Notes: Well another chapter for you. Speacial thanks to my beta reader for doing such a fine job.
Unknown Mother Chapter:3
Ranma watched her mother leave the furo. She looked down at the parchment that held the seppuku pledge her father made her sign so long ago. Holding the honor blade in her lap, she started to cry tears of relief.
As Nodoka lay down on her futon, she could faintly hear her daughter's sobs through the wall. 'I am so very sorry, my child,' she thought as she drifted off to sleep.
The following day
Ryoga padded downstairs, peering to the right to see both Nodoka and Ranma (in girl form) slumbering in their futons. He made his way past them, looking into the crib at his sleeping children. He had made it a daily ritual since they came into his life to check on them before going to work or before doing his morning workout. 'I wonder if she's cute? Judging by the way they look, I'd say she has to be. Maybe there's hope I can find happiness for once…I only wish Ranma could find happiness too. I miss the confident and arrogant fool he once was.' Collecting his thoughts, he walked to the kitchen.
Ranma awoke, sitting up in her futon and stretching. Letting out a slight yawn, she looked down to her right at the honor blade that lay at her side. 'I musta slept with it all night,' she realized. She quickly dismissed her thought as she stood up, picking up the honor blade as well. Walking over to the crib, she leaned the bundled blade against the wall behind the crib. Even though she was still only half-awake, she went about rolling up her futon for the day. Sniffing, she caught a whiff of coffee being brewed. After putting her futon behind the crib alongside the family sword, she walked to the kitchen. She found Ryoga sitting at the table, looking half-awake himself.
Ryoga looked over to Ranma, giving her a smile. "Hey, good morning, Ranma. Sleep well?"
"As well as can be expected, Ryoga. Thanks for askin'. You save any for me?" Ranma asked as she looked to where that smell of rejuvenating nectar was emanating.
Ryoga chuckled at his friend. "I just started it; it's probably ready if you wanna grab a cup," he replied. Ryoga watched Ranma at the cabinet pulling out two mugs and then pouring coffee in both. He was fascinated by the fact she knew he liked four scoops of sugar in his coffee but put none in her own. As Ranma finished this morning ritual, she took both mugs to the table, sat down, and handed Ryoga his mug.
"Ranma, why is it you always pour my drinks?" Ryoga asked curiously as he took a sip of his coffee.
Ranma shrugged. "I don't see why it matters. I just figured since I was already over there I would save you the trip," she said honestly.
Ryoga pondered Ranma's coffee. "How come you never put sugar in it? Don't you find it nasty without it?"
"It's actually better for you plain, y'know. The sugar has unwanted materials your body doesn't need, so I'd rather drink it plain. Besides, I usually cure the taste with food afterwards," Ranma answered with a slim smile.
"Um…Ranma, think we could go searching today? I think if I ask around I might be able to find this woman who had my children," Ryoga requested.
Ranma bit her lip slightly. "Sure, I s'ppoose." 'Come on, you can do it,' she encouraged. Looking to Ryoga, she tried to steel herself. "Ryoga, I-"
"I figured we could start at Ucchan's today," Ryoga said, interrupting her.
Ranma gave him a false smile, hiding the pain she was feeling. "Sure, Ucchan's it is. Anyplace else if that doesn't pan out?"
"Yeah, I was considering the Amazons, and then the Tendos…the funny thing is I didn't even know I had done anything with anyone. This is all so strange to me," Ryoga explained, taking another gulp of his coffee.
Ranma sipped her coffee quietly. 'You think that's strange? You shoulda been me when I found out my cherry'd been popped and I had three in the oven,' she thought, feeling frustrated that she couldn't come right out and say it. She savored her coffee a moment before taking a breath. 'Yeah, that was scary, but the worst part was taking a bath and realizing I couldn't change back. I still for the life of me don't know what gave me the confidence to go to Tofu. He even ended up saving my life when I was gonna commit seppuku.' She let out a sigh. "My first time was supposed to be with a girl, dammit," she muttered quietly.
"What did you say, Ranma? I missed it," Ryoga asked, as he had only slightly heard her mumbling.
Ranma looked to Ryoga. "Oh, nothin'. I was just thinkin' of the past," she said as she stood up, taking her empty cup to the sink and rinsing it out. Walking to the refrigerator, she grabbed three prepared formula bottles and set them on the counter just as she heard the children waking up. Ever since they were born, she always knew when they would wake up. It was as if her own biological clock were synchronized with theirs.
