Love Letters from the Edge
A Ranma 1/2 Elseworlds by the Scriviner
Foreword:
What actually set off this story was an episode
of Kinyo Chui Ho Wapiko-chan, I saw a couple of
months back, where one of the characters hit her head
and had a long elaborate dream sequence where
everyone was acting the opposite of how they normally
acted. I figured it was a great idea for a fic... but
then I figured, it'd be more intriguing to see if I
could make a single change which would result in a
cascade of events which would lead to the resulting
opposite personalities/behavior in people.
In any case, rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi,
and I wouldn't dream of trying to steal em. C&C
always welcomed. And now... on with the story...
- - -
Chapter 4: Hints of the past...
By the end of the school day Ranma had had to
leave Akane behind. Actually Akane was busy chatting
with her new friends, trading gossip and learning
more about the ins and outs of Furinkan. As with any
new place there was so much she had to learn, and she
wanted to learn it as soon as possible.
So it was Kodachi and Ranma flanking Nabiki as
she opened her locker... inside, as she expected, was
a small neatly folded letter on stationery. Kodachi's
mouth quirked slightly as she saw the particular
paper... it was one she recognized...
"Is that it?" Ranma asked.
Nabiki nodded, a slight blush and a faint happy
smile on her face that she hadn't even realized was
there. "He still hasn't forgotten me."
Kodachi smiled gently at Nabiki, "Would you
mind if we see it after you?"
Nabiki blushed deeply, "I... well... no one
else knows about these... except Kasumi..." she
frowned slightly, "And if either of you tell anyone
else, I'll kill you."
Ranma gulped and nodded, "Sure, no problem."
Kodachi gave Ranma an approving nod, "Your
secret is safe."
Nabiki looked around to make certain no one
else was nearby, before she unfolded the paper. It
read,
My dearest Nabiki,
I witnessed the unfortunate spectacle this
morning. I am not dismayed. Only through trickery
could he have won, and in my eyes you are still
unbowed. This changes nothing of my feelings for you.
You are still my sweetest rose, my dearest heart,
nothing could change that. I apologize for the
brevity of yesterday's note, but with all of the
events of the previous day, I found difficulty
finding the time and a good locale to set brush to
paper, most especially with the sprinklers going on
full blast, but I endure despite and still.
All my love is yours. All my heart.
Nabiki sighed happily closing her eyes, "Now
THAT is a man..." she moaned softly.
Kodachi read over Nabiki's shoulder, "Wow...
this guy really likes you Nabiki..."
Ranma winced as he read it, "Girls like this
stuff?"
Kodachi rolled her eyes, "Yes, Ranma..."
Nabiki nodded to them, "Remember, it's our
secret, okay?"
Kodachi and Ranma nodded. Nabiki gave a
satisfied grin, slipping the note into her pocket,
"Well, let's pick up Akane and head home Ranma..."
"Sure thing, sis."
"Ahh... Nabiki, wait, Ranma promised to walk me
home, right, Ranma?" Kodachi smiled at him
meaningfully.
Ranma stared back at Kodachi puzzled. He'd
promised no such thing... "But..."
"Right?" Kodachi asked again with emphasis, her
eyes speaking volumes which, unfortunately, Ranma
wasn't reading.
"Er... sure... heh." Ranma smiled sheepishly.
He allowed himself to indulge idly in the thought
that Kodachi wanted to spend more time with him... he
blushed somewhat. Kodachi looked at his blush with
confusion... before noticing the intent and yet
hesitant look he was giving her, before she also
blushed.
Nabiki smiled at the two of them, "Well, it
definitely doesn't look like there are going to be
any complaints from you two if Tatewaki and I don't
go through with the engagement."
Ranma glanced at Kodachi, their blushes
worsening, "Not really," Kodachi replied, "You take
care, Nabiki."
"You too," Nabiki replied, waving to them as
they walked off, "Don't take too long, though Ranma,
I think Kasumi is cooking sukiyaki tonight."
