[FFML][Ranma][Fanfic][DRAFT] Ranma-ototo: Please Save My Family - Part 1

As promised, here is the first part of the follow up story to
Ranma-ototo that I recently revised. There will be three parts to this
story.

A little darker than the original mini-series, but you'll see why as
you read. It has a good mix of humor/dark part, I hope. Let me know
what you think.

(Yes, this story was started back in May, but got sidetracted by
Childhood of a Modern Dynasty and then my desire to rewrite the
original.)

[Ranma][Fanfic] Ranma-ototo: Please Save My Family - Part 1
=======================================================================
Ranma-ototo: Please Save My Family - Part 1

Ranma 1/2 characters and situations created by Rumiko Takahashi - U7sed
without permission
Ranma 1/2 Copyright by Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., Kitty, Fuji,
Viz Communications

Ranma-ototo: Please Save My Family story created, written, and
Copyright 1998 by Jim Lazar

Continuity based on Anime up until 'Back to the Happosai' episode.

<Speech text in angle brackets are thought by character.>
All other speech is in Japanese, although written in English in this
story of course.
=======================================================================

This story takes place in my Ranma-ototo universe. Reading the six-part
Ranma-ototo mini-series will help you enjoy and understand this story
more (although I believe you can enjoy this three part story be
itself). It is available on the RAAC archives or at my website at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~jimlazar/anime

Here is a brief overview of the events of the Ranma-ototo mini-series:

Ranma and Akane went back in time using Happosai's magic mirror They
learned that they are actually brother and sister after they meet their
younger selves and Mother Tendo. They confronted Soun and Genma with
this news. After various orbit shots and threats, Soun and Genma
finally told them the truth: Ranma is really Soun and his wife's son.
Akane is Genma and his wife's daughter.

Akane took this news bad, very bad. After some property damage, Ranma
found her in a park. Not wanting to see her hurt any more, and because
the big jerk loves her, he proposed to Akane. She accepted.

After Ukyo saw Akane's new engagement ring, Akane and Ukyo fought.
Akane took Ukyo to Dr. Tofu's clinic to treat some bad cuts. Ranma
found her there, but not until after P-Chan's secret was revealed.

Again, they went back in time to return a five year old Ryoga (who
hitchhiked to the present with them the last time they went back in
time). They also met Mother Tendo again and Ranma carved his and
Akane's initials in a tree in the Tendo yard. They shared their first
kiss, but actually their five year old selves beat them too it. Kasumi
saw the teenage Ranma and Akane in the garden.

Back in the present, Ranma and Akane informed the Tendos about THEIR
engagement. Nabiki announced the news to Furinkan High, causing a large
fight. She sold videos of it, of course.

And now...another story set in the Ranma-ototo universe: Please Save My
Family

Note: This story has some darker parts, since it deals with some
difficult parts of Ranma and Akane's lives. I have tried to keep a good
balance of happy and sad moments. I hope it isn't depressing.

=======================================================================

     Ranma turned over and pulverized the object next to him that had
been making a horrible racket. Most mornings, this would have been the
snoring coming from the large panda who slept next to Ranma. On this
particular morning it was an alarm clock, and 'was' was the correct
term, since the alarm clock in question was smashed flat by Ranma's
blow. People who know Ranma knew that he never uses an alarm clock,
instead relying on Akane to mallet him awake for important events.
There were two reasons Ranma was using an alarm clock this particular
morning: First he and Akane were getting along much better lately,
which meant she only malleted him when he did something really stupid
(at present, he was down to one or two malletings per month). The
second reason is that today he wanted to get up early and surprise
Akane.

     After he smashed the alarm clock flat, Ranma rolled over and went
back to sleep. Five minutes later another alarm clock rang, even louder
than the last one. Ranma reached for it, but as this one was further
away, he had to get out of his futon to smash it flat. After he did so,
he returned to his futon. As he was just falling asleep, again he was
drenched with a large bucket of water that was rigged to the ceiling.
Transforming into a girl, Ranma shook herself awake. "Damn, should have
never let Pop set up those alarms for me.,." she muttered. As she was
pounding the panda hard with her fist, she noticed that it had big
earmuffs on.

     Suddenly, Ranma remembered why he wanted the alarms set in the
first place. After a quick trip downstairs for some hot water, he came
back up and slipped into Akane's room. Being very quiet, he slipped
into her bed and wrapped his arms around his fiancee. He turned her
around and gave her a big kiss-on her big pink fuzzy snout.

     "Yaaaaaghhh!" Ranma shouted, backpedaling from the bed. Then,
after he realized that it wasn't Ryoga in his pig form, he calmed down.
Ryoga hadn't shown up as P-Chan since his secret was discovered by
Akane. Well, truth be told, he had shown up a few times by accident,
but always been politely offered some hot water and shown the door.
Akane still didn't like to talk about her old pet.

