[Ranma/Eva][Fanfic] For the Sake of the Children Chapter 9

[ana...@earthlink.net]

Previous parts can be found at http://www.deranged-otaku.com/

Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi
Neon Genesis Evangelion is owned by Gainax

For the Sake of the Children
-----------------------------------
By: Anand Rao

Chapter 9: A Past Revisited Part II
------------------------------------------

Ranma wiped away the water from his face, then stared at his hand as the
still- cool water

dripped from his fingers on to the dojo floor. "It's funny. After all this
time, I still

cringe at the sight and feel of cold water. Every time I come in contact with
it, I feel

the change occur; if only for a moment. I feel my breasts grow and swell, and
my manhood

disappear. I feel myself shrink inside my clothes, and hope that no one is
looking at me;

it's as if I was never cured.

"Then I blink, and realize that I'm still a man. Still a man! And then. . .
I remember

what being a man cost me," Ranma finished. He closed his eyes and wiped his
hand on the

sleeve of his gi.

"Ranma. I can't believe; won't believe that Akane's death was your fault.
Even through all

the fighting, the two of you loved each other and you'd never really do
anything to hurt

her," Kaji replied gently.

"I loved her, but sometimes, love isn't enough, Kaji. I wasn't content to
just be Akane's

husband, and until her death, I never accepted the consequences of my
actions," Ranma

disagreed.

"You're being too hard on yourself, Ranma. You need to let this go," Kaji
said.

"Let me continue with my story, and then you can decide for yourself," Ranma
suggested.

*******************************************

"Are you sure these things are safe, Akane?" Ranma asked a bit nervously as he
looked out

the window.

"You're not actually scared of flying, are you Ranma?" Akane teased.

"Of course not!" Ranma snapped, then glanced out the window once more. "I've
just never

been in a plane before," he admitted.

"This the fastest way to get to China, Ranma. You should be thankful that
Nabiki was kind

enough to get us these plane tickets," Akane said.

"I know, I know," Ranma sighed resignedly.

"So, have you mapped out our trip yet?" Akane asked.

"Hmmm, sorta. We'll be landing in eastern China then hike to Tibet and the
Himalayas. From

there we just need to find the healing spring," Ranma replied.

Akane laughed and shook her head slightly. "Oh Ranma, you make it sound so
simple."

"Isn't it? I mean, we got a map. We'll hike and camp and train along the
way. We'll find

this spring, get me cured, then hike and camp and train all the way back."

Akane smiled fondly at her husband and put her head on his shoulder. Ranma's
natural

resilience and confidence always made her feel safe and secure. "Ranma?"
Akane called,

after a few moments.

"Yeah?"

"What are you going to do if this doesn't work; if it turns out be another
fake cure?"

"I- I can't think like that, Akane," Ranma replied quietly.

Akane straightened up in her seat and turned towards Ranma. "You know that
it's a

possibility! It's happened so many times in the past," she pointed out.

"I know, but I can't let doubts get to me. I just need to do everything I can
to make sure

it works, and I'll worry about the consequences later."

"You can't always live your life like that, Ranma. You- you're not alone any
more. You and

I are a team, a family, and one day, our family will grow," Akane said softly.

"This is the last time, Akane," Ranma replied, turning towards her. "I
promise."

"I believe in you, Ranma," she replied, once again laying her head on his
shoulder.

A few hours later, they arrived in Tibet and started the long trek towards the
Himalayas.

They gathered supplies in the tiny, over-populated towns they passed through
and spent their

time camping and training. It wasn't very luxurious as honeymoons go, but for
the two young

martial artists, it was perfect.

"Ranma, I'm going to start heating up some water for a bath," Akane said,
after they had set

up camp for the night. They were still near the base of the mountain range,
and the weather

was just warm enough to make bathing possible. Ranma had managed to purchase
a large metal

barrel to serve as a bath from one of the locals.

"That's fine, Akane," Ranma grunted distractedly. He was busily doing pushups
near their

campfire.

"Do you want to join me?" Akane asked throatily.

"Huh?" Ranma asked.

"Do you want to take a bath with me?" Akane explained coyly. For weeks before
her wedding,

Akane had practiced acting both sexy and demure. She had spent hours in front
of a mirror,

practicing different facial expressions; she had recorded her voice, hoping
that the correct

lilt and huskiness could be heard. As clumsy as she was, Akane was never one
to do things

half way. It had become almost second nature by her wedding night, and now,
she was a

master.

"Maybe later, Akane. I still have to practice my katas," Ranma replied.

Akane frowned in irritation. (The honeymoon's not over yet, Ranma,) she
thought. She walked

into the tent that Ranma and she shared and started rummaging around in her
backpack. After

a few moments, she found what she had been searching for, and exited the tent
with it. She

walked towards Ranma, stopping directly in front of him. He was still doing
pushups, but

stopped mid-stride and looked up at Akane. "There is more than one way to
train, Ranma,"

Akane said, dangling a black silken negligee in front of his face.

Ranma grinned widely as he stood up. "Let's see about that bath," he offered.

*******************************************

"Great! We're finally here!"

"Almost. We still have to hike a few thousand feet up the mountain," Akane
observed, trying

to curb her husband's enthusiasm.

"Oh, that's nothing!" Ranma exclaimed, shrugging off the distance.

"Maybe for you," Akane replied.

