Previous chapter | Home | Next chapter
Sailor Ranko: Tunnel Vision: Chapter 11, Genma's Employment.
by
Rebecca Ann Heineman
Ranma 1/2 and the characters therein are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. Based on "Sailor Ranko" by Duncan Zillman and "Twice in a Millennium" by Kevin D. Hammel.
I don't own these characters. Please don't sue me, kill me or make me upload chapters to FanFiction.net without checking them.
Corporal Gonzalez had had better days. His call to the FBI was a complete waste of time. He had been given the run around and transferred from department to department. He finally asked if they have a department that handled strange or unusual cases. The main operator transferred him to an FBI assistant director named Walter Skinner.
Skinner listened to Gonzalez's report and took down the information. He said that he would have someone get back to him about this incident in a day or two. Gonzalez hung up the phone. He was convinced that he was not going to get anyone to believe that a girl in a cheerleader costume using psychic or magic powers was using a gun range for target practice.
He just sat in his chair and wondered what he was going to do about this. He took the pictures and other papers on the case from his desk and tossed it into a cardboard box. He took the box, sealed it, and slid it on top of his filing cabinet. He'll just forget about it for now.
Walter Skinner had been given a secret memo months ago about an incident in Japan where the earth was attacked by possible aliens. A group of mini-skirted and tuxedo dressed super humans repelled the attack. The U.S. government asked the Japanese exactly who these people were and the Japanese pretended like nothing happened. The reports of the partial evacuation of Tokyo proved that the Japanese had lied about what really went on in that city. It looked like there was an opportunity here to see what was this Japanese secret weapon. Skinner made a few well-placed phone calls. The think tank decided to send a group of specialists to California to debrief the Corporal and lay out a trap for these super beings.
========================================
Usagi was waiting after school for Ranma, Makoto and Akane to come out of detention. Since detention hadn't even started, she was in for a long wait. Usagi came prepared; she had a small bucket of water for Ranma. Usagi was going shopping whether Ranma or Ranko liked it or not.
Naru stopped by, "Hey, what's up?"
"I'm waiting for Ranko to get out of detention."
"Ranko? Isn't that Akane's cousin?" Naru liked hanging out with Ranko. She didn't know Ranma at all.
"Uh... Yeah," Usagi didn't know how to answer it. How could she say that Ranko was Akane's husband without making it sound weird or perverted?
"Are you going for some ice cream?" Naru was looking forward to a treat.
"I think we can fit that in. There is always time for ice cream." Usagi started involuntarily bouncing at the thought of ice cream.
"How long are we going to wait here?" Naru didn't have that much time; she was supposed to meet Unimo later to study for her math test.
"I dunno, an hour maybe. They have a new teacher in detention hall. She is really weird." Usagi flashed the image of Akane and Makoto's battle with her. Usagi was sure she was a youma, but Ranma says she wasn't.
"I don't know if I can wait that long. Hey, want to see Yoshi? I taught him some tricks." Naru sat down and pulled from her backpack her toy puppy. She turned it on and put it on the ground. "Here Yoshi! Sit up!" The little robot dog made some whirring sounds and sat up.
Usagi clapped her hands. "He is so cute! Can I play with him?"
"Sure. I taught him to sit, roll over and beg." Naru petted her little toy.
"Roll over!" Usagi commanded the puppy. He looked at her with his little bright red eyes, blinked and then rolled over. He emitted an air of terminal cuteness.
Naru petted Yoshi, "Good boy! That's a good boy! Remember to always pet him when he does a trick correctly. Oh, and tap his head if he does something bad."
"Something bad? How could he do something bad." Usagi was curious. Something so cute couldn't be bad.
As if in reply, Yoshi walked up to Usagi's leg and pooped a battery. Naru scolded him. "Bad dog!" She tapped him on the head. Yoshi made a whimpering sound and dropped his head.
"Even when he is bad, he is so cute!" Usagi wanted a robot puppy of her own so badly. "Oh, can I take him home tonight? It's not like you can play with him since you are going with Unimo tonight."
