Akane was on her way to dance practice and couldn't stop smiling, when she heard her sister open the dojo door and she thought, to hell with it, she was having too much fun to stop so she poured everything into dancing all her emotion, all her soul and it never felt so good! Of course, shocking her sister into silence was nice too, but what really got her was the conversation they had over their cereal. Nabiki had been largely silent since see saw her dancing, but when Akane got up to wash out her bowl she was stopped by Nabiki.
"Akane, I want you to do something."
"Sure Nabiki, what is it?"
"I want you to practice every single day, just like you did today, understood?"
"Of… of course Nabiki, but why tell me that? I already practice everyday."
"I just want your word that you'll practice every day. Talent like that should never be wasted, do I have your word?"
"Yea, I mean, yes big sister, you have my word and thank you." Nabiki only nodded in response and went to rinse out her own bowl. For Akane to have her own overly critical big sister to admit she had real talent felt good beyond words. As she was walking to dance class, she figured she'd have to thank Ranma if she ever saw him again. Even though it still hurt to think about, without him leaving she never would have tried dancing. As she passed through that all too familiar door, she silently thanked him.
Tsukino Household
Usagi was worried about Ami, she never showed up to the meeting that she had called, which was very unlike her. She thought about going over, but had a bad feeling about it, for some reason it made her buns hurt which made no sense. Although, she could still call, so thinking, she dialed the number and let it ring.
Mizuno Household
Ami and her mom had already eaten breakfast and straightened up everything. Over tea, Saeko had asked Ami about what she thought about asking Ranma to stay with them, needless to say, she was enthusiastic about it. It was going on ten o'clock and Ranma hadn't ate yet or made any noise indicating that she was awake. Ami was carrying a large tray with food on it, actually it was the largest tray they had, seeing how much she was able to eat at that one restaurant. Ami slid the door open to Ranma's room to see her sitting up in bed and glowing a beautiful shade of yellow. Ami had seen Ranma glowing several times now and it didn't surprise her a bit, she just wondered why Ranma was doing it. She set the food down on the nightstand and cleared her throat to get Ranma's attention, then did it a second and third time. However, that was her limit, her throat was getting sore. So she just sat down and watched Ranma for a minute. Ami blinked once, then blinked again, she wasn't imagining it. The large, prominent bruise around Ranma's neck was fading before her eyes. Not wanting to disturb Ranma, she ran out of the room to get her mom and show her. Healing abilities like that were amazing, they were usually the things of fairy tales and comic books. When Saeko got to the room she too took a second to believe what she was seeing. Cuts were evaporating slowly, bruises fading. It was amazing to say the least. She imagined that Ranma's muscles and bones were healing as well. Both Mizuno's watched as Ranma's breathing slowly changed until her eyes fluttered open and found two ladies staring at her. Ranma hoped she didn't do something to offend them, like interrupting them last night, she had hoped she did the right thing.
"Um, good morning," Ranma says nervously.
"I'm sorry, we didn't mean to stare, but you're just so… amazing is the only way to put it. Ami noticed you uh… meditating, I guess, when she brought you some food earlier and noticed that bruise on your neck fading and wanted to show me. That is absolutely incredible Ranma, how did you do that?"
"Oh, that's a healing technique I learned a long time ago from some monks in Tibet, real nice guys those, especially that Llama guy. Unfortunately, I still haven't mastered it. When you master it, you're supposed to be able to heal a broken bone in minutes using very little Ki. I can't even figure out how to focus the healing on just one part of my body. I wanted to heal my ribs enough to be able to work out today, but since I can only use the technique with my full body, all my injuries burned up way too much Ki before my ribs fully healed and now I can't use it again for at least four or five hours. I don't have enough Ki," she then shrugs like it's no big deal.
Saeko sat down on the bed in front of Ranma and looked at her very seriously. "Ranma, would it be possible to use that to heal other people?"
