Divinity		       

		    By Kyle Emmerson

    Ranma 1/2 and all of its characters and situations are
the creation and property of Rumiko Takahashi. I use
these characters and situations without permission.

	Chapter Eight: The Kids Aren't All Right

****

	"What's taking them so long?" Aizen muttered,
glancing at the clock on the wall. "Saotome should have been
out at least by now."

	Aizen looked around the restaurant. There was only
one thing she could do.

	"Hey, I'm gonna go see what's keeping Ranko, okay?"
She told Akane, and then looked over towards Ryouga. "Why
don't you see what's keeping YOUR friend?"

	Ryouga snapped out of his reverie for a moment, and
then nodded. He got up and then bounded off the 
bathroom.

	"I'll be back in a minute, Akane," Aizen said,
trotting happily towards the bathroom.

****

	Akane sighed. She had no idea that Aizen was going
to be there, or even that Hibiki guy. Akane wasn't sure she
was very comfortable there by herself.

	But it would be rude to just get up and leave. She
couldn't do that. If things got too out of hand, she'd just
tell them politely that she had to go. That was all she
needed to do.

	She looked up over towards the far side of the
shoppe and noticed two boys looking at her strangely.

	Shaking it off, she looked out the window near her
booth.

	And let her jaw drop. Why was Yuka gawking at her
from across the street?

	And most of all, why was she dressed up in a
trenchcoat, hat and sunglasses, holding up a newspaper like
the protagonist in old 1950 spy movies usually did?

	Akane glared across the street. Yuka quickly noticed
it, and covered her face with the newspaper, as if she was
trying to read it.

	Akane's face went stale. The newspaper was upside
down.

	The yell from the bathroom clenched it. She HAD to
get out of there.

****

	"Hey, Ranma," Ryouga called, entering the bathroom.
"You in there?"

	There was no answer. He looked under the stalls. No
feet.

	There was a shadow, however.

	"Come on, buddy. I know you're in there. I can see
your shadow."

	Ryouga walked over to the stall and pushed it open.

	Nobody there. Ryouga blinked in confusion. He was
certain he could see a shadow. But there was nothing there,
just an odd chill up his spine.

	He turned around and regarded the open window.

	"Oh, man, you didn't," he said. "You can't bail on
me now, Ranma!"

	Ryouga ran to the window and looked out. Nobody in
the alley. Maybe he was just imagining things.

	Then, Ryouga heard a sound. He spun around,
searching for the source and--

	Saw nothing. Absolutely nothing.

	Shaking his head, he walked over to the sink. "I
need to lay off of the caffeine," he said to himself as he
placed his hands under the faucet, turning the water on and
splashing some in his face.

	He looked into the mirror for a moment, and paused.

	A dark shape on the ceiling, moving silently towards
him.

	Ryouga spun around, took one look at the form on the
ceiling, and screamed at the top of his lungs.

****

	"Hello?" Aizen called, walking into the womens room.
"Hey, Saotome, you here?"

	No answer. Aizen bent over and saw two feet in one
of the stalls.

	"Come on, Saotome, Akane's waiting for us. You wanna
get this over with or what?"

	No answer. Aizen walked over to the stall.

	"Saotome, come on, you can't get cold feet now.
We've got too much riding on this setup."

	Again, no reply.

	Aizen was getting frustrated. "Come ON, Saotome!"
She said, kicking the door open.

	Aizen's jaw dropped open.

	"You might try knocking first," the girl said,
glaring at Aizen.

	"You're... not Saotome," was Aizen's only reply.

	The girl smiled sarcastically. "What was your first
guess?"

	A moment later, Aizen heard the scream.

	"Oh no," she said, running out of the bathroom.

****

	Not good. Definitely NOT good.

	Takao dropped from the ceiling and rushed towards
Ryouga.

	Here goes nothing.

	"Shhh," he said, clamping his hands over Ryouga's
mouth. "Ryouga, it's me!"

	Ryouga's eyes narrowed. "Ranma?"

	Takao nodded.

	Ryouga shook his head. "What happened to you?"

	Takao's jaw dropped.

	"I mean, how did you get up there?! And how did you
get so... BIG?!"

	No. There was too much riding on this. Yuka knew, he
didn't need Ryouga to know. Ryouga would let it slip
somehow.

	"Inflatable muscles," he beamed.

	Ryouga's jaw dropped. "Inflatable? But then.. how
did you--"

	"Oh, up there? Helium!"

	Ryouga nodded as if it had just dawned on him.
"Well, you should get back out there. Akane Tendo is here
now, and Ranko just walked in."

