Returning Home
By David Farr
Part 4

	Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and used here for the
purposes of fanfiction.
	This work in no way is connected to any other work of fanfiction.
Any similarities are entirely coincidental.

*****

	Nabiki glared at Ranma. "Come on Ranma, you know Kuno as well as I
do."

	Ranma shook his head. "Nup, I've seen him once in the last five
years."

	"He's got you there, Nabiki honey," Ukyo pointed out, smiling.

	"Well," Nabiki thought for a second, drawing the word out as she did,
"I'd guess he'd try to break the spell..." her voice trailed off.

	"Ukyo!" Ranma and Akane chorused, leaping to their feet and smashing
through the go game. A tramped Genma and Soun lay groaning in their
wake. They were only halfway across the yard when a high pitched
screech rent the air. Ukyo and Nabiki arrived at the dinning room door
in time to see light flash inside the dojo.

	Akane hit the door before Ranma and smashed through it, showering
those inside with wood chips and tissue paper.

	"MUMMY!" A small figure assaulted Akane, wrapping her arms around her
mother and breaking into frightened sobs. As Akane fell to her knees
to hold the frightened child Ranma continued past.

	It took only an instant for Ranma to spot his daughter's assailant,
lying slumped in one corner. A bokken was still held tightly in one
hand, but it, like his samurai robes, was badly scorched. Appearing
next to Kuno, Ranma grabbed the kendoist's hair and pulled. He
regarded the soot-smeared face and more than usual vacant expression,
checked for a pulse, then allowed Kuno's head to droop once more.

	"He'll be okay in a hours," Ranma reported, turning to face his wife
and child. A crash startled him as Kuno slid down the wall and
collapsed on the floor.

	"It's okay, darling, it's okay," Akane was repeating to her crying
daughter. "The bad man can't hurt you now."

	Ranma joined the kneeling pair, encircling them both in his arms. For
a long time the trio was silent, other than Ukyo's sobs and Akane's
soothing murmuring. Equally quiet in the doorway stood Nabiki and
Ukyo, watching the huddled family.

	The bawling of a baby broke the silence and grew closer. Nabiki
turned, then tapped Ukyo on the shoulder. The pair separated, letting
through a worried Kasumi holding a crying bundle. Ranma separated from
his family and hopped over to Kasumi, a sad smile on his face.

	"I'm sorry..." Kasumi whispered, "he just started crying, and I
couldn't..." she lowered her head in shame, "...sorry."

	"It's okay," Ranma replied quietly. He took little Ryoga from her,
and gently cradled him. "He's just worried." As he walked back to
Akane and young Ukyo he rocked the baby, whose crying ended in a
gurgle and a smile. He knelt beside his daughter. "See Ukyo, Ryoga
wanted to make sure you're alright."

	Ukyo raised her head from her mother's chest and gazed with swollen
red eyes at her little brother. She reached out and brushed his cheek.
"Thanks Ry-ry," she smiled weakly at Ryoga, who reached up and grabbed
her finger. "Ow! Ow! Let go Ry-ry! That hurts!"

	"He'll live up to his name." Ranma chuckled.

	Nabiki was startled by a sniff from beside her. She turned to see
tears welling up in the elder Ukyo's eyes. "Painful, isn't it," she
whispered. "Come, let's leave them alone."

	Ukyo nodded and started turning towards the door. Then a thought
struck her, so she spun and dashed across the dojo. "You take care of
little Ukyo," she called, slinging Kuno over her shoulder, "we'll deal
with sleeping beauty here." Before Ranma could answer she'd bounced
back across the room and out the door. Kasumi and finally Nabiki
followed her moments later.

	Nabiki paused at the door and looked over her shoulder. Young Ukyo
and Akane had separated and were looking at baby Ryoga. While her eyes
were still red from tears, they also shone with a smile that her face
mirrored. Akane and Ranma both seemed more at ease too, and Ryoga
seemed to delight in being the centre of attention. Briefly she
wondered what fires forged a family like that, then, with a slight
smile, she left them to themselves.

*****

	Kuno awoke as the frozen water struck him hard. "Who dares...?" he
spluttered, trying to rise. The presence of something cold and sharp
on his Adam's apple prevented him from going beyond propping himself
up on his elbows.

	Blinking the water from his eyes, the soaked young man found himself
towered over by a trio of displeased women. It was Ukyo Kuonji's
spatula that blocked his motion, her glare bore down its length,
skewering him to the spot. Next to her, hands on hips, stood Nabiki
Tendo, giving him a look of disgust and hatred that few had ever seen
from the usually reserved girl. Finally, next to her younger sister
stood Kasumi Tendo, giving him what was the most mild of the
expressions, but from such a peaceful woman it was a statement of true
feeling.

	"What got into your moronic little mind?" Ukyo demanded, her glare
hardening even more.

