Where I Belong
By The Unseen Watcher
See previous disclaimer.
Chapter 2
-----------------------
Ranma stared up at the night sky from his perch on the roof. I had been four months since the events on Phoenix Mountain, and in that short span of time his life had gone from weird to hellish. The failed wedding attempt and Akane's revealing to everyone that he'd said he loved her were the sparks that lit the fuse of the already explosive situation in Nerima.
Ryoga had attacked him first, of course. Then came Shampoo, Kodachi, and finally Ukyo. The last had shocked him the most. She had thrown bombs at the wedding and had been just as bad as the rest of the wrecking crew. She had attacked Akane, and when Ranma had defended her, it just got him into more trouble.
His other fiancée's were now mad at him, and Akane was mad because she though she could defend herself and resented his interference. She just couldn't realize the glaring fact that the vast majority of fighters in the area could take her down without breaking a sweat. Telling her so, in those exact words, had not been the brightest idea he ever had. An impromptu trip to Tomobiki was the result. After a long walk back he had been screamed at for being gone so long and accused of spending the day with one of his other fiancée's. His mouth had gotten him into more trouble from there.
The problem was he couldn't remember saying he loved her. He might have thought it, desperate to get her back, but he admitted to himself that the events of that day were rather sketchy. Bits and pieces of his fight with Saffron, some blurred moments of fear that the girl he had lived with for almost a year and a half was dead, and then the trip home were all he could really grasp on to. He guessed he had still been in shock for a while after that. The wedding had brought him back from his temporary mental vacation.
With the ruined ceremony over with, the old game of Who-Gets- Ranma started again, on a whole new level. Ranma felt a stab of remorse as he recalled the look on Kasumi's face a few days ago, after the latest trashing of the Dojo. The strain on her usually cheerful smile had come back to haunt him in his dreams. Kasumi, the eternally patient and accepting foundation of the Tendo household, was being stretched just a bit too thin. This time the fight had expanded to include her room, her sanctuary. With no place to retreat to gather her inner reserve, the stress was starting to wear her down.
*The last few days. * Ranma sighed and shifted to a more comfortable position on the roof, drawing his knees up to his chin. The people around him had abandoned any pretense that they cared about his opinion regarding what he wanted in his life. Any half-started protests provoked beatings, accusations of dishonor, or worse, tears. The last was a tactic that never failed to break his resolve. He knew in his gut that they weren't real tears most of the time, but try telling his heart that. He had always tried just about Anything to make them stop.
After a particular crying bout of Shampoo's for not trying her 'too too delicious Ramen made for Airen' he had inevitably given in and eaten it. The fact that it turned out to be drugged was lost on Akane, who had punted him into the stratosphere for flirting with Shampoo, and eating someone else's cooking when he still wouldn't eat hers. She had become very territorial lately.
*Akane. * he sighed. Just when it seemed that they were starting to get along better, something happened. Since the wedding her defensiveness was worse than ever, blaming him more and more for what he had little control of and generally acting as though the whole situation was designed to annoy her. Hence his most recent little trip over the district.
By a strange twist of his luck he had landed at Doctor Tofu's. Almost in the man's lap. The unruffled doc had calmly treated his bruises and Ramen-induced haze. Ranma helped him repair his roof, which gave them a chance to talk.
Ranma had wanted to ask something for a while, but had always felt it was too stupid. Now, alone for once without any distractions, he decided he had little to lose and took a chance.
He was helping to nail a board in (with his fist), and kept glancing nervously up at the older man. "Is there something you want to ask Ranma?" Tofu asked without turning around, making the young martial artist jump. Fidgeting nervously, Ranma finally blurted. "Um, doc. What does it feel like when you love someone?"
Ever since the wedding the question had increasingly preyed on his mind. Everyone else seemed to think it was important, and he wanted to know why.
At this Tofu looked up, work forgotten. He gazed off into the distance, a silly smile creeping onto his face. Ranma sweated, hoping he hadn't sent the doctor off the deep end into 'Kasumi- land.'
"When you love someone." Tofu said finally. "You want to make them happy. Nothing makes you feel as good as when you see them smile. You want to be with them more than anything else in the world. Most of all you hope they feel the same." He added, sighing.
Ranma frowned, trying to process this. "So you don't want them to be sad? I feel that way about all girls." He said.
