The Three Saotomes.
Part 7
Regret.
Thunder roared outside the Tendo home and Ranma sat in the living room watching the rain fall outside. He had a blanket draped over his shoulders and a cup of steaming tea in his hands. Soun and Genma did not speak to him despite the condition his brother had brought him home in. Genryu simply went up to his room and tried to get some sleep. Both boys had agreed that it would be best to leave the Tendo residence, but not until Ranma had healed somewhat from his battle with Xianghua.
The door slid open and Ranma raised his head slightly towards the sound. "So, they've returned home."
Genma looked at his son and finally spoke up. "Boy, are you going to tell me about what happened to you or not?"
Ranma's voice was very quiet when he spoke. It had an eerie calm in it as he continued to gaze out at the rain. "Perhaps later, after the rain is gone." He had a haunted look about him as the lightning flashed outside again. He took a sip of his tea and placed the cup back on the table. Genma frowned as he noticed the cup was shaking slightly in the boy's grasp, but once again, he said nothing.
"We're home," said Akane as she tentatively walked into the room with Nabiki following behind her.
Ranma spoke up again before anyone else could say anything. He noticed right away that the two girls were more uncomfortable than they should have been. "So, Xianghua told you that I killed her brother?"
Both girls froze and looked at him with horrified masks of terror. Lightning flashed in the sky again and Ranma noticeably winced, sparing a glance out into the storm again. Soun and Genma also looked at the boy in surprise.
"So, it's true then," said Akane as she stepped back away from him.
"I never said it was," replied the boy as he continued to sip at his tea. His vacant stare more than unnerved them a little.
"So what is the story then?" said Nabiki as she regained her courage a little.
"That is a story for another time," replied the boy coolly.
"Why not now?" she pressed.
"Because you would not believe it," replied the boy with a shrug. "I will tell you of it when I think that you will."
"And how long will that be?" said Soun.
"If everything goes well Tendo, never," said Genma finally.
"Dinner is ready," called Kasumi as she walked out of the kitchen.
Everyone sat around the table quietly for the meal. Nabiki simply stared at her fiancee. There was something odd about him at the moment. She watched as he placed his teacup down again as another bolt of lightning struck in the distance. A smile formed on her lips and she turned her attention back to her meal.
--------------------------
Ranma stood on the sidelines as Genma and Genryu sparred the next morning, his injuries would probably keep him out of the matches for about a week. He sighed and looked on as both of them landed in the koi pond.
"Stupid old man!" cried Genryu as she wrung out her shirt into the lawn.
Ranma waited patiently and sat down at the table while the pair took their morning bath. Kasumi put out breakfast and everyone ate in relative silence. Nabiki turned her head towards Ranma and smiled.
"Ranma, be a dear and turn on the television. I'd like to catch the financial report."
"Do it yourself, I'm not a remote control," replied the boy snidely.
She frowned slightly and stood up grabbing her bag. "That's all right, we're running late anyway."
He paused and watched her and Akane walk out the door with Genryu. "What's she up to?"
"Boy? What are you doing here? Get to..."
"I'm not going to school today," replied Ranma simply. "The three of us are going to have a little talk. I have a feeling it's going to take a while."
Both men blinked and looked at each other.
-----------------
"Ranma doesn't like lightning," said Nabiki out of the blue as she and her sister walked through Nerima. They weren't heading for school, but the office of Doctor Tofu. Genryu had simply snorted and waved them off when they told him this, and he continued towards the school.
"What?" Akane blinked and looked at her sister stopping the lazy stroll they had been using to get to their destination.
"You saw him last night, he was petrified with fear," said the girl with a smirk growing on her face.
"So what? What good does that do us?" said Akane. "So he's afraid of lightning, big deal. A lot of people are, and I doubt if embarrassing him with that is going to get rid of him."
"It's more than that sister, I don't think it's just lightning."
Akane blinked in confusion and waited for her sister to finish. Nabiki remained silent and smiled to herself. "So, what is it?"
"I've never seen him so much as flip a light switch since he's been here. He doesn't like electricity much."
"So now what? We shock him till he leaves?" grumbled Akane.
"Sounds like a plan to me," muttered Nabiki with an oddly satisfied look on her face. "I doubt if we could really do it though."
