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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 12
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The fog cleared slowly as Akane opened an eye, then blinked
it to encourage its twin. As they joined in coordinated focus, she
realized she was laid out on a plush couch, covered by a sumptuous
quilt, and quite alone.
She flipped the quilt off and sat up, taking a moment to
absorb her surroundings.
The room she was in was cavernous, and appointed with an
eclectic mix of antique and modern furniture. The glassy hardwood
floor reflected the light from too many windows to count, and all
about her were decorator touches that looked imported.
It reminded her of the western-style houses in Nabiki's
magazines, right down to the total lack of shoji.
"Figures," she huffed, wondering exactly what her sister
had bartered.
Sliding her legs out from the quilt, she toed the pair of
slippers she found and rose to look for signs of life.
Within a moment, she heard voices drift across the room,
and started toward the sound. She could hear her sister, Ranma's
girl form, and two others she didn't know, all engaged in a rather
animated discussion.
As she approached an open set of western-style patio doors,
the voices became clearer through the sheer drapes - and so did
the topic of discussion.
It didn't surprise her to find them discussing her, but
when she finally caught sight of them, she paused.
All four women were around a large wooden patio table, with
Ranma seated at one end, and the woman from the 'great escape' at
the other. Nabiki sat at Ranma's right, and the girl that had
blasted her hammer stood behind him, her hands on his shoulders.
The girl that was his daughter.
Even as that concept bounced around in her head, however,
she still looked the girl over carefully. She found that despite
her slightly gaijin features, the girl was very pretty. Her paler
than usual skin, statuesque height and piercing blue eyes gave her
a dominating appearance, but by her face, she looked to be very
gentle.
And very Saotome.
Akane felt her heart twist in her chest - for conflicting
reasons.
She could feel for Ranma's plight, but now, even more than
before, that sentiment was becoming overruled by revulsion - which
brought her to a sobering realization.
Her feelings were not because of his daughter - or even
how he'd managed to have her.
It was the fact that he could.
Until the stunning announcement a little over a year ago,
she'd always thought of him as a guy with a curse. And while the
curse itself had always made her uneasy, she always thought she
could have lived with it - once she'd whipped him into shape.
She'd never, ever imagined that the curse made him a real,
honest-to-goodness, 'fertile' girl, and in fact, had fought the
idea even after that shocking day.
But now, the evidence was just too real to ignore.
A frown darkened her face.
Despite how guilty - and even ashamed - her thoughts made
her feel, the alternative was even less appealing.
Which only made her feel worse.
A sigh escaped her as she considered those thoughts, her
gaze returning to the gathering. She happened to catch her
sister looking over at Ranma, and couldn't help but notice the
way the girl was doing it.
Instead of her usual detached, critical cool, Nabiki's
face bore concern -- and even affection. It was disguised, to be
certain, but it was there.
Her suspicions were confirmed.
With a last look out at the gathering, she stepped back,
drew a cleansing breath and straightened her clothes.
She had something to do.
Ranma meshed her hands on the table and leveled her best
intimidating look at Himiko.
"I know, Himiko-san. But we can't just expect her to take
'we can't tell you anything' for an answer - she's gonna lose it."
Himiko was unaffected. "I'm sorry Ranma, but like I said,
she's going to have to."
"We're going to have to come up with something - as
impulsive as she is, she's not stupid, you know," Nabiki noted,
raising her eyebrows.
Kayoko frowned. "I don't like her, and I don't trust her.
I think we should just send her away without saying anything."
Ranma blinked, then turned and looked up. "Kay-chan?"
"Hai. There's something going on with her - I get the same
kind of sense from her that I did from my 'parents' - only in their
case, I thought it was because they had 'top secret' work they
couldn't tell me about," Kayoko explained, her frown deepening.
"But with her, whatever she's hiding is even more serious."
Nabiki smirked. "Do tell."
"As much as I wish I could, I can't do that. All I know
is that it influences her - and if it influences her to try
attacking you again, she'd better think twice. I'd love the
excuse."
Everyone else gasped. Kayoko was unrepentant.
"I'm sorry... But I'm sick to death of people messing
with my family," she glowered, as Ranma felt the hands on her
shoulders tighten. "And nobody will - as long as I can do
anything about it."
Ranma had to fight down a grimace at the wave of power
that washed over her.
"It's all right, Kay-chan..." she assured, reaching up to
put her own had atop Kayoko's. "I don't think anything will
happen."
Kayoko smiled. "I know nothing will," she winked, until
Himiko cleared her throat.
Ranma looked in the direction Himiko was, then did her
best to hide her surprise.
"How you doing, Akane?" she asked, carefully.
Kayoko's hands tightened again.
"Better... I guess I just needed a nap," Akane remarked,
then turned to Kayoko and meshed her hands in front of her legs.
"I want to apologize for how rude I was earlier, Hadridge-san. I
jumped to conclusions, and said some mean things. Please forgive
me," she stated earnestly, then bowed. "Gomen nasai."
