~~Chapter 9~~

The Hideout, At Last...

	Falling at increasing velocity, the duo landed with a tremendous 
****THUD****. Vibrations rattled all loose objects in the area. Concentric 
dust rings issued forth from yet another crater. Craters dotted the 
landscape from the city into the suburbs. "WOW!!! That was a good one!",  
announced the Tick enthusiastically. "I never knew a giant spatula could 
parasail for that long!" said the Tick, pulling Spatula Girl and himself out 
of the giant crater created by the leap from the Furinkan High rooftop. 
	Ukyo clung to the giant spatula for dear life. Her ghost-white countenance 
shivered, uncontrollably. As her color returned to her, she realized that 
she was on the ground. She was stationary, not being held or dragged. She 
thanked the heavens that it was over. Anger, from her treatment by the evil 
blue being, bubbled up from deep within. She wielded her weapon and directed 
all her anger through it. She assaulted the Tick with all her might. As she 
looked up, breathing heavily after her swings, a feeling of defeat replaced 
the anger. No effect; not even a scratch. She didn't even think that he 
noticed. With that in mind, she proceeded to bolt towards the Tendo Dojo 
which lay down the road.
	"Absolutely right, Spatula Girl! No time to lose with self congratulations! 
Onward to battle!" proclaimed the Tick unaware of the murder attempt. He 
sprinted after Spatula Girl towards the hideout.

Back at the Tendos...

	The group sat in the living room in silence for a short period. A crash, 
like thunder, could be heard in the distance; then, silence again overtook 
the room.. The fragrance of something pretty darn good wafted through the 
air. The bizarre tale Ranma spun, coupled with the bizarre state of Ranma, 
had everybody thinking. The orange-red glow of dawn could be seen outside. 
Everybody just wanted to sleep, except Washu, who was perky as ever.
	Kasumi sat and thought about Ranma's story, about the crows. She thought of 
the stories that mother would tell her. She imagined herself standing next 
to her mother in the kitchen. Between lessons, while they waited for the 
food to cook, mother would tell her stories to keep her occupied. Many of 
the stories were pleasant and fun; others really scared her. She was glad 
that they were just legend. Suddenly, it came to her; the Changeling Crows, 
the Hengeyokai. Kasumi was brought back to the present by a loud order from 
Mr. Saotome.
	"Don't go in there, Ranma!" Genma spoke harshly.
	"Quiet, Dad! I need some hot water. You know I hate this body!" Ranma stood 
up and walked towards the kitchen.
	That exchange perked Washu's ears. She studied Ranma. "Now that's very 
interesting," she thought affectionately, as she pondered Ranma's words. 
Washu simply loved these little puzzles.
	Kasumi called to Ranma, "Your father is right, It's not safe in there. 
Let's wait until Akane lets us in. In the meantime, I have something that I 
think you should know."
	Ranma, heeding Kasumi's words grudgingly, sat down on the one cushion left 
on the couch. Ranma looked at Kasumi curiously.
	Kasumi began to speak softly, "The crows that you mentioned sound like 
Hengeyokai."
	"Hen - ge - yowhashis?" Ranma stammered, confused.
	"Hengeyokai. They are intelligent, shape-changing creatures of legend. They 
can take the form of a person or a specific animal," Kasumi continued. "Its 
a legend that mother told me."
	Ranma envisioned the crows. The way they stared right at him and spoke, it 
really spooked him.
	"But... those creatures! They supposedly lived in the countryside and 
they're only a legend," Genma interjected.
	"Hah! Since when has legend stopped anything from happening in this town?" 
Ranma snapped at Genma. Her eyes gleaming with experience.
	Washu sat in her chair and listened to their conversation. "Hot water? 
hmm.. that sounds a little familiar." Washu reached into subspace for her 
computer. She knew it only had so much internal power, she had to chance the 
Terran powernet. Her laptop contained data on  all known Terran anomalies. 
She had been analyzing them during her research into Tenchi's manifestation 
of the Light Hawk Wings. She walked over to a lamp and followed its power 
cord to the wall outlet. Pulling out the light's powercord, she studied the 
prong at the end. Producing a similar wire from her laptop she concentrated 
for a second. The wire transformed itself to the style of the lamp 
powercord. "Well, here goes nothing!", Washu muttered and plugged it into 
the wall.
	The computer slowly came to power. It automatically configured itself to 
the low power intake. "Hmm... it appears that I've underestimated Terran 
engineering..." she said as she quickly navigated through her various 
databases. Just as she arrived at what she was searching for, the laptop 
winked off. "Damn!" she cursed as a small explosion could be heard right 
where the voltage meter was situated. All the power in the house, the 
neighborhood, and anything else serviced by Tokyo Electric Power was out. 
	Looking out the window, Nabiki saw a large plume of smoke where the Tokyo 
Electric Power facilities were situated. "Looks like it's going to be a long 
day."
	The group looked around in confusion as the lights went out. Kasumi shot a 
quick glance to Akane in the kitchen. "The oven?" she thought in concern. 
She then breathed a sigh of relief as Akane was watching something cool off 
on the table. It also appeared that Akane was writing something down in the 
light that was creeping into the kitchen.
	Washu angrily folded up her laptop and dropped it into subspace. Washu 
surveyed the room. Her only response to the blank faces staring at her was a 
sheepish , "Sorry about that." She wandered out of the living room into the 
hall. She found the bathroom and proceeded to fill up a cup of hot water. 
She returned to the group with the cup. "So what does she do with this," 
malevolently brandishing the cup. 
	Genma walked up to her and took the cup. "He wears it, like this!" 
Unceremoniously he throw the water at Ranma. 
	Washu utterly fascinated by the change, eyed Ranma very fondly. She walked 
right up to him and examined him , very closely, ignoring the protestations 
of Ranma. "Mmmm... pleease, Ranma, let me see how that works, " Washu 
squealed,  her face flushed.
	Suddenly a mallet flew out of the kitchen, braining Washu. The impact 
knocked her off Ranma, onto the floor. Washu just lay on the floor, 
lamenting, "pheromones... another one with pheromones. I'm really going to 
have to control myself around him." 
	Outside the gate to the Tendo's yard, Kuno groggily awoke. A pain pounded 
in his head. "What has happened?" Kuno said  wearily as he rubbed his head. 
He spied a cup next to him with money in it. There was also note which said, 
"Get a job." He crumpled the note. "Who dares dishonor the Blue Thunder in 
such a fashion!"
	Those were the last words Kuno uttered before getting trampled by a 
rampaging Ukyo. "Out of the way if you value your life, " she screamed a 
late warning.
	Kuno once again struggled to right himself up. He wiped the dirt and gravel 
off of his face. "Nay, I shan't be disgraced!" Kuno's attempt to stand was 
thwarted and crushed by a large blue blur. 

