The three-plus hours of train changeovers was absolutely nerve-wracking for Ranma and the Tendos. Every stop, they had to wait so Soun could go find a safe place to have a cigarette to calm his nerves, and the whole time, Akane kept pestering Ranma with the dumbest questions. Asking if Ranma thinks her aunt will be nice, if the cousins practice martial arts or are training to work at the shrine, and repeatedly asking Ranma if she wants to go with this strange family instead of them. Every question, Ranma would reply with a simple, "I don't know". Except the last one. She stayed quiet on that last question every time it was brought up.
Despite everything they'd been through, Ranma was kind of shocked at how immature Akane was being through all of this. She assumed it came from a place of fear that Ranma might leave them, but all this pestering was only making things worse for the both of them. Barring some crazy family thing happening, Ranma had spent the last few nights making her decision, and her decision was one she knew the other Tendos understood. Even if it wasn't permanent, Ranma had to know her only existing family. She had to know what they were like. What her aunt might know about her mother's past. She'd only known her mother for such a short time before 'honor' ripped away the only family she knew, and she felt cosmically ripped off. She was owed a proper family experience, damnit. She hadn't decided how long she'd stay with the Higurashis, but if they let her stay, she really wanted to get to know them.
She was especially looking forward to escaping Nerima for a little while. Ranma spent so much of her life on the road and staying at various shrines that she felt very comfortable with the idea of staying here, and getting away from the chaos of Nerima, fiancess, fights to the death, and kidnappings sounded amazing to her.
No, she was actually looking forward to this, if all went well. She needed a relaxing vacation in having a 'normal life' after all that had happened in the last couple of months.
One more train and a bus later, the Tendo family and Ranma were met by Detective Tanaguchi and the social worker who seemed forever at his side, Miss Hino.
"Mr. Tendo, girls! How was the trip?" the detective asked as he approached Soun for a handshake. "Not too boring, I hope?"
As Soun and the detective shared their small talk, Miss Hino went directly to the short red-head with a smile.
"How are you doing, dear? Are you prepared for this?" she asked in as motherly a tone as she could, even crouching down to be closer to eye level with Ranma as if she were a small child and not an average-sized fifteen year old.
"I'm fine I guess," Ranma quietly said. "I'm excited to meet them, but part of me just wants this to be over already."
"I know what you mean. This has been so trying for all of you. It'll all be over soon, I promise, and then you can all move on with your lives. Hopefully for the better."
It wasn't like Miss Hino to be so direct that it caught Ranma a little off guard and she couldn't help but just nod in agreement.
Miss Hino looked up to see that the men were done exchanging pleasantries and they were all ready to climb the formidable steps up to the Higurashi Shrine. Sharing a knowing glance to Akane who nodded in return, Ranma hoisted her pack up over a shoulder and they began the arduous climb.
At the top of the stairs, Ranma was met with a horrific sight: a terrible demon had appeared to block their path! Once it noticed the group of strangers in its domain, it let out a horrific yowl and turned to face them, plopping its fat hairy hide clear in the center of the path so the group couldn't avoid it.
The hairs on Ranma's neck stood on end and she froze at the horrific sight of the calico-colored monster. It opened its jaws wide with another yowl of a yawn, showing its sharp fangs in a sign of aggression, and Ranma couldn't take the fear crawling up her spine any longer. Before she knew it, she'd let out a blood-curdling scream and run as fast as she could to the opposite side of the campus to get away from the horrific demon.
The detective and the social worker shared a confused look with themselves before turning back to the Tendos for an explanation as to why the girl tore off in a fit of terror. All they could do is laugh off their embarrassment before Akane piped up with the answer.
"Sorry, she's deathly afraid of cats."
"Buuyou~! So there you are!" the voice of a small boy called, coming from around the nearest building and picking up the lazy cat in the middle of the path. "Ah! Guests! If you're here to offer prayers, I can go get Gramps really quick, he's the priest here," he offered.
Detective Tanaguchi stepped forward and cleared his throat.
"Ah, you must be Keiko's son Souta. I'm Detective Tanaguchi and this here is Miss Hino and the Tendo family. We have an important meeting with your mother today."
The boy smiled in surprise. "Oh, ok! I'll lead you to the house, it's in the back, just follow me," he said, beckoning the group forward and carrying the lazy cat with him. "So uh... which one of you is my cousin Ranma?" he asked, looking over the girls behind him.
"Did you hear that scream a minute ago?" Akane asked with the incredulous attitude of someone who was really ashamed that the coward was once her fiance. "That was her. She's afraid of cats and took off when yours showed up."
"Oh, that scream?" Souta asked, as if blood-wrenching screams were incredibly common around here. "I just thought that was my imagination. Or that creepy well we have. I swear that thing is haunted."
...
Just around the corner from the building housing the haunted well, Ranma finally came to a stop in front of a tree to collect her wits. Something about the giant tree seemed to calm her. It stood higher than she could see and had an old bald spot without any bark. Around the bald spot was a prayer band and the tree itself was surrounded by a little planter to protect it from guests who may want to get up close. Something about that tree enveloped her in a serene embrace, instantly calming her panicked heart. Ranma looked up at the branches swaying gently in the breeze and could swear she saw a faint pinkish-white aura emmenating from it.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice called from beside Ranma. She broke her gaze from the tree to find a teenage girl walking up to her while never taking her eyes from the tree, herself. Her short bangs seemed to contrast her long black hair and she wore an outfit that screamed overly-femenine to Ranma, but seemed to perfectly suit the girl. It was a casual lavender dress with short sleeves and a matching pastel yellow cardigan over it. So simple, and yet so cute, Ranma caught herself thinking. 'Way cuter looking on her than it'd ever be on Akane,' she thought.
