[REPOST] The Second

Hello all!  This is my first attempt at a fanfic ^_^.  I hope you enjoy
this rough draft.  C&C's are welcome and will scare the daylights out of
me. ^_^

I had been playing around with this idea since I started lurking on the
FFML.  Then I read Mi-chan's (Michelle Mista's) "Sabishisa" ("Loneliness")
fan-fic.  This gave me the idea of starting the fic at the end V38.  I have
only read the trans of V38 and am waiting on my order for V37&V38 books.

Thanks Mi-chan for the jump start!


Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction
"The Second"
by Suds-kun
============================================
Ranma 1/2 characters are created by and copyright Rumiko Takahashi.
Published by Shogakukan Inc. and VIZ Comm. and are used without permission.
Intended for the sole non-profit use of R.T. fans.
============================================

Saotome Genma sat at the low table, looking at the warm tea Kasumi had just
poured.  Sipping the tea he looked over to the table where Tendou Soun and
himself had played go for hours on end.   He watched Kasumi prepare a small
meal of rice and take it into her father's room.  He heard Kasumi implore
her father to eat.  "He eats only once a day now," Genma thought, "and only
when Kasumi sits there and forces the chop sticks into his hand."

Genma sipped some more tea and thought back to the fight with Saffron.
Ranma had defeated Saffron, turned Akane from a doll back into her normal
body.  But he was too late.  "She didn't wake up," thought Genma.  "Ranma
sat there holding her and crying.  It took over an hour to get him to let
her go."  Genma heard Kasumi thank her father for eating all of the food
that she had prepared.  "Akane died two weeks ago," Genma brooded, "and
Soun is only now able to eat a complete meal."

Setting the empty tea cup on the table, Genma rose and moved towards the
stairs to his room.  "Ranma left the room for the first time yesterday and
once this morning.  It seems that he is starting to come around like Soun,"
mused Genma.  As he opened the door to his room, he saw Ranma sitting on the
futon with his head in his hands.  "We'll start our morning exercises
tomorrow, Ranma." Genma said firmly.

"Hai."  Ranma replied in a soft voice.

"You went out today.  Did you visit anyone?"  Genma Asked.

"No.  I just walked along the fence toward school and then ran back.  I just
couldn't face the kids at school."  Ranma still had his head in his hands.
"I couldn't save her.  I couldn't tell her how I felt."  He then looked up
at his father.  "I turn into a girl.  I let my iinazuke die in my arms.
What kind of man am I?"

Genma stared at his son.  "There he goes again," thought Genma.  "You
are a man with a curse, not a girl.  You defeated the most powerful foe
you have ever faced.  It's not your fault that Akane died." Replied Genma.

Ranma ignored his father.  "A man without honor."  Ranma said under his
breath as he stood and walked out of the room.

"I have something to tell you, my son." Genma stated.  Ranma stopped and
looked at his father.  "Soun and I had originally planned on you and Akane
marrying after you returned from China.  I had arranged for a gift for you.
I was going to use it to convince you to marry Akane."  Ranma looked down
at the floor, an invisible weight pulling his head almost down to his chest.
"I am now giving it to you.  Do as you wish with it."  Genma proceeded to
pull out a flask with Chinese writing on the side.

Genma took Ranma's arm and placed the gift in his hand.  Ranma looked at
the and recognized the word.  "Nannichuan,"  he said softly.  Ranma looked
at his father and started to speak.  Genma interrupted him, "This is a gift
from your father, please do not refuse it."

Ranma's heart sank.  Here was the cure for his curse.  "This water has
no value with out Akane," thought Ranma.  He looked up into the stern face
of his father.  "Arigatoo,"  replied Ranma quietly and then turned and walked
out the door.

Ryoga walked down the street.  "I must find Ranma,"  he thought.  "He must
pay for turning me into a pig!  He must pay for what he did to Akane!  I have
wandered around Tokyo for two weeks searching!"  Ryoga looked around and
noticed the Tendou Dojo in front of him.  "Nani?"

Just then Ranma walked out the door of the dojo.  Ryoga instantly charged at
him yelling.  "Ranma, now you die!"

Without any emotion, Ranma looked at the charging figure and with one punch
sent Ryoga into the fish pond.  "Bweeee!"  P-chan screamed as he ran towards
his tormentor.  Ranma pounded the pig on the head with his fist.  Ranma
looked down at the dazed pig.  "I was just starting to look for you.  I was
expecting to go on a long search to find you.  I need to talk to you."
P-chan looked up with a confused look on his face.  Ranma walked to the side
yard with P-chan following him.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking, Ryoga, about what I have done in my life.
And a lot of the things I've done are not something to be proud of.  First, I
want to apologize for turning you into a pig." A surprised P-chan looked at
Ranma.  "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be cursed and wanting to kill me."
Ranma turned and poured some of the Nannichuan on the little black pig.
Suddenly a very naked Ryoga stood in front of Ranma.  "Your clothes are over
in the pond," Ranma said, as he pointed at Ryoga's floating shirt.  "Gomen."
Ryoga said as he quickly retrieved his clothing.

