints/idea for future
chapters to me. The responses I recieved were a tremendous help.
All previous chapters can be found at the Tass archieve or my Homepage
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/2881
Long Ngo
Please do not post or change these stories in anyway without my permission.
Neon Genesis Evangelion is owned by Gainax and copyrighted to ADV in the United
States. The characters of Ranma 1/2 Universe is the sole creation of Rumiko
Takahashi and is copyrighted to various companies. All materials save the
environment and situations are being used without prior authorization. This is
for entertainment purposes only and is not intended for material gains. If
there has been an error in copyright, please email me. I wish not to be sued
for expressing my interest in these series.
Evangelion / Ranma 1/2 : Past/Future Chapter Eight
Created by Long Ngo
Started June 2, 1998
Finished June 5, 1998
Revised June 18, 1998
* * * * *
Touching his lips, Ranma blushed as he remembered the kiss. "Ritsuko is
going to kill me for being out so late," he muttered to himself. *I just
couldn't leave Rei after what happened near the alley. They were so close to
Rei's apartment. Was that the only reason?* Ranma had been trying to think
back as to his reasons for staying at Rei's apartment unil 1:00 AM.
-----
"Arigatou, Ranma," Rei spoke softly before kissing him.
*Why do I feel such an attachment to Rei? There is something about her.*
Shaking his head slightly, *Enough time to think about it later, Rei needs
you.* Looking up at Rei with concern, "Will you be alright, Rei?" Ranma could
see that Rei had been a little uptight ever since the five men had intercepted
them near the alley.
"Hai," Rei lied. The new feelings that had been released the night
before still confused Rei. Before they were pleasant but now after the
incident, she felt like something was suffocating her. Her kiss, in part, was
to thank Ranma for everything he had done for her and the other reason was that
he seemed like the only person who could make her feel safe.
"Would you like for me to stay for awhile?" offered Ranma.
"Hai," relief flooded her. She had hoped he would stay but did not feel
that it was her right to ask. She felt a tingle of regret as she left Ranma's
embrace to open the door.
The first thing that Ranma noticed when he entered Rei's apartment was
how empty it looked. It reminded him of his own room. Moving from place to
place, Ranma never had much in the way of possessions. Looking around, it
struck Ranma as odd as why Rei was living all alone. *I have to ask Ritsuko
about this. Maybe Rei could move in with us.*
*How is it that I've never noticed how monotonous this place look.*
Looking at Ranma, Rei could see that he was examining the apartment himself.
Rei felt a little embarrassed at the condition of her living quarters.
"So what do you want to do?"
*Do?* "I do not know."
"How about we just talk?"
"Hai."
"Okay what do you want to talk about?"
"Why am I attracted to you?"
*Oh boy!*
-----
*Never knew someone can be that lonely or straight forward. I am
definitely going to talk to Ritsuko about living arrangements. I don't like
the thought of Rei living by herself.* "Ritsuko! I'm home." Ranma called out.
After silence greeted him, *Strange. Where is she? It doesn't look like she's
home. Is the party still going?*
---------------
"Dr. Akagi, I want an answer now. How is it that Saotome can produce
enough energy to trigger Nerv's sensors?" Never had Gendou encounter anyone
like Saotome. He was a complete mystery to the commander of Nerv. In fact
Saotome was more of an enigma than the Angels. That did not sit well with
Gendou. *The Angels want Adam and Third Impact but what does Saotome want?*
"I do not know sir. All tests indicate that Saotome is human. Until
recently, I would never have believed that a human could accomplish some of the
stunts I've seen him do. We are still trying to discover Saotome's sudden
arrival at one of Nerv's testing facilities." replied Ritsuko.
"Major Katsuragi, any comment on this matter?"
"No sir. As Dr. Akagi just stated, Saotome is a complete mystery."
Misato was now sober. The very thought of appearing before the supreme
commander of Nerv drunk snapped Misato out of her previous state.
"Fuyuzuki, any thoughts on this subject?" To everyone else Gendou had
everything in complete control. Under the surface though was a man pulling his
hair out. Everything was going according to schedule until the sudden
appearance of Saotome. Now Gendou was not sure if Saotome's appearance might
have affect the parameters.
Having nothing to add to the discussion, Fuyuzuki shook his head.
"That leaves us with only one alternative. We shall interrogate Saotome
to see if he is a threat to us. I do not like mysteries and I want answers!"
Gendou's sudden outburst surprised everyone including himself.
"Seems like Ranma has the knack for bringing out the best and worse in an
individual, huh Ritsuko?" Misato whispered. She could clearly remember Rei's
new wardrobe.
