The Cruelty of Truth
--------------------

by Florencio B. de la Merced, Jr.

A Fanfic inspired by the Anime Ranma 1/2 created by Rumiko Takahashi, their
respective owners copyrighted all characters.

A project for the Fan Fiction Mailing List
------------------------------------------

PROLOGUE

Present Day

How do two, incompletely incompatible, individuals caught up in their own
senseless hatred of each other, could ever possibly live under one roof?
They don't.

"Hello Oneechan. Can I please speak to Ranma?" Akane spoke through the
speakerphone that sat on her desk while lying on a small lounge chair
nearby. Through the huge glass windows that bounded the room one could
clearly see the high rises and skyline of Tokyo. She had just come from a
huge meeting and all Akane wanted to do now was to rest. She looked and
sighed at half folded handouts and leftover folder reports stacked on top of
the filing cabinet. They were furnished for the two hour long marathon
presentation she had just concluded.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the crackle coming from her desk. "Ranma,
are you there?" Sadly she realized how long it has been since she last
called her husband. Could he still be upset, she thought. "Ranma are you
still angry at me?" Akane rose and walked up to her desk. "I know you're
there, Ranma. I can hear you breathing." Akane smiled knowing full well this
game the two of them played every time she called home. As she sat on a
nearby chair, she turned up the volume and she could now hear Ranma mumbling
in the background. "Ok, Ranma. I'm sorry. I promise to come home tonight.
Promise." Akane hoped that the pleading tone she gave on the last word would
do the trick.

"Promise?" Ranma's voice finally came through.

Akane leaned forward and closed in on the phone and breathed deeply to
respond in order to assure her husband. "You bet. I missed you." Akane then
made a sounding kiss in the air for Ranma. It wasn't like she had been away
too long, but there was truth in what she had just said. Being away from her
husband for a week, which she blamed on work was almost unbearable. She
recalled how the past evenings was only filled with tons of paperwork, and
hardly any sleep. Things would have been different if she didn't have to
prepare for the presentation today. Though she was quick to point out to
herself that the only difference would have been the lack of the paperwork.
Akane laughed a moment till he heard another familiar voice.

"Mama, come home!" Akane was overjoyed to hear her five-year-old daughter
speaking. "I will, love. How is your sister?" Akane then heard a scream and
some sort of banging, as if the headset had suddenly hit the floor. Akane
knew all too well that her siblings were fighting again. "Eh, Akane....I'll
call back later. The two are at it again. See you tonight. Bye." She then
heard Ranma's kiss just before he hung up. "Bye." Akane said to herself. She
then swung her chair around and looked out the view of the city, paused a
few moments, then closed her eyes.

Later in the day, in a plush, open air, restaurant just across the office
where Akane worked, she was having her usual lunch date with her sister
Nabiki.

"So did you call him?" Nabiki sat across the table. "Hai. Right after my
presentation." Nabiki was Akane's constant companion during mid-day breaks,
and they would always talk about home, or each other's husbands, but never
work.

"How's your two kids? Fighting again?" Nabiki grinned back at her younger
sister. Akane apparently ignored her by busily reading some news.

"Why don't you do what I do, sis. Hire someone." Akane just smiled back.
"Well, Ranma doesn't like the idea of...having a total stranger taking care
of our childrem, oneechan. Besides, he's doing fine."

Nabiki only had a laugh to offer as a reply. Akane just ignored her again,
knowing how her sister's marriage to Tatewaki Kuno, it would have been
probably the best decision not to let the father reared her children. In
Ranma's case though, she has full confidence in him.

"Sorry guys, I guess I'm late again." A young lady carrying a small boy had
just joined the table of Nabiki and Akane.

"Hello, Kounji-san." Nabiki greeted, "And how is my little nephew?" Akane
greeted Ukyou Kounji and also was delighted to see the small boy. "My,
Ucchan. He's getting so big. Give Auntie Akane a kiss." The kid changed
hands and is now receiving Akane's tender loving care.

