Dragon Lady of Macross
Written By Lisa Grey
Developed by Lisa Grey and James R. Axelrad
Edited by James R. Axelrad and Johnny G
Chapter 28
August 2011...
"Hey Lisa, look down there," Ranma pointed as they cruised low over the valley. Ranma banked the VF-1D a little so that Lisa could get a better view. Below them, the valley floor was dotted with hundreds of pools of water.
"It's beautiful, Ranma," Lisa said.
"Heh, don't let it fool you," Ranma snorted. "It's a place of unspeakable horror."
"So this is where it happened, huh?" Lisa asked.
"Yeah, that's Jusenkyo," Ranma told her. "Where my life changed forever."
"I'm glad," Lisa said, shocking Ranma.
"You're glad?" Ranma asked with a hint of anger. "How can you be glad?"
"Because if it hadn't been for this place, I may never have met you," Lisa explained. "You wouldn't have been the woman I love and without you, things could have gone much worse for the Earth. So yes, I'm glad this place changed your life."
"I guess when you put it that way..." Ranma said with resignation. "Hey, look, there's the village. Looks like it came through everything okay."
Ranma shifted to guardian mode and set the Veritech down outside the village gates. She popped the canopy and removed her helmet as curious, but wary villagers began to collect at the gate. She stood up in the cockpit and addressed the villagers.
"This one mean no harm," Ranma shouted in Mandarin. "This one like speak with Elder Khu Lon or Warrior Xian Pu, please."
"I am Elder Khu Lon. Who are you that wishes to speak with me?" an ancient shriveled woman demanded as she hopped forward on her staff in an amazing display of agility.
"This one visit village long ago," Ranma said. "This one called Ranma Saotome-Hayes." Khu Lon looked blank before turning to a lovely purple-haired woman.
"Do you remember her, Xian Pu?" Khu Lon asked.
"No, Great-grandmother," Xian Pu said. "She looks very familiar, but I can't recall her."
"This one come during tournament nearly ten year ago," Ranma said. "This one's dishonorable father eat prize." The light of recognition flared in their eyes.
"So why have you come, Ranma Saotome-Hayes?" Khu Lon asked.
"This one come see if village is okay," Ranma answered. "Is very remote so maybe not get checked by others. Is okay? Village need anything?"
"We're okay," Khu Lon said. "The rain of death passed us by."
"Is good," Ranma smiled. "This one glad you not harmed. Many others not so lucky."
"Indeed," Khu Lon observed. "So you came all this way just to check on one small village?"
"This one did," Ranma nodded. "Remember help that was given and wished to make sure village okay. This one on honeymoon of sorts. Bring wife and child on trip."
"I see," Khu Lon said. "Would you like to come in and have some tea?"
"This one would be grateful," Ranma nodded.
Ranma turned and took Yoshima from Lisa and casually flipped to the ground. Lisa climbed out the normal way.
"Elder Khu Lon speaks English?" Ranma asked.
"I do," Khu Lon said in that language.
"Great," Ranma sighed in English. "Now I can stop sounding like an idiot. I don't have much reason to speak Mandarin normally so it hasn't improved much over the years. Elder Cologne, I would like to present to you my wife, Lisa Saotome-Hayes and my child, Yoshima."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, my dear," Cologne bowed slightly to Lisa.
"And it's an honor to meet you Elder," Lisa said returning the bow.
"Lisa, this is the Warrior Shampoo, who assisted me with my panda problem," Ranma grinned.
"It's nice meet you, Shampoo," Lisa said with a respectful bow.
"Is pleasure," Shampoo said.
"Come, Ranma," Cologne said. "We will get you and your family some tea and perhaps you can tell us what has happened to the world."
(oOO/Oo)
"Wow," Lisa said as she and Cologne watched Ranma spar with Xian Pu. "I haven't seen anyone give Ranma that much competition ever."
"She's very skilled," Cologne observed. "Tell me, you carried this child?"
"Uh huh," Lisa smiled proudly, stroking Yoshima's head.
"I recall you teased Ranma about carrying the next one. I can help you," Cologne grinned.
"Oh? How so?" Lisa asked curiously. Cologne disappeared into her hut and returned after a minute handing her a packet. "What's this? I'm sorry, I can't read Chinese."
"That is a packet of instant Nannichuan," Cologne cackled. "You just mix it with water and pour it on yourself and you will have a male body until you deactivate the curse with warm water."