Ranma crossed her arms and got a look of intense concentration on her face for several minutes before looking Saeko in the eyes and saying, "no idea," causing Ami and Saeko to both face fault. Seeing both looking a little peeved, she waves her hands in front of her and says, "I'll tell you everything I know including what I know is possible, but I have never seen or even heard of a healing technique used on someone else. Most of the martial artists I know each have their own technique for more rapid healing, but each is unique in their own way. The Grand Master can heal very grievous wounds using very minute amounts of Ki from others (usually trace Ki left on underwear the perv.) That's really all I know." Both Mizuno's were way more satisfied with this answer.
"You said the Grand Master could use minute amounts of others Ki to heal his wounds, how minute are we talking?" Ami asked ever hungry for knowledge.
"Trace amounts left on clothing which usually fade after an hour," Ranma answers wondering where she going with this.
"It stands to reason that if a person can heal himself using others Ki, that the opposite might be true, a person might be able to heal others using their own Ki," Ami theorized.
"Maybe, we just don't know until we try I guess." Ranma always wanting to push the bounds of his art. "Do either of you want to try it, I'm willing if you are. I've never even thought of trying."
Ami stepped forward, "I accidentally cut my finger helping cook this morning, if you would like to try." Saeko just shook her head, Ami could cook simple dishes, but she was such a klutz in the kitchen, somehow always hurting herself.
Ranma took Ami's hand into her own and examined the cut with a professional eye. It was a very shallow cut, almost a paper cut if it didn't get deep on one end. Ranma moved over to make more room on the bed.
"Get on the bed, Ami, and get comfortable. I'm going to need you to steady your breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Keep it smooth, in one, out two, in one, out two. Good, now I'm going to sandwich your hand between both of mine and use the same technique I used to heal myself, only this time I'm going to push my Ki outside my body just enough to encompass your hand. If you feel weird, uncomfortable, or it hurts, say something, because I'm just guessing here okay." Ami nodded in understanding, it was both exciting and scary for her, but for some reason she trusted Ranma deeply.
Ranma knew her Ki reserves were low so she powered the technique at the lowest possible level and began weaving her Ki into the pattern the monks showed her. Now the hard part, Ranma concentrated on pushing the weave outside her body. At first it didn't move so she pushed harder and nothing happened. So she went through two cycles of breathing to make sure she had her center and then pushed as hard as she could. She felt something pop or break and the only thing she can think is, 'oh no,' before the Ki weave burst loose from her body and completely enveloped both her and Ami. Ranma expected some kind of Ki backlash or pain so she squeezed both her eyes shut.
"You can open your eyes Ranma, this is amazing, I had no idea this was possible." Ranma opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was a wall of movies, no, their memories. He didn't know how, but he knew they were all Ami's memories. If he concentrated on a single one he could feel what she felt at that moment. Ranma looked at a memory that was from Ami's early childhood and it was amazing, he felt all the love and comfort she felt from her mom and dad, but then he looked further on and felt the depression and self-blame from her mom and dad fighting. Then, there was something he is intimately familiar with, the loneliness after Ami's father left and her mom became a workaholic. Soon after, Ami was ostracized for her intelligence and she was so very alone. In the next memory she met someone called Sailor Moon, weird. It turned out Ami was a magical girl. They fight together and hard to save earth many times, but they weren't friends. In fact, it looks like they barely keep the group together at all. The ones called the 'outers' never did fully join the first group, or the 'inners' as they called them. Then, he saw the last memory, the meeting that was supposed to take place and the overheard conversation, he felt the hole that opened in Ami's chest at hearing their honest feelings about her. Then it all starts over. He can feel Ami there with him, but anywhere he looked all he saw were the memories.
"Where are you Ami?"
"I'm here, I feel your presence, but I can only see your memories."
"So, I saw your life and you mine, sorry you had to see that Ami."
"It's ok, the pit was a little overwhelming, but the rest was a lot like mine…"
"Lonely," they both said at once.
"Sorry to keep my secret from you Ami, but…"
"It's okay Ranma, it really is, I saw how friends and strangers reacted to it. I don't think I would want to tell anybody that either if I got those reactions. Speaking of secrets…."
"I won't tell anybody about Mercury. Did… did you really die and get brought back?"
"Yeah, it was… disturbing. Feeling and remembering the moment of your own death…"
"Sorry to bring up."
"No, it's ok. Ranma, how do we get out of here and don't you dare say, 'no idea'!"
