Chapter 9: Torn
Key
chibi- small
furo-japanese bath tub
bento-japanese lunch box
katana-japanese sword
Onna greatly objected to being carried off to the washing room, but Nodoka blissfully ignored the struggling young girl's growing protest, happy to finally have someone to take care of, somebody whom she often secretly wished for as a daughter. With a smile, she gently laid the girl down on the floor, before starting to cheerfully undress the young thing, seeing a chibi version of Onna in her mind, while pretending that the young girl was her own small child. Unable to escape the clutches of Nodoka, Onna blushed furiously as the older woman proceeded to undress her, all the while humming a cheerful tune.
"It's alright Auntie Saotome, I can get in by myself." she protested.
Nodoka smiled softly at the girl, before pulling off her own clothing.
"Actually Ranko dear, I thought I might be joining you," she said, as Onna nodded shyly, blushing while growing ten shades redder. She didn't see any way that she could refuse this woman, given the current situation, so she just shrugged her shoulders and sighed as both women entered the furo together.
Nodoka watched the girl thoughtfully, at first admiring Ranko's beautiful form. It was a pity that the girl had to be such a tomboy she thought. Her daydreams of giving Ranko a proper makeover and setting her up on a date with a fine young man were abruptly interrupted, as Nodoka took note of the bruises covering the poor girl's back.
"Ranko why don't you let me scrub your back for you," Nodoka said with a hint of concern in her voice.
Onna nodded slightly and moved closer to the woman. She closed her eyes as sharp pain coursed throughout her body, nearly causing her to faint, as Nodoka began to scrub her back. Nodoka face grew grim as she noticed Onna was in a lot of pain.
"Ranko dear, does it really hurt so badly? Perhaps it would be better if I took you to see a doctor," she said as she winced at Ranko's injuries, before starting to smile again to make the young girl feel better.
Onna looked at the woman thoughtfully, her eyes filled with wonder. No one had ever been this kind to her at home. Her false parents didn't seem to care whenever she got injured, as long as she stayed in line and the injuries weren't too life threatening. Nodoka froze and stopped smiling as she saw the young girl begin to cry. Onna quickly became embarrassed realizing that she had shown a sign of weakness to Nodoka and grew stern, wiping her tears away, as if they didn't matter. Nodoka noticed the girl's reaction, guessing what she must be thinking, and moved closer to Onna, tightly embracing her into her arms.
"It's alright Ranko, let it all out. It's not good for you to hold in your feelings like that," she soothed the young girl. Onna's eyes widened at how kind and loving this woman was being to her, before she knew it she fell into a warm embrace and cried loudly about everything she had pent up.
Meanwhile as lunch began at Furikan, Ranma walked off towards the bread shop with Hiroshi and Daisuke. Akane watched them out of the corner of her eye, till they disappeared out of sight. She then pulled out her bento that Kasumi had lovingly prepared for her. Ukyou pulled out her own bento that she had made, and looked over at Akane's seeing how good Akane's lunch was. She snickered knowing that it had to be Kasumi who made it, remembering the small fire in the kitchen Akane created the last time she tried to microwave a can of peas. Ukyou quickly decided to roll her eyes, wondering just how Ranchan could prefer this uncute fiancée over her. She let out another comforting snicker, remembering how Akane had tried to put out the fire with a bottle of cooking oil.
As Akane turned her head, Ukyou controlled her snickering, while she continued to look at Akane's bento. Akane noticed this and raised an eyebrow, but decided not to say anything. Akane was too deep into her own thoughts to worry about the spatula carrying chef. Ukyou meanwhile had a strange urge to whistle a tune while holding her hands behind her back.
"Jeez Akane calm down, I didn't try to make you think anything. If you had asked I would've been able to tell you that Shampoo used one of her tricks on me by accident." she remembered him saying, also remembering how nervous Ranma looked as he said it. She huffed knowing that the baka must have lied to her. The jerk never was good at lying, she thought as she cracked her fingers, while suddenly remembering the girl from Asadaiba High. She thought about how the girl looked exactly like Ranma's girl side.
"That's it, Ranma and that hussy must've planned this." she thought while crushing her bento box. Ukyou started eating, before watching Akane storm by, heading out the classroom, leaving a strong gust of wind in her wake. Ukyou shrugged her shoulders and decided not to dwell on it, knowing like the rest of the class that Ranma probably was in trouble again with his angry fiancée.