Ranma walked quickly to keep up with Kodachi,
who currently had her arm intertwined with his.
Admittedly this drew some comment from the
rumormongers, but not as much as the titillation
afforded by the entire Nabiki/Kuno engagement.
"What?" Ranma finally managed to say once they
were out of Nabiki's earshot.
Kodachi whispered to Ranma, "I think I know who
her secret admirer is!"
"Wha..? How? Who?"
"I know that stationery... and I recognized the
handwriting, not to mention the style... and it's
rather obvious if she ever really thought about it,
but I guess she didn't. And he's in her class too...
it all fits!"
"Really? Who is it?"
"I... maybe I shouldn't say. Not until I'm
sure." Kodachi said finally.
"Er... right. So why grab me?"
"I do want to tell you, but it sounds so
ridiculous I want to make sure first," Kodachi
glanced up at the clock face, "Oh, I just remembered,
I have gymnastics practice in a while!"
"Does that mean, I can't walk you home? Should
I head after Nabiki?" Ranma asked, a little
disappointed.
She looked torn, "Well..."
"I can wait for you if you want." Ranma
offered.
"You wouldn't mind?"
"No prob, honest."
Kodachi smiled sweetly at him, "Thanks."
"Anytime," Ranma grinned.
They walked in silence towards the gym, still
holding hands.
Kodachi suddenly asked, "You know... you never
did tell me why you disappeared six years ago."
"Hmm?"
"You know..." Kodachi prodded, "Mom and dad
said you and Akane had run off on a training journey
by yourselves, but that sounded really strange. I
want to hear it from you.
Ranma sighed, "Well... you do know I'm adopted
right?"
Kodachi turned to stare at him, "You... you
are?"
Ranma turned to look at her in surprise, "You
didn't know? I thought you did."
"First I've heard of it," Kodachi sniffed,
"Didn't think I was important enough to tell it to?"
"I guess it just never came up." Ranma said
weakly, "I mean it's not exactly something you
mention right off the bat."
"I guess..." she conceded, "So you were an
orphan?"
"I don't really know," Ranma said sadly, "The
first really clear memory I have is..." he bit his
lower lip uncertainly, "This is kinda unpleasant to
talk about, maybe I should skip that..."
Kodachi pressed him, "Come on. You can tell me.
We always used to be able to tell each other
everything, right?"
"Okay... well, the first thing I remember
really clearly was rooting through the Tendo's
garbage."
Kodachi blinked as Ranma continued, "I think
I'd been living on the streets for a while already...
and it was one of those things I did to survive."
"How old were you then?" Kodachi asked
sympathetically.
"Around six or so," he replied, "Anyway... one
minute I'm thinking to myself I'd gotten a bonanza
cause there was some unfinished sushi in a carton and
the next thing I know, there's this girl challenging
me for rooting through their garbage."
"Challenged you?" Kodachi asked incredulously,
"Who was it? Nabiki?"
Ranma chuckled slightly at the memory, "No...
it was Akane. She used to have a pretty nasty temper
back then... and she's just finished training with
dad... so there I was, leftover sushi in my mouth,
and there's Akane in her gi and doing a stance. Dad
stepped out after a couple of minutes, and I was
sitting on Akane's head, eating the rest of the
leftovers."
Kodachi listened intently, her hand squeezing
his gently as they walked.
"Turns out dad had been watching the whole
thing and he was very impressed by my performance,"
Ranma smiled a little, "He invited me into the dojo
for a while... mom cleaned us both up and dad started
asking questions."
Ranma sighed, "Thing was, I couldn't remember
anything about my family or anything... Anyway, this
was before your dad started training in Anything
Goes... so I guess I'm not sure if it was because mom
felt sorry for me and wanted a son, or if it was
because dad decided I had a lot of potential and
could possibly be his heir... but they decided to
adopt me. I didn't know what my name was, so Dad
kinda decreed that I'd be named in honor of the son
of a friend of his who'd died a while back."
