Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma, I only rent him.
Chapter 17 All comes together.
Cologne looked over the sleeping form of Ranma as he rested. It had been a long night for the both of them, but she was finished. The 'Item' Ranma wanted repaired was fixed and had the changes Ranma had wanted. To make an artifact of this power required a lot of power and magic. It was a simply task, comparativly speaking, unlike the changes Ranma insisted on.
Those changes had required a sacrifice of power. Right now Ranma's overall strength and power was less than a quarter of it's normal levels. Ranma had effectively given up a small part of his soul and would need at least a week to fully recover if it was even possible to do so. As it was Ranma would sleep for at least a day or two.
Cologne sighed. She had just taken one of the Amazon's most powerful magic items and turned it in to a Saotome item of power. No Amazon not of Ranma's family could use it now. She packed up the item, after looking at it one last time, and put it away. Ranma wanted to give it to Akane personally. A chill went down Cologne's spine as she thought about just how powerful this would make the girl. Ranma had just handed over the title of most powerful martial artist of his generation.
Cologne returned with a pillow and blanket and tried her best to make the pigtailed martial artist comfortable. Ranma didn't know yet how much respect he had earned from her. Cologne had been a fool. She had been more than ready to punish Shampoo the first time she returned without Ranma. When Cologne arrived she had found a source of amusement far beyond anything she could have imagined. But she had made a mistake.
Cologne had known the style Ranma used, but wouldn't admit it even to herself. She was forced to admit who and what Ranma was when Happosai had reapeared. But she was still trying to help Shampoo aquire what Shampoo thought was in her best interests, marriage to Ranma.
Cologne now held all the facts and wished that she could take back so many mistakes she had made. She only held on to herself because she knew that there were many more mistakes that she would have made and that she now had a chance to avoid.
Some of these facts Ranma himself didn't know, nor did the time displaced Chi. Cologne could now see the signs of Happosai's subtle manipulations. She was surprised that no one questions how easily they found their happiness with each other. She knew that Happosai had taken a few risks that could have gotten him caught. Lightly pushing Ryouga into miss Kuonji so that they could share their first kiss was one such risk.
Cologne knew what Happosai might have been upto in China. If it was as bad as she feared, then the once mighty Amazon Nation would be crushed. And that was assuming that Xien Mao came to Japan without any other elders.
Cologne knew they were coming. She could feel it. It would be seen, and Kami help them if it came to war.
ooooo
Sautome household, Roof
"You know, your father probably misunderstood what you were saying earlier when you introduced me."
Taro looked over to the beautiful young woman he had just spent most of the night chatting with. She was as beautiful as she was intelligent. Dirty thoughts ran threw the back of his mind for the tenth time tonight as they talked.
"You may be right. But father Saotome lives for the Art and from what you've said you've proven your skill and intelligence to him on more than one occasion."
Natsume looked over at the young man that she was trying to get to know. She was mildly annoyed that he had 'that' look in his eyes again, but he was being as much of a gentleman as possible. It was obvious that looking at her inspired some improper thoughts in him, but he wasn't trying to force her into something. In fact he seemed to be making an honest effort to get to know her.
She guessed that the knowledge that you could be married together with children, as with Chi's timeline, took a little of the pressure off. She had learned that his name had given him a lot of embarrasment and grief when meeting woman. Natsume took it in stride. She had honstly laughed when she learned why he was named Pantyhose, but had thrown him back to the ground when he tried to leave in a huff.
They had continued talking and had slowly been forming a friendship. They had both decided to let time tell if it became something more.
"Feh. The Saotome's are sticking to a medival way of life in a place that really could care less. At least at home in China Martial artists are more appreciated and are more needed. This idea about opening a dojo and hoping your skills don't degrade is a bit of an insult if you ask me- OUCH!"
Taro rubbed his head as he looked over at Natsume. She was annoyed at him again. Taro thought back and realised what he said this time to make her mad.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to insult you or your family like that. I only meant that a lot of japan has turned it's back on the old ways and could care less about martial artists. It's actually a good thing that you're trying to keep and old tradition like ours alive in this place."
"So, could you live here? Would you be able to run a dojo and teach students?"
"Why miss Saotome, are you trying to ask me something?"
Natsume blushed at what Taro had insinuated. She hadn't meant it to sound like a proposal and the smirk on his face meant he understood what she meant the entire time. She reared back and hit him again. She wasn't expecting him to swing back, then she remembered that he lived near Amazons in his homelands. He wouldn't be holding back because she was a woman.
If that was what he wanted, then fine.They started fighting each other and were both soon very sweaty. They carried on into the morning.
ooooo
Shampoo was in heaven.
True, she had just given up on Ranma forever. True, she had walked away from the Amazon Nation. True, she suspected that her Great grandmother would give over custody of Shampoo to Happosai so that she could stay in Japan without complications and so that she could get to know her Great grandfather. True, Everything she had ever wanted and worked for was beyond her grasp now.
