Chapter 5: Explanations
Ranma opened his eyes slowly. He noticed something, or more accurately someone, leaning on his shoulder. He looked over and saw Akane curled up next to him. Both of them were sitting against the wall in Akane's room, a large blanket covering them up. Ranma had snuck into Akane's room soon after they had departed the park. Ranma smiled brightly thinking back to that moment.
*Flashback*
She had remembered. She loved him and she was all his. Ranma had been so happy that he had picked Akane up by the waist and through her up into the air, jumping up, catching her and then planting a big kiss on her lips before gently carrying her to he ground. They had just sat together for a while in the park after that. Neither talked. Both of them just leaned into each other, feeling the warmth spread between them. As day became night they slowly made their way to the Tendo residence. Akane entered first while Ranma jumped up onto the roof of the house. About ten minutes later Ranma poked his head down in front of Akane's window. Ranma smiled as he saw Akane buttoning up her nightshirt. Akane saw Ranma and blushed brightly but did nothing to hide Ranma's view. Instead, she smiled mischievously and left the top two buttons unbuttoned. Ranma's eyes widened a bit then he stuck out his tongue. Akane smiled and stuck hers out right back at him. She walked over to the window and opened it up. Ranma immediately kissed her on the lips, upside down. Ranma smirked as he ended the kiss.
"Imagine what your father would say if he saw you right now," he whispered.
"He'd probably be too shocked to say anything," Akane said jokingly.
"Especially if he saw your shirt," Ranma said pointing at Akane's opened shirt.
Akane blushed again. Ranma immediately jumped in and brought her next to him. Akane sat down and looked at him.
"You know, I have so many questions I have to ask you. They're just flying around in my head. but for some reason I can't ask them right now. I just want to be with you right now. Promise we'll talk tomorrow?" Akane asked seriously.
"Promise. I'll tell you everything I know and hopefully we can figure out what's going on but I agree, for now lets just stay together right now. No words, just you and me," Ranma answered.
"Thank you," Akane said smiling.
She curled up next to Ranma. Ranma grabbed the blanket from Akane's bed and covered the two of them up. Akane was soon fast asleep. Ranma continued to stare at Akane for a while longer then he too had fallen asleep.
*End Flashback*
He leaned his head over Akane's and closed his eyes again when he heard someone walking outside Akane's door. Ranma just sat there not knowing what to do when he heard the footsteps softly walk down the stairs. As soon as he couldn't hear them any more he gently picked Akane up and set laid her on her bed. He placed the blanket over her and kissed her forehead. He got up and opened the window and jumped onto the roof. He headed on out when he noticed Soun Tendo sitting on the porch, dressed in all black. Never having seen him dressed like that he took a closer look to find him crying. However, it wasn't the overblown waterfalls that Ranma had become accustomed to but instead small tears that slowly trickled down his face like a painful memory. That was when Soun muttered something that made Ranma's heart stop. Ranma stepped back once then slowly sat down on the roof. Unknowingly a small tear formed in his left eye and slowly cascaded down his face.
"Genma. father." Ranma muttered.
Ranma watched as Soun slowly stood up and looked into the house. He listened as Soun began to speak.
"Kasumi, I'll be leaving the house now. Please take care of it today. Tell Akane and Nabiki that I had to. talk to an old friend. I'll. I'll see you later. I hope you have a good day," Soun stated.
"Please, take as long as you wish father. I'll take care of everything," Kasumi responded with care.
Soun looked at Kasumi with appreciative eyes.
"Thank you so much. You make an old man proud," Soun said, tears beginning to fall again.
Soun turned around and placed a black hat on his head. He walked out slowly. A taxi suddenly appeared in front of the Tendo household. Soun entered the car and it drove away. Ranma quickly got up and followed it. He kept up fairly well by cutting through alleys and by running on the roofs of the houses. Soon enough they reached their destination, the Nerima graveyard. Ranma followed Soun closely while staring at all the different gravestones. Finally Soun stopped at a small gravesite. It was very simple. There were two gravestones right next to each other. Ranma couldn't make out the writing from where he was. There were a few flowers scattered around. Ranma watched as Soun went through the ritual of washing the gravestones and praying in front of them. Then Soun pulled out a bottle of sake, very expensive bottle from the looks of it.
'Wonder how he got that.' Ranma thought offhandedly.
Soun poured a little on the gravestone to the left. He then took a small sip himself.
"I wish. I wish I could enjoy this with you Genma. I. I miss you. so much." Soun stuttered quietly.
Small tears ran down Soun's face landing in the puddle of liquid forming at the bottom of the gravestones. He placed the bottle on the ground and sat down. He wiped the tears from his eyes and put on a small smile.
