Well, another part without any revisions to it. Part 6 will change
that, as it has the beginning of a plot that I'm excerising from the
story. Don't worry, the reason I'm getting rid of it is because it
interfers with to many of my other plot ideas.
-----Archives may CUT HERE-------
Returning Home
By David Farr
Part 5
Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and used here for
the
purposes of fanfiction.
My hompeage is:
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~djfarr/
*****
Kasumi looked out across the backyard. Adventure had become part
and parcel of the life about the Tendo house since the arrival of a
certain girl and her pet panda. Often it had seemed that not a day would
go by without a fiancee showing up, or a martial artist appearing to
fight Ranma. Insanity and confusion followed the young man, and when he
vanished, peace had descended on them like a suffocating blanket.
A sparring match above the Koi pond seemed both normal and
comforting now. Father and son circled the body of water, watching each
other. Moments later they launched themselves into the air, meeting in a
clash of flying fists and sweeping kicks. Or at least that was what she
expected.
Ranma's leap was not directly at his father. Instead he shot up a
little further. In mid air he flipped over, planting his hands on his
father's shoulders. Realising what his son was doing Genma twisted, but
Ranma had already shoved downwards, sending himself vaulting away from
the pond. He landed comfortably as Genma transformed amidst a fountain of
water.
"What's the matter pop," he said, turning to grin at his father,
"didja really think I wouldn't learn something in five years?" A wave of
water flew out of the pond, soaking the youth.
"Aw jeez, what did you do that for?" Ranma exclaimed.
"Ranma!" Akane's voice grabbed the attention of everyone in the
backyard.
"Yeah, what?" The young man looked up at the second floor balcony
on which she stood.
"Is Ukyo down there with you?"
Ranma looked about, unconsciously checking for her. "Nah, she was
still in bed when I got up."
"Well, could you look for her down there, I'll check up here. We
don't want a repeat of last night."
*****
The hardest part had been sneaking out of the house. Her parents
rarely relaxed their guard, but she had found a time, after her father
had gone out and before her mother's sleep had lightened, when she could
sneak out. Sure enough not even little Ryoga had noticed her.
Next she had needed to find Furinkan High. She did not exactly
have a lot of options. Possibly she could wander around like her uncle
Ryoga had in her father's tales, but she was smarter than that. She had
searched out her mother's old school uniform so that she could find a
student who was heading in early.
It did not take long to find someone, lots of student headed in
early to get seats to watch the latest episode of their favourite drama
played out in the courtyard. Shadowing her chosen guide, Ukyo snuck along
the rooftops until she reached the schoolyard. Quickly she leaped down,
blurring across the grass and up into a tree.
Nestled there she waited, and thought back on the events of the
night before.
She had been practising in the dojo, a series of feints that lead
into a kata her father had designed for her. It was peaceful, and safe.
Never before had there been a time when she was alone. Even in worlds
where they had felt safe, her parents had always watched over her. But
this was not just any world, this was home.
She had not even sensed him. He had just appeared behind her and
wrapped her arms about her. In that instant she knew fear. All those
warnings of her parents, about things they'd seen and fought, things she
couldn't hope to defeat, flooded through her mind. Fear built in her,
uncontrolled and rampant. But she had not shown it, forcing herself not
to shiver in his arms. She did not even notice the glow, did not feel the
explosion.
Then her mother had shattered the door. Relief had flooded her
and she threw herself at her mother.
Sitting in the tree she did not notice herself starting to glow
again. This time it was not due to fear. She did however notice HIM.
He was crossing the schoolyard towards Nabiki. The middle Tendo
daughter seemed to be expecting him, but the little girl hidden in the
tree didn't pay attention to that. All she knew was that she could not
let him hurt another member of her family.
Time seemed to slow as her vision narrowed. She did not see the
shifting leaves as they brushed against her, or the yard full of students
that she shot across. As her spear stretched outwards she saw him react,
half turning and pulling back.
When Kuno had come out to face Nabiki he had not expected to be
attacked, and certainly not by a blue fireball screaming in a high
pitched voice. Never-the-less his reflexes did not fail him, forcing into
a backwards leap. His feet had barely left the ground when his attacker
had shot through the space he had just occupied.
A soft explosion accompanied the impact and Chibi-Ukyo spun, her
spear held ready to attack again. She did not notice her Aunt
back-pedalling out of the fight or the crowd she was drawing.
Kuno did the worst thing he possibly could, he threw his arms
wide and hurried towards the small red-haired girl, intending to wrap her
in his embrace. "My pig-tailed--UFF!"
