Chapter 4

New Defaults on Life

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"So, children, what would you like to know?" She had come to the room to see all three sitting on the bed, facing the lone chair Kasumi kept in her room…now their room. It was no surprise that Ranma was still in the middle of the two, or that both were holding him with their arms wrapped around him, their heads against his chest.

"First off, why are they holding me like this?" Ranma tried to sound annoyed at the situation, but it failed to come through his voice.

"They are like that because of the Soul Bonding. Since the barriers to keep their souls inside their bodies are still weak, they seek the support that is now being offered by your body. As a result, they are unconsciously seeking to be closer to you. You will find that each of you is drawn to the others now, both for support and for life. The distance you'll be able to allow between yourselves will increase as time goes on. Soon, you may even be able to stand being more than three meters from each other. But for now, the closer you are, the faster your souls will heal."

Nabiki looked towards Cologne. It showed on her face that she was trying to use her own thoughts for what she wanted to ask, not wanting to sound like Ranma had when he called for Cologne. "Exactly what do you mean 'for life'?"

"I mean that, right now, Ranma's barrier is supporting yours and Kasumi's. To that effect, distance will weaken the support it can give you. In time, it will not matter, as your own barriers will heal enough for the energy you need from Ranma to shrink. But for now, the distance of even more than a few meters might cause you to pass out and die. Now, while Ranma may survive if one of you should pass on, he will not survive both, as the link will drag his soul to the next world following the last of you." Cologne made certain each person could see her eyes, to convey how serious she was. "Ranma can not be apart from you right now, or all three of you will die. It doesn't matter how odd or personal the situation is. The Soul Bond doesn't care if you get embarrassed that he now has to bathe with you or be with you when you go to the bathroom. It doesn't care if you need to go across town to three different places. It doesn't care if you are uncomfortable with someone holding you or even if you despise the person next to you. The only thing it cares about is maintaining the link between your souls until all three are healed.

"This technique used to take months to recover from, but since you all awoke this afternoon, it would suggest that Ranma's strength is allowing the healing process to race along. You two may even be able to go to school next week, but do not be surprised if you do miss a few days."

The reactions were mixed.

"Bathroom! Oh my, that isn't proper."

"Bathe with them! I ain't a pervert!"

"School! Like Kuno-baby would let him in the classroom."

It wasn't who was supposed to be saying these things. Nabiki made the bathroom comment. Kasumi had said the comment about bathing, and Ranma had finished it off about the school, trying to hold down what contents he had left in his stomach after saying the phrase 'Kuno-baby'.

Cologne allowed herself to laugh. "Of course. All of you stink right now worse than a Musk male in mating season. I would suggest a bath after this. I do believe your furo is large enough for all three of you. Just remember to get your bathing supplies together. I would hate for you all to drop dead for such a stupid reason. And eventually, even you Ranma will have to go to the bathroom."

All three got extremely red-faced with embarrassment. Kasumi tried to compose herself and get more information, but it was hard with the embarrassed thoughts and dreams going through the younger children's heads. "Elder, what else results from this technique? I recall from Ranma's memories that you said it was forbidden."

Cologne lowered her head, knowing that none of them were going to like this, with the exception, perhaps, of Kasumi who had, in her opinion, always seemed a little off about the good doctor leaving town. "The Soul Bond often results in changes in how those affected perceived each other. The attachment—even after the souls are fully healed—was often permanent. In effect, those that survived became emotionally and physically dependent on each other, almost like those drugs certain thugs peddle. When you are healed, distance won't be a concern, but separation for long periods will be. For all intents and purposes, those who became joined in this way have to spend the rest of their lives together, married if you will."

"WHAT?"

She was surprised they had responded so vehemently and in perfect unison. "You each now know more about each other than most married couples learn in a lifetime. You have seen events through their eyes, with all feelings attached at a level that would make one believe it had really happened to you. You have combed through thoughts that even a trained psychic could never find. Tell me: does what you are doing now, did waking up in bed this morning, did any of that feel wrong to you in the slightest, or did it feel like you were doing the right thing?"