"So what should I tell you this year? Kasumi's grown into a beautiful young woman yet she still stays at the house and takes care of all of us. I'm so blessed to have a daughter like her. Nabiki's just as beautiful but in a different way. She's so outgoing and the way she handles money, truth be told it scares me sometimes! Haha, but you know, the way she is around her family I know that she'll protect us no matter what. I would never get on her bad side though! And then there's Akane. She's just like her mother, fierce and proud yet delicate like a flower. Her martial arts skills let her hide her delicate side much more easily than her mother of course but I don't know. she seems so distant at times. and she's become such a tomboy. Well, I guess that's mostly my fault, teaching her martial arts and all. but she has a talent for it. But, when her mother passed away I. I just couldn't do it anymore. Genma, I can't go on like this much longer. The only reason I stay here now is for my daughter's but they just seem to drift away from me little by little. They don't need me anymore. I. I think I want to join you." Soun started to stutter.
Ranma's eyes widened. He saw a flash of light as Soun pulled out a small knife. In an instant Ranma was there, holding Soun's arm.
"Who are you?!" Soun yelled out in shock. "You're the boy that works for Tofu! Why are you here?"
"You can't kill yourself! You have people that still need you!" Ranma yelled.
"What are you talking about? No one needs me anymore! I don't have anything to live for!" Soun yelled out.
"Don't you want to see your daughters get married? Wouldn't you just love to play with their grandchildren? Don't you want to make sure their lives are happy? If you die now you'll miss all that and you'll never be able to tell your wife or my father when you meet them again!" Ranma shouted without realizing his error.
"What did you say.?" Soun said, his eyes widening.
"Huh.?" Ranma said, confused.
"Whose your father? Why would I know your father?!" Soun yelled.
"I- I can't tell you." Ranma stuttered quickly.
"Why not!" Soun yelled.
"I- I can't tell you why either. Just listen to me. Your daughters would mourn for you for the rest of their lives if you go this way. Trust me, they still need you whether you think so or not! Please, don't throw your life away now," Ranma pleaded.
"Why do you want me to live so badly?" Soun asked, seeing the sincerity in Ranma's eyes.
"Because. I. I never want to see Akane cry."Ranma whispered.
Soun stopped crying and looked at Ranma carefully. He sighed.
"You. you may be right. but. I'm so lonely." Soun started.
Ranma didn't know what to do. He had never seen the man so lost and broken.
"Go home and talk with your daughters. They know more then you might think. And. maybe you can start teaching again. It might give you something to get your mind off of things." Ranma suggested.
Soun looked at Ranma again but with a more calculating look this time. Ranma shifted uncomfortably.
"How do you know so much about me? Your name's Ranma, right? Can't you tell me who you really are?" Soun pleaded.
"I- I'm sorry." Ranma stuttered softly.
Soun saw the look in Ranma's eyes then smiled. He stood up and stretched his arms.
"You know boy, why don't you join me for breakfast? My daughter Kasumi is an excellent cook," Soun asked cordially.
"Yeah. I would be glad to," Ranma answered back, understanding the full meaning of the offer.
The two of them stood up and began walking when Ranma stopped.
"What's the matter boy?" Soun asked.
"Crap, I forgot that I needed to do something." Ranma began while turning around when Soun put his hand on his shoulder.
"Go do what you need to do. My daughters are all probably waiting for me anyways," Soun said happily.
Ranma smiled and nodded his head. He watched Soun walk out. When he could no longer see Soun anymore he turned around and walked up to his parents gravestones. He sat down and looked at them. Neither had anything on the stone except for their names and the dates of their birth and death. Ranma placed his hand on his mother's grave first and traced over the name. Nodoka Saotome. He had only just begun to get to know her when she had been ripped from his life for the second time, only this time it was truly permanent. He swallowed the tears forming at his eyes. He slowly moved over to his father's gravestone and traced over his father's name, much like he had done with his mother's. Genma Saotome. The man who had raised him, cared for him, taught him everything he knew and more. Ranma smiled remembering all the things they had done together. While not the activities most fathers did with their son's, they had been equally precious in Ranma's eyes. Thinking back, there were only a few distinct problems he had had with his father. It didn't really matter anymore though. The damn baka oyaji was gone. The tears he had held back were beginning to form again. He quickly wiped his eyes.
'Wouldn't want him to think I've gone and become a crybaby,' Ranma thought to himself.
"Right?!" Ranma suddenly shouted.
He just stood up and listened to his voice echo through the graveyard. Luckily for Ranma no one else was anywhere near him to become annoyed. He suddenly slumped his shoulders and sighed.
"Sorry for causing you two so much trouble. I- I don't know how I can make it up or if I even can but I'll make sure to make you proud of me. I'll bring Akane here. At that time I promise that we'll be married. I wish you could see our wedding mom. You were so happy that day. I- I guess I'll be leaving now. but I promise to come back, real soon!" Ranma said, unsure of how to say goodbye.
Ranma turned around and walked out of the graveyard just barely able to contain the tears from falling from his eyes. As he exited the graveyard he approached the nearest pole and punched it as hard as he could. As he left the pole stay standing, only slightly shorter, a chunk of it laying a ways away from it.
