Chapter 6 Changes
Once they reached his mother's home, Ranma wasn't surprised to see a light still on, shining through the living room windows, even though it was around three in the morning. After taking their shoes off at the front door, they walked hand in hand into the living room to find Nodoka sleeping on the couch. As Ranma neared her, Nodoka's eyes opened and she said, "How's Nabiki? When Tofu called to tell me what had happened, he wasn't sure she would pull through. He said something about how he wasn't sure she wanted to come back." She sounded a bit puzzled by what he had meant.
"I think she's fine now, Mom. She woke up an hour or so ago and we talked. We wouldn't have come home if we thought there was a problem still. She knows that she has friends and family that care for her, now. She even wants to help get us married," Ranma replied.
A look of relief passed across Nodoka's face after hearing those words. Akane said, "We still have a lot of issues to deal with, Mom, but it sounds like this mess may have taught Sis something." Akane sighed and continued, "It certainly taught me something as well. I still have issues with anger that I need to work through. I don't know how much of what I did caused Nabiki to get as depressed as she did. She says it wasn't my fault, but I don't believe her. I had to have at least contributed to driving her to this." She broke down crying. "I almost lost my sister because of my anger," she sobbed.
Ranma held his fiancée in his arms, looking helplessly at his mother. Nodoka said gently, "Daughter, we all behaved badly. I said several things to her that I deeply regret as well. I spent several hours since Tofu called thinking of how we had parted, and wished that I could have unsaid some of the things I said. I only hope she can forgive me as well."
Ranma looked at his mother and said grimly, "Mom, Genma was the one who drove Nabiki to do this. You should have heard the things he said to her the finally pushed her over the edge. Before he can do any more damage, I need to take the mastery of the school away from him and then drive him away from Nerima. I hope that's okay with you, but I can't let him destroy anything or anyone else. I have to sever all ties that he might have with me."
Nodoka gasped and then replied, proudly, "You need to do what is honorable, Ranma. I will support you in whatever you must do." Her eyes softened as she saw that Akane had cried herself to sleep in Ranma's arms. "We can discuss that later, son. Right now I think Akane has the right idea," Nodoka said lightly.
Ranma chuckled and said, "I think you're right. Morning is going to be early enough as it is." He swung Akane up into his arms, smiled at her sleepy protest and said, "Good night, Mom. I'll see you sometime this morning. Sleep tight." He walked out of the living room and upstairs to the room that Akane was sharing with him. He carefully laid her on the bed, and then realized that she would be extremely uncomfortable in her street clothing. Blushing, he slowly undressed her down to her panties and then put her in her favorite pair of pajamas and slid her under the covers. He quickly stripped down to his boxers and undershirt and joined her. He kissed her goodnight and then rolled over and went to sleep.
It was mid morning before Ranma woke up from a dreamless sleep to see Akane's gorgeous brown eyes gazing at him. She impishly wrinkled her nose at him and then kissed him passionately. When they finally came back up for air, Akane asked, shyly, "Did you undress me last night?"
Ranma blushed and replied, "Yeah, I didn't think you wanted to stay in what you were wearing. It didn't look too comfortable. I hope I didn't embarrass you or anything."
Akane smiled and said, "Not really, I guess. After all, we'll be married soon."
Nodoka knocked on the door and said, "Breakfast is ready, you two sleepyheads. Kasumi just called from the hospital. She would like us there as soon as possible."
"Okay, Mom," Akane said, jumping out of bed, "There's nothing wrong with Nabiki, is there?"
"No, Nabiki's fine. It's something about what her father said on the phone when she called him this morning bothered her," Nodoka replied.
"Come on Ranchan, we'll need to hurry in the bath. You'd better share it with me," Akane said.
Ranma blinked in astonishment, not believing what he had just heard. He got out of bed and grabbed a change of clothing and followed Akane down the hall to the bathroom and followed her in.
