Martial Arts Motherhood Challenge Chapter 8 – Father’s Day, a ranma fanfic

Chapter 8 - Father's Day

Ranma stopped in front of the maternity shop and peered cautiously inside. She really wished Akane were with her. She hated this place to begin with, the women who ran it always asked her questions about the pregnancy that she didn't understand and they touched her a lot too. That would be especially bothersome today, because Ranma needed a maternity bra.

It had taken years to overcome her fear of the things. Bras had always represented a line in the sands of femininity over which Ranma refused to step. The Tendo sisters had run themselves ragged trying to get her to wear one, but it had been a really cold day in her senior year of high school that finally broke through her obstinacy.

Even so she still nearly always went without one, but in the past two weeks her already considerable bosom had swelled to enormous proportions. Akane just laughed at her complaints, citing Ranma's joy over her own size increase while carrying the twins. "You pointed them out to everyone we knew, so I expect you to be just as enthusiastic about your own," Akane chided her.

But it was no joke from Ranma's perspective. Her back was beginning to ache all the time now and just that morning she'd noticed a wet spot on her blouse. She really needed a maternity bra, but Akane was tied up with classes in the dojo all day. Like it or not she would have to rely on the women at the maternity shop and she was sure it meant plenty of embarrassing questions and lots of awkward touching.

As she pushed through the door a little bell tinkled and three overzealous voices rang out in unison "Welcome!" The way they descended on her from different directions led Ranma to believe they must have had martial arts training. She was quickly surrounded with no viable escape route.

"Good afternoon Saotome-sama!" Moriko said with a big smile. She was the manager of the shop and the oldest of the three women.

"Where is Saotome Akane-sama today?" asked Sumiko. The youngest of the sales clerks, she was only a year out of high school.

"What can we do for you today Saotome-sama?" Natsuko was just a few years older and clearly the most aggressive of the sales clerks. Akane once told Ranma the girl was after Moriko's job for sure.

Ranma swallowed hard and tried to think of some excuse for coming into the shop other than the real one. She glanced at the anxious hands of the women, waiting to grab at her clothes and poke at her breasts. With a blush and a nervous shuffle of her feet Ranma said, "I... err... that is Akane said I needed... well... a maternity bra?"

"Why of course you do!" Natsuko said as she wrapped her arm possessively around Ranma's shoulders and herded her deeper into the shop. "I was saying to Moriko-san just the other day, 'Those things can't defy gravity forever. We'd best be prepared for Saotome-sama.' Didn't I say that Moriko-san?"

"Indeed you did!" Moriko held open the curtain leading to the small dressing area at the back of the shop. "Sumiko-kun, go to the store room and get those boxes we set aside for Saotome-sama the other day."

"Right away!" the young woman squealed happily as she disappeared into the back.

"And bring Saotome-sama a glass of water," Natsuko shouted after her, "the poor thing looks parched. Here let me help you with those buttons."

"No... I... that is, I can do that..." Ranma stammered as the salesladies began to undress her.

"Nonsense Saotome-sama," Moriko said, "just relax and we'll have you fitted in no time. Now, what size bra do you wear normally?"

The women stared at her expectantly, but Ranma didn't have the answer. Because she didn't wear them very often buying a new bra was a rare occurrence and Akane was the one who always got them for her. "Um... well, I don't really know."

Moriko and Natsuko smiled at one another like two cats about to share a mouse. "Then we'll just have to measure you. Won't we Moriko-san." Natsuko said with obvious relish.

"Oh yes indeed," Moriko replied with maternal glee. Moriko produced a tape measure magically out of thin air and before she knew it Ranma was stripped to the waist.

"Is this really n-n-necessary?" Ranma stammered.

"You want it to fit properly Saotome-sama." Natsuko said, "Your comfort and health depend upon a proper fit!"

"And once you begin breastfeeding..." Moriko started to say.

"Breastfeeding?" Ranma shouted in despair, Akane never said anything to her about breastfeeding. "What's that got to do with a maternity bra?"

The saleswomen smiled knowingly at each other and Moriko explained, "While a good maternity bra is useful during pregnancy, it's positively crucial when you start feeding your baby. That's why it's important to get the right one now. You'll be wearing it for a very long time."