"Whenever I'm struggling with something, the sacred tree here calms me and reminds me of home," the girl continued. "Though, I suppose it has to, since I live here." She finally turned to smile at the red-headed girl in her Kasumi-tailored fitted red and black Chinese silks and carrying an oversized travel pack. "I'm Kagome, welcome to my family's shrine. What brings you here today?"
Ranma couldn't believe that she was still shorter than her cousin that she was almost a whole year older than! Just by an inch or two, but still! It was one thing to learn she was actually fifteen and not sixteen, but to see that she's still shorter than her fourteen year old cousin still kind of hurt. 'I just can't win,' she thought.
"I'm Ranma Saotome, your long lost cousin. Nice ta meetchya."
Kagome's eyes went wide for a moment before she embraced the smaller girl in a hug, catching her off guard.
"Oh, it's so good to finally meet you! I heard about what happened with your family, I'm so, so sorry," she cried before letting the smaller girl go.
"Eh, don't worry about it. 'A martial artist's life is fraught with peril,' as Pops used'ta say." Trying to change the subject, Ranma turned her attention back to the tree and pointed a thumb to it. "So, you call it the sacred tree, huh? It's definitely got a pure aura to it."
"An aura? You can see auras?" Kagome asked in surprise. She'd heard about such things from growing up at a shrine of course, but she'd never actually seen one, let alone thought they were really real. "What's it look like?"
Ranma scrutinized the tree again to focus on the aura she picked up before, but even with her extensive martial arts training, she could still just barely visualize it. "I can kinda see it, but it's more like I can feel it, y'know? It's all... warm and pinkish and white. It definitely has a welcoming and calming presence, unlike that place over there," she said, pointing to a building a short ways away. "THAT place gives me the creeps. What's in it? A sealed ghost or a demon or something?"
Kagome looked over at the small building housing the ancient well and a shiver went down her spine seeing that Ranma could pick up on it just from looking at it.
"Well... yeah, actually. There's an ancient well in there that's been here since before the shrine was built. No one knows when it was built, but the legends sa-"
"THE LEGENDS SAY THAT THE BONES OF DEMONS WERE THROWN IN THERE!" the voice of an old man cried, surprising them both by popping out of seemingly nowhere.
"It's called the bone-eater's well and it's sealed off lest the souls of ancient demons be reborn!" the old man said in as ominous a voice he could muster. Clearly this guy has experience entertaining guests, Ranma thought.
"Grandpa, don't go scaring us like that!" Kagome chided. "It's sealed off so visitors can't accidentally fall in, and you know it."
"That's just what the city government wants you to think, Kagome!" he countered before turning to the stranger. "What an unusual friend you have there, Kagome. Red hair, Chinese clothes, and a giant traveling pack... are you by chance a traveling martial artist?"
Surprised at being called out, Ranma answered, "Uh, yeah. How'd you know?"
"You remind me a lot of this boy who stopped through here a few years ago with his father, looking for martial arts training. Are you related, by chance?" he said while studying her and rubbing his bearded chin.
A rock sank in Ranma's stomach. She had been here before, when she and her father had just gotten back from China. As she recalled, they'd heard a rumor about some wish-granting jewel that was being kept here and...
"I... I think so. Big guy, glasses, wearing a filthy torn-up training gi and a bandana to hide his balding?"
The old man nodded.
Ranma sighed.
"Yup, that's Pops alright. Sorry he took your jewel thing," she apologized, rubbing the back of her head in shame.
"I knew it!" the old man cried while pointing accusingly at the new girl. "I knew he took the sacred jewel!"
"Yeah, sorry 'bout that. For what it's worth, it turned out to be a fake. The guy at the pawn shop said it was plastic."
"Of course it was plastic," Kagome said, shaking her head at her grandfather's overreaction. "There's no such thing as the sacred jewel, it's just a story he tells to get schoolgirls to buy his plastic good luck charms."
Ranma couldn't help but laugh a little as Kagome's grandfather turned his ire to his traitorous granddaughter with crocodile tears streaming down his face.
"They are replicas of the real jewel itself, which has been lost for generations! It is said that many centuries ago, a priestess fell in a battle with a great demon who-"
"No-chan?" a quiet voice called from the distance, coupled with the sound of a canvas bag dropping to the cement. Ranma turned from the Higurashi family squabble to see the spitting image of her mother, with dark brown hair and casual clothes. She'd never seen her mother without a kimono so it was rather jarring for a moment before reality caught up with Ranma's eyes.
"A-aunt Keiko?"
Ranma's aunt ran over to her with tears in her eyes and hugged the poor girl tightly.
"It is true, you are No-chan's daughter!" the woman cried. "You look just like she did when we were children!"
Ranma winced at being referred to as a 'daughter' but couldn't help the welling up of emotions this woman spilled onto her.