"Ohhhhhhh," Lisa said with a similar cackle to Cologne's. "We were planning on doing it by artificial insemination, one of my eggs with her male form's seed. This will be MUCH more interesting. Of course, her mother and I still haven't convinced her to do it yet. She did so enjoy breast feeding though." Cologne chuckled.
"So, she went through the sympathetic pregnancy with you then?" Cologne asked.
"Yes, it was a really exciting time," Lisa laughed. "I don't know whose mood swings were worse, hers or mine."
"You know it is said that only those that are truly of one heart and soul can share such an experience," Cologne smiled. "To have found one such as that...I envy you. I have lived for three hundred years and have only seen a handful of such couples. It's very rare indeed."
"We do seem to fit together well," Lisa agreed. "I always felt drawn to her, even before we thought about being together."
At that moment they were interrupted by a loud yell from the sparring pair.
"Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken!" Shampoo yelled out.
Suddenly her fists blurred as she delivered several hundred punches in a three second burst. Ranma, as fast as she was couldn't keep up with that sort of speed. However, she didn't need to. As the punches began a faint silvery shimmer coalesced around Ranma's body. As Shampoo completed her move, Ranma went flying back to land on her butt.
Shampoo looked superior for about two seconds before the pain hit. She began to jump around waving her hands squeaking exclamations of pain. Ranma got up and dusted herself off with a sly grin on her face.
"Well done, Shampoo," Ranma grinned and bowed to her opponent.
Cologne hopped out and took hold of Shampoo's hands, seeing that her knuckles were blistering with painful burns. The old woman cackled in amusement and instructed Shampoo to go get some salve to put on them.
"Interesting technique you have there, Ranma," Cologne said, hopping up to the redhead. "Might I ask what it was and where you learned it?"
"It's just something I've been working on myself," Ranma said. "I got the idea from the barrier system on the SDF-1. The SDF-1 and the Veritechs use Reflex energy, which is a lot like ki, only for machines. I figured if it can be done with Reflex energy then it could maybe be done with ki as well."
"You made it up yourself based on watching a barrier system on a spaceship?" Cologne deadpanned.
"Yup," Ranma said.
"Do you know any other chi techniques?" Cologne asked.
"Well, that would be telling, wouldn't it?" Ranma smiled slyly, then broke out laughing at the look of consternation on Cologne's face. "Honestly, not many. I can produce a battle aura and I've learned to consciously produce small Nekoken claws..." She was interrupted by a gasp from Cologne.
"Y...You were trained in the Nekoken?" Cologne asked.
"Unfortunately, yes," Ranma admitted.
"What idiot would have done such a ludicrous thing?" Cologne asked.
"The fat fool that I arrived in this village with ten years ago," Ranma said darkly. "The same fool that was responsible for my curse and just about every other horror in my life."
"I knew we should have made his punishment more severe," Cologne growled. "You're lucky to be alive and it's a miracle that you're even sane."
"What did you do to him, anyway?" Ranma asked curiously.
"We sentenced him to ten lashes from a whip each day for five days," Cologne grinned wickedly. "He spent another week recovering before he left. Now, I think we let him off lightly. We should have locked his curse and let him live out his days as a panda."
"That may have been better," Ranma nodded. "It's a moot point now. He's dead."
"You will forgive me if his passing does not distress me," Cologne commented.
"You wouldn't be alone in that," Ranma smirked. "I can't find it in my heart to mourn his passing either. Unfortunately, since the Grandmaster and the only other master of my style died with him, that makes me the grandmaster and I'm woefully under-trained. Many secretes died with them I'm afraid."
"Well you seem to be working on your own secrets," Cologne grinned. "So what else can you do so far?"
"Well, aside from the ki barrier which you saw, I can almost do a ki blast, but I've been unable to figure out how to keep it stable until it hits the target," Ranma explained.
"Show me," Cologne directed.
Ranma nodded and turned toward a punching post. Suddenly her body was wreathed in bright blue flames. Ranma cupped her hands at her waist facing the post. The flames began to flow and condense into an intense bright blue-white ball of energy hovering in front of her. Ranma was sweating with the effort and her brows were knitted with concentration.
"HA!" she yelled and thrust her hands toward the post. Like the last time she demonstrated this, it was clear that the ball of energy was fading quickly as it traveled to the target. Also like the last time, it struck the target with a dull thump, doing no damage save some light scorch marks.
"Very interesting," Cologne said. "What are you using for your focus?"
