OK here's try two!

Secret Lies

By: James Lee

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 doesn't belong to me. Neither does Sailor Moon or James 
Bond. If they did I wouldn't be writing fanfiction. No profit is being made 
off of this. 

Part 4

    Minako sighed as she boarded the aircraft. Artemis was at her side in a 
pet carrier. Her parents had been transferred again. Ironically this time it 
was back to England. Of coarse she had to go with them. It looked as if she 
would be finishing her last years of school in the UK. Minako just hoped that 
the others could handle everything without her.

    Minako started looking for her seat. Her parents were sitting in first 
class, while she had been condemned to second. Minako smiled as she found her 
seat and noted that it was next to a very handsome boy. Things were starting 
to look up.

    "Hello."

    "Umm Hi." Replied the boy. He then noticed the cat carrier and jumped 
against the wall. "C-c-c-cat!"

    Minako blinked, then looked down at Artemis. "You don't like cats?"

    The boy nodded.

    "Well don't worry, I can take care of that." Said the blond girl as she 
opened the overhead compartment.

    "Minako! Don't you d..."(SLAM!)

    "See, cat all gone."

    The boy just looked at her for a moment "Umm thanks. You know, for a 
moment it sounded like that c-cat talked."

    Minako smiled and laughed nervously. "So are you going all the way to 
England?"

    The boy frowned at that. "Yes I am, Miss..."

    "Oh Aino, Minako Aino."

    "Ranma."

    "You don't seem too happy about it."

    "Umm well, it's just that I'm not sure if it's the best idea. I mean I've 
got these umm friends and they might get in trouble if I'm not there to 
help." Ranma remembered the previous day. As his mother had promised, they 
had talked about what had happen at the site. Boy did they talk! It had 
seemed more like an interrogation. Nodoka, his grandfather, and several 
others had asked all sorts of questions. Everything from how he was taken, 
his stay at the construction site, to his rescue was subject to discussion. 
They were especially interested in the doctor that had seen him just before 
the attack.

    They must of asked a hundred questions about him. Who do you think he 
was? What was his manner of speech? Did he have an accent? How was he 
dressed? All this and more was asked. Ranma could only answer about half the 
questions, but his mother had assured him that it was all right. They then 
had him describe the doctor to a sketch artist. While Ranma described the man 
in every detail he could remember, Nodoka, her father, and Bond slipped out 
to talk in private. 

    It was after the artist was done, that his mother reappeared and dropped 
the bomb. He was to go to England with his father. Ranma at first had fought 
tooth and nail against it. His mother would have none of it however. When 
Ranma asked about the Tendos and his friends, she oddly didn't seem to care. 
His grandfather however, did assure him that they would be looked after. 
Eventually, they wore him down, pointing out that he was the target, and that 
it would be best if he stayed away from his friends for while.

    Still, Ranma worried. Sure he didn't want to marry any of them, but they 
were still his friends.

    "HELLO." Ranma jerked and turned to Minako. "You were zoning out."

    "Oh sorry. I was thinking about something." 

    Minako nodded, "That's all right, I kind of know how you feel. I've got 
friends who get into trouble all the time too, and with my parents going back 
to England, I won't be able to help them."

    "So you've been on this trip before?"

    Minako nodded her head, "Yep."

    "So is it going to be a long flight?"

    "You better believe it mister. You can kiss the rest of this day 
goodbye."

    "Meow?" Ranma looked up nervously as Minako sighed and shook her head. 
"Meeeooooow."

    "Excuse me." Said Minako as she opened the overhead compartment. Grabbing 
the cat carrier, she quickly went up to the front of the aircraft.

    "Minako, where are you going?" whispered Artemis. {Hopefully to another 
seat.}

    Minako ignored him as she stopped in front of one of the flight 
attendants. "Excuse me."

    "Yes?"

    "My cat's getting really agitated. Do you have someplace you can put him 
so he doesn't disturb the other passengers?"

    "Why of course, dear." Said the flight attendant. Before Artemis knew it, 
his cat carrier was between a komodo dragon named Gor Gor and a 200-pound 
rottweiler named Thug.

    "Sorry about that." Said Minako as she returned to her seat. "So, why are 
you afraid of cats anyway?"

