V .01 Neo Genus Jusenkyo By Kevin D. Hammel My attempt at a Ranma/EVA blend. Shaken, not stirred. Episode 06 Akane Loves Her New Friend! Does Ranma Like the New Pilot? Ranma 1/2 is property of Rumiko Takahashi. Publishing Rights are held by Viz in The US and Shogakukan in Japan. Neon Genesis Evangelion is property of Hideaki Anno. Video rights held by GAINAX in Japan and ADV Films in the US. My purpose is to honor these creators and their works. No infringement intended. ---- For the first time, four pilots and JAVAs were ready for deployment of the LEAF base. Unit 0 and Kasumi were ready for combat at last, joining Unit 1 and Ranma; Unit 2 and Akane; and Unit 3 and Nabiki. Shan Pu stood in the control center, studying the synchronization levels for each pilot. All was ready, it was time. "JAVA Launch!" The Captain shouted, the four units rocketed to the surface. ---- Nabiki studied the graphs projected in the midst of the VR display; everything looked good. Akane's face appeared. "Nabiki, will you and Kasumi use rifles to soften up the targets so Ranma wan I can conduct a frontal assault?" "Da!" A weapons building opened in front of Unit 3 and Nabiki grabbed a rifle. "Ready" Kasumi's face appeared. "ready" "Fire at will, but not at our backs!" Akane said. "Ranma, let's move out!" "Hai!" The redhead said with a smile. Akane had proven herself in combat, Ranma had complete confidence in her new leader. Units 0 and 3 laid down a withering fire, as Units 1 and 2 charged into battle. ---- "Once again, three phyla are arrayed against us, Saotome." "Hai, Tendovski. Aschelminthes, Acanothocephala, and Phoronidea. I'm glad we have four units at last." "And unit five will be delivered tonight..." Ukyou added. "With no pilot, yet" Genma replied to the scientist. Those Brazilians were just too efficient. "It seems that the pilots have elected Akane their leader. You must be proud Tendovski." "Da, Saotome. Very proud." ---- As usually was the case, a variety of worms faced the four JAVA units. On the left, as they faced them, was a worm covered with cilia (of unusual size, of course). On the right was a worm with two tentacle- bearing arms. In the center was a worm with a spiny head, which was clearly charging up an energy weapon. "Stay alert, team, that thing is charging up an energy weapon!" "Thanks, Akane!" Nabiki said with a smile. A low-power burst came straight for Akane, who dodged, right into a higher powered one. Akane screamed, but the beam never hit her, as Unit 1 dove in front of her to take the blast. The damaged JAVA then got to its feet. "RANMA! I can take care of myself!" "I thought we were a team, Akane. Lets' go after that thing." Akane's lieutenant replied from inside her slightly smoking JAVA. "Nabiki, Kasumi, see if you two can concentrate your fire on that thing's head." "da, i will." "OK, little sister!" Concentrated fire from two energy weapons lowered the JT field enough so that one swing of Akane's mallet destroyed the shield. "You two, concentrate on the ciliated one." "OK!" The two gunners replied in unison as they diverted their fire to their new target. Ranma and Akane soon destroyed the zoomorph with physical attacks... By the time Ranma and Akane had finished with the center zoomorph, the victim of Units 0 and 3 had no JT field left. "OK switch to the third, Akane said as she and Ranma went to finish off the defenseless zoomorph. In a similar manner, third one was destroyed. Akane noted how easy things were, this time. She was not alone in her observations, they would NOT be so easy next time... "Good work team, let's head back!" The four JAVA units headed back to their base. What a nice way to finish off the week Akane thought as she climbed from the entry plug. She shouted over to the red-suited pilot of Unit 1 who was emerging from HER unit's entry plug. "Thanks, Ranma!" She said, giving her fiancee a victory sign. "No problem! I don't want to see our commander get hurt!" Her fiancee said with a smile, which Akane returned. ---- It was nice to have a day off once a week, zoomorphs willing, Ranma decided as she pushed the button next to Shampoo's door. Akane answered. "Ready to work out this morning, Akane?" Ranma asked. "Of course!" She replied, then turned around and hollered for her sister "NA-BI-KI!" Her older sister soon appeared, dressed for training. "I was coming, Akane, you didn't need to yell." "You don't understand, Nabiki, Akane NEEDS to yell, regardless." Ranma replied. "Good, you're learning, Ranma!" Nabiki replied with a grin. Akane's anger went to slow burn. She was learning to keep it in check, but it seemed she was surrounded by JERKS who were ALWAYS provoking her. The three girls went downstairs to train, Akane's anger soon forgotten. ---- After training, Ranma suggested a destination for a short hike with her mom. "Jusenkyo, why would you want to take your mom over there?" Akane asked her fiancee. "Because I thought she should see where it all happened." "Da, it's one of the area's premiere tourist attractions!" Nabiki threw in, rolling her eyes. "It's only a short walk, Nabiki. And I think she SHOULD see it. Do you two want to come with us?" "I guess." Nabiki added with little animation. "Sure." Akane added, with less. "Lets go over to Ucchan's and see if mom's up..." "You don't need to worry about that one, I'm sure!" Nabiki suggested. The three girls left. ---- Both Akane and Nabiki remembered the last time they had been to Jusenkyo, the horrible feeling of change for the first time, the fear IT was permanent, the realization IT wasn't, but the curse and the HATRED of their father WERE. So THIS was Jusenkyo, the beautiful yet terrible valley of shattered lives and broken dreams. Nodoka looked with sorrow on the quiet scene. Here her son was taken from her, leaving a daughter she had never borne. A young woman she was already proud of, and had begun to love, but what of her son? It seemed he was just a memory, a costume locked in a dusty closet, worn sometimes to help her remember what she HAD been. What of the promise her husband had made? It had less value that the paper it was printed on, none. At home in Tokyo 3, just a few days ago, her husband had what honor remained after the Kasumi incident, and her son was safe in his father's protection. Here, outside her hopes and dreams, her daughter fought an unspeakable horror and Nodoka dared not confront her dishonored husband, with the LEAF security force shielding him. She noted Ranma's carefully guarded expression. The girl did not want to influence her mother's mood, but did anyway. Jusenkyo had taken her son and twisted the man she had loved to serve its cruel magic, but... The squeal of a small animal interrupted Nodoka's musings. Akane was first to find the source of the noise, further shattering the calm with a shout of "Kawaii!" She had found a little black piglet, which responded with a small squeal. "I wonder what that was?" Ranma asked. "My little sister shouting 'Kawaii'" Nabiki replied. "She has to make noise no matter WHERE she goes!" Ranma chuckled her mirthful assent. The two girls and Nodoka hurried over to Akane. Adjacent to a hot spring, they found Akane clutching a small black piglet. "Well, I WILL admit it's cute." Nabiki stated with a grin. Nodoka and Ranma nodded in smiling concurrence. ---- The group re-convened at Shampoo's apartment. "So, what will you name your little friend, Akane?" Nabiki asked. "Well I'll call it 'piggy' for now. I'll think up a new name later." She got a concerned look on her face. "There's ONE thing I have to check." She went to the bathroom and filled the sink with hot water. "You don't think that pig..." Nabiki threw in. "Well, we did find it at Jusenkyo!" Akane said as she dipped the piglet in the warm water. Piggy squealed with delight. "Well, It's a warm water piglet, and doesn't seem to be cursed!" Akane said, smiling. "Good luck with your new friend, Akane!" Nodoka said with a smile, then turned to her daughter. "Thank you Ranma, I appreciated seeing Jusenkyo. It must have been painful, but some things are." "I thought you'd like to see it." "Goodbye, children" Nodoka gave her daughter a quick hug and left. ---- That night, The JAVA command staff received a summons from the Council of Elders. Genma and Soun walked to the council chambers in response to the summons they had received. It had come up rather suddenly, but then such summons often did. "I wonder what the old biddies want with us this time, Tendovski... Do you think they put up another bureaucratic hoop for us to jump through?" "I