"Ah - It's... Okay, Tendou-san," the flabbergasted girl
stammered, while everyone else shook their heads bewilderedly.
Akane, meantime, rose with a polite smile on her face.
"Thank you. Ranma, may I speak to you for a moment - alone?"
"Uh - yeah, sure..." she responded, starting to rise even
though Akane's demeanor was making her nervous.
Before she made it all the way up, however, Kayoko stepped
in front of her.
"You sure about this, Mom?"
She blinked, then nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure. This looks
important," she stated, with a glance at Akane.
"Okay... But I'll be watching," the girl finally
acquiesced, stepping back.
"I know you will," she winked, taking one of the girl's
hands. "I'll be fine."
Kayoko smiled, then nodded.
Ranma met her eyes for a moment, then turned to Akane.
"Okay, Akane... Let's go for a walk," she gestured, at which
Akane only nodded, then started for the deck steps.
A few moments later, as they walked across the yard,
Nabiki watched intently from the rail, her hands clamped tight on
the oak-stained cap.
"I'm worried, too..." Kayoko sighed, as she appeared at
the rail herself.
"Yeah..." Nabiki responded, not taking her eyes from the
pair - until she felt a hand settle over her own. She looked up,
only to see an assuring smile on Kayoko's face.
One began to grow on her own visage as she took in the
sight, then looked out at Ranma and sighed. A moment later, she
turned her back on the scene.
"I'm being baka, aren't I?"
Kayoko's smile widened. "Iya... That's not what I'd
call it."
"She's beautiful, Ranma... I imagine you must be proud
of her," Akane opened, hoping to keep things light.
Ranma looked surprised, but still smiled. "Hai - she
is, and I am. But I get the feeling that ain't what you want to
talk about."
She slid him a look. "You're right - it isn't. I... I
wanted to talk about us," she indicated, as factually as she
could manage.
Ranma's smile vanished. "I figured - even though up till
an hour ago, I didn't think there was an 'us' anymore," he noted,
an odd timbre to his voice.
She steadied herself. "I know... That was... Instinct,
I guess."
Ranma stopped in his tracks, gaping. "Nani?"
She blew out a breath. "Instinct. Habit - whatever.
But that's all it was," she stated, bracing for the reaction.
It didn't come. Instead, Ranma's hand landed on her
shoulder. She almost jumped out of her skin.
If he noticed, he didn't let on. "I'm glad, actually.
'Bout time the truth came out."
Now it was her turn to gape.
He noticed - and smiled. "I... I've been feeling the same
way, Akane. Ever since I knew I had a baby out there somewhere," he
sighed, his face sobering. "She... She kinda took over my life,"
he confessed, looking relieved.
It took her a moment to shake off her shock, but once
she did, she decided to run with the ball.
"So that was it. I knew there had to be something - you
shut off the whole world... Except for Nabiki."
Ranma's face darkened slightly. "Nabs has been good to
me, Akane... She helped me a lot through all this crap, and I
don't want you running her down."
As she shook her head, she had to fight down a satisfied
smirk. "Iya, Ranma... I think you two are perfect for each
other," she countered, the words coming more easily than she would
have expected them to -- especially when said with her tongue
clamped firmly in her teeth. "She can handle you as a girl - and
as a mother."
Ranma shook his head. "So you knew about her," he
smirked, then chuckled. "She doesn't think you do," he added,
then sobered. "So I guess that means you've made up your mind?"
She nodded, even though she couldn't believe he'd let the
dig pass uncountered.
"Hai. We might just as well say it - it's off. I don't
want it any more, and I don't think you do either."
"You're right... I guess I don't," Ranma huffed, then
his face softened. "Just so you know... I did - once."
She allowed herself to smile. "I know... I did, too.
So what are you going to do...? Marry her instead?"
He smiled wryly. "No comment."
She huffed. "I guess that's fair," she noted,
considering herself lucky. She'd expected a difficult, noisy,
and far more painful discussion, and was relieved that Ranma
hadn't wanted to push. That in itself convinced her that she was
doing the right thing.
"Well, I guess I should just head back home. There
doesn't seem to be any need for me to stay. I... Won't say
anything, Ranma - about any of this. That'll be entirely up
to you."
Ranma only rolled his eyes, then smiled appreciatively
and turned to gesture her toward the house. "Thanks, Akane...
For everything. I'm... I'm glad things... Worked out."
She found it surprisingly easy to return a genuine smile.
"So am I."
After Akane's unexpectedly hasty departure, Ranma walked
back onto the deck in silence. Amid a gauntlet of curious eyes,
she stepped up to Nabiki and nodded.
Nabiki stood up and took her hands, but the expression on
the girl's face indicated that she didn't quite understand.
Ranma responded with a weak smile, then pulled her into
a hug.
"She called it off," she stated, then sighed as she
nestled her face against Nabiki's chest.
