Kasumi watched, shocked, as Kodora bombarded Ryoga with pitch-black beams
of chi, burning holes in both his legs and his arm. Once Ryoga was out of
sight, the smaller girl fell to her knees and looked at her hand, finger
still pointed. Kasumi heard her begin muttering to herself, and carefully
approached. She didn't think Kodora would turn on her, but she wasn't
taking any chances.
As she approached, she began to make out the words.
Sticks and stones break only bones...
Kodora was speaking in English?
But words can shatter the soul...
Kasumi paled slightly as she saw Kodora begin bringing her finger up to her own head. As Kodora continued to mutter in English, Kasumi moved in from behind. The small girl stopped talking, the finger at her temple, and drew a deep, shuddering breath....
And Kasumi tackled her from behind, pulling the hand away.
******
Ranma continued to try to get through to the other inhabitant of the body.
*Kodora! KODORA!!!! STOP!!!*
He felt her speaking, and knew what the words meant. She had told him all about it, about her past life. He had hoped that she would be able to retain her control over her feelings while she used them as a focus for her chi.
Struggle as he might, though, he still could not control the body when it was hers.
So he resumed screaming, even as she stopped speaking.
*KODORA, DAMMIT! STOP NOW!!!!!*
Then he felt them get tackled from behind.
**************************************************************************** *************
Passenger
Chapter 21: A Family to Love, and to be Loved By.
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction by S. Starblade
Dedicated to random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.
Disclaimer: The canon Ranma 1/2 characters do not belong to me, but Kodora and a select few others appearing in this fanfiction do. Don't try sueing me, it really isn't worth the time.
Key:
= English
" " = Japanese
[ ] = Jusenkyoo Cursed Signs
{ } = Chinese
* * = Internal conversation between Ranma and Kodora
**************************************************************************** *************
Kasumi was prepared to wrestle with a furious storm of hands and feet.
What she got was a wet noodle.
Even as she knocked Kodora over with her lunge at the depressed girl's hand, the chi beam fired off. However, with neither Kodora's hand nor head in the area, all that happened was a lance of spatial black, half a foot in radius, speared out into the sky, seemingly unrelated to Kodora other than by proximity. And incidentally sheared off an antenna from the top of Tokyo Tower.
The girl didn't resist in the least as Kasumi pinned both her arms to her sides, holding her in a bear-hug. Kodora struggled weakly, but nowhere near enough to fend off her desperate older sister. She soon stopped struggling, and just cried silently, tears flowing from the corners of pitch-black eyes. Close examination would show a rim of deep red around her pupils, separating them from the blackness, but of such a hue as to be nearly indistinguishable.
"You said it was up to me." Kasumi said, still keeping a hold on the girl. "I say you're staying, Imootochan. I know you don't really want to die."
"How.... How do YOU know?" Kodora forced out. "Have YOU lived my life?"
"You sent me the note. You said it was up to me." Repeated Kasumi. "You knew I would not let you do this to yourself."
"So it's all for my sake, is it?" The girl spat, but the red gained some ground towards the edges of her eyes. "That makes me feel so much better, really." The tone was obviously intended to be acid, but half-hearted, lacking bite.
"No, Kodora... It's not all for your sake. It's for all of us." Unseen to Kasumi, the red color slowly gained more ground. "You brought Daddy back. Just by being you, you helped him to gain some control over his sorrow... You helped Ranma catch up to where he should be in school. Even Akane... you're trying to show her a different way to do things, but one that she can still say is hers."
Kodora shook her head. "But.. but Akane hates me!" She exclaimed. The black clouded back in some. "And she's afraid of me! Everyone is! I... I beat up Tatewaki! They've always been afraid!"
"You... you don't scare me, Kodora." Now Akane was speaking. "Yes, you look... unusual. And that makes me uneasy, because I'm not sure what to do about it... But I'm not afraid of you. Maybe I was a little at first, but it passed."
Kasumi rejoined. "And Tatewaki-san... Akane beats him up all the time. Everyone's not afraid of her, are they?"
The red continued to struggle with the black, having gained ground again.
"No... but... but she's not me! People have always been afraid of me! Before... before they thought I was going to... to 'go Columbine', they called it... Now they're gonna be afraid I'll kill them with wierd beams!"