Naru didn't exactly trust Usagi. She was still a major league klutz and Naru's mother did give this to her as a present. "I dunno."
"Oh, pretty please! I'll teach it to play dead!" Usagi really wanted to show this to her mother to get her to break down and get her one of her own. Maybe Mamoru might be able to be convinced in getting one just like it.
"That's what I'm afraid of. Dead as in broken."
"I won't break him. He's too cute to break." Usagi reached down and picked up the happy robo-puppy and he made a motion as if he was licking her face. The puppy didn't have a tongue, but he did the best that he could do. "See, he likes me!"
"I guess he does." Naru broke down. "Bring him back to school tomorrow. O.K.?"
"You betcha!" Usagi barely contained her glee.
Naru looked at her watch and decided that she couldn't spare the time. Ice cream sounded so good and a little time at the mall was very inviting. Naru came to her senses and realized that her math test was more important. "I really can't stay. Thanks for inviting me anyways!" She walked out the front gates and waved back at Usagi and went to Unimo's.
Usagi sat down. She knew she was going to be waiting for at least an hour. She played with Yoshi and spent the rest of her time trying to figure out how to get him to play dead. Turning off the battery power didn't seem to count.
========================================
Ranma sat in his chair at the detention room. He got detention since he was late to school yesterday because Akane tossed him in a tree. He saw that the detention room was empty and wondered where Akane and Makoto were. Akane got a slip for bashing Ranma into the ground and Makoto attacked Miss Hinako when Hinako drained Akane.
Ranma was happy that he found out that Miss Hinako would only be at the Juuban High for only a week. Why she was even here was a mystery to him. He felt he could deal with it. Ranma had been in several detentions with Miss Hinako back in Furinkan High. It usually involved her trying to get everyone to play go fish or singing Pokemon songs. He hated detentions.
Makoto came rushing into the room and leapt into her chair, and huffed, "Am I late?"
Ranma glanced at the clock, "No, you still have three minutes. Akane should be here soon."
"I'm so glad you two made up. We really can't have team members fighting each other."
Ranma just smiled. He was glad that he had made up with Akane. It was the future fights that bothered him. He accepted Akane for what she was and she accepted him in return. Ranma was still a jerk. His feeble attempts to make up only proved it even more. He rolled his eyes knowing that a mallet was in his inevitable future.
A few boring minutes went by and Makoto asked, "Have you been in detention with this new teacher? I heard rumors that she is a real terror. What she did to me... Oh, it makes me so mad."
"Don't believe what you hear. The only terror I get from her is when she cries at losing at go fish."
Akane entered the room and quickly sat down, "You mean the cries you make when she beats you at old maid."
Ranma covered his face in shame. He sucked at old maid. No amount of training seemed to have corrected this flaw.
Akane finished, "Well it seems the gang is all here. Where is Hinako?"
Ranma spoke still hiding his face, "If we're lucky, she forgot about detention."
"What was that attack she did to me?" Makoto knew the Saotomes knew about Miss Hinako and her abilities.
Ranma kept his head on his desk, "She can drain battle aura. It changes her into an adult and in adult form; she can use the stolen energy in a ki attack. So, she used the energy she took from Akane on you."
Makoto shook her head in disbelief, "She was from Furinkan like you two? Now I know that school is as crazy as everyone says it is. What other oddballs hang out over there?"
Akane jumped in, "Let's see, Principal Kuno wants to cut everyone's hair, Tatewaki Kuno wants to date every girl with a pulse, Ukyou wears a really large spatula on her back and practices martial arts Okonomiyaki. Gosenkugi practices voodoo. Shampoo turns into a cat."
"A cat?" Makoto's eyes got big.
Ranma sighed, "You would have to mention Shampoo."
"Well mister 'I've got four fiances', if it wasn't for your dad and your stupid waffling, You wouldn't have had all your problems in the first place."
She looked at Ranma in disgust. "Four fiances?"
"It wasn't my fault!" Ranma sat up, "Dad set me up with them!"
