The next morning dawns much the same as the others. Ranma and his father are sparring as usual, but Ranma's heart isn't in it. He doesn't respond to the taunts of his father, and he doesn't go out of his way to soak his father in the pond. He just mounts an effective defense. His father is clearly not pleased with his son's lackadaisical response, but he doesn't know what to do. Taunting Ranma to fight harder worked flawlessly for the last ten years. Fathers of teenagers aren't the best at breaking habits they've formed with their children.
Breakfast begins, and Ranma makes a good showing in defending his food, but his appetite isn't the monster it usually was. He still ate more than any two Tendos combined, but not much more.
On the way to school, Akane tries to get some kind of a response out of Ranma by taunting his morning's fighting and breakfast, only getting mild grunts of acknowledgment. Akane finds it as difficult to deal with Ranma today as it was yesterday. He wasn't acting normal. Nothing she did provoked the usual response. He wasn't doing anything wrong, he was just too quiet.
When Kuno started his morning attack, Ranma didn't perk up. He waited for the attack, swept Kuno's legs out from under him, then leaped over him, kicking his sword hand, causing Kuno's bokken to go flying away. Then Ranma walked into school.
* * *
Akane didn't normally get along with Ukyou, but by the middle of the day she needed someone to compare notes on Ranma's behavior, and Ukyou and Nabiki were the only two at school who knew the effects of the coin. Nabiki was on a different floor, and would charge too much. Ukyou was a few seats over, and had a similar worried expression. While Ranma consumed his lunch at his desk, Akane went over to talk with Ukyou.
They compared notes. They found their observations were confirmed. They both had no idea what to do. Ukyou was the first to mention that the coin drove the previous wearers insane, and Cologne never mentioned the insanity yesterday when telling them about the effects of the coin. Everyone was so concerned over whether Ranma would live or die, that the insanity was forgotten about.
At this point they saw Ranma reenter the classroom, neither had noticed him getting up from his desk after finishing the bento. He was smiling for the first time that day, as he walked over to Ukyou and Akane. "Ukyou, didya find an amusement park nearby?" "Yes Ranchan, we can get there by train Saturday after class, and get there by 1:00. I forgot to make 2 copies of the directions, but I remember them, and one of you can copy this for the other. We'll probably meet on the same train anyway."
Ranma looked at the directions, but then handed them to Akane saying "You'd better copy them. If anyone sees a copy of directions written in my hand, someone will show up looking for a fight. If they're in your hand, the worst we'll have would be an overamorous Kuno, and we can always strap him to the outside of the ferris wheel if he causes trouble." "Ranchan, you're not normally this cautious." "I know. Its weird, whenever I start thinking of a plan, I keep thinking of things that might mess it up. If you really want to play it safe, you could write them on okonomiyaki, then we could eat the message after reading it." "I thought about it, but you've eaten too many before you've read what was written on them."
* * *
During class, Akane passes a note to Ukyou saying "After class, let's ask Cologne. She may have more to say if Ranma isn't there." Ukyou reads it, and nods when Akane is looking.
* * *
After school, our now peppy Ranma gets his copy of the directions to the amusement park from Akane, and goes to see Dr. Tofu. Akane tells him she wants to talk with Ukyou.
As Akane and Ukyou proceed to the Nekohanten, Ukyou tells Akane "Yaknow, Ranma is trusting us to get along together more than he trusts any other pair of girls after him. I don't know how well we can get along, but I think I'd like to try at least through this amusement park trip. I want to prove to myself that Ranma's faith in us is justified." "I understand, and while Ranma is acting different, we're the only people who are watching out for him during the day."
"Actually Akane, I should confess something. The real reason I only made one copy of the directions, I was worried that if there was a screwup, you might suspect me of plotting something concerning Ranma. If I gave you each one, you wouldn't be sure they were the same. I actually had a second one in my bag that I copied before I thought about this while working last night. I don't want to make you mistrust me, or avoid me at least until we're sure Ranma's not in trouble."
They arrive at the Nekohanten to find a worried Shampoo concerned for Ranma, "Where is Ranma? You watch him in school? Is he OK?"
Ukyou and Akane reassure Shampoo about his physical health. In the two days since Peroxide's death, Ranma has had only one fight besides his morning sparring, and that was the fight with Kuno, and Ranma hadn't exerted himself at all for that.
Ukyou and Akane also said they came to discuss Ranma's mental health with Cologne while Ranma was visiting Dr. Tofu for his now-daily physical.
The three girls went to listen to Cologne, and try to understand Ranma's new behavior.
"First, you must understand that the insanity caused by the coin does not come into effect this early. It will be months before that becomes a worry. The changes that have occurred are more insidious, mostly because they are beneficial, so they won't be regarded by most people as a disadvantage."
"I've told you that it increases Ranma's speed of thought. He will not be used to having ideas occur to him as fast as it does now. You can expect this to exacerbate his tendency to talk without self-censoring himself. You can expect him to babble."
"It also improves his ability to come up with non-obvious solutions to problems. He'll be constantly thinking of several things at once, and see patterns in the overlapping thoughts that aren't immediately obvious. You can expect him to babble about several things at once. To him they will all seem like a logical conversation, but between every two sentences, his mind may have jumped two or three thoughts so that to you it seems disjointed and confused."
