Astral Minds

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and all related characters do not belong to me. None of the X-Men belong to me either.

* *: Thoughts

Capital letters: Shouting or loud noises

{ }: Author's own thoughts

_ _: Stressed words

[ ]: Chinese Language

< >: Psychic Projections

Chapter 8

Who's The Girl?

Nabiki Tendo, the Ice Queen of Furinkan high lay in a hospital bed. She was in the class across from where the mutant attack had started her legs were crushed by the rubble that fell on her and she was one of the many who had been admitted to The Nerima hospital afterwards. She sighed and set down a book that she had been reading on the table that sat between her and another bed, which was occupied by another student. The book was about business and money, her two favorite subjects.

Nabiki looked at her legs, which were in casts, and sighed again, only a little more heavily. She remembered what the doctor had told her earlier when she had first woke up.

**************

Nabiki woke up with a headache. That wasn't normal for her, she never got sick. She looked at herself though and realized that she was in a hospital bed and both her legs were in casts. She then remembered what had happened at the school the other day before she blacked out and grumbled as she folded her arms across her chest. A doctor came into the room a moment later with a clipboard, whistling a happy tune.

The man looked up at Nabiki and stopped when he noticed that she was awake. He got serious immediately and approached her bed. "Miss Tendo?" Nabiki nodded and the Doctor continued. He extended a hand towards the girl and smiled. "I'm doctor Himada I..."

Nabiki frowned. "Get to the point doctor." She said in an icy tone. The doctor swallowed hard and looked down at the clipboard.

"Uhm...well, Nabiki, Your legs have been crushed. The bones had twisted out of place and there's no way that we can...make them as good as new. You'll be able to walk, but you will need a cane with you at all times and running is out of the question." Nabiki stared at her legs shocked for a while and then back up at the doctor. The doctor walked away and exited the room she was in. After a while a tear fell from her eye and she began to cry.

*************

Nabiki smirked at the memory. She was embarrassed just thinking about it. If anyone had actually saw her cry, she wouldn't know what to do. She was the ice queen, the hardcore bitch of Furinkan high. She had a reputation to uphold. She looked over at the kid next to her. He was in a full body cast and would never walk again. She had overheard the doctor's diagnoses when the boy's family came to visit him. She knew the kid, he was one of her top advisors at Furinkan, she would even go so far sometimes to call him a friend. She almost felt sorry for the boy but she had a reputation to uphold.

Just then the door to her room opened up and her family entered. Soun was crying...again. Akane had a furious expression on her face, Nabiki could almost tell exactly what she was thinking, she was so predictable and two-dimensional. Kasumi was smiling and carrying a bunch of flowers. Nabiki recognized them as the ones that she grew in their garden. They walked up and stood beside her bed.

"How are you feeling Nabiki?" Kasumi asked.

Akane glared at her eldest sister. "What would you care?" She said quietly. "It was one of your kind that did this to her!" Kasumi frowned at Akane. She had been like this ever since she had revealed that she was a mutant. Her father and Nabiki were the only ones that were passive towards her genetic structure.

"Akane be nice to your sister." Soun said through the tears. "We're here to support Nabiki and help her through this terrible ordeal!" Akane nodded and shut up, vying for just keeping her eyes off of Kasumi.

Nabiki smirked. "You seem to be taking it worse than anyone else Daddy." She said. She eeped when Soun leaned down with lightning speed and grabbed his middle daughter in a hug.

"OH MY LITTLE GIRL! IF ONLY I COULD TRADE PLACES WITH YOU!!!" He said with buckets of water pouring from his eyes.

"Daddy!" Nabiki said in annoyance hoping that he would get the picture.

"I'LL NEVER LET YOU LEAVE MY SIGHT EVER AGAIN!! DON'T WORRY NABIKI! DADDY WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU!!" Soun appeared not to have heard Nabiki and kept bawling and blabbing.

Nabiki sighed. "Looks like I don't got much of a choice." She took a deep breath and then... "AAAAAHHH! DADDY YOU'RE HURTING ME!! LET GO!!"

Soun heard his daughters cries of pain and jumped back as though she had just turned into a white hot flame. "OH NO!! I hurt my BABYYYYY!!! WAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!" Soun cried trying to keep his distance from Nabiki. "I CAN NEVER LIVE WITH MYSELF!!" Soun then ran out of the room and down the halls of the Hospital.

