Chapter 5
Hidden Depths and Talents
As he relaxed, he found one day that picking up the Sammi's pet or seeing a cat in general didn't elicit a fear anywhere near the level to trigger the Nekkoken. As the fear of cats was slowly fading, he was puzzled why it happened now and not over the years until he remembered that over the months of his controlling of his fear had lessened the impact of the cats. He realized that as he was actually getting used to cat-like things. Unknown to him, he started to take on some cat-like traits, physical enhancement aside, when he wasn't in the Nekkoken. Ryouga noticed it as Ranma would laze around in the sun and becoming more active at night. Also Ranma would hide and pounce on the children, tickling them from his wheelchair, and make them squeal with laughter and also be more protective of Sammi.
"Hmm...what happened? Before at the mere sight of a cat, I would go into the Nekkoken. Right now, I feel that they aren't more dangerous than a... duckor a pig." Ranma smiled at that thought.
Flashback to earlier in the hospital stay in the yard
Popping out of nowhere, Ranma saw another Ghost Cat, Notatsu-Neko.
As predicted, Ranma went into the Neko Ken, but couldn't move his legs. Neko-Ranma was surprised when he attacked with just his hands and nothing happened. It was then that they had a conversation as to why he was acting like a cat. The conversation consisted of meows.
What happened next took Neko-Ranam and Kotatsu-Neko. As he accidentally came too close to Neko-Ranma, he actually got sucked into the other's body.
Kotatsu-Neko looked around and found darkness. He knew that something should have been there until he saw THEM. Eyes. Teeth. Claws. They were all around him and slashing all around him. Even though it was not doing any damage to him, it HURT! It was in this nightmare that he found a door. He ran to it and threw himself throught it and shut it again. Surprisingly he found a little boy huddled in a corner. It actually looked like a chibi version of Neko-Ranma.
It was then that he understood what had happened. The Neko Ken had produced a... hole in Ranma's soul. He entered because he was a spirit. He was totally surprised that he was not WORSE than before. Mental trauma of an excruciating nature was required to even hurt a soul with this kind of strength. This must have been beyond that as he had looked at the damage. He marveled that the boy was even sane.
It might have been an infinite amount of time or maybe even a mere moment when he resolved to help him. It took him a while to corner and capture the boy, but he did it. He also knew that the unfamiliarity of confronting something else and the fear that crippled him was the only thing that made him vulnerable to him. He took a very long time in soothing the boy enough to tell him what happened.
When he did, Kotatsu-Neko thought about how to help him and get revenge on the fat man of a father, but not before helping him out. He knew that chibi-Ranma had to confront his fear or he would probably be possessed.
It was a very long time had passed before he could convince that since he was a cat, the others could be the same way. As chibi-Ranma scrunched his face in thought, he knew that it would take as long as it took. It was touch and go before chibi-Ranma actually got up and opened the door that locked away the Neko Ken. As expected, one look in the room with evil eyes, teeth and claws make chibi-Ranma close it again, but he would not let it happen. He told him that the cats were trapped as he was and the only way for them to be free was for him to do it. They were angry at him for that.
When chibi-Ranma heard this, he went and opened the door, but not without a deep breath.
Kotatsu-Neko marveled at this. A five year old child was confronting what full grown adults could not and most times would not.
The attack was on and chibi-Ranma weathered the storm until they saw Kotatsu-Neko protecting him. At that point, a black and white cat came out and meowed, "Why do you protect this one that trap us here?"
Kotatsu-Neko meowed back, "Because he is a kitten who did not know that he did that to you. All he knew was that mean cats had tried to eat him."
Taken aback, there was murmuring in the background as some other cats came out.
The interrogation went on through Kotatsu-Neko until the cats were satisfied that the chibi-Ranma meant no harm and that they were too quick to judge him by what the big fat man did to them.
As the shadows fell away as the cats' anger faded, chibi-Ranma could see that there were hundreds of cat souls and he felt guilty about their deaths and imprisonment. The black and white cat dismissed that concern as he said that they were as much to blame as he was. They could have left at any time if they just thought it out.
By this time, chibi-Ranma's fear had subsided and was curiously petting the black and white cat. Suddenly, by the hundreds, they came up to him to be petted.