"The biggest change will probably be due to euphoria. I have trouble thinking of anyone who I could guarantee could outfight Ranma right now. If it was his goal, he might be able to train to beat anyone. Plus his thinking and planning are improved. If he wanted something badly enough, he could likely do anything. Since he knows he could succeed at anything, he's feeling on top of the world. Imagine how you would feel if you could do anything you wanted to, if you wanted to badly enough."
"There's even a theory about the coin that states that the coin doesn't cause insanity at all, but that a human mind affected this way will invariably eventually go insane. This is why the coin's mental effects are so insidious. Three linked benefits to Ranma's mind may eventually pull him to insanity."
"As for treatment and advice, I have none, yet. Nothing can be done, so we do nothing, for now. Remember that any changes you note in Ranma isn't due to his personality changing, but in the way he thinks. He's the same Ranma, but you'll see a facet of him that would otherwise never be displayed this way."
The three girls who care for Ranma digest this news as best they can. Ukyou asks Cologne, "Do you have any good news at all about Ranchan?"
Cologne responds "If I didn't think we had a chance of saving him, I would have broken Shampoo's right to Ranma, and sent her back home, making her forget Ranma if it were necessary. I wont let Shampoo pursue a walking dead person. Ranma may live a long life, but I can't guarantee it, or tell you what else to do to increase our chances. I wont give any of you false hope, but there is reason to hope. Still, make the most of this time. You'll have regrets when you reach my age, try not to have too many."
On that somber note, they break up. Ukyou to her restaurant, Shampoo and Cologne prepare for the lunch crowd, and Akane to home.
* * *
As soon as Akane gets home, Ranma calls Akane out to the dojo. "Ranma, why'd you call me in here?"
"Well, I've been thinking, and I need to practice and I don't want to overexert myself, but I also want to put this energy to good use. So I need you to spot me while I go through some kata, and offer advice on what I can and shouldn't do, while I tell you what I've been thinking about." At this point, Ranma has already started his routines, and switches topics on Akane.
"So I've decided I've gotta see my mother as a guy while I have this chance. I'll only have a few months with this coin, and then I'll either die or have to worry about seppuku again. Either way I'll regret it if I let this moment slip by. I'm gonna wait to tell my mother about the curse and the coin. We've got enough to talk about just covering the last 10 years, and 2 fiancees tied to family honor, plus a Chinese amazon that considers us married because I knocked her unconscious. I don't want to talk to dad about this because he'll probably have to stay a panda while she's here; and I'm sure he isn't ready to explain his actions over the last 10 years to an armed Nodoka. I can't tell Soun, or pop will hear about it. Kasumi would welcome Nodoka over. Nabiki will either like her arrival, or find some way to profit out of it. So that leaves you, would you rather we invite my mom here, or should I go away to visit her? What do you think?"
"Slow down, Ranma! I can either follow your conversation, or think about it, but I'm not used to dealing with things like this at this speed. I like your mother, I wouldn't mind if she visited. What are you going to tell her about Ranko, your father and the panda?"
At this point, Genma appears as a panda carrying two packs. He holds up a sign saying `We must leave, Nodoka is here and you can't be Ranko'. Seeing this, Ranma leaps over Akane, punts his father into the carp pond, and runs to the house screaming "Mommmm!"
* * *
Ranma enters the family room at a dead run and leaps over the table, coming to a dead stop in front of Nodoka, and he grabs her in a fierce hug. "Mom! Why are you here now? I was going to call you after dinner to tell you I was here."
"Ranma? I haven't seen you for ten years. Let me look at you. Is your father here too?"
"You probably won't see Pop and Ranko during this visit. You know how Pop and I missed you all of your other visits here; well this time I'm here instead of Ranko, and I've got to make sure this panda doesn't run off for now. I can explain all of this later, but not quickly. None of this makes sense without background of my life for the last ten years."
Akane, who entered a bit after Ranma was surprised, and a bit shocked at Ranma's answer. Ranma invented an excuse for Ranko's apparent absence before Nodoka could bring it up, and worded it in such a way that Nodoka was sure to interpret incorrectly, but without lying to her. It also sounds like Ranma intends to tell his mother about most of his life, but how much is he planning to reveal?
Soun and Genma (in panda form) enter the room from different directions. Soun looks at Nodoka, Genma and Ranma, and obviously goes into shock. He hasn't fainted yet, but he is beginning to babble "Ah, I see you've seen your son."
"Yes, it seems my husband has raised him up well. It's good to see our family honor is intact."
At this, Ranma begins to frown. "I wouldn't say that. In fact I'm afraid I have some disturbing things to tell you. Pop taught me many of valuable lessons, but some of the methods he used were horrible. I can't say he raised me well, or not."
"You shouldn't put your father down like that. Even if he made mistakes, you should still show him respect."
"I'm not trying to be disrespectful, I'm trying to find a tactful way to warn you that our family honor has been stretched close to breaking."
This response freezes everyone in the room, except Soun, who's head grows gigantic as he shouts at Ranma "Your father is an honorable man!"
Ranma quietly comments "Then why do I lose count of the number of times he has betrothed me to different women?"
Soun collapses, and begins to weep uncontrollably. Akane, still shocked, says "Ranma, that was cruel!"
Ranma replies "But necessary. This isn't something that can be papered over. I'm not going to lie to my mother. I intend to eventually tell her all of the things that have my life twisted in a knot. Half of them are centered around this problem, and Soun just ignores it."
"You've been pretty good at ignoring things you don't want to face." At this point both Akane and Ranma have forgotten they have an audience, and are arguing vehemently.
