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 9: Memories of family...
For what must've been the quietest and perhaps
most pleasant week since the return of Ranma and
Akane, the Nerima district settled down into quiet
routine. Akane and Nabiki had more or less
established an undeclared truce and neither had so
much as sniped at the either in all that time.
Accordingly, Kasumi didn't need quite so many lie
downs. Ranma and Kodachi were spending a lot of their
time together. Ryouko who was now staying with the
Kuno's also spent a lot of time sleeping over at the
Tendos. Well, at least as far as everyone else was
concerned. Of course Ranma knew better, after all
Akane kicked him out of her room every so often when
Ryouko dropped by and he'd started getting suspicious
when she'd sneak hot water bottles into her room. He
wasn't too happy about having to sleep alone, but
then again, he was getting used to it. He did promise
Kodachi after all. Nabiki and Tatewaki seemed to be
getting along no better. But she didn't lose her
temper at him more often than once a day now, and
both Soun and Kochou both felt very hopeful about the
future of their engagement.
Ryouga... or as everyone in the neighborhood
had come to know him (or rather her)... Ryouko, had
disappeared again. Lost, obviously. Akane wasn't too
worried. She'd bought him a global positioning
doohickey and a cell phone with international
coverage, so even though he wasn't there per se, she
could still reach him. She'd actually even used some
of her own money to buy the items, but then again,
she'd managed to talk the rather surprised dealer
into letting her have the phone connection free for
the first couple of weeks.
It was after this week that Nodoka Kuno had
dropped in on the dojo unexpectedly. It was largely
unexpected but Soun seemed to be ready for her and
had actually gone to the extent of putting on his
best gi as he greeted her at the door.
"Hello, Nodoka-san," Soun said gravely.
She bowed formally, "Hello, Tendo-san... are
you ready?"
"Yes. It seems that the year has gone by so
quickly..." he mused.
Nodoka nodded... then noticed Ranma and Akane
peeking at them from around the corner. There was a
bit of wry amusement in her eye, despite her
formality. "I believe, we have some eavesdroppers,
Soun."
Soun turned, and Akane ducked back quickly.
Ranma less alert to his father's movements was caught
like a deer in the headlights. He tsked quietly at
Ranma and said, "Well, son... If you're so curious
why don't you come with us? I think it's past time
you got a chance to meet your namesake..."
Ranma blinked as he emerged fully from around
the corner, Akane having taken the time to duck
around to the kitchen, "Erhm... what do you mean
dad?"
Nodoka nodded and gave him a gentle smile,
"Yes, I think you should come along as well..."
Before Ranma could muster up any sort of excuse
or a request for an explanation, he was already
ushered into the limo. Akane watched them leave
through the kitchen window, still curious.
"Kasumi," Akane asked, "What was that all
about?"
Kasumi looked up from her cooking and glanced
at the calendar, "Oh my, is it that day already?"
"What day?"
"Today is the death anniversary of one of
father's friends. He and Aunty Nodoka always visit
the grave today."
"Oh," Akane said.
- - -
The limo pulled into the gate of the graveyard
and Nodoka and Soun disembarked in grave silence.
Kodachi apparently had also come with them, and she
and Ranma had stepped out of the limo, following
their parents respecfully. Kodachi wore a formal,
conservative black dress and held Ranma's hand as
they wove their way through the graveyard's path. It
was a short walk until the four of them reached a
pair of graves. Ranma was burning with curiosity, but
the attitude of his father and Aunty Nodoka made him
defer his questioning for much later.
Ranma noticed a young woman tending to one of
the graves as they approached. She was beautiful in a
certain understated fashion, but there was a deep
sadness to her brown eyes. She had long brown hair,
tied off in a long ponytail and she was dressed in a
formal kimono.
She noticed Nodoka and Soun arriving and smiled
briefly, standing up from her washing of the grave
marker.
"It's good to see you again, Kuno-san, Tendo-
san..." the girl said bowing formally to her then to
Soun. Soun gave a nod and a small approving smile.
Nodoka returned her smile briefly, and said,
"It is good to see you again too, Ukyou-chan. I'm
sorry we're late."
"Its alright... I was just finishing with the
cleaning..." she noticed Kodachi standing off to the
side and favored her with a slight smile as well,
"Kodachi... I didn't expect to see you here."
"Mother invited me," Kodachi replied, smiling
back.
The girl, Ukyou gave Ranma an odd look... there
was something about him she couldn't quite place, but
he looked very familiar.
Nodoka placed the two bundles of flowers she'd
brought with her at each of the graves, as Soun
quietly busied himself with lighting the incense.
Kodachi and Ranma stood respectfully to one
side. Neither of them had much of an idea as to what
was going on, but there was a palpable feeling of
being asked to share something which had heretofore
been a very private affair. Before long, Nodoka knelt
before the slightly larger grave marker and the girl
knelt before the smaller one, both deep in prayer.