Kotatsu-Neko smiled, as he knew that it was the hundreds of cat souls that actually protected chibi-Ranma from possession. He was very surprised that they stayed because the hole was big enough for them to leave. It was after they left that he was open for possession.
He gathered from the other cats that they actually fought a few Demons a few times and won. Demons may be power hungry, but the mauling by hundreds of cats were too much pain for too little gain. They would go for easier prey.
Before the cat souls departed, the black and white cat bestowed one gift on chibi-Ranma. Suddenly, even to the black and white cat and Notatsu-Neko's surprise, tiny ball of lights had emerged from every cat soul and entered chibi-Ranma's. Changes could be seen as cat ears and paws started to form on his soul. His eyes were even slitted.
Solemnly, the cat spirit said directly to chibi-Ranma, "We have given you a blessing and part of our souls for you."
Kotatsu-Neko was stunned when he hear chibi-Ranma meowed, "Yes sir."
He realized the significance of it. From what chibi-Ranma had told him about the Neko Ken, what kind of abilities would he gain from the hundreds of cat souls? Only time would tell. He probably would be more powerful, but it was now up to him to teach him how to use it.
The black and white cat urged Kotatsu-Neko to leave with them because the trauma was healing, the hole would close up.
They were the last ones and barely made it out before the hole closed up.
When Ranma woke up he thought it was a really weird dream until he saw Kotatsu-Neko who confirmed that it was not. He marveled that he could actually look at a cat and not freak out. They talked long into the night.
Out of it all Kotatsu-Neko liked Ranma and visa versa. The affection that Kotatsu-Neko had for Ranma increased when he found that Ranma could still produce a more powerful ki claws. Kotatsu-Neko was totally surprised that he was actually more powerful, ten times more. It seemed that the gift of the Neko Ken was not the only one. They trained to use the powers until he was proficient with it. Ranma did not want to be a menace. The point was made clear when he picked up a small stone in the park and he crushed it by accident.
End of Flashback
The companionship that followed affected Ranma as no other, even if no one could see him. Here was someone who was a total stranger and not even human who was kinder to him than his parents and even his "closest" friends combined. The spirit had no real ulterior motive than to help him out and listened to him without making judgments on him, but commented on what could have been done better.
Kotatsu-Neko gave him one piece of advice that has served him well. He said that the only thing that limits people are what they think they could do. He told Ranma that the reason was that most of the obligations were not of his doing, but that of his father's or someone else. No one, except his mother, had tried to actually help him when they could have easily done so. The people he though he could depended on like Ukyou, Kasumi, and especially Akane. They had defined him in their own small world when they should have helped him in his own.
It would have puzzled Ranma until Kotatsu-Neko gave a few examples.
Kotatsu-Neko said that Ranma knew that he had atrocious writing or doing really anything elegant, but when he had to have do it well he could. He had the Anything Goes Calligraphy, Ballroom Dancing, Tea Ceremony and of course Shogi. He had shown that he could do them well, but why did he not do that in his everyday life?
The main reason was that people expect him to be the macho jock and he had responded like in martial arts. He reacted than thought.
Also, they really have nothing to do with martial arts, yet he learned them all and modified them as well. What would happen if he used his techniques for other things like Speed Reading, Computer Programming and the more academic studies? It seemed that the sky could be the limit for Ranma if he actually put his mind to it.
The problem was that he was so focused on martial arts that he had to have time to himself to "reset" himself. His father had dominated his life for so long that he learned to react and not think, which was fine for fighting, but not anything else.
As with all good things, Kotatsu-Neko had to leave, but Ranma was grateful to him.
Despite his resolution, it took him a long time with the help of the nurses and children to get over his troubles with his life. They constantly tried to get him out of his depression and it worked. The old Satome "never say die" attitude slowly returned, but not the arrogance. He still worried about Sammi. The bout that lead to her being left in bed seemed to have passed. He resolved to look into the matter.
