Chapter 48 A Decision in Okinawa
Genma stared in shock at the woman that she once thought she would spend the twilight years of her life with, watching the grandchildren that Nodoka wanted so desperately. "What are you doing here," she snarled.
"I came to find out why you are still trying to ruin Ranma's life," she replied, coolly.
"You can look at me and ask me that?" Genma said in shock.
Nodoka grimaced and replied, "I'm the one who gave you this curse. Ranma really didn't want to have anything to do with it. I had to really push him to get him to even agree to use the Cat's Tongue. All he wanted to do was take over the school, and would have been content with that. If you really need to seek vengeance, you should have gone after me. I was the one that believed you needed to be punished for all of the horrible things that you had done in the name of training our son."
Genma hung her head and replied, "In that case, I have wronged him. But Nodoka, I was only training him the way I was taught. I had to make him the best martial artist that there was in order to redeem myself in my own eyes. I had been a good martial artist until I fell afoul of Master Happosai. I couldn't break myself completely free from the perverted things that he had taught Soun and myself, but at least I was able to not use those techniques with Ranma. Of course, I didn't want him to get too dependent on women, that would make him weak."
Nodoka's eyes grew colder if that was possible, and snapped, "I was hoping that you would get over your macho bullshit and realize that women have more uses then just being a baby factory and keeping up a home. Instead, you seem to have gone out of your way to send more trouble. Did you even think about what would happen to Ukyo if her father found out the truth about Ranma? What about Akane, when you sent that Kaori girl his way? For that matter, what about Kaori herself? Or have you done nothing but feel sorry for yourself?"
Genma growled, "The Kuonji girl deserves anything that happens to her. I haven't forgotten that she had a hand in giving me this cursed body. And Ranma took the school away from me, I can't forgive that!"
"You didn't deserve to be the master of the school, Genma, after everything that you had done to him," Nodoka retorted.
Genma grimaced as Ukyo walked into the room from the outside hallway, carrying a tray. "Here's the tea that you wanted, Mom," she said as she set the tray down on the table next to Nodoka. Ukyo scowled in anger as she realized that Genma was awake, though she felt grateful to see that the older woman was plainly suffering from a nasty hangover. "So, 'Father', how have you been?" she snarled.
"Mom, Father, what do you mean by that?" Genma asked, extremely confused.
"Isn't it obvious, baka," Ukyo replied, sneeringly, "After your nice visit with Kuonji, he decided that he no longer had a child, since I hadn't killed you and Ranma, or married Ranma. Mom offered to take me as her child, well, actually, Ranma offered in her name, and she agreed. Anyway, I accepted, since I missed having a mother, and I have come to think of her as that. I need to thank you appropriately for what you did, for letting Kuonji know the truth about Ranma and myself." Quicker than Genma could dodge, she was flattened to the wall by multiple, well-placed blows from the formidable battle spatula that Nodoka could have sworn was slung over her new daughter's shoulder.
"Daughter!" Nodoka exclaimed, "Remember what you promised after I called to let you know that I had found the fool!"
Ukyo blushed prettily and replied, "Sorry, Mom. I remember, don't worry. I didn't kill her. That is for you to do. I just knocked her out. I know I'm just here to help you administer suitable encouragement for her to change her behavior."
"That's not why I'm upset, dear," Nodoka said, calmly, "It's just that now we'll have to wait for her to wake up again."
"Just pour youself some tea, Mom," Ukyo said with a grin, "I'll wake up Genma, or maybe we should call her Genko. She doesn't look much like a mysterious horse now does she?" She walked into the bathroom while Nodoka broke down laughing. Ukyo shortly came back with a large glass of water. After she tied Genma to the bedpost, she poured the water over the unconscious Genma, waking her back up.
Genma woke up, her bleary eyes widening as she saw the evilly grinning figure of Ukyo standing over her. Her head pounding from her hangover, (as well as several of the blows from Ukyo's spatula), she winced in pain as she tried to move. "Sorry, sugar," Ukyo said, softly, "We need to talk and I didn't want to have to chase you down again. Why did you try to ruin my life again? Wasn't once enough?"
