16 . THE RETURN (alt end)
This is an ALTernate ENDing… and as you guess, this time, it ends well.
This chappy here is therefore an alternative to the dark chapters 14 & 15, and it starts some time after the end of chapter 13.
It was written for AgentDraakis, who hoped for a happy end. I was sorry to inform him/her that alas this fic' would finish dramatically… but I proposed him/her to write an alternate ending in which things took the right turn and concluded on a positive note.
So yeah, this one's foremost for you, AgentDraakis… but hey, don't sulk, all the others, uh : it's ALSO for you, guys ! ;)
N'JOY !
-/-
Cologne's eyes widened.
She stared intensely at the elderly customer who had just entered the Neko Hanten and was taken to a free table by Mousse.
NO, her eyes didn't betray her : it was really him !
She waited some more and, having regained her composure, made her way to the table and stopped beside the old man, who turned to look at her.
"Co… Cologne ?!" he asked, incredulous.
"It's me." simply replied Cologne with a small smile. "It's good to see you again after all these years, Hashitaka."
"The pleasure is shared, my dear. We have so much to talk about. How about sharing my table ? I invite you with pleasure. My treat !"
A smirk replaced her smile.
"You want to invite the owner of the restaurant ?"
His mouth half-opened.
"This is… YOUR restaurant, Cologne ?!"
This time, the smirk vanished to be replaced by a hearty laughter.
"Ah ah, yes indeed, Hashitaka : I opened this with my great granddaughter a few years ago, and it's having a fair success. So if one of us is to invite the other… it will be me, and with pleasure !"
The elderly man chuckled.
"You're still that generous, Cologne… Thank you very much ! But can I maybe offer you a drink or a dessert after my dinner ?"
She thought this over.
"Perhaps a cup of tea, then. And you'll tell me what has become of you all these years, alright ?"
His turn to smile.
"Certainly, certainly. I learned some very useful techniques, and I'm sure you'll be interested.
And something told her that she would indeed be…
-/-
After the closing time of Neko Hanten, Cologne invited Hashitaka to her place for an after-dinner liqueur and a pipe smoking, just like in the good old days.
As they enjoyed the delicious alcohol, and sent circles of smoke to the ceiling, the elderly man explained the elderly female what he had been up to these past years.
She listened intently and was impressed by the number of various techniques and teachings he had learned and perfected over time.
But her focus drastically increased when he mentioned…
"… an exhaustive teaching allowing to cure many human sicknesses, physical disabilities, mental disorders, fears and so on. It involves pressures of certain points on various body parts, but with much strength. I'm particularly pleased with this, as it enables me to help people get rid of their problems, and I love nothing more than helping others, as you probably remember."
"I do, and that honours you. Now, I'm very interested in that crucial teaching which allows one to resolve physical and mental issues. Do you think it could help cure someone who is affected by amnesia ?"
"Yes, it can help. Among the various problems that can be treated is indeed amnesia."
Then Cologne remembered something essential.
"A dear friend of mine has been stricken with an unusual form of amnesia : it affects both mind – memory, if you prefer – and body. It started with her memory forgetting always more and more, and then extended to her organism, affecting notably her legs, her digestive system… She once told her friends that her body "forgot", and they told me about it. So her amnesia has spread to her whole being, mind and body. Do you think it will be possible to do something for that special case ?"
Hashitaka was lost in thought for a short while.
"That's a really peculiar case you told me about. An amnesia that spreads to the body… that's something new. And quite worrying, to be honest." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Since this is something unusual, I can't guarantee that it will work… but the only way to find out is to try, isn't it ?"
He smiled at Cologne, who smiled back and nodded…
…and inwardly prayed that it would work !
-/-
Back at the Tendo house, the situation had deteriorated again, with Ranma now being affected by another issue.
"Ranma, be careful ! Your head ! BE CAREFUL !"
But Ranma still hit her head as Ryoga turned the corner : she had her head poking out, and Nabiki had tried to warn her… in vain !
"Mmmmmh… pain !" moaned the pigtailed girl, wincing.
"I called you out and told you to be careful, but you didn't hear me…" the "bobcut sister" explained.
Ranma didn't react, but that didn't surprise the other two, since the poor girl wasn't always responsive these days.
In fact, she was always less.
Nabiki followed Ryoga into the living room, where all had already gathered, and once the red-haired female was settled at the table…
"I hope it's not hurting too much ?" Nabiki asked Ranma, but without any reaction.
"What happened ?" asked Akane.