But she had Mousse, and he was currently holding her as they slept. She hadn't even had a chance to put on any clothes, but she was still wrapped in Mousse's shirt and his arms. She could tell that he was still asleep and didn't want to wake him. He was now her life. He had stayed by her side. He had honored her and worshipped her. He would give up anything for her. He would die for he. And he would let her go if that was what she truely wanted.
Her thoughts turned back to what she had learned about Chi's timeline. She had made a mistake and by the time she had finally gotten the man she truely loved it was too late. She had her child taken from her, murdered. The holy gift that had come from the man that accepted her unconditionally.
Mousse woke up as he felt the battle aura spring up in his arms.
"Shampoo, what's wrong?"
"I want kill one who harm our baby. I no care if Amazon Nation burn to ground, I want revenge. I want their heads."
Mousse looked into Shampoo's eyes as she cried and talked about killing her once fellow Amazons.
"Even Ling-Ling and Lung-Lung?"
Shampoo stopped and looked into Mousse's eyes. She hadn't thought about the people she knew. She had been thinking about the Amazons from Chi's world. To Shampoo they were strangers. But they were dead and the only Amazons around were the ones she had grown up with.
That wasn't exactly true. Her Great grandmother had mentioned something about the Tendo sister's mother being an Amazon. They were lost sisters. They too were family.
"I'm sorry. It just hurts so much to know I did so much to Chi's world."
"That's why he came here. He's trying to fix it. I don't think we can stop a fight, but we might be able to end one without much trouble. It seems that the elders just objected to normal men being trained to be worthy warriors. If we can make them understand that this will strengthen the Amazons, then the fighting will stop."
"I agree boy, but making Amazons listen to reason is very hard to do. I should know."
Shampoo and Mousse looked over to where Happosai had appearently been sitting for the last few minutes. Shampoo eeped and covered herself better. Mousse stepped in front of her to give her a slight amount of decency.
"Morning kids. Sleep well?"
"We slept fine Happosai. We'd like a little privacy to get dressed."
"Oh don't mind me. I just came to tell you that Breakfast is ready. You might want to hurry and clean up."
ooooo
Nodoka looked around to everyone eating breakfast and was a little sad that Ranma had run off last night after what happened with Shampoo. She didn't know what was going on, but trusted her son to tell her when she needed to know. That left the rest of the new Saotome family plus Mousse, Shampoo, Ryu, and Taro.
Nodoka had smiled when Taro and her Daughter had come inside this morning after sweating from a night of 'talking.' The blush on Natsume's face was priceless. Maybe they hadn't done 'that' as they insisted, but it was obvious that the thought had been in both their minds before Nodoka had said anything.
"Let's eat. Kurumi, help me pass out the rice dear."
"OK mom."
Both women smiled at the exchange. Nodoka already had plans to take her new daughters shoping later. It was almost a dream come true. True she had already done this with Ranma, but Ranma was born her son and she had thought Ranma was someone else's daughter 'Ranko". Natsume and Kurumi were HER girls, now and forever.
Nodoka handed Kurumi the bowls of food and she passed them out faster than Nodoka could follow. Nodoka got confused when she ran out of bowls and Kurumi waited to pass more out. Nodoka was sure that she had had enough even if some unexpected guests had dropped by or Ranma had returned. She looked up and nearly collapsed from the effort to keep from laughing. Kurumi had placed all the bowls at her place first... all of them.
Nodoka saw Natsume glare at her little sister, and saw Genma stare in awe at the food, and the speed that Kurumi had aquirred it. Once again Nodoka looked between Kurumi and Genma and wondered, not for the first time, if he might not have been lying about being these girls father. Their potential skill did rival Ranma's and they had been without the training of a master like Genma. Also the similarities between Genma and Kurimi's appitites was scary.
Nodoka shook the thought off and looked at her husband, who felt her eyes and return her gaze. This time Nodoka saw it. There was something there. For once Genma didn't flinch when he realised Nodoka knew something was up. Instead he just gave her a look that said simply 'Please, don't ask.'
Nodoka would let it slip for now, but Genma knew something.
Natsume helped Kurumi 'correctly' pass out the food and everyone began to eat. After breakfast everyone went their own seperate ways.
Nodoka followed her husband back to their bedroom, and shut the door quietly. She was tired of the secrets.
"Genma-"
"Don't."
Nodoka blinked. This wasn't how Genma reacted to being caught. He didn't seem scared or ashamed. In fact he suddenly seemed to have the weight of the world on his back.
Genma slowly moved to a dresser and seemed to pull out an old book. He opened it to a page and then turned to his wife.
"This is the man the girls knew as Nakimura. I don't believe that Chi even knew his real name because I would have had to bring myself to tell him."
Nodoka took the book with a little fear in her eyes. She looked down and expected to see Genma on the page. Instead, Genma was no where in front of her. It appeared to be an old high school year book. The only thing personalizing it was someone writing "BIKINI TIME" under the picture of a young man. She checked the name and froze.
Kumonn, Hikaru. There staring back at her was Ryuu's eyes and smile.
Nodoka looked up to her husband to see him sitting on the bed, crying.
