Chapter 11: Answers and Revelations
Sanu had cleared the Court with the help of the bailiffs and the EMT's. Most people were in shock for the first fifteen minutes (once they came around). Then they would shake their heads for a couple of minutes. After that, they began to chuckle, and then to laugh. They usually laughed all the way home. Many of them who had submitted adoption applications were counting their blessings, wondering what they had been thinking. All of them were happy that Ranma had a family again (although Shizuka still had some reservations).
The new family sat in the courtroom with the Tendo family, Ranma's foster family, the judge, and Ryuu. Mrs. Kin Ono was repeating the story of how she was told that her eldest son's seed had been stolen so long ago and she suspected that one of her other son's classmates had been behind the theft. Given that Tofu was a successful doctor, his sperm – or the sperm of his brother (since Tofu's wasn't available) – was valuable for the thieves. According to the records, it matched several high profile thefts happening at the time (including one of Toshio Kuno's samples oddly enough). Given Genma's lifelong sterility, Mrs. Ono had suggested to Judge Sanu that her own profile be checked against Ranma on an off-chance that Genma had been in contact with the rogue doctor. Tofu just listened to his mother, but didn't say much. Sanu gloated that he was delighted to see an Ono stunned.
Finally, the judge produced the necessary documents and parental custody was transferred to Mrs. Ono who immediately declared that Tofu would be Ranma's day-to-day guardian. She was much too old to keep up with shape-shifter. "After all, my son has an extra bedroom in his place, and both my son and son/grandson share a strong attachment to the Tendo family – which I approve of, just so we are clear." Adjustments were made to the paperwork and then Sanu and Ryuu left to file it. Mrs. Ono turned to everyone and said: "Now, I think a nice celebration is in order."
"Oh, we could have it at the dojo. There's plenty of room there," Kasumi offered.
"Oh, that would be wonderful if it's all right with Mr. Tendo," Kin said.
"Since when do I get a say?" Soun asked.
"Behave, Daddy!" Nabiki said digging him in the ribs. "That sounds fine, Mrs. Ono."
"Then, why don't the rest of you head back now?" Tofu suggested. He handed a credit card to Maomolim. "Take a poll and order enough for all of us. You may want to add another dozen or so people to the count – I'm sure other people will be stopping by. Mother, Ranma, and I need to stop in the Hall of Records and make a few changes. Nodoka, as Ranma's birth mother, should be with us."
Akane spoke up: "Can I stay?" She obviously wanted to stay close to Ranma.
"I don't see why not," Tofu answered.
"All right," Kasumi answered. "We will see you shortly."
"No, you should probably stay too, Love. We won't be long," he said.
"O.K. Let's go," Soun ordered. He and everyone else noted that something wasn't quite right, but were confident that it would be – they had made it this far after all. They all trooped out of the hall on their way to the dojo.
Once they were gone, Tofu looked at his mother firmly: "All right, Nodoka and Ranma have the right to know the truth. There's no way Yuudai is Ranma's father. What the hell just happened?"
"Language, dear," Kin and Kasumi said at the same time.
Mrs. Ono continued: "But the CODIS test says otherwise dear. That's all Sanu needs to know."
"Bull," Tofu countered. "He already smells a rat. He's just happy enough to let things stand. That and he enjoys seeing me outmaneuvered, even if it was by my own mother."
"Smells a rat?" Mrs. Ono repeated with a small laugh. "He smells several. Not only that, he knows all their names, including mine. I told him he'd never get a valid CODIS result."
"As far as outmaneuvering you, better me than the Family Elders – they wanted to make you the father," she continued. "I convinced them that it would put you in a bad situation with Nodoka and Kasumi. When they were putting the lab back together last night, I had them swap in Yuudai's profile for yours. Better to have you one-off on the family tree. Besides, I liked the idea of Yuudai of having a son."
"Who is Yuudai?" Nodoka asked.
"He is my older brother, my much older brother. He died in a traffic accident a long while back. He was not in a sperm bank," Tofu insisted.
"That's not what the records say, dear," Kin told her son.
"Ono, who is your family that they can change records like that?" Nodoka demanded from the doctor.
"The Ono's are a small family. They are powerful family, but not that powerful – it's Mom's family that has the power. The Elders are a bunch of wizards – far beyond me – with a long reach," Tofu explained.