     Ranma looked around the room, no Akane. He leaned out the window
and looked around. Craning his neck back towards the koi pond, he
spotted her. She was wearing her yellow kitty pajamas, the ones that
always gave Ranma the willies. He quickly leapt down to the ground,
walked to the pond, and sat by her side. He began to give her the wake
up kiss he wanted to give her upstairs, but stopped as he noticed she
was troubled and crying softly. "What's wrong, Akane?"

     "It's my birthday," Akane replied, as she wiped the tears from her
eyes.

     "I know. I was going to wake you up with a kiss, like you've been
doing to me for the past few months," Ranma explained.

     "That sweet," Akane said and a smile came to her face. She leaned
over to her man and they kissed.

     As he held Akane in his arms, Ranma asked, "Why so glum on your
birthday?"

     "It just reminds me of my mother...both of them. The one I knew
and the one I didn't."

     "I can understand that, the events that led us to being swapped
still make my head spin," Ranma said.

     I think it was for the best, since I doubt Father Tendo would have
made you into the great martial artist that Father Saotome did," Akane
said, using the terms for her two Fathers that she had started to use
to avoid confusion. Soun was happy that she hadn't started to call him
'Mr. Tendo'.

     Ranma, on the other hand, still used 'Pop' and 'Mr. Tendo', but
recently had occasionally called Soun 'Dad', 'Father', or 'Crybaby'.
The last one usually used when Soun went on a crying binge over his
reunited family or impending marriage of his son to Akane.

     After a brief pause, Ranma said, "Well...you've gotten a lot
better over the past few months, Akane."

     "Only because you finally started to hit me back, baka!" Akane
yelled, although a little playfully.

     "Well, now that we're officially engaged, I really don't have to
charm you anymore," Ranma said with a smile. A few months ago that
would have earned him a malleting, but things change.

     Instead, Akane just said, "Some charm! I hated that you'd never
spar for real with me!"

     "I know, but I was always afraid I'd hurt you. I still am."

     Rubbing a sore spot on her leg, Akane said, "I realize that now."
Normally you'd kiss the sore spot to make it feel better, instead Ranma
and Akane kissed each other's lips. Akane forgot about her sore leg and
Ranma forgot about the present that he was going to give her that
morning.

                          *             *             *

     It was dark, very dark. She was sick of the dark, so she started
to kick at the walls of her prison. When that only brought back mocking
laughter and cries of joy, she decided to try tunneling out of her
prison. She punched and kicked at the soft floor, wishing she had some
sort of blunt instrument to use.

     Suddenly, as if reacting to her attempts to escape, the walls of
her prison contracted and started to push her into the floor and
eventually through it. She emerged into a brightly-lit room and closed
her eyes tight. She wanted to go back into her prison, but the large
woman who held her wouldn't let her go. When she was spanked on her
naked bottom, she wanted to hurt the woman. Not being able to do that,
she started to cry.

     Kin Ono tied off the umbilical cord and cut it. She handed the
baby girl to her young son and then began to clean up the placenta and
birth canal.

     The almost teenage boy cleaned off the little baby girl and gently
placed her into the waiting hands of the baby's mother, who smiled at
her baby girl. "She's very cute, Mrs. Saotome. She looks healthy," a
young Tofu Ono explained.

     "Thank you," Nodoka said. Then she added, "Can you wake my husband
up now so he can meet his new daughter?" She glanced at the unconscious
man in the corner, his rugged build not showing any of the flab that he
would gain in the years to come. Or the fur.

    Young Tofu walked around the bed, replaced the handkerchief that
had fallen off the bald man's head, and then applied his fingers to
several points on the back of Genma's neck.

     Genma awoke suddenly and said, "I tell you I can handle a little
blood! I'm all..." he trailed off as he noticed that he had been
unconscious for the rest of the birth. Getting to his feet he walked
over to his wife and looked the newest addition to his family. "How is
my newest student?"

     "Your 'daughter' is just fine, Genma dear," Nodoka replied.

     Genma examined the future heir to the Saotome School of Martial
Arts then nodded approvingly. "A girl, huh? Well, we'll have her
whipped into shape in no time flat!" Genma exclaimed as their daughter
wrapped her finger around his finger and squeezed hard. Well it was
more of a light touch, but Genma took it as an unbreakable hold, and
exclaimed, "What a grip!"

     "Have you thought of a name for your new 'student'?" Kin Ono
asked, using Genma's term.

     Nodoka and Genma looked at each other, then both said the name
they had chosen for a girl, "Akane Saotome." Truth be told, Nodoka had
picked the name, Genma had concentrated on the boy names. Ranma was
their chosen name if it was a boy.

     "What a beautiful name," Kin Ono said. Young Tofu agreed with a
nod.

     After Genma and Nodoka had fussed over their new daughter long
enough, Kin spoke, "Okay, let's get her into her crib and get a little
rest. You too, Mrs. Saotome." She took the baby and placed her in the
bassinet inside the crib by the bed. Then she pushed Genma and her son
out of the room.