"Are you still feeling sick?" Ranma asked in concern. As the couple had
gotten closer to

the base of the mountain range, and the weather got colder, Akane had started
showing signs

of weariness, fatigue, and had occasional bouts of morning sickness.

"I'm just tired, I think," Akane said hesitantly. She had another suspicion
as to why she

was feeling so out of sorts, but decided not to bring it up.

"Maybe you should stay down here, Akane. I mean, that village looks like a
nice place to

stay, and Shampoo should be along in a day or two to keep you company," Ranma
suggested.

They had managed to contact the amazon via telegram and had decided to have a
small reunion

while visiting China.

"You're overreacting, Ranma. I'll be fine."

"Well, we still need to wait until Shampoo gets here. If you're not feeling
better by then,

I -really- think you outta stay here," Ranma said firmly.

"I said I'll be okay!" Akane snapped. She turned away and quickly walked to
their tent.

Ranma sighed as he watched his wife angrily stalk away.

(This is the closest we've come to a fight since the wedding,) Ranma
realized. He sat down

in front of the campfire and ruefully stared at the dancing flames. (I hope
she's okay.)

Ranma glanced up at the mountain he would have to climb and shuddered
uncontrollably. A

cure was once again within his grasp, and he could already feel the
bittersweet pain of

failure. (No! I have to be confident! This is gonna work! It has to!) he
berated

himself. He stood and started pacing in front of the campfire.

"I should make up with her," he mused aloud. He stopped pacing and stared at
the tent that

he and Akane shared. (Stupid Tomboy.) Ranma sighed. He walked purposely up
to the tent

firmly opened the front flap and stepped inside.

"Hurry up and close the tent! It's cold in here!" Akane exclaimed. Ranma
silently complied

then turned to face his wife.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

"I'm fine, Ranma," she replied tiredly. "I just. . . just keeping thinking
about what will

happen if this cure fails."

"If- if that happens, we go home. I promised you that," Ranma said, his voice
harder than

he intended.

"I shouldn't have said anything, I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't talk about
failing when we

haven't even tried yet."

"You're just tired, Akane. Get some rest," Ranma suggested. (I think this
trip might have

been too much for her. She looks so pale!)

"I think I will, I -am- feeling kinda sleepy," Akane agreed. She nestled down
in her

sleeping bag and pulled a thin fur blanket around herself. Within a few
seconds, she was

already asleep, and Ranma settled down next to her, all the while staring at
her peacefully

smiling face.

"Everything will be okay, Akane. I promise," he whispered softly.

**********************************************

"She was pregnant, wasn't she?" Kaji interrupted.

"Yeah, although I didn't realize it at the time. I never really paid
attention to Biology

class, ya know? I had no idea what morning sickness was, or even much about a
woman's

monthly cycle," Ranma replied.

"Did she even suspect it herself?"

"Maybe. If she did, she kept it quiet. It didn't really matter, because
Shampoo arrived a

few days later and she was able to tell fairly quickly what was 'wrong' with
Akane," Ranma

explained.

"I see. I would have loved to see your reaction to the news," Kaji mused.

"It wasn't pretty."

***********************************************

"Pregnant?"

"Yes, Ranma. I can't say that I'm surprised, after all, we have been, um,
enjoying our

honeymoon," Akane replied.

"Pregnant?"

"Silly Ranma. Why men always like this? Having baby is good, yes?" Shampoo
chimed in. The

young amazon had arrived in Tibet a day earlier and had immediately taken
Akane aside when

the newly married couple explained their situation. The three of them were
currently

sitting in the Saotome's campsite, eating breakfast.

"Pregnant?"

(If he says that one more time, I'm going to smack him!) Akane thought darkly.
"Yes, Ranma!

Pregnant! With Child! I'm going to be a mother, you're going to be a father!
Yes,

pregnant!" she snapped.

"A-are you sure?" Ranma asked.

"Am sure, Ranma. Have seen pregnant Amazon women all the time. You going to
be father,"

Shampoo confirmed.

"I. . .think I need to sit down," Ranma observed weakly.

"Baka. You -are- sitting down!" Akane giggled. (Poor Ranma. I guess he
really wasn't

ready for this. But, am I?) Akane wondered.

"Yeah. Uh, how long until. . . until. . ."

"Until Ranma become father? Five to six months, Shampoo think," the amazon
replied.

"That soon? B-but we haven't married anywhere NEAR that long!" Ranma
protested.

"Um, Ranma? Remember that one night we-"

"Oh yeah!" Ranma said, laughing nervously. He sighed, unable to meet Akane's
eyes. "Akane,

I. . . I don't know what to say."

"You don't want to be a father?" Akane asked softly.

"That's not what I meant!" Ranma exclaimed, hastily coming to his feet. "It's
just kinda a

shock. I figured we'd wait a few years, ya know?"

"I know, me too. But. . . but it will be okay, won't it? You'll be okay with
this, won't

you?"

Ranma embraced his wife, gently stroking her back. "Everything will be fine,
Akane. I'll

get cured, then we'll go home. Home to raise our family."

"Our family," Akane repeated.

"Yes." Ranma squeezed Akane tightly, an euphoric sensation flowing through
out his body.

(I'm gonna be a father!) he suddenly realized, grinning like an idiot. He
released his hold

on Akane and stepped back. "Akane, there's something I want you to do for
me."