"That wasn't my fault!" Genma protested weakly, "I was trying to get back at Ranma for taking the school away from me! It's his fault. If he had been more respectful to me, none of this would have happened."
"Wrong answer," Ukyo growled as she whacked her with the spatula again.
Nodoka scowled angrily, and replied, "So I see that you have learned nothing, and only seek to blame others for your own actions. Are you incapable of taking responsibility for what you do?"
"But, No-chan," Genma protested. WHACK!
"Sorry, Mom," Ukyo said, insincerely.
Genma mumbled, "That's beginning to hurt you know."
"I was perfectly willing to let things go, Genma. I had gotten my revenge when Mom changed your curse. The man I knew as Genma Saotome was no more, and that satisfied my family honor," Ukyo said. Then hefting her spatula and hitting Genma with each word, she continued, "But you weren't satisfied with ruining my life once. You had to try and hurt me and my family again. My husband is furious with you."
"That's enough, Ukyo," Nodoka said, "I think Genma got the message." She sighed and said, "I had hoped that you would have changed. I was giving you a chance to grow, and you refused to take it. Well, no matter. This ends today. I can't allow you to continue to hurt my family."
"W-what are you going to do?" Genma stammered, as she tried to crawl up the wall away from Nodoka, straining at the ropes that kept her in place.
"That's basically up to you," Nodoka said, "We have several options. One, you commit ritual seppuku with me as your second. Two, Ukyo can kill you like the dog you are right here." Ukyo chuckled evilly at that choice.
"Those are my only choices?" the other woman gasped.
Nodoka smiled coldly, and replied, "Well, there is one other possibility, but you won't like it much. I have the power to turn you back into a child, without your adult memories." 'Thank you Shampoo for that knowledge,' Nodoka thought, 'I hope your wedding went well, daughter in all but name.'
"Can I think about it for a moment?" Genma asked, trying to look dignified.
"Certainly," Nodoka said, "We can allow a minute or two. But whatever you decide, Genma Saotome dies today."
Genma reached for the bottle of sakeàand drained it. After staring at the empty bottle for a long time, she bowed her head and said, "I'm afraid to die, Nodoka. I don't have that kind of courage." Nodoka looked on in surprise as the woman began to weep. After several minutes, Genma raised her tear-streaked face and said, "I don't want to be like this anymore, Nodoka. I know I've made many mistakes in the past, and I'm tired of who I was. I'll accept your third option, but only if you are willing to raise me as your child. I robbed you of the chance to raise our son. Maybe this way, I will be a better person, since I won't have been corrupted by my old master. I once was a good person until I met him, and he seduced me with his techniques. Please, help me to be a better person. I don't know if I really deserve a second chance to redeem myself, but if you're willing to give me one, I would be a fool to turn it down."
"Very well, I'll accept that condition," Nodoka replied after a moment of thought. She smiled a truly warm smile for the first time that night and then placed a small mushroom on a plate and set it on the bed. "Go ahead," she said, "Eat this." Ukyo untied one hand to allow the woman to get the mushroom.
Genma reached out shakily and picked up the mushroom. She hesitated for a moment, until Nodoka began to draw her katana blade and Ukyo held her spatula at the ready. Closing her eyes, she popped the mushroom into her mouth, chewed for a second and then swallowed it. As she did so, she passed out. Nodoka gazed at the body of the woman as it rapidly shrank into a young girl around five or six, sliding out of the bonds that held her to the bed. Nodoka quickly took the girl into the bathroom, and undressed her. Putting her head over the sink, she began shampooing the girl's hair, using a bottle labeled Formula 110, and massaging the shampoo into the hair, making sure she got certain spots on the scalp. After a few minutes, Nodoka smiled in satisfaction and rinsed out the shampoo. After dressing the young girl in a bathrobe, she began toweling the child's hair. Once it was reasonably dry, she carried the girl into the bedroom and laid her out on the bed, saying, "Sleep tight, daughter."