"A very... long time?" Ranma suddenly felt like a condemned prisoner about to be locked away in a dungeon.

"I'm sure your doctor will discuss this with you later, but for the health of the baby you should breastfeed for at least three months."

"Three months?" Ranma looked horrified. Why hadn't anyone told her about this before?

"Of course some women choose to breastfeed a lot longer than that. One of our ladies," Natsuko said with a polite laugh, "is still feeding her little boy and he's two years old now."

Both women giggled and Moriko asked, "Tanaka-san?"

Natsuko nodded and they both laughed out loud.

"Two years..." Ranma whispered in horror.

Moriko wrapped her arms around the distracted redhead and pulled the tape measure under her arms and over her breasts. She brought the tape together and gazed at the numbers. She made a clicking noise with her tongue and looked at Natsuko who scribbled into a little notepad that had appeared out of nowhere.

The tape was moved down across Ranma's breasts and Moriko began letting out more and more tape. When she finally brought the ends together there was more clicking and more scribbling. Then the women began whispering to each other, but still loud enough for Ranma to hear.

"Do we actually have anything that big?" asked Natsuko.

"I'm sure we must," Moriko said, "but who would have suspected this on such a petite little thing. We'll start with a 70E and work up."

When Sumiko showed up carrying a huge box full of the white cotton underwear, Ranma groaned. This was shaping up to take all afternoon and would probably involve a lot more touching. At least they weren't asking her a bunch of strange questions.

"So, Saotome-sama," Natsuko said while all three women rummaged through the box of bras, "Have you had your glucose-screening test yet?"

o o o

"The van's parked out back," Akane said over her shoulder as she and Akari stepped out of the house, "we can cut through the dojo and see what the 'boys' are up to."

"Thanks again for taking me Akane. Ryouga's mother is really sweet, but her sense of direction is just as bad as his and she's never learned how to work a GPS."

"That's okay, I don't mind. I need something to get me out of the house for a while anyway. Ranma and I haven't been together this much since we first got married and it's starting to stress us both out."

"Oh dear," Akari said holding her hand to her mouth. "You and Ranma aren't... breaking up are you?"

Akane stopped short and turned around, "No, of course not! It's just that Ranma can be demanding at the best of times and it was always a relief when he went away on business trips. Now with her pregnant and staying home all the time I just really haven't had any 'me time' for a while."

"Oh," Akari looked thoughtful, "Ryouga and I are together all the time on the farm... well, except when he gets lost, but I miss him terribly when he's not there. Do you think he might need some 'me time' too?"

Akane smiled, "Ryouga's not as high maintenance as Ranma. I'm sure the two of you are perfectly happy being together all the time. So are we, but for us there's a need to be apart sometimes. Don't fret about it or you'll kick off a mood swing."

Akari smiled feebly, "I'm glad those don't affect me the way they did Ranma. I haven't really broken down crying even once."

"You're lucky," Akane said turning back towards the dojo, "I was a royal bitch for the first three months with the twins."

They walked into the dojo through the side entrance and found Ryouga sitting on the floor watching Ranma perform a Tai-Chi kata. Even moving in slow motion Akane thought her mate looked as powerful and graceful as ever, well maybe not so graceful these days. Ranma stumbled while stretching out to 'Grab the Sparrow's Tail' and Ryouga flew off the floor to catch her.

"You really are seriously off balance Ranma," Ryouga said after making sure his friend wasn't going to fall over. "You should be working out more."

Ranma snorted and pulled away, "You try working out with a one kilogram grapefruit pressing against your bladder all the time." She noticed the girls entering the dojo and straightened up, "I wasn't doing anything dangerous Akane."

"I never said you were sweetheart," she said with a smile, "I agree with Ryouga, you should be working out more. As your center of gravity changes the katas will help you maintain your balance. Just don't go bouncing off the walls like you usually do."

"Are you guys heading out now?" Ryouga asked while crossing the room to give his wife a hug.

"Uh huh," Akari said burying her face in her husband's massive chest.

