Shadows Over Nerima
A Ranma ½ / Batman Fan Fiction
by
Jeremy Harper
Note – Ranma ½ is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Batman is the creation of Bill Finger and Bob Kane. Both are used without permission.
Chapter 7
The second drive to the Tendo estate was somehow quieter than the first one. Ranma was so still as he watched the Tokyo scenery through the window Alfred had to restrain himself from checking to see if his boy was breathing. Bruce reviewed various documents on his tablet, lips pursed in concentration as he shuffled and scrolled through them. Alfred shifted between speculating on how the meeting between Bruce, Ranma's parents and Mr. Tendo would go and planning logistics for next week – after they dropped Bruce off at Narita International for his return flight to Gotham Sunday, he and Ranma were going to visit Yoru-sensei and spend the next few days as guests at his dojo.
The Benz pulled up before the open gates of the Tendo estate. Ranma stepped out of the car as Alfred gave instructions to the chauffeur, looking at the house with a half-frown as he took off and put away his sunglasses. Bruce stepped up next to him, appraising his surroundings. "Nice place," he said.
"It is," agreed Ranma. "Shame the same can't be said of a few of the people in it."
Bruce clapped him on the shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. "You'll get through this. Trust me." Ranma took a deep breath through his nose and nodded slowly.
The Benz drove off around the corner and Alfred joined his boys. "Master Bruce, Master Ranma, shall we?"
"Yes," said Bruce, his expression becoming coolly stern. As they walked through the front gate and toward the front door, Ranma smiled briefly. Soun Tendo and his parents were in for a rare treat – Bruce being deadly serious in his civilian identity. The society pages and gossip columns considered Bruce Wayne something of an upper-class twit, an affable air-headed. But there were many, many businessmen around the world who could testify that, in the boardroom, he was a clever and ruthless negotiator.
Kasumi Tendo answered the front door, bowing politely to her visitors. Bruce's stern demeanor softened momentarily, impressed by her gentle beauty and remembering from Ranma's and Alfred's report she wanted nothing to do with this arrangement. After they removed their shoes in the genkan she led her guests to the living room, where the rest of the Tendos and the Saotomes were waiting. Soun stood and bowed to Bruce, welcoming him to his home and formally introducing him to his daughters. Ranma noticed that Bruce seemed to pay especial attention to Akane, but did not think much of it, knowing Bruce was probably just curious about the weird drama playing about the young woman.
Bruce then looked at Genma and briefly inclined his head. "Saotome," he said, his tone slightly above absolute zero.
"Wayne," Genma growled, his eyes flashing behind his athletic glasses.
Bruce nodded again and shifted his attention to Nodoka, sitting next to her husband. "Mrs. Saotome, correct?" he asked.
Nodoka nodded and bowed. "Yes. Before we begin, I wish to express my gratitude to you, Mr. Wayne, for taking care of my son these past six years."
Bruce's eyes narrowed slightly, "It's been my privilege," he said. "Ranma is a fine young man. I'm proud to have him as my ward." Nodoka smiled serenely and bowed again. Bruce sat at the table, Ranma and Alfred sitting to either side of him. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me on such short notice, Mr. Tendo," he said to Soun. "We have much to discuss."
"There's nothing to discuss," said Genma sharply. "Ranma is to marry one of Tendo's daughters. End of the discussion."
"Saotome is correct," Soun agreed hastily. "He and I agreed to this arrangement many years ago, and we both want it to be fulfilled. It's a matter of family honor."
"Well, there are three problems with this," said Bruce. "First, while Saotome may be his father, I'm Ranma's legal guardian. Saotome surrendered his parental rights to me six years ago, and he has no say in how Ranma lives. Second, Ranma is a minor in the eyes of both American and Japanese law. It'll be two years before he can consider marriage. Finally, and most importantly, Ranma does not want to get married. He put forth several sensible objections to this arrangement, and I support him completely."
"What Ranma wants doesn't matter," said Genma. "He's a Saotome. He'll marry one of Soun's girls, the sooner the better, and unite the Anything Goes schools. That's final!" Bruce looked at Genma with a steely gaze; it took all of the of the elder Saotome's willpower not to flinch from it. For the life of him, Genma could not understand how this rich, pampered gaijin could be so damn formidable.