"Oh, you don't gotta feed them. I'll do it, Ranma," Ryoga said as he watched her go to work preparing the babies' food.
Ranma looked to Ryoga with a small smile. "Sorry, I just wanna do something useful around here. Go ahead and finish your coffee; I'll take care of this," she said as she left the room to go about the daily ritual of feeding her children, a routine that had only stopped when she left them with the Hibiki's.
Deep in thought, Ryoga watched Ranma leave the kitchen. 'I haven't heard them cry once since Ranma's been here…it couldn't be. No way. I didn't, did I? No, absolutely not. I would never, ever with him,' he reassured himself. He was certain he hadn't been with Ranma. After all, he was completely heterosexual, right? Ryoga preferred to live in denial about his feelings towards Ranma's female half. He could never admit he was attracted to her.
Five hours later
"You ready to go, Ranma?" Ryoga asked, as he was eager to search for clues as to whom the mother of his children was.
Ranma came into the room dressed in a black T-shirt with an image of a death metal band on it, black cargo pants, and black high tops. "I just remembered I got somewhere I need to be, Ryoga. Maybe we can go lookin' later?"
"I…well, okay, I guess…I was really hoping we could get this over with," Ryoga sighed, looking down with his shoulders slumped.
Ranma just smirked at his friend. "Don't worry, I won't be gone long. I just gotta run an errand, then I'll be back…and we can go searchin' for that girl you were with."
Sonachi Bar
Ranma stepped into the bar after triggering her curse at a nearby water fountain. She showed the guard at the entrance a ring – black and silver and in the shape of a skull, its eye sockets adorned with red rubies. The guard then lead her to the back room, shutting the door behind her once she was inside. Ranma across the room to her old acquaintance. He sat at his desk, going over paperwork.
Shinji was a rather tall and lanky Chinese-Japanese man with jet black hair (dyed, most likely) and hazel eyes that seemed to chill you when he looked your direction. He was also rather strong for being so skinny – but if he ever got into trouble, he could always count on his TEC-9 that he named "Dolly Sue." And if Dolly Sue didn't do the job, he knew he could rely on Ranko if nothing else. She had once shocked him by stopping a rival gang's bullet meant for him that strayed near her using a blinding ball of energy. He knew Ranko could probably take him easily even if he got the drop on her, so he usually would ensure he had her under control by driving her into debt that she would then feel obliged to pay back.
"Have a seat, Ranko. Just gotta finish up the last of the paperwork," Shinji said without looking up. He knew it was her since she barely made a sound as she moved. If it weren't for the noise of his office door, she could easily sneak up on him.
Ranko walked over to one of the chairs in front of Shinji's desk and sat down. "I'll also need my stuff," she said bluntly.
"I got your documentation all ready to go, and the rest of your stuff's right here as well. Now stay quiet while I finish up my paperwork, doll. You know better than to speak to me when I'm busy," Shinji stated rather rudely.
Ranko fumed at her acquaintance. 'I swear, if I didn't need the money I would ring his neck,' she thought dejectedly.
After what seemed an hour, Shinji finally finished with his paperwork. He looked to Ranko in a contemplative manner before picking up a small bag and a briefcase. "Everything you need for the job is here. Don't fail me. You know the consequences if you do," he said coldly.
"I won't fail you…I never lose a fight," Ranko said as she stood, grabbing the bags to leave.
Shinji then said, "Ah?" looking at her expectantly.
Ranko tried to hide her bitterness as she approached Shinji, dejectedly kissing him on the lips before leaving. 'I am so going to get out from under his thumb one of these days.' she thought.
Ranko truly hated Shinji. If it weren't for her desperation to make money to feed herself and her kids she would clock him. When she first met him while drinking, he saved her from some thugs; as he did her favors, she would feel obligated to help him in any way she could. That pattern eventually led to some more shady activities bordering on the criminal, which is why she finally put her foot down and got out. If she stayed in, her choices were either acting as hired muscle or serving as a brothel girl to keep up with her debts. Though Shinji had mostly let her slip through the cracks, he now and then hooked her again with things such as the pendant her child now wore around his neck.