Ranma and his two friends were eating lunch on the rooftop for a change, instead of the classroom. As they sat, they talked about various things, although most of Hiroshi and Daisuke conversation were perverted guy things that Ranma didn't fully understand. Hiroshi was excited about something in particular.
"Hey yo Daisuke, did you get a hold of any of those pictures? You know the ones Nabiki had been selling?" He questioned.
Daisuke nodded at Hiroshi, while munching on a piece of bread, before laying down a pile of photo's. Ranma's jaw dropped as he spotted his girl side posing in some very provocative positions, wearing many different hairstyles and outfits. Hiroshi and Daisuke looked at Ranma, wondering what he was so upset about, since it was obvious that he had posed for those pictures.
At the very moment Ranma started to get up, the door slammed open, revealing a very angry and glowing tomboy. The tomboy then started stomping towards him, with murder in her eyes. Ranma hung his head down low and sighed, deciding to take his punishment like a man.
Akane stormed up to Ranma, holding a bucket of water she got from a janitor, who had fled upon seeing her stomp down the hallway, and tossed the contents of it onto Ranma.
"Ranma," she said very slowly and loudly, "How dare you lie to me. I want answers and I want them now"
Ranma-chan grumbled, pulling the bucket off her head, that Akane had slammed onto it after splashing her.
"Maybe I wouldn't have to lie, if you actually bothered listening to me more often," complained the redhead, as Hiroshi and Daisuke, not wanting to be innocent bystanders fled the area, running into each other a few times as they zigzagged to the exit.
"Thanks a lot Akane, for getting me wet while I was trying to enjoy lunch. It's cold up here you know!" Spat out the angry redhead.
"It's your own fault, Ranma. Now isn't it? If you hadn't lied to me, I wouldn't be so angry," she growled as the intensity of her battle aura increased.
"You know, maybe if you could just keep that big mouth of your's shut, then maybe I wouldn't have to lie to you about such things to you. Now if you don't mind, I'll be going elsewhere to finish off what's left of my lunch," she said, glaring at Akane before closing her water filled bento. She stood up and walked towards the exit, all the while her bento dripped behind her.
Kuno sat in his classroom, happily munching on his piece of curry bread, thoughtfully starring at his collection of pictures. As he looked up, he noticed the pigtailed girl passing by, looking quite upset. Being the kind and concerned gentleman that he was, he jumped up from his seat and ran off in the direction of his pigtailed goddess.
"Wither not my pigtailed goddess, for I, Tatewaki Kuno have come to comfort thee in your moment of despair and need. Come join with me, so that we can bask together in the glory of each other's love and forget about all the unearthly unpleasantness that encircles us," he proclaimed, while posing in a stance, causing some of the schoolgirls to giggle as they walked by.
Ranma grimaced as she heard Kuno behind her.
"I really ain't in the mood for this Kuno ..." she said with an anger laced voice, trying to slowly count to ten in her head to calm herself.
"Are you upset my dear about the pictures that that vile mercenary Nabiki Tendou has been selling? You shouldn't be for your beauty surpasses that of any other goddess," he said trying to cheer up his reluctant girlfriend.
"Hey! I ain't the one in those pictures," Ranma yelled while tightening her fist, causing Kuno to look very confused. No matter how hard he tried, he could never figure out women, especially his beloved pigtailed goddess.
"What? Do you not see yourself as pretty? Fear not my dear, for your beauty is surpassed by none and I shall love you no mater what garments you choose to wear, or how you behave yourself," Kuno said trying to comfort his love, causing Ranma to grumble and fold her arms across her chest.
"I already told ya I ain't the girl in those pictures, you moron," she stopped to yell at him.
"It's alright, your secret is safe with me, oh fair one," he said as he embraced his pigtailed goddess and snuggled her tightly, sending shivers up Ranma's back. Ranma couldn't take this idiot and his ramblings anymore, so she punched him sky high, leaving a hole in the ceiling, as she stormed off looking for Nabiki, who always seemed to manage to stay out of sight during these kind of situations.
Later, after school ended, Ranma walked out of the building and saw Akane, still looking upset. Akane looked up and saw Ranma.