*****
Akane slowly opened her eyes, sitting up in her bed. She looked around and sighed a sigh of relief. All the memories that had flooded her mind the night before were finally starting to settle into something she could recognize. She had lived out another life, another existence. Her old life was gone, yet her new life suited her just fine. She felt just as ease here as she had before. She lay back down and wondered what just how much had changed.
"Well, no one seemed to know who Ranma was when he first came here to help me with my ankle. I wonder what happened." Akane said to herself when she heard a knock on her window.
Akane looked out and saw Ranma hanging upside down with a solemn expression on his face. Akane looked at him worriedly as Ranma let himself in.
"What's wrong?" Akane asked quickly.
"Nothing really. well, not anymore. actually I'm not sure." Ranma rambled off.
"What?" Akane asked becoming confused.
"Uh. here let me start from the beginning. You said you had some questions? Well, I'm sure by now you've realized that we aren't in the world we were before. In fact our entire lives have been changed," Ranma started.
"Yeah, I figured that out but what I want to know is how did we get here?" Akane asked.
Ranma spent the next thirty minutes and summarized what he knew to her. He talked about the Kami's and what had happened after he had disappeared with Shampoo. He told her about what he had seen through the Kami's mirror including the current lives of all their "friends". Finally he told her about why everything was the way it was. He told her everything he could think of without holding anything back. When he finished Akane was in tears.
"Akane, we're here in this world where nothing's the same anymore. I don't have a family. Actually, I shouldn't even exist. I think we're the only ones that remember anything about our previous lives. All we can do now is move on. What happens from there is up to us. All I know is that I want to be with you forever," Ranma said.
Akane just looked at him with a smile on her face.
"I want to be with you forever too," Akane responded.
"Well, you should probably head on down. I'm sure your sisters are wondering what you're doing, and your father should be back soon. man. walking all the way back." Ranma muttered while slipping out of the room before Akane could ask where Soun had been.
'For that matter, where were you in the morning?' Akane silently thought to herself.
She got out of her room and quickly washed up and dressed for the day. Being the weekend she put on a pair of jeans she had and a red t-shirt. She walked downstairs and said hi to her sister. Nabiki raised her eyebrows when she saw Akane come down. There was something different about her, something very different. First off the confidence that Akane let off as she walked was completely different from the usual arrogance that usually came from her. Also the little bounce in her step confused Nabiki to no end. It had been a very long time she had seen Akane do anything like that. Nabiki, however, came a conclusion, or more like formed a question that she felt would answer Akane's behavior. Nabiki, a token to herself, formed a very good question.
'Wonder what happened at Tofu's. Must have something to do with Ranma.' Nabiki thought to herself.
Of course it wasn't answerable yet so she put it to the back of her mind and continued her previous action. Sitting down and reading her book. As Akane was about to sit down the doorbell rang. Akane jumped up and ran to get the door.
"I got it!" Akane yelled back.
Soun entered the house just as Akane got there. Akane stared at him.
"Where did you go?" Akane asked, curious as to why he was dressed in all black.
"Oh, I had to run some errands in the morning," Soun said nervously.
He had never told Akane or Nabiki about the Saotomes and there was no need for them to know now.
"Then why are you dressed all in black?" Akane asked, starting to feel a little strange, like she should know something.
"Huh? Err. no reason." Soun started when Kasumi innocently interrupted.
"Oh, father went to visit an old friend of his," Kasumi said cryptically.
'Father doesn't deserve to have to keep everything to himself. We should have noticed it earlier but I think.' Kasumi thought to herself when Akane yelled out.
"Who did you visit? Was it at a graveyard?" Akane asked suddenly mortified.
Nabiki glanced over at Akane wondering why she was getting so upset. Kasumi also looked at Akane worried that maybe she shouldn't have said that. Soun just stared at her in surprise.
"I- I did go to the graveyard," Soun finally said after a few moments of silence.
"W-who. did you visit?" Akane asked, already knowing the answer.
"It was an old friend of mine. His name was Genma." Soun said when he saw a tear fall from Akane's eye.
Akane just crumpled to the ground.
'That would explain that expression on Ranma's face.' Akane thought to herself.
She quickly wiped her eyes, jumped up and ran out the door. Everyone look after her.
"Where are you going?" all of them asked at once.
"I need to talk to someone right now!" Akane yelled and ran off before anyone could ask anything else.
The Tendo family just stood there and stared. Suddenly Kasumi turned around and walked back to the kitchen.
"If anyone wants any breakfast it will be on the table," Kasumi said sweetly.
The remaining two broke out of their reverie and followed. They would ask Akane later, but first they would eat. It was a shame that everyone had pretty much lost their appetite.
*****
Meanwhile Ranma had returned to Tofu's and was busy explaining where he had been all night.