Soun stood next to Kodachi and Ranma, his head
bowed in silence. The young couple looked at each
other, then their companions, and after a moment,
bowed their head quietly as well.
Before long, Nodoka and Ukyou both stood up.
Nodoka caressed the grave marker one last time, a
tear trickling down her cheek as she did and said, "I
will see you next year, my darlings," before she
turned and walked away.
Soun nodded, also wiping away at his own tears,
"We'd best be going home."
Nodoka nodded and turned to Ukyou, "Would you
like a ride to the house?"
"No, ma'am. If you don't mind," Ukyou replied,
"I'd like to stay here for a little while. I'll
follow."
"Oh, alright then," Nodoka nodded.
"Um... mother, Mr. Tendo?" Kodachi asked.
"Yes?" the two asked simultaneously.
"Would it be alright if Ranma and I stayed a
little while? I can walk back to the house with
Ukyou, if she doesn't mind..." Kodachi said. Ukyou
stared a little at the boy again, as Ranma's name was
mentioned. Her face seemed pained."
Nodoka nodded, "Alright. But don't be too late
coming home. Your father will worry."
Kodachi gave her a small smile, "I've got Ranma
with me, it'll be okay."
Soun nodded, "Make sure you take good care of
her, son."
"Sure thing, dad," Ranma replied as Nodoka and
Soun walked back to the car.
Kodachi smiled a little at Ukyou, "You'll be
staying with us this weekend, Ukyou?"
Ukyou gave a small nod, "Yes. Just like every
year," she glanced at Ranma again who looked back at
her. Ranma also felt a little strange. There was
something odd about this girl which made him feel...
he wasn't certain. She was certainly attractive, but
it was more than that. There was something
comfortingly familiar about her.
"Um..." Ukyou glanced at the smaller grave,
then at Kodachi again, "I don't believe I got an
introduction..." as she looked at Ranma.
Kodachi for her part did not see to much amiss,
but she couldn't help but notice the looks the two
were exchanging... she felt another brief stab of
jealousy as she often did when other women would look
at him but this seemed worse, because Ranma seemed to
be looking at her the same way...
"Oh, Ukyou Kuonji, this is Ranma Tendo,"
Kodachi said, gesturing to the two of them, she
entwined her arm with Ranma's, "My boyfriend."
"Oh," Ukyou said, looking faintly puzzled, and
perhaps a little jealous at the two. Then the name
hit her, "Ranma... Tendo..? I didn't know Mr. Tendo
had a son."
"Well, I've kind of been away for a while," he
looked at the graves, they were for a Genma
Saotome... and the smaller one was for a Ranma
Saotome. He gulped nervously, "So... this is the guy
dad named me after, huh, Ko-chan?"
Kodachi nodded, "I guess..."
Ukyou looked both puzzled once more, and
slightly relieved, "Named after?"
Kodachi smiled a little at Ukyou, "He was
adopted by the Tendo's, I guess after the Saotome's
died... Mr. Tendo named him after his best friend's
son, because he didn't know what his own name was..."
"Oh. I see," Ukyou nodded.
"Um..." Ranma ventured, "Were you related to
them?"
Ukyou seemed to sag a bit, "You could say
that... I... Ranma and I... I mean, Saotome... we
were best friends when we were little. I was engaged
to him."
"When you were six?" Ranma sputtered a little.
"Well, it was an arranged marriage of sorts,
but both of us wanted it." Ukyou added sadly.
"I see..." Kodachi nodded.
"Um... I still don't see though, why Aunty
Nodoka came along..." Ranma asked.
"Oh, didn't you know?" Ukyou said, "Genma
Saotome was Mrs. Kuno's first husband."
"I know she was Kodachi's stepmom, but I didn't
know she'd been married before..." Ranma blinked.
"I only found out about it recently, myself,"
Kodachi nodded.
Ukyou nodded and smiled a little, "Just let me
say a last prayer for Ran-chan... and I'll join you."
Kodachi and Ranma both nodded as Ukyou turned
back to the grave and began to pray silently once
more. Ranma felt mildly disturbed that the dead boy
had also been called Ran-chan by this girl... there
was something the kept nagging at him, which he
couldn't quite put to rest. Some feeling of nameless,
uncertain conviction that he'd met this girl
before...
Ukyou managed to control her breathing. Her
chest felt tight and she didn't know what was wrong
with her... there was something about the boy Kodachi
was with... something so incredibly... irresistible?
