Miscellaneous Debris

Chapter 1

Recommended listening: "Welcome Home", by Coheed and Cambria, off of their album Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV, vol. 1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness


A man walked through the late-afternoon streets of Nerima. Slowly, deliberately, he made his way around town, taking in the sites, noting the changes, peacefully remembering better times.

At last he stopped in front of a house. A rather large house, all things considered, and one he had been expertly familiar with at one time. Steeling his resolve one last time, Ranma Saotome walked up to the door and knocked.

It had been ten years.


"Honey, could you get that? It's probably my sister and her husband."

Takeshi groaned and got up off the floor. "We need to start working out again. I'm feeling pretty old lately."

"Hey, I've been working out. You're the one who stopped." Akane peeked her head around the corner. "Besides, you are pretty flabby, old man."

"Har har har. I thought you had dinner to make?"

She stuck her tongue out at her husband and disappeared back into the kitchen.

The knocking came again. "Yes, I'm coming." Takeshi opened the door. "Nice to see you again-" he cut off abruptly, seeing an unfamiliar face. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was expecting someone else. Can I help you?"

The bald man in the doorway just scratched behind his head awkwardly, scanning the house behind Takeshi. "Yeah, uh… is Akane Tendo home?" The stranger was wearing a long-sleeved windbreaker and what appeared to be workout pants.

"Well, she hasn't been Akane Tendo for about three years now, but yes, she's here. May I ask your name?" Takeshi shivered. Strange vibes from this fellow.

"Ah… Well…" The man continued to look past Takeshi. "Look, can you just tell her to come to the door? It's important."

"Look, I don't know who you are, but if you're not willing to give me your name, then I'm not going to let you into my house. Goodbye." Takeshi closed the door over the man's protests.

"Nabiki? Is that you?"

"No, Akane, it was some strange guy looking for you. Wouldn't give me his name."

Akane came into view, holding a plate of appetizers and looking puzzled. "That's odd. He wouldn't give his name?"

Someone knocked on the door again, and Takeshi sighed. "Look," he seethed, "I told you, go away. I'll call the police!"

"That's fine, as long as I can see Akane. It'll only take a second, then I promise I'll be outta your hair forever." His voice was muffled, but still tickled the back of Akane's memory.

"Open the door, dear; I think I might actually know him."

Takeshi just sighed and opened the door as Akane turned to set the tray down. When she turned back, her eyes went wide with shock. "R-Ranma?"

Ranma smiled sheepishly. "Hiya."

So many memories came flooding back into Akane's mind at once that her knees gave out from under her. Her ears were ringing, and she couldn't understand what her husband was saying, but she could still see Ranma's face. A swirl of emotions came and went in an instant, faded into a familiar rage. "I can't believe you would show your face around here after what you did!" Akane lunged from the floor, towards the frowning Ranma, ready to throw the first punch. "You abandoned me! Without even leaving a note, no less! The entire town tried to find you for over a year! A YEAR, Ranma, and all you have to say is 'Hiya'?" Akane raised her fist and swung at her ex-fiancée, tears of rage running down her face.

Ranma just calmly blocked her punch, and the following punch, and the kick she aimed squarely at his groin. "Calm… Calm… Look, will ya-" Akane finally landed a punch on his nose, and it gave way with a sickening crack. "There! I let you break my nose. Will you listen, now?" The bleeding man just continued to deflect blows as Takeshi tried to get a hold of his bride.

"Akane, wait, calm down, just wait a minute, will you…"

Finally, Akane collapsed into Takeshi's arms and sobbed. "Get him out of here!"

"No no no, let me explain first. You broke my nose, the least you can do is give me a rag for the blood, and I can say what I have to say, and then I'll leave forever."

"Again?"

SNAP! Went Ranma's nose as he shoved it back into place. "Ouch. And I don't mean the nose." He wiped his upper lip on the back of his arm. "Look, really, things were more complicated than you understand." Akane whipped around, but Ranma held up his blood-soaked hands to forestall any comment. "Also, ow, my nose hurts. Also also, I'm bleeding all over the doorstep. Could I get a towel, some tissues, anything? Used toilet paper? I'm desperate here."

"No. You get nothing. Leave now, or I'll call the police." The woman's stare could have stopped Superman in his tracks.

