This is the draft of Chpater 4 of Childhood Mysteries.
Enjoy!
First fic alert. This isn't the first thing I have
written. But it is the first on I have even considered
posting to the FFML.
If you have read any kind of fan fiction before then you
have seen the disclaimers that all (well almost all)
fics have. I own none of the characters in this work. I
have no real right to use them. No profit is being made
from this work. If I do, for some unexplainable reason,
make profit out of this; all you have to do is ask and I
will turn it over to the people that deserve it. But
who would pay for this?
C&C is welcomed and encouraged. I use flames to light
my grill.
Thanks to my pre-readers, who helped improve this work
greatly. Special thanks to Toby Kilbreath; who has
given me many ideas for the details of this work.
As a final note Kasumi might be a little OOC, at least
from the cannon. I prescribe (at least in this fic) to
the idea that Kasumi isn't nearly as oblivious as she
seems. This occurs after the 36 volume of the manga,
meaning that Nodoka knows of Ranma's curse, but the
Saffron incident has not (and will not). It should also
be noted that I really don't know much about Nodoka's
character.
Here it is.
Version 0.41
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Thoughts <>
Authors notes and details ()
Stressed words --
Sound FX **
Ranma in girl form -chan
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What has happened already:
Late the day before Ranma received a mysterious
visitor...
The visitor left him behind a small child, with
a birth certificate proclaiming her as Saotome Miko...
Kasumi is surprised with the relative easy that
Ranma accepts Miko with, she wonders if Ranma is hiding
something from her...
Ranma takes Miko to the mall and accidentally
runs into Kuno, Kuno claims that Miko is a demon and
attacks Ranma...
After visiting Tofu, Ranma and Miko return to
the Dojo...
Unfortunately, the rest of the Tendo and Saotome
clans are home...
-------------------------
Ranma 1/2:
Childhood Mysteries
Part 4: Conflicting Interests
-------------------------
And at once all of them (saved Kasumi, who put
her head in her hands) scream out if as one voice,
"WHAT!"
Ranma takes one look at his shocked family and
immediately realizes that this could get ugly, "Miko,
why don't you go upstairs and get ready for dinner?
I'll be up shortly, wait in my room."
"Ok," Miko smiles and skips up the stairs.
Ranma watches as Miko hops. As soon as she was
out of sight, Ranma turns to his family and studies
their faces to try to guess what they are thinking.
<Akane's mad, I expected that. Pops and Mr.
Tendo are confused, they'll be mad as soon as it hits
them. Nabiki seems normal. This is really going to
cost me. *Gulp* I can't tell what mom's thinking.
Kasumi looks, exasperated? >
"RANMA!" Soun yells, "What does this mean?"
Nabiki smirks, "What does it sound like daddy?"
Soun pauses for a moment, and then burst into
tears, "Ranma, why did you cheat on my daughter?" Soun
wails.
"Ranma," Akane all but growls, "This had better
be good."
Nabiki faces is sporting her predator grin,
"This is going to cost you Saotome."
Ranma grimaces, but still manages to sound angry
when he responds, "You already have all my money. I
don't have anything but my clothes now."
"Don't worry Ranma, I'll loan you the money.
I'll even give you a break on the interest this time.
Now how does this sound..."
"Son," Genma breaks in, before Nabiki has
finished her deal, "I'm sure this is really just some
mistake. Just tell us she isn't your daughter, and then
we can find her parents."
Nodoka continues her silence.
Ranma pauses for a moment, thinking to himself.
Suddenly, Ranma picks up a very nasty grin; Genma takes
one look at his son's face and immediately starts
looking for a source of water. "Why pops. You make it
sound like you are trying to cover something up."
All the Tendos, save Kasumi, turn to look at
Genma, who is now panicking, "Covering up? I'm doing
nothing of the sort. Don't try to pin this on me boy."
Nodoka glares at Genma then turns to her son,
but she remains silent.
Soun also glares at Genma for a moment, but in a
rare burst of insight turns to face Ranma once again.
In a tone that is more a demand than a request he said,
"Son, you didn't answer the question."
Ranma shudders, but says nothing. Nodoka sees
the grimace and without a word, she gets up and leaves
the Dojo. Ranma tries to stop her. But she quietly
tells him that she has some thinking to do. Ranma
doesn't understand but nods his acceptance.
"I'm going to help Miko prepare for dinner,"
Ranma begins as he reenters the main room.
"That's ok Ranma," Kasumi replies, "Dinner is
going to be delayed anyway."
Ranma nodded his acknowledgment and heads
upstairs.
-------------------------
As soon as Ranma disappears from sight the
remaining Saotome and Tendos turn to Kasumi and all
begin to speak at once.
"Daughter, what's going one here?"
"You know something, spill it sis."
"What has that baka done this time?"
"What's my son up to, Kasumi."
Kasumi puts on a worried little frown and
replies, "I'm not really sure, last night she just
appeared. Just shortly after that man in the dark coat
brought something for Ranma," She shrugs somewhat and
her normal smile reappears on her face, "But I am sure
he will tell us."