He asked, "Are you sure about this, Acchan?" Then he realized the question was moot as she began to unbutton her pajama top. Ranma turned his back and began undressing. Once his clothing was off, he rinsed his body down with cold water. Shivering with the transformation, she soaped her now wet body down and then rinsed off again. Grabbing a towel, she entered the warm waters of the furo and changed back, trying not to blush. Wrapping his towel around his waist, he went back into the changing room, trying not to look at the nude body of his blushing fiancée.
Akane quickly took her clothing off; disappointed a little that Ranma had turned his back to her. Using the bucket of cold water, she rinsed herself off, and then cleansed her body with the soap. Using several buckets of cold water, she rinsed herself off. Grabbing her towel, she began drying herself off, giggling at the attempts that Ranma was making to keep from staring at her. After waiting a moment, she gathered her courage and walked into the changing room after her fiancé. He was struggling to get dressed. She took her clothing and began to put them on slowly, enjoying the reaction of her fiancé.
"Acchan," he said in a voice suddenly tight, "What's gotten into you?"
She replied, giggling, "Nothing, yet." She lifted one eyebrow archly as she began to put her bra on. Ranma groaned as he turned around and pulled his pants on over his boxers. Without waiting to put his shirt on, he ran out of the changing room, leaving the door open. Akane couldn't help laughing at the expression on his face as he left.
Nodoka poked her head in the door and gently began laughing. "Daughter, that was cruel. You know he wants you so badly," she said, trying to regain her control.
Akane snickered and said, "It's not like we haven't seen each other this way before, Mom." Then she blushed, as she added, "I'm just glad to know that I have that kind of effect on him. I've always been worried that he doesn't find me sexy."
"I think we can rule that out, dear. But you're right, it's always good to know how we affect our men," Nodoka replied as Akane finished getting dressed. They shared a laugh as they headed for the dining room for breakfast.
As his mother served breakfast, Ranma hugged his fiancée. He whispered something in her ear, which caused Akane to turn bright red. Nodoka smiled to herself, thinking, 'I've got to get these two married, they're such a cute couple.'
"Mom," Ranma asked, as they began eating, "What was Kasumi worried about, could you tell?"
"I'm not sure. She really didn't say other than her father's tone of voice worried her for some reason," Nodoka replied.
Ranma pondered that for a while, and then said, "I'll see you two at the hospital. If Kasumi's worried about Nabiki, then I need to be there now."
Akane stood up and responded, "If you think it's important enough to skip breakfast for, then I'm going with you."
Ranma smiled at her and said, "Works for me, are you ready to run?"
"But what about breakfast?" Nodoka protested to an empty room. She sighed as she finished her meal. She stared unseeing into the distance as she thought. Then her expression firmed as she went into the living room to pick up her family honor blade. 'If Ranma is worried, I may need this,' she thought to herself as she headed toward the hospital, leaving the dishes behind.
Ranma and Akane raced to the hospital, with Akane keeping up quite well, much to Ranma's surprise and secret elation. Arriving at Nabiki's room, they found Kasumi and Tofu in the room. To their disgust, Kodachi Kuno was in there as well, badgering Nabiki, trying to find out Ranma's whereabouts, and ignoring Kasumi and Tofu's attempts to force her out of the room. When Kodachi saw Ranma, her face lit up and she danced over to him.
"Ranma, darling, where have you been? Has this harridan spirited you away somewhere?" Kodachi asked, completely missing the clenched teeth and brilliant battle aura of the man she was addressing.
"Kodachi, get the hell out of here. I'm not interested in you, I don't love you and in fact, I actually despise you," Ranma said heatedly.
Kodachi paled and asked, "Ranma, darling, what witch has cast this spell on you to make you say such hateful things?"
"Kodachi, if you don't leave now under your own power, I will toss you out," growled Akane, "This is for family only and you aren't welcome here." She moved forward as if to carry out her threat.
"How boorish," Kodachi huffed, "I'll leave you alone for now, Ranma darling." She attempted to kiss him, but Ranma ducked out of the way and pushed her out into the hall. She stared back at him in shock, and then realized how angry he was. She said, "I'm not done with you yet, Ranma," as she stormed off down the hall.