"What's going on?"  Thought Ryoga.  "Ranma's acting very strange.  He never
felt this bad about me being a pig.  Where did he get that water?"  "Ranma,
are YOU still cursed?"  Asked a now clothed and wet Ryoga.

"Yes."  Replied Ranma.  "Now and forever," he said inaudibly, as he turned
towards the dojo.  Ryoga followed him inside.

Genma was the first to meet the two.  "Ryoga-kun!  So good to see you!
Are you doing well?"

Ryoga happily related what had just happened.  A shocked Genma turned to
Ranma, "Nani?"  And with that Ranma splashed the rest of the Nannichuan on
his father.  "Nani sunde!?!" An angry Genma yelled at Ranma.  " I gave you
that Nannichuan for YOU to use.  Not to give it to everyone you meet!"

"How else is a man without honor supposed to act?"  Ranma asked, his face
completely devoid of emotion.  "I turned Ryoga into a pig and tortured him
ever since.  Curing Ryoga and you, chichi-san will not restore my honor.
There's no way I can get back that which I've lost."  Ranma then walked out
the door.

===

"Kuno Tatewaki should be home now,"  thought Ranma.  Carrying a bucket of
water with him, Ranma knocked on the front door of the Kuno mansion.  Sasuke
answered the door.  "I need to talk with Kuno Tatewaki, it is about a manner
of honor."  Sasuke looked quizzically at Ranma and nodded his head, motioning
for Ranma to enter.  Ranma followed as Sasuke lead him to Kuno's room.

Kuno was busy praying at a newly built shrine.  In the middle was a large
picture of Akane.  Ranma set the bucket down and walked over to Kuno.  Ranma
clapped his hands together twice and began to pray.  When he finished he
noticed that Kuno was looking at him.

"Ranma!  You dare invade my private sanctuary?"  Kuno bellowed.

"Kuno-sempai," Ranma began, "I have something I need to tell you and then I
want to ask a favor of you."

"A f-favor?" A surprised Kuno answered.

"Hai.  These two things I will say to you are a matter of honor."  Ranma had
a serious look on his face.  "First, I will tell you who the osage no onna
is."

"Ah!  My lovely goddess in pigtails!  I would meet with her again to
tell her..."

"Shut up, Kuno!" Interrupted Ranma.  "Listen very carefully to me.  What I
have to tell you will be very shocking and will be very painful.  Are you
ready, Kuno?"

"Begin, Ranma."  Kuno stated, incredulously.

"Before I came to Nerima, I was cursed in China.  This curse would change
me and turn me into something else."  Ranma looked directly into Kuno's
eyes.  "This curse has cost me my manhood, my honor and the woman I love.
Cold water would change my body from a man, into a girl.  Hot water would
change me back into a man."

Kuno blinked, "A curse?  Such is befitting a lout like Ranma."

Ranma picked up the bucket of water.  "Prepare yourself Kuno.  I will now
show you the girl that I turn into."

Ranma dumped the bucket over his head.  Kuno stared in stunned disbelief.
There in front of him was his osage no onna!  With joy he shouted, "Oh my
pigtailed godd..." Kuno stopped.  And slowly the rusty gears in his brain
started to turn.  "Where is Ranma?  Why is osage no onna holding that
bucket?  Why is she wet?"

Kuno's look of surprise and bewilderment slowly changed.  First, to that
of fear.  A quiet "No." came from his lips.  Then understanding.  "NO."
He said out loud.  Then a look of pain and anger consumed his face.
"NOOOO!!!!"  He screamed as he drew his bokken and charge at Ranma-chan.

"I request of you to be my kaishaku."  Ranma-chan said in a strong and
forceful tone.

Kuno stopped his sword just short of Ranma-chan's head.  He stepped back,
sword still drawn.  "Why?"

"To restore my honor."  Replied Ranma-chan.  "I have acted dishonorably
towards you and others.  I have caused others to be cursed far worse than
myself.  And above all else, I did not prevent the death of my iinazuke.
This is the only option left to me.  Will you meet me at the athletic field
at Furinkan High School at 6:00 p.m tomorrow?"

Kuno thought.  "For honor?  Why should I help one such as Ranma regain his
honor?  He has tortured me as a girl and then asks me for help?  Hmm.  For
honor. Yes, for honor.

"Hai, Ranma.  I will be your second."  Kuno stated with a sound of
superiority in his voice.

"Arigatoo."  Ranma-chan said as she turned and left.

==

The next day Ranma walked into Ukyou's Okonomiyaki shop.