"That explains Kodachi right?" Akane shot back.
"Uh..." Ranma was caught.
"And your dad was why you had Shampoo too, right?" Akane raised her eyebrows; she loved to see Ranma squirm.
"Oh man." Ranma sat down and put his head back on the desk.
Makoto was amazed; she made a mental note to never set foot in Nerima.
"Hello you BAD kids! Welcome to detention." A smiling Miss Hinako appeared at the head of the class.
A collective groan came from the class. "Oh..."
"Well it looks like everyone is here," Hinako put three student files on her desk. She sat down and gave each file a quick flip through.
Akane and Ranma just sat in their chairs with expressions of pure boredom. Makoto was expecting to be tortured or ki blasted out the window.
Miss Hinako got up and sat on the front of her desk. She gave her childlike grin and began the lecture, "Now, you are all here because you all have issues you need to deal with. Your principal called me here to help you."
"Now, let's first start with the fact that all three of you were involved in fights. Makoto, the records say that you were kicked out of school for fighting. Now, all of you, has fighting solved anything for you?"
Hinako had Ranma's attention. This was not like a detention he had ever had with her before. Makoto and Akane just dropped their heads and didn't answer.
"So I take it Mr. Saotome, that fighting solved problems for you?" Hinako focused on Ranma.
"Uh..." Ranma was as articulate as ever.
"I thought so," Hinako hopped off her desk and walked closer to the three. She went up to Akane, "Mrs. Saotome, why did you attack your husband?"
Akane looked at Miss Hinako and didn't want to admit she did it in anger.
Hinako started tapping her foot. "Well? I'm waiting for an answer."
"Uh... I was.."
"Did it solve anything?" Hinako was more direct now.
"No."
"They why did you hit him? You tried again at lunch and I was able to stop you. If I let you hit him the second time, would your problem be solved?"
Akane didn't think about the problem that way. If she had smacked Ranma, she probably would still be mad at him right now instead of being happy to be with him.
"I thought so." Hinako turned to Makoto, "And you young lady, what's your excuse. You tried to attack me."
Makoto was defensive, "You did that... Whatever it is that you do, to Akane. I had to defend her."
"Oh, the martial arts code. I've had it recited to me plenty of times from our resident fight magnet, Mr. Saotome." Hinako folded her arms in front of her.
Makoto was annoyed, "You attacked Akane!"
Hinako raised an eyebrow; "I stopped Akane from using a mallet on Ranma. Or did you forget that part?"
Makoto shrank in her chair.
Hinako placed her hand on Makoto's shoulder, "I know you live alone. I know you have a lot of pent up anger. You need to stop resorting to violence before thinking things through."
Hinako went to Ranma, "And you Mr. Saotome. Congratulations. You've seemed to have learned self-control since you got to Juuban. Your records show that you have been involved in fights, but you didn't start any. Both times I saw you in a fight you were only defending yourself. So, all I ask is, why were you late yesterday?"
Ranma glanced at Akane who gave an icy look back. "Uh... It's like..."
"Don't be late again. Akane, help him be in on time." Hinako kept her eyes on Ranma.
Hinako went back to her desk and sat down. "I hope the three of you can keep yourselves out of trouble in the future. Otherwise I won't be so forgiving next time." She produced a fifty-yen piece and started tossing it in the air.
Ranma and Akane froze in their chairs. They knew what Hinako could do to them with that coin. Makoto didn't react.
Hinako held the coin between her fingers and held it at Makoto. "You don't want to get me upset. Happo fifty-yen Satsu!" Hinako started draining Makoto, but stopped after only a second.
Makoto felt her life being drained away and then the force suddenly stopped. Hinako was in her adult form now.
Hinako clenched the coin in her hand. "You understand Miss Kino?"
Makoto nodded her head.
Hinako shrank back to her 12-year-old form. She giggled, "Well, we've got an hour." She produced a deck of cards. "Anyone for go fish?"
========================================
An hour had passed by; Ranma demonstrated his total lack of card playing skills, as he was soundly defeated time and time again. Miss Hinako kept dancing around the room with each victory and sulked with each loss. The four of them made the time go by quickly.
