Author note: Another chapter back into circulation. So while I am honoring my friend's story I am half tempted to clean up Shampu's word usage but I'll let it be for now since I guess it doesn't do harm.
I always thought I tended to add drama to some of my stories but this story has been the next level for me, quite an eye opening experience to be honest.
Well on with the show. -Zeltronica
Edit: 7/23/23 _Read chapter 13 side story now included.
Ranma 1/2: Torn
Chapter 13: Love, Law, and Lore
By Kit'ari
"I'm home," called out Ranma-kun's distinctive masculine tenor.
Kasumi glanced up at the kitchen clock saying to herself aloud. "Today was Saturday, a half-day. Where did the week go?"
"Hey, Kasumi," Ranma said, poking his head into the kitchen.
"Welcome home," Kasumi said in greeting. "I didn't hear Nabiki or Akane, are they with you?"
"Nah, I didn't see 'em at all after the bell," Ranma answered as he seemed to glance around the kitchen nervously. "Uh, how was your day?"
"It's been good. I just put Himiko down for her nap, so I'd appreciate it if you could try to keep the noise level down."
Kasumi thought she might have seen a bit of relief cross his face, but that image was dispelled by the noncommittal shrug and bored almost annoyed look as he waved off her plea.
"Ah, you know me, Kasumi. Quiet as a mouse. Well, I'm headin' off ta wash up for lunch. Call me when it's ready, okay?" he called, and with that Ranma was gone.
Kasumi turned back to her lunchtime preparations with a troubled look.
For the first time in days, Kasumi regained her grip on herself. She had spent much of the day taking care of Himiko and thinking about everything that happened. She wasn't liking what she saw one bit.
Ranma had apparently had been assaulted.
Though she was hesitant to pass judgment, she found it hard to reconcile that thought with the energetic boisterous young man she had come to know. She knew that when in his girl form, Ranma certainly projected the kind of wild bad-girl image that might attract the wrong kind of attention.
Did he unknowingly send someone the wrong signals? Was it some part of the curse Ranma didn't want to admit to? Everything was speculation since she didn't even know the circumstances.
She knew she could get the answers if she asked, but she did not know how to even broach the subject. Such things were not exactly normal polite diner topics.
None of that mattered, anyway. Idle thoughts to push the guilt out of her mind. She couldn't help but feel she failed him and her little sister. It hurt knowing that no one trusted her.
Kasumi's thoughts turned to the little girl asleep upstairs and another guilt she was now harboring. Several months after her birth and no one suspected anything of the kind.
During the past three days that Himiko was here, the only contact Ranma shared with his daughter was the occasional feeding. True, the past two nights saw Ranma taking a more active role, but as that role put Ranma in her little sister's bed she was hard-pressed to see that as an improvement.
After Ranma rebuffed their father's offer Thursday morning, Nabiki explained that Ranma believed his father would return for him. As unbelievable as it sounded, Ranma's faith in his father's eventual return could not be denied. That worried Kasumi to no end.
Himiko was the real question in Kasumi's heart.
The thought of Genma raising the little girl sent chills up her spine. However, if he just took Ranma, then they would be forced to hand her over to child welfare. Himiko wasn't legally family.
Kasumi just couldn't stand to see her handed off like some unwanted toy to strangers.
Even if Genma never showed his face again, Ranma clearly was not ready for the responsibilities. Her little sister still had so much ahead of her.
Ranma might not be ready to be adopted into the Tendo family, but Himiko needed a family. Kasumi just wished she knew for certain that it was the right thing to do.
Kasumi thought of talking to Tofu, but she was still hurting from his part in everything. She understood doctor-patient confidentiality, but that only dulled the pain from discovering how he hid such a powerful secret from her.
To her mind, it went far beyond just Ranma's privacy. This was something that affected her whole family and left an innocent child homeless.
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Akane sat rocking silently back and forth. All around her, the laughing giggling joyous sounds of children hard at play set her apart in a way distance never could.