Tatewaki moved to comfort the Feral Kami, but found several of Nabiki's associates in the way. Each time he tried to walk around them, they would try moving that direction to get a better view.
Kasumi kept talking. "Kodora, people are always afraid to a degree, of things they don't understand. Explain to them, promise you won't hurt them, and they'll believe you. They won't be afraid of you if you're up front about it."
"But..." The black was losing rapidly now, and both irises were almost complete. "But I'm unreliable and lazy and all I've ever done right was to hurt people...."
"You know that's not true. I already said you helped Daddy. And you sure don't seem lazy to me. A little forgetful, maybe, and you need to work on your self-control a little... but you aren't lazy. You aren't unreliable either. Every morning, you get up to help me with breakfast, and the morning chores."
The irises were complete, and the black was slowly fading from the whites of Kodora's eyes. "But... but noone loves me..."
Kasumi almost snorted. "You're kidding, right? I love you. You're my little sister. So do Akane and Nabiki. And Father... He maybe even loves you more than any of us. He offered to adopt you. You're family to us, and we love you, no matter what."
The black disappeared entirely. Kodora collapsed into sobs, curling up.
Kasumi cradled the small girl in her arms, Kodora's head resting on her shoulder as her youngest sister cried away the depression.
Nabiki and Akane stepped up to the two, and waited silently.
It began to rain lightly, and most of the crowd slowly dissipated, many wondering what had happened, why they had felt so.... unhappy with themselves... when that small girl with the fangs, tail, and strange hair had fought.
Other than the four sisters, only a few stayed. One or two of Nabiki's closer 'associates', Yuka and Sayuri, Noriko and Yumi, and, oddly enough, Hiroshi and Daisuke. Also, a panda sat on the edge of the soccer field, looking thoughtful.
Kuno came back from the school in the drizzle, bearing an umbrella for Kasumi and Kodora. He handed it to them, then stood back, further away than Akane and Nabiki, just out of speaking range.
Eventually, Souun showed up, wondering what had kept his daughters. Nabiki stepped aside to fill him in, although she had to catch his arm and pull him back from running to Kodora a couple of times before she finished.
Finally, Kodora stopped crying. She sniffled moistly, and spoke to Kasumi.
"Know... know what, Kasumi-oneechan?"
Kasumi shifted slightly, bringing her youngest sister's face into view. "No, what, Imootochan?"
The small girl gave her a squeeze. "I love all of you too..."
Kasumi smiled, a little different from the one she usually wore.
"I know, Imootochan. I know."
Kodora's grip slackened, and she drifted to sleep, emotionally worn out.
Kasumi stood carefully, to avoid slipping on the rain-wet grass, still cradling Kodora, as the smaller girl was remarkably easy to carry.
Besides, Kasumi had gotten lots of practice when she and her sisters were younger.
A short conversation, and the Tendoo clan, with one Saotome hanger-on, converged and departed for the Tendoo-ke, Akane holding the umbrella over Kasumi and Kodora.
The rest talked a bit more for a while, then departed with a group nod.
******
Kasumi stepped out of her shoes, and Akane helped her to remove Kodora's. Wearily, Kasumi carted Kodora up to their shared bedroom.
It had been a long walk. Along the way from the school, Kasumi had explained, in that calm, quiet, Kasumi way, everything that Ranma and Kodora had told her about the girl asleep in her arms. There were several spots where the entourage had to halt while Akane and Souun stopped the panda from trying to beat answers out of the zonked-out girl, and even one where the role had been reversed, Akane and the panda keeping Souun away.
Kasumi and Kodora were collectively asleep on Kasumi's feet. One of them literally, the other as good as.
The remaining Tendoos, and one damp panda, sat around the table in the family room, thinking.
Finally, Nabiki spoke up.
"Imootochan's a great actor, isn't she?" She commented, with a hint of her usual wryness. "Even had me and Kasumi fooled into believing that everything was alright with her."
Souun massaged his forehead. "I'm not sure if this makes things easier or harder."
