Thanks for the feedback: Lady Poet, glazedlookineyes101, Wonderbee31, obsidian-fox, Jerry Unipeg, vizeerlord, Tai Khan
Notes: Leftovers are evil, especially old ones, but laying still all day trying not to feel nauseous does give one time to get some editing done.
2nd chapter: Ryoga doesn't share a language with the person he bought the gun from.
3rd chapter: Ranma allows Ukyo to hold him while in the Nekoken. However, in the last two chapters there were too many people around, most of them yelling, even if a lot of them were yelling at Ryoga and Akane was the one he's most accustom to. As soon as he tries to go to her, Ryoga shoots him. After that he's wary of everyone. Cologne is being cautious, Akane is the only one she's seen him turn to while in the Nekoken, she brings the other girls, but warns them not to interfere if he chooses Akane. She didn't want Akane going into a closed space after Ranma anymore than she wanted the other two to go, but instead of arguing about it, Akane just did what she though nessicary while Cologne was arguing with Ukyo and Shampoo.
"Kasumi! Nabiki! Akane! Ranma is coming home."
Almost three years ago a similar announcement from the Tendo patriarch had been greeted with skepticism, irritation and wariness. Now the three girls hurried to the dining room, their expressions filled with excitement and anticipation.
"When will he be here?" Kasumi asked. In her head she was making a list of things she needed to pick up for a welcome back dinner.
"It's about time!" Akane exclaimed. "What finally convinced those idiots it was safe to let him go?"
"I don't know." Soun replied.
"Daddy, don't you ever ask anything?" Nabiki sighed. "Have you told the others yet?"
Sixteen Months Earlier
Nabiki hated hospitals; they made her feel powerless. All they could do was sit and wait. The doctors had told them Mousse was stable, but they step-sided the issue when questioned about Ryoga.
"I don't care if he does die." Nabiki thought. "I had things under control until he showed up with that damn gun. I'd figured out a way to handle the Kunos. Uncle Genma actually does care about Ranma, as long as it doesn't cost him anything. Ukyo was trying to help manage the fiancée situation… Okay, so I forgot about Happosai, and there's no way in hell I'm going to tell Nodoka her son got raped until she's torn up that stupid contract. I could have convinced her that it was none of her business. Once she was out of the picture we could have started making a real plan, if Ryoga and Happosai hadn't forced things. Now…"
Twenty minutes ago Cologne and the Fiancée Brigade had arrived, their mission was completed but not to anyone's satisfaction. They brought Ranma back; he was translucently pale from blood loss and her lips were blue from the cold. Cologne said the only reason Ranma hadn't bled out was that hypothermia had slowed his heartbeat.
Akane had been sedated. Ukyo was swearing vengeance on pretty much everyone. Shampoo was chewing on her nails and pacing.
Soun sat beside Genma. He patted the panda on the shoulder reassuringly.
Nodoka got up and walked toward the doors, she stood on her toes and tried to peer through the window. She didn't understand it, but she was certain everything would fall into place if she could see Ranko again. Everything was happening so fast. As soon as she walked through the door at the Tendo's everything had gone insane. Ranko-chan had been distraught. The fights, the promised explanations that never materialized, the deafening blast of a gun, blood everywhere, Ranko's strange behavior. And the way everyone kept yelling Ranma's name. She had to see Ranko again then things would make sense. Ranko had to come back through those doors; nothing would ever be okay again if she didn't.
Cologne stood by herself. She leaned on her staff as if she were feeling her overwhelming age.
Kodachi and Tatewaki walked into the Emergency Room waiting area. They were subdued. The siblings silently took a seat and joined everyone as they waited. Helplessly. Nabiki was sick of waiting, sick of feeling helpless and sick of hospitals. She was in control. She was going to do something, fix something. She walked up behind Nodoka and waited for the older woman to notice her presence.
