And here it is! The third part of the massive upload of False Identity!
Yay! Everyone gets False Identity goodness! (Of course, chapters 19,
20, and 21 are probably going to be rewritten and re-uploaded once my
prereader gets back from her vacation and wonders exactly what I was
trying to do...)
If you couldn't tell, I looked up 'plan' in a thesaurus for this
chapter's title. Hey, I couldn't think of anything!
This chapter may seem short, I don't know... You've almost reached the
end of False Identity. Scary thought, ne? But don't worry, just because
False is ending, doesn't mean Identity is ending. *grins evily, and
cackles*
False Identity
Chapter Twenty-one: Method
Li Xiang
Neither had been prepared for the smokey shadow to dive into Nodoka's
bullet wound, or for it to fill it as though it were water.
"What's going on?!"
"How the hell should _I_ know? It came from _your_ body!"
The two men glared at each other, then turned back to watch Nodoka. The
smoke swirled, drifting from her chest-- a sudden gasp trembled through
her, new blood spilling from the wound. A wound that began to swiftly
mend itself.
Ranma gaped rather openly, "She's... healing!?"
"Looks like it," Kojiro muttered, turning suspicious eyes on his
operative's son, "What was that... smoke?"
Shooting him another glare, Ranma growled, "What makes you think _I_
know?"
"Like I said-- it came from _you_!"[1]
"That doesn't mean I know what it was!" the martial artist snapped,
before he spoke softly, almost to himself, "I healed just as fast
tonight... I thought it was Naru, but now..."
"Naru?" Kojiro hadn't heard that particular name in any of Nodoka's
tales. Ranma shot him a look, but remained tight-lipped. He didn't know
who this man was, aside from one of his mother's friends. He wasn't
about to endanger one of his few-- very few-- friends.
Sighing, Kojiro returned his gaze to Nodoka, thoughts flying a mile a
minute. Your son doesn't trust me, No-chan. He's a much different _man_
than that naive, brash child you told me of...
Ranma's voice cut through the air, pulling Kojiro out of his thoughts.
The boy was... singing?
"Crawling in my skin,
these wounds they will not heal
fear is how I fall
confusing what is real
Yes, comfort endlessly, has pulled itself upon me
distracting, reacting
against my will I stand beside my own reflection
it's haunting, how I can't seem,
to find myself again, my walls are closing in
without a sense of confidence,
I'm convinced that there's just to much
pressure to take
I've felt this way before
so insecure~!"
"Isn't that one of Sushi's songs?" Kojiro wondered. He _really_ liked
Xue Shi, and was fairly disappointed that he'd missed the concert a few
nights earlier, but... when work calls...
"It's pronounced, 'Xue Shi'," Ranma actually sounded miffed, "I wish
people would say the name properly. It's annoying having to correct
everyone," the last part had been mumbled to himself before he nodded,
"Yeah it's one of Xue Shi's songs."
"You sound like a bigger fan than me!" Finally! Something to connect
on! Maybe Nodoka's son _could_ come to trust him.
A mysterious smile crossed Ranma's face, "Oh... you could say that..."
An excited look overcame Kojiro's countence, and his fingers brushed
through Nodoka's hair almost absently, "Do you know any other songs?"
Ranma almost laughed out right, then and there. Know any other songs
indeed. Instead, he shrugged, "I know a few lines here and there..."
Without waiting for a response, Ranma began-- hey, it was good
practice, and something he could do while waiting for his mother to
regain consciousness.
"Can't handle the truth,
Gimme room to breath!
If I was your last breath left, I would suck it in.
If you were claustrophobic, I'd be your last bit of oxygen.
If I was a mic, I'd give you feedback,
Believe that!
Somebody give me room to breath, so ease back
If I was your number one fan, I'd be the kind that stalks you
If I were a stranger, I'd be the kind you shouldn't talk to
Listen, nobody can match this, 'Cause I make crowds do back flips!"
"I've never heard that one before," Kojiro mused. Ranma shrugged, "It'
on the CD, she just hasn't had a chance to play it live, yet."
"There's no CD!" Now he _knew_ Ranma was lying. He didn't know anymore
songs!
Ranma grinned widely, "I think I should know what's on a CD my
roommate's recording."
"Ranma..." Both men turned to see Nodoka struggling to sit up as the
last of the smoke drifted away, "Don't lie to Kojiro. You're not
"rooming" with Xue Shi--"
Hah! He knew Ranma was just a --
"-- you _are_ Xue Shi. Don't think I'm so oblivious as to not notice
Nyu Xue Shi and Tendou Ranko were the same person."
