Annyoung,
Here's the latest version of Part 5. I'm changing the
story's plot line from this point on to have Ranma and
Ataru NOT attend Furinkan High School in the week
before classes begin at Stargazer West College.
BTW, for the things that were influenced by other
works, credit for them was listed in the latest
revision to the A Side of the Prologue.
Enjoy!
Fred
=====
<P><STRONG><EM><FONT face="Courier New">Fred Herriot AKA P'yeknu OR Gorgo</FONT></EM></STRONG></P>
<P>**** **** ****</P>
<P><A href="mailto:fherriot@yahoo.com">fherriot@yahoo.com</A></P>
<P>**** **** ****</P>
<P><A href="http://www.livejournal.com/~pyeknu/">http://www.livejournal.com/~pyeknu/</A></P>
______________________________________________________________________
Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca
-- Attached file included as plaintext by Ecartis --
-- File: LoneS-05.txt
-- Desc: LoneS-05.txt
"How could you, Ranma...?"
Ranma's eyes flutter, then suddenly go wide on seeing Akane
float before her in a sea of burning crimson energy. But this Akane,
draped in the Densetsu no Doogi, has a burning slash mark cleaving
her face and body in half right to her groin, the Doogi's belt buckle
shattered. "Akane...!"
"I thought..." the apparition moans. "You loved me..."
Ranma gasps as Akane falls apart before her eyes, then shrieks
on feeling hands grasp her shoulders. She kicks back, then spins
around to see a headless girl's body wearing an okonomiyaki-ga's
uniform. "U-chan!!"
"Ran-chan..." Ukyou's head floats by. "Why...?"
"U-chan..." Ranma squeezes her eyes shut.
"**Hmph! Pathetic!!**"
Her eyes fly open as she spins right, nausea surging up her
throat on seeing the darkened figure standing nearby. Despite her
being in total shadow, the body shape and hair style speak volumes.
"Wh-who...?"
"**Just pathetic,**" the newcomer comes out of shadow, revealing
Ranma's face pierced by cat-slitted eyes. "**Isn't it?**" she
glances at the decapitated Ukyou floating close to Ranma. "**Even
in death, all they can do is whine and complain that you didn't
kowtow to them like you did when they were still alive!**" she
sneers. "**Honestly, what did we ever do in all our lifetimes
to deserve this sort of shit, eh?**"
Ranma peers at her doppelganger, then as Ukyou's body bumps
against her, takes it by the hand, then reaches for her head. "**Oh,
please! Don't bother!**" the other snarls. "**She doesn't deserve
help from us. None of them do. None of them EVER did!**" she waves
around them.
Ranma stops, then looks herself before a fresh bout of nausea
surges through her body. There floated Shampoo, the top of her head
ripped away. Over there was Mousse, a big hole where his forehead
should be. Nearby was Nabiki, a jagged wound in her chest, no doubt
from a sword. A decapitated Kunou. Kodachi with a sword wound under
her breast, her throat ripped out. Souun chopped in half. And a sea
of shattered body parts and globs of human blood, a bodiless hand
holding a fifty-yen coin floating nearby. Hinako Ninomiya, Ranma
quickly concludes. What was left of her...
"Why...?"
"**Why?**" Neko-Ranma snorts. "**Why not? They would've
done that to us one way or another if we didn't kowtow to them! You
know that as much as I do! Those spineless bastards got what they
deserved!!**"
Ranma spins on her doppelganger. "WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO
THIS!!!!" she shrills, pointing to the drifting corpses. "NONE!!!!
Yeah, they were idiots, but they sure as hell didn't deserve
something like THIS...!!!"
"**Oh, spare me, please!!**" Neko-Ranma spits out. "**Have
any of these fools ever done what we've done?! No! Have they fought
gods, dragon half-breeds, monsters and a fucking OCEAN of martial
artists?! No!! Have they endured insult after insult because of
what Jusenkyou did?! NO!!!**" She points to the corpses. "**All
they've ever done, all EVERYONE WE'VE MET has ever done is spit on
us, use us, laugh at us, insult us and HATE us!! Well, FINE!!**"
she makes a dismissive wave. "**If that's the way they want to keep
treating us, then let's show them what we can REALLY to do to them,
to ALL of them, in return!!**" she thumbs herself.
Ranma shudders. "I won't let you..." she hisses.
"**Oh?!**" her cat-eyed double smirks. "**What're you doing
to do then? Destroy me? You can't! I'm PART of you, Ranma!! If
you destroy me, you doom yourself! And not just yourself...**"
her voice trails off as her finger points behind Ranma, "**...but
him, too!**"
Ranma turns to see a ghostly image floating behind her.
"Ataru..."
"**Right,**" Neko-Ranma drawls. "**We're bound to him,
remember? If we die, he dies. What's more important to us now,
Ranma? Our Other? Or them?**" she contemptuously indicates the
corpses floating nearby.
Ranma falls silent as she considers her doppelganger's
words. "**Oh, don't worry about what happened last night, Ranma,**"
Neko-Ranma snorts. "**Thanks to you learning how to manipulate
those null-time bubbles in Sanctuary, you saved their worthless
asses.**" A ho-hum look crosses her face. "**Then again, does it
really matter? We're going to be leaving these fools behind in a
week or so. And if they have a problem with that, well...**"
she shrugs, turning away from Ranma, "**...it's nice to know that we
can kill them all if we really felt it necessary. Ne?**"
Ranma screams out as Neko-Ranma fades from view. "NO...!!!!"
* * *
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...!!!!"
Ranma gasps as she feels strong arms embrace her, then she
turns, sinking as deeply as she can into Ataru's comforting embrace.
"There, there..." he whispers before kissing her forehead, his hand
ruffling her hair. "It's okay, Ranma. It's okay. It's just a
nightmare..."
"N-n-n-nightmare...?" she sputters before a pained moan escapes
her.
Ataru remains still as she cries, his eyes narrow as fingers
knead and stroke her vibrant crimson locks. The door then opens,
revealing a worried Sakuya. "Onii-sama, is...?" she stops on seeing
Ranma crying.
"Nightmare," he wordlessly mouths.
Sakuya nods, withdrawing. As the door closes, the room goes
pitch-dark again as Ataru allows Ranma to sink into her futon, his
hands keeping her close. Her moans continue for what seems an
eternity before a train of sniffles heralds a partial restoration
of self-control. "Th-thanks..."
"You okay?" he stares at her.
"Should I be...?" she bites her lip, then reaches up to stroke
his cheek above his beard. "That guyver-thing you turned into...?"
"Same general idea as what you can become now," he confirms.
"And created under surprisingly similar circumstances. For me, it
was Onee-chan being forced into my mind when I was six. For you, it
was..."
"The Neko-ken training when I was ten," she finishes, then rubs
her forehead. "Could that've happened because of the bond between
us? I..."
"Maybe," he shrugs, then reaches up to rub the side of her
cheek.
"I killed them, Ataru..."
"No, you didn't," he shakes his head.
"But that thing said..."
"You used the null-time bubbles, remember?"
"But still..."
"No!" he places a firm finger on her lips, then leans down to
kiss her forehead in reassurance. "They're still alive, Ranma. No
one died."
She squeezes her eyes shut. "You know that's a lie!"
"I'm not a theologian, Ranma," he reminds her, then shifts
himself to keep her close. "Don't worry about things that can't be
changed. All you'll end up doing is work yourself into a total
nervous breakdown."
"I can't forget that, Ataru."
"I know."
Silence falls as they lay together, then Ranma gazes on him.
"Was it the same for you? When the Cyborg first came out?"
He scowls. "Fortunately, no. I had the distinct *pleasure*..."
-- she could sense the sarcasm in his voice on saying that word --
"...of watching three billion people die before my eyes when that
happened."
They stare at each other, then Ranma draws her arms around Ataru
as they allow fatigue to wash over them. No more words need be
said...
* * *
"Lonely Souls"
by Fred Herriot
fherriot@yahoo.com
**** **** ****
Based on "Urusei Yatsura" and "Ranma 1/2" created by Rumiko
Takahashi; and "Sister Princess," created by Naoto Tenhiro and
Sakurako Kimino. This story is set after the end of the "UY" and
"Ranma" manga series.
**** **** ****
NOTE: The writer's notes are at the end of the "A" Side of the
Prologue.
**** **** ****
THE FIFTH PART - THE MORNING AFTER
Dawn...
Morning has broken, as the old song said, over Tokyo and her
surrounding municipalities. But for some people, this day is
radically different than any in recent memory. Events on the front
lawn of a high school in Nerima would have earth-shattering
repercussions for most of its participants for years to come.
Perhaps the rest of their lives.
Case in point: the Tendou dojo.
Kasumi wakes at her usual time, dawn's light shining through
the windows of her bedroom. Quickly performing morning ablutions,
she heads to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. A quick scan of the
various bedrooms tells her only her immediate family and Happousai
are present today.
Genma was gone. Dead.
Quickly dismissing Ranma's father from her thoughts -- not that
she would be so callous as to dismiss the death of anyone, even Genma
Saotome, but her family DID come first -- Kasumi remembers Kimiko.
She frowns as the image of the girl once called the "Noroi no
Ningyou" flashes through her mind. She would have to talk to Nabiki,
Negako or Ranma's mirror-twins today about Kimiko, just to ensure
all was well with her. If Kimiko did need a place to stay, Kasumi
would make the necessary arrangements.
Stepping into the sitting room, she stops on seeing the dojo
sign on the table. Kasumi's eyes quickly focus on the spots of dried
blood on the varnished wood, not to mention the sword-thrust
that nearly cleaved the sign in half on the first "dou" kanji.
Sitting at the table, she picks the sign up, then passes her hand
over the blood. Whose blood was it? What happened that caused THIS?
Peering intently at the wood as if she was trying her most to glean
her answers from the dojo sign, Kasumi sighs.
She definitely HAD to talk to Nabiki about last night's events.
As she considers that, Kasumi heads into the kitchen, her mind
quickly calling up what she would need for today's meals...
* * *
Elsewhere, in a secluded part of the town of Tomobiki, someone
rises. Stretching, Ryuunosuke Fujinami rubs the sleep from her eyes.
Glancing around the room she had just spent the last night in, a
shiver quakes her as unfamiliarity seizes her for a moment. Memory
clicks in soon enough as she sees Mister Big Screen, then her eyes
turn right and down to gaze on the peacefully dozing woman beside
her. "Lan..." she whispers.
Leaning down, she kisses the alien teen's cheek before sliding
herself back under the covers, glancing on the nightstand beside
the bed. The chronometer there had been adjusted to read local time.
Seeing how early it is, Ryuunosuke closes her eyes. A couple more
hours sleep could do her some good, especially since she had no
school to worry about today. Given last week's shattering events,
officials decided to keep Tomobiki High closed for another day before
allowing the new school term to start.
"Good morning, Ryuu-chan."
Ryuunosuke's eyes open, then a smile crosses her face on seeing
Lan gazing warmly at her. "'Morning," she leans over to kiss the
alien's lips, then leans back. "Didya sleep okay last night,
Lan-chan?"
"Hai," Lan nods, then pauses as her eyes glow. "Hmmm. Lum-chan
and Shinobu-chan are still asleep in the guest room. Guess they
needed it."
"What happened last night, anyway?"
"I'm not too sure," Lan shakes her head. "Lum-chan tried to
reach out telepathically to Darling, but someone got in the way."
Ryuunosuke considers that, then sighs. "It probably ain't gonna
happen between them, Lan-chan. There some way to help Lum let him
go?"
"I don't know," Lan admits. "Right now, we can't worry about
that."
"Why?" the tomboy asks, then catches herself. "Oh, right, I
forgot. The Men in Black're gonna be here later today to help you
and Lum settle in," she nods. "You want me to stick around for that,
Lan-chan?"
"No. Jay and Kay get a little nervous when outsiders try to
learn how the SCAA does business," Lan chuckles, an inviting smile
crossing her face. "Still, it shouldn't take us that long. Busy
today?"
Ryuunosuke considers the invitation to a date lying unspoken
in her bed-mate's words. While she would not have really wanted
to date another girl while her fool father was still alive and
forcing her to live as a boy, Ryuunosuke couldn't deny that Lan
really cared for her. Besides, if things happened, they happened.
Much that it surprised her, she felt calm about this. "Not really,"
she shrugs. "Got somethin' in mind?"
"Oh, a little shopping, a long dinner, a movie..." Lan reaches
over to draw Ryuunosuke closer to her. "After that'll be up to us,
I guess."
They kiss. "We're kinda moving fast, aren't we?" Ryuunosuke
muses.
"Who cares about how fast we go?" Lan frowns.
The tomboy considers that, then shrugs. "True..."
* * *
"There! All done!"
"Rinrin-chan, what are you doing up so early?"
Rinrin looks up, then chuckles on seeing Shirayuki heading
to the kitchen. "Oh, 'morning, Shirayuki-chan. Just doing some
graphics work."
"What graphics?" the chef gazes on the screen of Rinrin's
portable laptop. Quickly recognizing what is now displayed there,
Shirayuki gazes on the inventor. "Rinrin-chan, are you redesigning
Nii-sama's room?"
"Expanding it so Aniki and Aneki can live together," Rinrin
chuckles. "We can take the space from the divider between Aniki's
and Karen-chan's room to the main doors. Let the room grow out three
metres, which'd take up everything under the canopy, plus a bit. The
store room doesn't need a window, so we can close it off. Toss in a
kitchenette and make the other new space the main bedroom, then they
can use the old room as a living room. We can shift the closet
around so they can use the old closet space for a work and study
area, too," she indicates the changes she made.
"Wow!" the chef whistles. "That'll be so nice!"
"You best add an upstairs atrium, Rinrin."
Both turn as Chikage steps up. "What do you mean?" Rinrin asks.
"Add a small bedroom on the second floor level outside the
girl's furo," the sorceress points to the areas she is concerned
with. "Slip in a draw-ladder to the kitchenette. Design it in such
a way that it doesn't obliterate more of Aria's window view than
necessary. If you want, stagger it to partially hang over the main
doors for more room. We don't need the extra window on the stairwell
leading to the second floor, do we?"
Rinrin considers that, then nods. "Yeah, I can do that. But
why would Aniki and Aneki need an extra bedroom, anyway? I doubt
they're going to worry about having kids until long after they get
married."
A knowing chuckle escapes Chikage. "You'll be surprised,
Rinrin."
She heads to the furo. Rinrin and Shirayuki look at each other.
"There are days Hime thinks she'll NEVER understand Chikage-chan!"
"You said it," Rinrin sighs...
* * *
The lovely twentysomething in the conservative slacks and polo
shirt stifles a yawn as she steps aboard the Shinkansen. It is the
first run of the day between Morioka and Tokyo. Glancing around
the nearly-empty passenger compartment, Feiya tries not to smile too
much as she takes her seat by a window. Travelling at odd times of
the day to avoid the crowds was an acquired art form in Japan, but it
was one Feiya mastered quickly.
One need not look past her tapered ears, presently hidden under
thick bangs of raven-black hair, to truly understand why.
The doors whoosh shut, then the train glides away from Fukushima
station on its trip southward into Kantou. Barring any unforseen
problems, it would arrive in Tokyo in under two hours. Once in the
national capital, it was a quick transfer to the subway for a trip
out to Nerima station, then transfer again to the Seibu Ikebukuro
line for Tomobiki.
Tomobiki.
Feiya's dark brown eyes close as her mind shifts back in time...
* * *
"THAT CAN'T BE TRUE!!!!"
Ishi took a deep breath before facing the younger woman. "It
is," the doctor, senior physician to all of the Church of Lum's
observers posted in and around the Holy City, grimly nodded. "The
special blood tests do not lie, especially in cases such as yourself,
Feiya. You are..." he paused, then hoarsely whispered the last word,
"...Avalonian."
Feiya stared wide-eyed at him, her body quaking slightly as the
word echoed again and again and again in her mind. Avalonian?
HER?! But...!
"How...?"
Was that her voice?
Ishi sighed. "It is a recent development, admittedly.
Those of the Faithful on the Homeworld who lose a child due to some
unforseen accident would view the bioroid factory on Phentax Twelve
as the perfect way to get their child 'back.' It's not illegal,
though the..." -- his lips twisted into a disapproving scowl --
"...potential outcome of such 'adoptions' have yet to really sink in
with the ruling councils."
"So what does that mean for me?"
The fear in the observer's voice was quite noticeable to the
doctor. Feiya knew the rules, just as much as Ishi did. NO
Avalonian was to ever leave Niphentaxian sovereign territory,
especially under her own free will. The leaders of the Church of Lum
considered themselves very blessed to have the Avalon bioroid factory
under their control. If news of its existence managed to become
commonplace across the Galactic Federation, who knew WHAT could
happen next. To ensure that such did NOT happen, any Avalonian
who was caught in places like Earth was to disappear. Literally.
The doctor sighed. "You are one of the Faithful, Feiya. A
blind man could understand that without being told. To..." he looked
out the window of his office, located close to the Megane home,
"...do something like THAT to one of the Faithful is wrong in my
eyes. But still..." he shrugged.
"Sensei..." Feiya's eyes softened.
Ishi closed his eyes, then slowly nodded. "There is a way..."