Shinji sat watching Ranko leave. Once he was sure she was gone, he spoke out loud to the otherwise empty room. "Yeah, one of these days I am going to get a piece of that MILF," he promised confidently, and then started laughing maniacally as he thought, 'Let's see how Ranko likes taking on her old hitch,' knowing she would do what was necessary even if the target was her ex-fiancée.
As Ranko was made her way out of the bar, her temper flaring, a man walked over and grabbed onto her arm.
"Hey, slow down, baby. I wanna show you a good ti-" he began, but didn't get to finish as Ranko grabbed him by the neck and slammed him through a pool table. That done, she pivoted on one foot back in the direction she was headed and stormed out of the bar.
The man groaned as he rolled out of the remains of the billiard table and tried to stand. Failing that, he passed out on the spot.
All the patrons and bar staff just looked on as if it were a normal, everyday occurrence at the bar. To a certain extent it was, as Ranko was technically a part of the staff and was a well-known face at the bar. Her temper was also well-known, as all the bar's regulars knew not to try hitting on her (at least not if they wanted to leave without any broken bones).
"Have a good one, Red," the bouncer called as Ranko walked past him in a huff, not bothering to reply since the bouncer seemed to think he was a comedian.
Halfway down the street, Ranko growled in frustration. She slammed her fist into a nearby telephone pole, causing it to split in half. The snapped pole fell onto a nearby police car, crushing it down the middle in a loud crash. "Kuso!" she exclaimed as she ducked down the alley before the police could come out of the donut shop.
Continuing her sprint, she didn't look as she crossed a busy intersection. Ranko barely jumped up in time as a police car drove by beneath her, her right foot catching on lights on its roof. This stumble caused her to fall onto the trunk and tumble to the pavement, forcing another car to slam on the brakes. Standing up, she sprinted off without a word as the police officer had stopped his car and demanded she halt for jaywalking. Finally reaching a relatively calm area, she sat down on a bench to catch her breath. "Baka, baka, baka!" she chided herself. 'Gotta get my emotions under control, damn it,' she thought.
Ranko looked to her right hand, noting that it was in some pain, and saw that her pinky was dislocated thanks to the fall she took. Gritting her teeth, she took hold of it with her left hand and popped it back into place, almost letting out a shriek but managing to keep it contained.
Standing up from her spot on the bench, Ranko made her way towards home. Halfway into the trip she heard sirens go off, finding several squad cars and SWAT units all getting out of their vehicles and taking aim at her with their assault rifles. She froze on the spot, stunned. "Aw, crap!" she muttered.
One hour later – Interrogation room, Tokyo Ninth Precinct
Ranko looked quite frustrated as she sat on the cold metal chair, her wrists bound together by five sets of handcuffs and several zip ties. Her ankles were shackled to the legs of her chair as well.
The steel door to the room opened, revealing two rather rugged looking men in old brown coats that were smoking and drinking coffee. They appeared to be brothers both with gray hair and matching unhealthy yellowish eyes.
"Red, you're a hard woman to track down, especially with no file…at least until now," one of the detectives said.
Ranko glared at him. "Hey, Takiyama. Nice to see you too. Do ya always send a SWAT team so you can chat with people?" she said in a rather bland tone.
"Only when said people are able to single-handedly take out an entire yakuza hit squad," Takiyama replied as he grinned at her. Pausing a moment, he spoke again. "Red, I'm gonna be straightforward with you. You're facing somewhere in the neighborhood of ninety to life unless you help me out here. I know you wouldn't want your kids growing up without a mother, would you?"
Though she was seething inside, Ranko softened her features. "What is it you need?" she asked, as she didn't want to endanger her children's future.
"I want you to look at this photo and tell me if you know him," Takiyama stated as he placed a photo in front of her that depicted a man with a gaping hole in his forehead.
Ranko turned white as she remembered the gentleman in question. "Yeah, I know who he is…er, was. Why, you think I know somethin' about that?"
"You might, Red. Now, I know you didn't do this. Killing isn't something you do. You're more of a fist for hire – with the exception of the hitters you took out, which, if you don't help us, we are going to take you down for. Imagine what people will think when they realize that the famous Saotome Ranma is the feared Red that backs all of Shinji's shady deals! The media would eat this up, your family will probably want nothing to do with you, and your kids will grow up knowing dear ol' mom was nothing but a no-good two-bit thug," Takiyama threatened.