"Have fun at the doctor's and don't spend all our money on new clothes," Ryouga said with a lighthearted sigh.

Akane stood beside Ranma watching the other couple embrace, "Are you going to be okay?" she asked. "You can come with us if you want."

"No thanks. I've had my fill of that maternity shop. I'll have dinner ready when you get back." Ranma leaned over awkwardly and gave Akane a kiss on the cheek.

Akane smiled, "Okay, just be careful what you pull out of the freezer for dinner. Remember it's full of pork left over from last week." She used the English word in hopes that Ryouga and Akari might not notice.

Ranma nodded, "Don't worry, I ordered some squid from the market. I thought I might fire up the grill."

"Okay, just don't let the boys play outside without jackets on. That includes you too." Akane gave Ranma a hug and then collected Akari. "Behave yourselves," she said before exiting out the back, "we'll be back in a couple of hours."

"We won't see them again before nightfall," Ryouga said dejectedly, "right?"

Ranma set herself to resume the kata from where she stumbled, "Probably not. Once those vultures at the maternity shop get their claws on Akari, they won't let go easily. You really love that girl, don't you?"

Ryouga scratched the back of his head and laughed bashfully, "Does it show that much? We'll have been married ten years by the time the baby comes and it feels like we're still newlyweds."

"They say absence makes the heart grow fonder," Ranma bobbled a little while stretching out, but didn't stumble this time, "I guess that makes you the perfect husband."

"I'm just worried about becoming the perfect father."

Ranma grinned, "That's the great thing about being a dad, you don't have to be perfect. They still love you no matter what."

o o o

That night a cold November fog rolled in off Tokyo bay and blanketed the streets of the Chiba's waterfront district. The headlights of a lone black sedan cut through the murkiness as it threaded its way past stacks of cargo containers before stopping in front of a small warehouse.

Two burly men in dark suits got out of the car and one opened the rear door for a middle aged man in a gray suit. The trio climbed a set of metal stairs to the second floor entrance and banged on the door. An angry looking young man in a black leather jacket greeted them.

"What the hell do you want?" the young man said in a surly voice before noticing the man in the gray suit, "Oh, Yamashita-dono! I'm sorry, you're expected inside." He bowed and held the door as the three men entered and was very relieved when they ignored him.

The men walked through the small cluster of offices to an inner door, which led to a metal catwalk overlooking the warehouse floor. Down on the floor half a dozen men in black gi's surrounded a single man wearing white.

As they watched, the men in black attacked with a variety of weapons ranging from katana swords to baseball bats. The man in white counterattacked with a series of leaps and bounds that kept him in the air most of the time. In a surprisingly short time the floor was littered with dropped weapons and unmoving bodies.

"Pathetic!" called out the man in white as he surveyed his handiwork. "I asked for martial artists, not a bunch of useless thugs. Why do I even bother to spar with the likes of this?"

Another man in a white gi stepped out and handed the man a towel, then whispered in his ear and pointed up at the catwalk. Turning around the man smiled wickedly and shouted, "Yamashita-san! It's been a long time old man, I'll be right up."

Kuro Yamashita turned and walked back into the office area. As one of his lieutenants held open the door to the manager's office, he walked in and settled into the heavily padded leather chair behind the desk.

A minute later the young man in the white gi strode into the room. Yoshi Nabe took one look at the man behind the desk and scowled. "I'm glad to see you've made yourself at home Kuro."

"You should be more respectful of your elders Yoshi-kun," chuckled Kuro, "I'm an old man and you would have me stand in your presence?"

Yoshi dismissed him with a wave of his hand and sat on the corner of the desk. He opened a small box on the desktop and took out a cigarette. "I might have known he would send you rather than come to greet his own son face to face."

"Your father is a busy man Yoshi-kun," Kuro said while leaning back in the chair. "He has many things that require his attention and your return to Japan was most unexpected. He sends his regards and congratulations on the progress you've made overseas. But he wonders what has brought you home so soon."

"You mean why did I come back at all?" Yoshi laughed as he lit the cigarette and blew smoke at the ceiling fan. "Is he so afraid I'll challenge him for the business that he sends his advisor with two hit men to feel me out?"

