Redefined Honor
Ch5: Welcome Ryo-oki
Many thanks to WSRaptor, for those who viewed the first draft his input should be readably apparent
Cologne restrained her granddaughter from running to her airen as she studied Ranma from under the cover of some nearby trees. She was amazed to see how much speed he had gained in such a short amount of time though his training technique may have had something to do with it. How he had found trees that could do that she had no idea. In all of her three hundred years she had not even entertained the idea of a fighting tree. Yet, there he was frantically dodging as the surrounding trees tried their best to tag him with their branches, not all of them insignificant in size.
'Time to see how good he really is' thought Cologne with a smirk. "Good to see you're taking your contribution to the tribe seriously son-in-law," she croaked as she pogoed into the clearing. As she entered the clearing, she saw for the first time the young girl that was accompanying him.
"Ack," Cologne winced in sympathy as a loud thwack filled the air as one of the larger trunks caught him and embedded him into the ground. Once again she gestured for Shampoo to remain hidden. "Damn old ghoul," she heard mumbled as Ranma slowly got up. She was impressed. Not only had his speed increased but also his endurance seemed to be nearing the lost boy's. Was there no end to his potential?
"Old ghoul?" To her annoyance, the young lady accompanying her son-in-law seemed to have heard his impertinence. What's more, she had the appearance of a brawler rather than a martial artist. 'What's son in law doing with someone like that, unless…' Cologne noticed that as soon as she had entered the clearing, the trees had stopped attacking. Was the girl responsible for the attacking trees?
"When you reach my age you'll be lucky to look half as good as I do," Cologne snapped, itching to strike the young woman with her stick. However, she realized that wouldn't be such a good idea with son-in-law approaching. This was an especially good idea since it was apparent that he had improved a great deal and would probably make every effort to defend his companion. Besides she was here to ingratiate herself with son-in-law not antagonize him.
"Mwa ha ha ha .. Old ghoul, half her age… Mwa ha ahaha!" To her annoyance the young lady had suddenly doubled over in laughter. She didn't see what was so funny as the hand on her stick continued to itch.
"That's enough Ryoko it isn't that funny," Ranma said, not looking any worse for his thumping. "Would you like to join us Cologne?" he asked after Ryoko managed to get her mirth under control. When she gestured that she would he then asked, "If your staying, would you ask Shampoo to stop hiding and come out?"
Cologne was mildly impressed. So, it wasn't just his speed and endurance that he'd been training in. 'I wonder what other surprises he has in store for me?' she thought as she asked Shampoo to come out.
"So what brings you out here Cologne?" Ranma asked as he started to prepare some tea on his campfire. 'As if he didn't know,' she thought.
"You Son-in-Law," she replied. He might have started calling her by name, but until he acceded to the wishes of her tribe, he still needed reminding of their customs and laws. "As well you know, the laws of the Amazons leave no room for discussion." She watched as his eyes started to narrow and his face hardened. She shook herself mentally. What was she doing falling back into old routines?
"There is another reason I'm here though. Shampoo and I would like to join you on your training trip." Her eyes flicked to the young lady who had not yet introduced herself. If she stuck around, she might even learn the technique of the attacking trees. At her age she didn't often get a chance to learn a knew technique and it would be interesting to see how much skill Ranma's new … friend had.
"Well, I can't realty stop you and I'm not going to give up on an opportunity for some more training. But if you've found us already, Nabiki and the gang can't be far behind, so we'll have to get moving.
Cologne couldn't believe that this was the same Ranma who had been punted from Nerima a week ago. His speech had improved, he made reasoned out decisions and his martial arts had shot through the roof. It was clear from Shampoo's expression that she was also having difficulty with the change.
"I'm sure we have enough time for you to introduce to us your friend." 'The one who had such an impact on your persona' she thought.
Ranma just blinked at his oversight. Ryoko, though, wasn't having anyone else introduce her.
"I'm Ryoko, 700 year old pirate extraordinaire." 'at least ive been on earth for 700 years' she thought. "Ranma here saved my life, so I've been helping him train as a way of saying thanks."
Cologne suppressed a cackle and Shampoo gawked. 'That young thing 700 years old?!? She's having me on. But if its true, no wonder she found the old ghoul comment hilarious. It's a wonder she didn't bust a gut.'
