Chapter 7: Tradgedy
"He's my brother."
Akane looked at Ranma and saw that he was being honest, but he was hiding something. She had asked him if he was an only child when Ukyo had shown up and Ranma had said that he was.
"What do you mean?"
Chi decided to aswer Akanes questions for Ranma.
"He means that I was recently adopted into the Saotome family. Mom has her reasons for doing this. He can't tell you what they are because they are a secret between myself and the Saotomes. Ranma's father doesn't even know."
"I told you to go ahead and call him your father, dear."
Nodoka looked at Chi and wondered what her new son could hope to gain by not telling Akane the whole truth. Oh well, He must have his reasons. Nodoka looked back to her first born and watched as Ranma continued to hold Akane without realizing that this was never a common practice for Ranma before. To Ranma it just seemed natural to hold Akane.
"Akane dear, could you give me a hand with dinner? I think the boys want to talk."
Akane's eyes lit up in joy at the chance to once again try to cook for Ranma. Ranma's eyes lit up and the sudden fear in his heart for the pain this meal would give him. He started to open his mouth to insert his foot when...
"Ranma, come here for a sec."
Akane looked at Ranma as she followed Nodoka, her future mother-in-law. Akane knew that Ranma had been about to say something. She was grateful to Chi for interupting Ranma. She had already wasted too much time with Ranma mad at him. She now knew she had a temper, and even how bad her temper was. She still needed to work on that, a lot.
When Akane and Nodoka left the room Ranma turned to his new 'brother' and looked him over seriously for the first time since Chi had entered his life.
"Thanks man. I was about to do something really stupid."
"What's family for. You realize that you're going to have to tell her that her food is great."
"What? Why?"
"Because she's a girl, your girl, and she wants you happy. Do you want her happy?"
"Yeah. Hey, wait, why are you giving me tips on Akane?"
"Because you both don't know what you're doing. She's obviously trying now."
"Yeah, well. What happened?"
"How would you describe Akane's potential?"
Ranma was slightly caught off guard by Chi's question.
"She's a pretty good fighter but she ain't as good as some of the people in Nerima."
"Not her skill Ranma, Akane's potential."
Ranma did something he hadn't done in a while. He thought before he replied.
"Wasted. She could be so much better, but she hasn't been trained to drive herself properly. The only real times she has shown any improvement in her skills were when she was putting everything on the line. I was so proud of her those times, but she usually just gets mad if she ain't as good as other people. Heck, the most determined I've ever seen Akane was when these two girls showed up and tried to take the dojo saying that... they... were... Tendos..."
Ranma trailed off slowly as he started to get a sudden suspision. That suspision was only increased with the smirk that Chi was trying to keep off his face. Chi was apperently as good a card player as Ranma himself.
"They're coming too ain't they."
It was a statement of fact, not a question. Ranma realized what Chi had meant earlier that day when Chi talked about getting help. Ryu had been the first, but Chi had said that there would be others. Ranma realized that it would most likely be people that Ranma already knew. They would be people looking for something and would find a reason to stay and help if it was needed.
Ryu's reason was simple enough, he wanted to learn an art and rebuild his family's dojo. Natsume and Kurumi would be looking for a family. Chi knew things that Ranma had yet to learn about the possible future. The other 'Tendo sisters' were returning, and possibly soon.
"You're getting off topic. Now about Akane's potential..."
"Who else?"
"What?"
"Who else is coming? Ryu's already here and Natsume and Kurumi are coming. Who else?"
Chi looked at Ranma and debated how much to tell him. Finally he decided, all of it. Ranma was family and had accepted him as such. Although niether had said it, it was apparent that Ranma had forgiven Chi for the match at the Tendo dojo. Ranma deserved to know.
"Taro... and I'm working on a way to get the Kunos to help."
"The KUNOS? I can understand about Pantyhose boy, but the Kunos?"
"I know the Kunos better than you do. I grew up in Nerima around you. Tatewaki is an honorable man if you know how to manipulate him. I know how to deal with him. About Kodachi-"
"No, not Kodachi. Kuno's enough trouble, but Kodachi's uncontrolable. You can't predict what she'll do next some time. You can't trust her."
"I can. I've already started to deal with her. I'm cheating by the way. I know enough about her from who she becomes in my time to deal with her. She'll actually be easier than Tatewaki to deal with."
"You actually think you can trust her?"
"In my time, she's the mother of one of my oldest friends. Kodachi didn't like me too well, but she'll help. Trust me."
Ranma was obviously bothered by Chi insistance about Kodachi, but Ranma knew that if it did come down to a fight against who knows how many Amazons, then Ranma would need all the help he could get. Ranma just hoped that they could find another way.