"Now come on!" Anger crept into his voice for the first time. "I may not be the best guy in the world, and you've got a good reason to be mad at me, but I came a long way to see you and tell you the story behind this whole... thing." As he gestured his arms, flecks of blood flew onto the wall.

Takeshi had had quite enough. "Look, Ranma or whoever, wait here while I go talk to my wife. And for god's sake," he spat, tossing him a box of tissues, "clean yourself up." He turned his wife and led her back into the kitchen. She was shaking and clutching his hand so hard it hurt.

"I can't believe him, showing up after all this time..." Akane's eyes were ablaze. "We looked for him forever, you know? The whole town did! Police and everybody!"

"Yes, Akane, I know, you've told me the story. I can't feel my fingers, but don't let that stop you from giving me the death-grip." She released his hand, and he started to rub it as he spoke. "I know what happened. Once a year or so you get angry or nostalgic or whatever and you tell me again. Now I'm no shrink, but it seems to me that if after all this time you're still getting worked up about the whole ordeal, you might need some closure." Takeshi took his wife's face in his hands and gazed into her eyes. "You may not want to, but it's important."

Another tear ran down Akane's face. "But... are you sure?"

"No, are you kidding me? You hate the guy! For that matter, so do I. And if even half of what you've told me about him is true, he's dangerous, too." Takeshi handed Akane the phone. "You call the police; I'll go try to get rid of him for you, okay? You don't have to see him if you don't want to."

The shaken woman smiled in relief and hugged her best fella tightly. "See, that's why I fell in love with you. You understand me."

"Yes, we all know I'm perfect, but we still have to get rid of this psycho. Call the cops."


Voices were coming from the hallway as Takeshi made his way back to the front door – angry voices.

"...look, I'm not trying to defend myself, but you gotta believe me, there was more to the story than-"

"You shut your mouth you filthy little ingrate. I don't care a damn bit about your 'story.' You owe Akane – you owe our whole family a good deal more than some half-cocked tale."

"All right," interrupted Takeshi, rounding the corner, "Nabiki, you can back down, the police are Kasumi?"

The eldest Tendo sister was pinning Ranma to the wall with her index finger. "Have you called the police yet, Takeshi?" Kasumi's gaze never left Ranma.

Dr. Tofu hovered in the background, carrying what appeared to be a pie. "Nice to see you, Takeshi."

"Dr. Tofu," acknowledged the man without looking. "Yes, Akane is calling the police right now. Kasumi?" He shook his head. "You were saying those things?"

"Little bastard has worse coming to him."

"Dear!" cried the good doctor.

Kasumi shook her head exasperatedly. "How long before the police arrive?"

"Hey, whoa now. If I leave the property before police get here, you can't arrest me. I know the law." Ranma slipped out from under Kasumi's bony finger and made for the door. "I'll just come back another day, when you've had time to cool off."

Two people cleared their throats from behind Tofu, and all eyes turned to see two police officers, apparently out of breath, eyeing the situation warily. "Apparently the gentleman doesn't know how close our police box is to this house," drawled one of the two officers in an Osakan accent.

"No, he wouldn't," replied Ryoga, his fangs glinting in the setting sun. "It was put in long after he abandoned the neighborhood."

A heavy silence fell on the scene. Almost a full minute passed before Ranma quipped, "Hey, P-chan. So you're a cop now, huh?"

Ryoga's eye twitched. "I'll take care of this, Ken. You go back to the box."

"You sure? Seems like a pretty charged scene to me." The second police officer eyed Ranma warily.

"Yeah. You go. We actually know each other from a long time ago."

"Ah. Say no more." Officer Ken backed away, saying, "If he gets hurt, you can count on me: 'resisting arrest.'" And he jogged out of sight.

"DAMMIT, YOU KNOW I DIDN'T BREAK THAT GUY'S ARM ON PURPOSE!!" screamed Ryoga after his partner.

Kasumi jumped in. "Ryoga, arrest him. He was trespassing. Takeshi asked him to leave and he refused – isn't that right, Takeshi?"

Takeshi just nodded.

"Hey, wait, whoa! I don't need no arresting! You really don't want to see me, I'll leave!" Ranma's attention was focused on the front gate.

"No. I changed my mind." Akane, flushed but composed, pushed past her husband. "Ranma, come inside. All of you, come in. We have a lot to talk about."