"Using for my focus?" Ranma asked. "I'm just concentrating and using my willpower."
"Indeed?" Cologne asked in surprise. "You are very disciplined then. Most people couldn't do even what you did on will alone. Most chi blasts are focused through a strong emotion. Perhaps if you try to focus through an emotion you can stabilize the blast until it hits a target? Just be careful what you use. Some people make the mistake of using a negative emotion like hatred or anger to focus. The problem is the more you use the emotion the more prone you are to feel it."
"I see," Ranma said and grinned. She turned back to the post and began to think about her love for Lisa and Yoshima. Once again she brought forth her battle aura and began to collect the energy in her hands. This time it seemed easier and the ball grew much bigger than she had been able to bring forth before. The blue had taken on a pink tint to it as well.
"Heki no ai!" Ranma shouted and thrust her hands forward. What happened next was probably the most embarrassing moment in Ranma's life, for as soon as the ki left her hands if morphed into the shape of a nine foot pink heart that streaked down range. It vaporized the pole, the large tree behind the pole, a nine-foot section of the meter thick stone wall around the village and kept going for about a hundred meters, vaporizing everything in its path until it dissipated.
Ranma groaned and put her face in her hands in embarrassment as Cologne snickered beside her. Shampoo, who had returned from putting salve on her hands just in time to see the heart flying down range, was laughing hysterically.
"'Burst of Love', huh?" Cologne cackled. "You don't by any chance own a seifuku with a really short skirt do you?"
"I've never been so embarrassed in my life," Ranma groaned plaintively.
"It was rather..." Cologne snickered again. "...cute for an attack, but it was very powerful, Ranma. I haven't seen a lot of chi attacks that could match up to it. I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of such an..." Snicker. "...adorable chi attack. Just think, you'll be the envy of teenaged girls everywhere."
"Ha ha ha," Ranma said sarcastically. "Very funny."
Cologne joined Shampoo in the hysterical laughter.
"Look at bright side, Ranma," Shampoo gasped out between peals of laughter. "Whoever no hit with..." Snicker, giggle. "...pink heart attack, be laughing too too hard to continue fight. All Ranma need is sailor outfit with really short skirt and stupid speech and enemy think Sailor Moon attack them."
Both Shampoo and Cologne were reduced to tears as they laughed it up. Ranma just hung her head and moaned pitifully.
"Ranma, what was that?" Lisa asked, coming over with Yoshima.
"That was the most embarrassing ki attack on the planet," Ranma answered despondently. "Elder Cologne suggested I use a strong emotion to focus the ki blast and it worked."
"Oh? And what emotion did you use?" Lisa asked curiously.
"I used my love for you and Yoshima," Ranma said softly.
"And you're embarrassed about that?" Lisa asked, narrowing her eyes dangerously.
"I...um...well...that is..." Ranma stammered. "No, I guess not," she sighed in defeat. "Did it have to be so darned cute though?"
(oOO/Oo)
September 2011...
Ranma and her family spent a month with the Amazons after Cologne offered to teach her some advanced ki techniques, among which were the Kachuu Tenshin Amaguriken, the Bauksai Tenketsu, the Soul of Ice, and the Hiryuu Shoten Ha.
"Ranma, you're crazy," Lisa said to her spouse as they flew back to Tampa, the site on the southeastern peninsula of the former United States chosen for the SDF-1's landing. "I mean, letting that old woman swing boulders at you."
"The path of the martial artist is fraught with peril," Ranma quoted with a wry chuckle.
"I still say you're nuts," Lisa said, a little agitated. She had wanted to cry with every impact suffered by her wife. "And don't you even thing about training little Yoshima that way."
"Come on, Lisa," Ranma said indignantly. "I'm not my father. I won't force it on him. But when he's old enough to decide for himself, I will if he wants me to."
"Oh and how old is that?" Lisa demanded.
"Um...43?" Ranma replied, and then laughed. "How about 16, Lisa?"
"We'll see," Lisa said.
Ranma had already started conditioning their son for martial arts training, doing little exercises to train Yoshima's reflexes and things. She did, however, freely admit that she wasn't willing to do what her own father had done to her to make Yoshima her equal in the art someday.
"So what did you think of the Chinese Amazon's?" Ranma chuckled.
"Strange people," Lisa remarked. "Nice though. They were very helpful." Lisa was thinking of a certain box that Elder Cologne had slipped her as she was packing.
