Spoiled Brats - Chapter 24

[Cheb]

In my humble opinion, you shouldn't remove the scene with Shampoo and punishment.

[DarkFyre99]

It's chapter 24 still... And it's even shorter now... I sure hope this'll not be a case where perfection will become the enemy of good...

As the original draft of this chapter showed, haste is the enemy of good. Perfection is the enemy of speed. I really should've slept on that chapter before posting it for C&C... but then again, some good came out of it.

In my humble opinion, you shouldn't remove the scene with Shampoo and punishment.

Part Three of Encounters and Meetings is still being written right now, and I'm still debating on how I want to handle Ranma's meeting with the military. As things stand right now, Part Two is of average length for this fic, about 2500 words, and part Three has already reached 2000 words, and still being written.

Where the scene with Shampoo appears depends upon whether I can wrap up this very long day of Ranma's in three chapters, or if I will need four. If it's three chapters, I'll move it back to part two. If it's four chapters, I'll leave it in its new location, opening up part three.

[DarkFyre99]

Upon careful consideration, I decided to keep the events at school together, regardless of how long the other part(s) of this day are going to be.

Here is the slightly revised punishment of the Amazons

*heads off to the health club*

__________________________________

On the roof of Juuban High, five girls and one adult ate lunch, listening as Usagi described what had happened that morning, while a sixth girl listened in via her cell phone. When Usagi finished her story, Ranma shook her head. ‘Usagi-chan left something out, but I’m not sure what. And Naru-chan is still looking a little wide-eyed. I guess if you only knew Usagi’s civilian identity, connecting her with Sailor Moon would be a bit surreal.’ Out loud she said, “Herb sure has mellowed. I guess he got married, after all. Both the Musk Dynasty and Kiima are in Tokyo at the same time? What’s next, the Amazons?”

A familiar voice interrupted. “Hai. Long time no see… Takeda Megumi.”

Ranma looked up in surprise at the school’s clock tower. “Shampoo,” she said, nodding. “Your stealth techniques have improved greatly in the years since we last saw each other. What’s up?”

The Amazon warrior bowed low. “I thank you for your kind words. I bring you greetings from the Matriarch and the Council of the Amazons, Takeda-sama,” Shampoo said in very formal Japanese. “As per our agreement, I also bring two warriors, who have violated our laws, and sought to murder you and yours.” The Chinese woman kicked two bound young women off the top of the tower. “I leave their judgment to you, as a gesture of respect.”

The five girls stared in shock at the two tied up girls. When Ranma produced a tanto out of somewhere, their shock was transformed into alarm. “I take it they went after Minako-chan like Kiima did?”

“Hai. But to kill, not kidnap.”

Ranma glowered at the two Amazons for several minutes, allowing the fury she felt to abate. People were really tempting her kill reflex lately. She smiled evilly at the murderous pair before her, as a particularly appealing idea came to her. “Are they fully trained warriors, including the Hiryuu Shouten Ha and the Bakusai Tenketsu?”

“Hai.”

“Then I sentence them to the ordeal. If they live, all will be forgiven. If they die, then their judgement is upon their heads.” She weakened the ropes just enough for them to break free, eventually. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.” In a shimmer of air, Ranma and the two bound Amazons vanished. A second later, Ranma appeared about twenty meters above the roof. She fell fast, the force of her landing leaving a crater of cracked rooftop.

Shampoo hopped down. “What did you do to them?”

“Well, I decided to let them decide their own fate. If they keep their wits about them, they’ll survive, and if they don’t… well… no great loss. Those two didn’t even have the guts to attack me directly.”

“What exactly did you do to them?” Mizuno Ami asked in a tight voice.

“Ami-chan, what’s human terminal velocity?”

Ami blinked at the unexpected question. “About fifty-three meters per second.”

“And how long does it take to fall from about ten kilometers in altitude?”

“About 192 seconds, assuming they started from a stationary… you didn’t!”

Ranma nodded smugly.

Usagi leapt to her feet, along with Makoto. “There’s no way anyone could survive a fall that high!”

Shampoo snorted. “If someone can survive a fall from 150 meters, then they should be able to survive a fall from anything higher. It isn’t easy, but it is possible.”

“Provided they keep their wits,” Ranma added.

“Hai. It’s survivable, but the sudden stop at the end will probably be painful.” Shampoo said grimly. “It’s a good lesson, assuming they survive."

"Of course, the air is rather thin up there."

"It's cold too. But we do live in the mountains," Shampoo pointed out.

Ranma nodded. "True. That may make a difference."

"Not much, though. Oh, look. There they are!” She pointed towards two falling objects to the south.

“I do believe they’re on a trajectory for the lake in the park.”

Shampoo nodded. “That’s a good sign. They’re coherent enough to control their fall, at least.”

A tornado appeared right below the pair of falling bodies.

Ranma frowned. “I think their timing was off.”

Shampoo nodded. “Yes. They started too soon. The tornado will dissipate while they’re too high in the air.”

“They’ll survive, at least, and learn from their mistakes.”

“They’ll survive. Whether they, or their families, learn from this is another matter. They’re very conservative, and hate the reforms great-grandmother and the others have forced upon us.”

Ranma snorted in disgust. “By the way, Herb’s in town too, and he’s looking for me.”

Shampoo frowned. “What’s he doing here?”

“Probably the same reason you and Kiima are: Saffron. Do you have a number where you can be contacted?”

“Yes.” The Amazon handed Ranma a piece of paper. “It’s my cell phone number.”

“Okay, I’ll give you a call when I find Herb. You’d better check on your two criminals.”

“Hai. It was nice to see you again, Megumi-san. I’m glad you’re well.” With that, Shampoo jumped off the roof, to the surprise of the already stunned girls on the roof.

“She jumped down five floors like it was nothing,” Makoto said, looking down.

“Five and a half, she had to jump the safety fence too,” Ami added.

“Sempai… you wouldn’t have let them die, would you?” Minako asked, uncertainly.

“If they had come directly after me, I would’ve just beat them until unconsciousness, and then called it even. But they went after you instead. I wanted to send a clear message to them, and those who think like them. A pair of bodies sends one message, but that,” Ranma pointed in the general direction of Prince Arisagawa Park, “Sends an entirely different message.”

“Which is?” Usagi asked in a quiet voice.

Ranma’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t go after the people I care about. If that was me being merciful, imagine what I’d do if I was pissed off.”

Silence descended upon the roof of Juuban Junior High. Eventually, a forgotten cell phone said, insistently, “Would one of you please tell me what’s happening? Hello? Anyone?”