* * *
Feiya twitches slightly on sensing a hand gently glide up one of
her thighs towards her groin. *Chikan,* her mind automatically
declares as her hand grabs the twerp's wrist, then with a sharp
snap-twist of her fingers, she sends him into the seat ahead of him.
The twerp in question, a middle-aged salaryman, grunts painfully
as he feels the bones in his wrist shift into unnatural positions.
Feiya lets go, then grabs his hair to yank him back so she could
stare intently into his eyes. "Get lost."
She contemptuously shoves him into the aisle with a strong hand
and a well-placed foot. He collapses onto his butt, then staring
painfully at the strange raven-haired woman in the window seat for a
moment, staggers off. Feiya pays him no further attention as she
watches the countryside pass by. "Another one," she whispers,
her voice drowned out by the train around her. "Another one just
like me. How the hell did that happen?
"How...?"
* * *
"Oh, Panda-san, you didn't need to do this!"
[PLEASE, I INSIST!] the sign goes up, then twirls around.
[BEING YOUR GUEST IS MUCH MORE PLEASING TO ME THAN STAYING IN A ZOO!]
Hinako Ninomiya, Toofuu Ono, Cologne and Negako Moroboshi
gaze on the beast as he sits at the table, then the doctor and the
Nyu-che-zuu elder chuckle. When she woke up twenty minutes ago, the
metamorphic teacher discovered her new guest had spent some time
cleaning up her apartment. "He's more human than most humans!"
Cologne smirks, gazing on Toofuu.
"A pity we can't apply a Nanniichuan curse to him even now,"
Toofuu sighs, then gazes on the entity who, in a way, died over two
millennia ago to create the Jusenkyou pool known as Shonmaoniichuan.
"If you want, sir, I'd be more than happy to keep you in my employ
as my grounds-keeper."
[I ACCEPT YOUR GENEROUS OFFER WITH THANKS, SENSEI,] the panda
raises a sign, then it twirls. [BUT PLEASE DON'T EXPECT ME TO ANSWER
PHONES.]
More laughter. "We should think of a name for you," Hinako
proposes, now in her adult form thanks to Negako. "I don't think
you want to be called 'Panda-san' or any other sort of 'cute' name
like they apply to your brothers and sisters now in zoos across the
planet. What do you think?"
The panda crosses his arms. Watching him, the others are quick
to notice how much Genma Saotome influenced this being in the year
and more since the late Saotome patriarch fell into that spring in
China. Finally, a sign goes up. [I WOULDN'T MIND THAT.] It twirls
around. [I LEAVE THAT DECISION TO YOU SINCE I DIDN'T HAVE A NAME IN
MY PAST LIFE.] Another twirl. [BUT PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU ALL, DON'T
CALL ME 'GENMA.'] Yet another twirl. [I WISH NOT TO BE ASSOCIATED
WITH THAT MAN ANYMORE!]
The others nod understandingly. "We'll spend some time thinking
about that," Toofuu assures the panda, then turns to Hinako. "So
school'll be cancelled today because of all the window damage,
Hinako-san?"
"Most likely. Not to mention cleaning up the debris from that
tree Saotome-kun destroyed," Hinako gazes on Negako. "It surprised
me that your uncle's company was quick to offer to pay for repairs,
Negako-san."
"It is of no concern," Negako admits. "What happened last night
was, in a way, instigated by our family, so it would be only proper
to see the matter resolved to the benefit of as many as possible."
"That's good," Toofuu nods. "So what of Ranma-kun now,
Negako-san? What exactly DID happen last night? When I stepped
onto the school grounds before Genma was shot, I couldn't ignore
what I sensed."
"What did you sense?" Hinako wonders.
"Death."
Silence falls, then a clawed finger taps the table. Eyes lock
on the panda as he raises a sign. [SENSEI, YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW!]
"You know what happened?!" Hinako asks.
"He does."
As the others look on her, Negako's face turns icily neutral.
"What I am about to speak of, I would desire that none of you repeat
outside this room," she instructs. "What happened last night
concerning Ranma's 'neko-self' and Genma must be answered with
emotional support, from you AND from all those around her. She does
NOT deserve condemnation for murder."
Toofuu and Hinako pale. Cologne grimly nods...
* * *
"School's cancelled?"
"Yeah," Nabiki replaces the telephone receiver into its cradle.
"The damage to all the windows, plus that wrecked tree, have to get
cleaned up before they'd allow classes to continue," she sits by the
table.
"That's nice," Kasumi nods. "I think Kunou-san and his friends
will be disappointed that they won't be able to play with Akane-chan
today."
"Much that I really care for that," Akane sneers, then a
thoughtful hum escapes her. "Hey, why don't I go to school, then
wait for a while for the Horde to show up? When they don't, I openly
declare Kunou's challenge null-and-void, then avoid them in the
future with Dou-chan's help!"
The sisters contemplate that, then Kasumi grins. "It's a wonder
why you never thought of doing something like that before,
Akane-chan."
Akane blinks, then stares at her plate. "Yeah, it is, isn't
it?" she notes, then smirks. "What the hell! I WILL do it!! I'll
get the girls in the class to come down so I can have witnesses
to what I say, then go from there. That should knock the wind out of
Kunou's sails!"
"I'll call to make sure the Blue Blunder doesn't show up and
spoil it," Nabiki rises, heading to her bedroom.
Souun steps in at that time. Gazing on their father, Kasumi
and Akane wince on seeing the drawn, lost look etched in his
features. "Do you want some tea, Father?" Kasumi wonders as he sits
down.
He stares nowhere in particular for a moment, then realizing
his child just asked him something, nods. "Yes, please."
Kasumi heads to the kitchen. Akane turns back to her breakfast.
"Are you going to see Ranma-kun anytime today, Akane?" Souun asks.
"I..." Akane pauses, then sighs. "Yes. Why?"
"You will tell him to come here as soon as he can."
Akane stares at him. "Why?"
"He has things to answer for," Souun grimaces. "What
happened..."
"No, Father!"
He spins around, seeing Kasumi stare angrily at him.
"Kasumi..."
"That is ENOUGH!!!" she snaps, making him duck. Storming
up to him, she glares directly into his eyes. "Why, Father?! Why
are you pressing this madness even after, ESPECIALLY after, all
that's happened since the wedding?! Do you actually BLAME Ranma-kun
for doing what was RIGHT, what was PROPER, when it came to that lazy
fool you called a 'friend?!'"
Souun quakes. "He deliberately...!"
"What?!" Kasumi cuts him off. "He deliberately lead Genma to
his death?! Is that what you were going to say, Father?! No, he
didn't! Ranma-kun simply reported what Genma did wrong to the proper
authorities, then the police stepped in to deal with the matter!!
And from what I saw last night, it certainly wasn't Ranma-kun's
fault that Genma actually used a CHI blast on RIOT POLICE!!! What
did you expect them to do?!"
"They had no right to involve themselves in private
business...!"
"'Private' business?!" Kasumi shrills. "It stopped being
private when Genma started selling his son off to every family that
crossed his path!! Did you know Ranma-kun found out about FIVE more
fiancees Genma never bothered to tell him about?! Did you know the
size of the food bill that lazy oaf would've slouched off on
Ranma-kun?! Well?!!"
"Enough!!" Souun snaps. "Ranma-kun will come here and...!"
"No, he will not!"
His eyes widen. "What did you say?"
"I said 'he will not,' Father," Kasumi snarls, sending chills
down the others' backs with the ice in her voice. "What you WILL do
is forever renounce that stupid pact you made with Genma and
APOLOGIZE to Ranma-kun for harassing him about this insanity even
AFTER it was finally resolved yesterday evening!! And then, you will
leave him alone for good!"
Souun quakes, then his hand lashes out. Before it could strike
Kasumi, a pipe catches it, then Souun is sent flying out of the
sitting room. Crashing into the koi pond, he surges up, then stops
on seeing Happousai glaring at him from the porch. Kasumi and Akane
stand behind him. "I think you'd know better, Souun," the aged
grandmaster growls.
"You stay out of this...!"
"SHUT UP!!!!" Happousai roars, making Souun wail as his master's
battle aura seems to consume the whole Tendou home. As soon as the
Tendou patriarch has collapsed to his knees in the koi pond,
Happousai relaxes. "When you decide to wake up to reality, Souun,
THEN I'll consider giving you a new teaching license. Until then,
the Tendou-ryuu is no more."
He whips out the dojo sign, then shatters it, allowing the
pieces to shower the patio. Happousai walks inside. Kasumi and
Akane gaze on their father, then turn away, returning to their
breakfast. Souun remains in the pond, wide-eyed as he looks on the
shattered remains of the last thing that gave all his dreams and
fondest hopes legitimacy. "No..."
* * *
"Ye gods...!"
"I can't believe that!"
"Believe it," Cologne nods.
Toofuu and Hinako exchange a shocked look, then the former turns
to Negako. "Is there some way for Ranma-kun to be rid of that
thing?"
"Not without ultimately killing her -- and Ataru -- along the
way," the ninjitsu grandmistress shakes her head. "Yes, it is
through Ranma's 'neko' self and Ataru's Cyborg persona that their
personal psionic link is maintained. It has been that way since
Ranma underwent the Neko-ken. But those personas are deeply
ingrained in the other elements of their minds. How is it that
Neko-Ranma and the Cyborg are able to access their hosts' memories?
How is it they know exactly who is what in their hosts' lives?"
The chiropractor and the teacher exchange a look. "And this
part of Saotome-kun..." the latter turns back to Negako, "...hates
us all? Hates us to the point where it would kill us if it got the
chance and if Saotome-kun lost control? Every one of us who might
have hurt him in one way or another, regardless of reason, since he
underwent that awful training?"
"Yes, Hinako," Negako nods. "One might say Neko-Ranma redefines
the word 'hate.' Do you think she would forget the time you
repeatedly absorbed her chi while you were a guest of the Tendous
just so you could remain an adult so you could impress Souun? Do you
think, Kun-lon, she would forget the time you forced her through
the cat's tongue? Even a 'trivial' incident like what you did to
Ranma to give her a 'favourable' impression of Akane would loom large
in Neko-Ranma's eyes, Toofuu."
Silence falls as the others consider her words, then Toofuu
shakes his head. "We all helped create a human time-bomb,"
he sighs. "Thus we have the responsibility to help defuse it before
it destroys Ranma-kun and all those she cares for. What's your plan
to deal with this, Negako-san?"
"Remove Ranma from Nerima immediately, plus restrict if not
outright block any attempt by Ranma's would-be paramours or rivals
to force her to remain in a place where she should not be," Negako
explains. "That has been, in effect, done. All marriage claims
save Xian-pu's were resolved when Ranma declared herself an orphan
and was allowed to start her own autonomous branch of the Saotome
Clan. Xian-pu's claim will be resolved when Kun-lon's fellow
councillors in Joketsuzoku allow the Blood-Sibling Law to be invoked.
At the same time -- we may arrange this today -- Ranma will be
transferred from Furinkan High to Stargazer West College, then
allowed to complete her high school education in relative peace."
"Though I am familiar with many aspects of Promised Island,
I don't know too much about the school," Cologne muses. "Is it
good?"
"Very good, Elder," Hinako nods. "It's considered one of the
top all-grade establishments in the country. Negako-san's
family, I think, generously supports it with grants and scholarships.
Saotome-kun..." she pauses, looking at the table, then asks, "Is
Ranma really a girl?"
"Yes," Toofuu nods. "I didn't get the chance to examine her in
detail last night, but from what I could sense, Ranma-kun..."
a chuckle escapes him. "I guess I can't call hi-...! -- Excuse me,
*her!* -- that anymore now, can I?" A pause, then he nods. "I'd
like to see her, Negako-san. Could you ask Sakuya-chan to bring her
down sometime today?"
"Why not ask me to bring Ane-kun to see you, Toofuu-kun?"
Toofuu screams, spinning around to see a smiling Chikage gazing
amusedly at him. "CHIKAGE!!!!" he wails, waving her away.
As the chiropractor launches into yet another bout of
love-sickness, the others laugh. "I'd love to hear THIS story!"
Cologne smirks...
* * *
"Oh, darn! No school today?!"
"I'm afraid not," Sakura Sakurambou shakes her head, standing
by the front gate of Tomobiki High. "We were warned by the Ministry
that several students were transferring to our school, so I was made
to stand guard here in case some of you didn't get the message ahead
of time."
"Bummer duty," the rose-haired tomboy with the sparkling
amber-brown eyes smirks, then holds out her hand. "I'm Minako
Sawada, from Maizuru."
"Metro Kyoto...?" Sakura takes her hand, then her eyes widen
with recognition. "I've heard of you! You're the reigning Kyoto
Metro women's high school kendo champion!! Welcome to Tomobiki,
Sawada-san!"
"Hai, that's me! But PLEASE, don't blurt it out to everyone
in sight, Sakura-sensei," Minako gives her hand a warm squeeze.
"People back home, especially the girls, just became a pack of raving
otaku when I won that award!" She then perks on sensing someone
approach her. "Ah..."
"What is it?" Sakura tenses.
"It's nothing. Just a couple of close friends," Minako
explains, then sensing Sakura peering curiously at her, adds, "I'm
telepathic and empathic. So are they. I figured that for Tomobiki,
that's normal."
"Somewhat," Sakura chuckles, surprising Minako with her candour.
"How did you gain those powers, if I may ask? Is it a family
thing...?"
"Pretty much so. My mother's not from Earth..."
"Minako, do you HAVE to spill it ALL to her on the first day?!"
"Tomomi!" Minako yelps as Tomomi Yoshino gives her a surprise
bear hug from behind, then she quickly returns her embrace. "How are
you?!"
"I missed you a lot," Tomomi pecks Minako's cheek, then turns
as an ethereal blue-haired girl with purplish eyes approaches.
"So did she!"
"Hey, stop flirting with her, Yoshino!!" Kyooko Ikusawa snarls,
then as Tomomi steps away, swamps Minako with her own embrace.
"Hi, there!"
"Hi, yourself!!" Minako kisses her, then proceeds to introduce
Sakura to her friends. Along the way, some more information
as to the young Avalonians' origins are relayed to the school
nurse/priestess.
"So all your mothers fled your home planet because the
Niphentaxians wanted to keep your race in chains?" Sakura then waves
them onto school property. "What did they expect to do here on
Earth? This was years before any of us came into open contact with
extraterrestrials."
"Well, our mothers' friends learned there was a Zephyrite
missionary colony somewhere in Japan," Kyooko explains as they step
inside, heading to the nurse's office. "If they made contact with
them..."
"The Zephyrites...?!" Sakura blinks confusedly, then nods. "Oh,
you mean Ataru Moroboshi's grandmother Nagaiwakai! She lived up in
Rishiri-tou before she died during the First Tag Race. I see now."
They step into the room, then Sakura waves the three newcomers
to some readily available chairs as she prepares tea. "So what
sidetracked your mothers?"
"Their meeting our fathers, then getting married and having
us," Tomomi chuckles. "You can imagine it, can't you? Switching
from being slaves in a society that went out of its way to ensure
they stayed that way to being adopted parts of a nominally 'free'
society?"
Sakura considers that, then nods. "Yes, I can see that," she
smiles. "Do your fathers know of your mothers' origins?"
"Hai, they do. It was only fair," Minako chuckles. "Especially
given how long-lived Avalonians potentially can be."
"How long? Several hundred years?"
"Try eight hundred."
Sakura whistles. "Women on Earth would KILL to know that."
"That's why we do our best to keep our origins secret," Tomomi
chuckles. "Though I don't think it'd matter here too much."
"True, it wouldn't."
Tea is soon served. "So what brings you to Tomobiki?" Sakura
asks.
"Simple," Minako smiles. "The factory unit that created our
mothers is in orbit as we speak. Directly over Tomobiki to be
exact."
The nurse blinks, her eyes widening. "Why would it be here?"
"We don't know. Neither do our mothers since they lost their
links to the factory's central computers after we were born," Kyooko
responds. "And given how much the Niphentaxians would like to keep
knowledge of the Avalonians secret, that the factory is HERE speaks
volumes."
"There's another thing, too," Tomomi warns.
"Being?" Sakura asks.
"Phentax Twelve, the planet where the factory was placed by the
Sagussans. If the factory is here, that means Phentax Twelve has
most likely been destroyed. And Mom knew it was inhabited at the
time she was first activated." A pause, then, "If there were many
people there..."
"Don't think such awful things, Tomomi," Kyooko warns.
Sakura gazes on the three half-alien teens in her office, then
she sets her cup aside. "You might be able to get some help, then."
"Oh? How so, Sensei?" Minako perks.
"Despite what the news reports may have said about that last
week, Lum is still alive and well. She came back to Earth on
Saturday morning," Sakura lightly smiles. "It was around that time
that several people who knew Lum personally, myself included,
learned of the Niphentaxians. You see, their latest 'church' is
based on worshipping Lum herself."
The visitors blink. "That's..." Minako pauses, "...strange."
"Agreed, it is," Sakura shudders. "From what I could sense when
Lum spoke of that, she wants nothing to do with the Niphentaxians
whatsoever. I don't blame her, especially after hearing of what
their leader -- Oogi, was his name? -- did supposedly on Lum's
'behalf.' And..." she pauses on sensing something come into close
range, then looks out the window.
"Is something wrong, Sensei?" Kyooko tenses.
"Shinobu's here," Sakura stands. "Just a moment."