Akane and Kasumi looked towards Nabiki with worried expressions. Nabiki, however, was calm as she ever was and was reading her business book. "Don't you think you went a little overboard?" Akane asked her hospitalized sister.

Nabiki shrugged and smiled. "Naw. I was Juliet in the school play in grade six. Over acting is what the business is all about. Sides, when is daddy not like that?" Kasumi and Akane nodded their agreement with their sister. She was right. Their father blubbered about everything ever since their mother had died.

Kasumi set the flowers she had picked on the table beside Nabiki's bed. "I picked these myself." She said Nabiki smiled.

"Thanks sis."

Kasumi leaned down and kissed Nabiki on her forehead and then left with a wave. Akane was glaring at Kasumi the entire time that she had done that. She then took Nabiki's hand in her own and stared deep into her incapacitated sister's eyes. "Nabiki. I know you're not holding any blame on that mutant that wrecked the school but I _swear_ That I will get revenge on that horrible creature for doing this to you!" Nabiki looked at Akane a little scared.

"Akane?" She said.

"Yeah?" Akane replied.

"You are freaking me out now. Could you take a chill pill or something?" Akane frowned.

"I'll show the world Nabiki. Those freaks don't got nothing on me. I'll reveal them for the freaks that they are." Nabiki was really getting scared now. "None of them will escape the wrath of Akane Tendo!" Nabiki was terrified now. Akane was acting like a Kuno wannabe who was out for mutant blood. Nabiki was afraid that her sister might go out and do something tragic.

"I'd...like to be alone now...Akane." Nabiki said nervously. Akane nodded and left the room. Nabiki sighed. "Whoo boy! That girl definitely needs therapy or something."

****************

Ranma and Marina were walking through the streets of Juuban heading towards Tokyo Bay. Marina looked normal at the moment. Ranma smiled at her, he was male at the moment, school was canceled for the last few days, and it was a beautiful day out. The world was right in Ranma Saotome's mind. He and Marina were on their way to Tokyo Bay to see Daisuke and give him the gene blocking suite that they had finished.

"Why do you look so happy?" Ranma asked Marina who was walking beside him. She just smiled and held up a pen like device in her hand after digging it out of her pocket. Ranma looked confused. "What is it?"

"Why don't you read my mind Ranma?" She asked playfully. Ranma shook his head.

"I'd rather not. I don't want to use my telepathy to find the answer to everything. It's nice to actually have a conversation for once." Marina frowned mockingly.

"Party pooper." She said. "You're no fun." They paused for a few moments then Marina continued. "It's a image generator pen. All I have to do to look normal now is press a button, if I want it off it's just as simple. Hank made it for me yesterday. He said it would be better if you didn't expend your energy on me all the time. You never know what super powered baddies would show up. Or so he says."

Ranma nodded and smiled. "I already knew that." Marina frowned and punched the boy in the arm lightly.

"You already read my mind didn't you!?" She said, her smile not leaving her face.

"No I didn't. I was talking to Hank this morning. He told me."

"Why'd you make me explain it all over again then?" Marina asked.

Ranma just shrugged and she punched him in the arm a little harder.

The pair walked a bit longer and then came across an all you can eat restaurant. Ranma smiled and his belly growled a bit. He eyed Yin's all you can eat buffet and noticed that they were still open. "Want to get some lunch?" Ranma asked the girl beside him. She nodded and her belly also growled, though not with near as much ferocity as Ranma's.

"Okay." The pair entered the restaurant in a moment and got a table for two. The owner of the establishment eyes Ranma suspiciously. He looked a lot like a girl that had come in a couple of days ago, he even wore the same clothing. The girl with the red hair had nearly ate him out of business. He shrugged it was probably just a coincidence.

"A lot of Mutants are going underground now." Ranma said as he and Marina ate at their table. "The sentinel program hasn't even started yet and they're heading into the sewers. Xavier let me use cerebro and I was going to head underground and basically hand out gene blocking suits."

"Isn't that expensive?" Marina asked. "Those gene blocking suits cost Charles a lot of money. Can you afford to just hand them out?" Ranma nodded.

"Charlie's got his sources. He's the one who suggested it in the first place. It's all for a greater cause, so he doesn't mind spending the extra money on it." Marina smiled.