    At first Ranma wanted to tell her it was none of her business. However, 
he then changed his mind. He figured that since she had to put her pet away, 
he owed her an explanation. "Well when I was ten my pop tried to teach me 
this crazy technique called the Nekoken."

    "Oh what did he do?"

    "He wrapped me up in fish sausage and threw me into a pit of starving 
cats. When I didn't learn the Nekoken on the first try, he tried other fish 
products and threw me in again. Eventually I did learn the Nekoken, but now 
I'm terrified of cats."

    Minako turned pale as Ranma told the story. "That's horrible! Who would 
do that to their own child."

    "Yeah. Now I've found out he isn't even really my father..." Ranma 
stopped. He hadn't meant to tell her that.

    "Oh that's good." Said Minako. She didn't want a possible child abuser as 
a father in law. She then saw the pained look on Ranma's face. "I-I guise. 
Umm sorry."

    Ranma shook his head "That's all right. It's just everything is happening 
so fast. My mom introduced me to my real father. She wants me to live with 
him, that's why I'm going to England. Thing is, I don't know a thing about 
the guy."

    "Well considering how badly your other father treated you, I think you 
should at least get to know him."

    "Yeah I guess..."

    "I know it's hard when you face a life changing decision. Especially when 
you have no say in it. But you'll never know until you try it out."

    Ranma just looked at her for a moment. He could tell that she knew what 
she was talking about to some small degree. "Still what if it's the wrong 
decision?"

    "Well you know what they say: A wrong decision, even no decision, is 
better than the right decision." {Wait that didn't even sound right to me.}

    "Actually it's any decision, even the wrong decision, is better than no 
decision at all."

    "Huh?" Minako looked up and her eyes suddenly became little hearts as she 
noticed the very handsome middle-aged man standing next to them. 

    "Are you comfortable, Ranma?"

    "Uh yeah. I guess."

    Bond noticed how uneasy his son was and placed his hand on the seat. 
"Ranma, I know you still have a lot of questions. We'll sit down and talk 
once were in London."

    Ranma nodded. "So where's mom?"

    James frowned slightly. "Your mum will be catching a later flight. She'll 
be joining us a week from now." 

    "Oh, whys that?"

    "She said something about tying up loose ends."



    "Are you done yet?" Asked Soun for the fiftieth time. Both he and Gendo 
(opps, wrong bastard.) Genma were huddled over Nabiki as she typed away on a 
laptop.

    "No Daddy I haven't. Are you sure he's gone to China?" asked Nabiki.

    "Of course." Said Genma. "Where else would he go?"

     Nabiki just shook her head. Ranma had just up and vanished several days 
ago and after tearing apart the town no one had found any trace of him. Now 
the fathers wanted to go look for him in China. They had no proof what so 
ever that Ranma had gone to there, but accepted it. He could have easily gone 
to the mountains or somewhere in Japan to train, but everyone just assumed 
that he had gone in search of a cure.

    "I bet he's with that bimbo Shampoo." Growled Akane. Never mind the fact 
that the Amazons were looking for Ranma too.

    "Nabiki, we have to get to China!" 

    The middle Tendo daughter took a deep breath and counted to ten. "We only 
have money for one person."

    "That's not enough. Both Genma and me must go with Akane. Only together 
can we bring Ranma back."

    "Like I want him back." Said Akane.

    "Why don't you ask that nice Kuno boy?" asked Kasumi.

    "Because he's already taken off in search of his pigtail girl." Said 
Nabiki. "So we can only afford passage for one. Have you thought about..."

    "Nabiki, we must make sure none of the others get to him. Akane can't 
make the trip alone."

    "Hey I can take care of myself you..." Akane was cut off by the doorbell. 


    "Oh, good afternoon Auntie Saotome." As soon as Kasumi said it, Genma was 
in the pond and a panda.

    {Thank. You. Kami.} Thought Nabiki. With Nodoka here her family would get 
off her back. She changed her mind however when she caught site of Nodoka. 
Nabiki had never seen the woman look so serious. Just for a moment she could 
have sworn the women looked down right hostile. Nodoka then turned to Soun. 

    "Good afternoon Tendo-san. Is Genma here today?" Nodoka asked smiling.