None of them answered. Each one was trying to figure out if anything they had felt was weird or like it was wrong. But they each had to admit that they felt no guilt, nothing wrong with waking up in each other's arms. Nothing felt off about how they were holding each other now. All of them admitted that it felt right; it felt good that they were now the way they were. They were no longer alone, no longer feeling like they were destined to be without the happiness found in love.

Love? Is this really love, or is this just the technique trying to keep us together?

"Cologne, are you certain about this? It ain't fair if Nabiki and Kasumi gotta spend the rest of their lives with me. They deserve to find happiness with someone better than me." Ranma forced that out. He never wanted them to hate him if they were forced, and he wanted them to find love with someone normal, not a chaos magnet with a…curse. "Shit, what about my curse? What'll that do to them?"

Cologne sighed. "This is not the first time the technique was used where there was a Jusenkyo curse involved. Your curse will not affect them, though they will have the same numb feeling that you have when you shift forms. We learned of that, and believe me, they were glad that one of them remained human. Though I understand that lady did enjoy that her new husband turned into a horse. Nothing perverted occurred, mind you, they were rumored to spend many afternoons just galloping around the countryside.

"To your other question, you are all now bonded in a way not even true soul mates can attain. Ranma, Nabiki, Kasumi, for all purposes, you are now together…from here to eternity. Whether you believe the love that the link forges is false or not, it will not change. Separation will cause each of you to feel the pain, and all it takes is one of you to be happy for the others to feel that as well. Face it, you two girls just won the fiancée wars. You are now with Ranma, and I assure you, he will make you happy." She flashed a smile of knowing, having heard certain things from Shampoo.

It got the desired effect: the three immediately flushed red though Ranma still looked somewhat confused at the hidden meaning in the comment.

Cologne made her way to the door before stopping, turning around to face the 'newlyweds'. "I would suggest going together to get your bathing supplies together and taking a bath. It will allow you to talk about things now and experience what the resulting numbness of the curse is like.

"By the way, Ranma, do you remember a girl with white hair named Kito? You would have met her shortly after you left Ukyo."

Ranma turned towards her, ignoring the comment about bathing. He was still uncomfortable with the idea of being nude in front of the two girls, let alone them being nude in front of him. Even though he had lived through their memories, and they had seen themselves nude, it still did not alleviate his feeling that it was improper. "Uh, not really. That whole time frame is kinda a blur thanks to that damn Cat Fist training."

Cologne watched all three shiver slightly at the mention of the training, and the momentary memory flashes that accompanied it. I will have to see if Xian Pu can help them over it. I wouldn't want to take the chance that their cat-sides might try and separate. Though it is more likely they would try and mate with the connection as it is. "Very well, I shall pursue the matter further with your father. For now, get cleaned up."

She left the room, silently laughing at the fact that Ranma would now have to bathe with the two attractive ladies, but saddened that Genma was still her only source of information.

I'll just have to be certain he tells the truth.


Kenosuke began to look at the bubble that contained all the memories and essence of Ranma Saotome, the boy who should have helped his daughter. While he was not as rested as he had hoped, what he learned of from the orb had proven quite illuminating. While it was true he wished Genma to die—as well as a few other miscellaneous tortures for what he had seen him do to his son—he was finding it harder and harder to blame Ranma. He had seen the boy grow mentally from the rube his father had been when they had arrived on his doorstep. He remembered how Ranma had taken to weapons—a fact which had made his father quite angry—when he himself had explained to Ranma that certain creatures out there could not be fought with even a gloved fist; since without a weapon, any touch would result in their own life force being drawn into the creature.

The child had shown many signs of becoming a true man, a person of honor and integrity that none could surpass.

But for some reason, the child after the barrier seemed to have reverted back to his old ways of thinking. Could whatever had happened have been so bad that even the growth of that time was lost to him? Could that event that caused the block have been so horrible that everything before and after needed to be suppressed?

His searches for such events rearing themselves in the child's future thoughts had revealed only one thing: an intense fear of cats.

Kenosuke tried to recall exactly what event could have triggered this, believing it had something to do with the missing tomes that Genma had stolen. He had written off those books as either thrown in the trash or burned in a camp fire. They had been easy enough to replace as they were all copies. The originals were kept in a family vault and had been easily copied through magic.

