Author's notes
The next two chapters are dedicated to my beloved aunt, Annie Ross Tan Yoke Pin, who passed away on 15/11/2007. She rests by the throne of God now, united with our Lord and Saviour. May she rest in peace.
Despite how this chapter may sound, which somehow coincides with my aunt's death, I would like to remind you all that this is NOT an angst story. Just in case you all think my mind has unhinged.
Chapter 31: The more things change…."RANMA NO BAKA!" a battle cry was heard for a one kilometre radius around the Tendo dojo as the female heir of said dojo punched her erstwhile fiancé to LEO. Said fiancé screamed all the way until he hit the ground somewhere on the outskirts of Nerima, "KAWAI KU NE!!!!!!!!"
Kasumi sighed as she once again calculated the time it would take for Ranma to get back to the Tendo dojo. Once again, it seemed like the more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Fortunately since their return from China, Akane had learnt to control some of her mad strength, the flying trajectory of Ranma via Akane airways had been growing increasingly short, resulting in less injuries as well as a slightly less temperamental Ranma. They would argue again when they got back, and then quietly sneak out of the house at night for some quiet time together away from the fathers as well as the rest of the fiancés.
The old woman from whom she was buying vegetables said, "Kasumi dear, you really should get married soon. Or at least do something for yourself. It's a shame to see you do nothing but serve your family day and night. Why don't you start seeing that nice Dr. Tofu again? I hear that he has the hots for you." The old woman then winked suggestively.
Kasumi sighed. "Thanks Aunty but I'm afraid my heart belongs to another."
The old woman was surprised and asked, "Well, where is he?"
"He went away, far far away," Kasumi said quietly as she looked to the sky.
The vegetable seller sighed and asked whatever god was out there what Kasumi had done to deserve an unrequited love, or a separated love. Now after all the chaos of the last few weeks, it felt like the situation in Nerima had degraded back to square one. Kasumi was still serving her family hand and foot whilst Ranma and Akane continued to attract their fair share of chaos.
As Kasumi was about to pay the old woman, she held up her hand. "Kasumi, just for today, don't bother. I'm not in the mood to accept money from you today," she said as she went into her shop and locked the door, displaying the "CLOSED" sign as she did.
Kasumi blinked at the old woman's reaction than sighed. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately, ever since the Autobots left planet Earth.
Unfortunately for Kasumi and the Autobots, part of Prowl's prediction of the world's governments reacting to the Cybertronians' presence on planet Earth turned out to be true. Right after the final battle, the Autobots had been escorted to a nearby Chinese military base, along with the NWC and the Chinese Amazons, all under heavy guard from the combined military of China, America, Russia and Japan. There the NWC and Amazons were grilled and interrogated about their role in the alien war and what they knew about the Cybertronians by representatives from the involved superpowers. Bumblebee and Kasumi refused to leave each other though and any demand to the contrary was met by Bumblebee's threatening to use his solar cannon. It took all of Cologne's, Optimus' and Hound's diplomatic skill to prevent hostilities from bursting again.
The following days were hard on Kasumi as she refused to leave the Autobots side and return home to Japan. The NWC and the Chinese Amazons followed her example, all afraid that if they left the Autobots, they might never see them again. Optimus and Elita were greatly touched by the NWC's loyalty in the following weeks, the NWC and the Amazon tribe got to know all the Autobots very well and a bond of friendship was formed between all of them.
Then came the fateful day when the United Nations announced its verdict considering the existence of the Autobots. The Autobots, Nerima Wrecking Crew and Amazon tribe stood together at the middle of a large stadium meant for the 2009 Olympic games while the UN Security Council superpowers, which was presided by their actual country leaders with the exception of George W. Bush, read out their decisions.
President Hu Jin Tao, on behalf of the PRC, formally thanked the Autobots for coming to Earth and stopping Megatron and the Decepticons from conquering China. The Chinese President was surprisingly humble and sincere and showered them with a string of praises and oaths of friendship between the people of China and the Autobots. After that though, the US representative Dick Cheney, speaking for the rest of the Security Council, had requested that the Autobots returned to space and not visit Earth again. They agreed to provision the Autobots with whatever they needed for their journey, even going so far as to surrender all the Key To Vector Sigma modified drone wreckage to the Autobots so that the technology field would not be skewed by reverse engineering the drones, as well as the wrecks of the destroyed Decepticons, including Megatron himself.