"It's far from final," said Bruce in a deceptively gentle voice. "What's final is Ranma's refusal. If either party in an omiai have an objection to the arrangement, then the engagement can be broken without dishonor or scandal. Ranma objects, as do, if I understand correctly, your daughters, Mr. Tendo."
"Nabiki has expressed interest in the engagement," corrected Soun. Nabiki smiled brightly at Bruce, trying her hardest to look personable and unobjectionable. She found it hard not to fidget beneath the man's cool, appraising eyes. He surprised her by smiling back with good humor and bowing slightly.
"I salute her good taste," Bruce said. "But the fact remains Ranma is not interested."
Nodoka was frowning now, her right hand slowly caressing the long silk bundle lying in her lap as she looked at her son. "I do not find these attempts to shirk the requirements of honor to be very manly." All air and heat seemed to flee the living room in the wake of her pronouncement. The three Tendo sisters cringed away from the table while their father looked distinctly uneasy, despite the hopeful gleam in his eyes. Genma simply grinned, as if his wife's comment had settled the argument completely. For once in his life Alfred chose to completely disregard his training and openly scowl. Ranma's face was like a porcelain mask, lifeless and without color. He stared blindly at his hands, bunched white-knuckled on his knees.
Bruce's smile vanished, his deep blue eyes blazing with cold fire. He looked at Nodoka for a long, silent minute, who returned his gaze with better aplomb than her husband had. "I can assure you, Mrs. Saotome," he said, his voice chill and ominous, "that by any reasonable standard Ranma is a man to be admired."
"Yet he would besmirch his father's honor and break a promise solemnly sworn – I do not consider that an act befitting someone who is suppose to be a man among men." Genma's smile grew larger. Bruce merely snorted.
"One can't besmirch what doesn't exist," he retorted. "And Ranma made no such promise. He attended the omiai, something that was sprung on him without warning, and refused it. The issue is closed."
Nodoka's frown sharpened. "No, it isn't. Ranma must marry one of Soun's daughters. It is an obligation that can not be set aside just because he finds it inconvenient." Ranma's breath rushed out of him as if he had been struck in the stomach. Alfred looked at him with deep concern, but Bruce kept his eyes locked on Nodoka.
"So, you'd use emotional blackmail to force Ranma into a situation repugnant to him, just to satisfy your own desires?" he asked quietly.
Nodoka's serene demeanor faltered. Her gray eyes blinked and she looked uncertain. "Blackmail? No, it's not..."
"What else would you call it? Twice now you've called into question his manliness, for which, if you deem it lacking, you'll insist on him committing seppuku. Threatening him with death if he doesn't comply with your demands... that sounds like blackmail to me."
Nodoka had become very pale, and a slight tremble coursed through her. "It's not... He made a promise-"
"Ah, yes. May I please see that document you showed him?" Nodoka hesitated. Beside her Genma had ceased grinning, and was looking at Bruce with concern. Soun and his daughters looked on with breathless fascination. Alfred allowed himself a small smile. Ranma continued to stare at his fists, but a little color was returning to his face. Finally, Nodoka produced the rice-paper contract and slowly handed it to Bruce. He scanned it once quickly, snorted, then read it a second time more carefully. When he looked back up at the Saotomes he did not conceal his disdain. "Leaving aside the fact that neither of our respective governments would recognize the legality of this... thing... Ranma was, what, three years old when he put his hand-prints on this? It is impossible to think he understood what he was agreeing to. He can not be held to this."
"Four years old or four-hundred, honor is honor," yelled Genma. "Ranma made a pact to be a man among men, and to be one he needs to fulfill the agreement to unite the Schools."
Nodoka closed her eyes, turning her face away from Bruce. "My husband is correct," she whispered. "Ranma is honor-bounded."
"I see," sighed Bruce. "Well, I guess that leaves me with only one option - I'll make Ranma a Wayne."
Nodoka's eyes snapped open and she stared at Bruce in disbelief. "What?" she gasped in a strangled voice.
Bruce shrugged indifferently. "The marriage agreement is for a Saotome to wed a Tendo. The Wayne family has no such arrangement with the Tendos, nor would it ever recognize such a thing. As for this," Bruce dropped the contract on the table. "It obligates Ranma Saotome to be a 'man among men'. Ranma Wayne would not be bound to it." Bruce smiled shark-like at Genma. "Of course, you're still on the hook for this, Saotome. I think maybe you should go wash your neck."