"They were, weren't they," Ranma said. Suddenly, alarms started going off in the cockpit. "What the hell?" Ranma growled and deepened her neural link. "Okay, Lisa, hang on, we have an incoming missile locked on us. Shit! Shit! I can't pull many G's with Yoshima in here."
Ranma fired off several flares and a cloud of chaff, making a break turn as hard as she thought she could get away with. The missile remained locked on. Desperately, she targeted the missile with her laser turret. Meanwhile, Lisa was on the radio calling for help. The first three shots from the laser missed the fast moving missile but Ranma hit it with the fourth. The missile detonated close enough to shake the plane but there didn't seem to be any damage.
They weren't out of the woods yet though. Ranma sensed two incoming aircraft from the direction of Alaska Base. They were in deep trouble. Their Veritech was all but unarmed, having only a centerline drop tank and two personal effects pods on the wing hard points. They only had the laser turret and the nose lasers to fight with and their maneuvering ability was critically limited with Yoshima onboard.
Ranma quickly queried the nav computer for a heading to the nearest friendly base and then turned away from the incoming fighters, firewalling the throttles. They were slowly losing ground though. The VF-1D was heavier than the A models that were chasing them, even if they were carrying a heavier load out. Ranma glanced at the fuel indicator. The aux tank was still about half full. She did some quick calculations. If she could stay ahead of them for another two minutes and didn't have to do much maneuvering, she could jettison the aux tank and get a little more speed.
Ranma jettisoned the tank just before she crossed over the Oregon coastline. The pursuing fighters had nearly drawn to extreme missile range, and from time to time her warning systems would chirp as they were painted by the fighters trying to get a missile lock. Fortunately, without the weight of the aux tank and by virtue of their cleaner aerodynamic shape, the pursuers stopped closing the gap. Still, landing in Denver would be a close thing if she didn't back the throttles off soon.
"Victor Sierra zero one, this is Widowmaker Lead, you requested help with a couple of pests?" came a voice over the comm.
"Yeah, we got a couple of persistent pricks back there," Ranma said. "I'm basically unarmed and have non-combatants onboard. I could use the help."
"Roger," Widowmaker Lead said. "Hey, is that you DL?"
"Um...Snake? Is that you?" Ranma asked cheerfully.
"That's me," Snake said. "Been a long time DL."
"That it has," Ranma agreed. "I guess you finally get to return the favor, bailing my ass out this time, huh?"
"Oh please," Snake said. "I could never repay you for keeping those anti-unificationists off me until the extraction team got there. Just the same, it'll be my pleasure to take care of those goons for you. After all, there's bragging rights involved in helping out a planetary hero and all that."
"Yeah, right," Ranma snorted. "You just get'em off me and the booze is on me."
"Roger that, DL," Snake said.
It was really an anti-climax because as soon as the pursuers detected Snake's flight they turned and bugged out. Ranma sighed in relief and backed the throttles down to a more efficient power setting while Snake's flight took up escorting positions on her wingtips.
"So DL, where you headed?" Snake asked conversationally.
"Back to Tampa," Ranma said. "Took the family on an extended vacation to China. We were on our way home when we were jumped. I have my son in here so we couldn't maneuver or I might have taken them on with just lasers."
"Yeah, we've been getting more and more trouble from those pricks up there at Alaska Base," Snake said. "Usually they're hijacking supply transports. I guess they couldn't resist a single Veritech though."
"I'm just glad you guys came along when you did," Ranma said. "As it is fuel's going to be tight getting to Denver. If I'd had to run for too much longer at full power we may not have made it."
"Well, like I said, I was glad to help out an old friend," Snake chuckled. "I'm looking forward to the free booze and meeting your family too."
(oOO/Oo)
Akane, Kasumi, and Nodoka stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting to the passengers to deplane the transport. Soon the person they had been waiting for appeared at the top of the steps and proceeded down. She was an immaculately dressed woman with brown shoulder-length hair. The woman barely made it to the tarmac when she found herself swept into a crushing hug and twirled around.
The woman gave Akane a reproachful look before her lips curled in an ever so slight grin.
"It's nice to see you too, Little Sister," the woman said with just a hint of warmth.
"Oh, Nabiki, you'll never change, will you?" Akane grinned brightly. "I'm so glad you survived."
"It's just a lucky thing for me I chose that week to spend at that secluded hot spring resort," Nabiki smirked.