"Lets get going then. Ryoko can spar with Shampoo when we find a new campsite." No mater how much he had changed, Ranma would always in her opinion bend to authority. It's one of the reasons that made him such a good catch. All she had to do was look at what he endured under his father. After all, his father had abused him in the name of the art and still he would obey him. Sometimes it would take time and some convincing, but inevitably his will crumbled as events overtook him.
"Sorry Cologne, I still have a lot more to learn from Ryoko. You'll have to bring your heir up to standard yourself." He interrupted her! The male interrupted her! More, he opposed her will. Still, a backbone so newly grown would be broken easily. Cologne just added it to her list of insults from the admittingly strong male. "I would love to spar with Shampoo after you're finished with her." Cologne smiled and nodded. This male had to be wooed before she sunk her teeth in. For the last comment, she would work Shampoo so hard bringing her to her potential that Son-in-law would regret that challenge. Though he was strong and constantly surprised her, she doubted that he would ever compare to 3000 years of Amazon history.
Cologne looked sidewise at the 700-year-old young woman. She seemed to be taking Ranma's lead but the way she stepped in to introduce herself showed that she was far from subservient. Was she doing so merely out of gratitude or something deeper? Only time would tell and when it came time for some teeth sinking, she would either be an ally or a dead 700-year-old young woman.
Nothing would come between her and acquiring Ranma for her tribe. Nothing!
*****
Azusa stood before the great galactic model that showed his empire. Where once it had been a joy to marvel at the ever-changing structure, the moving bodies, the expanding clouds and the occasional nova, that joy had been eclipsed. Now he kept an eye on the tactical display that overlayed his once purely ornamental model.
Beside him stood his two wide-eyed daughters. They had never been in this room. Never experienced the joy of watching the empire that one day would be their's with a god-like view. They had never felt the satisfaction of seeing how their people had spread throughout the galaxy from Jurai and prospered.
Now, like their father, they had been thrust into a war that they had not been prepared for. A war that his people had been unprepared for. A large scathe of his empire had been shaded yellow signifying that it had been effectively abandoned. The empire didn't yet have the resources to defend it since the enemy seemed to be avoiding creating fronts. Instead, they would appear at random at one of his colonies and either destroy or seriously damage it.
They, whoever they were, had widened their net though. No longer it seemed were they satisfied with striking colonies. Ayeka and Sasami had nearly not made it from earth despite the large escort composed of the latest design of cruisers and some third generation space trees. He had asked them to accompany the escort at the last minute on a whim and it had payed dividends.
When the fleet and his two royal daughters had limped back to Jurai, he had been terrified. Less than a quarter of the cruisers and only one of the third generation space trees had returned. By good fortune, it was the one carrying his daughters. The fleet commander told him of being pulled out of FTL (Faster Than Light) travel and ambushed. Something that had been previously thought impossible.
For that to happen, the fleet's exact position had to be known along with a necessary device to disable the FTL drives. Azusa found it difficult to believe that he had a traitor in his midst. With so many dead though, he may never know. What was worse was that they had outnumbered the enemy by ten to one, a sure sign that their fleet was vastly inferior.
The only good thing that came from the disaster was that it had given his scientists a good lead on what needed to be researched. His generals had already seized the recordings to analyse the enemies' tactics and his daughters…
When the huge escort fleet had first arrived at earth they had assumed that it had come to aid their hunt for Tenchi's killer. When it had become clear that it had come to take them back to Jurai, they had protested. They had argued and they had fought the decision. However, unlike a certain rebellious son of his, they had eventually acceded to his wishes. Up until the ambush, he had not heard the end of it. It was either "Tenchi this" or Tenchi that." He had gotten sick of it. The ambush, though, had changed everything.
It had demonstrated that nothing and no one was safe. The enemy could and would strike anywhere and they were powerless to stop them. The assumption that as soon as the industrial might of the Jurian empire stirred and started massing cruisers, the war would be half over had been shattered.
Their cruisers were next to useless unless they hugely out numbered the enemy. There weren't enough nobles to properly defend the empire with their own space trees and his scientists didn't seem to be coming up with some definite answers within the timeframe given.
Unless something changed, the war would be over sooner than he liked to admit.
"Its bad, isn't it father," asked Ayeka seeking comfort from the older man.
