First fic alert. I didn't create these characters or their setting. I am using them without permission and realize that I could get in serious trouble for this. I also realize that I am making no profit on this work, and not really capable of being a good lawsuit victim. C&C welcomed and encouraged. Flames used for experiments in spontaneous combustion. Thanks to my pre-readers, who helped improve this work greatly. Special thanks to Toby Kilbreath; who has given me many ideas for this work. This occurs after the 36 volume of the manga, meaning that Nodoka knows of Ranma's curse, but the Saffron incident has not occurred. It should also be noted that I really don't know much about Nodoka's character. Since the only character her that is mine is Miko I would greatly appreciate it if you asked me before using her in another work, thanks. Here it is. Version 1.11 Date Started: 6/16/98 Last revised: 10/02/98 ------------------------- Thoughts <> Authors notes and details () Stressed words -- Sound FX and some actions** Ranma in girl form -chan ------------------------- 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... 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, and they did not react well to this... And the Kuno's believe that Miko is a demon keeping them from their loves, and plan on doing something about it... ------------------------- Ranma 1/2: Childhood Mysteries Chapter 5: Impact ------------------------- Ranma thinks to himself, This was just one thought of many as Ranma climbs the stairs and walks down the hallway to his room. But just before he reaches the door he hears it close and catches the sound of quiet crying. "I just had to ask." Ranma moans to himself. He quickly steps into the room, not noticing the eldest Tendo sister climb up the stairs. ------------------------- Ranma entered his room with some apprehension. Actually, though he'd never admit it (even to himself), he's scared. Scared that Miko will ask one of the questions he fears questions he can't really answer. Not that the sight of Miko is any better. Miko is as he thought crying; or to be more specific crying into the pillow of the futon, which she is laying on top of. Ranma decides to start with the most obvious question, "You heard us talking didn't you?" Miko nods into the pillow, but doesn't look up. *Sigh* "You weren't supposed to hear that. And I...apologize for not making sure you where somewhere else before they started yelling." Miko looks up at Ranma and with tears in her eyes asks the question he fears most, "Are you really my daddy?" ------------------------- One of Kasumi's lesser known abilities is superior hearing. Kasumi can hear almost everything going on around her with clarity that few others have. So when Kasumi hears the door to Ranma's room closing softly it only came surprise that it would be closing with Ranma still in the hallway, not that she could hear it. Still Kasumi is definitely shocked when she hears a faint sound coming from the room... Kasumi arrives at the door about the same time that Akane leaves her room, dressed in her usual workout gi. Seeing Kasumi pause outside the door to Ranma's room she decides to get closer to find out what she was doing. The two are joined by the middle Tendo sister just in time to hear Miko's voice asking the question they all wanted to know... "Are you really my daddy?" ------------------------- "That's what we...um...ugh..." Akane's exclamation is cut short, when Kasumi places her hand over Akane's mouth and makes a shushing motion with her other hand. Nabiki thinks, ignoring the movements of her sisters, Kasumi thinks privately, Akane just stands there in shock. All three girls bend closer to the door to listen. ------------------------- Ranma opens his mouth to answer when a loud voice is heard yelling outside. "Damn, that's got to be Kuno," Ranma looks quickly down to Miko, "Stay here, I'm going to get rid of him before he causes any trouble. If anyone but me tries to open the door, hide, got it?" Miko nods once. Ranma turns and leaves, but as he does he notices something out of the corner of his left eye. He also notes that all the Tendo sisters are out in the hallway, but puts the thought aside for the moment. ------------------------- Kuno is still ranting when Ranma arrives downstairs. Both Mister Tendo and Genma are looking bored and uninterested, they heard it all before. "What are you doing here Kuno," Ranma asks in a insulting drawl. "I've come to rescue your prisoners from your evil bounds, foul sorcerer. I will claim my loves and rescue that child from your wicked clutches." "And what would do with a child Kuno. It ain't as if I really need the responsibility of a kid." "It should be obvious to anyone that you have bespelled my pig-tailed goddess into thinking that she is that child's mother." "So." "I heard that child call you daddy. It is obvious that by using your foul sorcery you have used the holy bounds of motherhood to try to further your hold on the pig-tailed girl." Both the fathers and Ranma give Kuno a look of pure disgust while simultaneously thinking, Ranma advances on Kuno, intent on pounding Kuno into something resembling bean paste. But just as he reaches Kuno an pulls back for the first punch a loud crashing noise is heard upstairs. "What tha..." Ranma begins turning his head towards the stairs. Kuno sees his opponents lapse and with the cry of, "Die fiend," grazes Ranma's right side, much like the way he did in their first major fight. But instead of kicking Kuno in all his vital points like he did the first time Ranma chooses a much simpler path. Namely continuing Kuno's lessons in the basic art of flying, through the means of an applied foot to the chest. Ranma finishes his turn and heads upstairs, unconcerned about where Kuno lands. Though he would have laughed if he did. Kuno was in fact very luck, if he course had ended more than a foot to the left he would have crashed into Shampoo, and probably have knocked her out. Kuno, however, was in no condition to appreciate this when one minute latter his battered and beaten body landed in the trash out side the Nekohatten. "...And stay out, stupid stick boy," Was the last thing Kuno heard before he began a short unexpected nap. ------------------------- All Ranma needed was one question, "What happened?" His room is