The two burly men at the door shifted their feet uneasily, but Kuro waved his hand and shook his head, "Not at all Yoshi-kun, Hachiro and Kenji are here simply to protect an old man who's not used to traveling in this part of town."

"Yeah? Who's supposed to protect them?" Yoshi laughed derisively. "Relax boys, I'm not here to cause trouble. I'm here to settle an old score with someone outside the family."

"Oh really," Kuro said leaning forward, "Might I ask who you would travel halfway around the world to settle a score with?"

"An old teacher of mine," Yoshi said while grinding out his cigarette in an ashtray. As he stood up he added, "One who promised to teach me an invincible technique, but instead chose to humiliate me at every turn. I've spent the last six years mastering everything he said I would never understand. Now I'm ready to face him."

He grabbed a magazine from on top of a filing cabinet and tossed it onto the desk in front of Kuro. On the cover was the image of a man with a cocky smile wearing a red silk Chinese shirt, his long black ponytail fluttering in the breeze. With a motion almost too swift to follow Yoshi pulled a switchblade knife from his pocket, flipped it open and stabbed it deep into the desktop through the magazine.

"Tomorrow I intend to teach Ranma Saotome the final lesson of his miserable life!"

o o o

Akane walked down the hallway from the bath looking for Ranma. She checked Happosai's old room, which was now the office for the dojo, but the redhead wasn't there. She stepped out into the chilly late November air on the veranda and scanned the garden. Not finding her husband there either she crossed the living room on her way to the kitchen.

She almost missed Ranma, slumped down on the couch with her head wrapped in a huge pair of earphones. On the coffee table next to her sat a laptop with the 3D image of Ranko-chan spinning slowly on the screen. In her lap was the fetal heart monitor.

Akane stepped up behind her mate and lifted the headphones off her ears. She put them on herself and listened to the strong rhythmic beating of the tiny heart. She took them off again and gazed down at the pregnant redhead, "Well, it sounds like you still have a baby down there. I thought you told me you'd lost interest in this thing."

Ranma looked up at her and frowned, "I have, but I was thinking about giving it to Akari and Ryouga before they head back to the farm. I just thought I'd have one last listen."

The look on Ranma's face told Akane there was something more to it than that, "Okay, that's a nice idea, but what's really wrong?" she asked.

Ranma looked away and said, "Nothing... nothing's wrong."

Akane stepped around the couch and sat down beside her husband. Taking her hand she said softly, "Come on, tell me what's bothering you."

Ranma sighed, "Ranko-chan hasn't kicked me yet. The book says that I should be feeling strong kicks by the twenty-third week. It's been almost twenty-five now and I've felt nothing more than a few fluttering movements. I just wanted to hear her heart beating so that..."

"So that you'd know she was still alive?" Akane finished the sentence. "Sweetheart it was no different for me. The twins almost never did things by the book, those are just guidelines anyway. Ranko-chan will start kicking you when she feels like it and then you'll wonder why it seemed so important."

"I guess you're right," Ranma said leaning against Akane's shoulder, "I just worry she's not going to be active. The spirit I remember was very energetic, I'd just hate to think of her locked inside a weak body."

Akane groaned, "Oh, I just knew Kasumi shouldn't have told you about that little boy. Look, those things are very rare and she said he was going to recover didn't she?"

"She also said he might never be strong enough to run or play with other children. It just worries me that something like that might happen to one of our kids. Maybe we shouldn't have tried having a baby this way, maybe..."

Ranma's voice trailed off and there were a few minutes of awkward silence before Akane said, "Ranma, I've never once doubted this was the right thing to do. I may have pushed you a bit too much in the beginning, but it was never meant to hurt you or our daughter. I... I love you both too much for that."

As Akane's eyes filled with tears, Ranma wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. "I know, Tendo. And you know me better than that. I'd never have started this thing if I hadn't really wanted to. I intend to see it through to the end, no matter what happens."

Akane sniffed back a sob and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be getting emotional like this."

