[UY/Ranma/SisPri][FanFic] Lonely Souls - Part 1 (3/3)
pye...@gmail.com
"It's a very intensive one Onii-sama has to deal with," Sakuya nodded
as people stepped off the road train, now parked beside the Nerima JR
station.
"Really?" Ranma blinked. "'S funny. From what I've heard of him,
your brother didn't strike me much as a martial artist."
"Personally, I don't think Onii-chan thinks of himself as a martial
artist either, Ranma-san," Karen noted with a giggle. "But then
again, someone once told me that I'd never learn how to play the
piano."
Ranma's eyebrow arched. "You took it as a challenge?"
Karen flustered. "Somewhat."
Ranma chuckled. "Oh, there's nothin' wrong with that. After all,
I've taken loads of challenges in my lifetime. Some of them really
helped me a lot. And some were just . . . " She shook her head,
rolling her eyes.
"Dumb?" Rinrin asked.
"Stupid. Believe me, I couldn't even BEGIN to believe some of the
weird martial art forms I've run across since I came here. I mean,
could you honestly believe there's a Martial Arts Tea Ceremony out
there?"
"My stepfather told me about that," Haruka noted. "I mean, I
understand when people seek to turn daily activities into kata as a
way of disciplining oneself. After all, the great masters copied
forms from animal movements. But to transform a tea party into a
martial arts drill? It's utterly ridiculous!"
Sitting beside Marie, Michael perked, whining. Marie gazed on her
dog. "Michael, do you see Aniue-sama?"
"Ah! Onii-tama!"
Hearing Hinako's cry, eyes locked on the youngest of the sisters, and
then they focused on the gate. Sure enough, two young people in black
T-shirts and walking pants, both lugging backpacks, stepped through.
Instantly, their eyes locked on the road train. They headed over as
Hinako and Kaho ran up to embrace them. "Hey!" the young man -- given
his beard and moustache, Ranma was hard-pressed to recognise him as
the same Ataru she had seen in the picture at Tampopo's -- called out
as he scooped Hinako up. "How are you guys?!"
"Waaa! Onii-tama's beard tickles!" Hinako cried out.
She was then shifted onto one of Ataru's arms as the other sisters
came up to add their hugs and kisses. "Oh, we missed you two, Onii-
chan, Onee-chan!" Karen said. "How long were you in Sanctuary,
anyway?"
Mamoru gently stroked Ataru's sideburns. "Not that long by the looks
of it! How the heck did you grow a beard anyway, Anii?"
"A little accident I had . . . eh?" Ataru was quick to notice the
redhead standing by the road train. "Who . . .?"
"Ah!" Negako lowered Kaho to the ground before walking over.
Ranma tensed as Negako approached. On the road train, she had been
told Ataru had been training with an older sister. This had to be
her. But . . .! Her eyes narrowed as she tried to analyse the
latter's ki. What Ranma got in return was a bemused stare, not to
mention a ki-cloak that shrouded the latter like an Afghan burqua from
head to toe. Almost as effective as -- No! Even MORE so! -- the
Umisen-ken technique. Once the cloak was set, it was as if Negako
would be invisible if someone had blindfolded himself (or was blind)
and only depended on ki scanning to sense his surroundings.
By then, Ataru had come up, slipping off his backpack. Dropping that
to the ground by his feet, he offered his hand. "It's a wonder we
haven't met before, Saotome-san. I'm Moroboshi Ataru and this is my
sister Negako, Grandmaster of the Moroboshi-Hana Saikoo Jinseijitsu
Ninjitsu-ryuu."
Ranma jolted, staring at him for a second. Her eyes fell back on
Negako. *She's MUCH more than she seems, especially if he's calling
her the grandmaster of her Art!* echoed from somewhere deep inside the
transformed martial artist's mind before she caught herself. Grasping
his hand, she nodded. "Um, y-yeah! S-sorry about that! Pleased to
meetcha, Moroboshi-san . . . "
Then her eyes locked with his.
They froze. Time became meaningless as the panorama of emotions
one's eyes can reflect on viewers transformed into an open book for
them both. In what seemed an eternity, all the pain, suffering,
confusion, misunderstandings, dreams, nightmares, the loneliness -- it
is as if they, who had just met now, had actually known each other
since they were born. Another eternity flashed past, and then Ataru's
hand came up to encompass Ranma's. She reflected his action with her
own hand, their eyes never wavering from the other's.
You, too?
Yeah, me too.
I lost mine to a war.
I lost mine to something like that.
But you've got others.
Not like yours.
They're my family.
I'd like a family like that.
Friends can be family.
I can't consider what friends I've got left as family.
You're afraid they'll be hurt because of you.
So are you with your friends back home.
Are they my friends?
Even if you don't think so now, you still care for them.
So do you with the ones who love you.
I got no choice but to care. It goes beyond honour.
I understand that. Would you love them?
I can't see myself doing that. Not now, perhaps not ever.
But they disagree with you.
What do you think?
Life really sucks at times.
You damn hell got that right.
Want to be friends?
I can use a friend right about now.
So can I.
Can you tolerate my curse?
I'd call it a blessing.
It's not been much of a blessing to me.
Depends on how you take it in the long run.
I've come to understand that.
I'll try to help.
What about you? What happened?
It's still too soon to talk about it.
Sorry to hear that. But you can't keep it inside you.
Neither can you.
I don't think I've gone through the same amount you have.
We'll have to see about that I guess.
I guess we will.
Friends?
Friends.
"Onii-sama . . .?!"