"Y-Yeah, I'm Ranma," she managed to get out while holding back the tears she felt welling up in her own eyes. "Nice ta finally meet you."
...
In the main house of the massive compound that was the Higurashi shrine, the four members of the Higurashi family found themselves sat opposite the Tendo family in the living room, with a coffee table in the middle laden with teacups, Ranma on one end of it, and the detective and social worker on the other.
"It's amazing how much you look like your mother when she was your age," Keiko Higurashi commented to Ranma, still bewildered at the resemblence. "She even used to wear her hair in a braid like yours."
"What happened between you guys, anyway?" Ranma blurted out, perhaps a little tactlessly. "Miss Hino said you were 'estranged' or somethin'. What's that all about?"
Keiko sighed and looked down at the teacup in her hands, not sure exactly where to begin.
"When we were teenagers, there was this boy that she liked, but it turned out that boy was... well, for lack of a better way to put it, actually a girl. Deep down."
Ranma couldn't help but smirk at the irony while the rest of the group found it shocking.
"I think I see where this is goin'," Ranma muttered under her breath. Apparently the detective heard her and nodded in agreement.
"After she found out, Nodoka went a little... strict in her definition of gender. She was always lashing out and trying to 'correct' anyone who didn't fit her rigid ideas of how men and women should behave. It got so bad that I couldn't even wear pants around the home without her screaming at me about how 'unwomanly' it was. She got so toxic that our parents insisted she attend an all-girls school, hoping it would meet her expectations. Shortly after graduating, she met some 'paragon of manliness' as she put it and moved in with him. The last time I saw her in person was when she first went to that boarding school some twenty years ago."
"So you're not the estranged one, my ma was," Ranma summarized with a nod and got several nods in agreement.
"I tried to reach out but she didn't want to hear from me, for whatever reason. It hurts to know that her twisted concept of gender and honor took her life in the end. I'm really sorry you had to go through that, Ranma."
Kagome sympathetically patted Ranma's knee, as she was sitting closest to her, and Ranma gave her a half-smile in return. Her cousin didn't know the half of the situation and in a way, it didn't really matter anymore.
"I'm really sorry you lost your family like that," Kagome offered. "Souta and I lost our dad in a car accident a couple of years ago. I can only imagine how much more rough seppuku would be."
"Didjya see it happen?" the little boy asked from his spot next to his sister.
"Souta! That's a terrible thing to ask!" she chided the young boy who clearly didn't know any better.
Ranma looked him in the eye and solemly said, "Yeah, kid. I did. We all did." The Tendos all nodded.
"Dang... sorry ya had to see that," Souta offered, averting his eyes in shame.
The detective used that moment to clear his throat and hopefully change the subject to something more productive.
"Well, that brings us to the main reason we are here. Mrs. Higurashi, as we explained a few days ago, you became Ranma's legal guardian the moment her parents died, as you are her only living adult relative. However, the Tendo family that she's stayed with for the last year or so is willing to formally adopt her. All they need is for you to consent and sign some forms."
"Right, I remember," she replied, reaching for the folder of documents that sat on the coffee table. "Of course, I don't want to be a burden on you Ranma. You've been through so much in so little time. If you'd rather be formally adopted by the Tendos here, I'm sure you'll be in good hands," she said, addressing the sullen girl to her left. "If... if you'd like though, I'd really like to get to know you, as I'm sure the kids would too. Their father never had any siblings, so our little family here really is just us. I would hate for my half-sister's only child to stay a stranger to us," she offered with a smile.
"Half-sister?" Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki echoed all at once, earning a chuckle from her aunt.
"That's right, we have different fathers. Why do you think you both have red hair but I don't?" she finished with a laugh.
"So she WAS a haffu," Nabiki said as if it confirmed all her suspicions.
"That definitely explains a few things," Ranma muttered. She'd always wondered why, as a girl, her hair was so different from most Japanese people and when she first met her mother and saw her dark red hair, she assumed the same thing Nabiki did, but alas, they never confirmed it until now.
"The decision is ultimately yours, Ranma," Soun commented, drawing her attention back to the adoption. "You know we'd love to have you, but... I understand if you would rather finish school with your family here."
"Dad, you can't be serious!" Akane cried. "After all we've been through, you're willing to just let her go that easy?"
Ranma sighed. This was exactly the kind of thing she was thinking would happen. Akane would throw a fit regardless of the outcome, and for what? To hold on to Ranma like some sort of prize? Like Mr. Tendo said, it really was just going to be through the end of school and until she turned eighteen. Legal custody between either family didn't mean squat to her now that she knew her family was cool with her. If she stayed here and decided to bail later to go back to the dojo, it seems like everyone would be fine with it, so why would Akane act like this? It's not like they'll never see each other again. Moments like this, though... all the did was reinforce the decision she made a few nights ago: at minimum, she deserved some relaxing time away from Nerima.
Just as Ranma opened her mouth to state her opinion on the matter, Kasumi answered Akane's outlash in a sad, almost melancholic tone.
"Akane, if you had a chance to be with mother again, wouldn't you take it?"
This immediately blew out the flames in Akane's ire.