If everyone thought they had seen the best of Kasumi's fighting skill and spirit at the Battle of Beijing, they were sorely mistaken when Dick Cheney read out the verdict of the Security Council. She calmly but angrily berated them for their complete insensitivity, stupidity and ignorance in dealing with the Autobots. She desperately tried to convince the world's leaders to let the Autobot stay for not only their service to mankind but also so that the Autobots could help guide humanity a better age. Another international incident nearly happened when Dick Cheney went so far as to call Kasumi an 'ignorant little girl dealing with matters beyond her stature and concern,' which nearly resulted in most of the Autobots taking out their weapons to blast the pompous US representative to oblivion if not for Optimus' and Elita's firm orders. The Chinese President had to stop the surrounding tanks and aircraft from bombing them as well.
The decision was firm however. The Autobots were asked to leave and take the surviving Decepticons with them. Of the Decepticons, only Ravage, Brawl, Blast Off, and Rumble remained. As part of the agreement, the Decepticons would be released to the Autobots custody as well. That day ended in tears for Tendo Kasumi as she cried in Bumblebee's arms while the NWC, the Amazons and the Autobots (including Optimus and Elita) gnashed their teeth in anger at what most saw as poor repayment of Kasumi's sacrifice and contribution to their victory.
Kasumi sighed deeply then pushed open the gate leading to the junkyard. Everything was still the same as when she last saw it. She walked towards the hangar, put her shopping basket on the floor and pushed open the swivel that her Autobot friend had installed earlier. She peeked inside. The old tank was still there with it's gaping hole, like a wound from the past that would never heal no matter how much time passed.
Then to her delight, she thought she heard a noise of metal dropping behind the tank. Her heart raced as she ran to the back of the tank…
…. and fell as she realised that it was only a piece of the tank's armour had finally rusted to the point where it dropped off. Otherwise, the little space behind the tank that once had been a sanctuary for her and her friend, was empty.
Tears came to her eyes as once again she was reminded of the fact that the Autobots were gone. To be more precise, Bumblebee was gone.
Flashback: Two week ago, five days after Battle of Beijing.
Location: Gobi Desert
At a Chinese military base located somewhere in the Lanzhou region, four vessels prepared to be launched into space. A large number of aircraft patrolled the airspace while on the ground, numerous armoured vehicles patrolled the sands surrounding the rocket base. More than a thousand troops were stationed around the base as well.
Omega Supreme had transformed into his rocket form. Blast Off, now that his disguise was no longer needed, the huge Deception's interstellar form was no longer that of an American Space Shuttle, and was instead that of a futuristic transport spacecraft that strangely resembled a Klingon Bird of Prey from the Star Trek series. Another two rockets had been constructed by Wheeljack from the salvaged remains of the dead drones and used to not only carry all of the drone wreckage but also that of the dead Decepticons: Soundwave, Starscream, Blitzwing, the five Seekers, the six Constructicons, Laserbeak, Ratbat, Frenzy, Scorponok, Barricade and last but not least, Megatron.
The air was heavy with tension as the Autobots finished packing the drones and prepared to board the four spacecraft. The NWC and the Amazons, in full ceremonial clothing, were assembled at the edge of the blast off perimeter. In front of all of them, flanked by Ranma and Akane, was Kasumi. The Autobots then slowly and reluctantly, walked to the Nerima Wrecking Crew.
Optimus knelt on one knee to bring his head close to Kasumi's. His Spark was torn as he saw the bloodshot eyes, the black bags under her eyes, her dishevelled hair which was still tied in a pony tail over her left shoulder and most of all, her tear stained cheeks. His fist clenched over his right knee as he knelt. Words failed him. The time had come to say goodbye. In spite of all their prayers and hope, they were now doomed to separate.
It was Kasumi who spoke, "Godspeed to you Optimus. Have a safe journey home. I pray that you will somehow restore Cybertron now that the fighting is over," she said in a dead voice. The truth was she had not slept in the three days following the decision of the UN Security council.