She steps out. The three new students exchange a curious look,
then turn back to their tea. Sakura returns a moment later, Shinobu
behind her. "Hello, there!" the latter beams, bowing to the
newcomers, then she gazes on Sakura. "And they actually said they
were Avalonians, Sensei?"
"Half-Avalonians; our mothers are pure-born," Minako rises.
Introductions are made, then Sakura prepares some tea for
Shinobu. Staring at Ataru's former girlfriend, Minako tries
desperately not to blush too much. Tomomi and Kyooko watch their
friend, then exchange a knowing look. *Don't be TOO obvious,
Minako-chan!* the former psi-links to Minako by touching the latter's
hand. *You want to scare her off?!*
*Eh?* Minako perks, then makes a dismissive wave with her hand.
*Oh, no, no, no! I'm not interested in Shinobu-chan THAT way...!*
*Bullshit, Minako!* Kyooko scowls, giving her friend a knowing
look. *We could sense your hormones kicking in all the way over
here!*
Minako flusters, then starts as Shinobu asks, "Are you okay?!"
"Eh?!" Minako bolts up, then after a few seconds hysterics,
scratches the back of her head, laughing. "Oh, it's nothing!
Nothing!!"
Shinobu gives her a curious look. Tomomi and Kyooko try not to
fall on their butts howling. Watching this from nearby, Sakura
shakes her head. *And I actually wanted things to be boring for a
change?* she muses...
* * *
"Onee-sama, are you okay?"
Ranma perks on hearing Sakuya's question, then shakes her head.
"Not really, Sakuya-chan," she turns back to her French toast as
everyone enjoys breakfast. "That nightmare I had last night's still
buggin' me."
"Was it a bad nightmare, Aneue-sama?" Marie asks.
"Pretty bad," Ranma sighs. "It was me meeting a version of
myself who hated everyone -- and I mean EVERYONE -- who did me wrong
in my life. And she had gone out and killed all those people.
And..." she shudders.
"That's pretty raw," Mamoru grimaces.
"Tell me about it."
Ataru gazes on Ranma, inwardly smiling at the latter's use of a
dream metaphor to divert their curiosity away from what happened
at Furinkan High last night. None save Chikage knew now of what
happened to Genma Saotome. Not that they would really care, of
course, Ataru muses. While she stayed on the Island, Ranma had gone
out of her way to draw as bad a picture of her father as she could
to them. But, especially for the young ones, harping too much on the
theme of death wasn't the wisest thing.
The living room door opens, revealing Negako. "Tadaima."
"Oh, Nee-sama, there you are!" Shirayuki smiles. "Do you want
some breakfast? Hime made her special French toast today."
"So I can scent," Negako takes her place in the circle.
"Please."
"Hai, right away."
Shirayuki heads into the kitchen. "Where were you?" Ataru asks.
"Meeting with Toofuu Ono, Kun-lon and Hinako Ninomiya,"
Negako replies as Karen pours her a cup of tea. "There is no school
today due to a considerable amount of damage to the windows and the
front lawn."
Ranma perks, then nods. "Well, that's good."
"Waaai!!" Hinako gushes. "That means Onii-tama and Onee-tama
can spend the whole day with Hina and her sisters!"
"Hey, that's right!" Mamoru nods. "Why don't we go swimming?!"
"Where, Mamoru?" Sakuya demands. "It's February, remember?!"
"Baka! The indoor pool at the Tower in Tomobiki!! It's the
same size as the indoor pool at school! We can swim there!!"
Ataru hums. "Good point." A sly smile then crosses his face
as he gazes on the eldest of his half-sisters. "And we can visit
Esmerelda's ahead of time to get Ranma a new swimsuit! Right,
Sakuya-chan?"
"Oh, definitely!" Sakuya gushes.
"I'm dead," Ranma's head slumps.
"Why don't we make today 'Make Onee-chan A REAL Girl' Day?!"
Karen proposes. "After all, she's GOT to be tired of wearing the
same thing day-in and day-out, even if she's used to living on the
road."
Ranma glances at her, then stares at her clothes. She is in her
typical white sleeveless tang and jogging pants. "Well, yeah, you
got a point, Karen-chan," she muses. "But what'd be good for me?"
"For that, we best get to Esmerelda's early!" Sakuya proposes.
"I'll call the boys to get the road train here," Rinrin calls
out.
She heads to her overnight bag. Ranma watches the sisters
launch into excited chatter about today's planned events, then stares
at Ataru. "Hey, Ataru, I thought you wanted to keep them AWAY from
Tomobiki!"
"I thought it'd be okay when we were just concerned with a
swimsuit for you to wear," he laments. "But for a whole
WARDROBE...?!"
Ranma laughs, then pauses, a finger scratching her chin. "Hey,
wait a minute..." her voice trails off, she looking nowhere in
particular.
"What is it?" he blinks.
"You planning to go to Stargazer West next week when classes
start?"
"Of course. Why...?" Ataru turns away as the possible gist of
Ranma's train of thought sinks in before he asks, "Do you want that?"
She shrugs. "What's the use going to Furinkan for four or five
days when we'll be starting a whole new school year next Monday on
the Island?" a smile turns her lips. "Kinda redundant when you think
about it, ne?"
"True," he nods. "And besides, high school isn't mandatory
in Japan. Thought I do hope you'd consider going all the way to
graduation."
"Of course I will," she nods, then stares at her plate. "But
I only realized pretty recently that I've got a lot to catch up on.
I've missed so much being on the road with Oyaji and all that..."
"Oh, don't worry about it, Ranma," he waves her down.
"Worry about what, Onii-chan?"
They turn to see the sisters staring quizzically at them. "Oh,
it's nothing really important, Karen-chan," Ranma assures her, then
turns to Negako. "Um, I hate to ask you this, but can you ask the
school to...?"
"I've already discussed the possibility with Hinako this
morning," the grandmistress nods. "The staff will be in school
today. It will be easily arranged regardless if Pauline tries to
interfere or not."
A hang tugs Negako's sleeve. "Onee-tama, Hina's right here!"
the youngest of Ataru's sisters points to herself with her free hand.
"I am speaking of Ranma's former homeroom teacher, Hinako,
not you," Negako gives Hinako a reassuring smile.
"Oh!"
Giggles waif through the room, then everyone perks on hearing
a knock at the front door. "I'll get it!" Haruka heads over. "Hai?"
"Sorry to bother you, but are Ranma Saotome and Ataru Moroboshi
here?" the man flashing the police identification booklet smiles.
"Hai, they're here right now. Please," Haruka waves the
policeman in, then looks to the dining room table. "Anigimi-sama,
Anegimi-sama?"
"You're here because of last night?" Ranma rises, bowing.
"Hai," he nods. "I'm Detective Okajima of the Nerima Precinct.
I have to get both your statements about what happened at the
school."
"Right, right," Ranma nods, then senses Ataru standing behind
her.
"Would you mind if we took this outside the house,
Okajima-keibuho?" Ataru whispers to the policeman, cupping a hand
around his lips. "I don't want my sisters, especially the younger
ones, to overhear some of this."
"Of course, Moroboshi-san," he smiles, heading outside.
Ranma and Ataru move to follow, the latter whispering into the
former's ear, "Tell him the facts you know. That's all they need."
"Right," she nods...
* * *
Sometime later...
Near the Megane home in Tomobiki is a nondescript townhouse
tucked behind two large sakura trees on the front lawn. The trees
are enough to distract the normal passer-by from wondering what might
be happening beyond the living room windows. The small group of
people living here preferred it that way for many reasons, chief of
which was fear of discovery.
Feiya pauses at the front gate, gazing at what had once been her
home for over a half-year. Coming back to "the holy city" had been
harder than she thought, she grimaces as she pushes open the gate.
Seeing the familiar sights, smelling the familiar smells, hearing
the familiar voices -- all of which had once been more sacred than
anything in the universe to her not so long ago -- nearly tore a
scream of pained anguish from Feiya's lips.
Innocence lost...
Stopping at the door, she knocks once. It opens a moment later
to reveal Ishi. "Sensei," Feiya smiles, eyes misting as she takes
in his weathered features, then she catches herself. "Is there...?"
He shakes his head, waving her inside. "All of them are out
doing their morning observations," he reports. "They won't be back
until well after lunchtime. Did you make the arrangements?"
"Hai, all set," she glances around the living room, a place that
would make most of the boys at Tomobiki High drool with envy on
seeing the many Lum artifacts there. "She the same situation
as me, Sensei?"
"Hai," he walks to the stairs leading to the second floor, then
calls out, "Nari! Come down here now; Feiya's here!"
Footsteps herald the descent of a young teenager, about thirteen
or so in Terran terms, dressed in a button shirt with ascot, pullover
sweater and plaid skirt. Her red-brown hair is cut at mid-neck,
combed in draping bangs to cover her ears. Her chestnut eyes glitter
with both pain and hopeful anticipation. Gazing on her, Feiya sighs,
then stares at Ishi. "How could someone this young get posted here,
Sensei?"
"Her parents are..." he pauses, grimacing, then sighs. "Pardon
me, WERE high priests on Phentax Two. They were killed..." he
falters.
"They died in the Cataclysm, Onee-chan."
Feiya stares at Nari. The younger Niphentaxian/Avalonian
now gazes on the floor, eyes brimming with tears. "I see," Feiya
closes her eyes, then she walks over to squeeze Nari's shoulders.
"I grieve for you, Nari." Then to Ishi. "What else has been
happening back home, Sensei? You told me about this 'cataclysm'
but you didn't give any details..."
"Nari can explain everything to you," he places a hand on her
shoulder. "It's best you both leave the Holy City as soon as
possible. Right now, none of the group commanders have ANY idea as
to what to do. What CAN we do with so many of our leaders back home
dead?" A pause, then, "There's another thing, too. The bioroid
factory has gone missing."
Feiya's eyes widen. "MISSING?!! How...?!"
"No one knows, Onee-chan," Nari looks up, a hand clenching
over her heart. "Atop that, Phentax Twelve itself has been
destroyed. But...!"
She shrugs. Feiya takes that in, then sighs. "Damn..."
"It's obvious that there were..." Ishi pauses as he looks for
the least wounding way to say this, then he sighs. "Casualties."
Feiya stares at her friend, then nods understandingly.
"You have all your belongings with you, Nari-chan?" she turns to the
younger Avalonian.
"Hai, Onee-chan, they're upstairs," Nari nods.
"Alright, let's get going. We'll overnight in Tokyo, then head
to my place tomorrow morning," Feiya announces. As Nari heads
upstairs to get her suitcases and backpack, the older Avalonian
turns to Ishi. "You sure you're going to be alright, Sensei? If
things're falling apart..."
"I'll stay with the others here," Ishi nods understandingly.
"You two'll have a better chance of living your own lives away from
us."
They stare at each other, then Feiya nods. Nari soon returns
with two wheeled suitcases and a backpack. Feiya takes one in hand
as they step out, heading for the main gate. Ishi remains at the
doorway, a neutral expression on his face as he watches the
Avalonians head to the nearest bus stop. "May the Goddess guide you
both," he whispers...
* * *
"AH-CHOO!!!!"
"Ouch!! Geseuntheit, Lum! You okay?!"
Lum moans, rubbing her nose. "I'm not sure," the
Oni-turned-Nendo-kata/Terran grumbles, gazing on Jay and Kay. The
two SCAA agents now relax with their hosts in the living room of
Lan's scoutship. "Someone must be talking about me. Hard to guess
who it might be."
"Oh," Jay nods as they turn back to their paperwork...
* * *
Later...
"Damn, I didn't think it was THAT bad..."
Ataru, Ranma, Negako and the sisters gaze on Furinkan High as
the road train makes its way to Tomobiki. The interview with
Detective Okajima, finished moments before the road train arrived
at the Moroboshi home, had gone off without a hitch. No doubt, Ranma
immediately concluded, local law enforcement wanted to settle the
whole matter concerning her late father as quickly as possible,
then press on with other business.
Already, repair crews are hard at work replacing windows and
clearing away what was left of the tree Ranma destroyed. Also there
today is Akane. Dressed casually, she is surrounded by most of the
other girls in their old first-year class. The girls are busy
chatting with each other. "What do you suppose your friends are
doing, Onee-sama?" Sakuya asks.
"Search me, Sakuya-chan," Ranma shakes her head, then calls out
to the driver, "Hey, stop this thing for a moment!!"
"Hai, Young Mistress!"
The road train chugs to a stop. Hearing the *toot!* of its
horn, the crowd gazes their way. "Ranma?!" Akane perks on seeing
a familiar redhead disembark, followed by Negako Moroboshi, a small
crowd of young women and one man bearing a moustache and beard.
"Ranma, what are you doing here?!"
"Negako was going to speak to the staff about something
concerning Ataru and me, Akane-san," Ranma indicates the ninjitsu
grandmistress. "What are you doing here, anyway? There's no school
on."
Akane tries not to frown on hearing Ranma address her so
formally, then shrugs. "Something I should've done ages ago. What's
the time?"
"Eight-fifty," Yuka gazes on her watch.
"Long enough," Akane nods. "Everyone, you are all aware, of
course, of the false proclamation Tatewaki Kunou made sometime
ago, a proclamation he reaffirmed yesterday afternoon, concerning
people wanting to date me?"
"Hai!!" her classmates nod.
"Since I came here to school today and having found that none
of the so called 'Horde o'Hentai' had come to challenge me as Kunou
dictated, I hereby, with all of you as my witnesses, declare Kunou's
proclamation NULL AND VOID!!!" Akane's voice picks up to emphasize
her point. "From this day until the day I graduate, I swear, on the
memory of my late mother, that I will not submit myself to anything
he forces on me EVER AGAIN!!!"
A boisterous cheer raises from her classmates. The sisters
exchange looks, wondering why something as silly as THIS was
bothering their big brother's new girlfriend. Negako remains
impassive as usual. Ranma stares curiously at Akane, then nods
understandingly. "Pity I never considered doing something like that
myself!" she whispers to Ataru. "That would've really knocked the
wind out of ol' Blue Blunder's sails!"
"You were never allowed to think about it, remember?" Ataru
notes.
"True."
"Ne, Ranma-kun, why are you wearing your hair loose?" Yuka then
asks. "Don't you still have that problem with your hair growing
long?"
"Oh, not for a while yet, Tokoro-san," Ranma assures her,
ignoring Yuka's dropped jaw in response to the way Ranma just
addressed her. "I'm frozen as a girl for the next while. Negako
here's helping me deal with a couple of problems Genma heaped on me
during the training trip. To make it work better, I have to remain
in one body for the whole treatment. With my curse, I can only be
frozen as a girl; that's the way it works."
"The Neko-ken being the primary one," Ataru adds.
Ranma automatically shudders. The others notice her reaction,
then start on hearing laughter echo from behind them. "ALOHA,
KEIKI!!!!" the principal of Furinkan High School appears, a shower
of pineapples and coconuts dropping down on them as fireworks
explode behind him.
"Nice entrance," Rinrin smirks.
A coconut drops into Aria's hands. Ranma panics on sensing
a build-up of chi within that spheroid. She bats it clear, sending
it flying back at the Principal. Seeing her reaction, the other
girls quickly kick and punch away the coconuts and pineapples
that landed close to them. Just in time: as the coconut Aria caught
lands in the Principal's lap, it blows, showering his face and shirt
with burnt cordite. The other fruit bombs explode shortly afterward,
they fortunately not hurting anyone.
"That -- didn't hurt...!" the Principal moans.
He passes out. Aria frowns. "Nee-ya," she turns to Ranma.
"You okay, Aria-chan?!" she gazes worriedly at the young
Parisian.
"Aria is fine," Aria smiles, then she frowns. "But Aria is glad
that Nee-ya will come to Stargazer West College next Monday. At
least there, Nee-ya wouldn't get hurt anymore by her stupid
principal."
"Not to mention the other baka-bakas in this place who always
try to hurt Onee-tama for some baka-baka reason," Hinako adds.
"It's a good thing we purchased the right uniform for
Anegimi-sama, isn't it?" Haruka draws out her gunsen, then fans
herself.
"Sure got that right," Yotsuba nods.
Silence.
More silence.
Still more silence.
Then...
"***YOU'RE LEAVING?!?!?!***"
Ranma is blown over by that scream; every one of her old
classmates present today had bellowed that question. "Yes, Onee-sama
is leaving this dump," Sakuya answers on Ranma's behalf as Mamoru
helps her Anii's new friend to her feet. "Now you won't have the
chance to blame Onee-sama for all the troubles this place has
experienced, just like the dorks in Tomobiki loved to blame Onii-sama
for everything that happened there."
Everyone stares at Sakuya, then back to Ranma. The martial
artist says nothing as she brushes her slacks off, then turns to
Ataru. "Yeah, it WOULD be nice to enjoy a day at school without
worrying about all the fool things that bothered me here," she
crosses her arms. "Eh, Ataru?"
He nods. "I can certainly agree to that..."
"HOLD THE POI, KEIKI!!! THE BIG KAHUNA AIN'T FINISHED WITH
YOU!!!"
Ranma sighs, then peers intently at the Principal. "And what
exactly do you want, Kunou-kouchou?" her eyebrow arches
contemptuously.
