[FFML][DRAFT][Ranma][Fanfic] Ranma-ototo: Please Save My Family - Part 3
Okay, here's the last part of Ranma-ototo Please Save My Family.
Any and all C&C is welcome. The previous parts are on my website.
[Ranma][Fanfic] Ranma-ototo: Please Save My Family - Part 3
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Ranma-ototo: Please Save My Family - Part 3
FFML DRAFT
Ranma 1/2 characters/situations created and copyright by Rumiko
Takahashi/Shogakukan/Kitty/Fuji/Viz - Used without permission
Ranma-ototo: Please Save My Family story created, written, and
copyright 1998 by Jim Lazar
Continuity based on anime up to and including 'Back to the Happosai'
episode. Events after that episode are not part of this universe.
<Speech text in angle brackets is thought by character.>
"Speech text in double quotes is spoken as Japanese."
E-mail comments and/or criticisms to: mailto:jimlazar@earthlink.net
Previous parts and my other fanfiction can be found at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~jimlazar/anime
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This story takes place in my Ranma-ototo universe. Reading the six-part
Ranma-ototo will help you enjoy and understand this story more. It is
available on the RAAC archives or at my website.
Here is a brief overview of the events of the Ranma-ototo mini-series:
Ranma and Akane went back in time using Happosai's magic mirror. They
met their younger selves and Mother Tendo (called Hanaki Tendo in this
story). From this encounter, they believed that they were actually
brother and sister. They confronted Soun and Genma with this news. After
various orbit shots and threats, Soun and Genma finally told them the
truth: Ranma is really Soun and his wife, Hanaki's son. Akane is Genma
and his wife, Nodoka's daughter.
Akane took this news bad, very bad. After some property damage, Ranma
found her in a park. Not wanting to see her hurt any more, and because
the big jerk loves her, he proposed to Akane. She accepted.
After Ukyo saw Akane's new engagement ring, Akane and Ukyo fought. Akane
took Ukyo to Dr. Tofu's clinic to treat some bad cuts. Ranma found her
there, but not until after P-Chan's secret was revealed.
Again, they went back in time to return a five-year-old Ryoga (who
hitchhiked to the present with them the last time they went back in
time). They also met Mother Tendo again and Ranma carved his and Akane's
initials in a tree in the Tendo yard. They shared their first kiss, but
actually their five year old selves beat them too it. Kasumi saw the
teenage Ranma and Akane in the garden.
Back in the present, Ranma and Akane informed the Tendos about THEIR
engagement. Nabiki announced the news to Furinkan High, causing a large
fight. She sold videos of it, of course.
Here is a brief overview of the events in Ranma-ototo: Please Save My
Family - Part 1:
Akane was born to Nodoka and Genma. Genma taught her martial arts almost
from day one.
Ranma was born to Hanaki and Soun. Soun taught Ranma when he wasn't
training his other students.
When playing together little Ranma and Akane sometimes were nice to each
other, sometimes fought, and sometimes played doctor. Genma and Soun
started letting them spar together to work off their excess energy.
Nodoka Saotome went into a coma while giving birth to another child. The
child did not survive. Genma left Akane with the Tendos while he cared
for Nodoka in a convalescent home.
An attempt by Genma to take Akane and Ranma on a training trip was
stopped by Hanaki Tendo. Genma relented and promised to stay and train
Akane at the dojo instead.
Under the sea, Happosai escaped from a chest that Soun and Genma had
imprisoned him in years earlier.
Here is a brief overview of the events in Ranma-ototo: Please Save My
Family - Part 2
Happosai started to train little Ranma, although little Akane was upset
at being left out.
Soun and Hanaki learn that Hanki has breast cancer. She has various
operations and underwent chemotherapy to fight the cancer. Little Kasumi
learned of her mother's illness and began to take care of the household
chores.
A teenage Ranma and Akane made two trips back in time to discover the
truth about their parents (as described in the original Ranma-ototo
mini-series).
At little Akane's sixth birthday party, little Ranma gave Akane a little
plastic ring. Everyone laughed at the 'pretend engagement'.
Hanaki health was growing worse and talked with Kasumi about handling
the house and how to handle Soun. Brave little Kasumi promised to save
her mother's family.