This park held a lot of memories for the youngest Tendo. The shade of a lone shade tree upon a grassy hill where her mother liked to picnic, the sandbox where Nabiki and she once played, this swing set where she first met Yuka and Sayuri, everywhere she looked visions of happier times danced just out of reach.
Where did her childhood go?
When Ranma arrived was the easy answer, but it was just as wrong. Life had begun spiraling out of her control long before a certain pig-tailed iinazuke got dumped into the chaos that was her life.
"Akane?"
Akane looked up from her thoughts through blurry eyes. She hadn't even realized she'd started crying.
"Are you alright?" the blurry shape asked.
"Yuka?" Akane replied as she wiped at her tear-stained face.
"I was walking by, and I saw you sitting here," Yuka trailed off.
"Oh, Yuka!" Akane exclaimed as she jumped up from her seat and grabbed the other girl in a tight hug.
Yuka automatically put her arms around her now sobbing friend lending her the comfort she needed.
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"Nabiki?"
Nabiki jumped. Turning a quick glare on the offender. Junko stared back with questioning eyes.
"Clean-up ended two minutes ago," the brown-haired girl said.
Nabiki's gaze swept the room. They were, indeed, the only two present.
Nabiki turned back toward the window. Outside, the noon sun flooded the empty schoolyard. Saturday was only a half-day, thus the only students that would be left where either serving detention or attending practice and club meetings.
"One week," Nabiki mumbled softly to herself as Kunos, iinazukes, and panda rugs danced around in her head. Everything seemed so much easier when it was all just a game.
"What's wrong?" Junko asked as she placed a hand over Nabiki's.
Nabiki stiffened slightly at the comforting gesture. As one of Nabiki's closest friends, she was probably one of the few outside of the family, that would even attempt such a thing. That thought stung.
"Not right now," Nabiki somberly stated
Junko spoke softly, "You need to talk to someone."
Nabiki shook her head negatively.
"If the Nikkei Index drops thirty points because of this..." Junko trailed off in a lighthearted attempt at humor.
"I'm good, but not that good," Nabiki replied with a slight smile, in spite of herself.
With a curious brow raised Junko questioned once again, "Alright, then spill it. What's going on?"
Nabiki turned to face her friend. The honest concern was written across the girl's face almost broke her.
"I- I can't, Junko. This goes beyond just me," Nabiki said as she turned away.
Junko then inquired, "How long have we known each other?" As she plopped both hands-on Nabiki's shoulders. "You should know me better than that." She forced Nabiki to face her.
"This, whatever it is, is hurting you. You've always been there for me. Let me be there for you." she offered.
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"Akane?" Yuka asked once her friend seemed to pull herself together.
"I- I'm sorry, Yuka," Akane said as she looked away. "I just needed," she said, trailing off.
"Don't worry about it," Yuka answered. She couldn't believe how much she let the troubles with her mother, Shiori, the whole how-did-Hiroshima-feel-about-her thing, and their fight had come between them.
Akane just nodded.
Yuka frowned. Something must have happened, something big.
"You want to talk about it?" she asked.
"Oh, Yuka," Akane said as tears began to reform in her eyes.
"Violent girl, catch!" a voice called, breaking the moment.
Yuka shot a glare toward the bubbly purple-haired interruption just in time to see her lob something toward them.
"What do you want, Shampoo?" Akane growled as she plucked the stone out of the air.
Yuka took a cautious step back, in case there was trouble.
Shampoo smiled darkly as she locked eyes with Akane. who slipped into a defensive stance as the Amazon sauntered up to the pair. Yuka took another step back.
"Hmmm?" Shampoo purred as she let her eyes flick down at the stone Akane now gripped firmly.
"Aren't you suppose to be packing or something?" Akane asked grouchily.
"Akane is the same as Shampoo," the Amazon stated idly, apparently ignoring Akane's statement.
"We're nothing alike," Akane replied angrily. "I don't turn my back on friends and people I claim to love!"
"Shampoo no do that!" Shampoo yelled back. A flash of hurt crossed her face.
Yuka gaped openly. It sounded like Shampoo was giving up on Ranma and for some reason, Akane was upset about that; but that didn't make any sense.
