OK This is not my fic. I am posting it for the author as he is without net
access. I will pass all C&C on to him that comes to this address
(lp0027@drake.edu) please don't post to the list.

And now on to the fic.

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A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic
What Price Love
Chapter 4: A Mother�s Love?
By: Jon Osborne

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Disclaimer: All characters within this fanfic belong to Rumiko
Takahashi.  I lay no claim to them and use them without permission.
Please don't sue as I am a poor college graduate (finally), with lots
and lots of loans to pay off.
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<   > indicates thoughts
[   ] indicates panda signs
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Warning:  While this fic has no lemon scenes in it, it does contain
what some could call "Mature Content."  You have been warned.
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    AUTHOR'S NOTES: First off this is not my account.  I lost my e-mail
when I graduated and am posting this through Laith's account.  Also,
this chapter is very, very rough.  Due to the intrusion of "real life"
I have not had a lot of time to work on this chapter as I have had with
previous chapters.  To many of you, Nodoka may seem WAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY
OOC, but this is an alternate universe, and I've always felt Nodoka as
she appears in the anime is just too odd. At this point I feel this is my
weakest chapter by far, but I also haven't had the time to put into it as
I have the others.  So please, please, please send me lots of C&C.  And I
mean really constructive C&C, not just I liked it or you suck.  Although I
do appreciate the former, and laugh at the latter.  Any and all flames
will be laughed at and deleted by Laith who has generously agreed to
accepting your C&C for this on his account.  THANKS LAITH!!  Anyway, on
with the story.



    As Ranma undressed for her bath, she thought back over the past
week.  Akane's announcement had come as quite a shock, but Ranma had
come to accept Akane's lesbianism as well as her own newfound desire
to remain a girl.  She shook her head ruefully.  <Boy, love makes us
do strange things.>  Then came Genma's vehement objections to Ranma's
choice followed by his flight, explained as a 'training mission' in a
note made of panda signs.  He had apparently run off shortly before
Ryoga had shown up and been revealed as P-chan.  Ever since then, Ranma
had been walking on egg shells around Akane, afraid she might say
something that would make Akane as mad as she had been at Ryoga.  Ranma
shook her head again, a half-smile on her face.  <Poor Ryoga, ending up
as Asuza's pet Charlotte again.>
    Ranma went into the bath and soaped up.  She shivered as the cold
water cascaded over her body.  <Man.  I just never get used to the feel
of cold water.  At least I don�t have to worry about changing sexes with
water anymore.>  As Ranma completed that thought, she settled into the
hot water of the bath and felt a familiar tingle come over her.
    He sighed.  <Damn!  Why did this have to happen now?  I was just
starting to get comfortable with my body when the change had to act up.
Akane�s not gonna like this.  Hell, I don�t like this.>  Ranma sighed
again.  At that point a recent memory chose to surface its ugly head.

***Flashback***

    Ranma turned to face Akane.  "I've been thinking, about something
oyaji said.  He asked if I'd forgotten about his promise to mom.  As I
think about it, I had forgotten.  When mom finds out, she's probably
gonna kill me, but she deserves to know."
    "Ranma, I love you very much and I don't want you to die.  But
I'll understand if you decide to tell your mom, and I'll stand with
you through it all."

***End Flashback***

    Ranma stood and stepped out of the furo.  After drying himself off,
he turned to dress and sighed in frustration as he slipped on his usual
red shirt and gathered up his pants and temporarily useless lingerie.
He dumped the lingerie in his bedroom and pulled on a pair of boxers and
his pants.  Ranma reached up to his hair and started to braid it out of
habit.  He stopped when he realized what he had to do later and left it
in a simple ponytail.  He didn't think his mom would find it very manly
for her son to have his hair braided.
    Ranma left his room and took the few short steps to Akane�s room.
After hesitating for several minutes, he softly knocked on her door.
    "Come in!" Akane called out.
    Ranma stuck his head in the door and simply said, "Akane.  It's time."
    Akane looked up in surprise at the sound of Ranma's voice.  She let
out a small gasp at sight of Ranma's male head.
    Ranma winced.  "C'mon Akane.  This isn't easy for me either you know.
I could be walking into my own death today."
    "I'm sorry Ranma.  Seeing you as a man was unexpected.  Don't you
think it would be easier on Aunt Nodoka if you showed up as Ranko?  She
might be more inclined to listen to what you have to say if you show up
as someone she's had more contact with."
    "I guess so.  Meet you downstairs."  Ranma pulled his head out of
Akane's doorway and made his way back to the bath.  <I know it's hard
for you to see me like this Akane.  I know you may think you want me in
girl form for mom's sake, but I know you just aren't comfortable around
male Ranma.  Besides, I think if I did show up as male Ranma  I wouldn't
be able to expalin anything 'cause mom would be all over me.>