As the three detainees began to leave, Hinako took Akane aside. "May I have a word with you in private?"
Ranma was curious, but Akane reminded him the Usagi was waiting for them outside and he should check on her. Ranma left.
Miss Hinako looked nervous. She surveyed the room to make sure no one was in earshot. "Uh, I have something I want to talk about. Please don't take it the wrong way."
Akane was perplexed, "What do you want to talk about?"
Hinako looked at her feet and fidgeted. "Does Soun like me?"
"Uh..." Akane opened her eyes at that statement. Hinako had in the past tried to run off with her father and Akane and her sisters were not thrilled at the thought of calling Miss Hinako 'Mom'.
"I like him a lot." She looked up at Akane. "I can't stop thinking about him. He doesn't notice me." Hinako was sad.
Akane wanted to tell her to go jump in a cursed spring. The look of sadness, especially coming from a girl in a 12-year-old body could melt an iceberg. Akane gulped, "He still loves my mom."
"Hasn't that been ten years now?" Hinako was troubled that the other woman is nothing more than a memory. She couldn't fight a memory.
Akane relaxed and thought about her mother. She missed her. "Yes, it's been that long. We all still love her and miss her."
"I see." Miss Hinako sat in a chair and sulked.
Akane looked at Hinako with different eyes. Hinako really liked her father. "Why don't you just start by being friends? Want to be my friend?"
Hinako sat up and gave a strange look to Akane. "I would like that. Please understand something. I'm probably older than your mother."
Akane thought for sure that Hinako was maybe in her late twenties. In her adult form, she was a sultry well built woman, but she also acted very mature. Akane almost always saw Hinako as just one of the kids. In child form, she was short, cute and played with toys a lot. She thought that maybe she had rushed to judgment.
Akane smiled, "I was my mom's friend. I can be yours too."
Hinako reverted to her childlike personality, "Oh goody! Goody!" She waved her arms and danced around the room.
Akane thought, "Why not another weirdo in the Tendo household?"
========================================
Setsuna was on the Internet for hours. She was doing research on technology firms of the mid 1990s. She was looking for specific firms, names, and dates. All of her research dispelled her worst fears. The timeline was as it should be. The future that she feared and all the events that led up to it never occurred.
She had to have one last bit of proof. She had to know. She produced her time wand and tried again to teleport. She couldn't.
She examined her watch; it was too early Ranma was still at school. She will call him later and have him teleport her. She had to make absolutely sure that the nightmare was just that, a bad dream.
========================================
Akane went over to where Usagi was waiting and found a drenched Ranko sitting on a bench drying herself off with a towel. Akane giggled, "Are we going for ice cream Ranko?"
"No, worse." Ranko finished up drying herself. "Usagi, I only need a little bit of cold water to change. Not an entire bucket."
"I'm sorry Ranko, let's go to the mall!" Usagi and Makoto started towards the mall.
Akane noticed Usagi's level of excitement, "What's happening at the mall today?"
Ranko didn't answer. Akane read her face and figured it out.
"So Ranko? Are we shopping for a dress? Or maybe a cute little hat?"
Ranko kept going forward, marching to her doom, "A bra."
Akane laughed, "And you agreed?"
Ranko smiled, "It was originally my idea." She then ran off.
"Oh, really?"
========================================
Ranko felt uncomfortable being in the women's wear section. Hot water had a habit of showing up at the worst time. Akane, came prepared, she had a thermos with cold water in it in case hot water attacks Ranko. Ranko rarely wore bras. Putting one on felt much more natural since her breasts were rather large. The bra kept her parts in place and made her feel much better when she walked. Ranko thought, "Yeah, I could get used to this."
She purchased two bras, which made Usagi very happy. Ranko thought, "Great, now I'm just one of the girls." She sighed.
They went over to the ice cream shop. Here was where Ranko felt completely at peace with being female. They spied in the booth across from them and saw Michiru and Hotaru sharing a sundae. They waved over to the two other Senshi and they waved back.