"Kasumi, remember this and remember it well. It is no fault of yours that its come to this. Have faith Kasumi, that we will meet again. Your Lord works in mysterious ways. He has not forsaken you. Day shall come again," the words seemed cliché but Optimus was willing to put faith after everything he had been through.
"I know… but… it's just not…. nevermind. I'm tired Optimus. I want to go home as do you I expect. Maybe I was wrong to want to keep you all here… that's why the Lord is not granting my prayers," she said softly as she looked to the ground rather than Optimus' eyes..
The yellow Autobot next to Optimus had a distraught expression, as though desperately looking for a way our despite their course being chosen. "Optimus, isn't there anything else we can do? Trade technology, act as their defenders, anything! This is more our home than anywhere else now! Please Optimus, can't we do something rather than let those… politicians tear our newfound friendships apart?!"
Optimus sighed. "I'm sorry Bumblebee, Kasumi. I've tried, Elita has tried, Hound has tried. But the actions of Megatron and the Decepticons have proven how dangerous we can be. They know what we are capable of. And they fear us."
"TO HELL WITH THEM! THEY HAVE NO RIGHT…."
"Please Bumblebee, it's no use getting angry. What's done is done. Don't give in to violence. I don't want any more bloodshed on my account," Kasumi whispered. The yellow Autobot was so frustrated, he let out a yell, which made the surrounding soldiers nervous and then slammed his right fist into the ground, shattering the asphalt and creating a small crater. The yellow Autobot was enraged at his inability to improve the situation that his entire body shivered and his right hand repeatedly transformed into his solar cannon and back again. He only stopped when Kasumi placed a gentle hand on Bumblebee's left hand.
"It's enough Bumblebee. There's no more need to fight. Fighting will get us nowhere."
The simple words Kasumi said shook Bumblebee back to rationality. The Autobot lifted his head and found Kasumi's brown eyes looking sadly into his blue ones. Her lips curled into a sad smile and she said her favourite phrase.
"Everything will turn out alright," she tried to say cheerfully, trying to convince herself as much as Bumblebee. But she could not hold back the tear that escaped her eye once again and trailed down her cheek. Before it slid off her chin, Bumblebee moved his finger to wipe it off. Then he gently leaned his forehead against Kasumi's.
"No matter where I go, you will always be my love. You ….. completed me after so many years of loneliness. And for that, I will love till the day I die. I swear that one day, by the grace of your God, I will return," Bumblebee whispered.
She started sobbing as she threw herself against Bumblebee's torso. "And you will always be in my heart," she cried. She hugged him for all she was worth, not wanting to let go of the only being that had shown her kindness and love like no other since her mother's death. The floodgates opened for Bumblebee as the tears silently rolled down his silver face. He also hugged Kasumi tightly as if to reassure her that he was not leaving.
A loudspeaker began to noise a countdown starting from ten minutes to departure. The two of them gave no heed until Ranma and Optimus moved behind Kasumi and Bumblebee respectively.
"Old friend, it is time," Optimus gently said, though it wrenched his heart to say so. He placed a hand on Bumblebee's shoulder. For a minute, Bumblebee didn't move and just as Optimus was about to pull Bumblebee, the yellow Autobot finally lifted his head. Slowly and with great reluctance, he pulled apart Kasumi's hug and gently handed her to Ranma. Kasumi watched in horror as Bumblebee stood up and started walking backwards towards Omega Supreme.
Elder Cologne then stepped forward in front of the Amazon tribe. "PRESENT, ARMS!" As one, every single Amazon, including Shampoo and Mousse, stood stiff at military attention and saluted the Autobots with their weapons: spears, swords, axes and various other Chinese weaponry stabbed into the air as they bid farewell to the Autobots. At the same time, many of the international troops outside also saluted the Autobots.