"That's too bad," Ranma commented to Ono. "I'd rather have you as my uncle than Genma as my father."
That thought seem to stun Nodoka for a minute. "That's true," Nodoka finally admitted. "All the same, it's nice to know I wasn't completely snookered by Genma."
"Ranma, Genma is not your father by any means provable. Leave it that way, dear," Kin insisted. Then the old woman took Nodoka's hands in hers. "Nodoka, you have a clean slate. Genma was never a proper husband to you. Now you can have a real life, and you can have your son. I plan on playing Grandmother to Ranma – and Akane. We both know I won't be in the way. I'm too old. Let the world think Genma pulled one over on you. Leave things be," Kin pleaded.
Nodoka looked like she wanted to be cross, but, after a few seconds, a thought seemed to strike her. Then she sighed and slumped a little. "The world already knows I was not in my right mind," she whispered. She paused and gave another sigh. "All right. We'll do things your way," she said with a little rueful laugh. Kin Ono smiled encouragingly at her. Nodoka shook the older woman's hands gently. Then Nodoka straightened up and added: "But I want answers first – all of them. So start talking."
"She's not the only one," Tofu added.
"All right," Kin agreed. "Sit down all of you." They did so and she started: "Genma recently became sterile because he angered the wrong person. This person – let's call her a magician – cast a spell on Genma so he'd never father another child. She didn't want anyone else to go through what Ranma did – or worse."
"While I usually don't approve of Eugenics, I can't really disagree with her," Kasumi said. The rest just nodded their heads.
"Her actions irreversibly removed certain pieces of his anatomy that made it look like Genma was always sterile," Kin continued. "Later on, when she learned about the Summoning and that Judge Sanu was investigating Ranma, she decided to try and break Ranma away from Genma. Apparently, she knew about Jusenkyo and Ranko's genome, so she lied and told Sanu that Genma was always sterile, so Ranma – or rather Ranko – couldn't be his child. When Sanu had the CODIS test run, lo and behold, Jusenkyo masked Ranma's genes and the test said Ranko and Genma were not related." Everyone just nodded their heads. "Unfortunately, this created a problem – the same one that Tanaka immediately recognized and seized on: if Ranma wasn't Genma's son, then it was possible for someone else to claim him. Even before Tanaka's declaration, the plotting and planning started everywhere – and I mean everywhere!"
Ranma looked confused. "Why?" he asked.
"Many different reasons, Ranma," Kin answered. "Not to add to your swelled head, but you are one of the most gifted Martial Artists of your generation. The same could be said for you as a Wind Mage. That's a lot of status for a family." Kin shrugged and continued: "Some saw you as a way to improve their bloodlines. Others saw you as someone who could help them out in their daily struggles." She smiled then. "However, even more importantly, you are well liked in this town and you have many friends and supporters. All of them saw Genma as a problem and wanted you away from him. The great majority of the plotters just wanted to help you."
Kin paused for a second thoughtfully and went on: "I won't say anyone planned on out-and-out killing Genma, although some people probably considered the idea and discarded it – Genma is too good at staying alive. I do know that there are a lot of copies of that dragon potion recipe floating around though. Hideo Jouda wasn't as careful as he should have been with his copy. Thanks heavens the ingredients are hard to get. But then the potion rebounded on Genma and people stopped plotting – everyone kicked into high gear instead. Within twenty-four hours of him getting locked as a panda, Genma's CODIS profile was destroyed and there wasn't an uncompromised shred of his DNA within all of Nerima. Even the Tendo house and dojo were swept clean."
"I don't suppose you know who broke into my clinic?" Tofu asked.
"I don't know all of them, but I do know Konatsu was one of them," Kin answered. "He only made a copy of Ranko's CODIS profile though."
"Konatsu? Why?" Akane asked.
"Because he knew enough to change Ranko's profile to a male," Kin explained. "He figured that was good enough to keep everyone out of Ranma's hair. It might have worked except for the battle at the lab and the fact that he didn't know he'd have to change the computer as well."
"There was a battle at the DNA lab?" Tofu asked with surprise.
"Oh yes," Kin laughed. "And that was only among the finalists! Many of the plotters never got that far! It was Konatsu versus Shampoo versus my Family Elders versus two mercenary ninjas – I don't know who sent them. The lab was torn to pieces!"