"I was just out for a while and I met a friend so I stayed there for the night," Ranma said, not really lying.
Tofu just stared at him then laughed.
"It's ok Ranma, I'm not mad. As long as you help me out in the day I don't mind what you do, as long as you stay out of trouble," Tofu said with a smile.
Ranma let out a sigh of relief. He had been worried that Tofu might have been mad. Ranma smiled. This was why he had picked Tofu to live with.
"Hurry up and wash up. You can start by helping me out with some of my patients and you can learn some stuff along the way," Tofu said.
Ranma quickly nodded his head and ran up the stairs. He quickly washed up and went into his room. He didn't have any clothes so Tofu had lent Ranma some of his own. They were about the same build so it had worked out fine. Ranma put on a pair of loose jeans and a white t-shirt. He stretched out a little and looked in the mirror that hung on the bathroom door.
"Not too shabby Ranma Saotome," he said to himself.
He laughed and was about to walk down stairs when he noticed someone laughing at the bottom of the stairs. Immediately embarrassed he ran down to see who it was. Akane was bent over clutching her stomach laughing. Ranma turned bright red but smiled.
"W-what were you doing?" Akane said through gasps of air.
"N-nothing." Ranma quickly responded.
"Man, I didn't mean to laugh. I was here to comfort you and I find you laughing and." Akane started when her eyes began to water even as she laughed.
"I didn't know that today was the day." Akane started her laughter gone now.
"Hush," Ranma said placing his fingers on Akane's lips. "I didn't know until today either. Don't worry about it. It's ok," Ranma said quietly.
Ranma quickly embraced Akane who hugged him back. Of course that was when Tofu walked in on them.
"Oh my," Tofu said, slightly startled.
The three of them stood there unsure of what to say. Akane quickly gathered herself and bowed.
"H-hello Dr. Tofu," Akane stuttered, still embarrassed.
"Uh, hello Akane. I didn't realize you and Ranma were so. familiar with each other," Tofu said, regaining his composure.
"Actually, we've known each other for a very long time," Ranma suddenly said, not really sure why.
"Really? How did you two meet?" Tofu asked, becoming confused.
"Uh. that's our little secret," Ranma answered.
"Well, ok, it's not really my business anyways. Does your father know about this Akane?" Tofu asked suddenly.
"Uh. no. not yet. Actually we'll probably tell him soon," Akane said, unsure of what to say.
"Well, ok I guess. Um, I don't really have the right to say anything but are you two." Tofu asked suddenly.
Ranma immediately understood what Tofu was asking and turned bright red. He quickly nodded his head. Akane saw Ranma's reaction and followed suit. Tofu smiled. If the two were still this shy then that must mean that the two were still virgins.
"Well, I wish you two the best," Tofu said placing his hands on their shoulders.
Ranma and Akane looked up at Tofu with a smile when they noticed something. Tofu's glasses had fogged over and he had a huge grin on his face. They quickly spun around and saw Kasumi standing at the doorway holding a book in her left arm. Ranma and Akane looked at each other and burst out laughing. The exact same scene had occurred before.
*Flashback*
Ranma hugged Akane to him. Earlier in the day Ranma and Akane had gotten into a fight. Akane had run away but she ended up tripping over her own feet in her anger spraining her ankle badly. Ranma had carried her to Tofu's in a flash. After Tofu had left, the two had made up and in the close proximity Ranma had given Akane an awkward hug. It had been at that moment that Tofu had walked in on them. Silence had pervaded when Tofu finally broke the silence with a smile.
"It's about time," Tofu had said with a laugh.
He had put his hand on their shoulders and told them both that he wished them the best. It had been at that moment that Kasumi had walked in as well.
*End Flashback*
"Oh my. So this is where you went Akane. Hello Ranma. Dr. Tofu, I just wanted to return this book," Kasumi said happily.
Ranma and Akane quickly walked out before Tofu could say anything. As the two exited Akane lightly pushed Kasumi towards Tofu who was just standing there. Kasumi started forward when she tripped over her dress. Tofu immediately broke out of his trance and leapt forward to catch her. Akane and Ranma smiled as they left.
*Flashback*
Kasumi had walked in when suddenly she had tripped over her own dress. Tofu had jumped to catch her causing the two of them to stare at each other. Tofu, for the first time in his life, held Kasumi without losing control. The two of them had blushed brightly before Tofu had carried Kasumi to the bed in the clinic.
*End Flashback*
Akane looked at Ranma and smiled.
"Just thought I'd give them a little push in the right direction."
Ranma laughed. The two walked to the Tendo dojo hand in hand while Tofu, for the first time in his life, held Kasumi without losing his control.
Author's Notes: Well, I finally revised this chapter. I hope it's much better than what it was. I was really busy for a while but I should be able to write more often now. Next time Ranma is formally introduced to Soun. The differences in Ranma's two lives start to become more prevalent as more and more people are reintroduced into Ranma's life.