Ukyo looked on in concern and asked, "How much will she remember?"
Nodoka looked unsure and replied, "Shampoo wasn't real clear on everything, Ukyo. It sounded like the Xi Fa Xiang Gao is similar to amnesia in that the memories are suppressed rather than erased. I hope that raising her to be a better person will allow Genma to be strong enough to handle those memories when and if they begin to resurface. Genma was correct in one thing. The man I married was badly damaged by Happosai; I just hadn't realized how much. The last training trip he took with that ancient pervert really changed him for the worse, and I just didn't see it. I must have been blinded by the love I had for him." She stared into the distance and then continued, "I did love him then, and I guess I still do in a way. I truly hoped that I wouldn't have to kill him. He was a good man when I first met him. Hopefully, she can become a good person again."
"Just don't try to raise her as a woman among women, Mom," Ukyo quipped. Then she sobered and asked, "What are you going to tell Ranma?"
Nodoka winced and replied, "The truth. I know he was expecting me to kill her when I called. He even absolved me of the promise not to kill her that he had made me give him before. And I guess in a way, I have killed his father. No matter what happens now, this person won't be like Genma Saotome."
Taro watched as Khu Lon examined the wound in his wife's side, his hands clenched tightly, his face an angry mask. Khu Lon, grim-faced, carefully washed the wound and then relaxed as she realized that while the sword had made a long cut in her side, the blade had turned such that the wound was mostly shallow. Pulling a poultice out of her bag, she laved the wound with an astringent solution, causing the blood vessels to contract and stopping the flow of blood. Quickly cleaning the wound again, she pulled a surgical needle out and began stitching up the cut, with many, tiny and neat stitches. Once she was done, she looked at Taro and smiled reassuringly at him. Of course, a reassuring smile from the Elder was frightening in itself. She said, "Shampoo lost some blood, and she'll possibly end up with a bit of a scar, but other than that, she'll be all right. She just needs to rest now, and regain her strength. When she wakes up, she'll need to eat, so make sure she does that. She won't want to stay in bed, either, so you'll have to make her do that as well."
Taro relaxed for a second, and then carefully picked up his wife from the floor and carried her over to the bed. After placing the covers over her, he bent down and kissed her, tears threatening to fall from his face. He murmured, "Don't scare me like that again, Shampoo. I thought I almost lost you." Then he turned to the Elder and asked, coldly, #Where IS she?#
#Stay with your wife, Ah Sum,# Khu Lon said, kindly, #We'll take care of Par Fum. You don't need to be involved!#
Taro looked icily at the Amazon Elder and replied, in a voice frigid enough to freeze nitrogen, #What do you mean, I don't need to get involved? I was involved the moment they broke into our room and tried to kill us. I just need to tell her how bad a mistake she just made, is all. I will be content to allow your justice to take care of her after that.#
Khu Lon gazed deeply into his eyes and then nodded abruptly at what she saw there. #All right, son-in-law, I'll take you to her. While we're gone, some of the warriors will move Xian Pu into another cabin and out of this slaughterhouse. Then, you take care of my great granddaughter until the trial,# she said.
Taro bowed deeply in respect to the Elder, who widened her eyes in surprise. Then he said, simply, #Thank you Khu Lon.# He followed her out of the cabin, as she pogo-sticked her way to a guarded building. She opened the door and hopped in, closely followed by the silently raging Taro.
#Well, Par Fum, what exactly did you think you were doing?# Khu Lon asked, coldly.
#Fulfilling a promise that I once made,# Par Fum growled, #I swore that if Msu Tse didn't marry Xian Pu, than no one would have her. I was only trying to kill the male, but she was unlucky enough to get in the way.#
Growling, Taro nudged Khu Lon out of the way, and advanced on the bitter old woman who had attempted to kill him. His eyes red with anger and his battle aura showing, he grabbed Par Fum by the neck with one hand and dangled her above the floor. #You should have listened to me, old ghoul. Now hear me out, and understand! You were very lucky that you didn't get Xian Pu killed. If she had died, then as long as there is an Amazon alive, they would have remembered with horror the vengeance that I would have taken on you and yours! The story of your passing would have resonated down the halls of history forever as an example and warning!#
#Feh, if it weren't for your Jusenkyo curse, you would be nothing!# spat the Elder, wheezing to catch a breath through the tight grip the young man had around her neck.