"We are nothing alike," Akane repeated in a huff. Akane turned slightly away from her rival and appeared to release her stance.
"Akane no," Shampoo paused as an annoyed look crossed her face. "Akane waits for right man," Shampoo spoke at last. "Alike Shampoo."
Akane snorted at that.
"Please! After the way you practically throw yourself all over Ranma..."
"Is true!"
"Oh yeah! What about that time I caught you and Ranma in the Furo!" Akane shouted, bringing tears to her eyes.
"Um, guys," Yuka broke in. "I don't think this is really the place to be talking about such things," she finished as she glanced around at all the attention they were beginning to attract.
Shampoo openly gaped at Akane.
"What Violent Girl talking stupidness?" Shampoo replied puzzled.
"You don't remember?" Akane asked with obvious confusion.
"What? Oh, you mean that!" Shampoo quipped with a smirk.
"That? That?! Just how many times have you..." Akane trailed off from her rant as she finally noticed the glares they were receiving from the women and the obvious interest of the few men standing around.
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As the two friends started across the pedestrian bridge over the canal, Nabiki broke away toward the edge. Junko stopped somewhere behind her as she leaned against the rail. Closing her eyes against the wind as it whipped against her face, Nabiki sought for her center.
Talking about the past week was exhausting in its own way. After Nabiki finished, about a block and a half back, the two continued on in suffocating silence.
Normally Nabiki would have avoided stopping here as she hated the dirty mucky smells the canal's waters usually brought; however, the cool winds were a quite welcome relief from the hot sun. She tugged at the collar of her cotton uniform, attempting to dispel the humid reminder of Tuesday's rain and future storms.
"Wow," Junko said at last.
"'Wow' is all you have to say?" Nabiki asked without turning.
"It's a lot to take in, all at once," Junko replied with a shrug.
Nabiki felt her friend step up to her right but kept her eyes shut against the course wind and courser thoughts.
"It's a lot to take in in a week," Nabiki said softly. She hated feeling helpless. "I don't know what to do," she admitted in an even softer tone.
Junko stirred next to her. Nabiki turned to meet her friends' penetrating gaze.
"What?" Nabiki asked tartly.
Junko then offered an observation "You could stop venting your hatred of your father on Ranma."
"Wha-," Nabiki half-responded as she tried to comprehend the unexpected verbal slap. "What are you talking about?" she immediately demanded. "I Do Not Hate My Father!" she finished, coldly emphasizing each word.
"Of course you don't," Junko returned with a patronizing tone. She turned her eyes upon the distant skyline. "What traditional doting daughter could ever think negatively of her own father."
Nabiki snorted.
"I mean he's been there so much for each of you..." Junko offered.
Nabiki responded trailing at the end "Shut up! You have no idea..."
"And don't forget all he's done to provide for your family," Junko said, turning to look Nabiki in the eye.
"He loved our mom!" Nabiki replied as she attempted to meet Junko's stare.
Who countered, "What about his daughters?"
"He loved us!" Nabiki nearly shouted as her eyes began to sting against her will.
Once again Junko countered, "Why didn't Kasumi ever go to college? Didn't your parents set up a trust fund for each of you?"
"Shut up!" Nabiki shouted.
Once more Junko continued her rebuttal "The government subsidy for a dojo not to teach not enough anymore?"
"Stop it!" Nabiki begged of her friend.
Junko then pushed further, "What was he thinking when he sprung that whole engagement to a 'worthless vagabond',"
"Enough already." the mercenary girl stated.
Junko continued, "I bet you couldn't wait to sell those pictures of 'her' that first day!"
"You have no idea what he's put us through!" Nabiki hissed.
Junko pressed on, "Candid shots that would send most girls home in tears? His only friends not listening to a thing he says unless it's what they want to hear? The woman he loves denoun-"
"He never loved her!" Nabiki broke in with a shout. "The only thing he ever cared about was martial arts and that- that, idiotic Anything-Goes School invented by that disgusting old pervert. Nothing was ever good enough for him! The only thing he thinks about is himself and what he wants! What does it matter to him if his daughters grew up without him! And now he thinks he can just waltz back into our lives and play father!" Nabiki spun away with her fists clenched tight and her breath heavy.