They jolted, and then they noticed Ataru's sisters staring at them.
"Onii-tama, Onee-tama, are you okay?" Hinako asked.
Both noticed they were clasping hands. They took that in, and then
they drew back before Ataru placed a reassuring hand on Hinako's
shoulder. "It's okay, Hinako-chan. You just brought your Onii-tama a
new friend, that's all."
The youngest of the sisters cheered, waving her hands. "Yay! Hina
helped Onii-tama and Onee-tama become friends!"
Laughter filled the parking lot.
* * *
*Did you sense it?*
Chikage's eyes narrowed. *Yes. Their bond's growing stronger.*
*There are very firm blockages on Ranma's side preventing it from
forming correctly,* Negako telepathically mused as the other sisters
helped Ataru hoist backpacks onto the road train. *Tampopo was wise
to contact me about her. She needs a considerable amount of
assistance to that end.*
*Including her sense of self. She still thinks she's a boy.*
*Understandable. That is courtesy of Saotome Genma's most foolish
mistake when it came to training his so-called 'heir.'*
*I'm afraid to ask.*
*Do you like cats, Chikage?*
*Eh?! What do cats have to do with Ane-kun?*
*You would be very surprised.*
* * *
"Did that girl just call Moroboshi-sama . . .?"
"They ALL did, Young Mistress! Save for Saotome-sama, of course."
Ryooko sat back in her chair. "Kami-sama! I should've
realised . . .!"
She covered her mouth. "Blood-relations?" the driver wondered.
"On the father's side. That's why their birth records don't have a
father listed. They're illegitimate, but . . . " Her eyes narrowed
as all the implications sank in. "Oh, yes! It all makes sense now!
I can see why Moroboshi-sama chose to leave Tomobiki. If Onii-san got
wind of this . . . "
"Much less Moroboshi-sama's *ex*-parents?"
"Indeed," the heiress of the Mendou clan fortune replied. "As soon
as they head off, let's go home. I might want to visit Toranoseishin
Finances, but I want to do it without alerting Onii-san. Given how
much Moroboshi-sama's clearly changed, if my brother does something
foolish with those girls as a way of provoking Moroboshi-sama into a
fight, especially with Lum gone . . . "
"That's a frightening thought, Young Mistress."
"Yes. And it's best to see to it that does NOT happen."
"Hai!"
* * *
"Ataru-chan! You're back!"
"Hiya, Tampopo-chan!" Ataru grinned, hopping off the road train
before he shared an embrace with the proprietor of Nerima's newest
eatery a half-hour later. "Hai, I came back finally! You remember
Onee-chan, don't you?!"
"Indeed, I do!" Tampopo gently grasped Negako's hand and gave it a
firm squeeze. "Thanks for bringing him back in one piece, Negako-
san! I'd be put off if he didn't survive the tortures you planned for
him."
Negako lightly smiled. "It was required."
Ataru indicated his sisters, doing the introductions. Shirayuki
produced a wrapped box for the older chef containing rare spices and
food mixes the younger chef prepared for this occasion. Everyone then
headed inside as the Toranoseishin driver guided the road train into
an empty lot to get it out of traffic. As everyone sat down in three
conjoining booths, Tampopo and Ataru gazed on Ranma. "You were pretty
quick to pick up a new one after I left," he mused before staring with
exaggerated annoyance at their host. "Why?! Didn't I provide enough
entertainment for you when we were living in Tomobiki?!"
Laughter filled the room. "No. In many ways, Ranma-chan here's in
the same boat you were in back in Tomobiki," Tampopo replied as she
glanced in amusement at the transformed martial artist. "Usual, Ranma-
chan?"
Ranma nodded, taking her place at the counter. "Hai, please. And
make it quick so I can try to duck Ataru's verbal bombardments."
More laughter echoed from the others. Haruka and Kaho sat to both
sides of Ranma. Negako and Ataru placed themselves in the booths,
allowing the other sisters to surround them. Orders were made, and
then they relaxed. Ranma glanced at Negako. "So you're the
grandmaster of your Art, eh? I've never heard of Saikoo Jinseijitsu-
ryuu before. Is it an in-family sort of thing?"
"It is," Negako said. "Traditionally, only members of the Moroboshi
Clan may practice it. However, certain exceptions can be made in
special circumstances. Happoosai, for example. I taught him several
things when we first met in Sendai in the thirtieth year of Emperor
Mutsuhito. He used that to serve as the base for what he eventually
called 'Musabetsu Kakutou-ryuu.'"
Ranma's eyes widened as her mind did a calculation. The sisters
giggled. "Eighteen-ninety-two?! You don't look a day over twenty!
How . . .?!"
Sakuya smirked. "You wouldn't believe how old Onee-sama is."
Negako pointed to herself. "I do not recall the day the seed that
became my sentience was forged, but it was during the reign of Emperor
Mitsuhito. I myself became sentient in the twenty-ninth year of
Emperor Tomohito when my host at the time was forced to absorb an
entity like myself from the War Lord of the Hana Clan after he was
killed in a storm. When the two parts that became me merged as one, I
'woke up.' However, it was not until Ataru was in the sixth year of
being my latest host that I was given the body I have now."
"Are you some sort of kami?" Ranma wondered.
"You might think of Aneki here as Earth's first-ever non-corporeal
artificial intelligence. Though she was created by magic and
psionics, not any sort of computer technology," Rinrin provided with a
warning finger.
"Wow!" Ranma stared anew at Negako. "And you know Jijii?!"
"Yes, I do. I also know Kelun. How is she, anyway?"