"W-well yeah, but that's not the same as thi-"
"No Akane, it very much is. Ranma never truly got to know her mother thanks to the cur- er, the contract. She had less than a year with her. Mrs. Higurashi seems like a lovely woman," Kasumi gestured over with a smile, earning a simple 'thank you' in return, "and she's raised two perfectly normal kids. Don't you think Ranma deserves a chance to have a normal family, after all the trauma her life has brought her? Don't you?"
Akane couldn't believe what she was hearing. In a way, she knew her sister was right. Ranma did have a rough childhood and her parents weren't exactly going to win any awards, but did Ranma really want to throw away all that they'd been through just to live a 'normal' life? Could Ranma even stand to live such a boring existence? She turned to the girl in question who just gave her a sad look in return, one that told her everything she needed to know, but she still needed to confirm it out loud.
"Is this... do you want to stay with them, rather than us?" she asked point-blank.
All eyes were on Ranma and she nervously met them all in turn. While she felt she'd be disappointing Mr. Tendo, it seemed even he was on board. This was it, the moment of no return.
With a hard gulp, she looked to Akane and then to her aunt's caring eyes.
"If... If it's alright with you, I'd like to try. At least for a little while."
Akane sank low into her seat and stared down at the floor while the other Tendos merely nodded in understanding.
"Of course, dear. You can stay with us for as long as you like," her aunt said with a smile. "I look forward to getting to know you."
"Me too, Aunt Keiko. Me too," she smiled in return.
Soun couldn't help but sigh. Ranma could tell that yes, he was disappointed afterall, but she knew he understood.
"And you're welcome to come home to us at any time as well, Ranma. Don't forget what I told you last week in the dojo. You are family, whether it's legal or not."
"Thanks, Mr. Tendo. For everything."
Soun nodded and turned his attention to the social worker who was nearly beside herself with tears at what she thought was a touching scene. She must not have seen such happy endings often in her line of work, he assumed.
"Miss Hino, is there a time limit on the adoption at all? Does Ranma have to make a formal decision any time soon?" he asked.
"No, not at all," she happily replied. "Since Ranma's already under the legal custody of the Higurashi family, the adoption can happen at any time before she turns eighteen. If both parties are getting along so well like this, an adoption doesn't even seem necessary anymore, does it?"
"Perhaps not," Soun agreed. If Ranma was happy living with her aunt and was free to come and go, what did it matter who's register she was on? His honor and duty to his friend would rather have her under the Tendo name, but as a father, Soun wanted Ranma to finally be with the loving family she'd never had.
Clearing his throat, Soun stood up and tried his best to change the mood.
"Now then, with that all out of the way, Mr. Higurashi?" he smiled, addressing the old man with the long beard who quietly watched as a new ward was brought into his household.
"Hm, yes Mr. Tendo?" he asked in surprise.
"You have a lovely shrine here and if you'd be so kind, I'd love to have a tour of the place before we head home."
The old man's eyes lit up. This was his element, afterall!
"Why yes, of course! I'll show you all around and tell you every ancient legend that surrounds this place."
"Oh, can I go to? I'd love to make an offering and wish the best for Ranma!" Kasumi jumped up with a smile, clasping her hands in front of her chest.
"Of course, of course, the more the merrier!," Mr. Higurashi shouted in glee. "Now, where to begin? The sacred tree, said to be a thousand years old? Or the ancient bone-eater's well, that some say is still haunted by the souls of demons to this day? Or perhaps a tale about a cused noh mask said to feed on the flesh of..." he trailed off as he led the Tendos outside.
"Come on girls, let's leave Ranma with her family for a few minutes," Soun all but commanded in the nicest way possible, dragging Nabiki along who muttered something about taking pictures of the sacred tree, and a very reluctant Akane who shared one sad glance back at Ranma before following her family out into the shrine compound.
"Well with that settled, I guess I can mark this case closed," Detective Tanaguchi said, rising to his feet and stretching. "You're really lucky you have two families who care so much about you, Ranma. This case is a little unusual, but when it comes to custody, it rarely ends this nicely. I'm happy for you, kid. I really am."
Ranma stood to take his hand in a firm shake.
"Thank you for all your help in dealing with this. You too, Miss Hino."
"Just doing our jobs," Detective Tanaguchi replied with a smirk.
Miss Hino couldn't help but wrap Ranma in a tight hug.
"I'm so, so happy for you! If you end up wanting to be adopted by the Tendos, you have my number. I just know you'll have a good life with your family, Ranma! I just know it!" she squeezed.
"Th-thanks," Ranma managed to squeak out from her tight bindings.
Miss Hino let go and grabbed her portfolio from Mrs. Higurashi as nothing needed to be done with it.
"Oh, right, there was one last thing," she said, opening the portfolio and flipping several pages in. "Since I can mark this all off, I need to update the paperwork for the Higurashi family register. Since you're officially a part of the Higurashi family, do you want to update your family name to match?"
"HELL no!" Ranma spat, shocking the kind woman and causing the Higurashis to recoil a bit at the venom in her voice. "Er, no offense Aunt Keiko, it's nothing personal, but I was raised to carry on the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, and my parents died so I could hold that name up high with pride. I'm Ranma Saotome, and no one can take that away from me."
"Of course, dear. Sorry I had to ask, I just had to know to close the file on you," Miss Hino replied with another hug.