     Out in the dinning room, Kin was enjoying some tea while her son
collected the dirty sheets and began to wash them. Genma knelt across
from her. "Mr. Saotome, there were some problems with the birth. Both
your wife and Akane will be fine, but you should have them both checked
by a medical doctor soon. Just to be safe."

     Worried, Genma asked, "What kind of problems?"

     "Well, the placenta wasn't fully formed and caused a lot of
bleeding. I got it stopped quickly, but I almost had to call an
ambulance," Kin said.

     "But they will both be okay, right?"

     "Yes, she's a strong woman. Make sure she gets plenty of rest,
lots of juice and liquids, and if she starts to bleed again call an
ambulance immediately," Kin instructed.

     "Of course, I'll have our family doctor come over and look at her.
Maybe Hanaki will be able to come over and help out. She's not due for
another 3 months. Thank you."

     "It's my pleasure. By the way, if you have any more children it
would be best to have them in an hospital, just in case she has this
problem again."

     "Of course, thank you again."

                          *             *             *

     Genma climbed over the hill, a small bundle strapped to his back.
Suddenly he started to drool. Following the smell of cooking fish, he
slid and stumbled down the hillside. He tried to eat the fish the man
was cooking over a fire, the man quickly jumped back and Genma came up
empty.

     "What do you want?" The man who was cooking the fish asked, as he
tried to keep Genma away from the fish.

     "Just a little bite. That's all I ask," Genma pleaded.

     "No way! What am I supposed to eat? Get your own!"

     "Just one bite?" Genma pleaded again.

     "I said no and I mean no!" The man insisted. "This food is for me
and my daughter!"

     "I can't go on. Help me. My child and I starving," Genma insisted.
Right on cue, Akane started to cry. "There, there, quiet down. Please
I'll do anything!"

     "Anything? Even the child on your back?" The man asked. Genma
looked startled at the suggestion. "The only thing I need is a male
heir to my family name. If you were to give him to me, I could bring
him up to marry my daughter and then he can inherit the Daikoku School
of Martial arts. And then..." he paused, then said, "Forget it! What
kind of father would trade their son for a fish!"

     Genma had removed Akane from his back and handed towards the man.
"Throw in the pickles and the rice and my son, Ranma, is all yours,"
Genma offered, then thought to himself, <Hope he doesn't make me prove
that Akane is a boy.>

     The man was shocked that Genma would give up his son, but accepted
the deal. After Genma had said his good-byes to 'Ranma', he took the
offered food and left.

     Later 'Ranma' was sucking on a bottle as a twig lifted her back
into Genma's arms. "Forgive me, but I couldn't allow my sweet Akane to
starve," Genma said, then burped. "I shall remember you to my dying
day," he pledged. To no one in particular, he added, "Of course, if you
happen to find me again, you'll find I don't have a son named 'Ranma'."
Genma started to chuckle as he left.

                          *             *             *

     Nodoka and Hanaki walked through the park, pushing their carriages
in front of them. Hanaki found an empty bench, picked up her son, sat
down, and cradled her son in her arms. Nodoka picked up Akane and
joined her.

     "So Genma actually took Akane out on a training trip when she was
only three months old?" Hanaki asked, and straightened her short
dark-blue hair.

     "Yes, the scoundrel snuck out with her one night, but I don't
think he will try that again. I made him sign a pledge that he wouldn't
try it again without my permission," Nodoka explained.

     "Think he'll honor it?"

     "Considering the terms, yes I think he will," Nodoka said, as an
image appeared in her head of her standing over Genma with her katana
in her hands. Genma looked very scared or maybe pained was a better
word, since he had a tanto blade sticking out of his stomach. Nodoka
smiled, and then sliced off Genma's head in her mind. Nodoka had a very
vivid imagination.

     "Well, my husband tried the same thing with our two daughters, so
I made him promise to wait until Ranma was two years old before taking
him on any training trips, and then only for a month at a time."

     "Oh, how are Kasumi and Nabiki?"

     "Kasumi is a gem, she's not even five yet, but she's already
helping me clean the house," Hanaki said proudly, then continued,
"Nabiki is just running around making messes for Kasumi to clean up."

     Nodoka smiled, then said, "Well looks like both of us ended up
with the prince after all, just like we always fantasized about while
we were growing up."

     "Yes and we didn't even have to kiss a frog," Hanaki replied. Deep
down she didn't know why Nodoka loved Genma, he'd always seemed a bit
lazy and sneaky for her tastes. <Ah well...love defies logic
sometimes.>

                          *             *             *

     When Akane was one year old, Genma was playing with her at the
Saotome house. Akane was dressed in a little yellow gi with 'footsies'
on it. "Look at her strength!" Genma explained proudly, then added,
"With the power in her hands, she'll be the greatest female martial
artist the world has ever known!"

     "Well, just remember she's my little girl and I'm not going to let
you turn her into a tomboy!" Nodoka explained, as she folded laundry.