"Why don't you tell them to stop trying." Nabiki said in a dry, flat voice. Nodoka stared down at the girl in shock. "What? You haven't figured it out? Your pretty little Ranko is actually Ranma, your son. I know you're hellishly fond of honor and ceremonies but it really would be kinder to let him die like this rather than having them save him just so you can tell him he's not good enough."
Nabiki paused for a beat. She waited until she saw comprehension in Nodoka's face. "So what's it going to be? Tear up that stupid piece of paper or tell the doctors Ranma doesn't have a life to save. Unless you really are heartless; I mean I've got the reputation but I could never ask a member of my family to kill themselves. Maybe you want to see his eyes when you tell him to gut himself.
The sound of a sheet of paper ripping in half was loud in the tense silence between the two women. Nabiki plucked the pieces of paper out of Nodoka's hands. "Alright, we'll just consider that thing null and void."
Ukyo stalked across the waiting room to confront Genma. "It's all your fault you know." She hissed. "If you hadn't driven Ranchan crazy with that awful cat-fist Ryoga wouldn't have shot him."
"Young lady, this is hardly the time." Soun reprimanded her.
"Why not? If Ranchan dies I'm gonna kill him." Ukyo stated. "It's his fault, everything's his fault. He made Ranma crazy, he brought him here, he engaged him to everyone under the sun and set us all at each other's throats. If he'd just done what he was supposed to, Ranchan and I would be happily married and none of this would have happened. Why not gets my honor back by killing that bastard… and if my Ranchan doesn't make it I'm pretty sure I'll be able to go through with it this time!"
Ukyo stole a glance at Akane. After some of the things the other girl had mumbled during her walking nightmare. Ukyo was thinking about killing her as well, but unlike Ryoga she would get the whole story first.
Soun squeezed his friend's furry shoulder. "I'm certain Ranma will be fine, he's always healed so quickly."
The panda huffed miserably.
"Can't even be a person when Ranma needs you." Ukyo said. "I guess we're lucky Ranma's mom showed up because the doctors sure as hell won't talk to some stupid panda."
Almost timidly Shampoo tugged on Soun's sleeve. He turned and watched the Amazon girl fidget.
"Is not like Shampoo cares but stupid Mousse is childhood friend and um… he going to be okay, yes?"
Soun relaxed marginally. "Oh yes, he should recover. The bullet didn't hit anything critical."
"Is good to hear." Shampoo replied.
"And the lost boy?" Cologne asked as she joined them.
Soun glanced away. "The doctors won't say. We left a message at his home and placed an ad in the papers for his parents. I can't believe he shot Ranma. What did he mean, he saw Ranma kill someone?"
"Ranma was justified." Ukyo said. "They raped him, that's why he's going cat so often. That's why he killed them."
"How is that possible?" Soun asked. Genma looked sick.
Ukyo shot a quick glare at Akane. "I don't know, but I intend to find out."
Cologne swore, vehemently in Chinese, Shampoo's eyes widened at her Grandmother's language.
"Yeah, what she said." Ukyo commented. "Whatever Ryoga saw, those bastards had it coming and if Ranchan's not okay I'll do the same to anyone even vaguely connected to what happened."
"Should not say such things." Shampoo scowled at her rival. "Is bad luck. Better to plan for how to help Airen when he feeling better."
"You could quit calling him that." Ukyo said. "I'm not just Ranchan's fiancée, I'm his best friend. He talks to me. He isn't ready to marry any of us."
"Is common knowledge." Shampoo interjected.
"But he likes you, he likes all of us, we're the only friends he's got and he's never going to be ready to choose if he thinks the other two will hate him for it. If we're fighting over him or trying to make him chose it isn't going to help make him less stressed."
There were a lot of things the police turned a blind eye to when it came to Nerima, dead bodies and guns weren't on the list. Still they weren't prepared for the fantastic recovery times of the various martial artists involved and everyone was able to get their stories straight first.
Nabiki walked into the critical care ward as if she had every right to be there and no one questioned her. After a few minutes she found Ryoga's bed and sat down beside him. Shampoo had already take care of what Mousse would say.
"Did I do it?" Ryoga asked weakly.