***

	"RANMA SAOTOME, COME OUT NOW!!! FACE ME ... THE TICK! FACE HE WHO WILL END 
YOUR FOUL PERVERSION! AS THE SUN RISES TO END THE DARKNESS, SO SHALL I END 
THE DARKNESS OF YOUR EVIL WAYS!!!

~~Chapter 10~~

Nemesis...

	Approximately 200 feet from the Tendo residence, a man-sized, shadow-like, 
figure is atop a high-tension wire pole. Clad in a dusty blue cloak, he 
surveys the land below him. The view of the Tendo yard is perfect from this 
vantage point. Fondling a recently removed powerflow regulator, still 
smoking after its abrupt removal, he laughs, then stops abruptly. A voice 
speaks:

	Soon... It shall be completed ... I will exist ... Do not fail me and you 
will be rewarded.

	He expressed a smile of utter evil as he spoke to the voice in his head, "I 
feel that you have been successful. I feel your power growing as we 
converse. Grand! I shall stay the same course and await your manifestation 
here." 
	He looks to the activity in the Tendo yard. In the tell-tale tones of the 
charismatically malevolent, he speaks loudly, "Ahh... the players have all 
finally arrived. The lights are dark and the spirits wake. LET THE GAMES 
BEGIN!!"

Confrontation at the Tendos...

	Ukyo quickly opened and closed the front door, much to the surprise of 
everybody. Panting and out of breath, she gasped, "He's nuts, crazy, lost 
his marbles..."
	Ranma stood up and approached Ukyo, "What's wrong? I saw all the spatulas 
outside your restaurant. Did that thing get to you too?"
	"Yes, you saw him too! I'm not living a nightmare!" said Ukyo, nearly 
crying in relief.
	Nabiki, interjecting herself into the conversation, spoke, "Umm... There's 
some bizarre blue guy screaming something in English in our yard."
	Ranma, speaking in a concerned tone, "Did he chase you here too?"
	Ukyo, "Chased me! He carried me, jumped around and damn near killed me!"
	Walking from the window to the door, Nabiki paused, then turned to Ranma. 
"Perhaps you should go do something about him. He wants you." 
	Curious about who was out in the yard, Genma walked over to the window and 
looked outside. "Ranma, you dishonor your training! You're scared of... him?"
	Ranma angrily turned to his father. "Fine! Then why don't, you, go out 
there and deal with him!"
	Panda-san replied with the sign, "Pandas don't speak English!",
	Genma's quick change freaked out Washu, who screamed in surprise. Composing 
herself, she asked, "Is this condition genetic?"
	Nabiki, in her dead-pan manner, answered Washu, "The curse or the stupidity?"
	Soun and Kasumi walked over to another window. 
	"What a curious person," Kasumi said, pondering the Tick.
	Soun nodded in agreement to Kasumi's statement.
	"Nabiki, open the door," Ranma said. Preparing himself for the 
confrontation, he stretched his arms and took a deep breath.

