Chapter 30 Uniting the Schools

Akane stood next to the two beds, watching her two daughters' sleep, looking like little angels. Akane snorted at that thought, remembering the fuss they had made that evening after dinner was over and Cologne, Shampoo and Ryoga had gone home. First, the fuss they had made about taking their bath, and then the struggle to get them dried and into their pajamas. Even with Ranma's help, it had taken over a half hour of chasing the two little girls as they ran naked through the house, laughing with glee at their escape. Once they had finally settled down for their bedtime story, though, Ranma had vanished.

At the time, while it had disappointed her, since she was hoping to talk to Ranma about what had happened with his father, it hadn't surprised her. She knew that he was still very upset by the innocent question that Cologne had asked earlier that had inadvertently caused such a problem. Akane was glad that the soothing ritual of getting the girls ready for bed and then reading their favorite bedtime story had allowed her to regain her composure. She squared her shoulders, her face set in a determined mask. 'It's time, no damnit, it's well past time for us to talk about this. It's tearing him apart inside,' she thought, 'I have to help him get past it.'

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Once he had helped Akane get the two squirming, giggling, little bundles of energy he called daughters dressed for bed in their identical pajamas and finally settled in bed, Ranma flashed an apologetic smile at Akane and ran away. He needed some time to himself to think, and he wanted the solitude of his favorite spot for thinking, but he hated the thought that he was running away from his problem. That reminded him entirely too much of his father's, no he angrily corrected, Genma's reaction to any problem and Ranma had sworn an oath to himself that he would never be like that bastard.

After climbing out onto the roof, he sat cross-legged on the shingles, and closed his eyes, trying to get his thoughts and emotions under control. 'Cologne's question shouldn't have upset me like that,' Ranma thought, 'It's been several weeks since it happened after all. I need ta talk ta Akane so that I don't push her away. She knows there's something wrong with me.' Slowly, he pulled himself together, bringing his anger under control.

Cologne sighed as she watched Ranma sitting pensively on the roof. After watching the obviously internalized struggle going on within Ranma, she saw that he had finally calmed down enough for her to approach him. She cleared her throat, causing Ranma to jump in surprise. "Well, it seems like I can still sneak up on you after all, Ranma," she said with a dry chuckle, "Apparently this old ghoul hasn't lost her touch completely!"

Ranma laughed weakly as he opened his eyes to see Cologne standing next to him. "Hello, Cologne. Yes, I guess I was a million miles away, lost in the empty space I call my mind. Were you able to cure Ryoga and Shampoo?" he asked.

"Yes, grandson, they're cured. I've never seen someone so happy, either. I couldn't handle all that much youthful enthusiasm, so I decided to come back here to let you know that it worked. You're sacrifice wasn't in vain," Cologne replied.

Ranma relaxed, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Then he said, "That's wonderful news, great grandmother. I was so worried about Shampoo. I didn't know what would happen if she got wet while she was pregnant, but I was so afraid that it wouldn't be good. I'm so glad now she's cured so we'll never have to find out."

Cologne looked thoughtfully at Ranma as she pondered that possibility. Troubled, she said, her face turning a bit pale, "I don't think I've read anything about what would happen. When I get back, I'll do some more research and let you know what I find out. I'm glad that it's a moot point as far as my great granddaughter is concerned. I think you were wise to be concerned, however." Cologne hesitated, letting the silence last for several minutes. Finally, she asked softly, "Grandson, I'm sorry for upsetting you at dinner with my question about your father. Is there some way I can help? If for no other reason than to begin to atone for all of the problems that I caused you and Akane in the past. You're an impressive young man, and I'd like to be your friend, if I can."

Ranma sighed as he shifted his position to face straight at the Amazon elder. "I think I'm ready ta talk about it finally. One of the reasons I was up here was ta face what had happened. I had allowed myself ta pretend that nothing was wrong, but you've acted as a catalyst today ta force me ta face my anger. Ya need ta know about it anyway, since I'm gonna need your help," he said.