      "Yes, dear," was Genma's humble reply.

                          *             *             *

     A martial artist leapt at her opponent. A cry rang out through the
house and a foot connected with her opponent's drawer. Yes, drawer. The
opponent was a elegant china cabinet, which had many pillows tied
around it's edges. The drawer creaked, but didn't break.

     Little Akane wiped her head and then looked around the room for
her next opponent She glanced at all the furniture with padding
attached, at the practice dummies outside, and then found her next
opponent. With a flying leap and a yell, she slammed into her father's
shin.

     Genma doubled over in mock pain, then conceded, "Oh, what a
powerful kick! I yield to you, proud warrior!" He straightened his shin
guards then sat down at the table and pulled his daughter into a big
bear hug.

     Nodoka appeared out of the kitchen, also wearing shin guards, and
put some bowls down on the table. "Akane, go wash up, dinner is ready,"
she said.

     "Kay," Akane replied sweetly and squirmed out of the bear hug,
punching Genma softly to get him to release her.

     As Nodoka watched her daughter make her way to the bathroom to
clean up, she turned to Genma and scolded him, "Honestly, Genma! How
could you teach my daughter to kick so early! The 'terrible twos' are
bad enough without her knowing the best way to break things with her
feet!"

     "Yes, dear."

                          *             *             *

     The Saotome family, dressed in their best clothes, all walked up
to the Tendo gate. Little Akane was smiling broadly and wearing a
beautiful pink dress. They knocked on the door and it opened to reveal
a young girl with long hair. She appeared to be around seven or eight
years old.

     "Ah, Kasumi dear. How is the head of the Tendo household?" Genma
asked and tweaked the little girls nose.

     "Mommy's busy making dinner and keeping Ototchan away from it,"
Kasumi said with a big grin, ignoring Genma's usual joke about Kasumi
actually running the house. Uncle Saotome was just so strange
sometimes.

     They were escorted in and soon dinner was served. After the
dinner, a big cake was brought out with five candles on it. "Kasumi
made this cake all by herself. She's becoming quite the little cook,"
Hanaki said proudly. Akane seemed to be following this conversation
intently.

     They all sang to little Nabiki, who seemed to be more interested
in the small pile of presents across the table from her, than the song
or cake. "Make a wish, Nabiki," Hanaki said.

     Nabiki thought a few seconds, wished that the nasty Kuno boy would
stop picking on her, then blew out the candles.
 
     As they ate the cake, Nabiki unwrapped her presents. She got an
abacus from the Saotome's, a dress from her mother, and yet another
workout gi from her father. Little Akane gave Nabiki a beautiful flower
from the Saotome garden. Ranma just stuck his tongue out at his big
sister.

     After Akane reached for the last piece of cake, Ranma intercepted
her, swatted her hand, and tried to get it himself. "Ranma! That's no
way to treat a guest or a girl! Apologize to her immediately!" His
mother scolded him.

     Grudgingly, Ranma obeyed, "Sorry, Akane...you can have it." He
slid the plate over to little Akane.

     "We can share it!" Akane insisted. As Ranma smiled, she tossed
half of the cake in his face. Soon, both Akane and Ranma were in an all
out fight.

     "I hope they grow out of this phase soon," Nodoka said, wishfully.

     "Oh, I'm sure they will," Hanaki offered.

     "Maybe once Akane's new brother arrives that will help," Genma
explained.

     Soun and his wife looked surprised, Kasumi just cleared the table,
Nabiki played with her abacus, Ranma and Akane's fight had moved to the
garden.

     "You're having another baby??" Hanaki asked.

     Nodoka nodded, then said, "In about 6 months Akane will have a new
brother or SISTER." The last word seemed to be directed at Genma in
order to remind him that it could be a girl. Nodoka and Hanaki hugged
and cried.

     Soun shook Genma's hand vigorously, and said, "Another student!
Both of our schools will be so well known that we'll have to turn away
students!"

     A splash was heard and they saw a girl in Ranma's clothes get out
of the pond. "What? How did that happen?" Nodoka said.

     "Stupid!" Akane shouted at Ranma from the pond.

     "Tomboy!" Ranma shouted back. He was standing by the pond in his
shorts and holding Akane's clean dress triumphantly in his hands.

     "How on earth did he manage to get her into his clothes?" Nodoka
asked, as she ran out to dry off her daughter.

     "That's my son!"

     "You really need to talk to our son about his hitting girls,
Soun," Hanaki explained.

     "Yes, of course," Soun said, but inwardly congratulated his son on
his victory and his noble act of keeping the dress from getting wet. He
had learned not to say things like that out loud anymore or else he'd
see his wife's mallet once again.

                          *             *             *

     A few days latter, the two fathers stood in the dojo. Akane and
Ranma were both dressed in their own gi. They squared off against each
other. Nabiki looked in from the door.