"You can't do that!" Genma howled in protest.
"Of course I can. I'm all ready his guardian, his legal parent in the eyes of the law. This is just a further formalization of our relationship. Of course, he would have to agree to it." He looked over at Ranma and smiled. "What do you say, old chum? You might as well join the family officially – you are my heir, after all."
Ranma smiled for the first time this morning, a gleam of relief starting to dawn in his eyes. "I don't mind too much," he said softly. His smile faded when he glanced over at his parents. "It's not like I have much reason to be too attached to the name 'Saotome' right now. I gotta say, though, Ranma Wayne sounds a bit odd."
"I had a classmate in high school called Marmaduke Wilson. You're getting off easy in comparison."
"Mr. Wayne," said Nodoka tremulously, tears brimming in her eyes. "You would take my son away from me?"
Bruce looked at her coldly. "When it's a choice between that and either having him forced into an arranged marriage that will make him and his bride miserable, or have him emotionally coerced into ritual suicide? I'll do it in a heartbeat."
"Madam," spoke up Alfred. "Twelve years ago you gave up your son willingly. What difference does it make now?"
"I didn't want to," Nodoka whispered. "I..." She could not finish. She bowed her head, her shoulders shaking. She produced a handkerchief from her kimono's sleeve and roughly dabbed at her eyes. After a minute she composed herself and looked up. "May I ask you a question, Mr. Wayne?" Bruce nodded. "How did Ranma become your ward in the first place? Genma never explained the matter to my satisfaction."
"Ah, No-chan," Genma said with a nervous laugh. "That isn't relevant right now. What matters-"
"Quiet Genma," Nodoka ordered, her voice frost. He fell quiet. "Please, Mr. Wayne."
Bruce was silent for a moment. Ranma looked down at his hands again while Alfred glared at Genma. Finally Bruce sighed. "I won't go into detail here. All I'll say that is your husband's ideas of training are... unorthodox, and that he used up most of his natural luck in avoiding an extended stay at the Los Angeles County State Prison. I happened to be in the area at the time on business and heard about what happened. It caught my attention, and when I learned Ranma had no other relations, I offered to help him as best I can. Things proceeded from there."
"I see," said Nodoka softly. She took a deep breath then glared at her husband. Genma blanched beneath her sword-steel gaze. "I will discuss this with my husband at length later. As for now-" Her expression softened as she retrieved the contract from the table and returned it to the sleeve of her kimono. "I would still like Ranma to consider the engagement, but if he refuses it I will not deem him unmanly. But please, do not take what little connection I have left to him away from me." She blinked rapidly and dabbed at her eyes again.
Bruce nodded briefly. He would have preferred Nodoka repudiating the contract completely, but he could work on achieving that later. This was acceptable for now. He looked at Soun, who sat with slumped shoulders but also appeared to be working himself into a fit of temper. An offer of a carrot after the threat of the stick seemed appropriate. "Thank you, Mrs. Saotome. I understand that this refusal is a disappointment to you and Mr. Tendo, and to some extent I sympathize. Perhaps I can make it up to you in some other way."
"What do you mean, Mr. Wayne?" asked Nodoka.
"Compensation for your thwarted expectations, as well as a token of my appreciation for your consideration of Ranma's feelings in this matter." There was not a trace of irony in Bruce's voice.
Soun bristled. "If you think you can just buy my honor-"
"Now Tendo," Genma interjected quickly, greed making him forget his fear of his wife's anger. "Don't be too hasty here. Wayne is renowned for his generosity."
Bruce shrugged. "I don't think anything, Mr. Tendo. I've proven I don't need to do anything save take Ranma back to Gotham and file certain legal papers. But I don't like leaving ill-feelings in my wake when I can avoid it. If you are not interested in monetary compensation, perhaps I can offer something else." He looked at the Tendo girls and gave them a charming smile. "Student loans aren't as outrageously usurious in Japan as they are in the States, but still, it's good to start adult life ahead of the game if you can. I'm sure your daughters would appreciate some generous financial aid. I can arrange for business, athletic or even medical scholarships – whatever their preference."