	"I need not explain myself to you!" Kuno sniffed imperiously.

	"Would you prefer to explain to the police?" Nabiki sneered, leaning
forward. She'd always known how to cut an imposing figure, even if she
couldn't harm the person in question.

	"And for what reason would the authorities become involved?" Kuno
inquired, pride still dripping from his voice.

	Nabiki straightened and started counting on her fingers. "Trespass,
breaking and entering, physical abuse of a minor, attempted kidnap.
Think that's enough?"

	"I did none of those things! I only attempted to rescue the
pig-tailed-girl from the clutches of that cur Saotome."

	Ukyo rolled her eyes and growled. "Think the cops'll see it that way,
honey?"

	Still frowning, Kasumi stepped forward. "Leave our home and do not
return!" She nodded to Ukyo who flicked up her spatula and shoved it
into the straps on her back, letting Kuno get to his feet.

	"And you can consider that a permanent withdrawal of your
invitation," Nabiki yelled at his retreating back.

*****

	Ranma came downstairs, looking beat. He dropped down onto the floor
next to the dining room table and looked around at the three women
sitting there. All three were quietly sipping tea, watching him with
interest.

	"Finally got Ukyo and Ryoga off to sleep. Akane decided to get some
shut-eye as well." Ranma accepted the cup offered by Kasumi.

	"And you couldn't sleep?" Ranma shook his head to answer Nabiki's
question. "Pity, I've seen you looking better after fights you've
almost lost."

	"Yeah well, dealing with emotions is harder than beating someone up."
Ranma shrugged. "What happened to Kuno?"

	Ukyo smiled around her cup. "Nabiki threatened him with the cops,
then Kasumi ordered him out. I've never seen him run so fast." She put
down her tea. "Ranma, you'll have to deal with him. Set him straight
somehow."

	Sighing, Ranma slumped down, age apparently falling about his
shoulders. "I know, but he's so hard to talk to. Akane and I want to
be sure of what we say so he doesn't misinterpret it."

	"Good luck," Nabiki said patronising. She stood and stretched. "Well,
I think I'll follow Akane's example and go to bed."

	Kasumi also stood. "Yes, it has been a long night." She turned and
started following Nabiki to the door. "Oh, just leave the tea things
on the table. I'll get them in the morning."

	"Okay Kasumi, see you tomorrow," Ranma called after the Tendo
sisters.

	"Good night, Kasumi, Nabiki," Ukyo added.

	"Night," the pair chorused, vanishing into the darkness of the house.

	"I noticed the old men didn't help you," commented Ranma once they
were gone.

	Ukyo shrugged. "They were probably still recovering from the
footprints you and Akane gave them," she giggled. "You were in a hurry
at the time."

	"Kasumi packed them off to bed?" Ranma asked. Ukyo nodded and he
continued. "Ah well, at least he'll wait a little while before
annoying us again. Kuno I mean, not pop or Mr Tendo."

	"That's what Nabiki thought," Ukyo pointed out, "and look where that
left us. What was that flash I saw as you ran up?"

	"Hmm? Oh, you remember all that discussion of Chi and stuff we went
through when I learnt the Hiryu Shouten Ha? Well it seems Ukyo has a
pretty strong aura, and every now and then she can use it in battle.
It's not a conscious thing, just a lash out thing, but it's fairly
powerful."

	"I noticed, Kuno looked pretty beat up." Ukyo smiled. "If she can
learn to harness that, she'll be very dangerous."

	Ranma smiled a predatory grin. "We're working on it. Hey, Akane and I
think we might be able to tap our own reserves." A yawn took him.
"Jeez, I'm tired. I think I'm ready to join Akane in bed after all.
Can you let yourself out?" Ukyo nodded in reply. "Okay, G'night."

	Shaking her head, Ukyo stood and headed out as Ranma stumbled
upstairs. He'd done it again, Ukyo realised, and he hadn't even
thought about it. Five years had erased much of his insensitive
streak, but it still raised its ugly head, causing him to make
comments that struck at the hearts of others. Still, his bluntness was
something that she loved about him, she always had, and probably
always would. Tears started in her eyes and she blinked them away.

	When she had first arrived in Nerima vengeance had ruled her life.
The words of her childhood friends had still rung in her ears,
taunting her about her rejection at the hands of Ranma and his father.
Ten years hadn't deadened those voices, and her hatred had grown into
a blazing inferno. It had never been about honour, just humiliation
and revenge. But a single sentence had doused those fires.

	'May I introduce my cute fiancee.' Ranma's story, combined with that
one simple sentence, said totally without thought, had shown her that
he had never rejected her. Hope for the love she thought had been
stolen from her returned, and she joined the merry chase for Ranma's
affections.

