A Ranma ½ Fanfic Matsunori Chapter 3 - What Child is This by Kris Thompson This is a work of fiction based on Rumiko Takahashi's 'Ranma Nibun no Ichi' a.k.a. Ranma ½ and was created for the author's personal enjoyment. Notice: This story is slightly on the 'lime' side, which suggests at sexual behavior, but it is not explicit. If this sort of stuff bothers you, DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER! You have been warned. *6 years later...* "Where *else* do you think she could be?" Nabiki asked Ranma over the phone. "I have no clue. I don't even know why she left! Six years, *six*! I've been looking for her for six years and still no trace of her. I don't know where else I can search on Japan." Ranma's voice came over the phone. "Hmmmmmmmmm..." Nabiki thought. Akane had been gone now for six years after she and Kasumi had found Ranma and her in bed together that fateful morning. Her little sister just didn't make sense sometimes. "Have you checked Negushii?" Nabiki asked. "No, it's my next place to look. I swear, I told Mother that day that I wasn't going to marry Akane for honour's sake, that I was going to marry her for love's sake. Honour doesn't mean bull shit if you don't love the person." Ranma said. "Well, I'll be going to Negushii. I'll call you when I get there, sis." Nabiki smiled. Ever since that day when Akane ran away, he had began to call she and Kasumi his sisters, even though he still wasn't married to Akane. He would have called Soun 'Dad', but he never got the chance, seeing how he died about two months after Akane had runaway. Akane had missed so much in just six years. While she herself hadn't married, Nabiki had attended Doctor Tofu and Kasumi's wedding, as had Ranma and both of his parents. "Okay, 'bro'. Just be careful, okay?" Nabiki asked. "Sure, no sweat. 'Careful' is my middle name! Bye." And with that, Ranma disconnected the phone. "I hope you find her, Ranma." Nabiki whispered. --------------- Ranma hung up the phone and headed off towards the small town of Negushii. When he entered a small park just inside the town limits across from several small businesses, he stopped to take a break. He glanced at a group of young boys who were playing what looked to be a game of keep-away with another small child who looked a couple of years younger than the other boys. "Ha-ha, Matsu! You can't get it! You're not tall enough... YET!" One boy taunted as he threw a red rubber ball to another boy who held it high enough so that the smaller boy couldn't get it. "Yeah, Matsu! You're just a BABY after all." The second boy said as he threw the ball to his friend. But his friend never caught it. "Huh?" The third boy said intelligently. "You boys should learn how to behave yourselves. Now get out of here." Ranma said, holding the red ball away from the older boys. "Hey, we're sorry mister! Let's go boys!" The first boy - their leader, Ranma guessed - yelled as the others retreated after him. Ranma turned back to the little boy and handed the ball back to him. "Here you go, mister. I hope they didn't bother you too badly." The little boy took the ball and looked up at Ranma with dark blue eyes. "Thanks. My name's Matsunori Shinoshi. Those boys always pick on me, just because I'm three years younger than them and I'm just a little shorter than them too." Matsunori showed how much height he lacked from being as tall as the other boys with his hands. "Oh really?" Ranma asked the boy. "Yeah, 'cause I'm learning martial arts and I'm pretty good too. My mom says I'll be as good as my dad someday." Matsunori stood proudly. "You know martial arts?" Ranma asked, curious. Matsunori smiled. "Yeah, and my mom knows some too, but she doesn't like to talk about how she learned." "Where is your mother anyways? Isn't she supposed to be watching you or something?" Ranma asked. The boy pointed over across the street at the row of shops. "Oh, she works over there, in that shop. I had to beg and beg her to let me play by myself today. She almost never let's me go by myself." "Well, how about I walk you back over there?" Ranma asked. "Sure! My mom would love to meet you!" Matsunori said. "Oh? And why is that?" Ranma asked the boy whose eyes seemed somewhat familiar. " 'Cause you're so neat!" Matsunori said with a smile. --------------- Akane Shinoshi began to pour several cups of coffee. 