Ritsuko could only agree with Misato's observation. Ever since Ranma's
arrival, Shinji has started to mature, Asuka had become more competitive and
the two surprises were commander Ikari and Ayanami. "Commander, I know that
Saotome might be an enigma but do you think it is wise to interrogate him? So
far he has shown no hostility towards anyone. To interrogate him might
alienate him from those he consider his friends at the moment."
"His cooperation or goodwill does not concern me, what I want are
answers. You are all dismissed."
---------------
Later that day, Ranma was cooking breakfast when he saw Ritsuko return.
"Welcome home. I'm just about to finish making breakfast and head off to
school."
"Uhh, Ranma? Commander Ikari wants to talk to you today." Ritsuko was
still a bit awed at what she saw him do last night.
"Okay. Do you know what does he want to talk about?"
"Not really." Ritsuko lied. *Can't tell him the truth or else he might
not go.* For some reason, Ritsuko felt a tingle of guilt. *Have I become that
attached to him?*
"Ritsuko, I was wondering about Rei."
"Yes?"
"After I dropped her off yesterday, I noticed that she lived alone. I
was wondering if she could move in here with us. We have a spare room."
*Where did this come from?* "I'm not sure. You have to take it up with
the commander when you see him. She is under his care."
"Under his care? You call that taking care of someone?" Ranma's last
statement was filled with a little anger. *Maybe this Gendou is worse than
Oyaji. At least he never abandoned me.*
*This is not good,* she saw what he was capable of doing when he was mad,
"Calm down Ranma. Rei is a private person. She doesn't interact with people
the same way you and I do." *Though that new look of hers was a surprise.*
"Okay. I'll talk to the commander later after school. See you later."
"Have a nice day at school."
---------------
"Baka, get up!" Asuka shouted.
"Arggg, don't shout at me! I have a huge headache." Shinji shouted back
at Asuka but he only succeeded in increasing the pain to his cranium.
"Hurry up then! I don't want to give Ranma an excuse to pick on me."
"You're the one who usually picks on him." With the after effects of the
beer, Shinji was not concerned about what he was saying. He was concentrating
on how to get rid of the throbbing pain in his skull.
"That's what he gets for calling be an uncute tomboy.
"If I tell you that you are not uncute tomboy then would you leave me
alone." pleaded Shinji.
"What did you say?" Asuka asked in disbelief.
"At the party, I said I like Rei, but there is someone else I like more."
"Who?"
"You, okay? I like you more. Now please leave me alone."
"What!" Asuka screamed. *He likes me?* Looking down the semi-conscious
Shinji, Asuka's expression soften slightly.
"I said I like you more. Okay? Now please leave me alone." The last
outburst from Asuka had sent Shinji in greater pain. *I'm never going to drink
again.*
Feeling a little guilty, "You want to know how to get rid of your
hangover?"
"Yes please!"
"Drink more beer."
"Argg."
"Now hurry up and get ready."
"This is going to be a very bad day," muttered Shinji.
-------------
Ranma had left a little early and was now waiting outside Rei's
apartment.
Inside, Rei had just finished dressing. Opening the door, she was
surprised to see Ranma leaning against the side of the door.
"Good morning, Ranma."
"Good morning, Rei. I wanted to ask you something."
"Yes?"
"Do you remember after last night's incident?" Seeing Rei blush, Ranma
tried hard not to blush himself. "Hum...I meant the other incident involving
the five thugs. I was wondering if I could get the commander's permission,
would you like to move in with me and Ritsuko?"
*Ranma does care for me!* "Hai."
"I'm glad. I have to talk to him after school so I decided that maybe I
could settle everything at once."
She nodded head in understanding.
"There is something else I wanted to ask you." Rei could see that Ranma
was nervous about something. "Would you like to ...huh... go out with me?"
"Is this a date?"
"Hai."
A smile soon spread across Rei's face. *Maybe afterwards, we can kiss
some more. It was quite enjoyable.*
-------------
Looking around to see if he was followed, Kaji picked up the phone and
called SEELE. "Ikari has selected another pilot. His name is Saotome Ranma,
designated Fifth Child. I understand. I'll wait." *The plot thickens.*
After a few more minutes of waiting, Kaji received his orders. "You
want as much information on the Fifth Child as possible. I understand. Why
not look at some of his records? He does not exist? No records like the First
Child? Interesting. No, Ikari knows nothing about the boy as well.
Understood."
"Saotome Ranma, you are becoming quite interesting." Kaja spoke quietly
to himself as he thought of his previous encounter.
-----
"So you're the new Evangelion pilot. Ranma is it?" asked Kaji, taking a
sip of beer.
"Hai."
"I heard from Asuka that you're also a martial artist."
"The best," Ranma bragged without thinking.