"Do what? Kill Ranma? No, you're not that good of a shot. It was just a flesh wound, it took hours before what you did to him was life threatening; Mousse on the other hand, well he was standing behind Ranma, in case you forgot." Nabiki replied acidly. "When the cops ask, you were shooting at a wild animal. You're in enough trouble without adding attempted murder."
"You know, I wouldn't be surprised if it were the same wild animal that killed those guys in the park." Nabiki continued. "Not that you need to feel bad for them, in their case it was karmic justice. They did set it loose after all, when they raped Ranma-chan."
"What?" Ryoga looked scared and confused. "What happened to Ranma and Mousse?"
"I just told you what happened Hibiki. Remember, when you're asked you were shooting at a wild animal, or you'll make things worse for everyone, just like you did when you fired that damn gun." Nabiki said. She got up and walked out and left Ryoga with his thoughts.
For some reason Ranma was certain he should be in a lot of pain, in reality he didn't feel much of anything. For the young martial artists the absence of sensation was worse than the anticipated pain.
Everything was fuzzy and strange. Ranma thought he heard the murmur of voices and tried to focus on them.
"You lied to me."
"No-chan, do you really think this is the right place to talk about this?"
"Husband, you haven't left this room since they brought him here. One might think you were using our son's injuries to avoid this discussion."
Mom and Pop talking? Ranma relaxed, the absence of pain suddenly made sense: He was dreaming.
"You always did over-react and jump to conclusions."
"After all the months you had my son hiding from me, I don't think it's possible for me to over-react."
"You didn't hesitate to call him your son despite his form."
What? He was a girl? That wasn't safe!
"Nodoka, I wanted you to get to know the boy before you started judging him."
He needed hot water, now.
"Saotome Genma, don't you ever tire of listening to your lies?"
Her body wouldn't move!
"Ranko was anything but your idea of a proper young lady. You didn't go running for a knife, you tried to change her. When that didn't work, when she didn't adapt to your ideal, you loved her anyway, didn't you?"
He couldn't protect himself. It could happen again! He had to move.
"You love him No-chan. You finally stopped worrying about whether or not he was perfect and let yourself love him. Was I wrong to wait?"
"Genma, tell me honestly. How much of this did you come up with while we've been waiting for Ranma to wake up?"
He had to get hot water. He needed it. He wouldn't let his body betray him again. Ranma applied his considerable will and forced his protesting body to sit up.
"Ranma, matei." Genma's sensei-tone was a greater deterrent than the hand on her shoulder. His pop would gleefully take advantage of any distraction when they sparred, the old man felt no shame at taking cheap shots, he would attack Ranma while he was sleeping but he wouldn't formally call for halt unless he was serious. That had been true for as long as Ranma could remember and he automatically obeyed. He let Genma push him back down as he took in his surroundings.
He was in a hospital, his left arm was immobilized and he was wrapped in a cocoon of electric blankets. There was an IV in his other arm the hand at the end of that arm was small and delicate, definitely his female form. His body felt numb, he'd probably been drugged. Ranma felt the panic rising again. He had to think about something else, anything else.
His mom was standing beside his dad and his dad wasn't a panda… "You told her?" Ranma asked. "I… I guess we have to do it then. You found out and you decided to tell her."
"I'm not going to ask you to kill yourself." Nodoka said quietly.
"Why not?" Ranma asked with morbid curiosity.
Nodoka glanced away. The fiancées and Nabiki had repeatedly told her to tell Ranma he passed her test, but seeing the look in Ranma's eyes Nodoka didn't think he'd believe her if she did. "Because of the mistakes I made, I don't know you well enough to have any right to order you to do anything or to pass judgment on you." Nodoka told her son. "And if I did know you that well, I would be able to bare loosing you. The seppuku pledge was a fool's promise that a very frightened young girl demanded so that she could tell herself that it was honorable to run away from responsibilities she didn't believe herself capable of handling."