Akane blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Well.." began Souun, "Does this mean that whoever Ranma chooses will have to love two people, both him and Kodora? And what about school and the public baths? With both a boy and a girl there, which side is the right side? And which PE class? But on the other hand, it also means that Ranma and Kodora both understand the other sex better, which should help Ranma in forming relationships with one or another of you three. Yet, does Kodora still count as being Ranma? Wouldn't that preclude Ranma marrying one of you three, since you are effectively his sisters? And what about the duel with Ryoga? Did Ranma win that or not? And training.. Who, exactly, am I training? Does what one learns carry over to the other? If so, why doesn't Kodora know martial arts yet?"
Genma-panda blinked. [wha?]
Nabiki chuckled. "I agree with Ojisan over there... Which question are you looking for an answer to?"
Souun sighed. "Well, most of the others will probably solve themselves... But I'm really wondering about the engagement right now. Why didn't I think of that when I adopted Kodora? I mean, are you also Ranma's sisters?"
Akane just sat there, trying to wrap her mind around the idea of marrying her own... (shudder).. brother. But it was Ranma. But Ranma was Kodora, and Kodora was her sister... So was it alright?
Nabiki's face straightened. "Legally, or really?"
Souun blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Well," drawled Nabiki, "Legally speaking, Saotome Ranma and Tendoo Kodora are completely unrelated. Furthermore, unless something REALLY wierd happened at Jusenkyoo, neither of them has Tendoo genes, so according to the government, there's no problem at all." She shifted where she was kneeling. "Really, it's a bit more complicated than that. I suppose it all depends on two things: whether one of us grows to see Ranma as a potential husband more than a brother, and how they feel about also spending their whole life with Kodora as well."
Souun nodded. "I see."
"To answer your second question, Daddy, it's because you're such a nice person you rushed into adopting her, and didn't think about the consequences too much. That happens when you think with your emotions. I kinda... failed to notice that problem, too." Nabiki finished, looking a little embarrassed. "I.. ah.. I'm going to go phone-order dinner..." And with that, she got up and walked out of the room, just slowly enough not to be running.
Akane caught up with what Nabiki had said.
"Wait," She stated aloud. "Did Nabiki just openly admit to having emotions without someone forcing her into it?"
Souun nodded again. "I think so. It seems Kodora-chan is good for all of us. Excuse me, I've got something to go do..."
And with that, he disappeared into the hall.
Akane stood up as well. "May as well get started on my homework. Maybe it'll help me think about this." And she, too disappeared into the hall.
The lonely, damp panda sat there and held up a sign.
[Why don't I get to say anything about this?]
******
Genma sat at the shogi board, still a panda.
Souun wasn't sitting across from him, as he usually did after dinner. The Tendoo patriarch was in his room, doing something that only he knew what it was.
Genma was thinking again. He found, that with the practice he'd been getting recently, it was somewhat easier.
He was still getting a headache, but at least he was actually thinking with a headache, rather than just getting a headache.
Noone had asked his opinion on anything.
But that was his child...
..wasn't it?
Yes, he'd effectively given up all responsibility for Kodora, but what about Ranma? They were talking about the boy too, so why had noone asked him?
Maybe because they saw the two as the same person in some ways?
Could that explain why Ranma wasn't respecting him the least bit anymore?
Genma had thought that was because Ranma believed he didn't have anything more to teach his son. After all, if Happosai ever seemed to run out of things to teach Genma...
Lets just say that the world might not find it neccessary to look for a new little old pervert, but it would be short one anyways.
If it wasn't already. He new the little freak was tenacious... Maybe he and Tendoo should have found something more... explosive... to dump in his lap, so to speak?
Wait... why was he thinking about Hap- the master- anyways? He'd started out on something important... right?
Genma-panda scratched his head.
He shrugged. If it was important, he'd have remembered it. He got up, and lumbered off to his room to catch some shuteye.
******
Kodora woke up. Turning on the futon, which she had pretty much forced Kasumi out of a couple days after her injuries had healed, she looked at the clock.
3:40 in the morning.
Wide awake.
Distinctly happier than yesterday, but still wide awake, and none to pleased with it.
She sat up. She sure as hell wasn't going to get any more sleep now, one she was awake that was it. No going back to sleep or anything. What could she do, though? It was too early to even watch the sunrise...
An idea struck.
Amidst dealing with her personal ghosts yesterday, she had lost track of one important thing.
She knew how to use chi now. She could feel her own chi if she focused on it, buzzing about just below the surface. At the moment it had a distinctly floaty feel to it.