The teenage Ranma and Akane came back in time again to visit Hanaki.
They had apparently been married and were headed to their honeymoon in
turn of the century Paris (this time travel trip is from a future
Ranma-ototo story, not the original mini-series). Hanaki realizes that
they are the grownup Ranma and Akane and tells them to live well. She
also tells Kasumi something else she will have to do for the family's
sake.
The next day, Hanaki loses her battle with cancer and dies in her sleep.
Everyone is devastated and Kasumi has to hit Soun to get him to just go
to the funeral. At the funeral, the time traveling Ranma and Akane are
present and overlook the somber funeral. They leave to say their
good-byes to their mother the day before she died (the appearance
described in the previous paragraph).
Little Akane and Ranma fight a lot in their grief, Akane isn't happy
anywhere but with Kasumi and the other Tendos. She keeps hitting Ranma,
so Ranma is staying with Genma...
Note: This story has some darker parts, since it deals with some
difficult parts of Ranma and Akane's lives. I have tried to keep a good
balance of happy and sad moments.
=======================================================================
Although the young Ranma and Akane behaved themselves at the
funeral, the next few weeks showed that they still couldn't get along
together. Attempts by Genma, despite Kasumi's objections, to take Akane
home also ended in disaster.
One day, during another visit by Genma and Ranma, Happosai
appeared. "Well, Ranma, lets see if you've gotten rusty while I've been
gone," Happosai said, then dragged the reluctant Ranma into the dojo.
Genma tried to intervene, but Happosai soon had Genma cowering. Ranma
showed little spirit for sparring that day. "My boy, you're going soft
in this place. Time to go on a training trip!" Happosai declared.
Genma tried to stop him, but was thrust aside easily by the old
master. As Happosai left the dojo with Ranma, Genma ran to Soun's room.
"Tendo, quick! Happosai is taking Ranma away! We have to battle him now
or we'll lose Ranma forever!" Genma shouted at the huddled figure in the
room.
Soun looked up, blinked a couple times, then said, "Happosai?"
"Yes, get up! I can't beat him myself!"
"My son...Ranma. He'd be better off without me..."
"Father, you must go get Ranma back. Mother would be very
disappointed in you right now," Kasumi explained, as she stepped into
the room.
"Hanaki?"
"Father, please."
"Tendo, please. Ranma is like a son to me...we must defeat the
Master once and for all! Join me!" Genma pleaded, and held his hand out
towards his longtime friend.
Slowly, with Genma's help, Soun got to his feet. He looked at a
picture of his wife and then opened a closet. He stood in front of it
for several seconds, then started to don the samurai armor within. He
finished by grabbing a large sword. He handed a simpler leather
protector to Genma.
Genma put on the protector and grabbed another sword from Soun's
arsenal. The two warriors left the Tendo house in pursuit of Happosai.
"So where do you think he'll go first?" Soun asked.
"He headed west when he left..." Genma informed Soun.
"West," Soun pondered, then exclaimed, "Ah...ha! The large women's
spa in Hoyashi!!!"
"Good thinking, Tendo!"
They raced down the streets, getting some shocked stares from
various people when they passed. This was small peaceful Nerima after
all; people running around in Samurai armor was not something that you
saw every day.
Ranma wiggled into the small window. "Ranma, when you get through,
remember to look for the best escape route," Happosai instructed from
behind him.
"Kay," Ranma replied, then fell into the dressing room. He looked
around and spotted the emergency exit door.
Happosai dropped down beside him and scanned the room, then said,
"Good, no one in here. Collect the bras and panties, but be quick about
it!"
Ranma opened a locker and scooped up a pair of socks and a shirt,
then ran and gave them to Happosai.
"What? I said bras and panties!" Happosai scolded.
"Sorry...what do those look like?" Ranma asked.
"Soun and Genma have really neglected the important parts of your
training, my boy," Happosai said sadly. In his sadness he missed seeing
Soun, who landed a vicious kick to his side. Happosai was sent flying
across the changing room, through the wall, and into the large hot pool.
As he rose to the surface, he found that he was in heaven.
"Hot...cha...cha..."