The butt of Chibi-Ukyo's spear crashed deep into the samurai's
stomach, bending him in two. In a quick manoeuvre she spun the spear, its
tip slicing open his top and leaving gouges on his bare chest and the
butt slamming into his ribs. Next she expertly moved the still spinning
weapon so that it impact on the underside of his chin, hooking him and
sending him flying over her.
Kuno crashed on the ground. He hadn't expected the blows from the
youthened pig-tailed-girl (who was now missing the pig-tail), and he had
been wide open for them. Groaning he rolled over and stared at the still
blazing girl.
"I... forgive... you..." he moaned. "That wretch... Saotome..."
Chibi-Ukyo's aura brightened as she drew back her arm. "Don't you
dare speak of my father!" The glow about her flashed and flowed up her
body, over her arm and into the spear. "NOW YOU PAY!"
"UKYO, STOP!"
The command had come from two different directions. Two very
commanding female voices had yelled the words, two voices she couldn't
help but listen too, simply because of the disapproving tone.
She looked up, her aura guttering out like a flame without air.
Two of the students stood not far away, both had hands on hips and both
glared at her the expressions of disapproval mirroring the command they'd
given.
"Auntie Nabiki. Auntie Ukyo." Chibi-Ukyo gulped, the only way it
could be worse was if it had been her parents.
Nabiki stalked forward, continuing to glare at the little girl as
she moved to tower over her. "What do you think you are doing?!" she
demanded. "Did your parents teach you to KILL?!"
Chibi-Ukyo did what any child would do when facing a scoulding.
She looked down at her feet and let her voice drop low. "No."
"Look at me!" the elder Ukyo snapped, stepping up. The child's
head popped up to look fearfully into the face of her namesake. "Do you
think they'd be happy?!"
Tears started welling in the little girl's eyes. "No."
"UKYO!!" The shout interrupted the scolding, and the assembled
students recognised it immediately.
"Over here Ran-chan!" the elder Ukyo called.
Moments later Ranma, in female form, arced over the heads of the
crowd and landed gracefully within the arena. He paused only for a moment
before crossing to the group. The crowd surrounding them started to
mutter. His eyes darted about resting momentarily on the battered Kuno
then moving to his daughter.
"What happened?" she demanded, looking between Nabiki and the two
Ukyos.
"The little savage decided to take Kuno out before he could
attack her again," Nabiki offered, shrugging.
Ranma looked down at the little girl, who was siddling from one
foot to another and trying not to look in him in the eyes. "Is this
true?"
She looked up and reluctantly nodded. "Sorry, daddy." Her voice
was barely above a whisper.
The muttering of the crowd intruded upon Ranma's awareness and he
glanced about, frowning. "I think we'd better drag Kuno to the infirmary
and discuss this in private, little lady."
It suddenly occurred to a lot of people that the late bell was
about to ring and the schoolyard emptied very quickly. Sighing Ranma
picked up Kuno, who had slipped into unconsciousness and followed Nabiki
and the Ukyos into the building.
*****
The purple haired girl paced across the room up to the withered
old woman. It was only the second day they'd been renting the room and
Cologne was already wishing she'd had enough money to get separate rooms.
Shampoo hadn't stopped pacing since she'd confirmed the good news.
"/If you want I could send you airmail again,/" the amazon
matriarch offered, watching as the girl spun and paced away again.
"/I would prefer to arrive as a girl. Ranma was not pleased when
I showed up as a cat that first time./" Shampoo had gotten back into the
habit of speaking Mandarin.
Cologne chuckled to herself. The Cat-fist had been a major
surprise. She would never have believed anyone would be stupid enough to
teach him that, but she hadn't met Genma then. "/It takes time to secure
transport if you are unable to legally enter a country. We could easily
skip a transport today, but if we spend a little time now, we might find
a quicker way./"
Shampoo nodded at her great-grandmother's wisdom. "/I just don't
feel right leaving my husband in the hands of that violent tomboy or my
spatula throwing rival./"
"/Patience, great-granddaughter. Sometimes you must wait in order
to win a battle./"
*****
Awakening to pain was not a novel experience for Kuno. More often
than he cared to admit he had fallen unconscious in battle and recovered
to find numerous bruises and aches still marking his body. It was a
testament to his strength that he so continued his fighting with such
wounds.
The ceiling of the school's infirmary was also a familiar sight.
He lay for a few seconds, wondering who had dragged him here this time
and if Sasuke would manage to get the grass stains out of his robes.
Finally, withholding the moans of pain he felt were necessary, he sat up
and looked around.