Was that the right word? She didn't know what it was
but his face kept flashing through her head...
especially those eyes... but she'd made a promise at
Ranma's grave when she'd first began to visit it,
years ago... she would have no one but him... she'd
resolved never to love anyone else... ever. But here
was another boy... named Ranma too... and there was
something about him... she felt torn and more than a
little disgusted at how she was betraying her Ran-
chan like this... and to make matters worse, the boy
already had a girlfriend... and it was Kodachi too,
one of the few friends she had... she chewed
thoughtfully on her lower lip as she tried to sort
her thoughts out and calm herself...
- - -
Ranma nodded and smiled at Ukyou, "So your
family does okonomiyaki?"
Ukyou nodded, "Yes. I'll be inheriting the
family business someday... but I usually help out at
the family restaurant after classes. Actually, that's
how I met the Saotomes."
"What do you mean?" Ranma asked.
"Well, every day, Ranma would challenge me,
we'd fight and if he beat me, he got to have his
okonomiyaki for free," Ukyou smiled wistfully.
"So the Saotome's did martial arts?" Ranma
asked.
Ukyou nodded, "Yes."
Kodachi finally came back, "Okay, I called home
and told mother not to hold dinner for us," she gave
a little chuckle and added, "And it would seem that
my bother has invited Nabiki to dinner."
The three of them were in a small local
restaurant. It wasn't anything particularly fancy,
but the food was good and the service wasn't bad.
They'd spent the past hour or so becoming better
acquainted. Ukyou and Kodachi had known each other
for years, but they usually met only once a year or
so, whenever Ukyou would stay the night at the Kuno
household, after her yearly visit to Ranma's grave.
Even then, more often than not, their conversation
was never anything particularly personal and they
hadn't known each very well before this day.
Ukyou and Ranma nodded to Kodachi at the same
time. There was something going on and Kodachi
couldn't quite put her finger on it. Ukyou and Ranma
had simply started talking as if they'd known each
other for years. They shared a lot of common
interests and to Kodachi's surprise, she found
herself being drawn into the conversation too. Yet
Ukyou seemed a little uncomfortable around him, and
would often flinch when Kodachi called him Ran-chan.
Ukyou smiled easily at Ranma, "So... I hope you
guys don't mind my asking, but have you guys known
each other long?"
Ranma smiled back then at Kodachi, who's lips
had been pursed slightly, "Well, we were playmates
back when we were a lot younger... we only got
serious recently," he noticed Kodachi's look and his
own face seemed mildly concerned, "Something
bothering you, Ko-chan?"
"Hmmm? Oh, nothing. Just lost in my thoughts I
guess," Kodachi replied.
Ukyou sighed, looking at the two of them, "You
know, you two are really lucky. I hope you remember
that."
Kodachi and Ranma both shot Ukyou a puzzled
expression.
"I mean... not everyone gets a chance at
love... and you two are obviously very happy," Ranma
and Kodachi both blushed slightly, but exchanged
glances.
Ukyou turned silent and looked at the table
uncomfortably, "A chance at love..." she murmured
softly.
Ranma reached a hand out to Ukyou, "Hey...
there, there... come on..." he gave Kodachi an
awkward glance his eyes begging for help.
"There's always second chances, Ukyou," Kodachi
said gently, "I mean look at my dad and my stepmom...
they were both pretty sure they'd never love anyone
else after their first marriages ended... but look at
them now. They're very happy together."
Ukyou glanced up at her two new friends, a
small brave smile on her lips, tears staining her
cheeks, "Yeah, I guess... but I've sworn on Ranma's
grave, I'd never forget him... ever," her voice was
intense, "I've raised myself to become the best bride
he could ever hope for... I wanted to be as perfect
for him as possible... to honor his memory."
Kodachi looked sympathetically at Ukyou, she
felt she had to say something to the girl... about
not living her life in the past, about not trying to
confuse the wishes of the six year old boy she loved,
and the man he could've been. There was a lot Kodachi
wanted to tell Ukyou, but it would've been very rude
to say such a thing. Especially to someone you
practically just met. Kodachi had no idea Ukyou still
held a torch for her long lost fiancé... her
stepmother's son... Kodachi wished she could say
more, but there really wasn't anything to be said.
Ranma looked worriedly at Ukyou... he didn't
understand why he was feeling this way, but something
about her was calling to him. He tried to fight the
feelings back by glancing at Kodachi, but while that
seemed to help a little, but another glance at Ukyou
just seemed to overwhelm it...
Ukyou took a deep breath, calming down
slightly. She dabbed at her tears with a napkin
sniffling slightly, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to do
that... it... it just happens to me sometimes. I just
start thinking about it... and I remember and the
next thing I know, I'm crying again..."
Ranma smiled weakly at her, doing his best not
to look, but at the same time unable to resist, "It's
okay..."
Kodachi caught his tone of voice and glanced at
him... her brow creased in a slight frown. She didn't
understand why he was acting like this towards Ukyou.