Soun raced into the poolroom and was greeted by a hail of buckets
and screams. "Fear not! Fair maidens! I am here to save you from this
perverted monster!" Soun declared, only to receive another round of
buckets and screams. <I shouldn't let that little Kuno brat come over
and play with Nabiki anymore, his speech patterns are starting to rub
off on me,> Soun made a mental note to himself.
Genma appeared, Ranma tagging along behind him. "Keep close Ranma,
whatever you do don't let Happosai take you away from us," Genma said.
He joined Soun in a savage lunge at Happosai, who was glomping a rather
well built woman.
Soun and Genma tried to slice their Master into several pieces, but
Happosai deflected all their blows easily. The women in the pool were
still screaming and throwing various buckets, towels, anvils, throwing
spatulas, aardvarks, soap bars, and grenades at the fighting men, who
mostly ignored them as they waged their battle all over the room.
Mirrors were broken, tubs cracked, and water pipes burst. Ranma
giggled as the cold water splashed over him. "Weeeeee....I like cold
water!" he squealed.
Happosai was heading for the exit, but suddenly he found himself
smashed flat to the ground by a large spatula. A rubenesque woman who
had short black hair wielded it. "You monster!" she said. A little girl
was gripping her leg tightly and looking up at her mother with pride and
awe.
Taking advantage of the dazed Happosai, Soun swung his sword and
connected with Happosai's chest. Happosai went flying through the wall,
taking in a nice view of the women in the steam room he crashed through
it on his way out of the building. Soun looked at his sword and
muttered, "Have to remember to keep these things sharpened."
Soun and Genma ran out, followed by little Ranma, who looked
around and took one last peek at the naked women.
After the dust settled, the short rubenesque woman stood up and
sighed. "I always heard this was a quiet place to relax!" she said. She
helped her daughter out of the pool and collected her dropped throwing
spatulas. "Well, time for us to go sell some more okonomiyaki on our way
back to Kansai, Ukyo."
"Okay, Mommy!" the little girl chirped.
"Ukyo, I've told you to call me 'Daddy'," the woman scolded.
Ukyo was always confused by why they had to pretend they were boys
to sell okonomiyaki. "Okay, Daddy." Then she looked at the retreating
little boy. <He was kind of cute,> she thought, smiling.
The battle raged and headed back towards the Nerima ward of Tokyo.
The dust cloud could be seen from anywhere in Tokyo. Soun and Genma
finally cornered the old pervert in an alley, which happened to be right
by the Tendo house.
"Master! We won't let you take Ranma away!" Genma declared.
"My son is not to be brought up in your perverted ways! That was my
wife's wish and I shall make sure it comes true!" Soun shouted, then
swung his sword at Happosai's head. It missed but did connect with his
shoulder. Blood seeped down Happosai's chest.
"That was my best shirt! Now you two have gone and made me really
angry!" Happosai said. Then his battle aura grew to ten times his
regular size. Genma and Soun held their ground. The battle aura grew to
one hundred times the size Happosai's normal size. A passing plane
veered away from the huge object that appeared in it's flight path
suddenly.
Soun and Genma looked at each other. They both collapsed to the
ground and started groveling at Happosai's feet. They both exclaimed,
"We're sorry, Master! We are unworthy of you!"
Happosai nodded, then bellowed, "Of course you are. I'm glad you
finally realized that."
Genma, still prostrated before Happosai, looked over at Soun and
whispered, "Plan B?"
Soun nodded.
* * *
Soun, Genma and Happosai sat around the table. Kasumi brought out
some more sake and Soun and Genma proceeded to pour it down his throat.
Truth be told, they tossed some down themselves.
When Happosai was good and pickled, they pulled him outside to
avoid messing up the house and bent him over a rock. Happosai wiggled a
little, as his head started to clear. Soun pulled his sword out and took
aim at his soon to be late Master. As he was about to begin his downward
swing, a voice called out.
"Please don't hurt the funny old man," Akane pleaded, standing
behind them in her pajamas and holding a stuffed pig.
"Akane? We're sorry, but he mustn't be allowed to terrorize this
family anymore or steal Ranma from us," Genma explained to his daughter.
Akane leaped in front of him and cried out. "No!"
Happosai had vaguely been aware of events up to this point, then
muttered, "Akane? Oh...you're the only one who loves me...Such a sweet
little girl, Akane..." Then he passed out again.