Tofu smiled. "I know Ranma, and that shows what a good heart you have." Ranma shifted uncomfortably at the compliment. He wasn't used to it. Anyone else he would have thought was teasing him, but he knew Tofu was sincere.
The doctor smiled at the young man's squirming. He was such a naïve child in so many ways. "That's not a bad thing, Ranma. Few people have one as it is. You should be proud."
Ranma looked unconvinced, but didn't comment. Tofu continued. "Love isn't just being IN love you know. There's also love for your friends, your family. People you care about."
Ranma thought about it. Yea, he kind of cared about Ucchan. She was his first friend, his buddy. Though she hadn't been acting like one much lately. As for family. . . He grimaced as he thought of his old man. Definitely nothing there, though he still didn't want him hurt or nothin'. Not too badly anyway. And his mother. . .well now that he wasn't living in mortal fear of her katana things weren't bad between them. She just had a bit of an obsession with how a true man should act that still made him a bit uneasy. "Families love?" he said aloud to himself.
Tofu nodded, slightly puzzled by the question. "Yes. Families are where you learn how to love." Thinking the problem was they'd never said so aloud he added. "They show you how they love you by how they relate to you. How they act toward you.
Ranma mulled that over. He thought he had it. "So what you're sayin' is that whenever pop sells me for food or teaches me a dangerous technique it's because he cares?"
Tofu frowned. "Well, no. . ."
"How about when Akane makes me eat her food when she's never even bothered to look at the recipe and it makes me sick for a week?"
Tofu winced. "Not exactly. . ."
"Oh, then how about when Nabiki blackmails me into doing something or Shampoo and Ukyo fight over me and drug me and . . ."
"Enough!" Dr. Tofu shouted, shocking Ranma out of his litany. The doctor gazed sternly at Ranma, looking at him carefully. Finally he shook his head. The boy wasn't being sarcastic. That was actually what he thought caring was all about. *Why shouldn't he? * he reflected sadly. *He's never known anything else. * Here before him was a young man of almost 17 years who hadn't a clue what normal family life was like. His medical instincts shuddered back from what everyday living must be like for someone who thought being used was a form of love.
Looking again into Ranma's mystified face he decided on a plan of action. A crash course in real life. And he knew just how to catch his interest.
"Ranma," he said, putting on his usual smile. "How would you like to go on a training trip with me?"
Ranma blinked. He couldn't have heard right. "What?"
"Come on." Tofu encouraged, his face practically beaming with optimism. He decided to bait the hook. "I know a few techniques that you don't know about yet."
Ranma lit up. The possibility of learning new martial arts techniques immediately taking precedence over his confusion at the other's odd behavior. "Sure! When do we start?"
Tofu smiled. "As soon as you've told your family that you're leaving and I've made arrangements around here, and had a talk with your teachers."
Ranma's face fell. That meant the doc still wanted him to do school stuff. But it was worth it if he taught him some new things. He'd been kind of bored lately since mastering the Forbidden Techniques and his chi attack. He winced. Telling the others that he was leaving for a while wouldn't go over too well either. He'd have to make it quick.
Tofu noticed the reaction and inwardly felt sympathy for what the boy was going to go through. But after standing idly by as the friendly neighborhood medic for so long, he decided that it was about time to do something. Dr. Tofu was not as oblivious as he looked. He knew just how bad things had gotten for the young martial artist, but he'd had no idea how truly ignorant Ranma was about life.
That was about to change. Just a few stops and a quick call to his mother.
**
Ranma came out of his musing when he heard Akane calling, her voice telling him clearly just how unhappy she was at the moment. Shrugging, he jumped off the roof to grab his pack and head out.
That night, Ranma made his way to the clinic. He was not in high spirits and the reason walked on the ground next to him, scowl in place. There had been an uproar when he had announced the training trip and a lot of arguing and wailing. It had finally been decided that his fiancée MUST go with him. It would give them a chance to get to know each other and be alone and blah, blah, blah. How could he concentrate with the tomboy there to slow him down and, worse, try to feed him her cooking? Akane wasn't happy about it either, but there was no budging their two fathers when they thought up one of their brilliant plans.
