"I can't believe this." Genma groaned as he looked over the paperwork. Somehow Nodoka had managed to go behind his back and file for divorce. And to top it off, there was nothing he could do about it because the moment he stepped into court he would be arrested for numerous warrants for his arrest.
"Sign it or I'll let everyone know exactly where you are at so they can come get you for every single warrant there is out for you." Nodoka growled, for once not even intending to keep her word. As soon as she had what she wanted from this bastard who ruined her life she was going to ruin his. She was going to make him pay for everything, though she knew she was partly to blame. As soon as her family's retainers found her son she would beg for his forgiveness and explain what happened with the whole ultimatum. She didn't want to risk Genma running off with Ranma before the divorce went through and Ranma was safely on her clan's registry.
"You think just because I sign this that you will have Ranma?" Genma said and barked out laughing. "You are just as pathetic now as you were then. You maybe good with that sword, but your stupid. You gave me Ranma to train and I did a good job molding him."
"Sign the paper now Genma, or else." Nodoka snarled, pulling the sword out of it's sheath making Genma begin to sweat as he quickly grabbed the pen and signed the paperwork.
"Have a good day." Nodoka said as she began walking away but stopped before the door gripping the katana still, the blade about an inch from the sheath.
"Since you are no longer a Saotome, leave my honor sword." Genma demanded.
"Gladly Panda Man." Nodoka grinned as she pulled the blade the rest of the way out of the sheath showing that there was only about three inches of blade there. Turning the sheath upside down she dumped the rest of the broken blade out of the sheath as five pieces of broken metal clattered across the floor.
"What have you done?" Genma shouted angrily.
"Made sure the honor blade matched your broken honor." Nodoka said before walking out.
Two Weeks After Joining the Band...
Ranma sighed happily as she was finishing the last slice of pizza that Derek had ordered for them. Actually he ordered three knowing the redhead's appetite which Ranma was happy for. The last two weeks were great and all, but she found out something important about being in a new band. While Barbie knew the club's owner who gave them use of the closed club for practice before playing in the evenings, it still didn't pay a lot. Once split between the group it was enough to buy actual meals while still leaving the redhead on the street.
"So you going to hang with us before tonight?" Dee Dee asked, leaning forward on the table that the group sat around, empty pizza boxes and soda cans littering the surface.
"I can't, I have a few things I have to do." Ranma, or as the others knew her as, Diva said.
"Come on girl, we've been together for two weeks now and we hardly know anything about you." Dana complained as she leaned back in her own chair which was right next to Derek who she leaned into.
"Look, I do like you all, but this is just a job to me. I don't want to hang out all the time like all of you, I have my own life and things to do." Diva said, almost snapping it out as she fought to control her emotions to the point of nearly needing to use the soul of ice. The truth was, she really did want to hang out with the group. She wanted to be accepted completely and that was impossible. If they didn't shun her for being homeless, then they would for the curse which they still didn't know about. True they meet Ranma, or as he introduced her guy form as Ken. What they didn't know was that they were the same and since they didn't need him until they got noticed he could stay away which suited the redhead just fine as hot water was a little hard to come by on a regular basis.
"Diva, sweetie, we just want to be friends." Barbie said softly, a hurt look flashing across her face as she looked toward Ranma. "We won't force you into doing anything you don't want to."
"Good, because I don't want to be friends and if you keep this up I won't want to be your drummer either!" Ranma snapped as she jumped up and stormed out while trying to convince herself that the stinging in her eyes was just from being angry, not tears trying to form.
She stormed down the street heading to her bridge, or underpass actually. She staked out a great area where she could have protection from rain and wind where she didn't have to bother with the tent, just the sleeping bag. She almost would have proffered the tent so she could look up at the stars if she wanted, but the only place that could be done at was the park. The same park she was chased out of by police the very first night she tried setting up camp there.
It would be so nice to finally have a place of her own, an actual apartment maybe. A place she could have actual friends over who accepted her for who and what she was, everything about her. People who would love her and not be put off by the curse, people who wasn't her band mates as they would never accept the curse. They were too normal and normal tended to shy away from the unknown.