"I'm guessing we came here when our two Ki's touched. so we literally got a look at each other's soul. I'm betting this place is being maintained by my healing technique, so when it stops, we should leave."
"Why don't you just stop the technique now? No offence, but I'm tired of watching your father beat you with logs."
"Can't, already tried. I can't control my Ki from here but I can feel it. I'm almost at the red line, so when I hit that, I'll pass out for twelve hours or so and wake up with a head ache, and we should be free."
"What's the red line?"
"It's a huge no, no for any Ki user. The red line is the minimal amount of Ki needed to keep yourself alive, if you use it up, you die. Thankfully, the human body has a built in safety, when you hit it, normally your body stops any manual Ki use and you go into a coma like state until your Ki is restored."
"That doesn't sound healthy, let's keep that as 'plan b.' Do you have any other ideas?"
"You're seeing my memories, so it stands to reason you're in contact with my Ki. You might be able to destroy the healing weave of Ki I made."
"I'm not a Ki master like you Ranma! I don't think I can do that!"
"The hardest part was done for you, you are in contact with the Ki, it's all around you, you can do this Ami. I know you have a brilliant and focused mind, that's a huge point in your favor. All you got to is listen to me, do you trust me?"
"I trust you Ranma." They couldn't lie to each other while viewing each other's souls. Having someone say they trusted him boosted Ranma's already considerable confidence.
"Okay, have you watched Avatar; The Last Airbender?"
"What?"
"Have you watched Avatar; The Last Airbender, it's important."
"Yes, mom insisted I watch it with her, it was one the better shows she had me watch, okay!" Ami says embarrassed, in this place Ranma actually felt her embarrassment.
"Don't be embarrassed Ami, at least your mom wants to do stuff with you. You saw my mom right? Glad you watched it, it was a good anime. Anyway, I want you to pretend you're an air bender, I want you to imagine you're gathering balls of air around your hands, as much as you can handle, then throw it as hard as you can at the wall. That should disrupt the Ki weave I created, enough to destabilize it."
"Pretending I'm an airbender is your idea?" Ami shook her head at the oddity of it all, but tried anyway. She moved her hands in the posture she saw Aang do many times and imagined air gathering around them. She did this twice before giving up.
Ranma felt her frustration and tried to encourage her. "Ami, Ki is shaped by will and intent. Meaning, if you don't think it will happen, it never will. Ki responds to feelings and thoughts, if you believe it will happen, it will, you must know it will happen, if not, it won't."
Letting loose a sigh, Ami replied, "You could have just said, do or do not, there is no try."
"Yeah, but I don't think movie quotes would help considering you didn't think I was taking this seriously when I brought up Avatar."
"Good point, so, as long I know this will work, it will work. Here it goes." This time, when she moved her hands they started to glow. It was Ranma's Ki, she could feel it, the confidence, the courage. Everything she'd ever wanted to be all her life. She gathered all she could before the energies started to feel unstable. Then she fires the energy toward the wall, she sees the weave flare then shatter. It sounded and looked like glass breaking. Ranma in his male form fades into existence in front of her, damn he was handsome.
"Great job Ami, I was a few minutes away from red lining, you saved me twelve hours and a lot of pain, thank you." He wasn't sure why, but he felt comfortable enough to hug her until the world faded to white.
Alphonso's School of Modern Dance
Akane was packing her things and getting ready to leave after another wonderful dance lesson, even though she was sweaty and tired she wished could go another two or three hours. Making sure she got everything, she leaves the locker room to see her teacher waiting outside. Alphonso, or Fonsie for short, was a great teacher, but she often wondered why older people point at him and go 'ayyyye' when he told them his nick name. She just shrugged and assumed it must be an old people thing. As she walked by he got in step walking right beside her.
"Akane, are you busy right now?"
"No teacher, is something wrong?"
"No, nothing like that. Don't be so nervous, even though you just started a little over a week ago, you are already one of my best students. In fact, I have been meaning to ask, have you studied dance before?"
"No teacher, but I have studied Kenpo for many years and have had a couple lessons in our family art, as well as a couple of Kendo lessons. I don't really have anything to show for it though." She shrugged with a little bitterness in her voice.