"We're not dead yet. This war has just begun," Azusa growled as he once again called the academy for some answers he knew they wouldn't have yet. He would find a way to turn the tide of this war yet. Though he wondered what his son was up to on the unprotected earth when his home, the very empire itself, was in peril.
*****
Nabiki led the group of martial artists and hangers-on into the clearing or rather she snuck off while everyone else argued who would get to say what to Ranma first. Rumours of strange noises, flashing lights and moving trees had started filtering out of the area about a week ago. It was a sure sign that Ranma was in or had been in the area. No one could stir up trouble like Ranma. It wasn't until a few days ago that those rumours had reached her though and by that time the search party had been on the other side of the country. She would have her lackey's..er informant's heads for that slip up.
Still, it had been the best lead she had received since Ranma had left about a week ago, so she had rushed the group off as fast as she could. Though clearly, from what she could see in the clearing, they were too late. It was obvious, even to her, that someone had been camping in the clearing up until recently. The remains of a campfire and the deadened grass from where the tent must have lain were a giveaway. What interested her though was the large tree square in the centre.
It seemed incredible that the positioning of the tree was natural, but the thought of even Ranma up-rooting and replanting such a giant was equally as unbelievable. When she took a closer look, she found something written on the tree:
Nabiki, I haven't finished my training yet. When I have,
I'll return. I have some things to resolve in Nerima. It
is hard to believe how crazy things got in Nerima and
even harder to believe that I just took it all. When I
return, don't expect the same.
- Ranma
Nabiki just blinked. That didn't sound like the naïve Ranma that she knew. How Ranma of all people had expected them was beyond her. He had to be the most clueless person she knew. It's what made ripping him off so easy. There had to be some other explanation and she found it leaning against the other side of the tree. What could have been a clone of Cologne's walking stick. It was all the proof she needed that the old bat from China had started to sink her claws into him.
"Nabiki," a firm voice that reflected infinite will caused her to jump. In any of the ventures involving the usual crowd from Nerima, she was used to being the brains and leader of the group. Yet with Auntie, Ranma's mother, she got the feeling that she was just bidding her time to take over.
"You will explain this now." It was not a question. It was a command. "I have heard conflicting stories about my son from everyone from Kuno to my husband. No one has explained satisfactorily why he is not with us now. Nor why he left in the first place. I suspect everyone of lying and this message confirms it. Now while the others are still discussing my son," she paused as the sounds of fighting seemed to increase in intensity "You will tell me the truth. NOW."
Nabiki hated the dryness in her mouth, the way she felt intimidated by this older woman. If Ranma ever learned to do that, the world was in trouble. "I don't know what to say. I don't even know the whole story of before he came to Nerima."
She tried to swallow as she stalled hoping that some of the idiots would interfere but knowing they wouldn't.
"Tell me what you know." Any other time that smile probably would have come across comforting. Now it made her feel like a condemed prisoner at the gallows.
"It isn't a happy story auntie," she admitted as she proceeded to spill her guts not even bothering to hide her involvement in messing up Ranma's life.
*****
The old man listened to the message again. With the current situation on Jurai Yosho had felt it necessary to be able to be contacted. The message was from his daughter. He could barely understand her over her sobbing.
"You were right father, about everything. I have destroyed Ranma."
Once again he felt his stomach clench in sadness and anger. Whatever it was that had happened to the boy, had to be dreadful if it had brought Nodoka to this state.
"I have left Genma and the others in an attempt to find Ranma myself. It has become very clear that they will never find him before he is ready."
Yosho felt anger as he imagined what Genma had done to the boy who had shown such promise at such a young age. Hopefully that promise had been enough to carry the boy through whatever trials he had been put through.
"Please ring me if you can help me in the search. I don't have the time or the stomach to go into any more details over the phone."
Yosho snarled. If what he suspected was true and with what he knew of Genma, it could be worse. They would feel the wrath of Jurai. If the war degenerated much more, then no one would miss a few more bodies.
*****
Ryoko was dreaming. Where once she had only dreamed of Tenchi's corpse and the overwhelming grief she had felt, she now increasingly dreamed of the future and the hope she felt. She still dreamed of Tenchi and the happy times they had together, but more and more often, Ranma's face replaced that of Tenchi's.