don't know, Saotome. But they have never been shy to tell us." They finished their walk in silence. They were not surprised to see Ukyou and Shan Pu already waiting for them at the door. ---- As they walked across the polished stone floor of the foyer, the four discussed the situation. "Captain, do you have any idea why we have been summoned here?" Genma asked. "No, sir!" Shampoo was stretching the truth a bit, a LOT, actually, but what was she to do? "I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with the impending delivery of Unit 4." Ukyou offered. "Don't remind me. The unit was produced ahead of schedule and we don't have a pilot... yet." Shampoo added. They approached the ornate wooden doors of the chambers proper. Shampoo knocked twice, and the door opened as if of its own accord. The sentry who had opened the door from the inside bowed to the four and indicated they should enter. ---- The four people who ran LEAF operations at Joketsuzoku 3 took their seats facing the crones who comprised the Council of Elders. As was custom, the eldest of them, Cologne, spoke. "Greetings from the Council and the sisters of Joketsuzoku. It has not gone unnoticed to us that you will be accepting delivery of a pilot-less JAVA in the near future. We would like to present a candidate for that position..." Genma glanced at Kuonji, who averted her eyes. Where could she have gotten her information? It was at times like these that he realized that Soun was the only person he could REALLY trust. Cologne barked a command at the sentries in back of the room and the door opened again, revealing a tall girl dressed in a traditional Amazon pantsuit, hers being pale green with gold trim. She had large blue-gray eyes that matched the shade of her fairly short hair. The only other thing of note about her attire was a katana she had strapped to her back, as was customary for many of the young warriors of the village. Unlike many, she was obviously a warrior in fact as well as tile. The girl walked to the front of the room, bowed to the council and turned to face the LEAF contingent, bowing again. She gave a carefully controlled smile, but avoided eye contact with the people seated before her, focusing instead on one of the sentries in back of the room. Cologne spoke. "This is Gloss, a young warrior who has expressed an interest in piloting the JAVA which will be arriving shortly." The girl gave a small bow to the LEAF contingent, then looked at Dr. Kuonji. Genma rose. "But your Excellency, the JAVAs have been tuned to function with children with a specific genetic makeup and a Jusenkyo curse." What were they trying to pull? Genma wondered. The odds of a person off the street synchronizing with a JAVA were practically nil. He hoped there wouldn't be repercussions if... when she lost her life in the synchronization attempt. "Be assured I know this, Dr. Saotome. She is indeed cursed, and we feel that she will be able to pilot a JAVA. Lacking a pilot, you should allow this child her chance." The girl spoke, looking into Genma's eyes. "Dr. Saotome, allow me to assume the risk. If I fail, I will have fallen in defense of my sisters. If I succeed, I will proudly defend them. I ask you only for the chance to see if I can synchronize with the new JAVA unit." "You seem to know the dangers facing you, and we DO need another pilot... Very well, you will be given the chance, but you odds of success are exceedingly small." The girl smiled for the first time since they had seen her. "Thanks, on behalf of the people of Joketsuzoku 3." She finished, bowing. "You may go, child." Cologne said to the girl dismissing her with a smile. After bowing to The Council and the LEAF contingent, the girl hurriedly left, a huge smile clearly visible on her face. Genma had never seen one go so happily to her death. Perhaps the child knew more that she was saying, and what about Cologne and the Council? "Do you have any other business with us?" He finally asked. "No, we called you here to approve our pilot candidate, and you did." "Why do you desire a Pilot from your number?" Soun asked Cologne. "If she is truly of your village, she will die in her synchronization attempt." "One needn't be born here to be a member of our band, Dr. Tendovski. Gloss was born across