But now he sat before a laptop, a search running on books and things in his library that Genma had taken that might cause an intense fear of cats. He hoped that learning of this might explain the block, and give him the power to perhaps break through it.

I have been a fool. I sent a demon after an apparently innocent boy and allowed two others to be caught in this battle.

Have I really allowed my own personal vendetta to go so far?

He shook his head, casting another glance at the screen before wandering back into his thoughts. Even if Genma had tried to back out of their agreement, he thought for certain that Ranma would have tried to maintain it. The boy had shown a greater amount of honor than he father ever had. If he had ignored it, if he had proven as bad as his father, then Kenosuke had felt justified in using such a demon against them, believing it would have served them right for what they had cost his daughter.

But should the child have no recollection of the promise, should the child have suffered something to make him forget—and judging by the child's memories, create a plethora of holes in his memories—then he had become as guilty as Genma Saotome, ignoring the consequences of his actions.

But he had a chance. He knew he would make certain Genma would pay. Right now, he could think of several Hell-type dimensions where the demons would keep Genma alive almost indefinitely, torturing him while keeping him alive to feed them with his fears, his screams.

The beeping of the computer brought him back from the delicious thoughts of what to do to Genma.

But what he saw on the screen nearly made him physically ill. No, please let it not be this!

The screen merely said the section name from a book of unbeatable techniques: The Nekoken.

His normally analytical mind kicked in. The good news was that if this was what had created the block, then it was still possible that Kito could complete her destiny.

The bad news was that, in the process, Ranma might very well lose his soul.

So much for redemption.


While they had gotten their bathing supplies together, as well as a change of clothes for afterwards, it was still a tense situation. As much as Ranma flaunted his female form, he wasn't all that comfortable seeing either of the Tendo girls naked.

It was similar for Kasumi, who, while having had baths with her sisters when they were younger, felt uncomfortable doing it as adults, and with Ranma, felt it improper and scandalous.

Nabiki was the least nervous of the three, knowing for certain that she had a great body. And like Ranma with his female form, she had no problem flaunting it when she wanted to. But even she was forced to admit some uncertainty about bathing with the Chaos Magnet and the Angel of Nerima.

Of course, with their minds linked, these feelings just built up on one another. They stood for several moments in the changing room, eyes closed and trying to decide how to undress and wash without exposing themselves to each other.

"Screw it!" Nabiki opened her eyes and began undressing. "Just remember we've seen each other's memories. We know what we look like naked, and this is no different." A small mischievous smile spread on her face. "Besides, it isn't like we're just going to jump into a full blown orgy here."

The comment did what it was meant to. The other two people opened both their eyes and mouths as wide as they could and looked at Nabiki, before snapping them closed. "It was an accident, I didn't do anything wrong."

Nabiki began to laugh, trying to push away the ingrained fear that was coming from Ranma and had caused Kasumi to duplicate his actions. "Ranma, none of us are Akane. We aren't going to hit you for seeing us naked. Besides, you better get used to it lover-boy, considering you're stuck with us until you drop dead."

She laughed again as Ranma opened his eyes to try and rebut her statement, only to catch her playfully stretching to show off her assets.

After finally disrobing and opening their eyes, they only managed to stare at each other for a few more moments before moving to the wash area. The three stools were moved close together, as Ranma filled a tub with cold water. "Okay, prepare yourselves." When both girls nodded that they were ready, he upended it over himself.

"Holy shit!" exclaimed Kasumi.

"Oh my!" exclaimed Nabiki.

Both girls wrapped their arms around themselves, trying to ensure that they hadn't change as well. A complete feeling of numbness spread throughout their bodies. Both girls looked over their bodies, making certain nothing had changed, before turning towards Ranma, who had a worried look on her face.

"Ranma, does it always feel like that?" Kasumi had never had such a feeling before. While it had only lasted less than a second, it still felt like it was bouncing around her nervous system.

"Every time, but it's happened so much, I don't even feel it anymore. Hell, I don't even notice sometimes unless people point it out."

The girls filled up their own buckets and doused themselves.