"So, Akane. Have you talked with Ran-chan?" Ukyou asked after giving her
order to the prompt waiter that approached the table. Akane nodded while
making funny faces to Ukyou's son. "I see." Akane curiously looked at her
friend upon noting the remorseful statement. "What's wrong Ucchan?" Then
Ukyou surprisingly cried out in tears, which caught the two Tendo sisters
off guard.

It has been more than seven years since Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo
finally got married. Though the early years where the hardest for the
household, things finally started to smooth out with the couple after the
birth of Akane's first daughter. Five years ago the couple's second daughter
was born, but a falling out happened between the two again. Their parents
couldn't figure out what went wrong. That was about the time Akane finally
accepted the advertising job her sister Nabiki recommended her for. Slowly
but surely the two finally reconciled but Akane had risen up the ladder of
success that she couldn't give that up. So Ranma took the responsibility of
looking out for their children. Akane's father, Soun Tendo, wondered why the
two had not followed up on another child, hopefully a son. Every time he
even mentions the subject the two seem oblivious to it.

Ranma spent the whole morning running around the dojo after his two kids.
The rampage of the Saotomes didn't spare even Kasumi and her peaceful
kitchen. By lunchtime though things have somehow settled a bit. Ranma still
had trouble separating his two children from grabbing each other's food.
Kasumi only smiled, often remembering how only years ago the same things
happened to two other houseguests.

"Ranma, is Akane coming home today?" Kasumi asked his brother-in-law as she
was cleaning up. Ranma only nodded back, as his attention was concentrated
on his two daughters that he was trying to get to sleep for the afternoon.
Soun Tendo, the father, couldn't stop his crying as he saw how Ranma was
attending to his granddaughters. Suddenly the phone rang.

"Hello, Tendo and Saotome residence." Kasumi answered in her usual
nonchalant way. "Oh, Shampoo..." Ranma glanced at the phone when he heard
but continued up the stairs carrying his kids to bed. "Oh, We'll be seeing
you then, Goodbye." Kasumi then noticed Ranma's quizzical look. "What did
she want, Kasumi?" Ranma had just come down the stairs.

Kasumi never got to answer him as their attention shifted to the front gate.
Ranma opened the door and was promptly greeted by the hug of a young child.
"Daddy!" Ranma, though initially surprised, was delighted to see the
toddler. "Tadaima!" Akane smiled as he saw the sight of Ranma and her
nephew. Ukyou took hold of her son and gave Ranma a cheek kiss as she
entered the household. Nabiki only passed by. Akane on the other hand stood
by, gleaming a starry look at her husband he had not seen since last week.

"Hi, you're home early?" Ranma and Akane felt tensed but soon gave a
exasperated laugh. They hugged and kissed, which Nabiki promptly timed as
she was standing at the doorway. A few minutes later the two finally broke
off. "Are they asleep?" Akane walked with Ranma toward the living room,
passing by Nabiki who was writing something on a notepad. "Hai." Ranma
noticed Akane was nervous. "What's wrong?"

Akane sat on the sofa before she even tried to answer. Ukyou too looked
nervous, Ranma noted. "Ok, what's going on?" Ranma looked annoyed at the two
as his son had jumped off Ukyou and had ran up towards his lap. "Well, its
Shampoo?" Ranma blinked and interrupted his wife explanation. "Shampoo? Why,
she just called. Isn't that right Kasumi? I think she's coming over." His
last statement drew looks of apprehension from the two women, and even
Nabiki frowned a bit at the news.

"Eh, Ranma. Shampoo found out. I'm sorry..." Ukyou grabbed her son back from
its father. Ranma froze a bit, not really comprehending what to make of
Ukyou's statement, and looked at his wife. Akane let out a sigh and leaned
over to him. "What are we going to do now?"

"Did you say...She knows. How?" Ranma grabbed Akane's hand and looked at
Ukyou and his son. "Does Ryouga know?"

"Eh, Actually he's the one that hinted Shampoo...but it was purely
accidental, Really." Ukyou nervously tried to explain her side, clutching
her son closely to her. "Where is he now?" Ranma's was desperately looking
for a solution to his impending problem.