"Ranma I'm sorry..." she apologized after having thought about how she acted earlier. Ranma noticed how sincere she sounded and it touched him that she finally apologized.
"Thanks, I appreciate it Akane," he said thinking that perhaps his fiancée wasn't so uncute after all. Akane looked off the other way, blushing profusely.
"Ranma, if you want you can tell me what's going on. I promise I won't say anything. If I do ... then you won't have to eat my cooking for an entire week ..." she shuffled her feet and looked down at the ground. Ranma twitched upon hearing this.
"Okay, it's ah deal if you make it a month," he said, deciding to push his luck. Akane grumbled a bit but finally agreed to the terms. So, As they walked home, Ranma told her about his plan.
"Well I asked the girl from Asadaiba high, to help me get back at pops. You know how he's always picking on me and stuff," he said as Akane nodded.
"Yeah, he's not as nice as my daddy ... I understand that ... but Ranma you should've seen how hard she beat him up ..." Akane said sadly as Ranma just shrugged.
"Ah, he probably deserved it anyway. Besides, I toldcha I've beaten pops up more than that before and he's fine. It's just the way of the martial artist, Akane," Ranma said sagely, using the same excuse Genma used to use on him, whenever Genma hurt him as a child.
They neared the front door of the house, and walked in together still talking. Kasumi had a strange expression on her face, as she watched Ranma enter the house for a second time that day, but this time with Akane. She started growing nervous wondering if it was rude to ask Ranma politely what was going on. Ranma noticed Kasumi's worried expression and decided to find out what was wrong.
"What's wrong Kasumi-chan?" He asked lovingly, causing Kasumi to blink a few times, before looking up at Ranma.
"Well, you came home early from school this morning, but I guess you must have went back," she said a bit worried, this time causing Ranma to blink.
"Nah," he said rubbing the back of his head, "I've been at school all day. Right Akane?" He asked and Akane nodded as she began to think.
"You know?" she said snapping her finger, "It must've been that Asadaiba girl, Ranma," she said accusingly, which caused Ranma to grumble and clench his fist. He didn't think that it would go this far. He should have known better than to trust some girl just because she looked like him.
Nodoka worked preparing an afternoon snack for Onna, while she merrily hummed to herself. She felt happy that she finally had someone she could cook for again, instead of just cooking a lonely meal for herself, and having to eat it in solitude. Then suddenly a thought crossed her mind.
"Ranko dear ... where is Mr Panda?" She asked concerned, hoping that the nice Panda she liked so much hadn't died or something. Ranko and the Panda seemed inseparable, to her. Onna froze for a moment, running through Ranma's memories, remembering the specifics of Nodoka's visits to the Tendous.
"Oh, he's staying at the Tendous. My parents told me I couldn't have a pet anymore... So uncle Soun said he could stay there. It's okay, cause I still get to see him whenever I visit Akane-chan," Onna explained as Nodoka smiled and nodded.
"I see, that's good and well as long as Mr. Panda is happy, I suppose," said Nodoka as Onna smiled at her, while chopping away at the vegetables happily. Nodoka smiled back at the young girl.
"Maybe later we can stop by the Tendous and visit Mr. Panda. Wouldn't that be nice Ranko?" Asked Nodoka, causing Onna to petrify as her heart thudded, remembering all the bad things Satan had made her do at the Tendous.
"No, That's okay Auntie ... I mean ... maybe later," she giggled lightly as she nervously started chopping away at the vegetables again, this time gaining some of Ranma's speed without realizing it.
Nodoka prepared the rest of the meal, combining the chopped vegetables with the rice. Onna meanwhile, helped set the small table that Nodoka had once used to bash over Genma's head, as Nodoka finished up cooking. Once she was done, she rushed back into the kitchen to help Nodoka bring out the food to the table. As they sat down, Nodoka motioned her to help herself, and smiled as she watched the girl make a plate for herself.
"My Ranko, your manners with food, most certainly have improved since I last saw you. You're not eating out of the serving dish for one thing," Nodoka joked, giggling while covering her mouth with the back of her right hand. Onna double-blinked, pulling the spoon out of her mouth, as she sorted through the images in her mind. She sweat dropped, seeing how Ranma acted in his girl form while eating, in front of his mother, as he pretending to be Ranko. She began to giggle cutely.