"How well do you gotta know me? Look at me! I ain't any sort of 'man among men'!" Ranma wondered why he couldn't shut up. His mouth always seemed determined to get him into trouble. He should be rejoicing but all he could think was… "You're just like Pop, you talk about honor but when you don't like what it demands you toss it out the window. You think I'm not good enough but you don't want to deal with what that means."
"No." Nodoka said firmly. "I don't think your curse has any baring on the pledge. I've compromised my own honor too much to judge yours, that's all."
"Can I have some hot water?"
"It might be awkward to explain to the doctors that their patient is now a boy." Genma said. "Besides the police have been searching rather diligently for this form, they won't appreciate it if you disappeared again. The good news is I think they'll believe you if you don't remember anything."
"I killed Ryoga didn't I?"
"No. That other boy stabilized several nights ago son." Nodoka reassured him.
"How did you remember that?" Genma asked, confused. "You went cat before you could have seen Hibiki."
Ranma grimaced. "I don't know. I've been going cat so much, it's always right under my skin. What did I do to him?"
"He shot you, you defended yourself." Genma said. "And he's doing better than the doctors initially anticipated."
The stories all matched, everything was set. The idea was simple: Get rid of outsider intrusions. It should have worked.
Only the police thought if they pressed a little, they might dig up some details about the park that Ranma didn't realize she remembered, instead they triggered a flashback. After that the police had a whole lot of questions. In the end everyone agreed Ranma had acted in self-defense, but...
Mao Mo Lin was a ghost; the police didn't know about that and wouldn't have believed in him if they had. No one knew where Happosai drug himself off to and the Amazons didn't mention seeing him before they confronted Ranma. Kuno and Ryoga both refused to press charges. Ranma and Ryoga felt so guilty about how close they'd come to killing each other that they both swore that the other had only been trying to protect themselves. Once the police finished sorting out Kuno's reasoning, they suggested he be given a psychiatric evaluation. Sasuke arrived a few hours later and pointed out certain facts about the family, it was decided that the Kunos had more than enough money to be considered eccentric rather than insane.
They weren't so accommodating when it came to Ranma. The police had seen him put three-foot long, six-inch deep scores in a concrete floor; they knew he could dismember a human body in seconds. Everyone was sympathetic about the causes of his distress but it was determined that he was dangerously insane.
Ryoga pled guilty to a number of charges relating to the gun. He was sentenced to a juvenile detention center and seemed almost grateful that he was being punished.
It didn't work out very well though…
Ryoga glared at the faceless wall in his path. He was supposed to be in the classroom right now. He knew it had been at the end of this hall yesterday but some idiot had bricked up the door. He was going to be late again; everyone here got so upset when he couldn't find where he was supposed to be.
"Bakusai Tenketsu!"
At a small police station in a rural town on the island of Hokkaido the officers sat and stared as an embarrassed looking boy with cute little fangs explained his problem.
Ryoga scratched the base of his skull and glanced at the floor. "Could you tell me how to get to the Sarayaski Detention Center? I was trying to get from my cell to the classroom and I… well, I got lost. I told them I needed my pack with me. It was just lucky that my dog found me and led me home so I could grab some supplies. I know they get techy when I miss lights out, but it's not my fault. I've been looking for Tokyo for two weeks straight!"
The medicine they were giving him made his directional sense worse than ever. He couldn't find the damn door to his cell. He couldn't see the breaking points in the wall to make a new door. He was hungry and pathetic. He'd nearly killed two of the people who came closest to actually being his friends…
"Shi Shi Hokodan!"
The officers at the rural police station stared.
"Heh, it's me again. Sorry 'bout this. They said if I got lost again I should ask a police man to give me a ride back and not ask for directions."
A small black pig slipped easily through the bars on the door to his cell. The fire sprinklers had gone off again. He knew the water in the sink wasn't hot enough to trigger the change. It wouldn't be a big deal if he just went down to the showers and changed back then waited for someone to unlock the cell for him. They didn't like it when he just muscled the door open, for some reason. They were very big on him waiting for other people to unlock doors here. Which was stupid because they kept putting locked doors and walls between him and where they wanted him to be, but he was trying to co-operate, no matter how difficult they made things. He would just get the water, make his way back to his cell and wait for someone to open the door for him.