..
A little while later, the kids decided to go off on their own for a walk, and to hopefully run into the Tendos before it was time to say goodbye. As they meandered around the property, Souta kept being an inquisitive little bug by asking Ranma all about her adventures and her time in China.
"So you're really a kung-fu master?!" Souta shouted while throwing out a fist in front of him. "That's so cool!"
"Heh, well, I wouldn't say 'master', but I am the best!" Ranma replied with pride. Of that, she was certain.
"But it must have been so lonely growing up on the road like that," Kagome countered from her other side, which brought her smile down a bit, but she still held her head high.
"Yeah, but hey, at least it was never boring. I tell ya, I get antsy sittin' around doin' nothing at the dojo. Sometimes I can't wait for something crazy to happen to keep things exciting!" Finally, she deflated, since she knew she wouldn't be having those moments again anytime soon. "Still, it'll be nice to get away from it all for a while and just relax a bit. I'm lookin' forward to just chillin' with you two around the shrine for a while."
"Totally, but you gotta teach me some moves, you just gotta!" Souta cried.
Ranma couldn't help the smile she sprouted at his enthusiasm and she reached down to ruffle his hair.
"Heh, may as well. I'm gonna be teachin' the art someday so I may as well start with you."
"Yessss!" he cheered, throwing his fists in the air. As he walked ahead, doing various punches and kicks with loud cries into the twilight air, Ranma and Kagome couldn't help but chuckle at his enthusiasm.
"The kid's got spunk, that's for sure," Ranma commented.
"When he's not being a little brat," Kagome nearly spat.
"How 'bout you, you wanna join in the mornin' training sessions? I promise I'll go easy on ya at first," Ranma offered, but Kagome was quick to shyly wave her off.
"No, no, that sort of thing isn't for me. I get enough exercise going up and down the shrine's steps every day."
"Oh, well, suit yourself then. What do you do for fun around here, then?" Ranma asked, folding her hands behind her head as they walked.
"Y'know, just, normal stuff I guess. I spend a lot of time hanging out with my friends, going to the movies and the arcades and shopping and stuff. Oh, which reminds me!" she started. "My birthday's next week and yours is just a little after, right?"
"Yeah, three weeks from Thursday, why'd'you ask?" Ranma stopped, not to face Kagome, but because something caught her attention behind her, something off past her, between them and the sacred tree looming over the property in the back.
Kagome turned back to see where her cousin was trying to look, but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.
"What, did you see Buyou run by? Don't worry, I heard about your whole cat thing so Souta and I are going to try our best to warn you if she's around," Kagome said to ease her concerns, but it wasn't that.
"No, wasn't that, it was... I don't know, something sparked my danger sense from other there the second you mentioned your birthday, but it's gone now."
"Oh, weird. All that's over there is a storage shed and the well house."
Ranma stared off to that creepy old well house again for a few moments before letting it go. Whatever it was, she didn't want to be around that place, and she got a feeling the others didn't either.
"Well, whatever it was is gone now. Coulda just been my imagination," she decided. "What were you saying about your birthday though?"
"Well I was thinking, since we're both going to be fifteen together for only two weeks, maybe you'd want to do a joint birthday party right in the middle? My friends were already planning to spend the day out with me for mine, but if we do a joint party, you can invite yours too and we can make it one big event!"
In the span of only a few seconds, an image flashed before Ranma's mind of Kagome and her friends meeting the so-called 'Nerima Wrecking Crew' at an aquarium only to end in absolute chaos with spatula-shurikin cracking holes in massive fish tanks and Shampoo turning into a cat and as Ranma went to hide with the penguins, Pantyhose Taro smashed through the roof of the enclosure with his monstrous form...
"Somehow... I don't think that's a good idea..." she muttered as her imagination ran wild.
"Oh come on, it'll be fun, I promise! My friends and I will make sure that you and yours have a good time. You'll meet them at school on monday, I'm sure you'll love them!" Kagome cheerily offered, trying to get Ranma stoked for the idea. She got the feeling that Ranma didn't want certain people from Nerima to join them, but she was determined to make sure nothing bad happened. Not everyone gets to have such a close birthday with their cousin, and she wanted to celebrate her new-found family together.
"School? Oh yeah, I kinda forgot about that... So if we're going to the same school, I take it I got kicked down a grade..." Somehow, Ranma missed that. It must have been something the Higurashi's talked with Miss Hino about when she went to the bathroom or something.
"I thought you already knew," Kagome said sadly, hating that she had to be the one to break the news. "Miss Hino said that with your poor attendance record the last few years, your bad grades at Furinkan, and the age discrepancy on your records, she thought that you'd do a lot better with me in the final year of middle school, and mom agreed... Sorry you had to find out from me."
"Nah, it's fine, don't worry about it," Ranma grumbled. It all made sense afterall, but that didn't mean it didn't suck. "Should be a cake walk compared to the crap I put up with at Furinkan..."
"That's the spirit!" Kagome cheered, mistaking Ranma's sarcasm for a silver lining of hope. "Plus, we'll be together! I really can't wait for you to meet all of my friends. You'll be like the big sister I never had!" she laughed, but Ranma wasn't amused.
Ranma just once again glanced up at Kagome's inch or so of height over her and winced at the 'sister' title.