"Are you okay, Sis? That bitch didn't hurt you or anything, did she?" Akane asked, worried about the pallor on her sister's face.
Nabiki took a deep breath and relaxed. "No, she didn't hurt me. She just wouldn't leave me alone. She burst in here a few minutes before you guys got here. Kasumi and Tofu tried to get her to leave, but they were too nice about it," she replied, "I'm okay now."
Ranma asked, "Do you know when you can come home from the hospital? The sooner we get you out of here, the better I think."
Tofu cleared his throat and replied, "Actually, she should be able to leave today. That's what I was trying to tell Nabiki before we got so rudely interrupted. They want to check on her in a little while, and then she can be discharged."
"Okay, that sounds good. Now, Kasumi, what did your father say to get you so worried?" Ranma growled, still trying to get his anger at Kodachi under control.
"Calm down first, Ranma," Kasumi said gently, "You don't need to be growling at me. After all, I'm not Kodachi."
Ranma grinned sheepishly at her and responded, "Sorry, Kasumi. You're right of course; I don't need to take my temper out on you. Kodachi just wasn't someone I wanted to deal with today. She's enough to try the patience of a saint, and Kami knows that I'm a far cry from one of those."
"That's all right, Ranma. I understand completely. I was about ready to toss her out on her, uh, ear when you showed up. Bothering my sister like that was inexcusable," Kasumi said with a glint in her eye that Ranma found disconcerting coming from the normally placid Kasumi.
"Hey, don't take your anger out on me," Ranma teased gently.
Kasumi giggled for a second and then she sighed as she remembered his original question. She replied, "When I talked to Father this morning to tell him that Nabiki was fine, he was extremely distant with me. He also kept rambling on about family honor and Nabiki. He wasn't making a great deal of sense, I'm afraid."
"Well he probably spent a large part of the night talking to Genma and drinking. Between the idiocy that Genma was spouting and what probably is a major hangover, I'm surprised he was even coherent enough to talk to you anyway," Ranma said with a smirk.
"I wish I was sure that was all it was. Father can be so easily led sometimes," Nabiki said sadly, "I should know, I've done it often enough in the past."
The door opened and a grim looking Soun walked in, followed closely by Genma. "I would like to speak to my daughter alone," Soun said coldly.
"Fine by me, I need to talk to Saotome here anyway," Ranma said with a smirk as he grabbed Genma by the arm and dragged him protesting from the room. Akane and Kasumi looked at Nabiki, who nodded. They left, followed by Tofu.
Soun gazed at Nabiki as she slowly sat up in her bed and stared back at him. He looked very uncertain now that Genma was no longer there to encourage him, but then he remembered what Genma had told him last night while they where drinking and his face firmed up. His eyes flashed with anger as he asked his daughter coldly, "I want to know why my daughter felt like she needed to kill herself yesterday. What did Ranma do to you that would cause you to want to do that? Or was it the shame of being deserted by your lover for another?"
"Nice to see you too, Father. I'm doing quite well, thank you for asking," Nabiki replied, in an ice-cold voice. Then, her face flushed with anger, she continued, in that same unemotional voice, "Father, I've never had a lover, so there was no lover to desert me."
"You don't have to lie about Ranma. His father told me the truth about him last night," Soun began.
"Genma wouldn't know the truth if it reached up and bit him on his furry ass!" Nabiki exploded, "Ranma had absolutely nothing to do with why I tried to kill myself. In fact, of all of the people I talked to, including you Father, he was the most sympathetic and willing to forgive. If it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't be here talking to you now!"
"Why are you still trying to protect Ranma?" Soun said bitterly, "He tried to ruin your life."
"Father, you're a fool if you think that Ranma has done anything to me. No, the only Saotome that did is that freeloading excuse you have for a friend. If anything, Genma's the reason I finally snapped. Anything he has told you about Ranma is a lie. He is just trying to excuse his own conduct and try to shift the blame to someone else!" Nabiki said in ringing tones that echoed through the room.