Odd, he didn't remember a tunnel on the way to the showers before.
"Hi, I was just looking for the showers this time."
The halls looked like institutional-type halls. Hopefully that meant he hadn't wandered out of the detention center. They really needed to mark the exits more clearly if they were going to make such a big deal out of him getting lost. It wasn't like he was doing it on purpose.
Still this place gave him a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. He wanted to get out of there, but it looked like the right set of halls and he was trying to take his punishment for what happened.
Ryoga turned into a room and stopped dead in his tracks. He hated it when he ended up here but he could never bring himself to turn around and walk out. He went and sat in the windowsill beside the chair.
"Hey Ranma. You're hair's almost long enough to braid again." Nervously Ryoga reached out and brushed the strands of black away so he could see Ranma's eyes. He always made himself do this, he knew what had happened wasn't Ranma's fault and this was his real punishment for making things worse.
Ryoga stared into glazed blue eyes that didn't focus, what he saw in them redefined hell. After a few minutes he started talking about anything he could think of, all the while searching for some sort of reaction, a sign that Ranma was even vaguely aware that someone was talking to him.
Several hours later one of the orderlies called the detention center and asked them to send a car over.
Shampoo fiddled with the ends of her hair distractedly. It seemed wrong, the three of them, here in the Tendo Dojo, together, planning strategy with the mercenary girl. Of course it was more Nabiki's style of challenge. Great Grandmother could have handled it, but Cologne had given up. When Shampoo tried to bring up Ranma Cologne just talked about her older sister Barrette and said it was probably for the best. Shampoo scowled; it was not for the best, it was the worst.
If Nabiki's plane didn't work she was going to smash through the sanitarium wall and take her husband back by force… only she didn't know where she'd go after that. Great Grandmother wouldn't help, the village wouldn't take them in and she didn't know how to act around Ranma any more. Nabiki's plan had better work.
Ukyo sat to Shampoo's left. The Okonomiyaki Chef's knuckles were white as she twisted her battle spatula between her hands. The spatula girl was always angry these days; a dull, smoldering anger that had very little in common with Akane's fiery temper. For the first time Shampoo could picture Ranma's so call 'cute fiancée' devoting her life to vengeance for ten long years.
As for the former violent girl… Akane sat beside her sister and watched something outside the window.
Kasumi came in with tea and a tray of snacks. When she went to pour Shampoo's tea, the Amazon girl loudly whispered. "Kitchen destroyer on happy pills? Ancient Amazon potion has same use with less side effects."
Akane frowned then got up and wandered to the far side of the room.
"Akane always took after Father most strongly." Kasumi said quietly.
"What's that mean?" Ukyo demanded.
Nabiki's reply was harsh and bitter. "That she's overly emotional, unstable and she just doesn't cope very well. Getting Ranma's practically dead body out of that hole was all that she could handle. Now if I want to fix her I've got to fix him. When we go talk to the idiots, you two just shut up and look pretty. They won't listen to some bimbo who can't learn to talk right and Kuonji, you keep on threatening them and you're going to end up in a room beside Ranma's. If you do, don't expect me to get you out."
"Now we go for baby steps. Today we don't want them to let Ranma go, we just want them to lighten up on the drugs. They're supposed to be helping Ranma, but how can he get better when all that coward of a shrink does is keep his dosage high enough to ensure that the lights are on but no one's home."
"I wish Dr. Tofu were here. He always made everything all better." Akane commented in a child-like tone.
The other three girls stared at her. Kasumi smiled. "Yes, it really would be better if Ranma were seeing someone with a more exotic background. Dr. Tofu isn't a psychiatrist, but I'm sure he could recommend someone less - nervous."
"That might actually work." Nabiki said. "It might take a while to track down Tofu and get things arranged, but Dr. Chicken Shit won't complain if we find someone to take Ranma off his hands."