"Um . . . well, she's okay, I guess. How'd you meet her?"
"Our clan is allied to the Nujiézú, though it has not, as yet, become
a blood-alliance. Kelun knew one of my previous hosts -- Ataru's
grandmother Nagaiwakai, to be exact -- for a very long time."
"Oh!" Ranma sensed that, by the looks on the sisters' faces,
Nagaiwakai was no longer among the living. "Sorry to hear that. If
you're going to stick around, I'm sure Jijii and the Elder would love
to see you again."
Negako seemed to smile. "Happy would be pleased to see me, I am more
than sure. Kelun would believe that Ataru had totally lost his mind
in allowing someone such as myself to have my freedom."
"Eh?"
"What Onee-chan's trying to say is that between the time she 'woke
up' and when she did get free of my head, she tried her damnedest to
get control of her host's body by whatever means possible," he said.
"But then again, should we be surprised? She was treated like a slave
when she was non-corporeal and . . . well, you know the history of the
American Civil War and how that started."
Ranma nodded. "Yeah, I can see that."
"Here we go, everyone!" Tampopo called out.
Everyone perked as the chef brought in a large tray. Along with the
beefbowls and other snacks was a kettle of hot water. "Here you go,
Ranma-chan," Tampopo declared. "I think you'd want to change back to
normal, eh?"
The chef handed the kettle to the martial artist before moving to
distribute the food to her other customers. "You're the greatest,
Tampopo-chan." Ranma scooped up the kettle, and then poised it over
herself.
People gaped in shock as Ranma seemed to grow forty centimetres and
gain twenty kilograms all at once. Mamoru whistled. "Whoa!"
"That's impossible!" Rinrin asserted.
"It's magic, Rinrin-chan. Very ancient magic at that. And yes, it
IS possible," Chikage corrected the young inventor.
"Kusun!"
Eyes locked on Aria. "Kusun!" The young Parisian stared wide-eyed at
Ranma, lips trembling as wild fear flashed in her amethyst eyes.
Seeing her panic, he paled, and then he grabbed a glass of cold water
on Tampopo's food tray. "Kusun!" Aria burbled as Ranma doused himself
with the water to transform back. She then glanced expectantly at
Aria. The young girl blinked before a calm smile crossed her face.
"Nee-ya." She beamed, reaching for a tablecloth so she could wipe
Ranma's hair clean. "Nee-ya is all wet."
Ranma lightly smiled. "Sorry about that, Aria-chan," she
apologised. "I didn't mean to freak you out when I changed."
Aria gazed on her nonplussed before she returned to her chair. Ranma
watched her, and then she gave Ataru a "What's with HER?!" look.
Ataru shook his head, shrugging in return. Seeing that, Ranma sighed
before blinking on feeling Tampopo's hand on her shoulder. She stared
at the chef, and then she nodded before scooping up her chopsticks to
dig in. "Itadakimasu!"
"Itadakimasu!" the others chimed.
* * *
"Gone?"
Cologne shuddered as she tried to focus in on the intensive ki
nexuses she initially perceived a half-hour before. Whoever,
WHATEVER, one of them were, it outstripped both her and Happoosai when
it came to experience, not to mention Ranma in potential. Trying to
keep track of it as she was monitoring lunch, the elder lost the trail
when it stopped near the Nerima train station.
What was worrisome was that whatever this newcomer was, she (the
Nujiézú elder believed the newcomer was female) was accompanied by a
man whose ki levels were on par, though his experience was minuscule.
Even more, Ranma had met them at the train station. As to what Ranma
was doing down by the station, Cologne had no idea. Then again, given
the sheer metamorphosis her "son-in-law" had experienced under
Tampopo's guidance over the last month, it was hard if not nearly
impossible to predict what was going through the poor lad's head.
A tired sigh escaped her. It was now QUITE obvious everyone's
pushing on Ranma was about to provoke an explosion at the level the
battle with Saffron unleashed. Thank the heavens Kasumi, Nabiki and
Happoosai had decided to back off and let the boy try to decide what
life he actually wanted to live. And Cologne couldn't disagree. The
time HAD come for Ranma to take control of his life. If it wasn't
worries about the fiancées, it was dealing with the effects of Genma's
training. If it wasn't trying to evolve a relationship with Nodoka,
it was worrying about when the next odd thing might come to challenge
Ranma.
Privately, Cologne concluded before the Mount Phoenix battle that
pushing for a marriage between Shampoo and Ranma was out of the
question. Regardless of the feelings he might have for the Tendou
girl, to force Ranma into the world of the Nujiézú would, after all he
had been through, be inhumane. Yes, Nujiézú laws were harsh and
tilted to uphold the female, but Cologne's native society wasn't as
absolutist as what the idiots running the "People's Republic" out of
Beijing's Zhongnáhai governed. There were escape valves built into
all the Nujiézú laws, even the combat-for-marriage and the Kiss of
Death laws.
Ranma needed them. Cologne knew Shampoo was too headstrong to accept
Ranma didn't want her as a wife. If Cologne spoke up against it these
days, however, Shampoo would charge on ahead. No, to deflect Shampoo
away required the help of the Council. Sadly, Mist's letter to
Shampoo showed that Cologne's fellow elders didn't appreciate the
danger bringing Ranma to the village could present. However, after
Ranma's victory over Saffron, she was confidant that even the
conservatives on the Council would go along with her reasoning.
After all, to actually bring in a potentially unstable male who had
killed an IMMORTAL of all things into the Nujiézú . . .?!