"You think I like letting these problems drag on? It isn't easy having to choose between two things, when both choices are disastrous. So I put things off, hoping things would change, but things just get more complicated. More bad choices appear. Now I do the slightest thing, and dozens of people are affected. Dozens start plotting, or trying to kill me. Now I'm trying to do the right thing here."
"You don't have to make my father cry!"
"Of course I do! This is the first time in ten years I can speak to my mother, and your father has been denying things that have twisted my life around. The only way to stop him is to get him to start crying. What's the big deal? You make him cry often!"
"I don't set out to make him cry!"
"He's crying because I said the truth. How many times has he announced that we get along great together? Half the school bets on our fights! He's tried to threaten, coerce, and trick us through countless public declarations when he KNOWS I have a second fiancee. You and I are the only ones who are willing to stand up to Happosai. Our fathers only fight him when he's knocked out, otherwise they buckle under his thumb and help him in his perversions, and pray they aren't blamed."
"STOP!" Nodoka yelled. Ranma and Akane realized they had an audience. "I can't keep track of all of the questions you're bringing up. Who are you engaged to? And why?"
"Well," sighed Ranma, "Before we were born, Pop and Soun promised to have our two families marry, and when we arrived here decided that Akane and I were affianced. But, when I was six, dad also engaged me to a friend I met. She's moved into this area a while ago. Then there's Shampoo, a Chinese amazon, who became engaged to me when I defeated her in combat. She's also moved near here a while ago. I had another fiancee, but we had that arrangement cancelled. I'm also being chased by an insane gymnast, who tries to bribe, threaten, blackmail, and poison me on a regular basis. Have I omitted anything, Akane?"
"Well, there was confusion over the vampyric teacher, and the unwanted attention of the brain-less kendoist, the monkey and the girl who performed the tea ceremony, the time you were briefly drugged to love a scheming centarian, the time you almost married a duck, the ghost-panda demon, Ryouga, the French idiot, and of course Happosai.
"Oh yeah, but those are just minor annoyances. All of these women are martial artists. Unfortunately, each of these women have at least one martial artist who hates the idea of me even talking to them. Shampoo is violent at random intervals, Kodachi is violent constantly, and Akane is dangerous when angered. I'm easily the best fighter in the lot, but I often have to fight several people at the same time, or in rapid succession. If you hear someone shout `Ranma, prepare to die' you shouldn't worry, It happens often around here. Almost a cliche really."
Nodoka appears distraught, and asks "So your father engaged you to two women?"
Ranma sheepishly replies "Well, actually three. But we had one broken without loss of honor. The other two we aren't honor-bound to accept, but neither of them will stop drugging me, or kidnapping me."
"What could have possessed my husband to engage you three times?"
"Well, the first time was due to drunken fraternity with Soun, The other two times were due to his appetite."
"HE ENGAGED YOU FOR FOOD?" Nodoka yelled.
"Why else? He has only a few driving desires; martial arts and food are the top two."
"You should show your father more respect. Even if that is a frighteningly accurate assessment."
"I haven't fully forgiven Pop for what he did to Ukyou. She was my best friend growing up, and he humiliated her. Akane and Ukyou fight often, but even Akane thinks dad went too far that time. Honor demands I marry Ukyou. Honor demands I marry Akane."
Nodoka asks "And who do you want to marry?"
"NO ONE! Not now! I can't talk with any of them without being pummeled. I'm constantly being forced, or blackmailed to pick one. I just want to spend some time with them as friends. I haven't had a friend without an ulterior goal since I was six."
"But we can't break either of the engagements without damaging our family honor."
"Exactly mom, and the other two girls can't be reasoned with. One is insane, the other is obeying a 3,000 year old law."
"I'll have to think about this for a while. Akane, I'm a bit surprised you never mentioned Ranma's other fiancees."
Akane responded, "This was something that you had to hear from Ranma, or his father. Ranma's life is confusing enough. Besides, Ranma was right, If I brought it up before, my father would have denied the other fiancees. He always has in the past."
"I can understand that. Ranma, is there any other threats to our family honor?"
"Unfortunately yes mom, but the situation is involved, and I'd like some time before I explain it to you. If nothing is done, the problem will resolve itself in a year."
"Alright, I'll give you some time. Why did you tell me about your fiancees, but want to keep this other thing quiet? I don't like the idea of you telling me your father's shortcomings while keeping yours hidden."
"Well, that's true, but the reason I need more time is that everything changed a few days ago, and I need time to deal with it, and accept it first. The multiple fiancees have been going on for months, but this is new. Besides, I don't think I could spend a day with you without one of my other fiancees or rivals showing up. Although it has been quiet for a few days."
"RANMA, WHERE ARE YOU?" the voice of Mousse screams from outside.
Ranma sighs. "Akane, could you explain this one while I talk with Mousse?", he asks as he leaves the room.
Akane explains to Nodoka, "That was Mousse's voice. He's a legally blind martial artist from China who followed Shampoo over here because he loves Shampoo. But Shampoo only cares about Ranma, so Mousse attacks regularly."
* * *
Ranma enters the yard, and calls out "I'm over here Mousse, are you willing to talk before we fight?"
"I'll kill you now!"
"I guess you aren't willing." Ranma quipped.