"Genma, what's going on?"
"We met before kindergarten. All through out school we were inseperable. He wasn't the most honorable and he played the ladies man a little too much. But we never lost contact, even when he became a profesional thief. He married Ryuu's mother, but had Natsume and Kurumi's mother as his mistress. First he lost his wife, then the girls mother became ill. He wanted to go straight. He had some skill in the art and wanted to start a dojo. But getting out of the underworld cost him all the money he had. He came to me with nothing. He begged for my help. I didn't have any money, but I knew of an old dojo that could be fixed up. I also gave him the senken to help him have something to offer his students.
I never thought he'd train in the dojo before he repaired it. I killed him. I killed their father and the oldest friend I ever had. I killed my brother..."
Nodoka watched as Genma cofessed to what was his greatest sin and secret. She went to him and held him. He held her and let out the tears that had been building for years. Finally he stopped crying.
"Hikaru's mother was a mistress as well. He was born without honor and tried his best to overcome that problem. We were in junior high before his father confessed the truth. The reason that he had incouraged us to be friends. Hikaru was my brother. Dad had been a little too traditional and had Hikaru's mother as a mistress."
Genma turned to look into his wife's eyes for the first time since he had started his confession.
"Hikaru was slowly built an honorable name for himself. He wanted to give it to Ryuu and he hoped that Ryuu would accept his sisters. He wanted to give them a home. He wanted to stop the secrets, at least between family. He wanted us to BE a family. And I wanted Ranma to know his cousins as well. I never meant for Ranma to grow up alone, training or not."
Nodoka looked into her husbands eyes. Genma could lie about anything. He could bend honor a thousand different ways without breaking it. This could have been the largest piece of bull that he had ever come up with...
But it explained so much.
Ryuu and Ranma's similar looks.
Natsume, Kurumi, Ryuu, and Ranma's unusually similar talent in the art.
There were even similarities in Kurumi and Ranma's personalities...
"They... they're all of Saotome family blood?"
Genma only nodded.
"Dad was a real bastard. I never wanted to be like him. I guess I turned out just as bad overall. But I swear to you Nodoka, I never cheated on you."
"Why didn't you just come foward and tell the truth when the girls got here?"
"Ryuu. He still believes in his father as an honorable man. I had to destroy one man's honor for this, I couldn't do that to Hikaru. If only he had sent Ryuu here with the truth instead of asking him to retrieve the other senken. I might have found some excuse to bring the girls here as well. I could have even taken Ryuu with me and Ranma. It would have given Ranma a proper training partner instead of all his rivals."
ooooo
Ryuu leaned with his back against the wall, crying. Genma was wrong. Hikaru had told his son everything before he got the senken. But Ryuu had been a child at the time and had forgotten everything except revenge. He had only come up here because the girls had wondered what was taking so long. Ryuu had offered to find out because he was hoping to get some training in with Mr Saot- his uncle... his uncle.
He had heard pretty much everything. Now it was his turn to decide what to do. He reached over and knocked on the door.
"Uncle Genma, Auntie Nodoka? We're waiting downstairs."
Nodoka opened the door and turned to Ryuu as he was walking away.
"Ryuu?"
"Tell them... All of it. They deserve to know."
Ryuu found himself embraced in Nodoka's arms as he tried to walk away again. He heard Genma speak quietly behind them.
"Are you sure boy? This will slander your father's name completely."
"I think I understand why pop left them as Ronin... is there room on the Saotome family roster for another Ronin? I think that's what dad would have wanted. He never blamed you, by the way. He was always talking about you and Ranma. He wanted you both there the day he opened..."
Genma walked over and put his arms around both Ryuu and his wife. When Genma had been a kid right after his father's confession, he had hoped that he could someday make hikaru an official member of his family and clan again. It was a dream that he had thought dead and buried. He had committed many crimes in the name of honor. He never believed that the Kami would ever forgive him.
He wasn't that much of a fool. They were going into something that was far from a fairytale ending. He was being given a chance to redeem himself. He knew what he had to do.
Genma let go and wiped his eyes.
"I'm going out. There's something I need to do alone. I'll be back before dinner. I might even have some company with me later. Ryuu, you're late for school. I know you wanna train, but you need to go. I'll see you later."
Genma leaned over and kissed his wife, then he was gone.
"Where's he going?"
"I don't know dear, but he has a point. You get to school. I'm going shopping with the girls for their uniforms and such. We'll talk to them later, as a fimily."
And just like that, the Saotomes grew by one more.
ooooo
Hikaru walked up to Miyo's house. He felt like kicking himself for over sleeping. He had stayed awake for a while writing down what he could remember about the spell from his dream. He had meant to take this to Miyo herself, but Miyo was probably in school by now. He had decided that it might just be better if he went to his self proclaimed tutor in magic, and future mother in law.
Hikaru started to knock on the door when his raised fist rapped on something soft. Hikaru blinked and held his fist in place. He started opening his fist, when he heard the door giggle. Suddenly Hikaru pulled his arm back as if the breast he had been about to feel up was about to bite him.