Ranma opened his eyes slowly. He noticed something, or more accurately someone, leaning on his shoulder. He looked over and saw Akane curled up next to him. Both of them were sitting against the wall in Akane's room, a large blanket covering them up. Ranma had snuck into Akane's room soon after they had departed the park. Ranma smiled brightly thinking back to that moment.
*Flashback*
She had remembered. She loved him and she was all his. Ranma had been so happy that he had picked Akane up by the waist and through her up into the air, jumping up, catching her and then planting a big kiss on her lips before gently carrying her to he ground. They had just sat together for a while in the park after that. Neither talked. Both of them just leaned into each other, feeling the warmth spread between them. As day became night they slowly made their way to the Tendo residence. Akane entered first while Ranma jumped up onto the roof of the house. About ten minutes later Ranma poked his head down in front of Akane's window. Ranma smiled as he saw Akane buttoning up her nightshirt. Akane saw Ranma and blushed brightly but did nothing to hide Ranma's view. Instead, she smiled mischievously and left the top two buttons unbuttoned. Ranma's eyes widened a bit then he stuck out his tongue. Akane smiled and stuck hers out right back at him. She walked over to the window and opened it up. Ranma immediately kissed her on the lips, upside down. Ranma smirked as he ended the kiss.
"Imagine what your father would say if he saw you right now," he whispered.
"He'd probably be too shocked to say anything," Akane said jokingly.
"Especially if he saw your shirt," Ranma said pointing at Akane's opened shirt.
Akane blushed again. Ranma immediately jumped in and brought her next to him. Akane sat down and looked at him.
"You know, I have so many questions I have to ask you. They're just flying around in my head. but for some reason I can't ask them right now. I just want to be with you right now. Promise we'll talk tomorrow?" Akane asked seriously.
"Promise. I'll tell you everything I know and hopefully we can figure out what's going on but I agree, for now lets just stay together right now. No words, just you and me," Ranma answered.
"Thank you," Akane said smiling.
She curled up next to Ranma. Ranma grabbed the blanket from Akane's bed and covered the two of them up. Akane was soon fast asleep. Ranma continued to stare at Akane for a while longer then he too had fallen asleep.
*End Flashback*
He leaned his head over Akane's and closed his eyes again when he heard someone walking outside Akane's door. Ranma just sat there not knowing what to do when he heard the footsteps softly walk down the stairs. As soon as he couldn't hear them any more he gently picked Akane up and set laid her on her bed. He placed the blanket over her and kissed her forehead. He got up and opened the window and jumped onto the roof. He headed on out when he noticed Soun Tendo sitting on the porch, dressed in all black. Never having seen him dressed like that he took a closer look to find him crying. However, it wasn't the overblown waterfalls that Ranma had become accustomed to but instead small tears that slowly trickled down his face like a painful memory. That was when Soun muttered something that made Ranma's heart stop. Ranma stepped back once then slowly sat down on the roof. Unknowingly a small tear formed in his left eye and slowly cascaded down his face.
"Genma. father." Ranma muttered.
Ranma watched as Soun slowly stood up and looked into the house. He listened as Soun began to speak.
"Kasumi, I'll be leaving the house now. Please take care of it today. Tell Akane and Nabiki that I had to. talk to an old friend. I'll. I'll see you later. I hope you have a good day," Soun stated.
"Please, take as long as you wish father. I'll take care of everything," Kasumi responded with care.
Soun looked at Kasumi with appreciative eyes.
"Thank you so much. You make an old man proud," Soun said, tears beginning to fall again.
Soun turned around and placed a black hat on his head. He walked out slowly. A taxi suddenly appeared in front of the Tendo household. Soun entered the car and it drove away. Ranma quickly got up and followed it. He kept up fairly well by cutting through alleys and by running on the roofs of the houses. Soon enough they reached their destination, the Nerima graveyard. Ranma followed Soun closely while staring at all the different gravestones. Finally Soun stopped at a small gravesite. It was very simple. There were two gravestones right next to each other. Ranma couldn't make out the writing from where he was. There were a few flowers scattered around. Ranma watched as Soun went through the ritual of washing the gravestones and praying in front of them. Then Soun pulled out a bottle of sake, very expensive bottle from the looks of it.
'Wonder how he got that.' Ranma thought offhandedly.
Soun poured a little on the gravestone to the left. He then took a small sip himself.
"I wish. I wish I could enjoy this with you Genma. I. I miss you. so much." Soun stuttered quietly.
Small tears ran down Soun's face landing in the puddle of liquid forming at the bottom of the gravestones. He placed the bottle on the ground and sat down. He wiped the tears from his eyes and put on a small smile.