"You mean the Amazons are still after me?" Ranma asked.
"No," Kin replied firmly. "Cologne wants to leave you in peace. It's just Shampoo who tried to give you Amazon heritage. The silly girl never understood how the test really worked. She tried to swap your profile for Mousse's – who had no clue that he was being used."
"All right. So I need to watch out for Shampoo still," Ranma noted.
"And the Elders put the lab back together using magic," Tofu concluded.
"Yes, they did, dear. And they were going to add your profile to Ranma's in place of Genma's," Kin told him.
"But why bother?" Nodoka asked. "Judge Sanu said he was going to award custody to Tofu anyway."
"As of yesterday he was," Kin corrected. "Before that, not so much. Sanu is a little suspicious of the Ono family – with just cause I might add." Tofu cleared his throat and threw a meaningful look at his mother. "The judge was really planning on a married couple – not a single doctor."
"Why does your family want Ranma?" Akane asked.
"For the same reason they want you, young lady," Kin said directly. Akane started in surprise. "They want both of you to continue to train under Tofu. The two of you are too powerful to leave to chance. They also want you both to look favorably upon them for later alliances – they hoped that giving Ranma a suitable parent would do it."
"All right, but why did Judge Sanu change his mind?" Ranma asked.
Kin took a deep breath. "Here's where I enter the picture," she started. "When I found out about Ranma's adoption, I had a chat with the judge. Sanu was reluctant to listen to me, but at least he heard me out – it probably helped that I initially introduced myself as Mrs. Ohayashi instead of Mrs. Ono. I explained that Ranma would never have any peace until the DNA issue was resolved. There were too many players out there that could change the databases – after all, they had made Genma's profile vanish. I also insisted that Ranma did not need a traditional family – he needed a big brother. Sanu and I argued over that point for a while, each insisting that they knew best. Finally, I made a wager with the judge: I would name six people/families that Ranma would pick as his new family. If I was right with at least four of them, then I knew Ranma better than Sanu did and Sanu had to agree with Ranma's first choice no matter who it was. Also, Sanu had to stay away from the lab on Thursday night and accept whatever result came out of the lab on Friday, so long as it did not contradict Ranma's choice – or at least could be made to fit Ranma's choice. I think Sanu went along with the wager because he was intrigued that I believed I could close the DNA issue."
"You're leaving things out," Tofu said. "And what did you wager against the right of decision? You had to put something up – Sanu has an obsessive compulsion for the 'fair deal'."
Kin shrugged. "You don't need to hear a blow-by-blow account of what I said. Besides, I won the wager, so it doesn't matter what I wagered." Tofu gave her a hard look, but she went on: "Sanu accepted of his own free will," she said. Then she looked directly at Ranma: "Tofu was your first choice, wasn't he?"
Ranma looked slightly embarrassed, but nodded his head. Nodoka gave a little smile as Tofu put a hand on Ranma's shoulder and said softly: "So be it, little brother." Ranma just nodded again. Akane had tears standing in her eyes while Kasumi just gave her mysterious smile.
Kin smiled as well and continued: "After my talk with Sanu, I approached the Elders and told them of my wager. I said that if I was successful, I needed their help to swap in Yuudai's profile. I found out later that they had their own plans to set up Tofu as Ranma's biological parent, which was a disastrous idea – way too many problems. Yesterday, I stopped them from carrying out their plan and had them check that I had won the wager with Sanu. Once they learned that I had, I managed to convince them that I knew what I was doing and they used Yuudai's profile instead of Tofu's. Now we had a neat, elegant solution – the DNA issue was laid to rest and Ranma was given his first choice of a family."
"I'm not sure it's neat or elegant," Kasumi said. "But one cannot argue with the results."
"This is true," Kin laughed. "So that's the story and here we are."
"So where do we go from here?" Nodoka asked.
"That's easy," Kin grinned at her sitting audience. "We go to dinner, and I get to celebrate with my son..." Kin kissed Tofu's forehead. "…my daughter-in-law…" She kissed Kasumi's forehead. "…my grandson…" She kissed Ranma's forehead. "…my granddaughter-in-law…" She kissed Akane's forehead. "…and my first daughter-in-law." She kissed Nodoka's forehead. Nodoka's eyes widened in surprise as Kin's grin continued. "If I get him," Kin said while pointing at Ranma and before Nodoka could say anything else. "I get you too."