the sea in Dr. Saotome's homeland, though we have accepted her as a sister among us. She approached us with a desire to become a JAVA pilot, and we did all in our power to grant her request. Though looking forward to having one of our number defend us, we have no other motives, I assure you. Any other questions should be addressed to the child." "IF she synchronizes, we will ask her a few questions, if she does not... Is there is anything else?" Genma looked at Cologne. "You may go. Thank you for your prompt and open-minded response on this matter." The LEAF contingent rose as one, bowed to the elders and left. One of the other elders turned to Cologne. "Well, we did our part. She certainly is a brave one." "Yes, she is, but then her bloodline has already proven itself to us." ---- The new JAVA had already arrived the next day; it had been assembled at the Brazilian Facility in Sao Paulo 2. It seemed that sneaking it in under the cover of darkness had prevented the surprise attack that had marred the delivery of Nabiki's Unit 3. The JAVA itself was green with yellow markings, as befit the country of its origin. ---- Inside the LEAF base, the four pilots met the new volunteer. All five were suited up for testing, the new pilot-candidate wearing a bright green suit with yellow stripes. The new girl spoke first. "Hello, I am Gloss of Joketsuzoku. And you are?" "Tendovski Akane." Akane smiled at the girl. "Tendovski Nabiki." Nabiki smiled slightly. "tendovski kasumi." Kasumi gave her usual little smile. "Saotome Ranma." Ranma looked at the girl carefully, and noted that the new pilot averted her gaze. "So, Gloss, why did you decide to become a pilot?" The new girl didn't get a chance to respond, as pilots were joined by Ukyou. "Come with me. You need to try to synchronize with Unit 4, Gloss." "Yes." The girl said without a trace of fear, then started to follow Ukyou out. "Ukyou... Dr. Kuonji?" Ranma shouted. The two stopped and turned. "Can I help Gloss prepare for her testing?" Ranma asked with a pleading smile. Akane could only glare at Ranma with undisguised jealousy. Nabiki watched her sister with a smirk. "Sure, Ran-chan." Staring at the ground, the new girl responded to Ranma's offer. "I would like that, thank you." The three left the room. "It's a lot easier with my piggy," Akane said to Nabiki, shaking her head. "Uhhh, yeah! The love of an animal is SO rewarding!" Nabiki replied. "After them!" Akane shouted. Nabiki and Akane soon caught up with their wayward fiancee and her new friend. "oh my." Kasumi said to herself in the now empty room. She headed back home to clean her apartment and get an early start on dinner. ---- Unit 4 was hooked up to the same type of testing equipment, as Unit 2 had been when Akane engaged in simulator training. The three pilots who had tagged along and the new candidate formed a semi-circle around the entry plug. Genma, Soun, Ukyou, and Shan Pu looked down from above. "Okay, Gloss, it's now or never." Ranma said, flashing a thumbs up then moving to help the girl board the plug only to be intercepted by a miffed Akane. "Oh no, you don't!" Akane said as she rather roughly pushed the girl into the entry plug. She then spun on her heels and GLARED at Ranma. "We're engaged, MISS SAOTOME. And don't you forget it!" "Akane, that girl is risking her LIFE. There are no guarantees. Ask Kasumi!" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Both of them..." She raised her voice again. "I was just trying to give her some support, to show her SOMEONE cared, and all you can think about is that G&% D$&@ engagement!" She turned to look at the girl in the entry plug, giving her a warm smile. "Good luck, see you in a few!" "Thanks, Ranma!" Gloss whispered, as she gave her friend a brave smile, her face showing a bruise resulting from Akane's rough treatment. "I'm sorry, good luck!" Akane said, noting the girl's bruise with some chagrin. "Thanks..." The candidate replied with a smile. Nabiki gave Gloss a thumbs-up, which was returned with one hand as the other pushed the button to close the hatch. The plug as inserted and the calibration began. ---- "Cockpit voice interface Mandarin." The mechanical voice said. "Hello, Gloss, We're injecting LCL into the entry plug. You will be able to breathe normally, so don't be alarmed." Shampoo told her charge. Gloss thought that this wasn't quite what she was expecting as the liquid crept further and further up until it covered her head. She finally invited the fluid into her lungs, and found it wasn't too bad after all. The VR system came on line. "We're going to do some interface testing." Ukyou said as her image appeared in the midst of the VR display, her face displaying a frown. "Gloss, is Mandarin your native language?" 