Chapter 3 - Cleaning Up the Old

"What do you want, mercenary one. Such as you are hardly fit company
for the noble house of Kuno during this dark day." No need to say
who's talking here. It may be helpful to know this exchange is
occurring at the front door to the Kuno mansion, though.

"Well then, Kuno baby, I guess you really don't want to know what
happened, then" Nabiki chirped in reply, with a dejected looking
onna Ranma close in tow.

"How, I have heard of the death of the fair Akane, caught between the
foul sorcerer Ranma and his enemies. Hast thou come to taunt me,
then, with the hold he still obviously has on my other love ? Yet,
why else would she be in grief as I so clearly see ?"

"Listen, Kuno baby, Ranma wants to release the pig tailed girl, but he
doesn't know how. He needs your help to figure it out."

"Well then, perhaps I should deign to speak with thee, if thou can
perhaps show the true path to this, mine other love."

Sometime later, a pair of figures is seen approaching the Nekohauten.
"Come _on_ Ranma. We haven't got all day. You still have two
chapters of cellular biology and three of anatomy to do tonight. Not
to mention your katas. Can't let you slip behind on your Art."

"Bleagh. I still want to wash my mouth out. I can't believe you got
Kuno to pay for our school, and leave us alone while we're in it.
Didja have to practically prostitute me to do it, though ? I really
hate acting as if I actually like the jerk."

Despite Ranma's protests, Nabiki is quite pleased with herself. In
part due to yet another success manipulating the local delusional
idiot, but mostly because Ranma is being kept busy enough that she
acted almost normal once or twice today.

"Now, you know that we didn't really make any promises to Kuno, real
or implied. Whatever he thinks is going to happen is entirely his
delusions. Getting Kodachi to go along with 'freeing her Ranma-sama'
was a stroke of genius too, if I do say so myself."

Just before they get to the door, she turns to Ranma and says "Now
remember, whatever happens, refuse any offers to change back unless I
say otherwise. We have to convince Cologne that you're willing to
stay like this instead of marrying Shampoo."

"Yah, whatever. If that's what it takes, I'd do it for real. Not
like it matters now anyway" Ranma replied listlessly as they entered
the establishment, causing the bell on the door to ring and announce
their presence.

"Good evening, son-in-law, Nabiki. Please accept my condolences on
the death of your sister and finance. She was a spirited rival, as
worthy in some ways as a true amazon. Meanwhile, to what do I owe the
honor of this visit ?" Cologne's sharp eye immediately picked out the
massive dark aura hovering just out of sight around Ranma, along with
the visible signs of physical weariness. To her surprise, Nabiki also
exhibited an equally dark aura, although not quite as powerful. 'It
seems that this girl has great potential as well, under the right
circumstance' she mused in her thoughts.

"Good evening, honored elder, and thank you", Nabiki replied
courteously. "I fear we have business to discuss regarding my
ex-future brother in law and your great-great-granddaughter."

Cologne sighed as she guided them to a seat. "I feared as much. Are
you certain that you wish to speak of this so quickly after the recent
events ? You are both obviously still recovering."

Nabiki glances at the old crone in surprise, she had thought her mask
better than that. This elicits a small chuckle from the aforesaid old
crone, by now balancing on her staff next to where the two of them are
seated. "Yes, both, child. I am not blind, and I have much
experience dealing with death over my lifetime. Now, since you did
not take my offer to delay this discussion until a later time, what
have you to say ?"

Nabiki looks a little less assured than before, but still she cocks an
eyebrow at Ranma, indicating that he is to proceed.

"I ain't marrying anyone, old g-agh", Ranma grunts as Nabiki none to
subtly grinds her foot into Ranma's. Cologne smirks. "I mean,
Cologne. I was in, lo, lu, love with, Akane. I don't love anyone
else, especially Shampoo." Onna Ranma looks nearly ready to cry
again, and has to stop and breathe for a moment. Nabiki quietly
covers Ranma's hand with her own, which does not go unnoticed by
Cologne. Finally, she draws in another breath and proceeds. "If
necessary, I'll get Herb to lock me in girl form insteada marrying
anyone else."

In the background, a gasp is heard, and a kettle clatters to the
ground. Behind the seated trio Shampoo holds her hands to her mouth
in dismay. She had been so certain that it was now only a matter of
time until Ranma came to her, especially since Akane was no longer
around to get between them. "No, husband cannot mean that ! Sneaky
girl must have convinced Airen to say that !"

Ranma and Nabiki both turn around and shake their heads in negation.
"Nah, it ain't like that. Sure, she's making me do this now, insteada
letting things go on, but what I said is true. I don't love nobody
else, and I don't wanna be a guy if that's what it takes to convince
you. Shampoo, you're a friend, and I ain't got many of those, but I
won't marry you."