"What?" Nodoka said incredulously, although there was a smile on Nodoka's face as she was beginning to warm to this crazy old woman.
"You're his mother – you're listed in the Ono Family rolls as such," Kin replied with a sparkle in her eyes.
"And how does that work?" Nodoka shot back challengingly.
"Easy. You're listed as a Ghost Bride," Kin told her.
"WHAT?" Nodoka half-laughed/half-shouted. The rest of party looked stunned by Kin's words.
"It's a nice respectable family position. We listed Ranma truthfully as your direct son and made him Yuudai's heir – not that there is anything to inherit, but details," Kin said with a wave of her hand.
"We are not Chinese and I am not having a Ghost Wedding!" Nodoka laughed.
"Of course not, dear, this is modern Japan after all. When you find the man of your dreams, we want to be able to give you a nice Ghost Divorce – you can't do that with a real Ghost Wedding. Still, it looks good and maintains both the Saotome's and Ono's Family Honor. More importantly, you're listed as Ranma's mother again on the Family rolls," Kin replied airily. "And I get another daughter-in-law out of this." Nodoka's jaw was stuck open as she looked at Kin.
Tofu was holding his forehead while shaking his head. "Sadao came up with this, didn't he?" the doctor asked. Kin just nodded her head.
"Who?" Ranma asked.
"Sadao is our eldest cousin in the Ono family," Tofu explained while still shaking his head and starting to laugh. "He's also the head of the Ono family and extremely creative. The Family Tree looks like a pretzel made by someone with a severe attention deficit disorder."
Kin grabbed Nodoka's hands. "What do you say, Nodoka? Let us keep you on the rolls until you decide to marry. Ranma needs to use the Ono name for now, but you can keep the Saotome name – we are not greedy and it will make the Saotomes happy as well. Come join your son!"
Nodoka continued to stare at Kin for a few moments with her mouth hanging open. Then she began to laugh. After a little more of this, she shot forward and grabbed the old woman in a hug. "This sounds ridiculous! There's not a shred of legality or tradition to back this up, but all right. Again, we will do things your way for now – Mother."
Kin Ono laughed and returned the hug joyously. "Good!" she said. "Now it's time to join the rest." She broke the hug and everyone stood up. "And I can scold my son for being clueless," Kin finished.
"Oh, and how was I clueless?" Tofu asked with a raised eyebrow.
Kin linked arms with her son and led the way out of the hall. Akane took Ranma's hand while Kasumi and Nodoka followed at the rear. Nodoka linked arms with Kasumi. It was obvious the elder woman had something to say to the younger one, but she wanted to hear what the Onos said first.
Kin looked at her son. "Tofu?" she asked. "How many of the Family are in Nerima?"
"Well, there are three right now," he answered.
"And how many live here on a full time basis?" she followed up.
"I'm going to say one, and you're going to tell me I'm wrong," he replied.
"You are – there's another one of the Family within 200 meters of the clinic, and she's been there for the last three years, keeping an eye on you," Kin told him.
A suspicion began to grow in the back of Ranma's mind. "No, it can't be," he thought. Akane paused for a second and had a thoughtful look on her face.
Kin Ono continued: "She's been hiding from you, trying to see if you would notice her. It's been one of the many Games she has been using to amusing herself."
Tofu replied: "There's no way a full-blooded K- Family member has been hiding from me – I'd find her. Plus, she would have had to respond to the Call I issued last Spring."
"I didn't say she was full-blooded, dear," Kin scolded him. "You're not so good at detecting the non-full-bloods.
"Ranma, what are they talking about?" Akane asked him. Ranma just looked at her with one eyebrow raised. The Game between herself and Ranma immediately rose into Akane's mind. There was a secret – a big secret about Tofu. Ranma, Kasumi, and her father knew. She knew Tofu was a mage as well as a doctor – a powerful mage at that, but that wasn't the secret. "Something to do with his ancestry maybe? Something about his blood? Something that started with K? Something his mother is as well?" she thought. (1)
Ranma's mind was already plunging down another path. "It's a she," he thought. "She's not a full-blood, which means that she's part-human. Depending on how much Kitsune blood she has, she's probably decent at illusion and shape-shifting. She also likes to play Games. The Games would often be pranks; small harmless things…ah crap!"