"That was sufficiently cryptic enough to get my attention Ranma. That was worthy of being something that I would have said. Are you sure you're not an Amazon elder in disguise?" Cologne cackled.

Ranma cracked a bitter smile as he replied, "I'm not sure how well ya knew Genma, Cologne. I'm sure ya recognized that he was lazy, dishonest and had no honor. What ya may not have know, since I mostly missed it until we came back, is exactly how poor an opinion he had about women. I guess that was one of the reasons he hated my cursed form so much as well."

Cologne grimaced as she answered, "I have to admit I basically ignored him. As far as I could tell, he was essentially worthless as a father, and basically a coward. He was someone who couldn't see past his own appetite. Of course as an Amazon woman, I'm somewhat predisposed to think most men aren't worth much myself. I would say because of that, I wouldn't have realized that he didn't think much of women."

"It was bad enough when he came back and moved in with us," Akane said quietly from behind Cologne, "He made some sort of insulting comment that morning about how unworthy a girl was to be a martial artist. I pounded him flat because of that comment. Ranma felt sorry for him because of the way Mom and Dad had treated him, but as far as I was concerned, he was skating on pretty thin ice." Akane knelt next to Ranma and put her arms around him. "It's okay, dear, we can get through this if we're together," Akane whispered softly to Ranma.

Ranma sighed as he relaxed in his wife's embrace. He added, "And the situation kept getting worse. One of the things that I had regretted for some time was how my casual insults in the past had hurt Akane. Even though I had apologized for them and she had forgiven me, I knew that they had hurt her deeply and made her doubt herself. And then ta see the same petty and mean-spirited behavior from Genma just made things worse. It started bringing back old memories ta both of us. Akane was feeling miserable, and I did nothing ta stop it!"

"That's not really true, love. You talked to him several times about how he needed to stop the insults. You just trusted him to actually do what he promised he would do. You're just too honorable sometimes for your own good. You think because you behave honorably, the person you're dealing with will behave that way too. Genma did stop though, at least when you were around. It was only when you weren't home so you couldn't hear him that he would make those kind of disparaging remarks," Akane said gently.

"Surely there had to be more than that, or Akane wouldn't so actively despise him and you wouldn't be so angry," Cologne said, her wise eyes surprisingly gentle. She was pleasantly surprised that the two young adults were being this open with her, but then realized they were really talking to each other in an attempt to get the other one past the pain that Genma had caused.

"It finally came to a head one evening several weeks ago. Genma thought Ranma was out for the evening over at Tofu's clinic, and was really being disgustingly rude. I think he made had made a pretty good dent in the sake again. Unfortunately for him, Ranma had returned much earlier than either of us had expected, and was standing outside the dojo where I had been exercising. When Genma accused me of deliberately providing weak girls that were unworthy of being trained in the family school, and that he couldn't wait any longer for a male heir, Ranma exploded and threw him out of the house and forbade him ever to ever set foot in it again," Akane said.

"And then that bastard had the gall ta sneak back into the house in the middle of the night. Somehow, he had come across some packets of Instant Nannichuan, and had made up some of the spring water. I guess he hadn't read the instructions all the way, probably because he still can't read much Chinese, because later on I found out from him that he thought it would be a permanent curse, not a temporary one. Anyway, something woke Akane up and she went into our girls' bedroom. He had packed up a few things of theirs, and was standing over Kimiko's bed. He had already poured the water on her and I guess it was the noise she had made being woken up by the cold water that had roused Akane. He also had made some with hot water as well, but hadn't had a chance ta use it yet. He obviously was planning on stealing our daughter and raising her as a boy." Ranma continued, his battle aura flaring slightly with his anger.

"I saw him there, standing over my daughter and realized what he was doing. I attacked him, screaming in rage. I don't know what happened next, except suddenly Ranma was there in front of him and I was lying on the floor in pain, with what we found out later were a couple of badly bruised ribs. Kimiko and Nodoka were crying out in panic and suddenly Ranma went berserk. He tossed Genma through the window with one hand, and then went out the window after him. I hobbled downstairs to see Ranma beating Genma to a bloody pulp." Akane said, a tear trickling down her cheek.