Kasumi graciously open the gate of the dojo. "Well hello there, Ryouga, and
hello there Shampoo, Mousse. Its been a..." Kasumi was startled as Shampoo
stormed inside, while the two with her desperately holding her back but
without success. "Shampoo! Come on, don't do this..." Ryouga had his arms
wrapped around the amazon's waist but still he wasn't able to slow her down.
"Eh, Kasumi. Could you please..." Mousse, who was also trying the same to
Ryouga, pointed out to the three little children that followed them inside.

"Auntie Kasumi!" The three kids cried out in unison. "Oh, my! Hello. Please,
come inside. I think I have some cookies for you. You three like cookies?"
The active tykes graciously applauded in almost the same joyful way.
"Cookies!" The kids ran inside, followed by Kasumi.

"RANMA!" The three shuddered knowing that only one person could only voice
Ranma Saotome's name in such a high pitch and tone.

Ranma stood up and saw the haphazard approach of Mousse's wife, Shampoo.
"Shampoo! Its...nice to see you..." Ranma head jerked back by the force of
Shampoo's hand. Then all of them paused for a moment, till Shampoo broke out
in tears.



Chapter 1

Seven Years Ago

Soun Tendo could only recall when the last time a wedding took place in the
dojo. It was a total disaster. He would often get nightmares from that first
attempt of his daughter, Akane, and her fiancée, Ranma Saotome to get
married. Not only did the wedding not push through, but the place itself was
wrecked by the interventions of friends and rivals. Soun smiled as this time
though, he confidently thought, nothing was going to stop it now.

It was nothing short of a miracle that everyone, those responsible for
ruining the first wedding, to be present now and without any view of
animosity about the couple themselves. For this we have to thank the miracle
worker of the family, Nabiki. No one else wound have found a way to get
every man, woman, panda, and pervert to agree on an arrangement that would
eventually penultimate with this wedding.

In simple terms though, it was just that everyone grew tired of chasing
after Ranma around Nerima. Ukyou Kounji had become Akane's best friend in
the two years after she almost killed her during that first wedding. Shampoo
was finally beaten by Mousse, of course not without the idle help of
everyone else. And Kodachi, well no one has heard from her since she was
sent to a foreign school to learn french cooking.

"How do I look?" Ranma straightened himself out. Ryouga inspected him and
after removing a few loose threads gave a satisfactory nod. "Thanks P-chan."
Ranma grinned as he saw the grimacing reaction from his friend. "Don't
remind me...I still have bruises in my ribs from Akane, Ok." Ryouga walked
out of the room with the groom. As they passed by Akane's room they heard
laughter from inside. "What do you suppose they're doing in there?" Ranma
could only chuckle at Ryouga's curiosity.

"You look awesome." Shampoo nodded in affirmation to what Ukyou had just
said. "Thanks, I don't know if I could do this without you."' Akane sighed
as she saw herself though the mirror wearing a white bridal gown. "Shampoo
happy. And of course you all come to my wedding, Ok." The girls laughed and
hugged each other again.

Everything was set. Nabiki checked her little black book again if she had
missed an important item, but soon she showed satisfaction. The planning and
implementation responsibilities went to her and if this pushes through the
Tendo dojo would finally receive peace and quiet, she hoped. There was one
thing that was bothering her, it was that old Chinese amazon, Cologne. She
was the only unknown variable in the equation for her. She recalled how
everyone else found something in return to let Ranma and Akane marry at
last. Shampoo was the first to conceed, after everyone's insistence that she
marry Mousse, after she was beaten by him. Ryouga was easy, especially after
Ranma saved his neck from Akane when she discovered his piggy secret. Ukyou,
though was something else. She only asked to continue to be friends with
them, and who could refuse that. Nabiki loved how things fell into place.

"Cologne?" Genma Saotome looked distraught when she saw Shampoo's
great-grandmother entering the dojo carrying a small gift. "What is she
doing here? Isn't she suppose to be in China or something?" Soun whispered
to his old friend. Quickly they drew Nabiki's attention. "Darn, she can't be
here." Nabiki quickly faced Cologne.

"Hello there, I've got a wedding gift for Akane." Nabiki was surprised, as
she never expected Cologne to even give a gift, let alone approve of the
wedding. "Er, Thanks...Please come inside..."