Out come the barber shears. "No keiki, especially no
disrespectful keiki like youse, gonna leave the Big Kahuna's school
without getting a partin' haircut!!" the Hawaii-crazed school
administrator declares.
Ranma sighs, then blinks on feeling Ataru squeeze her shoulder
in assurance. "Well, since my hair is a little on the long side,
I think I need a trim," he reaches behind his neck to undo the
jumper's cord tying his ponytail down. "Hold this please," he hands
the cord to Ranma
Ranma takes it, then blinks on seeing the Dragon's Whisker
still tied to the cord. A curious, heartwarming feeling surges
through her, then she smirks as Ataru walks up to Kunou's father.
Seeing him, the Principal shudders on seeing all that hair hanging
off this keiki. "Well, at least we got ONE keiki willin' ta obey the
Big Kahuna's rules!" he whips out a tall stool, then plants it on the
ground. "Sit right there!"
"Hai, hai!" Ataru takes his place.
"Moroboshi-san, what are you DOING?!" Sayuri gasps, imagining
what the transplanted Tomobikian might look like after the Principal
got done.
The others tense as the Principal raises his shears...
*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ! BRRRRR!! BZZZZZZZZ!! BRRRRRWWW!! BZZ!!!*
"Nii-ya...!" Aria shudders on seeing the damage the Principal
just wrought on her beloved brother's hair, then her eyes go wide.
So do everyone else's on seeing a strange glow cover Ataru's
head. A second later, the glow fades, revealing all his hair
restored to normal. "Waaaaa!!" Hinako gushes. "Onii-tama has
magical hair!!!"
"Huh?!" the Principal jolts, looking quizzically at Hinako,
then turns back before his jaw hits the ground on seeing Ataru once
again with moustache, beard and mid-back length hair. "THAT AIN'T
POSSIBLE!!!!"
"Care to try again?" Ataru stares at him.
Growling, the Principal snaps up his shears...
*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ! BRRRRR!! BZZZZZZZZ!! BRRRRRWWW!! BZZ!!!*
Guess what happens?
"YOU STOP GROWIN' LIKE THAT!!!!"
*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ! BRRRRR!! BZZZZZZZZ!! BRRRRRWWW!! BZZ!!!*
Guess what just happened again?
"THE BIG KAHUNA IS BOSS HERE, NOT YOU!!!!"
*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ! BRRRRR!! BZZZZZZZZ!! BRRRRRWWW!! BZZ!!!*
And again...
"YOU AIN'T LICKED THE BIG KAHUNA YET!!!!"
*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ! BRRRRR!! BZZZZZZZZ!! BRRRRRWWW!! BZZ!!!*
And again...
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!"
*BUZZZZZZZZZZZZ! BRRRRR!! BZZZZZZZZ!! BRRRRRWWW!! BZZ!!!*
And yet again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
And still again for at least thirty-six -- yes, that's
THIRTY-SIX! -- more tries before Ataru finally asks, "Give up,
Kouchou-san?"
Staring at the massive pile of cut hair encompassing Ataru's
feet and chair, the Principal looks back to see his hair restored,
not a lock of deep brown out of place, then he faints. "I guess so,"
Ataru shrugs.
The others gape dumbstruck at him, then Yuka whoops, "Three
cheers for Ataru Moroboshi, the first student ever to FULLY beat the
Principal!!!"
"BANZAI!!! BANZAI!!!! BANZAI!!!!!!" the other Furinkan girls
save Akane clap and wave their hands in celebration.
Ataru chuckles, then nods thanks as Ranma comes up, the jumper's
cord in hand. To his surprise, the Dragon's Whisker is still tied
in place. He looks at her. She playfully winks back, mouthing,
"Keep it."
He chuckles as he proceeds to re-tie his hair into a ponytail.
"How the heck did THAT happen?" Sayuri demands, gazing on the shorn
hair.
"Oh, quite simple, really," Ataru finishes lacing his ponytail
into place. "When I visited a planet named Noukiios some time ago,
a priest gave me some hair tonic that allowed me to grow my beard
and moustache." He impishly shrugs. "Turns out I drank a little
TOO much of the stuff. That's why I can't be bothered to shave or
get my hair cut anymore. You see, on Noukiios, boys start growing
beards when they enter puberty. It's seen as VERY un-classy to not
grow a beard in that society."
"Oh, that's right! I remember seeing that," Ranma perks.
Akane's eyes go wide, then she spins on Ranma. "You went to
another PLANET?!!" she shrills. "How did you wind up doing THAT?!"
"That's none of your business," Ranma turns away from her.
Akane remains rooted in place, then calls back, "Of COURSE it's
my business, baka!! You could've been killed if you went there!!"
Ranma glances over her shoulder. "You mean you really care for
me, Akane-san?" her eyebrow arches surprisedly.
The youngest Tendou daughter catches herself as an automatic
denial surges up her throat, then she looks down. "Yes!" she hisses,
then stares mistily at Ranma. "Yes, I care for you, Ranma! I love
you, damn it!!"
They gaze on each other, then Ranma shakes her head. "You
hesitated before you said that. Further, you looked like you were
about to say your usual 'Why should I care for a sex-changing
pervert like you?' spiel! I'm sorry, Akane-san, but if you can't
be frankly honest with yourself, then I can't accept what you just
told me." She turns away. "And furthermore, even if you WERE honest
with yourself, I wouldn't reciprocate."
Akane shudders, then screams, "WHY?!?!"
Ranma takes a step, then looks back. "Because I don't love you.
And I never will love you because I love someone else."
"WHO?!?!"
"That's none of your business, Tendou-san. Sayonara."
Ranma moves to board the road train. Akane shudders, then
screams out "RANMA NO BAKA!!!" as she draws Mallet-sama...
"***SHINZOU BAKUHATSU SHOKU!!!!***"
Akane wails as Ranma's fingertip slams into Mallet-sama's
hitting surface. A flash of light latter, the chi-mallet shatters,
its fragments vanishing in a drumroll of *pops!* Everyone watches
as Akane is flung back by the backlash of Mallet-sama being wrecked
by the Heart Blast Touch, her head slamming into the Principal's
stool. Akane drops into an unconscious heap on the ground, then the
onlookers turn warily to Ranma. Glaring at her ex-fiancee,
Ranma tries not to scream out, then turns away. "Stupid, selfish
tomboy!" she mutters, storming back to the road train.
"Hey!!!" Sayuri moves to pursue. "Who the hell gave you...?!"
Her voice suddenly catches in her throat as Ranma spins on her,
a chi ball in hand. "You have a problem, Asano-san?" the redhead
smiles.
Sayuri shudders as Ranma swings the chi ball around to hover
inches from her face, then she staggers away from the irate martial
artist. "I didn't think so," Ranma straightens herself, a chill
warping through her as she disperses the chi ball. "Hey, Negako,
get our student records and get them over to the College ASAP! The
less I have to do with these lifeless jerks..." she thumbs the other
Furinkan girls, "...the better!!"
With that, she storms back to the road train. "As you wish,"
Negako sighs, then looks down at the still-dozing Principal.
"Pauline, wake up."
No response. Negako gently shifts his body around with her
foot. Chikage comes up to give the Principal a detailed look-over.
"I believe he is still in shock over his inability to deal with
Ani-kun's hair, Ane-kun."
"So it seems," Negako lightly smiles. "Kaho?"
"Hai, Onee-chama?" the young cheerleader comes up.
"Would you like to add another tree to your collection?"
the ninjitsu grandmistress points to the tiny tree on the Principal's
head.
Kaho looks, then gushes. "Hai, Kaho DEFINITELY wants a new
tree!!"
That did it. "***SAY WHAT?!?!?!***" the Principal bolts up,
quickly scrambling over Ataru like Scooby-doo would over Shaggy.
"***WHO SAYS ANYTHIN' ABOUT SOME WAHINI TAKIN' THE BIG KAHUNA'S
TREE AWAY?!?!?!***"
Ataru shoves Kunou's father away from him, thus allowing Negako
to grab the Principal by the scalp around the implanted tree.
"Kindly ask your secretary to fetch Ataru's and Ranma's school
records, Pauline," the grandmistress twists his head so she could
glare into his eyes. "Now."
"B-but..."
"Excuse me, Moroboshi-sensei, but are you looking for these?"
Negako turns to see the school's chief secretary standing
nearby, two thick folders in hand. "Ah, excellent," she tosses the
Principal aside, then takes the records in hand. "Did Hinako speak
to you of this?"
"Hai, Ninomiya-sensei called just now," the secretary bows, then
gazing amusedly at Ataru for a moment, heads back to the building.
Negako examines the records, then nods. "Good. Jinseiko!"
A black blur later finds the leader of the Kuromoroboshi
kneeling beside Negako. "You summoned me, Grandmistress,"
she bows her head.
The records are handed over. "Take those to the College.
Explain to the secretary there that Ataru and Ranma are to be
registered in Senior Class 2-A as I discussed with the headmaster.
Go now."
"Hai, Grandmistress, it will be done!" Jinseiko bows, then
vanishes.
The Furinkan girls blink, then Yuka walks up to Ataru. "Gee,
it must be nice to have your own personal ninja troupe at your beck
and call!"
"It is convenient," he nods, then turns to his sisters. "Well,
girls, shall we beat tracks to the Tower?"
"Hai!!" they nod, many heading to the road train.
"***HOLD THE POI HERE, KEIKI!!!!***"
"What is your problem, Pauline?" Negako glares at the Principal.
The Hawaii-crazed administrator balks, then points his barber
shears towards Ranma. "While the Big Kahuna don't mind the idea of a
girl-crazy keiki like Moroboshi not comin' to the Big Kahuna's
school, the Big Kahuna didn't say ANYTHIN' about Saotome there
walking outta here scot-free!"
Negako considers that, then shrugs. "Why, I would believe
that you would be quite pleased to see Ranma depart from Furinkan,
Pauline."
"Eh?!" he spins on the grandmistress. "What you talkin'
about?!"
"Your desire to properly discipline your students, of course,"
Negako shrugs. "After all, Pauline, you have spent the last year or
so focusing your attention on dealing with Ranma specifically.
There are over five hundred other students currently attending
Furinkan High School. And I know for a fact that a considerable
number of them are getting away with far worse than anything you
might have attributed to Ranma. Has not Hinako or several other of
your teachers warned of the growing drug problem here? What of the
five girls who became pregnant in the last six months alone? And the
Yakuza are certainly taking interest in Nabiki Tendou's operations
here, hoping very much to subvert them to their own control. Is THIS
truly what you would desire your school to be known for, Pauline?"
The Principal blinks, then hums, crossing his arms. The
Furinkan girls exchange worried looks, then gaze on Negako, wondering
where the hell did the ninjitsu grandmistress acquire that
information. Ataru remains silent; the sisters have by now boarded
the road train. Akane is starting to recover, she being helped to
her feet by Sayuri and Yuka.
Finally, the Principal nods. "You're right!" he points to
Negako, then gazes heavenward with determination. "The Big Kahuna's
been makin' himself too busy with that keiki Saotome ta think too
much about the REAL discipline problems here! Fine! Saotome's
the problem of whatever school you're gonna send him too! The Big
Kahuna's got bigger fish to fry!!"
"A reasonable solution," Negako nods. "Ataru?"
"Hai, Onee-chan," Ataru nods.
The Moroboshi siblings head to the road train. The others watch
them go, then Akane bursts through the crowd to place herself before
Ataru, arms spread wide. "WAIT A MINUTE!!!" she snaps, causing
Ataru and Negako to stop, then she runs up to the side of the road
train. "Ranma, why are you leaving?! This is your home, for
heaven's sake!!" Akane waves back to the school. "You don't have to
go anywhere else!! Please...!!"
No response comes her way for a moment, then Ranma turns to
stare on her former fiancee. Akane jolts, then feels an icy chill
warp through her on seeing the emotionless look on Ranma's face.
Finally, Ranma stands up, stepping off the road train. The sisters
watch her, many stunned that their boyfriend's new girlfriend
was even acknowledging Akane. "Anii, you don't have to listen to
what this bitch says!!" Mamoru snaps.
"Hey!!" Akane spins on the athlete. "You mind your own...!!"
A fist suddenly explodes in her gut, sending her to her knees.
Akane cries out in shock as the air is forced from her lungs, then
as her arms automatically wrap around her abdomen, she looks up in
stunned disbelief. Ranma stares dispassionately at her. Gasps from
the crowd nearby echo the surprise of many on seeing Ranma actually
HIT her ex-fiancee. "Ranma..." Akane gargles, then coughs several
times as nausea overwhelms her.
"'Home,' you say...?"
Akane blinks, then looks back up to see Ranma staring at her,
the latter's eyes misting over. "You actually believe I look on this
garbage dump..." she waves around her to indicate Nerima, "...as
my HOME?!"
"B-but, Ranma..." Akane whispers, reaching for her.
Ranma's foot forcefully smashes that aside, nearly knocking
Akane over. Several girls gasp, they moving automatically
to help Akane to her feet. Before they could get within three metres
of the youngest Tendou, a chi blast knocks them off their feet!
Akane screams, then stares wide-eyed on Ranma. "Uh-uh!!" the redhead
lowers her hand. "Not this time, Tendou-san. You're going to listen
for once in your life and you're not going to get a chance to hide
behind your pathetic friends to avoid the truth!"
Akane quakes. "R-r-Ranma...! Wh-why...?!"
"'Why,' you ask?" Ranma snorts, angry tears spilling down her
cheeks. "You've got a brain inside your head, Tendou! Figure it out
for yourself for once! Or did that lazy-fool coward you call a
father brainwash YOU too much into thinking the whole world'd bow to
the beautiful Akane Tendou, self-proclaimed 'greatest martial artist
in all of Nerima?!'" A sneer twists her lips. "Forget it! I've
shielded you ungrateful bastards for WAY too long now!! I'm tired
of doing something for nothin', not even a simple 'thank you,' for
dealing with all the crap that lunatic..." she points to the
Principal, "...his son, his daughter, that chi-vamp Ninomiya and all
the rest of those bastards've been willing to heap over you!!"
"Ranma-kun..." Yuka covers her mouth.
Ranma turns to the other girls. "I want you all to think about
this. With me gone, there's NO ONE who'll stop Happousai from
copping feels from any of you, stealing your personal property
or doing anything else to any of you! With me gone, there is NO ONE
who'll stop Pantyhouse Tarou from tearing this place apart as he
tries to make Jijii change his name! With me gone, the chances
of all of you getting bowl cuts and buzz cuts from the Principal
there skyrocket! After all, all he has to do is expel Kuonji-san
and Tendou-san here and those who can stop him dwindle to no one!"
A wry grin crosses her face as she indicates the Principal. "I'm
sure he's got loads of ways of dealing with ol' Bokken-for-brains.
And with me gone, the next time some hotshot martial artist comes
by to seek a challenge'll have a much easier time of it!" She then
glances at Akane. "Not to mention what might happen when a Dojo
Destroyer decides to pay you a visit, ne?!"
"Ranma..." Akane blinks.
"Hey, Ataru, Negako, let's go!"
She hops onto the road train, followed by Ataru and Negako.
As soon as they're in place, the driver guides the machine away from
Furinkan High. "Ranma, WAIT!!!" Akane staggers to her feet, moving
to pursue...
...then screams out as yet ANOTHER chi blast explodes at her
feet, knocking her back down. Akane cries out as the air is once
again forced out of her lungs, then she staggers onto her elbows
as Yuka and Sayuri move to help her. "Akane-chan, are you alright?!"
the latter gasps as they help her back to her feet, she glancing
where the road train had driven off.
Akane's mouth opens to say something, then the strength in her
body vanishes as sobs steal her voice. Sayuri moves to comfort
her as several other girls gather around them. Before anyone could
say anything, a cackle of delighted laughter echoes from inside the
school walls. "Well, well, well!! Ain't THIS nice?!" the Principal
grins, barber shears at the ready. "Now that keiki's outta the way,
it's time for the Big Kahuna to make all the other keiki at the Big
Kahuna's school obey ALL the rules!!"
Screams echo from the girls as the Hawaii-crazed school
administrator advances on them. A bell then makes the Principal
look up -- just as the front tire of Shampoo's bicycle caves his head
in! "Nihao!!" the warrior-maiden cheerily calls out as she drives
the Principal into the dirt, then she looks at the girls by the gate.
"Akane and friends lucky that Shampoo see Palm-Tree Man try to cut
hair off!" Her voice trails off on seeing the teary-eyed Akane
kneeling on the ground nearby. "Aiyah!! What happen to Akane?!"
Shampoo dismounts her machine, then walks over to kneel beside her
former rival. "Akane get into fight with someone?!"
"What do you think?!" Sayuri snarls, rising to her feet as she
glances to where the road train had vanished on its trip to Tomobiki.
"Damn that bastard Saotome!! How could he just DO that to her?!"
A hand grabs her by the collar, then Sayuri finds herself
looking face-to-face with a scowling Shampoo. "Why stupid girl call
Airen names?!" the warrior-maiden demands, the look in her eyes
promising a lot of pain if Sayuri didn't quickly retract what she
just said...
* * *
"Hey, you okay?"
Ranma doesn't look at Ataru, though she doesn't resist his
gently squeezing her hand. "What do you think?" she whispers,
leaning into his side as her free hand brushes away the tears from
her eyes.
Staring at them, the sisters remain respectfully silent...