"You don't have to stop there dear. You can practice if you want. I'm sure Miyo would apreciate experianced fingers. Just as long as you don't tell her where the experience came from."
Hikaru looked at Miyo's mother and prayed to the Kami that she was joking again. It was almost as if she had not only made it her mission to teach him magic, but to also see to his sexual education... with or without Miyo.
"Don't just stand there staring at my breasts"
Bouncy bouncy
"come inside and tell me what you wanted to talk about."
Hikaru took a deep breath and mentally kicked his brain a few times to try and get it started again. Miyo's mother's bouncing on purpose didn't help in the slightest. Finally he got his brain working when she began reaching to unbutton her top to get a reaction.
"Don't! Miyo would kill me."
"No she wouldn't dear. She'd just be mad at me for a few months. Seriously, I had a reading this morning that said you'd come by after Miyo left and you would need to talk. What's going on now, more dreams?"
"Yeah. Can we talk inside? I wanted to show you something."
ooooo
Konatsu was in heaven. He had been dreaming again about marriage and happiness. He had been trying to see the 'Groom's' face. It was always Ukyo before and Konatsu would be wearing the wedding dress. This time the groom was a stranger, but he seemed very familiar. Konatsu watched the dream wedding as it went from start to finish. For some reason he couldn't make out what anyone was saying.
He watched the groom reach over to the bride and raise her veil. Konatsu gasped as he saw the grrom kiss the bride.
Konatsu woke up slowly as the last image from the dream remained in his head. The bride under the veil had been Akari, and now Konatsu recognised himself as the mysterious groom. Konatsu slowly got out of the bed of the guest room and walked towards the mirror. He had had the same dream a hundred times. He was always the bride. He was always the woman. But he wasn't. He was born a man.
Konatsu looked into the mirror at his new haircut and topless chest. There wasn't even the slightest piece of female in the image before him.
Konatsu could feel everything he had been raised for crumble before him. He was a kunoichi, a companion, a warrior... But who was HE. Who was Konatsu really?
When he had learned that he wasn't a female, he had simply been overjoyed that his feelings for Ukyo weren't forbidden. He hadn't tried to think about what it meant that he was actually a HE. Konatsu had assumed that there wouldn't really be any difference. Ukyo and her friends accepted Konatsu as pretending to be a woman.
He wasn't prepared for someone to see him as a man. That's exactly what Akari saw him as. She was honor bound to marry someone that could beat her prized sumo pig. Konatsu was the second person to do this. Konatsu knew that in and around Nerima there were several martial artists of various styles that could defeat the pig. If Konatsu didn't marry her, then she would have to go and find someone else.
Konatsu was actually a little annoyed at this thought. He had heard stories of some of these jerks. They wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of a sweet girl like Akari. They would probably use her and then discard her. Akari would let it happen because she would feel honor bound to be a proper girlfriend to anyone who defeated her sumo pig. Like him...
Konatsu had already been here for about two days training Katsunishiki how to deal with a ninja. He was a fast learner. He followed instructions well and show brains when sizing up an opponent. It was no wonder that Akari and her grandfather were so proud of him.
Konatsu thought back to Akari as he looked at himself in the mirror. This was a look that Akari had liked. She had cut his hair herself when it had been cut short. Konatsu tried to look at it with the eyes of a guy. It was actually pretty nice.
Akari knocked on the door and asked if she could enter.
"Come in."
Akari came in and looked as if she had just finished bathing.
"The bath is ready if you are. Breakfast will be ready in about twenty minutes. Um... Konatsu-sama?"
"Yes Akari-sama?"
Akari looked into Konatsu's eyes. she didn't want to ask him this, but it wasn't right to force herself on him like this. She felt like she had over stepped herself last night when she gave Konatsu his haircut with out asking what style he wanted. She wasn't his girlfriend, no matter how much she wanted to be. The last two days had been enough for her to realise that she was truely falling in love with Konatsu. He was just so kind and gentle.
"After you're done with the compitition you're welcome to come by and visit when ever you want. I wouldn't want you to be a stranger. Katsunishiki really seems to like you. He never seemed to even treat Ryouga like this."
"Oh... ok..."
So that was it. She didn't want him after all. She was letting him go when it was all over.
Konatsu was about to say something else when all of his kunoichi training suddenly flooded his mind. He wasn't a genius kunoichi for nothing. He had waited in the background with Ukyo for months waiting for even a few of the signals his training was telling, screaming were coming from Akari.
He looked at her. Truely looked at her. They had passed a point last night and Akari's feelings had changed slightly. Konatsu could see it in the way Akari now carried herself. She was tearing herself apart because she didn't want him to go, but she wanted him to chose to be with her. If not he could walk away. A part of herself was ready to die for Konatsu's happiness.
Konatsu looked into Akari's eyes and saw his reflection there. This time he finally knew who he was.