Junko inquired "Ranma or your father?"
Nabiki spun back around with several scathing remarks at the tip of her tongue. A low growl was the only thing that managed to make it out as her right fist came up on its own and slammed into Junko knocking the girl off her feet and over onto her back.
"Leave me alone," Nabiki hissed and pleaded then took off running for home.
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"When this one returns from home, find Akane crying," Shampoo explained quietly.
The three were now sitting in an impromptu triangle within the shade of a large tree. Between the bushes and the lake, the area was set off from the main paths and hopefully private enough for their talk.
"Shampoo's too-too good cat ears hear Akane say Ranma kiss anyone." Shampoo's gaze seemed to dance along the ground between them, but they never seemed to focus on anything.
Akane nodded tersely. Anger and embarrassment heating her heart, especially after listening to the Amazon laugh all the way here. She remembered that day with a painful mixture of joy and betrayal and wished the Amazon would just get on with her story.
"Ranma kissed you?" Yuka asked, barely keeping the squeal of excitement from her voice.
"You were there," Akane quickly explained. "He did it in front of the whole school while he was in the Neko-ken."
"Uh, that's when he was acting like a cat, right?"
Akane nodded.
"Would he really have kissed anyone?" Yuka asked.
"No," Shampoo answered before Akane could say anything. "Shampoo not know Neko-ken then, but Neko-Ranma only like Akane," Shampoo said sadly. "Is show true heart," Shampoo added with a sigh.
"Then why..." Akane began to ask the question that plagued her heart every since that day. While she did secretly enjoy the fact that she seemed to be the only one to control him in that state, what was she supposed to make of that when his every non-Neko-ken action pointed the other way.
She loved him and he said as much in return, but the other girls were so much prettier and better at everything than she was.
"Shampoo go and follow Ranma. Shampoo at then know truth of Jusenkyo, but need to see Ranma real man or woman. Shampoo cat when follow into bathing room. Ranma see and run around, Shampoo not understand but not care, only wanted to get girl-type into hot water to see truth with own eyes."
Yuka nodded, while Akane just sat there listening.
"Ranma change to man and Shampoo change back to true self. Shampoo too too happy because she no have to kill."
"Wait a minute! If Ranma had been a girl, you would have tried to kill him again?" Akane demanded.
"Is law," Shampoo mumbled as her head fell even further.
"And you claim to love him!" Akane practically growled.
"Shampoo do love!" Shampoo returned just as heatedly. "Stupid girl too dumb to understand!"
"That's it!" Akane shouted as she jumped up into an aggressive stance.
Shampoo followed her up into her own stance.
"Wait please!" Yuka cried out. She jumped up and placed herself between the two.
The palpable fear in her friend's eyes stayed Akane's hand, and she backed into a more defensive stance.
With deep stuttering breaths, Yuka turned toward Shampoo. "Can you try to explain it to us then?"
Shampoo looked from Yuka's face to Akane's before relaxing her stance.
"It complicated," Shampoo muttered.
"Try us," Akane replied dryly as she relaxed her form.
Shampoo's eyes locked onto Akane's with an intensity usually reserved for battle. Akane almost flinched while she fought back the urge to raise her guard again. After a moment, the Amazon seemed satisfied with whatever she saw and dropped back into a seated position like a lead weight.
Akane swept her uniform skirt under her as she returned to her seat. Yuka did likewise but then clenched her fist over her heart as she attempted to regain control of her breath.
"Shampoo hate outsider law," she stated simply after a moment.
Akane and Yuka blinked in unison.
"Then why?" Akane began to ask.
Shampoo sat up straight, almost at sitting attention. Her eyes flashed sharply.
"In the event that a woman warrior is defeated by an outsider, if her opponent is a woman, she must give her the Kiss of Death and kill her," Shampoo said solemnly.