* * *
Soun and Genma trudged up a mountain carrying a large barrel
between them and tossed it into a deep cave. They attached a spiritual
ward to a large boulder and then rolled it into place. The cave darkened
as the moonlight was cut off. "Oh, my sweet Akane..." was heard softly
from the barrel.
* * *
After than, Genma took Ranma on a training trip to the south of
Japan. Hopefully Akane and Ranma would be okay after a little time
apart. After several months on the road, they happened across a street
vendor who sold okonomiyaki by the road.
Genma instructed Ranma to go and challenge the vendor. If Ranma
could get one of the okonomiyaki away from the vendor, they could eat
it. Genma's stomach growled to punctuate this. Ranma did so and soon had
three okonomiyaki to give to Genma. He was chased by a small boy of
about the same age as he was, finally the okonomiyaki were tossed in the
air as the boy tackled Ranma. Not wanting to waste the food, Genma
gobbled them down.
This scene repeated itself for several days until Ranma and Genma
were both caught by the vendor and 'his' child. "You must pay me for all
the okonomiyaki you have stolen from me!" 'Mr.' Kuonji explained.
"I'm sorry, but I have no money. My son and I are but poor
travelers. Only our hunger drove us to appropriate your food. I am
sorry," Genma groveled.
The vendor thought for a minute, then said, "Son huh? Tell you
what, you can have the whole cart if your son marries my daughter."
"Daughter?" Genma said, then looked over to where the two kids were
playing. <I thought Ukyo was a boy...well if I agree it won't be binding
since I'm not Ranma's father. It couldn't possibly cause any problems.
Plus, the cart would feed us for weeks.> Genma convinced himself that he
was doing the right thing before accepting.
"Great! My family is now assured an heir!" 'Mr.' Kuonji exclaimed.
Later that night, Ranma asked, "Why did we leave so fast with the
cart, Daddy?"
<Daddy?> Genma thought, then said, "Oh, it's just time to move on,
Son..."
* * *
"Where did Ranma go, Mo...err...Daddy?" little Ukyo asked.
'Mr.' Kuonji removed her bindings and let her breasts breathe. "Him
and his honorless father have stolen our okonomiyaki cart and made us
laughing stocks! Ukyo, you must train night and day to seek our revenge
on them!" she yelled, pulling off her fake beard.
"Kay, but when do I marry Ranma?"
Ms. Kuonji sighed. "You don't. You kill both of those honorless
males for our revenge!" she exclaimed, then thought to herself, <Just
like I'll take my revenge on the honorless man who left me at the altar,
pregnant with his child no less!>
* * *
After returning from the training trip, Akane and Ranma still got
very upset on seeing each other. Finally, after several more tries at
brining Ranma back to the Tendo house, Soun, Genma, and Kasumi all sat
down and talked.
"What are we going to do? Every time we try to get the family back
together Akane and Ranma go into tears and start abusing each other,"
Genma said.
"I don't know, Saotome. Up until you came back, Akane was settling
down and starting to cheer up again," Soun explained, then asked, "How
was Ranma on the trip?"
"Fine, he didn't even cry once about his mother. Maybe they are
happier like this," Genma suggested.
"You aren't suggesting that you keep my son and Akane stays here
with us?"
"Tendo, at the moment it seems to be the only way they are happy.
Maybe in a few years we can bring them together again and it will be
less traumatic."
Soun considered this for a few minutes, then asked, "Are sure
you're not trying to get the son you've always wanted?"
"I won't deny that I wanted a son or that Ranma has become a son to
me. I'd miss Akane terribly, but if this is the only way our families
can be happy..."
Kasumi took this moment to speak up, she calmly said, "Father, Mr.
Saotome, Mother wanted us to keep this family together and happy. I
don't know if she would agree with this plan. Maybe if Ranma and Akane
can just spend more time together they will work out their problems."
Soun smiled at his oldest daughter, then said, "Kasumi, you are so
mature for your young years." He kissed her cheek.
"Tendo, this won't be permanent. Once they are older will bring
them back together when they can understand what is going on," Genma
explained.
"I see no other way right now. If I agree to this we must formally
engage them now, so that if we haven't reunited the families before they
are, say, sixteen years old, they can be married and reunite the
families that way," Soun decided.
