[Fanfic][Draft][Ranma1/2] Promises Part Two
From: perotessa5@aol.com (Perotessa)
Shadow Moon Productions Presents
A Ranma 1/2 fan fiction.
Promises
By
Perotessa Detwieler
Chapter Two
Disclaimer: The characters of Ranma 1/2 belong to Rumiko
Takahashi and are used here without permission.
Author's Notes: This story is inspired by Thomas Scruggs's
"Childhood Mysteries".
Author's Notes: Well the little demon that is my imagination has
escaped again. Hopefully by writing this story *glares at the demon*
I'll be able to recapture him and put him back into his cage.
Believe it or not, I am a Master at my Craft. I know what I am doing.
Don't be such doubting Thomases! If I say I can get this story to sound
somewhat believable I can do it!
<insert insane laughter here>
Well this part isn't quite ready for release yet, but I am tired of looking
at it. So I am throwing it out onto the list.
Part three is a little more "touch feelie".
I don't know if "Promises" will ever have a _Final_ draft. Probably not.
Unless I can find an editor and/or pre-readers.
Anyone wanna be an editor and fix all the problems of the drafts?
Write me privately if you do.
Thanks.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
For one of the few times in his life, Saotome Ranma woke up early on his
own. He lay there on his back on the futon staring up at the ceiling for an
undetermined amount of time.
<'Could it all have just been a dream?'> he wondered.
Hearing a soft moan off to his left, he glanced that direction
and saw a small boy. He didn't need to have the lights on to see the dark
hair, nor did he need the boy to open his eyes to know that they were
blue-grey.
Sighing he rolled over onto his side.
<'Well so much for the "It was all just a dream" idea'> he thought sourly.
He wondered what time it was and vaguely wondered what he was going to do
today.
Shrugging he got up. Well first things first.
Slipping on his gi he left the room.
He was the first to admit that he was neglecting his training lately.
And now with their new young visitor morning sparring might be out
of the question. Maybe if it was more organized or something. He
shrugged and padded down the hallway towards the dojo.
He glanced at the clock on his way out. 4:56 am.
<'Man...this whole thing must be freaking me out more
than thought!'>
He entered the dojo, his mind in a state of complete chaos.
Most people would argue that Ranma's mind was always in a
state of complete chaos, but they'd be wrong It was only his life that was
in chaos, but never his mind.
He stood in the middle of the dojo reaching out with all his senses trying
to
center himself then began a kata.
<'Okay so maybe last night wasn't all that bad.'> he thought. <'At least Mom
didn't
chase me around the house with her katana. She actually sat down and we got
to discuss things like rational, reasonable adults.'>
He winced.
* * *
Nodoka didn't need to see a birth certificate or a DNA test to know who
and what the little boy was in her son's arms. That the child was calling
Ranma "father" just confirmed her suspicions.
Ranma of course had the "Deer caught in the headlights" look before he
stuttered a: "Hi Mom. Won't you come in?"
He moved back from the door allowing his mother to enter.
"Hey Lyr, look who it is? It's grandma!"
Lyr looked at Nodoka smiling shyly.
"I think everyone else is in the tearoom, Mom. Can I uh....take your coat
or something?"
"Why thank you dear." his mother said pleasantly. She shrugged out of her
coat and let Ranma hang it up on the coat rack close by.
He laughed nervously then moved towards the tea room. Opening the door
he said, maybe a tad louder than necessary, "Hey everybody! Look it's my
mom!"
His old man blanched and if the doors had been open, would have probably
jumped into the Koi pond. <' The old coward,'> thought Ranma <'He'll do
anything
to worm his way out of explaining this.'>
Kasumi smiled brilliantly at Nodoka. "Oh! Auntie Saotome! How are you? Would
you like to join us for tea?"
Nodoka hesitantly came into the room and speared everyone in it with her
eyes.
Soun and Genma had the decency to look away. Nabiki shuddered slightly and
the look washed over Kasumi like a gentle breeze.
"So, who wants to explain to me what's going on?" she asked in a very mild
and pleasant tone. "Uh...well me and Lyr are off to take our bath!" said
Ranma
edging towards the door.
Nodoka's voice stopped him like cold steel.
"Oh no you don't Ranma. What is going on? I can tell that, that boy is some
relation to you and I want the truth."
<'But a little white lie would sit a lot better right this minute.'> he
thought desperately.
If he didn't tell her, he knew Nabiki would. And she'd probably make it all
sound
like it was his fault in some way or the other. Mister Tendo and his old
man
would royally muddle things up and before he would know it he'd be running
for
his life through Nermia.
Sighing he said: "Okay okay! This is Lyr, my son. He's four years old. His
mother died a few months ago and his great-grandmother, who had been taking
care of him, died last week. Since I am his only living relative they gave
me custody."