* * *
"Damn! I'm sorry about that, Ranma. I didn't realise Aria-chan
would find it so hard to accept seeing you as a guy."
"Hey, it's cool!" Both stood close to the washroom doors at the back
of the restaurant. "Though I gotta admit, I am curious about why she
freaked out THAT much. Doesn't she get out as much as possible or she
autistic?"
Ataru shook his head. "Oh, I don't think it's an actual medical
problem. Aria-chan's main problem is that she's been sheltered almost
all her life. Even when her parents left her behind at Welcome House
on the island, they left a governess behind to keep an eye on her.
Aria-chan's never done much in the way of normal kid things; her
governess won't allow it."
"She's spoiled, you mean?"
"Yeah, she is, but I do care for her, so I can make myself bend for
her." Ataru winked, holding up a finger as he grinned.
"I suppose I can do that, too," Ranma responded with a chuckle, and
then she sighed. "They're so beautiful, Ataru. You're really lucky,
you know."
Ataru rolled his eyes. "They're the lucky ones. They didn't have to
put up with Muchi or Kinshou while they were growing up."
"Yeah, Tampopo-chan told me about the crap they pulled on you. Shit,
it was like listening about a mirror version of my parents."
"Are they bad?"
Ranma smirked. "Well, when it comes to greed, Kinshou and Oyaji
probably came straight out of the same school." She knew not to
address that particular woman by the appellation "your mom" in front
of Ataru. "And given how much Tampopo-chan told me Muchi bends for
his wife . . . cripes, it's like Mom can be around Oyaji at times.
Though I think Mom's trying to be better."
"Well, maybe you'll get something out of it in the long run." Ataru
then blinked as Negako approached them. "Onee-chan?"
"Is there something wrong?" Ranma wondered.
Negako clasped her hands behind her back. "Ranma, would you consent
to having yourself temporarily locked as a woman today?"
Ranma's eyes went wide. Before a flat-out denial roared up her
throat, she paused. Why was she getting so angry? Negako had just
ASKED her about locking the curse in place, temporarily at that. She
hadn't done like Cologne or Herb had done in the past and FORCED a
lock on her. All she could do if she wanted to was say "no" in the
end. "Why do you want to do that?" she asked.
"For your convenience. And your safety." Negako seemed to smile.
"You have taken note of Aria's reaction to your transformation. I
sense Hinako and Kaho might want to 'experiment' with cold and hot
water to see you change, most likely for the fascination factor. And
I believe you would not wish to arouse Rinrin's curiosity in that
matter. She can be dogged in her determination to fully understand
something that defies all logical, scientific explanation."
"Oh, one of those types who doesn't believe in magic, huh?"
"Rinrin has her doubts." Negako then shrugged. "It is somewhat
surprising, given that Chikage is her half-sister."
"Right!" Ranma shuddered. "How can you do that?"
"You have some background energy from your exposure to the Chiisui-
ton and the Kaisui-fuu within you," the grandmaster explained. "What
I would do is use some ki to enhance the Chiisui-ton's influence to
the point where it would be no different than if you were just
splashed by water from it. When you wish the curse to revert to
'normal' mode, I take the energy away from you."
"Sounds simple," Ranma mused before she stared at Ataru. "Are Hinako-
chan and Kaho-chan gonna get upset if they splash me and I don't
change?"
"Let me worry about them," Ataru assured her.
* * *
"Akane-chan, are you alright?"
Akane sighed, gazing on Asano Sayuri and Tokoro Yuka, the two people
who had been the closest to her since the start of high school. They
were enjoying some fresh hamburgers courtesy of the district's lone
American hamburger yatai owner, Yamada Fred, in Hikarigaoka Park.
"Not really," she confessed.
"Is it because of Ranma?" Sayuri wondered.
The youngest Tendou nodded. "Yeah."
"What are you going to do, Akane-chan?" Yuka asked.
"Why don't you just dump him and get it over with, Akane-chan?!"
Sayuri proposed. Almost right from the beginning, she, who had
actually known Akane pretty much since kindergarten, hadn't really
approved of her friend's iinazuke. "After all, if he was damned
willing to say you weren't engaged to him anymore, it's obvious that
he really doesn't care for you."
Akane shook her head. "Th-that's not true. Ranma DOES care for me.
It's just that . . . " She paused, biting her lip before she sighed.
"He doesn't care for me like he did before this all started."
"What do you mean?" Yuka asked.
Akane explained what Ranma had told her, Ukyou and Shampoo the
previous night. Hearing that, the others blinked, exchanged a look,
and then they turned back to Akane. "Well, maybe he's got a point,
Akane-chan," Yuka mused. Unlike Sayuri, Yuka had always tried to keep
a more positive attitude when it came to discussing Akane's
relationship with Ranma. "I mean, given all the dumb things his
father did to him while they were on their training trip . . . well,
if it happened to me, I'd be ROYALLY pissed! And he said he didn't
want it to wind up with Ukyou and Shampoo becoming roonin and you
being engaged to Kunou or some other fool like that. That's a good
point . . . "
Sayuri shook her head. "Forget it! Ranma's being a typical man, no
different than Kunou. He doesn't care what Akane-chan feels
whatsoever. He doesn't care that everything he does -- Hell!
Everything he's DONE since he came here! -- has hurt her! Oh, no!
That's just not right!" she finished in a mock-gasp. "The whole
world's GOT to revolve around Mister Super-Macho Saotome Ranma! No
one else!" She then wagged her finger at Akane. "If you want to
really hang onto the guy, Akane-chan, you better assert yourself real
fast!"