He had learned the names of the children and their problems. It had taken him some time to get used to having a 'real' job, but he found that even with his job and training, he still had free time on his hands so he started visiting some of the other patients. Most of the famous people welcomed him when he was unimpressed by their status or never heard of them. He treated them like regular people and they liked his charm. They even saw his curse in action and thought it was cool. They disregarded the rumours as the nurses filled them in that it was the other way around. They were sympathetic with him because many of them had been though it as well and knew that rumours had the power to kill a career. A few were miffed and threw him out, the Divas he called them, or those who were afraid of his curse or because they actually believed the rumours, even with evidence to the contrary. He certainly didn't fit in their perfect little world.
He found that most came here to re-cooperate because their private lives were invaded by stalkers or the media. Most of the people they knew always wanted things from them, but Ranma was refreshing in that he ask only of their friendship.
He got to know a lot of famous people from outside the country. He found that despite their status or foreignness, they treated him a friend and not as a person to be pitied.
Before he would have been like them if he was confronted by a person in a wheelchair or a crutch and who changed genders with water, but now that he was in their shoes he could see the snubs and it hurt even more keenly because of the additional handicap.
Many of the patients couldn't speak Japanese. He could converse with very broken English. He found many languages, which included French, German, Mandarin, Cantonese as well as were spoken. If anything, they taught him to speak some of their language for easier conversation. They laughed at his mistakes, but were astounded at how much he picked up. What astounded them was that in a seemingly small period of time, he could converse with them passably in their language and it improved a little every day. As he loosened up, he spoke more fluently as time went on. He didn't even notice the change, but everyone else did. The nurses could see him maturing into a fine young man.
From his almost disastrous first meeting with the nurses, it was his way with the children, his friendliness and charm was irresistible. Many of them were taking second looks and sneaking peeks when they thought he wasn't looking. It became a regular sight for them to see him whizzing by at breakneck speed, but deftly avoiding hit anything or anyone. For the most part, the people only felt a whipping wind when he passed.
Despite his bright front, he found that he had to confide to someone about his life who was more objective. Someone who wasn't part of his old life, someone he could trust. He picked Cream because out of all the people he knew, he sensed that she would be the only one who probably would understand the most. There was a sadness that clung to her like him as if some great tragedy had befallen her.
For Cream, she found for the first time in a very long time that she had found herself responding to him emotionally as he unfolded his life story to her. She had kept herself in a shell after what happened to her. When she heard the whole story, the outrage she felt at such an action of is mother and the other women in his life increased threefold.
"If what he says is true then I will have to take steps that his enemies don't interfere in his recovery." Cream thought.
"Genma had given so many debts on Ranma's honour and his mother wrecking his life. I can't believe that his mother would say that Ranma had stained her honour and thought that she had the power to make Ranma kill himself to clean the Satome honour. It seems to me that SHE was the one who stained his honour." Cream thought bitterly as she was still appalled at what his mother did, "The fact that she had accepted the seppeuku contract that Genma made for himself and Ranma to be a 'Man Among Men' and had known at that time how honourless Genma. Taken as a whole, the contract couldn't be based on honour since Genma had no honour, but she seemed to use it against Ranma more than anyone else. Why did she hate him so much?"
"Hmm...Ranma?" asked Cream.
"Yes?" Ranma replied.
"I think I may have a small solution for you with the contract..." said Cream and she told him of her plan.
After she was finished, he sat there in silence and contemplated the whole of his choices. She could see his face contorting into many different expressions, never settlling on one for more than a second. When she thought he was too lost in thought, he startled her when he said, "Arigato, Cream. But I fear that I have to take care of other matters that will determine if I will accept your offer and I hope that the offer will still stand when I am done."
Cream nodded, "The offer will still stand." She was amazed at the resilency of this young man, anyone else would have been totally beaten or had a nervous breakdown.
They both sat in silence for a very long time after that.
It was after another week that reality hit him in the form of Kuno. He was near one of the windows in a patient's room when a ruckus came. A familiar yell came, "Oh my Nursing Goddesses, I will free you from the clutches of the vile Satome!" as he rushed up the front stairs of the hospital which were promptly cut off as he was booted to the stratosphere by the nurses on duty, despite the fact that he wielded an actual katana.
Sasuke came and apologized again. Some new drug Kodachi had made had Kuno becoming more delusional and sprouting out that Satome's stay in the hospital was only a trick to truly enspell the Nurse Goddesses.