Akari's eyes widened as Konatsu walked over to her slowly. She couldn't believe that he was actually putting his arms around her. He was leaning closer. Akari didn't see anything else because she closed her eyes. She didn't have long to wait before she felt his lips on hers. If she had to pick one word to describe it, it would be Perfect.
Akari's mind wandered to other hopes and dreams as they kissed. Things she wished she had the courage to do as well as places she wished to be touched. She gasped softly as she felt Konatsu's hand reading her mind and wandering on her body where she wanted them to go...
ooooo
Ryouga felt silly. He couldn't believe that Ukyo had talked him into this. She insisted that she wanted him in her sights at all times to try and keep him from getting lost. But he hadn't passed the entrance exam yet. He had claimed that it would be hard to sneak him into the school. She had returned that it would be hard to sneak a human into school, but a small pet piglet...
Ryouga had been terrified. He knew that word had spread about his curse. Nabiki hadn't taken it kindly and had told every girl at school that had ever held 'P-chan' or at least had been in the changing room at the time. He was currently hiding as far down in Ukyo's bookbag as possible.
Ryouga saw Ukyo reach down again pretending to get something from her bag. She had been fondleing him lovingly. He looked up to see her smiling down at him. He lost himself in that smile for a moment. Maybe it wasn't all bad.
"Hey Ukyo. Have you seen Ranma this morning? I'm getting a little worried. He disappeared last night and I haven't seen him since."
Ukyo turned to Akane and got a sly smile on her face. "So you slept alone last night?"
"No, P-chan wandered home last night so I wasn't alone in bed. I was just so used to sleeping in the nude that it felt wierd with a nosebleeding pig instead of Ranma."
They had both been talking in hushed words so as not to embaress each other too much. This didn't last as Ukyo screamed.
"WHAT! You good for nothing pig faced traitor- Let me go Akane! I'm gonna kill him."
Akane couldn't keep a straight face anymore as she laughed while holding Ukyo back. Finally she could breath enough again to talk.
"I'm kidding Ukyo. Ryouga was nowhere near my house last night. Put your boyfriend down before you hurt something important."
Ukyo calmed down as Akane's words seeped in.
"Oh."
Then Ryouga's worries that morning returned to her as she saw several girls give glares of death to the pig turning blue in her hands. She put Ryouga back into her bag but the damage had been done.
"What is HE doing here?"
"Yeah, throw the pervert out."
"Better yet pound the freak, he's worse than Ranma."
Akane had been about to apologise to Ukyo when the last comment got threw. She rounded on the girl who had said it and walked to her slowly.
"And what exactly did you mean by that comment?"
The girl got a little scared but was determined to stand up for what she said.
"Oh come on Akane, you are always calling Ranma the biggest pervert around. I mean come on, his father was trained by that freak that's always stealing our gym clothes."
"So was mine."
Akane cracked her knuckles.
"You wanna see what that pervert's teachings can do? As for Ranma, I was wrong. I was so use to the hentais and perverts around here that I never even gave Ranma a fair chance. I did eveything to him to drive him away. I beat him, I insulted him, I tortured him, and I poisoned him. I abused him more than I ever was afraid that he would do to me. I did NOTHING to deserve him and he still fell in love with me. He protected me, he saved my life, he honored me and treated me to as much respect as he knew how to show. And I never saw it for what it was. HE EVEN FUCKING KILLED FOR ME!"
Akane was now screaming at the top of her lungs. It was almost as if she was willing her voice to be heard by everyone in the school. Later no one would beable to say that they hadn't heard her. Finally Akane calmed down slightly before continuing.
"You walk around for a month as a guy and then blame Ranma for NOT staying in his girl form whenever he had the chance. Could you do it? Could you walk around with one of 'those' and not give in to temptation? Could you keep from 'experimenting'? Could you hold back when being treated like the most wonderful person on the planet by everyone EXCEPT the person you loved? You look me in the eyes and tell me you wouldn't look at yourself in the mirror. Tell me that you never thought of having a guy take you and treat you like a queen and your body like a temple."
Akane walked real close to the terrified girl. She brought herself within a couple inches of the girl's face.
"Or maybe you think I just decided to switch hit for the other team, and Ranma would just help me hide the fact that I was like that. Maybe you've thought about be making out with a female Ranma and wondered what it could feel like and have been ashamed. I've seen the looks you give me and the other girls in gym and the locker room. Is that what you really want?"
Akane slowly leaned closer.
"One... little... kiss?"
The last word was barely a whisper and the girl could feel Akane's hot breath on her lips as Akane spoke the last part. Her eyes were closed in nervousness.
Nothing happened.
She slowly opened her eyes. She saw Akane standing back and suddenly noticed the entire class staring at her silently. Akane's next word stabbed like a knife in her soul.
"Pervert."
The girl couldn't take it. She ran out crying. Akane slowly rounded on the rest of the class.
"Anyone else wanna insult Ranma? No? How about Ryouga? No?"
Akane turned to Ukyo. She held out her hand and pulled out a thermos with her other hand.
"Give. He's not completely innocent. This will be quick."