Ranma got to the clinic and jumped off the fence. The lights were out, which was strange. Trying the door he found it locked. Turning to Akane he was just about to comment when. . . "Hello Ranma." Came Tofu's voice calmly from the shadows. Ranma jumped a few feet and landed facing him. How could he still do that? Ranma was a lot better than when they had first met, yet he still couldn't sense the guy if he wanted to go unnoticed.
"Hello to you too Akane." He added, stepping out into the open. Akane bobbed in a nervous bow, her face slightly pink and her hands twisting the tie on her pack. "Are you planning to come with us?" Tofu asked politely, although it was obvious he knew the answer.
"Hai, Tofu-sensei." Akane said nervously. "Our fathers' insisted-" she shot a glare in Ranma's direction "-that I go with. I won't be in the way either. I'm a martial artist too so I can help you train."
Before Ranma could do more than open his mouth for the inevitable comeback Dr. Tofu held up his hand, causing the teenager to reluctantly subside.
"I am quite aware of that Akane. However, this is special training designed specifically for one person. I'm afraid I can't allow another to come. It would defeat the purpose of the training and might even endanger it. I cannot agree to another student at this time, not even you Akane."
"But our fathers . . ." Akane tried weakly, shocked at this seeming rejection from the man she admired so much.
"When I became your family's doctor it was agreed that I would be allowed to do what I believed was best for my patients. When I became Ranma's, that applied to him as well. Saotome-san signed the papers himself. Please deliver my regrets to the two of them when you see them upon your return home."
Every word was conveyed in a polite, but firm way. There was no room for argument and no way to object short of being unpardonably rude. Akane wanted to argue but this was the one man she never wanted to be rude to. She found herself bowing in agreement and hurrying off, flustered.
Ranma stared after her in amazement, jaw dropped. He turned to Tofu. "That was incredible. How'd you do that?" He demanded.
Dr. Tofu smiled and turned. "You'll see soon enough." He said before disappearing into the night. Hesitating only a moment, Ranma followed.
--------------------------
Well? I chose Dr. Tofu over my original idea of a reality talk with Nabiki because it sounded more interesting and the good Doctor is one of the few adults that aren't trying to use him in some way. Maybe the only one. I like the 'more than what they seem' themes.
By The Unseen Watcher
See previous disclaimer.
Chapter 2
-----------------------
Ranma stared up at the night sky from his perch on the roof. I had been four months since the events on Phoenix Mountain, and in that short span of time his life had gone from weird to hellish. The failed wedding attempt and Akane's revealing to everyone that he'd said he loved her were the sparks that lit the fuse of the already explosive situation in Nerima.
Ryoga had attacked him first, of course. Then came Shampoo, Kodachi, and finally Ukyo. The last had shocked him the most. She had thrown bombs at the wedding and had been just as bad as the rest of the wrecking crew. She had attacked Akane, and when Ranma had defended her, it just got him into more trouble.
His other fiancée's were now mad at him, and Akane was mad because she though she could defend herself and resented his interference. She just couldn't realize the glaring fact that the vast majority of fighters in the area could take her down without breaking a sweat. Telling her so, in those exact words, had not been the brightest idea he ever had. An impromptu trip to Tomobiki was the result. After a long walk back he had been screamed at for being gone so long and accused of spending the day with one of his other fiancée's. His mouth had gotten him into more trouble from there.
The problem was he couldn't remember saying he loved her. He might have thought it, desperate to get her back, but he admitted to himself that the events of that day were rather sketchy. Bits and pieces of his fight with Saffron, some blurred moments of fear that the girl he had lived with for almost a year and a half was dead, and then the trip home were all he could really grasp on to. He guessed he had still been in shock for a while after that. The wedding had brought him back from his temporary mental vacation.
With the ruined ceremony over with, the old game of Who-Gets- Ranma started again, on a whole new level. Ranma felt a stab of remorse as he recalled the look on Kasumi's face a few days ago, after the latest trashing of the Dojo. The strain on her usually cheerful smile had come back to haunt him in his dreams. Kasumi, the eternally patient and accepting foundation of the Tendo household, was being stretched just a bit too thin. This time the fight had expanded to include her room, her sanctuary. With no place to retreat to gather her inner reserve, the stress was starting to wear her down.