Nodoka looked at Ranma then studied Lyr who was now looking at her quite
curiously.
Seeing an almost exact copy of her son she blinked back tears.
"I see. Your son." she let out a shuddering breathe. "It's okay Ranma. I
think
you two were going to go take your bath. We can discuss this once you get
out."
Ranma blinked. "uh...okay. Thanks mom. I'll be out soon."
He made his escape quickly padding down to the bathroom.
* * *
Ranma finished his kata; a light sheen of sweat covered him. He scratched
his forehead in an absent manner and wondered who was going to be the
first one to show up once news of Lyr's existence leaked out.
He snorted in derision. No, once news of Lyr's existence was sold.
<'I really gotta do something about Nabiki.'> he thought.
Trashing her room was just too childish and she'd make him pay for it
anyways.
No, the best way to deal with Nabiki was with the truth. She might be cold
and
mercenary, but if she realized that she could make more money by treating
him nicely than by trying to extort it out of him, then he might be able to
get her
off his back.
Well that would have to wait for later; everyone knew Nabiki wasn't
a morning person. He'd take her down to Doc Tofu's when he put Lyr down
for his nap.
Lyr.
Now that was another problem. Of course he remembered
the Masikawa's and the shrine up in the mountains. And he most assuredly
remembered Roshio. Not that he'd ever told anyone about her or what had
happened four years ago. Although he had a feeling his dad had his
suspicions.
Now with Lyr here those suspicions were fact sort of.
But knowing what a fool his old man was who knew what else was going
through his head.
He plopped down on the floor and sat there looking up at the
plaque on the wall. Things had been so much easier four years ago...in a
sense. And now of course they were coming back to bite him on the ass.
But what else do you expect!
Grumpy he stood up and left to dojo walking off to the bathroom to take a
shower.
<'Oh well..at least mom and I had a nice little talk.'>
* * *
Hair now damp and with a slightly groggy four year old in his arms, Ranma
passed the tea room which was now filled with the hum of the television set.
Ranma carried Lyr up to his room wondering where his mother was.
Other than waiting for the little rug rat to go to sleep, he really had no
idea
on what he was going to do with him.
Long Term plans just didn't seem to be a very high priority to one
Saotome Ranma
He opened up the door to his room and saw that Kasumi had unrolled the
bedding.
There really wasn't room for a third futon but somehow she had managed it.
Good ole Kasumi.
He put Lyr down on the third futon and then sat back on his heels.
"I guess you've had a hard day ne?" he asked.
In response, Lyr rolled over onto his stomach and curled up yawning.
Ranma folded over the top of the quilt and placed it at Lyr's feet. When and
if he wanted it all he had to do was reach for it.
The light gave off a soft glow, just enough to read by and not enough to
keep
a person awake. Ranma retrieved a manga and thumbed through it to one of
his favorite parts and began to read.
There was a knock on the door. He glanced at Lyr, whose eyes had finally
shut
and went to go answer it.
His mother stood in the doorway. "Ranma if you're not busy, we could have
that
talk now if you like."
"Uh." was Ranma's eloquent and intelligent response. "Sure. Where?"
"Lets conduct this in the kitchen. Kasumi made a pot of tea and I am sure
she
wantsto hear this as well." Nodoka turned and started toward the stairs.
Ranma was a bit reluctant but seeing Lyr fast asleep, he decided to go.
Upon entering the kitchen he saw Kasumi sitting at the table and next to her
was Akane.
Ranma swallowed <'maybe this wasn't such a great idea afterall.'>
His mother sat down across from Kasumi, leaving the only spot left the one
across from Akane.
<'Damnit! I have nothing to be ashamed of!'> He sat down stiffly and not
meeting his iinazuke's eyes.
Kasumi poured the tea and passed out the cups then sat back. She nodded
to Nodoka who cleared her throat much like Mister Tendo had done at dinner.
Ranma hoped that this little family gathering wasn't going to be a repeat of
that.
"Since some of us were not present when you explained what was going on.
I was thinking maybe you should start from the very beginning."
Ranma nodded and tried to gather his thoughts then said: "Today during
school,
I got this letter from a Tanimura Miskiro. It said 'Please come to Neima
Plaza
Tokyo so that we may finish our business.' It was the weirdest Challenge
Letter
I'd ever seen. But I thought, you know, ' a challenge is a challenge' so I
went
over to Tokyo.
"Well I get there and find out that this Tanimura guy isn't a fighter, he's
a lawyer.
He said that he was the lawyer for the Masikawa family. He tells me that
the
Elder Masikawa had died like a week ago and her granddaughter, Lyr's mother,
died nine months or so ago. The Masikawa Clan had me tracked down and
was going to give me custody of Lyr cause I was his father.
