Wake Me Up Inside
By Shadow Lady
Co written and edited by Senshi of Valis
Ranma was happy for Usagi yet a little worried for her at the same time as the two walked toward the Tsukino residence. He wasn't sure how the family was going to react to him or if they would convince his Bunny that she could do better than him which in his mind he always worried about. It took a lot for him to admit his feelings for her and ask her for her hand and if she ended up rejecting him…He sighed mentally not wanting to go there.
"Are you ready?" Usagi asked squeezing his hand affectionately.
"As ready as will ever be." Ranma said leaning over to kiss Usagi's cheek, another thing that actually did take some time getting used to but three years away from the hell that was Nerima and friends to support him Ranma had gotten over many of his bad habits.
Usagi pushed the door open and led Ranma inside where they took their shoes off before continuing to the living room.
"Mom, they're here!" Called who Ranma recognized as Shingo getting up from the couch. "So you are the one who taught meatball head to fight like that?"
Ranma's first reflex was to get angry at the young man but he realized that there was no real slight meant by the name, just sibling teasing. "Not really…Bunny had a lot of potential already, she just needed someone who believed in her."
"I…I'm sorry, sis." Shingo said sadly.
"Its okay, Shingo." Usagi said hugging her little brother, "We all did stuff that we are sorry for…I just want us to be a real, happy family…"
"Me too dear." Ikuko said coming into the living room with a man that Ranma was sure was Kenji. The older man looked upset but Ranma guessed that if he had a teenage daughter who disappeared for a few days and came back engaged her would be a little upset to.
"Hello…My name is Ranma Saotome, sorry about this." Ranma said nervously, giving the normal Saotome welcome scratching the back of his neck at the base of his pigtail.
"So you are the boy who…" Kenji started before being elbowed in the stomach by his wife.
"We talked about this dear," Ikuko hissed quietly, "Drive my baby away and you will be sleeping in the dog house."
"But we don't…" Kenji started.
"I'll build one just for you." Ikuko whispered causing Kenji to pale. Then saying louder, "Dinner is ready, lets go eat."
Ranma watched as the man glared at him several times as they started eating though Ranma wouldn't let it faze him.
"Ranma, how did you meet my daughter?" Kenji asked.
"We were both…Feeling down at the time and actually helped each other, sir." Ranma said. "She gives me a reason to live."
"And you gave me a reason not to give up." Usagi said reaching under the western style table to squeeze his hand.
"I don't understand though, my wife tells me that you knew each other for three years and yet she was seeing that…That…" Kenji said, hatred flashing in his eyes.
"If I see that thing around here I'll be pounding him flat for the way he treated Usagi." Ranma growled. "And any other jerk who tries to hurt her."
"Are you going to be in the same grade?" Shingo asked trying to obviously change subjects.
"Yeah, we will actually be in the same class." Usagi said brightly.
"At least you aren't older." Kenji grumbled.
"Kenji." Ikuko sighed a little angrily. The rest of the meal was spent relatively in silence until Ikuko started removing the dishes.
"Ranma, may I talk with you alone in the living room?" Kenji asked after Ikuko went to the kitchen.
"Daddy." Usagi growled warningly.
"Its okay, Usagi." Ranma said getting up and following Kenji into the other room.
"Ranma…I can see that you make my baby girl happy and I don't want to chase her off so I won't challenge your right to see her but if you hurt her…" Kenji said, anger flashing in his eyes.
"Sir…If I ever hurt Usagi you wouldn't have to worry about me, I would end up spilling my guts with a tanto myself." Ranma said, looking into the older mans hard gaze until it started to soften.
"You know…I said the same thing to Ikuko's father so many years ago." Kenji sighed sadly, "You really love her, don't you?"
"With all my heart, sir." Ranma said honestly.
"I never felt I could trust that perv college student but…I feel like I can trust you." Kenji said, "I don't want to lose my baby girl but if I continue this way I will end up losing her anyways."
"Sir, you aren't losing her, she loves you all very much despite…" Ranma said before realizing what he was about to say and shutting up.
"Despite the way we have been acting lately." Kenji sighed, "We were only trying to motivate her, we knew she was capable of so much more if she would only apply herself. We…We are so sorry for going about it the way we did, we truly love her."
"I believe you." Ranma said, "I'm happy for her and you, you all have a second chance and I hope it turns out good. Unlike my family…"
"What do you mean?" Kenji asked a little confused.
"I'm not going too much in detail about it now but the last time I saw my mom she gave me two choices, marry a girl who constantly accused me of stuff I didn't do before abusing me or committing seppuku." Ranma said.