"Are you sure you won't stay? I'm sure you're just as curious as the rest of us."

Ryoga just forced a smile and replied, "No, Akane, I'm on duty right now. Besides, I can always ask you about it later."

Akane forced her own smile in return. "True. Well, work hard."

"I'll do my best." He leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "I'm just down the street if you need anything."

A real smile this time. "Thanks. Take care."

He sketched a bow and walked away, saying, "You, too."

By that time, everyone had found a seat at the dining room table: Ranma sat in the corner, so everyone could see him; Kasumi and Dr. Tofu sat opposite Ranma, the corner of the table between them; Nabiki's husband Shin had arrived and sat on Kasumi's other side; and Takeshi sat directly next to Ranma. Akane flopped down next to her husband and tried to compose her thoughts.

"When did you say Nabiki was going to be here?" inquired Ranma nervously.

"As soon as she can. She's very busy, you know." Shin turned to Akane. "Who is this guy, again?"

Clearing his throat, the bald martial artist opined, "I think it would be best if we got this out of the way quickly, before Nabiki gets here. If Kasumi's reaction is any indication, I think Nabiki might shoot me."

"Quite possible, but we're still waiting." Kasumi glared anew. "She deserves to know just as much as we do."

"Right, but I'm missing something. Who are you?" Shin pointed a stick of Pocky at Ranma.

Takeshi fielded the question. "Akane's ex-fiancée. Didn't Nabiki ever tell you about Akane's arranged marriage?"

Shin just stared at Ranma. "Really? I thought she was jerking me around. No one arranges marriages anymore."

An uncomfortable silence hung oppressively in the air.

"You look nice, Kasumi," volunteered Takeshi in an attempt to dispel the tension. "Is that a new dress?"

She smiled at the compliment. "Yes, it is. Ono bought it for me when he was in America last month." She was dressed to the nines, wearing a modestly-cut knee-length black dress with a blazer over the top. She had more make-up on than usual, which is to say she was wearing lipstick.

Tofu just smiled to himself. "I happened to be in California for a medical conference, so I decided to pick up a little something nice for Kasumi." He patted his chest. "I also got this shirt while I was there."

"You look very nice," chirped Kasumi as she straightened his tie – an olive green affair to match his dress shirt.

Another long pause.

Ranma cleared his throat. "Can I-"

"No. Shin, what a nice suit!" Akane turned to her brother-in-law, asking, "Did you get that in America, too?"

The man looked down at his gray pin-striped silk suit. "No, Italy. Had it shipped."

"How much did that cost?" Takeshi eyed the suit with admiration.

"What, the suit or the shipping?"

"Both."

"Well, shipping was free because I'm a repeat customer, but the suit was-"

Ranma cleared his throat again. "Could I please-"

"No!" Akane turned back to Shin. "Please continue."

A couple of beats passed before he said, "The suit was rather cheap, actually. It was a remainder from last season."

"Translation: more than I make in a year." Takeshi grinned and continued, "But it is a nice suit. I'm still stuck with this wool blazer I've been wearing since college." In truth, he was wearing a black suit with a white dress shirt and maroon tie.

"Now, why is it that more people don't wear traditional Japanese clothing when they dress up?" interjected Akane. "I mean, Shin and Takeshi are wearing suits; Tofu is wearing a shirt and tie; Kasumi is wearing a dress; and I'm wearing this old pantsuit I've had for six years." Akane's suit may have been old, but the years had been kind to both the suit and her body, so she still cut a striking figure.

And Takeshi appreciated it. "You know I love that suit on you. You look beautiful."

Ranma coughed into his fist. "I would really like a-"

"What?!" exploded Shin. "What do you want so badly that you have to keep interrupting people?"

"...a glass of water." Ranma's teeth were clenched and his knuckles were white, but he managed to put some humility into his request. "Please?"

No one moved. No one even blinked.

"Get it yourself."

"No, Akane, no." Takeshi sighed. "We may not have invited Ranma, but he is still technically a guest. I'll get it, Ranma." He stood. "Would anyone else like a drink?"

"Wine for me, please," said Shin.

"If you have any beer, I'd like one." Tofu unconsciously put his hand on the small of Kasumi's back. "Would you like a beer, too?"

