Ranma 1/2: Video Reminder

By Xasonnex

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2, the scenario, and it's characters are all the creation of Rumiko Takahashi. This is a fan publication that is not for profit. Please support the official release.

Chapter 6: "Ranma's Recording! Oops, Revelations Planned and Unplanned!"

Video portions are in bold

Akane and "Ranko", who's hair was still slightly damp from an en route change, returned to the Tendo household. "We're home!" announced Akane.

"Hello Akane! And Ranko…you'll never guess who's here," greeted Kasumi.

Ranma smirked. "I got a pretty good idea, cousin, since we ran into Mr. Panda on the way home."

Kasumi smiled. "That's good. She's waiting inside."

Within moments Ranma and Akane were in the living room. Soun was seated at the table, chatting with Nodoka Saotome. Beside her, still wrapped in cloth, was the ever-present Saotome family blade.

Soun was finishing a story. "So, then the town council decided to shelve the matter until the next quarter…Ah girls, welcome home!"

Nodoka turned and brightened. "Akane! Ranko! It's so good to see you again."

Akane beamed. "Hello Auntie! You just missed Ranma, I'm afraid."

"Hiya Auntie!" greeted Ranma.

Nodoka's smile lessened but did not disappear. "Yes, so I heard. I seem to have the worst luck. It's like I only think of visiting after my husband thinks of training. And Ranko dear, we really must work on your grammar…"

Ranma rubbed the back of her head, sheepishly. "Sorry."

"That's all right, dear. Say, where is that pet of yours?" Nodoka looked around. "I don't see Mr. Panda around."

Ranma smirked as she and Akane exchanged knowing glances. "Oh, he's around. Probably out on a walk, but it's fine. Most o' the neighborhood knows who he is an' he can take care of himself. He'll probably come home for dinner."

Akane placed a friendly hand on Ranma's shoulder. "Speaking of dinner, are you staying for it, Auntie?"

Nodoka nodded. "Kasumi was most insistent. She said that you two had something you wanted to tell me."

Akane grinned. "We do! Actually, it's something to show you, isn't it Ranko?"

Ranma grinned but seemed a bit hesitant. "Yeah, it's pretty cool." She sat next to Nodoka while Akane sat on her other side. "But it's nothing that can't wait until after dinner. Please," Ranma looked at her mother, "tell us how you've been since we last saw you."

"Ranma," Akane thought, "are you getting cold feet?" She grabbed Ranma's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

They spent the next couple of hours lightly chatting. Ranma and Akane talked about what they were studying in school, Nodoka talked about her day-to-day life, and Soun interjected with neighborhood news and personal anecdotes. Kasumi spoke about household matters. When Nabiki came home she joined them. Eventually, "Mr. Panda" showed up. He saw that Ranma and Akane were unworried and began his "cute pet" act. Nodoka was thrilled to learn that Akane had managed to cook a decent curry (she didn't need to know that it was only once, and that no one had the guts to try it until after she'd left for Ryugenzawa). Eventually, Kasumi got up to start dinner. After a while, Nodoka excused herself to help in the kitchen.

Akane looked over at Ranma. Ranma was looking nervous and was glaring at Genma, trying to ascertain whether the idiot was going to try anything stupid to get the two of them out of there. Taking initiative, Akane said to Nabiki, "Hey sis, you had Mr. Sato last year for Algebra, right?"

Nabiki held a curious expression. "Yes, why?"

"C'mon," Akane said as she dragged Ranma up to standing. "We need some help with homework before dinner," she said with a wink. She put her arm around Ranma's shoulder. "Don't we, Ranko?"

Ranma looked lost, then nodded. "Uh, sure, I guess."

Nabiki understood that Akane probably wanted to talk without Genma's interference. "Sure. I need to get started on my own homework after I help you two." With that, the trio went upstairs to Nabiki's room.

As soon as the door to Nabiki's room was closed, Akane was the first to speak. "Ranma, are you OK?"

Ranma rubbed her neck as she replied. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just…" She looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "This is big. However she's going to respond is going to affect the rest of the night. I just wanted a little bit of time before that."

Nabiki tapped her chin. "So, no thoughts of abandoning ship?"

Ranma looked at her. "No. She needs this." Ranma took a deep breath. "I need this. Is the tape still where…"

Nabiki nodded. "Yes. On the bookshelf, behind the first five books."