Ranma was seated beside his mother-- having moved when she first said
his name-- and sighed, "Mom..."
"I trust Kojiro with my life," Nodoka settled back on the couch, "I
trust him enough that he'll keep the curse a secret."
"That wasn't what I was about to ask," Nodoka blushed at the fact that
her assumption had been wrong, "I want to know who shot you."
"It was Cologne. She wanted me to kill you..."
"I bet this is about slitting Shampoo's throat," Ranma groaned, "That's
the reason Mousse attacked me a few hours ago."
"So you _did_ kill Shampoo?"
He shrugged, "She might be, or might not be. Dunno if Jei-sama cut deep
enough to kill her."
"Jei-sama?" the other two choused, rather surprised. Ranma was showing
respect for someone? Ranma was practically calling someone his lord,
his master, his Emperor. It was probably closer to the last one;
Ranma's heart and mind were that of a samurai.
All he'd needed in days past was one who he'd truly respected-- not
just as a sensai, but as someone he really knew-- to be considered his
daimyo. In her own samurai heart, Nodoka knew that he'd found his
daimyo, found the one he'd pledge his life to.
Nodoka knew the feeling-- she, too, had found one to be considered a
daimyo, during the period Genma had left her. A faint smile crossed her
lips.
"Jei-sama is..." Ranma paused, unable to find a way to describe
Farfello. How do you tell your mother that you have a certified
sociopath for your master? "Jei-sama is Jei-sama. He saved my life."
Kojiro perked up at this, "Then he's a good man?"
Why's he taking such an interest in me?[2] Ranma frowned, "Depends on
how you define 'good'."
Nodoka hiked an eyebrow, "And how do _you_ define 'good', my son?"
She got Ranma's cocky grin in response, "Someone who's not trying to
kill or marry me."
Nodoka lifted herself into a fully seated position. For some reason,
she felt better than she had in years. For a moment, she thought she
might be in shock, then she looked down. Welcome to Shock, Madame
Saotome, "My... my wound, what...?"
Kojiro and Ranma sobered, Kojiro casting a nervous look at the back of
the martial artist's head. Ranma shrugged, "Not sure what happened...
you just started healing very fast."
Ranma could feel the older man's stare on his back, but he ignored it.
He didn't want to explain that some smoke from his bandages had healed
her, "Back to the old ghoul..." a nasty, wicked smirk crossed his
features, his eyes glinting, "How long do you think it'll take that
bitch to die?"
No one, but _no one_, messed with Saotome Ranma's mother, and expected
to live.
---
Crawford had opened the door before they'd even come to the steps.
Kojiro-- dressed in a pair of black jeans, and a black vest over a grey
turtleneck-- shivered as he caught sight of the pale haired make locked
in a straight jacket behind him.
"Ranma," you were expected. Crawford didn't need to say it, but the
teenager knew. It helped to have a precognitive around-- you never had
to call them.
"Yo, Crawford. Let us in, would ya?"
The impeccably attired man turned a narrow gaze on the kimono wearing
woman, and her employer behind the teen. Ranma flashed him a grin that
was more teeth than smile.
"Oh, let Bishoujo and his [mommy-dearest] in, Crawfish." Kojiro's gaze
switched from the malevolent looking youth, to the older redhead. Jade
eyes danced with secret knowledge as the redhead drew himself up and
away from the wall.
Without a word-- only a sharp nod to the ebon haired martial artist--
the glasses-wearing American continued deeper into the Schwartz
household. Ranma followed cheerfully, while both his mother and the pet
shop owner went in warily. Kojiro shivered against as he stepped past
Farfello.
The five men and single female entered the common room, where Nagi sat
playing various online games. To both Nodoka and Kojiro's surprise,
once they had entered the room, Ranma choose to sprawl across the floor
beside Farfello. They said nothing, however, at the challenging flare
from a single golden eye.
"So what's with the sudden arrival, Bishoujo?"
He got an annoyed glare, but nothing more as Farfello struggled to
remove the straight jacket that bound him. Even with Crawford's pointed
stare on his back, Ranma began to undo the jacket, "Mom was shot last
night."
"She looks fine to me," Nagi interjected with a raised brow. Ranma gave
him a flat stare.
"She got better. Now, Weiss is off on some mission tonight, so I figure
this would be the best time to do this."
"You want us to kill the shooter," Crawford concluded. Ranma grinned
widely.
"Close, but not quite. Schwartz and me are the distraction. Mom's
taking out the old ghoul."