"You have to admire Xavier's vision." Ranma nodded. "He's a great man. I think he's got a thing for Nodoka too."

Ranma laughed. "I'd trade in my dad for Charlie any day." Ranma then looked a little saddened by the subject of his father. "I feel kind of bad messing with his mind so drastically. Nobody should be able to do what I did to him."

Marina smiled and squeezed Ranma's arm reassuringly. "Don't worry Ranma. It'll all work out in the end." Ranma cheered up a little bit.

"Yeah I guess you're right. He would never have changed on his own." Marina nodded.

"Let's try to get off such depressing subjects. What did you do while you were in New York yesterday?" Marina asked. Ranma shrugged his shoulders.

"I learned some stuff off of Charlie. He taught me a little more about what I can do with my powers and about the Astral Plane. He also gave me some more Gene blocking suits to hand out. I already gave one to Leyu."

Marina frowned. "Yeah. What's her deal? It's a good thing she's gone."

Ranma chuckled nervously. "I wouldn't say that. I actually asked her to join us in helping the mutant/human cause. I'm starting up my own branch of X-Men here in Japan." Marina began to fume. "I asked Leyu already and I'll be asking Daisuke today." Marina frowned and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I don't suppose you planned on telling me this anytime soon now did you?" Marina asked icily. Ranma gulped.

"Actually I was thinking of asking you if you wanted to join now Rina. How about it.?" Marina frowned but Ranma was putting on the puppy dog eyes big time and she just couldn't say no to those huge sky blue orbs.

Marina sighed. "Fine."

"YES!" Ranma said in triumph. "I knew you'd agree." He said proudly.

"I'm sure you did....Speaking of that...What else do you know about me?" She asked with a suspicious gaze fixed on the pigtailed boy.

Ranma wiped his mouth and sighed. He patted his belly and stood up from the table. "Well I'm full. Lets go meet up with Daisuke." Marina growled and stood up chasing after the boy.

"YOU'RE _AVOIDING_ THE QUESTION RANMA!!" She yelled as she followed him. Ranma broke into a run and burst out of the restaurant laughing.

"I ain't gonna teeeeell!!" He called back to the snake skinned girl with the image inducer.

"GET BACK HERE YOU JERK!!"

*****************

Ranma sighed as he lay back with his arms outstretched on the beach. Marina lay beside him with a similar look of peacefulness and serenity. She had already given up chasing Ranma and the two had just dropped down on the sand and stared at the clouds as they passed by. Marina had decided to drop the image inducer since there was nobody else present on the stretch of beach that they were on. The sun was shining through patches of clouds and glistened off of her scales the different shades of green were hypnotic and Ranma could barely take his eyes off of it. Whenever she looked over to him he would look back up to the clouds though.

"Are we going to call Daisuke yet?" Marina asked.

Ranma shook his head. "Naw. I'd rather wait a bit. I'm comfortable. I think Daisuke's off terrorizing some fishermen on the other side of the bay or something."

Marina looked a little confused. "Why would he do that? They're gonna think he's Gojira or something."

Ranma chuckled. "Heh heh, Yeah. That's what they said on the radio. Dai's been adjusting to his powers fairly well."

Marina frowned. She didn't know if it was a good idea to scare people out of their wits all the time they might actually get violent. "Well I think you should call him. We have to give him his suit before the Sentinels are online. We don't want any more mu...."

"Yeah, Yeah! Okay already. I'll call him." Ranma said, cutting off her nagging. "Sheesh." Ranma stood up, his back and ponytail covered in sand. He glowed with Telekinetic energy for a moment and all of the sand was thrown off of his body. He walked up to the water and sent out a signal into the waters. <"Hey Dai! I've got your gene blocking suit ready. You know where we are."> Ranma sensed the mental agreement on the other end of his psychic hotline and smiled. He turned back to Marina and mock bowed. "The task is done milady. What dost thou wish of me now?"

Marina frowned and pointed at him. "First of all you can stop talking like that. You sound like That idiot Kuno." Ranma shivered and realized that she was right.

"Eew! You're right."

"Well, Well. If it isn't my son in law." came a withered old voice from the bushes behind Marina.

Ranma groaned. "I should have known you two would have shown up. Your laws demand it."