Ranma then realized that when he got out, he will have to face the most dangerous people he had ever met in his young life and will be at a severe advantage. His moves were based more on kicks to change positions and without his legs, he couldn't move very well. His mother, Kasumi and Akane were truly his enemies. Nabiki, he didn't know. She was part of it, but she seemed like the front person to them. Shampoo isn't a problem. The Amazons will just annul the engagement. Ukyou just wants her name cleared and wants money so that more dishonour will be on his head.
As he thought things over, a question forms in his mind, "What does he have to offer to anyone in the future?" It was a dreaded question that he couldn't find an answer to. He knew how to deal with fights, but with his future in the balance, he had to know where he was headed.
After agonizing over the chaos called his life, he finally knew where to start from, at the beginning. Martial arts will always be part of his life, whether he wanted it or not. He needed to defend himself against his enemies.
His foes, his former fiancees, Nabiki and Kasumi and his mother. They had better resources, education and probably martial arts now that he was crippled. He needed to counter that. He needed an edge. He had to confront them on his terms.
They were all better in the path that Genma kept steering him away from. Life. He needed to improve in all the areas neglected in his life, which meant everything including martial arts. He was glad of the training he received before Jusenkyo. The formidable style was also versatile. It WILL give him time to form new techniques for him to us a he is unable to use the Satome Anything Goes Style. It relied on agility and kicks to change positions. He now had get a method to even get up a flight of stairs.
Added to that was his confused state because of a particular nurse that Cream introduced to him weeks ago. The nurse's name was Urd and she helped him out a lot. He never really knew why she always had this peculiar smile when she saw him or the way her eyes became hooded when she saw Rei. Maybe Rei reminded her of someone who she didn't like. He didn't think it was personal.
She was truly the first person to truly take him for who he was and not judge him like everyone else, even Cream took some time to get adjusted to his curse. Urd took it in stride and for the first time he felt like someone actually cared about him and not what he could do for them.
He still remembered the first time Cream introduced her to him...
He was with Ryouga when Cream came bouncing in on her staff. She was followed by what he would call THE sexiest person he ever seen, despite the fact that she was a gaijin and that he wasn't really attracted to them.
She didn't walk in as glided in on those long, long, loooooooooooong legs, but he could feel more POWER coming from her than even Saffron had. Despite this, he felt no danger from her instead he was surprised to feel comfort from her. He felt like he knew her for...forever
She was in a nurse's uniform, but it didn't do a thing to hide her curves. The open top button showed an amazing amount of cleavage. On anyone else, it would have looked tacky and overblown, but instead, it enhanced her beauty instead of detracting from it. Her hair was so pale, it seemed almost white, but not quite. Her dark tan made her look exotic, but yet very earthly. It was when she smiled that the true damage was done. The smile embodied the very essence of sexy, but couldn't cover her good heart.
At that point, Ryouga couldn't take it anymore. He had a torrential nosebleed and passed out.
Ranma almost passed out himself despite seeing Shampoo, Ukyou and Ms. Hinako in skimpier attire when she purred, "Hello Ranma, my name is Urd and I would like to get to know you better." and he blushed and almost had a huge nosebleed.
End of flashback
At that very moment, that certain goddess was remembering that same moment.
Flashback
As she stood in front of Father's desk, Father, said, "Urd, do you know why you were summoned her?"
"No, Father." she replied
"You are here because of a mortal, Ranma Satome. The irresponsibility of my Children in favouring Akane had forced me to take drastic action. I have decreed that he is now a Chaos Nexus. (Urd's eyes widened, she couldn't believe it. A Chaos Nexus was a thing where the threads of the universe are tangled. It literally meant that he could make the impossible possible. A deadly force if it was in the wrong hands. It makes the bearer miserable if not controlled because of the craziness. Why would Father had done this?) You have been acquainted with him, you will help him become accustomed to his new life."
"Yes Father." she said as she stood up straighter, trying to remember where and when she met him.
"That is all" as her Father turned back to his paperwork.
She pondered a bit as to who was Ranma before she left, but was too occupied to see Him smile.