     "You must both learn to settle your disagreements in a more
productive manner. So let's have you spar against each other in the
dojo. If you get thrown out of the circle-" Soun declared, indicated
the chalk circle on the floor, then continued, "-you loose this match.
Ready, Son?" Ranma nodded.

     "Try not to hurt him too much, Akane," Genma told his daughter.
Akane nodded in agreement, but her eyes told a different story.

     Ranma declared, "I'll beat you just as easy as I did before!"

     "Not this time!" Akane replied, knowing that she was trying to
keep her dress clean before.

     They took some little punches at each other, both missed. A few
kicks were traded. Nabiki came up to the fathers and looked on at the
fight, then asked Genma, "Why are Ranma and Akane fighting again,
Uncle?"

     "It's just a little sparing match to blow off some steam, Nabiki.
No one will get hurt, but I think Akane will win," Genma asserted.

     "Ranma is good! He'll win," Nabiki said.

     "Care to make a wager on that, Nabiki?"

     "What's a wa...ger?" Nabiki asked, stumbling on the unfamiliar
word.

     While Genma explained the finer details of betting to young
Nabiki, Ranma had landed a kick to Akane. Akane got mad and tried to
trip Ranma, but couldn't. They each tried to punch each other again and
missed. Suddenly, Akane grabbed Ranma by his wrist and heaved him over
her shoulder and out of the circle.

     Soun was astonished. Nabiki dug out the five Yen coin she now owed
Genma. Genma beamed with pride.

     "Tomboy!"

     "Baka!"

     "Looks like you need to train Ranma harder, Tendo," Genma
asserted.

     "I guess so," Soun replied, flatly. He shook his head as he left
the dojo, trying to get the thought that Genma had already taught Akane
to throw her opponents so well out of his head. <I haven't even started
Ranma on throws yet.>

     Genma took the five yen coin from Nabiki. Later that day he
treated her to a big ice cream sundae, which must have cost much more
than five Yen. Either Genma was a kind man or Nabiki had already
learned how to get others to buy food for her. The later was probably
the case here.

                          *             *             *

     Six months went by and Nodoka Saotome was due to give birth any
day now, so Akane was staying at the Tendo house. Hanaki placed Akane
on a stool in the bathroom and started to scrub Akane's back. Ranma was
just playing with a toy cat and duck in the tub. The cat seemed to be
trying to eat the duck. Ranma looked up, then asked, "Mom, can we get a
kitty?"

     Hanaki looked over at her son and said, "I don't think so, Ranma.
I really don't want any filthy animals running around my house."
Somewhere in the future, a panda sneezed along with a cat, duck, pig,
and wrinkled old man.

     A cry was heard from outside the bathroom, "Mommy! The dinner's
almost done!"

     "Oh, dear...Ranma, scrub Akane's back for me will you?" Hanaki
asked, then dashed out. "I'll be right back."

     Ranma looked at the little girl, "Why do I have to do that?"

     "Because," was Akane's reply.

     Somehow this was good enough for Ranma and he got out of the tub,
took the sponge, and scrubbed her back. When he was done, Akane
returned the favor. "What's that?" Akane asked and pointed down.

     "That's my winkie. Don't you have one?" Ranma responded.

     "No, why would I want one?" Ranma had no answer to that question,
so Akane asked, "Can I touch it?"

     "Why should I let you?"

     "I'll beat you up if you don't!"

     After a brief water fight in the tub, Ranma and Akane stood before
each other and started to play doctor. Of course, this is when little
Kasumi came in and saw them. "Mommy wanted me to check on you..." was
what she started to say, then she gasped and said, "Oh my!"

                          *             *             *

     At dinner that night, Ranma was acting like a perfect gentleman
after being coached very carefully by his Mother. Akane was sucking
down her food like there was no tomorrow. Hanaki looked startled at
this, but just calmly asked Akane to slow down.

     "Okay, Momma Tendo! It's just that the food is so good!" Akane
said.

     "Thank you, Akane dear."

     "When I grow up I want to cook just like you!"

     "I'm sure you'll make great food for your husband one day."

     "She's too much of a tomboy!" Ranma exclaimed suddenly.

     "Ranma!"

     "Sorry, Mom...Sorry, Akane..." Ranma said, sheepishly.

     Kasumi smiled, then said, "Maybe Akane and Ranma will get
married!"

     "Oh, they do look cute together, but that is far away. No need to
rush them," Hanaki said. She missed the thoughtful look that crossed
Soun's face.

     Akane and Ranma didn't know what all this talk meant, but deep
down they had a bad feeling about it.

                          *             *             *

     A few days later, Ranma sailed through the air and landed in the
koi pond. Akane stood over him and took up a mocking pose over her
defeated opponent. "Ha! Still can't beat me!" She yelled.

     "Tomboy!"

     "Baka!" Akane yelled back, but then Ranma sneezed several times.
Akane shrugged, dragged Ranma out of the pond, and into the bathroom.
She helped him warm up in the tub.