Mousse released a barrage of weapons attached to ropes from his sleeves, which impacted into the earth around where Ranma had been standing. Ranma had leapt over the attack. Mousse followed with another volley at the now airborne Ranma, but was surprised when Ranma actually reached out, grabbed the weapons, and used the ropes to pull himself directly at Mousse. Ranma kicks Mousse, and both wind up in the pond.
Ranma grabs Mousse (who is now in duck form) by the neck, and says "We're going to the dojo to talk. I have information about my engagement to Shampoo that will interest you." This quiets the quacking Mousse, and the two walk off to talk
* * *
In the dojo, Ranma sets Mousse down and begins.
"You know I'm engaged to Akane and Ukyou, and that my engagement to Shampoo is due to a rule of her village that my family doesn't recognize. Well, my mother's visiting, and will insist that this ghastly collection of promises, vows, and rules are all straightened out once, and for all. This means that in a short while either Shampoo will have to give up, or we'll get married. Now you are one of the brighter people I fight regularly, so you can see the following. The odds that my mother will break both my engagements to support Shampoo's law is very slim. That'll leave Shampoo to you."
"You also know I can't insult the ghoul until we get this coin removed. This means I have to treat Shampoo like I treat my other fiancees. I know this'll annoy you, but in a few months this will all be over. If it gets too frustrating, we can fight, but you know that with the coin I can defeat you easily. I can probably beat Cologne, so fighting me is pointless."
"Finally, I know that you only attack when something's happened that makes it necessary, or advantageous to you that we fight. I've barely spoken to Shampoo since Peroxide's death, so it couldn't be that. Is Shampoo or Cologne plotting something again? Quack once for yes, and twice for no."
QUACK, QUACK.
"Then you must have seen some advantage. I can't be defeated by you, so the only thing I can think of would be that you are trying to make me exert myself. If you hadn't thought of doing that, you will eventually. Exerting myself will bring on my death. If you are trying to kill me that way, you are fighting me without honor, and I'll see you dead before you kill me that way. I wouldn't even need to fight you, just tell Shampoo your plan. Do we understand each other? If you want to spar or fight you can come here, but if you are trying to annoy me to death, I'll let Shampoo and Cologne get you. In a few months all of this will be resolved. Do you understand?"
QUACK.
"Ok. By the way, would you like to meet my mother?"
Mousse thinks for a bit. QUACK.
"Ok. I'll get your stuff, and carry it, and you to the bathroom. I don't want to worry my mother about the coin yet, so don't mention my dying in a year. I haven't told her about any of the curses either, but you can mention them if you want. Please don't mention mine or pops. I'll be right back."
* * *
"Mother, I'd like to introduce you to Mousse. The guy who loves Shampoo, and one of my regular sparring partners."
"How do you do."
"Pleased to meet you Mrs. Saotome."
Kasumi asks "Mousse, we're just about to have dinner, would you care to join us?"
"Thank you very much. That would be quite nice."
Over dinner, Mousse explains the Amazon laws to Nodoka, along with the censure Shampoo would experience if she returned to China without Ranma. Mousse also tries to help Ranma and Akane describe Cologne. They even begin reminiscing over the failed methods used on Ranma; hypnosis mushrooms and the cat's-tongue shiatzu point (although they never bothered to mention why Ranma was so angry about being unable to touch hot water).
"So how did you get the fushichougan from Cologne?" Nodoka asks Ranma.
"I used the cat-fist. I didn't defeat her, but I did surprise her, so rather than continue in a fight that wasn't going the way she planned, she conceded the fight, and gave me the pill. It wasn't until later that I realized how likely the fight would have continued until severe injury occurred. On retrospect I only showed her I couldn't be easily defeated, and that I don't buckle under pressure of a superior opponent."
"You don't talk about her like an enemy or a friend. How would you describe Cologne? Does she have any more holds on you?" Nodoka probed.
Ranma frowned. "She's an adversary, and a teacher. Like Happosai. Very like Happosai, now that I think of it. Both she and Happosai teach me new techniques. I'm periodically at odds with both of them, and often have to go to one to defeat the other's plots. Personally I'd be happier with both of them gone, but if it weren't for her, Prince Herb would have made my life hell. Right now we're on the same side. I don't like her, but right now our most recent large battle has given us similar goals. I don't trust her secondary goals, but she stands to loose everything she's been working on if we don't both succeed."
Mousse interjected, "I'd better get back to the Nekohanten, or they'll have my hide. Thank you Kasumi, for the wonderful meal. Thank you all, for the conversation. Thanks, Ranma, for inviting me in. It was a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Saotome. Ranma, I'll try to take your earlier advice to heart; perhaps we might do this again some time."
Mousse's departure gave everyone an excuse to do other things as well. Nodoka was going to be staying there for a few days. Soun Tendo being too shocked to say anything, because of how much information Ranma had given away that might eventually lead to the death of Genma, and of his hopes for Akane and Ranma's wedding (through the agency of Ranma's death). And Kasumi was, of course, the model of politeness.
As much as Ranma wanted to talk with his mother, the emotions of being with her, accepted by her for the first time as himself, were beginning to wear Ranma out. On top of this, the effort to keep the conversation away from the unsafe topics of his curse, and his impending death by madness due to the `dying man coin' was leaving him quite frazzled. This made the time he was spending with his mother painful, as well as pleasurable.
Nodoka, similarly, was feeling a bit overwhelmed. Finally meeting her son after so many years, and hearing story after story about his past; she was beginning to have some difficulty keeping track of all of the people he mentioned.