Ranma spoke then, his voice harsh with emotion, "I came within inches of killing him, Cologne! If I hadn't heard Akane yelling at me ta stop, I probably would have. He had scared my girls and hurt my wife. I wanted ta kill him for that. I can't forgive him for making me feel that way. I can't forgive myself for wanting ta feel that way. I've killed someone who threatened Akane once before and I never wanted ta feel that empty again. I'm a martial artist sworn ta defend the weak, and Genma almost drove me ta the point of killing again!" He broke down then completely, tears streaming down his face as he cried in his wife's tender embrace.

Akane hugged Ranma hard and said fiercely, "You did what you had to do to protect me, to protect your family, Ranma. I knew that hurting your father that bad was bothering you; the nightmares that you've had since, that you'd never tell me about, those were clues enough. I could never get you to talk to me about it before, but I knew something was eating you up inside. I felt so helpless until now." Akane looked gratefully over Ranma's shoulder at Cologne and mouthed the words, "Thanks, Cologne."

Cologne growled angrily, "Grandson, you should have killed him! He deserved it hundreds of times over for the hell he put you through. The idea of stealing one of your daughters away from you, to have her undergo the same abuse that he called training that he put you through, that alone would justify his painful death in the eyes of anyone who knew the truth."

Ranma chuckled weakly, and said, "Still a bloodthirsty Amazon warrior, aren't you old ghoul?"

Cologne sniffed disdainfully, and replied, "No, that sentiment has nothing to do with being an Amazon. Instead, it has everything to do with being a woman and a mother."

"Actually, dear, I agree with her," Akane said wearily, "If it wasn't for what killing him would have done to you, I wouldn't have stopped you. But I knew that no matter the provocation, you didn't want his blood on your hands. Hell, just look at how much of an emotional wreck you are just for hurting him badly. Anyway, Cologne, that's the story. Now you see why that bastard is no longer welcome in our home and why we know longer recognize his existence. No one else knows what happened that night. Ranma was so ashamed that he had lost control like he did that he didn't want anyone to know. He visited Genma once in the hospital and told him that he was no longer part of our family and that Ranma had disowned him as his father."

Ranma added, "Once we calmed down, and we were able to change Kimiko back, the two girls were okay. Kimiko is young enough that I don't think she realized that for a few minutes she was a boy, not that she would have known the difference anyway. I don't think she took any harm, but we will keep an eye on her. Anyway, Genma got out of the hospital several days ago and disappeared. And that brings us back ta you, Cologne. I have no idea where he is or where he is going, but I'd like ya ta have your people keep an eye out for him if he heads ta Jusenkyo. He's stupid enough ta try finding some more spring water and trying that stunt for real."

"If our people find him, they will kill him. Especially after I tell them this story. I know that we haven't shown you this side of us, but we are extremely sentimental, especially about our children. And whatever else is between us, I consider both of you my children," Cologne said.

Ranma tiredly rubbed his eyes and said coldly, "If he shows up there, then he deserves whatever happens to him. I no longer care. I couldn't have killed him and then lived with myself. But I won't lose any sleep if someone else does."

"That's blunt enough, child," Cologne said grimly, "I think I'll head on back to your parent's house, and send a message to the village. If he does come there, I want to ensure that he receives the welcome he so richly deserves."

"Thank you for listening, Elder. I think you've helped us more than we can possibly repay," Ranma said, with Akane nodding in agreement.

Ranma hugged Cologne, almost causing her to fall off her cane in surprise. Cologne sniffed, moved more than she wanted to admit, and said, "Goodbye, you two." She sped off, hopping from roof to roof until she was out of sight.

"I'm sorry I was shutting you out like that Akane. I blamed myself for letting you get hurt, for not protecting our girls from him, and I just couldn't forgive myself for that happening," Ranma said. Akane silenced him by kissing him passionately, squeezing him tightly with her embrace.