"So what should I tell you this year? Kasumi's grown into a beautiful young woman yet she still stays at the house and takes care of all of us. I'm so blessed to have a daughter like her. Nabiki's just as beautiful but in a different way. She's so outgoing and the way she handles money, truth be told it scares me sometimes! Haha, but you know, the way she is around her family I know that she'll protect us no matter what. I would never get on her bad side though! And then there's Akane. She's just like her mother, fierce and proud yet delicate like a flower. Her martial arts skills let her hide her delicate side much more easily than her mother of course but I don't know. she seems so distant at times. and she's become such a tomboy. Well, I guess that's mostly my fault, teaching her martial arts and all. but she has a talent for it. But, when her mother passed away I. I just couldn't do it anymore. Genma, I can't go on like this much longer. The only reason I stay here now is for my daughter's but they just seem to drift away from me little by little. They don't need me anymore. I. I think I want to join you." Soun started to stutter.
Ranma's eyes widened. He saw a flash of light as Soun pulled out a small knife. In an instant Ranma was there, holding Soun's arm.
"Who are you?!" Soun yelled out in shock. "You're the boy that works for Tofu! Why are you here?"
"You can't kill yourself! You have people that still need you!" Ranma yelled.
"What are you talking about? No one needs me anymore! I don't have anything to live for!" Soun yelled out.
"Don't you want to see your daughters get married? Wouldn't you just love to play with their grandchildren? Don't you want to make sure their lives are happy? If you die now you'll miss all that and you'll never be able to tell your wife or my father when you meet them again!" Ranma shouted without realizing his error.
"What did you say.?" Soun said, his eyes widening.
"Huh.?" Ranma said, confused.
"Whose your father? Why would I know your father?!" Soun yelled.
"I- I can't tell you." Ranma stuttered quickly.
"Why not!" Soun yelled.
"I- I can't tell you why either. Just listen to me. Your daughters would mourn for you for the rest of their lives if you go this way. Trust me, they still need you whether you think so or not! Please, don't throw your life away now," Ranma pleaded.
"Why do you want me to live so badly?" Soun asked, seeing the sincerity in Ranma's eyes.
"Because. I. I never want to see Akane cry."Ranma whispered.
Soun stopped crying and looked at Ranma carefully. He sighed.
"You. you may be right. but. I'm so lonely." Soun started.
Ranma didn't know what to do. He had never seen the man so lost and broken.
"Go home and talk with your daughters. They know more then you might think. And. maybe you can start teaching again. It might give you something to get your mind off of things." Ranma suggested.
Soun looked at Ranma again but with a more calculating look this time. Ranma shifted uncomfortably.
"How do you know so much about me? Your name's Ranma, right? Can't you tell me who you really are?" Soun pleaded.
"I- I'm sorry." Ranma stuttered softly.
Soun saw the look in Ranma's eyes then smiled. He stood up and stretched his arms.
"You know boy, why don't you join me for breakfast? My daughter Kasumi is an excellent cook," Soun asked cordially.
"Yeah. I would be glad to," Ranma answered back, understanding the full meaning of the offer.
The two of them stood up and began walking when Ranma stopped.
"What's the matter boy?" Soun asked.
"Crap, I forgot that I needed to do something." Ranma began while turning around when Soun put his hand on his shoulder.
"Go do what you need to do. My daughters are all probably waiting for me anyways," Soun said happily.
Ranma smiled and nodded his head. He watched Soun walk out. When he could no longer see Soun anymore he turned around and walked up to his parents gravestones. He sat down and looked at them. Neither had anything on the stone except for their names and the dates of their birth and death. Ranma placed his hand on his mother's grave first and traced over the name. Nodoka Saotome. He had only just begun to get to know her when she had been ripped from his life for the second time, only this time it was truly permanent. He swallowed the tears forming at his eyes. He slowly moved over to his father's gravestone and traced over his father's name, much like he had done with his mother's. Genma Saotome. The man who had raised him, cared for him, taught him everything he knew and more. Ranma smiled remembering all the things they had done together. While not the activities most fathers did with their son's, they had been equally precious in Ranma's eyes. Thinking back, there were only a few distinct problems he had had with his father. It didn't really matter anymore though. The damn baka oyaji was gone. The tears he had held back were beginning to form again. He quickly wiped his eyes.
'Wouldn't want him to think I've gone and become a crybaby,' Ranma thought to himself.
"Right?!" Ranma suddenly shouted.
He just stood up and listened to his voice echo through the graveyard. Luckily for Ranma no one else was anywhere near him to become annoyed. He suddenly slumped his shoulders and sighed.
"Sorry for causing you two so much trouble. I- I don't know how I can make it up or if I even can but I'll make sure to make you proud of me. I'll bring Akane here. At that time I promise that we'll be married. I wish you could see our wedding mom. You were so happy that day. I- I guess I'll be leaving now. but I promise to come back, real soon!" Ranma said, unsure of how to say goodbye.
Ranma turned around and walked out of the graveyard just barely able to contain the tears from falling from his eyes. As he exited the graveyard he approached the nearest pole and punched it as hard as he could. As he left the pole stay standing, only slightly shorter, a chunk of it laying a ways away from it.