"Shampoo home is dangerous place; beautiful, but dangerous. To die in protection of tribe is great great honor. To lose fight to outsider is shame worse than death. If no can defend self, how can warrior be trusted to defend tribe? Before woman warrior trusted by tribe again, must prove can defend self. Must kill outsider or die, if die then too weak to protect home."
Akane and Yuka openly gapped. Akane remembered when Shampoo first arrived and Ranma's limited knowledge of that law, but that was nothing to the seriousness Shampoo gave it.
"However, if her opponent is a man, she must make him her husband," Shampoo continued.
"Oh, wow," Yuka softly exclaimed.
"Woman's who is defeated by man is," Shampoo trailed off for a moment here. While her posture remained proud, something flashed deep within her eyes.
Akane found herself riveted to the Amazon's words.
"Is disgrace. Tribe no trust such woman." Shampoo said, this time in more a monotone than the almost worshipful tone of earlier.
"To kill man too too easy. To prove honor and gain trust of sisters, must, must take man as husband," Shampoo finished with a look of distaste on her face.
Akane nodded her acknowledgment, she had heard everything Shampoo said. It almost made sense in some twisted sort of way. But that still didn't explain. . .
"Is stupid stupid law! Shampoo hate hate hate!" Shampoo voiced angrily.
Her eyes narrowed as she punched the ground around her.
"Shampoo?" Yuka said as she half rose, unsure what she should do.
"If you feel that way, then why were you so high and mighty to follow it!" Akane said, her voice rising with her anger and pain.
"Maybe to barbarian Japanese is okay to break law no like, but is not way of Amazon," Shampoo shot back with equal venom. "Shampoo one day take Great-grandmother's place on council, then Shampoo may change law. But who respect law Shampoo make, if Shampoo no respect law of her elders?"
Akane's next words died on her tongue. Her eyes, filled with equal parts accusation and hurt, teared as her thoughts thrashed about in her head for some way to respond.
"So you chased after Ranma because you had to, not because you actually liked him?" Yuka timidly asked into the tense air.
"Oh, Shampoo love Ranma, but no chase Ranma," Shampoo stated simply.
"Huh!? Then what do you call that, that, that," Akane stuttered feeling quite angered.
"Is all like in bathing room," Shampoo said. "Ranma better than Shampoo, but Shampoo still almost kill many times on way to Japan; only Shampoo heart no in attack. When see proof no have to kill, Shampoo happy and hug Ranma. When door open behind, Shampoo remember Akane no trust, so Shampoo make rub against Ranma. Hope Akane call off claim."
Akane and Yuka both sat back with their mouths wide open.
"Shampoo always makes sure and hug Airen where Akane see, but no work. Akane no stop engagement."
Akane sat there and stared disbelievingly as a maelstrom of images, thoughts, and accusations crashed through her head. Shampoo's smiling face or wagging tongue over Ranma's shoulder remembered from more times than she could count.
An equal number of times she had called off the engagement only to be ignored by their parents. Nearly unbearable rages of jealousy blinding her to so many truths in those actions. She never let Ranma explain, not that he could have.
Oh, she knew that if she had really gone to her father, told him things she had seen. Her father was as quick to jump to conclusions as she was. All she would have had to do was dump enough things at once, but she never did.
"If you still love him, why did you give up?" Yuka asked.
Akane cringed. As much as she wanted to know, she feared both the answer and that Shampoo might change her mind. Ranma had finally admitted his love for her, and she didn't think she could take losing him now.
"Again, is law. Ranma is Shampoo's Airen, but Shampoo no can marry even if Ranma wants. No womans may marry another woman," Shampoo answered sadly.
"Ranma's curse never stopped you before," Yuka pointed out. "Unless something happened to his curse that it can't be cured," she finished uncertainly.
Akane felt the color drain from her face.
"Shampoo's home near Jusenkyo springs, if all it take to be woman was jumping in spring, village no have mans," Shampoo explained. "Is ancient elder wisdom that only womans can give birth. It said, if child birth left to mans, there be no children."