The first of the unusual sights greeted him. In the chair next to
his bed sat the foul Ranma Saotome, and apparently he was reading a thick
book. Kuno recognised the book immediately, it was his volume of the
works of William Shakespeare.
"Wretch, why art thou disgracing that work of genius?" The noble
upperclassman demanded.
Ranma looked up, slight irritation clouding his face. "You were
out for so long that I got bored. I didn't think you'd mind me doing a
little reading."
"You would have me believe that an uncouth cur such as yourself
can not only read English but enjoys the Bard himself?"
Closing the book Ranma shook his head. "Haven't had a lot of
chance to read since I learnt the language, but I must say, he has a good
dramatic flair." He lent forward and placed the book on the edge of the
bed. "I can see why you talk like him."
Kuno shifted feeling for his bokken. He didn't find it. "I find
it hard to believe you awaited my recovery to critique the work of an
English playwright."
"You're right, of course. Look Kuno, we have to talk about you
chasing Akane and Ukyo. There's lots of things you don't understand."
Ranma sat back and stared at the man in the bed. For the first time Kuno
saw not an arrogant boy, but a serious man who did not seek violence.
"I have never sought after Ukyo, for she has never interested
me."
A scowl passed over Ranma's face, then realisation. He laughed
much to Kuno's irritation. "No, not Ukyo Kounji, I meant my daughter,
Ukyo." He silenced Kuno by holding up his hand. "Let me explain, first
about your pig-tailed-girl, then about Akane, Ukyo and me. All I ask is
that you listen, nothing more."
"I doubt you can say anything I wish to hear, but I will give you
the chance to waste your energies."
Ranma rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Okay, first there is no
pig-tailed-girl, she's just the result of a curse placed on me."
"That I do not believe!"
Ranma shrugged. "It's the truth. Whenever I get splashed with
water I become female. I can use hot water to change back, but its only
temporary."
"If what you say is true, then why did you, in the guise of the
pig-tailed-girl lead me on?" Kuno inquired indignantly. "I remember many
times when she expressed her love for me."
Shaking his head Ranma sighed. "Yeah, I'm not exactly proud of
that Kuno. Think about it, did she, I mean I, ever do that without
wanting something? Like when your father showed up and put that map to
the excuse note on the back of your head."
Kuno thought back, Ranma was right, he could not remember an
occasion when the pig-tailed-girl had not wanted something from him.
Still that was not proof of his words. "May I see this miracle curse?"
"Sure, just wait a sec while I get a couple of glasses of water."
He was up, out of his chair and vanished through the curtain that
separated the bed from the rest of the room. Kuno waited impatiently for
a few minutes then Ranma returned carrying a glass of water and a
steaming kettle.
"Right, I've done this a couple times in front of you before, and
you've always managed to miss it somehow, so pay attention." He doused
himself with the cold water and felt the change wash over him.
Kuno took it badly. Watching his hated rival transform into the
one of the women he loved struck at his heart. All the missed hints, the
ignored incidents, how could he have obsessed so over, over, a fiction?!
Even more, the attempts to tell him the truth (not helped by Nabiki's
inflammatory comments), all the rejections at the hand of
pig-tailed-girl, how could he have ignored all of that. What kind of man
hounded another so?
"I have been a fool," Kuno muttered. He looked at the girl warily
watching him, and was struck by the sickening thought that the she that
he desired was in fact a he. Then he realised that the reverse must have
been at least as sickening. "We have each given the other pain."
Ranma nodded and reached out for the hot kettle. "Yeah, but I
haven't finished with my news yet." He doused himself, changing back, the
change bringing another twist to Kuno's gut. "Nabiki's been running a
misinformation campaign since Akane and I got back, trying to confuse
people so we don't have to deal with everything at once. After last night
we all realised that is only gonna make things worse."
"My supposed attack on the child," Kuno surmised.
"Right, so I think you should know the truth. Anyway, you know
the kinda things that happen to Akane and me, you've been involved in a
few of them. Well we got hit again and we lived five years while you
all've been searching for us. During that time we finally admitted our
love to each other and got married. Before we got back we had two
children, Ukyo who takes after my girl side, and Ryoga, who takes after
Akane." He smiled, and Kuno saw love in that expression, a love he could
not deny.
"I am not sure if I believe you," he commented, doubt on his face
and in his voice. It was mostly a lie, but he sought to hide it even from
himself.
Ranma gave a small shrug. "Well, it's what happened. You can ask
Akane if you want. Just try approaching her without throwing insults, it
helps keep her temper in check."
"I will do as you suggest, for no other reason than I do not wish
to continue the folly of acting with out knowing all. Certainly I will
not trust the information gathering services of Nabiki."