*****
Akane slowly opened her eyes, sitting up in her bed. She looked around and sighed a sigh of relief. All the memories that had flooded her mind the night before were finally starting to settle into something she could recognize. She had lived out another life, another existence. Her old life was gone, yet her new life suited her just fine. She felt just as ease here as she had before. She lay back down and wondered what just how much had changed.
"Well, no one seemed to know who Ranma was when he first came here to help me with my ankle. I wonder what happened." Akane said to herself when she heard a knock on her window.
Akane looked out and saw Ranma hanging upside down with a solemn expression on his face. Akane looked at him worriedly as Ranma let himself in.
"What's wrong?" Akane asked quickly.
"Nothing really. well, not anymore. actually I'm not sure." Ranma rambled off.
"What?" Akane asked becoming confused.
"Uh. here let me start from the beginning. You said you had some questions? Well, I'm sure by now you've realized that we aren't in the world we were before. In fact our entire lives have been changed," Ranma started.
"Yeah, I figured that out but what I want to know is how did we get here?" Akane asked.
Ranma spent the next thirty minutes and summarized what he knew to her. He talked about the Kami's and what had happened after he had disappeared with Shampoo. He told her about what he had seen through the Kami's mirror including the current lives of all their "friends". Finally he told her about why everything was the way it was. He told her everything he could think of without holding anything back. When he finished Akane was in tears.
"Akane, we're here in this world where nothing's the same anymore. I don't have a family. Actually, I shouldn't even exist. I think we're the only ones that remember anything about our previous lives. All we can do now is move on. What happens from there is up to us. All I know is that I want to be with you forever," Ranma said.
Akane just looked at him with a smile on her face.
"I want to be with you forever too," Akane responded.
"Well, you should probably head on down. I'm sure your sisters are wondering what you're doing, and your father should be back soon. man. walking all the way back." Ranma muttered while slipping out of the room before Akane could ask where Soun had been.
'For that matter, where were you in the morning?' Akane silently thought to herself.
She got out of her room and quickly washed up and dressed for the day. Being the weekend she put on a pair of jeans she had and a red t-shirt. She walked downstairs and said hi to her sister. Nabiki raised her eyebrows when she saw Akane come down. There was something different about her, something very different. First off the confidence that Akane let off as she walked was completely different from the usual arrogance that usually came from her. Also the little bounce in her step confused Nabiki to no end. It had been a very long time she had seen Akane do anything like that. Nabiki, however, came a conclusion, or more like formed a question that she felt would answer Akane's behavior. Nabiki, a token to herself, formed a very good question.
'Wonder what happened at Tofu's. Must have something to do with Ranma.' Nabiki thought to herself.
Of course it wasn't answerable yet so she put it to the back of her mind and continued her previous action. Sitting down and reading her book. As Akane was about to sit down the doorbell rang. Akane jumped up and ran to get the door.
"I got it!" Akane yelled back.
Soun entered the house just as Akane got there. Akane stared at him.
"Where did you go?" Akane asked, curious as to why he was dressed in all black.
"Oh, I had to run some errands in the morning," Soun said nervously.
He had never told Akane or Nabiki about the Saotomes and there was no need for them to know now.
"Then why are you dressed all in black?" Akane asked, starting to feel a little strange, like she should know something.
"Huh? Err. no reason." Soun started when Kasumi innocently interrupted.
"Oh, father went to visit an old friend of his," Kasumi said cryptically.
'Father doesn't deserve to have to keep everything to himself. We should have noticed it earlier but I think.' Kasumi thought to herself when Akane yelled out.
"Who did you visit? Was it at a graveyard?" Akane asked suddenly mortified.
Nabiki glanced over at Akane wondering why she was getting so upset. Kasumi also looked at Akane worried that maybe she shouldn't have said that. Soun just stared at her in surprise.
"I- I did go to the graveyard," Soun finally said after a few moments of silence.
"W-who. did you visit?" Akane asked, already knowing the answer.
"It was an old friend of mine. His name was Genma." Soun said when he saw a tear fall from Akane's eye.
Akane just crumpled to the ground.
'That would explain that expression on Ranma's face.' Akane thought to herself.
She quickly wiped her eyes, jumped up and ran out the door. Everyone look after her.
"Where are you going?" all of them asked at once.
"I need to talk to someone right now!" Akane yelled and ran off before anyone could ask anything else.
The Tendo family just stood there and stared. Suddenly Kasumi turned around and walked back to the kitchen.
"If anyone wants any breakfast it will be on the table," Kasumi said sweetly.
The remaining two broke out of their reverie and followed. They would ask Akane later, but first they would eat. It was a shame that everyone had pretty much lost their appetite.
*****
Meanwhile Ranma had returned to Tofu's and was busy explaining where he had been all night.