***

    The mid afternoon sun shone down on Akane and 'Ranko' standing
before a moderately sized home.  Akane reached up and knocked on the
door.  After several minutes it was opened by Nodoka.
    "Akane!  Ranko!  What a pleasant suprise."
    "Hello Aunt Nodoka," they reply simultaneously.
    "Come in.  Come in.  Would you like some tea?"
    She led them into a small combination living and dining room and sat
them down at the dining table.  She passed through a doorway into what
was presumably the kitchen.  As she was preparing the tea, Nodoka called
back to Ranma and Akane.  "So, what brings you here?"
    "Actually we came to talk to you about Ranma," replied Ranma.
    Instantly Nodoka was facing them from across the table.  "What?  You
have news of Ranma?  He's not hurt is he?"
    "Don't worry Aunt Nodoka, Ranma isn't hurt.  We'll tell you everything
once the tea is ready," Akane answered.
    After several minutes, Nodoka came back into the room carrying a tray
with a steaming kettle and three cups.  "So what is this news you have of
my son?" she asked as she poured the tea.
    Ranma sipped her tea and sighed.  "I don't really know how to say
this, so I'll have to show you.  You see, I am Ranma Saotome, your son."
With those words, she poured the tea over head, triggering the
transformation.  "Sorry 'bout this."
    Nodoka fainted.
    "Well that went well," Akane commented sarcastically.
    Ranma vaulted the table and tried to awaken his mother.  After
several light slaps from Ranma, Nodoka's eyes fluttered, then suddenly
popped open.  She cried out in disbelief to see her son sitting over her.
"Ranma!  My son has returned to me!"
    She sat up and hugged Ranma to her fiercely.  Ranma returned the hug
with equal force repeating over and over again, "Mom, I'm back."
    As she finally released her son, Nodoka's eyes widened as she
realized Ranko was nowhere to be seen.  "Ranma, what happened to Ranko?
She was just here a moment ago."
    A pained look crossed Ranma's face at the mention of Ranko.  Nodoka
noticed the look and asked "Nothing's happened to her?"
    Ranma sighed.  Indicating Akane's cup of now cold tea, Ranma asked,
"Akane would you?"
    Akane, who had been watching the reunion with mixed feelings looked
at Ranma questioningly.  "Are you sure Ranma?"
    "Yes.  She needs to understand."
    "Sure about what?  I need to understand what?" Nodoka interjected.
    Ranma took his mother's hands and placed them against his chest, then
nodded to Akane.  "This."
    Akane poured the tea over Ranma's head and Nodoka gasped as she felt
her son's manly chest _change_ and become the very shapely chest of a
young girl.  Where Ranma had been now sat Ranko.  Nodoka just stared.
    Ranma looked at her mother sadly.  "Ranko Tendo never existed.  She
was me, Ranma Saotome.  Uh, mom, you can let go of my breasts now."
    Nodoka's face flushed crimson as she pulled her hand's away from her son's...daughter's...child's chest.  "H...h...how?"  She managed to
stutter.
    Ranma gave a very unfeminine growl.  "It was all baka oyaji's fault.
He took me to a cursed training ground in China without knowing any
Chinese at all.  It was full of hundreds of springs, each with their own
curse.  Oyaji manged to knock me into the Spring of Drowned Girl.  I was
so shocked at his own transformation, I couldn't defend myself."
    "Your father is cursed?  What is his..."  Nodoka's face lit up with
realization.  "Ranko's pet panda was really my Genma.  But why did you
hide from me in your cursed forms?"
    "Because of that contract you made me and oyaji sign."
    "What contract?" Nodoka asked, genuine confusion in her voice.
    "The one that said we'd commit seppuku if Pop didn't make me a man
among men.  He said the contract was all your idea and that you wouldn't
let us out of the house until we both signed it.  Because of my curse,
oyaji said you wouldn't find me to be man among men since I'm half girl."
    "Now I remember.  That contract wasn't my idea, it was your father's.
I was against the thing because I thought it would put too much stress on
you.  But your father kept badgering me to agree to it.  I finally gave in
because I thought it would keep your father's more foolish ideas in check.
Apparently, I was wrong."
    "You don't know the half of it, Aunt Nodoka," put in Akane.
    "So do I have to commit seppuku?" Ranma asked, a hint of trepidation
and fear in his voice.
    "Of course not!  I had no intention of upholding that ridiculous
contract.  Why would I kill my son after being reunited with him.  Now what
did Akane mean that I didn't know the half of it?"
    "You'll understand, once I tell you about the last ten years.  The
first part I remember was..."
    "Ranma, son, wait.  I have a feeling this is goint to be a long story,
and I want to see my 'manly' son again, not Ranko."
    Ranma started, realizing that she had been a girl for the majority of
the conversation.  The past week had seen Ranma growing completely
comfortable with her girl body, so it felt natural to her.  "Sorry mom,
this body is something else we need to talk about.  Can I have some hot
water please?"
    "Of course."  Nodoka retrieved a cup of hot water from the kitchen
and handed it to Ranma, who dumped it on herself, becoming himself.  "Is
that better mom?"
    "Yes, thank you."
    "Now, as I was saying, the first significant thing I remember was my
time with my friend Ucchan..."