Ranma smiled. "Thanks," she said while retrieving the tape. "And thanks for letting us hide it in your room. I just couldn't put it past Pop to snoop in Akane's room, for what I don't know, but this was too important to risk."

Nabiki sat at her desk and crossed her legs. "Too important, yet you didn't accept my offer to peer review your little production and offer tips."

"Ranma did just fine," Akane interjected. "I was there, and we have watched it a couple of times just to make sure everything he says is coherent and honest. Besides, your consultation fee…"

Nabiki shrugged. "I didn't think it was too much, considering I let you hide that thing in here for free as a favor."

Ranma counted her blessings. "That's true."

After dinner, Kasumi began to clear the dishes.

"Kasumi dear, let me help," said Nodoka.

Kasumi looked at Ranma and Akane. Ranma gave a tight nod. "No Auntie, I insist. I think Ranko and Akane are ready to show you that something special."

From the corner where he was playing with a beach ball, Genma seized up in shock. He held up a sign: "Something special?"

Ranma smiled at her father's distress. "That's right!"

Nodoka smiled as she looked at "Mr. Panda." "So cute! You must have rehearsed this. I hope I'm playing my part right."

Akane smiled as she got the TV ready. "You're doing just fine." She turned to Ranma, holding up an unmarked video cassette. "You want to tell her, or should I?"

"A tape?" Genma signed. He was already subtly making his way towards the exit in case he needed to make a hasty retreat.

Ranma allowed herself a shit-eating grin. "That's right, Mr. Panda, a tape."

Nodoka tilted her head in confusion. "What sort of tape?"

Ranma turned to her as Akane inserted the tape into the VCR. "A very special tape Auntie. Ya see, your son has always been upset when he's found out he's missed you when you've visited…"

"He wouldn't" Genma signed to Soun, who shrugged.

Realization dawned on Nodoka's face. "My son…my Ranma…made this?"

Ranma nodded. "Yep! He figured you'd show up again, so he made ya a message."

Nodoka turned to Akane. "A message?"

Akane gave her a warm smile. "A message, just for you." She got up and sat back down next to Ranma, remote in hand. Unseen under the table, she placed her other hand on Ranma's leg to reassure her.

Nodoka had a glazed look on her face. "Just for me?" she repeated.

"Oh, just play the thing," Nabiki teasingly chided. She was curious as well. For reasons she herself didn't understand, she'd respected Ranma's privacy and not watched the tape while it was in her charge.

Under the table, Akane felt Ranma squeeze her hand. "Here we go," she said as she raised the remote and pushed "play."

Ranma was kneeling, centered in the Tendo dojo. He was looking directly at the camera. He was dressed in his normal outfit of red shirt with yellow clasps and dark blue pants. His hair appeared damp, but not dripping wet.

After waiting a few seconds (to make sure it was recording), Ranma spoke. "Hello mother. If you're watchin' this, then I guess you showed up again when Pop and I are on a training trip." He gave a half smile. "I'm sorry I missed ya."

Nodoka was enthralled. Her eyes were already misting with unshed tears. "My son…such a nice voice."

Ranma was watching her mother, her own eyes beginning to glisten.

Akane looked at Ranma and placed a hand on her shoulder.

On the video, Ranma continued. "Pop and I still train a lot. I've gotten good at the Art. I mean, really, really good. But," he gave a slight shrug, "I'm still not quite where I want to be. I want to be the best. And I still need to work on that. I still need to work on me. Not a whole lot, mind ya…"

"Such dedication…" Nodoka smiled. She accepted a handkerchief from Kasumi and dabbed at her eyes.

"And so modest," Nabiki muttered under her breath.

"Speaking of working on me…" video-Ranma continued. "Pop has told me about the contract we signed before we left. I don't know for sure what you think a "man-among-men" is, but I hope I look like one." He got up. "Of course, you can't tell much if I'm just sittin'. So, here's a kata I've been workin' on." Video-Ranma then began a complex and beautiful kata, full of fluid strikes and graceful evasions.

Nodoka looked on the verge of hyperventilating. "He's so handsome! So skilled!"

Genma tried to get her attention with a sign of "A credit to his father, eh?", but she only had eyes for the video.

Soun had smile on his face as he watched. "Nice form."

Ranma was shedding a tear or two but was otherwise holding it together. While watching her mother for every subtle reaction she sought Akane's hand upon her shoulder.