"As long as you don't call me that," she muttered under her breath, but a sad and confused look from Kagome showed that she heard her just fine.
"Kagome-nee-chan, Ran-nee-chan, I found your friends!" Souta cried from around the corner of a building up ahead. Kagome just giggled at Ranma's groaning.
Ranma let out a defeated sigh and rolled her eyes.
"Fiiiiiiine, I'm comin', pipsqueak, I'm comin'," she muttered as she shuffled along to follow.
"I guess that's one of the side effects of being raised as a boy," Kagome thought with a cheshire grin. "I'll get her used to being a girl sooner or later."
..
A little while later, the whole group met together once more in front of the descending steps from the shrine. The Higurashi family and Ranma said their goodbyes and thanks to the detective and social worker before they went on their way, past the Tendos and down the long steep steps to the street below. All that was left was the moment most of the group was dreading.
Kasumi broke the awkward silence by stepping forward first and enveloping the smaller girl in a huge hug.
"Take care of yourself, ok? And please call me or visit whenever you feel like it. I'll really miss having my little br- sister around all the time."
"I will, Kasumi, I will. I'm going to miss you tons," she quietly admitted into Kasumi's sleeve. She wasn't sure if the muffled crying was Kasumi or herself.
As soon as she pulled back to take her place at her father's side, Nabiki replaced her sister standing in front of Ranma only instead of a hug, she merely held out a fist.
"Don't stay a stranger, Saotome. Things'll be a lot quieter without you."
Ranma met her fist with her own and a gentle bump. Both girls smirked at each other.
"Yeah, but I'm sure you'll still find a way to profit off'a me."
"Oh, of course I will! Kuno's going to pay a lot of money to go on wild goose chases to find you," she finished with a wink that earned a light chuckle from Ranma. She could already picture the idiot booking a flight to Hokkaido to be with his beloved 'pig-tailed girl'.
All eyes were on Akane next but she shyly turned her gaze to the ground and just mumbled. Ranma sighed. She knew this might be a bit much for Akane to take and even if she couldn't say it out loud, she knew how Akane truly felt.
Seeing that Akane wasn't going to take the initiative, Mr. Tendo decided it was his turn to say his goodbyes.
"Ranma Saotome, you carry with you the hopes and dreams of two schools of Anything-Goes Martial Arts, and I know you will do both your father and I proud. Happosai may not allow a girl to be his heir, but as far as I'm concerned, you're more of a master of our art than your father or I could hope to be. Be proud, and carry your name high. And remember, my dojo is your dojo, always. I hope to have you back when you feel you're ready to pass on the art to the next generation."
Ranma felt like she was being given an award from her sensei even though Mr. Tendo never once trained her. Still, even through is cascading tears, Mr. Tendo held a smile for her. He believed in her in a way her father never had, or at least, never showed. She'd be damn sure that his confidence won't be misplaced.
With her arms at her side, she bent over in a sharp bow of respect to her semi-father figure and kinda-sorta-not-really sensei.
"I'll make you proud, Mr. Tendo. You and Pops."
She snapped up when she felt his hand on her shoulder and he immediately enveloped her in a hug as well.
"I know you will."
Pulling back, he turned his gaze to Keiko Higurashi and with a kind smile asked, "Please take good care of her, ok?"
"Of course I will, Soun," she said with a bow of her own. "We all will. It was a pleasure to meet you and your family."
"Likewise! Don't stay a stranger now, and not just Ranma- you're all welcome to come visit at any time!" he bellowed.
"Oh wow, really? I get to see a real life martial arts dojo?!" Souta exclaimed, but he calmed down when his sister put her hand on his shoulder.
"Calm down, there'll be plenty of time for that later. Maybe we'll go visit next month, if that's ok with you, Mr. Tendo?" Kagome asked.
"Of course, of course, just call ahead and we'll make plans!" he cheered.
"Oh and I can make us all a great dinner to celebrate!" Kasumi smiled, already thinking of what fun it would be to make a meal for such a huge crowd.
"Sis, all your dinners are great," Nabiki commented. "Though, I suppose you could make it extra special by inviting Doctor Tofu, eh?"
"Hmm? That's a wonderful idea! He's such a silly man, isn't he?" Kasumi said with that innocent lilt in her voice. Nobody knew if she was aware of his crush on her or not, and she wasn't about to give up the game.
"Very silly if you ask me," Nabiki replied. "I think our cab to the train station is waiting, I'm gonna hike on down. Later, Saotome!" Nabiki called with a wave before hitting the steps.
"Later," Ranma waved back. She watched and waved as Kasumi followed her sister and Ranma's eyes once again turned to Akane, who refused to meet hers. 'Well if she won't, I will,' she thought to herself as she stalked up to the quiet girl.
"I guess... this is it then, huh?" Akane whispered as Ranma got close.
"Just for a while. I'll be back at the dojo before ya know it. I just wanna get to know my family and relax for a bit. And hey, you get to relax too, right? My craziness won't be there to bother you every day."
"Yeah but..." she sniffed. "That chaos was worth it just to have you there."
Ranma could feel her heart sink into the pit of her stomach. After all this time of Akane calling her a pervert, wishing they'd never met, telling Ranma she hates her, and getting into all sorts of trouble thanks to Ranma, it turned out that Akane actually cared. At least a little. At least enough to cry.
