The Legacy A Ranma � fanfic by Joseph "Ashira" Kohle All characters are the products of the imagination of the esteemable Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Video and several Japanese companies. They are used without her permission. Hey I would ask if I knew her e-mail address. Part VIII The Solution to A Riddle Ranma slowly regained consciousness, his mind slightly foggy. There had been something that was important. Something that had happened. He heard crying and felt terror in the back of his mind. "Ranko!" he shouted pushing the sheets away. "Wait!" Akane's shout surprised him, but not as much as when she suddenly grabbed him and dragged him back down on the bed, "Listen for a minute, Ranma. You can't go running off. You'll kill yourself." Ranma was still a little shocked. Akane was holding him tightly, pinning him to the bed, her body pressed tightly against his. He shook his head, trying to clear it. The last thing he remembered was walking towards the door, and know he was in bed with Akane. This was confusing, had it all been a dream? Ranko screamed briefly in his head. That cinched it, Ranma untangled himself from, Akane's arms. Wincing slightly as his broken ribs shifted under the sudden movement, Ranma stood up. "I don't care if I die, Akane," Ranma said, grabbing his clothes from the floor, "I just want Ranko back safe and sound. You would do the same thing if she was your daughter." Watching him dress, Akane knew that Ranma was right. She wanted to go after Ranko also, if for nothing else than to make Ranma's pain and guilt disappear, but she had also come to love Ranko as if she were her own daughter over the past few days. It grieved her to have this happen, it infuriated her. Ranma was walking towards the door, when Akane spoke again, "Wait. I want to help you." It was a little bit of fear that made her say it. She did not want Ranma to disappear again. The chances of him not coming back, especially in his condition were pretty good. She had to be with him, no matter what. Examining her for a minute, Ranma nodded his head, realizing it would be easier to take her along and place her someplace out of harm's way rather than let her follow him and maybe get hurt herself. He did not need anything else on his conscience. Hurting Ranko and now having her kidnaped by Ryoga, who he should have realized was going to do something like this, had shredded his confidence, had made him question his own right to be a father. "I'll wait outside while you get dressed," he said finally before slipping out in the hall and closing the door behind him. Akane sighed as he consented. She did not want to trail him, trying to keep him out of trouble. This way they could help each other. Satisfied, Akane slipped out of the bed and began to dress herself, blushing slightly as she thought how naturally Ranma had accepted her being in his bed. She had not planned it that way. It had just happened. She had not wanted to be alone, and she had not wanted Ranma to leave without her knowing, so she had slipped into bed next to him, holding him while they slept. Shaking her head, Akane conti continued to dress, not wanting to get distracted by daydreams. She was ready in a few minutes and was out the door. Ranma was waiting patiently across the hall, apparently not willing to break his promise yet. "C'mon," Ranma said impatiently, grabbing her hand and leading her towards the stairs, "I want to be out of here before anyone notices we're gone. I don't want to explain any of this." "Actually I would like an explanation," Dr. Tofu said from a chair in the living area. The rest of the family, sitting at the table, finishing off breakfast, mumbled their agreement. Two plates of food had been set aside for Ranma and Akane. Startled, Ranma quickly revised his time sense, he had thought it was night, not mid-morning. he thought gloomily. But the voice had already gone. Bowing his head in defeat, began walking down the stairs, his spirit suffering, as Ranko cried in pain and loneliness in his head. His daughter needed him and they wanted an explanation. Nothing ever seemed easy for him. Nothing ever had. Feeling Akane slip her hand in his, Ranma clutched it in his, holding onto something that he could control at the moment. "I'm here for you," Akane whispered in his ear. Something had changed in her since yesterday. Ranma could feel a new strength and confidence in her. It was reassuring to him, since he was fast losing his own confidence in himself, as both a parent and martial artist. Squeezing her hand, Ranma thanked her quietly. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Ranma moved into the living room where Dr. Tofu was sitting, patiently waiting for him and Ranma's answer. Carefully, Ranma took a seat, the steel ribs in the protective corset, making it a little difficult to find a comfortable position. he thought, as Akane joined him. After a moment the family started joining the couple and Dr. Tofu, their mood somber and quiet. Even Soun's weeping was subdued, as he silently moaned over the loss of Ranko. Nodoka and Genma silently touched their son's shoulder, love and compassion in their eyes. Nabiki gave him a sad smile and squeezed his hand, trying to comfort him as the others had done, but it was just not working. Ranma was becoming increasingly impatient. He wanted to get going. He had to get Ranko back, and that meant getting to Jusenkyo before Ryoga, which he hoped would not be too hard with his sense of direction, but