* * *
"Okay, shrimp! You know what we want, don'tcha?"
Hikaru Gosunkugi sweats. It is the usual position for the
would-be voodoo sorcerer: backed into a cull-de-sac, no escape
possible, three VERY big young men ready to pound him into protoplasm
in case he didn't cough up what money he had. What was worse, there
was no sign of anyone who could help him get away. And if the masks
they wore spoke the truth about their identities, these guys were
ones Hikaru encountered before.
They would know of his attempts at using voodoo against them.
"Excuse me, but why are you picking on that man?"
Hikaru's eyes widen as the toughs spin around, gazing on the
woman in the slacks and flower-print shirt standing three metres
away. Though her face is darkened by shadow, the hair and body shape
speak volumes. "Akane-san...!" he whispers, a sudden bout of
dizziness overcoming him.
Because of that, what happens next is a hazy blur to the frail
lad. The toughs growl, then charge. In a storm of fists to the jaw
and foot strikes down *there,* the three are reduced to piles of
whimpering flesh in seconds. Confirming they no longer present
a threat, the woman approaches Hikaru. His eyes focus on the concern
etched on her face, that being enough to snap the rest of his brain
clear of its passion-induced fog.
"Are you alright?"
Hikaru blinks. Yes, this person looked exactly like Akane,
but the slight difference in her speech pattern, not to mention
different movements in the body, tell him something different.
"You're not Akane-san!!"
The woman chuckles as she helps him to his feet. She seems to
freeze for a moment, then she relaxes. "No, I'm not. My name is
Kimiko Tendou. My body..." she points to her heart, "...is cloned
from Akane's."
"Cloned...?" Hikaru stands, staring intently at Kimiko. "How?!"
"I'm sorry, but I can't answer that. The person who provided
this body for me hasn't told me how she gained it," Kimiko smiles,
an expression that, for all its blatant honesty, was worlds different
than Akane's. "I hope I didn't confuse you, Hikaru-sama. I didn't
mean to do that."
He begins to sway. *Sh-she called me 'Hikaru-SAMA?!'*
"Hikaru-sama, are you alright?!" she grabs him by the shoulder,
then yelps as a warmth, akin to the heat of a gas burner, dances
over her hands. Pulling her hands away, she stares at her palms.
He stares wide-eyed at her, his mouth opening and closing as if he
wanted to say something yet couldn't make his larynx voice his
thoughts. *Oh!* Kimiko blinks. *He's attracted to me!* her cheeks
start to flame. *Very attracted to me...*
He remains rooted in place as Kimiko walks up to lean into him,
she drawing her arms around his waist. His heartbeat thunders
in his ears as his nose picks up the lovely scent of her shampoo.
His cheeks redden on feeling a rather natural response to being in
such close proximity to a woman. She seems to stiffen, then relaxes,
turning her face to gaze on him. He stares at her, a million
questions thundering through his mind, then -- for what reason,
he has NO idea -- he firmly grasps her shoulders.
Kimiko remains in place as Hikaru's lips gently caress hers,
then she warms to the contact. Quite unexpectedly, images bombard
her mind. Images mostly focusing on Akane, they accompanied
by strong, overwhelming, levels of passion, desire -- and
frustration. Brief images of Ranma appear, those accompanied
by irritation, envy and jealousy. There were fleeting images of
others, but Akane's images were the strongest.
They pull apart, staring into each other's eyes, then Kimiko
quietly asks, "You've always desired her, haven't you?"
"Yes," Hikaru nods, stunned that the surge of strength now
flooding his muscles hadn't abated. "Why did you get cloned from
her?"
"It's..." she blinks. "Something of a long story. It was
Ranma-sama who helped make this possible for me, Hikaru-sam-...!"
-- *Wait, wait! Too formal!* she mentally rails, then corrects
herself -- "...er, Hikaru-kun!" she pulls away from him, then covers
her mouth in polite laughter.
Hikaru tries not to scream for joy. *She called me
'Hikaru-KUN?!!'* he shudders with delight, then blinks as he
remembers something else Kimiko just said. "Wait! You said SAOTOME
made this possible for you?!"
"Hai! I..." she blushes again. "Would you like to go to a
coffee shop so we can talk more, Hikaru-kun?" she waves out of the
cull-de-sac. "I mean, I'd hardly call this a proper place to start
a relationship."
He stares nonplussed at her, then nods. "Um, s-s-s-sure
th-thing, Kimiko-sa-...!" he catches himself, then flusters, "Um,
Kimiko-chan."
She beams, slipping her arm around his. He does his best not to
become a babbling wreck in her presence. Walking past the downed
bullies, they head out, then turn down the street. They do not take
ten steps before an imperious voice bellows from behind, "HOLD!!!!"
Hikaru jolts, then shudders. "Damn!! HE would have to show
up!" he growls, then turns around. And yes, there he was: Tatewaki
Kunou.
"What foulness is THIS?!" the kendo team captain points
accusingly at him. "You, Gosunkugi!! How DARE you force Akane
Tendou to cling off YOUR unworthy arm?! Do you not know the Blue
Thunder's proclamation about that!! None, NONE may date the fair
Akane without defeating her in battle!! Release her from your foul
clutches this INSTANT or...!!"
"Or what?"
That sharp question cuts Kunou short, then he focuses on
"Akane." In a flash, he is directly in front of her, his hand
reaching for hers...
...and with a well-aimed toss, she sends him flying! Hikaru
watches the Blue Thunder vanish into the morning sky, then sighs.
"That, Kunou-*sempai,* you had coming to you," he mutters under his
breath.
Kimiko relaxes, then smiles at him. "Shall we go, Hikaru-kun?"
"Um, h-h-hai!" he nods.
They head off...
* * *
"Nodoka."
Nodoka's eyes flutter as a tired groan escapes her. Sitting
up in her hospital bed, she looks confusedly around the room. Yes,
there was Hisayo in the bed next to her. Maya Nishiki had arranged
for the sisters to convalesce in Nerima General Hospital; sometime
later today or first thing tomorrow, they would be discharged.
As she finishes her scan of the room, she notices the lone man
standing by the door. "Father!"
Isao Asagaya is a man in his late sixties. Very slim, his head
bald save for grey hair around his ears, not to mention moustache
and goatee, he always carries himself in public with an imperious
air. If a daimyo of the Tokugawa era could be instantaneously
transported to the start of the twenty-first century, then clothed
in modern fashion, he would most likely be Isao. If there was anyone
in Nodoka's life who served as her ultimate role-model when it came
to personal etiquette, it was her father.
"Genma is no more," he calmly states.
Nodoka blinks, then nods, moving to sit herself up. A glance
at Hisayo reveals her to be still asleep. Isao waves his daughter
down with a pass of his hand. "Yes, Father. The police informed
me of that late last night," Nodoka relaxes in her bed. "How did you
get in here?"
"I have ways," he replies. "What of the Saotome honour sword?"
"Destroyed," Nodoka sighs. Did Isao knew what happened?
If so, why was he asking her about what happened? If not, why wasn't
he concerning himself more over this, given his desire to bring Ranma
into the Asagaya family? "Genma foolishly tried to use it against
Ranma last night. According to the police, it was destroyed during
the fight."
"Good," he slowly nods. "With all of Genma's actions, the blade
had lost all true significance. A family without even the barest
semblance of honour has no right to possess an honour sword.
Agreed?"
"Agreed," she sighs. "Father, there is a problem with Ranma..."
"I am aware of that, Nodoka," Isao's eyes narrow. "In fact,
there are several problems my would-be grandson has thrown up before
us. The primary one being this: why has Ranma declared himself
an orphan?"
Nodoka stares wide-eyed at Isao, her heart thumping hard in her
chest as his question whirls through her mind. "Orphan...?"
she gasps.
"An orphan, Nodoka," Isao gazes absently at her. That look
sends a chill through her body; it didn't take her much to realize
how displeased her father had become over this development.
"That he continues to hold the same name as that fool Genma is one
thing. That he has gone so far as to create his own branch of the
Saotome family, with no relations to either Genma or yourself,
is another. Why has this happened, Nodoka? Did you not make it
clear enough to your son what was being offered to him?"
"I..." she pauses, then nods. "Yes, Father, I did. But..."
a lump forms in her throat. Oh dear, how was she going to explain
this? "There were those who cast a lot of suspicion on what you were
trying to do."
"Then I suggest you make it VERY clear to him when you see him
next," Isao sternly instructs, then leaves.
Nodoka watches him go, then sinks back in her bed. "Ranma..."
"I don't think Ranma's going to listen to you, No-chan."
She glances over. Hisayo is slowly sitting up. "Onee-chan..."
Nodoka whispers, then closes her eyes. "Did you hear it all?"
"Yep," Hisayo nods. While Nodoka still held onto some faint
hope of restoring a proper father-daughter relationship with Isao,
Hisayo was now firmly convinced that the sooner the old fool finally
died, the better. "He doesn't really care a damned bit for either
you or Ranma, No-chan. The sooner you come to realize that, the
better for you both."
Nodoka gazes on the ceiling, then nods...
* * *
An hour later...
Some distance away from where Tampopo Kamekichi once held court,
there is a large ladies boutique called Esmerelda's. The
proprietress of this place, a fortysomething Londoner named Esmerelda
Stevens, migrated to Tomobiki after the First Tag Race. In a short
time, almost EVERY girl of high school age in Tomobiki came to look
on Esmerelda's as THE number one "in" shop. Whatever trends in
fashion that burst across the pop scene got first airing here. You
can get almost ANYTHING, from day ware to kimonos, from sports gear
to lingerie and swim wear, coming to Esmerelda's.
At present, the boutique is being besieged by Ataru's sisters,
they racing through the various departments as they scramble to give
Ranma a true woman's wardrobe worthy of the name. Despite Ataru's
fears about how a potential conflict between himself and other
Tomobikians might reflect on his family, the sisters insisted on
coming here to get Ranma new clothes. "If they bother us because
you're our brother, we'll show those dorkheads a thing or two about
respect, Onii-sama," Sakuya assured him.
At present, Esmerelda, a slender woman with greying hair,
looking like an atypical private school teacher, coordinates
by the change rooms. Ataru sits nearby; he is the fashion judge.
Right now, Ranma is busy trying on a chemise. Sakuya is with her in
the change room.
"Okay, Onii-sama, here she comes!" she calls out.
Ranma steps out. "Oh, that's nice," Esmerelda nods.
"Wow!"
That was Ataru, by the way.
"What exactly is that, Stevens-san?" Karen asks.
"Wow!"
"Part of the Canterbury Collection, my dear," the Englishwoman
gazes on Karen. "It just came out this year."
"Wow!"
Ranma gazes at herself, then turns to a full-length mirror.
She has on what is called a "poet chemise," a knee-length,
loose white dress with lace and ribbon trimming, buttons going down
the front. The cotton of the dress was thin enough so that you could
make out her figure underneath. "Do you like that, Onee-chan?
It looks good on you," Karen nods.
"Wow!"
"Yeah, it does, doesn't it?" Ranma turns slightly.
"Wow!"
"Well, Anii sure likes it!" Mamoru pats Ataru's shoulder.
Ranma stares curiously at him. "Wow!" Ataru sinks into his
chair.
"How many was that?" Sakuya asks.
"I counted six," Karen reports.
"That good?" Ranma stares at the eldest sister.
"Definitely," Sakuya winks, then calls out, "Who's got
swimwear?!"
"Found it!" Rinrin calls out, then comes up with a black opaque
one-piece. "I think this'll be great for Aneki!"
Ranma stares at it, then heads into the change room, Sakuya
following her. Mamoru pinches Ataru awake. "Eh?!" he looks around,
then sighs. "Oh, man, I'll be more than glad when this is over
with!"
"You're not the only one, Ataru," Ranma calls out.
Laughter fills the boutique. Ranma soon emerges, wearing a
crochet one-piece composed of nude power mesh done up in spandex,
that underlined with opaque nylon to obscure the more intimate
details of her body. The only skin this suit reveals is a keyhole
opening in the back; the suit went all the way to her neck. "Well?"
she turns to the mirror to give herself a once-over, then turns back
to Ataru. "Is this okay...?"
"Wow..." he drawls, then passes out.
Ranma blinks, then frowns. "Oh, bummer..."
"No, no, no!" Mamoru shakes her head, wagging her finger. "If
that suit did THAT to Anii, it's perfect for you, Anee!!"
Ranma takes that in, then blushes. "I don't want to end up
killing the guy 'cause I'm wearing something like THIS, Mamoru!"
"I believe it will not only ensure their brother remains loyal
to you, my dear, but it'll make him more than ready to defend you
from the groping hands of unwanted chikan artists," Esmerelda
winks.
Ranma blinks. "Well, if you say so, ma'am..."
More laughter fills the shop...
* * *
Lunchtime...
"***HE HIT YOU?!?!?!***"
Souun is a hair's breadth away from unleashing a full Demon's
Head, though the real target of his anger is nowhere in Nerima.
"Hai, he did," Akane nods, a hand still rubbing her sore abdomen.
Sayuri and Yuka sit to either side of their friend. "Ranma told me
he's in love with someone else. I demanded to know who she was and
he brushed me off, the jerk! So I tried to smack him into place and
he...!" her voice trails off.
"Ranma-kun hit Akane-chan's mallet with something he called
the 'heart blast touch,'" Yuka finishes as Sayuri squeezes Akane's
shoulder in sympathy. "It destroyed the mallet and knocked
Akane-chan out."
Nabiki perks. "The Heart Blast Touch?!" she then winces.
"Ouch!! You're lucky it was only the mallet he hit, Akane!"
"What does THAT mean?!" Akane snaps.
"Well, Negako-san told me that the Shinzou Bakuhatsu Shoku is
one of the two killing manoeuvres in Saikoo Jinseijitsu-ryuu,"
Nabiki explains. "Unlike the rock-breaking technique Ryouga-kun
knows, the Heart Blast Touch is VERY effective against human targets.
One strike...!" she points to a spot under her breast, "...right
about here and your heart would literally explode in your chest."
The middle Tendou daughter ignores the horrified looks on the younger
girls' faces as she continues. "Strikes against the major nerve
clusters in the shoulders and hips would forever deny you any use of
your arms or legs. Aim at the back of the spine and you could
cripple someone for life. Aim for the head and..." she shudders.
"Nasty!"
"Saotome knows THAT?!" Sayuri nearly chokes on her bile.
"Yep. Matter of fact, Negako-san told me that Ranma-kun
mastered that particular move in less than an hour. And, believe
it or not..." she holds up a finger, smiling, "...it was ATARU who
taught him that."
"Moroboshi?!" Sayuri gapes.
"Could you imagine what the people of Tomobiki might think if
they knew something like THAT?!" Yuka wonders aloud.
"They probably already know," Nabiki sighs, turning back to her
tea. "After all, how could Ataru-kun've dug all those people out of
the wreckage of his old school last Monday as quickly as he did?"
Yuka considers that, then nods. "True."
"What else happened, Yuka-chan?" Kasumi asks.
"Well, after Akane-chan was knocked out, Ataru-kun's sister
Negako forced the principal to turn over both his and Ranma-kun's
school records so they could be sent to some college someplace,"
Yuka sighs. "They didn't say which college it was...! Wait!!"
she perks, then hums.
"Oh, that's right!" Sayuri snaps her fingers. "One of those
younger girls mentioned something about a 'Stargazer West
College'...!"
"What younger girls?!" Nabiki perks.
"There were about ten or twelve of them," Sayuri explains.
"It was kinda funny, too. They all called Moroboshi-san 'big
brother'..."
Kasumi's and Nabiki's eyes widen. "Oh, those must've been
Ataru-kun's younger sisters," the former smiles, then hums
thoughtfully. "Then the college they mentioned must be the one the
sisters attend."
"I can check that out," the latter confirms.
"Yes, Nabiki, do so!"
Eyes lock on Souun. "Dad...?" Akane blinks.
The Tendou patriarch looks very determined. "Ranma-kun
won't be allowed to escape his obligations!" he ordains, ignoring
the annoyed looks appearing on Kasumi's and Nabiki's faces. "He'll
be brought back to Nerima as soon as possible," he crosses his arms,
"...so he can marry Akane and unite the schools as Saotome-kun
and I planned so long ago!"
Tired moans escape his eldest daughters, earning them a stern
look from Souun. Sayuri and Yuka keep their peace. Akane shudders,
unsure of what to say or think when thirty-six hours before, she had
gladly declared to both her father and Genma that she loved Ranma.
Suddenly, Kasumi perks. "Ah, we have a guest!" she rises, heading
to the front gate.
"Dad, don't you think...?!" Nabiki begins.
"NO!!!" Souun slams his fist into the table, causing the others
to jolt. "Ranma-kun will marry Akane-chan and that is FINAL,
Nabiki!! Your continued, selfish, pointless interference in this
matter will no longer be tolerated, daughter!!! You have already
interfered enough in their lives and my plans for them, Nabiki!!
You WILL ensure that Ranma-kun comes back to this house as soon as
possible or else you will...!"
A fist smashes into his nose, sending Souun flying face-first
into a nearby wall. As he collapses, Nabiki straightens herself,
fists clenching and unclenching. "Onee-chan...!" Akane stares
wide-eyed at Nabiki.