"He's too careful Nabiki, I can't even sneak up on him when he's sleeping. He almost killed me when I found him sleeping in the living room the other day." Akane was referring to an incident the week before; she had found him passed out at the table and decided it might be funny to wake him up with a bucket of water. Ranma had snapped awake and put his foot about a half-centimeter in front of her nose before she could react. She had stomped away wet and angry, but left the boy alone after that for the rest of the day.
"The question is, how do we use this?"
"You don't," said a new voice.
Both girls whirled around and saw the woman they had carried to the doctor's office standing against a telephone pole with Kuno at her side. "You're awake!" exclaimed Akane.
"So it would seem. You must be Nabiki and Akane."
The pair nodded and glanced at each other nervously. The look she was giving them was not very friendly.
"I thank you for the assistance the other day, the doctor told me you were coming. When Kuno showed up, I figured it would be faster just to come out and meet you."
"And why wouldn't we use this weakness against Ranma?" said Kuno with a small frown.
"Because it isn't a weakness. Don't mess with things you don't understand you'll get burned. Just like I did." The woman raised her shirt slightly revealing a long ugly scar that ran across her belly almost covering it completely.
"What is that?" gasped Akane in shock.
"Something you're better off not knowing about. I suggest you leave Ranma Saotome alone for the moment, he's injured and cornered. That makes him dangerous. He'll probably try to put some distance between himself and me, especially if there's a chance some of the others will show."
"Others?" said Nabiki with a sudden interest in the conversation.
"Heh, you've met Hibiki already. There's Kuonji, Hakama, and of course let's not forget Kumon, and then there's that guy who never told me his name; quite rude that one..." She smirked at them and placed her hands on her hips. "Perhaps even the Prince of the Musk will make an appearance? I doubt it though, he's mostly forgotten about them from what I've heard."
"Prince?" Nabiki raised her eyebrow slightly at this. "He's even pissed off royalty? Quite a guy."
"So, what's your story? Why do you hate Ranma so much? Did he really kill your brother?"
"To the point are you? I'll tell you then, since it may help you get rid of him. My name is Xianghua, I come from a small fishing village on the coast of China." She looked up at the sky and frowned. "We'll continue this at the doctor's place."
Nabiki paused and looked towards Kuno. She had almost forgotten he was there. He simply stared forward with a scowl on his face and watched Akane. Not that it was unusual, but his gaze was different than normal. He actually looked worried. He spared her a glance as well and sighed as he turned she felt her blood run cold as she realized that the sword on his side was not a bokkan.
-------------------------
Ranma looked at his father and scowled. "We're leaving tomorrow."
"What are you talking about boy?" snorted Genma.
"Do you value the lives of your family Tendo?" said Ranma as he ignored his father.
Soun became very cautious. "Of course."
"Good, then you'll talk my father into leaving. There is something coming here after us Tendo. We had hoped that it would stay behind in China, but now I'm sure it's coming here."
"What are you talking about boy?" repeated Genma.
"Xianghua followed us here old man."
Genma nodded. "So what?"
"So what?! So What?! Are you out of your mind? Wai Mei Kai is coming here you old fool. We can't protect the Tendo's from that!"
"Don't be foolish boy!" retorted the older man angrily.
"You're being the fool! Are you going to let your friend and his family die because of your own stupid mistake?"
"What is the meaning of this?!" roared Tendo as he jumped between the pair. "Saotome, you had better explain how this compromises the safety of my daughters!"
"It's nothing Tendo! The boy is just jumping at shadows! He's trying to escape his responsibility!"
"That nothing chased us across China for a month, and killed anyone who so much as stood between it and us."
"Saotome, explain this."
Genma hung his head and sat down. "As you wish Tendo. It started just over a year ago. Ranma went on to China on his own about ten months before me or my youngest boy ever set foot in the country..."
"I'll take this part pop. You aren't going to like some of what you hear Tendo, but if you value your family you will pay attention." Ranma sighed and looked at both men. "None of what I'm about to tell you leaves this room Tendo."
The man looked at his friend and Genma nodded. "Very well. You have my word of honor."
"Let's begin shall we?" Ranma smiled a bit as he sat down. It was a cold and humorless smirk. "It all started when I found a remote village on the coast of China after about a week in the country..."
TBC...
Next time: A Chinese Tale. Ranma and Xianghua recount their tales of China to the Nerimites.