Carefully, she got up and made her way to the door. It was time to use the dojo.
**************************************************************************** *************
Shortest chapter yet.
Okay, I know I kinda took the lighthearted mainstream and basically threw it off a cliff for the last chapter or two, but...
Well, life has its ups and downs. That was one helluva down. Now it's going to go up again in this fic.
I said, waaaaay back near the beginning, in one of these notes, that this fic would run across all of the types, and that's another one down, but not forever. There will probably be more angsty moments in this at points, but they'll probably be a bit... smaller, and less dark.
Oh, and whoever-you-are, who complained about Kodora not being Ranma and that fouling up the 'Ranma Saotome Doesn't Lose' thing, I know. Pay a bit more attention, though. I didn't really foul it up. Ranma didn't win. But he didn't lose, either. He stepped out of the fight, and Ryoga ran away, so officially, there is no winner. Noone forefeited formally or totally lost capability to fight, so there was no end. Yet.
Don't worry, I'm going to work on that.
As for the Kodachi match... I'm not sure who's going to wind up in that one.
I'll just have to see.
Oh, and something I probably should have said long ago.
All you people out there who are rooting for one fiancee or another, go ahead and keep on rooting.
I, personally, have no real lean in that matter. Ranma may wind up with Akane, or he may not. He may wind up with one of the other 'official' fiances, or he may wind up with one of the people he doesn't get engaged to in the manga/anime.
And I really don't think getting someone else cursed to match Ranma and Kodora is a good idea, so I'm not going to do that. Sorry.
Also, my apologies to Akane-fans out there. I do not intend to Akane-bash, and if something goes wrong for her when I write it, it is for one of three reasons:
1) It just makes sense she'd get it wrong
2) It's funny, which is a reason for ANYONE to get something wrong
3) It's a learning experience for her.
I'm also not sure I'll close up the whole fiancees thing before I finish the fic, anyways, though that day is a long, loooong ways off.
Remember, keep your comments constructive, and your heads clear.
Jaa, ne!
"It seems to me that maybe
pretty much always means no.
I don't suppose
you might just let it go.
And oftentimes we're lazy-
it seems to stand in my way,
'coz noone, no,
not noone, likes to be let down."
-Chorus from "Flake", by Jack Johnson
As she approached, she began to make out the words.
Sticks and stones break only bones...
Kodora was speaking in English?
But words can shatter the soul...
Kasumi paled slightly as she saw Kodora begin bringing her finger up to her own head. As Kodora continued to mutter in English, Kasumi moved in from behind. The small girl stopped talking, the finger at her temple, and drew a deep, shuddering breath....
And Kasumi tackled her from behind, pulling the hand away.
******
Ranma continued to try to get through to the other inhabitant of the body.
*Kodora! KODORA!!!! STOP!!!*
He felt her speaking, and knew what the words meant. She had told him all about it, about her past life. He had hoped that she would be able to retain her control over her feelings while she used them as a focus for her chi.
Struggle as he might, though, he still could not control the body when it was hers.
So he resumed screaming, even as she stopped speaking.
*KODORA, DAMMIT! STOP NOW!!!!!*
Then he felt them get tackled from behind.
**************************************************************************** *************
Passenger
Chapter 21: A Family to Love, and to be Loved By.
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction by S. Starblade
Dedicated to random kindness and senseless acts of beauty.
Disclaimer: The canon Ranma 1/2 characters do not belong to me, but Kodora and a select few others appearing in this fanfiction do. Don't try sueing me, it really isn't worth the time.
Key:
= English
" " = Japanese
[ ] = Jusenkyoo Cursed Signs
{ } = Chinese
* * = Internal conversation between Ranma and Kodora
**************************************************************************** *************
Kasumi was prepared to wrestle with a furious storm of hands and feet.
What she got was a wet noodle.
Even as she knocked Kodora over with her lunge at the depressed girl's hand, the chi beam fired off. However, with neither Kodora's hand nor head in the area, all that happened was a lance of spatial black, half a foot in radius, speared out into the sky, seemingly unrelated to Kodora other than by proximity. And incidentally sheared off an antenna from the top of Tokyo Tower.