#You just go on thinking that, you old bat,# Taro snarled as he threw her crashing against the wall. He looked around and then asked, #Is there some water or something? I need to clean some filth off of my hands.#
A guard wordlessly handed him a wet cloth and he ostentatiously wiped his hands clean on it. #Elder, I leave her in your capable hands,# he said, regaining his calm, #If you would have someone escort me to my wife, I would appreciate it.#
Khu Lon looked at him in satisfaction, thinking, 'Xian Pu picked a good male. And it is obvious that he has come to care for her.' She nodded and said, #Xian Pu is in the cabin that you were first given. Go there now, and I'll come for you when we have the trial. I promise that you will be happy with our justice.# Taro bowed again, deeply, and then walked out the door to find his wife.
#You are a fool, Par Fum. Why would you risk your status as an Elder in such an idiotic manner? Over a mere man, at that. We were friends once, and because of that, I feel sorry for you,# Khu Lon said to the other Elder.
Par Fum looked away for a moment and then replied, #You were gaining too much power, my old friend. My faction couldn't risk you gaining such a strong son-in-law for Xian Pu. When she went off after that fat fool, we thought our plans would be safe. Or if Msu Tse had managed to win her heart. But when Xian Pu came back with such a prize, then we had to take action. If only you hadn't rushed the marriage, perhaps things might have gone differently.#
#So it was all about politics,# Khu Lon said sadly, #You tried to kill two people tonight, and lost one of your own, just because you were afraid that I might become Matriarch. All this was for nothing. All I ever wanted was for Xian Pu to grow into the woman I believed she could be and find a mate she could be happy with. That's why I allowed her to go to Japan. Here she would have been stifled by all of our traditions. She needed to see beyond the boundaries of our village. And I was right. She did change during her time there. Xian Pu will grow up to be a fine Elder, and I think, an excellent candidate for Matriarch.#
#You were doing this for her? You don't want the title?# Par Fum gasped.
Cologne chuckled drily, and replied, #Why on earth would I want the job? There are entirely too many restrictions on what I could do if I were Matriarch. And I don't know that Xian Pu will want it either. I just wanted her to have the ability to do it if she was chosen.#
Par Fum turned away in shame and sagged to the floor. #Leave me to my shame,# she asked. Khu Lon gazed at her for several minutes, and then shook her head sadly. She hopped out of the room, allowing the guards to close the door behind her.
Another beautiful morning in Nerima found the residents of the Tendo home gathering for breakfast. Ranma and Akane ran in from the furoba where they had just finished cleaning up from their regular training session in the dojo, while Nabiki stumbled into the family room from her bedroom, searching for her first fix of caffeine. Kasumi brought in the meal and then sat down next to her husband.
Tofu looked amused as he watched Nabiki stumbling around, sleepier than usual. "What's the matter, Nabiki? You look exhausted."
Nabiki blearily looked around and then gratefully grabbed the cup of coffee that Ranma had just poured for her. After draining the cup, she snapped, "Well, if someone wasn't so loud last night, I would have gotten more sleep."
The other two couples blushed bright red as they each remembered their late night activities.
Kasumi said, innocently, "Nabiki, why was Mousse leaving your window so late last night? Tell him thank you. He was very considerate and didn't make any noise."
Nabiki turned quickly and stared at Kasumi, a blush slowly appearing on her face. "I don't know what you're talking about, Kasumi. We were just talking," she protested.
Kasumi drawled, "R-r-right, Nabiki. Go ahead and pull the other leg while you're at it."
"Honest, Kasumi! I swear it. Well, maybe some kissing went on, but nothing else," Nabiki said, losing her customary cool at the skepticism in her sisters' eyes.