The four girls placed their orders; Usagi reached into her bag and pulled out Yoshi. "Look what I got!"
Ranko didn't care, but Akane and Makoto were amazed at the little toy. "I'm borrowing him from Naru. Here, watch."
Usagi fumbled around looking for the power switch when it popped out of her hands. Ranko grabbed it before it fell to the floor. She placed it back on the table. "Be careful."
"Sorry." Usagi peeped out.
Makoto took Yoshi and found the power switch. She turned him on and placed him on the table. "Woof woof." He said.
Hotaru noticed Yoshi and had come across to take a look at him. "He's so cute!"
Usagi was happy to be getting some of the attention. "Watch, he can do tricks. Yoshi, roll over."
Yoshi wagged his tail, he the made whirring sounds as his little motors twisted his body and rolled him over.
Hotaru gave a look of pure terror. She started to shake and felt faint. Her mother got up and rushed to her daughter to catch her before she fell.
"Hotaru!" cried Michiru.
"Are you ok?" came from the four girls.
Makoto went to Hotaru's side, Michiru held her little girl in her lap. "Wake up my baby."
Usagi was concerned, "What happened? Was she scared of Yoshi?"
Yoshi start to walk on the table to the side that overlooked Hotaru on the floor. Yoshi stopped at the end of the table and barked.
Hotaru awoke to the bark and looked to Yoshi's red eyes. She gave out a blood-curdling scream and held her mother tight.
Akane took the puppy away and turned him off. She handed him back to Usagi, "I think she's afraid of dogs."
"How could she be afraid of something so cute?" Usagi wondered.
"You have a cute cat and fearless here goes bonkers." Akane referred to Ranko.
Ranko glared at Akane for rubbing it in.
Michiru picked up her daughter, "I'll be going home now." She left some money at her table and took her daughter in tow.
Ranko hopped across and grabbed Hotaru's sundae. She swallowed it in seconds. "Can't let it go to waste."
"What was that all about?" Usagi asked aloud.
========================================
Nabiki was worried; her stocks were not doing well. Someone was buying up all the steel and rare industrial metals in the world and the higher prices were hurting Nabiki's bottom line. She was angry with herself for not investing in steel producing firms or iron futures. She would have made a killing.
Taking into account her losses and the lack of income from her dad. She had to make some decisions.
"Dad! Mr. Saotome!" Nabiki called as she went downstairs. She found the two playing shogi as usual.
"Hello Nabiki." Her father smiled, "What can your father do for you today?"
"Well, dad, I've got some bad news." Nabiki stood there leaning against a wall with her arms folded.
"Bad news? What sort of news?" Soun was a bit concerned; any news from Nabiki usually was financial.
"We are broke. The repair bills are way down, but the food bills and the apartment in Juuban means that we are out of cash." Nabiki looked directly at her father, "We have to tell Akane and Ranma to get a job to pay their own way. Someone here also needs to get steady employment. Otherwise, we won't be able to pay for food let alone gas, electric, etc."
Soun was not happy about this. Genma of course made things worse. "Well Tendo, I guess it's time to hit the want ads."
Nabiki went to the kitchen, grabbed the paper, pulled out the want ad and threw it at Genma. "I think it's time for YOU to earn your keep Mr. Saotome. Dad has been far too generous."
"Me? Get a job?" Genma was a professional slacker. The concept of actually working for a living was totally alien to his mind.
"Yes, Dear, you need to set an example for our son." Nodoka came out of the kitchen. "Our son also needs to learn to take responsibility. You need to set that example."
Genma couldn't argue, he grumbled, but looked at the want ads anyways. He saw several for menial janitorial work, circled them and put the paper down.
Hours later, Nabiki, pretending to be Genma on the phone had arranged for his employment at a spice packaging plant in nearby Itabashi. "He's getting a job whether he likes it or not."
Author's Notes: Please review my story. It makes me feel oh so happy and keeps me from making that bump in the night sound you hear at midnight.
Last edited on October 7, 2002