"How long have you been planning this, Kitty?"
Ranma looked up into Jei's face as he pulled the jacket away, "All day.
We've got it planned out to the wire. Kojiro here, helped set it up. He's
no assassin, but mom is."
Crawford raised an inquiring eyebrow, "Are you any good, Saotome-san?"
"One of the best," Nodoka's eyes flashed, and she wore a mimicry of her
son's cocky grin, "I happen to be Raven."
"The Lady Raven," Schuldich grinned, "Someone I've always wanted the
pleasure of meeting, Nodoka."
"What haven't exactly been introduced," Kojiro's bass rumble was soft,
but carried an under current of authority, "So perhaps we should do
that."
"Agreed," Crawford nodded, "I am Crawford Bradley."
"Naoe Nagi."
"Farfello."
"Schuldich."
"Mugoh Kojiro."
"Saotome Nodoka."
Farf ran his fingers through Ranma's hair, untangling the braid, and
removing the unneeded dragon whisker, "We all know my Kitty."
"Why do you call my son 'Kitty'?"
Ranma gave a purr-- one of those ones that he shouldn't be able to make
with human vocal chords-- at Farfello's actions. The fingers through
his hair-- even with the slightly painful tug every so often-- was
soothing, and all the tension from the day melted out of him, as he
went artfully boneless half sprawled over top of Jei. Farfello's eye
glinted, gaze meeting an unflinching Nodoka. His lips quirked at that,
"Kitty is my pet. He belongs to me."
"That doesn't explain anything," Kojiro mumbled to Nodoka, and she
nodded, tight lipped in response. Schuldich grinned, "Farfie's called
Bishoujo there 'Kitty' since they were kids, and Farf found Ranma
trapped in the Nekoken."
"The... Nekoken...?" Nodoka looked puzzled.
"Don't worry about it, Ofukuru," Ranma was still half purring, "I'll
explain Oyagi's greatest mistake after we take down the old ghoul."
"Alright, Ranma."
End
[1] Ranma can reduce anyone, including adults, into little children
bickering in a matter of moments.
[2] Is it just me, or does Ranma seem particularly dense at this
moment?
Anyone else notice that there's a lot of eyebrow raising in this
chapter? Up, down, up, down, let's get those eyebrows working!
*snickers*
Yay! Everyone gets False Identity goodness! (Of course, chapters 19,
20, and 21 are probably going to be rewritten and re-uploaded once my
prereader gets back from her vacation and wonders exactly what I was
trying to do...)
If you couldn't tell, I looked up 'plan' in a thesaurus for this
chapter's title. Hey, I couldn't think of anything!
This chapter may seem short, I don't know... You've almost reached the
end of False Identity. Scary thought, ne? But don't worry, just because
False is ending, doesn't mean Identity is ending. *grins evily, and
cackles*
False Identity
Chapter Twenty-one: Method
Li Xiang
Neither had been prepared for the smokey shadow to dive into Nodoka's
bullet wound, or for it to fill it as though it were water.
"What's going on?!"
"How the hell should _I_ know? It came from _your_ body!"
The two men glared at each other, then turned back to watch Nodoka. The
smoke swirled, drifting from her chest-- a sudden gasp trembled through
her, new blood spilling from the wound. A wound that began to swiftly
mend itself.
Ranma gaped rather openly, "She's... healing!?"
"Looks like it," Kojiro muttered, turning suspicious eyes on his
operative's son, "What was that... smoke?"
Shooting him another glare, Ranma growled, "What makes you think _I_
know?"
"Like I said-- it came from _you_!"[1]
"That doesn't mean I know what it was!" the martial artist snapped,
before he spoke softly, almost to himself, "I healed just as fast
tonight... I thought it was Naru, but now..."
"Naru?" Kojiro hadn't heard that particular name in any of Nodoka's
tales. Ranma shot him a look, but remained tight-lipped. He didn't know
who this man was, aside from one of his mother's friends. He wasn't
about to endanger one of his few-- very few-- friends.
Sighing, Kojiro returned his gaze to Nodoka, thoughts flying a mile a
minute. Your son doesn't trust me, No-chan. He's a much different _man_
than that naive, brash child you told me of...
Ranma's voice cut through the air, pulling Kojiro out of his thoughts.
The boy was... singing?
"Crawling in my skin,
these wounds they will not heal
fear is how I fall
confusing what is real
Yes, comfort endlessly, has pulled itself upon me
distracting, reacting
against my will I stand beside my own reflection
it's haunting, how I can't seem,
to find myself again, my walls are closing in
without a sense of confidence,
I'm convinced that there's just to much
pressure to take
I've felt this way before
so insecure~!"