"Now I am not saying I am not his dad; I mean all you gotta do is look at
him
but I do want to make sure. Uhm...other than that, I don't know what to do.
That Tanimura guy said that I was to go back to his office not this Monday,
but
the next one for the reading of the Will. He said I could bring anyone I
liked to it.
I...uh...would like for all of you to come. You too Akane." He looked up at
his iinazuke
who was staring into her tea cup.
Nodoka was silent for a moment letting everything he had just told her sink
in.
"Ranma, didn't the Masikawa's have any other relations that could have taken
the boy in? I mean, not to speak ill of your abilities, but you are only
seventeen
years old yourself. Suddenly finding yourself a father, I am sure wasn't in
your plans."
Ranma shrugged. "I am flexible mom. As for relations, I don't know. I never
got
the feeling that Roshio had any siblings."
His mother nodded.
It was Kasumi who asked the next question: "So what was Roshio to you then
Ranma?"
He wasn't sure how he wanted to answer that question. He played with the cup
in his
hands. "I really...I am not sure how to answer that one. She was...next to
Ukyo the
first person I ever let in. She was a friend and in a way a teacher you
could say.
And I don't mean about..." he waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal,
"that kind
of stuff. She's the one who really got me to understand about Chi. And life
and to
take time to look at the beauty of the world. I felt I could trust her."
He shrugged again in a gesture of helplessness. He wasn't sure he was
explaining
this right. He was surprised Akane was taking all of these revelations so
calmly though.
Kasumi noticed his look and giggled. "Oh don't worry about her Ranma. We
put a little something into her tea. She should be feeling okay right about
now."
Ranma looked at Kasumi and then his mother with a puzzled look. "What do you
mean?"
"It was just a little something to calm her down and allow you to tell us
what you needed to.
She'll sleep it off so don't worry."
<'I wonder why they don't medicate her on a regular basis?'> He shook his
head
slightly in disbelief. "Any other questions?"
Kasumi looked at Nodoka. The Saotome Matriarch took out a folded piece
of paper.
"Well, it does look like his Birth Certificate is in order so you don't have
to
worry about that. He will be officially recognized in the records as your
son.
But Ranma, what do you plan to do now?"
Ranma thought about it for a moment then looked his mother straight in the
eye
and said: "I'll do the only thing I can do. Live with what's been dealt to
me. I've
never run from a challenge and I don't intend on starting now. I am going
to be
the best father to Lyr as I can.
"I'll go to school on Monday and pray that the insanity doesn't get to
unbearable.
If they think they can defeat Saotome Ranma through his son, they've got
another
thing coming."
It was such a wonderful dramatic moment.
Too bad Akane ruined it by slumping forward in her chair and smashing into
the
table. They all started and looked at her incredulously.
"Wow...whatever you put in her tea sure was strong."
At that point Nodoka called the little meeting to a close and bid her son to
take
Akane up to her room. Which he did with the greatest of reluctance, the
carrying
not the putting to bed.
He sat on the edge of her bed and watched her sleep for a bit. <'I wish I
could tell
you what I really am thinking and feeling Akane. I wish I could trust you
like that and
maybe one day I will be able to. But not yet.'>
* * *
Shower out of the way, Ranma wandered back to his room.
Lyr was still asleep. To his surprise though, his father was not.
Saotome Genma sat next to the little boy that was his grandchild and watched
him sleep.
He glanced up as Ranma came in. Ranma stopped for a moment then slowly
continued into the room. "Hey Pop."
Genma grunted a reply.
<'Okay not very talkative. I can live with that.'>
"You know, he looks exactly like did when you were his age."
Ranma slowly turned toward the old man an ember of rage burning
in his belly. <'There is no freakin' way....'>
"What are you saying Old Man?"
Genma continued to look at Lyr. "I am saying that you're very fortunate to
have
family around you now in this trying time. How else do you think you'll be
able
to finish school and also be able to take care of this child?"
Ranma right then and there decided to nip this idea in the bud.
"No Pop. You are not to teach him the Art."
Genma looked at Ranma like he couldn't believe that, that had just come out
of his mouth.
"You've got to be joking! Ranma my boy! This is your son! Yours! You, who
may be the greatest martial artist of your generation! There shouldn't be
any
question in your mind to start training this boy to be Your heir!"
The younger Saotome turned on his father in a fury that Genma hadn't
seen ever before. "I said forget it Pop. He's not my heir. I am his.
Leave it alone."
Not wanting to let this Golden Opportunity slip through his fingers, Genma
tried to
persuade his reluctant son the only way he knew how.
Though emotional manipulation.