Finally reaching her place under the overpass she settled down on her sleeping bag. She left some things out of her stuff space, things she could easily replace if something did actually happen to them. Leaning back against the cold concrete support as she sat crossed legged on the sleeping bag. "This was a mistake...they'll never accept me."
"I don't know Diva, maybe if you just talk to us we would." A familiar voice said sadly, drawing the redhead's gaze up into the blue eyes of Barbie who stood there fidgeting. Ranma couldn't believe she let her attention wonder so much she didn't realize she was being followed.
"Go away, Barbie, I just want to think." Ranma groaned out as she snapped her head in the other direction. Hanging her head she refused to look over as she felt the blonde sit down next to her.
"Diva, is this where your living?" Barbie asked softly making the redhead sniff.
"So what?" Ranma snapped as she spun around to face the blonde. The things she felt for Barbie, it felt similar to how she used to feel about Akane at first yet it was so much more intense. Ranma felt herself craving the approval of the blonde and it scared her in some ways. "I don't need you to tell me how pathetic it is. Go ahead, tell me to don't bother coming back!"
"Why would I do that, Diva?" Barbie asked softly as she pulled the struggling redhead into a hug. "You are my friend, through thick and thin, never forget that. You are coming home with me and you will stay with me until we find you a place of your own."
"How? I'm not even a registered citizen...I'm kind of...not supposed to be here." Ranma sighed as she pulled back away.
"I'm sure I can get my daddy to take care of that. He's a senator and has lots of connections." Barbie smiled at the redhead, offering her hand as she stood up. "Come on, let's go home."
"Are you sure?" Ranma asked as she let the blonde help her to her feet. She wasn't sure if this was a good idea, it would make water based accidents a lot more likely to happen. The chance to be close to Barbie though, something made Ranma just forget about the possibility of her curse being discovered as she looked deep into the loving and caring eyes of the blonde.
"I insist." Barbie said as she smiled sweetly. "How about your brother? Ken?"
"He, he doesn't come around often." Ranma said nervously.
"Well, we can help him to when he comes back." Barbie assured the redhead as she led Ranma out from under the overpass after gathering up the few things there. Instead of freaking Barbie out though, Ranma opted to carry the stuff as she doubted Barbie was ready for advanced martial arts techniques.
Unlike the small apartment she expected, Ranma was surprised to find a huge house. In fact she was sure it could be counted as a mansion, a mansion that she was surprised to find the others waiting at sitting in the living room around a coffee table drinking coffee. The expensive kind in the green foam cups from that stupid coffee house that seemed to attract a lot of business despite their reputation for being expensive.
"Look what the cat dragged in." Derek said as they looked up, worry quickly replacing the teasing looks as they all hurried up to surround the two that just came in.
"What happened?" Dana asked softly as they looked at the sleeping bag in the redhead's arms.
"Diva's place is being fumigated so I offered her a place to crash here until later." Barbie said giving the redhead an encouraging smile. "Come on, I'll show you to your room."
"Hey, when you get done come on back, we're making plans for after our gig tonight." Dee Dee called after the duo as they headed up a flight of stairs. The room Barbie showed her was a lot bigger than the biggest room back at the Tendo's with a large very comfortable looking bed.
"Thanks for not telling them, but you know they're going to ask questions." Ranma sighed.
"I know, but we don't have to tell them anything you don't want to. I can tell that your uncomfortable with it, but you can believe me when I say they will love and accept you just as I do." Barbie said hugging the redhead before heading back out. "When you get done come on down and I'll get you something to drink."
Sorry it has taken so long, and that its short, but several people really want this chapter so I'll go ahead and post what I have for now since I have to leave in a few minutes...again. I'll be busy again until Wednesday or Thursday so I won't get mush more work done sadly, which I was supposed to have all day today to work it, but things happen.
Anyways, thank you all for your reviews and support on this story as I was kind of surprised it would be taken so well to be honest, but I'm glad people like it.