Part 7
Regret.
Thunder roared outside the Tendo home and Ranma sat in the living room watching the rain fall outside. He had a blanket draped over his shoulders and a cup of steaming tea in his hands. Soun and Genma did not speak to him despite the condition his brother had brought him home in. Genryu simply went up to his room and tried to get some sleep. Both boys had agreed that it would be best to leave the Tendo residence, but not until Ranma had healed somewhat from his battle with Xianghua.
The door slid open and Ranma raised his head slightly towards the sound. "So, they've returned home."
Genma looked at his son and finally spoke up. "Boy, are you going to tell me about what happened to you or not?"
Ranma's voice was very quiet when he spoke. It had an eerie calm in it as he continued to gaze out at the rain. "Perhaps later, after the rain is gone." He had a haunted look about him as the lightning flashed outside again. He took a sip of his tea and placed the cup back on the table. Genma frowned as he noticed the cup was shaking slightly in the boy's grasp, but once again, he said nothing.
"We're home," said Akane as she tentatively walked into the room with Nabiki following behind her.
Ranma spoke up again before anyone else could say anything. He noticed right away that the two girls were more uncomfortable than they should have been. "So, Xianghua told you that I killed her brother?"
Both girls froze and looked at him with horrified masks of terror. Lightning flashed in the sky again and Ranma noticeably winced, sparing a glance out into the storm again. Soun and Genma also looked at the boy in surprise.
"So, it's true then," said Akane as she stepped back away from him.
"I never said it was," replied the boy as he continued to sip at his tea. His vacant stare more than unnerved them a little.
"So what is the story then?" said Nabiki as she regained her courage a little.
"That is a story for another time," replied the boy coolly.
"Why not now?" she pressed.
"Because you would not believe it," replied the boy with a shrug. "I will tell you of it when I think that you will."
"And how long will that be?" said Soun.
"If everything goes well Tendo, never," said Genma finally.
"Dinner is ready," called Kasumi as she walked out of the kitchen.
Everyone sat around the table quietly for the meal. Nabiki simply stared at her fiancee. There was something odd about him at the moment. She watched as he placed his teacup down again as another bolt of lightning struck in the distance. A smile formed on her lips and she turned her attention back to her meal.
--------------------------
Ranma stood on the sidelines as Genma and Genryu sparred the next morning, his injuries would probably keep him out of the matches for about a week. He sighed and looked on as both of them landed in the koi pond.
"Stupid old man!" cried Genryu as she wrung out her shirt into the lawn.
Ranma waited patiently and sat down at the table while the pair took their morning bath. Kasumi put out breakfast and everyone ate in relative silence. Nabiki turned her head towards Ranma and smiled.
"Ranma, be a dear and turn on the television. I'd like to catch the financial report."
"Do it yourself, I'm not a remote control," replied the boy snidely.
She frowned slightly and stood up grabbing her bag. "That's all right, we're running late anyway."
He paused and watched her and Akane walk out the door with Genryu. "What's she up to?"
"Boy? What are you doing here? Get to..."
"I'm not going to school today," replied Ranma simply. "The three of us are going to have a little talk. I have a feeling it's going to take a while."
Both men blinked and looked at each other.
-----------------
"Ranma doesn't like lightning," said Nabiki out of the blue as she and her sister walked through Nerima. They weren't heading for school, but the office of Doctor Tofu. Genryu had simply snorted and waved them off when they told him this, and he continued towards the school.
"What?" Akane blinked and looked at her sister stopping the lazy stroll they had been using to get to their destination.
"You saw him last night, he was petrified with fear," said the girl with a smirk growing on her face.
"So what? What good does that do us?" said Akane. "So he's afraid of lightning, big deal. A lot of people are, and I doubt if embarrassing him with that is going to get rid of him."
"It's more than that sister, I don't think it's just lightning."
Akane blinked in confusion and waited for her sister to finish. Nabiki remained silent and smiled to herself. "So, what is it?"
"I've never seen him so much as flip a light switch since he's been here. He doesn't like electricity much."
"So now what? We shock him till he leaves?" grumbled Akane.
"Sounds like a plan to me," muttered Nabiki with an oddly satisfied look on her face. "I doubt if we could really do it though."