Nabiki was smiling widely at Bruce's suggestion, and he had caught Akane's interest as well. But at the mention of the possibility of a medical scholarship Kasumi let out a soft gasp and covered her mouth with her hand. Bruce's smile became warm instead of charming, and he bowed his head slightly to her. "Father," Kasumi said softly, "Mr. Wayne is being very kind and magnanimous. Perhaps-"
Soun shook his head sharply. "The only thing I'll accept is the unification of the schools and an heir to the Tendo dojo." Pain and anger flashed across Akane's face before she got control of her emotions. She clenched her hands in her lap and bowed her head, her long blue-black hair veiling her face.
Bruce frowned slightly. "That will not happen, Mr. Tendo. You'll do yourself no good being inflexible. Let's discuss this."
"Excuse me," said Ranma as he stood. "I need some air." He made for the genkan for his shoes and once on the front step took a deep breath through his nose, filling his lungs with warm, dry summer air and releasing it through his mouth. "Goddamn," Ranma murmured. "Bruce is going to do it." He smiled slightly, though strangely he felt little elation. He took a moment to examine his emotions, the way J'onn had taught him, and realized he felt disappointed – disappointed with his mother. Foolish, perhaps, to feel such a way with someone he did not know, but he had always thought that, where his father had always considered him as an object to be bartered or used as Genma saw fit, his mother would be different, would love him for who he was, unconditionally. With a sigh he thrust the thoughts away – he would grapple with this later, in private. With a shake of his head he headed around to the back of the estate, wanting to see the dojo.
Ranma stood in front of the dojo's front steps, which led up to its wrap-around engawa and main doors. It was an old building, as old as the Tendo house, and obviously loved and well-cared for. He admired it silently for a few minutes when he heard someone walking up behind him. He turned to find Nabiki standing with her arms folded beneath her breasts, smiling wryly.
"Hey," she said.
"Hello."
"Daddy's being stubborn, but it looks like you're going to be a free man."
"Thank goodness," Ranma said sincerely.
Nabiki's smile widened a trifle. "Am I really that unappealing?" she teased.
Ranma gave her a narrow-eyed look. "No, you're not," he said bluntly. "You're gorgeous and so are your sisters. It's the arranged marriage that doesn't appeal to me. Don't tell me you like the idea of getting engaged, let alone married, at – what, seventeen – to a guy you don't know?"
Nabiki chuckled, letting a hand drop to her hip and posing for him slightly, her smile changing from wry to something more sultry. "Oh, I don't think it'd be that bad. There would be considerable compensation in it for both of us."
Ranma could not help the amused snort that escaped him. Nabiki's smile stiffened a little. He had to concede, though, that the middle Tendo sister looked good. She was dressed in a snug short-sleeved white blouse and tight jean capris, her well-pedicured toes painted dark-plum in a striking contrast to the white crystal sandals on her slender feet. But Ranma had been dealing with women who used their sexuality as a lethal weapon since he was ten, so while he appreciated Nabiki on an aesthetic level her sensuality did not effect him. "I'm sure there would be," he said. "But since Bruce isn't going to agree to an engagement the point is moot."
Nabiki pouted, folding her arms again. "You always do what Bruce says?"
Ranma smirked. "Sometimes."
Nabiki sighed theatrically. "Can't blame a girl for trying. Too bad – I think we could have had fun together."
"Maybe," said Ranma, managing not to sound skeptical. Nabiki gave a negligent shrug before turning to go. Just before she rounded the corner of the house Akane appeared. The sisters paused for a moment to look at each other, Akane seeming surprised, Nabiki with her lips quirked. Nabiki shrugged again and sauntered off. Akane stared after her curiously before approaching Ranma.
"Mr. Saotome, may I speak with you for a moment?" she asked hesitantly.
"Uh, sure," Ranma said, wondering what she wanted. "What can I do for you, Miss Tendo?" A large part of him was happy for a chance to talk to her in his civilian identity, though the pragmatic side of him knew he was wasting his time – he doubted he would ever see her again when he left Japan sometime in August. Still, it would not hurt getting to know her better. She looked nervous, holding her hands down by her tights, twiddling her thumbs as she bit her bottom lip thoughtfully. Ranma thought she looked adorable, and tried not to smile. She was dressed more demurely than her sister, wearing a yellow and white blouse with a knee-length navy-blue skirt, her long hair bound by a large golden ribbon. Finally Akane took a deep breath and bowed low. Ranma blinked in surprise.