"What?" Akane asked, suddenly smiling at her husband; his grin was infectious.

"I want you to stay here while I go the spring."

"What? Ranma, no! The baby won't be due for a long time yet, I can handle
the trip up the

mountain," Akane replied.

"No."

"What?" Akane demanded, slightly startled at Ranma's behavior. He wasn't
angry, or

impatient, or even insulting. Yet, there was an iron-will in his voice that
she had never

heard before.

"I said, no. Your life is no longer your own, Akane. I know it sucks and
it's not fair,

but it's the truth. Until out baby is born, you gotta take care of yourself.
It has

nothing to do with how strong you are or how good you are the art. All I'm
saying is, that

you have to be careful. So, stay down here with Shampoo, and I'll be back as
soon as I can,

okay?"

Akane stared numbly at her husband and simply nodded her head. (That actually
sounded...

intelligent,) she thought. "All right, Ranma. I'll stay here. You just make
sure that you

get back to me as soon as you can, and keep yourself safe."

"Nothing is gonna happen to me, Akane. According to the map, the trip is
pretty simple. I

just hike up a bit until I find a small village or something, and then ask
about the

springs."

"Yeah, really simple," Akane replied dubiously.

"Ranma be careful. There many, many villages in mountains," Shampoo warned.

"Don't worry about it! This place is called the Spring of Buddha. It's kinda
famous around

here, right? I shouldn't have any trouble findin' it."

*********************************************

"How many stupid villages can there be up here?" Ranma demanded irritably. He
had started

the long hike before dawn, and after passing through half a dozen villages,
was starting to

become impatient. He took heart, however, in the fact that he was headed in
the right

direction. Everyone he talked to knew about the spring, and they all pointed
in the same

direction; straight up.

"I hope Akane's okay," he thought for the hundredth time since he had left her
with Shampoo.

"I'm going to be a father. I can't believe it! I'm gonna be a father, and a
guy -all- the

time! My kid won't have to be ashamed of me, he won't get confused and call
me 'mommy'.

We- we're going to have a normal life!" Ranma exclaimed. The exhilaration of
the moment

gave him a burst of energy, and he ran through the snow, hoping to see the
next village

soon.

Several hours and a couple hundred feet in elevation later, Ranma reached yet
another

village. The sun had started to set, and Ranma had hoped to find the spring
by nightfall.

Feeling more than a bit hungry, he entered the small mountain village, hoping
to see signs

of food.

He walked up to the first small house he could find, and knocked on the front
door. The

houses in the village were more like hovels. They were small, made completely
of wood,

except for the few that had metal sheeting for roofs. The door creaked open
and an old

woman wearing a thick fur coat peeked out at Ranma. "Er, hello. I'm looking
for the Spring

of Buddha," Ranma said in Chinese. He and Akane had started learning the
language before

leaving Japan.

The woman pointed off in a direction behind Ranma then shut the door. "She
was helpful,"

Ranma muttered sarcastically. He stepped away from the porch and turned
towards the

direction that the woman had pointed.

A seemingly young man with a shaved head, wearing only a dull orange robe and
matching

slacks was walking through the snow, carrying a fur water skin and a basket
brimming over

with vegetables. "Maybe he knows something," Ranma mused. He jogged towards
the man and

yelled in Chinese, "Excuse me, do you know where the Spring of Buddha is?"

The man stopped walking and turned towards Ranma. "Why do you wish to know?"
he asked. He

seemed more curious than anything.

"Y-you speak Japanese?!" Ranma asked, pleasantly amazed.

"Yes, I was born there. Although, I haven't been back there for many years.
Now, why do

you wish to find the spring?"

"I heard that it's a sorta healing spring. . . and, I need to get healed,"
Ranma replied.

"Healed? In what way? You seem like a perfectly healthy young man to me."

"You're right, I'm probably in better physical shape than anyone I know. But,
I- I've been

cursed."

"Cursed?" the man asked, smiling in amusement.

"This isn't a joke!" Ranma snapped. "I've been to Jusenkyo."

"Jusenkyo. I see. You have my sympathies, then. However, I doubt that the
Spring can help

you," the man replied sadly.

"What? Why not?" Ranma demanded.

"Through prayer and meditation, the spring becomes a focal point for spiritual
energy. This

energy can then be used to heal physical, mental, or emotional damage. It can
not 'fix'

something that occurs naturally."

"What's so natural about becoming a girl every damn time I get hit with cold
water?" Ranma

exploded.

"You have a point," the man laughed. "Spring of drowned girl. Perhaps it was
your destiny;

to be born as a girl, and nature just adjusted you along the way."

"I was born a guy and I intend to stay that way! One hundred percent of the
time!" Ranma

snapped.

"The wisest thing a person can do, is accept the things he can't change. You
will only

bring yourself pain and misery by going against nature."

"I'll never know if I don't try. Now, are you gonna tell me how to get to the
Springs or

what?" Ranma asked.

The man sighed and shook his head in resignation. "You are stubborn. I will
not tell you

where the Spring is, but if you follow me, I'll take you there."

"I don't really need a guide-" Ranma began.

"I'm heading in the direction anyway," the man explained.

"Really? Why?" Ranma asked suspiciously.

"Because I live there. My name is Ryo Hashito, and I am a priest of the
Spring of Buddha."