Ranko let out a low growl. "You think I wanna be in this situation? I never wanted in this deep. I do favors to keep myself fed, and to ensure worse fates don't happen to me or my kids…look, that's Serigai Taiko. He was one of Shinji's friends, that's all I know. I'm not in the business anymore; I only stick to the legal stuff now. I put my foot down a long time ago. I never realized people were being killed until after I became pregnant. And those hitters you're talkin' about? They opened fire on my friend…or so I thought he was my friend at the time."
Takiyama's partner placed Ranko's bag and briefcase on the table. "Mind tellin' us where you're headin'?" Lieutenant Takiyama asked as he dumped her bag out onto the table and then opened her case that held her cash, her visa along and a packet.
Ranko looked from her fighting clothes spread out on the table to the contents of the case. "I'm goin' to a martial arts tournament in America in a week or so."
"Shinji sending you on another errand?" Detective Takiyama asked.
"Yeah, he just wanted to send me to a tournament to win, nothin' illegal about it," Ranko said honestly.
Lieutenant Takiyama regarded her features a moment. Seeing the truth of her words, he spoke. "After this last job, I suggest you find a new line of work, Red…'cause next time we bring you in, it won't be to talk."
Two hours later
Ranma finally arrived back at the Hibikis' after spending most of her day at the downtown precinct with her favorite police brothers. Sitting down on the porch, she let out a long sigh as she felt the weight of depression bearing down on her.
Stepping outside, Ryoga found Ranma, still female and sitting on the porch, looking rather depressed. "Hey Ranma, you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm just peachy; kinda feelin' sick is all. Don't worry, I'll kick this," Ranma lied, just wanting to keep her problems to herself.
Ryoga sat down next to her, still deep in thought, when Ranma suddenly grabbed onto him and started to sob. 'Whoa, what got into him? He's never once hugged onto me, crying like this. Come to think of it, he's rarely cried in front of me at all,' he observed. He uneasily placed his arms around Ranma, trying to comfort her.
Half an hour later
Nodoka looked up from the oak-finished coffee table while feeding Rei her bottle as she heard the whimpers of the other two children. "There, there. I'll be with you soon. Wait your turn, little ones," she spoke soothingly. Nodoka then turned to the sound of footsteps coming downstairs. "How is she, Ryoga?" she asked.
"She's asleep. I put her up in my room for now; I'll sleep on the couch. I tried to talk to her, but she won't explain what's going on. I think she's in trouble of some sort," Ryoga said as he started setting up the couch so he could sleep.
Nodoka gave Ryoga a thin smile. "She never was one to ask for help, you know that, Ryoga-kun. She's got a lot of pride that won't allow her to."
Taking a seat, Ryoga lay down on the couch. 'So broken, yet she still has so much pride. Ranma is something else…perhaps? No way, that would never happen in a million years! He'd let me defend him? I doubt it…he would rather face seppuku.' After finishing his thoughts he drifted off to sleep.
Dreams and memories
"Ranma is Airen, no?" Shampoo asked as she held onto Ranma tightly around the waist.
Ranma looked to Shampoo. "No, I am not your Airen, and I have no wish to be with you, Shampoo," he declared, pushing her away gently.
"That…too too bad," Shampoo said as she formed a decidedly wicked grin.
Ranma looked to her with a bewildered expression before he finally realized something was wrong. "Hey, wha…t did you do to…" he started, taking two steps forward before hitting the ground unconscious.
"Airen comfortable, no?" Shampoo asked as she was busy making love to him.
Ranma stirred to consciousness, an unusual feeling down below his waist. Panic set in as he opened his eyes, quickly realizing what had just happened. "Get off me, Shampoo!" he yelled, trying to get his wrists free from their restraints. Looking over, he got a glimpse of Hiroshi standing by the window, peering in with a shocked expression.
Ranma shot up from her nightmare. "Oh Kami-sama, just a dream…how much longer do I gotta live with that?" she said quietly to herself. 'Just you wait. One of these days, Shampoo, I'm coming for you,' she thought with malice. She hated the Amazons and the thought of her child – if Shampoo got what she wanted – living among them, male or even female, caused her blood to boil.