"Ha, nothing to show it but strength, endurance, coordination, balance, and speed. Things most people have to train up in order to be excellent dancers. If you want to see the time you spent in martial arts in a more positive light, simply think of it as training for your true calling." Akane thought about it and her teacher had a very valid point.
"Thank you teacher, that helps a lot, thank you. Is that all you wanted?"
"No, that was just sating my curiosity, no I was wondering if you would be interested in some very specialized dance training. It's not for everybody but it will open some doors for you in the dance world just by participating. Your background makes you ideal for the training, but it's entirely up to you whether you want to participate or not."
She was being invited for special training, her! She had never felt more validated, elated, and several other emotions all at once before. She truly felt that she had found her calling.
Alphonso knew she might be excited by the opportunity, but the sparkles in her eyes were getting a little disturbing. He cleared his throat to get her attention, hopefully, because that was weird.
"Ahem, if you've decided to do it, come to this address at eight o'clock tomorrow morning and wear something you don't mind getting messed up. Have a good day Akane." He walked away after handing Akane a small card with nothing but an address on it.
Tsukino Household
"How long do plan on standing there with the phone receiver Bunny Butt."
"Shut up Shingo, I'll stand here as long I want bweee!" Usagi stuck her tongue out at her little, annoying brother. Shingo ran up to her with the intention of yanking one of her way too long pony tails when he noticed something on the phone indicator.
"Umm, sis you're not going to get anywhere with whoever you're calling."
"Why is that brat-zilla?"
"The red blinking light there and the funny ringing noise you're probably hearing means they blocked your number."
"But that means….uh oh." Usagi hung up the phone and quickly called Makoto.
Miyagi Dojo
Kasumi switched her shoes out for house slippers and picked up the groceries Mr. Miyagi asked her to buy. As she moved deeper into the house she could hear voices coming from the dining room, she recognized Mr. Miyagi's voice immediately, but what was odd is the other voice sounds oddly familiar, though she couldn't place it. Oh well, Mr. Miyagi's company is none of her business, but these groceries are. She needed to put up the refrigerated stuff before it got warm.
Mr. Miyagi heard Kasumi in the kitchen putting the food away. "Kasumi, come join Ukyo and myself for some tea please. I'd like us to talk some before your afternoon training."
Kasumi stopped her movement upon hearing the name Ukyo. It couldn't be Ukyo Kuonji could it. "Coming Sensei," was her only reply.
Kasumi walked into the dining room to see her teacher talking to an acquaintance from Nermia. "Ukyo, how good to see you again. I admit I never expected to see you here."
"Good to see you again as well, I never expected to see you here either, let alone studying martial arts. I thought that was Akane's thing."
"Actually, I heard from Nabiki that Akane gave up Martial arts in favor of dancing." Ukyo spat some of her tea across the table at the news. Kasumi continued as if nothing had happened. "It seems she is doing very well and is getting high praise from her teacher. Looks like I'm the martial artist in the family now." She said the last bit with a satisfying smile across her face.
"Ukyo told me you two knew each other, how fantastic, after all it's better to spar with somebody you know the first time, rather than a complete stranger."
"Sparing?" Kasumi asked in shock.
"During my training trip, I stopped here for a few months, Mr. Miyagi was kind enough to train me in his art some. He thought it would be good for me to spar against you using Miyagi-Do just to see where you're at, after all I'm a real martial artist." Ukyo stated with a satisfied air about her.
"Mr. Miyagi?" Kasumi was hoping Mr. Miyagi would deny Ukyo's words, instead he confirmed them with a nod. Kasumi steeled herself, she knew there would be things she would have to do that she didn't like when she took up martial arts, but she didn't know they would make her so afraid either. They moved out to the dojo after Kasumi and Ukyo had changed into their gis. They took their positions opposite each other on the mats, bowed to the shrine and then to each other. Each then took beginning stances of Miyagi-Do. Kasumi was trying to keep her breathing under control and remember all her training. Ukyo wasn't near as nervous, she had sparred many times on her training trip and with her… father. Ukyo knew she was probably going to have make the first move. The chef streaked in with a hard punch to Kasumi's left shoulder, only to be surprised by Kasumi's quick reaction time. Kasumi was almost able to dodge it, but Ukyo still got a good clip of Kasumi's shoulder knocking her just a little off balance. Unfortunately for Kasumi, it was good enough to make an opening that Ukyo took advantage of completely, by nailing Kasumi hard in the ribs, twice on her left side. Then, using her shin to kick her behind the knee, causing Kasumi to either go down to her knees or fall face first. Kasumi, now on her knees, was holding her side where her ribs were protesting.