"Anyone else bro?"
Chi had been pained a little to mention his friend, but was overjoyed to hear Ranma call him brother so naturally.
"Not really, but I released Happosai from his cave when I first got here and he's suppose to have doing a little prep work too. I just don't know what it is."
Nodoka stuck her head out the kitchen door and called the boys to dinner.
At the Cat Cafe...
Cologne stared down at the letter in her hands. She hadn't been able to stop the tear that had escaped her eye as she read it. She had been taking care of her Great Grand daughter and Mousse since she had come to Japan. Life should never hold this much pain.
Cologne looked up as Shampoo entered the Cafe. She looked just as happy as ever, not a care in the world. It wouldn't last. Cologne knew that soon the cries of pain and lose would soon fill their Japanese home away from China. She was elder here, but at times she wished she never had to deliver news such as this.
"Child, come here."
Shampoo looked at her Great grandmother and was confused. Shampoo had been told to only speak Japanese while they were here, and yet Cologne had just made a request in their native tounge. Shampoo saw what looked to be a tear in Cologne's eye and saw the letter in her hand. Shampoo's blood ran cold as she approached Cologne.
At just outside the Tendo home...
Two girls looked up at the sign for the Tendo's Anything School of Martial Arts. The last time they were here they had promised to return. They had believed that this dojo had been their birthright. Now they would give anything to never see it again. They wouldn't even be here now if 'HE' hadn't crossed their paths. He had offered to give them something that they had been looking for all of their life. He only asked for a vow to return to the dojo when they found what they were looking for, nothing more.
The girls had jumped at the chance and with the first real lead in years soon found everything they had been looking for. It was, to say the least, not what they were expecting. It had brought them pain, suffering, disgrace, and dishonor. To be at the home that had once welcomed them on their word alone only served to remind them how much they had done wrong here. They had no right to be here.
The younger of the two started to cry as she looked at the sign and remembered the first time she had seen it. It had been almost a year ago. She wanted so much to belong there then, and now, but she knew that she would never belong here again.
The two girls slowly walked to the door and knocked on the door. They knew who would answer as well as the people who would be here. The only had their word left or else they would never be waiting for Kasumi to answer the door now.
Kasumi turned her head to and went to the door when she heard the knock. It was so refreshing for someone to actually knock around here, what with all of Ranma's wonderful friends stopping by suddenly. Why, Shampoo rarely even used a door. She wondered who it could be as she opened the door. Kasumi's eyes lit up in joy as she recognized her guests.
"Natsume and Kurumi, welcome back. How was..."
Kasumi's words died on her lips as she looked into the eyes of the girls who had once called Kasumi their older sister. They were smiling, but the smile ended at their mouths. There was pain and suffering in their eyes. It even seemed like just looking at Kasumi was making it worse.
For the first time in years Kasumi felt pain in her heart. She knew the look in these girls eyes. It had once been in the eyes of her other sisters, and even her own. It was when her mother had died. It meant a loved one lost. Many people assumed that Kasumi didn't noticed much that had been happening in the last two years. They were wrong. In truth, what many people took as Kasumi's obliviousness was actually Kasumi's faith in those around her.
No matter how many times Akane got kidnapped, or the dojo was destroyed, or some other challenge came to her family, her family always got through it. Ranma rescued Akane, Nabiki got the dojo repaired, and they all always took care of what ever came their way.
Natsume and Kurumi had gone their own way and had returned. Kasumi had only doubted her father for a moment, and soon didn't care if these girls' claims were true or not. They were good girls and she would welcome them into her family if they wanted it.
Only now things were different. Kasumi could tell by the look in their eyes that they had not only found their father, but he wasn't what they were looking for. He was dead. Now the girls who once called themselves 'Tendo' were guilty for being somewhere they didn't think they belonged.
Kasumi had cared for her sisters when they needed it all those years ago. She knew she was needed again. She ran to the girls and grabbed them both in her arms. They were startled, but Kasumi held them tighter and closer. Suddenly Kasumi did something she hadn't done in years. She cried...
At the Saotome house...
Ranma was in pain. He had already eaten two plates of Akane's cooking and was asking for more. He was actually smiling as he did so. Ranma looked to be having the time of his life while his body felt torture unlike any Genma had ever put him through. How could he do this and look like he hadn't a care in the world? Simple, When he had taken his first bite Ranma had followed Chi's advice and told Akane it was great.
Akane had started to tear up slightly as she watched Ranma eat her cooking and actually compliment it, and her. She had smiled at him. Ranma had looked into that smile and started to eat more. That smile somehow gave Ranma the strength to actually stomach Akane's worst cooking. If all it took for Akane to look at Ranma with that smile was only eating some food, then Ranma would eat.