     Hanaki poked her head in to see what they kids are up to, and
caught them playing doctor. She sighed, calmly told them they shouldn't
do that, and finished washing them herself.

                          *             *             *

     A scream reverberated throughout the hospital. Genma looked
nervously at the door to the delivery rooms, wringing his hands
nervously.

     In one of the delivery rooms, several doctors and a nurse were
frantically working. "Careful...the umbilical cord is caught around the
babies neck!" Doctor Ittowa exclaimed.

     "Blood pressure dropping, Doctor," a nurse said.

     "Damn! The placenta is already torn away from the uterus! Give me
a clamp!"

     "Clamp," a nurse said, as she handed the clamp to the doctor.

     Suddenly Nodoka Saotome convulsed and arched her back. Doctor
Ittowa cried out, "Twenty CCs of Lidocain, stat! And hold her down."

     A doctor who was assisting, yelled out, "Get a infant trauma team
down here!"

     Doctor Ittowa had worked the umbilical cord off the baby's neck
and then pulled the baby out of the birth canal. One of the nurses
began to give the baby artificial respiration, when a team of doctors
and nurses came in with a small cart. They placed the baby on the cart
and started working on the baby boy, trying to get him to breathe.

     The assisting doctor examined the mother and then exclaimed,
"She's bleeding, heavily."

     Doctor Ittowa looked down from where he was examining Nodoka's
eyes, and said, "Looks like she had a stroke. Nurse, get an operating
room and the on-call surgeon now!"

     In a flurry of movement, the nurses and doctors rushed out of the
room, Nodoka was taken to the O.R. and the baby down to the nursery.

                          *             *             *

     Genma knew something was wrong. It was too long without any word.
He felt so helpless. He kept remembering Akane's birth and the
complications there. Maybe they shouldn't have had another child. Maybe
he shouldn't have...

     Doctor Ittowa walked into the waiting room and interrupted Genma's
thoughts. Genma leapt to his feet and then recoiled at the look on the
doctor's face. "No..."

     "Mr. Saotome, I'm sorry..." Doctor Ittowa began, but paused when
Genma knocked down a wall and screamed in despair.

                          *             *             *

     Ranma was holding Akane in a headlock. Akane squirmed trying to
get out of it. Nabiki rushed by and kissed her brother on his cheek.
Ranma was so startled he let Akane go, Akane proceeded to beat him up.
Nabiki grinned, Akane had paid two whole weeks of allowance for that.

     "Lunch!" Hanaki called out.

     "Kay!" Ranma and Akane yelled out and ran indoors, smiling and
holding hands as they went. They had already forgotten what had started
the fight. A stuffed pig lay in the koi pond with half it's stuffing
ripped out.

                          *             *             *

     Later that day Soun Tendo answered his door. He gasped as he saw
his longtime friend in front of him. "Genma!!!"

     Genma walked in the door, looking like he hadn't slept or shaved
in days, mostly because he hadn't. "Soun..." Genma managed to sputter,
then collapsed into Soun's arms and began to weep.

     After several minutes, Soun and his wife got Genma into the
dinning room. Hanaki asked Kasumi to take the kids out for ice cream.

     Hanaki held Genma's hands lovingly, then said, "Genma what
happened?"

     "There..." Genma began, then broke down again. Then, after crying
for several moments, he began again, "There were some problems with the
birth." He took a deep breath as Soun and Hanaki feared the worse.
"Nodoka's in a coma, fighting for her life. My son..." He broke down
again, shaking his head. Hanaki and Soun wrapped their arms around him
and comforted him, they exchanged pained looks. Then they helped Genma
into their guest room to get some sleep.

                          *             *             *

     After sleeping for almost a whole day in the Tendo's guest room,
Genma managed to get up and clean up in the Tendo's bathroom.

     As he picked at his food, he explained in more details, "Nodoka is
in a coma, there may be brain damage, and the doctors don't know when
or if she will come out of it."

     "Oh, Saotome, I wish you would have called me. I would have come
to the hospital," Soun said.

     "What about your son, Genma?" Hanaki asked sadly.

     "He...he only lived a short time."

     The Tendos suspected as much from Genma's statements the previous
night, but it still saddened them to hear it for sure. "We're so sorry,
Genma. Nodoka is a strong woman, she'll pull through," Hanaki insisted.

     "I hope so. It's all my fault...I wanted a son so much, I should
have never pressured her into it."

     "Genma, Nodoka told me she was thrilled to be having another
child. I'm sure she didn't feel pressured into it," Hanaki comforted
him.

     Soun added, "I know her well, Saotome. She would never of done
something she didn't want to do, she's too strong willed for that."

     Genma shrugged, not entirely convinced. "I know it's a burden, but
I have to be by Nodoka's side and handle some matters about her care.
Can..."

     Hanaki interrupted, "Yes, of course. Akane can stay here as long
as you need her too. She and Ranma have been starting to get along a
better over the past few days anyway."

     They all hugged again, cried, and wished for Nodoka to get better.

