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All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright
Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.
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Coutuva.
Goodbye Is Not Forever - Part Ten
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Ranma saw the teasing look on Nabiki's face as the girl
handed her yet another tissue, but didn't really care. The only
reason she was such a teary-deary was that she had her daughter
back, and for that, she'd endure any indignity.
Just as she was exchanging another sodden smile with the
similarly-afflicted Kayoko, Himiko cleared her throat. "I...
Don't mean to seem like I'm rushing you, but I think we should
leave. There's too much chance of us being seen."
Ranma nodded. "Yeah - I guess. But how are we gonna do
that? It's broad daylight, and that lake would take forever to
get back to on foot."
"You just leave all that to me," Nabiki smiled, setting
a hand on her shoulder. "All I need is a phone, and about
fifteen minutes."
Ranma smirked. "Now why did I have a feeling you'd say
that?"
Himiko grinned. "Woman's intuition?"
Everyone else groaned.
Ranma, Kayoko and Himiko alike couldn't stop gaping out
the car windows. Below them sat the largest, most elegant house
any of them had ever seen, nestled at the edge of a cluster of
trees.
"Shimata... That's incredible, Nabs - who'd you have to
kill to get it?"
Nabiki smiled smugly. "Well, now that we're well out of
earshot, I guess I can tell you. There's a certain 'someone' in
the city government that owes me. I helped his daughter out of
a rather 'embarrassing' problem, and just collected on the
favour."
"Figured it had to be something like that."
Nabiki buffed her nails on her blouse. "Of course.
Anyway, first and foremost, there's nobody else around.
Otherwise, there's a small lake over that way, an onsen and deck
out back, and the house should be fully stocked. The 'gentleman'
that owns all this, by the way, was also the one that provided
the cube truck for moving the car, and I took the liberty of
getting him to ship some of our stuff here. I called Kasumi to
have her put it together, and it should be picked up soon."
Ranma shook her head. "Glad you're on my side."
"As well you should be."
Once Himiko maneuvered the car to the back yard and set
it down, Nabiki proudly led all of them to the foyer, and with
great ceremony, threw open the doors. From the moment they
stepped through the massive, engraved oak entry, silence ensued
as they wandered gaping through the cavernous home.
"Kuso, Nabs... This guy must be seriously loaded. I
ain't never seen anything this big," Ranma finally breathed, her
eyes still roaming the interior.
Kayoko, who stood beside her holding her hand, nodded an
incerdulous agreement.
"That, my dear Ranma, is the understatement of the year,"
Nabiki smiled, as she stepped closer. "Eight bedrooms, four
ensuite baths, master bath, steam room, fully equipped office,
kitchen big enough to feed a small army, sitting room,
electronics room, satellite, bigscreen... And the list goes on.
Welcome to my world," she grinned, with a flourish of her arm.
Ranma had to chuckle. "Now who's on drugs?"
Nabiki slid her a look. "You think I'm kidding?"
She blinked, then smirked. "Iya... And that's what
scares me."
A wry grin crossed Nabiki's face. "Good. And by the
way -- the best part... Is that we can stay here as long as we
want," she added quietly, as Ranma felt the hand now resting on
her shoulder tighten.
She returned a look - and a smile.
The two men standing outside the door exchanged looks,
then the one in front checked his clipboard. "Uhmm... Yeah,
I'm sure, lady. We're supposed to pick up some stuff for Nabiki
Tendou, and it was all supposed to be arranged."
"Well, Nabiki isn't here, and I don't know anything about
it," Akane reiterated, becoming annoyed.
The man sighed. "Look, lady. We're just following
orders. Is it here or not?"
"Oh! That's right! Come in, gentlemen - I'll go and get
them for you," Kasumi broke in, after she'd happened to pass by.
Akane was floored. "Neechan? You knew about this - and
you never told me?"
"Gomen... Nabiki called a short time ago, said everyone
was doing fine, and asked for some things to be packed. I didn't
have much time, so I guess I did neglect to tell you," she
indicated, heading toward the hall.
"So then why didn't they just come here and get it
themselves?"
"I'm afraid I don't know, Akane. Nabiki only said they
needed enough things for about a week."
"I'll bet," she huffed, a frown darkening her face.