The girl didn't resist in the least as Kasumi pinned both her arms to her sides, holding her in a bear-hug. Kodora struggled weakly, but nowhere near enough to fend off her desperate older sister. She soon stopped struggling, and just cried silently, tears flowing from the corners of pitch-black eyes. Close examination would show a rim of deep red around her pupils, separating them from the blackness, but of such a hue as to be nearly indistinguishable.
"You said it was up to me." Kasumi said, still keeping a hold on the girl. "I say you're staying, Imootochan. I know you don't really want to die."
"How.... How do YOU know?" Kodora forced out. "Have YOU lived my life?"
"You sent me the note. You said it was up to me." Repeated Kasumi. "You knew I would not let you do this to yourself."
"So it's all for my sake, is it?" The girl spat, but the red gained some ground towards the edges of her eyes. "That makes me feel so much better, really." The tone was obviously intended to be acid, but half-hearted, lacking bite.
"No, Kodora... It's not all for your sake. It's for all of us." Unseen to Kasumi, the red color slowly gained more ground. "You brought Daddy back. Just by being you, you helped him to gain some control over his sorrow... You helped Ranma catch up to where he should be in school. Even Akane... you're trying to show her a different way to do things, but one that she can still say is hers."
Kodora shook her head. "But.. but Akane hates me!" She exclaimed. The black clouded back in some. "And she's afraid of me! Everyone is! I... I beat up Tatewaki! They've always been afraid!"
"You... you don't scare me, Kodora." Now Akane was speaking. "Yes, you look... unusual. And that makes me uneasy, because I'm not sure what to do about it... But I'm not afraid of you. Maybe I was a little at first, but it passed."
Kasumi rejoined. "And Tatewaki-san... Akane beats him up all the time. Everyone's not afraid of her, are they?"
The red continued to struggle with the black, having gained ground again.
"No... but... but she's not me! People have always been afraid of me! Before... before they thought I was going to... to 'go Columbine', they called it... Now they're gonna be afraid I'll kill them with wierd beams!"
Tatewaki moved to comfort the Feral Kami, but found several of Nabiki's associates in the way. Each time he tried to walk around them, they would try moving that direction to get a better view.
Kasumi kept talking. "Kodora, people are always afraid to a degree, of things they don't understand. Explain to them, promise you won't hurt them, and they'll believe you. They won't be afraid of you if you're up front about it."
"But..." The black was losing rapidly now, and both irises were almost complete. "But I'm unreliable and lazy and all I've ever done right was to hurt people...."
"You know that's not true. I already said you helped Daddy. And you sure don't seem lazy to me. A little forgetful, maybe, and you need to work on your self-control a little... but you aren't lazy. You aren't unreliable either. Every morning, you get up to help me with breakfast, and the morning chores."
The irises were complete, and the black was slowly fading from the whites of Kodora's eyes. "But... but noone loves me..."
Kasumi almost snorted. "You're kidding, right? I love you. You're my little sister. So do Akane and Nabiki. And Father... He maybe even loves you more than any of us. He offered to adopt you. You're family to us, and we love you, no matter what."
The black disappeared entirely. Kodora collapsed into sobs, curling up.
Kasumi cradled the small girl in her arms, Kodora's head resting on her shoulder as her youngest sister cried away the depression.
Nabiki and Akane stepped up to the two, and waited silently.
It began to rain lightly, and most of the crowd slowly dissipated, many wondering what had happened, why they had felt so.... unhappy with themselves... when that small girl with the fangs, tail, and strange hair had fought.
Other than the four sisters, only a few stayed. One or two of Nabiki's closer 'associates', Yuka and Sayuri, Noriko and Yumi, and, oddly enough, Hiroshi and Daisuke. Also, a panda sat on the edge of the soccer field, looking thoughtful.
Kuno came back from the school in the drizzle, bearing an umbrella for Kasumi and Kodora. He handed it to them, then stood back, further away than Akane and Nabiki, just out of speaking range.
Eventually, Souun showed up, wondering what had kept his daughters. Nabiki stepped aside to fill him in, although she had to catch his arm and pull him back from running to Kodora a couple of times before she finished.
Finally, Kodora stopped crying. She sniffled moistly, and spoke to Kasumi.
"Know... know what, Kasumi-oneechan?"