And she couldn't help getting a little jealous at how
Ranma was looking at the other girl. But then again
she couldn't really fault Ukyou either, who by the
looks of things wasn't at all interested in any man
but her dead fiancé... or was she? Kodachi sighed.
She had to give her boyfriend the benefit of the
doubt... that's part of what the relationship was
about right? Although if he did try anything he was
dead meat. Sweetness and light were all very good,
but she was a handy woman with a pair of gardening
shears.
"Would you like to see a photo of him?" Ukyou
asked.
Ranma nodded immediately. He was rather curious
about his namesake.
Ukyou reached into the sleeve of her kimono and
pulled out a wallet. She opened it to the only
picture which was there and passed it over to Ranma
and Kodachi to let them have a look.
It showed two children, about six years old
standing in front of an okonomiyaki cart. One was
dressed in a blue short coat and tights whose hair
was in a long ponytail, while the other was in an old
gi and had his hair tied off into a short pigtail.
They were holding hands and waving happily to the
camera. At first glance, it seemed to be two boys,
but a closer look at the child who was in the tights
showed features which would eventually blossom into
Ukyou's, but the boy... the boy... Kodachi reeled
back slightly in shock as he studied the photo. It
was surprisingly clear for its obvious age. By the
way it looked, it seemed as though Ukyou had kept
this picture near her all the time.
"That's the only photo I have of both of us,"
Ukyou said, smiling slightly. She pointed at the
child in tights, "That's me... and that's Ranma... my
Ranma."
Kodachi was struck dumb...
Ranma looked at her, "Ko-chan..? What's the
matter?"
That smiling face in the photo... she'd seen it
before.
Without another word, Kodachi reached a hand
into her purse and pulled out her own wallet. Unlike
Ukyou's, hers had quite a number of photos. Friends
and family. She flipped through the photos until she
found one in particular which had been taken nine
years ago... she took a nervous gulp and showed it to
them. It was impossible. It was incredible. She
couldn't believe it and couldn't bring herself to say
it.
The photo showed the Kuno family garden, and a
smiling seven year old Kodachi in a pretty black
dress. But next to her and holding her hand, dressed
in a child's version of formal clothes was an
uncomfortable looking boy who was tugging at his
collar impatiently. The face of the boy was almost
exactly like the boy in Ukyou's photograph. Right
down to the pigtail.
"Wha... that looks like..?" Ukyou started to
speak.
"This is a photo of me and Ranma... this
Ranma..." she added laying a hand on Ranma's
shoulder, "When the Tendo's first adopted him..."
Kodachi said in a flat tone.
Ranma blinked, "But... my picture looks exactly
like the other kid's picture! That's impossible! I
mean the other Ranma died right?!"
Ukyou stared at Ranma, her voice dead, "Mr.
Saotome and Ranma Saotome were sideswiped by a car
when we were on a seaside road... Mr. Saotome got hit
and died instantly... Ranma Saotome fell off the
side... into the sea. All we ever found was his
tattered gi..." her voice beginning to grow louder
and faster as she kept talking, "But we never found
his body... that grave we visited earlier is empty...
what if... he survived..."
Kodachi continued, "... and maybe got hit on
the head, so he didn't remember anything about
himself, but still knew martial arts, and wandered
around Japan until eventually he found his way to
Tokyo... then to Nerima... then to the Tendo Dojo..."
"That's crazy!" Ranma sputtered.
"No, but it all fits!" Kodachi said excitedly
to Ranma, "Ranma Saotome was a martial artist, like
you were when the Tendos found you... the timing and
the ages are right... and the photo's Ran-chan! The
photos! It's you!"
"But... but..." unbidden tears began to flow
down his cheeks, "You mean I know who my parents are
now? I'm... I'm not just some nameless orphan?"
Kodachi nodded and embraced him, happy for him,
her own eyes beginning to water in sympathy as well,
"And that means..." she gasped as she realized the
implications.
"Your step-mom is my real mother?!" Ranma
blurted out in shock as it occurred to him as well.
Ranma turned to look at Ukyou, whose eyes were
full of tears... she was visibly tense, but her eyes
were happy... without warning she suddenly lunged
across the table, embracing Ranma tightly, "It IS
you! It has to be! I've prayed! Oh, how I've prayed!
You're everything I hoped you would be!"
Ranma was beyond hearing, after all these years
he knew who he was now. He knew who his parents were
and he could be proud of his lineage... he hadn't
been abandoned, it had just been circumstances
outside his control.
He hugged Kodachi and Ukyou back tightly, not
thinking clearly anymore, laughing crying, sharing
the moment with both women. He kissed them both in
his happiness, first Kodachi then Ukyou. Kodachi
reeled from his kiss, not noticing he was doing the
same to Ukyou, who while she didn't faint, certainly
looked like she was ready to die happily in his arms.
Ranma realized little just how complicated his life
was about to become.