Ranma smiled and breathed out a little laugh. "She does have a
habit of twisting things to benefit herself, doesn't she?" He frowned,
becoming serious again. "Just stay away from Ukyo for a little while, I
doubt she's gonna be happy to see you."
"She is an able fighter, especially for one so young. You taught
her well." Kuno couldn't help but offer that compliment to his ex-rival,
there was too much truth behind it.
Ranma's nod was reluctant and held a hint of sadness. "We had no
choice, getting home wasn't easy. Peace and safety haven't been constants
in her life up to now."
"I understand. Tell me Saotome, will you be making your..." he
seemed to have trouble saying the next word, "marriage to the fair Akane
Tendo official in this world?"
"Yes, I'm sure you'll get an invitation." A grin broke onto
Ranma's face. "Although it would be fairly dishonourable to disrupt it."
Kuno gave a bark of laughter. "Honour is not something we two
should be discussing! We have not treated each other with much!"
Ranma nodded, and turned away, heading for the curtain. "I think
we should try starting again, Upperclassman." He swept the curtain aside
and paused. "Oh, and one piece of advice, I find that women prefer to be
wooed, not beaten up." He vanished behind the curtain and the click of
door moments later told Kuno he was gone.
Kuno waited, listening. Once he was sure he was alone, he allowed
a single tear roll for the loss of love.
*****
The little girl at his side was quiet, watching the stones
skittering away as she kicked them down the street. Her hands were
clasped behind her and her shoulders were slumped. Normally she would
have been bouncing around, staring at the trees, perching on fences to
gaze into yards and generally taking in the sights. It bothered Ranma
that his daughter was acting so subdued.
"Why did you do it?" Ramna asked.
"'Cause I didn't like him," the girl pouted.
Spinning around Ranma stood before his daughter and glared at
her. "Is that any reason to try to kill someone?!"
"You beat people up all the time!" Chibi-Ukyo objected, glaring
up at her.
Ranma sighed and shook his head. He guessed that this was just
the first of many problems they'd be facing with his daughter's
upbringing. "Darling, when your mother and I fight someone we try to
knock them out or scare them away. Killing someone is a major act.
There's no way to make it up to them afterwards if you find out it was a
mistake, they're dead and there's no way of coming back." He knelt down
and caught her gaze. "Do you remember Sammy?"
Chibi-Ukyo winced at the name. When she was little they had
stopped for a while on a world where the dominant life form were a cute
furry race. While they had problems dealing with the adults, Ukyo and a
bunch of kids had started playing games. The Saotome's had settled down
for a while, hoping to give her some quality time. Unfortunately an
earthquake had struck and Ukyo's best friend had died.
"It was very painful when he died, wasn't it?" Ranma watched as
tears welled up in his daughter's eyes. "Would you want to be responsible
for making someone else face that kind of pain?" He held her, stroking
her hair. "Killing should be the last option you think of, no matter
what."
"Yes daddy," Chibi-Ukyo murmured.
"Good. So long as you learn that lesson, then some good has come
of this mess." He stood and turned away once more. "Now all we have to do
is weather your mother's anger."
*****
"SHE DID WHAT?!"
Kasumi pulled up short as Ranma was blown out the door by Akane's
scream. The eldest Tendo sister pushed shut the sliding door, muffling
the continuing berating. A slight chuckle escaped as she watched the two
fathers slip off.
"She has grown more vocal," Kasumi observed, kneeling beside the
dazed martial artist.
Ranma propped himself up on one elbow and clutched the side of
his head. "Yeah, but it's less painful than being malleted."
Kasumi spared the closed door a glance. "Will Ukyo be alright?"
"She and I have already had a quiet talk about what she did
wrong, but I guess she wouldn't feel right if she didn't get a scolding
from hurricane Akane." He managed a half shrug. "She might think her
mother doesn't care anymore."
"She loves her, and her anger is just a facet of that," Kasumi
surmised.
"Yeah, Akane's like that, makes her kinda cute," Ranma turned to
look at the door behind which his wife was still yelling at their
daughter.
"RANMA! GET IN HERE!" Akane's yell caused Ranma to wince visibly.
"Oops, missed my cue." Ranma leapt to his feet as Kasumi pulled
back. "This thing's got a rhythm, and I just spoiled it." He slipped open
the door and stormed in, slamming it shut behind him.
Kasumi nodded, knowing at last that Akane and Ranma would make
good parents.
-----------
David Farr
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~djfarr/
djfarr@ihug.co.nz katsuhito@planetjurai.com
"Die-cast construction, it's a lost art."
- Optimus Primal, Beast Wars.