Kasumi's mind was likewise racing. "She didn't correct him when he said 'three right now', but I know there's Tofu, Tomo, and now Kin," Kasumi thought. "Where's the other one right now? I'll bet she hasn't left Nerima either… Oh no. No, no, no. That's not fair at all."
"It's her," Ranma said out loud. "The water ladle ninja. She never bloody misses me no matter what I do. She's only a couple of blocks away from the clinic. She is not half-blind and half-deaf. It's a disguise."
"It's worse than that Ranma," Kasumi added. "She's been playing lots of Games, and she hasn't been playing fair. Not just with you; she's been busting her own son's chops from time-to-time. The last Game I know of was the Bridal Game she played with her son. She got Nabiki and Akane to play as well." (2)
"But that was with Tofu and that was…" Akane started and then stopped. She placed a hand on Kin's shoulder. "That was with you, Mrs. Ono. You are a mage, just like your son."
Ranma didn't know whether to laugh or cry for a moment. Finally, he picked the former and asked: "Why me?"
Kin looked behind at the young man and laughed. "Oh, come on now, Ranma! You can guess. That and I wanted to teach you patience. Since you are not screaming down the house, it worked. And I'm sorry Akane, but you are only partially right. It was me, but I am not a mage like my son. He has powers far beyond me, even if he is blind as a bat. And you already know that Tofu is a mage – that's not relevant to your Game with Ranma."
Akane was not surprised that Mrs. Ono knew about the Game, so she said: "I'm close though. It's something you and your son share and it has to do with magic." No one answered her. For once, that didn't make Akane angry – it meant she was on the right track. Nodoka said nothing; she just watched them all curiously.
Tofu laughed. "Kasumi's right," he answered. "You haven't been playing fair – it's more than being a half-blood. You know my mind better than anyone. You know my blind-spots – you've been hiding in them, even though you've been living only a few blocks away."
"And you should be working to fix them, lad!" she scolded him fiercely. "I almost lost you once. I won't lose you again. And soon you will have a young wife to take care of. You already have a nephew/brother now. You too need to grow! This Game goes on until you can find me." She turned to Ranma again. "And you're not off the hook either, Ranma Ono. You too will have a wife you must take care off – even if she can level mountains. Our Game goes on – possibly forever. Or at least until you can successfully dodge me on a regular basis." She looked at Kasumi and Akane and said: "You have been warned ladies. I will find a Game for my young in-laws to play as well. Be on your guard!"
"Does that include me as well, Mrs. Ono?" Nodoka challenged.
Kin laughed. "I am 'Kin' to you, Nodoka. And, for things to work, there can be no Games between us. Besides, you've seen enough Games in your life. It's time for a rest." Nodoka just smiled at that.
The group of six left the building and walked out into the early evening light. As they stepped onto the street, a young red-headed boy, perhaps twelve years old ran up to them. "Aunt Kin," he shouted. "The Elders offered their congratulations on the adoption."
Kasumi looked at the boy and winced. Tomo looked very close to his Kitsune self. She wondered if Ranma…
"YOU!" Ranma shouted. "I still owe you for the crème pie!" (3)
"Hail Pie-Face! Ready for the next course?" Tomo grinned at him. "Race you to the dojo!" Ranma answered by firing a small, (mostly) harmless ball of Chi at him. The little Kitsune dodged it easily and ran off laughing with Ranma in hot pursuit. Truth be known, Ranma didn't look that unhappy either.
"Aunt Kin?" Tofu questioned his mother.
"Tomo is my full-blooded sister's son. He's your cousin, lad. One of many mind you, so that's not so remarkable," she answered. "He was amused to find himself assigned to you."
"That's weird," Akane said. "He looks just like the Kitsune from the Complex; the one who hit Ranma with a crème pie and then took off. It's even weirder that he has the same name and Ranma mentioned a crème pie."
Nodoka looked at Akane in puzzlement, and then her eyes widened. She turned quickly to look at Tofu and his mother. Her mouth opened in surprise and she looked a little stunned. Tofu held a finger to his lips and turned to look at Akane.