"Oh well ... I guess I just got kind of sick of people telling me that I wasn't being very ladylike while eating, Auntie," Onna said, causing Nodoka to look at the girl with pride. Nodoka began laughing at what Onna said, and continued to eat her meal happily, glad that Ranko was finally growing up. Onna smiled back, about to say something, when Satan's voice filled her mind.
"Get back here immediately, you little wench, before I'll be forced to do something, like say hurt that woman you are with ... after all she did hurt me," Satan echoed through Onna mind, causing the poor girl to panic.
"Leave her alone, I'm coming back. Alright?" she thought, knowing that he could read her mind. With that she started to get up, before wiping her mouth with the napkin and looking at Nodoka.
"I'm sorry Auntie Saotome, but I have to be leaving now. Thank you for the splendid meal. It was very good," Onna apologized, before Nodoka shook her head and approached Onna, laying a hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Ranko, I told you I don't want you going back there until I talk to your parents," Nodoka said sternly, not sure that talking to Ranko's parents would solve anything. The truth of the matter was, that she had already planned for Onna to move in with her. She wasn't willing, to let Ranko stay in such a dangerous environment. Onna meanwhile trembled as Satan's words continued to echo throughout her mind.
"No! I have to. You just don't understand," she said, reaching up to take Nodoka's hand off her shoulder, before walking to where her red gem necklace laid. She picked it up and started to head for the door. Nodoka sighed, grabbing her katana and pulling it's sheath off.
"I'm sorry Ranko, but I can't let you go back to that type of abuse. I've never told you this, but I've always seen you as sort of a daughter. I can't standby and watch you get hurt like this.", Nodoka said emotionally. Onna looked upset, as she watched Nodoka block the doorway with her katana ready.
"Please Auntie, you don't understand ... I don't want you to get hurt because of me," she pleaded with the woman. Onna eyes widened as Nodoka looked like she was being choked by some kind of invisible force. Onna dropped down on her knees and pleaded out loud, "Please let her go, I already told you, I was coming back," she sobbed before Nodoka fell to the ground and held her neck, coughing and watching helplessly as the girl she cared for walked out of the house.
Happosai stuck out his head from his room, as he heard Ranma's voice approaching.
"Now where have you been all day, my boy? You told me you'd be back. Don't you know that it's unkind to make an elderly old gentleman wait like that? Now come on, I don't have all day you know, we have a lot of training to catch up on," he said impatiently as he pulled out a bucket of water and splashed Ranma, glomping onto her chest the second she changed. Ranma-chan let out a yell, smacking the old lech off her chest.
"I don't need this right now, you old fart," she yelled while Happosai's eyes got big and puffy, as he began to pout.
"But that's not what you said earlier ... You're just so mean, Ranma, playing with an old man's feelings like that, and after accepting all those wonderful presents from me too," Happosai sniffled.
"That wasn't me, Get it through your thick head, I'd never dress up willingly in those," Ranma yelled, having heard enough of the old fool's groveling. Happosai rubbed the tears from his eyes as face grew angry.
"Oh Ranma, you've dashed all my dreams and hopes. How could you? I mean after everything I have done for you. I take it all back. You're just a worthless layabout, just like that old man of your's," he said as he jumped up into the air and whacked Ranma hard on the head with his pipe.
Ranma had enough and began to scream, while pulling her hair with both her hands, causing everybody to stare at her.
'It wasn't me, damn it!' Ranma thought angrily to herself, deciding that it was time to pay her twin a surprise visit, as she raced out the door.
"Ranma where are you going?" Asked Akane, poking her head out of the door, a bit worried. Ranma continued to run, while turning her head back to talk to Akane.
"I'll be right back, Akane. I gotta go and have a little talk with Onna," she said as she sped off in the direction of the girl's house. Akane sighed and looked at Happosai.
"Grandfather Happosai, Ranma was telling you the truth. It was a girl that looks exactly like his girl side," Akane said.
"Oh really? Hmm, maybe I like her better than Ranma in that case," he chuckled and glomped onto Akane's chest, feeling much better now. That is until he was booted into orbit by an angry tomboy.