Video-Ranma finished his kata and bowed. "So, that's what I look like in action. That's why I'm recording this here instead of in my room. I want to show you how much the Art means to me. I guess you know about my engagement to Akane. Supposedly, I'll be takin' over this dojo with her when we marry. She's pretty darn good herself. I don't think you've ever gotten to see how good she is, so c'mere…"

From off-camera, Akane responded. "What?"

Ranma made a "come here" motion with his hand. "I want her to see us spar."

"I'm not dressed for this!"

Ranma cocked his head to the side. "Like that's ever stopped you. C'mon…"

Akane stared coming into camera view, apparently from behind the camera. She was still in her school uniform. "If you would have told me, I would have changed…"

Ranma whispered, "Hey, I just thought of this. C'mon, we don't have time for another take."

"You owe me," she whispered back.

"I know." With that, they bowed. "Bring it!"

Akane slid into a battle stance, then exploded. "Hyyah!"

Nodoka could not hide the joy on her face. "Oh, Akane! Look at how well you move together! You're so well matched!" Her eyes remained glued to the TV. "Such a beautiful couple."

Genma indignantly scribbled on a sign. "He's holding back! Don't think this is how good the boy is!" He flipped the sign. "He should be wiping the floor with her!" Even if Nodoka had turned to read the sign, she would have been denied the ability as Genma was crushed under Akane's mallet.

Akane growled. "Cute pets should keep their opinions to themselves."

"Especially stupid ones," Nabiki said to no one in particular.

Kasumi and Soun just nodded.

Video-Ranma and Akane finished their sparring session. Akane was breathing a little heavy while Ranma was not. Ranma turned to the camera. "See? She's pretty good too."

Everyone watching that knew Ranma could see on Video-Ranma's face how hard he was fighting saying "Nowhere as good as me."

Video-Ranma looked off-camera. He looked a little panicked. "Not much time left," he muttered. He looked back at the camera. "There's so much I want to say to you, Mother. But anything else, you really deserve to hear in person. I hope you like what you've seen and heard. I hope I'm living up to your expectations. If I don't, please consider that I'm still a, whatcha call it, "work in progress." If you have any questions," he gestured to his fiancée, "Akane knows just about everything there is to know about me. And her, uh, cousin knows me pretty well too. I understand she's usually visiting when I'm not there, so you know…" He looked off camera again. "Anyway, I hope this message finds you well." He paused, then added, "And I hope that the next time you visit, I'm there. I look forward to seein' you again." He bowed. "Until next time, be well Mother." As he did so, Video-Akane moved back behind the camera, and the video ended in static.

Akane pressed "stop" on the remote. She looked at her future mother-in-law to gauge her reaction. Everyone in the room was looking at Nodoka.

Nodoka had her hands covering her mouth and nose, with tears trickling down her cheeks. She was still looking at the blank TV screen.

Ranma spoke up. "Um, Auntie? You OK?"

Nodoka looked over at Ranma and Akane. "I…I don't know if I've ever been better!" She clenched her fists in giddy excitement. "He's so handsome and manly! He's everything I'd hoped he'd be!" She lunged between the two girls and grabbed them both in a tight embrace. "I'm so happy!"

Behind her, a panda waved a sign, trying to get her attention, that said "Hey don't you want to know anything about your husband?"

Nodoka was oblivious to Genma. "I couldn't ask for anything more right now!"

"What am I, chopped liver?!" Genma tried to sign, with Soun shoving his friends message down and nodding.

"Apparently," Kasumi said to the panda.

Nodoka released Ranma and Akane from her embrace. "Akane, may I watch that again?"

Akane exchanged smiles with Ranma. "Of course, Auntie. As many times as you'd like." She rewound the tape and pressed "play."

Nodoka watched the video many times. So many times that Kasumi eventually brought out post-dinner snacks. Genma had given up any hope that his wife would inquire as to his own well being and slipped out to grab some leftover dinner and find somewhere to change to human form and eat. Akane continued to operate the remote, no longer even asking if Nodoka wanted her to rewind it and replay. As for Ranma…

Ranma felt more at peace than since before picking up the curse. Nodoka still might not know his deepest secret, but at least he had the satisfaction of seeing her happy. Between this and the improving relationship with Akane, he didn't know which brought him the most ease.

It was Nabiki that finally brought the viewing to a close. "Auntie, you do realize that videotape wears out, right?"

Nodoka was roused from her trance. "Oh! No, I did not know that. I don't have a VCR. I don't even watch much TV."

