Chapter 2
Are We Really Who We Think We Are?
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None of the thoughts made sense. They were theirs, but not theirs, but yet seemed familiar.
Please pops, I don't wanna go back into the pit, those cats keep clawing me!
That will be 5000 yen for that information.
Oh my, I hope father is OK.
Mother, why can't you accept me with my curse?
Mama, why did you have to go?
Don't worry mama, I'll take care of the family.
Quit acting like a girl, now toughen up and act like a man damn it!
Nobody messes with the Ice Queen of Furnikan High. Now pay up or get bent?
Why must Akane be so mean to those boys, they just asked her if she wanted to be Romeo?
Damn it, why is Akane always hitting me, I didn't do anything?!
I made a bundle today. Too bad little sis is always quick to jump to conclusions. I bet her and Ranma like each other way to much to actually admit it first.
Oh my, I do wish Akane would be nicer to Ranma. She really should act more proper towards him.
One thought after another bombarded their mind, each one seeming familiar yet alien to them. Finally they began to mix, memories taking on new shapes.
What, mother is alive, why do I think she's dead?
I thought mama died years ago, then where has she been all this time?
Mama came back, father will be so happy?
Damn panda, always stealing my food and waking me up to fight!
Damn Mr. Saotome, all he does is eat, and we never see his paycheck from Dr. Tofu.
Poor Mr. Saotome. I wonder why he is so rough with his son.
Damn it, why can't I simply live a normal life?
Why am I always alone?
Why can't I live outside the family?
How can I chose one girl when it dishonors the rest?
Why is it every guy goes after Akane or Kasumi? Why can't they see me?
Why can't I meet a nice older man?
Why can't I be happy?
Am I ever happy?
I…I…I think I am happy now.
Thoughts began to bubble back and forth. Neither one knowing if it was their thoughts or an alien thought. But the thoughts kept pouring in. First it was from birth, then moved forward. First their was one line, than after about two years worth of memories, another line appeared, followed by another line after another year. Soon the lines flowed together, memories mixing with memories. Three different birthday parties, three different ideas of what had happened during Christmas, three different ideas of what life was like, about who were friends, about who they were.
I will be the best martial artists in the world.
I will take care of my family. I will get them the money they need to survive.
I will take care of my family. I will be the mother my sisters need me to be.
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Ranma was the first to wake up, a feeling of peace washing over him, like he was somehow complete. It took his a few minutes to look down, to see the sleeping forms of Nabiki and Kasumi in his arms, part of him thankful they still had their clothes on.
Then the memories of yesterday hit him. He remembered the battle, watching the two get hurt, the technique quickly taught him by Cologne, the risks and effects told him.
The girls seemed to hold him tighter when he thought of the battle. He realized they were responding to the emotions he felt. So he decided to try and concentrate on happier times. He thought of how he felt when he beat Ryoga after Cologne had trained him in the Bakusai Tenketsu, when he defeated Herb and regained his male form, when he defeated Cologne and received the Phoenix Pill.
The girls seemed to smile, loosening their grip on him. I have to remember to watch what I think. They seem to be responding to what I am feeling. Oh my, I better not think any improper thoughts, but the odds of that happening are one to two.
Where the hell did those ideas come from!?
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Nabiki was trying to wake herself up. It didn't make sense, she always woke up before seven. She had breakfast to prepare and she had to spar with the idiot panda.
What a minute, don't I always sleep in late?
Why am I sparring with pops, it's not like I ain't the best martial artist in the world?
But I do need to make breakfast?
What a minute, Kasumi makes breakfast, I always sleep in. Ranma always spars with pops.
Why am I calling him pops?
Then the memories of the fight came to her mind. She watched as Ranma fought the demon, from two different angles, she watched as Ranma was knocked into the wall, she felt his anger. Then she remembered seeing Cologne, the forbidden technique, the possible side effects.
She slowly opened her eyes, looking directly at Kasumi doing the same thing. Both looked up towards Ranma, who was slowly lowering his eyes to meet theirs.