'Two cappuccinos for table number three. Then, one coffee, black for table number five...' She was so busy with her orders that she barely noticed when her son entered with some strange man. "Mom! Mom! I met this really cool friend!" her son announced to her. "That's nice sweet-heart. Give Mommy a minute and you can tell me all about him." Akane said as she attended her customers. She made her way back to the counter where her son was sitting at one of the stools. "Okay, Matsunori, now who is this new friend?" "Him." Matsunori pointed at the man who sat next to him. Akane's smile disappeared as she looked at the man. 'Ranma?' "Hi, I'm Ranma Saotome." the man said. Akane decided to play along. She thanked kami that she'd let her hair grow out; hopefully he wouldn't recognize her. "Ah, I'm Ms. Shinoshi, Matsunori's mother, if you haven't guessed. It is good to meet you." "And you as well, Ms. Shinoshi. I'm afraid that your son was being picked on in the park a few moments ago by a couple of older kids. I thought it would be wise to bring him over here." "Thank you. Mr. Saotome. I appreciate it." She smiled. He smiled and time seemed to stand still for a moment before... "Hey Shinoshi! Hurry up! You've still got tables eight and nine waiting for their orders!" Mrs. Keihachi yelled at Akane. "I'm coming!" She yelled to Mrs. Keihachi and looked over at Matsunori. "Honey, I want you to go home and wait until I get off in an hour, okay dear?" "But Mom..." the boy started. "No 'buts' mister. March yourself home now." Akane and Ranma watched as Matsunori jumped off of the stool and left out of the front door. She sighed. "Sorry about that. Thank you for everything, Mr. Saotome. I appreciate it." "Anytime. I'll be leaving now. Goodbye Ms. Shinoshi." And with that, Ranma left the coffee shop. Akane busied herself with her next orders, trying to keep her mind off of the man who came in who claimed to be Ranma. --------------- 'I know that was her!' Ranma said as he made his way to the nearest telephone and dailed the number Nabiki had given him. She picked up on the second ring. "Hello?" "Nabiki? This is Ranma." "Really? How's the lover's search going? Found any clues?" "Actually, yes. A very big clue." "Really?! Like what?!" That caught her attention. "Like Akane herself!" Ranma was so excited. He had searched for years trying to find his fiancée and here she was. "No you didn't!!!" "Yes, I did. But she's going under the name of 'Shinoshi'. You don't think she got married, do you?" Ranma asked, worry creeping into his voice. "I doubt it Ranma." Nabiki said. Ranma smiled. "Well, I'll talk to you later Nabiki." "Tell her I said 'hi' if you see her again." Nabiki joked. "See ya." "You too." and with that, Ranma hung up the phone. He needed to talk to Akane. They had a lot of unfinished business to sort out. He sighed. --------------- It was about 9 o'clock at the 'Shinoshi' home as Akane stood at the kitchen sink washing dishes when her son came in. "Mom, I got my bath." he said. Akane turned and smiled at him. "Did you get behind your ears?" Matsunori rolled his eyes. "*Yes*, Mom." "Good. Now, brush your teeth and get ready for bed. I'll be in to tuck you into bed in about five minutes." "But *Mom*..." "Matsunori, tomorrow you have school. You can't stay up at all hours of the night. Now hurry up." Akane told him "Okay fine." Five minutes later Akane entered her son's room. She smiled at all of the martial arts posters he had hung up on his walls. She knew he would be as good as Ranma one of these days. It was one of the many things he had gotten from him. "Mom, why are you sad?" Akane looked over at Matsunori. "What do you mean?" "You just look sad." She walked over and sat down on the edge of his bed and pulled the covers over him. "It's nothing sweetie. Come on, time for bed." "Mom, why didn't you tell Ranma your name today?" Matsunori inquired. Akane continued to tuck him in. "What do you mean? I told him my name." He sat up. "No! You didn't tell him your first name! Why? He told you his." Akane gently pushed him back down. "Son, it's time for bed. Now go to sleep." Akane looked towards the door as she heard a knock. She turned back to Matsunori. "Stay here and get some sleep." She leaned over and turned the light off and shut his door half way and walked to the living room where the person was knocking again. "Coming! I'm coming." She opened the door to find Ranma on the other side. "Ah... Mr. Saotome, how are you?" "Nabiki says hi." was all he said. Akane turned her head and bit her lip. "Ranma!" They both turned to see Matsunori rush over and hug Ranma. "Hey, kid, how are you doing? Isn't it past your bedtime?" Ranma asked the boy. "Yes, it is," Akane said as Ranma set her son on the floor. "Matsunori, go get some sleep, okay? No more playing tonight dear." "But, Mom," "Your mother and I have some things to discuss, Matsunori." Ranma said. The boy seemed fine with that and went to kissed his mother's cheek and walked slowly towards his room and shut the door. "May I ask why you left?" Ranma asked sitting down on the couch. Akane sat down across from him. "I left because you didn't love me, Ranma." "What?! What are you talkin' about, Akane? We had sex!" "Having 'sex' and 'making love' are two different things, Ranma. If what we did was just 'sex' then it was pretty meaningless. 