Yuka nodded. "Yeah, you seemed able to do that beforehand."
"I don't think it'll work now," Akane admitted. "There's something
about the big fight at the doojou I didn't tell you about."
"Being?" Sayuri wondered.
Akane sighed. "When everyone got to fighting everyone else, Ranma
used his dad's Umisen-ken technique and ducked out. I went after
him. Found him on the bridge over the river where he normally goes to
when he wants to be alone. I told him no one was going to stop
fighting over him because it WAS him they were fighting for. And then
he said . . . " She paused. "He said that it was their problem now.
He didn't care what happened to them. We could've DIED for all he
cared at that point! And hearing that, I got angry . . . "
Sayuri nodded. "And you nailed him with your mallet, right?"
Akane nodded, the image of the incensed look Ranma gave her that day
flashing through her mind. "Yes. And the mallet exploded when it hit
his head, Sayuri-chan. He didn't feel it. Not at all."
The other girls' eyes widened. "No w-way," Yuka sputtered.
"You've always hurt him with that!" Sayuri asserted.
"It didn't affect him then," Akane noted. "And the LOOK he gave
me . . . " She shuddered, a chill warping through her. "Gods, I
never thought he'd ever get THAT angry at me!" She shook her head.
"For the first time, I was SCARED of him! I never felt that before
because of Ranma! I . . . "
Her voice failed, and then she threw up her hands helplessly. "Did
he try to hurt you, Akane-chan?" Sayuri wondered.
"No! He didn't! He . . . " Akane shook her head again before
looking down. "He just looked at me. Then he said 'Fine.' Then he
walked away. And that was the last time I saw him until he brought
Ukyou's yatai back."
"And that's when he said you weren't engaged to him anymore when you
called him a pervert, right?" Yuka asked.
"Yes. And that's when we also found out that he'd mastered Dad's
Demon Head and Ryouga-kun's Shishi Hookoodan attack . . . " Akane
sighed. "I couldn't believe it when I saw him do THAT! I never
thought Ranma of all people would feel depressed enough to use one of
THEM on Dad!"
"You m-mean he h-hit your f-father with a-a ki blast?!" Sayuri
stammered.
"Yes!"
"Why didn't your dad throw him out of the house?!" Yuka wondered.
"I think it's because Dad realises Ranma won't give him any more
chances. If he tries to throw Ranma out of the house, Ranma will walk
away from us once and for all. Ranma told Kasumi-neechan and Nabiki-
neechan that he didn't respect Dad anymore! I guess he sees Dad as
being no different than Uncle! He . . . " She shook her head.
"Would you believe he even called Dad a PIMP?!"
"You're kidding!" Yuka blurted.
"It's true! He says that Dad was a pimp because he was treating us
like his property, trying to sell us off to the highest bidder!"
Considering that, Yuka hummed. "Maybe he's right."
"Come ON!" Sayuri snapped. "Can't you see what's going on?! All
Saotome's trying to do is hurt Akane-chan by going after her dad!"
"Yeah, but don't you think pressing an arranged marriage between
Ranma and Akane-chan in spite of all the trouble they've had is
smart?! Especially now?! And Ranma IS trying to help Ukyou and
Shampoo, too. He respects what they're going through. Hell, I think
he's always respected that, but he didn't know what to do about it
until the wedding pretty forced the whole issue!"
Sayuri shook her head. Yuka pressed on, "And look what he's done.
He's found Ukyou's yatai, got it working again, and then he returned
it to her. He's earned money to help repair the house and pay back
the hospitality Akane-chan's family gave him. Hell, he even GAVE
Kasumi and Nabiki money so they can go to university without getting a
student loan! That's decent of him, don't you think?!" She then
shook her head. "It's not his fault that Ukyou's dad and Shampoo's
tribe are being a bunch of total lunkheads about this!"
"Oh?" Sayuri turned to stare at Akane. "Akane-chan, if Saotome gave
you five million yen to go to university, would you take it?"
"I . . . " Akane sighed. "I don't know. I mean, if he did it to
help me start my own life, I COULD understand it. Then again, Dad
might say he was buying his way out of the engagement. And . . . "
She shuddered. "What if Dad was right? If Ranma gave me money, would
I ever see him again? I . . . "
Akane shrugged. Sayuri sighed. "Akane-chan, you better do something
to put Saotome in his place sooner or later, or he's gonna leave you
high and dry and you'll get NOTHING to pay you back for all the crap
he's caused you!" She wagged her finger at her friend. "Trust me on
this one, girl! Don't let him get away with this! If you do, you'll
be the one hurt by it at the end!"
Akane gazed on her before slowly nodding.
* * *
"Hina's sorry."
A sniffing Hinako got a bemused smile from Ranma in the wake of the
former splashing the latter with hot water to see her transform into a
man. The others stood around her, Ataru keeping a supportive hand on
his youngest sister's shoulder. Aria handed Ranma a tablecloth to dry
herself. "It's okay, Hinako-chan," the martial artist replied as she
leaned down to stare into the young girl's eyes. "I know you're kinda
curious, but I just wasn't in the mood to get splashed again and
again. That REALLY gets tiring after a while. 'Sides," -- she
indicated Aria -- "Aria-chan didn't like it when she saw me change,
remember? Don't you want to keep your sister happy?"
Hinako gazed on her, and then she smiled, nodding. "What does it
feel like, anyway?" Rinrin wondered. "I mean, when you change?"