"Why?" Ranma said with a smile, "Who said you had to give up being a woman just because I'm the one who's pregnant? Stop trying to act like an expectant father. That's my job, remember?"

"Oh yeah," Akane said smiling back, "You're Ranma Saotome, man amongst men. I keep being fooled by the baby and the big knockers."

"Listen you," Ranma said in mock anger, then she switched to a conspiratorial tone, "The boys won't be home from school for another hour. How about you and me go upstairs and I'll prove to you..."

There was a noise out in the garden that sounded like something large and heavy being thrown into the koi pond. It was followed by voices, deep masculine voices, that didn't sound anything like the twins.

Ranma turned around as best she could on the couch and said, "What the hell was that?"

"I'll go take a look," Akane said standing up.

"Not without me you won't," Ranma said, but after two failed attempts to roll herself off the couch she looked up with pleading eyes and said, "Don't just stand there, help me get off this damn thing."

They walked out onto the veranda and found the garden filled with large burly men wearing black gi's, each one holding some sort of club or weapon. At the center of this mob was a slim young man dressed in a white gi, his long black hair was styled fashionably and he had the air of a playboy about him.

"Sorry about the lawn ornament ladies," he said with a smirk, indicating a concrete pillar that was supposed to have a lantern atop it, "but I couldn't find the doorbell.

Ranma was about to tell the guy to go to hell when Akane stepped in front of her.

"I'm sorry gentlemen, but the dojo is closed today, perhaps if you called for an appointment later in the week?"

"What happened to your offer to take on all challenges of brutal combat, I seem to remember there was a sign out front to that effect."

"Our insurance company made us take it down, they said we were sending too many challengers to the hospital."

"What a shame," the young man said, "that's why I'm here you see. Where's Ranma?"

The person in question shifted uncomfortably behind Akane. No mater how she tried, she just couldn't get into an effective fighting stance with the baby perched on top of her pelvis. Noticing the movement, Akane glanced back and asked, "Do you know this guy?"

Ranma shrugged and said, "Not a clue, but anyone who brings a gang of armed thugs to a dojo challenge is just asking for it."

Akane glared at her, "Just calm down and let me handle this." Turning back to the man in white she said, "I'm sorry, but as I said before we no longer take challenges without an appointment."

"Well then," the man said with growing impatience, "at least tell the Master of this pitiful excuse for a dojo he has company. Surely he wouldn't be so rude as to turn away an old friend without at least saying hello."

Akane turned and looked at Ranma again. "Are you sure we don't know this guy?" she whispered, "He does look familiar."

"Maybe," mused the redhead, "I've beaten up so many idiots. He could be any one of them."

Akane turned back to the young man who looked like he was about to explode. His red face suddenly jogged her memory, "Were you a student here at one time?"

"Oh yeah," piped up Ranma, "I remember now. You're that snotty little rich kid with the weird name."

"I know the one," Akane added, "he owes us for two months instruction. What's his name again? It always reminded me of something... was it Sukiyaki?"

"No," Ranma said, "I think it was Chazuke."

"That's not it either, maybe Domburi?"

They both stared expectantly at the young man. His face grew redder and redder as they reeled off the names of one hot pot dish after another. Finally he burst out, "It's Nabe damn it! Nabe! Yoshi Nabe, your former star pupil. The same one Ranma said would never amount to anything. Well I'm here to show that cocky egotistical show-off he was wrong. Now cut the crap and go get him."

Akane felt the pressure from Ranma's battle aura pressing at her back as she said calmly, "I'm sorry Nabe-kun, but Master Saotome is not at home." She put a heavy emphasis on her husband's title, "He's been out of the country for several months and we don't expect him to return for several more. Perhaps if you returned, by yourself, in the spring..."

Dismissing her with a wave of his hand, Yoshi turned to his men, "Ichiro, Jiro, go find the son of a bitch and drag his cowardly ass out here."

Two of the henchmen, one carrying a baseball bat and the other a pair of nunchaku, stepped towards the house.

"Stop right there," Akane said sternly, "I've already told you Master Saotome is not home, now I'm asking you nicely to leave."