Kodachi nodded quietly, "I didn't realize. You
must've had a rough time before finding the Tendo
dojo."
Ranma looked distant for a moment, "I can sorta
vaguely recall sleeping in alleys and being hungry
all the time..."
"So what did this have to do with your running
away?" she asked gently.
"A couple of years after mom died, when Akane
and I were ten, I sort of started wondering what my
parents were like. You know, my biological ones... so
I decided to run away and find out who they were."
Kodachi looked surprised, "Weren't you happy
with Mr. Tendo and your sisters?"
"Oh I was... I was very happy. But I really,
really had to know... it's hard to explain what its
like... Dad wanted to groom me to be his successor
and all, and here I was I wasn't even sure about who
I really was, so it's all kinda... you know."
Kodachi squeezed his hand sympathetically once
more moving closer, "It's alright... you don't have
to say any more if you don't want to."
Ranma smiled fondly at Kodachi, "No... I do
want you to know. In any case, there's not much more
to tell... I was sneaking out of the house when Akane
caught me."
"Oh my..."
"Yeah," Ranma looked happy at the memory, "She
chewed me out about my stupid idea, then decided to
come along, since she was sure I wouldn't be able to
take care of myself outside... so we went off... and
now we're back."
"Did you find out anything?" Kodachi asked.
"Nothing. All dead ends. We were all over
Japan... most of the major cities... we even followed
a lead all the way to China, that didn't work out at
all."
"How did you two afford to go to China?"
Kodachi asked.
"We hitched a ride on a ship," Ranma grinned.
"Wow."
"Hey, here's the gym," Ranma said glancing up
at the doors.
"I'll be about an hour..." Kodachi looked at
Ranma for a moment, her eyes thoughtful, "Would..."
she blushed, "Would you like to watch me practice?"
Ranma nodded, "Sure."
Kodachi smiled at him and pulled him into the
gym. On the floor, was the rest of the gymnastics
team already practicing. The numerous girls, all
turned their attention on Ranma who could do nothing
but smile sheepishly, and hide behind Kodachi.
Kodachi turned to Ranma, "Better let my hand go
now, Ran-chan... I still need to change into my
leotard."
"A... a leotard?" Ranma asked hesitantly.
"Well you don't think I'm going to do
gymnastics in a skirt do you? You just sit down and
watch." She winked playfully at him, her hand
slipping out of his.
Ranma smiled nervously and sat down on the
floor as she ran off in the direction of the girl's
changing room. He glanced towards the other members
of the girl's gym team and noticed with some concern
that their full attention had been turned on him. And
they were all... smiling... and talking to one
another. For some reason he couldn't define... This
worried him even more than coming home did.
- - -
Kodachi hummed happily as she walked around the
garden, waiting for dinner. It had been a remarkably
lovely day and it was ending fairly well, or so she
though.
Without her realizing it, she'd plucked one of
the flowers and was in the process of plucking its
petals, complete with matching 'He loves me/loves me
not'.
She caught herself doing it, but not before
she'd plucked the last petal on an 'He loves me'. She
blinked in surprise at her own behavior and was about
to step into the house when her stepmother found her.
"Ko-chan... is that you?" Nodoka asked,
stepping out into the garden.
"Over here, mama." Kodachi called out, guiltily
hiding the stem behind her.
Nodoka smiled gently at Kodachi as she came
closer. Despite the weak light, the scattered rose
petals were rather hard to miss, "How are you, Ko-
chan?"
"I'm fine, mama." Kodachi smiled back.
"I heard from Sasuke that a young man walked
you home..." Nodoka smiled playfully.
"Oh... that was just Ranma, mama..." Kodachi
blushed.
Her stepmother laughed, "Just Ranma, you
say..?"
"Um... yes..."
"You two seem to be getting along well..."
Nodoka remarked.
"Oh... well... we're old friends... and we
haven't seen each other in so long... so it's only
natural we'd want to catch up, right?" Kodachi
answered uncomfortably.