Kaidu was in this, and Ranma did not know him. About to leap to his feet and storm out of the house, he was stopped as Kasumi gently shook his shoulder, careful not to jar his ribs. Ranma glanced at her. She was holding a tray of food balanced on her free hand, with plates for himself and Akane on it. He was not very hungry, but it was impossible to refuse the gentle kindness Kasumi was showing, "Okagesame de," he said quietly, more to say something than out of gratitude. Taking the tray from her, he handed it to Akane. Kasumi sadly smiled back at him, her eyes filled compassion for him, sorrow for his predicament. "I'm sorry, Ran-chan. We all are so sorry," she said her voice full of emotion. Something just broke inside of Ranma at that point. He had been through so much. At first the horror and guilt of hurting Ranko had simply incapacitated him when he had witnessed her kidnaping and ben unable to do anything about it. He had simply retreated into himself, unable to believe what was happening. His mind had shut down and refused to work. By the time he had gotten to the home, he was simply seething in rage, determined to get his daughter back, Storming through the house, he had simply boiled and raged at everything, wanting to go after Ranko. He had not yet grieved though, and watching Kasumi, hearing the sorrow in her voice, the apologies she had given, things clicked in his mind. Ranko was gone, and he might never see her again. He might lose his Ranko forever. Grief suddenly welled up, within him, a surging wave that crashed over his body and soul, carrying him away with it. It was too much. He broke down, his head collapsing into his hands as the tears came, sobs wracking his body. Kneeling in front of him, Kasumi drew him to her, holding him against her, comforting him as he poured out his grief. Slowly the emotions died down, his sobs lessened and finally stopped . Spent, Ranma took a shuddering breath and gazed into Kasumi's eyes, his tear streaked face still a mask of pain and suffering, "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me," Ranma stammered, pulling away from her. "Don't be sorry, Ranma. We are here to help you," Kasumi said softly, "We loved Ranko too. Don't shut us out, use our strength to help." Ranma shook his head, "I appreciate your concern and desire to help, but I don't need and can't let you be hurt because of me and Ranko. Akane has already insisted on coming with me. I don't need anyone else. You just don't know what's involved here." "You could tell us, Ranma," Akane chastised from next to him, "You are in no shape, emotionally or physically to do this on your own. You need help. Trust us, we will help." "Akane is right, my son," Nodoka said reaching across to touch his knee, "We can help you. We want to help you. As a family we are honor bound to help you. Do not shut us out." "It's just that I need to get to Jusenkyo," Ranma complained, although he knew he had already lost, "I need to get moving." "Why are you so sure, Ryoga went to Jusenkyo?" Nabiki asked, "Personally I would expect him to walk down the street in front of our home with his sense of direction." "It's not just Ryoga we are dealing with. Actually I don't even think Ryoga was truly responsible for kidnaping Ranko," Ranma stated, looking at Nabiki. "The proof is pretty irrefutable, Ranma," Nabiki retorted. Ranma sighed, he was going to have to explain everything. "No it isn't," Ranma started, "You are just working off the physical stuff. You don't know what is really happening." "This is not a conflict between Ryoga and me. Well it I, but only because what is happening needs a stimulant. Do you remember the story behind my curse and how it connects with the nannichuan?" Everyone nodded, Ranma noticed Dr. Tofu had paled slightly at this question, he ignored it though, continuing on with his explanation "I never told you this, I just couldn't, but ever since I woke up from that incident at the hot springs, there ha been a presence in my mind, just sort of sitting there and watching," Everyone looked strangely at him but made no comment, "It's not there all the time, but I know when it is there. This really didn't bother me, since I was used to having Ranko in my head all the time. A few days ago though, it started talking to me. Just a few suggestions at first, telling me what to do. But the previous night, when I was soaking in the bath, Ranko came in crying. She had had a bad dream and she told me about meeting Hui-cheng, and a dark man walking with a man I can only assume was Ryoga." "After she told me this, I noticed the presence was there in my head, a sneaky suspicion began to form, I called out to Hui-cheng and she answered me. I tried to get an explanation from her. She sort of told me a few things, that I really did not understand. She said that my curse was not done with me and Ranko yet, we still had things to do. She said something about Ranko being only one cure for my curse, but it was not finished because I had asked how t cure the curse of Jusenkyo, not my particular curse." "For some reason Ranko and myself are at the center of some age old rivalry between Kaidu and Hui-cheng. Ranko is a reincarnation of Hui-cheng, her soul is supposed to fulfill Hui-cheng's original destiny, which was left unfinished by Kaidu khan." Everyone was listening breathlessly. Dr. Tofu was looking increasingly nervous. "I don't know to much more about that, Hui-cheng told me it was for me to discover in my own time. The