"Ranma! How can you be so cruel! Denying your child the opportunity to see
the world as you have!"
Ranma rolled his eyes. "Listen you tub of guts! I said no! If you want a
whole
battalion of martial artists to take after you go talk to mom! I mean it's
only been
ten years, she should have a few child bearing years left in her. Leave my
son
out of this."
And with that Ranma opened up the window and hurled his father out of it.
Snorting in derision Ranma began to wonder what else to do. It was still
early
and he doubted anyone save Kasumi would be up. He glanced at his book bag
then at Lyr who was still asleep.
<'The things I do...'>
Frowning he picked up the bag and rooted through it for the homework that he
was suppose to get done. He yawned and started to work.
An hour or so later, just as his hand was starting to cramp up
he heard: "Ot-san?"
He turned to see the four year old rubbing at his eyes frowning
before letting his arm fall to his side.
He groaned a little bit then pouted.
Ranma chuckled softly. "You're not much of a morning person are you?"
Lyr merely lay there eyes glittering in the morning light.
"We've got stuff to do today Lyr. I don't know if you had a lot of things up
at the
shrine. Maybe it will come in tomorrow or something. Either way it would be
nice to get some more things for you don't you think?"
He wasn't expecting a response, and none was given.
Ranma put his homework away. Most of it was done, not all of it yet but
enough.
He stuffed it into the book bag and turned around. "Come on Lyr. Breakfast
has
got to be ready about now. Lets get you dressed."
For all his youth and inexperience in these sort of things, Ranma was very
patient in helping Lyr get dressed. After making sure all his buttons
were buttoned and everything was on the right way, he handed the boy his
ball and walked him to the door.
Just as they were leaving the room, the door to Akane's room opened. She
was dressed and looked ready to take on the day.
"Hey Akane."
She eyed Ranma wearily.
He sighed . "Look, I don't want to get into an argument or nothing. In
fact,
I wanna know would you go with me today?
I want to go to the mall to pick up a few things for Lyr."
Her eyes glanced down to the little boy who stood next to Ranma. Well
sort of more behind Ranma as if using him as a shield.
"It might give him a chance to get to know you. I mean we all gotta live
in this house together ya know. We'll make a day of it. What do you say?"
Slowly she nodded, "Yeah sure. I think that would be nice."
"Great! We can go after breakfast."
She nodded non commently and started down the stairs. Ranma picked up
Lyr and carried him down.
"Good morning Akane. Good morning Ranma." chimed Kasumi.
"My! Don't they look like a ready-made family? It would be absolutely
perfect if Akane finally married Ranma, wouldn't it Saotome?" Said Soun
wiping tears of happiness from his eyes.
Ranma tried hard to suppress a shudder of disgust at the older man's
scheming.
"A young a pretty wife, a beautiful child, and a young handsome husband. Oh
how
romantic." sighed Nodoka.
Ranma put Lyr down in the same spot as yesterday and began to serve him.
"You forgot the three concubines that are waiting in the wings mom."Ranma
drawled.
He caught the look of amusement Akane had on her face before she frowned and
quickly looked away.
He placed the dishes in front of Lyr, made sure he was holding his
chopsticks correctly
then began to serve himself.
"Uh..you know before we all start getting too comfortable around here I
wanted to bring
up a few ground rules about how to act around Lyr."
He frowned and kept his eyes on the dishes in front of him; in keeping his
hands
steady and not showing his nervousness.
He didn't notice that the three older people in the room had stopped eating
and were
looking at him curiously. He didn't notice the almost smug look on Nabiki's
face or
the slight frown of puzzlement on Akane's.
"I just want it understood that I want to keep violence out of Lyr's life as
much as possible.
Therefore, I am going to try my best not to be a jerk or insulting to
people. Especially
you Akane.
So uh...the first rule is that there is to be no malleting or punting within
Lyr's presence."
Ranma quickly looked up at the others at the table and swallowed then ducked
his head again.
"Two, Pops if you want to spar in the mornings you'll have to wake me up
first. And not by
throwing me out of the window. There is a very nice and perfectly usable
dojo out back, it's
about time that we started using it.
"I think next, since Lyr is sleeping in my room if you gotta get me up for
school or something
can you please try to do so without the use of buckets of water or yelling?
I know I am
not the easiest person to wake up in the morning, and with my reflexes I am
more likely
to send you flying against the room than to wake up but maybe we can think
of something."
he shrugged then said tentatively. "I...uh....already talked to Pops about
this one already
but I just want to make it perfectly clear to all of you."
He looked up and looked at each person in turn. "Under no circumstances is
Lyr
to learn the Art. I don't want his life as out of whack as mine is."
He looked down again, gathered up his chopsticks nervously. "I think that's
it for now."
And with that he began to eat.