	Takao nodded. "Sure."

	"And take that stuff off. You look ridiculous!" he
added. "Besides, I can see the seam!"

	Takao grit his teeth and continued to nod.

	Just then, Aizen hopped into the room, looking
around frantically.

	Ryouga went into stutter mode immediately. "Uhh, hi
Aizen! What... ah, brings you here?"

	"I heard someone scream," she replied, looking at
the two of them. "Have you guys seen Ranko any where?"

	Ryouga shook his head.

	"I think she, ah... changed," Takao said.

	Aizen shook her head. "No, she changed at home."

	Takao sighed. "No, I mean she got a little HOT, and
CHANGED."

	Aizen blinked. "She didn't look that hot to me," she
replied.

	"I think she had a little JUSENKYO in her system."

	"Is that a type of food or something?" Aizen asked.

	"Oh for crying out loud!" Takao yelled. It was a
good thing Ryouga was in a daze, or else he would have
actually noticed Takao's gestures.

	"What are you doing?" Aizen asked.

	Takao just pointed at himself, then to the taps.

	"Ooh, charades? I know, I know..."

	Takao let his shoulders droop.

	"Neanderthal!"

	Shaking his head, he decided to play along. He
pointed at himself.

	"You," Aizen said.

	Takao nodded, and then started to rub his hands as
though he were trying to wash them.

	"You've become a massage therapist?"

	Takao shot a venomous glare at Aizen.

	"You've become a door-to-door massage therapist?"

	Takao dropped his shoulders again. "Oh for crying
out loud, Aizen!"

	"Is that it? Did I win?"

	Takao just looked at her. "How was your date with
Anuket?"

	Aizen's eyes shot open. "OH! Ranko CHANGED! I
understand!"

	She looked down for a moment. "Ryouga, would you
wait in the booth for a minute, I've just got to talk with
Ranma here for a moment."

	Ryouga nodded, stuttered something, and then walked
out of the restroom.

	Aizen looked towards Takao and sighed. "So, she told
you, then eh?"

	Takao blinked. "Huh?"

	"It puts a lot of this in jeopardy, but you've got
to understand our situation. Both of us wanna go home, and
you and Ak--"

	"Aizen--"

	"No, let me finish. I don't wanna mess with your--"

	"Shut up, Aizen! I _AM_ Ranma!"

	"I know, I was talking about the other--... Oh."

	Takao shook his head.

	"So you're... Saotome from..."

	"Yes," he said, shaking his head sadly. "The new
Ranma skipped out on us. I don't have any cold water to
change back."

	Aizen nodded. "Ahh, I see."

	"What do we do?"

	Aizen sighed. "How about this?"

****

	"I dunno, they've been in there a little bit too 
long if you ask me. This isn't a good thing," Kire muttered.

	Masa shook his head. "We can't risk being discovered
by those evil cultists right now."

	Kire sighed and just kept staring. The girl they had
been charged with watching closely was looking around in
discomfort, staring across the street like she knew someone
over there and being generally suspicious.

	But as for Kire and Masa, they had come to the final
conclusion that they were to prevent Akane Tendo and Ranma
Saotome from getting with each other, for fear of some
global, perhaps universal apocalypse that would destroy all
known life should the evil cultists succeed.

	The evil cultists, of course, being the two girls
who were trying to set Saotome and Tendo up with each other.

	Of course, less important possibilities never even
penetrated their train of thought.

	The two of them kept staring at Akane, even as
someone came out of one of the bathrooms.

	It was the other boy, who had been sitting by
himself.

	"He looks like he's preoccupied," Masa pointed out.

	"Maybe he's been brainwashed," Kire said, looking at
Masa. "Evil cultists can do that, you know!"

	Masa's jaw dropped. "You think they would stoop to
brainwashing?"

	Kire shrugged. "Look at them, they're trying to
initiate Armageddon. I don't think brainwashing is above
them."

	Masa just shook his head and kept watching.

****

	"Oh," Akane said, just as she was about to get up to
leave, watching Ryouga walk towards her table. "I was,
umm... Just going to ah... stretch. That's all!"

	Ryouga just nodded and slumped down at the table.

	"What was that yell I heard?"

	Ryouga looked over at Akane for a moment and sighed.
"Oh, uhh. That was just Ranma. He was floating around the
bathroom."

	Akane's eyes narrowed. "Floating?"

	Ryouga nodded. "Yeah, he just dropped in on me,
that's all."

	Akane shook her head in confusion, and then once
again started to get up. She didn't care if Ryouga was right
there. She HAD to leave.