"How soon we forget who actually PAYS the bills around this
place?" the middle daughter growls as Souun tries to pick himself
up. "You try to throw me out of here, Dad, and I promise you that
your life from that point on will become a living HELL!! Don't you
DARE preach to me what was proper and what wasn't when it came to
Akane and Ranma!!" she points accusingly at him. "After all that
time you spent SITTING there on the porch, doing NOTHING to help keep
our home, you've got some gall to speak to me like THAT after all the
things I've done to keep this place over our heads!!"
"Indeed, Father, Nabiki-chan is correct," Kasumi announces
from the main doors. "You have no right to judge any of us for what
we did or didn't do in these last few years when you've done NOTHING
to help keep our family and home intact!" She then draws out a thick
envelope from behind her. "Furthermore, we can no longer bother
Ranma-kun where he has chosen to live. Read," she tosses the package
onto the table.
Nabiki scoops it up, then opens it, drawing out a covering
letter. Scanning it, she whistles. "Well, guess that settles that."
"What does that say, Onee-chan?" Akane wonders.
"It's a court injunction issued against our whole family
concerning Ranma-kun and the idiot's agreement Dad made with that
lazy-ass panda Ranma-kun once had to call a father," Nabiki curtly
announces.
"***'COURT INJUNCTION?!?!?!'***"
Souun is now on his feet, pale-faced and wide-eyed at Nabiki's
words. "Yep," Nabiki nods. "As of six o'clock last evening, by
special edict of the senior judge of the Court of Special Appeals,
acting on behalf of the Imperial Palace Agency, an injunction
was issued against all parties who desire to forge a marriage bond
with one Ranma Saotome, once-child of Genma and Nodoka Saotome of
Nerima-ku, Tokyo-tou; now head of the Saotome family of Oomure-chou,
Odawara-shi in Kanagawa-ken." She pauses as she scans the letter's
contents, then nods. "Well, that's simple enough."
"What does it say, Nabiki-chan?" Kasumi asks.
"It says here that if any one of us continues to harass
Ranma-kun in any way, shape or form concerning what Dad here tried
to set up with the panda, then we'll be investigated for all
confirmed or suspected illegal activities which might have affected
Ranma-kun, then if warranted, charges would be laid against us,"
Nabiki slips the paper back into the envelope, then moves to head
upstairs. "Well, I guess that takes care of that."
"WAIT!!!" Souun wails. "There must be...!!"
Nabiki stops. "Forget it, Dad," she glances over her shoulder
at him. "It's over. If you want to keep chasing after Ranma-kun,
you're on your own from now on. Don't expect any help from me about
that."
She turns to head upstairs. "Nabiki Tendou, you will help bring
Ranma-kun home or you will no longer be allowed to live in this
house!" Souun threatens, pointing a warning finger at his daughter.
"DAD!!!" Akane cries out.
Nabiki stops, then shrugs. "Fine. I'm sure Negako-san'll
let me live at her place while I finish school and move on to
university." She then glares at her father, sending Souun's heart
into his throat with the frigid look on her eyes. "And while I go
forth and destroy everything you have left in this world, *Father.*
Your legacy, your dojo, your place as head of this household,
EVERYTHING you once called your own will be taken away from you. If
you're so intent on living inside that little fantasy world of yours,
I'll be DAMNED if you drag all of us down with you!"
She storms upstairs. "Nabiki!!" Souun cries out, then collapses
to his knees, anger and sorrow fighting for control of his heart.
"Father."
Shuddering, he stares into Kasumi's impassive face. "Father,
if you force Nabiki-chan to leave, then I will leave as well," she
crosses her arms. "Nabiki-chan is correct. Your continued and
chronic refusal to see what is truly going on with those you state
you care for has brought such disharmony and discontent to this
household that I find I can no longer live here. I'm sure
Toofuu-sensei will be more than happy to let me live with him as I
proceed to university myself." She heads to the kitchen. "Ranma-kun
was right all along. I've sacrificed far too much of my life because
of your laziness. And I refuse to keep placing my life and my dreams
on hold because you refuse to stop being lazy!"
The door slams shut behind her. "Kasumi!!" Souun screams,
then jolts as Akane shuffles to her feet, she moving to head
upstairs. Sayuri and Yuka head up ahead of her, both moving to allow
their friend to speak to her father alone. "Akane...?" he turns to
her, then when she refuses to look at him, bows his head. "Do you
still love him?" he finally asks.
"Yes," she nods.
"Then bring him home!! You have to, Akane!" Souun pleads.
"If you let him go, everything we've all tried to make here is
wasted! And you'll let Ranma-kun fall into the grasp of Nodoka's
relatives!! If that happens, you'll never have a chance to let your
heart's dream come true! You can understand that, can't you,
Akane-chan?! Bring him home!"
Akane shudders, tears spilling down her cheeks as she tries to
find the right words to say. Finally, she gazes heavenward.
"He said to me today..." she sniffs. "That he no longer considers
this place his home."
She heads upstairs at a run. "Akane-chan..." Souun burbles,
then collapses on himself, pained sobs escaping him...
* * *
"How could you say that to your own father, Nabiki?!"
Nabiki blinks, then stares balefully at Sayuri. The latter
and Yuka had come to Nabiki's bedroom on leaving the sitting room.
"Look, Asano, I know you don't like Ranma-kun..." she takes a deep
breath.
"You're damn right I don't!!" Sayuri snarls. "Ever since that
selfish bastard first showed up, Akane-chan's been treated like dirt
by almost everyone who knows her! She gets no respect for what she
can do, even when she WANTS to learn how to stand on her own! Oh,
NO, that's not right since, because she's engaged, she has to depend
TOTALLY on a jerk like Saotome! And Akane-chan got no support when
she tries something new! Why? Because no one wanted to be bothered
to make her look better than her precious 'iinazuke,' even when he
was forced to act like a girl!! You want to know how much it HURT
her when Saotome proved he was a better *girl* than she?! How much
it HURT her every time she tried to cook something and NO ONE,
especially not even her own SISTERS..." she glares at Nabiki,
"...would try to help her out, much less encourage her to do
better?!"
Nabiki gazes evenly at Akane's friend, then she crosses her
arms. "So when did YOU ever try any of Akane's cooking, Sayuri?"
she wonders.
Sayuri jolts, then flusters. "W-w-well..."
"Uh-huh!" Nabiki nods knowingly.
"What about my cooking?!"
They turn as Akane steps into the room. Nothing is said as the
youngest daughter sits on Nabiki's bed, looking nowhere in
particular. Nabiki remains silent, she glancing at her computer.
Sayuri and Yuka exchange a look, then gaze on their friend, unsure
as to what they could say in a situation like this, much less if they
should say anything at all.
Finally, Akane asks, "Did you mean it?"
"Mean what?" Nabiki wonders.
"What you threatened to do to Dad?"
"If I have to."
"Why?"
Nabiki sighs. "Because it's time for Dad to finally start
acting his age, Akane," she glances dispassionately on her sister.
"It's time for him to start realizing how much pain he's been
unleashing ever since that lazy-ass panda showed up on our doorstep.
On you, on me, on Kasumi-oneechan, on Ranma-kun and on everyone
else." Shaking her head, she rises, heading to the window to gaze
on the townscape beyond. "Now, I can understand where Ranma-kun's
coming from when he said he didn't want anything to do with us
anymore. We USED him, Akane-chan. You, me, Dad and everyone else.
And ESPECIALLY the panda, may that bastard rot in Hell for all he's
done!" She closes her eyes, tears brimming her lashes. "We've been
HIDING behind him, Akane-chan. Whenever something weird hit town,
we shoved him into dealing with it without giving him any sort of
REAL encouragement. Hell, whenever he got into trouble, what did
everyone do to him? Shouted insults at him, told him to deal with
matter...!" she shakes her head.
"All he really wanted was thanks."
Eyes lock on Yuka. "Yuka-chan," Sayuri blinks.
"That's what he said at school, Sayuri-chan," Yuka sighs.
"Don't you remember? How he said that he was tired of doing
something for nothing, not even a simple 'thank you,' for dealing
with the garbage that hits town every once in a while. And remember
what else he said? About what'll happen now that he's gone off with
Moroboshi-san and his sisters? Who the hell stops Happousai from
stealing all our clothes? Who stops people like that Tarou guy? Who
stops the Principal? Hell, who's going to stop Kunou from pressing
the whole fight for Akane-chan if he decides that what Akane-chan
said today doesn't count?! Who the hell stops the next hotshot
coming into town looking for a good challenge fight? Hell, who'll
save the dojo here the next time a Dojo Destroyer comes along?
Akane-chan couldn't stand up to the last one; Ranma-kun had to deal
with him! And Nabiki's only NOW getting back into shape..." she
shrugs, then sits on the bed beside Akane.
Sayuri snorts. "It's all Saotome's fault, anyway!" she looks
away.
Nabiki blinks, then smirks. "You know, Sayuri-chan, hanging
onto that sort of attitude isn't going to help us here." Her grin
turns savage as she glances on Akane's friend. "Matter of fact, you
could say that it's that sort of attitude that helped drive Ranma-kun
away."
Sayuri jolts, then shakes her head. "Oh, no, you don't!!"
she points at Nabiki. "You're not going to peg this on me, Tendou!
Uh-uh!! And I won't let you get away with heaping it all over your
sister, either!!" she points to Akane. "Akane-chan was right all
along about that bastard! And there's nothing you can say or do
that'll make me change my mind!!"
With that, she storms out of the room. Nabiki watches her
leave, then looks out the window again. A moment later, Sayuri walks
onto the courtyard, heading out the front gate for home. Sensing
the silence from the other people in her room, the middle Tendou
daughter gazes on Yuka. "You're awfully quiet, Yuka-chan. Aren't
you going to say something?"
Yuka blinks, then shrugs. "What can I say? Ranma-kun's
gone and there's obviously no hope of bringing him back. I..." she
gazes on Akane, then places a supportive hand on her friend's
shoulder. "Maybe instead of trying to force the whole engagement
thing on him, you should just try to be Ranma-kun's friend. That's
all he seems to want now."
"Then who is she?"
"Akane-chan?"
Akane blinks, then stares hopefully at Nabiki. "Who is it,
Onee-chan? Is it Ukyou? Is it Shampoo? Kodachi, maybe? Or is it
one of Moroboshi's sisters? Who the hell IS IT, Onee-chan?!"
"What are you talking about?" Nabiki demands, staring at her
sister.
"You damn well KNOW what I'm talking about!!" Akane snaps.
"Ranma said he wouldn't reciprocate my feelings for him because
he loves someone else! Who is she, Onee-chan?! Damn it all, you
HAVE to know!!"
Nabiki blinks, then sighs, turning to gaze out the window.
"Much that you might not want to believe this, Akane-chan, but I
don't know everything about Ranma-kun. And I think after all we've
been through these last few weeks, what I do know about Ranma-kun
may not apply anymore..."
"Damn it, I don't CARE about that!!" Akane rails. "WHO IS
SHE?!?!"
Silence falls as Nabiki gazes out the window, then she asks,
"Why do you want to know this, Akane? You going to try to fight
whoever it is to get Ranma-kun back? What's to guarantee he'll go
along with it?!"
"Onee-chan, he's fought enough for me!" Akane retorts, then
sinks on the bed. "But...!" tears brim her eyelashes. "I just can't
let it end like THIS, Onee-chan!! Please, who is she?! Tell me!!"
Nabiki gazes on her sister, then sighs. "It's not a girl."
Akane jolts, then her eyes widen. "Negako-san...?"
"Akane..."
"Of course!!" Akane leaps to her feet, nodding understandingly.
"It makes PERFECT sense! Negako-san's got all that experience
and knowledge in the Art!! Ranma would automatically be attracted
to her! And she's nothing at all like Cologne or Happousai,
so why wouldn't he...?!"
"AKANE!!!!"
Akane yelps, staring at Nabiki. "It's not Negako, Akane,"
the middle Tendou daughter shakes her head, a knowing grin crossing
her face.
Akane blinks. "Not Negako...?" her forehead furrows as she
sinks back onto the bed, then she freezes, eyes widening. "No..."
she whispers. "No...! It's just not possible...! Not...?" she
turns to Nabiki.
"Who?!" Yuka demands, then blinks as she reaches the same
conclusion. "You mean...?" she turns to Nabiki. "Moroboshi-san?!"
Nabiki leaves them hanging for a moment, then walks over to the
folder on her desk. Opening it, she leafs through the pages
contained within, then draws out a sheet. She hands it to her
sister. "Read."
Akane scans it, then her eyes widen. "This is a listing from
the Family Registrar!" she looks up at Nabiki.
"'Saotome family of Oomure district, city of Odawara,
Kanagawa...'" Yuka reads then scans the names listed within. "Ranma
Saotome. Toshiko Saotome. Kumiko Saotome..." her voice trails off.
"All...!"
Akane looks, then blinks as a roar of denial surges up from her
heart. But the printed characters on the sheet before her do not
change. "All listed as girls..." she whispers. "Ranma...! No,
this...!!"
"It's true," Nabiki nods. "It's also legal and binding. The
only real, practical way of someone to declare that he or she is of
the other gender outside of moving to a country where it'd be easier
to make such a switch is..." she takes a deep breath, "...to
literally start from scratch. Just as Ranma, Toshiko and Kumiko
did yesterday. If I have to, I can hack into the Registrar's
records and confirm it. But...!" she shrugs. "It's hard to tell
whether or not Ranma did this just as a way of ensuring he didn't
have to worry about the engagements anymore or if..."
"It's something deeper," Yuka finishes.
"Exactly."
"What if this was something Moroboshi did?!" Akane demands.
Nabiki blinks, then shrugs. "Hard to say. Personally,
I'd say that Ataru-kun had nothing to do with it. Yes, he always
had an eye for pretty girls. And as a girl, Ranma is a looker.
No doubt about that. But we have to keep in mind that Ranma's always
been pretty paranoid when it comes to gender questions. How many
times've we heard him yell, 'I'm a boy?!' He was so paranoid about
things like that, I really doubt that even someone like Ataru-kun
-- if Ataru-kun was still of that state of mind, of course -- could
make Ranma change so easily," she snaps her fingers.
Akane considers that, then reluctantly nods. "There's only one
person we could ask about this, isn't there?"
"Right," Nabiki nods...
* * *
Later...
"Hey, you okay?"
"Huh?" Ranma perks as she floats in the deep end of the pool.
"Did you say something, Ataru?" she glances up at him.
Located on the sixth floor of the Toranoseishin tower, the pool
is enclosed with glass windows offering a panoramic view of Tomobiki
and its surrounding suburbs. Change rooms are poised by the elevator
shafts, they lining one side of the pool space. Presently, many of
the sisters frolic in the shallow end. Negako had gone back to
Nerima shortly before everyone raided Esmerelda's. Mamoru swims laps
by one side of the pool. Aria and Hinako recline on float tubes,
a parasol perched over the former. Ataru now sits on one of the
diving boards close to where Ranma now relaxes.
"I asked if you were okay," he repeats.
She blinks, then smiles assuredly at him before gazing on the
high ceiling. "I'm still a little bugged over what happened last
night."
"Do you remember much of it?"
"Bits and pieces, plus that nightmare I had," she admits,
closing her eyes. "To believe I'm capable of something like
*that*...!"
"Frightening, huh?"
"You said it." A pause, then, "Then again, why should I be
shocked? After all, I went way past the envelope when I had to fight
Saffron. Do you think that part of me had something to do with
that?"
"Don't ask me, Ranma," Ataru shakes his head. "That sort of
deep theory, I leave to the real experts like Onee-chan."
She looks on him. "It scares you, doesn't it?"
He considers her question, then nods. "Hai, it does."
"Why?"
Ataru blinks, then takes a deep breath. "When I first started
on this road, I wanted to keep as many options open to me as I could.
Try to keep or reform as many friendships as I could in Tomobiki,
stay with my family, be..." he shrugs. "Well, be *normal,* I guess!
But..." he closes his eyes, his head swaying to and fro. "As time
went on, it seemed as if everything I tried to hang onto was closed
off to me. I..." a pause, then, "If I lost all links to my sisters,
I wouldn't know WHAT to do, Ranma. They're all I've really got left.
Lum's gone, Shinobu left my life long ago, I never really deserved
to be with anyone else..."
"Lum's not gone, Ataru. She's here in town."
"No, no! You don't understand," he shakes his head. "Ranma,
that person on Lan's ship now is IN PART Lum. There's a whole new
side of her being. That's how the Crossing Over works. Didn't
Nokoko-oneechan tell you about that in Sanctuary?" Seeing Ranma nod,
he sighs. "And even Lan is gone, Ranma. She's in the same position
as the being born from Lum."
"You can try to stay friends with her."
"Should I do that?" he wonders. "Ranma, the future's wide open
for her. For them both. I have no right to impose myself on them
anymore. Do you feel you've got the right to impose yourself on
Akane or Ukyou?"
"No, of course not!" she shakes her head, then smiles.
"Still..."
"What?"
Grinning, Ranma somersaults in the water, then snares Ataru by
the leg. "I've got you!" she growls as she yanks him in.
Ataru screams before being submerged. Ranma dives in after him.
They meet at the bottom, drawing their arms around each other as she
presses her lips against his. Floating back to the surface, they
keep their pose even though all the sisters could clearly see them.