"Maybe you should have stayed in the kitchen, it hurts less," Ukyo said smirking.
Kasumi looked at Mr. Miyagi to see what his reaction might be, but seeing as he had his 'passive wisdom' face on, he was expecting this. Which makes this a test. Kasumi slowly stood without saying a word and got back in her stance, nodding to Ukyo to let her know she was ready. Whatever test this was, whatever difficulty others may throw in her path, she would not stop, would not give up, this is the life she chose. She wasn't a victim of circumstance any longer, having to raise her sisters, cook, clean, and go to school. She wasn't going too be pitied by the people she saw everyday anymore. She is Kasumi Tendo, she is a martial artist! She knew Ukyo was better than her and Ukyo knew that too, so if she wanted win, she was going to have to outsmart her. Kasumi had been underestimated for years, people called her dense, air headed, and completely oblivious to her surroundings. They were all wrong, it was the stupid housewife act she put on for everybody to see and she hated it. She wanted to go on the adventures, she wanted to see new things. If she hadn't held onto that stupid act she would have gone crazy, or gotten depressed, or both and she wouldn't have been any good for Nabiki or Akane. She was going to prove to Ukyo and Mr. Miyagi she could do this, but most of all she was going to prove it to herself!
She purposely favored her hurt ribs more than she needed to hoping Ukyo would try and attack there again. Ukyo came at her again with a straight punch but at her right shoulder instead. Kasumi was more prepared this time and just ducked it and side stepped to try a shot Ukyo's exposed left flank. Ukyo anticipated this and turned her punch into a roll to avoid Kasumi's punches. Kasumi took a step back to avoid Ukyo's back hand and simultaneous back kick when she came out of her roll. "Yes," Kasumi's mind screamed, a mistake! Kasumi immediately slammed her left foot down on Ukyo's kicking leg, pinning her in place and opening her guard up wide. Kasumi quickly ran through all her options in mind. She could go for the obvious punches to Ukyo's exposed areas or go for the super risky spin kick that had the potential to win this for her. Ukyo was far more experienced than she was, so the longer they fought, the higher the odds that Ukyo would win. At least Ukyo was confined to Miyagi-Do, that helped a lot. So, super risky spin kick it is then. Quickly, Kasumi shifted all her weight to the leg that was pinning Ukyo, then jumped and spin kicked. Damn, Ukyo was good. When she jumped unpinning Ukyo's leg, Ukyo immediately went to dodge, thankfully she didn't have Ranma's speed. The kick that was supposed to catch her cleanly on the side of the head, K-Oing her, barely clipped her temple, but it was enough. Kasumi could tell she was a little disoriented from the hit. Hoping for some free hits, Kasumi went in for a stomach punch, but Ukyo shook off the effects far too quickly, she had to be faking to draw her in. Ukyo grabbed her punching arm and shoulder threw her hard, knocking the breath out of her. She laid there for a second, maybe considering going back home picking up where she left off. Crushing that thought with the weight of white dwarf star. She rolled over and shakily got back up.
"Give up Kasumi, you can't beat me, I have the high ground. I've fought your sister and won. I've fought Shampoo and Kodachi at the same time to a draw. I even fought Ranchan and did pretty well. You've been a martial artist for what, two weeks? Give up before I hurt you more."
Kasumi took on a familiar smirk. "Tell me if you've heard this one before, but Kasumi Tendo don't lose."