Once she came up for air, Akane said quietly, "There's nothing to forgive. I'm your partner in all things, that's what you forgot. Remember our vows at our wedding, we promised to love each other for better or for worse. I'll always be there for you, just like you'll always be there for me. Now, I think it's time for my husband to take me to bed."

Ranma said, "But I'm not tired, Akane."

"Who said anything about sleeping, baka?" Akane teased, blushing slightly.

Ranma blushed as a large grin appeared on his face. "True, you didn't say anything about sleeping, did you." The two of them climbed off the roof, and entered the house.

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It was a peaceful morning in Nerima. Ryoga was feeling very good as he lay there in his bed with his eyes closed, listening to the songs of the birds outside and the sound of his wife breathing next to him as she slept. He wasn't quite sure what had awakened him from the very pleasant dream he had been having, the remnant of that dream staying with him, causing a smile to appear on his face. His life was good, his curse was gone, his wife was pregnant with their first child. Ryoga mused to himself, 'It couldn't get much better than this.'

Then he heard an odd sound coming from the bathroom across the hall, one that he had become oh so familiar with over the last few days as Shampoo had suffered from morning sickness. 'Hm,' he pondered, 'I wonder why they call it morning sickness. It seems to strike Shampoo several times during the day, rarely at morning. Oh well, I guess I'd better go check on her and see if she's okay.' He opened his eyes and got out of bed. After throwing on some clothes, he opened the door to his bedroom to step out into the hall. Suddenly he turned and looked back at the bed he had just left. He saw the lavender-haired beauty he had married still there. 'Wait a minute, if Shampoo's still in bed, then who's being sick in the bathroom?' he thought. Staring blankly at the closed bathroom door, he pondered this mystery of life.

As he stood there, the door to the bathroom opened and a dazed looking Nodoka walked out, her face pale. She was mumbling, "I forgot what it was like. It's been such a long time."

Ryoga gasped at her and asked, "Mom, are you okay? You aren't sick, are you?"

Nodoka smiled tremulously and answered. "I'm fine now, Ryoga. I'm not sick, just pregnant."

Ryoga went glassy-eyed from the shock of what he was hearing and collapsed on the floor in a dead faint. Shampoo sprang out of bed and rushed over to her husband. "What happened Mom? Why did Ryo-chan collapse?" she asked frantically.

"He was fine a moment ago, Shampoo. I was just telling him I was pregnant and he fainted," Nodoka said. She watched in dismay as Shampoo's eyes rolled back into her head as she joined her husband on the floor in a faint. "Honestly, children! Why is that such a shock?" Nodoka said peevishly, "I'm not that old and decrepit!" She filled a glass with water and splashed the two people lying on the floor in front of her.

Spluttering, Ryoga and Shampoo sat up and looked at each other. "Honestly you two. I'm not even forty yet. Granted, Soun and I weren't planning on this happening, not at our age, but I'm certainly not unhappy about it. I suspected I might be pregnant a little while ago, and I found out for sure from Tofu yesterday while you two were out celebrating your cure, so I hadn't had a chance to tell you about it," Nodoka said, in some exasperation.

Shampoo looked at Nodoka and said, sheepishly, "Sorry Mom. I shouldn't have been surprised. Especially not after the way you two carry on."

Nodoka smiled wickedly, and said, "Well, I lived by myself for ten years, and Soun has been by himself for almost that long. We have a lot of catching up to do."

Ryoga shook himself and said, "Well, I for one think it's great. I think our children will have so much fun growing up together. I also can't wait until you tell Ranma and Akane." He snickered at the thought of their reaction.

"Oh my," Shampoo said.

Author's Note: I hope all of you have enjoyed this story. I have had fun writing this one. For now at least, this will be the final chapter in this little tale, though I have some ideas for a sequel that would take place some years in the future after the new generation is a bit older. We'll see if those ideas gel into a real story.