Ranma sighed as everyone else relaxed at the tables and booths. This
time, Aria sat closest to her. Hinako sat in Ataru's lap. "Well, I
dunno. It's really hard to describe and all that, but . . .!" She
paused. "When the water hits you, you just feel WRONG for a second.
Your sense of balance goes nuts 'cause the heavy parts of the body are
different between a guy and a girl. If you're in a fight, your
strength fades, but your speed picks up automatically because you're
in a lighter body that can move faster. Then . . . " She paused
again. "The wrongness fades and then you feel so RIGHT. That THIS is
the shape you should be in. And that's the scary part! At least it
was for me for a real long time, Rinrin-chan. But now . . . " She
shrugged.
"You just got used to it," Sakuya finished.
"Yeah! In fact . . . " Ranma impishly smiled. "I can get loads of
free ice cream and other snacks when I'm looking like this!"
"Aria likes ice cream."
"Ice cream! Ice cream!" Hinako chanted.
The others laughed. "So being a girl's not so bad in the end, eh?"
Mamoru wondered, crossing her hands behind her head.
Ranma sighed. "I dunno. I mean, I was born a boy. And for a long
time, Oyaji was on my case about actin' like a boy. Every time I
complained about something, he always said 'Stop acting like a whiny
girl! You're a man!'"
Rinrin sneered. "I haven't met him yet, but I hate him already!"
Karen shook her head. "You can say that again."
Mamoru laughed. "Hey, Anii! Why don't you tell Anee about what
Zephyrites do to jerks who abuse their children?"
Ranma stared at the young sportswoman. First Hinako, then Aria and
now Mamoru were calling her "big sister." Yeah, she looked like a
girl, but they knew of her curse even if Aria had a lot of trouble
trying to fully accept it. Why were they doing that? Even more, why
was she NOT raising a fit about it? Yes, if Aria looked on her as
"Nee-ya," that was okay. But still . . .
"Yeah, maybe Genma might actually benefit from facing Zephyrite
justice." Ataru smirked before his voice went cold. "For the few
seconds he'll remain alive once he's lead into the excommunication
chamber."
Ranma jolted. "Eh?!"
"On Zephyrus, child abuse and abandonment are considered serious
crimes, Ranma," Ataru explained. "Wilful child abuse is always
punished by death on that planet. Wilful child abandonment is treated
the same way. And trust me on this one, Ranma: Capital punishment --
it's called 'excommunication' there -- is not something for the faint-
hearted." He wagged his finger at her.
Ranma considered that before she chuckled. "Yeah, I guess if he
heard that, Oyaji might have cause to think. Then again . . . " She
scratched her cheek. "Thinking's never been his real strong suit."
The others laughed.
* * *
The party continued.
Ranma was apprised of the sisters' histories, interests and how they
reacted to learning they were related to Ataru. As the morning lead
into the afternoon, Ranma proposed a cooking contest between Tampopo
and Shirayuki. Sensing she was being good-natured about it, the chefs
readily agreed.
For fairness, Ranma and Negako were made the judges; Ataru didn't
want to be put into a position to judge between one of his half-
sisters and one of the few friends he had. Four dishes were
selected: Shrimp beefbowl, ramen, kalbit'ang and vegetable
okonomiyaki. To make it more interesting, all dishes were to be
prepared simultaneously. Tampopo would use her stove inside her
restaurant while Shirayuki would use the mobile kitchen. To ensure
the test wasn't disturbed, the CLOSED sign was hung on the door.
And they were off! Everyone remained quiet as Mamoru handled
timekeeping. The kalbit'ang would take the longest, about three hours
or so.
The ramen came first. Ranma was surprised to discover that Shirayuki
put in some cut red peppers to spice the broth. Tampopo's was more
traditional Hakata-style ramen, which did well to cool her mouth off.
Next was the beefbowl. Shirayuki fried her shrimp in sesame oil
while Tampopo used barbecue sauce and butter.
Sometime after came the okonomiyaki. Tampopo was a greens lover,
while Shirayuki made use of carrots, red peppers and sesame seeds in
the batter.
Finally, by the time the sun was setting past the mountains to the
west, the kalbit'ang was served. Shirayuki slipped in some clear
vermicelli noodles in her broth while Tampopo put in finely cut rice
cakes in hers.
Result?
Well, we'll let you guess.
* * *
"Yes, Ranma-kun, I understand! We'll see you tonight. 'Bye."
Kasumi hung up as Nabiki stepped into the sitting room. "What'd he
call about, Onee-chan?" the latter asked as she sat at the table.
"Ranma-kun won't be home until late tonight," Kasumi reported as she
relaxed by the table. "Turns out, he's made some friends today and he
wants to spend time with them. Some of them came up from an island in
the Sagami Sea to visit their brother and older sister. They'll be
staying in Nerima for a while. By the sounds of it, most of Ranma-
kun's new friends are girls."
Nabiki perked. "Really? Well, that's a switch! Are any of them
unknown fiancées Uncle hasn't bothered to tell us about yet?"
Kasumi smiled. "No, Ranma-kun made sure of that."
"What girls?"
Both turned to see Akane step into the sitting room. "Oh, Ranma-kun
called to tell us he won't be back until late tonight," Kasumi
repeated her report. "He's made some new friends, including some
girls he's met."
Akane sighed. "Oh? What sort of girls are we talking about here,
anyway?" She crossed her arms. "If they become more fiancées, maybe
we should take Ranma up on his suggestion and ask him to leave!"
Kasumi gasped, staring at her. "Akane! What was THAT about?!"
Akane shook her head as she headed to her room, not bothering to
answer. Kasumi and Nabiki watched her go before exchanging a look.