Cologne, matriarch of the Chinese amazons known as the Neiucheizu hopped through those bushes and entered the sandy area that Ranma and Marina were on. Her great granddaughter Shampoo, champion warrior of the same village. "So it appears you know our laws well boy, or is it girl?" Asked the old woman.

Ranma frowned. "I'm all man lady. Curses be damned!" Cologne hopped forward on a gnarled wooden cane and inspected the boy.

"I take you have fallen into the springs of Jusenkyo then. The Nyanichuan?" She asked.

"Yeah that's right." Ranma replied, crossing his arms across his chest. "But I ain't marrying Shampoo. No matter what your laws say. We're in Japan, not China." Cologne ignored most of what Ranma said and decided to dwell on only a fragment of it.

"So you already know my daughter. I'm actually quite shocked that a boy such as you would not jump at the chance to marry such a fine young lady. Many have fought for her hand you are the first to actually defeat her though." Ranma shrugged.

"I didn't choose to fight her in the first place. I was just trying to get my Pop out of that village before _he_ got engaged to her. He's already married."

"I take it your father has a curse similar to yours then?" Cologne asked. "Very interesting. However that is not the fight I was referring to."

Ranma nodded. "Yeah I know. I thought I'd point it out anyway. She attacked me in school. Not only that, but she used her mutant powers on me. She was going for the kill. I was merely defending myself. It wasn't a formal challenge. Therefore your laws don't have to abide by it."

Cologne smirked at Ranma. "You know our laws well boy. However there is no way you can get out of marrying my daughter. The only way you can get out of it is if you defeat me in combat."

Ranma smirked at the old woman. "You're way out of your league old woman. Your about a hundred years to young to beat me."

Cologne looked a little surprised at what Ranma just said. *How did he know I would say that?* She thought. She shook her head to clear the thought and jumped back with her staff in her hands poised for an attack.

Shampoo sat at the side of the beach watching. Cologne had told her to just sit back and let her handle the airen business. Marina was sitting beside the purple haired girl, her image inducer still off. It figured that Ranma would get into a fight again. He seemed to attract all of the negative attention.

She turned to look at the purple haired girl beside her. "I take it you're the girl they're talking about?" Shampoo nodded.

"Yes. Is law in village that outsider male must marry if defeats woman from village." Marina nodded.

"Ah. I see. Sounds a little two dimensional don't you think?" She asked.

Shampoo shrugged. "Is honorable. Village relies on strength. Shampoo no care. Airen is hunk!" Marina nodded. The purple haired girl had a point.

The girls just sat there for a moment and then Marina decided to speak up. "So you're a mutant?" She asked.

Shampoo shook her head. "Not know what you is talking about. Shampoo is warrior."

Marina shrugged. "Good enough for me." She then turned her attention back to the two martial artists who were getting ready to fight. Marina didn't like the look of the old woman. She looked tricky and was probably going to pull off a few dirty tricks to get Ranma to comply. She smiled though. Ranma was a psychic. He could take anything anyone could throw at him.

Ranma took off his Chinese shirt to reveal the red and black gene blocking, kevlar suit that he wore underneath. "Any time you're ready Cologne." Ranma stated. Getting into a relaxed pose with his hands in his pockets.

Cologne couldn't help but be amazed by the boy's knowledge. He even knew the amazon matriarch's name. "PREPARE YOURSELF!" She called before charging up her chi and leaping towards the pigtailed martial artist.

Ranma put a link up to Colognes mind and began reading off her plans as to what she was going to do. Cologne faked hitting Ranma with her cane while charging up an energy ball of chi in her other hand. Ranma blocked the blow with the staff and spun around to avoid the blast. It rocketed out over the bay and dissipated. Ranma waited for the woman's next attack and wasn't disappointed, she leapt forward with a chestnut fist, her short little arms blurring out of sight in a flurry of lightning fast punches.

Ranma blocked the attack with an amaguriken of his own. Cologne was surprised that Ranma was able to keep up with her but she was unrelenting and continued her attack. She began to spin her staff and it glowed with a blueish aura. She threw it at Ranma but he held out his hands and sent it back towards her with his telekinesis. Cologne yelped and ducked out of the way. Her staff kept going and dug itself deep into the sand of the beach.