Nabiki quickly ran with the gift into the kitchen where Kasumi was caught
surprised by her barging in. "What's wrong Nabiki?" Without hesitation she
opened the package and discovered a small white bowl and card attached to
it. "Special Wedding Sake. What the hell is that?" Nabiki was about to throw
the gift away when Kasumi stopped her. "You know you shouldn't do that,
Nabiki. It's a wedding gift, and it's for Akane and Ranma." Nabiki wanted to
argue with her sister but Kasumi quickly took the package away from her.
"Kasumi...don't..." Too late, as Kasumi took a small taste of the liquor.
"Hmm...it's wonderful, try it Nabiki." Nabiki declined but her troubled mind
was put to rest since her sister was still alive.

It wasn't until Shampoo's wedding did Akane learned about the ill effects of
that special sake. Shampoo's wedding almost turned into a battle zone, when
Akane went after Cologne like a woman possessed. Cologne didn't have a
chance against Akane and her friends. Shampoo was so angry with her
great-grandmother that she took her into the mountains and hid her in a cave
somewhere and sealed her inside. Unfortunately the damage was done.

Akane cried for days, and was depressed for months, and Ranma couldn't do
anything to cheer his wife nor did he know why she was acting like that.
Their parents never knew too, that the special sake took all of Akane's
abilities to give birth. Nabiki was so distraught that she couldn't tell
Kasumi what she had learned. But Kasumi somehow knew something was wrong
with her after she got married with Dr. Tofu. Shampoo on the other hand
spent a whole year in China looking for a cure but when she returned, she
only had half a solution to the problem.

"I don't know..." Akane weakly answered Shampoo after being offered the
cure. "But Akane, you'll get to have kids. Don't you want kids?" Shampoo
pleaded. Akane spirits was rejuvenated by the news that she could bear
children if she takes Shampoo's cure, but the consequences troubled her.

The problem with the cure Shampoo had brought was that it could only cure
half of her problem. If she was to give birth, it will turn to be either all
girls or all boys. Unfortunately for this to work, she will need a partner.
Shampoo volunteered to receive half of the treatment, but she couldn't bring
herself to get Shampoo to befall a horrid curse.


Chapter 2

Five Years Ago

"Congratulations, Ranma. It's a girl again." Dr. Tofu greeted the new father
again. Ranma was delirious and quickly rushed to Akane's side carrying his
daughter to meet the new baby.

"Hi." Akane still felt weak, but more so saddened by the fact that she kept
a secret from Ranma for so long. "I'm so happy, Akane. When do you want
another?" Ranma jokingly asked Akane. "What?" Akane couldn't believe it, but
still couldn't bring herself into telling Ranma. "Well, we should try again
for a boy." Ranma cuddled the new girl in his life in his arms.

Akane couldn't believe what she's doing now. She had asked, no in fact
begged Ukyou, her best friend, to cut her hair like hers. At first Ukyou
didn't understand why she let Akane cut her hair since it wasn't like out of
fashion or something. But soon even her soul trembled at what Akane proposed
to her.

"You want me to do what?!" Ukyou almost dropped the hand mirror she was
using to look at herself with. Akane, breath deeply before repeating her
simple request. "No way, Akane. I could never do something awful like that
to my best friend. And besides..."
Akane stopped her from saying anything more and just told her to listen to
her sad story about her curse. "Are you sure, you know Shampoo might just be
pulling your leg." Ukyou couldn't believe that Akane was only capable of
bearing daughters, and that Shampoo had the same problem. But realizing that
Shampoo had just given birth to her third son just recently erased all her
doubts.

That night of deception, Akane hid in Nabiki's room. Nabiki argued to her
little sister not to proceed. But Akane, only wanted the best for Ranma.
Although her heart was tearing itself apart after every moan and rustle she
heard through the wall, she willed control of herself. She only hoped that
Ranma would find it in his heart to forgive her.

Ranma did find out and it took him almost three years to forgive Akane and
Ukyou. Although he never shunned the door to his son, he couldn't gaze again
to his wife's loving stare until recently.