'What do I do?' She thought. 'Tell the truth.' "No, Japanese was my first language, though I speak Mandarin fluently." "Thanks." Ukyou replied. "Cockpit voice interface Japanese." "That's better!" Ukyou said with a smile. The curves seemed much more stable with Japanese as the language. She mentally kicked herself for not starting with the pilot's native tongue. After running a few tests she announced, "We're done with the calibration!" Ukyou then began furiously typing on her keyboard, trying to re-configure the JAVA so it would be able to synchronize with its pilot. Finally, she was done. She flipped a single switch, as she announced, "beginning synchronization test." The chart on Dr. Kuonji's monitor showed the synchronization in progress, as the curves strove to unite... Ranma heard the command to begin the synchronization test. She wondered how many seconds Kasumi 1 lived before... Akane hoped she would get a chance to apologize to the new pilot for her jealous outburst. She HAD to give Ranma more credit. Nabiki wore her usual poker face. Back in Joketsuzoku 3, Kasumi paused for a moment in her dinner preparations. Gloss knew she SHOULD be able to synchronize, but was all she planned to do worth the risk? Yes, she had trusted others far too long; this was her opportunity to act. Suddenly, she was filled with a strange sensation, then almost euphoria, as she WAS unit 4. She was now taller and stronger that she ever could have imagined. It would take time, and training, to become used to this new aspect of her existence, but she had many people to help her. She realized her training had already begun. Gloss smiled. Ukyou's voice came over the loudspeaker. "Synchronization complete and nominal. Looks like we have a new pilot!" The three girls on the platform embraced each other, then turned to watch the JAVA engage in training maneuvers. Genma looked with concern on the unexpected developments in the hanger. "What the HELL is going on here, Tendovski?" "I would ask the same of you, but are we to look a gift pilot in the mouth?" "In the mouth and in every cell! How on earth did she synchronize?" Though Nabiki had not yet engaged in cockpit training, she could see that Gloss was in complete control of the JAVA, as she shot at a procession of holographic targets, then engaged in simulated close combat. She seemed to rely on the small knife that the JAVAs carried, as Nabiki had expected, though the two-handed approach was clearly not appropriate for the small weapon. "A Knife's NOT a katana," Nabiki said, shaking her head. Ranma turned to Akane. "Maybe we should ask Dr. Kuonji about getting some hand-to-hand weapons to carry that are bigger than that knife. I know my mom is going to help me brush up on Kendo, and Gloss is clearly a weapons-user, perhaps they could make us JAVA katanas?" "Why stop at a katana, Ranma? How about a JAVA claymore?" Nabiki asked, smiling. "Well, I don't have to worry about a katana OR a claymore!" Akane stated with a superior air, "I have my mallet!" "Well I'd take a Katana any day over your stupid old mallet!" Ranma smirked. "OH YEAH!" Akane summoned her mallet and prepared to knock Ranma, and her smirk, into the next time zone. "Temper, temper, Akane!" "I'll show you temper!" Akane lunged at Ranma, who jumped back and summoned her own mallet. "Do you feel lucky, Akane? Go ahead, make my day!" The girls began a strange dance of mallet strikes, blocks, and dodges. Nabiki looked at the ground and shook her head, calming herself with a new mantra. "She's NOT my sister... She's NOT my fiancee... She's NOT..." Ranma spoke as she continued to dodge and strike. "So... Akane... what does... this prove?" Probably that talking was not a good idea, Ranma finally slipped and Akane finally connected. Her mallet's honor satisfied at last, Akane