***

    As Ranma finished recounting his life story, Nodoka commented, "Well,
that's quite a life you've led my son."
    "And it's far from over.  He has a lot of loose ends to tie up in his
life," said Akane.
    "Akane-chan is right.  Coming here was the first of many 'loose ends'
I need to tie up."
    "This is a good start my son.  Let us talk of these other loose ends
over dinner.  Our talk has taken us well into the evening."
    "But I haven't finished this loose end yet."
    "What do you mean, my son?  We have been reunited, a family once
more."
    "Maybe you should start this latest explanation Akane-chan.  After
all, you're the one who started the most recent events.  I'll be right
back."  Ranma stood and entered the kitchen.  Running water could be heard
as Akane began her explanation.
    "Aunt Nodoka, what Ranma is referring to all started about a week ago.
The two of us were home alone and we got to talking about our feelings for
each other..."
    "You're in love," Nodoka interrupted.
    "Well yes, but not the way you're thinking," replied Akane.  Nodoka
gave her a quizzical look as Akane continued.  "You see, I'm a lesbian.
I like girls, not boys."
    Nodoka stared at Akane in shock.  At that point Ranma returned from
the kitchen, female once more.  She sat down beside Akane and wrapped an
arm around Akane's waist.
    "Akane made it clear to me that the only way we could continue to
have a relationship was if we were both girls.  My decision was never in
question.  I love Akane with all my heart and soul.  I did the only thing
I could.  I renounced my masculinity and have spent the last week as a
girl."  Ranma looked everywhere than at her mom as she said, "I'm sorry."
    Shock etched itself across Nodoka's face as Ranma and Akane dropped
this latest bomb on her.  "What?  You're sorry?"  She finally managed to
get out.
    "Yeah, I'm sorry that I had to take away your son so soon after
returning him to you.  But I did it because I had to.  I love you too much
to lie to you anymore than I already have.  You deserve to know that I
would rather be your daughter than your son, or even 'Cousin Ranko.'  I'm
just sorry I had to tell you all this at once.  Can...can you forgive
me...for everything?"
    Nodoka sat there for several long minutes.  As the time ticked by,
Ranma's face slowly fell, as she believed that her mother's silence was a
sign of rejection."
    Finally Nodoka spoke.  "Ranma...there is nothing to forgive.
Everything you've done, you've done because you felt you had no choice.
You hid behind the identity of Ranko because of your father's lies.
Based on what your father told you about my reaction to your curse, it
took great courage for you to reveal yourself to me.  You revealed
yourself because you felt I had a right to know my son was alive.  You
also felt you had to do this because of your changing relationship with
Akane.  Because of that relationship, and your aversion to lying, you felt
you had no choice but to reveal your relationship with Akane to me.  You
had many tough decisions to make, and each time you did what you felt was
right.  For that I am very proud of you...daughter."
    As Nodoka continued to speak, Ranma's face lost its defeated look, as
Ranma's hopes rose and finally peaked when Nodoka called her daughter.
    "Do you really mean it?"
    "Of course I do, dear.  Son or daughter, you're still my child.
Besides, I've always wanted a daughter and when I get through with Genma,
he may not be able to provide me with one in any other way."
    "Are you sure you're all right with my relationship with Akane?  It
wouldn't bother you in the slightest to see us showing affection?  Even if
I did something like this?"  Ranma cupped Akane's chin in her hand and
pulled her into a passionate kiss.  She looked for her mother's reaction
after the kiss.  Nodoka just smiled at the two girls.
    "Why should I object to my daughter being in love.  Your happiness is
my happiness."
    "Thanks mom."
    "Thank you Aunt Nodoka."
    "Now Akane, call the dojo and tell your family that you an Ranma will
be staying here tonight.  We have much to celebrate."
    "Okay Aunt Nodoka."
    "Please Akane, you can call me mother."
    "And just how are we celebrating mom?"
    "Why I'm taking the two of you out to the La Parisienne for dinner."
    "But none of us are dressed for such a fancy place."
    "That's why we're going shopping first."


Coming eventually, Chapter 5: Fun at the Beach