<Eventually, > She thinks to herself.
As Nabiki mutters something about naivete under
her breath, Akane comes to a decision of her own.
<That...that...BAKA! *Steams a little* He's been
sleeping around behind my back. When I see him again
I'm going to...to...> Akane's thoughts continue along
the same vein when a koi (a fish basically) jumps in the
pond outside and makes a large noise. The sound
startles Akane out of her thoughts and her mental train
jumps to a new track. <*Sight* So that's why that baka
been stringing us along. Ranma has to marry that girl's
mother; he can't marry anyone else. I am NOT going to
forgive him for that. *Humph* At least he won't be
marring any of those other girls either. > This final
though does little to cheer Akane up, but she does get a
brief laugh thinking about the looks on the other
fiancees faces when they find out.
"I'm going to go practice until dinner Kasumi.
Get me if that baka decides to tell us the truth." And
with his Akane heads upstairs to change into her gi.
<*Hum* With another freeloader here the budget
is going to be pretty thin. I better see if we can
cover it or if I have to step up my activities. > Nabiki
quickly heads up to her room and is back downstairs with
her ledgers before anyone knew she had left. As she
sits down to the table again she notices the packages
that Ranma had left out in the entry room. Her
curiosity getting the better of her Nabiki investigates
the contents of the bags.
<Boy, > she thinks to herself after
investigating the contents of the bags, <Someone has
gone on a major shopping spree...Wait a minute. >
Nabiki quickly returns to her ledgers and checks her
figures in a frenzy of activity. The answer she gets
surprises her a little and she double, then triple,
checks her results. After confirming what her results
tell her she slowly puts the ledger down, more than a
little angry.
<That BAKA! He's been holding back on me. There
is now way he could have afforded all that, I have all
his money. > Nabiki picks up her ledger again and
quickly rechecks her figures, <And we don't have that
kind of money lying around anywhere. Where the hell
did he get it all from? >
Nabiki decides then and there that she is going
to confront Ranma and get the truth out of him...Even if
she had to beat it out of him.
-------------------------
Sasuke was worried. The Kuno mansion was much
quieter then he left it, way too quiet. When he left
the Kuno siblings where tearing the mansion apart
ranting and raving all over the place. Now they where
both locked in Kuno's, and speaking with a volume too
low to be heard through the door. Sasuke carefully hid
himself near the door waiting for the Kuno's to leave
the room. An hour latter he had come to several,
less-than-pleasant conclusions.
The Kunos siblings had been in Tatewaki's room
far too long. Sasuke had thought Kuno and Kodachi would
have already burst out of that room and demanded that he
either find Ranma's child or to demand to be taken to
the Tendos' residence. However, that wasn't the case.
Not only had the Kuno children been in Kuno's room far
too long, but they where far too quiet.
Sasuke worries on these and other things as he
tries to use the houses secret passages to spy on the
Kunos. Finally arriving at the peephole most like to
give the best view into Kuno's room, Sasuke looks
through to the sight he realized he should have feared
most.
"So sister, you believe that the reason we have
been having difficulties approaching or loves is this
child?" Kuno paces around his room not bothering to
look at his sister, "That makes a great deal of sense.
Maybe the name my beloved pig-tailed girl goes by is but
a warning. Maybe 'Ranma' means something in a language
I know not of."
Kodachi laughs her (*shudder*) nasty laugh, "Of
course brother. It makes so much sense. Neither if our
loves have proclaimed their loves to us. It is obvious
that something is keeping them from us. We must do
something about this threat to our love."
"Yes we must, but if this -thing- is indeed a
demon it will be hard to destroy."
Another laugh from the youngest Kuno sibling
causes Sasuke to shudder, "Foolish brother. It should
be obvious that if the demon has take human form it will
have human weakness. I am going to use one of my
poisons on it. Like the creature that it is it must
either change back to its true form, or die from my
poison."
Kuno seems to see some logic to this statement
and nods sagely, "How long will it take to make this
poison sister?"
"A few days, brother. I would prepare to fight
the demon when it reverts to its true form."
"Yes I Kuno Tatewaki of Furinkan High will be
ready when the time comes to slay this demon and free
our loves. Till then I will have loyal Sasuke follow
the demon's movements and inform us of its location when
it is time to strike."
Back in his hiding place Sasuke comes to a
decision that will forever change his life <Loyal no
longer Kuno. You have truly have gone insane beyond any
hope to restore. I must inform Saotome of this attack.
And I must prepare a way to safely leave your employ. >
And with these thoughts Sasuke slips away,
leaving the Kunos' plans for ones of his own.
-------------------------
End Chapter 4
Finally, I'm done with this chapter.
I have had a few questions about Miko relationship to
Ranma, and to this I say "better luck next time"
It wouldn't worry too much. I'm dropping some major
hints next chapter, which will be coming out
-eventually-.
Some has asked me what Ranma's age is at the start of
this story. Well Ranma is presently 17 years of age and
he has been in Nerima for almost a whole year now.
Thomas Scroggs
"Oops"
-The most dangerous word in all of anime, followed
shortly by
"Trust me..."