Especially when one considers that they were in
a public restaurant... and as is often the case, word
got around.
- - -
An hour later, at the Kuno mansion, Kodachi
walked into her mother's sitting room with a bounce
in her step. She was happy, both for Ranma and for
her stepmother...
Kodachi opened the door tentatively, "Mama?"
Nodoka sat in a rocking chair knitting
something idly. She saw her stepdaughter peeking into
the room and smiled slightly. Despite the bittersweet
memories the day had dragged up for her, she was
satisfied and happy with her life as it was. But she
was melancholy, as this day always made her.
"Oh, Kotchi," Nodoka greeted her as she stepped
the rest of the way in, "How was dinner with Ranma
and Ukyou?"
"It was fine mother," Kodachi replied, eager to
get the preliminaries out of the way, "Ukyou's
already asleep in the guest room, she was rather
exhausted."
Nodoka nodded absently, concentrating on her
knitting, Kodachi stood impatiently, trying to work
out precisely how she was going to tell her
stepmother...
"Um..."
"Nabiki and Tatchi seem to be getting along
very well nowadays," Nodoka spoke, "You were right,
Kotchi... they do seem to like each other."
"Ahh... that's wonderful, mama, but I need to
tell you something--" Kodachi began to say but was
interrupted.
"Kotchi... did I ever tell you why I was
opposed to the arranged marriage Soun and your father
tried to set up?" Nodoka asked, her hands busy.
"Um... no..." Kodachi, despite herself was
curious. She loved her stepmother dearly, but there
were times when Nodoka could be very tight lipped
about her reasons for things, and it was a rare day
when she explained herself to her daughter.
"There's two reasons actually," Nodoka said,
"The first was because my first husband, Genma,
engaged our son to Akane, for the continuation of the
Anything Goes School, even before they were born..."
Kodachi blinked in surprise, "Akane Tendo? You
never mentioned THAT."
"It was a rather moot point," Nodoka continued,
"I didn't find out about it until he'd died. But when
I look back on things... you see, Genma took my son
with him on a training journey when he was no more
than three years old... and he'd promised to return
with Ranma Saotome a man among men..."
"Three? That's horrible!" Kodachi said, feeling
sorry for Ranma.
Nodoka nodded, "I agreed to it, eventually,
but... I'd always worried that the reason he took our
son with him was to make sure that my son would be a
worthy groom for Akane... but they died before I ever
had a chance to see them again..." her voice sounded
bitter and hurt...
"That's horrible..." Kodachi murmured, then
remembered why she had come here in the first place,
"But..."
"The second reason," Nodoka continued, seeming
not to have heard Kodachi at all, "Is Ukyou."
"What does Ukyou have to do with anything?"
"Poor girl... she's so young, beautiful,
intelligent... I'm certain she could find a husband
easily, but she still mourns her fiancé... my son to
this day. She's dedicated her life to becoming his
perfect bride, even though he is gone. I've often
wished I could help her overcome it, but she refuses
to even think of other men, fearing that if she were
to be with someone else, she would forget him, and
that would be the greatest of betrayals," Nodoka
spoke slowly, her voice till pained by memories as
she spoke to her daughter, "Arranged marriages,
keeping these impossible standards, it warps people,
doesn't help them be who they wish to be or want to
be, but what they think other people wish of them...
I did not want such a thing forced on either you or
your brother, but since your brother does seem to be
genuinely fond of Nabiki, I think perhaps this could
work out for the best..." she gave Kodachi a gentle
smile.
"You seem to be getting along quite well with
Ranma yourself, so I hope that works out well too..."
her face broke into a pleasant grin, "I want plenty
of grandchildren you know."
Kodachi blushed beet red, "Mom! We haven't even
discussed that!"
Nodoka laughed slightly at her stepdaughter's
discomfort, "I'm only joking. I do hope you two will
wait til you've graduated from college."
"Yes, mama..." Kodachi smiled back.
"Was there something you wanted to talk to me
about, Kotchi? Here I've been prattling on and on..."
"Oh, it's alright mama, I have wonderful news!
Ranma is..." then she caught herself... Ranma... her
Ranma, Ranma Saotome... Ranma Tendo, whatever you
choose to call him was engaged to be married to
AKANE?!
"Yes dear? What is it about Ranma?" Nodoka
prodded.
"I'll... um... I'll get back to you on that in
a moment, mama... excuse me!" Kodachi managed to say
as she retreated. Ranma was engaged to Akane? His
sister? No, his adoptive sister... and to Ukyou...
and to her, provided Tatewaki and Nabiki don't work
out, but they seem to be doing alright, so... she was
terribly confused... on the other hand she was still
his girlfriend... so that gave her claim better
legitimacy right? Or did Akane's take precedence...
but she was his sister for goodness sake... and this
Ukyou girl who they knew very little about... she
need some expert help for this...