Ukyo was a little worried, but she believed that she knew what Akane was going to do. Akane was right, Ryouga wasn't completely innocent. He had even said so himself. Ukyo gave Akane a look saying that she was going to trust her.
Ryouga started to struggle until Ukyo pulled him to her face and gave him a look. He knew that he deserved this and resigned himself to his fate. Ukyo handed him to Akane who placed him on the floor and motioned for everyone to get closer.
They didn't understand what was going on. They had seen Ryouga before and had seen Ranma transform before. They closed in and watched as Akane poured the water onto Ryouga. Everyone understood quickly enough when Ryouga appeared in class completely nude.
Guys jumped back and either made retching noises or just covered their eyes. It had taken Ryouga about a second to cover himself with his hands, so all the girls had gotten an eyeful. This included Akane and Ukyo. Akane turned around and blushed. A few of the girls had fainted with nosebleeds and a few others had turned around blushing, this left the rest of them staring at Ryouga with strange looks in their eyes. Ukyo snapped out of her own lust driven glaring and noticed these last few girls.
"Ok, shows over. He's been punished enough."
"Maybe he needs to exersice a little first?"
The nameless girl gulped and shut up when she noticed the throwing spatula suddenly appear in the top of her desk. Ukyo pulled out a spare set of Ryouga's clothes she had brought just in case.
"Mine."
Ukyo had meant the word to sound thretening, but she couldn't hide the slight touch of lust. She tried to remind herself that they had promised to go slow... She could always walk slowly to the janitor's closet...
Ukyo shaked her head to dislodge those thoughts as Ryouga got dressed behind a screen of guys and The teacher walked in.
No one seemed to realise that Miss Hinako was late. Hinako briefly looked over at Akane before she started the leason. Akane noticed the look as well as the fact that she was not only not taking roll, but wasn't commenting on Ryouga's presence.
Akane was still worried about Ranma's absence, but there was something about that look that bothered Akane. She'd have to ask her about it after classes were over.
In the back row Miyo was looking around. She had vaugely noticed that Ranma was missing, but she was more concerned about her fiancee Hikaru. Where was he?
ooooo
"Well? Am I going crazy or does this make sense to you?"
"You say that this Chi appeared about a week or two ago?"
"Yeah, looking just like the dreams. This spell is somehow suppose to help him, but I have no idea what it's suppose to do."
Miyo's mother looked at her future son in law. While the rumors were true that he tried to dable in magic, he had excellent instincts when it came to what was dangerously beyond him.
"I know. It's somehow a modified summoning spell. Your dreams indicated that they were studying and preparing the spell for a couple years at least. They know exactly what this spell is suppose to do. I have my own suspisions. This looks like it would take at least a week to prepare the material components. We might be able to start preparing them in about seven months."
"Seven months? Why seven months? Are those ingredients that hard to find?"
She blinked.
"The ingredients? No, I believe that I have most, if not all, of them in my personal supply. Hikaru-chan, It would take at least seven months before you would be anywhere near skilled enough to even try this. It requires you as the focus."
"Huh? Why me?"
"Hikaru, this girl knows that boy Chi very well. This spell is even suppose to help him. Then why did it bring you and my Miyo together? Why does she need you as the focus? It's because there is a version of you there to be the counter link. This spell will create a bridge between the you that is here and the you that is there. It will allow something, or someone, to be brought over to here."
She sat down in front of Hikaru and looked at him at eye level.
"Hikaru, I'll be straight with you. I know you have a lot of potential, I can feel it even now, but I don't know if it's enough to do this spell. Even if you had enought power and we started preparing the ingredients tonight, you'd need to learn at least two years worth of arcane knowledge just to try and hold the spell together. That's with both me and Miyo trying to help you."
Hikaru looked at the woman who had treated as both a piece of meat and as a potential son. He knew she was only trying to help. He lowered his head.
"Maybe I should get started then. I'm already pretty late for school. Would you mind If I spent the day here studying instead?"
"Not at all dear. This will start you out on the basics. I'll show you the library."
Hikaru followed her threw the house and was in awe of the library when he saw it.
"Just start free reading while I'm at work. This book will explain the basics and translate what some of the more mystical terms mean."
Hikaru took a book that he almost expected to say sorcery for dumbies. It wasn't so cliche, it was "Nakura's Aprentice Guide and Romani Lessons".
Hikaru started looking threw it when Miyo's mother left. It seemed simple enough. He oon figured out why many of his spells and attempts at magic failed. Hikaru was threw the book before he knew it. He looked around the library trying to decide what to read next. One book caught his eye. It reminded him of something Miyo's mother had said a couple nights ago.
Hikaru picked up the book and read the cover again.
"Tantric Magics and Powers..."
Hikaru took a deep breath and began to read.
ooooo
Cat Cafe
Cologne looked up to see Shampoo, Mousse, Happosai, and Chi walk in. Happosai walked up to her.
"Where is he Cologne?"
"He's upstairs sleeping."
"Why is he still sleeping, and why here instead of at his home?"
"Because he was tired out after last night."
"And what the hell did he do last night that left him this tired?"