After reading the huge amount of data in the Yggdrasil System about Ranma's life, Urd was pissed at those people who betrayed him, especially Akane and his own mother. As she looked into Ranma mother's life, she shook her head in disgust. So, it wasn't a match made in Heaven.
As she was lost in thought, Ranma took the opportunity to study her. At first, he was blinded by her sexiness, but for the first time, he actually studied her closely, (not that closely!). Unlike his fiancees, he did feel respect coming from her and he responded in kind. Once upon a time, he would have had to take a day in understanding what had just happened. He found this transition easier and therefore saw immediately her intelligence and a real compassion for him.
Despite his awkwardness with the opposite sex, he found himself relaxing with her, it was something that he never did with anyone else, knowingly with a female. He just smiled. He usually was either oblivious to girls or panicking over them, never really at ease with them.
As she broke out of her thoughts, she saw him studying her with a relaxed smile. She could tell it was rusty, but it was there and it warmed her somewhat, unlike anything she felt for a long, long time.
"What's happening to me?" she thought as she shook her head, "Father had said to help him."
So, she enlisted help in making sure that Nabiki's spies couldn't interfere with Ranma, she thought, "He needs time to himself without all the craziness."
End of Flashback
Although the hospital was set up to stop intruders and media, such as windows were tinted against telephoto lenses and the walls were insulated against thermal scans. The computer system was routinely being hacked from the inside as well as outside by people. The nurses took it as normal.
But with seeing what Ranma was up against, security was tightened at the hospital as if an anticipating an assault on them. The computer system was changed by their resident hackers and more nurses were on duty than normal as if they were expecting a heavy onslaught of attacks.
Ranma's enemies didn't disappoint them either. Many people tried to get answers from the nurses or other patients about Ranma. Others tried to sneak in or pose as a patient were hussled to the East Wing, away from Ranma. Those who had gotten past the East Wing were booted out.
Their patients wanted their privacy and the Hospital was to give them it. The increase in unwanted visitors made even the most sweet tempered nurse grouchy at the constant intrusion into their public and private lives. Each doctor and nurse were selected to be proof against physical attackers as well as blackmailers or extortionists. When they worked at the hospital, the hospital was their family. It came even to take their names off their family registers. It was to keep their own families and friends safe from being smeared or taken hostage by violent people as leaverage to get to their patients.
They foiled many assassination, stalking and kidnapping attempts. The most routine was the tabloids to get into their computer system.
As this occurred, Dr. Tofu saw Ranma's mounting frustration with catching up on school work. Dr. Tofu consulted with Dr. Mizuko had also seen that problem and they both tried to think of a solution. Suddenly, she had a brilliant idea. Her daughter, Ami, could help him get back on track. Ami was an A+ student, but she was worried that she would be too isolated because she studied so much. Despite being with her friends, she had never been even on a date.
As time moved on, Tofu wasn't surprised when people were trying to dig information out of him. To the Satomes or the Tendos, he would give no information, especially to Ms. Satome even when she threatened him with her sword. She had known the incredible amount of damage that had been done to Ranma with just gossip.
He really had nothing left to lose, he left months ago just after Mrs. Satome come to see Ranma. Her remarks when she failed to change his opinion about Ranma were chilling about taking his side against her. At first it was just fewer patients who came to see him, but gradually no one came. When he went to inquire with a few of his former patients, he found that horrible rumours had been circulated about him and some were blackmailed outright not to come to him. He had suspicions on who did this and it was confirmed when he saw Kasumi and Ms. Satome together.
At first, he could still see the innocence that stole his heart, but after Ms. Satome came he saw that innocence wither and die. He had gradually gotten over his condition when he saw her 'accidently' splash him when Kuno was around or when Ranma least expected it and the other occasions when she let down her guard and he overheard her talk with Ms. Satome. Ms. Satome twisted words and deeds around and Kasumi believed it. After the rumours against Ranma seemed errily familar to the rumours that drove him from Nerima. The final straw was when Ranma confronted Kasumi in the hospital because it confirmed his worst fears and broke his heart. They yelled loud enough for the entire floor to hear. He had always held out that Kasumi would see past Ms. Satome's prejudices and biases, but now sees her as a person he never really knew.