"What does that have to do with," Yuka trailed off. Her thoughts flashing back to a night she wished she could forget. A night fight, almost losing her friend, seeing Dr. Tofu and Himiko, Ranma's odd angry speech. Yuka looked back and forth between Shampoo and Akane. She couldn't believe it. The thought of Ranma cheating on Akane with a guy no less just seemed wrong.
"In Shampoo's language, is no word for rape," Shampoo said suddenly. "To be defeated by outsider man is same meaning. Where Shampoo live is usually same thing. Is why Shampoo hate law. Law is for punish sisters. Amazon's no want believe it can happen to them, so they blame warrior. Say is her disgrace, her fault." Shampoo clenched and unclenched her fists.
"Warrior should stand by her sisters, not," she said as tears began to flow freely from her red eyes.
Yuka toppled over backward, as consciousness left her.
'Of all the idiotic things,' Akane cursed mentally. 'How could anyone be so stupid!' she ranted on to herself.
Then suddenly, an epiphany hit Akane. The months before Ranma came into her life was the absolute worst and loneliest time of her life. The morning beatings and likely eventual outcome was the scar on her soul only now beginning to heal.
She remembered how most of the other girls mocked her for the male attention she received. They seemed not to understand what she was going through.
Then, after Ranma came and the fights stopped, she magically became accepted by them. Now, they came to her for help with Kodachi; and when perverts struck, she was the one they rallied around.
'Akane, help us!' 'Akane, we need your help!' Was that why?
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Dr. Tofu Ono stood in the kitchen doorway watching Kasumi as she prepared lunch. She moved with quality and grace he normally found intoxicating. This time, however, he watched with a heavy heart.
It took so long for him to admit his feelings only to find something that seemed to have moved between them. He just wishes he knew what it was. For months they wrote back and forth, with Ranma as their confidential courier. Now that he returned, she seemed to have very little to say to him. To be fair, that night hadn't exactly been the way he wanted or planned.
He finally greeted her at last, "Hello, Kasumi,"
"Oh, Dr. Tofu," she replied with a smile before returning to her lunchtime preparations.
Tofu winced. In their letters, she had come to call him Tofu or Tofu-kun, now it was back to Dr. Tofu.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Tofu asked. Somehow, all those lectures on proper bedside manner never seemed to cover this situation.
"Shampoo!" an old gravelly voice called from the back yard.
"Cologne!" Kasumi called out suddenly in greeting. "Won't you have some tea," she went on to offer as she grabbed a kettle that had been warming on the stove.
"Thank you child, but I've just come to see what was taking my great-granddaughter so long," the Amazon Matriarch said as she hopped into the kitchen.
Kasumi replied to the elder woman, "I'm afraid she isn't here,"
"That's odd," Cologne replied.
Kasumi offered "Is there anything we can do to help?"
"I'm home!" Nabiki called from the front door.
"When you see Ranma, would you tell him we need to talk to him?" Cologne queried.
"What did Ranma do now?" Nabiki asked as she poked her head past Tofu.
"It's nothing like that. Just," Cologne said, "something to help make the Kiss of Death and Kiss of Marriage officially void."
"Really now," Nabiki deadpanned.
Cologne just smiled back.
"That reminds me, I've been meaning to talk with you before you left," Tofu said.
"About Jusenkyo?" Cologne replied.
Tofu nodded.
"Shall we take this to the family room?" Nabiki broke in saying, her eyes glowed with anticipation.
Tofu glanced at Cologne, who nodded. With a shrug of his shoulders, he proceeded to follow Nabiki.
Once at the table, Nabiki sat down at the head. Cologne hopped over and sat with her back to the yard. Tofu sat across form her. Kasumi sat several cups down and proceeded to fill them then slipped quietly away into the kitchen.
"So," Tofu began, "How is it that the curse was able to," Tofu trailed off for a moment in thought. "I mean, I know that he turns into a female, but there was not even a hint of pregnancy while he was male."
"That is something I was hoping you could tell me," Cologne stated evenly.