Ranma went of to the dojo to unwind, and train. Nodoka followed Kasumi to the kitchen to talk. Discussion about fiancees, and Genma's actions were put off, as the Saotomes and the Tendos basked in the warm glow of a family reunited.
* * * !
Breakfast begins, and Ranma makes a good showing in defending his food, but his appetite isn't the monster it usually was. He still ate more than any two Tendos combined, but not much more.
On the way to school, Akane tries to get some kind of a response out of Ranma by taunting his morning's fighting and breakfast, only getting mild grunts of acknowledgment. Akane finds it as difficult to deal with Ranma today as it was yesterday. He wasn't acting normal. Nothing she did provoked the usual response. He wasn't doing anything wrong, he was just too quiet.
When Kuno started his morning attack, Ranma didn't perk up. He waited for the attack, swept Kuno's legs out from under him, then leaped over him, kicking his sword hand, causing Kuno's bokken to go flying away. Then Ranma walked into school.
* * *
Akane didn't normally get along with Ukyou, but by the middle of the day she needed someone to compare notes on Ranma's behavior, and Ukyou and Nabiki were the only two at school who knew the effects of the coin. Nabiki was on a different floor, and would charge too much. Ukyou was a few seats over, and had a similar worried expression. While Ranma consumed his lunch at his desk, Akane went over to talk with Ukyou.
They compared notes. They found their observations were confirmed. They both had no idea what to do. Ukyou was the first to mention that the coin drove the previous wearers insane, and Cologne never mentioned the insanity yesterday when telling them about the effects of the coin. Everyone was so concerned over whether Ranma would live or die, that the insanity was forgotten about.
At this point they saw Ranma reenter the classroom, neither had noticed him getting up from his desk after finishing the bento. He was smiling for the first time that day, as he walked over to Ukyou and Akane. "Ukyou, didya find an amusement park nearby?" "Yes Ranchan, we can get there by train Saturday after class, and get there by 1:00. I forgot to make 2 copies of the directions, but I remember them, and one of you can copy this for the other. We'll probably meet on the same train anyway."
Ranma looked at the directions, but then handed them to Akane saying "You'd better copy them. If anyone sees a copy of directions written in my hand, someone will show up looking for a fight. If they're in your hand, the worst we'll have would be an overamorous Kuno, and we can always strap him to the outside of the ferris wheel if he causes trouble." "Ranchan, you're not normally this cautious." "I know. Its weird, whenever I start thinking of a plan, I keep thinking of things that might mess it up. If you really want to play it safe, you could write them on okonomiyaki, then we could eat the message after reading it." "I thought about it, but you've eaten too many before you've read what was written on them."
* * *
During class, Akane passes a note to Ukyou saying "After class, let's ask Cologne. She may have more to say if Ranma isn't there." Ukyou reads it, and nods when Akane is looking.
* * *
After school, our now peppy Ranma gets his copy of the directions to the amusement park from Akane, and goes to see Dr. Tofu. Akane tells him she wants to talk with Ukyou.
As Akane and Ukyou proceed to the Nekohanten, Ukyou tells Akane "Yaknow, Ranma is trusting us to get along together more than he trusts any other pair of girls after him. I don't know how well we can get along, but I think I'd like to try at least through this amusement park trip. I want to prove to myself that Ranma's faith in us is justified." "I understand, and while Ranma is acting different, we're the only people who are watching out for him during the day."
"Actually Akane, I should confess something. The real reason I only made one copy of the directions, I was worried that if there was a screwup, you might suspect me of plotting something concerning Ranma. If I gave you each one, you wouldn't be sure they were the same. I actually had a second one in my bag that I copied before I thought about this while working last night. I don't want to make you mistrust me, or avoid me at least until we're sure Ranma's not in trouble."
They arrive at the Nekohanten to find a worried Shampoo concerned for Ranma, "Where is Ranma? You watch him in school? Is he OK?"
Ukyou and Akane reassure Shampoo about his physical health. In the two days since Peroxide's death, Ranma has had only one fight besides his morning sparring, and that was the fight with Kuno, and Ranma hadn't exerted himself at all for that.
Ukyou and Akane also said they came to discuss Ranma's mental health with Cologne while Ranma was visiting Dr. Tofu for his now-daily physical.
The three girls went to listen to Cologne, and try to understand Ranma's new behavior.
"First, you must understand that the insanity caused by the coin does not come into effect this early. It will be months before that becomes a worry. The changes that have occurred are more insidious, mostly because they are beneficial, so they won't be regarded by most people as a disadvantage."
"I've told you that it increases Ranma's speed of thought. He will not be used to having ideas occur to him as fast as it does now. You can expect this to exacerbate his tendency to talk without self-censoring himself. You can expect him to babble."
"It also improves his ability to come up with non-obvious solutions to problems. He'll be constantly thinking of several things at once, and see patterns in the overlapping thoughts that aren't immediately obvious. You can expect him to babble about several things at once. To him they will all seem like a logical conversation, but between every two sentences, his mind may have jumped two or three thoughts so that to you it seems disjointed and confused."
"The biggest change will probably be due to euphoria. I have trouble thinking of anyone who I could guarantee could outfight Ranma right now. If it was his goal, he might be able to train to beat anyone. Plus his thinking and planning are improved. If he wanted something badly enough, he could likely do anything. Since he knows he could succeed at anything, he's feeling on top of the world. Imagine how you would feel if you could do anything you wanted to, if you wanted to badly enough."
