Magical Interludes - December's End
Fanfic by J. K. Hayashi

Chapter 2:  Confrontations - Part III

Kasumi:  (making tea)  "What did you want to talk to us about, Mrs. 
	Saotome?"
Nodoka:  "I know your mother died when you were all very young, 
	so I was wondering if anyone had talked to you about 
	sexual matters.  I also wanted to find out how far you went 
	with Dr. Tofu last night, Kasumi, and Akane with Ranma."
Kasumi:  (almost drops the teapot, runs over to Nodoka, eyes wide)  
	"Are you going to tell father?"
Nodoka:  (taking her hands into her own)  "No, Kasumi, though I 
	probably should.  Don't worry.  I can remember what it's 
	like to be that young and in love.  And you'll be married 
	next week anyway."
Kasumi:  "Thank you, Auntie."  (hugs her)  "How did you know?"
Nodoka:  (giggling)  "I saw the way the two of you looked at each 
	other when you thought no one else was watching.  I was 
	that way my first time, too."  (turns to Akane)  "And now 
	you, Akane.  How far did you go with my son last night?"
Akane:  (blushing)  "We just kissed and cuddled and fell asleep.  
	Honest!"
Nabiki:  "That's what I said."  (a little peeved)
Nodoka:  "I know, Nabiki.  But I also realize that you were talking 
	to your father as well.  And that they might have escaped 
	out the window to someplace private."
Nabiki:  (blinking)  "I never thought of that."
Nodoka:  "You're just not used to romantic intrigue, Nabiki.  Don't 
	worry, you'll fall in love soon enough."
Nabiki:  "I wish he'd hurry up..."

**********************

In the living room, Keiko, Midori, and Ayuki look down at the floor, 
afraid to meet Ranma's eyes.  Then Keiko raises her head to look at 
Ranma.

Keiko:  "Why us, daddy?"
Ranma:  "What do you mean, Keiko?"
Keiko:  "Couldn't you have brought our brothers and sisters too?"
Ranma:  "Mr. Tendo, Ukyou, could you leave us alone for a 
	moment?"

Soun and Ukyou get up to leave at the sudden strange look that 
comes to Ranma's face.  Soun leaves the room, but Ukyou is stopped 
as she passes Midori, who looks at Ranma to allow her to stay.  
Ranma sighs, then acquiesces.

Ranma:  "I suppose that if anyone deserved an explanation its the 
	three of you.  Akane said that I had been sick for two days.  
	Its a little hard to explain, but while I was sick I lived your 
	fathers' lives.  I now have knowledge of abilities I never 
	dreamed of before... and memories, though they're fading.  
	I seem to remember... I guess it doesn't matter.
Midori:  "But why us, daddy?"
Ranma:  "I can't say... but I suppose that when I was your father, the 
	last thought I... he had just before he... I died was worrying 
	about you.  And I remembered watching you grow up, and 
	how much I loved you..."
Ayuki, Keiko, and Midori:  "Oh, daddy!"  (they all hug Ranma)
Ukyou:  (looks strangely at Ranma)  "You've changed, Ranma."
Ranma:  (embarrassed)  "I suppose.  Now, why don't we go to the 
	dojo and you can show me how much you've learned."

They all leave for the dojo, where they do a little sparring.  Ayuki is 
found to be the most skilled of the three, equaling or surpassing 
Ranma in terms of speed and strength.  Midori and Keiko are almost 
as skilled, though Ranma knows that they lack the special attacks 
(with the exception of the Cat Fist, which all three are able to 
assume at will).  Soun Tendo walks in with Nodoka, Kasumi, 
Nabiki, and Akane.  Akane carries a teapot and changes Ranma to a 
boy after the sparring.

Nodoka:  "You're all very skilled, girls... you too, Ranma."
Ayuki, Keiko, and Midori:  "Thank you, 'ba-chan."
Genma:  (from rafters)  "I agree.  Nodoka, have you forgiven us 
	yet?"
Nodoka:  "I forgive you."
Genma:  (jumping down)  "Good."
Nodoka:  (slaps him)  "But I'm still angry."

Nodoka spins away and walks out of the dojo.  Genma walks after 
her, trying to apologize.  Ranma turns to face his daughters.

Ranma:  "Mother said she'd take care of you, but we'll have to think 
	of some story to tell everyone else."
Ayuki:  "Why, daddy?"
Ranma:  "The three of you should go to school."
Keiko:  "Yuck.  I hate wearing that ugly dress."
Midori:  "Do we have to, daddy?"
Ranma:  "School is important, Midori."
Ayuki:  "What's so bad about school?"
Keiko:  "You'll see."
Akane:  (going up to Ranma, placing a hand on his cheek)  
	"Something has happened to you, didn't it?"
Ranma:  (pulling her close, kisses her hair)  "I'll tell you about it 
	later."

Ukyou asks Midori if she wants to see her okonomiyaki shop and 
Midori agrees.  Keiko and Nabiki leave together to talk for awhile.  
Ayuki watches her two 'sisters' leave and wistfully asks Ranma if she 
could talk to Shampoo.  Ranma reluctantly agrees, and he and 
Akane take her to the Cat Cafe.

**********************

Nabiki leads Keiko into her room.  Keiko sits on the bed while 
Nabiki pulls up her desk chair to sit across from her.