"Uhm, Ma'am? We'd be glad to get the stuff ourselves,"
the first man smiled, as his eyes roamed Kasumi's apron-clad form.
"Oh, that would be wonderful. Please -- come this way,
and I can show you where they are," she smiled back, seeming to
Akane to be oblivious to the looks she was attracting.
"Too much time in the kitchen," she puffed, with a roll
of her eyes.
A few minutes later, the men had the few boxes arrayed
beside the gate, and one of them had left to reposition their
small truck. Akane, seeing the clipboard still in the remaining
man's hand, wandered out to 'talk' to him, intent on gleaning a
certain tidbit of information.
She arrived just as the truck backed up to the gate, and
the man stepped aside to let it.
"So where you guys taking all this stuff?" she asked,
trying to sound as if she was just curious.
"Just to the shipper. We ain't got no idea where it's
going from there," the man responded, but the edginess of his
reply gave her reason to think otherwise.
"Hunh. That's weird. Nabiki doesn't usually trust
shippers."
"Look, lady. Don't ask me. I'm just following orders,"
he grumped, then tossed the clipboard into the truck cab.
"Yeah. So you said," she countered, then waited until
he walked past her. When he climbed into the back and started
to strap down a box, she sidled up to the window and looked in.
To her amazement, the clipboard was face up on the seat, with
the address plainly visible on an otherwise blank page.
"Arigato!" she sang to herself, then casually walked
back into the house.
She had some packing of her own to do.
"Kuso, I never thought I'd be happy to see this again,"
Ranma puffed, looking over her freshly-completed coif. "I
guess it's true -- being a parent can turn you into a sucker, ne?"
"Why, Mom? I think it looks wonderful on you," her
daughter countered, stepping up behind her and regarding her
through the mirror.
She smirked. "Remind me to tell you about it sometime."
"I will - now that I can," Kayoko smiled, her eyes
shimmering briefly.
Ranma looked back at her for a moment, then puffed and
shook her head. "Shimata... Even though I know why, this is
still so weird. My daughter is damned-near as old as me."
Kayoko chuckled. "Look at it this way, Mom... Can you
imagine me introducing you as my mother?" she remarked, as she
moved her grinning face down into the mirror.
Ranma felt her chest tighten. "Hai - I'd be honoured,"
she breathed, as she reached up and cupped her daughter's flushing
cheek, bringing their faces together.
"Wow, Ranma -- you look like a real girl," Nabiki broke
in, as she leaned in the doorway.
"Yeah! I'd never know - if I didn't already," Himiko
added, stepping around Nabiki.
"Okay, you two. That's more than enough. I only agreed
to try it - not keep it."
"It'll look better when I can get to some decent brushes.
This 'benefactor' of yours doesn't have anything," Kayoko fretted,
making some last minute adjustments with her fingers.
"He's a divorced man - and his daughter hates the place.
What do you expect?" Nabiki responded, walking up behind Ranma
and teasing at her hair. "Nice job though -- almost as good as
last time."
Ranma smirked. "That why you blew off a roll of film?"
Nabiki's only response was a telling smile.
Kayoko, meantime, stood back and smiled emotionally.
"Well, I'm not the best hairstylist, but after I saw how
beautiful she looked in the pictures I found, I couldn't handle
that pigtail."
"I'd like to have seen them," Nabiki winked through the
mirror, then leaned from side to side assessingly. "Well, all
kidding aside, I really do think you look great."
Ranma huffed. "You guys are gonna drive me nuts," she
grumbled, then got up from the chair. Inwardly, however, she
wasn't bothered nearly as much as she made out. A quick smile
flew over her face as she realized that it was only because of
who'd done it.
"Well, it does look better on you, Ranma. At least as
long as you're in that form," Himiko seconded, a mischievous
look on her face.
"Just don't get too used to it," she returned, rolling
her eyes.
"I knew I should have brought a camera," Nabiki groaned,
earning another look.
"I'm glad you didn't. That's all we would have needed,"
Himiko countered, with a solemn shake of her head.
"Hai. I could just imagine how well it would go over
if there was ever a picture taken of Mom and I," Kayoko noted,
her eyes widening. "Then they'd be able to frame SGT!"