Kasumi shifted slightly, bringing her youngest sister's face into view. "No, what, Imootochan?"
The small girl gave her a squeeze. "I love all of you too..."
Kasumi smiled, a little different from the one she usually wore.
"I know, Imootochan. I know."
Kodora's grip slackened, and she drifted to sleep, emotionally worn out.
Kasumi stood carefully, to avoid slipping on the rain-wet grass, still cradling Kodora, as the smaller girl was remarkably easy to carry.
Besides, Kasumi had gotten lots of practice when she and her sisters were younger.
A short conversation, and the Tendoo clan, with one Saotome hanger-on, converged and departed for the Tendoo-ke, Akane holding the umbrella over Kasumi and Kodora.
The rest talked a bit more for a while, then departed with a group nod.
******
Kasumi stepped out of her shoes, and Akane helped her to remove Kodora's. Wearily, Kasumi carted Kodora up to their shared bedroom.
It had been a long walk. Along the way from the school, Kasumi had explained, in that calm, quiet, Kasumi way, everything that Ranma and Kodora had told her about the girl asleep in her arms. There were several spots where the entourage had to halt while Akane and Souun stopped the panda from trying to beat answers out of the zonked-out girl, and even one where the role had been reversed, Akane and the panda keeping Souun away.
Kasumi and Kodora were collectively asleep on Kasumi's feet. One of them literally, the other as good as.
The remaining Tendoos, and one damp panda, sat around the table in the family room, thinking.
Finally, Nabiki spoke up.
"Imootochan's a great actor, isn't she?" She commented, with a hint of her usual wryness. "Even had me and Kasumi fooled into believing that everything was alright with her."
Souun massaged his forehead. "I'm not sure if this makes things easier or harder."
Akane blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Well.." began Souun, "Does this mean that whoever Ranma chooses will have to love two people, both him and Kodora? And what about school and the public baths? With both a boy and a girl there, which side is the right side? And which PE class? But on the other hand, it also means that Ranma and Kodora both understand the other sex better, which should help Ranma in forming relationships with one or another of you three. Yet, does Kodora still count as being Ranma? Wouldn't that preclude Ranma marrying one of you three, since you are effectively his sisters? And what about the duel with Ryoga? Did Ranma win that or not? And training.. Who, exactly, am I training? Does what one learns carry over to the other? If so, why doesn't Kodora know martial arts yet?"
Genma-panda blinked. [wha?]
Nabiki chuckled. "I agree with Ojisan over there... Which question are you looking for an answer to?"
Souun sighed. "Well, most of the others will probably solve themselves... But I'm really wondering about the engagement right now. Why didn't I think of that when I adopted Kodora? I mean, are you also Ranma's sisters?"
Akane just sat there, trying to wrap her mind around the idea of marrying her own... (shudder).. brother. But it was Ranma. But Ranma was Kodora, and Kodora was her sister... So was it alright?
Nabiki's face straightened. "Legally, or really?"
Souun blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Well," drawled Nabiki, "Legally speaking, Saotome Ranma and Tendoo Kodora are completely unrelated. Furthermore, unless something REALLY wierd happened at Jusenkyoo, neither of them has Tendoo genes, so according to the government, there's no problem at all." She shifted where she was kneeling. "Really, it's a bit more complicated than that. I suppose it all depends on two things: whether one of us grows to see Ranma as a potential husband more than a brother, and how they feel about also spending their whole life with Kodora as well."
Souun nodded. "I see."
"To answer your second question, Daddy, it's because you're such a nice person you rushed into adopting her, and didn't think about the consequences too much. That happens when you think with your emotions. I kinda... failed to notice that problem, too." Nabiki finished, looking a little embarrassed. "I.. ah.. I'm going to go phone-order dinner..." And with that, she got up and walked out of the room, just slowly enough not to be running.
Akane caught up with what Nabiki had said.
"Wait," She stated aloud. "Did Nabiki just openly admit to having emotions without someone forcing her into it?"
Souun nodded again. "I think so. It seems Kodora-chan is good for all of us. Excuse me, I've got something to go do..."
And with that, he disappeared into the hall.
Akane stood up as well. "May as well get started on my homework. Maybe it'll help me think about this." And she, too disappeared into the hall.
The lonely, damp panda sat there and held up a sign.