"I think Asano and Tokoro were pouring things into our sister's mind
today," the latter mused.
"Sayuri-chan and Yuka-chan? Why would they do that?"
"Sayuri's never been a fan of Ranma-kun's whatsoever, Onee-chan. I'm
not too sure about Yuka. And given some of the things Ranma-kun's
been saying as of late, if Akane starts putting her friends'
suggestions into practice . . . "
She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Kasumi's eyes widened. "Oh,
my!"
* * *
"So you guys are gonna stay in Tomobiki tonight?"
"We'll be alright, Onii-sama," Sakuya replied with a chuckle as the
sisters gathered by the doorway. "Don't worry about it. We'll keep
away from the loons you had to deal with when you were living there."
Ataru sighed in obvious relief. "Okay."
"Tampopo-san, are you sure you can obtain use of this old shrine you
wanted Anigimi-sama and Anegimi-sama to stay in?" Haruka asked.
"It's no problem," Tampopo replied with a nod. "Even if some people
have been keeping the building itself in good shape, it has been
desecrated by what the last priest who lived there did. I doubt
there'll be any problems with the local priests." An impish shrug
then twitched her shoulder. "At the same time, there might be ghosts
there; at least, that's what the neighbours say!"
"Hina doesn't like ghosts!" Hinako moaned.
"Do not concern yourself with that, Hinako," Negako declared as she
knelt beside the youngest sister. "If there are disobedient spirits
in residence, Ataru, Chikage and I will deal with them soundly and
thoroughly."
Hearing that, Hinako beamed, waving her hands. "Yay! Onii-tama,
Onee-tama and Chikage-chan will make the ghosts go away!"
Everyone giggled. "It's been a pleasure to meet you, Onee-sama,"
Sakuya stated as she gently gripped Ranma's hand. "I'm so glad you're
willing to be Onii-sama's friend. Onii-sama really needs them these
days."
Ranma chuckled. "I need 'em, too! 'Sides, any friend of Tampopo's
-- and family of same, of course! -- is always a friend of mine!"
"Nee-sama?"
"What is it, Shirayuki-chan . . . EH?!"
Shirayuki handed Ranma a large, wrapped bentou box. "This is Hime's
present for Nii-sama's new friend," the chef announced. "Some bentous
for Nee-sama, Nee-sama's mother and Nee-sama's friends Kasumi-san and
Nabiki-san, plus some spices and soup mixes for Kasumi-san."
"I . . .!" Ranma beamed. "Thanks, Shirayuki-chan!"
The bentou box was handed over. Ranma then felt her free hand
grasped by Karen for a moment. "It's alright, Onee-chan." The latter
leaned up to whisper into the former's ear, "We all understand. Even
Aria-chan."
She joined the others. "Gambatte, Onee-chama!" Kaho called out as
she waved her pom-poms before the sisters headed out to board the road
train -- it minus the mobile kitchen -- for the trip back to Tomobiki.
Ranma waved. "See you tomorrow, girls!"
"Bye-bye, Nii-ya. Nee-ya. Nee-ya," Aria called out as the driver
guided the vehicle away from Tampopo's.
Ataru, Ranma, Tampopo and Negako watched them go. "You got a nice
family, Ataru. You know that?" Ranma mused, staring at him.
"I keep reminding myself of that every day," he replied, winking back
at her before he waved her inside. "C'mon, let's have some tea before
you go home. You don't want Shirayuki-chan's bentou to spoil, ne?"
"Good point," she noted with a laugh as they headed inside.
* * *
"So what're you and Negako-san here gonna do now?"
Ataru stretched. "Get a hotel room." Tampopo was clearing the
teacups. "If we're gonna be here, I'll get Reigi to have me
registered at your school. Even if high school isn't mandatory, I
don't want to twiddle my thumbs."
"Yeah, you'll be a real hit with the principal," Ranma mused with a
snort, nodding to Ataru's beard and ponytail-styled hair.
"Oh?" His eyebrow arched before a knowing look crossed his face.
"Sounds like you can give some advice about what I could expect."
"I could."
She rose. "We'll chat some more about it tomorrow, okay?!" he
promised.
"Right on! I'll be here. 'Night, everyone!"
Ranma left, heading back to the Tendou home. Ataru and Negako
shifted themselves back to the counter so they could talk to Tampopo.
"You know, you don't have to go to the expense of getting a hotel,
minshuku or ryokan room. I've got room here if you want to stay,"
Tampopo proposed.
"Would you mind?" Ataru asked.
"For my real friends, not to mention my favourite customer?! Of
course not!" Tampopo chuckled for a moment before sobering. "It's
good that you came, Ataru-chan. I'm starting to get worried about
Ranma-chan. Even if I've been helping him get some control over his
life, it's not enough. If I didn't know better, I'd swear he was a
combat soldier just back from World War Two."
"Even with the 'break' you have given her, she shows signs of combat
fatigue." Negako sipped her tea. "Perhaps her battle with Saffron
and its aftermath was the right impetus. Unless she alters her
strategy concerning her rivals soon, she will lose control of
herself. Given her skill and experience, it could easily result in
the deaths of many of those she cares for."
Ataru stared at her. "Are you saying Ranma's really a girl?"
"When she was first immersed in the Niángniquán at Zhňuquán-xiang,
she did not revert to her birth-form until twenty minutes afterward,"
Negako reported. "Given the mental damage she sustained because of
the Neko-ken training, the psychological change Zhňuquán-xiang's power
unleashes in that instance could not latch on. Ranma could withstand
that transformation indefinitely," -- she then gazed at Ataru -- "But
what if she finds herself in a less stable situation emotionally than
what she possesses now?"