"There's even a theory about the coin that states that the coin doesn't cause insanity at all, but that a human mind affected this way will invariably eventually go insane. This is why the coin's mental effects are so insidious. Three linked benefits to Ranma's mind may eventually pull him to insanity."
"As for treatment and advice, I have none, yet. Nothing can be done, so we do nothing, for now. Remember that any changes you note in Ranma isn't due to his personality changing, but in the way he thinks. He's the same Ranma, but you'll see a facet of him that would otherwise never be displayed this way."
The three girls who care for Ranma digest this news as best they can. Ukyou asks Cologne, "Do you have any good news at all about Ranchan?"
Cologne responds "If I didn't think we had a chance of saving him, I would have broken Shampoo's right to Ranma, and sent her back home, making her forget Ranma if it were necessary. I wont let Shampoo pursue a walking dead person. Ranma may live a long life, but I can't guarantee it, or tell you what else to do to increase our chances. I wont give any of you false hope, but there is reason to hope. Still, make the most of this time. You'll have regrets when you reach my age, try not to have too many."
On that somber note, they break up. Ukyou to her restaurant, Shampoo and Cologne prepare for the lunch crowd, and Akane to home.
* * *
As soon as Akane gets home, Ranma calls Akane out to the dojo. "Ranma, why'd you call me in here?"
"Well, I've been thinking, and I need to practice and I don't want to overexert myself, but I also want to put this energy to good use. So I need you to spot me while I go through some kata, and offer advice on what I can and shouldn't do, while I tell you what I've been thinking about." At this point, Ranma has already started his routines, and switches topics on Akane.
"So I've decided I've gotta see my mother as a guy while I have this chance. I'll only have a few months with this coin, and then I'll either die or have to worry about seppuku again. Either way I'll regret it if I let this moment slip by. I'm gonna wait to tell my mother about the curse and the coin. We've got enough to talk about just covering the last 10 years, and 2 fiancees tied to family honor, plus a Chinese amazon that considers us married because I knocked her unconscious. I don't want to talk to dad about this because he'll probably have to stay a panda while she's here; and I'm sure he isn't ready to explain his actions over the last 10 years to an armed Nodoka. I can't tell Soun, or pop will hear about it. Kasumi would welcome Nodoka over. Nabiki will either like her arrival, or find some way to profit out of it. So that leaves you, would you rather we invite my mom here, or should I go away to visit her? What do you think?"
"Slow down, Ranma! I can either follow your conversation, or think about it, but I'm not used to dealing with things like this at this speed. I like your mother, I wouldn't mind if she visited. What are you going to tell her about Ranko, your father and the panda?"
At this point, Genma appears as a panda carrying two packs. He holds up a sign saying `We must leave, Nodoka is here and you can't be Ranko'. Seeing this, Ranma leaps over Akane, punts his father into the carp pond, and runs to the house screaming "Mommmm!"
* * *
Ranma enters the family room at a dead run and leaps over the table, coming to a dead stop in front of Nodoka, and he grabs her in a fierce hug. "Mom! Why are you here now? I was going to call you after dinner to tell you I was here."
"Ranma? I haven't seen you for ten years. Let me look at you. Is your father here too?"
"You probably won't see Pop and Ranko during this visit. You know how Pop and I missed you all of your other visits here; well this time I'm here instead of Ranko, and I've got to make sure this panda doesn't run off for now. I can explain all of this later, but not quickly. None of this makes sense without background of my life for the last ten years."
Akane, who entered a bit after Ranma was surprised, and a bit shocked at Ranma's answer. Ranma invented an excuse for Ranko's apparent absence before Nodoka could bring it up, and worded it in such a way that Nodoka was sure to interpret incorrectly, but without lying to her. It also sounds like Ranma intends to tell his mother about most of his life, but how much is he planning to reveal?
Soun and Genma (in panda form) enter the room from different directions. Soun looks at Nodoka, Genma and Ranma, and obviously goes into shock. He hasn't fainted yet, but he is beginning to babble "Ah, I see you've seen your son."
"Yes, it seems my husband has raised him up well. It's good to see our family honor is intact."
At this, Ranma begins to frown. "I wouldn't say that. In fact I'm afraid I have some disturbing things to tell you. Pop taught me many of valuable lessons, but some of the methods he used were horrible. I can't say he raised me well, or not."
"You shouldn't put your father down like that. Even if he made mistakes, you should still show him respect."
"I'm not trying to be disrespectful, I'm trying to find a tactful way to warn you that our family honor has been stretched close to breaking."
This response freezes everyone in the room, except Soun, who's head grows gigantic as he shouts at Ranma "Your father is an honorable man!"
Ranma quietly comments "Then why do I lose count of the number of times he has betrothed me to different women?"
Soun collapses, and begins to weep uncontrollably. Akane, still shocked, says "Ranma, that was cruel!"
Ranma replies "But necessary. This isn't something that can be papered over. I'm not going to lie to my mother. I intend to eventually tell her all of the things that have my life twisted in a knot. Half of them are centered around this problem, and Soun just ignores it."
"You've been pretty good at ignoring things you don't want to face." At this point both Akane and Ranma have forgotten they have an audience, and are arguing vehemently.
"You think I like letting these problems drag on? It isn't easy having to choose between two things, when both choices are disastrous. So I put things off, hoping things would change, but things just get more complicated. More bad choices appear. Now I do the slightest thing, and dozens of people are affected. Dozens start plotting, or trying to kill me. Now I'm trying to do the right thing here."