The two men just laughed and advance on the veranda. "Outta the way lady." Ichiro said just moments before Akane's foot slammed into his face sending him sailing into Jiro who dropped his baseball bat and fell over backwards to the ground.

Rebounding off the man's face, Akane executed a back flip and landed in a fighting stance on the veranda just in front of Ranma. "Don't you dare get involved in this!" she hissed at the redhead.

"Who me?" Ranma said innocently as she stopped herself from crossing and recrossing her arms. "You seem to be doing just fine so far."

On the ground, Jiro rolled the unconscious body of Ichiro off of himself and staggered to his feet. Seeing the fierce little woman with short dark hair on the porch, he assumed his own fighting stance and charged at her.

Akane leaped into the air, somersaulting into a pike position and dove at her opponent. Grabbing him around the head with her left arm she flipped him over her shoulder as she landed feet first on the grass. She let go and Jiro splashed into the koi pond some ten meters away.

She was now halfway between the group of men and the porch. Glaring at Yoshi she spat out, "Stay the hell out of my home!"

He smiled wickedly and said with a casual snap of his fingers, "Saburo, Shiro, take care of this pesky woman."

Two more men separated from the group and stepped over the still unconscious body of Ichiro. One carried a tonfa style nightstick and the other a length of pipe. First they circled to either side of Akane, effectively flanking her, then they advanced from opposite sides, brandishing their weapons.

Akane dropped to the ground and tumbled backwards toward the veranda. Reaching the first step she planted one foot firmly on the edge and launched herself at the startled men. Twisting in midair, she spun her feet at them landing multiple blows on each of their heads before grabbing them with her knees and pulling them together in a scissor action. The henchmen's heads slammed together with a resounding thunk and they collapsed into a heap.

Akane dropped to ground along with them using the momentum to roll herself backwards and push into a handstand. Then she vaulted back onto the veranda. "How am I doing?" she asked Ranma with a satisfied grin.

"Not bad Tendo, nice legs." Ranma said with an analytical poise that belied her true concern. "You might try something a little less flashy next time."

"Thanks, I'll do that."

A very irritated looking Yoshi turned on the remaining men, "Quit screwing around you guys! I told you, these people are serious martial artists. Now Goro and Rokuro, take care of her and use your brains for a change!"

Two more men advanced. The larger of the two simply folded his arms over the two-by-four he was carrying and assumed a wait-and-see posture, but the smaller man threw down the sticks he had been carrying and assumed a fighting stance.

"Akane," Ranma whispered, "that's an Akkido stance. Stay cool, he's expecting you to attack."

Akane nodded and adjusted her own stance slightly. She locked gazes with the man as they sized each other up. When she was certain she had his complete and undivided attention she puckered her lips and blew him a kiss.

As his eyes grew wide Akane launched herself straight upwards. Catching the edge of the roof overhang with her hand, she flipped lightly onto the rooftop. Crouching there momentarily to gauge her jump she then propelled herself far out over the garden and dropped straight down on top of the man.

Taken completely off guard he threw his hands ineffectively over his head and braced for the impact. It would have been over in another second if the two-by-four hurled by the other man had not struck Akane in the shoulder sending her tumbling sideways across the lawn.

She rolled a few times and then leapt to her feet only to have her arms instantly pined to her sides by the big man. He embraced her in a bear hug from behind and she tried to throw him, but his weight was too great and his stance too firm. She writhed in his arms and tried to break free, but the big man simply squeezed the breath out of her and she went limp.

"Akane!" Ranma roared from the porch as her battle aura exploded across the yard. The remaining henchmen cringed before it, but unfortunately the only two who did not seem affected were Yoshi and the big man holding Akane. "Let her go or so help me..."

"Or you'll do what mommy? Who finally knocked you up anyway?" Yoshi laughed at her. He walked over to where the big man held Akane off the ground. "Nice work Goro. Remind me to buy you a new chew toy later." The big man grinned at the joke and Yoshi lifted Akane's chin. Their eyes met and he laughed again. "I don't remember you being this vicious Saotome-san. Weren't you the one who always taught the kiddy classes?"

Akane pulled her chin from his grip and kicked at his groin, but Goro twisted to the left and the kick went wide. "At least kids know how to fight fair," she spat out, her anger rising to its peak.