"She hit her head as we turned the corner." explained Ryoga, before checking on Ranma : "Nabiki was asking you if it didn't hurt too much. Is it ?"
The redhead was looking at the food on the table and didn't appear to have heard.
Akane touched her arm.
"Ranma, did you hear what Nabiki and Ryoga asked you ? Or were you daydreaming ?"
She made a sorry smile, knowing that her beloved's condition would continue to inescapably worsen, day after day.
Ranma frowned.
"Speag louder… can't hea you…"
"Louder ? But I'm just beside you ! How come you don't hear me ?"
"What ?" exclaimed the disabled female, turning her left ear to Akane. "Loude, please ! Hear nothig !"
The black-haired girl turned to look at her sisters, then at her father.
"She says she can't hear you while you're right in front of her ?!" wondered Soun.
"That's so strange…" added Kasumi.
Nabiki narrowed her eyes, pondered that weird behaviour for a minute, then got up and walked to Ranma, then kneeled in front of her and screamed as loud as she could :
"CAN YOU HEAR ME ?"
"Ah, this tibe, it's betta : I hear something. Almoss loud enough so I coud undastand."
Nabiki nodded – more for herself than for her vis-à-vis – then gave a panoramic look as she delivered her conclusion :
"Ranma-chan is becoming deaf. She can barely hear a thing. You saw it like me, right ? I screamed on top of my lungs… and she said it was "almost loud enough" to be understood ! My scream, to her, was close the normal voice level ! She's clearly losing her sense of hearing."
Akane clenched her teeth, out of frustration, and it was on angry tone that she reacted to the new issue :
"When will it stop ? But WHEN will it stop ? Can it even stop ?! CAN IT ?"
That's when the bell rang, and unbeknownst to them all, that sound announced an answer to Akane's question.
-/-
"Do you think it's going to work, Cologne ?" asked a cautious Akane after Hashitaka had finished explaining to the whole family the principle the specific teaching he had learned.
"There's only one way to find out, and you know which one…" she merely replied, and turning to her fellow elder : "Shall we start ?"
He silently approved with his head and, taking out an ancient scroll, he unfurled it, revealing the plate of a human body represented from the front, with many points indicated by arrows and numbers, and behind was drawn the back of that same body.
A second scroll was uncoiled, on which was a list of the same numbers followed by various elements : digestive system, respiratory system, nervous system, sight, hearing, touch… and so on.
The list was very long.
"As I said, this technique takes time to take effect. That's why only one problem can be solved at a time. It takes about a week for each situation to be fully reversed and the issue totally "eradicated". So we'll be able to heal your friend on a weekly basis, one week after the other. It's long, yes… but what matters is that it's efficient in the end. And I do hope it will be fully efficient !" explained Hashitaka.
"We'll take all the time needed to cure her. The most important is that she can be rid of all her problems. I hope your method will work…" Soun said, speaking his mind… but also somehow expressing everyone's thought.
"It has to work !" half-screamed Ryoga. "Because if it doesn't… then, what will we do ?"
"Perhaps you're our last hope…" pertinently observed Nabiki.
"I pray that it will work !" said Kasumi on an almost begging tone.
Hashitaka raised a finger.
"Which problem would you like to solve first ?" he inquired.
"Her deafness, please !" immediately requested Akane.
"Hum, Akane…" intervened Nabiki, "…Ranma-chan still vomits regularly, and as she doesn't take in much food, she has become lean, and might soon end up skinny. She really needs to eat more. She can rest until next week, she doesn't necessarily need to talk. The deafness can be dealt with next week. So I say we treat the digestive issue first."
She glanced around her, but nobody opposed her, so the question was settled.
Ranma was then asked to take off her top, so that her back was bare and could be examined by Hashitaka to apply his technique (but she kept her top in front of her chest, as she lay face down).
The old man studied carefully the two rolls, compared the back of the human body drawn there with the back of Ranma, and after some time, he put both hands in the same area of the redhead's back and, keeping one firm, he used the other to press a certain point with much strength… that made the girl give a yelp.
"There. Now you'll have to wait until next week, and in 7 days, the issue should have disappeared. Call Cologne to inform her if it worked. If so, we will both get back to treat another problem.
"Thank you ! Thank you so much, to both of you, for coming and helping !" Akane said as she bowed low.
"Hum… you need to wait and see if it's efficient… and if it is, THEN you can thank us !" remarked Cologne, concluding with a small smile.
-/-
The next days, the whole family noticed that Ranma vomited less, then no more… and that she simultaneously regained appetite, eating more, and with visible pleasure.