'Making love' is what occurs between two people who love each other very much. If you can't tell the difference between them, then we have nothing to discuss." Ranma stood up and crossed the room to see a picture of Matsunori and Akane after what seemed to be a couple of weeks after the boy was born. "He's a cute kid." "Yeah, I know. His father was a very handsome man." Akane said, her voice distant. "So, who is this man?" Ranma asked, afraid of the answer. Akane gave him a puzzled look. " 'Man'?" "Yeah, Matsunori's father. Why isn't he here with you two?" "Oh," Akane stood up and walked over to where he stood. "I haven't seen him for six years." "Six years?" "Yeah." "Do you know where he is now?" Ranma asked. "Yes." "Where then?" Akane looked up at him, her eyes gazing at him sadly. "Right here in this room with me, Ranma." Ranma's heart began to pound. "You mean-" "Yes. You are Matsunori's father." "But- but why the name change? Why didn't you tell me?" Akane sighed. "I didn't find out until after I had left that I was pregnant, and if I had come back, I hate to think of what you mother would have done, and how stressful it would have been on Dad... and I didn't know if you wanted me back..." "Akane, I loved you - still love you. It wouldn't have mattered." She looked shocked. "You - you love me? But -" "What?" "The day after, you told you mother that you wouldn't marry me -" "For honour. I wasn't going to marry you for honour's sake, Akane. I was going to marry you because I loved you, if you'd have me." "Oh, Ranma, I'm so sorry. I didn't think." "If I didn't love you still, I'd be really upset with you." Ranma smiled. "Oh, Ranma," she smiled back as they hugged. He pulled her close and breathed in the scent of her hair, the feel of her arms around him. "Gods, how I've missed you the past six years." he whispered. "Did you really look for me all that time?" she asked. "All six years." he replied. She pulled away from him. "What's happened at home?" Ranma sat back down on the couch and motioned for her to sit next to him. "Well, Mom and Dad are getting along better, Kasumi and Tofu *finally* got married..." "What about Daddy? Was he excited that they got married?" Akane asked. Ranma looked down. "Um... he didn't get to be there, Akane." "What do you - he - he -" her eyes went wide. "Yes." She put her head in her hands as Ranma put an arm around her shoulders. She turned and leaned into him, crying on his chest. "I always thought that he would get better, that he would over come it... and I didn't even get to say... goodbye..." "Shhhhh... there wasn't anything you could have done, Akane." Ranma said soothingly. "But I didn't get to tell him that I love him or say goodbye..." Akane looked up at him. "And he never got to meet his grandson." Ranma looked down at his lover and smiled. "I'm sure that he knows. I'm sure he knows that you love him." She wrapped her arms around Ranma's neck and hugged him tightly. "I've missed you so much." "Do you still want to marry me?" Akane lay there on his chest for a moment. "Yes. It was awful these last couple of years, being without you. And Matsunori always wanted to know where his father was and if he was coming back." Ranma looked at her. "Well, now you can tell him that he has." He kissed her and smiled. "Oh and about that night; I did make love to you." Akane smiled and kissed him. Author's Notes Alrighty, well that pretty much wraps up the story. Oh, but don't think it ends there! There's still an epilogue to go. I hope you've enjoyed the story so far. If you liked it, email me! If you hated it, email me anyways! If you feel the need to flame me, shove a binder folder up your butt sideways and maybe that'll cure ya? Oh well, if that doesn't help, and you DO flame me, I will deal with it accordingly. ^_^ Signin' off! Krissy cartoonpaperclips@email.com www.geocities.com/kuroi_hoshi