Nabiki waved it off. "I'm mostly teasing. Tape does wear out, but it takes hundreds of viewings before you notice any degradation. But I think you have everything memorized by now anyway."

Nodoka looked down, smiling. "I understand. I'm just so happy to finally feel like I've met my son." She raised her head and held a faraway glance. "It's strange. I feel like I've even seen his face and heard his voice before, but it turned out to be…"

Ranma tensed up as Nodoka turned. "Oh crud," he thought.

"Ranko!" Nodoka seemed to regard Ranma with new eyes.

"Oh no," thought Akane. "Is she putting it together?"

"No way," thought Ranma. "Even if she…there's no way she could figure out the curse…right?"

Nodoka squinted. "Ranko…that's it, your clothes!"

"My…clothes?" Ranma responded apprehensively.

"They're the same as Ranma's!" Nodoka exclaimed.

"Oh!" Kasumi gasped out, regarding the pigtailed girl.

"She's right," Soun declared to no one in particular.

Nabiki was at a loss for words. "How did none of us not think of that," she wondered.

Akane suddenly feared for her fiancé. "It's not even similar clothes, it's the exact same outfit," she thought.

Ranma was too shocked to respond. "I even thought of avoiding this," he remembered, "but I kept getting drenched. This was my last dry outfit that day!"

A sort of realization dawned on Nodoka's face. "Oh no…" she breathed. "Ranko…could it be…are you…"

Ranma would have given anything for his father to cause a distraction, but Genma was chowing down on dinner two blocks away at a park table. "Am I…what?"

There was agony in Nodoka's eyes as she continued. "Dear, this may cause us great pain, but I must ask…"

Akane was frozen. She tried to think of something to get Ranma out of there but was coming up short.

Ranma could already feel the dagger at her belly. "I'm doomed," she conceded to herself.

Nodoka mustered her courage. "Are you also in love with my son, even though he's Akane's fiancé? Is that why you dress and talk like him, some romantic obsession?"

Silence.

Then, as one, the three Tendo sisters, Soun, and Ranma face faulted so hard it was felt out on the street.

Nodoka blinked and regarded her audience. "What?"

Ranma's heart started beating again. "You…think I'm in love with your son?"

Nodoka had a far away look again. "He's so handsome and manly, I wouldn't blame you."

Nabiki feared for her health. Stifling the laughter that she felt couldn't be healthy. She began to wonder if "bust a gut" was really just a turn of phrase.

Akane lost the battle of self-control and started giggling.

Ranma snapped her head to regard her fiancée. "What's so funny?" He deadpanned.

"The thought that you…that you could possibly…hahahaha!"

Nodoka looked at Ranma. "Then, you don't love him?"

Ranma looked at Nodoka. How to spin this?

Kasumi interjected. "I think it's more that Ranma and Ranko are…kindred spirits, Auntie."

Nabiki allowed herself a brief laughing fit before adding, "You might say that Ranko idolizes Ranma. In fact," she went into another laughing fit.

Nodoka waited for the laughter to die out a bit before prodding. "Yes…?"

Nabiki regained her composure. "In fact, even though your son is a "man among men," there's no one Ranko would like to be like more!"

Nodoka let out an exasperated sigh, turning back to Ranma. "Ranko, there's being a tomboy, and there's going too far! You really need to start acting more lady like!"

Akane let out a sigh of relief, while thinking, "Way to luck out of that one, Ranma."

"Yes Auntie," Ranma replied. He thought to himself, "I least I know she can't figure out the curse. I'll be safe for a while, yet!"

Nodoka stayed the night. She would return home the next day but was in no hurry, as it was the weekend and there was no school. She hoped to spend a pleasant morning with the Tendos. Her spirits were so light that she almost glided up the stairs to the guest room she would share with Ranko and Mr. Panda. There were no complications that night getting people to bed and the lights were out at a decent time. One could be forgiven for expecting absolutely nothing else to happen that night.

Technically, it was the next morning.

It was just before 1:00am that Nodoka woke up. She had been sleeping lightly, tossing and turning, waking every half hour or so. She was just too excited to sleep, like a child on Christmas Eve. She realized this time she wouldn't get back to sleep unless she did something. She got up, grabbing the family blade out of habit, and made her way downstairs. Without turning on a light, she fumbled in the dark for the power button on the TV. Then by the light of the screen she found the remote controls and sat down. It took her a moment to navigate the controls, but she eventually rewound the tap and began watching anew.

"Just a few more times," she said, smiling to herself.