She smiled, but replied, "No, just tea for me."

"Tea," echoed Akane.

"Okay, I'll be right back." And the host of the evening moved into the kitchen to prepare the various drinks.

Leaving no barrier between Ranma and Akane.

Electric hate sparked in the air.

"Why don't I go and help him?" Akane practically ran out of the room.

Ranma shook his head and muttered to himself, "Tonight is going to be a long night..."


A few minutes after Akane and Takeshi returned with the drinks, the front door opened and closed; footsteps hurried toward the dining room. "Sorry I'm late, everyone. I hope I didn't holy shit it's Ranma where's my gun?"

"SEE?" shouted Ranma as he jumped to his feet. Nabiki was rooting through her purse as Ranma bounded past her, toward the door. "I knew it!"

Akane was on her feet just in time to stop Ranma. "No, stay! She's not going to shoot you." She turned to Nabiki, who was, by now, holding a stun gun. "Put that away."

"Are you serious? Is she serious?" pleaded Nabiki, looking to the others in the room. "Akane, this guy ruined your life. I'm going to zap him a few times, maybe sterilize him," Ranma winced, "then you can interrogate him. After that, whatever. Maybe we'll call the cops and have him arrested."

"Apparently, the police have already been here," mumbled Shin around another stick of Pocky. "Come and sit down. We all want to hear what he has to say."

Nabiki just glared. "You stay out of this. You weren't here when this jackass flipped the whole town on its ear by disappearing. And how many times have I told you that I hate it when you stuff your fat face with snacks?" This was a strange thing to say, because Shin didn't look any heavier than Ranma or Takeshi.

"I can do whatever the hell I want! Besides, you know I don't have time for a real lunch during the day, so snacks are all I can manage!"

"Please!" she scoffed derisively. "You just don't want to go to the trouble of fixing yourself a nutritious meal the night before, like everyone else in the world does."

Shin was on his feet now, his brow furrowed. "Are you kidding me? I'm the CEO of one of the most prestigious financial analysis firms in all of Tokyo! You know damn well that every hour of every day, I'm working! In fact," he jabbed a finger at his wife, "the only reason I could even come tonight was because I managed to fit two days' worth of meetings into one! I got to work at 6:00 this morning, and I haven't even been to the BATHROOM since!"

The whole room was focused on the two quarreling lovers. Even Ranma was distracted enough to make his way back to the table and sit down. Akane had followed and was sipping on her tea.

"Oh, mister high-and-mighty! I work just as much as you do, but do you see me neglecting my health and then bitching about it in front of my whole family? No! You're just a weak little boy!"

"Oh, I'm a little boy, am I?" Shin took a step closer to his wife. "I didn't hear you calling me a little boy in bed last night, did I? As a matter of fact, I seem to recall you screaming something about me being the biggest you'd ever had!"

Ranma's eyes widened and his face flushed. But no one else even batted an eyelash.

"HA! I'd had bigger than you before I even graduated high school! You couldn't excite me sexually if you needed batteries!" Nabiki took a step of her own.

"Then why, pray tell, did I see you waddling toward the bathroom this morning, dear?" Another step.

Nabiki put her nose right in Shin's face. "Because you asked me to ride you like a cowboy, and damn if your fat ass isn't wide."

"God I love you."

"Shut up and kiss me."

Ranma had to turn away. He looked to Takeshi, who was just smiling and sipping his drink. "Are they always like this?"

All heads nodded. "To be honest," said Kasumi over the moans in the background, "the only way we know they're happy is if they're fighting."

"Tell me about it." Akane smiled and took a cracker. "Remember last Summer, when they just stopped talking to each other? It got so bad Nabiki had to come stay with us for a couple of days."

"Yes, I do. Tofu and I were just talking about that the other day, actually. What happened that got them so mad at each other, anyway?"

Waving her hand in a flippant manner, Akane replied, "Oh, nothing major, really. Shin just happened to mention that he was working with an old ex-girlfriend, and Nabiki can get pretty jealous."

More nods.

"But, are you okay with... that... going on all the time? And, I mean, the language...?" Ranma had to work at averting his eyes.

"Oh, you should hear it when they're in bed!" Takeshi mimicked covering his ears. "That time when Nabiki stayed with us, Shin actually came over to get her after a couple of days. They, ah... 'made up' in the middle of the day, on into the night, and again early the next morning."