"Hello Ran-chan!"  Shouted Ukyou as Ranma walked through the door.

"Hi Uc-chan."  Ranma said.

"He doesn't even smile."  Ukyou said to herself.  "How about some
okonomiyaki for lunch, Ran-chan?"

"Thanks Uc-chan.  It looks like your lunch rush is about over,"  Ranma
said, as he watched Konatsu cleaning the empty tables.

A fresh okonomiyaki landed in front of Ranma.  Ukyou watched as Ranma ate
the lunch she prepared.  "He usually is eager about eating my cooking.
He's eating it slowly!"

"This okonomiyaki of Uc-chan's is really good!" thought Ranma as he swirled
the sauce around in his mouth, trying to make each bite last as long as
possible.  "I am definitely going to enjoy THIS okonomiyaki."

Ukyou looked at Ranma.  "I'm glad he's finally on the road to recovery.
Akane's death was shocking to all of us.  I'm sure I can help Ranma and
take Akane's place.  I just had to wait for Ranma to come out of his
stupor.  It would turn him against me if I tried to put the moves on him
right after Akane died.  Hey!  He came to me first!  Not Shampoo or anyone
else!  But me!  Oh, Ran-chan.  How much I love you!  You must feel the same
way!"

Ranma had finished eating and was just sitting, looking at Ukyou.  She
seemed to have a far away look in her eyes.  "How much do I owe you,
Uc-chan?"

"Nothing, Ran-chan!  It's free."

"Arigatoo, Uc-chan."  Ranma said as he stood up.  Without warning Ranma
leaned over the counter and kissed Ukyou on the cheek.

"R-Ran-chan?"  Ukyou stammered in surprise at Ranma.

"I have something important to do in a couple hours and I need to get
ready."  Ranma said as he headed for the door.

In stunned silence she watch Ranma cross the room.  He opened the door,
turned and looked at Ukyou.  "Good-bye, Uc-chan," he said and then turned
and walked out.

"He kissed me!  That means he loves me!"  Ukyou jumped for joy.  Konatsu
lowered his head and slowly turned toward the last table to be cleaned.

==

Carrying a package under his arm,  Ranma slowly walked towards Kuno.  He
was standing in the middle of the athletic field.

"I was beginning to wonder if you would show up, Saotome."

Ranma walked up to Kuno.  "Do you understand what you are supposed to do
and when to do it?" questioned Ranma.

"I am a man of honor, Saotome.  I understand perfectly and will carry out
my duties with the utmost precision and honor.  I will wait until the moment
arrives for you to regain your honor."

Ranma bows to Kuno, turns and kneels with Kuno standing behind his left
shoulder. Ranma then opens the package that he had been carrying.  He
removes the tanto from the wrappings and looks at the intricate engraving
on the handle.  He then takes the knife in his hands and points the blade
towards his lower left abdomen.  Without a word he pulls the knife into his
body.  With a quick movement he pulls the knife to the right and up.  He
grunts in pain and then comes back across his stomach to the left and up.

Kuno sees that Ranma is starting to weaken.  The blood is starting to pool
on the ground between them.  Kuno then draws his sword, the metal shining
in the setting sun.  He looks at Ranma and waits.

Ranma fights back the pain and pulls the knife up and to the right.  The
knife has left a trail that looks like the letter "Z" on Ranma's torso.

"It is time."  Kuno raises his sword and brings it down sideways at Ranma.
The blade cleanly and quickly separates Ranma's head from his body.  "I have
stopped your agony and you have regained your honor."  Kuno paused as he
turned his head away.  "I now go to place a picture next to dear Akane's"

==

Tendou Soun questioningly looks at Genma.  "Genma and Nodoka had come
looking for Ranma and while they were talking they both just stopped without
warning."

Nodoka's face became white and she collapsed to the ground sobbing.

Genma ran out the door screaming.  "Nnooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

==

Ukyou reached to pickup the spatula she had just dropped.  "I've never
done that before."  She said to herself.  She couldn't pick up the utensil,
her hands were shaking uncontrollably.  "What's wrong with me?"  she said as
she began to cry.  Looking up at the door of her shop, she remembered...

"Good-bye, Uc-chan."

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

Answers - What are those words?
chichi-san 	= father
tanto 		= dagger used in seppuku, usually a simple
                  blade wrapped in white paper
seppuku         = ritual suicide used to regain one's lost honor
kaishaku	= the second who brings the samurai's suffering
                  (seppuku) to an end
nani            = what?
nani sunde      = what's that for?

My understanding of praying at a Shinto shrine is very limited (= none).
Does the person who prays actually clap their hands first?  I'm not quite
sure of where I got that idea from.

After reviewing the story one last time, I am confronted with a question.
Who was this story about?  Ranma or Kuno?  Hmmmm.