"He's too careful Nabiki, I can't even sneak up on him when he's sleeping. He almost killed me when I found him sleeping in the living room the other day." Akane was referring to an incident the week before; she had found him passed out at the table and decided it might be funny to wake him up with a bucket of water. Ranma had snapped awake and put his foot about a half-centimeter in front of her nose before she could react. She had stomped away wet and angry, but left the boy alone after that for the rest of the day.
"The question is, how do we use this?"
"You don't," said a new voice.
Both girls whirled around and saw the woman they had carried to the doctor's office standing against a telephone pole with Kuno at her side. "You're awake!" exclaimed Akane.
"So it would seem. You must be Nabiki and Akane."
The pair nodded and glanced at each other nervously. The look she was giving them was not very friendly.
"I thank you for the assistance the other day, the doctor told me you were coming. When Kuno showed up, I figured it would be faster just to come out and meet you."
"And why wouldn't we use this weakness against Ranma?" said Kuno with a small frown.
"Because it isn't a weakness. Don't mess with things you don't understand you'll get burned. Just like I did." The woman raised her shirt slightly revealing a long ugly scar that ran across her belly almost covering it completely.
"What is that?" gasped Akane in shock.
"Something you're better off not knowing about. I suggest you leave Ranma Saotome alone for the moment, he's injured and cornered. That makes him dangerous. He'll probably try to put some distance between himself and me, especially if there's a chance some of the others will show."
"Others?" said Nabiki with a sudden interest in the conversation.
"Heh, you've met Hibiki already. There's Kuonji, Hakama, and of course let's not forget Kumon, and then there's that guy who never told me his name; quite rude that one..." She smirked at them and placed her hands on her hips. "Perhaps even the Prince of the Musk will make an appearance? I doubt it though, he's mostly forgotten about them from what I've heard."
"Prince?" Nabiki raised her eyebrow slightly at this. "He's even pissed off royalty? Quite a guy."
"So, what's your story? Why do you hate Ranma so much? Did he really kill your brother?"
"To the point are you? I'll tell you then, since it may help you get rid of him. My name is Xianghua, I come from a small fishing village on the coast of China." She looked up at the sky and frowned. "We'll continue this at the doctor's place."
Nabiki paused and looked towards Kuno. She had almost forgotten he was there. He simply stared forward with a scowl on his face and watched Akane. Not that it was unusual, but his gaze was different than normal. He actually looked worried. He spared her a glance as well and sighed as he turned she felt her blood run cold as she realized that the sword on his side was not a bokkan.
-------------------------
Ranma looked at his father and scowled. "We're leaving tomorrow."
"What are you talking about boy?" snorted Genma.
"Do you value the lives of your family Tendo?" said Ranma as he ignored his father.
Soun became very cautious. "Of course."
"Good, then you'll talk my father into leaving. There is something coming here after us Tendo. We had hoped that it would stay behind in China, but now I'm sure it's coming here."
"What are you talking about boy?" repeated Genma.
"Xianghua followed us here old man."
Genma nodded. "So what?"
"So what?! So What?! Are you out of your mind? Wai Mei Kai is coming here you old fool. We can't protect the Tendo's from that!"
"Don't be foolish boy!" retorted the older man angrily.
"You're being the fool! Are you going to let your friend and his family die because of your own stupid mistake?"
"What is the meaning of this?!" roared Tendo as he jumped between the pair. "Saotome, you had better explain how this compromises the safety of my daughters!"
"It's nothing Tendo! The boy is just jumping at shadows! He's trying to escape his responsibility!"
"That nothing chased us across China for a month, and killed anyone who so much as stood between it and us."
"Saotome, explain this."
Genma hung his head and sat down. "As you wish Tendo. It started just over a year ago. Ranma went on to China on his own about ten months before me or my youngest boy ever set foot in the country..."
"I'll take this part pop. You aren't going to like some of what you hear Tendo, but if you value your family you will pay attention." Ranma sighed and looked at both men. "None of what I'm about to tell you leaves this room Tendo."
The man looked at his friend and Genma nodded. "Very well. You have my word of honor."
"Let's begin shall we?" Ranma smiled a bit as he sat down. It was a cold and humorless smirk. "It all started when I found a remote village on the coast of China after about a week in the country..."
TBC...
Next time: A Chinese Tale. Ranma and Xianghua recount their tales of China to the Nerimites.