"I was just out for a while and I met a friend so I stayed there for the night," Ranma said, not really lying.
Tofu just stared at him then laughed.
"It's ok Ranma, I'm not mad. As long as you help me out in the day I don't mind what you do, as long as you stay out of trouble," Tofu said with a smile.
Ranma let out a sigh of relief. He had been worried that Tofu might have been mad. Ranma smiled. This was why he had picked Tofu to live with.
"Hurry up and wash up. You can start by helping me out with some of my patients and you can learn some stuff along the way," Tofu said.
Ranma quickly nodded his head and ran up the stairs. He quickly washed up and went into his room. He didn't have any clothes so Tofu had lent Ranma some of his own. They were about the same build so it had worked out fine. Ranma put on a pair of loose jeans and a white t-shirt. He stretched out a little and looked in the mirror that hung on the bathroom door.
"Not too shabby Ranma Saotome," he said to himself.
He laughed and was about to walk down stairs when he noticed someone laughing at the bottom of the stairs. Immediately embarrassed he ran down to see who it was. Akane was bent over clutching her stomach laughing. Ranma turned bright red but smiled.
"W-what were you doing?" Akane said through gasps of air.
"N-nothing." Ranma quickly responded.
"Man, I didn't mean to laugh. I was here to comfort you and I find you laughing and." Akane started when her eyes began to water even as she laughed.
"I didn't know that today was the day." Akane started her laughter gone now.
"Hush," Ranma said placing his fingers on Akane's lips. "I didn't know until today either. Don't worry about it. It's ok," Ranma said quietly.
Ranma quickly embraced Akane who hugged him back. Of course that was when Tofu walked in on them.
"Oh my," Tofu said, slightly startled.
The three of them stood there unsure of what to say. Akane quickly gathered herself and bowed.
"H-hello Dr. Tofu," Akane stuttered, still embarrassed.
"Uh, hello Akane. I didn't realize you and Ranma were so. familiar with each other," Tofu said, regaining his composure.
"Actually, we've known each other for a very long time," Ranma suddenly said, not really sure why.
"Really? How did you two meet?" Tofu asked, becoming confused.
"Uh. that's our little secret," Ranma answered.
"Well, ok, it's not really my business anyways. Does your father know about this Akane?" Tofu asked suddenly.
"Uh. no. not yet. Actually we'll probably tell him soon," Akane said, unsure of what to say.
"Well, ok I guess. Um, I don't really have the right to say anything but are you two." Tofu asked suddenly.
Ranma immediately understood what Tofu was asking and turned bright red. He quickly nodded his head. Akane saw Ranma's reaction and followed suit. Tofu smiled. If the two were still this shy then that must mean that the two were still virgins.
"Well, I wish you two the best," Tofu said placing his hands on their shoulders.
Ranma and Akane looked up at Tofu with a smile when they noticed something. Tofu's glasses had fogged over and he had a huge grin on his face. They quickly spun around and saw Kasumi standing at the doorway holding a book in her left arm. Ranma and Akane looked at each other and burst out laughing. The exact same scene had occurred before.
*Flashback*
Ranma hugged Akane to him. Earlier in the day Ranma and Akane had gotten into a fight. Akane had run away but she ended up tripping over her own feet in her anger spraining her ankle badly. Ranma had carried her to Tofu's in a flash. After Tofu had left, the two had made up and in the close proximity Ranma had given Akane an awkward hug. It had been at that moment that Tofu had walked in on them. Silence had pervaded when Tofu finally broke the silence with a smile.
"It's about time," Tofu had said with a laugh.
He had put his hand on their shoulders and told them both that he wished them the best. It had been at that moment that Kasumi had walked in as well.
*End Flashback*
"Oh my. So this is where you went Akane. Hello Ranma. Dr. Tofu, I just wanted to return this book," Kasumi said happily.
Ranma and Akane quickly walked out before Tofu could say anything. As the two exited Akane lightly pushed Kasumi towards Tofu who was just standing there. Kasumi started forward when she tripped over her dress. Tofu immediately broke out of his trance and leapt forward to catch her. Akane and Ranma smiled as they left.
*Flashback*
Kasumi had walked in when suddenly she had tripped over her own dress. Tofu had jumped to catch her causing the two of them to stare at each other. Tofu, for the first time in his life, held Kasumi without losing control. The two of them had blushed brightly before Tofu had carried Kasumi to the bed in the clinic.
*End Flashback*
Akane looked at Ranma and smiled.
"Just thought I'd give them a little push in the right direction."
Ranma laughed. The two walked to the Tendo dojo hand in hand while Tofu, for the first time in his life, held Kasumi without losing his control.
Author's Notes: Well, I finally revised this chapter. I hope it's much better than what it was. I was really busy for a while but I should be able to write more often now. Next time Ranma is formally introduced to Soun. The differences in Ranma's two lives start to become more prevalent as more and more people are reintroduced into Ranma's life.