"Not many people these days practice martial arts these days. No one
around Tokyo-3 teaches as far as I know. So I was wondering who taught you?"
"Oyaji taught me," Ranma replied.
Kaji sensed a little anger in the last statement but dismissed it.
Trying to get more information, "What's your Oyaji's name?"
"Saotome Genma, why?"
"Just curious. Would you like to spar? I know a little martial arts
myself."
Ranma's ears perked up at the challenge. *This is great! I might have
finally found a decent sparring partner. Toji is just no fun. He's like
Kunou, way to easy to beat.* "Sure, how about tomorrow afternoon?"
"That's fine with me," Kaji repied, *I now get to see what is all the
fuse is about. What makes you so special?*
The next day
*This is not going to be a good day,* thought Kaji. *At least he hasn't
touched my face yet. I got a date with Misato.* Looking up, Kaji could see
that Ranma was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, eagered and
bursting with energy. *He should be, I've been the one doing all falling.*
This was not the first time Kaji debated on throwing in the towel and giving
up. Getting up one more time, Kaji got into his combat stance once again.
*Got to hand it to Kaji, at least he is persistant. Stubborn as Kunou
but with some brains.* Getting into a defensive stance, Ranma waited for Kaji
to charge.
*I've got to at least touch him once, just once.* Taking two slow steps,
Kaji then charged Ranma unleashed all his remaining strength in a complicated
combination of punches, kicks, sweeps, alternating from high to low but to his
disgust, he still missed. *What is he? Why was he pointing at me?*
Seeing Kaji charge, Ranma extended his right hand and pointed at Kaji's
forehead and smiled as he remembered the time he did this to Kaji. After
avoiding Kaji's combination, Ranma leapt up and vaulted *over* him, pivoting on
Kaji's head with his index finger. After he landed behind him, Ranma crouched
down and swept Kaji's legs out from under him, all before the older man with a
pigtail could even turn around.
Lying there staring at the ceiling started to sound really good at the
moment to Kaji. Ranma was incredible. Waving off the hand Ranma had offered,
"That's it for me, Ranma. By the way, why did you point at me a few minutes
ago." Not liking the mysterious grin and the 'It's a surprise,' Kaji shrugged
and slowly got up.
-----
*Still can't believe he was able to do that,* Kaji thought. After the
match, Kaji was curious as to why people started to laugh as he passed by.
Only after he had meet Misato did he understand. Imprinted on his head was the
Kanji, 'Oyaji.' To say the least, Misato had a good laugh. "ll get you back
Ranma," Kaji swore. *Now what should I do to him?* Kaji started to think of a
joke to play on Ranma for the humiliation that particular gag costed him.
---------------
Ranma was having a great day. Asuka didn't bug him during lunch time,
Rei had agreed to go out with him and he had found a decent sparring partner.
*Kaji needs to practice more though.* The only downside was presently he was
lost. Ranma was looking for Commander Ikari's office. *I guess I should have
asked for directions.* he thought. Yet, he was glad for the moment's peace.
It seems like ever since he arrived in this strange future, he did not have
much time for himself. As he turned the next corner in the hallway, he noticed
Commander Ikari and Rei exit a room. Ranma frowned slightly as he remembered
what Ritsuko had told him about Rei's relationship to Commander Ikari.
"Hey, Rei!" he called out, striding purposely towards them. Gendou and
Rei looked towards him at the same time. Rei, with a small smile lighting her
face and Gendo with a scowl as he glanced meaningfully at his watch.
"You're late," he said flatly.
"I got lost," Ranma replied defensively.
"Hello, Ranma," Rei greeted shyly, her smile growing.
"Hey, Rei." Ranma waved, "I'm looking forward to tonight."
"Y-Yes, I'm looking forward to that as well." Rei replied, a rosy blush
growing on her cheeks. Her reactions were not lost on Gendou who stared at
Ranma with a look just shy of a glare.
"Get inside," he oredered.
"Right," Ranma sighed, *Jeez, what's his problem?* He walked past Rei
and the Commander and entered the room.
"Rei, I'll talk to you later," Gendo said softly, following after Ranma.
The door closed behind him with an audible click, leaving Rei alone in the
hallway.
*I should go. . .* she thought, staring silently at the door. *Ranma
will be okay.* Rei took a step back away from the door and bit her lower lip
indecisively. *His hands were so warm,* she thought, remembering the previous
evening. She slowly crept forward and put her left ear against the door.
Ranma stepped inside the room, and stopped abruptly as he saw Misato,
Ritsuko, and Sub-Commander Futsuyki sitting behind a long metallic table.
"Hey, what's going on here?" he asked suspiciously.