Kodachi poked her head quickly into the sitting
room once more, "Um... mom? I' going to go to the
Tendos for a little while okay? I just need to get
something from Akane..."
"Isn't it awfully late young lady?" Nodoka said
pointedly.
"I'll have Satsuke bring me in the car..."
"Alright, but don't take too long," Mrs. Kuno
said.
- - -
Ranma walked happily along the railing next to
the waterway on his way home. On the ground watching
him in confusion was Nabiki.
"So what're you so happy about?" Nabiki asked
him, slightly bemused, as he skipped over a railing
post, flipped to a handstand, then flipped forward,
back onto the railing, without breaking stride.
Ranma flashed a grin back at her, "Just got
some great news! I'll tell you... I'll tell everyone
about it when we get home."
They were already only a few blocks away from
the dojo when the pair spotted Akane slouched against
a lamppost, her arms folded and a rather annoyed
expression on her face.
Ranma leapt forward the last couple of feet,
snatching the surprised Akane up in his arms and
spinning her around laughing merrily, as he sent her
skirts flying. Akane blinked in surprise at him and
almost smiled back in return, his obvious joy seemed
quite infectious, but she'd spent the past couple of
hours building up a good head of annoyance.
Ranma continued grinning as Akane said sharply
to him, "Where've you been? If Nabiki hadn't called
the house to say that you two were going to be
walking home together, I'd still be worried sick!"
But not even Akane's sour expression could
begin to dent Ranma's mood, "Really sorry, sis. But I
guess I kinda lost track of time!"
Akane, undeterred, began to harangue him, "I
mean you're old enough to know how to use the phone
for goodness sake... will you put me down, you're
messing up my concentration here!"
Ranma merely grinned at her and spun her around
some more.
Nabiki stood near them, just outside the range
of Akane's helplessly flailing feet and gave a wry
smile, "He's been like this ever since we left the
Kunos..."
Akane reeled dizzily as Ranma spun them to a
stop. He still hadn't stopped smiling, which meant he
was really, really happy. She poked him sharply in
the chest, "Alright buster, spill your guts, what
happened?"
Ranma said, "Nah, I just got great news..."
Akane smirked, "So did Kodachi agree to sleep
with you already?"
Ranma sputtered, "Wha--? Where'd that come
from?!"
"Or it could be that new girl who's staying a
couple of days with the Kunos," Nabiki remarked half
idly.
Akane raised an eyebrow, "Really?" she snaked
her arms around Ranma's neck, "Is that it? You've got
another new girl, brother-dear?" she said in silken
tones, "Keep this up and I'm going to have to get
really jealous."
"Er... ahh..." Ranma tried to speak.
Nabiki flashed the pair a meaningful look,
"Hey, you two, stop that, we're outdoors... what'll
people say?" she sounded scandalized.
Akane winked back at her as she managed to free
herself of Ranma's limp grasp, "So, tell me sis...
what was this new girl like?"
"Well, she did seem kind of pretty," Nabiki
said in measured tones, "And she was hanging all over
him when they arrived. Kodachi didn't seem too
jealous come to think of it, which is really
strange..."
Akane smirked, "Oh, really?"
Nabiki nodded mock seriously.
Ranma managed to recover somewhat, "It's not
like that at all!"
"Do tell..." the two Tendo sisters said more or
less simultaneously.
"You know I liked it better when you two were
fighting," he grumbled.
The Tendo sisters exchanged glances, "Who?"
they asked simultaneously, "Us?"
"Fighting?" Akane asked, projecting obvious
scandal from her face.
"Wherever did you hear that from?" Nabiki
asked, feigning severe emotional distress.
"Har-de-har-har," Ranma grumbled back at them,
"What a pair of comediennes. I could bust a gut
laughing."
Akane and Nabiki both giggled at him as he
replied. Before their laughter had ended however, the
black limo of the Kuno family pulled up next to them
on the curb. The three Tendo siblings stared at it in
surprise...
The rear window opened and Kodachi popped her
head out, "Hi, guys!"
"Ko-chan?" Ranma said incredulously, "I thought
you were already home?"
"Yeah, but we need to talk about something...
um... privately." Kodachi said.
Ukyou also popped her head out of the opposite
window and waved to them, "Hello again, Ran-chan,"
she said sweetly.
Akane raised an eyebrow and Nabiki elbowed her
brother, "Well, well, well... quite the lady killer
aren't we, bro?"
"Is it about..." he left the last few words
hanging.
Kodachi nodded once and beckoned him over.
Ranma nodded back, confused and opened the
door.
"Hey, Kodachi... where are you taking him?"
Akane asked worriedly.
"We'll just drive around the block while we
talk..." Kodachi chewed her lower lip for a moment as
though considering things then nodded, "Akane would
you please come along as well? This concerns you
too..."