    "Why umm, no." Said Soun glancing back at a Panda shaking its head. "Both 
he and Ranma went on a training trip. They left early this morning."

    Nabiki became nervous as Nodoka lost her smile. Looking at the older 
woman, Nabiki could tell that Nodoka knew she was being lied to. Things were 
about to get ugly. 

    "I see." Said Nodoka as she reached into her kimono and pulled out an 
envelope. "Can you make sure that Genma receives this?"

    "Of course I can." Replied Soun taking the rather thick letter from 
Nodoka. "May I ask what this is?"

    "It's the terms of our divorce." Nodoka happily answered. Everyone but 
Nabiki, stared at her as if she had grown a second head.

    "A-Auntie why?" asked both Akane and Kasumi.

    "No-Nodoka!"

    Nodoka narrowed her eyes. "I know my husband is hiding from me, probably 
because he's done something to Ranma."

    "T-That's not true Nodoka, Genma and Ranma are on a training trip."

    "Oh, they're always on a training trip, even when I call in advance." 
Said Nodoka narrowing her eyes. "I'm not dense Soun and I don't like being 
lied to."

    "We're not lying to you Auntie." Said Akane. "Genma and Ranma really are 
on a training trip. Isn't that right Nabiki."

    Nabiki gulped as Nodoka looked strait at her with steel cold eyes. "Well 
Nabiki, is that true?"

    The younger girl took a deep breath and turned her head down. "Genma's 
been hiding from you."

    Akane mouth dropped to the floor as Genma pulled out a sign. [You 
traitor!] 

    "Genma said that you would kill both him and Ranma if you found..." 
(SLAP!!) Nabiki was cut off as Soun's hand went across her face.

    "How dare you say such a horrible lie! Nodoka, I apologize for my 
daughter. She has very little honor. Rest assured Genma is not hid..."

    "That's alright Soun." Said Nodoka as she walked up to Nabiki and gently 
held her cheek. "At least now I know in who the Tendo honor lies."

    That said Nodoka left the house. As soon as she was gone Akane turned to 
her sister. "Nabiki! What the hell were you thinking?"

    "What was I supposed to do; lie in her face? Not a good idea, especially 
when she knows she's being lied to."

    "You idiot, She didn't know. She was just guessing."

    "As if! She knew Akane. She knew before she even came here. In fact I 
almost bet she knew about Ranma's curse..." Nabiki stopped for a moment as 
she suddenly realized something. All through the conversation, Nodoka had 
only mentioned Ranma once. In fact she hadn't even asked were he was. Nabiki 
then noticed her family going through the papers Nodoka left. Picking some of 
the papers she started to read through them. "These are divorce papers 
alright." 

    "She can't do that!" Said Genma, now human again. "On what grounds?"

    "According to this abandonment. She didn't even need you present to get 
the court order."

    "Oh well." Said Genma not too concerned. With his wife gone, so was her 
katana. "We'll just have to think of someway to brake the news to Ranma when 
we find him."

    "Actually custody of Ranma has been given to her."

    "WWHHAAATT??" screamed Genma. "Impossible! She can't!"

    "She has." Said Nabiki. "She sited several counts of child exploitation."

    "Child exploitation?"

    "Yes, she has several signed affidavits from families that Genma sold his 
son too. Jeez, even Mr. Kounji has one in here. According to this, you have 
to repay all the families in full plus any accumulated interest before you 
can even try to get him back. Nodoka sure set you up for the fall."

    "B-But she doesn't have the brains to do that."

    "Are you so sure Mr. Saotome?" asked Nabiki.

    "Oh My." Nabiki turned to Kasumi. The girl's face was pale and she was 
holding a small piece of paper.

    "Kasumi, what is it?" asked Akane.

    The oldest Tendo daughter looked back down at the paper and began to read 
it. "D-Dear Mr. Panda. Yes, I know all about Jusenkyo, the Nekoken, and the 
multiple engagements. I just want you to know one thing before you're out of 
my life forever. I was pregnant with Ranma before we got married. That's 
right, he isn't your son, you son of a bitch! Signed Nodoka Tanaka."

    {I knew it!} Thought Nabiki as made a note to tell her lackeys to pay up 
to the people who betted on Genma not being Ranma's true father. "Daddy I 
think things just got a little more complicated."


To be continued. 



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