"It's working ! It's working !" joyously exclaimed Akane, who embraced Ranma and squeezed her tightly against her.
Her sisters were happy to see her happy, and all were even happier for poor Ranma, who really had it rough for many months now.
On the other hand, all were still forced to use pen and paper to communicate with her, and it was decided that the next issue to be treated would be her deafness.
Hashitaka and Cologne returned the following week, this time with Shampoo.
The venerable elder unfolded his 2 scrolls, found the spot related to hearing and later pressed it hard on Ranma's back, earning a new cry of pain…
…but, most importantly, positive results, as the hearing capacity of the pigtailed girl increased substantially over days, to finally return to normal 7 days later.
Motor function was among the most preoccupying issues, so it was taken care of immediately after. A pressure on the area of mobility, in the upper right back, led to Ranma's legs gradually regaining energy, day after day, until she could perfectly walk again on the seventh day.
Language was also a huge hinder in the girl's life, so it had to come next in the order of priorities.
Hashitaka found the spot related to language, in the lower left back, and did the needful, alas still briefly causing her pain, like each time… but given the very encouraging results, a temporary pain was worth it. And the young Saotome began making less mistakes as she spoke, pronouncing always more words correctly, until she expressed herself in a perfectly understandable way a week later.
Then came the turn of Ranma's incontinence.
The expert hands of the elder located the corresponding area and pressed it energetically. And 7 days later, the red-haired teen could say goodbye to diapers and didn't have any other "accident".
The last body issue to be dealt with, after about a month and a half of waiting, was the impossibility to revert to the male form. This time, the area that had to be triggered was related to organism evolution, a tiny, discreet spot on the nape, right under the hair. Not easy to find… but Hashitaka had developed a real dexterity regarding pressure points on the body, and he succeeded as well in this particularly delicate task.
This time though, there was no gradual change/ improvement over a week : Ranma really had to wait the full 7 days for the miracle to happen again. And boy, was he extremely pleased about finally regaining his original appearance !
-/-
Now that the body was "fixed", it was time to do the same for the mind.
It had all started with memory issues, it would all end with memory issues… disappearing.
This time, it was trickier to do, since the spot dealing with the memory was "nestled" between several other pressure points, next to the hip, and it wasn't evident to find the right area.
Ashitaka took more time than before to find the place, mostly because he didn't want to press the wrong point : because putting pressure on a body spot that didn't experience any problem could shatter the body balance and possibly create an issue where there was none.
His eyes were narrowed, and a drop of sweat rolled down his temple.
He finally stopped moving, remained totally still, closed his eyes… and pushed just as hard as usual, drawing an umpteenth cry of pain from Ranma, the first one he let out in his male form.
"Because the memory is more complex than the body, it takes more time for the treatment to take effect. It will therefore take two weeks instead of one, this time…" he informed the family.
And during the next fortnight, the pigtailed teenager gradually remembered more and more about his existence and those who were part of it.
First the names of the family members and friends…
…then the relationships between them…
… the feelings he had for them…
… the knowledge he had about various things and fields of life…
… the school stuff…
… all the past events of his life…
Everything was slowly pouring back into his brain, like a dry river bed suddenly receives a huge rush of water to return to its original condition of waterway (except that, for memories, it happened gradually and not all at once).
Ranma was becoming complete again.
He was regaining his identity, "finding himself again".
He was finally back.
-/-
"Do I really have to wear that blindfold ?"
"Oh yes, you do !"
"Okay, okay, but please be careful and make sure I don't trip or fall : I can't see a thing, so you're responsible of me, eh !"
"Alright, alright, don't fret, I'm a big girl and know how to take care of someone !"
But as she finished her sentence, she was smiling.
Akane was slowly guiding a blindfolded Ranma from his bedroom to the living room, and the tricky part was naturally… the stairs.
But as she had told him, she knew how to take care and he didn't stumble, not even once as she held him by the arm – just like a married couple, she thought... and smiled – and told him what he should do or avoid.
They arrived at the foot of the stairs without mishap, turned right to get to the living room, and after a few more seconds, they stopped.
"I'll remove the blindfold now" Akane told him.
Ranma heard a faint noise ahead… some whispers, he was sure of that.
Bah, it's probably just the whole family who-
His train of thought got interrupted as the blindfold fell, allowing him to see…
"SURPRIIIIIIISE !"
He couldn't believe his eyes !
Not only the family, but all his friends were here !