Ukyo shook her head, "Real cute." She then charged in for another attack, Kasumi had gained enough skill to spot the feint and block the real attack, a kick to her sore ribs. She tried to counter with an elbow, but Ukyo expertly blocked and countered herself with a quick jab to Kasumi's face. Kasumi absorbed the hit like she was taught and tried to grab the punching arm for a throw, instead she was rewarded with a reversal and ended up on her back, again staring at the ceiling. Kasumi was getting sick of seeing that stupid ceiling, plus she really wanted to see Ukyo on the mat. "Stay down Kasumi, I don't want to hurt you." Kasumi ignored the advice and forced herself to stand and with some difficulty got back in the stance. With more confidence than she actually felt, Kasumi gave the come hither gesture. Ukyo, wanting to end this already, goes in for a quick one, two combo. A stomach punch followed by an upper cut was her plan. Kasumi didn't follow the plan however, she kept blocking Ukyo's punches to her stomach, but she was taking bruising to her arms slowing her. Kasumi formed a plan in her mind. She stopped blocking and took a hard punch to the stomach and in turn she grabbed Ukyo's head and gave her a massive head-butt causing them both to fall to the ground. "Ow, what the hell, Kasumi, that's not Miyagi-Do!"
"Ranma once said to never limit one self, if you do, you become stiff, predictable. That, and you were kicking my ass." Still laying on the floor, Ukyo started giggling. "What's so funny?"
"The prim and proper Kasumi Tendo just said 'ass'!"
"That was never me Ukyo, that was a coping mechanism that I did for far too long. I almost forgot I was doing it. Come on, let's finish this." Kasumi started to stand, but failed and instead fell over. She tried again and got on her knees and then stood. She saw Ukyo already standing, she unsteadily put her arms into the stance of Miyagi-Do.
Ukyo had quickly rolled over and stood up and watched Kasumi fail to stand the first time, then force herself to stand. Her arms are shaky, her nose is bleeding from a poorly executed head butt. Over all, Kasumi looks like crap, but she is obliviously not giving up.
"Kasumi, please give up, you're hurt. I don't want to hurt you more."
"I'm not done yet." Ukyo looked hard at Kasumi, looked at her eyes, there was something she recognized, steely determination. Ukyo realized she could probably break Kasumi's arm and she'd still fight.
"You're not are you? I believe you would continue to fight." Ukyo was stunned, Kasumi really had the spirit of martial artiest.
"Yes, a martial artist has been born this fight. Kasumi has defeated the greatest enemy any martial artist will face, her own doubt, fears, and even her own body. I'm sorry Ukyo, Kasumi for this test. I know you were uncomfortable with my request, but thank you for doing it." He got up and walked up to Kasumi to address her directly. "I am sorry to test you in this manner Kasumi, but I needed to know if the person I plan to leave Miyagi-Do to is the right person. If you accept that is."
Kasumi was indecisive for the barest of moments before she bowed deeply and answers. "I would honored to be responsible for carrying on Miyagi-Do, master." Mr. Miyagi smiles a genuine smile of hope and pride.
"Come ladies, I'm sure you both want to get cleaned up, then we can celebrate this momentous occasion." Mr. Miyagi exited the dojo as Kasumi was about to follow, Ukyo stopped her.
"Look Kasumi, I just want to apologize for everything I said, Mr. Miyagi said to do anything I could to get you to quit. I've always liked you and I don't you to hate me."
"I can't hate you for vocalizing my own self-doubts, actually I should thank you, you allowed me to beat them figuratively if not literally. (wink)" Ukyo shook her head as Kasumi walked off. She may have the soul of a martial artist, but she was definitely still Kasumi.
Saotome Household
Nodoka was wondering why her mother hadn't called back yet, she usually calls with in a few hours, at longest, of when she called. Maybe her mother was finally tired of coming to her aid, she said so, just as many times. She almost dropped her tea when she heard a knock at the door, she wasn't expecting visitors. She answered the door to find;
"Father, Mother!"
"So, are you going to stand there gaping daughter or are you going to invite us in?"
"Of course Mother, come in, I'll fix us some tea. How are you and father doing?"
"We are well, but confused. Ever since you married that fat louse of a husband, the only reason you ever called was for more money, but when you called this time we checked your account and you still had plenty of money, so the only reason besides money we thought you would be calling is an emergency. Is there a emergency?," her father asked.