The Autobots began to board the four vessles: Trailbreaker (carrying a limbless Rumble), Kup and Blurr entering one of the drone bearing rockets. Ironhide, Chromia and Tracks escorted Brawl into the other rocket. Tracks, Jazz, Arcee and Hound, who was carrying Ravage in a large dog-like kernel cage, went into Blast Off, while Optimus, Elita, Prowl, Ratchet and Wheeljack, went into Omega Supreme. All the Autobots looked sorrowfully at Kasumi before boarding. Ravage and Rumble smirked at Kasumi's anguish but Brawl would have astonished everyone if they were noticing him, for he gave a brief salute before boarding the rocket.
Last to board was Bumblebee. He walked backwards all the way, up the ramp and into Omega Supreme but at the entrance, he stopped and continued to look at Kasumi. Tearfully, he reached out his hand towards Kasumi as the ramp of the rocket lifted upwards to close itself. She shouted, "BUMBLEBEE!" one last time, struggling against Ranma whose tears were also flowing as he held Kasumi back from running towards the rocket. With a loud clang and hiss, the rocket ramp closed and hissed, sealing off its inhabitants as it prepared to launch to space.
The impassive voice of whoever was at the military base started the countdown in mandarin.
"Ten."
"Oh Lord, please Lord, don't take my friends away from me!"
"Nine"
"Lord I love Bumblebee with all my heart, please let him stay!"
"Eight"
"Lord I have yet to give them the feast I promised them!"
"Seven"
"Please God, let me show the Autobots joy!"
"Six"
"Let me be their salt and light as you commanded me to be Lord!"
"Five"
"Have mercy on the Autobots, who have suffered so much loneliness Lord!"
"Four"
Kasumi cried as the four spacecraft began to ignite their engines.
"Three"
A part of Kasumi finally accepted that the situation wasn't going to change, no matter how much she prayed.
"Two"
"Optimus, Bumblebee, have a safe journey. Godspeed!"
"One"
She stopped struggling against Ranma and tiredly mouthed 'goodbye'.
The mighty engines of the four Cybertronian spacecraft ignited. Due to their advance technology, they did not produce any fumes or exhaust that Earth's current rockets produced when blasting off into space. As one, the four spacecraft lifted off the ground, their speed increasing at an astonishing speed. Within half a minute, they were tiny dots in the sky, Kasumi nearly blinded herself staring at the hot desert sun as she tried to make out the four rockets as long as she could. And then they were gone.
Kasumi then stood with her eyes down cast. She had no more tears for that day.
XxxxxxxxxxxxAfter that day, the NWC were invited to stay at the Amazon valley by Elder Cologne. She said that she had arranged for the Tendo house and dojo be rebuilt, the cost of which would be born by the Amazon Tribe. Kasumi graciously accepted and for the next week, the NWC had a nice and quiet vacation at the Amazon Valley. To the NWC's grief, Kasumi had lost her smile and aura of optimism. She seemed to have gained Ryoga's aura of perpetual depression except it was not so severe and the sadness was not for herself. She said little and stayed mostly in her room, when she was not cooking for the NWC, a task she refused to let the Amazons do for her.
One day, as Cologne helped Kasumi prepare dinner for the NWC, she asked if there was anything else Kasumi wanted, Kasumi only said a few words.
"Free Ranma from the Kiss of Marriage and Death."
And so it was done, to Shampoo's sadness. The Amazon girl still carried a torch for Ranma but since the Battle Of Beijing, she knew she could no longer win Ranma's heart. In an effort to stop moping about her loss, she threw herself into martial arts training as well as the reconstruction of the Amazon city. Mousse wisely, decided not to take advantage of the situation and merely started training himself, particularly with Ranma and Ryoga to improve his own durability and hand to hand combat. All of them also took part in helping the Amazons reconstruct their ruined city.
One and a half week later, Kasumi found herself back in the Tendo dojo. The dojo and house had been miraculously restored back to its original state. She, Ranma and Akane came home VIP style in a black limousine, accompanied by the Japanese Prime Minister himself, who had met the NWC as they touched down at the airport. Everything that happened in China had been classified and a huge media blackout prevented the existence of the Cybertronians from being revealed to the world. Yet most of the world's superpowers knew the name of Tendo Kasumi and unofficially recognised her as a world hero, worthy of every courtesy and boon in every country they had influence.