Onna walked up to the driveway with her head down, as she neared the doorway. She hoped that Nodoka would be all right. She should have left sooner than she did. If she had then the nice woman wouldn't have been hurt. She sighed and looked up to see Satan in his human form glaring at her, from the doorway, with his hand bandaged up, and Alley standing next to him, also in her human form. She did a double take, rubbing her eyes, surprised to see the woman that she had killed earlier, having somehow comeback to life.
Satan stepped down and grabbed Onna's wrist, twisting it slightly, as he dragged her inside, before slamming the door behind him. Alley smirked at her evilly.
"Surprised to see me, huh? Well you should know that Satan has many tricks up his sleeves," she mocked Onna, as Satan tossed the girl onto the couch.
"Such as cloning. You should be very familiar with the process, considering that you're nothing but a cheap clone yourself," he told Onna, knowing that it would hurt her.
Ranma stopped as she skidded into the driveway of Onna's house. She grew pale, as she watched the girl being dragged inside and the door slamming shut behind them. Again she noted how angry the man looked, and how badly he treated Onna. Ranma shook off the eerie feeling that she was getting from the place, and remembered why she was there. She wanted answers and she wanted them now. She ran up to the door and rang the bell, waiting patiently as her confidence grew.
Alley heard the doorbell and came out of the kitchen. She walked over to the door, opening it and was surprised to see Onna standing there. She glared at the girl, before deciding to speak.
"How sneaky of you to weasel out of your punishment, with our master, Onna," she fussed as she grabbed the girl's hand and dragged her inside, before slamming the door shut once more. She then tossed the girl onto the couch and went back off to the kitchen, hating the fact that she had to cook for that worthless mortal.
Satan had his hands around Onna's neck, pressing her back into the couch.
"I told you not to disobey me didn't I?" He took one hand off the girl's neck and used it to smack her across the face, leaving a hand print on her face. Onna's eyes widened in horror as she looked over at Ranma, who was observing the whole thing. Satan grew angry at Onna for not answering immediately, and smacked her again.
"I asked you a question, and I expect an answer. Now!" He yelled causing Onna to tremble. She weakly pointed at Ranma, who was starring in shock. Satan turned the direction Onna was pointing to and began to laugh. He lifted Onna up by her neck, and then tossed her onto the other couch.
"Well ... well well, what do we have here? It's the famous do-gooder, Ranma Saotome. You're very bold and foolish to come down here, at this time," he mocked.
"She tried to escape, but she came running back here, just like a stupid little mortal," Alley said as she poked her head out of the kitchen and looked at Satan. Satan rolled his eyes at Alley's clone.
"Oh clone's are just so awfully stupid. You see Alley there thought you were your own clone. But I can't say I blame her, after all Onna looks just like you, now doesn't she, Ranma?" Satan asked, waiting for a reply.
"Oh I see, you don't know who I am. Let me make it easier for you," he smiled, before reverting back to his demonic form and laughing at Ranma like a madman, as Ranma sneered at him. "Ah yes, now you know who I am, don't you?" He asked, not really expecting an answer this time.
"Well, you're the devil obviously," Ranma said as he glared at the demon with the large bull like horns, and stereotypical red skin, "So that girl..."
"Yes, I used your DNA to create her. Call it payback for not listening to me, when I tried to tempt you into doing naughty things. But obviously, since I used your DNA, she just as bullheaded as you are. So I had to take different measures, to insure her cooperation," he said, stroking his goatee, while chuckling at Ranma. He then walked over to where Onna lay helplessly and snatched the red gem necklace from her hand, before lifting her up and putting the necklace back on her neck. "In fact, you should be grateful. You could say that I just made you a sister, closer than any natural twin could ever be."
"You bastard ... You've been controlling her, making her do things against her will," Ranma said as she looked up over at where Onna laid, concerned for her sister.
"I guess you could say that. It was nice for awhile, letting her have her freedom, watching her make friends and more importantly get to know you, before taking it all away," He laughed, as he grabbed Ranma-chan by the neck with his tail, tightening his hold around her neck, while he laughed, watching the boy-turned-girl dangling helplessly in the air.
Authors notes: Bwahaha yes I like torture, lots of torture and evilness. Again you can kinda tell what will happen next time, so I'm not telling. I have a pre-reader now, and much thanks to him for his hard work prereading my mess.
I do not own Ranma ½ or any of it's characters the great and powerful Rumiko Takahashi does, and Kitty, Shogukan, Viz Video and any others I forgot.