"Well no, not as such."
"Why did you call then 'Doka-chan, are you finally divorcing Genma?" Her mother asked with hope in her voice.
"What! No, I would never do such a thing it's..."
"Yeah, dishonorable, I let you read too many damn samurai novels as a girl." Her mother brushed off her concerns.
"You wouldn't understand, you're not Japanese," Nodoka yelled.
"Ladies, I tired of hearing this argument the first time I heard it, so you can imagine how sick I am of it hearing it for hundredth time. Nodoka, your mother is not Japanese, I don't care and you shouldn't either. Sally, I've taught you what honor means to us, it is extremely important and you know that, but even I'll admit that 'Doka-chan takes it to the extreme. Now, before we get sidetracked again, why did you call?" Both mother and daughter looked like they both wanted to continue this very old argument. Hinge really was tired of playing referee between these two. Nodoka was still staring daggers at her mom and Sally was doing it right back, these two were stubborn. "Doka-chan, the call?"
"Oh, right umm, got good news and bad news." Both parents gave her bland looks, last time she had 'good' news she announced she was pregnant at 16 and marrying that loser Genma. If 'Doka-chan thought that was good news, they really weren't looking forward to the bad news. "The good news is that Genma and Ranma came back from their training trip. The bad news is they came back... changed. I didn't react to it very well and umm..."
"Yes daughter," her mom says concerned.
"Uh, well, I didn't treat Ranma so good after they got back and..."
"And what," her mother said with some venom in her voice.
"Well I might have drove him away because of my treatment of him."
"You what? First I don't see my grandson for eleven years because you send him with that fool, then when he gets back, you don't contact us!" A really dark look came across her face. "How long was he back before he left, daughter?"
"I have known they were back six months, but they were here for a year." Nodoka took a shuddering breath. "Hiding from me."
"Six months, six months you could have called us, and why daughter, would Genma and Ranma hide from you?" Nodoka drew the Saotome honor blade out of its sheath far enough to reveal a note wrapped around part of the blade, she unwrapped the note and took a sorrowful look at it before handing it to her mother.
Hinge and Sally shifted closer together to read the small note. The first time they read it, there are looks of disbelief, so they both read it again and again. Hinge stopped after his third read through and sat back with cold disappointment written across his face. Sally continued to read it over and over again, getting redder in the face and more furious each time. A boiling point was reached when Sally wadded the note up and threw it at Nodoka's face and reached across the table, slapping Nodoka across the face hard enough to knock her to the floor. Sally screamed with tears rolling down her face, "Why, why would you agree to this? Why would you kill your own son, my grandson, over something as stupid as 'manliness'. Why?," the last was said as a bawling scream as she turned and cried into her husbands chest as he wrapped his arms around her. Nodoka sat back up slowly with a bloodied lip. She watched as her father comforted her mother. Her father looked her in the eyes.
"Nodoka, I have held out hope for you for a long time, but right now I am severely disappointed in you." The words from her father hurt far worse than any physical attack from her mother. "Why have you decided to show us this note now. It appears that Ranma 'signed' that agreement before he could even write, which means you have possessed that note for more than fourteen years, why show us now?"
"I am wrong, have been wrong about a great many things. I called you for help. I want to know if I can fix my relationship with Ranma, I want to know if you can teach me to be a real parent like you were to me." Nodoka had her face down in shame while saying this and did not see her parents moving around the table to comfort her.
"We will do everything we can sweetheart." Her father said while hugging the two most important women in his life.
Intensive Care Ward of Tokyo General
Ryoga woke and instantly felt his injuries. He took stock of himself and groaned with resignation that, at least for the foreseeable future, he was going to be stuck in this hospital bed. While redirecting his Ki flows to his most sever injuries, he thought about where it all went wrong. Ranma wasn't the only one who wanted change their life. Just a week before their fight, Ryoga asked Akari to marry him, she agreed with one condition, she wanted him to bury the hatchet with Ranma. Apparently, she thought that Ryoga should only have one commitment in his life. So he had to choose between his feud with Ranma and a happy marriage to Akari. To his shame he actually had to think about it. However, after Akari's pet sumo pig punched him in the head, he decided on her, but before she accepted, he had to talk to Ranma. Unfortunately with Ryoga's epic bad luck, he found the temple of the cursed battle dogi. He fought against its influence for awhile, but it was no good, its power was too seductive, too tempting. The dogi came with power and uncontrolled aggression and arrogance. By the time he found Ranma, he was completely out of control. Even though he was now laid up for at least two weeks, maybe three, he owed Ranma for freeing him from that thing.