"Nothing more?" Nodoka prodded gently.
"N... no... of course not..." Kodachi lied,
blushing furiously.
Nodoka looked thoughtful, "Pity... I was going
to see if I could persuade your father and Soun to
give up on Nabiki and Tatewaki... it only seems to be
aggravating the two of them... I do not want either
of them getting hurt... and you and Ranma seem to be
getting along so well..."
Kodachi looked at her stepmother in surprise,
then replied, "Um... perhaps you shouldn't, mama..."
"Why not?"
"Well... I know it may not look like it at
all... but I think they like each other..."
Nodoka looked incredulously at Kodachi,
"Honestly?"
Kodachi nodded in reply, "Yes... I really think
so. And if you just give them a little time to
realize it, everything will be fine... but unless
this thing sort of forces them together, I don't
think they're going to work it out." Nodoka
smiled, "I see... but if you think that there's any
chance for your brother and Nabiki... well, alright."
Kodachi nodded to her mother, "Mama... I'm
curious... why DID Papa keep you from knowing about
the engagement?"
"Oh... that..." Nodoka looked thoughtful and
sighed, "Before I married your father... I was
married to someone else..."
Kodachi looked at her stepmother, "You never
mentioned that before..."
"It never really came up before," Nodoka
smiled, "Regardless... he was a martial artist too...
like your father is now... it's a little difficult to
talk about..." she looked off into the distance, a
tear evident out of the corner of one eye...
Kodachi put an arm around her stepmother's
shoulders, "It's okay mama... you don't need to tell
me..."
Nodoka smiled weakly at her daughter, "Thank
you, Ko-chan... but rest assured, if I'd known about
this entire matter beforehand, I never would've
allowed your father or Soun to go through with it."
Kodachi simply nodded quietly and hugged her
stepmother.
- - -
"I'm home!" Ranma called out as he stepped into
the house.
There was no response. Slightly worried, he
wandered a bit, listening for people. It was already
past eight and he was worried that perhaps people
would be worried about him... it had occured to him a
little late that perhaps he should have called, but
since it only occurred to him when he'd taken his
shoes off at the threshold, the point was somewhat
moot.
He could hear the television in the living
room... it sounded a bit like one of those trendy
drama things Akane liked. He poked his head around
the corner and called out, "Um... I'm home."
The lights were off and the only illumination
was coming from the television which was showing the
opening credits to 'Summer Love Contract', one of
Akane's favorites.
Akane glanced over her shoulder at him, "It's
about time," she said flatly.
"Sorry... I kind of lost track of time. Where
is everyone else?"
"Kasumi had a date... father apparently has
some sort of local business organization meeting and
Nabiki's out back in the dojo, as usual." Akane
muttered, turning her attention back to the TV.
Ranma glanced at her, he jumped over the sofa,
landing next to her, "You're upset."
She glared at him, "Oh, you think so? Where
were you?" she snapped the question out.
"Um... I was with Kodachi..."
"And you couldn't find a phone?" she said
nastily, "I've been worried sick about you!"
"Come on Akane..." Ranma said in a patient
tone, "It's not like when we were on the road...
we're home! It's safe here... I know how to take care
of myself and I'm not a child, you know."
Akane hmphed, turning away from him and
crossing her arms, "Well if you don't need me
anymore, that's fine."
"Oh come on, you know that's not going to
happen..." Ranma said quietly, putting his arms
around her.
Akane relented a little, melting into his arms.
She sighed, "Alright... you know I can't stay mad at
you for long... but next time, make sure you call
alright?"
"Sure thing." Ranma murmured.
Akane grinned a little, snuggling closer
against Ranma, "So how are you getting along with
Kodachi?"
"Mmm... not bad..."
"Meaning you're getting along pretty good,
huh?" Akane teased.
"Okay, we are," Ranma admitted with a small
smile.
A slight cross look passed across Akane's
features, "Really... I guess you two MUST be getting
along well if you're willing to leave me behind to
spend time with her."