*******************************************

Several hours later, Ranma and Ryo arrived at a large cave. Ryo explained
that the spring

was located in the cave, and that he and the other priests lived in the
naturally created

caverns within. "So, how many of ya guys live here?" Ranma asked.

"There are six priests and our Master. We alternate going down to the
villages once in a

while for food and supplies; what little we need," Ryo replied.

"Right. And what exactly is it that you priests do?" Ranma asked curiously.

"We mediate and pray."

"And. . . what else?" Ranma asked.

"That's it. We mediate and pray," Ryo repeated.

(How. . . boring!) Ranma thought with a shudder. "How long have you been
doing this, Ryo?"

"Hmmm. . . It's been about ten years now," the priest replied.

"Ten years!"

"Yes, and I've never been more at peace in my life."

"What did ya do before this?" Ranma asked.

"I was a better than average salary man at big corporation in Japan. My work
was my life,

but. . . I just got tired of it," Ryo explained.

"Th-that's it? You just up and left?"

"Yes," Ryo replied, smiling in amusement. "Every one has dreams, Ranma.
Dreams of doing

something with their lives; something different. Dreams of getting away and
finding a sense

of peace. The problem is that most people, for whatever reason, don't follow
through on

those dreams. I decided to be different."

Ranma nodded his head in understanding as he followed Ryo into the cave. A
dull torch

light flickered in the distance, bright enough to allow visitors to avoid any
obstacles in

the path. "Let me put the food away and then I'll take you to the spring,"
Ryo said,

leading Ranma to a small, naturally carved chamber.

The chamber contained several thin blankets, a few robes similar to the one
Ryo wore, and a

small pile of unlit torches. Ryo placed the basket of food next to the
blankets then exited

the chamber.

"Is this all you guys own?" Ranma asked. "I mean, I'm used to living on the
road and

traveling light, but..."

"What more do we need? We have food, clothing, and shelter. Anything else
will just

distract us from our duties," Ryo explained. "Come, let us go to the spring."

Ranma followed Ryo through the cave corridor once more and after a few minutes
they arrived

at the entrance of a large circular chamber. Ryo stopped walking, giving
Ranma a chance to

look around. The chamber was brightly lit, torches adorning the walls. Yet,
the brightest

light seemed to emanate from the blue pool of water in the center of the
floor. Six men,

dressed similarly to Ryo, stood in a circle around the pool. They're eyes
were closed and

their hands were in front of their chests, palms together.

The room was warm and humid. Ranma blinked in surprise as he noticed steam
waft up from the

pool. "It's a hot spring?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yes," Ryo whispered.

"What are they doing?" Ranma asked softly, gesturing at the priests.

"Praying. Remember, prayer powers the spring," Ryo reminded him.

"Uh, right. So, what do I do now?"

"Go into the water and close your eyes."

"Um, right now?" Ranma asked, glancing dubiously at the praying priests.

"Seven priests pray over the pool at all times Ranma, that cycle never stops.
Go ahead; and

good luck to you, and please don't be too disappointed if things don't work
out, okay?"

"Waitaminute! How long am I supposed to stay in the spring?" Ranma asked.

"You will know when to leave, Ranma," Ryo replied backing away. "I have some
chores to

attend to. Oh, by the way, chances are that I'll be part of the circle by the
time you

leave, so one of the others will show you out."

Ranma watched silently as the priest walked down the corridor and out of
sight. He sighed

as he turned back towards the cavern and stepped inside. (This is creepy.)
Ranma shivered

as he moved between two of the priests and stepped into the spring. (At least
the water's

warm.) He waded into the spring until he reached its center; there he stopped
and stood

silently, his eyes closed. The surface of the water reached just under his
neck and the

heat immediately brought droplets of sweat to his brow. (Okay, now what?) he
thought

impatiently.

(Why are you here, Child?)

"What?" Ranma blurted, his eyes snapping open.

(Why are you here?)

"Who are you? Y-you're talkin' in my head!" Ranma exclaimed.

(Indeed, Child. And you may respond in the same way. My name is Keshedas. I
am Master of

this sanctuary.)

Ranma understood the gentle rebuke and immediately closed his eyes again.
(I'm here cause I

want to be cured of my curse,) he thought.

(Curse? I feel no curse upon you. In fact, you are in perfect health! Why
are you here?)

(I . . . I fell into one of the springs at Jusenkyo! I turn into a girl every
time I touch

cold water!)

(Is this such a bad thing? Is it so terrible that you traveled this great
distance, made

your wife to suffer such hardship?)

(What do you know about Akane?) Ranma demanded.

(I know that she loves you. She loves you as you are, and she's waiting for
you, waiting

with the child she carries in her womb.)

(H-How do you know all that? Akane's not even here!)

(Why are you here, Ranma?)

(I told ya! I wanna get rid of this curse!)

(Why?)

(Cause I'm a guy! And I'm tired of everyone thinking that I'm some sorta
freak or pervert!)

(Everyone? Akane doesn't think you're a freak.)

(Akane's. . . different. It's everyone -else- that bothers me.)

(And it's really important to you what other people think, isn't it, Ranma?)

"What's with all the questions? Are you guys gonna heal me or not?" Ranma
demanded out

loud, opening his eyes once more.

(No, we can not heal you. But perhaps you can heal yourself. Keep your eyes
closed, and

confront your nature, Ranma.)

His hands clenched, and jaw set firm, Ranma closed his eyes. . .