*The last few days. * Ranma sighed and shifted to a more comfortable position on the roof, drawing his knees up to his chin. The people around him had abandoned any pretense that they cared about his opinion regarding what he wanted in his life. Any half-started protests provoked beatings, accusations of dishonor, or worse, tears. The last was a tactic that never failed to break his resolve. He knew in his gut that they weren't real tears most of the time, but try telling his heart that. He had always tried just about Anything to make them stop.
After a particular crying bout of Shampoo's for not trying her 'too too delicious Ramen made for Airen' he had inevitably given in and eaten it. The fact that it turned out to be drugged was lost on Akane, who had punted him into the stratosphere for flirting with Shampoo, and eating someone else's cooking when he still wouldn't eat hers. She had become very territorial lately.
*Akane. * he sighed. Just when it seemed that they were starting to get along better, something happened. Since the wedding her defensiveness was worse than ever, blaming him more and more for what he had little control of and generally acting as though the whole situation was designed to annoy her. Hence his most recent little trip over the district.
By a strange twist of his luck he had landed at Doctor Tofu's. Almost in the man's lap. The unruffled doc had calmly treated his bruises and Ramen-induced haze. Ranma helped him repair his roof, which gave them a chance to talk.
Ranma had wanted to ask something for a while, but had always felt it was too stupid. Now, alone for once without any distractions, he decided he had little to lose and took a chance.
He was helping to nail a board in (with his fist), and kept glancing nervously up at the older man. "Is there something you want to ask Ranma?" Tofu asked without turning around, making the young martial artist jump. Fidgeting nervously, Ranma finally blurted. "Um, doc. What does it feel like when you love someone?"
Ever since the wedding the question had increasingly preyed on his mind. Everyone else seemed to think it was important, and he wanted to know why.
At this Tofu looked up, work forgotten. He gazed off into the distance, a silly smile creeping onto his face. Ranma sweated, hoping he hadn't sent the doctor off the deep end into 'Kasumi- land.'
"When you love someone." Tofu said finally. "You want to make them happy. Nothing makes you feel as good as when you see them smile. You want to be with them more than anything else in the world. Most of all you hope they feel the same." He added, sighing.
Ranma frowned, trying to process this. "So you don't want them to be sad? I feel that way about all girls." He said.
Tofu smiled. "I know Ranma, and that shows what a good heart you have." Ranma shifted uncomfortably at the compliment. He wasn't used to it. Anyone else he would have thought was teasing him, but he knew Tofu was sincere.
The doctor smiled at the young man's squirming. He was such a naïve child in so many ways. "That's not a bad thing, Ranma. Few people have one as it is. You should be proud."
Ranma looked unconvinced, but didn't comment. Tofu continued. "Love isn't just being IN love you know. There's also love for your friends, your family. People you care about."
Ranma thought about it. Yea, he kind of cared about Ucchan. She was his first friend, his buddy. Though she hadn't been acting like one much lately. As for family. . . He grimaced as he thought of his old man. Definitely nothing there, though he still didn't want him hurt or nothin'. Not too badly anyway. And his mother. . .well now that he wasn't living in mortal fear of her katana things weren't bad between them. She just had a bit of an obsession with how a true man should act that still made him a bit uneasy. "Families love?" he said aloud to himself.
Tofu nodded, slightly puzzled by the question. "Yes. Families are where you learn how to love." Thinking the problem was they'd never said so aloud he added. "They show you how they love you by how they relate to you. How they act toward you.
Ranma mulled that over. He thought he had it. "So what you're sayin' is that whenever pop sells me for food or teaches me a dangerous technique it's because he cares?"
Tofu frowned. "Well, no. . ."
"How about when Akane makes me eat her food when she's never even bothered to look at the recipe and it makes me sick for a week?"
Tofu winced. "Not exactly. . ."
"Oh, then how about when Nabiki blackmails me into doing something or Shampoo and Ukyo fight over me and drug me and . . ."
"Enough!" Dr. Tofu shouted, shocking Ranma out of his litany. The doctor gazed sternly at Ranma, looking at him carefully. Finally he shook his head. The boy wasn't being sarcastic. That was actually what he thought caring was all about. *Why shouldn't he? * he reflected sadly. *He's never known anything else. * Here before him was a young man of almost 17 years who hadn't a clue what normal family life was like. His medical instincts shuddered back from what everyday living must be like for someone who thought being used was a form of love.