Kasumi's face had gotten a little flushed when she replied, "Well, they're in love."

"Yeah," coughed Takeshi, "and Nabiki likes it rough."

"Takeshi!" scolded Akane, swatting her husband on the shoulder.

"It's true! You've seen the, um... the..." Takeshi leaned in and whispered something to Akane, who turned scarlet.

"True, but you don't have to go telling everyone about it."

"Come on, will you look at them?" Akane's husband just gestured to the undulating couple in the middle of the floor. "They could care less what people think."

"Wait, what are you talking about, now?" Mortified, but still curious, Ranma pressed on, "What did you see?"

Akane just waved him off with a scowl. "Nothing."

"No, what, really? I can handle it."

"Ranma. Back off. This is none of your business." Her tone left no room for argument.

An uncomfortable silence was punctuated only by Nabiki and Shin.

"Well, I suppose I should break them up before they start undressing each other." Akane went over and tried to get their attention.

"Yeah, again," laughed Tofu, who was promptly silenced by a swat of his own from Kasumi.

Takeshi leaned over to Ranma and whispered, "Riding crop." Accompanied by a wink and a smile, nothing more needed to be said.

Ranma just flushed an even deeper scarlet.


After everyone had settled down, Akane brought out the meal, and Ranma was forced to watch as everyone ate. "You weren't invited, and so I didn't make enough for you," explained Akane, her jaw tight with distaste. "You may eat what is left over."

It turned out that there was quite a bit left over, but Ranma was hesitant. Everyone else had eaten, though, and they seemed to be surviving, so... he took a bite, found it was quite good, and finished off the plate. And the rest of the leftovers. And some of the scraps from other people's plates.

"Sorry about that, but I haven't really eaten today. Or yesterday, for that matter."

Kasumi and Akane shared a look as they cleared the table. Soon they were finished, and brought out two bottles of sake and cups for everyone but Ranma. Again Akane explained, "You're telling us the story, you don't get to drink. We, however, have to listen to it, and if I'm going to survive the night without throttling you, I need to have some liquor in me." Nabiki nodded and poured herself a glass. Kasumi was already on her third.

Ranma, meanwhile, just shook his head. "I can't believe you... I really can't believe you."

"Deal with it. Now I'm giving you the chance you asked for, so go." The short-haired woman scowled. Nabiki and Kasumi leaned in to hear better; Kasumi was already flushed from the rice wine. Shin and Takeshi sat back, interested but not totally invested. Tofu just smiled nervously and sipped his beer.

"Fine. Fine." He took a deep breath and started to speak.

The following is the story he spun.


It's crazy, you know? I mean, you were all there for the weird martial arts grudges, the Shampoos searching the world over just to fight me, the women Pop had promised I would marry. And after a year, I thought I might be done for a while. I mean, I had beaten Saffron – the head honcho of assholes – and come away relatively unscathed. What could be worse than almost losing Ak... well, you know what I mean. I thought I was done.

But, of course, I wouldn't be here in this situation if that were true.

I started getting these psychotic letters, right? Crude, hand-drawn pictures of the most revolting stuff: worm-ridden corpses, the faces of my friends and family cut off and drying above a fire, just insane stuff. I didn't know where it was coming from, so I couldn't do anything.

Heh. Pops taught me to fight using my fists, but he didn't teach me anything about psychological warfare.

So I started to freak out, got real angry all the time. Kasumi, you remember when I kicked the front door in, claimed I slipped? Akane, when I kicked P-Chan through the dojo door? It was a bad time for me.

I mean, I didn't know where to go with my anger. If I had known who was sending me this stuff I could have gone and put him in the hospital. But the doors and the pigs got the brunt of my anger instead.

It went on that way for a couple of weeks, if you'll remember. I got worse and worse by the day, as these... slices of madness kept coming at me from all over. At school, when I woke up in the morning, when I went to the bathroom... there was always some effed up picture or a sadistic threat.

I was just about at my breaking point when the messages stopped.

I was beside myself. I almost didn't know what to do, I was so relieved.

Two days later, it started back up, but worse. That's when the pictures started coming.

Man...

(Long pause)

It's really painful to remember those, even now.