. . . and suddenly, he was falling.

*********************************

Ranma opened his eyes and screamed in rage and fear as the pools of Jusenkyo
grew closer and

closer. (Why is -always- about this?) he thought, gritting his teeth and
closing his eyes

tightly as the water came closer.

He landed; hard and on solid ground. He painfully sat up and looked around.
"What am I

doing back here?" he wondered aloud. He was back home; in the Tendo Dojo.

"Why do you hate me?"

Ranma quickly stood up, turned around, and found himself staring at his female
form. "W-who

are you?" he asked.

"Who do you think I am, moron! I'm you," the red-headed female replied.

"Me? What do ya mean, you're me?" Ranma demanded.

"You wanted to get rid of me, right? You're embarrassed and ashamed of me,
and think that

I'm a freak, don't you? DON'T YOU?" the red head screamed.

"You're the curse," Ranma realized.

I'm -not- a curse! I'm you! You can't deny me any more than you can deny
yourself. It's

time to accept me, and yourself, Ranma. I'm here to stay."

"Like hell you are! I've had nothing but trouble ever since you came into my
life! I'm

starting a new life with Akane, and YOU have no part of it," Ranma growled.

"Fine, we'll do things your way. If you want to rid of me, you're gonna have
ta defeat me,"

Ranma-chan replied. She assumed a combative stance and smirked disdainfully
at Ranma-kun.

"Think you're up to the challenge?"

"I normally don't hit girls. . . but this is something I've dreamed of doing
for a long

time," Ranma-kun said, copying her stance.

"Let's do it," the girl agreed.

"Ladies first," Ranma replied.

Growling with anger, Ranma-chan jumped towards her male counterpart, right
foot

outstretched. Ranma-kun caught her foot in midflight then stumbled back in
pain as her left

foot snapped into the side of his head. "I'm faster, remember?" Ranma-chan
pointed out.

She jumped out of Ranma-kun's weakened grasp and got ready to make another
attack.

"Yeah, but I'm stronger." Ranma-kun quickly back handed Ranma-chan across the
face. The

red head, surprised at the force of the hit, fell on her back.

"Hey, you're not holding back," she complained, wiping a trickle of blood from
her mouth.

"What do ya think this is, a game?" Ranma retorted.

"Of course it's a game," Ranma-chan replied cutely. "You can't really get rid
of me, Ranma,

at least, not like this. Like I said, I'm you. If you kill me, you kill
yourself."

Ranma-kun took a step towards the fallen girl then stopped at her outstretched
hand. "You

can't change what happened at Jusenkyo by beating up on me, Ranma."

Ranma-kun sighed as he sat down on the dojo floor. "So, what now?" he sulked.

"We stay here until you come to terms with what you are," Ranma-chan replied
evenly.

"Right." Ranma-kun snorted. "Are you sure that you're me? You don't sound or
act like me."

" 'Act' is a good word, Ranma. The way you show yourself to those around you
is an act.

It's how you relate to people, survive, and justify things that happen. I'm
truth, pure and

simple. You can't run away from me and you can't deny me."

"So, what -is- the truth?"

"You're half boy and half girl, and you like it."

"I do -not- like it!" Ranma-kun yelled.

"Liar. You're too scared to even admit it to yourself," Ranma-chan replied.

"What do you want from me?" Ranma roared. "I was raised to be a man among
men! You may be

'truth' but you're -still- a girl!"

"And so are you!" Ranma-chan snapped. "But you're also a person. A person
who who was

raised by a screwed up father. A person who spent -years- running away from
responsibility!

A person so filled with pride, that there was no room for love! Enough is
enough, Ranma.

You're not a little boy anymore. You were raised to be a man? Fine! Then
start acting

like one!"

"Fine! Whatever! The Spring of Buddha can't cure me! Enough already, let's
wake up so I

can get on with my life. I don't need to sit here and listen to all the
mistakes I've made

be thrown back in my face," Ranma said tiredly.

"It's not that easy, Ranma," the redhead replied, shaking her head.

"What? Why not?"

"I. . . don't know. I know as much about the spring as you do. Its power is
keeping you

here, like this. I really can't tell you more than that."

"Great." Ranma-kun sighed. "I wonder why the stupid spring has so much
trouble with a

Jusenkyo curse."

"Remember what Ryo said about the healing power affecting nature?" Ranma-chan
asked.

"Oh yeah."

The pair sat in companionable silence for a few moments while Ranma-kun tried
to gather his

thoughts. "Maybe. . . maybe I do like being a girl. . . sometimes," Ranma-kun
finally

admitted.

"You like the freedom it gives you; the advantages. . . the fun," Ranma-chan
agreed.

"Don't forget the ice cream!" Ranma-kun exclaimed.

"Oh yes, especially the ice cream," Ranma-chan giggled.

"But, even though I sometimes like it, I still don't want to be like this,"
Ranma-kun said

seriously.

"I know, Ranma, I know. But there's a chance that nothing can be done. You
may be stuck

like this for the rest of your life," Ranma-chan replied.

"I. . .can live with that. I promised Akane. But I couldn't stop trying, at
least for this

one last time."

"So, no matter what happens, we'll be okay, right?" Ranma-chan asked.

"Right. Come cure or cold water, I guess I'll be okay," Ranma agreed,
grinning weakly.

(Excellent. You're almost ready.)