She tried telling herself that she only stayed with him and helped him on his training journey out of gratitude. Gratitude for preventing her from making a dreadful mistake. Yet, like Tenchi, he seemed to have that naïve compassion that drew people together. A few days had become a week and then stretched a little longer than that.
But most of all, she enjoyed their sparing matches and his stories. Somehow her life didn't seem that bad compared to some of his stories. Though she knew that much like she did, he held back a few things. Despite knowing her age, he still thought that she was from earth, even after what she said meeting the Old Ghoul. Ryoko choked back laughter thinking of that. Ayeka had always loved calling her something like that, but compared to that mummy, well she still had more than a few years on her.
"Aya! What too too old brawler girl doing in airen's bed?!?"
Ryoko teleported from his bed, but not before Ranma had awoken with wide eyes. He stared at Shampoo and then Ryoko. Shampoo was dressed in what seemed to be her underwear, revealing her intention to do just what she had accused Ryoko of doing.
"What did you call me you over developed bimbo?!?," Ryoko yelled, ignoring the fact that Ranma was just standing there staring at her own and Shampoo's state of undress.
Shampoo pulled out her bonbori from somewhere and took an aggressive stance. "You is hearing me too too old hag."
Ranma's eyes started twitching at the quickly degenerating situation. Ryoko started to manifest a fireball while saying "Let's go bimbo."
Ranma started to back away. He had learned the hard way not to interfere in women's fights, especially when the insults started flying and they were excellent martial artists.
Ranma blinked as a rabbit-like creature suddenly burst from the edges of the light emitted from the campfire and landed on Ryoko's shoulder. She didn't even blink. It was almost as if she was expecting it. Weird.
"Meeeeooooowwwww," it screeched just as Ryoko launched herself at Shampoo. Not that Ranma saw any attack as he had started running as soon as the 'cabbit' had opened its mouth. "Its happening again! All over again!," he screeched and laughed madly as he ran.
Ryoko and Shampoo stopped a foot away from each other and stared at the spot where Ranma had disappeared. "Maybe we should finish this later," Ryoko offered as she left to retrieve her clothes. She had heard some of his stories, but hadn't realised it had been that bad. She was worried about her new friend.
Shampoo continued to stand in the middle of the campsite wondering what just happened.
Ch5: Welcome Ryo-oki
Many thanks to WSRaptor, for those who viewed the first draft his input should be readably apparent
Cologne restrained her granddaughter from running to her airen as she studied Ranma from under the cover of some nearby trees. She was amazed to see how much speed he had gained in such a short amount of time though his training technique may have had something to do with it. How he had found trees that could do that she had no idea. In all of her three hundred years she had not even entertained the idea of a fighting tree. Yet, there he was frantically dodging as the surrounding trees tried their best to tag him with their branches, not all of them insignificant in size.
'Time to see how good he really is' thought Cologne with a smirk. "Good to see you're taking your contribution to the tribe seriously son-in-law," she croaked as she pogoed into the clearing. As she entered the clearing, she saw for the first time the young girl that was accompanying him.
"Ack," Cologne winced in sympathy as a loud thwack filled the air as one of the larger trunks caught him and embedded him into the ground. Once again she gestured for Shampoo to remain hidden. "Damn old ghoul," she heard mumbled as Ranma slowly got up. She was impressed. Not only had his speed increased but also his endurance seemed to be nearing the lost boy's. Was there no end to his potential?
"Old ghoul?" To her annoyance, the young lady accompanying her son-in-law seemed to have heard his impertinence. What's more, she had the appearance of a brawler rather than a martial artist. 'What's son in law doing with someone like that, unless…' Cologne noticed that as soon as she had entered the clearing, the trees had stopped attacking. Was the girl responsible for the attacking trees?
"When you reach my age you'll be lucky to look half as good as I do," Cologne snapped, itching to strike the young woman with her stick. However, she realized that wouldn't be such a good idea with son-in-law approaching. This was an especially good idea since it was apparent that he had improved a great deal and would probably make every effort to defend his companion. Besides she was here to ingratiate herself with son-in-law not antagonize him.
"Mwa ha ha ha .. Old ghoul, half her age… Mwa ha ahaha!" To her annoyance the young lady had suddenly doubled over in laughter. She didn't see what was so funny as the hand on her stick continued to itch.