Akane giggled and then teased, "Oh my, Nabiki! What would Daddy say? You're not married! It's just not proper."
Nabiki glared at her sister and retorted, "Says the girl who shared her fianc's bed for weeks before they got married. And I know that Kasumi was sneaking off to see Tofu after every one went to sleep as well." Kasumi suddenly looked very interested in the dishes in front of her. The two men were dumbstruck at the antics of the women. Fortunately for Ranma, or else he would have said something foolish, while Tofu was too wise to get in the middle of that battle, though, both of them were looking studiously at the floor, fascinated by the pattern in the wood flooring. A silent observer would have noticed matching blushes on both of their faces, as well as large beads of sweat pooling at their temples.
Akane blushed furiously, and then said, "Seriously Sis, what would Daddy say?" Then she stopped as she suddenly realized what had been bothering her since she had sat down for breakfast. Her father wasn't in his usual spot, reading his newspaper. "Where is Daddy, anyway?" Akane asked.
Kasumi blushed, and stammered, "Uh, well, uh, he didn't come home last night."
Ranma, Akane and Nabiki turned and stared at Kasumi in astonishment.
"Daddy?" Akane said in shock.
"What do you mean, he didn't come home?" Nabiki blurted.
"He went out with Hinako. He said that they were going out to eat, and then to see a play. That was the last I saw him, and when I went to wake him up this morning, his bed hadn't been slept in," Kasumi replied, her face still tinged with pink.
"What could have happened to him?" Akane wondered, "We need to go look for him."
Then they heard the sound of the front door open and someone stealthily attempting to walk past the family room doors. Nabiki jumped to her feet and slid the door open quickly, surprising her father as he attempted to tip-toe past.
"Daddy!" Nabiki exclaimed.
Akane almost teleported, she moved so fast, as she suddenly appeared in front of her father. "Daddy, we were so," she began, only to stop as she took in the appearance of the man in front of her. The lip-stick stains on his shirt collar were bad enough, but the missing buttons were worse. And then to top it off was the guilty yet satiated look on her father's face.
Kasumi finished the triangle, by standing behind her father. "Daddy, where were you last night?" she asked, with a slight frown.
"Were you with Hinako all night?" Akane gasped.
Soun looked at Ranma and Tofu and exclaimed, "Help!"
Akane and Kasumi turned and glared at their husbands. Ranma shrugged helplessly and said, quickly, "Uh, Doc, don't you remember, we had something we needed to do in the dojo?"
Tofu quickly responded and said, "Yes, that's right!" The two of them quickly fled out the door to the outside, leaving Soun to the tender mercies of his daughters.
As they left, they heard the sound of Soun's voice, "Cowards!" Then as they were getting out of earshot, they heard the sound of two angry female voices, and the sound of Kasumi's voice. However, there was an unaccustomed edge to Kasumi's voice that neither of the men had ever heard.
Author's Notes: Thanks for all of the reviews. They are always welcome at all times. And for those of you who have read Ranma's Decision, this chapter does have some similarities in what happened to Genma. Though as Nodoka said, she did in essence 'kill' the old Genma. I have to admit I was a little surprised no one commented on the Xena reference. This epic does have many more ideas and plot twists up ahead, so while the updates will be slow, they will come. See below for specific responses.
Renzuko: As you can see, there are different definitions of 'dead'. I hope you enjoyed.
Lord Strife: Ditto. Some gratuitous Genma bashing as well.
Taxzombie: Thanks, I liked the way that one turned out. And I'm not done with Par Fum. She does need to pay for what she tried to do. Hopefully what happened to Genma was not quite what everyone was expecting. Though she did get some pounding. And yes, I expect Mr. Kuonji is going to be visited. I don't think either Ryoga or Ranma is real happy with him at the moment.
TheCentauress: Yes, she was/is a lore mistress. And mad as well.
Dennisud: Yep, that's a fine line to walk, esp. since I want to stay PG-13. As you can see, I came up with a different solution.