	And then the bathroom door swung open. If Akane was
to leave, she'd have to do it now.

	"All right, all right, I'm going," the voice called,
audibly annoyed.

	Akane paused. The voice sounded familiar.

	Of course it does! It's Ranma Saotome! He's in her
class, for goodness sake!

	She let her eyes wander over to the door, and
immediately dropped herself into her chair.

	It wasn't in fact, Ranma Saotome. She hadn't
actually memorized the way he looked, but he sure wasn't
THAT big.

	She did, however, have Takao Satohara's face burned
into memory.

	"Uhh, hi there, Akane," Takao spit out, placing on
arm behind his head.

	Akane's mind reeled. What was she going to do? This
was the only man who had ever turned down a fight with her.
By that event alone, she should have been done with him,
chalking it up to simple fear.

	But deep inside, she knew. It wasn't fear of losing
that caused Takao to decline the fight, and there was no
cockiness of knowing he'd be able to win.

	He had just declined because he didn't WANT to fight
her.

	Akane's mind was a total blank. She didn't know
whether to offer him a place to sit, or try and fight him
then and there.

	So she did the first thing that popped into her
mind. She stood up, looked at him, then bowed.

	"Ready to fight?" she asked.

****

	"Umm... wha?" Takao said, dumbfounded.

	"Ditto," Aizen said. "How... wha?"

	"Come on, you ran away from me last night," Akane
said. "You afraid to fight me or what?"

	Takao looked around the restaurant. "In here?"

	"So much for THAT idea," Aizen said. "You never told
me you met Akane, as... ummm... well, yourself."

	"Did I forget to mention that?"

	Akane let the conversation go through one ear and
out there other. She just stared Takao straight in the eye
and kept her stance up.

	"Well, are we gonna fight, or are you a scaredy
cat?"

	Takao flinched. "A... what?"

	"You heard me!" Akane shot back.

	Takao flinched again. "I am NOT a.... cat," he said
with a shudder.

	"Prove it," she smiled.

	Aizen just shook her head. "Ra--- uhhh... Hey, you,"
she tapped Takao on the shoulder.

	"What?" he shot a look at her like a venomous glare.

	Aizen shrunk back and just shook her head.

	Now, of all times, was the time that Ryouga snapped
back into reality. He stood up and looked at Takao and
Akane. Ryouga, still as dense as ever, decided to speak.

	"Uhhh... What's going on?"

	Takao's eyes narrowed. "Nothing Ryouga, sit down."

	"S... Ra... umm... Whatever you're called, are you
sure this is really wise? I mean, think about it a second."

	The aura began to glow between the two of them.
Akane shrunk back for a moment, not expecting to see Takao's
battle aura flare up, but then let hers grow along with it.

	Ryouga, for once, got smart and shrunk back. "I...
uhhh... Ranma? What's goin on?"

	Akane didn't let the name register until a few
moments later.

	After she had launched her attack.

	"Come on, guys! This is a restaurant!"

****

	Masa and Kire just stared, and broke out in
laughter.

	"Look at them! I can't BELIEVE we were worried about
THOSE two getting together. This assignment's gonna be a
breeze!" Kire said as Akane launched her attack, a short
aerial kick, which the Saotome guy dodged with amazing ease.

	"Yeah, that's amazing. We should still keep an eye
on them, though."

	Kire nodded. "Well, of course. But I can't believe
these cultists actually think they're going to be able to DO
this. It's... IMPOSSIBLE!"

	Akane launched another kick, and Saotome avoided
that one just as easily, by sidestepping it and letting her
leg hit the table across from them. There was a crowd
beginning to grow.

****

	"Guys, it's a restaurant! I don't know much about
this plane, but I do know the word POLICE! We'll be
arrested!"

	Akane didn't care, and neither did Takao. Ryouga
just stared in amazement, as his friend for years, who had
never shown so much as a passing interest in the martial
arts, was now, stylishly, dodging every single one of
Akane's moves.

	Some moves, Ryouga told himself, even HE would have
trouble blocking or dodging. Not only was his friend dodging
the attacks completely, he was doing it with style. AND he
seemed to be ENJOYING it.

	It couldn't have been that his friend has been
practicing the art behind his back. There was no way. Ryouga
remembered getting his friend out of SEVERAL sticky
situations.

	Ryouga's mind was blown. What he was seeing was
impossible.

	"Let's take this outside, shall we?" Takao
suggested, and he did a side leap over Akane's head.

	Which, incidentally, only succeeded in making her
more angry.