Ranma held up his hands and Cologne began to float up into the air. Ranma smiled at the old woman. "Well it looks like I've got the upper hand now doesn't it?" He said mockingly. In the distance Shampoo grinded her teeth in anticipation. Ranma continued. "Who would have thought that I could read your mind? Or that I had vast control over the powers of telekinesis?" He asked as he stood by the surf. Colognes body was completely locked up but her mouth was left open.

"What is this power?" She asked in shock. "What are you?" Ranma almost laughed.

"You amazons should invest in television, you could learn a lot there. You see, I'm a mutant. Just like your grand daughter Shampoo. Those powers of hers aren't a coincidence you know. It's a mutagenic gene known as the x-factor that is recessive in the human DNA until puberty. Quite interesting actually." Marina giggled at Ranma's speech and he winked at her. He turned back his attention to Cologne and then was promptly doused with water.

Ranma stared at the water in Tokyo Bay, a wave had caught him off guard and he lost his concentration when he turned into his red-headed female form. "If the sea could think I would have seen that coming." She grumbled as she pulled some seaweed out of her hair. Marina laughed at Ranma's unfortunate predicament.

Just then Ranma was splashed with something else. It was warm though and was most likely not water. Ranma looked down at Cologne who was holding an intricate bottle of something in her hands, while putting the cap on it. The old woman began to cackle madly. Shampoo covered her mouth in suspense and pulled a bag of popcorn out from behind her. Marina was about to ask where she had gotten it but decided against it, shrugged and took a handful for herself.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT STUFF!?!" Ranma screamed at the withered old woman.

Cologne laughed maniacally. "You obviously are not a very skilled telepath if you didn't see that one coming boy! We have mutants in our village, we know of this. This little vial contained a potion that is used to seal the use of ones powers. The fact that you have a Jusenkyo curse is even better because it also locks the user of the potion in whatever form they are currently in, that is until you use the cure. Wich I happen to have right here with me." With that Cologne pulled out another vial with another potion inside.

"GIVE THAT TO ME!!" Ranma yelled as she leapt at the woman. She jumped out of the way however and knocked her into the sand with her cane which she had retrieved from the ground.

Cologne smirked at Ranma as she creased her eyebrow trying to summon up her mutant powers. Nothing happened and she glared death at the old woman. "I'll give you the potion however, if you promise to marry my granddaughter." Cologne said.

Ranma growled. "I don't take kindly to blackmail lady. The moment I get my powers back ..."

Cologne laughed, cutting Ranma off. "You can't get your powers back without marrying my Shampoo and getting the potion! There is no other way!"

"Damn you!" Ranma growled. "I'll get you for this!"

Cologne motioned for Shampoo to follow her. "If you change your mind and decide to marry Shampoo We are residing at the Neko-Hanten in Nerima district." Cologne then cackled and leapt through the same bushes she had entered the beach in. Shampoo waved to Marina and Ranma politely and then followed after her grandmother.

Marina rushed over to Ranma's fallen side and helped her to her feet. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Do I _LOOK_ Like I'm _OKAY_!?!" She asked angrily. "I'm stuck in my GIRL FORM! I've lost my powers, and I have to marry some chick I've never met just to get back to normal! Of _course_ I'm not okay!" Marina reeled back but never took her arms off of Ranma. When the boy was upright she grabbed her in a hug.

"Don't worry Ranma. We'll find some way to get you back to normal. If we can't do it without you having to marry Shampoo, there's always divorce." Ranma had to smile at that.

"Thanks Marina."

Just as the two women embraced a monstrous two story form with two heads walked up the surf and gazed down at them in confusion. "Where's The Male Ranma?" Asked Daisuke in wonder, looking around for the male Ranma.

"IT TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH!!" Ranma yelled at the two headed monster. "IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REEEEAAL NICE IF YOU COULD HAVE SHOWN YOUR UGLY MUG ABOUT A MINUTE EARLIER!!" Ranma stormed off of the beach after picking up her Chinese shirt and Marina followed her.

Daisuke just stood there staring after them. "I missed something important didn't I?" He mused to himself in his monstrous raspy voice. He looked over and then saw the gene blocking suit that Ranma had brought for him. "Alright! My new duds!" Daisuke then rushed over to put them on, not realizing that there was a family entering the beach just then. He pulled on the suit and muttered under his breath. "I am _Not_ ugly!"