Ryoga woke to the smell of cooking. Rising from the couch, he remembered Nodoka was staying with them. As he made it to the kitchen, he didn't find Nodoka; however, instead he found Ranma cooking breakfast. "I thought guys don't cook, Ranma?" he teased.
"Guys? Where? I don't see any guys here except for one in a yellow shirt and green pants. And that's when he's not a cute little piglet!" Ranma replied with a hint of laughter to her voice as she continued chopping vegetables for the omelets she was preparing. Stopping for a moment, she pointed with the kitchen knife she was holding to her right. "Coffee is brewed, your cup is on the warmer and sugar's already in it," she stated and then went back to work.
Ryoga walked to the right side of the kitchen counter and picked up his coffee, looking to Ranma curiously. 'I swear, she always readies my coffee.' He shook off the thought, heading to the living room and sitting down as Nodoka and his mother joined him.
"She still in there making breakfast, dear?" Nayomie asked her son.
Ryoga nodded his head. "Yeah, why do you ask?" he questioned.
"She ran your mother and me out of the kitchen, saying she wanted to cook something for you," Nodoka said with a slight chuckle as she turned the TV on, turning it to the news channel.
Looking to the kitchen, his heart seemed to flutter. 'Ranma cooking something for me? Why…would he do that?' Ryoga wondered.
Ranma stepped away from the stove for a minute, grabbing her coffee and taking a sip. 'Tomboy never could cook, but I sure as hell can! We coulda made it work if not for that damned Hiroshi…now look at me, cooking breakfast for my possibly soon-to-be boyfriend – or fiancé. Sad how things turn out,' she thought with only a slight bitterness, due to the fact that things could still be a lot worse. She could be dating Shinji, Kuno, or even Mousse. If not for the drinking she wouldn't be in all this trouble, that was true. But at the same time she wouldn't have the three children she loved so dearly, nor even the possibility of happiness with someone she already knew to be a great guy. Sure, Ryoga had his problems: he was directionally challenged, and he had something of a temper, and he could hold one hell of a grudge, but he would always treat you right if you treated him the same way. 'I gotta say it someday, but maybe if I'm lucky he'll save me the trouble and figure it out in the end…I'm leaving clues if he would just catch on,' she thought, letting out a soft chuckle as she went back to finishing up breakfast.
Ryoga looked down at little Hiroto. Bending over, he picked the infant up out of his crib. "Hey, little guy," he chuckled as Hiroto gave off a smile, the child laughing a little at his father's goofy expression. 'Where have I seen steel-gray eyes before?' Thinking about this for a few moments, he remembered that Ranma's male form had them, as did Genma and a few others. 'Maybe it's just a coincidence,' he thought, ignoring the nagging sensation that he already knew the answer and was slightly scared of it. He decided simply to continue denying the feeling, as it made him more than a little uncomfortable.
Breakfast at the Hibikis'
As Nodoka set the table, Ranma and Nayomie brought out the food, portioning it on their plates. Once finished, the household sat down for breakfast.
Ryoga eyed the food, noting how well prepared it appeared to be. Saying a prayer, they dug into their meal.
"Daughter, this is quite good. I would say you have definitely improved your skills compared to the last time we cooked together a few years back," Nodoka said, complimenting her child.
Ranma beamed at her mother. "Yeah, well, I did more than just roam the country for a cure. Sometimes I was a waitress or a cook, dependin' on what people needed," she explained, leaving out her shadier dealings.
"Ranma, you said you're going on a trip. Perhaps Ryoga could go with you to the tournament?" Nayomie suggested with a cheeky smile.
Ranma looked to Ryoga, contemplating the suggestion. "I s'ppose he could, but doesn't he work construction? I mean, I wouldn't want him takin' away from the money to pay the bills here or anything."
"Ranma, I'll be fine. I've been saving almost every yen I get, so I'm sure I can go with you for a week or so. Maybe I can even enter this tournament as well," Ryoga offered, giving her a smile before popping another tasty morsel of his breakfast into his mouth.
Ranma looked to Ryoga, giving him a smile of her own. "Alright, you can come with me. I'm sure it'll be fun." 'And I could use the time with him anyways. Maybe I can tell him then,' she thought, her features gaining a slight glow.
After finishing her meal, Ranko got up from the table to grab some formula to feed her children.
Ryoga watched her head back into the living room, carrying three bottles of formula in her hands. "Ranma, you did the cooking. You don't have to feed my kids too; I can do that."