"I want to apologize to you," she said softly. "When my father told us about the arrangement he made with your father, I was terribly angry. I blamed you for the situation, which was very unfair of me. I'm sorry."
Ranma stared at her in wonder, struck speechless for a moment. He shook his head in an effort to gather his wits. "H-hey, it's all right. You don't have to apologize for being angry about this mess. Hell, I was pretty angry about it myself."
"True, but you directed you angry appropriately, where I was mad at you for something you weren't responsible for. There's no excuse for that. Again, I'm sorry."
Ranma laughed. "There's no need for that. It's not like you hit me with the table when I walked into your living room." Smiling, he returned her bow. "I accept your apology, and forgive you for being angry – not that you need my forgiveness, Miss Tendo."
"Please, call me Akane."
"Only if you call me Ranma. Mr. Saotome is the old fool sitting in your house," said Ranma with another laugh. "Would you like a fresh start of this and try to be friends?"
Akane beamed at him, and once again Ranma felt like he had been struck by a thunderbolt. "I think I'd like that."
"Good!" said Ranma brightly, hoping he had managed to control his blush. "Ah, your sister mentioned your pop was being stubborn?"
Akane sighed and nodded. "I'm afraid so. Daddy can be very willful when he wants something. Sometimes childishly so. It's embarrassing. I think Mr. Wayne is starting to lose his patience with him. I hope you don't mind me saying, but your guardian is sort of scary."
You don't know the half of it, Ranma thought wryly. "He can be, when he thinks there's a need for it. Usually he's a lot more laid back." He looked over his shoulder. "Your dojo is very nice."
"Thank you," said Akane. She walked past Ranma and laid a hand on one of the engawa's support posts. "It's been in my family since just after the war. It's a great place to train in. I love it."
Ranma smiled at her. "So you're a martial artist?" he asked, all ready knowing the answer.
Akane nodded. "Yes. It's all I want to do with my life. I love practicing and competing. I hope maybe some day I'll get to teach here as well." She started to frown sadly. Ranma frowned as well, recalling Soun's comment about his dojo needing an heir. From what Ranma had seen of Akane's ability, Soun had a more than worthy heir in his youngest daughter. Ranma surmised that Mr. Tendo was something of a chauvinist. He also decided that Akane looked much cuter when smiling happily.
"Do you play any sports?" he asked, hoping the change of subject would brighten her mood.
Akane started to smile again. "Yep. I'm captain of my school's volleyball team. I play a lot of other sports too, when I get a chance. I like being active."
Ranma grinned. "You're something of a tomboy, aren't you?"
Akane glared at him, taking him aback. "What, you have a problem with tomboys?"
Ranma waved his hands. "No problem at all! One of my best friends is a tomboy. She's probably a bigger tomboy than you." Ranma chuckled. "The two times I've seen you, you've been in a skirt. That's two more times than I've seen Donna in one this year."
Akane pinked prettily in embarrassment, glancing down at her shoes. "Sorry," she said. "I have a terrible temper." She flounced down on the steps.
"It's okay," said Ranma, sitting down next to her. "I've got a bad temper too."
"I bet Mr. Wayne never called you a violent maniac," she grumbled.
"No, but Alfred calls me an unruly savage, sometimes." Ranma shrugged. "And he's right. I was a savage when Bruce and he first took me in, and I can still be pretty savage even now. I used to get into fights all the time because I refused to take crap from spoiled punks who thought they were better than me just because they're white and I'm Japanese." He snorted. "I still have to beat on the idiots on occasion, just to teach them respect."
Akane looked at him quietly for a moment, her dark brown eyes poignant. "I'm sorry you have to go through that, Ranma," she said softly.
Ranma looked down at his lap, feeling embarrassed and touched by her sympathy, and honestly surprised by it. "Eh, it's okay. I've got a lot of great friends, and I'm living in a way I never dreamed possible. There's far more good than bad in my life." And besides, compared to what you put up with for three months I've got no right to complain about a few inbred upper-class idiots.