(Another long pause, followed by a hollow chuckle)

So, I mean, I came here to explain, and it wouldn't be much of an explanation if I left out the important details, so...

First came the pictures of my mom. Her at home, her at the grocery, her... showering, or sleeping, or... (Sigh) The most intimate pictures of my mother I had ever seen, and they were coming by some anonymous third party.

Then, of course, they changed. Real, actual pictures of my mom... being tortured. Raped, brutalized.

I tried to tell myself that it was all a hoax, that there was no way. But eventually – when the picture came of my mother being cut up like a biology experiment – I went to find her.

And, of course, she was fine. Nothing had happened to her.

So, I went back home, and fell asleep crying.

Next morning, a note inside my school bag. "We know where she lives." Attached was a piece of the kimono my mom had been wearing the day before.

I rushed over to see her again, and she admitted that the kimono had gone missing. "Probably just misplaced it," she assured me. "It'll turn up." She couldn't understand why I was so upset.

Then the pictures changed again. Ukyo, and Shampoo, and some of the girls from school... the same types of pictures. Real, candid photos of them at work, at home, at school, followed by gruesome mock-ups of what would happen to them if I didn't... something. Some thing I didn't know I was doing, but I had to stop it.

Or whatever. I was really strung out by this point.

Again, the pictures stopped abruptly, but I wasn't relieved this time. I was terrified; what was going to come next? What could possibly be worse than my friends being murdered on film, delivered directly to my door?

Three days later, I found out.

(A deep, shuddering breath)

Kasumi, you and Nabiki were first. Very similar pictures, but it was worse, because I knew you, lived with you, cared for you in my own strange little-brotherly way. Audio recordings came, Kasumi mumbling in her sleep, Nabiki extorting classmates for more money.

Akane...

(Another deep breath, followed by a pause)

Locks of your hair started coming with these photos. That was it, I thought, man, that was the end. I couldn't bear anything happening to Akane, most of all. I mean...

Well, if you don't know by now that I loved you, you never will, so I guess there's that.

This had been going on for over a month, now, and I was completely spent. I went to the roof of the house and just started screaming.

You remember.

(A chorus of affirmatives)

The next day, finally, a note. Directions on where to meet with someone. So I went. I wasn't in fighting form; I hadn't been eating or sleeping. But I had to go. There was no other choice.

Akane, remember what I said the morning I left? I came to you before you left for school, told you I was sorry?

(In the background, "Yes, you looked so pale. I thought that was really strange, especially coming from you, but you'd been so weird for such a long time I was just relieved to have you speaking to me again." A pause. "I... we were all worried about you, Ranma. But you kept going on, telling everybody that you were fine. Who were we to argue?")

Right. Who were you to argue?

Okay, so I got there. It was this old building, probably abandoned, but it looked like it was under construction, too. Like... well, it turns out it was the planned site for the new hospital, but I didn't know that at the time.

So I got there and waited, and waited, and waited. It was agony. No one showed until about 1:00 PM. I saw these three guys start walking towards me, and I straight up jumped them. I was so wound up, strung out crazy that I just reacted without thinking. Managed to ground one of them before they could react, but then the other two grabbed me, threw me across the yard, area, whatever. Building site.

So I came back at them, but this time, all three were ready, and they were able to hold me off for a bit, at least until I had to stop to catch my breath. That gave them all the time they needed to start talking.

"Attack me again and your whole family dies."

Great introduction, right?

So the guy I hit the first time, turns out he's in charge of the little meeting. Says he's from some obscure Vietnamese martial arts sect, and that my dad had promised that I would join them as a member. Pledged me to their order, or something. All I had to do to guarantee your safety, Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi, was to leave with them and accept initiation into their order.

I yelled something along the lines of "Bullshit, fuck that and fuck you, I'll kill you," blah blah blah. I was angry and I wanted none of it.

He calmly replied that I didn't have to decide now. I had one week to decide, dropped his business card on the ground. "Call me when you decide," and he walked away. Just before he left the yard, he turned and called back, "Oh, and tell your friends to be careful; wouldn't want anything to happen to them." And he was gone.

I raced after them, but they really were gone. Couldn't find even a sign of the guys. Disappeared like ghosts.

So I went back and picked up the business card. Just had a phone number on it. No name, no address, no nothing. Just a number.

