Thanks again to everyone who's been keeping up with Hidden Depths!

Thanks go out to all the reviewers, and of course my wonderful wife for pre-reading!

Here we go again!

Oh yeah…Ranma ½ doesn't belong to me…L

Hidden Depths - Chapter 3: Speaking Out

Today has been wonderful! I guess by now I should be used to the ups and downs, but I'm still adapting it seems. The more I think about it, this should seem tame compared to my life during high school, but I guess it's all about perspective. Enough babble though, it's been an exciting day! To start with, one of my old friends dropped by today completely by chance. He told me that she was going to be coming for a visit. I was speechless. She hadn't mentioned anything about a visit in her last letter, but I'm glad I'll be able to see her. She couldn't be coming at a better time since we just found out that we're pregnant! I can't wait to share the news with her.

-- --

When it came to dinner at the Tendo home, one could never really anticipate who would be in attendance. At last count there had been adopted siblings, angered fiancées, food-based monsters (thanks to Akane), and a broad assortment of generally violent people. With Genma still in the hospital with twenty fractures across six of the ribs on his right side, dinner was a calmer affair than average. Everyone was eating quietly, even Ranma which, of course unsettled everyone at the table more than a little. Since his usual method of eating consisted of seemingly levitating a constant stream of food from the serving tray to his mouth, the fact that he could be seen chewing…slowly even, could have been an indication that something was off. Of course, all good things must end sooner or later…

"Ranma m'boy…I'd like to speak to you", the dried-up prune …err honored master announced.

"Whatcha want old lech? I ain't wearin' no damn bra for ya'…" Ranma responded flatly.

At that pronouncement Soun turned white as a sheet and slowly began backing away from the table, fearing the master's wrath. Nodoka fingered the hilt of her katana absently as she quirked a brow at Happosai thinking to herself, 'He did train Genma…' Nabiki and Akane settled in to watch Ranma and the old pervert get into another fight while Kasumi took advantage of the momentary lull to move the dinner dishes away from the imminent conflagration.

"Respect your elders you young pup!" Happosai shouted. "Ahem…As I was saying…I want to speak with you…About your test for Grandmaster ranking"

Those of an imaginative bent could've heard the simultaneous blink that occurred upon the utterance of those words.

Surprisingly, Soun was the first to recover, "B…But Master…Saotome and I have…have…"

"Have been a HUGE disappointment! You, the Tendo family fountain and that fat panda…Bah!" Happosai replied heatedly.

"But…But", was Soun's stunned reply.

"Why?" inquired the pigtailed boy. "I mean I ain't got no control…I…I put Pop in the hospital…"

Hearing her son still blaming himself for his father's predicament tore at Nodoka's heart, prompting her to scoot over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. Kasumi and Nabiki's eyes met briefly and they nodded to each other, silently hoping that Ranma could get past all of this. Akane was still stunned by Happosai's statement when Ranma's caught up with her. She watched as the strongest person she knew desperately tried not to break down and disappear into the comforting embrace his mother was offering. Soun recovered a bit from his shock and turned a concerned eye to Nodoka.

Happosai surveyed the tableaux with a serious look on his face and then, with a snort replied, "Bull."

This had the desired effect of getting everyone's attention again and bringing Ranma back from the dark places his mind was trying to wander off to.

"Huh?"

"I said bull m'boy…" the old pervert explained. "Given what you've put up with over the last two years, I'm surprised you didn't crack sooner…Heh"

"Bu…But I shouldn'ta let it get ta me…I don't deserve it if can't keep control 'a myself"

Happosai directed a piercing gaze at Ranma, "Are you denouncing the Art?"

"Wha…", Ranma sat transfixed as he stuttered, "N…No"

"Then you will be testing for Grandmaster, correct?"

Everyone in the room waited in the now oppressive silence as Ranma looked stunned.

"Only…Only if ya think I deserve it…I guess"

"Good", Happosai beamed, "We'll start the preparations tomorrow then. Now if you'll excuse me…I've got to go liberate some silky darlings! Bwahaha!"