Akane smiled again. "I'm glad. And I guess that also answers my question about whether you still practice – not that I couldn't tell from the way you walk."
Ranma chuckled. "Yeah. I love martial arts too. The old man started training me when I began walking. Bruce also likes to practice, and helps me keep in shape, though I don't train the way I used to." Ranma technically spoke the truth; in some ways his training was even more intensive than what Genma had put him through, though Bruce's methods were nowhere near as insane. "I'm actually going to visit one of Bruce's and my sensei's Sunday."
"Oh? What's his name?"
"Yoru Yamamoto."
Akane's eyes went wide. "Yoru Yamamoto?" she squeaked. "Really?"
"Yeah. You've heard of him?"
Akane looked at him as if he just spoke gibberish. "Of course I've heard of Yamamoto-sensei! He's one of the greatest martial artists living today. He's practically a National Living Treasure!" Akane sighed and shook her head. "I'm so jealous. I'd love to train with a master like him. I've had to practice by myself for a long while now. I'm lucky if I can get daddy to work out with me once a week." She started to look depressed again. Ranma wondered how to cheer her up when she looked at him speculatively. "You must be good if Yamamoto-sensei taught you."
"He said I wasn't without talent," Ranma said with a smirk.
"Really. Care to prove it?"
"How?"
"Let's have a match."
Ranma blinked. "I'm not dressed for a spar, and I don't have a gi with me."
Akane grinned at him. "I'm sorry, I thought you practiced Anything Goes. You afraid of getting your nice shirt all wrinkled?"
Ranma stared at her incredulously for a moment before grinning himself. "You really want to challenge me, Tomboy?"
"You bet I do."
"You're betting on having your cute little butt kicked."
Akane blushed slightly. "Hmmph. Like I said – prove it, jerk."
"I'm a jerk? Ha!" Ranma smoothly stood up. "Okay Akane, you're on."
"Great!" She jumped up and ran toward the house. "Be right back!"
"Where are you going?"
"To change into my gi."
"How is that fair?"
"It's not!"
Ranma stared after her until she vanished into the house. Then he started laughing – hard, long and honestly. It was the first time he had a full-fledged laugh since his father had surprised him with the arranged marriage.
Author's Notes
Much thanks and appreciation to PurseMonger for her advice and enthusiastic support.
A reviewer mentioned not being familiar with some of the characters from the last chapter. Here are some brief write-ups.
Roy Harper/Arsenal – Green Arrow's teen partner, of Navajo and Caucasian descent. Master marksman, uses long bows, trick arrows and stun guns. Expert martial artist and a decent detective in his own right. Something of a ladies man. Briefly dated -
Donna Troy/Wonder Girl – Wonder Woman's adopted younger sister. Powers include super strength, flight, an enchanted lasso and projectile deflecting bracelets. Co-leader of the Teen Titans with Nightwing – Ranma is the tactical leader, while Donna is the team's public face and spokeswoman.
Wally West/Kid Flash – Nephew of Iris Allen, who is the wife of Barry Allen, the second Flash. Possesses amazing super-speed. Tends to suffer from esteem issues due to a troubled relationship with his parents.
Garth/Tempest – Aquaman's ward. Atlantean. Powers include super strength, super-speed while swimming, telepathic control of marine life, hydrokinesis and latent sorcerous talent. While not a reserve member, his responsibilities to Atlantis tend to keep him away from the Titans more often than he would like.
Reserve members of the Teen Titans include Omen (Lilith Clay – precognition, telepathy, telekinesis and teleportation) and Beast Boy (Garfield Logan – animal metamorph).
The three other Titans that I believe most readers on this site would be most familiar with – Starfire, Raven and Cyborg – are either not yet active or do not exist in this continuity.
Ranma/Nightwing fun fact – Catwoman loves to flirt outrageously with Nightwing just to make him blush. To Ranma's mortification, Selina still can manage it, even after six years experience dealing with her. Batman finds this amusing, but when he thinks she is going too far with it tells her to 'knock of the Mrs. Robinson act.' Ranma doesn't get the reference, but it pisses off Catwoman something fierce – 'I'm not that old, Batman!'
Take care all.
Jeremy Harper