Genma shot up and shouted, "Brilliant plan, Tendo!!!"
As the two fathers started making plans, Kasumi frowned. She wasn't
sure the plan was good. Then she thought about what her mother told her
the night before she died. Reluctantly, she helped the two fathers carry
out the plan.
* * *
As Genma walked away from the Tendo house with Ranma, who had just
turned seven, at his side, he looked back and thought, <Goodbye, Akane.
Live well, I will return to you someday.> He wiped the tears out of his
eyes and looked down at Ranma. He said, "So, Ranma, are you ready to
become the worlds greatest martial artist?"
"Kay," Ranma replied.
* * *
Soun and Kasumi watched Genma walk away with Ranma, both were
crying. "Kasumi, it's okay...we'll see him again and the families will
be reunited for sure when they are sixteen."
Kasumi sighed, then said, "If you think this is best, Father, I
will do my best to keep this part of our family happy."
"That's my big girl, thank you. Your mother would be proud of you,"
Soun said and hugged his daughter tightly. Tears flowed down his cheeks.
<Maybe nine years till they will see each other again, I hope the
pain and anger is gone by then,> Kasumi thought as she made dinner that
night.
* * *
Nine years later, Soun was crying joyfully as he read a postcard.
"At last, Ranma is coming! How I've waited for this day. And soon, very
soon, Ranma will be here."
"Kasumi!" Soun said, poking his head into the kitchen.
"Yes? What is it, Father?" Kasumi replied, turning away from the
food she was cooking.
"The time has come at last."
Kasumi looked up and thought for a second, then smiled. "Ranma?"
Soun nodded, smiling and crying at the same time. "This is what I
want to do..." Soun said, then explained his plan.
* * *
Soun Tendo had called his lovely daughters together for a family
meeting. Kasumi was already kneeling at the table as Nabiki and Akane
came in and kneeled across from their father. Akane seemed to have just
finished exercising and was wiping sweat off her forehead. She also
seemed to be a little angry, which was normal for her.
"I have good news! Today, one of you will meet your fiancee!" Soun
announced with a big smile plastered across his rugged face.
"Fiancee?" Kasumi inquired, trying to sound surprised.
Nabiki pretended to be shocked as well, but was thinking something
different. <I don't know why they are so insistent that I make sure that
Akane and Ranma end up choosing each other, but they paid well, so I'll
go along with it. I just hope he's not too cute or I may not want to
give him to Akane.>
Akane grew angry.
"Yes. The son of a very good friend of mine," Soun informed them.
"His name is Ranma Saotome. If one of you three girls were to marry him
and carry on this training hall, then the Tendo family legacy would be
secure." Then he added to himself, <And our family will be whole again.>
"Hey! Wait a minute here!" Akane yelled, quite agitated. "Don't we
get to have some say in who we marry?"
"Maybe you should wait until you meet him, you never know he might
be really cute," Nabiki chided her younger sister. "Right, Daddy?"
Soun chuckled to himself, then grew serious. "He'll be here any
minute," Soun declared, then rose to his feet. "Ranma and his father
have been on a training voyage. Recently they crossed into China."
"Wow! China!" Nabiki exclaimed, still trying to make Ranma sound
good to Akane.
"So, he hiked all the way to China! Big Deal!" Akane exclaimed.
"Father, how old is this, Ranma?" Kasumi questioned.
"Is he cute?" Nabiki hoped.
"Younger men are so... young," Kasumi remarked, sticking to the
plan her father had outlined.
"Well what kind of guy is he?" Akane asked.
Soun laughed. "I don't know," Soun replied to all the questions.
"You don't know?" Nabiki remarked.
"I've never met him," he conceded.
Playing their parts, both Kasumi and Nabiki looked a little shocked
at their father. Akane was near to killing him.
Suddenly, they were interrupted by a cry from outside. "Leggo, y'
ol' fool!"
"Sounds like we have visitors!" Kasumi noticed, then stood up.
"Oooooo! It must be Ranma!" Nabiki smiled. She got up and ran
towards the front door. Soun followed right behind her.