I don't know how long I stayed there, just looking at that thing, trying to decide how I would destroy this dick. I ran through a thousand scenarios in my head, of training for a week, then calling him and beating him to death with his own damn shoes; of calling him right now and just atomizing him with my hate. But by the time Ukyo came along and noticed me (a gasp from one of the women), it was getting toward sunset.

I just pocketed the card and started walking toward her restaurant with her, trying to sound like nothing was wrong. I mean, you know me, always gotta fight my own battles, right?

Turns out I didn't need the full week.

Ukyo skipped ahead a bit, turned to tease me about something or other, and then she was gone. Hit by a bus.

(More gasps, followed by an uncomfortable cough)

Yes, I was there when it happened.

(Ranma clears his throat)

The bus, as you will recall, was supposedly driven by a drunk, had skipped up onto the curb and killed Ukyo, injuring a bunch of other people. But the guy I had just talked to, the man whose card was in my pocket, smiled at me from the alleyway across the street, and was gone.

I rushed over to Ukyo's limp body, and...

(A shuddering sigh)

Well, she was already... gone. Blood everywhere, her face was pulverized so I couldn't even (He coughs, and swallows) Sorry. I couldn't even recognize her anymore.

(A long, pregnant silence as Ranma takes a drink of water.)

Well.

That made up my mind for me.

I had to kill this guy.

I ran to a pay phone, ignoring the commotion behind me, and called the number. Demanded to meet him. He said, "All right, how about where we just met?"

I got there, he was waiting with the same two guys from before.

Of course, I was beyond angry. I was hurt, crying, vengeful. I attacked them, and they straight mopped the floor with me. Pummeled me within an inch of my life, then held me down while the leader spoke.

"Ranma Saotome, you belong to us. You have belonged to us since your father pledged you to us in exchange for a loan of ¥1,000,000." He chuckled then, and asked, "How does it feel, to know your exact monetary value?"

I, of course, just spat at him. Missed by a mile – my blood was everywhere, I couldn't even see my own hands – but the gesture was taken as intended.

"I thought so," he replied calmly. "But the fact remains that you are ours, and you will come with us. Whether now or at the end of the week is up to you, but just remember: your friend Ukyo was just the beginning. We know where all of your people are located. You've seen the pictures." At this point, Ukyo's death finally hit me and I just collapsed into fits of sobbing. "Yes, well, I'm sure you'll get over her eventually. So what will it be? A week of pain and suffering for your family, or do you want to come with us now?"

So I agreed. Damn him to hell, but I agreed.

And that was ten years ago.


The sake sat on the table, forgotten. No one had taken a drink, spoken, even moved for a full minute.

Then Ranma spoke again. "So yeah, that's why I left. And that's what I wanted you to know." He looked at Akane, who had tears in her eyes, and whispered, "I did it to save you."

Another silence.

"Well, then what?" came the shuddering reply. Akane wiped her eyes, but scowled at Ranma anew. "Ten years is a long time, Ranma. What else happened?"

Shaking his head, the bald man sighed, "No, that's not important. I told you what I came to tell you, and now I'm leaving." He made to get up, but Nabiki's cutting voice stopped him.

"No. Absolutely not. You can't come in here, tease us with a crazy story like that, and then abandon us again." She stabbed the air with her finger. "You sit right there and tell us everything. Every last thing that happened in the last ten years. Who were these assholes? When did your father make this deal? How did you escape, or did you? What happened to the rest of your life, Ranma? You owe us that."

The table nodded in unison.

Ranma stared up at the ceiling for a second before clapping his hands down on the table. "Okay, fine. You want a story, you'll get one."


POSTSCRIPT:

All right, so I guess this is what it is.

Here's the deal: I have been out of the writing loop for a long while, and that's the God's honest truth. I suck at writing, even more than I did before, so I really and truly need people to tell me what they think.

Is it good? Is it bad? And, most importantly, WHY? Tell me if you think my characters are unrealistic, or if the pacing is off, or if the premise is ridiculous. Tell me if you think some words should be omitted, or if you think something should be added somewhere. I don't care how you tell me; post a comment, email me (on my author page), whatever. Just please tell me. I want to get better, and the only way I know what I'm doing incorrectly is if people tell me.

Please and thank you.