	"Stand still and FIGHT!" Akane bellowed, chasing
Takao out the door.

	Ryouga did the only thing his feeble mind could even
consider at the moment.

	He followed.

****

	It was the... cat comment. Everyone was playing on
his fear, and for once, Ranma was sick of it.

	Sure, he realized afterward that there was no
possible way for THIS Akane to know, but that didn't excuse
her from challenging him in the first place.

	He had never meant to get into a challenge, back at
that particular moment, he was out of options. Once out on
the sidewalk, he could really let loose. Perhaps even subdue
her.

	Maybe a little bit of humiliation would be in order.

	"Why won't you FIGHT?! Are you scared of me?"

	"Nope," Takao said as he leapt up over her head and
executed a somersault, landing directly behind her.

	With missing a beat, he poked her in the back on the
head. Takao smirked at the irony of the whole situation.

	Oh well, no time for nostalgia. Takao rolled on the
ground, dodging another of Akane's kicks. He was wearing her
out, soon she would be too tired to fight any longer, and
that would be when--

	Wait. Takao put that thought on hold. If he
humiliates her, or even beats her, that would mean the
chances of getting her with THIS worlds Ranma would be even
harder.

	No. He couldn't do that. But he couldn't just
lose... that would be... wrong!

	Wrong to who? There's nobody else from his own world
on this world. Nobody would know. Except for Aizen, and he'd
understand.

	So throw the fight, then?

	No. Right now it would be too obvious, to just stop
moving and let Akane hit him like a training dummy. He had
to think of something.

	Thinking quickly was one of his specialties. And a
moment later, he had the plan all figured out.

	Playing the klutz would hurt his pride, so he
couldn't do that. He had to somehow give Akane an opening
she'd take advantage of. He had to let her kick him at the
side of the head. Sure.

	He'd studied the Akane on his own world fight
enough, he knew exactly how to do it. He left his opening by
standing in one spot, and spreading his legs apart. He began
to block, rather than dodge.

	He could see Akane's renewed fervor into the fight
after that point. It meant that she was wearing him down.

	Or so she thought. Takao chose the exact moment to
leave the opening.

	He closed his eyes, preparing for the impact.

	It never came. Instead, Akane hadn't used the
opening. She had come up with her alternate leg and hit the
other side.

	That's fine. Even Ranma could be well into a move
and not pick up the opening. That's fine. He'd just have to
leave another one for her. Something subtle.

	"Hey, look out!" Someone called from behind him.

	Takao smiled. Perfect for subtlety, he let his guard
down again for a moment.

	But Akane still didn't take the opening. Something
was up. She was still fighting him. Maybe getting a little
worn out, but she was still fighting quite well.

	"It's the evil cultists!" another voice called.

	Takao didn't care this time. He just left another
opening.

	Akane still didn't take it.

	What was going on? This Akane was just as good as
the other Akane. He knew both styles of attack like the back
of his hand. They were exactly the same.

	As Takao got sincerely distracted, Akane took her
chance. She brought up a powerhouse kick.

	And it landed Takao directly in the groin.

	He doubled over, groaning.

	Maybe he didn't know this Akane's fighting style as
well as he thought.

	A moment later, Takao lost consciousness.

****

	"Oh, this ain't good," Aizen said, looking down.

	Akane rested her hands on her knees, trying to catch
her breath.

	"I.. I did it," she said, wheezing.

	Aizen nodded. "I'll say. You sacked him right good
there, Akane."

	"Hmph!" Akane said. "Serves him right! Pervert!"

	Aizen blinked in shock. "Pervert? What'd he do?"

	"He wouldn't fight me last night!" she accused.

	"Wait. Ranma was going to fight you last night?"
Ryouga asked, his jaw dropped open.

	Akane looked at Ryouga confusedly. "R... Ranma?"

	Aizen swallowed her breath. She had to think of
something fast.

	Ryouga nodded. "Yeah, Ranma Saotome. You know, he's
in our class?"

	She looked down at him, half shocked. "I... He IS
Ranma. Oh my God! I thought he was someone else!"

	Ryouga bent over to the crumpled form of his friend
and checked him out. "I guess it was the inflatable
muscles."

	Akane blinked. "Inflatable? They sure didn't feel
inflatable to me!"

	Ryouga narrowed his eyes as he checked it out for
himself.

	No, Ranma's muscles sure weren't inflatable. Then
who...

	"Okay, I'll admit it. I'm lost."

	Aizen let out an unintended chuckle.

	"Aizen? What's going on?" Akane looked up and asked.

	Aizen needed to think of something. She needed to...