Another shared blink passed through the room as the diminutive pervert bounded out the open shogi.

"Well…That was different", Nabiki offered before resuming her meal.

-- --

Deep in the Bayankala mountain range a man surveyed a large lake nestled in a valley. 'To think all of this happened by Saotome's hand.' He nodded somberly to himself, 'It's just as well really, Jusenkyo held no cures in the first place.' The shoulder plates of his armor were all that gave away his disheartened sigh. He had pored tirelessly over all of the lore his people had collected on the Pools of Sorrow over their long history. He went so far as to bargain with the Joketsuzoku for any lore they possessed about the springs. Among all of the legends, none ever mentioned a true cure for Jusenkyo's touch, at least not one for his curse. Taking a dip in the Nannichuan would free him of the cursed form, but the memories and experiences had changed him, even if only subtly. Not that it mattered now, since the springs were merged. Even the hope of a cure coming from this tragic place was taken away. Historically the pools had merged before, with even more tragic than usual results. Bathing in the combined waters of Jusenkyo literally tore its unfortunate victims apart from all the conflicting transformation magicks. He suppressed a shudder at that thought. 'Better to be half of something, than that.'

Still, reviewing his tribe's history had been disturbing for him. Before becoming cursed himself, he felt that the practice of mating with a Nyannichuan cursed beast was a proud history. The stronger your animal bride was the better. It had made great sense for his ancestors, marry strong and your line stays strong. Those days were far behind his people now, but the royal lines still kept to the practice of marrying strong brides. Since his own unintentional dip in that particular pool however, his mind had been changing about that 'tradition'. He had to keep his curse secret, lest the traditions of his tribe land him as someone's wife. While being strong and descended from dragons was a practical necessity to lead his tribe it also meant that cursed as a female, she was a great trophy as a wife. It was these kinds of thoughts that would assault him as he lay awake at night. He had taken the monkey to Jusenkyo under the pretense of learning about women. In his folly he learned far more than he had ever wanted to know.

The dreams had only made his error worse. In some she was a sort of queen, being lavished upon by her husbands. Others featured only a single, faceless man. The common thread was the intensity of the emotions she radiated. It hadn't helped that she knew next to nothing about females of the species before she was cursed. When she began bleeding inexplicably she trusted no one in her kingdom to explain what she was experiencing without revealing her secret. So, fearing for her life, she disguised herself and went to Nyuchezuu to seek out the Amazon healers and ask them what it meant. Was she ever surprised when they welcomed her with open arms. They informed her what her time meant, and what it could mean for her. She was both grateful and terrified as they explained other things as well, distinctly female things. It had been her hope to get away from the Amazon village completely unnoticed, but that simply wasn't to be. Instead she found herself faced with a small, old woman perched on a cane.

"So, Son of the Musk…Did you find what you were looking for?" the old woman asked.

She boggled at this, "How did you know it was me old one?"

"Quite simple, your aura and your mannerisms gave you away, even though you are Jusenkyo's child now."

"I am sorry to have intruded, I meant no harm", the younger said sheepishly.

The elder nodded at this, "Very well Son of the Musk…I will not reveal your presence here."

"My thanks old one", and with that she made haste away from Amazon lands.

It was after this that his dreams began featuring the tiny ones, babies as they were called. The first time she woke from that dream she had cried, softly so as not to wake her two retainers, from the immense sense of loss. Never had she heard anything about children or the child-bearing process before visiting Nyuchezuu, having spent most of her life being groomed for the throne. Internally she was aghast, she was a powerful warrior, the prince of the Musk, she should not be crying over such a small thing. Over the course of her journey to find the Kaisuifuu she began to understand by watching those she passed that perhaps children were no small thing.

Once he managed to unlock his curse he sought to stay away from all water, thinking that the dreams would stop once he regained his birth form. It was not to be. The dreams still assaulted him, regardless of what form he slept in. He hoped Saotome would be able to provide answers or some type of insight to his dilemma. Answers or not, Herb still found himself hoping that Saotome would take him up on his offer of a vacation of sorts. Herb watched the evening horizon with a small smile on his normally stoic face, and set off to return to his home.