****************

Ranma groaned as she lye on the couch at home. Her mother was sitting beside her on a chair and Genma in his female form was sitting beside her. "Ranma? Do you want to talk about it?" Nodoka asked. Ranma shook her head.

"There's not much to say. I'm stuck as a girl and my powers have been taken away. The only way I can get them back is by marrying some Chinese Amazon girl named Shampoo."

Nodoka smiled. "That doesn't sound too bad. I always wanted grandchildren. I think it would be kind of fun. We could have a really nice wedding in the dojo, we wouldn't even have to decorate we could just set the danger room functions to make it look pretty. We could invite all of my friends, family, maybe some of your friends at school."

"Mom?" Ranma asked trying to break through the fantasy that the woman was trying to make a reality.

She didn't hear. "I could get Mr. Shosuro to do the ceremony. He did mine and your fathers. My grandfather Masaki could come."

"Mom!?" Ranma tried again, to no avail.

"Marina could be the flower girl. Evan better we could have it at my grandfather's shrine, it's quite beautiful there. Maybe we could..."

"MOM!!!!" Ranma yelled, finally breaking through the daydream that she was rambling on about.

"Hmm? What is it dear?" She asked.

"I don't want to marry her. " The redheaded girl said. "I don't even know her and I...am...too young. Besides Dad already engaged me to Kasumi right?" Genma pounded a fist into her other palm.

"Oh yeah! I forgot all about the engagement! I'll have to arrange the wedding for next week with Tendo." Genma went to get the phone so he could call Soun but Ranma grabbed her by the ghi and yanked her down to a sitting position beside her mother again.

"You're. Not. Listening to ME!" She said with a fiery glare. "I don't want to marry ANYONE yet! I just want to live my life. I already have enough trouble with the Sentinels coming to Japan. I don't need a SECOND FIANCEE!"

Nodoka sighed. "Ranma, you may not believe this but...your father and my marriage was arranged. And just look how well it turned out." She said hoping to cheer Ranma up about the whole situation.

Ranma looked a the couple for a second and then moaned "That's IT! I am only marrying a girl I want to marry. To hell with all arranged marriages!" Ranma then got up off the couch and headed into the kitchen.

Hank was currently in the kitchen by himself cooking up a storm. Almost literally it looked like he wasn't doing to good, a cloud of black smoke was billowing from one of the pots on the stove and some sort of black goo was coming out of it. Hank took the pot off of the stove and set it aside while he went back to work on the other things that were cooking, which didn't seem to be near as bad.

"Having fun?" Ranma asked sarcastically. Hank couldn't smile. He was too frustrated.

"I don't get it. I was trying to make some icicle pickles but I left it on too long for too high or something." Hank stirred something in one pot for a moment and then closed the lid. "Could you take the lid off that pot and pour that wasted stuff down the sink?" He asked.

Ranma shrugged. "Sure. Why not?" She picked up a pair of oven mitts and grabbed the lid. She lifted it straight up but the black goo that was inside had stuck to the lid and rose with it, hardening in only a few seconds, creating a pillar of black crystalline goo. Ranma looked at the thing and then at Hank. "I think it's safe to say that this is your _last_ time in the kitchen." Hank looked at the pillar of...stuff and adjusted his foggy glasses.

"Oh my Stars and Garters, I believe that you are correct."

AN:{This actually happened at my house once. My Mom was making icicle pickles like every year but she went out shopping and forgot the stove on. Me and my brother came in the house later smelling this rancid liquid darkness and lifted the lid off. The lid was literally held up by all that crap. I laughed a good long time because it was about three feet from the initial pot. On with the story: Morden Night}

Ranma took off his oven mitts and left the kitchen. He walked up the stairs to Marina's room and knocked on the door. Marina's voice came from the other end telling whoever was at the door to wait a moment and then she appeared at the door a moment later. She smiled when she saw that it was Ranma. "Hey Rammie." She said happily.

"Is it all right if I can come in?" He asked.

Marina composed herself and opened the door fully so that Ranma's female form could come in. "Oh. Of course Ranma." Ranma walked in and sat on her best friend's bed. She looked around and noticed that Marina had made a few changes to her room. There was posters of movie stars like Jackie Chan and Jet Li, animes as well as a poster of Ranma in both her male and female forms. Ranma looked at that one for a bit.