On the other side of the door...

	The Tick stood in the yard, at the ready. "Finally, the Demon-boy will make 
his appearance. Hmm... I must be ready for anything...anything."
	About 10 seconds pass  and the Tick's 'heroic senses' begin to kick in. 
"Spatula-girl hasn't returned from the hideout yet. I don't want to ruin her 
plan to flush him out. This is not good. Where is that Demon-boy? He may 
have already left the house. He may be planning an ambush."
	The Tick begins to look around wildly, his 'eyes' darting back and forth. 
"Tree? Rock? Bird? House? WHERE IS HE! RANMA SAOTOME!! FACE ME!!"

The door opens...

	Ranma, walking out the house, begins to size up the Tick. The rest of the 
party soon files out after him and takes up positions on the porch. Ranma 
walks down the steps slowly. The Tick, recomposing himself,  focuses on 
Ranma. The morning sun bathes the area in warm orange light. The morning 
birds can be heard chirping in the silence between Ranma and the Tick.
	The Tick ends the silence by pointing to Ranma and speaking, "Foul creature 
of evil, Ranma Saotome, perverse and demented soul, read these words, 
scribed in your own Hell's Tongue." The Tick begins to throw something then 
stops in some realization only known to him.
	The group just stares at the Tick. 
	Keeping his eye on the Tick, Ranma spoke out the side of his mouth,
"Can anybody make out what he said?"
	Nabiki, rubbing her chin, replies, "He's hardly speaking conversational 
English. He's throwing in adjectives that I've not heard in class. I think 
that he's insulting you and he wants you to read something."
	The Tick searches his body in futility. Like a slow, heavily chugging 
train, a realization hits the Tick. "I don't have the holy words because I 
don't have ANY POCKETS!! I really need a utility belt. I'll just have to 
improvise."
	The Tick quickly begins to explain that he must forcibly gather up Ranma. 
He explains to the others the evil insidious nature of Ranma. Nobody can get 
a clear message from his babbling.
	Suddenly, Washu walks up to the Tick. "At this rate we'll be here forever! 
" she exclaims. She produces a small, round, black disk, about the size of a 
U.S. half dollar. Reaching up, she slaps the circle on the Tick's chest. 
"Now, go tell Ranma that you want to pummel him into submission."
	"Pummel him into submission. Hey, I understood you! " The Tick says in 
surprise.
	The group quickly turned on his words, they all understood, especially 
Ranma. Ranma understood the words, "pummel him into submission" and quickly 
took a defensive posture.
	"Wow! This gadget is neat," The Tick said, tapping the disk. He turned his 
attention back to Ranma, "Yes, Ranma, I will bring you to justice for your 
crimes. You are just a boy, so I will be merciful, if you give yourself up."
	Ranma reflected a bit on the events of yesterday and had the feeling that 
this isn't the one who chased him home. With that fear draining away, he 
grew more confident. Ranma snapped back at the Tick, "I really don't know 
who or what you are. I don't know what you are talking about. If you come 
near me, I will hurt you!" 
	The Tick puffed up his chest a bit and spoke, "OK, Demon-boy, you now can 
count - The Tick - as your enemy, and enemies of - The Tick - get spanked 
for being naughty!"
	The Tick charges at Ranma, bellowing his battle cry... "YOU NOW FACE...THE 
TICK... 

							SPOOOOOOOOOON!!!!!!!!!!!"




[END OF PART II .... TO BE CONTINUED]
***************************************************************************
JUSTICAR, Eric M Baker in Real Life
^^^^^^-- The ArchBishop of the Church of Nabiki - Join Us!
            -- Defender of the 4th Dungeon Gate (Washu-Chan's Little Lab) 
            -- Nabiki no Iinazuke 
            -- Member of #WASHU#
            -- Visit my hompage at-- http://pages.map.com/~ebaker 

         Factoid - 160 tons of sunlight falls on the Earth every day.
***************************************************************************