It was about a year ago that Ranma visited Akane in her office. Akane was so
surprised that at first she slammed the door at him nervously when he
arrived. That was the beginning of the healing as ever since that time they
have found it in their heart to accept whatever happened and drew
concessions not for any of those thing to happen to them again. They truly
loved each other, and no curse, no work, nothing should keep them apart.

They also received hope after Dr. Tofu decided to go on a personal journey
into China and the Middle East, to find a cure for his wife, Kasumi, and to
that of Akane and Shampoo. Ukyou too finally found someone, literally, in
Ryouga Hibiki.


Chapter 3

Present Day

Kasumi Tendo didn't mind looking out for children. She loves them, and often
she would cook her best snacks for these children of her sisters and
friends. Although her own chance to have some was ultimately destroyed by a
wickedly cursed accident that happened seven years ago, she didn't show her
own sadness.

"Hey, that's mine!" Like any kitchen where children are left to roam around
with food, it becomes a sort of battle zone. Kasumi sat down with the kids
and handed out more cookies. "Don't fight please. Auntie Kasumi won't give
anymore if you do." That did the trick, as the children quietly went on
eating.

In the adjacent room, three couples had suddenly found themselves in a
familiar situation. Ranma was sitting on one sofa clutching his wife Akane.
The sulking Shampoo was being restrained and comforted by her husband, while
Ukyou was lambasting a few angry words at her own husband Ryouga on how he
was restraining Shampoo a while ago. Nabiki then decided to initiate the
peace talks.

"Ok, what's wrong with this picture." Nabiki was trying to inject a little
musing on what everybody knew was a boiling pot that was due to burst at any
moment.

"It's not fair!" Shampoo had stopped her sobbing and let out an angry glare
at her once true love and another angry look at Ukyou. "Hey, remember who
started the mess, Shampoo!" Ukyou blurted out. Everyone was tensed, as if
old deep feelings where again being awaken. Ranma looked at Akane who had
her eyes closed, and a glint of tears about to flow out of them. "That's
enough!" Ranma had never raised his voice in years, especially in front of
Akane since the ordeal that happened when he found out about his son. He
turned back at Akane, who was surprised as everyone else in the room. "We
all agreed not to talk about what happened." Ranma shot an angry look at
Ryouga, evidently the culprit for mentioning that he has a son with Ukyou.

"No...Shampoo want a son too." Shampoo helplessly tried to appeal. "But you
already have three." Nabiki jested but no one found her amusing. Just then
Akane cried in Ranma's arms.

"I hate myself...I hate what had happened to me! I want to ki..." Ranma
quickly pressed his finger to her lips, muting her. "Don't ever say that
Akane." Ranma then wiped the tears from her eyes.

Just then a crew of active children bursted into the scene, running up to
each of their parents and jumping up to their waiting arms. Kasumi entered
carrying a tray of cookies and glasses. "My, isn't this a lovely reunion.
Cookies anyone?"

The room fell silent for the adults. Although the cries and screams of the
kids around them didn't really made them stop the conversation, it was
Kasumi herself. Shampoo looked at the eldest of the Tendo sisters.
Remembering how Kasumi must be feeling right now. Guilt then crept into her
head. "Shampoo...I'm sorry." She cowardly bowed her head. Kasumi blinked at
Shampoo's curious apology. "What do you mean?"

"Daddy!" The little tyke jumped up and was quickly grabbed by Ranma. Ranma
saw the happy face in front of him and quickly drew resentment with the way
they could have been arguing about him. "Look, Shampoo." Everyone who by now
is carrying a child in his or her lap looked at Ranma and his son. "Our
children are innocent, lets not drag them into our troubles, Ok." Shampoo
only nodded in affirmation, then tightened her hug on her own son.

"What's this, are we having a party?" Soun Tendo had down the stairs to
investigate. Everyone in the room nervously looked up. "No, Daddy...we were
just discussing something." Nabiki knew that her father doesn't know
anything about the problem. "We were only discussing Ranma's son." Kasumi
didn’t fully comprehend what she just said, but everyone that knew was
dreaded by her revelation.