Marina, noticing that Ranma was looking at the poster of herself, decided to explain. "I found a few pictures of you in both your forms and got this poster made. Pretty neat huh?" She asked. Ranma nodded.

"Where'd you make this?" She asked as she continued to study the oversized picture.

Marina shrugged. "I found this place that blows up and makes posters out of pictures and stuff. I thought it'd be neat to try. Nodoka made one of Genma too, it looks weird because his male half looks nothing like his female form though." Ranma nodded. Marina walked over to the bed and sat down beside the boy turned girl. "Do you got something on your mind Ranma?" She asked.

Ranma sighed and folded her arms across her chest. "I'm just confused. I can't think of any way to get that potion without marrying Shampoo. I don't want to marry some chick just because I beat her in a fight. I want to make my own future, not have everyone run it for me to fit their schedules." Ranma threw her body back and lay on the bed. "I don't know what to do!" Marina shifted her body so that she was sitting cross legged and facing Ranma.

"Ranma. You have to do what you feel is right. You should probably tell the police about it or something."

Ranma rolled her eyes and propped herself up on her shoulders. "Sure. I'll tell them that some old lady stole my mutant powers, and turned me into a girl and I can't get the cure until I marry her daughter."

Marina shrugged. "It was just a thought. Why don't you want to marry Shampoo? Most guys would kill to be engaged to a babe like her." Ranma frowned.

"Well I guess I'm the exception then. I don't want anyone dictating my life. Marriage is till death do you part. I don't want a commitment like that unless I mean it. She's just following some 3000 year old Chinese law made by some senile old man."

Marina looked inquisitive. "Was the man really senile?" She asked.

Ranma shrugged. "How should I know? You'd have to be to make up a law _that_ dumb." Marina nodded.

"That's a good point." She paused for a moment. "Do...you have somebody else in mind?" She asked. Ranma sputtered.

"W...WHAT!?" She asked, shooting up to a sitting position. "What do you...mean?" She asked.

Marina smiled mischievously. "I'm right aren't I? You don't want to marry Shampoo because you like somebody else! I'm right! Admit it!" She said.

Ranma jumped off of the bed and looked flustered. "Don't be silly! I just don't want to get married!" Marina smiled widely.

"I KNEW IT! You like some other girl and THAT'S why you don't want to marry Shampoo!" Just then the door opened up and Nodoka and Genma-chan came in.

"Oooh My little boy's in love! I'm so happy! Who is she? We'll have the wedding in a week." Nodoka said as she entered. Ranma was extremely agitated and a furious blush spread across her face.

"DON'T YOU KNOCK!?! I'M NOT IN LOVE!!" Ranma yelled while trying to desperately cover up her blushing face.

Just then Hank came into the room. "I've finished dinner. Now what is this about Ranma being in love? I didn't know he was getting married next week. Why didn't somebody tell me?" He asked.

Ranma pulled at her hair. "I'M NOT GETTING MARRIED!! Are you people ALWAYS EAVESDROPPING!?!" Ranma ran out the room and jumped out a window. She landed lightly on her feet and ran out of the Saotome property rushing towards Nerima district, hopping over rooftops. *I HAVE TO GET THAT POTION!!* Ranma thought, desperately trying to escape his family and friends constant questions.

Back at the Saotome house Marina pouted as she watched Ranma run away through the window. "He didn't tell me who he liked." She noted. She paused for a moment, just watching the quickly disappearing Ranma Saotome. She then turned to look at Hank. "Did you say dinner was ready?"

****************

After asking a few people for directions along the way Ranma found the Neko-Hanten, or Cat Cafe. She dropped from the roof and kicked the door to the establishment in. "COLOGNE!" She yelled. "I'M HERE FOR THE POTION!"

The gnarled and withered form of Cologne came out of the back room a moment later hopping on her equally gnarled and withered staff. Ranma glared at the woman. "A son in law. I didn't expect you to be here so early. I didn't think you'd be here till tomorrow. I hadn't realized you were so infatuated with my granddaughter." Ranma growled.

"I ain't here to marry your granddaughter! I'm here for the potion!" Cologne pulled a small vial from out of her robes and looked at it.

"Well the deal was that you could only get it if you married my granddaughter so that is what you are here for." Cologne then put the vial back in her robe. Ranma ran forward and threw a kick at the withered old broad. She blocked it with her staff and then used it again to send her flying back out the door.