Akane continued to look confused. Finally, Kasumi took her sister's head in her hands and said gently: "Akane, how are you and Nabiki sisters?" The blue-black haired girl just looked at her sister. Kasumi went on: "I think the problem is that you always look for the normal/mundane answer, despite the fact you're surrounded by magic. You need to expand your imagination. Dream, Akane! You're a Fire Mage in love with a Wind Mage. Both of you regularly tell the Laws of Physics to 'get stuffed'. You've met dragons and phoenixes. You know that legends live and myths are real. You're an extraordinary girl in an extraordinary world. Dream!"
Akane shook her head. "But that would mean that you're engaged to a Kitsu…" Akane started and then stopped. She looked deep into Kasumi's knowing look. "Oh my god…" she said before all the implications came crashing down on her and her eyes rolled up in her head. Kasumi had to guide her gently to the ground.
Akane sat on top of the house roof alone. Every now and then, she would look at her face in a hand mirror, sigh, and put the mirror down again. She also watched as Ranma, Ryoga, Ukyo, Konatsu, and Mousse tore down the street chasing a bouncing laughing little Kitsune, who had managed to prank all of them. The five were determined to find out if it was possible to give a Kitsune a wedgie. The parade passed by every five minutes or so. Akari and/or Nabiki would wander out every now and then to check on the posse's progress.
The house below was still alive with people, although many folks had gone home. The adults were chatting and laughing, relieved that Ranma was him/herself again, Genma was no longer an issue, and Judge Sanu had been brought into the fold. "Just the end of another day in Nerima," Akane sighed again.
"Kasumi had said 'You're an extraordinary girl in an extraordinary world'," she thought. "I blamed Ranma for everything weird in my life, and then decided I'd rather have the weird if it meant I got to keep Ranma. Now I find out, it's not his fault: it's mine. My life was weird before he ever got here. He's a chaos magnet, but, in this case, he was drawn to me, not me to him." She looked at herself in the mirror again. Time past…
"Hi ya!" Ranma shouted as he landed cat-neat in front of her.
She couldn't help it – she burst out in a smile to see her rogue in front of her. "Did you finally catch Tomo?" she asked.
"Yep, it took all five of us, but I'm proud to report it is possible to give a Kitsune a wedgie!" he said beaming. "At least until he remembers he is a Kitsune and teleports out of there. But we consider that a success anyway. Tomo's hiding by Kasumi right now, so I think we made our point." Akane just giggled at that, and then her face became pensive again. Ranma reached out and cupped her chin. "Are you all right?" he asked.
"Ranma, I'm sorry," she said.
The young man looked surprised. "What do you have to be sorry for?" he asked.
"I blamed you for all the craziness in my life, but it's not true. My life was crazy before you ever showed up," she confessed.
He laughed and sat down next to her. Then he pulled her into an embrace. "Is that all? Feh. You're forgiven. It's not like I don't add to the madness. Do you forgive me?" he asked impishly.
"Ranma, I'm being serious!" she said insistently.
He sobered up a little and replied: "Yeah, I know. I'm trying to shut it down before you break-up with me."
She started to say mournfully: "Why would you want to be with me when…", but Ranma leaned in and cut her off with a kiss. He put more and more into the kiss until she responded. Then he forced her to lie back against the roof and continued the kiss.
When he finally stopped, he said: "Because I love you, little idiot. You are exciting, sweet, proud, thoughtful, strong, and beautiful. As far as the Chaos goes, that only makes you more desirable. I am the Chaos King – I need a Chaos Queen like you."
"Little idiot?" she protested sharply.
"Yes – when you even start thinking I might need protection from you, or that you are somehow a burden in my life, you are being a little idiot," he told her bluntly. "I love you, Akane. My life will always be crazy. So will yours. Being apart won't change it. Isn't it better if we face the craziness together?"
Akane looked deep into the blue eyes hovering over her and felt something crystallize inside her. "Ranma Ono, will you marry me?" she asked seriously.
Ranma looked down at her in surprise. "I thought you wanted your courtship?" he asked.
"I want you more," she told him.
"You can have both," he grinned at her. "We have over a year until we turn twenty. I still should get you a proper ring."
"But I want you as my fiancé now. Will you marry me?" she persisted.
Ranma thought about it for all of a second. "Fine. Yes, I will marry you Akane Tendo, but we still have to wait a little bit," he answered. "We have a new busybody in our life and we need to break her in."
Akane laughed at that and hugged him tightly. When she stopped, she asked: "Do you think Tofu will make you move to the clinic now?"