-- --

Nodoka Saotome had many things in common with her son. Things like a strong sense of honor, an inability to lie well, and at the moment, an impressive bustline. Not exactly a trait she anticipated having in common with her son but, she could deal with it. 'She really should at least consider wearing a bra', Nodoka thought as she watched her child wring the pond water out of her shirt. Following supper Ranma apparently decided he had needed a swim and kindly asked Akane to help him with his diving technique. Actually he had mumbled something along the lines of, "Thick thighed gorilla", a shouting match ensued and Akane walloped him with her mallet. Given Akane's level of practice and the direction of the wind, the splashdown was inevitable, as was the contralto cry of "What'dya do that for!" Nodoka absently wondered if Akane had ever considered taking up golf.

'No better time than the present I suppose', Nodoka nodded.

"Ranma…May I speak with you in the dojo?"

Noticing her mother looking at her, Ranma had the good grace to blush and quickly donned her damp shirt before replying. "Uhm…Sure Mom…Be right there, just need ta…ya know, change."

"Nonsense, you are fine just as you are."

"O…Ok", Ranma replied nervously.

It was a short, silent walk to the dojo, with Ranma furtively looking around for threats and escape routes. Nodoka internally seethed at the frightened look Ranma had given her when she said she wanted to talk to him. 'Dearest and I will have to talk once he is released from the hospital.' The fact that her son feared her did not sit well at all with the Saotome matriarch. She still felt quite guilty about having let Genma take him on that cursed training trip. Unfortunately she had to take credit for the seppuku agreement even though she had only wanted it to apply to Genma.

The dojo was quiet and notably clean as the two Saotome females entered. Nodoka paused for a moment and looked back at the koi pond before sliding the shogi shut. 'Hopefully Nabiki-chan kept her word about the recording devices', thought Nodoka as she watched Ranma fidget a bit more. She knelt in the center of the dojo and patted the floor next to her, inviting Ranma to sit. With a nervous smile on her face Ranma did as her mother beckoned.

"Ranma", she started, "I have not made the best decisions for you in the past."

"Mom", the shorter redhead protested.

"Hush dear, I know you don't blame me…But I do", Nodoka interrupted with a sad smile on her face. "I feel responsible for the things that happened while you were on that trip. As your mother I should have been more concerned with your happiness than his school."

Ranma shook her head quietly, "But you couldn'ta known Mom…"

"Regardless, you are my child. I should have sought to protect you above all else." She sighed, "I hope to be able to make up for some of that, but I need your help, Ranma."

"M…My help? How Mom?"

"I need to know what it is that you want from your life. Not what your father or Tendo-san or anyone else wants from you…What you want."

Ranma sat, stunned to silence by her mother's words, 'What I want?'

"You don't have to tell me now, take your time and think about it", Nodoka reassured. "If you're not sure or you feel you need to talk…about anything…You may come to me."

"O…Ok", Ranma replied skeptically.

"I also wanted to tell you that the contract is no longer a concern for you, it is fulfilled."

Blinking twice, Ranma had been caught flatfooted again. So much so that she almost didn't respond to the gentle embrace her mother was enfolding her in. Once her brain caught up, she hugged Nodoka back tightly as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. Nodoka drew back a bit and placed her forehead on Ranma's, gazing into her child's eyes. She saw repressed pain and some small amount of relief reflecting in those blue orbs. They stayed that way for quite some time, mother and child.

"Thanks Mom…Guess I needed that", Ranma said, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Ranma, everyone needs love in order to survive", Nodoka said as she sat back a little, "Without it life wouldn't have much, well, life to it."

"But Pop always said showin' emotions was weak…girlish", she shrugged, "Guess it makes it ok for me now though."

Nodoka frowned at the addendum, "If you don't show your emotions, how do the ones that you care about know that you care?"

"Uhm…I guess they don't", Ranma replied with a thoughtful look.

-- --

End Hidden Depths - Chapter 3: Speaking Out