"That's enough Ryoko it isn't that funny," Ranma said, not looking any worse for his thumping. "Would you like to join us Cologne?" he asked after Ryoko managed to get her mirth under control. When she gestured that she would he then asked, "If your staying, would you ask Shampoo to stop hiding and come out?"
Cologne was mildly impressed. So, it wasn't just his speed and endurance that he'd been training in. 'I wonder what other surprises he has in store for me?' she thought as she asked Shampoo to come out.
"So what brings you out here Cologne?" Ranma asked as he started to prepare some tea on his campfire. 'As if he didn't know,' she thought.
"You Son-in-Law," she replied. He might have started calling her by name, but until he acceded to the wishes of her tribe, he still needed reminding of their customs and laws. "As well you know, the laws of the Amazons leave no room for discussion." She watched as his eyes started to narrow and his face hardened. She shook herself mentally. What was she doing falling back into old routines?
"There is another reason I'm here though. Shampoo and I would like to join you on your training trip." Her eyes flicked to the young lady who had not yet introduced herself. If she stuck around, she might even learn the technique of the attacking trees. At her age she didn't often get a chance to learn a knew technique and it would be interesting to see how much skill Ranma's new … friend had.
"Well, I can't realty stop you and I'm not going to give up on an opportunity for some more training. But if you've found us already, Nabiki and the gang can't be far behind, so we'll have to get moving.
Cologne couldn't believe that this was the same Ranma who had been punted from Nerima a week ago. His speech had improved, he made reasoned out decisions and his martial arts had shot through the roof. It was clear from Shampoo's expression that she was also having difficulty with the change.
"I'm sure we have enough time for you to introduce to us your friend." 'The one who had such an impact on your persona' she thought.
Ranma just blinked at his oversight. Ryoko, though, wasn't having anyone else introduce her.
"I'm Ryoko, 700 year old pirate extraordinaire." 'at least ive been on earth for 700 years' she thought. "Ranma here saved my life, so I've been helping him train as a way of saying thanks."
Cologne suppressed a cackle and Shampoo gawked. 'That young thing 700 years old?!? She's having me on. But if its true, no wonder she found the old ghoul comment hilarious. It's a wonder she didn't bust a gut.'
"Lets get going then. Ryoko can spar with Shampoo when we find a new campsite." No mater how much he had changed, Ranma would always in her opinion bend to authority. It's one of the reasons that made him such a good catch. All she had to do was look at what he endured under his father. After all, his father had abused him in the name of the art and still he would obey him. Sometimes it would take time and some convincing, but inevitably his will crumbled as events overtook him.
"Sorry Cologne, I still have a lot more to learn from Ryoko. You'll have to bring your heir up to standard yourself." He interrupted her! The male interrupted her! More, he opposed her will. Still, a backbone so newly grown would be broken easily. Cologne just added it to her list of insults from the admittingly strong male. "I would love to spar with Shampoo after you're finished with her." Cologne smiled and nodded. This male had to be wooed before she sunk her teeth in. For the last comment, she would work Shampoo so hard bringing her to her potential that Son-in-law would regret that challenge. Though he was strong and constantly surprised her, she doubted that he would ever compare to 3000 years of Amazon history.
Cologne looked sidewise at the 700-year-old young woman. She seemed to be taking Ranma's lead but the way she stepped in to introduce herself showed that she was far from subservient. Was she doing so merely out of gratitude or something deeper? Only time would tell and when it came time for some teeth sinking, she would either be an ally or a dead 700-year-old young woman.
Nothing would come between her and acquiring Ranma for her tribe. Nothing!
*****
Azusa stood before the great galactic model that showed his empire. Where once it had been a joy to marvel at the ever-changing structure, the moving bodies, the expanding clouds and the occasional nova, that joy had been eclipsed. Now he kept an eye on the tactical display that overlayed his once purely ornamental model.
Beside him stood his two wide-eyed daughters. They had never been in this room. Never experienced the joy of watching the empire that one day would be their's with a god-like view. They had never felt the satisfaction of seeing how their people had spread throughout the galaxy from Jurai and prospered.
Now, like their father, they had been thrust into a war that they had not been prepared for. A war that his people had been unprepared for. A large scathe of his empire had been shaded yellow signifying that it had been effectively abandoned. The empire didn't yet have the resources to defend it since the enemy seemed to be avoiding creating fronts. Instead, they would appear at random at one of his colonies and either destroy or seriously damage it.