Cologne, too is shocked. She had overheard the snippet of
conversation outside the door. Seeing Ranma's emotional state, she
believes he would do something rash at the moment.

Drawing and expelling a slow breath. She considers her options.
"That seems a rash reaction. Perhaps you would feel differently if
you were to wait a time. Are you truly so resolved, son-in-law ?"
she inquires.

Ranma shrugs. "Well, I couldn't do it right away anyway. I figure I
owe the Tendos a debt, now. Nabiki has me convinced that I can pay it
in part by becoming a doctor as well as a martial artist, and saving
lives, not just fighting. I'd have to wait a while to get locked
'cause I promised the medical school an opportunity to study my curse
as part of getting in. That makes it a matter of honor. So I figure
I'd have to wait a year to two to hunt up Herb and insult him or
something. Of course, I'd rather not, I'm still a guy, but there
don't seem much point in being a guy anymore."

Cologne is even more shocked. She had never though Ranma capable of
planning ahead that long, much less planning that large a sacrifice
that far in the future. This was also the most verbose she had ever
heard him. Another glance at Nabiki reveals a large part of the
cause. Yet, while the ideas may be Nabiki's, the steel and
determination are Ranma's. She had seen as far back as the full body
cats tongue episode that once Ranma had his mind set on something,
that would move heaven and earth to carry it out. If he truly was
this determined, then he was lost to the tribe.

Raising her head, she makes a decision. "Very well, Ranma. If you
are truly determined on this course of action, I have little other
choice than to cancel the kiss of marriage. I have the option to
reinstate the kiss of death, but that would mean nothing at all for
the tribe, just more pointless death, quite possibly our own. I am
sorry Shampoo."

At this pronouncement, Shampoo collapses to her knees. Sobbing
softly, she gets up and runs to her room. Ranma looks guiltily after
her, but is restrained by Nabiki's hand, which is still covering his.

"I also admire your determination to become a doctor. Perhaps you
might accept a counter offer ?"

At Nabiki's nod, Cologne continues. "If you would consent to
periodically visit our village and provide medical care on your
graduation, I will make you honorary members of our tribe, and formally
train the two of you in Amazonian Wu-Shu and traditional medicine. We
are quite remote, and receive little in the way of modern medicine.
Further, it is a pleasure training a prodigy such as yourself Ranma,
and I can see that you have more potential than you let on Nabiki."

Nabiki and Ranma's eyes meet each others briefly. "That's the best
offer we're likely to get Ranma" Nabiki says, softly. "Much better
than I expected."

Ranma nods and turns back to the shriveled human-on-a-stick beside
them. "We accept."

***

Late that night, back at the dojo, Nabiki finally gives up trying to
sleep. It's no use. Every time she closes her eyes, she sees scenes
of Akane, and remembers how she would manipulate events for her
amusement to keep the her and Ranma unhappy and apart.

Growing more and more depressed, she gets up, turns on her lamp, and
starts reviewing her project to keep Ranma alive. She needs something
positive to keep her mind occupied. As she forcibly injects more
positive lines of thought into her mind, she notices that it isn't
just her emotions she's feeling. There seems to be a thick, soup like
miasma of angst in the air, whispering to her the futility of going
on.

Just as she throws open the window to try to get some air, the back
yard suddenly erupts in a blinding flare of light. A simultaneous raw
throated scream of "PERFECT SHI-SHI-HOKODAN" assaults her ears,
shortly followed by an enormous splash and loud, earth shaking
explosion.

'Ryoga's depression ki attack, but not his voice', runs through her
shocked mind as she stumbles back from the window, flash blinded and
with her ears ringing. "Ranma !" she realizes. Running into walls
and doors, and nearly tripping on the stairs, she makes her way
outside as fast as she can, blinking away the spots in her eyes and
stumbling through the muddy mist in the yard. As she tosses scattered
koi back into the gathering muddy water of their new crater, she
absently notes that even with the mist, the air feels much less heavy.
Ranma must have released some of the depression he was feeling.

Eventually she literally stumbles over a soaked, prone, female Ranma
in the back yard, on the ground near the remains of the koi pond, as
if she had just slid off one of the now pulverized large rocks.

Kneeling, she awkwardly gathers the sobbing Ranma into her arms,
feeling uncertain what to do. Kasumi appears beside her with a towel
in her hands which she uses to wrap up the sobbing Ranma, and between
them they manage to get her inside. A little more work between them
has Ranma bathed in cold water to clean off the mud, dried, and
changed. Ranma is still clinging to Nabiki like a shipwreck victim
clings to a float, much to her embarrassment.

Eventually, Nabiki and Ranma end up curled up together on the couch.
Kasumi covers them with a blanket and goes back to bed.

The two of them are still asleep there in the morning, hardly having
moved.