"Uhm, 'frame' SGT? What would they do that for?"
"If what I read about ever happens, everything from
blackmail to murder."
Ranma felt herself go white.
Himiko gasped. "Ano... You don't by any chance mean
that 'Political Project', do you? I got wind of it, but about
all I know is that it depends on 'certain' work being done at
Doppelganger."
Kayoko drew a long sigh. "I do, and it definitely does,"
she opened, as she moved to the dressing chair and sat heavily.
"The purpose of this whole mess, in the very beginning, anyway,
was actually two-fold. First, they wanted to test the
'regulators', and use that project to create an 'Ultimate
Warrior', capable of carrying out coups, assassinations,
strategic attacks, terrorism... Whatever the 'powers' deemed
necessary," she began, her face darkening. "They knew all
about Mom and her curse, and that's what they based the whole
thing on. They went after my father because of his intelligence,
and hoped that between the two of them, they'd end up with a
highly intelligent, controllable soldier, with some level of Ki
manipulation ability."
Ranma's darkened. "Kuso..."
"Hai. According to the notes, I was the result, and a
far better one than they had expected. They found I have the
ability to channel an almost unlimited amount of Ki energy,
which far surpassed their original spec. That's when the focus
changed, and they decided to carry it a step further. Create
a 'force' of soldiers, and keep me around for further study.
It turned out that my 'regular examinations' - the ones they
said I needed because my capability could harm my body -- were
actually sampling and measuring sessions. They were trying to
clone me."
Ranma growled. "Chikusho. This is getting sicker by
the minute."
Kayoko nodded. "There's more. Originally, they weren't
going to come after you at all, fearful of unexpected peripheral
effects. But something happened - some major setback - and
that's when this idea hatched. 'Version One-A' of their plan
was to use one of the clones. It was supposed to be a way of
testing the clone, their ability to use the regulators to control
it, and eliminate you all in one operation. But then... I got
caught," she stated, her voice becoming quiet.
"Version One-B. Told you so," Nabiki quipped, with a
smug grin at Himiko. "They were probably running scared, too."
Himiko huffed. "So that's why the cloning. I knew about
it, but I couldn't connect it to any other projects... Even
though I had a lot of suspicions."
"I don't care what it's for. All I care about is
shutting it - and them - down. Permanently," Kayoko abruptly
glowered, her aura flaring to the point that it made Ranma wince.
"Hey, tone that down, Kay-chan... You're gonna wreck
the joint."
Kayoko gasped, then returned a sheepish look. "Gomen.
I... I can't control it that well."
Ranma blinked. "You were doing a pretty good job
before..."
Kayoko lowered her face -- and shook her head. "I've...
I've never been able to do more than you saw. I can create
energy blasts, I can fly, and I can put up a barrier - but that's
it. That's... That's why I was so afraid I was going to kill
you," she half-whispered, the aura still flaring.
"Oh, man -- then you and I got some serious work to do.
Okay. Consider this your first lesson," Ranma instructed, as
she stepped away from Himiko and Nabiki. "First, look up at me."
"Hai..." Kayoko responded, raising her eyes to meet Ranma's
own.
"Great. What you're doing now is only a 'battle aura', so
just close your eyes, and make yourself calm down. It's gonna be
an effort because of how much this stuff bugs you, but you can do
it. Go ahead," she laid out, putting up a smile.
Biting her lip, Kayoko complied.
Ranma watched her carefully, worried that frustration might
sabotage the effect.
Her fear, however, quickly became unfounded as the aura
began a consistent, even dissipation. Ranma had to smile.
"Waytago, Kay-chan! You're doing it," she encouraged, and
as Kayoko smiled in response, the aura faded more quickly. Another
moment, and it was gone.
"It worked!" Kayoko smiled, jumping from the chair and
catching Ranma in a celebratory hug. "Thanks, Mom! That was easy!"
Ranma had to wait until she could lean back out of the
smothering embrace to get enough room to nod. "Hai -- *that* was.
But, what we're gonna start doing sure won't be. You... Think
you're ready for it?"
Kayoko stepped back and nodded happily. "I couldn't be
more ready. You're teaching me."
Ranma huffed. "Flattery will get you everywhere," she
resigned, opening her arms again.