As the chauffeur opened the door for her to exit, she was instantly greeted by the eternal fountain of tears, Tendo Soun who had practically jumped out of the main entrance, screaming, "OH THANK THE GODS! MY LITTLE GIRL IS ALIVE! MY LITTLE GIRL IS ALIVE!"
Kasumi sighed but took comfort in the fact that if nothing else, her father and Nabiki had escaped her adventures unscathed, although it didn't look like their behaviours were going to change due to missing out the adventures. She hugged her father only without the tears and said gently, "Tadaima, Otou-san."
"Where is he? Where is that useless son of mine?! He is so going to get it for not only failing to protect his fiancé, but his fiancé's house as well!" an angry Saotome Genma stomped out of the house followed by a sour looking Tendo Nabiki.
"Sis, where's Ranma? He has got a big debt to pay for getting our house destroyed." She then noticed Ranma getting out of the other side of the limousine and had just helped Akane get out of the car. They were walking around the car towards the entrance. Nabiki's eyes narrowed when she saw that Akane was using a cane in her left hand to walk. What she didn't notice was Akane's right hand gripping Ranma but not as a support, as she was walking in her own power.
"Saotome Ranma, you can just kiss your freedom goodbye for causing hurt to my sis…. OH MY GOD WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR LEG!" Nabiki lost all her ice-queen composure when she saw Akane. Akane was wearing a long skirt that reached over her knees but her left leg was unmistakably that of a wooden prosthetic.
Tendo Soun and Saotome Genma looked in horror at Akane's leg. Then the demon head of Tendo Soun materialised and said in rage at Ranma, "SON, YOU USELESS PIECE OF TRASH! HOW DARE YOU LET MY LITTLE GIRL GET HURT!"
"YOU WORTHLESS SON! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE MY FLESH AND BLOOD! NODOKA WILL HAVE OUR HIDES FOR THIS! YOU FAILED YOUR TEST OF MANLINESS BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT…"
"Akane, you can take over the cooking duties, I'll take care of the rest of the household chores," Kasumi quietly said. This resulted in Nabiki, and the two father's faces become ashen. "And nobody gets to go on holiday for the month." What she didn't tell them, was that all of the family finances were no longer in her father's name or Nabiki's thanks to the Prime Minister of Japan. Never again would she allow the fathers or her sister squander their money on hare-brained schemes.
"Now now Kasumi… you're obviously traumatised….. no doubt by that wretched boy is \ the cause of this," Soun blurted out.
Ryoga and Ukyo, who had exited from another car, sighed as they watched the drama unfold. "Kasumi dear, would you like us to take care of them? I can take Nabiki elsewhere and I'm sure Ryoga-honey can take care of the two buffoons," Ukyo said while she and Ryoga cracked their knuckles.
"No thanks Ukyo. Come on Ranma, Akane. It's been a long journey. Let's all rest in my room for the afternoon," she said. She then turned to Ukyo and Ryoga. "Thanks Ukyo, Ryoga. For everything. Ryoga, are you sure you don't want to stay here first?"
"Nah, this time I get to have a driver who will make sure I don't get lost. Besides I heard the Amazons managed to track my parents and bring them to my house. Tonight I will get to dine with my parents," Ryoga smiled. It had been too long since he had a family reunion, especially with all the family members ability to get lost all over the world in record time.
"Don't worry honey, I'll make sure he gets there before going back to my place," the Okonomiyaki chef said.
Kasumi gave a small smile and said, "Take care of yourselves."
The two waved and then went back into the car which then drove off.
"Excuse me? Why are you ignoring us? We're discussing how to punish Ranma here," Nabiki said angrily.
"Ranma is not at fault. I am," Kasumi said quietly. She then reached into the car and to the fathers and Nabiki's astonishment, she took out the urn containing her mother's ashes. She then walked towards the dojo.
As per her instructions to the Amazons, the altar of her mother had been reconstructed without the Shinto shrine style. It was now a simple platform raised seven feet above the ground. To her father's astonishment, she placed a simple wooden cross at the wall and below it; she placed the urn of her mother. In front of the urn, she placed a picture of her mother that she had extracted from the Tendo belongings that the Amazons had taken before. After setting it up, she took a few steps back and together with Akane and Ranma, clasped their hands and prayed silently.