Tofu burst into the room and asked heatedly, "What are you trying to do to my patient, Mr. Tendo? I don't need you in here upsetting her."
"This is between me and my daughter, Tofu," Soun replied.
Tofu said coldly, "Not where the physical, mental or emotional health of my patient is concerned. If you can't keep from agitating her, I'll have to ask you to leave."
"Not until I've gotten the truth about what happened from my daughter," Soun said, angrily.
"I've told you the truth, Father, you just chose not to hear it. All I want now is for Akane to wed Ranma and be happy," Nabiki replied. For the first time since he had starting berating his daughter, Soun looked unsure of what he thought.
Tofu barked, "That does it. Out, Now!"
Soun took one look at his son-in-law's face and realized that he had stepped across a line that he shouldn't have crossed. "I'll be back to talk to you," Soun snapped at his daughter as he thoughtfully walked out. There he found a wild-eyed Genma being confronted by an icy-calm Ranma.
"You heard me, Genma. Tomorrow at five o'clock, be at the sports field at the high school. You have dishonored the Saotome School long enough and I will take the school away from you," Ranma said coldly as he handed Genma a formal letter of challenge.
Ranma nodded coolly to Mr. Tendo and made to leave when Tendo stopped him. "What's all this about, Ranma?" Tendo asked.
"Just what I said. It's time the Saotome branch of the school has a new master. The reputation of the current one is soiled by what he has done in the past," Ranma said, glaring at Genma. He said to Soun, "I'd like you to witness the challenge, Mr. Tendo. After all, you are the master of the other school of Anything Goes."
"Son, you don't have to do this," whined Genma.
Eyes blazing in fury, his battle aura flaring larger than Genma had ever seen, Ranma said in a deadly emotionless voice, "Like I told you before, I'm not your son. You destroyed that relationship with what you have done." Genma slowly backed away, watching Ranma nervously.
As Genma turned to flee, he saw Nodoka standing there with her katana, her eyes cold as ice. She pointed to a chair and said, "Sit. Stay. Don't talk." Genma opened his mouth to protest and then closed it with an audible snap and sat down.
'I need to find out the truth,' Soun thought. Soun hesitated and then asked, "Ranma, could I talk to you please?"
Ranma looked puzzled, but he shrugged his shoulders and followed Soun over to corner of the waiting room where they could talk without being overheard. 'Remember what Nabiki said about her father. He thought he was doing the honorable thing. Probably shouldn't stay angry with your future father-in-law, anyway,' Ranma thought to himself.
"Ranma, do you love my daughter?" Soun asked.
Ranma said, "I love Akane and I will marry her. I would like your blessing and permission, but it will happen. If you're talking about Nabiki, I care for her and think of her as a sister. She realizes that now. Is that what you were wanting to know?"
Soun frowned and said, "That's not what your father told me last night. He said that he has seen Nabiki come out of your bedroom early in the morning on more than one occasion."
"Mr. Tendo, if Genma said that, he's lying. There's only one woman for me and that's Akane. On my honor, I've never had sex with anyone, much less Nabiki. We went out on a few dates before I settled on Akane, but she just wasn't the right girl for me," Ranma said, "We don't have a lot in common. I just wish I knew what Genma thinks he is doing, lying like this. It doesn't make any sense. It's not like him to stay with a plan that's failed as badly as this one."
Soun looked at the puzzled expression on Ranma's face. He wondered if it matched the expression on his face, for he felt extremely confused. Everything that his old friend Genma had said had been categorically denied by the very two people involved. He knew how much that honor meant to Ranma after watching him the past year, so he felt sure that Ranma was telling the truth. "I need to think about what you've said, Ranma. I have to admit that I'm completely confused right now about what has happened. I do know that I owe you thanks for saving Nabiki. I'm sorry that I haven't had an opportunity to tell you how grateful I am that you did," Soun said quietly, "Thank you for saving my daughter's life. I am in your debt." He bowed with respect to the younger man, surprising Ranma. Ranma bowed back in response.