"You don't have to make my father cry!"
"Of course I do! This is the first time in ten years I can speak to my mother, and your father has been denying things that have twisted my life around. The only way to stop him is to get him to start crying. What's the big deal? You make him cry often!"
"I don't set out to make him cry!"
"He's crying because I said the truth. How many times has he announced that we get along great together? Half the school bets on our fights! He's tried to threaten, coerce, and trick us through countless public declarations when he KNOWS I have a second fiancee. You and I are the only ones who are willing to stand up to Happosai. Our fathers only fight him when he's knocked out, otherwise they buckle under his thumb and help him in his perversions, and pray they aren't blamed."
"STOP!" Nodoka yelled. Ranma and Akane realized they had an audience. "I can't keep track of all of the questions you're bringing up. Who are you engaged to? And why?"
"Well," sighed Ranma, "Before we were born, Pop and Soun promised to have our two families marry, and when we arrived here decided that Akane and I were affianced. But, when I was six, dad also engaged me to a friend I met. She's moved into this area a while ago. Then there's Shampoo, a Chinese amazon, who became engaged to me when I defeated her in combat. She's also moved near here a while ago. I had another fiancee, but we had that arrangement cancelled. I'm also being chased by an insane gymnast, who tries to bribe, threaten, blackmail, and poison me on a regular basis. Have I omitted anything, Akane?"
"Well, there was confusion over the vampyric teacher, and the unwanted attention of the brain-less kendoist, the monkey and the girl who performed the tea ceremony, the time you were briefly drugged to love a scheming centarian, the time you almost married a duck, the ghost-panda demon, Ryouga, the French idiot, and of course Happosai.
"Oh yeah, but those are just minor annoyances. All of these women are martial artists. Unfortunately, each of these women have at least one martial artist who hates the idea of me even talking to them. Shampoo is violent at random intervals, Kodachi is violent constantly, and Akane is dangerous when angered. I'm easily the best fighter in the lot, but I often have to fight several people at the same time, or in rapid succession. If you hear someone shout `Ranma, prepare to die' you shouldn't worry, It happens often around here. Almost a cliche really."
Nodoka appears distraught, and asks "So your father engaged you to two women?"
Ranma sheepishly replies "Well, actually three. But we had one broken without loss of honor. The other two we aren't honor-bound to accept, but neither of them will stop drugging me, or kidnapping me."
"What could have possessed my husband to engage you three times?"
"Well, the first time was due to drunken fraternity with Soun, The other two times were due to his appetite."
"HE ENGAGED YOU FOR FOOD?" Nodoka yelled.
"Why else? He has only a few driving desires; martial arts and food are the top two."
"You should show your father more respect. Even if that is a frighteningly accurate assessment."
"I haven't fully forgiven Pop for what he did to Ukyou. She was my best friend growing up, and he humiliated her. Akane and Ukyou fight often, but even Akane thinks dad went too far that time. Honor demands I marry Ukyou. Honor demands I marry Akane."
Nodoka asks "And who do you want to marry?"
"NO ONE! Not now! I can't talk with any of them without being pummeled. I'm constantly being forced, or blackmailed to pick one. I just want to spend some time with them as friends. I haven't had a friend without an ulterior goal since I was six."
"But we can't break either of the engagements without damaging our family honor."
"Exactly mom, and the other two girls can't be reasoned with. One is insane, the other is obeying a 3,000 year old law."
"I'll have to think about this for a while. Akane, I'm a bit surprised you never mentioned Ranma's other fiancees."
Akane responded, "This was something that you had to hear from Ranma, or his father. Ranma's life is confusing enough. Besides, Ranma was right, If I brought it up before, my father would have denied the other fiancees. He always has in the past."
"I can understand that. Ranma, is there any other threats to our family honor?"
"Unfortunately yes mom, but the situation is involved, and I'd like some time before I explain it to you. If nothing is done, the problem will resolve itself in a year."
"Alright, I'll give you some time. Why did you tell me about your fiancees, but want to keep this other thing quiet? I don't like the idea of you telling me your father's shortcomings while keeping yours hidden."
"Well, that's true, but the reason I need more time is that everything changed a few days ago, and I need time to deal with it, and accept it first. The multiple fiancees have been going on for months, but this is new. Besides, I don't think I could spend a day with you without one of my other fiancees or rivals showing up. Although it has been quiet for a few days."
"RANMA, WHERE ARE YOU?" the voice of Mousse screams from outside.
Ranma sighs. "Akane, could you explain this one while I talk with Mousse?", he asks as he leaves the room.
Akane explains to Nodoka, "That was Mousse's voice. He's a legally blind martial artist from China who followed Shampoo over here because he loves Shampoo. But Shampoo only cares about Ranma, so Mousse attacks regularly."
* * *
Ranma enters the yard, and calls out "I'm over here Mousse, are you willing to talk before we fight?"
"I'll kill you now!"
"I guess you aren't willing." Ranma quipped.
Mousse released a barrage of weapons attached to ropes from his sleeves, which impacted into the earth around where Ranma had been standing. Ranma had leapt over the attack. Mousse followed with another volley at the now airborne Ranma, but was surprised when Ranma actually reached out, grabbed the weapons, and used the ropes to pull himself directly at Mousse. Ranma kicks Mousse, and both wind up in the pond.