"Isn't that one of Sushi's songs?" Kojiro wondered. He _really_ liked
Xue Shi, and was fairly disappointed that he'd missed the concert a few
nights earlier, but... when work calls...
"It's pronounced, 'Xue Shi'," Ranma actually sounded miffed, "I wish
people would say the name properly. It's annoying having to correct
everyone," the last part had been mumbled to himself before he nodded,
"Yeah it's one of Xue Shi's songs."
"You sound like a bigger fan than me!" Finally! Something to connect
on! Maybe Nodoka's son _could_ come to trust him.
A mysterious smile crossed Ranma's face, "Oh... you could say that..."
An excited look overcame Kojiro's countence, and his fingers brushed
through Nodoka's hair almost absently, "Do you know any other songs?"
Ranma almost laughed out right, then and there. Know any other songs
indeed. Instead, he shrugged, "I know a few lines here and there..."
Without waiting for a response, Ranma began-- hey, it was good
practice, and something he could do while waiting for his mother to
regain consciousness.
"Can't handle the truth,
Gimme room to breath!
If I was your last breath left, I would suck it in.
If you were claustrophobic, I'd be your last bit of oxygen.
If I was a mic, I'd give you feedback,
Believe that!
Somebody give me room to breath, so ease back
If I was your number one fan, I'd be the kind that stalks you
If I were a stranger, I'd be the kind you shouldn't talk to
Listen, nobody can match this, 'Cause I make crowds do back flips!"
"I've never heard that one before," Kojiro mused. Ranma shrugged, "It'
on the CD, she just hasn't had a chance to play it live, yet."
"There's no CD!" Now he _knew_ Ranma was lying. He didn't know anymore
songs!
Ranma grinned widely, "I think I should know what's on a CD my
roommate's recording."
"Ranma..." Both men turned to see Nodoka struggling to sit up as the
last of the smoke drifted away, "Don't lie to Kojiro. You're not
"rooming" with Xue Shi--"
Hah! He knew Ranma was just a --
"-- you _are_ Xue Shi. Don't think I'm so oblivious as to not notice
Nyu Xue Shi and Tendou Ranko were the same person."
Ranma was seated beside his mother-- having moved when she first said
his name-- and sighed, "Mom..."
"I trust Kojiro with my life," Nodoka settled back on the couch, "I
trust him enough that he'll keep the curse a secret."
"That wasn't what I was about to ask," Nodoka blushed at the fact that
her assumption had been wrong, "I want to know who shot you."
"It was Cologne. She wanted me to kill you..."
"I bet this is about slitting Shampoo's throat," Ranma groaned, "That's
the reason Mousse attacked me a few hours ago."
"So you _did_ kill Shampoo?"
He shrugged, "She might be, or might not be. Dunno if Jei-sama cut deep
enough to kill her."
"Jei-sama?" the other two choused, rather surprised. Ranma was showing
respect for someone? Ranma was practically calling someone his lord,
his master, his Emperor. It was probably closer to the last one;
Ranma's heart and mind were that of a samurai.
All he'd needed in days past was one who he'd truly respected-- not
just as a sensai, but as someone he really knew-- to be considered his
daimyo. In her own samurai heart, Nodoka knew that he'd found his
daimyo, found the one he'd pledge his life to.
Nodoka knew the feeling-- she, too, had found one to be considered a
daimyo, during the period Genma had left her. A faint smile crossed her
lips.
"Jei-sama is..." Ranma paused, unable to find a way to describe
Farfello. How do you tell your mother that you have a certified
sociopath for your master? "Jei-sama is Jei-sama. He saved my life."
Kojiro perked up at this, "Then he's a good man?"
Why's he taking such an interest in me?[2] Ranma frowned, "Depends on
how you define 'good'."
Nodoka hiked an eyebrow, "And how do _you_ define 'good', my son?"
She got Ranma's cocky grin in response, "Someone who's not trying to
kill or marry me."
Nodoka lifted herself into a fully seated position. For some reason,
she felt better than she had in years. For a moment, she thought she
might be in shock, then she looked down. Welcome to Shock, Madame
Saotome, "My... my wound, what...?"
Kojiro and Ranma sobered, Kojiro casting a nervous look at the back of
the martial artist's head. Ranma shrugged, "Not sure what happened...
you just started healing very fast."
Ranma could feel the older man's stare on his back, but he ignored it.