He frowned when he found out that the Ms. Satome with the Tendo's help were trying to get him out of the hospital, but they wouldn't be able to do it because he said no. He was Ranma's doctor and despite being his parents, he gave his opinion that they made it worse, backed up by the fact that she approved of Akane who maimed him and still did if he left the hospital. It actually went to court and despite Ms. Satome and the Tendo sister's act, they were all caught in more than one lie. Even then with the story of his life out, the judge reluctantly agreed that it was in Ranma's best interest to remain in his care. It was found out a very long time later that the Satome lawyer was in fact hired and paid by the Kunos.
A stray thought broke through his depression. A smile graced Tofu's face in what seemed ages when he found out about Kasumi. A chuckle escaped his lips as he shook his head in disbelief when he realized that Ranma, despite everything that had happened to him, had healed and hadn't become bitter with women or life. If his impression of what Ranma thought of Urd was of any indication, the greater maturity was quite a surprise, but not unwelcomed. He had a strong feeling that he would need all of it in the times to come.
A frown suddenly graced his face as he remembered the other problem that he have Ranma.
The problem was with him healing. Of course, he healed quickly, but... it was never complete. Each battle after his mother first visited him became more frequent and he had less time to heal from the breaks and strains plus the fact that he was always on the move gave him too much stress.
He only found out about it from tests that were performed on him. The test found broken bones and tendons that didn't seem to heal completely, his bone composition that was less than it should have been and strains and aches that would drive a normal person insane by their constant.
Only within these weeks had these trends been reversed. He was eating well and healing, his ki was starting to increase again and most of all the stress of his old life that sapped the life out of him was gone. He could see Ranma start ENJOYING his martial arts he could do again and not just doing it because he knew nothing else.
The good doctor was impressed with his new techniques, but was he was completely surprised when he quickly mastered the use of weapons, especially the sword and the glaive. When he asked Ranma how he did it so quickly, even for him, his reply was, "Doc, not using weapons and not knowing how to use them are two different things. I may not like using weapons in real combat, but I would be a fool not to know what is possible with each weapon. Anyway, I memorized the moves to know what attacks are possible and even devised counters for them. I don't relish the idea of losing a hand or foot, that would be a loss."
It did make sense. He knew that the knowledge of how the weapons were going to be wielded was critical to countering one, so for Ranma it took little effort to transfer them to its use. All Ranma really needed was practice and he was an expert when it came to practice.
The biggest problem was school. The pig-tailed martial artist needed to get his grades up. It was at first that he tried to do some work in history, but he was bored and he started to scribble just to try to get his mind more motivated. This scribbling in boredom moved to doodling. It was after a period of time when he found that he recognized some shapes. Slowly, faces came and he found that he could get the likeness of people and things really well. It was then that Cream and Urd came in as they both often did as he was doodling. The people of the hospital enjoyed his portrayal of them. They even hung up his sketches of them in their rooms or took them home. To Ranma, it was something to pass the time.
Urd looked at the doodling and said, "Why Ranma, it looks great!"
Surprised, "You think so?"
"Yes, I do. I think you are very talented. I've seen manga which aren't as good as you do now."
Again surprised, "You read manga?"
Blushing while looking like a child with a hand in the cookie jar, "Well, my younger sister always reads them and I..try to keep up."
Ranma laughed, "Don't worry, We'll keep your secret... You really think it's that good?"
"Yes, I do."
A silence with deep undertones.
More silence.
After yet another comfortable silence, Cream's eyes widened and she put forth her idea, "That's it. Why not try to write one."
"Who? Me?"
"Yes, I think you could do it."
"Hmm...you think I could?"
"Yes, you could send it in and all they can do is say no."
Smiling and thinking it over, he thought, "I have nothing to lose", "Let's go for it."
Two months later...
After his talk with Cream that he finally finished his first manga volume, under a different name. He agonized how he would make it since his life was now used by his foes before he realized when he thought back to his stories and found that it was different than what his life had been.