only problem is that it seems time is running out fast. Kaidu already has Ranko." "I thought Ryoga took her?" Akane asked confused, this tale was sounding rather implausible. A voice talking to Ranma, Ranko the reincarnation of some dead Chinese woman, it was all unbelievable. "He does, but Ryoga and Kaidu are the same now." "Huh?" Everyone said stunned. "Akane-chan, did you hear Ryoga ranting, when he fought me?" Akane nodded her head. "When I asked him why he tried to kill Ranko, he shouted "Because he told me to. He told me to." over and over again. Like someone was whispering in his ear, making him do horrible things. This and Ranko charging Ryoga yelling at him not to kill me, made me realize that somehow, Kaidu had entered Ryoga. Maybe he jumped in nannichuan to cure himself." "Ryoga was cursed?" Akane asked surprised. Ranma cursed his loose tongue, and quickly recovered, "He was, but he did not like it. He hid it from everyone. The only reason I know is that I accidentally knocked him into the pool." "What did he turn into?" Akane asked curiously. "I can't tell you Akane. Ryoga made me promise not to tell anyone a long time ago, and even though I am going to kill him the next time we meet, I won't break my promise to him. That wouldn't be honourable." Akane sighed, "I understand, maybe someday though?" Ranma squeezed her hand, "Some day, maybe then I could, but not now." "So you are saying that Kaidu made Ryoga take Ranko?" Nodoka asked. "Approximately, I would probably say convinced would be a better word. Ryoga was rather unstable last time. He did try and kill Ranko," Ranma shuddered at the memory, the guilt rising again. Shaking his head to clear his mind he continued speaking, "But I don't know why Kaidu wants Ranko. But I know he is going to Jusenkyo, and so that is where I am going." Dr. Tofu looked like he was about to speak, but Nabiki interrupted, "Why are you so convinced that he will be at Jusenkyo?" "That note that was left by Ryoga told me to meet him at the beginning, and it was signed in Kaidu's name. Hui-cheng told Ranko that Jusenkyo was the beginning and the ending in her dream. It is just too much of a relationship to be a coincidence. I have to go to Jusenkyo. Whatever Kaidu wants Ranko for, I wanted it stopped." Finally Dr. Tofu opened his mouth, and said the words that chilled everyone's heart, "He wants to kill her, so he can have his revenge on Hui-cheng." Ranma's heart stopped, his mind going blank. Kill, Ranko? He shook his head, his mouth forming the word no over and over. It took him a while to get himself under control. It felt like someone had just crushed his life out in an instant and forgot to tell him he was dead. Eventually he found his voice, "H-how do you know that?" "After you left me, I started looking through some old Chinese manuscripts I had. You had made me curious and I thought I recognized one of the things you had mentioned. It took me a few hours to find the manuscript I needed, and even longer to find the right part. Finally I did though, and it terrified me when I read it. I strongly hoped that it had nothing to do with you and Ranko, but I now realize that it does." "What did it say?" Ranma demanded, almost standing up. "The book was of some ancient Chinese stories of magic and curses. This one was know as the Rejection of the Khan. It basically told the story you told me, how the khan loved Hui-cheng and she did not love him back because she loved a simple craftsman. It of course made the Khan the hero of the story. I think it was meant to be a tragedy, but I was not sure." "The story basically stayed the same until the death scenes. In this the khan attacked Sung Pao, in an honorable duel for the hand of Hui-cheng. Sung Pao was a coward and did not fight back, so the khan killed him. Turning to accept his bride, he was spurned as she ran to her fallen love. Thinking it was just grief, he tried to console her, but she rejected him and insulted him, telling him he knew nothing of love. Then after pronouncing that she would never love him and would return one day to earth to have her life back. With this she drowned herself in the pool." "The khan, grieving, remained by the pool for three days, deciding what to do. Slowly his grief turned to rage as he realized the insult she had given him. He became so enraged that he shouted that he would destroy whatever chance Hui-cheng could ever have for happiness and love. He would return when she did and either possess her soul or destroy it." "With that said he dove into the pool across from hers and drowned. Neither of their bodies were ever found. As the khan died, the tale says that the heavens themselves groaned in despair and changed the valley of Jusenkyo and its pools to their current state." "The story goes on to say that when Hui-cheng returns to the world, Kaidu will return with her. He will attempt to possess her body and soul, and make her his bride. If not he will destroy her soul completely. The curse goes on to say that this will happen because the khan was the righteous man, and Hui-cheng the evil temptress." "Listening to you Ranma, I don't think he cares to have her as his bride. He just wants his vengeance. Your daughter will die, if you do not stop him." Ranma sat on the chair, stunned, uncomprehending. Ranma pushed himself to his feet, "I have something I must do." His voice was cold as ice, his eyes hard as diamonds. "Ranma, you can't do this by yourself," Akane stated grabbing his arm before he could walk