His lips twisted into a frown. "Oh, terrific."
* * *
"Tadaima!"
"Oh, Ranma-kun! Okaeri nasai!" Kasumi looked up from the sitting
room table. She then blinked on seeing the wrapped bentou box in the
transformed martial artist's hands. "Oh! What do you have, Ranma-
kun?!"
Ranma sat down. "Gifts from a new friend I made today, Kasumi."
She opened the box. Reaching in, she pulled out a smaller box, this
one with a note bearing Kasumi's name. The box that followed also had
Kasumi's name. The next one had Nabiki's. The next was marked NEE-
SAMA'S MOTHER. The last, NEE-SAMA. "Oh, my!" Kasumi whispered as she
opened the first box, and then she gaped on seeing the spice bottles
and soup mix. "This is so sweet!"
Ranma smirked. "Yeah, Shirayuki-chan is that!"
"'Shirayuki?!'"
"Oh, yeah! I met twelve girls today who turn out to be half-
sisters. They got the same father, you see. They came up here to
meet their older half-brother and adopted sister." She then smirked.
"Would you believe that their older brother is none other than
Moroboshi Ataru himself?"
"Moroboshi Ataru . . .?" Kasumi's voice trailed off, her eyes
widening in disbelief. "You mean from Tomobiki? THAT Moroboshi
Ataru?!"
Ranma nodded. "The very same! He's a pretty okay guy . . . "
Kasumi touched her lips with a warning finger to cut off her voice.
"Ranma-kun," the oldest Tendou daughter whispered. "You don't know
this, but Nabiki-chan is very interested in finding Ataru-kun,
especially now that poor Oni girl is dead and people in Tomobiki are
taking the news of her death very badly. I really don't think Ataru-
kun would appreciate that. Would you?"
Ranma sighed. "Gotcha. She got this room bugged?"
Kasumi smiled. "No, I made sure of that."
Footsteps. "Oh, Ranma! There you are!" Nodoka called out before
noticing the bentou box. "Oh, my! Where did you get this, Ranma?"
"One of my new friends made it special, Mom. Here you go."
"Thank you!" Nodoka then quickly noticed the note. "'Nee-sama?'
Don't tell me you were as a girl when you met them!"
"Y-yeah, I was!" Ranma stuttered. "You know how I am with puddles
and all that. I . . . " She stopped, her eyes widening. "Oh, no!"
Kasumi perked. "Is there something wrong, Ranma-kun?"
Ranma sighed, slapping her forehead. "I forgot!"
Nodoka tensed. "Forgot what?"
"One of the girls I met today is named Aria. She's about ten, I
think. I changed back into a guy in front of her and she REALLY
freaked out about it, Mom. So Aria's older sister Negako -- Mom,
she's one heck of a martial artist! BELIEVE me at that! -- offered to
lock my curse in case Aria or one of her other sisters freaked out
again in case hot water hit me! You know how it is!"
Nodoka blinked. "And you had it locked?"
"Yeah, I did . . .!" Ranma chuckled, staring apologetically at her.
"And I forgot to ask Negako to unlock it when I left her tonight!"
Kasumi covered her mouth to hide her smile. "Oh, dear! That's
awful!"
Ranma scratched her head. "It's okay! I can go see her tomorrow and
get it fixed! After all, it isn't like I've never been locked
before." She waved Kasumi down before noticing the look on Nodoka's
face. "Hey, Mom! You okay?"
"I . . .!" Nodoka nodded. "No. Much that I prefer my son to stay
as my son, you did act out of profound concern for a girl's well
being. I guess that's why Aria's relatives decided to address you as
'big sister' like on this note. That was a manly thing to do. In the
meantime, you best hide those bentous. Your father's been acting
surly because you've been gone all day."
"Um . . .!" Ranma stared askance at her. "Yeah, you're right,
especially since one was made for Nabiki."
"Good point. Anyhow, I'm going to bed."
"Alright. 'Night, Mom."
Nodoka headed upstairs. Ranma watched her, and then she sighed,
staring at her bentou. "Are you alright, Ranma-kun?" Kasumi asked.
Ranma gazed on the oldest Tendou daughter. "It's nothing, Kasumi."
A pause. "I just wish Mom would stop bothering me about being
'manly.' I mean, what's 'manly' about being forced into three
engagements at the same time?"
"She is trying to understand what you're going through, Ranma-kun."
"Can she?" Ranma wondered. "Kasumi, today, I met someone who
probably would understand me much better than anyone I know. You
wanna know something? When his parents got on his case once too
often, he walked away from them, once and for all time. And he feels
a lot better doing that, believe it or not." A pause. "I don't hate
Mom, Kasumi. I really don't. And in a way, I don't hate Oyaji
either. But I am really getting sick and tired of being treated like
a brainless fool because they're my parents. And what's worse, they
don't even realise what they're doing to me. And I HATE that,
Kasumi! I really do!"
Kasumi gazed on her. "I can't blame you for that, Ranma-kun." She
looked down at the bentou boxes. "Being forced to live under a
virtual death-threat from your own mother would hurt a lot."
"Damn right it does. Wanna know something? If I can't do anything
to help Akane, Ukyou and Shan -- or if Oyaji does something to make
things worse -- walking away from him and Mom once and for all doesn't
look so bad now."
"Let's hope it doesn't go that far," Kasumi lamented.
* * *
To be continued . . .