It was Nabiki's turn to be surprised... she had
no idea what this was about, but if she had to
guess... she's say it was that all of the women Ranma
had been sleeping with (she assumed this Ukyou person
had slept with Ranma, considering how physically
intimate she'd acted towards him those brief moments
before they'd left), and they had decided it was time
to figure out who got to sleep with him, when. Oddly
enough, the image that thought conjured up both
repulsed and amused her. Just as well she wasn't part
of that...
"I'll head on home and tell Kasumi you guys
might take a while, alright?" Nabiki waved to them.
"Er... right." Kodachi said, giving a small
worried smile, "See you."
Nabiki laughed to herself. Served him right for
having so many lovers... it certainly didn't shock
her as much as it used. She must be getting used to
them...
- - -
"Wait, wait, wait!" Ranma shouted, "Let me get
this straight. So you mean to tell me that my
girlfriend is my stepsister, which I already knew
about, and that my adopted sister is actually my
fiancé?!"
"Let's not forget your childhood friend who is
your real fiancé," Ukyou interjected.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, Ukyou,"
Kodachi said with a bit of an edge to her voice.
Akane was almost laughing, "This is too
incredible to believe."
"Sis, it's not funny!" Ranma snapped.
"It is from where I'm sitting," Akane said
doing her best to keep from sniggering.
Kodachi shot Akane a fierce look, "Don't tell
me you WANT to marry your brother!"
"No one's marrying him but me," Ukyou declared
flatly.
"Ukyou, one problem at a time, alright?"
Kodachi glared. She was beginning to get annoyed at
Ukyou's one track mind on this matter. She was also
getting annoyed at how Ukyou had her arms wrapped
around one of Ranma's arms, as though to make sure he
would never leave her side again.
"Um..." Ranma tried to say something, but was
interrupted by Akane as she gave a playful grin at
the other two girls in the vehicle.
"Well, I don't know... I mean I never really
considered him marriageable material, I mean he IS my
brother, adopted or not, but I really wouldn't mind
marrying him. I mean aside from his obvious sterling
qualities, he's a good kisser and he's very
considerate in bed. Wouldn't you agree Kodachi?"
"AKANE!" Ranma and Kodachi both shouted at her
scandalized.
Ukyou's jaw dropped in shock, "You mean you...
and..?"
"That's not what she means!" Ranma sputtered.
Ukyou's grip tightened on Ranma's bicep, "So
what DOES she mean, Ran-chan?" it was a tone Ranma
had long since learned to recognize as jealous female
glower number three. Usually reserved for the moments
just before violence occurs.
Kodachi was generally a very mild mannered
woman. It took a lot to set her on edge. Ukyou's
possessive streak towards Ranma was testing her
patience, "Look! Will you stop trying to look like
you own him?! He sleeps with his sister! Just that!
Sleep!"
Ukyou glared back at Kodachi, "I asked him, not
you, alright?"
"Well, I'm answering for him, alright?" Kodachi
snapped at Ukyou, "And would you kindly keep your
hands off my boyfriend?"
"Your boyfriend or not, he's my fiancé and you
keep YOUR hands off," Ukyou shot back.
Ranma squirmed uncomfortably as the two women
glared across his chest. As both high voltage gazes
met across his lap, the sparks flew and made it a
most uncomfortable and highly dangerous position to
be in. Across from the three of the, Akane lounged
easily, her feet entangled somewhat with Ranma as she
dominated the entire rear facing seat of the limo.
"Um... girls? Girls... this isn't really the
place or the time..." Ranma wondered how he was going
to get out of this one.
Akane clapped her hands loudly, calling their
attention, "People, people, settle down, there's more
than enough Ranma for everyone, I'm sure we can work
something out..."
This seemed to help calm everyone down, but the
metaphorical temperature between Kodachi and Ukyou
plummeted... or to put it another way, by all rights,
Ranma should've been flash frozen.
"First things first," Akane said, smiling
smugly, "Let's sort this little debacle out... girls,
let's be reasonable... you've both got my brother's
best interests at heart don't you?"
Kodachi and Ukyou traded glances once more
across Ranma's chest, but this was less a dagger
stare, and more a reasonable exchange. Despite
themselves, they couldn't help but notice the same
look behind one another's eyes. There was some basis
for understanding between them...
They both dropped their gazes to their laps and
both said meekly, "Yes."
"Good. Now, Ranma... do you still remember
Ukyou?" Akane asked.
"Um... yeah, bits and pieces... now that I know
who she is... plus some stuff about my dad too..."
Ranma said slowly, "But mostly I remember what it was
like when Ukyou and I used to play together..." he
smiled a little. Kodachi winced slightly, but forced
her face to be impassive. She remembered spending
long lazy afternoons with Ranma herself when she was
smaller...