"Come give you other sister a hug, Nabiki dear," Kasumi smiled warmly. Nabiki did so. "Welcome to Tampa. It's good to have all of us Tendo sisters back together again."
"Yes it is," Akane agreed.
"Yes, well, I couldn't exactly run for office without coming to the new government capital now could I?" Nabiki said. "And look who I found along the way."
She pointed back at a man who had been hanging back, allowing the sisters their reunion.
"Oh my!" Kasumi said happily. "Dr. Toufuu! Welcome to Tampa. I'm so glad you survived as well."
"Yes," Dr. Toufuu replied. "It's very nice to see you as well, Kasumi. So many people didn't survive." Dr. Toufuu's eye looked haunted for a moment, like eyes that had seen much horror.
"It was horrible," Kasumi agreed. "And so unnecessary. The brave men and women aboard the SDF-1 had almost won a peace agreement from the Zentradi when those silly generals fired that weapon."
"So you say you plan to run for office, Nabiki-chan?" Nodoka asked.
"Yes, Auntie," Nabiki said. "The Minister of Finance to be specific."
"Then I shall put in a good word for you with my daughter," Nodoka grinned. "If she endorses you it should help you a great deal."
"Your daughter?" Nabiki asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, that's how Ranma has felt it best to live her life," Nodoka said. "I'm very proud of her. She is the greatest hero of the war. She's almost single handedly responsible for the peace agreement."
"I can't wait to meet her," Nabiki said, grinning.
"She and her wife are due back with my grandson sometime today," Nodoka said. "Perhaps everyone would like to join me for dinner tonight?"
"Certainly," Nabiki agreed, followed by everyone else.
(oOO/Oo)
Ranma and Lisa entered their home to find it full of people. As they stood just inside the doorway, Nodoka spotted them and hurried over to greet them.
"Mom," Ranma mock growled at her as she took Yoshima from Lisa, "what have I told you about having unsupervised parties when we're not home?" Lisa giggled.
"Oh my," Kasumi laughed. "You certainly have the 'mother' thing down, Ranma."
"Oh you," Nodoka chuckled. "Welcome home, Daughters. Let me introduce you to some people."
Introductions were made and stories were exchanged. Nodoka was horrified to hear how close her family had come to death on their return from China. Akane, on the other hand, seethed with anger at the audacity of those bastards at Alaska Base. At the same time she was thrilled to hear about the new techniques Ranma had been taught by the Amazons.
"Ranma, you forgot to mention that you managed to perfect your ki attack," Lisa said innocently. Ranma groaned.
"You can do a ki attack now?" Akane asked in awe.
"Actually, I didn't forget to mention it, Lisa," Ranma said darkly. "And yes, I finally managed to pull one off."
"Oooo, can you show us?" Akane asked, excited.
"No way, no how," Ranma said emphatically. Akane blinked at the abrupt refusal.
"Um...why not? Does it hurt or something?" she asked.
"Oh yeah, it hurts alright," Ranma groaned.
"It does not," Lisa protested. "She's just embarrassed about it because it looks so adorable. I think the Amazons said it looked like a Sailor Moon attack after they quit laughing."
"Lisa, you're not helping," Ranma grated out between her clenched teeth.
"A Sailor Moon attack?" Nabiki grinned. "What did it look like?"
Lisa opened her mouth and Ranma clapped her hand over it.
"Don't even think about it," Ranma growled. Lisa crossed her arms and glared at Ranma petulantly. Ranma slowly took her hand down.
"If you do that again," Lisa said dangerously, "I'll send out a planet-wide bulletin."
The two women glared at each other, both their stubborn streaks manifesting in full, neither willing to back down.
"Fine," Ranma said bitterly. "Just go ahead and tell everybody in the world all the embarrassing details of my life. Hell, you might as well tell the fucking planet about my curse too. I'm not gonna sit here so they can laugh at me though. I'm outta here."
With that, Ranma stood and stalked out the front door, slamming it. Silence reigned as everyone looked at each other.
"Oh my," Kasumi said.
"Guess I better go find her," Lisa sighed.
"Let me," Dr. Toufuu said, standing up. Lisa nodded.
(oOO/Oo)
Ranma was sitting on a park bench with her knees tucked up under her chin when Toufuu found her. He walked over and sat down beside her, not saying anything.
"You come to laugh at me about my stupid ki attack?" Ranma said finally.
"Why would I do that?" Toufuu asked. "First of all, Lisa didn't tell us anything. Second of all, the ability to project ki energy is a very impressive ability. Laughing at someone that has that kind of power wouldn't be very healthy."