"Oh, but isn't the whole philosophy of this school that anything goes?" Yoshi leaned in as close as he dared and leered at her, "Or does that only apply to the good guys?"

From the veranda Ranma shouted, "Hey, leave her alone Chanko!"

The effect of that name on Yoshi was immediate and devastating. His face went pale and his head whipped around to find Ranma facing him with her hands defiantly on her hips. For half a second he could have sworn it was his old teacher laughing down at him again. "Don't call me that!" he bellowed as he bounded up onto the porch.

Yoshi made a grab for Ranma's neck, but she dodged it easily. However, when she tried to right herself she overcompensated and tripped forward right into the young man's arms. Too shocked by the slip to take advantage of it, Yoshi clumsily helped the pregnant woman stand back up again.

"Easy there," he said almost apologetically, "I don't want to hurt either of you. My business is with that brother of yours. So, just call him out or tell me where he is."

Ranma looked up at him, her fury dampened by her inability to regain her balance. She realized now there was nothing she could do, at least not while she was like this. "Look Nabe-kun. The man you're looking for isn't here and he won't be here until spring. Search the house if you want, but you won't even find his clothes."

"Where is he then?"

"I told you before," Akane shouted from her confinement, "He's out of the country on an extended training trip."

Doubt crossed Yoshi's face for a moment, but then he smiled and turned back to Ranma. "Okay, so he's not in Japan, but wherever he is you can get in touch with him, can't you little sister?"

Ranma looked at the angry young man and realized that nothing was going to satisfy him now but a face-to-face with her male half. That wasn't possible, but if she could make the idiot think it was he might go away long enough for her to think of something else. "Yeah, but even he can't just catch a flight out of the Himalayas and be here by dinner time. It'll take a couple of days."

"Really, the Himalayas? How conveniently remote, I suppose the best thing for me to do now is just go home and wait a few days until he gets back." Yoshi turned to his men and shrugged comically. A ripple of laughter passed through those who were still conscious.

Chuckling himself, Yoshi stepped from the veranda and walked over to where Akane was being held. "But if I do that what guarantee do I have Ranma will show up at all. Suppose I just hold onto the little missus here as an insurance policy."

"Oh no, not again," Ranma muttered under her breath. Then with a sigh she said aloud, "You can't do that, it's kidnapping."

"Do you hear that boys? It's kidnapping!" Yoshi shouted in mock horror, then turning serious he said "Listen little sister, kidnapping and extortion are my business. One more hostage won't change my life a bit. I suggest you get on the line to that no account brother of yours and tell him if he wants to see his wife again he'll be here in..."

"Three days," Ranma said decisively, "the soonest he can be here is three days from now."

Akane's eyes went wide and she screamed, "No! Don't do it! I'll never forgive you Ran..." A huge hand clamped over her mouth, cutting her off.

"I'm sorry Akane," Ranma said, "he's given me no other choice. It'll be all right, you'll see." Turning to Yoshi she raised her battle aura for emphasis, "You so much as touch Akane or let anyone else touch her and I swear you'll regret it. Come back here in three days and don't bring all these goons with you. You'd better be fully prepared to face Ranma Saotome one on one. Got that Chanko?"

Yoshi gritted his teeth against the intensity of the redhead's aura, "S-s-stop calling me that! Tell your worthless brother he better be here, that's all I've got to say" Unable to look her in the eye any longer he turned to his men, "Okay, pick these guys up and let's get out of here."

Ranma watched as the gang picked up their fallen comrades and dragged them out the back gate. Then Goro carried the still kicking and screaming Akane out with him. Finally Yoshi stood at the gate and pointed a finger at Ranma and shouted, "Three days!" then he too disappeared.

She stood waiting on the veranda for several minutes, her battle aura still seething, until she was sure they were all gone. Then she turned slowly and holding her swollen belly with one hand staggered back into the house.

Leaning heavily on the back of the sofa she screamed in rage. "God damn it! I am not this weak!" she whipped around and sliced cleanly through a glass vase sitting on the bureau with the side of her hand. Shards of glass and the silk flowers it contained scattered across the floor.