Even the multiple flashes of Yotsuba's digital camera don't break
their lip-to-lip conversation. "Ani-chama's and Ane-chama's
kiss checky!!" she declares.
They pull apart, a sly look then appearing on Ataru's face.
Ranma grins, then they leap out of the pool and dogpile the hapless
would-be detective. "***ULTIMATE TICKLE-TORTURE CHECKY!!!!***"
they scream out as Yotsuba's laughter-filled pleas for mercy fill the
pool area.
The other sisters watch, many trying desperately not to fall
over laughing on seeing the English-born girl so quickly brought
down. "Well, I'd say it's about time!!" Sakuya speaks for them
all...
* * *
"Darling, how can you think something like THAT...?"
The dark-haired, brown-eyed girl sits in the guest room of Lan's
scoutship, gazing in the general direction of the Toranoseishin
Finances tower. With a little concentration, she could sense
everything Ataru was saying to Ranma Saotome. She couldn't probe
directly into his mind even if she wanted to. For some odd reason,
Ataru's mind was closed to her. How was that possible? Nendo-kata
could sense next to anything. So what was blocking her from probing
into Ataru's mind, much less Ranma's?
Was it those things they could become...?
She quakes, her hand turning the identification card now in her
hand. Her eyes quickly lock on the name printed there.
Seiko Izumo.
To the surprise of even his more-experienced partner Jay, Kay
was a passionate history buff. Since he had been assigned to help
watch over the aliens resident in Japan, the young SCAA agent had
brushed up on the local culture and history. It was he who chose
the names the beings formed in part from Lum and Lan would use from
today on. "Izumo," their new family name, was taken from a famous
Kabuki actress who performed in the days when Japan's legendary
theatre allowed women to take active roles. The given names the
expat Urusians-turned-Nendo-kata/Terrans
would use hailed from an even earlier period of Japanese history.
"Seiko" was derived from a famous Heian poet, Shoonagon Sei, the
author of "Makura no Sooshi." "Sakiko," the name given to the person
once known as Lan Aruka, got her name from a court rival of Sei's,
Shikubu Murasaki, author of "The Tale of Genji."
Hearing the origins of their names, Seiko and Sakiko could only
exchange a knowing look. How ironic, indeed...
"Sei-chan?"
Seiko perks, then gazes on Sakiko, she now leaning against
the doorframe. A hairstylist brought in by Kay and Jay had done
miracles with the rose-pink hair Lan/Sakiko once called her own. Now
it was hued to a more natural reddish-brown shade, styled in a bushy,
close-cropped mass that nearby obscured her eyes. It looked
downright sexy on her, Seiko muses to herself, then holds out a hand.
Sakiko grins as she walks to the bed, then allows herself to sink
into Seiko's embrace. "You okay?"
"Not really," Seiko admits, kissing Sakiko's forehead. "So when
do we have to finally move the ship out of town?"
"I'll do it tonight," Sakiko lightly smiles. "I'll talk to
Ryuu-chan about leaving it on her island. It should escape attention
there."
"With some help."
"Hai, with some help," she nods. The SCAA would no doubt want
to ensure things were squared away before moving to allow the Izumo
sisters a chance to live their own lives. "Are you angry?" she then
asks.
"No, Saki-chan, I'm not angry at you," Seiko gazes into the
other woman's eyes. "We know the sacrifices demanded of us when the
Crossing Over is invoked. And Ryuunosuke needs you, Saki-chan.
She's been as much a Wanderer as we've been, even long before her
father was killed."
"True," Sakiko nods, then peers towards the Toranoseishin
tower. A shudder races through her as her empathic senses pick up
the strong aura of pure LOVE emanating from the sixth floor. "They
love him so much."
"And her, too," Seiko nods. "I envy Darling..."
"Maybe you shouldn't call him that anymore."
Seiko considers that, then sighs. "He'll always be 'Darling'
to me, Saki-chan. It's too soon. I..." she pauses, then allows
her face to be partially buried in her sister's lovely hair. "Even
with the Crossing Over, I haven't had as much time to mourn what's
been lost than he..."
"I know. And I think he knows it, too," Sakiko muses, then
perks, her eyes glowing as she glances towards the gangway.
"Company."
"Who?" Seiko scans herself, then smiles. "Ryuunosuke."
"Excuse me," Sakiko stands, heading out.
"Don't seduce her on the first date, Saki-chan!"
"But she's so much of a TEMPTATION, Sei-chan!!"
Laughter fills the scoutship as Sakiko heads down to receive
their friend. Seiko watches her go, then turns back to the
Toranoseishin tower as she allows her empathic powers to reach out...
* * *
Karen perks as a funny warmth seems to surge through her body,
then she finds herself gazing out the window at the surrounding
cityscape. What was that? Standing, she poises herself inches away
from the thick safety glass, trying to pick out the details. She
knew where some of the more important locations in Tomobiki are
sited. Before they met up with their brother, the sisters had been
walked through a detailed model of the town by Negako. Yes, there
was Tomobiki High School. The large expanse of green and asphalt
black/grey interspersed with European-style buildings and
military-like structures was the Mendou estate. Off to the far north
was a sea of trees around a traditional mansion: the Mizunokoji
estate. There was the shrine where Sakura lived. There was the
house Onii-chan lived in. The Miyaki home. The empty building
Tampopo-san once used. All the other schools: Sanrinbou, Shakkou,
Taian, Butsumetsu, Butsumetsu Girls...
Wait!
Karen focuses on a small dot of pink to the north-east of
Tomobiki High. Oh, yes, that was Lan's scoutship. Remembering
that woman, Karen scowls, then chases away the dark thoughts
thundering through her mind. Even if Lan and her late boyfriend
held many ill-thoughts towards her Onii-chan, that wouldn't remain
as is now. Rei was dead after all. And while Karen didn't know the
full story behind Lan's and Lum's return to Earth, from what she
could sense of Onii-chan's and Negako-oneechan's words, neither
of them were in any real position to hurt Onii-chan again...
* * *
"Is that what you all think of me...?" Seiko whispers, eyes
sparkling with hurt tears. "Just as someone who hurt your
brother...?"
Shuddering, she pulls her legs close to her as she leans her
head on her closed knees, tears streaming down her cheeks. No! Oh,
Sweet Mother, NO, it just wasn't FAIR!! Even if she wouldn't do what
she had once done to Ataru before she was sent home, to learn that
all of Ataru's sisters HATED her was like a hot knife to her heart.
Then...! Then again...
Seiko sniffs. Should she be so surprised? If Sakuya's,
Chikage's and Haruka's actions on Saturday provided any clue,
Darling's sisters had come to forge ironclad viewpoints when it came
to Lum. And those verdicts had come down AGAINST her. That was an
attitude Lum hadn't encountered before. Yes, there was Shinobu
and her attempts at hanging onto Ataru after the First Tag Race.
Seiko doubted Ataru's late 'parents,' especially Kinshou, ever DID
care for her in the long term, seeing her instead as the perfect
ticket to steal what was rightfully Darling's. But this...
This...
"I'm sorry..."
* * *
Karen blinks as a twinge of pain touches her chest, then she
sits on a nearby lawnchair, looking nowhere in particular. Why was
she suddenly feeling sad for someone like Lum, for Heaven's sake?
After all the things that she instigated or helped instigate,
she didn't deserve any...
No.
Karen closes her eyes ashamedly. That wasn't true. If Lum
deserved anything now, it WAS a show of mercy. She was here on
Earth, most likely never to see her home planet ever again. Did
Karen have a right to judge Lum now, especially after all she had
been through? Of course not.
"Karen-chan, are you okay?"
Karen gasps, then spins around to see Hinako standing there,
a concerned look on the younger girl's face. "Oh, Hinako-chan,
you scared me!" she breathes out. "Is there something wrong?"
"Well, Shirayuki-chan was gonna make some hot dogs for us,"
Hinako points to the other side of the pool, where the chef in
question is now hard at work by a portable barbecue. "Don't you want
some?"
"I..." Karen then blushes as a growl echoes from her stomach.
Hearing that, Hinako giggles, then taking her sister's hand,
pulls her towards where the others are now relaxing...
* * *
"You were being a little too aggressive, Seiko-san."
Seiko screams, spinning around to see someone standing by the
door. "Chikage!!" she gasps, feeling her heart, then relaxes.
"How...?"
The sorceress, now draped in a solid black version of Ranma's
new swimsuit, smiles, then turns to step out of the room. "Karen
is especially sensitive to empathic probing like what you just did
now. If you are so determined to become lifemates with one of my
family, I highly suggest you learn something called 'patience.'
That was part of the reason you, not to mention Miyaki and Elle, did
not succeed in your pursuit of Ani-kun."
Seiko blinks confusedly as Chikage leaves...
* * *
Later...
"There's nothing you can do for them?"
Negako shakes her head. She and Chigaiko sit with Nabiki,
Akane and Yuka around the living room table, all enjoying afternoon
tea. "The core personalities of both Ataru and Ranma would be
destroyed if their link was severed. When that happens, all that
would be left would be the Cyborg and Neko-Ranma. And I believe
you presently understand what could happen if that part of Ranma's
personality was let loose. Do you not?"
The visitors are pale-faced. The ninjitsu grandmistress
had just explained to them all about the "hidden" part of last
evening's events at Furinkan High School. "H-he...?" Akane sputters,
then shakes her head. "No...! Th-this can't be true...! It just
can't...!!"
A fist smashes into the table, causing Nabiki, Akane, Yuka and
Chigaiko to leap back in shock. The look on Negako's face as she
glares the youngest Tendou down sends icy chills down the other
girls' backs. The ninjitsu grandmistress is PISSED. "Akane, are you
so determined to warp Reality itself to your selfish desires and
wishes that you would actually allow people to DIE before you allowed
yourself to see the truth?!" she demands, the rage in her voice
making Akane wish she could sink into the floor. "People have
suffered enough because of your selfishness, Ranma most of all! What
I have told you is the TRUTH, Akane! Accept it!!"
She sits back, her eyes still locked on Akane as the others
move to relax. "I will not modify the truth to better benefit your
sensibilities, Akane. Too many have done that to you to date, much
to your detriment. If you truly wish to be the martial artist you
see yourself as, you have to move away from that pathetic attitude
you have always maintained concerning your total skill level and
'ranking' among your peers. If you cannot make yourself move past
that line of thinking, then you are wasting my time and patience.
And that is something I will not tolerate from anyone."
Akane shudders, then her shoulders slump as sobs steal her
voice. Yuka moves immediately to comfort. Chigaiko gazes
sympathetically at the sobbing girl, though she does spare glances
from time to time at Negako. The grandmistress' impassiveness
is understandable, the expat Tomobikian muses. Unlike more sedate
situations, Akane's inability to accept her shortcomings had actually
come close to permanently crippling someone she deeply cared for.
And it wasn't just Ranma who would have been affected had that
insanity continued, Chigaiko grimaces. A man Chigaiko herself dearly
cared for was involved, too. Much that she would desire there be an
easier way to do this, Chigaiko knew that the time had come for lines
to be drawn in the sand, lines that could not and WOULD not be
crossed.
Also watching Negako is Nabiki. While she did ache on seeing
her younger sister hurt this way, the middle Tendou daughter knew
that the time had finally come for Akane to wake up and see the world
as it truly is. *And you helped maintain her illusions too,
Nabiki-chan. Not to mention milked certain problems Akane-chan
had for everything they were worth, even if it WAS to keep the house
over our heads,* a voice inside her chides. *If you're part of the
problem, you have to be part of the solution.*
Finally, Akane's sobs fade into sniffles as she wipes her eyes
clean, then she stares pleadingly at Negako. "Is there any way to
change this?" she asks. "I'm sure you don't want your own brother
to live like this."
Negako gazes at her, then shakes her head. "To my current
level of knowledge when it comes to psionic bonds like this, there
is no way to safely sever what now exists between Ataru and Ranma,
Akane. Yes, the ideal situation would be for no bond to exist at all
between them. But this situation, as all would agree, is nowhere
close to 'ideal.'"
"What are their attitudes towards this, Sensei?" Yuka asks. "I
assume by now, Moroboshi-san and Ranma-kun both know what's going
on."
"Do not call me 'Sensei,' Yuka," Negako states, causing Yuka to
duck the annoyed stare fired her way, then the grandmistress
relaxes. "Ranma is willing to allow matters between herself and
Ataru to remain as they are until such time as more information
can be obtained concerning the person who bonded her to Ataru. But
since said person is not native to Earth -- thus leading us to
question whether or not she or he is still alive -- the potential
answers such a person might provide may never come at all."
"It's weird, though," Yuka muses. "I mean, who would bond two
boys together, at THAT young of an age? And why would they do it?!"
"I think that's about as 'alien' as you can get," Nabiki shakes
her head. "What about Ranma-ku-...!" she stops herself, then sighs.
"What about Ranma-chan's attitudes towards everyone here in Nerima?"
Akane fires Nabiki an even look on hearing the latter address
Ranma with a more "feminine" term. "For the most part," Negako's
voice turns her attention back to the grandmistress. "'Good riddance
to bad rubbish.'"
The Tendous wince. Chigaiko gives Negako an annoyed glance.
Yuka gazes sympathetically at Akane. Negako sighs. "There are
certain people whom Ranma might entertain reforming friendships
with. She has already begun doing so with Ryouga. Ukyou is another
candidate. Kun-lon and Happy, she views as her teachers in the Art.
She does acknowledge Toofuu and Kasumi as her friends, her ONLY
friends here in Nerima..."
"What about Hiroshi and Daisuke?!" Akane demands.
"They are not relevant to Ranma," Negako shakes her head.
"Hiroshi Chanpatsu and Daisuke Bosabosa have made one grave mistake
when it comes to Ranma. They assume subconsciously that Ranma has
experienced the same type of social upbringing they themselves
experienced. That, as you are all aware, is nowhere NEAR the truth."
A pause, then, "Do any of you realize that Ranma's first TRUE sexual
experience came from a magically-induced dream Chikage crafted for
her last Wednesday on Promised Island?"
Silence.
"That can't be true!!!" Akane blurts out. "What about all the
times he sneaked into my room or the changeroom at school...?!"
"AKANE!!!" Negako snaps, making the youngest Tendou duck.
Silence falls as people consider what Negako just said, then
Yuka sighs. "Surely, Ranma's not gay...?" she stutters, then sighs,
slapping her forehead. "Oh, gods! And with what you said Jusenkyou
did to him..."
"That added to a deliberate veil Genma forced over Ranma to
ensure she could continue to concentrate SOLELY on the martial arts,
that itself augmented with Akane's own unique attitudes when it comes
to inter-gender relations, plus Xian-pu's more blatant approach
to the question AND the mixed signals those such as Daisuke and
Hiroshi have given Ranma..." Negako's voice trails off, then a light
smile crosses her face. "Akane, do you truly believe Genma could
have been responsible enough to give Ranma the 'Talk' during their
training journey? Especially given how adamant Genma was about
uniting his school with your father's via a marriage between Ranma
and either yourself, Nabiki or Kasumi?"
Akane moves to reply, then pauses, looking down at the table
as she considers what Negako just asked. Finally, she shakes her
head. "No."
"Do you believe Nodoka would have done that?"
That question earns a snorted laugh from Nabiki. "Mrs. 'You
Have To Be A Man-Above-Men Or Else Commit Seppuku?!' Not likely!!"
Yuka stares quizzically at Nabiki. Akane slowly nods in
agreement. "Has ANYONE ever given Ranma-san the 'Talk,' Negako-san?"
Chigaiko asks.
"Sakuya did. On Wednesday evening before Chikage got to her."
Silence.
"I never realized..." Akane whispers.
"Both by accident and by deliberate action, you were not allowed
to realize that, Akane," Negako states. "By 'deliberate action,'
I mean those people who fed into your own assumptions and delusions
concerning your life and those who interact with you. Take what
Tatewaki Kunou has tried to do with you since you met. He tried to
force you into doing something you did not desire. Then, when he
galvanized most of the boys at your school to participate in the
'Fight for Akane's Heart,' he made you conclude that all boys were
'perverted.' No one ever tried to correct your assumption.
And when Ranma came, your assumption -- added to her embarrassment,
confusion and feelings of shame over her condition, not to mention
her inability to perceive of any way of resolving this outside the
constrained circle of a martial arts battle -- started a process
that could have easily led to an eternity of hatred and mistrust.
That process being constantly fed by two men who had no idea what
they were doing to their own children, not to mention one sister
who blatantly ignored what was happening to the rest of her family,
not to mention another sister..." she glaces at Nabiki, "...who
was so determined to keep her family safe and secure, she was willing
to do anything, regardless of legality, to see that happen."
Nabiki bows her eyes ashamedly. Akane's fists squeeze together,
tears streaking down her cheeks. Yuka and Chigaiko shake their
heads. "I never thought it was THAT bad," Akane's friend whispers.
"You were not permitted to perceive the truth, Yuka," Negako
gazes on her. "And even if you could have determined the truth,
you would not have been allowed to change things. Souun and Genma
would not have tolerated any, ANY such interference to their overall
plans. Look how badly they reacted when Ranma began to associate
with my family?"
"You have a point," Nabiki grimaces. "Instant Dad learned
about that court injunction against our family, he was ready to keep
on charging ahead..." she makes a dismissive wave with her hand.