"Huh? What?" Ranma-kun asked aloud as the dojo, then Ranma-chan, faded and
disappeared.

*************************************

Ranma opened his eyes to find that he was once again back in the spring, the
six priests

standing in a circle around him. "What happened?" he asked in confusion.

(A cure for your curse is now possible.)

(What? How?) Ranma mentally asked, recognizing Keshedas' voice in his head.

(You had refused to accept your dual nature, Ranma. Without that acceptance,
a cure in this

spring would have been impossible. However, you have confronted your inner
self, and have

now accepted you and what you are, regardless of whether or not a cure becomes
available.)

(So, by accepting that I turn into a girl, and. . . and sometimes like it, I
can get rid of

it?)

(Exactly. However, it will take time.)

(How much time?) Ranma asked wearily.

(I do not know. You must meditate in the spring while we pray. The legends
say that

Valmiki, who found this spring 1000 years ago, mediated within it's waters for
five years

before attaining enlightenment.)

"I don't -want- enlightenment, and I ain't gonna stay in this stupid spring
for five years!"

Ranma yelled.

(There are many paths to enlightenment, Ranma. The choice is, of course,
yours. You may

leave now if you wish.)

"No! I- I mean. . . I'll give it a try," Ranma replied, sighing softly.

(Very well. Close your eyes and breath in deeply through your nose, hold your
breath, then

exhale slowly through your mouth.)

Ranma did as he was told, then repeated the action. As he breathed, the
priests around him

began to chant. He couldn't understand what language they were using; it
didn't -sound-

like Chinese, and it certainly wasn't Japanese.

(Concentrate on your curse.)

Ranma did so, envisioning his female form, and continued to breathe.

(With each exhale, expel the curse from of your body, from your soul, from
your mind. . .)

Ranma strained with all his might, pushing the curse out of him; willing it to
leave him.

(Slowly, Ranma, slowly. Remember to breathe. With each breath, a little more
of the curse

will leave you.)

Ranma relaxed and continued his breathing. A small smile grew on his lips.
The cure was

going to work, he just knew it.

***********************************************

"That's it? I mean, you just sat there in the spring and. . . breathed?" Kaji
asked

incredulously.

"That was it," Ranma nodded.

"That seems so. . . so stupid, and not a bit far-fetched," Kaji replied,
sounding

disappointed.

"Yeah, about as far-fetched as a water-based curse," Ranma quipped.

"You have a point," Kaji conceeded, chuckling lightly.

"It was a strangely peaceful experience. I was just standing there with my
eyes closed, and

after a while, I stopped feeling things. I mean, it was like I didn't have a
body. It was

like being awake and asleep at the same time, I can't really describe it any
better than

that," Ranma explained.

"Sounds like a coma."

"Maybe it was."

********************************************

"Ranma? Ranma, open your eyes."

"Huh? What's wrong?" Ranma asked, blinking his eyes in confusion. He stared
dazedly at Ryo

who was standing in front of him in the spring.

"You're finished," Ryo explained softly.

"Already?"

"It's been several months, Ranma."

"Several months. . . Months! B-but that's impossible! I j-just stepped in
here a few

moments ago!" Ranma protested.

"It only feels like that. It's the effects of deep and prolonged meditation.
Time no

longer has any meaning," Ryo explained gently.

(Months! God, Akane. . .the baby!) Ranma thought, scrambling out of the
spring. "I gotta

get outta here," he said weakly.

"Ranma, take it easy! You've gone a long time without food or water, your
body needs to

adjust to being active again," Ryo said.

"B-But Akane. . ."

"You'll be no good to her if you're sick, Ranma. Come, eat some food, and get
some sleep."

Ranma was about to protest, but his stomach growled; loudly. He sighed and
wearily nodded

his head.

"Oh, by the way, congratulations, you've been cured," Ryo said, grinning
widely.

"Cured? It- It worked?" Ranma asked.

"Indeed it did. Come, we'll talk about it after you've eaten." Ryo led Ranma
out of the

spring and past the still mediating priests.

"What was that chant they were doing?" Ranma asked, noticing that the six men
were silent

once more.

"It was a prayer of sorts, asking for healing, wisdom, and enlightenment."

"I don't feel very enlightened," Ranma replied, chuckling weakly. The two of
them walked

into the chamber where the priests slept.

"Here. Get out of those wet clothes," Ryo said, handing Ranma a faded orange
robe. "Climb

into one of the blankets if you wish, I'll go get some food."

Ranma shivered as he stripped off his clothes and donned the robe. He sat on
the cold

ground, wrapped a blanket around him, and waited for Ryo to return. (I can't
believe I'm

finally cured. It's over... It's finally over, I can go back home with Akane
and get ready

to start our family.) Ranma sighed, hoping that Akane was all right. (Damn,
she must be

worried sick about me by now!)

He felt a profound sense of relief, coupled with a small bit of inexplicable
sadness. "I'm

never gonna be a girl again," he murmured.

"Have second thoughts already?" Ryo asked, walking into the chamber as he
carried a tray

filled with fruits and bread.

"No, not really. It's just. . ."

"You're going to miss being able to turn into a girl," Ryo finished.

"Not exactly, but, well, the curse was useful at times," Ranma amended.