Cologne leaned in close and started to whisper into Happosai's ear. Happosai soon started to pale.
"What's going on Master?"
Happosai turned to the young man.
"Ranma has just limited his strength for at least a week. He has just given up a huge part of his chi to be placed into a mystical artifact."
"WHAT!"
"Great grandfather, why Ranma do this? If Ranma needed chi for magic, Shampoo gladly give her own. All Ramma's friend do same."
"Ranma needed it to be his own chi for the purpose he intended. We can't say more because he wishes it to be a surprise for Akane."
"Alright everyone, the lunch rush will be here soon. We've got a lot of work to do. Everyone wash up and get ready. Happy, you'll be bussing the tables."
Everyone stared at Cologne, Happosai included. Mousse found his voice first.
"Why?"
Cologne looked at him and them looked at everyone else.
"I don't plan on leaving Japan again for a long time and I'd like a nice resteraunt to retire in. Besides, Shampoo needs a nice dowery when you two get married. And you two, did you have anything better to do?"
Chi tried to hazard a guess.
"Training?"
"Train here."
"How?"
"Mr part time, show him and explain things."
Chi looked towards Mousse and saw a glint of amusement in his eyes.
"What? What just happened?"
"Simple. She'll throw the food and you better be fast. Broken dishes come out of pay, them your hide if you ain't earned enough."
Chi looked around nervously. He started getting ready and took a deep breath. He started waiting on customers as they came in.
ooooo
Taro wandered around Nerima. It wasn't like he had anything to do. He was suppose to spy on the Amazons and then tell Happosai when when they made their move. Happosai hadn't even included fighting the Amazon in their little deal. Taro was free to do as he pleased and when it was all over he'd have his name changed finally.
Taro spotted the Cat Cafe and was curious about it being open. He walked in and was greeted by Mousse.
"Hello sir, one in your party?"
"It's me duck boy."
Mousse adjusted his glasses and noticed that it was Taro in front of him.
"Oh, hello Taro. Here for lunch?"
"I am a little hungry, but I was more wondering why you weren't out training."
Mousse smiled and just turned around. Taro followed him to a table and then looked when Mousse tried to point something out. It was Chi. Taro had left Wing at the Tendo's to train. Taro started laughing.
Chi looked over to who ever was laughing at him as he balanced all fifteen orders. Chi already knew the chestnut fist but felt like an idiot. Taro's laughing wasn't helping. Chi eventually delivered the orders and then walked over to get Taro's order. Mousse had already retaken his spot at the door.
"What can I get for you?"
"What's the hardest to balance and carry?"
Chi narrowed his eyes. This guy reminded Chi a little bit too much of the Taro he knew growing up.
"The special of the day is Chicken ramen in a special sauce."
"Sounds too easy. I'll have the roast pork with a side of potatoes."
ooooo
Akane waited outside the classroom door until everyone was gone. She then walked back into the room to talk to Miss Hinako. Hinako looked up and saw Akane coming.
"You don't want to have this conversation Miss Tendo."
Akane came up short. Hinako had jumped to what she thought was the point, whatever that was.
"And why is that?"
"Bad memories. I know about Chi and his world. Now, I ask you one last time to walk away. I will talk to you, but you won't like what I have to say."
Now Akane was too curious to leave. She walked over and took a seat in front of Hinako's desk. She motioned for Hinako to begin.
"I tried to warn you. Alright, let me ask you one thing. What have Chi and Happosai been doing to gather people together and what's been happening lately because of it?"
"I don't understand what you mean. They've been gathering people here to fight the Amazons if they come."
"Those aren't dark sunburns on your neck Miss Tendo. I assume that you and Mr Saotome are doing alright?"
"That's none of your bussiness."
"Who else has suddenly found someone?"
"What are you..."
Akane trailed off as she suddenly began thinking about all of the sudden couples that had appeared lately. She hadn't questioned it, it had just seemed to happen.
"What do you know about this then."
"Miss Tendo, Akane, the teenage antics that had been going on before had been working because of a balance. If somethig major happened that disrupted that balance there would be a very sudden fallout in a matter of days. The only everyone could be happy is if the event happend to everyone and they all landed on their own feet. Not everyone could escape this without harm. Has Mousse finally talked with Shampoo yet? They were two of the last, and yet were the most delicate couple to get together."
"Mousse won Shampoo's heart last night..."
Akane stared at Miss Hinako. She had realised that her ne found relationship with Ranma was thanks to Chi, and appearently partly to Happosai as well. She remembered Ranma crying in her arms last night when he believed that Shampoo had taken her own life. He had wanted everyone to live happily ever after. He had felt that he had come so close only to lose someone near the end.
The thought had never even truely accured to her that they had set up some of the others. Ryouga and Ukyo's first night as a couple now seemed suspisious.
"Alright, I understand I think. But why tell you? What do you have to do with any of this?"
"Akane, what happened after you were killed in Chi's time?"
"Ranma and Ryouga went balistic and killed all the Amazons by destroying Jusenkyo."