off, "I am going with you whether you like it or not. I will not lose you again!" "Neither will I let you go alone in your condition," Nodoka said standing up and walking up to take Ranma's hand, "Your father and I are going with you. You'll need our strength." Genma eyes bulged a bit, but he sighed and nodded his head. "I brought the curse on you, son. The least I can do is help you now." He stood up and took his place at his wife's side. "I cannot let my children go into danger alone," Soun cried, "I must go also." Dr. Tofu looked around nervously, "I don't think I can or should go. I have responsibilities here, and I would be in the way, although I suspect you will need my healing abilities. Kasumi could join you, if you wanted? She knows a good deal about medicine." Ranma shook his head, "I think this is enough. We had better get going." "Haven't you forgot something?" Nabiki asked. "Sorry," Ranma apologized looking at her, "You may come if you want." "No way Ran-chan," Nabiki said, "I, like Tofu-sensei have too much to do her. What I meant was, how are you going to get to China?" Ranma starred at her blankly. He had no really thought that far ahead. He had just been planning to do his usual and stow away on a ship headed for Hong Kong or Korea, but with this many people, he could not do that. This was a major problem. "Actually, Nabiki, I have no clue." "Then I'll help by getting you to China," she said smiling, "Give me a few hours." Ranma nodded, and Nabiki disappeared. He looked around at the others. "I guess we wait." With that he turned on his heel and walked outside. Akane quickly followed him, worry in her eyes. Akane found Ranma sitting next to the pond, throwing small rocks into the pond. She sat down next to him. Leaning into him she asked him quietly, "How are you feeling?" Ranma continued to throw rocks in a steady rhythm. He did this for awhile until there were no more stones within his reach. Then he stopped and his head dropped to his chest, his shoulders shaking in silent sobs. "How did you deal with my death? How did you continue to live?" "I didn't," Akane answered, a little surprised by his question, "The only reason I went on was because I did not want to hurt anyone anymore. I didn't deal with your death. I closed in on myself, stopped caring about everything. I backed away from anything that reminded me of you. I tried not to think about you, but you were always there. An emptiness just filled me where you had always been. It reminded me constantly of you. How you had always been there for me, always cared for me. Without you there, I could not do anything by myself.. I did not want to do anything. Then I started believing that you would come back to me. Sometimes that made it worse, sometimes better. All I know now is that you are back here with me. Just remember there is always hope." Ranma sat quietly after Akane had finished, his mind blank, his soul empty. "I couldn't have done that," he finally said, "Just the thought of losing Ranko, just the thought makes me feel so empty. It doesn't even hurt, it is just like I am not there. There is nothing without here. No reason to live. I feel like just curling up and dying. There would be no point to living without her in my life." Suddenly he stopped and looked at Akane, seeing the hurt in her eyes, the grief. "I am sorry Akane-chan," he said suddenly, taking hold of her shoulders, "It's just that Ranko has become so precious to me, so central to my life that life without her is just so inconceivable that I don't want it. I do love you Akane, and want to be with you forever, but would you want an empty husk by your side?" "Ranma, I will be here for you forever. It does not matter what happens to you, I will always love you. I will help you through everything. Stop worrying about Ranko dying. You will save her. You always saved me." "I don't know this time, Akane. I just don't know," he said. "Akane don't come with me. I don't want to lose you too. I couldn't handle that, not both of you." He was crying again, but he did not care. "Why is this happening Akane? Why does Ranko have to suffer because of me? It's not fair." Akane pulled him into her embrace, rocking him gently, "It's not your fault. You are doing everything you can." "You don't understand. I gave birth to her to cure the curse. The curse is trying to complete itself now. I should have never gone on that journey." "Would you be willing to give up ever having Ranko?" Akane asked, running her hands through his hair, "Would you give up all those memories of you and her? I don't think you could Ranma. She is part of you. You two were meant to be together. Don't give up hope yet. You still have time to make everything right." Ranma did not answer. He was thinking about what she had said. He knew she was right. But the pain and emptiness filling him hurt too much. He closed his eyes and just prayed. In the back of his mind he could feel Ranko sleeping. At least she was not in any pain, but she was not peaceful. How could she be? She was not with her father, she was scarred. Ranko awoke for a second, her loneliness and terror hitting him like a brick. He started crying again in sympathy and grief. He could do nothing to help her, not now, but he would. he thought to her . He felt her become happy for a second, and felt her love for him. He smiled softly and hugged Akane to him. "She can hear me." he whispered to her, tears in his voice. "What?" Akane asked, but Ranma was far away with his daughter.