                          *             *             *

     The small funeral for the Saotome son was held a couple days later
in front of the Saotome family grave. Only Genma, Soun, and Hanaki were
there along with the priest. The kids hadn't been told about Nodoka or
the baby yet.

     Over in a grove of trees, a young woman looked on and wept quietly
in the shadows. A young man, standing by her side, wrapped his arm
around her and held her tight. He held a fancy mirror that appeared to
be cracked in one hand.

     Genma wiped off the nameplate once more and joined his long time
friends as they left the cemetery.

                          *             *             *

     The Tendo household was peaceful for the next few days, even if
Hanaki and Soun seemed to be on edge about something. Kasumi and Nabiki
went off to school everyday. Akane beat up Ranma every day.

     Soun started to train Ranma and Akane together, mostly to keep
them from fighting by themselves.

     A couple weeks after Nodoka slipped into her comma, Akane asked,
"Momma Tendo, where's my mommy?"

     Hanaki looked sadly at Akane, she had hoped Genma would be around
for this, but he had kept putting it off. "Well, Akane dear...Your
mommy is sick and has to stay in the hospital. Hopefully you can see
her soon," Hanaki explained.

     "Sick? What about my new brother?" Akane asked.

     Hanaki flinched, Genma had indeed been telling everyone that he
was having a son. "Well your little brother will be living in heaven.
Turns out your parents already had the best child they could ever hope
for," Hanaki said, brushing some hair out of Akane's beautiful face.

     "Oh. Well, I'll just play with Ranma-ototo then," Akane said and
went looking for Ranma.

     "You do that dear," Hanaki sighed. Akane was such a sweet child,
if you ignored her tendency to beat up her son all the time, that is.
She smiled then went back to doing her laundry.

                          *             *             *

     Genma spent the first month almost constantly at his wife's side.
He talked to her, held her hand, washed her hair, and just sat by her
side. When she was moved to the convalescent home, he did the same, but
soon had to limit his visits to once a week as the months went on. He
visited Akane often, but still wasn't able to care for her himself. He
was barely able to take care of himself at that point.

     Life at the Tendo house settled down. Akane only went to visit her
mother a couple times in the convalescent home and cried the whole
time.

                          *             *             *

     About six months after Nodoka slipped into her coma, Genma was
having dinner at the Tendos. Hanaki was beaming and proudly told them
all that Kasumi had cooked the whole meal by herself. Kasumi looked
embarrassed at all the attention. Akane ate her meal with perfect table
manners, Hanaki looked approvingly at her. Ranma didn't pick on Akane
once during dinner.

     Genma looked down at his lovely daughter, then said, "Akane, I've
decided that we will be going on a training trip to China next week."

     Everyone looked shocked. Hanaki said, "Genma, you can't really
mean to take a four year old girl to China for some of your so-called
training?" The bitterness in her voice told Genma that she had heard
some of Soun's training stories.

     "Yes. For Akane to become the world's greatest martial artist, she
must learn all the secrets of the Saotome Anything Goes Martial Arts
school! For that she must train night and day."

     "Saotome, I have been training her hard here in the dojo, I'm sure
you can train her here just as well in the wilds of China," Soun
insisted.

     "Tendo, I am thankful for you taking care of my daughter while I
dealt with Nodoka's illness, but Akane is my daughter," Genma declared.

     "Genma, why don't you ask Akane what she thinks?" Hanaki
suggested, calmly.

     "Very well. Akane dear, how would you like to go on an exciting
training trip with me to China? I can teach you all about martial
arts," Genma asked his daughter.

     "Um, I want to stay with Momma Tendo, Poppa Tendo, Ranma-ototo and
my sisters," Akane declared.

     "But I am your father, Akane. You must come with me and learn the
ways of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts," Genma
declared, taking a deep breath at the end.

     "You can stay here, Daddy! Big house!" Akane said, with a
beautiful smile on her face.

     "Yes, Saotome, you are more than welcome to stay here," Soun
offered, not wanting to loose the daughter he had to come to love over
the past year. Hanaki nodded her agreement.

     "I'll consider the idea."

     Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Akane was so much a part of
the family now it would have broken their hearts to say goodbye to her.

                          *             *             *

     Later that night Genma and Akane were sparing in the dojo. Akane
dodged a soft kick from Genma, leaped up, and landed on Genma's
shoulders. The sparring session quickly turned into a horsey ride. Then
Ranma flew in and kicked Akane off her father's back. Akane took
revenge by landing several fists to Ranma's chest and then a severe
kick to his stomach.

     Genma looked on, noticing some of Soun's styles in the two kids
attacks. <Not bad, Tendo, but they still need more time that you can
give them. You do have other students,> Genma thought, while deciding
to take the trip to China after all.

     The next night, Genma was dressed in his gi and slipped into the
window of Akane and Ranma's room. He slowly slipped over to his
sleeping daughter and nudged her awake. "Akane...wake up."

     Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Akane said, "Daddy?"

     "Time to go on that training trip."

     "I want to stay here, Daddy."

     "What if we take Ranma with us? You both can use this training."

     "I like Ranma, he's easy to beat up."

     "That's my girl..."

                          *             *             *

     Genma quickly got the two kids dressed into their gi. He packed
some few spare gi and other pieces of the kid's clothing. He
reluctantly packed a stuffed pig that Akane refused to leave behind. As
he carried the two kids out to the front wall, a large mallet hit him
very hard. Genma made an enormous splash when he hit the koi pond.
Akane and Ranma just took up defensive postures, until they noticed who
was holding the mallet.

     "Mommy!" Ranma cried and hugged his mother.

     "Momma!" Akane cried and hugged her as well.

     Genma swallowed hard.

     "Genma Saotome! To sneak off in the dead of night with your own
daughter is bad enough, but to take MY son with you is the most
dishonorable thing I could ever image. Nodoka would take great pleasure
in using her katana on you if she was able," Hanaki declared, hefting
her large mallet menacingly.

     Genma swallowed hard again, then spoke, "I only wanted Akane to be
the best martial artist she could be. She was the one who wanted Ranma
to come along."

     "I can believe that part, they are very close. Akane is suffering
because her mother can't be with her, now is not the time to tear her
away from a stable family she has grown to love," Hanaki insisted, then
added, "And who have grown to love her."

     "I was only hoping to train them in the power of the Saotome
School of Anything Goes of Martial Arts!"

     "From what Soun has told me about Master Happosai-" Hanaki said,
then paused as a crack of thunder was heard in the distance. Genma
looked nervously around. She continued, "-I don't think panty raids and
peeping into girls baths would be good training."

     "There is much more to the Anything Goes School than that. The
Master's perversions are not part of what I intend to teach Akane."

     "I would hope not. Master Happosai does not seem a good role model
for anyone's kids." Another crack of thunder was heard.

     "Please stop saying the Master's name."

     "Oh please, stop being so superstitious. Now, if you promise to
behave yourself you may train Akane here in our dojo," Hanaki offered,
then after a tug from Ranma on her robe, she added, "And I think Ranma
would enjoy the training as well.

     Defeated by a woman again, Genma sighed. Hanaki was a little too
much like his Nodoka for Genma's liking. "I'm sorry. I was only
thinking of myself. I will accept your hospitality "

                          *             *             *

     Deep beneath the sea, a large treasure chest shifted and dislodged
years of accumulated sediment. A mermaid swam by and noticed the
movement. She whipped her large tail excitedly and swam up to the
chest. She tugged at the chains that bound it and, after several
minutes pulling, the rusty chains broke. She opened the chest and was
driven back by a fast moving object.

     "Pu...bulb...tty...blub....lu...blub...dy!!!" The strange deformed
creature bubbled, as it attached itself to the mermaid's shell covered
bosom. Energy seemed to flow into the creature as it glowed in an eerie
red light.

     The mermaid screamed and pried the creature off her chest, then
used her powerful tail to send the creature into orbit. She then
noticed that her shell bra was missing, exposing her breasts. She
covered herself and went to find some new shells to use. The crab which
swam beside her, started singing for no particular reason.

     The creature flew in a graceful arc over the sea to land on a
beach in Japan. The beach suddenly became a nude beach, for the women
at least, since their bikinis were stolen by a blur.
 

[End - Part 1]
=======================================================================
Email me at:  mailto:jimlazar@earthlink.net  with comments, criticisms,
or if you would like to join my pre-reader list.

http://home.earthlink.net/~jimlazar/anime
 

Author's notes/ramblings:

Well, I wasn't planning on continuing events started in my Ranma-ototo
mini-series, but couldn't resist looking back and looking first hand at
the events that caused Soun and Genma to swap Akane and Ranma.

I gave Mother Tendo a name in this story because events were focused
more around her (in the original Ranma-ototo mini-series I referred to
her only as Mother Tendo). Hanaki means 'flower spirit'. I thought it
appropriate for her.

As I reviewed the various anime episodes, most especially the first TV
episode, I was amazed at how easy the altered events in Ranma-ototo
could be incorporated. Many of the references in Ranma 1/2 were usually
vague enough for me to flex them a little bit.

I'd like to thank various FFML members and my pre-readers: xxxx, xxxx,
and xxxx. Of course in the end, any mistakes and botched characters are
my fault.
 

Revision 0.0 - Rough draft (May 1998)
Revision 0.1 - Pre-reader draft (June 6, 1998)
Revision 0.2 - FFML draft (July 26, 1998)
 

--
Jim Lazar

E-Mail - mailto:jimlazar@earthlink.net
Home - http://home.earthlink.net/~jimlazar
FanFiction - http://home.earthlink.net/~jimlazar/anime

"You made Akane whose daughter?!?!"
"Genma's."
"Has she hit you with her mallet yet?"
"Several times, actually."