"What else happened, like here in Japan?"
"My family started to fall apart. Kasumi and Nabiki went to Tofu and Kuno for comfort. But they're already with them now. Chi got Nabiki and Kuno together I guess, and Happosai had Tofu come over the night Kasumi found out about Chi's time."
Hinako just watch Akane and waited. Slowly understanding began to show on her face, soon followed by tears. Hinako moved to hold Akane and the girl collapsed into her arms. Hinako whispered words of comfort and affection. Finally Akane calmed down enough to speak.
"Promise me. Promise me you won't try to take Mom's place and please promise me you'll take care of him."
Hinako held the girl tighter and let her own tears start to go. Suddenly she started shrinking and turned into a child.
"Oh phooey. Happy said that I was almost done."
"Huh?"
"Happy told me he'd help me with your father and has also been givving me new good girl treatment to try and stop changing. It's what Ranma was trying to do before."
"He's been grabbing your chest?"
Hinako giggled.
"No silly, He had me press the points in front while he hit the ones on my back. He couldn't do it himself because his arms were too short. I guess it's time for my next treatment. Could you help me?"
"You don't need my aura do you?"
"No silly. I need you to hit the points. I'll tell you where they are."
ooooo
Kodachi was in heaven. She was with her mother out shopping. This was something that most girls took for granted. It was something Kodachi hadn't experianced since she was about five years old.
"Dachi chan, don't you need a new bathing suit? I know you've got a new boyfriend and we really should make sure he appreciates your efforts to keep up your beauty."
"Yes mother. I was thinking about a two piece, maybe a new one piece for swimming, and of course I need some new tights.. for gymnastics of course."
"Of course."
Kodachi watched her mother smirk with her and laughed out. She leaned down and hugged her mother while Sasuke pushed. It seemed that Sasuke was loving the changes that had been coming over the Kuno's lately.
Sakura Kuno had taken the medicine that had been meant for her husband after learning about it's origins. She had a friend test it and then see if he could recreate it. It seemed that it was exactly as Chi had claimed and it was already being reproduced.
Kodachi had already started taking it, as well as the other Kunos, and was already seeming more sane than Sasuke could ever hope to believe. To Sasuke, Chi was a gift from the heavens. This shopping trip was a private celebration between mother and daughter.
They continued to chat when Kodachi noticed the uniform store and thought that one more new uniform couldn't hurt.
She directed her mother and Sasuke into the store when she heard a familiar voice and disappeared before her mother's eyes.
"Oh come on. Don't you women have enough clothes yet?"
Ryuu looked down when he suddenly felt arms around him and felt someone purring into his chest. He knew those breasts pressing into his chest.
The Saotome women watched as Ryuu looked down.
"You had either better be my girlfriend or else be able to kick her ass. Otherwise she'll kill you. She just happens to be a very beautiful tigeress."
Ryuu suddenly turned around in kodachi's arms and she found his lips on hers. She was having a perfect day. The happy couple was interupted by a woman clearing her throat, and a couple women giggling.
Nodoka had told the girls about adopting Ryuu, but not the details why. She wanted the whole family together for that. Besides, she had no idea where either her husband or Ranma were.
Ryuu pulled back slightly and looked over Kodachi's shoulder. He saw what appeared to be a much more mature Kodachi in the chair. He recognised her as the new head school nurse. Ryuu suddenly turned red when he realised that this was also Kodachi's mother. Ryuu felt a little oblivious for a moment until Kodachi dragged him over to her to make introductions.
"Mother, this is the love of my life. Ryuu Kumon."
"Saotome."
Kodachi looked to her boyfriend with a question in her eyes. Something had happened.
Nodoka walked up and realised that this was a chance to get to know Kodachi and her mother.
"Hello, My name is Nodoka Saotome. These are my daughters Natsume and Kurumi, and the pile of muscle your daughter's trying to cling to is my soon to be adopted son, Ryuu."
"Gathering quite a collection I see. You seem rather happy Doka-chan."
Nodoka blinked. Then looked closer. Her eyes went wide.
"Saku-chan? Is that really you?"
All the young people looked confused between the two women. They all gasped when Nodoka dropped the family blade to run at Sakura Kuno.
Kurumi moved fast and the blade never reached the floor. She took a breath of relief and watched as her mother appearently tried to crawl into Mrs Kuno's chair so that she could hold her closer.
It was always good to run across old friends you thought were lost.
ooooo
Genma walked into the office building. He had chosen to walk here so that he would have time to think. It hadn't helped much. This was possibly going to be the greatest fight he ever had. He didn't check the directory, instead he deaded straight for the elevators. They opened on the thirty first floor and Genma got out. He walked towards the door and desk that was his destination. He looked down at the secrutary.
She looked up at him. It had been almost twenty years since she had last seen Genma. She still remembered him.
"Mr Saotome? Your son is here to see you."
Genma took a deep breath and waited.
oooooo
Author's evil rant:
Ain't I turning into such a stinker?
I really hope that everyone likes this edition.
And always, please review.