Nabiki gasped, then brought her arms up.
"You... Going to be okay, Ranma?"
Ranma thought it over for a moment, then nodded.
"Yeah... I think so," she decided, tightening her hug.
"I really don't like this idea, Ranma... Especially not
in broad daylight," Himiko complained, as all of them buckled in.
"I know, but when we get where we're going, it'll be
dark there. And this... Is something I gotta do," she
responded, exchanging a hand squeeze and tiny smile with her
daughter.
"I understand that, but if anyone were to see us - either
here or there..."
"Don't worry, Himiko-san. Nobody will. This place is
at least a couple of hours from anyone else - and think of it
this way - it'll be a great test for the repair work," Nabiki
chimed in, at which Himiko shook her head.
"Wakatta... But I still think you're all crazy."
Nabiki huffed. "I'm sure of it," she deadpanned, at
which everyone had to chuckle.
Shortly after the trip began, Ranma noticed the look
Nabiki was trying not to give her. It was a combination of
curiousity and nervousness, which told her exactly what was
behind it.
She met the girl's dark brown eyes for a moment, then
took her hand and flashed a weak smile.
"He was my husband... And Kay-chan's father."
Nabiki gasped. "Kuso... I... I... Maaa," she sputtered,
her hand rising to her mouth.
She nodded sadly. "Hai. They... They kidnapped both of
us, stuck those things in our heads -- and made us live new lives.
We met, we dated... And eventually married. We had Kay-chan...
And that's when it all ended. They took her, then dumped us back
in our old lives," she recounted, her voice edged with bitterness.
Nabiki's hand tightened. "Shimata -- no wonder. That
must have been terrible."
She huffed. "Tell you the truth, Nabs... It's still
messin' with my head. I... I don't know how they did it, but
they..." she began, until her voice choked. After a hard
swallow, she forced herself to continue. "They made us fall in
love," she half-whispered, her head lowering.
Even before Nabiki could react, Himiko cleared her throat.
"Ranma... I don't think... That's possible."
She shuddered, then raised her head to rebut the
implication -- until Kayoko touched her shoulder.
"Then... Then that means you two really *were* in love.
That's so beautiful," she sniffed, then pulled her into an
emotional embrace. "I... I used to dream about that. I used to
wish... That you two really did love each other when... When
you had me," she sniffed, gradually dissolving in tears.
Ranma felt her heart twist. She knew there was no use
denying it now.
Bringing her arms up over her daughter's back, she puffed
a long sigh. "We were," she confessed, resting her head against
Kayoko's.
That was when she felt another hand on her shoulder. She
turned to see Nabiki looking over at her with moist eyes -- and
a small, heartfelt smile.
Ranma wasn't surprised at how silence reigned over the
remainder of the lengthy trip, as even she couldn't think of
anything more to say.
Nabiki fell asleep against her side, all the while
securely hugging her arm. Kayoko had settled against her other
one, leaving her feeling like a communal teddy bear.
Occasionally, however, Ranma would notice Himiko looking
back at them through the faceplate of one of her instruments, an
odd expression on her face. At times, it almost looked as if the
girl had something on her mind - something she'd really like to
say.
Ranma made a note of it, intent on taking it up when they
had a moment alone.
Just at that moment however, Himiko turned back toward
her. "Okay, Ranma... We're here. Where do you want me to set
down?"
"We are? Great! Oi, Kay-chan... Think you can do it?"
she smiled, as her daughter sat up.
"I think so..." she responded, then closed her eyes.
A few silent moments passed, after which a smile parted
the girl's face. "This way... But please go slow... It's hard
to be accurate," she instructed with a raised arm, her eyes
still closed.
"Hai, hai," Himiko agreed, swinging the car in the
requested direction.
"Okay... Now this way... But not too far."
"How's this?"
"A little more... Okay! Stop here. Can we land?" she
asked anxiously, opening her eyes and leaning forward in her seat.
Himiko flicked on the rest of the landing lights, and
looked out the window. "Iya - too many obstructions. You guys
want to just jump out? We're only about a meter up."
Ranma wasn't surprised to see her daughter look over at
her proddingly. "Sure, Himiko-san. Pop the door," she
acquiesced, opening her belts and grabbing a small bag.
A few moments later, she and her daughter were walking
away on manicured grass, following Kayoko's 'sense'.
"It's right here, Mom... Right near us," the girl
abruptly indicated, stopping in her tracks.
"Where...?" she began, only to catch sight of their
objective. Steeling herself, she looked over at Kayoko, then
stepped off the pathway.
After pausing to offer a quick prayer, she looked back
toward her daughter. "Kay-chan... I... I'd like you to meet
your father," she half choked, kneeling at the graveside.
====================================================================
END - Goodbye Is Not Forever - Part 12 A Ranma1/2 Fanfic by Coutuva
Comments Welcomed - Flames Extinguished!
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