They, whoever they were, had widened their net though. No longer it seemed were they satisfied with striking colonies. Ayeka and Sasami had nearly not made it from earth despite the large escort composed of the latest design of cruisers and some third generation space trees. He had asked them to accompany the escort at the last minute on a whim and it had payed dividends.
When the fleet and his two royal daughters had limped back to Jurai, he had been terrified. Less than a quarter of the cruisers and only one of the third generation space trees had returned. By good fortune, it was the one carrying his daughters. The fleet commander told him of being pulled out of FTL (Faster Than Light) travel and ambushed. Something that had been previously thought impossible.
For that to happen, the fleet's exact position had to be known along with a necessary device to disable the FTL drives. Azusa found it difficult to believe that he had a traitor in his midst. With so many dead though, he may never know. What was worse was that they had outnumbered the enemy by ten to one, a sure sign that their fleet was vastly inferior.
The only good thing that came from the disaster was that it had given his scientists a good lead on what needed to be researched. His generals had already seized the recordings to analyse the enemies' tactics and his daughters…
When the huge escort fleet had first arrived at earth they had assumed that it had come to aid their hunt for Tenchi's killer. When it had become clear that it had come to take them back to Jurai, they had protested. They had argued and they had fought the decision. However, unlike a certain rebellious son of his, they had eventually acceded to his wishes. Up until the ambush, he had not heard the end of it. It was either "Tenchi this" or Tenchi that." He had gotten sick of it. The ambush, though, had changed everything.
It had demonstrated that nothing and no one was safe. The enemy could and would strike anywhere and they were powerless to stop them. The assumption that as soon as the industrial might of the Jurian empire stirred and started massing cruisers, the war would be half over had been shattered.
Their cruisers were next to useless unless they hugely out numbered the enemy. There weren't enough nobles to properly defend the empire with their own space trees and his scientists didn't seem to be coming up with some definite answers within the timeframe given.
Unless something changed, the war would be over sooner than he liked to admit.
"Its bad, isn't it father," asked Ayeka seeking comfort from the older man.
"We're not dead yet. This war has just begun," Azusa growled as he once again called the academy for some answers he knew they wouldn't have yet. He would find a way to turn the tide of this war yet. Though he wondered what his son was up to on the unprotected earth when his home, the very empire itself, was in peril.
*****
Nabiki led the group of martial artists and hangers-on into the clearing or rather she snuck off while everyone else argued who would get to say what to Ranma first. Rumours of strange noises, flashing lights and moving trees had started filtering out of the area about a week ago. It was a sure sign that Ranma was in or had been in the area. No one could stir up trouble like Ranma. It wasn't until a few days ago that those rumours had reached her though and by that time the search party had been on the other side of the country. She would have her lackey's..er informant's heads for that slip up.
Still, it had been the best lead she had received since Ranma had left about a week ago, so she had rushed the group off as fast as she could. Though clearly, from what she could see in the clearing, they were too late. It was obvious, even to her, that someone had been camping in the clearing up until recently. The remains of a campfire and the deadened grass from where the tent must have lain were a giveaway. What interested her though was the large tree square in the centre.
It seemed incredible that the positioning of the tree was natural, but the thought of even Ranma up-rooting and replanting such a giant was equally as unbelievable. When she took a closer look, she found something written on the tree:
Nabiki, I haven't finished my training yet. When I have,
I'll return. I have some things to resolve in Nerima. It
is hard to believe how crazy things got in Nerima and
even harder to believe that I just took it all. When I
return, don't expect the same.
- Ranma
Nabiki just blinked. That didn't sound like the naïve Ranma that she knew. How Ranma of all people had expected them was beyond her. He had to be the most clueless person she knew. It's what made ripping him off so easy. There had to be some other explanation and she found it leaning against the other side of the tree. What could have been a clone of Cologne's walking stick. It was all the proof she needed that the old bat from China had started to sink her claws into him.
"Nabiki," a firm voice that reflected infinite will caused her to jump. In any of the ventures involving the usual crowd from Nerima, she was used to being the brains and leader of the group. Yet with Auntie, Ranma's mother, she got the feeling that she was just bidding her time to take over.