Nabiki became enraged and actually cried tears of rage. "OK sister, what the hell is going on here? I come back a week ago to find our house burnt to the ground, all our belongings gone, mother's altar defiled, you, Ranma and Akane vanished and to top it all off, everybody in the neighbourhood going mad and saying giant alien Destrons from planet Cybertron kidnapping you! Then I find Cologne and the Amazons gone! Do you know how worried I was?! How worried we all were?! Especially with Happosai loose?! We had to beg Kuno for lodging and I nearly had to sleep with him in order to make sure we were not homeless! What do you have to say for yourself young lady? Oh, I almost forgot, you disregard our Japanese traditions and put a cross on MOTHER'S ALTAR!"
Kasumi sighed but silently finished her prayers before turning to her father and sister. "Let's go into the living room, it's a very long story."
End flashback
Kasumi sniffed and wiped her tears. It was foolish of her to reminisce of things in the past. She walked over the spot that used to be Bumblebee's parking space and sighed. "Well Bumblebee, I'm doing what you said, forging my own path. I pray for the best for all of you," she said before leaving the hangar, then the junk yard, not forgetting to take her vegetables with her.
Along the way, she met a slightly bruised Ranma and Akane walking towards school. The youngest Tendo daughter, despite being crippled with one leg, was actually the one helping Ranma as they walked towards a new clinic that had opened. Dr. Tofu had left town along with his mother during their stay in China.
"You know Akane, you don't have to hit Ranma that hard," Kasumi chided her younger sister.
Ranma snorted. "Believe me Kasumi, that's not even half of her macho-chick strength that she normally doles out. Besides, Kuno and Kodachi are still out to get us so we have to keep some appearance to make it look like status quo. If they know that, well, we urrrr…… we ahhhhhhhh," he began to stutter again.
Akane sighed. "If they know we love each other, who knows what they might do, either to us or even to themselves? Best we plan how to deal with them later," she said. She then scratched the stump of her feet through her skirt. "Damn thing still itches."
"It's called phantom pains, your body still thinks it has a leg and is trying to send signals to it. It should go away soon," Kasumi said wisely. "I can't believe you didn't accept Ratchet's offer to give you a proper cybernetic prosthetic leg."
Akane shrugged. "I don't like the idea of having a robot leg. The one Ratchet connected to me really felt weird and foreign, even when I fought, it didn't feel right. After the battle, Ranma and I talked and we both decided I didn't need a replacement leg. Lots of people get along fine even with both legs gone. I decided to take the challenge and Ranma supports it."
"Wow, so you and Ranma actually make decisions now? The end must be night," Kasumi said in mock fear.
"Kasumi!" they both shouted, also in mock annoyance and then all three had a good laugh.
"How are you Kasumi? We haven't spoken much since we came back. It's just been shopping, clean the house, laundry then sleeping. You haven't even tried to help me cook," Akane said.
"Yeah Kasumi, I'm getting a little stressed having to watch Akane alone. She did manage to burn the omelette a little yesterday but luckily Oyaji gobbled the omelette before I could take it away and got indigestion today," Ranma said.
Kasumi looked up to the stars. Somewhere out there, the race of Cybertronians had probably started the reconstruction of their race.
"It still hurts. I miss them so much," Kasumi said quietly as she thought of all the Autobots. Elita, Chromia, Arcee, Trailbreaker, Kup, Blurr, Tracks, Wheeljack, Omega Supreme, Ironhide, Prowl, Hound, Ratchet, Jazz, Optimus Prime….
….. Bumblebee.
The couple sighed then both split up and took Kasumi in each hand. She looked quizzically at them.
"Let's go Kasumi… to move forward in our lives," Akane said.
"Yeah Kasumi, together." Ranma finished.
Kasumi looked backward at the once again, abandoned junkyard. She then smiled to the two.
"I love you two," she said then all three walked together back to their home.
To be continued…….
Sorry guys, this will be the last chapter.
NOT! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA! Made you panicked didn't I!
Sigh, rest in peace Go-Ee.