dismissed the weapon. Seeing double after Akane's solid blow, Ranma dismissed both of hers. "We SHOULD talk to Ukyou about this!" Akane said, continuing their interrupted conversation. Ranma shook her head a few times, clearing her vision. "About your tomboy temper? I think Shampoo's more concerned about things like that!" "No, baka, about getting you some real weapons to use in combat." "Good Idea, Akane-chan! Now how long ago was it I suggested THAT?" Ranma winked at her fiancee then turned to watch Gloss conclude her initial training maneuvers. Akane could only stare open-mouthed at Ranma's back. ---- The exercise was finally over. The plug was released from the interior of Unit 4 and opened. Gloss stepped out to the cheers of the other three pilots. Drs. Tendovski and Saotome stood behind the excited children. "Congratulations!" Genma said with a smile, of a sort. "Could we have a few words with you?" "Yes..." Gloss replied, flanked by the other three pilots. "Alone?" Genma asked, or was it commanded? "Dr. Saotome, the LEAF Charter states that 'Pilots being children, any interrogation of a pilot must be witnessed by staff members and relatives of the pilot's choosing.' Section 5 paragraph 7." Nabiki grinned smugly. "Very well, perhaps another time. Welcome to LEAF." A sour-faced Genma responded, GLARED at Nabiki, then turned and left with Tendovski in close pursuit. "Thanks, Nabiki!" Gloss responded, smiling. "No problem!" The four girls left the hanger. Three had a new companion to help them in their struggle, the fourth had three new friends. They were almost... happy... almost children again, but they still faced a horror no adults could, could they? ---- "So, Saotome, how do you propose to investigate the new pilot?" "Well, Tendovski, she WILL need to have a complete physical examination. I'm sure we'll have a few blood and tissue samples to 'interrogate'. And they won't lie OR force us to answer to any LEAF code of conduct." "Da. Her synchronization is a mystery. Could you wife have had another child? Or have you..." "No, she would be too young. And no, I have not. I would ask the same of you, Tendovski." "How could you even THINK such a thing?" "Well, you asked ME..." "Very well, it seems her synchronization remains a mystery." "But one we WILL solve, Tendovski." ---- Ranma, Akane, Nabiki, and Gloss walked from the LEAF HQ. It seemed that the new pilot would not be spared THIS interrogation. "So, Gloss are you from this area?" Ranma asked. "Actually I was born in Japan, but I've been here a while." "So you're from Japan? Maybe that's why I get the impression I know you, that I've seen you before." She looked carefully at the girl, much as she had her mother when she first saw her after so many years. "Well, that's nice, Ranma. I've really got to be going!" The girl hurried off in the opposite direction they had been walking. Ranma contemplated her new friend's actions for a few moments, wondering what she was hiding. "Your new girlfriend is quite a mystery woman, Ranma." Akane said with a bit of sarcasm. "I don't feel that way about her, Akane. Honest. I just get the feeling she's in a lot of trouble and needs our help." "I wouldn't worry about her. She can take care of herself." Nabiki said with confidence. "You seem to know a lot about her Nabiki, care to share?" "No." As was the lot of the Jusenkyo cursed, an elderly woman chose THAT instant to splash some water on the concrete porch in front of her house. Needless to say, there were now two wet boys and a wet girl standing in front of her house. Ranma couldn't help laughing about her friends' misfortune. "How do you like THIS water Ranma?" Nabiki asked as he poured the thermos of hot water he carried on the laughing girl, who became a laughing boy. "Or how about this..." It seemed Akane couldn't summon a mallet in his present form. Conversation stopped as the three heard a scream from above and looked up to see a girl falling toward them. The three boys positioned themselves to catch her, which they did. They now held a girl in a leotard. "I owe my life to you three. I must repay you with my undying love." The girl began to laugh somewhat maniacally. ---- Next on Neo Genus Jusenkyo... Episode 07 Tatewaki Has Two? Kodachi Gets Three! Hot vs. Cold! (END)