"There are at advantages and disadvantages to every situation, every
environment. You had

to learn to live with it, and now, you'll have to learn to live without it.
Well, enough

talk. Eat, and rest. When you're well enough to travel, I'll take you back
to the village

where you found me."

"Great. I'm in a hurry to get back to Akane."

***********************************

After a good night's sleep, Ranma was more than ready for the journey back to
Akane. Ryo,

amazed at his quick recovery, and sensing his eagerness to leave, readily
agreed to guide

Ranma back to the village. After paying his respects to the priests who had
cured him, (who

were still meditating), Ranma left the Spring of Buddha.

Within a few hours of leaving the spring, Ranma and Ryo arrived at the village
where they

first met. "Well then, this is goodbye," Ryo said.

"Yeah. Thanks for your help, Ryo. And thanks for leading me to the spring,"
Ranma replied

warmly.

"I'm glad things worked out for you, Ranma. I wish you and your budding
family well." The

priest turned away, starting on his trek back to the spring.

"Tell ya what, Ryo. If my kid's a boy, I'll name him after ya!" Ranma
promised. He waved

to the priest then ran towards the direction of his and Akane's campsite; he
wanted to get

back to her before nightfall.

As he ran, his thoughts turned to Akane, and what the past few months must
have been like

for her. He felt ashamed that he was not there for her, to care for her and
support her in

her pregnancy. (Let her be all right, please! She can be angry, she can be
upset, as long

as she and the baby are okay!) Feeling suddenly anxious, Ranma increased his
pace.

He reached the outskirts of his campsite as the sun started to set behind him.
In the

distance, he saw Shampoo standing over a small fire, apparently cooking a pot
of soup or

stew. "Shampoo!" he called out, waving his arm.

"Ranma! You alive!" the amazon exclaimed, running towards him. Reaching him,
she grabbed

him in a tight embrace, laughing and crying in relief.

"Shampoo, it's good to see you. Where's Akane?" Ranma asked, returning her
hug.

"Aiya! Akane in tent, baby is almost here! Any day now!"

"Really? Thank God, I made it in time. Is she okay? She's not hurt or
anything, is she?"

he eagerly asked.

"See for self!" Shampoo replied, dragging Ranma towards the tent. She opened
the tent flap

quickly and shoved Ranma inside.

"Shampoo, is the soup done already?" Akane asked. She was propped up against
the side of

the tent, busily working with a pair of knitting needles, staring at the
growing yarn bootie

in her lap.

(God, she's. . . huge!) Ranma thought, staring at his wife's torso and
midsection. (Huge

and. . . beautiful.) He opened his mouth, trying to find the right words, but
remained

silent, overwhelmed with the emotions he felt.

"Shampoo?" Akane queried, finally looking up. She gasped when she saw Ranma,
tears suddenly

coming to her eyes. "I'm dreaming. . . I feel asleep, and I'm dreaming
again," she

whispered hoarsely.

"This ain't a dream, Akane," Ranma replied, kneeling down next to her and
gently enveloping

her in a hug.

"Oh Ranma, y-you're back! I-I thought you. . ."

"Hey, it's okay, it's okay. . . I told ya I'd be safe. I'm sorry you had to
wait so long, I

didn't expect it to take as long as it did," Ranma admitted.

"What happened? Are you cured?" Akane asked, suddenly remembering where Ranma
had been for

the past several months.

"It worked, Akane. The Spring worked!" Ranma exclaimed, staring joyfully at
Akane's face.

"You're cured. You're finally cured," she replied in wonderment.

"God, Akane, I'm sorry I wasn't here for you," Ranma apologized again.

"It's. . . okay, Ranma," Akane said hesitantly. "I'm just glad you're safe,
besides,

Shampoo was here to keep me company."

"You're not mad?"

"Well. . . not any more."

**************************************

"Wow, she didn't hit you or anything," Kaji observed.

"Well, she was getting too big to make any sudden movements," Ranma grinned.
"Besides, I

think she missed me a lot more than I thought she would. She was more
relieved than

anything else."

"So you made it in time for Ranko's birth."

"Yeah, barely. Akane was getting big. I mean -really- huge, you know? A
midwife from the

local village had been visiting her every day, just in case. Akane. . .
Akane went into a

labor a couple of days after I returned," Ranma said, his voice breaking.

"What happened, Ranma?" Kaji asked sadly.

"There were... complications, I guess. There was so much blood. She wouldn't
stop

bleeding! She- she died giving birth to Ranko."

**********************************************

"She's going to be okay, right? I mean, the baby's here, so she's fine,
right?" Ranma

demanded anxiously.

The midwife who had delivered his daughter gently rocked the crying newborn in
her arms and

sadly stared at Ranma's face. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, she shook her
head.

Ranma blinked back the tears from his eyes and grabbed hold of Akane's hand.
(NO! She

-can't- die! Not after all this, she just can't die!) he raged silently.
"Akane! Hang in

there! Please! You can't give up now, you stupid tomboy!" he growled angrily.

"Ranma, I'm so tired. It's. . . it's too late. I've lost too much blood,
haven't I?" Akane

whispered, completely at peace in her husband's loving embrace.

"You can't leave me, Akane," Ranma pleaded, holding on to her tightly, "you
can't leave me

alone like this!"

"Alone? Oh Ranma, you're not alone. Ranko is with you," Akane replied.

"Ranko?" Ranma asked, a bit confused.

"That's what I want you to name her. It's a fitting name, Ranma. You'll see;
she'll be just.