Kasumi and Akane waited at the end of the hallway, both with
troubled looks on their faces. A startled scream from Nabiki rang out
and then Nabiki and Soun ran back down the hall, with a look of terror
plastered across their faces.
"Hey! Pop! You're scaring 'em spit-less!" Ranma yelled, as she came
around the corner draped over the panda's shoulder.
"So, Father, this is your friend?" Kasumi inquired. <What on Earth
is a panda doing here? And carrying some strange...no it couldn't
be...Ranma had black hair,> Kasumi thought, growing very troubled.
Soun vigorously shook his head no. <I guess Genma and Ranma will be
coming later. Now who are these two?>
"Oh, so this panda just decided to drop in? Is that it, huh?"
Nabiki suggested. Soun again shook his head no.
The panda set Ranma down in front of him and nudged him forward a
bit.
Looking at the teenager in front of him, Soun suddenly realized
that this might indeed be Ranma. <What's with the red hair?> Then he
said, "You... wouldn't be..."
"I'm Ranma Saotome," Ranma said, then sadly added, "Sorry about
this."
"At last! You're here!" Soun exclaimed and then hugged Ranma
closely. "I'm so glad you're here!" <My long lost son!>
"Oh, he is cute!" Nabiki appraised him. <Damn, that Akane always
seems to get all the breaks. Now even my father is giving the cute boys
to her in addition to the ones she attracts at school,> Nabiki thought,
then began to think of a way to take Ranma for herself until...
Soun's eyes went wide and released his hug on his 'son'. He had
trouble breathing as he thought about what he had just felt.
Nabiki noticed her father's reaction and then looked closely at
Ranma, particularly 'his' chest. For some reason, she decided she had to
fondle the female breast in front of her.
Ranma looked awkward, then said, "Um, could you stop that?"
Then Nabiki exclaimed, "Ranmas not a guy! He's a girl!" <Maybe
that's why they want HER to marry Akane so badly, Akane always says she
hates boys. Maybe Akane's gay?> Nabiki thought.
"A g...girl?" Soun gasped, then spun into the abyss and fainted.
"Father? Oh my," Kasumi intoned. Internally she raged, <Where is
Ranma! What has Mr. Saotome done and why is this girl trying to claim
she's Ranma!> She kept the rage inside. <And what the h-word is this
d-word panda doing here?>
* * *
Soun and Genma knelt facing each other. Genma finished explaining,
"And that's what happened. Your son is still your son, but he may
occasionally be more like a daughter to you."
Between tears, Soun ranted, "Saotome, how could you do this to my
son. To curse yourself is the ultimate stupidity, but to curse my only
son..."
Soun and Genma went silent as they saw Nabiki walk by. "So that's
it," Soun said, flatly, once Nabiki had passed by.
"Hmmm," Genma hummed.
"The path of a true martial artist is fraught with perils," Soun
said, trying to contain his anger.
"Yes, there are terrible things out there that man should not
tamper with. I am sorry, but now at least we can reunite our families,"
Genma said.
"Did you have to show up as a panda and a girl?" Soun scolded.
"Sorry, Tendo," Genma said.
Soun broke down and cried some more.
"As long as this is the worse thing you've done to my son, you are
forgiven. My dear friend," Soun finally said.
Genma suppressed the worried look that flashed across his face,
then said, "Thank you, my friend." Controlling his face, he thought, <I
think the curse is the worse thing that happened to us. If I could only
remember what happened when we were in that Turkish prison.>
"Now, before Akane finds out herself, we must introduce her to her
future husband. As a BOY this time," Soun insisted.
"Of course... Sorry, Tendo," Genma said.
That plan was shattered by Akane's piercing scream from down the
back hallway. Akane ran by them and seemed to be quite upset.
"Too late."
"Sorry, Tendo."
* * *
Later that day, Soun, Genma, and Kasumi were all together. "That
went well," Genma insisted.
"Well? Well??? How could you do that to Ranma! You'll be lucky if I
don't sell you to the zoo! If it wouldn't cause more problems that we
have now, I'd throw you out on your furry butt!"
"Kasumi, that's not a nice thing to say."
"Sorry, Father."
"Furry posterior is more polite."
"Of course, Father."
"Sorry, Kasumi."