Nabiki with some surprise to her features questioned, "You mean you don't know?"
"More or less," Cologne replied.
"Maybe the curse doesn't actually change his body but gives him a second form and water just switches the two," Nabiki theorized.
"No," Tofu said. "If that were true, Ranma's injuries would stay with whichever form he received them, but instead they remain regardless of the change."
"A child is a little different from some scratch," Nabiki returned.
"No, the doctor is right," Cologne interjected. "Usually changing results in tremendous pain and the loss of the child, occasionally the mother as well."
"This happens a lot then?" Nabiki asked.
"More in the past, but those times are thankfully gone," Cologne answered. "Jusenkyou is usually avoided. Also, there exist several artifacts for temporarily locking the curse. Some more effective than others."
"So you can cure Ranma?" Kasumi interrupted from the side.
Tofu looked over to where she stood just outside the kitchen before returning his attention to Cologne.
"No," Cologne answered simply. "Most 'cures', like the waterproof soap, are of extremely limited use and scope. The only artifact capable of permanently locking the form of those cursed at Jusenkyou is a special artifact of the Musk Dynasty."
"Well, who or what is the Musk, and could they cure Ranma?" Nabiki asked.
"The Musk Dynasty is said to be a tribe of fighting men who desired to master the Shokei Fist."
"The Shokei Fist?" Kasumi asked.
"A fighting style that incorporates the shapes and movement of animals," Tofu answered.
"What does that have to do with curing Ranma?" Nabiki asked.
"Let me finish," Cologne said as she bopped Nabiki lightly. "It is said these men went deep into the mountains to study and train, adding the special nature and strength of animals to their arts. When they came across Jusenkyo," Cologne paused here, allowing a frown to cross her face.
"After defeating a wild animal, the Musk would use the niannichuan to change it into a woman. Then they would take them as their brides. Thus ensuring their descendants would then inherited the traits of the animal," Cologne finished heavily.
Everyone sat back to digest what they heard.
"Then they were able to carry to full term without a problem?" Tofu asked.
"No, in the beginning, I imagine that the lives of many cursed women were lost. That is where the artifact, a simple looking ladle, comes in. With it, any water ladled out would make the cursed animals stay women forever."
"Stay women forever?" Nabiki and Kasumi whispered aloud.
"That still doesn't answer the question of how Ranma was able to carry to full term," Tofu said after a few minutes had passed.
"It is possible that, since Ranma's," Cologne began to say. "That since both of Himiko's parents were cursed and the conception took place at Jusenkyo itself, it may be that the combination of magic made it possible."
"Ha," the haughty voice of Shampoo sounded from the front room. "Himiko only alive because of Ranma! That," she said as she bounced into the room. Her eyes locked on to Cologne's for a moment before she sat down. "That other no responsible."
"Uh, I'm home," Akane called sheepishly from the doorway.
"Hi," Yuka said as she waved from her position next to Akane.
"Now Shampoo," Cologne said to her great-granddaughter.
"Ranma is true mother. No ever let harm come to the child. It Ranma that protect daughter," Shampoo declared proudly.
"But I didn't know about her, Shampoo," Ranma-chan stated from behind them.
Akane and Yuka jumped and spun around to face her.
"Ranma!" Yuka gasped at the sight of Ranma breast-feeding.
Shampoo smiled warmly at the sight.
"Ranma may no know here," Shampoo explained while indicating her head. "But Ranma know were important, here and here." Shampoo gestured to her belly and her heart.
Ranma turned her head down and away.
"Is true," Shampoo insisted quietly. "Airen in many fights, but still protect Himiko. Ranma take many hits Shampoo no understand before, but always become serious when child threatened." Shampoo glanced over at Akane. "Same as someone try hurt Akane."
Ranma glanced at Akane with a slight blush clinging to her cheeks. Turning guarded eyes back to Shampoo, she searched the girl's face for a long moment.
"Thanks," Ranma said simply.
"Would everyone like to stay for lunch?" Kasumi asked through an obvious thickness in her throat and the brightest smile she had worn in days.