"You will explain this now." It was not a question. It was a command. "I have heard conflicting stories about my son from everyone from Kuno to my husband. No one has explained satisfactorily why he is not with us now. Nor why he left in the first place. I suspect everyone of lying and this message confirms it. Now while the others are still discussing my son," she paused as the sounds of fighting seemed to increase in intensity "You will tell me the truth. NOW."
Nabiki hated the dryness in her mouth, the way she felt intimidated by this older woman. If Ranma ever learned to do that, the world was in trouble. "I don't know what to say. I don't even know the whole story of before he came to Nerima."
She tried to swallow as she stalled hoping that some of the idiots would interfere but knowing they wouldn't.
"Tell me what you know." Any other time that smile probably would have come across comforting. Now it made her feel like a condemed prisoner at the gallows.
"It isn't a happy story auntie," she admitted as she proceeded to spill her guts not even bothering to hide her involvement in messing up Ranma's life.
*****
The old man listened to the message again. With the current situation on Jurai Yosho had felt it necessary to be able to be contacted. The message was from his daughter. He could barely understand her over her sobbing.
"You were right father, about everything. I have destroyed Ranma."
Once again he felt his stomach clench in sadness and anger. Whatever it was that had happened to the boy, had to be dreadful if it had brought Nodoka to this state.
"I have left Genma and the others in an attempt to find Ranma myself. It has become very clear that they will never find him before he is ready."
Yosho felt anger as he imagined what Genma had done to the boy who had shown such promise at such a young age. Hopefully that promise had been enough to carry the boy through whatever trials he had been put through.
"Please ring me if you can help me in the search. I don't have the time or the stomach to go into any more details over the phone."
Yosho snarled. If what he suspected was true and with what he knew of Genma, it could be worse. They would feel the wrath of Jurai. If the war degenerated much more, then no one would miss a few more bodies.
*****
Ryoko was dreaming. Where once she had only dreamed of Tenchi's corpse and the overwhelming grief she had felt, she now increasingly dreamed of the future and the hope she felt. She still dreamed of Tenchi and the happy times they had together, but more and more often, Ranma's face replaced that of Tenchi's.
She tried telling herself that she only stayed with him and helped him on his training journey out of gratitude. Gratitude for preventing her from making a dreadful mistake. Yet, like Tenchi, he seemed to have that naïve compassion that drew people together. A few days had become a week and then stretched a little longer than that.
But most of all, she enjoyed their sparing matches and his stories. Somehow her life didn't seem that bad compared to some of his stories. Though she knew that much like she did, he held back a few things. Despite knowing her age, he still thought that she was from earth, even after what she said meeting the Old Ghoul. Ryoko choked back laughter thinking of that. Ayeka had always loved calling her something like that, but compared to that mummy, well she still had more than a few years on her.
"Aya! What too too old brawler girl doing in airen's bed?!?"
Ryoko teleported from his bed, but not before Ranma had awoken with wide eyes. He stared at Shampoo and then Ryoko. Shampoo was dressed in what seemed to be her underwear, revealing her intention to do just what she had accused Ryoko of doing.
"What did you call me you over developed bimbo?!?," Ryoko yelled, ignoring the fact that Ranma was just standing there staring at her own and Shampoo's state of undress.
Shampoo pulled out her bonbori from somewhere and took an aggressive stance. "You is hearing me too too old hag."
Ranma's eyes started twitching at the quickly degenerating situation. Ryoko started to manifest a fireball while saying "Let's go bimbo."
Ranma started to back away. He had learned the hard way not to interfere in women's fights, especially when the insults started flying and they were excellent martial artists.
Ranma blinked as a rabbit-like creature suddenly burst from the edges of the light emitted from the campfire and landed on Ryoko's shoulder. She didn't even blink. It was almost as if she was expecting it. Weird.
"Meeeeooooowwwww," it screeched just as Ryoko launched herself at Shampoo. Not that Ranma saw any attack as he had started running as soon as the 'cabbit' had opened its mouth. "Its happening again! All over again!," he screeched and laughed madly as he ran.
Ryoko and Shampoo stopped a foot away from each other and stared at the spot where Ranma had disappeared. "Maybe we should finish this later," Ryoko offered as she left to retrieve her clothes. She had heard some of his stories, but hadn't realised it had been that bad. She was worried about her new friend.
Shampoo continued to stand in the middle of the campsite wondering what just happened.