"Stupid fool!"
"Agreed," Negako nods. "Nabiki, you may tell Kasumi that if
Souun continues on his current path, arrangements can be made to see
him stripped of his position as head of your household, thus
transferring control of all your properties and the leadership
of your family to Kasumi. If you feel it necessary to carry out such
a change, you may contact me at any time." A pause, then, "And I
must warn you both now," she glances at Akane, then Nabiki. "I
believe Souun is ready to carry out yet another of his schemes to
force Ranma to conform to his will. You both best be on your guard."
The Tendou sisters nod...
* * *
"No...! This can't be true...!!"
Souun quakes indignantly as he scans the papers spread across
Nabiki's desk. The one in his hand, the copy of the records printed
out from the Family Registrar's master database, is now under serious
threat of being shredded. "A girl...?" Souun hisses, eyes narrow
as he focuses on the "onna" kanji beside Ranma Saotome's name. "That
fool boy actually tricked them into thinking he was a girl...?!
How DARE he...!"
Catching himself, Souun places the sheet on the desk, then leans
on the back of Nabiki's chair as his mind rolls through what he just
read. In a way, he could admire Ranma's strategy. Regardless
of how attitudes were becoming more liberal in certain sectors of
society -- though he personally felt it offensive that some leaders
in Japan now were advocating greater liberties for homosexuals,
not to mention Japan's sizable Korean community and even...! *Ugh!*
Burakumin?! -- it was still illegal for two girls to marry. Indeed,
if Ranma wanted to avoid ALL his many "engagements," having himself
legally declared a girl was the right way to go.
And it would be choice revenge on both Genma and Nodoka, too.
For so long, both had pressured Ranma down a narrow-minded
path in hopes of making him the "perfect" man. TOO narrow-minded,
Souun often felt, though he hadn't said anything to either of Ranma's
parents. Indeed, the poor boy did lack much in the way of knowledge
that would have made an eventual marriage to one of Souun's daughters
work much better. But the threat of seppuku if Ranma failed to be a
"man above men" had kept Souun's tongue still. Now, that wasn't
necessary. Genma was dead -- *May the gods look after him now,*
Souun laments -- and Nodoka was in all effect shoved out of the way.
After all, in the wake of over a decade of hoping to see her child
become a "man above men," learning that Ranma was now shifting
himself to become a girl wouldn't sit well with Nodoka.
No, indeed it wouldn't...
Still, that did not change the Tendou patriarch's priorities.
Ranma WOULD marry one of his children. There was no changing that
basic fact. Regardless of whatever interference the Moroboshis
could throw up, Ranma WOULD marry one of Souun's children. The
future of the schools WOULD be ensured regardless of what Ranma,
much less Kasumi, Nabiki or Akane, said or believed to the contrary.
And there was just NO WAY that Souun was going to let all the lies
and half-truths in the papers spread before him now stop that from
happening. Oh, no! Not after all this time...
A cryptic smile crosses his face as he steps out of Nabiki's
room. Descending to the main floor, he peeks into the kitchen.
Good. Kasumi was gone. No doubt, she had gone off to speak to
Toofuu Ono about pressing on with her education. While Souun didn't
want to make any decisions for or against what Kasumi might desire,
he certainly didn't approve of her standing against him when it came
to the future of the family, much less the schools. He would have
to put her in her place very soon.
The same very much applied to Nabiki, Souun grimaces as he steps
out of the house. The very fact that she had THREATENED to come
after HIM, to strip HIM of all that was rightfully his, just to make
him conform to what Ranma might ultimately want...?! A growl escapes
him as he turns, heading for the doors leading to the cellar under
the main house. No! That would not do. That would certainly
NOT do. HE was the head of this household, not Nabiki and certainly
not Kasumi. At least Akane understood that...!
Opening the cellar -- Souun always kept the keys to this place
in his physical possession; not even Kasumi was allowed into this
part of the home -- he crawls inside, then makes his way to a
darkened corner. "There you are," he chuckles as he draws back an
old blanket to reveal a certain cask that had come to the Tendou
dojo some weeks back. "All safe and sound."
Souun carefully guides the cask out of the cellar, then once the
doors were secured again, he hefts it into his bedroom. Much that
he did honour and respect his recently departed friend, Souun knew
Genma a little TOO well. The instant the existence of the cask of
Nanniichuan was made public, Souun knew that Genma -- not to mention
the Hibiki boy and that China boy -- would have made a grab for it.
Well, lucky for him that he got hold of another cask, this filled
with ordinary spring water, just to ensure that the true prize would
remain under his control.
Placing the cask in his linen closet, Souun walks over to the
small memorial to his late wife. Opening a shelf under the butsudan,
he draws out a folded sheet of paper. Opening that, he scans the
small note written there, then nods. Well, even if the Jusenkyou
guide didn't speak Japanese very well, he could at least write
legibly. And the instructions on that piece of paper were simple
enough for Souun to understand.
"It can only work for one person," Souun whispers as he folds
the sheet and slips that back into the shelf. "Which one,
though...?"
* * *
The remainder of the day progresses quietly for Ataru, Ranma
and the sisters. Much to Ranma's surprise, none of the sisters
make any comment about the healed bullet wound on Ataru's right
shoulder. She does note the looks of concern from Hinako and Kaho.
And Ranma definitely heard a soft "Kusu!" from Aria when the young
Parisian stared intently at Ataru one time. But it goes no farther.
No doubt, the sisters believed that since Ataru didn't seem bothered
by it, they shouldn't panic about it either.
Chikage herself rejoins her siblings around mid-afternoon
bearing an invitation from Toofuu for Ranma to come by the clinic
before the end of business hours. As to what the sorceress had been
doing, no one had any idea. To Ranma's surprise, no one presses
Chikage for details.
After a quick visit to the Tomobiki Pizza Emporium, the most
popular eatery in town now that Tampopo's had moved away, for some
take-out -- yes, even Shirayuki liked the idea of taking a break from
the kitchen every so often -- the gang makes their way back to
Nerima. Sitting beside Ataru as they watch the scenery, Ranma can
only smile. Another day was coming to an end, one where she didn't
have to deal with insane martial arts challenges, jealous fiancees
-- save for that stupid incident earlier in the day with Akane at
Furinkan High -- clueless rivals or anything else. Considering
that, she shudders as a tinge of disquiet touches her, then she
senses Ataru gazing at her. They look at each other, then she kisses
his cheek. "I'm okay," she whispers, then leans against him, holding
hands.
"You were an adrenaline junkie when we met, Ranma," he clicks
his tongue. "Something tells me you're starting to go through
withdrawal."
Ranma considers that, then sighs. "It's necessary."
"Afraid you're going to make things worse?"
"Pretty much so," she admits. "I mean, if I get challenged,
I'll take the challenge. Got to keep myself in shape and all
that..."
"Maybe you should consider only accepting the decent challenges,
Anegimi-sama," Haruka, sitting across from them, notes.
"How would you define something like that, Haruka-chan?"
"Well, martial arts is a never-ending evolution," she shrugs.
"My step-father told me that it was right and proper for martial
artists, especially those starting their own unique disciplines,
to go about and test their skills against compatible opponents.
It's something I've done from time to time. I'm sure
Negako-anegimisama did it too when she was wandering around the
planet after being freed of Anigimi-sama's mind."
Rinrin starts to laugh. "Like that one guy who came by wanting
to try his so-called 'baka-ken' on you?" she gazes on her sister.
Haruka blanches. "Rinrin-chan, PLEASE, don't remind me of him!"
"'Idiot fist?!'" Ataru and Ranma chorus.
"Hai," Haruka forlornly shakes her head. "Please, Anigimi-sama,
Anegimi-sama, I beg you both, don't ASK me what that insanity was all
about! The sooner I forget that fool, the better!"
"He stands a fair chance of succeeding in his quest."
"Chikage!!"
More laughter. "The one I really liked was the fellow who
wanted to base his form on using snack food as weapons!!" Sakuya
smirks.
"Snack food?!" Ranma's eyebrow twitches.
"I don't remember you telling me about that one," Ataru notes.
Haruka's cheeks flame as she draws her gunsen, then fans herself
despite it being quite cool today. "Well, that particular challenge
was difficult," she flusters. "I confess, he was a talented
opponent..."
"Oh?" Yotsuba smirks. "Yotsuba remembers Haruka-chan thought
that guy was -- and Yotsuba is quoting here -- 'Very handsome!'"
Haruka's cheeks heat up even more. "Yeah, he was a real
hottie!!" Sakuya quivers excitedly, then gazes on Ataru. "Not that
any man would ever hold up a candle to someone like you, Onii-sama."
"Oh, of course!" Haruka quickly recovers, clearing her throat.
"One simply cannot compare any man to our own Anigimi-sama."
The other sisters readily nod. Now ATARU is blushing. "Don't
you just hate it when they butter you up like that?" Ranma whispers
to him.
"Well..." he chuckles.
Laughter fills the road train as it enters Nerima. Within
minutes, it comes to a halt in front of Toofuu Ono's clinic. The
chiropractor steps out on hearing the road train's horn sound off,
then smiles on seeing the first person emerge from the passenger
compartment. "Ranma, there you are!!" he laughs as Ranma walks over
to embrace him. "How are you?!"
"Pretty okay, Doc!" Ranma pulls away, giving Toofuu a detailed
look-over. "Sorry I didn't stick around too much last night."
"It's alright! Everyone, c'mon in," Toofuu waves them inside,
then notices the wrapped pizza being carried by Shirayuki. "Oh,
Shirayuki..."
"Hime wasn't in the mood to cook tonight, but Hime made sure
that Toofuu-sensei wouldn't go without supper," the chef smiles.
"I gladly accept such a gift from you with thanks," Toofuu bows
as he takes the pizza from Shirayuki, then blinks on feeling
something tap his shoulder. "Eh?" he turns to see Betty now standing
behind him, she dancing and gyrating to some silent, peppy pop tune.
"Betty!!"
"Waaaaai!! Chikage-chan's making Betty-chan dance!!" Hinako
cheers.
Hearing the sorceress' name, Toofuu gulps, his glasses fogging
over. Realizing the imminent danger, Ranma snares the box from the
chiropractor's fingers, then heads inside. "Betty, what on Earth
are you doing dancing like that?! This isn't a karaoke bar! I...!
Betty!!" he gasps as the skeleton takes him by the hands and whirls
him into the clinic.
"Chikage, MUST you?!" Ataru gazes on Chikage.
"As I've always said about Toofuu-kun, Ani-kun, he makes me
laugh," the sorceress titters delightedly as she heads inside...
* * *
"Tadaima!"
"Oh, welcome back, Kasumi," Souun looks up from his newspaper
as Kasumi slips off her shoes. "How are things with Ono-sensei?"
"He's alright, Father," Kasumi curtly nods. "It's very late
right now. Would you prefer to have some takeout sent in?"
Souun considers that, then nods. "Yes, that sounds very nice.
But PLEASE don't call the Nekohanten!" he gazes knowingly at her.
"I wasn't in the mood for Chinese anyway," Kasumi laments.
"There is a new restaurant in Kasugachou that we could get take out
from."
"Kasugachou? That's some distance away."
"True, but the proprietor is willing to make deliveries
anywhere in Nerima if she has to," Kasumi notes. "I'll call her
now."
"You know her?" Souun asks as Kasumi heads to the phone.
"Hai. Her name's Tampopo Kamekichi. She just moved to Nerima
after running an establishment in Tomobiki for a couple of years.
Ranma-kun and Ataru-kun both know her. Her cooking's said to be
excellent."
"I see," Souun's voice trills into a knowing hum.
Kasumi stops, then sighs. "Father, you can't hope to keep
pressing this whole matter with Ranma-kun forward," she gazes on him.
"It will happen, Kasumi," he evenly declares.
"It can't possibly happen, Father. Not now. It's too late,"
his eldest daughter warns, then sighs, moving to moderate. "Father,
honouring your friend's memory is one thing. I know how much you
care for Uncle and what he tried to do. And I know how important
this is for you..."
"Then you understand why I have to do this, Kasumi," he lowers
his newspaper, then sighs, clasping his hands together on the table.
"Kasumi-chan, it's not just because of what Saotome-kun and I agreed
to do. It's the future of MANY people's dreams that I want to
guarantee. The Master's, mine, Saotome-kun's, Nabiki's, Akane's...!
And yes, Ranma-kun's, too. I know how much Ranma-kun has suffered
because of what his father failed to teach him. I know that, Kasumi!
I do! But..." he sighs, looking at the table. "I...! I know that
I haven't been the best father for you girls, especially after your
mother passed away. But I still want all of you to be happy, to have
a good life to look forward to. Is that so wrong?"
"No, Father, it's not wrong at all," Kasumi shakes her head,
then sits beside him, gently grasping his hands. "Father, if you
really want to have Ranma-kun come back home, to actually see this
place AS his home, you HAVE to give him some space! That's all he
really needs now. He..." she pauses, then shrugs. "Ranma-kun
hasn't had any real chance to make sense of his life ever since he
came here with his father. He's been deluged by all the challenges,
all the fiancees, all the stupid, weird things that've happened
here..." she gazes knowingly at him. "And he hasn't received any
real emotional support from ANY of us, Father. Not one bit. Isn't
it any wonder that he's so mad at all of us? That he's now willing
to beat us back with everything he has to make us leave him be? He's
TIRED, Father!"
Souun gazes at her. "But he's survived to date..."
"Life is more than just survival, Father!" Kasumi sternly notes.
"Life needs to GROW, too! And Ranma-kun's never had a chance TO
grow, not until he met Tampopo-san, then Ataru-kun, Negako-san
and their sisters! Why do you think Ranma-kun's willing to stay with
them, Father? It's because they're ALLOWING him to be what Ranma-kun
wants to be! They're not pigeonholing him into a role like we did!
WE FAILED HIM, Father!!" she gazes into his eyes. "You, Nabiki,
Akane and yes, myself too! If we're to bring Ranma-kun back here,
we HAVE to acknowledge what we did wrong with him, then move to
reconcile with him using the TRUTH! No more lies!" she shakes her
head. "No more false assumptions! No more wild dreams or fantasies!
Ranma-kun doesn't want that anymore! He doesn't deserve it, either!
And if we continue as we did before, we dishonour ourselves!"
Silence falls as Souun considers that, then he slowly nods
before gazing on the ceiling. "It is hard to accept, Kasumi-chan..."
"I know it is, Father," she squeezes his shoulder. "I think
what we have to do is fulfil what Ranma-kun charged us to do last
night."
He stares wide-eyed at her. "To create a martial artist of
equal calibre to him? That could take YEARS, Kasumi-chan!!"
"Not unless we accept Ojii-san's and Negako-san's help," she
shakes her head. "Look how fast Ataru-kun was able to learn his
Art?! Granted, he had the advantage of having Negako-san actually
be PART of him, but he learned quickly. Surely we could get Ojii-san
to ask Negako-san to do the same for Akane-chan or Nabiki-chan.
Or perhaps both of them at once..."
Souun's eyes narrow. "Yes. But after this morning..."
"I know," Kasumi nods. "That's why I really, REALLY hope you
would just leave Ranma-kun be. It doesn't have to be forever,
Father. He's too young to get married, not to mention all the things
he has to catch up on! Please, just let him be for the next while.
I'm sure that within time, Ranma-kun would want to come back. Is it
really so much that I ask?"
He blinks, then stares at her. "I..." he stops, then sighs.
"I'm afraid that if I do that, Kasumi-chan, we'll lose Ranma-kun
forever!"
"If you don't do that, you'll just drive him away, Father,"
Kasumi insists. "And he's now got plenty of allies who would be
willing to help him in an instant. And this time, I don't think our
teaming with Ukyou, the Amazons and everyone else here will help.
Ranma-kun's gone out of his way to ensure that everyone has gained
some measure of restitution. It's not like it was before the wedding
now, Father." A pause as she considers what to say next, then she
takes a deep breath. "If we try to force Ranma-kun back here without
trying to understand his point of view..." she stops, looking at the
table. "All his friends now could turn around and destroy us all,
Father. And what's worse, Ranma-kun wouldn't lift a finger to stop
that from happening. I don't want that! Yes, I want to live my
life, do things I've wanted to do but had to put on hold because
of Mother's death. But I don't want to see my family ripped apart
because we refused to bend even one bit when it comes to Ranma-kun.
Is that what you want?!"
"No! Of course not!! But still..." he stops, shuddering
for a moment, then he relaxes. "Alright. I'll back away from him
now. Perhaps if I can do something to make Akane-chan or Nabiki-chan
more attractive to him..." he glances her way. "Unless you want
to...?"
Kasumi shakes her head. "No, Father. Much that I do love
Ranma-kun, I would prefer to have him as a brother-in-law,
not a husband."
Souun considers that, then nods understandingly. "Alright."
Nodding, Kasumi moves to make a call to Tampopo's. *Hopefully
after hearing that, Father'll leave enough alone for the time
Ranma-chan needs to solidify things with Ataru-kun,* Kasumi grimaces,
remembering what Toofuu told her in his office earlier that day.
*Not to mention give all of us the chance to make Father see how
wrong he's been all this time...*
As his eldest daughter makes contact with the proprietor
of Nerima's newest eatery, Souun's eyes narrow. Yes, he knew what
to do now...
* * *
To be continued...
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