Well, this will be interesting.
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Kasumi slept in a fitful dream. It seemed like everything she had ever seen was being played through her mental eyes. But the images were jumbled, making little sense.
She is mama, but not mother.
I need to get up. I need to prepare the bathroom, make breakfast, spar with pops, balance my books, avoid talking to Akane since she is always angry at me in the morning, fix the lunches, go to school, beat up Kuno, collect the bets, do the laundry…
Oh my, I do seem to have a busy day planned. I'll have to take out pops in a hurry.
Wait a minute, why am I fighting pops again? And school doesn't again for another week.
Then the memories of the fight came to her mind. She watched as Ranma fought the demon, from two different angles, she watched as Ranma was knocked into the wall, she felt his anger. Then she remembered seeing Cologne, the forbidden technique, the possible side effects.
She slowly opened her eyes, looking directly at Nabiki doing the same thing. Both looked up towards Ranma, who was slowly lowering his eyes to meet theirs.
Oh my!?
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Ranma looked away from the two to stare at the clock on the night stand.
"Its 5:12 am," said Kasumi, her back to the clock, but knowing what Ranma had read off it.
"Do we really have to get up?" asked Nabiki
"I think after yesterday, we are allowed to sleep in late. I'm sure they can handle breakfast without us," said Ranma.
All three tightened their grips on the others.
I don't feel alone anymore.
I don't feel threatened anymore.
I feel complete.
I don't want to move from this spot.
I feel so warm, so at peace.
For the moment, I am happy.
All three closed their eyes, drawing the others closer together. Each one knew what had happened, knew that their minds were acting as one, that any new thought was both theirs and someone else's. Both knew that they may just be feeling the effects of the forbidden technique that an addiction may grow since together, they saw themselves as whole.
But for the moment, those things were of little importance.
The only thing that mattered right now was the warm feeling enveloping them, the sense of inner peace that each had sought, but only now finally attained.
So they drifted back off to sleep, not worrying about what the sunrise would bring, only that they were together, that they were content.
That they were alive and they were happy.
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Breakfast had been a somber affair.
The food served was only what had been failed to be eaten last night, reheated to be served, a silent prayer was thought by all that the trio upstairs would awaken soon, as they doubted lunch would be enjoyable at all without them.
Mousse and Shampoo sat on either side of Genma, their faces showing how little they had slept last night, returning after two in the morning. Across from him, Cologne sat, eyeing him and slowly eating her meal, staring at him as if she might leap across the table and strike him down, him not knowing that that was actually what she was thinking. Soun and Akane just sat on the sides of the table, both eating and both glancing occasionally to the stairs, hoping to see them come down. Ukyo sat beside Cologne, simply picking at her food, her face showing her fitful lack of sleep and betraying how much she had cried last night. Ryoga was beside Akane, but his mind was more on his food and the weird dreams he had last night than the fact that he was sitting next to a girl who always flustered him.
Finally the meal was finished and the table cleared by Mousse and Shampoo, both who came back quickly and stood beside Genma, who was still sitting down waiting for Soun to finish his paper so they could begin their usual morning game of Go.
Shampoo stood off to his left, her bonbori in her hand. Mousse stood off to his right, a spiked mace in his hand. Genma looked at the two and then towards Cologne. "Um, is there something you wish to talk to me about?"
Cologne smiled an evil smile; it even brought Ukyo, Akane, Ryoga, and Soun out of their stupors. "I am going to ask you some questions about some information that turned up in my investigation of who summoned the demon. If you lie to me once, Shampoo will hit you. If you lie to me twice, Mousse will hit you. And I assure you, Shampoo's hit will feel much worse than the spiked mace Mousse has. If you try to run away or change into a panda, I will hit your Cat's Tongue Pressure Point and sell you to the local zoo, after I have sent some friends an aphrodisiac made of crushed panda penis. Do you understand?"