Nabiki chuckled. "Could only happen here. Most moms teach
their daughters how to run a house, but you? You teach yours the
fine art of mass destruction."
A smirk crossed Ranma's face as she stepped back from the
hug. "Hey -- quality time is quality time."
Kayoko grinned.
"And on that note, I could use your help to fix the car,
Nabiki-san... It'll give us something to do while these two
rearrange the landscape."
"Sure. What say we set lunch for about two? That should
give us enough time to actually accomplish something, and let me
find out what they left us for food."
"Great! C'mon Kay-chan - let's go get you started," Ranma
responded, taking her daughter's hand and starting toward the door.
Kayoko's face lit. "Hai, okaasan!"
As they departed, neither of them noticed Nabiki's small,
approving smile - but apparently, Himiko did. When Nabiki turned
back toward her, the woman was sporting an obviously knowing
smile.
"And just what is that all about?"
Himiko's response was concise. "I'll never tell," she
winked, then started for the door herself.
"We'll see about that," Nabiki smirked to herself, then
huffed and followed her out.
Akane walked along the sidewalk warily, hoping she
wouldn't be noticed. Even as she approached the corner to the
side street she sought, she took a look down it before going any
further.
"So far, so good," she mused aloud, noting the absence
of any familiar faces. She knew none of them had even been around
of late, but that didn't necessarily mean she was in the clear.
She lived in Nerima.
Satisfied for the moment, she continued along the street
and then into a certain yard. As she walked up the path, she saw
the front door of the house slide open, and her friend Aika step
out.
"Oi, Akane! That was fast. I went ahead pulled it out,
and set it beside the house for you. Want to see it?"
"Hai - I'm really glad you still had it. So what kind of
shape is it really in?"
"Uhmmm... I'm not all that sure. I haven't used it since
Dad bought the car," she girl confessed, with an apologetic shrug.
"Uh-oh... Do you think it'll run?"
"It should - it used to work great."
She was relieved, but not quite assured. "Okay... Let's
have a look at it," she suggested with a smile, gesturing for her
friend to lead off.
"So...? What do you need a scooter for? I thought you
liked to walk everywhere."
"Usually. But this time I have to take a long trip, and
the trains don't go anywhere near it. I'd rather not say where,
though -- there are people I don't want following me."
"Oh, okay! My lips are sealed!"
"Thanks, Aika-chan. Is that it?" Akane responded,
pointing to the older, well-used Honda scooter leaning against
the back of the building.
"Hai. That's it. I didn't try to start it, but it
has some gas in it. Want to try it out?"
"Might as well." With her sigh at the condition of the
machine concealed, she walked over and lifted it from the wall,
then stepped through it. She was glad to note that her friend
had at least wiped the seat off.
Balancing it with one foot, she snapped on the key and
gave it a kick.
The old motor belched a puff of smoke, coughed a few
times, then quit. Aika shrugged.
"It always did that if it sat for a while. Try again."
She tried not to roll her eyes.
Another kick, and the motor popped twice, then came to
life. Despite its initial complaints, Akane was impressed with
how smooth it actually did run. Just to make sure, she revved
it a few times, then kicked it into gear.
After a few wobbly circles around the uneven yard, she
brought it back over to her friend and rolled to a squeaky stop.
"I like it. If the brakes aren't as bad as they sound,
I think I would like to borrow it -- for a few days, if that's
all right."
"Sure! And the brakes must be just dirty -- it never
squeaked like that before, but it has been sitting for a while.
Tell you the truth, my Dad might even make you a good deal if you
want to keep it."
Akane smirked. "I'll have to think about that. Can I
leave it here to clean up and get ready? I want to leave
tomorrow morning, so if that's okay, I'll come back in about an
hour to get started."
"Sure! Want to stay for supper, then?"
She smiled. "Why not? I'm sure Kasumi won't mind, and I
could use the extra time. I want to be ready to go as early as
possible."
Her friend blinked. "Wow -- if you're that anxious, then
this must be something exciting."
Face sobering, she reached down and shut off the motor.
"It could be."
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END - Goodbye Is Not Forever - Part 10 A Ranma1/2 Fanfic by Coutuva
Comments Welcomed - Flames Extinguished!
coutuva@vecdev.com
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