Ranma wrapped her arms around Akane which startled the slightly taller girl. "I'm gonna miss ya, tomboy," she whispered in her ear.
"I'll miss my pervert too," Akane whispered back.
Soun sighed at the sight. If only Genma could have seen this. If only Ranma weren't locked as a woman for the rest of her life... oh, what could have been.
Clearing his throat to get their attention, Soun said, "It's time for us to go home, Akane."
As he started making his way down the steps by himself, Ranma and Akane finally separated, each with tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces.
"Goodbye, Ranma."
"Later, Akane."
"And this is your room here," Kagome showed with a flourish, holding the door open to a simple small room with a bed, a dresser, and a desk.
"I'd be fine with a futon on the floor, but I guess I can get used to a bed. Haven't spent a lotta time with 'em," Ranma mused, setting her backpack against the wall next to the dresser. She supposed she'd have to unpack her things one of these days.
"Really, you've never had a real bed?!" Kagome exclaimed. She couldn't imagine going without one! "Well, you're in for a treat tonight. You've had a very long day so I'll let you use the bath first tonight."
That idea struck Ranma as odd. If there's one thing she's learned from her time at the Tendo's, it's that girls bathed together. Just how much of her past does Kagome really know?
She dared to brave the subject in a way that would keep her secret, well, a secret.
"So uh... you don't wanna bathe together, then?" Ranma asked, trying her best to hide her nerves. She really hoped Kagome wouldn't call her bluff and go with the idea. If anything, she kind of wished Kagome knew the truth if it meant not having to bathe with her.
"Our tub's a single soaker here, so it's one at a time. Do you have a full bath at the dojo?"
'Good, all clear,' Ranma thought with a sigh of relief.
"Yeah, they got a huge furoba. Seats like four or five at a time."
"Must be nice," Kagome thought, her eyes turning past Ranma and towards a nice big bath she could share with her friends without the noise or lack of privacy the public baths had.
"Actually, I prefer bathing alone, so this is great. I'm lookin' forward to it," Ranma smiled, catching Kagome off guard. Kagome figured in a house full of girls, bath time would be a great way to end the day together, but here was her odd cousin actually relieved to be bathing alone. Was it something about her, she wondered? They only met today so hopefully her cousin didn't have any animosity towards her already.
The look of Kagome's face must have given away her thoughts because Ranma was quick to explain herself.
"I, uh, I just never really felt comfortable bathin' with others is all, it's nothin' against you or the Tendo's or nothin'. Call it a side effect of growin' up on the road with Pops and always bathin' in rivers and natural hot springs and sleepin' on the dirt and stuff. I just ain't used to so much... normal stuff, y'know?" she explained.
"I couldn't imagine what river water would do to your hair!" Kagome cried. "No shampoo or conditioner?"
"Not usually, no. That stuff costs money and we didn't have none."
"I... I don't think I could live in a world without shampoo..." Kagome said, taking a seat on her cousin's bed to better stable herself. "And sleeping on the ground all the time? That must have done a number on your back! Moreso than going without a bra, I bet."
Ranma froze. "Y-you can tell, huh?"
"I think everyone in a ten mile radius can tell. You really should wear something, Ranma. If not for public embarrassment, than just for the back pain at least."
Ranma sighed again. After she got locked, Kasumi had said something similar and even went out of her way to buy Ranma a couple of bland sports bras, but Ranma's pride never allowed her to actually concede to wearing them. With her parents gone and being locked as a girl for the rest of her life, she supposed Kagome had a point. The last thing she wanted was for her new family to be embarrassed or ashamed to be seen with her in public.
"I uh... I have somthin' in my pack. I'll wear it tomorrow, promise," she muttered, earning a thankful nod from Kagome.
"Tomorrow's a day off school for me so I can show you around town and you can meet my friends! I think mom wants you to get fitted for a school uniform anyway," Kagome smiled. She was really looking forward to getting to know her new cousin. She'd always wanted to know what it was like to have a big sister, afterall.
"Uniform? Do I haveta?" Ranma dreaded. It was one thing to be kicked back to the final year of middle school, but did she have to suffer the humilation of wearing the girl's uniform there too?
"My school's pretty strict about the dress code, Ranma. It's not so bad though, you'll be wearing the same one I have to every day, and we'll probably be in the same class, too."
'This girl really doesn't like anything even remotely girly, does she? Kagome thought. 'And with how intimate her goodbye with that Akane girl was, you'd think she was... No, she couldn't be, could she?'
"Say, Ranma, I don't mean to intrude but I couldn't help but notice that your goodbye with Akane was a bit... affectionate. You too must be pretty close, huh? For a second there, I thought she was going to kiss you!" she finished with a chuckle, hoping that Ranma wouldn't be offended by her casual question about her potential sexuality.
Thankfully, Ranma cracked up laughing.
"Yeah, I thought she was gonna too! Honestly!" she laughed, seeing how awkward that must have been for the Higurashis to watch. "Akane and I have kind of a... complicated history. Maybe I'll fill ya in sometime."
Kagome nodded and got up towards the door.
"I'm looking forward to it. Go ahead and get your bath in, and let me know when it's my turn, k?"