	Oh hell... Here goes nothing.

****

	"Really?!" Ryouga exclaimed. "I had no idea! I
didn't think Ranma's parents were the type to--"

	"Well, his parents don't really know yet. Ranko is
staying there, and they haven't made the connection, which
is why Takao is kind of shying away from the place."

	"But how come he acted like Ranma when I saw him? I
mean, he could have told me!"

	"Because Ranma himself doesn't know yet. And they're
not supposed to know. Not for a while."

	Ryouga shook his head. "Why not? I mean, if he's
Ranma's brother, then he has a right to know!"

	Aizen looked down. It wasn't the most creative of
excuses, but anything would work out. She just had to...

	That's it. Her recollections from another reality.
She's just use the name of that top secret organization...
what was it? Oh yeah.

	"MERV."

	Both Akane and Ryouga blinked, moving in to listen
closer.

	"What?"

	"MERV. Takao and I work for a top secret
organization called MERV."

	"Really? Then why...?" Akane began.

	"Are we here? We're tracking down two dangerous
international criminals, that we believe may be using a
cover of two Furinkan High School students. We've already
spoken to a friend of yours, Akane. Yuka is in on this with
us."

	Akane nodded. "That explains a lot, actually."

	Ryouga backed away from the table. I'm sorry, I'm
just having some trouble believing this."

	Aizen shrugged. "That's your prerogative. But if you
say anything to anyone on this, we'll hafta kill you."

	Ryouga blinked in shock. "Well, I didn't say you
couldn't convince me! I mean, come on now!"

	Aizen swore inwardly. How could she...

	She looked over towards the still unconscious form
of Takao.

	"I'll prove it to you, but you've got to take things
the way I say it."

	Akane nodded. She was more curious than anyone about
it.

	"Yeah, I guess," Ryouga said, trying not to show how
intrigued her was.

	Aizen walked over to the Tendo kitchen. "There's
nobody home, right?"

	Akane shook her head from the tea room, where the
three of them were sitting. Somehow, Ryouga had managed to
carry Takao all the way to the Tendo home.

	Aizen took a glass of cold water, and poured it over
Takao.

	Ryouga stared for a moment, and then realization
began to dawn.

	Akane just stared in total disbelief and shock.

	"How... It's Ranko!"

	"Yes, you see, Takao IS Ranko. Ranko IS Takao. The
bigwigs at MERV signed us up for a highly advanced human
disguise technology. My unit is broken, but I'm really a
guy."

	Ryouga shied away a bit at that.

	"Takao's unit is still working though."

	"So, it's only a hologram?"

	"Not really, it's more of a mini gene-splicer. Like,
Y chromosome in a bottle type thing. Cold water will soak
into his skin, and cause a body-wide chain reaction,
changing his whole appearance. Shrinking him down, and
making him female."

	"But, what about--"

	"Well, I'm kinda stuck like this until I can get
fixed, and it'll be a couple of weeks."

	"So, then.... How?"

	"How does it work? Do I look like one of the
scientist guys? I've got no clue."

	Ryouga stared in disbelief. "So, why are they...
he... she.... umm... THAT, why is... it staying at Ranma's
place?"

	"Part of a memory erasure system. He's there in girl
form to keep an eye on things. He's also going to help his
brother out just a tad."

	"With what?" Akane asked.

	"That's top secret, Akane. I'm afraid I can't
divulge that information."

	A groan from the corner resounded, and the three of
them looked over to the stirring form of Ranko.

	"Are you all right, Takao? If I had known, I
wouldn't have--" Akane began, frantic for an apology.

	Ranko sat up and felt her forehead. She checked her
nether regions a moment later, to ensure they were still
attached.

	She let out an ear piercing scream. "You CUT 'em
OFF!"

	"Relax, Saotome!" Aizen yelled. "You're in girl
form!"

	Ranko calmed down a moment later, and checked
herself.

	True enough, she was in girl form. But then--

	She looked up. Akane had called her Takao. Did that
mean--?

	"Aizen...?"

	"I told them, Takao," she said.

	Ranko got extremely dizzy for a moment, and then
slumped back to the floor.

	"Well," Aizen said as Ranko lost consciousness. "She
took that well."

****

Authors notes:

Sorry for the delay, folks. Things have been really hectic
on the homefront, which you would know if you were paying
attention to my last few posts. Anyhoo, here's the next
chapter. I must apologize for the quality, it's not as...
good as the previous chapters, but I'm nearly out of time and
I want to get out as much as possible before the 15th.

Anyway, C&C is, as usual, GREATLY appreciated.