Looking again into Ranma's mystified face he decided on a plan of action. A crash course in real life. And he knew just how to catch his interest.
"Ranma," he said, putting on his usual smile. "How would you like to go on a training trip with me?"
Ranma blinked. He couldn't have heard right. "What?"
"Come on." Tofu encouraged, his face practically beaming with optimism. He decided to bait the hook. "I know a few techniques that you don't know about yet."
Ranma lit up. The possibility of learning new martial arts techniques immediately taking precedence over his confusion at the other's odd behavior. "Sure! When do we start?"
Tofu smiled. "As soon as you've told your family that you're leaving and I've made arrangements around here, and had a talk with your teachers."
Ranma's face fell. That meant the doc still wanted him to do school stuff. But it was worth it if he taught him some new things. He'd been kind of bored lately since mastering the Forbidden Techniques and his chi attack. He winced. Telling the others that he was leaving for a while wouldn't go over too well either. He'd have to make it quick.
Tofu noticed the reaction and inwardly felt sympathy for what the boy was going to go through. But after standing idly by as the friendly neighborhood medic for so long, he decided that it was about time to do something. Dr. Tofu was not as oblivious as he looked. He knew just how bad things had gotten for the young martial artist, but he'd had no idea how truly ignorant Ranma was about life.
That was about to change. Just a few stops and a quick call to his mother.
**
Ranma came out of his musing when he heard Akane calling, her voice telling him clearly just how unhappy she was at the moment. Shrugging, he jumped off the roof to grab his pack and head out.
That night, Ranma made his way to the clinic. He was not in high spirits and the reason walked on the ground next to him, scowl in place. There had been an uproar when he had announced the training trip and a lot of arguing and wailing. It had finally been decided that his fiancée MUST go with him. It would give them a chance to get to know each other and be alone and blah, blah, blah. How could he concentrate with the tomboy there to slow him down and, worse, try to feed him her cooking? Akane wasn't happy about it either, but there was no budging their two fathers when they thought up one of their brilliant plans.
Ranma got to the clinic and jumped off the fence. The lights were out, which was strange. Trying the door he found it locked. Turning to Akane he was just about to comment when. . . "Hello Ranma." Came Tofu's voice calmly from the shadows. Ranma jumped a few feet and landed facing him. How could he still do that? Ranma was a lot better than when they had first met, yet he still couldn't sense the guy if he wanted to go unnoticed.
"Hello to you too Akane." He added, stepping out into the open. Akane bobbed in a nervous bow, her face slightly pink and her hands twisting the tie on her pack. "Are you planning to come with us?" Tofu asked politely, although it was obvious he knew the answer.
"Hai, Tofu-sensei." Akane said nervously. "Our fathers' insisted-" she shot a glare in Ranma's direction "-that I go with. I won't be in the way either. I'm a martial artist too so I can help you train."
Before Ranma could do more than open his mouth for the inevitable comeback Dr. Tofu held up his hand, causing the teenager to reluctantly subside.
"I am quite aware of that Akane. However, this is special training designed specifically for one person. I'm afraid I can't allow another to come. It would defeat the purpose of the training and might even endanger it. I cannot agree to another student at this time, not even you Akane."
"But our fathers . . ." Akane tried weakly, shocked at this seeming rejection from the man she admired so much.
"When I became your family's doctor it was agreed that I would be allowed to do what I believed was best for my patients. When I became Ranma's, that applied to him as well. Saotome-san signed the papers himself. Please deliver my regrets to the two of them when you see them upon your return home."
Every word was conveyed in a polite, but firm way. There was no room for argument and no way to object short of being unpardonably rude. Akane wanted to argue but this was the one man she never wanted to be rude to. She found herself bowing in agreement and hurrying off, flustered.
Ranma stared after her in amazement, jaw dropped. He turned to Tofu. "That was incredible. How'd you do that?" He demanded.
Dr. Tofu smiled and turned. "You'll see soon enough." He said before disappearing into the night. Hesitating only a moment, Ranma followed.
--------------------------
Well? I chose Dr. Tofu over my original idea of a reality talk with Nabiki because it sounded more interesting and the good Doctor is one of the few adults that aren't trying to use him in some way. Maybe the only one. I like the 'more than what they seem' themes.