All the people who had witnessed his "downfall", at one point or another of that terrible misadventure, were gathered in this room, around the table, which was loaded with various kinds of food (the Neko Hanten and Okonomiyaki Ucchan's had brought some of it).
There were the Tendo's and Genma, of course, Ryoga (who had been a great support through those hard times), the Neko Hanten's (Cologne, Shampoo, Mousse) and Hashitaka, Ukyo, Hiroshi, Daisuke, Dr Tofu…
…and even Tatewaki Kuno and Mousse, those who used to be the most hostile to our (male) pigtailed hero, were present and smiled. And THAT was the second surprise of the day !
From the ceiling hung a large banner proclaiming : WELCOME BACK, RANMA !
"Have a seat, Ranma !" called out Soun, who hadn't been that pleased in a long time.
The hero of the day sat down and looked with wide eyes at all those present, who continued to smile at him.
"You're all here ?! Incredible ! If that's a dream, I don't want to wake up, ever !" he told them all in a somewhat funny voice.
And they all guffawed.
"So, Ranma-kun, how about making a little speech for us all ? We'd like to know what you thought of that strange misfortune of yours, and how you feel now !" required Nabiki.
He goggled at her.
"A… a speech ? Me ? I don't know how to… to make a speech !"
They all laughed heartily again.
But Nabiki didn't give up so easily.
"Oh, come oooon, Ranma-kun, you know you want to !"
New laughs.
The atmosphere had been horribly gloomy the past months, and just like the sun finally breaks through the clouds at some point, joy and happiness had finally reappeared in that house.
He scratched his head and couldn't help looking at Akane.
"Please ?" she said in such a cute voice that some sniggered again.
"Uh… alright. I'll try then. I mean, I'm alone against all of you, so…" Laughs. "It was… very hard. And if my body had failed more and more, I might not be here with you today."
This time, for sure, no laughter echoed in the living room.
"I can't believe I'm back to normal". He then immediately turned to Hashitaka and bowed. "Thank you so much, dear Master, for saving me. I owe you my health, both mental and physical."
The elderly man couldn't repress a chuckle.
"Oh, I'm not a Master at all. Only someone who has a certain knowledge, that's all. I'm delighted that this knowledge could be of help to you, and that you're "back on your feet", so to speak. Enjoy your life, young man !"
"I will. And thank you Cologne for addressing Hashitaka to me. If you hadn't thought about him to help me… I don't know what would have become of me ! Uh…"
He took a panoramic look around him, at all these persons who liked or loved him… or just bore with him (Kuno, Mousse) !
"I must thank you all for caring for helping me, worrying for me, caring for me, liking me, loving me. I owe you so much, guys ! Really ! Thank you, all of you, with all my heart ! I'm…"
He stopped and turned to the right, his blue locking with the brown of Akane.
"…happy !" he finished on an affectionate tone, earning a tender smile from her.
The smiles of Kodachi, Shampoo and Ukyo vanished.
"We're so happy that you're finally cured, dear Ranma !" gently said Kasumi.
"Yes, we are !" added Akane, obviously beaming.
He smiled at her, and after a few seconds, turned back to all… and sweatdropped when he noticed the expressions of his other suitors.
"Uh... eh eh… hum… Anyway, uh… how about eating all that food now ?"
It was a joyous, cheerful meal, with much chatter, laughter, with smiles, teases, pats in the back.
They all enjoyed themselves to the max, and ate a bit of everything with appetite.
It was really a beautiful day…
…until…
"Ranma ?" asked Akane.
He had stopped his gesture in mid-air, the chopsticks frozen in front of him.
"Ranma, what's wrong ?" insisted his fiancée.
He very slowly turned his head at her, it even seemed like slow motion.
His eyes looked empty, expressionless.
Confused.
His lips slowly parted.
"Who… who am I ? And who… who are you ?" he laboriously said, then looked at all of them in turn, in the now completely silent room, among goggling eyes. "Who… are you all ? Do we know each other ?"
Akane had the impression that her heart had stopped.
"No… oh no… not again…"
Wetness appeared at the corner of her eyes.
As he was watching her once more, he noticed it and used his finger to wipe away an incoming tear.
"Oh, don't cry. There's no reason for it, because…"
He turned back to the crowd intensely staring at him.
"… GOTCHA !" he exclaimed joyfully, sticking out his tongue.
They all frowned at him, teeth cringing, fists clenching, and although they all liked/loved him, and always would… right now, they were very upset, and all shouted together :
"RANMAAAAAAAAAA !"
THE EN D(bis)