He didn't want to explain that some smoke from his bandages had healed
her, "Back to the old ghoul..." a nasty, wicked smirk crossed his
features, his eyes glinting, "How long do you think it'll take that
bitch to die?"
No one, but _no one_, messed with Saotome Ranma's mother, and expected
to live.
---
Crawford had opened the door before they'd even come to the steps.
Kojiro-- dressed in a pair of black jeans, and a black vest over a grey
turtleneck-- shivered as he caught sight of the pale haired make locked
in a straight jacket behind him.
"Ranma," you were expected. Crawford didn't need to say it, but the
teenager knew. It helped to have a precognitive around-- you never had
to call them.
"Yo, Crawford. Let us in, would ya?"
The impeccably attired man turned a narrow gaze on the kimono wearing
woman, and her employer behind the teen. Ranma flashed him a grin that
was more teeth than smile.
"Oh, let Bishoujo and his [mommy-dearest] in, Crawfish." Kojiro's gaze
switched from the malevolent looking youth, to the older redhead. Jade
eyes danced with secret knowledge as the redhead drew himself up and
away from the wall.
Without a word-- only a sharp nod to the ebon haired martial artist--
the glasses-wearing American continued deeper into the Schwartz
household. Ranma followed cheerfully, while both his mother and the pet
shop owner went in warily. Kojiro shivered against as he stepped past
Farfello.
The five men and single female entered the common room, where Nagi sat
playing various online games. To both Nodoka and Kojiro's surprise,
once they had entered the room, Ranma choose to sprawl across the floor
beside Farfello. They said nothing, however, at the challenging flare
from a single golden eye.
"So what's with the sudden arrival, Bishoujo?"
He got an annoyed glare, but nothing more as Farfello struggled to
remove the straight jacket that bound him. Even with Crawford's pointed
stare on his back, Ranma began to undo the jacket, "Mom was shot last
night."
"She looks fine to me," Nagi interjected with a raised brow. Ranma gave
him a flat stare.
"She got better. Now, Weiss is off on some mission tonight, so I figure
this would be the best time to do this."
"You want us to kill the shooter," Crawford concluded. Ranma grinned
widely.
"Close, but not quite. Schwartz and me are the distraction. Mom's
taking out the old ghoul."
"How long have you been planning this, Kitty?"
Ranma looked up into Jei's face as he pulled the jacket away, "All day.
We've got it planned out to the wire. Kojiro here, helped set it up. He's
no assassin, but mom is."
Crawford raised an inquiring eyebrow, "Are you any good, Saotome-san?"
"One of the best," Nodoka's eyes flashed, and she wore a mimicry of her
son's cocky grin, "I happen to be Raven."
"The Lady Raven," Schuldich grinned, "Someone I've always wanted the
pleasure of meeting, Nodoka."
"What haven't exactly been introduced," Kojiro's bass rumble was soft,
but carried an under current of authority, "So perhaps we should do
that."
"Agreed," Crawford nodded, "I am Crawford Bradley."
"Naoe Nagi."
"Farfello."
"Schuldich."
"Mugoh Kojiro."
"Saotome Nodoka."
Farf ran his fingers through Ranma's hair, untangling the braid, and
removing the unneeded dragon whisker, "We all know my Kitty."
"Why do you call my son 'Kitty'?"
Ranma gave a purr-- one of those ones that he shouldn't be able to make
with human vocal chords-- at Farfello's actions. The fingers through
his hair-- even with the slightly painful tug every so often-- was
soothing, and all the tension from the day melted out of him, as he
went artfully boneless half sprawled over top of Jei. Farfello's eye
glinted, gaze meeting an unflinching Nodoka. His lips quirked at that,
"Kitty is my pet. He belongs to me."
"That doesn't explain anything," Kojiro mumbled to Nodoka, and she
nodded, tight lipped in response. Schuldich grinned, "Farfie's called
Bishoujo there 'Kitty' since they were kids, and Farf found Ranma
trapped in the Nekoken."
"The... Nekoken...?" Nodoka looked puzzled.
"Don't worry about it, Ofukuru," Ranma was still half purring, "I'll
explain Oyagi's greatest mistake after we take down the old ghoul."
"Alright, Ranma."
End
[1] Ranma can reduce anyone, including adults, into little children
bickering in a matter of moments.
[2] Is it just me, or does Ranma seem particularly dense at this
moment?
Anyone else notice that there's a lot of eyebrow raising in this
chapter? Up, down, up, down, let's get those eyebrows working!
*snickers*