. . just like you. Ranma, promise me that you'll protect her like you
protected me," Akane

whispered.

"I promise, Akane. I'll protect her," Ranma said, tears flowing openly down
his face. Then

her body went limp, and Ranma hugged her even tighter. He had wanted to die
right then,

until he heard the cries of his newborn baby. He turned to the midwife who had
delivered his

baby and wordlessly held out his hands. She gently placed the child in his
hands and in

spite of himself, Ranma managed to smile through the tears. "Hello
Ranko-chan," he said,

before breaking down completely.

The midwife left the tent and after a few moments Shampoo took her place. The
amazon

wordlessly wrapped her arms around Ranma's back and held him. He didn't even
acknowledge

her presence, he just sat there and held his daughter; Akane's last gift to
him. The three

of them sat there for several hours, finally falling silent, all their tears
spent.

"Ranma?" Shampoo finally asked, "You remember when Shampoo finally give you
up?"

"Huh? Yeah. . . It- it was right after Akane and I finally confessed our
feelings to each

other," the newly widowed father replied.

"Shampoo want to die that day. Wanted to hurt Akane, hurt Ranma, hurt self.
But. . . But

Shampoo knew that do no good, had to move on with life. Ranma understand?"

"Yeah," he replied softly.

"Ranma lose Akane. But Ranma have baby now. Ranma must life now, for baby!"

"It's so hard, Shampoo. I- I..."

"Ranma want to die. Shampoo know. But Ranma not coward. Ranma strong man;
strongest!

Ranma be there for baby, yes?"

"Her name," Ranma began, swallowing hard, "is Ranko. My daughter's name is
Ranko."

"Is good name," Shampoo nodded.

"I'll live for her. I'll protect her, no matter what. I-I promised Akane,"
Ranma said. The

baby in his arms was now sleeping. He slowly leaned down and gently kissed
her forehead.

(I'll take care of her, Akane.)

***************************************

"Oh God, Ranma. . .I'm so sorry. But I still don't see how it was your
fault," Kaji said.

"It was my responsibility to protect her, Kaji, and I failed. But even more
than that, we

never should have been in China in the first place. As soon as I found out
about the

pregnancy, I should have taken her back home. She needed a real doctor and a
hospital. If

she had gone into labor here in Japan, she'd probably be alive today. But no,
I was too

concerned with my getting that damned cure!" Ranma snarled.

"You can't read the future, Ranma! No one can," Kaji protested. "You can't
beat yourself

up thinking about the maybes and the what ifs. You need to move on, Sensei,
and not for

Ranko's sake, not for Akane's sake; but for -your- sake. You need to start
loving yourself

again."

"I don't know if I can."

"Then you're going to be miserable the rest of your life. Do you think Akane
would want

that? Do you?" Kaji asked.

"No." Ranma softly shook his head.

"Damn right she wouldn't!" Kaji immediately agreed. "Wake up, Ranma! Time to
live life

again."

"I'll keep it in mind," Ranma replied, suddenly laughing.

"Good!" Kaji nodded his head firmly, as if the matter had been settled.
"Well, I'd better

be going. There's still a lot of things I need to plan out before tomorrow,"
he said as the

two men stood.

Ranma sobered, remembering Kaji's request earlier in the evening. "I'll watch
out for

Misato, but you make sure to keep yourself safe, and come back, okay?"

"I'll try, Sensei." Kaji faced his one-time teacher, bowed reverently, then
left the dojo.

He walked back into the house and found Ranko sitting at the dining table, a
textbook in

hand.

"Finishing up some homework?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm, um, kinda failing physics," Ranko sheepishly replied.

(Like father, like daughter,) Kaji thought, shaking his head in amusement.
"I'll be leaving

now. Oh, thanks for the ice water."

"You're welcome! Please come back soon, okay?" Ranko replied, walking him to
the front

door.

"I'll try," Kaji promised.

Ranko opened the front door and sighed as she watched Kaji's retreating back.
(He -is- a

cute one,) she thought. She was about to close the door when she heard a tiny
snort-like

noise emanate from the ground between her feet.

Looking down, she squealed in delight at what she saw. Standing there in
front of her was a

small, blank piglet, wearing a yellow and black stripped bandanna around its
neck.

******************************************
The End: Chapter 9

Notes:

I hated this chapter. I hated writing it, I hated reading it, I hated
thinking about it.

Generally speaking, it sucked. It was twice as long as I wanted it to be, and
took me a

loooong time to write. No more chapter-long flashbacks, I promise! Anyway, I
don't even

have an outline for chapter ten yet, so I have no idea what's gonna happen,
except for the

fact that a bit of it will probably concentrate on Ryoga.

Okay, Status report time!!

Love of a Mortal 4: About 60% done, stuck on a Demon dialogue scene at the
moment.

The Chosen Path 2: Not started

For the Sake of the Children 10: Not started.

Mothers and Sons: Tenchi: Not Started

With This Ring 2: Not started

Seeing a trend here?

Born in Darkness 1: Stuck on a flashback scene, (it figures!)

Next Project: "My Son the Lecher" a UY/Ranma crossover... look for it.

Thanks to everyone who prodded and asked, "When is Chapter 9 coming out?" ^_^
It was nice

to know I still had readers, even when I wasn't actually writing anything.

Namaste,

Anand

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