Nodoka, Chi, and Ryu watched as Ranma finished a third plate and asked for a forth. Chi had stopped Ryu from eating more than a taste, after that taste Ryu silently forgave many of the things Chi had done to him. HOW COULD RANMA BE ASKING FOR A FIFTH PLATE?
"Ranma dear, please leave some room for dessert."
Nodoka wasn't a fool, and she knew that the veil had been lifted from Akane's eyes. Nodoka knew that Akane understood what Ranma was doing. Akane just couldn't bring herself to stop Ranma. Akane knew that she and Ranma would both be missing school tommorrow, Ranma because he would be sick and Akane because she would personally wait on him hand and foot for what Ranma was doing right now.
"Really? But this is so good..."
Akane couldn't restrain herself, she glomped Ranma. His mother had given him an easy excuse to stop eating and he would rather eat her cooking because it made Akane happy.
She hadn't been paying attention in the kitchen while she and Nodoka were cooking, until she remembered that she had promised herself to be more observant of things around her. It was then that she noticed the look on Nodoka's face, as well as Nodoka's words of advice finally got through. She realized that she had once again ruined a meal. She had decided the follow Nodoka's first piece of advice and tried a little of her own ciiking before they served it. She nearly choked.
Akane had been terrified when she realized that Nodoka still meant to serve the ruined food. Akane had quietly begged Nodoka to throw it away. Akane knew that she wouldn't be able to stand Ranma's insults because now she knew that they had always been the truth. She had entered a brief state of shock when instead of insulting her cooking, Ranma had not only complimented it, but had asked for more.
Akane could tell by the look on Ranma's face that the food made him sick, but it was the look in his eyes that kept her from stopping him. The look said simply 'Anything for you' and Ranma kept eating.
As Akane continued to glomp Ranma, half in a way to stop him eating, Akane remade another promise to herself. Ranma could ask anything of her right now, including for children. Akane's thoughts started top wander toward what their children will look like, and she began to wonder if anyone would be insulted if she took Ranma upstairs so she could show her appreciation properly. 'Mother' did have a very interesting view of manliness and would be over joyed... 'MOTHER?'
Akane's eyes widened as she realized for the first time that she had thought of Ranma's Mother as her own. She smiled at that thought and just held onto Ranma as dinner continued. She might have stayed that way all night if she hadn't found a pair of chopsticks in front of her face, with chinese on them. She looked up and realized that she had been holding Ranma for quiet some time now.
When had this take out arrived? Was Ranma actually trying to feed her? Akane looked around the rooma and saw three finished containers of food from the rest of Ranma's Family and realizes that they had been left alone, together. Akane sat up and accepted the food. She then grabbed her own chopsticks and began to return the favor.
Outside the kitchen, Nodoka peaked in on her son Ranma and her 'Daughter in law'. Nodoka was proad of them and their growth today. One thought rang out louder than any other: 'GRANDCHILDREN!'
Chi glanced up from where he was sitting in the frontroom and could guess at the thought in his mother's head. She was happy, happier than he ever remembered seeing her. He knew he was making the right decision. It was already working out.
Chi's thoughts grew serious as he once again vowed to die before he lost anyone in his 'family'. If he could stop it, no one would die this time.
At the Cat Cafe...
Mousse walked into the Cafe and wondered at the closed sign on the door. It was odd because they should be getting ready for the dinner rush.
"Now what does that old mummy have planned for Ranma?"
"I have no plans today child."
Mousse jumped as he heard Cologne's voice behind him. He braced for her stick and was confused when it didn't hit him in the head. Mousse decided to lower his glasses and see what was going on. When he did he saw Colonge on a table with a look of sorrow on her face. He could see Shampoo behind her and it looked like Shampoo had been-
"SHAMPOO! What's wrong? Was it Saotome?"
Shampoo looked into Mousse's glass covered eyes and couldn't hold back her tears anymore. She started to cry, and then she hugged him.
"I am so sorry Mu Tsu..."
"Shampoo, what's going on? I thought you were suppose to only speak Japanese?"
"That order I gave Shampoo has been lifted for now."
"Then tell me what the HELL is wrong!"
Cologne pulled the letter out from behind her and did as was her duty. She delivered it to Mousse.
"I am so sorry Mu Tsu... Your brother, Wing Tsu... is dead."
Shampoo held her old friend tighter as she cried. She could feel him start to colapse and she barely heard him whisper.
"no..."
Author's notes:
I hope everyone is enjoying everything so far. I am sorry for the dark theme of this chapter, but if is a major plot point in the story I have planned.
I would really appreciate some reviews on this chapter before I post the next one.