"Sure thing, later Kagome."
As Ranma finally decided to get out of the tub after her long soak, she couldn't help but feel more relaxed than ever. It's amazing how much more relaxing bathing can be when you're all alone and don't have to worry about someone rushing in and yelling 'pervert' or some rogue animal coming in to transform back to human. It was just her, a warm full-size tub, and her mind to keep her company.
And her mind was running over the day's events time and time again. For some reason, that tree and the dark well kept coming back into her thoughts. Something about them nagged at her, especially their auras. It was almost like they represented both halves of a soul; a yin-yang. The well house was a dark and forbodding entity that made any who neared it wary of its presence, but just beyond lie a giant beacon of hope and comfort, a safe zone away from the danger the well posed.
Was the old man right? Was it really haunted by demons? ...Was the sacred tree the only thing keeping the demons at bay?
Ranma dreaded the thought of fighting whatever could spew out of that darkness. 'The Higurashi's don't seem too worried, so it's prolly nothing,' she thought. 'I'm sure I'll get used to it too one of these days.'
Ranma was alerted by a rap at the bathroom door.
"Ranma? Are you in there?" the voice of her aunt called.
"Oh uh, yeah Aunt Keiko, just 'bout to get out. Sorry for takin' so long," she replied, hurriedly grasping for a towel.
"It's no bother dear, I was just hoping to catch you before you went to sleep is all," she assured.
Two minutes later, Ranma was dressed in her usual sleepwear of a tank top and shorts and was sat on the bed in her new room while her aunt sat in the desk chair right across from her.
"So, whatchya wanna talk about? If it's school, Kagome told me. I'm not a fan of wearin' a skirt but I don't wanna be a bother or nothin'," she offered, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment.
"I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright. You've had a long day," Aunt Keiko smiled, reassuring Ranma that nothing was upsetting her.
"Yeah I'm ok I suppose. I appreciate ya takin' me in and all, seein' as how we just met. You..." she started before swallowing and continuing in a smaller voice, "You remind me a lot of mom. From before I knew she was psycho about gender roles and such, o'course," she laughed, trying to lighten the mood. She didn't quite know how to say what was on her mind.
"And you remind me so much of her at your age. I miss the time when we were kids, before everything got complicated. I miss my sister dearly, but I see her good qualities in you. I'm glad to have you here, Ranma. My home is your home."
Ranma couldn't help the feeling of water building up in her eyes. All that she wanted from her own mother was acceptance and love and maybe even to move in with her someday, and here was that chance happening a second time. She didn't want a repeat of what happened to the first, so she was determined not to be a burden or a worry for her aunt.
"T-thanks, Aunt Keiko. I really owe you and the others a big thanks for doin' all of this for me."
"You can thank me by keeping an eye on my children," she offered, causing Ranma to give her a confused look. "You're almost exactly a year older than Kagome, and she and Souta are going to be looking up to you. I know you were raised as a boy and can be a bit rough around the edges, but they are really happy at the idea of having an older, more worldly sister around to guide them."
Ranma let out an awkward laugh. "Yeah, Kagome said something like that too."
Keiko smiled and nodded. She had a feeling it had already come up between them.
"Since their father died, Kagome's taken on the burden of caring for the family along with me and her grandfather. She's such a sweet girl and I worry that she's letting her childhood go by too fast... though I suppose yours did too."
"You can say that again," Ranma scoffed.
"Like it or not, you're a role model now, especially to little Souta. Please, take care of my children," she asked, standing to bow in front of her niece.
Ranma was shocked at such a formal request and stood up to place her hand on her aunt's shoulder.
"Of course, no problem. Kagome will help me get used ta life outside the dojo, and I'll help her and Souta with what I can. I don't know much outside of martial arts, but you can rest easy knowin' they won't come to any harm when I'm around."
"Thank you, Ranma," her aunt replied, wrapping her arms around the short girl in front of her. "If there's anything you need, just ask, even if you just need someone to talk to. I'm here for you just as I am for my other children."
Ranma was taken aback by this show of affection and... could this be called parental love? Hesitantly she moved her arms around her aunt and returned the hug, earning an even stronger squeeze.
"Thanks, Aunt Keiko. I.. I'm looking forward to having a home. A real home," she made out with a strained voice, trying to contain her emotions.
For the first time in her life, Ranma truly felt like she was at home, with a loving family she'd only dreamed about having. She hoped this moment would last forever.
...
A/N: Sorry it's a bit of a wordy word salad. Since I de-aged Ranma a bit to get her closer to Kagome, I thought having such a close birthday would be fun. I don't know either of their canon birthdays (or even if they HAVE canon birthdays) so I'm not bothing with specific dates. I'm exactly eleven months and two weeks younger than my cousin, so every year we have that short grace period where we're the same age, and I thought it'd be fun to do that with this story. Sadly, she and I have never lived close enough to do anything fun together in those two weeks, but we always honor it somehow lol.
Also, sorry for the light transphobic backstory for Nodoka there. It's just what popped in my head when trying to come up with a reason she was so hell-bent on the man among men thing to actually seriously go through with the contract. SOMETHING had to trigger that zealotry, right?
Anyway, thanks for reading. I don't know when another chapter will spring out of me, but I appreciate the follows and reviews and such regardless.