Soon all three were scrubbing away the dirt from yesterday, staying quiet as they each feared a wrong comment might end up starting things or discussions none were quite ready to have.

It'll have to be talked about sooner or later. We can't keep quiet about these issues, about these thoughts, about these feelings.

We need to be open about this, no more hiding behind masks and behind false bravado.

We need to grow together, or we will fail.

But for now, let us enjoy that we are not alone.

Upending a second bucket over their heads to wash off the soap, they made their way to the hot waters of the furo. "Guys ready for the change back?"

A small nod was all he got from them.

The three slowly began to settle into the hot water, pausing momentarily for the numb feeling that passed between them as Ranma returned to his male form.

"Ranma, I can honestly say I don't know how you're used to that."

He turned to smile at Nabiki. "Hey, at least it's only a numb feeling. Just wait until the tomboy decides to try and mallet me. Or worse, feed me."

Kasumi looked at him as they settled into the water, her arms going around his chest, reforming the hug they had in the bedroom. "Oh my, Ranma. I don't think Akane will try anything with us like this."

Nabiki could only growl, her mind being hit with Ranma's suppressed anger over Akane's outbursts and her own disappointment towards her sister from Akane's outbursts towards her. Even Kasumi's disappointment of Akane, for having broken her promise not to hit Ranma when he first arrived, found its way into her thoughts. "Right, like she's ever thought first before acting. Face it, Sis, she'll hit us in a second just for us talking to or touching Ranma. She's done it for less. Hell, I'm just as worried Ryoga will forget and attack him as well. Ranma isn't exactly up to one hundred percent."

"Enough of this, guys." Ranma tightened his grip on the girls, drawing them tighter into the group hug as they leaned against the side of the tub. "Forget about what's waiting for us out there. For right now, let's just sit, soak, and relax. I just hope the old ghoul made us something to eat."

They could only laugh and giggle as their three stomachs all growled at the prospect of being fed when their bath was done.


Cologne stood at the table again, watching as Mousse began to bring the blowtorch closer to Genma's hide. Apparently the fool had tried to make a break for it while she was discussing things with the newly bonded trio. The idiot, did he believe he could skip out on something this large?

She shook her head. My age is catching up with me. I had forgotten this is the man who sold his son so many times. "Mousse, please back away from him, but feel free to cut off a finger with your dullest blade should he feel inclined to skip out on us again like the lowly coward he is."

Mousse turned to her, showing a sad face. Turning off the torch, he slipped it and the gas tanks into his robe before removing a rusted sword and holding it above the body of the fat martial artist. "As you wish, Elder. Is there a preference of which hand or finger you wish me to begin with?"

Cologne hopped over to Genma. "I haven't thought of any, but I will leave that up to you. But that won't be necessary, will it, Genma?" She smiled as evilly as she could.

She was rewarded by Genma shaking his head at a speed that would have snapped a weaker man's neck. "Good. Now explain who these people are. Remember, there are no more second chances. It is literally do-or-die for you.

"Now, who are these people?"

Genma swallowed his fear, trying to convince himself that Cologne did not make him afraid.

He was doing a poor job at it. "They are Kenosuke and Kito Okari. We met them after we separated from the Kuonji family. They were supposed to be strong fighters, and I wanted the boy to learn from them. All he did was learn from that girl how to fight small imps and summon them. They were nothing but demonic summoners. The only good thing I got from them was the book on how to train the boy in the Nekoken."

"GENMA NO BAKA!"

Cologne raised her staff quickly to block the incoming blow from Akane. "Child, we need him awake to answer our questions. Afterwards, I am certain you, Ukyo, and my great-granddaughter will be more than willing to teach him why his stupidity is his own fault."

Turning back to him, she began again. "Did you promise Ranma to them for anything?"

"Kenosuke wanted Ranma to assist his daughter with some ceremony when she turned sixteen. I sort-of promised to have him there, but we were delayed in China."

Cologne didn't buy it. "You mean you went to China, and either forgot about the promise or just didn't care."

Genma tried to look outraged at his honor being questioned. "How could you believe such a thing?"