"Probably, but I'm not too concerned. He'll make me sleep there, but we will both be spending most of our time here at the dojo. Besides, he doesn't fool me – he spends at least three nights a week here."
"What?!" Akane exclaimed.
"My, my. You haven't been paying attention, have you?" he teased her. "It will be hard for him to scold me about Ranko creeping into your bed when I know he isn't using a female shape to crawl into Kasumi's bed." Akane's face was beet red now.
She recovered though and asked: "And what about Ranma crawling into my bed?"
Ranma seemed stunned for a moment but recovered quickly. "That's a new question," he commented slyly drawing closer to her. "Are you sure you're ready for that?"
"Well, not quite yet," she admitted, sure that Ranma felt the same way. "But it is an intriguing possibility for the near future."
"Oh yes it is, Miss Tendo. Yes, it is. Shall we discuss it further?" he asked, a huskiness entering into his voice.
"Keep your hands above the waist, Mr. Ono" she said, although passion was rising in her own voice as well.
"I'll try," he responded, "but no promises." Then he kissed her.
"Now there's a bluff I know I can call," she thought before giving herself over to the kiss.
Kimiko materialized before the Book of Life again with the Pen. Carefully, she turned once more to Ranma's Page. The first line on the Page read "Ranma of Nerima" in big bold letters as it had since the Page appeared in the Book. (4) The next line was much smaller, and read "Ranma". Next to the first name was a blank space that had once read "Saotome", but there was no evidence of that now. Into that space, Kimiko slowly wrote the name "Ono". As she carefully completed the last character, the page glowed briefly and the ink instantly dried, sealing the writing. She smiled, happy that her work was successful. She then looked at the page, reading some of its Contents.
Suddenly, she noticed that the Page changed and re-arranged itself slightly, opening a line just above "Ranma Ono". This startled her a little until she realized what it signified. Smiling again, she started to lift the Pen toward the Page until the Voice sounded in her ear.
"Not yet," whispered the Voice with amusement. "All in good time."
"But…" she started to protest.
"You are as impatient now as you were in life, Little One," the Voice teased while laughing. "All in good time," the Voice repeated.
"But it will happen, Sir, won't it?" she practically begged.
"Why else have I placed Ranma's Page under the care of the Tendo Family Guardian?" the Voice laughed.
A/N: Footnotes:
(1) Ranma's and Akane's Game started in Chapter 5 of "The Date."
(2) This occurred in episode 14, season one, of the Anime.
(3) Tomo hit Ranma with a crème pie in Chapter 8 of "The Date."
(4) Hence why Maomolin called him that way back in "Brothers", Chapter 11, while Ryoga was called "Ryoga Hibiki".
A/N: And done (finally). I cannot believe so many of you had the patience to stay with me since I started to publish this three-part story last January. Thank you for reading this!
I usually have Epilogues after a story, but I decided against it. What I have doesn't match the tone of this story and I like ending this story cleanly – life can get messy again later.
So, now that this little trilogy is complete, I'd like to thank everyone who offered encouragement and/or advice through the journey. This includes (in no particular order): Taechunsa, Wharpt, Compucles, gort240, leoness, goldplatium, jaqjaq123, Richard Ryley, TL, Flameraven1, KaraOhki, cloundshadow, Dee Bryant, TopKat90, BobV, Ranmayamabushi, James Birdsong, goddessa39, UrixMoonstone, PurseMonger, Rose1948, Saggit, Kittychan H, XStylus, kemdana, maryjane5000, Chaosqueen, Fluffbeast, weebee, mareanbeast, Jeremy Harper, Blackholelord, Contramancer, own son, Signdowney, BiGDeal, Ranmamania, Ruby Dogwood of Shadytown, Pata Hikari, Y2Ranma, Queendiva, The Keeper of Worlds, The Unknown GPX, and the various Guests. I really appreciate everyone's feedback!
Next up, I have some short stories for the next few weeks and then a Nabiki-centric story. I figured it might be fun to see how the middle Tendo daughter is adjusting to college (and just how she developed her "Stealth Mode" that she demo'ed in "Combustion"). It also might be interesting to see if the Yakuza ever bothered her again…
A/N: 11/4/14: Added a few corrections to the above "Author's Note" found by weebee.