It was the fourth time watching the video that it happened.

"And I hope that the next time you visit, I'm there. I look forward to seein' you again. Until next time, be well Mother."

Nodoka looked around for some tissues to dry her eyes. It didn't get old, seeing her son. She was as overjoyed now as he'd been hours before. But as she looked for the tissue in the dim light of the TV, something happened that hadn't before. Nodoka had let the tape run instead of stopping it, so she was taken aback when, after a short burst of static and a delay while the tracking compensated, something new appeared.

Video-Ranma was there again, the feed picking up mid-sentence. "…So I hope the next time you come here, your son, I mean I…dang it, Akane. Can we try it again? I keep trippin' up on my words."

Off-camera, Akane responded. "Ok, hang on…"

Nodoka dabbed her eyes with her sleeve, her search for tissues forgotten. There was more to the video? After another burst of static, there was another scene.

This time Video-Ranma was in a different shirt of the same style. It was dripping wet and Ranma had a thermos in his hand. He was talking. "So you see, it really isn't so bad. I mean, it ain't permanent. Hot water reverses it. And there have been times we could have gotten cured, but…"

"Ranma?" Video-Akane interrupted. "Maybe just mention there are cures. No need for her to know in the first video how we've been thwarted."

Ranma paused. "Yeah, I guess you're right. We can start over."

Nodoka was confused. "Cures? Hot water reverses…what?" She fiddled with the remote in her hand, debating whether to stop the tape and rewind it. Before she could make her decision, the scene changed again.

Video-Ranma was standing with his typical shirt off. A tank-top was in its place. Ranma was going through the motions of a kata without fully committing. He looked beyond the camera. "Y'think she'd appreciate seeing the muscles?"

Video-Akane walked into view with Ranma's shirt in hand. She stayed a couple of meters away from him. "Of course she would, but do you want to get so informal with your first video?"

Ranma stopped. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Besides, this ain't the best of these shirts I have anyway. Maybe if I get the black one…"

Suddenly, from off-screen, a mass of water splashed Ranma. Where once stood a male with rippling muscles, now there was a shorter, buxom female. "Aaaah! Cold!"

"What the," began Akane.

"Now Ranma," came a new voice as a diminutive form bounded into frame. "If you're going to change shirts anyway…" The form blurred and Ranma's shirt seemed to disappear.

"Happosai!" identified Akane.

Happy landed between Ranma and Akane, Ranma's top twirling on his finger. "There! Much nicer!"

Ranma looked down at her bare breasts, then turned to Happosai with rage in her eyes. "You old freak! Gimmie back my shirt!"

Ranma and Happosai disappeared from frame almost instantly, with Akane trailing after a short pause.

"Come and get me, cutie pie!"

"Hold still, ya perv!"

"Ranma, just let him go this time! You have other…" Akane's voice trailed off as the three left the range of the camcorder.

Nodoka sat in shock as the video continued to show an empty dojo. Her thoughts drifted back to earlier…

" …There's no one Ranko would like to be like more!" Nabiki's words echoed in her mind.

"I think it's more that Ranma and Ranko are…kindred spirits, Auntie." Kasumi's words added.

Nodoka thought about the end of the first trip where she met the Tendos. How she'd been sent skyward by a geyser of hot water, only to be saved by Ranko. Only…now she realized it wasn't a girl that had saved her. It had been a man. A man she could watch over and over on video.

"Hot water reverses it," her son had said about something.

The empty dojo on the TV mocking her, Nodoka placed the pieces together in her mind.

"Ranko is…my son."

Nodoka's hands began to tremble.

"My son turned into a girl. Turns into a girl."

The empty dojo did not disagree.

"My manly son turns into a…a woman."

Nodoka reached for the family blade resting beside her, wrapped in fabric.

TO BE CONCLUDED

Next: "The Final Revelation! A Video Memento"

Author's notes: It never ceases to amaze me how these characters sometimes write themselves. Maybe they don't do what Takahashi would have them do, but they also don't say and do exactly what I outline before I write. It's almost like I get to watch these stories unfold along with you, dear readers. It's fun.

Again, don't worry about this cliffhanger. Chapter 7 is done, pending any plot holes reviews may uncover.

Speaking of reviews, though I'm not doing this for them, right now isn't showing me any traffic stats for this month. I've had new people "favorite" or "follow" this, so I know it's being read, but I don't know by how many. A review or two would let me know this fic is getting traction.