Ranma stiffened, "Erhm... yeah... sorry about
that..."
Akane sniffed lightly, "I guess I'm just your
sister after all... nobody important..."
"Hey... where'd that come from?" Ranma demanded
feeling a bit put upon by Akane's mood.
"Nothing... nothing..." Akane said airily,
snuggling a little more against Ranma.
"You're jealous, aren't you?" Ranma asked
quietly, holding her closer.
"Of course not!" Akane turned in his embrace to
glare at him.
Ranma looked mildly back at her.
Akane deflated slightly, "Okay... a little."
"Awww..." Ranma leaned over, kissing her
forehead gently, "You know we can't spend all our
time together..."
"Yeah, but... I don't know... it looks like you
enjoy being with her more than me," Akane replied
weakly.
"Hey... none of that, Akane-chan!" Ranma smiled
playfully, "You know I love being with you... and
nobody's going to replace you. Ever."
Akane smiled a little, "I guess I was being a
little stupid," as she wrapped her arms around his
neck.
"Yup, you were." Ranma replied fondly.
Akane grinned playfully, "So when you're
cuddling up with her, will you be thinking of me?"
"I dunno... she's kinda better built for
cuddling than you are... you're too bony and flat-
chested..." Ranma grinned.
"Bony! Flat-chested!" Akane said in mock
outrage, "You don't complain in bed! You take that
back or I'm going to show you bony where it really
hurts!"
"Peace! Peace! Okay, I give up! I take it
back!" Ranma laughed, making surrendering gestures.
Akane gave him a look of mock exasperation, before,
ruffling his hair and turning her back to him to
watch the TV again.
Ranma stared blankly into space for a few
moments then laughed suddenly.
"What?" Akane asked, turning around in his arms
again.
"No, it's just that I was remembering
something... remember when you were dating Ryouga?"
Akane looked thoughtful, then her eyes lit up
in remembrance, "You were acting just as jealous!"
Ranma laughed, "Almost exactly the same..."
Akane grinned playfully at him, "Remember what
you did to apologize to me afterwards?"
Ranma lifted an eyebrow as Akane nodded, moving
closer against him, "Yes... you do remember, don't
you brother-dear? Since I'm the jealous party this
time, I guess I'd better apologize."
"Sounds good to me, Akane-chan..." Ranma
replied, licking his lips slightly.
There was a sudden strangled exclamation.
The two turned to see Nabiki, silhouetted by
the light, "Er... I'll... um... just go on
upstairs... you look like you two want some
privacy..." she choked.
Akane grinned at Nabiki playfully, "How long
have you been standing there?"
"Um... not very..."
"Long enough, though, huh?" Akane chuckled,
"Hey... you might want to join Ranma, I'm going to be
giving him plenty, there'll be enough left over for
you..."
Nabiki blurted, "Er... no! No... but thanks...
I'll be upstairs... don't mind me..." she added in a
mumble, "Um... try not to make too much noise..."
Ranma looked confused, "Noise..? Why would
there be noise..."
He and Akane only then glanced at their
positions, realizing that Akane was all but
straddling Ranma's lap and they were holding each
other rather closely... Nabiki shuddered a bit and
ducked around the corner.
Ranma looked at Akane, "You know we're totally
freaking her out don't you? She probably thinks we're
a pair of perverts."
Akane laughed, "I know I shouldn't, but she's
so much fun..."
Ranma sighed.
"So what flavor do you want your ice cream?"
Akane smiled.
"Same flavor I gave you when I apologized,"
Ranma replied.
"Chocolate marble it is, then." Akane grinned,
leaning down to kiss Ranma quickly on the lips before
turning to watch the TV, "I'll buy you some
tomorrow."
Ranma smiled as Akane made herself more
comfortable on his lap. It took him a moment to
realize something... "Hey, I hate soap operas! Why do
I have to watch this?!"
- - -
end chapter 4
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