Ranma thought for a second and said, softly, "Whatever may have happened between us, she's still someone I care about. I saw she was hurting yesterday, but I wasn't quick enough." He hesitated and then said, "Nabiki doesn't need to be around Genma, Mr. Tendo. She's firmly convinced that he is the one who drove her over the edge. Knowing him, he'll say something to depress her again.""
Soun nodded and said, "I understand, perhaps she should stay with your mother for the night. I'll talk to Nabiki and ask what she wants to do." Soun began to walk over to where his other two daughters were quietly talking with Shampoo when Kasumi looked up and saw him. He froze not believing the frown of disapproval that flashed across her face. His hand went involuntarily up to his face and rubbed the spot that she had slapped last night. Saddened, he turned away, realizing that while his daughters may have reunited because of last night's actions, they were still angry with him and not yet ready to forgive him.
Ranma stared after Soun as he walked towards his daughters. Ranma sighed as he saw Kasumi frown at her father. 'Man, I sure hoped that last night had helped with that. Doesn't look like it has, yet,' Ranma thought. Ranma walked over to join his fiancée and the other two girls. "Kasumi-chan, he's hurting too, you know," Ranma chided gently, "Both you and Akane have to talk to him eventually."
Akane reached out her hand to Ranma who clasped it with his. She looked at her father standing alone with his back to them, his shoulders slumped, and sighed, "You're right, Ranchan. I need to talk with him." They walked slowly over to her father and Akane said, softly, "Father, I think it's time we talked." Ranma slid one arm around her waist for comfort.
Soun looked up, his eyes dull with pain, and smiled sadly, "Yes, Akane, I think it is as well. This should have been a time of happiness for you, and instead we've turned it into a nightmare. I thought I was doing the right thing, the honorable thing, I hope you know that."
"Father, I know that. What hurts is that you didn't ask either of us; you just believed Nabiki and Genma. You sent me to my room, and didn't even tell me what was wrong. You just said that I couldn't marry Ranma," Akane replied, "I had already made up my mind that we were leaving. I'm just glad I refused to obey, and listened from the head of the stairs."
"I think I'm glad you didn't listen to a foolish old man as well," Soun said ruefully, "You're correct, I should have talked to you both first before going off half-cocked the way I did. I guess I'm just too easy to manipulate. As your sister told me yesterday, I need to grow a spine. Can you forgive me for being so weak?"
"I don't know, Father. It will take some time before I can, I'm afraid," Akane said, "Ranma and I are getting married. I'd like your blessing, but it will happen."
Soun smiled gently, "Yes, I know. Ranma has already told me that, equally forcefully. I find that reassuring in a way, actually." He hesitated and then asked, "Nabiki wants you wed as well. Why is that?"
"She wants to atone for what she did, Mr. Tendo. Nabiki said she took a look at what she had become and didn't like who that was," Ranma said simply, "All three of your daughters want Akane and I to wed, and I know that I want the father of my bride there as well. Think about what we have said, that's all we can ask. Also consider the only one who is still trying to keep Akane and I apart and how reliable a person he has turned out to be."
Soun looked at them, his eyes troubled. "I hear what you say, Ranma, Akane. I don't have an answer now, daughter. I need to understand what has been told to me and determine the truth," Soun replied, "I want my family back together, and I will do what it takes to make that happen."
"What we have told you is the truth Father," Akane said, coldly, "If you want your family back, you need to decide who you believe, the daughters that you raised or the man you hadn't seen since you trained together before we were born. Come Ranma, I'm afraid we may be wasting our time here."
Ranma shrugged apologetically and followed Akane away. Soun stared at them wistfully and then left the waiting room to find a place to think. "Akane, we need to talk to Mom," Ranma said as he steered her over to Nodoka. "Mom, can Nabiki spend a couple of nights at your house? There's an unhealthy atmosphere at the Tendo's, and I think she will heal faster in more pleasant surroundings," Ranma asked.
"Certainly, dear. I should have offered already," Nodoka replied, "Her bedroom is the last place she needs to be for a while. One of us can run over later and pack another suitcase."