Nabiki:  "Why did you want to talk to me, Keiko?"
Keiko:  (taking Nabiki's hand)  "I just wanted to be near you again, 
	mother."
Nabiki:  (uncomfortable)  "I'm not your mother, Keiko.  Not really."
Keiko:  "I know... I just wanted to feel it one last time."

Nabiki looks around the room to make sure no one's around, then 
sits next to Keiko on the bed and draws her into her arms.

Nabiki:  "Just don't tell anyone about this..."
Keiko:  (gently laughing a little)  "Just like mother."
Nabiki:  "What do you mean?"
Keiko:  (sliding her head down so that it rests in Nabiki's lap)  
	"Mother said that there was a side of her that she didn't 
	want anyone else to see... until I was born."
Nabiki:  (stroking Keiko's hair)  "Were you happy, Keiko?"
Keiko:  (nodding)  "Mm...hmm."
Nabiki:  (looking down at the face that looked like both her's and 
	Ranma's, eyes closed behind a pair of gold framed 
	eyeglasses and a smile on her face)  "If you want, Keiko, 
	you can still think of me as your mother."
Keiko:  (tears starting to fall)  "Thank you, mom."
Nabiki:  (pulling her up and wiping the tears away)  "Why don't you 
	tell me about us."
Keiko:  (leaning against Nabiki's side)  "My first memory is of you 
	in a business suit, kissing father good-bye as you left for 
	your office..."

**********************

Ukyou and Midori walk toward Uc-chan's, and anyone who saw 
them would have thought they were sisters, the only difference being 
Midori's hair cut shoulder length and a few other undefinables.  
Midori had said that she'd be back at the dojo for dinner, and Ukyou 
hadn't felt that would be a problem.  When they reached the 
restaurant, Ukyou showed her around, then started to make some 
okonomiyakis for lunch.

Midori:  "What are you making?"
Ukyou:  "Okonomiyakis.  Do you mean that you've never had one?"
Midori:  "I don't think so."
Ukyou:  "What about these?"  (points to the bandoleer of spatulas 
	that Midori is wearing)  "These are okonomiyaki spatula 
	shuriken.  Didn't Ran... your father explain them to you?"
Midori:  "No.  He told me that they were mother's, but said that he 
	wasn't trained for using them.  He told me that mother 
	wanted me to have them after she died.  I've always carried 
	them around for luck."
Ukyou:  (swallowing)  "Did your parents love each other very 
	much?"
Midori:  (looking sad)  "My father couldn't talk about my mother 
	without breaking down in tears.  I stopped asking about her 
	because it hurt him so much.  But you're not really asking 
	about my parents, are you?"
Ukyou:  "No.  I'm not."
Midori:  "You love... Ranma, don't you?"
Ukyou:  (nods)  "But he loves Akane, and thinks of me only as a 
	friend.  Was your... father and stepmother happy together?"
Midori:  "They loved each other very much."

The two of them eat in silence for a few minutes.

Midori:  "Are you still thinking of moving away?"
Ukyou:  "I don't know... there's nothing keeping me here anymore."
Midori:  (quietly)  "I'd like you to stay."
Ukyou:  (bitterness in voice)  "To be your mother?"
Midori:  "To be my friend."
Ukyou:  "I'm sorry, Midori, I didn't mean to..."
Midori:  "I know... it's just..."
Ukyou:  "It's all right, Midori."  (takes Midori's hand from across 
	the table)
Midori:  "Could you... could you call me 'Mi-chan'?  That's what 
	father used to do."
Ukyou:  "OK, Mi-chan... call me Uk-chan, that's what Ranma used 
	to call me."
Midori:  "Uk-chan."
Ukyou:  (brightening a bit)  "How about I teach you how to use those 
	spatula?  Even though you know how to defend yourself, 
	another technique can't hurt."
Midori:  "Does that mean you'll stay?"
Ukyou:  (slowly nods)  "Mm...hmm.  Maybe until the end of the 
	school year, anyway."

*******************************************finis Chapter 2

Magical Note:  'Riding the Gravity Well', or long-range 
teleportation, was based on a multi-dimensional theory in physics.  
Thinking of the earth as a three dimensional gravity well, the 
teleporter connected equipotential points (x, y, z, t) through travel 
through the other dimensions.  Since gravity varies with height, one 
could accurately teleport by developing a "feel" of constant gravity.  
Of course, this in itself is a gross simplification as the earth's surface 
is not equipotential for various reasons (non-spherical, massive 
geological bodies, etc.).  Initially, living things and objects in 
contact with them were the only things that could be teleported, as 
non-living objects tended to break apart on arrival.  However, 
magnetic objects teleported safely.  It was then theorized that objects 
that were protected by a electromagnetic (structural integrity, to 
borrow the Star Trek) field survived because it appeared as a 
coherent object to the teleporter.  If the destination was protected by 
a electromagnetic field, then objects could not be teleported into the 
area, and electrical wiring generated a sufficient field.  In 
teleportation, the object volume changed places with an equal 
amount of destination volume (which could cause problems if the 
volume was under a different pressure).  In six months, major 
metropolitan areas would set up teleportation 'standard' heights 
which would allow for safe teleportation in spite of the gravitational 
variations.
In regards to the hostage scene in the previous episode, J. D. was 
unable to teleport either the gun or the assailant away to a safe 
distance because it is hard to separate two objects in contact with 
each other (gun-assailant, assailant-hostage).


Next:
Chapter 3:  Family Time

Ayuki goes to the Cat Cafe!  Nodoka looks closely at the children!  
And its the first day of school for Ayuki, Keiko, and Midori.