* * *
"Saotome! How could you let MY SON get in a fight with a bunch of
crazed Amazons and end up being hunted down by some bimbo?" Soun asked,
between tears.
"We just needed something to eat."
Soun broke down and cried some more.
"Sorry, Tendo."
* * *
"Saotome! How could you engage MY SON to Mr. Daikoku's daughter!"
Sound cried out, between tears.
"Actually. I didn't. It was just after Akane was born. I was on the
road and we were starving. He wanted a son to marry his daughter, so I
sort of told him Akane was Ranma," Genma explained.
"Okay, we can just explain that to them," Soun insisted, calming
down a bit.
"Well, then Ranma and Akane would find out our secret."
Soun broke down and cried some more.
"Sorry, Tendo."
* * *
"Saotome! How could you train MY SON in such a dangerous technique
as Cat Fu?" Soun asked, between tears.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time."
Soun broke down and cried some more.
"Sorry, Tendo."
* * *
"Saotome! How could you engage MY SON, AGAIN, to some
cross-dressing bimbo?" Soun asked.
"It was the only way I could avoid being thrown in jail for
stealing the okonomiyaki."
Soun broke down and cried some more.
"Sorry, Tendo."
* * *
"Saotome! How could you engage my son to some violent girl?" Soun
asked.
"Um, that one was your idea, Tendo."
"Oh...right. Sorry, Saotome."
"That's okay, Tendo."
* * *
Needless to say, Genma had to apologize many more times until the
secret of Ranma and Akane's true parentage became known. Then of course,
he had to apologize to everyone.
"Sorry, Ranma. Sorry, Akane. Sorry, Kasumi. Sorry, Nabiki. Sorry,
Tendo. Sorry, Hanaki, I meant well."
* * *
On the evening of Akane's seventeenth birthday, the Tendo family
all knelt around the table and watched Akane blow out her candles on her
cake. "What did you wish for, Akane?" Kasumi asked.
"Well I've already got everything I could ever want. A loving
family and a loving fiancee, what more could I ask for?" Akane replied,
smiling.
"Akane, ask for cash!" Nabiki remarked.
"Akane, I was going to give you your present this morning, but
I...err...forgot, here," Ranma said, then gave the small box to her.
"Too busy smooching with her?" Nabiki quipped.
"What?? How did you..." Ranma said, then shut up fast.
"I didn't until now," Nabiki said, grinning.
"Nabiki, stop teasing Ototchan."
"Okay... I'm sorry, Ranma-ototo," Nabiki apologized, but continued
grinning.
"Will you stop calling me that Nabiki! It's not the correct usage
of ototo!"
"Looks like Ototchan needs a spanking," Nabiki quipped.
"Hey! That's my job!" Akane insisted, then blushed, but didn't stop
smiling.
"Now I know that I was better off as a only child!" Ranma spat.
"Calm down, Ranma. Akane, open the present please," Kasumi calmly
said, which calmed everyone down .
"Oh...right..." Akane remembered and opened the little box. She
pulled a ring out. "But you already gave me..." Then she gasped, then
said, "I liked the first engagement ring better, Ranma. Plastic isn't as
nice as gold and diamonds."
"A plastic ring?" Nabiki said, something started to dig itself to
the top of Nabiki's mind.
"Oh my, where did you find that Ranma?" Kasumi gasped.
"I've had it ever since Pop and I went training. I thought it was
my mother's, but a couple of days ago I remembered giving it to Akane as
a kid. So I figured I'd give it back to her today," Ranma explained.
"Still kind of a cheap gift," Nabiki appraised.
"Ranma, do you remember when you gave that to Akane on her sixth
birthday?" Kasumi asked.
"Just vaguely."
"At the time we all joked that you wanted to marry Akane. Looks
like it wasn't a joke," Kasumi explained.
"No, it isn't," Ranma said, then kissed Akane. This, of course,
produced whistles and call calls form the other people at the table.
Akane examined the plastic ring with a smile. She tried to put it
on a finger, but it wouldn't fit. Then on an impulse, she took off a
necklace she was wearing and threaded it through the ring. She replaced
the necklace, then said, "Thank you, Ranma. I do kind of remember this
ring."
"When are you two getting married anyway?" Nabiki said. Soun and
Genma perked up and looked on with interest.