"Oh my…" Kenji said in horror, "Are you still wit them?"
"No, I left all of that and am living in an apartment here in the city now." Ranma said.
"If you need anything at all, even if just someone to speak too, I'll be here for you and so will my wife." Kenji said honestly making Ranma smile.
"Thanks." Ranma said just as Ikuko and Usagi came into the room.
"I have to get going, I have to meet Demota and make sure he isn't causing any trouble." Ranma said.
"I'll come to." Usagi said.
"Usagi, it is getting late out." Ikuko said nervously. "Please don't go…Please…"
"I'll be okay, Usagi." Ranma said taking her hands and kissing her cheek, "Stay here with your family, I'll see you in the morning."
"You sure?" Usagi asked.
"I'm sure." Ranma nodded before leaving.
"Kenji." Ikuko whispered, "Thank you…I might just have to reward you tonight."
"R-Reward?" Kenji stammered blushing a little.
"U-Huh…I think you deserve a very good one." Ikuko whispered.
"Get a room you two." Usagi giggled causing the two to blush before she headed toward the steps.
"Usagi…I think you deserve a reward for that B you earned also." Ikuko said, "I'll take you shopping this weekend and buy you something nice."
"Thanks mom." Usagi said as Ikuko hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head.
"I love you so much Bunny, welcome home." Ikuko said.
"Love you too, mom." Usagi whispered.
Wake Me Up Inside
Ranma was missing Usagi already as he walked back into the apartment he shared with the two Tendo sisters and his new little brother Demota. He was shocked when he saw that they had a guest in a black trench coat and dark glasses sitting on one of the two couches that faced each other with a coffee table between them while Kasumi and Nabiki took the other one with Demota sitting between the two girls.
"Good, you are home." The figure said as Ranma dropped down in the lazy boy at the end of the table between the two couches. "My name is Detective Kirako from the Demon World."
"And so civilized unlike the little twerp." Ranma said smirking when Demota grumbled.
"This is serious, Ranma." Demota said worrying Ranma. He could see the serious expression on his little brother's face and it worried him. Demota was never serious like this.
"These are the Demon Stones." Kirako said pulling out a group of photos spreading them across the table. "While normally we don't allow interaction between our two kinds we are forced to make an exception for your group. There is no way we would even attempt going against the god slayer."
"So why are you showing us these pictures?" Ranma asked.
"Because while they are not The Demon Stones that will bring about the end of the world, they do have some very powerful demons imprisoned in them. They were stolen from our world and one of our best Demons Detectives were sent to get them back but he was murdered. When we learned of you, the God Slayer, becoming the new Shadow Lady we hoped that we could convince you to help get them back before anything happened." Kirako explained fixing his glasses, "Thousands of innocent humans and demons are at risk if these stones are awakened."
"Ranma, I think we should help this nice man." Kasumi said, pleading in her eyes.
"How about you, Nabs?" Ranma asked.
"I don't think we have a choice, we wouldn't be much as protectors if we refused." Nabiki said.
"Bro?" Ranma asked noticing Demota smile happily at either being included in the decision or being called bro.
"If it was Ami…I would have been worried about her safety." Demota sighed, "But you are so much stronger than she was and she managed to stop the world from being destroyed…I don't think I need to be worried about you getting hurt so…Please lets do it."
"Well then, Detective, looks like we will be helping you." Ranma said.
"You have no idea how much this means to us." Kirako said pulling out a few more pictures before dropping them on the table. "Since you will already be doing that…There are a few more artifacts that though less dangerous still pose a threat. Unlike the stones we do have leads on them as being at several museums spread throughout Tokyo and was hoping…With your special skills if you could get them back as well."
"You mean steal them back…" Ranma sighed, he hated stealing but he couldn't just walk into them and tell them the truth or they would lock him up and through away the key saying that he was insane. "Guess I don't have a choice."
"Great, I'll be in contact with you." Kirako said standing up before vanishing in a plume of smoke.
"So how do we find the stones?" Nabiki asked as Demota picked up the new photos and information on the artifacts and smiled, "By getting back the first artifact…The Demon's Compass."
"It looks more like a pendant." Nabiki said taking the photo and inspecting it.
"It isn't a normal compass, it glows when demonic energy is nearby and will lead you to it." Demota said, "Not really dangerous by itself but if it leads someone to something much more dangerous…Someone could get seriously hurt."
"I really hate the idea of stealing…Or using the Eye Shadow…But I don't have a choice." Ranma sighed.
"Relax, the Shadow Senshi will be with you all the way." Kasumi said.
"Damn right we will be." Nabiki seconded.
"Lets get going to the first museum then." Demota smiled.