Ranma tried to control her breathing and force herself to relax, but it wouldn't happen. Suddenly sobs shook her and tears welled up in her eyes. She collapsed against the wall and was still there crying twenty minutes later when she heard the front door open and a pair of young voices call out, "We're home!"

She rubbed her eyes dry and hurried out into the hallway to intercept the twins before they could see all the broken glass. "Welcome home!" she tried to sound as normal as possible, "Did you guys have a good day at school?"

"Uh huh!" beamed Hideto, "We learned about samurai's today."

"It was really cool," Masato added excitedly, "they wore clothes just like the ones in grandmother Saotome's living room!"

"And they used swords like hers too!"

"Is grandmother a samurai?"

Ranma smiled at their enthusiasm, "No, but sometimes she thinks she is." Lowering herself gently to the floor she gather the boys up in a big double hug. "Listen, your mama has gone on a business trip and she'll be away for a few days."

"A business trip?" Masato asked.

"Like daddy used to take?" added Hideto.

"Yup, just like that. So until she gets back it's just us guys, okay?

The boys looked at one another quizzically and then said in unison, "Okay!"

"Great, now go upstairs and change out of your uniforms."

As the boys marched up the stairs, Hideto asked his brother, "What did mommy mean by 'us guys'?"

"Beats me," Masato said, "mommy no baka."

Ranma hung her head, "That's it! Even my boys have forgotten who I am."

She stood up and marched down the hall to the bath. Grabbing the wastebasket off the floor, she picked up the bar of waterproof soap from the sink and dropped it into the bin. Then she turned and headed for the furo, intent on disposing of all the magic soap.

As she passed the full-length mirror on the wall beside the inner door she caught her image reflected there. She gazed at her profile with the bulging breasts and protruding belly. This was not a portrait of the world's greatest martial artist! But the longer she stared at herself the more she began to understand the full consequence of what she was about to do.

Her hand caressed the curve of her abdomen as a flutter of movement rippled below the surface. She looked at her own face reflected in the mirror and said, "Who are you kidding Saotome?"

She dug the bar of soap from the wastebasket and put it back on the sink then dropped the bin in the corner on her way out of the bathroom. She rushed down the hall to the living room, stepped carefully over the broken glass and picked up the telephone. She dialed a few numbers and waited.

"Hello, Hibiki residence," Ryouga's mother said at the other end.

"Hello, this is Ranma. Is Ryouga there?"

"Certainly dear, he's sitting right here. How's the baby?"

"Just fine. Thank you for asking."

"What's up pal," Ryouga said taking the phone.

Ranma choked back nearly thirty years of masculine pride and said, "I need your help."

x x x

All characters in this story are a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person, living or dead is purely coincidental.

This work is copyright (c) 2006 by Juliet Carnell, it is not public domain and all rights are reserved. This work is not for publication. This work may not be reproduced, distributed or sold in any format or media. This work may not be included in any collection without the express written permission of the author. The reader may make one printed or electronic copy of this work for personal use.

Author's Notes:

(1) Tai-Chi - Chinese martial art characterized by slow precise movements each having a descriptive name like 'Grab the Sparrow's Tail' or 'Stroke the Horse's Mane'.

(2) kata - this is an established pattern of martial arts moves used either for practice, exhibition or to warm up before a match.

(1) nabe - a type of Japanese stew known as 'one-pot', some examples are Sukiyaki, Chazuke, and Domburi.

(2) gi - the traditional outfit worn by martial artists for practice or combat.

(3) nunchaku - also known as nun chucks, these are a pair of short sticks connected at one end by a chain or rope.

(4) tonfa - is the precursor of the modern police nightstick, it has a medium length baton with a side handle attached near one end.

(5) Akido - is a Japanese martial art that focuses on the use of ki energy, it is generally known as a defensive style of martial art.

(6) chanko nabe - a type of stew served to sumo wrestlers to fatten them up.

(7) samurai - the name given to elite solders during Japan's feudal period.

(8) furo - name for the deep soaking bathtubs preferred by the Japanese.