Ranma looked to Ryoga, feeling torn, as she really wanted to do this herself. "Ryoga, I really wanna do something useful around the house. Just let me do this, please."
"Alright…if you insist, Ranma. But don't think you have to do everything around here," Ryoga answered, giving off a slightly confused expression. She was totally out of her element, as far as he was concerned.
"Daughter, after you're finished I would like to talk to you," Nodoka stated, a concerned expression on her face.
Ranma didn't face her mother as she fed her children, holding Neji in her arms and rocking her back and forth. "Sure, Mom. When I'm done we can talk," she said, letting out a sigh. She hated that everyone was asking so many questions. 'Can't you see, Ryoga? Come on,' she thought, as she was dropping another hint by doing her duty as a mother right in front of him.
Conversation between moms
"Ranma, honey, the first rule of keeping a secret is not to draw attention when in front of the person from whom you're keeping the secret," Nodoka said in a motherly tone.
Ranma sat down on the bed next to her mother. "Mom, I'm not tryin' to keep it a secret. I'm tryin' to tell him in my own way! I've never been good with words, you know that."
"I see. Well, if he doesn't catch on, or perhaps is in denial on the matter, you may need to come out and say it, dear," Nodoka explained to her daughter. Then on another thought, she asked, "Honey, can you tell me what had you so upset the other day? I promise I won't be upset with you."
Ranma looked to her mother, deep in contemplation, before finally speaking. "Can you keep a secret, Mom? No one can know this or my reputation will be totally shredded."
"You can trust me, sweetheart. Whatever it is, I won't tell a soul. I promise," Nodoka assured her daughter.
Ranma then gave her mother the full rundown about Shinji about the police that were watching her every move, causing Nodoka to gasp several times.
"He is obviously not a nice man, dear. Is this tournament your last job for him?" Nodoka asked with a worried look.
Ranma nodded her head, letting out a depressed sigh. "Yeah, if I don't do the job, they'll go after Akane. I won't let that happen. Sure I can't have her and she hates my guts, but I'll never stop caring for her," the younger redhead explained sadly.
"So, the pendant around Hiroto's neck locks his curse in place. What curse does he have?" Nodoka asked as got an image of a black female piglet running around.
Ranma pulled her knees up against her chest. "He turns into a girl like me…and if I'm not mistaken by the little hairs he started to grow, they're like his father's. As for the pendant, it's an artifact that allows the user to remain in non-cursed form even when wet," she explained.
"Honey, perhaps you should give the item back. Besides, if he were ever to lose it and find out he's cursed, he would surely be quite upset. You shouldn't rob him of that knowledge, dear. And if he grows up with the curse as a regular fact of life for him, he's much less likely to see it as something to be ashamed of like you did," Nodoka explained to her daughter, hoping she would do the right thing. 'Of course, then Ryoga would know for sure who the mother is,' she thought with a slight smile.
Ranma stood up from the bed and headed to the living room. Grabbing the bag Shinji gave her, she walked back to rejoin her mother in the bedroom. Closing the door, she then showed her mother her work clothes.
"My, these are very feminine. Why did you choose them, honey?" she asked, holding up some slim, elbow-length leather gloves that had skull-shaped studs on the knuckles.
"Because, Mom, when I do jobs I'm known as 'Red.' I didn't want anyone to figure out who I was, so I changed my wardrobe drastically. It takes everything I have to make myself out to be cold-hearted, which is what Red is. She's feared by many groups, including some of the nastier criminal elements. I was Shinji's muscle until I saw what he did to someone. I'd never seen anyone die outside of Saffron, especially in that manner, so I spent an entire night drinking with Ryoga…which is what led to where I am now. I became this monster in the first place to protect Akane, y'know. They didn't just hold the debts over my head; they threatened her life too. I'm just lucky I never was made to kill for them," Ranma explained taking a weary, haggard breath.
"So, those dojos you had been challenging were a vent for your frustration," Nodoka observed, nodded in understanding as she picked up a rather heavy steel case. Ranma quickly placed her hand on her mother's to stop her from opening it.
"I didn't wanna become a killer, Mom. That's why I fled the business. After that, I thought I was rid of him. Um, in there is my twenty-second birthday present," Ranma said with some foreboding to her voice as she allowed her mother to open the case.