"Well...we haven't given it much thought," Akane said, blushing.
"We're still pretty young," Ranma insisted. Akane pulled Ranma over
and whispered to him. "Really?" Ranma asked her. Akane nodded. "If
that's what you want. Akane and I would like to be married on March
twentieth, after we're done with the school year."
Shouts of joy rang out from everyone. Ranma and Akane just held
each other's hands as they were hugged and kissed by the others.
"That's so soon. I've got so much to plan," Kasumi explained,
starting to make wedding plans in her head.
* * *
That night Kasumi wrote in her diary:
=======================================================================
Dear Diary,
Well, Ranma and Akane have finally set the date for their wedding. March
20th. We've decided on a western style wedding.
I'm going to make sure that it goes well. I still have to keep my last
promise to my mother, after all.
I love you Mother. I'll look after your family.
=======================================================================
Kasumi closed her diary and went to sleep smiling.
* * *
Ranma and Akane lay on the roof, looking up at the stars. "I was
surprised you wanted to get married so soon, Akane," Ranma said.
"Me too, but why put it off? We love each other, might as well get
it out of the way," Akane said, twiddling the plastic ring she had on a
necklace around her neck.
"How romantic," Ranma quipped, although he thought the same thing
earlier.
Akane rolled over on top of Ranma and said, "Let's just say that
I'm looking forward to the honeymoon, okay?"
Ranma blushed, then kissed Akane deeply.
They feel asleep in each other's arms...
Until they slid off the roof and hit the ground. "Ouch," they both
said. Fortunately, no bones were broken.
* * *
In a run-down convalescent home, a nurse took the pulse of a
patient. The new nurses-aid next to her asked, "So what's her story?"
"She's been here for almost eleven years now. Poor woman had a
stroke and lost her baby in childbirth. She came out of her coma, but
isn't exactly all there," the nurse explained. "if you know what I
mean..."
"Oh, poor woman."
The two continued on their rounds. After they had left, the woman
in the bed awoke and looked around the room. Then softly she cried.
After several minutes, she muttered, "Akane? Ranma? Where are my darling
children?" She kept muttering their names until she fell asleep again.
[End - Part 3]
[Finish - Ranma-ototo: Please save My Family]
=======================================================================
Author's notes/ramblings:
Well, I wasn't planning on continuing events started in my Ranma-ototo
mini-series, but couldn't resist looking back and looking first hand at
the events that caused Soun and Genma to swap Akane and Ranma.
I gave Mother Tendo a name in this story because events were focused
more around her (in the original Ranma-ototo mini-series I referred to
her only as Mother Tendo). Hanaki means 'flower spirit'. I thought it
appropriate for her.
As I reviewed the various Anime episodes, most especially the first TV
episode, I was amazed at how easy the altered events in Ranma-ototo
could be incorporated. Many of the references in Ranma 1/2 were usually
vague enough for me to flex them a little bit. Even Happosai's history
was easy to integrate. Having him out of the way for the early years of
Soun and Genma's marriages made sense. Then at the ten-year mark before
the Anime started, to have him escape an earlier incarceration by Soun
and Genma worked well. I was also able to explain why Happosai was
looking for Akane after escaping the cave. Even a cameo of Ukyo was made
possible.
Kasumi's 'h-word' is heck and her 'd-word' is darn, in case you were
wondering. She can't even think bad words.
There will be another Ranma-ototo story forthcoming. As you've probably
guessed it'll deal with Nodoka and the wedding. That's all I'll say.
I'd like to thank various FFML members and my pre-readers: David
Johnston and Jonathan Ng. Of course in the end, any mistakes and botched
characters are my fault.
Revision 0.0 - Rough draft (May, 1998)
Revision 0.3 - Pre-reader draft (June 6, 1998)
Revision 0.4 - Second pre-reader draft (August 16, 1998)
Revision 0.5 - FFML draft (August 31, 1998)
FFML DRAFT
--
Jim Lazar
E-Mail - mailto:jimlazar@earthlink.net
Home - http://home.earthlink.net/~jimlazar
FanFiction - http://home.earthlink.net/~jimlazar/anime
"You made Akane whose daughter?!?!"
"Genma's."
"Has she hit you with her mallet yet?"
"Several times, actually."