Gendou walked past Ranma and sat down in an empty chair at the middle of
the table. "Sit down," he said coldly, gesturing to a lone chair in the middle
of the room.
"Is this some sorta test?" Ranma asked, not moving.
"Saotome, sit down!!!" Gendou commanded. Ranma crossed his arms and
sneered challengingly at Gendou. Ranma hated power hungry authoritative
figures and that was what Gendou was at the moment in Ranma's eyes.
"Ranma, please. We just wanted to ask you a few questions," Ritsuko
begged. *You do not want to get the commander mad, Ranma.*
Ranma sighed and sat down in the chair. "This better not be a test," he
grumbled, "You know how I hate tests, Ritsuko."
"Just answer our questions and everything will be fine, Ranma," Misato
assured him.
"Right, right. . ," Ranma sighed once more.
"There are some issues we need you to clear up for us, Saotome," Gendou
stated.
"Oh? Like what?" Ranma replied.
"What are you?" Gendo asked flatly.
"W-what are you talking about?" Ranma asked in confusion.
"I want to know how an ordinary boy can harness enough power that they
register on our sensors? What 'are' you, Saotome? Who do you work for?" Gendo
asked.
"This is stupid. I'm a martial artist." To Ranma that seems to explain
how he could do what others could not. "And I work for you! Who did you think
I work for? You made me an Eva Pilot, remember?" Ranma snapped. This was a
waste of his time.
"I will *not* tolerate this attitude from you, Saotome. If you do not
cooperate with us, I will be forced to consider you a threat to Nerv and
mankid," Gendou warned.
"Where do you get off calling me a threat? I'm trying to help you!"
Ranma yelled back.
"The next words out of your mouth had better be an explanation for your
actions yesterday, or you will be eliminated with extreme prejudice," Gendo
said. To a side of the room, Ranma could see the fight scene that occured
yesterday appear on a monitor.
*He can't mean that!* Ritsuko thought, gasping in shock.
"I was protecting Rei."
"Rei does not need protection." The way Gendou spoke about Rei further
enraged Ranma. Doesn't he care about Rei?.
"You arrogant son of a bitch! How can you say that about Rei? She has
feelings as well. You wanted me to leave her there to face those five thugs?"
"Rei has no feelings. She does not have the capabilities for fear or the
ability to feel joy. She can be replaced."
"What is with you people. Since I've arrived, you treat Rei as if she
was some kind of object. A thing to be played with. I will not let you do
that."
"That is enough Saotome, sit down now or face a court marshall." Gendou
was no longer in his seat. Looking over at Misato, "I want you to detain
Saotome, Major Katsuragi. If he resist, eliminate him."
Before the interrogation could get any further out of hand, the door of
the room suddenly burst open, or more accurately, the door exploded from its
hinges, and in walked a furious Rei.
Ritsuko didn't need a scientific instrument to tell that her that the
distortion surrounding Rei was in fact an AT field. Rubbing her temples,
Ritsuko tried to make sense of all the irregular activities of the last few
weeks. *This is not happening to me.*
Surprise and a bit of fear could be seen on everyone's face, including
Gendou's.
"You will not hurt Ranma!" Rei spoke in a cold voice filled with malice.
"Rei?" Misato asked in a very frightened voice. *Is she an Angel?*
"You will stop this nonsense this instant, Rei!" Gendou commandered,
having gotten over Rei's sudden appearance.
"Rei, when I kissed you yesterday, what did you feel?" Ranma asked not
realizing the consequences of his question.
*Ranma kissed Rei? Could it be possible?* thought Risuko. *Could it be
possible for Rei to have emotions?*
"I felt for the first time joy and warmth. I was at peace and no one
will take that away from me." Rei threatened.
Having enough, Ranma got up as well. "She is leaving with me. I've had
it up to here with your superior attitude, Oyaji. Rei is going to live with me
and Ritsuko and there is nothing you can do. Try to harm us and I'll show you
how powerful I really am." Turning around, Ranma put a hand around Rei's slim
waist and lead her out. Before exiting the room, Ranma turned his head back to
face a very angry Gendou. "You know something. Yui was wrong. You're nothing
more than a cold-hearted man. The man she fell in love with is dead. I feel
pity for Shinji." Having said that Ranma left.
Hearing Ranma's statement, the anger left Gendou replaced by shame.
Standing up, Gendou left as well. He did not want anyone to see him at the
moment. He was barely holding on to his feelings. *Yui?*
To be continued
Author's Notes :
Special Thanks to Anand Rao for helping me with the interrogation. He inspired
me and helped write a portion of the last scene.
Thanks to my pre readers: Eric McGinnis, Thomas Scroggs, James Lee, TonyLoco,
Angeline Jacoba, Alfred Tsang, Octavian