Ranma grabs Mousse (who is now in duck form) by the neck, and says "We're going to the dojo to talk. I have information about my engagement to Shampoo that will interest you." This quiets the quacking Mousse, and the two walk off to talk
* * *
In the dojo, Ranma sets Mousse down and begins.
"You know I'm engaged to Akane and Ukyou, and that my engagement to Shampoo is due to a rule of her village that my family doesn't recognize. Well, my mother's visiting, and will insist that this ghastly collection of promises, vows, and rules are all straightened out once, and for all. This means that in a short while either Shampoo will have to give up, or we'll get married. Now you are one of the brighter people I fight regularly, so you can see the following. The odds that my mother will break both my engagements to support Shampoo's law is very slim. That'll leave Shampoo to you."
"You also know I can't insult the ghoul until we get this coin removed. This means I have to treat Shampoo like I treat my other fiancees. I know this'll annoy you, but in a few months this will all be over. If it gets too frustrating, we can fight, but you know that with the coin I can defeat you easily. I can probably beat Cologne, so fighting me is pointless."
"Finally, I know that you only attack when something's happened that makes it necessary, or advantageous to you that we fight. I've barely spoken to Shampoo since Peroxide's death, so it couldn't be that. Is Shampoo or Cologne plotting something again? Quack once for yes, and twice for no."
QUACK, QUACK.
"Then you must have seen some advantage. I can't be defeated by you, so the only thing I can think of would be that you are trying to make me exert myself. If you hadn't thought of doing that, you will eventually. Exerting myself will bring on my death. If you are trying to kill me that way, you are fighting me without honor, and I'll see you dead before you kill me that way. I wouldn't even need to fight you, just tell Shampoo your plan. Do we understand each other? If you want to spar or fight you can come here, but if you are trying to annoy me to death, I'll let Shampoo and Cologne get you. In a few months all of this will be resolved. Do you understand?"
QUACK.
"Ok. By the way, would you like to meet my mother?"
Mousse thinks for a bit. QUACK.
"Ok. I'll get your stuff, and carry it, and you to the bathroom. I don't want to worry my mother about the coin yet, so don't mention my dying in a year. I haven't told her about any of the curses either, but you can mention them if you want. Please don't mention mine or pops. I'll be right back."
* * *
"Mother, I'd like to introduce you to Mousse. The guy who loves Shampoo, and one of my regular sparring partners."
"How do you do."
"Pleased to meet you Mrs. Saotome."
Kasumi asks "Mousse, we're just about to have dinner, would you care to join us?"
"Thank you very much. That would be quite nice."
Over dinner, Mousse explains the Amazon laws to Nodoka, along with the censure Shampoo would experience if she returned to China without Ranma. Mousse also tries to help Ranma and Akane describe Cologne. They even begin reminiscing over the failed methods used on Ranma; hypnosis mushrooms and the cat's-tongue shiatzu point (although they never bothered to mention why Ranma was so angry about being unable to touch hot water).
"So how did you get the fushichougan from Cologne?" Nodoka asks Ranma.
"I used the cat-fist. I didn't defeat her, but I did surprise her, so rather than continue in a fight that wasn't going the way she planned, she conceded the fight, and gave me the pill. It wasn't until later that I realized how likely the fight would have continued until severe injury occurred. On retrospect I only showed her I couldn't be easily defeated, and that I don't buckle under pressure of a superior opponent."
"You don't talk about her like an enemy or a friend. How would you describe Cologne? Does she have any more holds on you?" Nodoka probed.
Ranma frowned. "She's an adversary, and a teacher. Like Happosai. Very like Happosai, now that I think of it. Both she and Happosai teach me new techniques. I'm periodically at odds with both of them, and often have to go to one to defeat the other's plots. Personally I'd be happier with both of them gone, but if it weren't for her, Prince Herb would have made my life hell. Right now we're on the same side. I don't like her, but right now our most recent large battle has given us similar goals. I don't trust her secondary goals, but she stands to loose everything she's been working on if we don't both succeed."
Mousse interjected, "I'd better get back to the Nekohanten, or they'll have my hide. Thank you Kasumi, for the wonderful meal. Thank you all, for the conversation. Thanks, Ranma, for inviting me in. It was a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Saotome. Ranma, I'll try to take your earlier advice to heart; perhaps we might do this again some time."
Mousse's departure gave everyone an excuse to do other things as well. Nodoka was going to be staying there for a few days. Soun Tendo being too shocked to say anything, because of how much information Ranma had given away that might eventually lead to the death of Genma, and of his hopes for Akane and Ranma's wedding (through the agency of Ranma's death). And Kasumi was, of course, the model of politeness.
As much as Ranma wanted to talk with his mother, the emotions of being with her, accepted by her for the first time as himself, were beginning to wear Ranma out. On top of this, the effort to keep the conversation away from the unsafe topics of his curse, and his impending death by madness due to the `dying man coin' was leaving him quite frazzled. This made the time he was spending with his mother painful, as well as pleasurable.
Nodoka, similarly, was feeling a bit overwhelmed. Finally meeting her son after so many years, and hearing story after story about his past; she was beginning to have some difficulty keeping track of all of the people he mentioned.
Ranma went of to the dojo to unwind, and train. Nodoka followed Kasumi to the kitchen to talk. Discussion about fiancees, and Genma's actions were put off, as the Saotomes and the Tendos basked in the warm glow of a family reunited.
* * * !