Ranma bounced back in and lit her fists afire with red chi. "KATCHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN!" She yelled, sending thousands of lightning fast punches at the old woman. She lit her staff aflame with a very similar looking chi and spun it around, creating a chi barrier that protected her from each punch.

"Your anger is getting the best of you boy!" She said disapprovingly. "You'll never beat me if you fuel your fights with your anger and hatred. Those are tools for the weak." Ranma calmed down visibly and smirked.

"You're a fool old woman. I know almost every amazon trick in the book. I've picked them all from your own mind while I was training in China. You can't stop me." Ranma then leapt forward and threw another amaguriken at the woman. She spun the staff around again, much like she had before, blocking all of the red haired girl's blows.

Cologne laughed. "Is that all you've got boy!?" She taunted.

Ranma shrugged and pulled out a vial from inside her own shirt. "For now yeah. I got what I came for." Cologne's eyes bugged out as she stared at the vial in the girls hands.

"How did...?" She stuttered.

Ranma smiled. "All of those amazon tricks have got a flaw or weakness. The Tiger's Eye Shield only covers one area. I merely had to go under it."

Cologne smiled as Ranma poured the water on her head. "Very good son in law. You're more perceptive than I thought. Even without your Telepathic abilities. But do you really think I'd have the real vial on me?"

Ranma stared at the woman in shock as she realized that she hadn't changed back, nor could she sense her powers return. Cologne pulled another vial out of her robes. "Could it be this one?" She asked with a smile. She then dropped it to the floor and pulled out another one. "Or this one?" She then dropped it and pulled out another. "Or this one? Or this one? Or this one? Or this one?" She continued to pull vial after vial out of her robes and tossing the previous ones to the ground. They began to pile up at her feet until the pile of vials on the floor was nearly as big as Cologne herself.

"No." Ranma muttered to herself. "This can't be happening."

Cologne cackled to herself. "Face it son in law. You are beaten! You have no choice but to marry my daughter to get the real potion." Ranma looked to the floor in defeat. He noticed Shampoo standing behind the counter where the kitchen was watching, with a bag of popcorn in her hands.

Ranma felt a rumbling and heard a humming sound. Before she could question what she heard there was a crash that rocked the very foundation and nearly knocked her off of her feet. A large metallic hand then came through the wall and forcefully tore the roof off of the Neko Hanten. Ranma stared at the monstrosity above and her face fell.

The goliath was at least four stories tall, made all of metal, coloured in red and black, unlike the purple and pink of the ones in the US. "It's a sentinel." Ranma said in surprise.

He could see three more of the gigantic robots looming behind the first. The one that tore the roof off then reached down into the restaurant towards Shampoo. The computer in it's mind only displaying the words: "Mutant Gene detected. Proceed with elimination."

****************

Author's Notes: {Well ain't this a surprise! You'd think that I'd take it easy and make use of the lounge chair I got for Christmas. But instead, I sit at the computer for five hours or so, writing the next chapter to Astral Minds, while I listen to all the new CDs I got for Christmas. I got the entire thing done in one day so you don't see me complaining. I'm getting good at this(I think). Oh well. It's quite a mess Ranma's gotten into with the Chinese Amazons. I'll bet nobody even knows what Shampoo's REAL power is yet. I haven't even told you yet you all probably think you know EXACTLY what it is. I'm so two dimensional as to just give it away. No! I want to keep you hanging. This is just getting fun. The sentinels have finally shown up, Ranma's stuck in his curse, and everyone is pressuring Ranma to tell them who he likes. I'll bet you're also surprised that Ryoga hasn't shown up yet eh? I read over all of Astral Minds and I thought that I already introduced him but I haven't. I'll try to throw him in sometime. As for Ranma's powers, they're still developing and we'll be seeing a little bit more of Charlie too. That's enough from me. BYE!!}

Morden Night: anime_morden@crystal-tokyo.com

http://josh_vh.tripod.com/mordensranmapage/

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also, check out Anihigh, an online RPG about a high school, full of anime like characters, mutants, elves, orcs, goblins, vampires, dhampirs, half breeds, dragons, driders, mages, telepaths, and ANYTHING ELSE, except anything that is blatantly ripped off from other anime's like Saiyans, at: http://anime_rpg1.tripod.com

Chow!