Genma only gulped, realizing how much trouble he was in, with no way out. Even the four who were not participating in this inquisition were now staring at him, each one wondering what he had gotten Ranma into this time.
Cologne laid out the picture before Ukyo. "Ukyo, you remember what Ranma looked like when you met him at the age of six. Does he look older than that in this picture?"
She looked at it for a moment. "Yep, He's still cute as a button, but older than what he was when I first met him."
Cologne then slid the picture over to Genma. "Who are the other two in this picture besides yourself and Ranma?"
Genma stared at the picture, placing his hand on his chin. "Sorry, never met them before in my life."
"Shampoo, if you could."
"OW!" Genma began to rub his head, looking quickly over to Shampoo whom was staring at him, bonbori at her side.
"Let me ask again, and remember what you'll be hit with if you lie. Who are the people next to you and Ranma?"
Genma let out a deep breath. "Now I remember; they were some friends we met on the road while me and the boy were training."
Cologne was almost afraid to ask, but knew what he meant. "Let me guess, you engaged that white haired girl to Ranma and disappeared shortly afterwards."
"Well…"
Before he could finish, Ukyo had already hopped over the table, bringing her battle spatula onto Genma's head. She finally sat back down and looked towards Cologne. "Sorry, I just needed to do that."
"Quite all right young one, nothing important was harmed." She turned her attention back to Mousse, who was already trying to revive the now unconscious Genma. "I suspect that when he tells us the whole story, I believe even Mr. Tendo will have given him a few lashes."
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Two figures sat in the room, a penthouse in one of the more expensive hotels in the Nerima area, an area of the town not frequented by roving martial artists who tended to destroy buildings.
An old man, his beard down below his chin was sleeping on the bed, a young woman with silver hair placing a fresh wash cloth over his forehead.
"Daughter, are you here?"
"Yes father, we returned after you summoned the demon. From what reports I have heard, our target survived and killed it with one punch. When will we try again?"
The old man groaned a little. They had spent months preparing that spell, and the target simply destroyed it with one attack. He closed his eyes again, throwing out his senses. His mind's eye launched towards the remains of the target's aura. He saw him in a bed, two girls beside him, and his aura completely covering them. The damn demon must have wasted time and attacked those two. It appears he is trying to heal them. I'll have to remember this.
His sight flew out again, and saw an unconscious Genma, after receiving the attack of some girl with a giant metal spatula. I guess the stories about this town were true. There really are weird martial artists here. I mean, who attacks with an oversized kitchen utensil.
Not that I feel one moments of pity for the target. At least he lives to see the fruits of his labors.
He pulled his site out again, looking at the sign at the entrance to the house, before opening his eyes again.
"Kito, I need you to go to the Tendo Dojo and observe the target. He is currently healing two women who must have stood between him and the demon. Do not attack him, not yet anyway. Our honor was insulted together, so shall it be avenged. I want you to sample the boy's spirit and return with what you learn from it. We will need to know his capabilities before we try again. Be careful, they may be wise to us, and I am uncertain if they may detect your presence if you are close, so use your gifts and sparingly and approach on foot. Do not be seen and do not engage them. Is that understood?"
"Yes father, I understand."
"Good, now go and let your father sleep. I must rest and regain my strength."
While he returned to sleep, Kito placed her black robe on and went to the window, preparing to float towards the Tendo Dojo, her mind filled with rage. First this child betrays her and her father's trust, and then has the audacity to shack up with not one, but two women. "He will pay for betraying us father. I will wait until we are ready. But he will assuredly pay for what he has cost us."
She jumped from the window, floating towards the target's location. "Ranma Saotome, for betraying the oath we took, I shall see you dead by my own hands before this battle is through."
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If I messed anything up, then let me know including typos.
Any suggestions on how I should continue the story or improve it would also be accepted.
Also, if you have any suggestions for how this should go, let me know. My own imagination, while vast, always enjoys a new thought. Also, catch me if you don't think I am making the characters true to form, or a way to make them better.