Hikawa Shrine
"I don't see what the problem is," Rei stated.
"Ami has blocked all our phones and isn't answering her communicator and you don't have a problem with that," Usagi loudly whined.
"She was annoying and didn't have anything in common with the rest us. She was practically worthless as a scout, if she wants to quit, I say we let her," Rei shouted back
"Mina, Makoto, what do you think?" Usagi asked hoping they would want to extend an olive branch to Ami.
Makoto just shrugged being noncommittal. Mina looked thoughtful for a second before saying, "I am sorry she heard us and she left the way she did, but I think it would have happened eventually, we're just too different. Think about it guys, we were already drifting apart. When was the last time we talked to the 'outers', six, maybe eight weeks? Besides this meeting and the one Ami called, when was the last time the five of us got together, huh? We've already broke up into two groups, Usagi, you and Rei hangout all the time. Makoto and myself, we go shopping and look at boys all the time. I figured Ami would have left before now."
"So that's it, the scouts are breaking up?" Usagi said in a voice devoid of all emotion.
Mina just nodded in confirmation and she and Makoto just left. Usagi looked distraught and Rei tries to comfort her.
Negaverse
"Finally, what took you so long to report, Malatif?"
"Forgive me master, but creating the youma to capture the girl is proving difficult."
"It is always difficult dealing with Ki adepts. They're always so... unpredictable. How long until you're done?"
"Your specifications for the new youma are complex, master, it'll be five days at best. If we had more energy, we could have it done in half the time."
Jadeite grabbed Malatif by the throat, "We will not turn up the collectors, we are under the radar right now and I want to keep it that way. Take the extra time if need be, keep making more standard youma and troopers. When I am ready, we will invade earth and succeed where all others have failed." Then he drops her hard to the ground, "leave!"
Mizuno Household
Saeko was getting extremely worried. When the bright yellow glow enveloped them both, they seemed to pass out. When she tried checking vitals, the glow stopped her from actually touching them. She was put in the terrible position of having to watch and not be able to do anything. As the time passed she watched closely for any sign of change. For many minutes nothing happened. Saeko was getting really anxious to do something, to call somebody, but who do you call when an experimental Ki technique goes wrong. As Saeko was about to go out of her mind something changes, the yellow glow around Ami intensifies greatly then Ami and Ranma get a strange glowing heart with a 'V' on the top and a cross on the bottom appearing on their foreheads that fades slowly.
A Random Dive Bar somewhere in Japan
Setsuna Meiou sat at the bar drinking a large beer. A bartender named Hammond approaches one of his repeat customers. A really nice lady, but when she gets drunk, she talks crazy. He wonders what he'll hear today.
"Hello Setsuna, what brings you here this time?"
"Just a completely destroyed future." She took a rather long swig of her beer.
"Oh, what happen to that promising future for all man kind you're always going on about?"
"Something stronger please, good ole Jack Daniel's please." Hammond brought her a bottle. "Yes, a promising future for all of mankind that's left. To usher in that great utopia, all that must happen is for three quarters of all humanity to die." Setsuna let loose a quick, humorless laugh. "All I had to do to save humanity is to destroy my friends future and destroy a team I've spent the last ten-thousand years trying to bring back together, some trade off."
"I haven't heard of a reason yet for why you have both. Maybe, if you really dig in and try, you might be able keep them together. After all, if I can keep all those bull-headed idiots on my amateur soccer team together, I'm sure you can keep a team ten-thousand years in the making together."
"Even though you think I'm drunk or crazy, you always give good advice, thanks Hammond." Setsuna grabbed her bottle of Jack and walked out.
Thanks to all my Readers.
Reviews and comments are always welcome.
Thanks to my proof reader warfailz.