"Son? Ranma doesn't have a..." Soun Tendo then stared at the young boy Ranma
had on his lap. Well the young lad did somewhat look like his son-in-law, he
thought. No, that can't be, the boy was Kuonji-san's child, Soun mind was
racing with unspeakable ideas. Ranma hurriedly let the little boy off his
lap upon noticing the stare. But that was the worst thing he could have
done, as the boy returned to him crying out 'Daddy'. "Oh, oh." Ukyou said to
herself. Her own attempts to attract her son's attention failed.

"Ranma!" Soun was thinking of the unspeakable, and his anger was growing
exponentially. "No, don't tell me..." Soun had advance and was looming above
Ranma. "Ranma! Is...that yours?" Soun prayed that Ranma had an explanation
to put to rest the ideas that had just brewed in his mind. But unfortunately
for everyone, the child confirmed the sins of his parents. Soun, shocked out
of his wits, fell on the floor unconscious. "Daddy!" cried the three women.


Chapter 4



Akane was in the children's room. She was stroking the lush dark hair of her
youngest. "I'm sorry, Akane...I didn't mean to..." Shampoo stood beside her
and so was Ukyou.

"No, Shampoo...I'm the one who should thank you." Akane held her friend's
hand and that of Ukyou. "You’re the reason I have my precious daughters."
Shampoo was caught unexpected by Akane's statement. "But..." Akane smiled
and again looked at her daughter.

"You know what..." Ukyou felt uneasy with what she had to say. "I feel awful
for Kasumi. I don't know how she could..." Akane look back at Ukyou,
effectively interrupting her.

Before Akane spoke she sadly sighed. "Actually she can't, but she's pretty
strong. At nights I'd hear her cry in her room. But whenever I try to
comfort her, I would only cry along with her."

"If only I had known what great-grandmother was up to after your wedding, I
would have stopped her." Shampoo dejectedly looked at her friends.

"I'm still grateful, Shampoo."

Downstairs his two daughters were attending to the unconscious figure of
Soun Tendo.

"Come on Daddy, it's not that bad." Nabiki chided her father.

"Not bad!" Soun cried. "This is a disgrace."

"But Father, my husband is looking for a cure." Kasumi handed her father
some of her baked cookies and a glass of juice. "Delicious. Well, I guess it
isn't that bad. I just hope Mrs. Saotome doesn’t learn about this."

Then the three heard a knock on the gate, and someone opening it.

"Mr. Tendo, Mr. and Mrs. Saotome are here." Ryouga happily announced through
the doorway. Soun tried to hide but her two daughters have suddenly
disappeared.

"Hello Tendo. It's been a long time." Genma happily hugged Soun and and
greeted his old friend. Soun nervously showed delight in the unannounced
arrival. "Hello Soun," cheered Nodoka Saotome, "And how is our two children,
and grandchildren." Soun backed-up nervously and had really nothing to say.
Just then a burst of children rampaged across the room. "Panda!!!" The
little kids just overwhelmed the elder Saotomes. Frantically following the
troop was Ranma and Mousse. "Eh,...Hi Mom, Pops."

"Oh, Akane...Mr. and Mrs. Saotome are here." Kasumi announced through the
opened doorway. Akane jerked up and felt uneasy on the news her sister just
gave her. "Do they know?" Ukyou nervously asked. Akane swung her head and
rose from the bed carrying her daughter. "Grandpa Panda is here?" The eldest
of the Saotome sisters asked her mother. "Want to see them, honey?" The
child only screamed in delight and chanting "panda" as she hurried off out
the room. Shampoo and Ukyou followed Akane out of the room, closing the door
behind them.


- Preview of what's next -

Dr. Tofu returns from his two years hiatus
Genma and Nodoka chase after their son
Kasumi is cured
Akane and Ranma is ...well there was only enough cure for one.
Birth of Ranma's second son.
END


* I hope you like this...coz I'll never write something like this again. (I
hope)

Special Thanks to

Andrew Petalik
David Johnston
Zen
Thomas Schauer
David Lerman
&
Rumiko Takahashi