"So you believe that she IS really your fiance
from when you were little?" Akane said.
"Erhm... I don't remember that!" Ranma said,
mildly embarassed at the thought, "But it sounds
kinda... possibly... like it's probably true..."
Akane forced a smile, "Well, bro... looks like
you've got a fiancé AND a girlfriend on the side."
"I am not on the side," Kodachi snapped
irritably.
Akane smiled pleasantly, "Alright, sorry. But
let me put it another way... Ranma, do you think you
could make a decision about who you'd rather be with
now?"
"Umm... ahh... err..."
"I'll take that as a 'no'," Akane said smugly,
"Now, I just hope you ladies can discuss this between
yourselves in a civilized manner."
Ukyou and Kodachi exchanged glances once more.
"I suppose we can do that," Ukyou conceded.
Kodachi merely nodded.
"Of course I expect to be told all the juicy
details," Akane grinned at them.
Ranma blinked as he realized something, "Hey!
Don't go blabbin about this in school! I've got a bad
enough reputation as is!"
Kodachi glanced at Ranma then at Akane, "She
wouldn't... would she?"
Akane fluttered her lashes innocently at her
brother, "Moi? Brother dear whatever would give you
the impression that I would spread something as...
interesting as this little bit of info around
campus."
"Cause I know you too well," Ranma replied.
Akane chuckled, "Alright, you got me."
"Name your price," Ranma said in grim voice.
Akane held up two fingers, "Two backrubs and
the next week's worth of cleaning out the dojo after
practice."
"Sold," Ranma grumbled.
Ukyou merely blinked.
"But we've still got the other situation..."
Kodachi interjected.
"And as for the other problem... look, Ko-chan,
you might be worrying yourself over nothing," Akane
said soothingly, "It's highly unlikely that your
stepmom... Ranma's mom... how weird that sounds..."
she murmured to herself, "Is going to uphold an
engagement between me and Ranma."
"I don't know... mama can be very progressive
sometimes... but other times, she's depressingly old
fashioned," Kodachi said doubtfully.
"Yes," Akane replied, holding up her finger as
she took a lecturing tone, "However, let's keep the
relevant facts in mind. You said that she mentioned
that she objects to arranged marriages on principle.
And there doesn't seem to be all that much point to
the marriage other than to originally unite the
original two Anything Goes Schools... which is now
going to be done with Tatewaki and Nabiki's
betrothal... do you see what I'm saying? I really
think she'd be so happy about finding out that her
son is still alive, this old stuff won't matter."
"I suppose you're right..." Kodachi conceded.
Ranma nodded, "And I want to tell Aunty Nodo...
I mean mom about me."
Ukyou smiled, "This sounds very good to me."
"Great," Akane said, sitting back and crossing
her arms, "Another problem solved. And we hardly had
to resort to a plan."
Ranma grumbled, "Yeah like your plans always
work..."
"Hey, it worked for Nabiki and Tatewaki," Akane
replied with a sly grin.
Kodachi and Ranma looked at her, "You're
kidding!" they said in unison.
"What about Nabiki and Tatewaki?" Ukyou asked.
"Sis had this allegedly brilliant plan that
would keep everyone happy and make sure that my other
sister Nabiki, and Kodachi's brother Tatewaki don't
have to marry against their will... I guess it kinda
flubbed out, cause we were expecting her to somehow
break the engagement of the two without making either
family too unhappy..." Ranma explained.
"Well, that's what I told them of course,"
Akane grinned, "I mean the way things are going now,
they're not going to marry against their will.
They'll probably be pretty happy to do so. I mean
they go out practically every night."
"You mean that was your plan all along?"
Kodachi asked incredulously.
"Of course! I throw myself at Tatewaki and make
Nabiki so jealous that she'd start seeing Tatewaki as
a potential significant other. You didn't REALLY
think I was interested in him did you?" Akane smiled
mockingly.
Ukyou blinked, "Wow, that does sound like a
good plan."
"Thank you," Akane winked at Ukyou.
"You've GOT to be kidding!" Ranma sputtered.
Akane shrugged negligently, "Believe what you
will," She mentally congratulated herself on being
able to maintain her reputation... it was just as
well... but somewhere... deep inside her, she
couldn't help but recoil at what she'd just said.
Kodachi called to the chauffeur, "Satsuke!
Kindly drive us back to the Kuno mansion... there is
something Ranma needs to speak to my mother about."
"As you wish Mistress Kodachi."
- - -
There are certain events in people's lives
which should by all rights remain private. Some
things better not shared with people not so close
us... Ranma's reunion with his mother was one such
event. Let's simply say it was very touching, and
heartfelt... and a great deal of very sincere emotion
was poured out... but it was an event reserved for
them.
- - -
end chapter 9
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