From their (as in most of all of his close girl "friends") point of view, he was the 'idiotic martial artist' in the manga. They never looked at everything he did as a mockery. Even being truly in love with that...tomboy. All the women in the manga were always better than the men, even thought they did just as many stupid things as the men. The mistakes that they made were simply shrugged off as if they had the right to make them. The worst part was that they showed the men as never truly learning anything from his experiences. The most depressing part was that it sold really well. Everybody he knew read it, laughed at the totally clueless martial artist. He smiled at the laughs, but it broke his heart that they never really made the connection between the manga and his life.
He found that he couldn't draw anything he liked for many weeks. The depressing way the stories twisted the truth into a comedy that took aim almost directly at him. Akane was nicer and everybody else more one dimensional.
The frustration grew until one day he just got fed up and started to just draw anything that came into his mind. The images came in slow, shaky, and extremely painful, but gradually became more refined as he got past the anxiety and pain. The characters and backgrounds took shape as he mixed fantasy with reality. He found that it makes it more believable when they think it is fantasy, such as chi blasts or magic. As time went on and to his surprise, he actually saw the funnier aspects of his life. The irrelevance of many things that people did made him smile, as he looked back on his old life with less pain and more laughter, in the brighter parts of his life before the mess. It also made him look at his early years. As his creativity and motivation with his artwork improved, he used the Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken do work in hours that would normally take an artist a week to do.
From his stories, he had always been portrayed his adventures as in ancient kingdoms and magical creatures in his travels. He didn't know why, but he planned to do another extended series with the first Human Empire with its interaction with gods, technology and magic and then its fall that continued into the Tree People with their goddesses and the Magic Kingdom with their magic. He felt that he was compelled to tell this story in its entirety. He continued to put his own spin on things and maybe, just maybe, he would put his able to put this episode in his life behind him.
Cream wasn't idle either, she made contacts and submitted his manga to many companies and found that they would pay him little. Being insulted like that prompted her to make it on her own. You don't live over a two hundred years in China and one hundred years in Japan without resources. She knew that this would sell. The people in the hospital wanted to buy it right away and wanted to know when Ranma would do more.
Two volumes later and using her connections, she printed off two thousand copies. At first it was like any other manga, but as word of mouth from the hospital circulated outside, it started selling faster and faster. By the end of a few weeks, one million copies had been sold of each volume. The previous companies who turned her down or offer pittance, now wanted a piece of the action. Anime companies wanted to produce television, movies and commercials with his characters. It even an anime convention all for itself. The phenomenon was incredible.
Ranma was stunned. All he wanted to do was draw well and tell his story with the tragic and funny parts into it. It was a dark/comedy/drama, a very hard mix. Obviously a combination of Lone Wolf and cub, Ranma 1/2 and a soap opera that was his life. The manga was only a year and a half of his life. He was starting it at the beginning that was even weirder.
With no middleman, the profits went to Ranma and Cream minus the cost of printing it, advertising and selling it. There was still a very large amount left.
With this going on, Ranma contacted Mr. Kuonji. He sent a letter to Mr. Kuonji and stated in very formal terms that he wanted a written confirmation that all their dealings would be ended when, not if he paid the money.
Mr. Kuonji was a businessman and an arrogant one at that. He felt that this incident was a stain on his honour. He blamed the Satomes for this whole incident and the pain that his daughter went through. He knew from his daughter that Genma was worthless, but that Ranma might prove to be a great find. Now with Ranma paralyzed, he felt that the all the Satomes were worthless and that he wanted the Satomes to suffer.
In his arrogance and supposedly superior financial position, he, himself, drew the contract up and it was put that all debts were paid and it would be as if the engagement never happened, only if the money was delivered. The yatti was worth that much in fair market value and in the terms of honour. He knew that the Satomes were nearly broke and The General Hospital was the best hospital. The financial drain would be a great strain for them. He arrogantly put in one hundred million yen just to make them squirm.
Problems were piling up faster than in even his old life. His troubles with the Kuonji was just the beginning. He found that despite the ease in which some things came back to him, the struggle to regain is real level in martial arts, coupled with the pressures in drawing 'good' manga to his standards and the entrance exams for college getting too stressful in a different way. In short, he was in a crisis, but things were about get worse.
Author's note:
Ranma is having real decisions on his life. In the original, he never really made a decision on his own. He always reacted. Now he has something to look forward to...