a total mess. There are black petals everywhere, and a large hole where the window use to be. All three Tendo sisters are standing in the room looking around, but Miko is know where to be seen. Nabiki answers, in a quiet tone of voice, "We *gestures at Akane and Kasumi* where going to talk to Miko when Kuno started ranting. Thing is we couldn't find her, I mean she wasn't here when we came in. Then Kodachi breaks in saying something about children and wedding plans. Akane gives Kodachi the boot and then you show up." *Sigh* "Kuno was a distraction, he was going to keep me busy while Kodachi got Miko. But I figured it out before Kuno could get me caught up in a fight. I told Miko to hide when I left so that's why you can't find her. You ok?" This last was delivered to Miko, who is slowly getting up from her prone position. Miko nods and manages a smile. "I was hiding when that silly woman came in. Then she *points at Akane* kicked that lady out the window." Akane snorts lightly and looks away. "Thank you Akane," Ranma says politely. However he is sighing inside, "You know Ranma," Nabiki's voice was strangely calm, "I'm willing to bet that whatever your hiding from us is big, very big. So I am going to give you a friendly, and free, piece of advice. Tell us now, before we find out ourselves, things will be much easier on you if you do." "*Sigh* And what makes you think I'm hiding something from you?" Nabiki grins a predator-like grin, "Can't say I didn't warn you Ranma. You can come to any of us when you decide your ready to fess up." The sisters leave, but not before each gives Ranma a different glance. Kasumi's look was filled with pity and a little curiosity; Nabiki would obviously enjoy finding out everything there was about Miko, and rubbing Ranma's face in it; Akane was just plain mad, though something else unidentifiable was also present. Ranma checks the hallway one more time to make sure there are no more listeners then turns back to Miko. "Come one Miko lets get you back to Dr. Tofu's." Ranma then picks-up Miko and carefully settles her on his back, her arms around his neck. "Daddy," Miko hesitantly begins, after they had gotten halfway to Dr. Tofu's , "Remember what I asked before that bad man came?" Ranma freezes for a moment then nods and begins to walk again. "I don't want to know." This time Ranma does more than freeze, he face-faults (to Miko's secret enjoyment), "Wha'...why not?" Miko squeezes Ranma's neck a little harder, "If I don't know I can still pretend you are, even if you're not." Ranma smiles a sad and ironic smile, "Ok, Miko, I won't tell." Miko just smiles in response. ------------------------- One examination and lollipop (and a private warning to watch her leg) latter Ranma and child are back at the Tendo's. Ranma is doing a kata in the back near the koi pond and Miko is watching from the porch. Ranma is quietly thinking up battle plans as he goes through his practice, Just as Ranma's feet leave the ground the space he was standing in became filled with umbrella, "Ranma prepare To DIE!" Ranma grins, "Well if it isn't P-Chan! What did I do to you this time?" Ryoga lands next to his umbrella, which he retrieves, and drops his pack, "You cheated on Akane! You've been stringing her along all this time when you already have a kid! DIE!" "Now Ryoga," *dodges a bandana* "How can I have cheated on Akane when I Miko is older the entire time I spent in Nerima?" *Dodges an umbrella strike* "That doesn't matter, because today is the day I finish you off, witness my new technique Bakusai Tenketsu Saikou!" (I could use a full translation and the proper wording please) Ryoga's new technique is an improved version of the original Bakusai Tenketsu, with a much bigger blast radius and a more violent explosion, an explosion that sent large chunks of rock in every direction. Ranma himself is easily able to dodge all the larger pieces of rock will still maneuvering closer to Ryoga. Miko is another story. Luckily for her most of the rocks (and all the larger ones) miss entirely, but in her haste to try to dodge the rock her leg gives and she topples over onto her side. Even worse as she lands a distinct *SNAP* is heard. Ryoga, Ranma, and the Tendos (who arrived before the blast occurs) stand in total shock for about two seconds before anyone even breaths. Then Ranma screams. "MIKO!" Ranma shoves Ryoga aside, gathers the unconscious Miko into his arms and is over the wall before Ryoga has even finished falling over. If he had stayed he would seen Ryoga transcribe a graceful arch...right into the koi pond... ------------------------- Ranma makes a dim note of the giant column of blue chi that erupts in the general direction of the Dojo, but pushes it to the back of his mind, for he had just arrived at the clinic. Dr. Tofu ushers Ranma out of the check-up room, or rather tries to. Ranma doesn't seem to be very co-operative mumbling something about 'all my fault'. In the end Dr. Tofu hits Ranma's sleep spot, dropping the martial artist like Kuno after glomping Akane. the doctor thinks to himself, *Sigh* Tofu ponders on these and other thoughts as the sun goes down and another day ends. ------------------------- A young lady stops and looks down at a letter she has just finished composing. Her room is clean and well organized. Bookshelves are all over and they are all full. "It'll be good to see Ranma again," the lady mutters to herself, "It's been so long..." With a quick flourish the letter is complete and in its envelope. The lady smiles to herself and begins to prepare for bed. Just before she falls asleep she has one last thought, ------------------------- End Part 5 ------------------------- (If I got any special technique names wrong please send me the proper words. Thanks.) Finally its finished! Remember C&C is always welcome. After all if you don't tell me what's wrong then I can't get better. The lady? You'll find out in a few chapters. I'll do my best to get the next part out soon, but don't get your hopes up too high. And check out my webpage while your at it. http://www4.ncsu.edu/~trscrogg/index.html Thomas Scroggs Cartoon Survival Rule #4: You can hide anywhere. Behind trees, boulders, anything. Just remember, unless your hiding place is destroyed, don't change them. If you do you'll end up hiding behind the same whatever your enemy is.