	She had been so sure of herself, Ranma was constantly rejecting
Shampoo, and Akane's violent nature seemed to eliminate her
permanently. His continued refusals seemed born of his honour to the
agreement between his father and the Tendos. Of course her own
betrothal was just as valid, but she was a little surer in her place.

	But deep in the night when dreams escaped her, a quiet voice pointed
out the flippant way Ranma had said that phrase she cherished so much.
It was almost as if he'd said it to get Akane mad. That had never made
sense, and every night she wrestled with the concept until sleep took
her. In light of day that voice had been silent, brushed aside by the
competition. But now... now it's doomsaying had come true.

	What was left for her now? She could reject him and run away from the
only friend she had, returning once more to the life she had lead
before her arrival in Nerima. She could demand he honour the agreement
made by his worthless father, forcing him either into marriage or
asking him to restore their honour somehow. Or she could let it go,
accept the offered hand of friendship and maybe, just maybe, become a
member of his family that way.

	There were too many consequences and too much pain, Ukyo couldn't
decide. Her instincts said run, but her memories or her training for
revenge were hardly fond. Honour was important, both to Ranma and her,
but was a loveless marriage what she wanted? And was friendship
enough?

	Without thinking she fiddled with the lock to her restaurant, and
opened the door. She looked about her, and realised that while deep in
thought and self-pity she had managed to walk all the way from the
Tendo's back home without noticing.

	"Well, I hope I closed the door when I left," she commented, then
shut her own, never noticing the figure watching her.

*****

	It was a dream, complete with the blurred vision at the edges. He'd
never dreamt so vividly, in fact it was more like a memory. Very much
like a memory.

	He stood at the end of large hall. Like a long lawn a lush green
carpet stretched before him between rows of people. All wore a variety
of uniforms, carefully brushed and sharp, showing none of the
battle-ware that he expected. Medals and spats sparkled in the summer
sun that streamed through the massive windows that filled the walls.

	Looking up he saw a sea of green ivy strung between the soaring
rafters. Amongst the leaves, like pearls in the rough, sat the white
berries of the vines, making a stark contrast.

	Ranma turned and looked down to his side. He knew, surer than
anything, that standing there clad in a long green dress, her head
covered by a hood, was the woman he loved. Akane.

	The crowd watched them, their eyes never moving from the pair as they
strode purposefully but slowly up the aisle. Smiles graced the faces
of friends and allies, people he had come to know over the months of
battle and those that were nothing but names. All were happy for the
pair, no jealousy, no weeping, and thankfully, little chance for
interruption.

	At the end of the aisle waited Sela, a priestess who's words and
wisdom were considered second only to the goddess' herself. Graceful
was the only way to describe her, for that was how she had done
everything, including grow old. And now she waited for them, a pair
that was not a part of her religion, who did not even come from her
world.

	They reached the end of carpet and stopped before the venerable lady.
She smiled, nodded to them and started speaking. She spoke of
friendship and love, of great deeds and family. Her words rolled over
the crowd, but Ranma barely heard them. Instead all he could hear was
his beating heart.

	Finally Sela looked down at them, smiling and asked the fateful
question. "Do you, Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo, agree to this
eternal bond of love?"

	Knowing what to do the pair turned and their gazes met. Ranma took in
the view. Her face was graced by one of her cutest smiles and her deep
brown eyes shined with love. She still wore her hair short, as much of
need as preference.

	Together the two Japanese teenagers answered. "I do."

*****

	Ranma awoke suddenly. A slow warmth spread through him as the memory
of the dream started to blur. His wedding was one of the happiest days
of his life. Only one thing would have made it better, but that had
been impossible, an untraverseable gulf had lay between them and their
families. Well, then it had been impossible to cross.

	Quietly he rolled over and gazed at the woman lying next to him. She
was peaceful, no longer sleeping as violently as she had years before.
That smile, the same one from his dream, and their wedding, was on her
face. He wondered momentarily what images were dancing through her
mind.

	Sitting up he looked about the room. Only meters from them, on
another futon, lay his daughter. It seemed she had recovered well,
certainly she had fallen into a silent sleep. Hopefully her dreams
were also as peaceful as his and her mother's.

	The only other member of their little family lay peaceful and perhaps
totally oblivious to his families' strife. 'Or perhaps not so
oblivious,' Ranma thought, remembering his crying earlier.

	A gentle smile crept across the martial artist's face. Perfect
moments like these were hard to find, unless you were very, very
lucky.

-----

Author's Note:
	Well, back by VERY popular demand. After I posted the first
three parts I recieved so many requests to continue and even some
ideas on things I had missed, I really had no choice but to 
continue it. This part is a little short, but there wasn't 
anything more I wanted to do. 
-----------
Rarstarr,
David Farr
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~djfarr/
djfarr@ihug.co.nz