[Why don't I get to say anything about this?]
******
Genma sat at the shogi board, still a panda.
Souun wasn't sitting across from him, as he usually did after dinner. The Tendoo patriarch was in his room, doing something that only he knew what it was.
Genma was thinking again. He found, that with the practice he'd been getting recently, it was somewhat easier.
He was still getting a headache, but at least he was actually thinking with a headache, rather than just getting a headache.
Noone had asked his opinion on anything.
But that was his child...
..wasn't it?
Yes, he'd effectively given up all responsibility for Kodora, but what about Ranma? They were talking about the boy too, so why had noone asked him?
Maybe because they saw the two as the same person in some ways?
Could that explain why Ranma wasn't respecting him the least bit anymore?
Genma had thought that was because Ranma believed he didn't have anything more to teach his son. After all, if Happosai ever seemed to run out of things to teach Genma...
Lets just say that the world might not find it neccessary to look for a new little old pervert, but it would be short one anyways.
If it wasn't already. He new the little freak was tenacious... Maybe he and Tendoo should have found something more... explosive... to dump in his lap, so to speak?
Wait... why was he thinking about Hap- the master- anyways? He'd started out on something important... right?
Genma-panda scratched his head.
He shrugged. If it was important, he'd have remembered it. He got up, and lumbered off to his room to catch some shuteye.
******
Kodora woke up. Turning on the futon, which she had pretty much forced Kasumi out of a couple days after her injuries had healed, she looked at the clock.
3:40 in the morning.
Wide awake.
Distinctly happier than yesterday, but still wide awake, and none to pleased with it.
She sat up. She sure as hell wasn't going to get any more sleep now, one she was awake that was it. No going back to sleep or anything. What could she do, though? It was too early to even watch the sunrise...
An idea struck.
Amidst dealing with her personal ghosts yesterday, she had lost track of one important thing.
She knew how to use chi now. She could feel her own chi if she focused on it, buzzing about just below the surface. At the moment it had a distinctly floaty feel to it.
Carefully, she got up and made her way to the door. It was time to use the dojo.
**************************************************************************** *************
Shortest chapter yet.
Okay, I know I kinda took the lighthearted mainstream and basically threw it off a cliff for the last chapter or two, but...
Well, life has its ups and downs. That was one helluva down. Now it's going to go up again in this fic.
I said, waaaaay back near the beginning, in one of these notes, that this fic would run across all of the types, and that's another one down, but not forever. There will probably be more angsty moments in this at points, but they'll probably be a bit... smaller, and less dark.
Oh, and whoever-you-are, who complained about Kodora not being Ranma and that fouling up the 'Ranma Saotome Doesn't Lose' thing, I know. Pay a bit more attention, though. I didn't really foul it up. Ranma didn't win. But he didn't lose, either. He stepped out of the fight, and Ryoga ran away, so officially, there is no winner. Noone forefeited formally or totally lost capability to fight, so there was no end. Yet.
Don't worry, I'm going to work on that.
As for the Kodachi match... I'm not sure who's going to wind up in that one.
I'll just have to see.
Oh, and something I probably should have said long ago.
All you people out there who are rooting for one fiancee or another, go ahead and keep on rooting.
I, personally, have no real lean in that matter. Ranma may wind up with Akane, or he may not. He may wind up with one of the other 'official' fiances, or he may wind up with one of the people he doesn't get engaged to in the manga/anime.
And I really don't think getting someone else cursed to match Ranma and Kodora is a good idea, so I'm not going to do that. Sorry.
Also, my apologies to Akane-fans out there. I do not intend to Akane-bash, and if something goes wrong for her when I write it, it is for one of three reasons:
1) It just makes sense she'd get it wrong
2) It's funny, which is a reason for ANYONE to get something wrong
3) It's a learning experience for her.
I'm also not sure I'll close up the whole fiancees thing before I finish the fic, anyways, though that day is a long, loooong ways off.
Remember, keep your comments constructive, and your heads clear.
Jaa, ne!
"It seems to me that maybe
pretty much always means no.
I don't suppose
you might just let it go.
And oftentimes we're lazy-
it seems to stand in my way,
'coz noone, no,
not noone, likes to be let down."
-Chorus from "Flake", by Jack Johnson