"Oh," Ranma said tonelessly.
"So you want to talk about it?" Toufuu asked.
"Nothing to talk about," Ranma said.
"So you're just sitting out here sulking for no reason then?" Toufuu asked with a small grin.
Ranma looked at him for a minute.
"Okay," Ranma said at last. "Sometimes I feel like my life is just somebody's idea of comic relief. Mainly, Lisa's. She seems to enjoy embarrassing me sometimes."
"It seems to me that she loves you very much and is proud of you and your abilities," Toufuu observed.
"Then why does she try to embarrass me?" Ranma asked. "Why does she feel the need to tell people things that I'd rather they not know?"
"Ranma, you're a very powerful person," Toufuu said. "I can see it in your ki. For one so young you've made a great deal of accomplishments. From the stories I've heard, you are beloved by the people as their savior. You're beautiful, talented, not afraid to speak you mind, and, in most cases you can back it up. Maybe Lisa is just a little intimidated by that. Maybe what you see as her trying to embarrass you is just her way of keeping you from ascending beyond her." Ranma blinked at him.
"You think she doesn't feel worthy of me?" Ranma asked incredulously.
"Not consciously," Toufuu said. "But maybe deep down she's afraid that you'll grow beyond her. Getting a few laughs at your expense is her way of keeping you down to Earth and by her side."
"But why would she worry about that?" Ranma asked, confused. "She's every bit as beautiful and talented as I am. She's way more intelligent than I am. I may know fighting, and the martial arts, but her art is the ship. She knows every nut and bolt and what it is and isn't capable of. She's every bit as good at being a ship's officer as I am at the art. She has nothing to feel inferior about."
"Maybe so, but who's the public's sweetheart?" Toufuu asked. "Who has gained the most recognition?"
"She has just as much recognition as I have where it matters," Ranma dismissed.
"It all matters, Ranma," Toufuu said. "Her insecurity is that maybe one day the adoring public will take you away from her." Ranma sighed.
"I guess it never really occurred to me that Lisa would be threatened by something I could care less about," Ranma said. "I love her. She's the best thing that ever happened to me and I would never leave her. As for the public recognition, I hate it. I hate not being able to walk down the street like a normal person. I guess it's nice to be appreciated but still, I'm a military officer, not a public figure. I never wanted that. I just want to do my job and protect people. I'm good at it and so is she."
"Well, maybe you could humor her and let her have a few laughs at your expense if it makes her feel better about herself in regards to being with you," Toufuu suggested. "Either that or talk to her about it, but I seriously doubt she will ever not fear loosing you."
"I guess you're right," Ranma said with resignation.
"Now tell me about this ki attack," Toufuu grinned. "What's so embarrassing about it?"
"It's like something straight out of a shoujo manga," Ranma said bitterly. "You should have heard the Amazon's laughing at me. One of them said that whoever didn't get hit by it would be laughing to hard too continue fighting."
"Do tell," Toufuu said raising an eyebrow. "How so?"
"Don't laugh," Ranma cautioned.
"I wouldn't," Toufuu agreed.
"It looks like a frikkin giant pink heart," Ranma said softly. Toufuu blinked.
"A giant pink heart, you say?" Toufuu asked. Ranma nodded. "That's interesting. What emotion do you use to focus the ki?"
"My love for Lisa and Yoshima," Ranma answered. "The Amazon elder told me to use a strong positive emotion because negative emotions were unhealthy to the user in the long term. It worked perfectly. And aside from looking so ridiculous, it was incredibly powerful. It vaporized everything in its path for about a hundred and fifty meters before it dissipated. And I mean everything, wood, stone, metal, everything."
"Um...Ranma?" Toufuu asked.
"Yeah?"
"Does Lisa know what emotion you used?" Toufuu asked.
"Yeah," Ranma replied.
"I think I understand a little better why Lisa felt it necessary to tell us all about it," Toufuu said. "She sees it as the power of your love for her manifested and she's very proud of that. It probably hurts her that you're embarrassed about it."
"But how could I not be?" Ranma asked. "I mean my most powerful attack is disgustingly cute. How could anyone take me seriously?"
"I think once they saw it vaporize a few things they might be more than inclined to be intimidated," Toufuu chuckled. "Now how about we go back. I think Lisa is probably beside herself right now. You're both obviously pretty stubborn, you know."
Ranma chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose we are."
TBC