Ukyo decided to answer that. "Let's see. You dropped me by the road after promising my father that Ranma would marry me. You taught your son a technique that clearly said it would drive him insane. You took him to Jusenkyo."

Akane rang in. "You sold him for two fish, a bowl of rice, and a pickle. You hide him from his mother because you tricked him into signing a seppuku contract with her. And just now, you tried to run away and leave not only Ranma, but my two sisters behind to deal with the mess you made. Does that prove how honorable you are?"

Shampoo looked at Cologne, confusion on her face. "Great-grandmother, why Airen's mother think stupid panda-man able to raise Airen to be 'man among men'?"

"I don't know, dear. But I do know, after we are done with Genma, we will have to discuss that with her. She cannot be allowed to try and carry out that contract with three lives hanging in the balance."

Genma now looked confused. "Um, who's the third person? I know there's me and the boy—"

Cologne smacked him as painfully as possible on the head with her stick, while making certain he would stay awake and lucid. "You weren't included. I was referring to Ranma and the two Tendo daughters. There isn't a person here that cares if she kills you."

Genma looked to his best friend, hoping for support in escaping this unjust assault on him. Or at the very least, some validation that he was honorable.

The look Soun gave him showed him he would get no support from his former training partner. Turning back towards the others, he began to speak. "It doesn't matter what you think, the boy is responsible for the deal. He agreed to return. Was it my fault he forgot?"

"It may very well be, Genma." Cologne's eyes bore into him. "The boy was able to recall the Hibiki boy with some clues, he even recalled Ukyo when she first arrived by the smell of her food. But he himself has said his recollection of the time after leaving her is fuzzy at best. I believe that is the time you taught him the Nekoken. Tell me again, where did the book with that technique come from?"

He tried to appear to be thinking it over, but was fooling nobody. He finally relented when Mousse's sword came closer to his left hand. "I think the boy took it from their house. Oh, the dishonor of having a thief for a son! What did I do to deserve such a thing to happen to me?"

Cologne smacked him again. She would have continued, but Akane's hammer on his right foot shut him up. Blocking it was unnecessary, as a broken foot would still allow the idiot to talk. "Now, if you are done pretending to be innocent in front of those who know you for the pile of shit you are, maybe you will inform us of the specifics of the agreement you had with the Okari clan. Or should Mousse skip simply removing a simple finger and start with the whole hand? Perhaps the foot injured by Akane's reply to your declaration of innocence was too much pain?"

Genma wisely shut up crying about his foot, ignoring the throbbing coming from it. She had not severely injured it, but he did not feel it was wise to inform them of it for fear Cologne would 'correct' that mistake. "The boy was supposed to participate in some ceremony with that Kito girl. It was supposed to be some great honor, and the father kept rambling on about how they were lucky to find such a soul as the boy.

"Besides, what's the worst that could happen if he missed it? It was just some stupid thing called the Ascension."

Cologne's eyes widened to the farthest they could, before she lashed out and struck a pressure point on Genma's back. As she began removing his bindings, she talked to the others. "If you are wondering why I didn't use that point before, I was cautious in case they attacked again and we needed his help. But now, I don't care." She tossed the fat martial artist into the yard, everyone watching as he landed and stayed in the same sitting position he had been launched from.

She turned towards the girls. "Now understand this: I don't care if you three kill him when you beat him, just know what he has done. The ceremony would have done nothing to Ranma, other than leave him tired for two or three days. But to that girl, missing it cost her more than anything you can imagine, and was a greater dishonor to her than even your code of bushido can understand. Because of this, her family will feel justified in any attack against Ranma and those near him.

"I will not explain what the Ascension ceremony is at this time. But feel free to beat the hell out of him. He won't be able to move for twenty-four hours, so he won't run away from your vengeance. Just know that, because of him, Ranma is now beyond each of your reaches. He is forever bound to both Kasumi and Nabiki in such a way that none of you will ever match the love he feels for them."

She turned towards Genma, a smile on her face but her eyes showing the disgust she had for the man. "Enjoy."

Genma never even got to say "Eek" before the three enraged women fell onto him, weapons raised to deliver their justice. He only had one thought. This is the boy's fault!


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.