Nodoka opened the case, gasping at what she saw. There were two chrome .45-caliber pistols decorated with a dragon motif on the body of the handguns and a yin/yang emblem connected by a small chain at the butt of the guns. The case also contained two silencers lying in their protective slots, along with a box of shells. "By the kami, child, you never had to use these, did you?"
"Not once, Mom. That case has been closed since I received it. I only keep it as a reminder to myself not to get into a bad crowd with anybody again. This last job I do should let me pay my debt for the pendant; then I'm free," Ranma explained to her mother, shaking her head.
Nodoka felt relieved, knowing Ranma wouldn't lie about an issue like that. "If you're keeping them as a reminder, then I won't ask you to get rid of them. But your work outfit, I want it burned after this job. I don't want to know Red one bit. You're a mother now; there is no more room for her in your life."
"I promise, Mom, I will lay Red to rest after the tournament. And I vow to atone for my ways and become someone honorable that my children can be proud of. If I fail, I'll face a tanto," Ranma declared, looking her mother in the eye. It was a promise she would honor, no matter what.
Nodoka gave her child an approving look, as she could see the spark held in Ranma's eyes. Her daughter was swearing seppuku if she failed to live up to her word. "Well then, dear, we must work hard to ensure you never have to fulfill that promise," she stated simply. Taking a moment to think, she asked, "Any plans for after you finish the last job, honey?"
"Yeah, actually. I'm gonna start my own school, once I build a dojo to teach in. That's been a dream of mine for a while now, and, well, I kinda wanna teach woman self-defense so they'll never end up in a situation like I did," Ranma said in a somber tone.
A half-hour later
Ranma came down from the furo, dressed in his classic red-and-black outfit. It was still in surprisingly fair condition. Looking to his friend, he gave Ryoga a smile. "Yo Ryoga, wanna go hit the movies with me?"
"Um…Ranma, not sure. I mean, isn't going to the movies more for couples?" Ryoga asked, feeling awkward.
Ranma laughed at Ryoga's naïveté. "Well, since you put it that way, want me to go as a girl? I just wanna do somethin' besides get drunk with you," he explained, giving Ryoga a warm smile.
"How 'bout sparring with me?" Ryoga asked, trying to steer the discussion back into his element.
Ranma chuckled as he kicked at some lint on the tiled floor. "Ryoga, we can spar anytime you want. I just wanna do somethin' I haven't done since I was in school."
"Alright, friend, then let's go see a movie. What have you got in mind?" Ryoga questioned.
Ranma pulled out an advertisement from his pocket that depicted a puppet that had a message bubble reading, "Want to play a game?"
Ranma beamed. "I guess it's some kinda horror thing. It looks pretty cool, in a morbid sense."
"Sure thing, maybe afterwards we can catch a kung fu flick," Ryoga said, giving Ranma the sort of smile he never knew Ryoga to give.
Feeling antsy, Ranma took a deep breath. "Alright, let's go, pal."
Downstairs
Nodoka finished changing Rei's diaper, looking up to see both boys coming downstairs. "Where are you two going?"
"Going to the movies, Mom. Figured we would watch that new horror flick I showed you in that ad," Ranma said with a smile.
Nodoka looked to her son, letting out a sigh. "Dear, I will never understand your fascination with American movies."
"Oh Mom, they're so cool! They've got cool explosions and wild car chases, not to mention lots of cute girls in them!" Ranma exclaimed.
Nodoka chuckled a little. 'Well, some things will never change with my child. I'm glad to see the boy known as my son is still in there.' "Well, have fun, you too. Oh, should we make dinner for you both or will you eat before you get home?"
"We'll probably catch dinner while we're out, so don't worry about us, Mrs. Saotome," Ryoga answered.
Ranma looked to his mother. "Yeah, like Ryoga said, don't worry about us. We'll be fine."
Note: Well Ranma has one final Job to do before she is free of Shinji, or will she be?
And how will Ranma react when he/she finds out her target is Akane, and her Husband Daisuke, and what will this mean to Shinji should Ranma not take it well?
We have delved in on Ranma's more shady past that she got into thanks to Alcohol to answer your question no she hadn't been touched by anyone sexually with the exception of Ryoga who still doesn't know he had sex with her in a drunken fling.
