[Ranma][Fanfic] Ranma-ototo: Please Save My Family - Part 3 ======================================================================= Ranma-ototo: Please Save My Family - Part 3 Ranma 1/2 characters/situations created and copyright by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan/Kitty/Fuji/Viz - Used without permission Ranma-ototo: Please Save My Family story created, written, and copyright 1998 by Jim Lazar Continuity based on anime up to and including 'Back to the Happosai' episode. Events after that episode are not part of this universe. "Speech text in double quotes is spoken as Japanese." E-mail comments and/or criticisms to: jim [at] animeprime.com Previous parts and my other fanfiction can be found at: http://www.animeprime/ff ======================================================================= This story takes place in my Ranma-ototo universe. Reading the six-part Ranma-ototo will help you enjoy and understand this story more. It is available on the RAAC archives or at my website. Here is a brief overview of the events of the Ranma-ototo mini-series: Ranma and Akane went back in time using Happosai's magic mirror. They met their younger selves and Mother Tendo (called Hanaki Tendo in this story). From this encounter, they believed that they were actually brother and sister. They confronted Soun and Genma with this news. After various orbit shots and threats, Soun and Genma finally told them the truth: Ranma is really Soun and his wife, Hanaki's son. Akane is Genma and his wife, Nodoka's daughter. Akane took this news bad, very bad. After some property damage, Ranma found her in a park. Not wanting to see her hurt any more, and because the big jerk loves her, he proposed to Akane. She accepted. After Ukyo saw Akane's new engagement ring, Akane and Ukyo fought. Akane took Ukyo to Dr. Tofu's clinic to treat some bad cuts. Ranma found her there, but not until after P-Chan's secret was revealed. Again, they went back in time to return a five-year-old Ryoga (who hitchhiked to the present with them the last time they went back in time). They also met Mother Tendo again and Ranma carved his and Akane's initials in a tree in the Tendo yard. They shared their first kiss, but actually their five year old selves beat them too it. Kasumi saw the teenage Ranma and Akane in the garden. Back in the present, Ranma and Akane informed the Tendos about THEIR engagement. Nabiki announced the news to Furinkan High, causing a large fight. She sold videos of it, of course. Here is a brief overview of the events in Ranma-ototo: Please Save My Family - Part 1: Akane was born to Nodoka and Genma. Genma taught her martial arts almost from day one. Ranma was born to Hanaki and Soun. Soun taught Ranma when he wasn't training his other students. When playing together little Ranma and Akane sometimes were nice to each other, sometimes fought, and sometimes played doctor. Genma and Soun started letting them spar together to work off their excess energy. Nodoka Saotome went into a coma while giving birth to another child. The child did not survive. Genma left Akane with the Tendos while he cared for Nodoka in a convalescent home. An attempt by Genma to take Akane and Ranma on a training trip was stopped by Hanaki Tendo. Genma relented and promised to stay and train Akane at the dojo instead. Under the sea, Happosai escaped from a chest that Soun and Genma had imprisoned him in years earlier. Here is a brief overview of the events in Ranma-ototo: Please Save My Family - Part 2 Happosai started to train little Ranma, although little Akane was upset at being left out. Soun and Hanaki learn that Hanki has breast cancer. She has various operations and underwent chemotherapy to fight the cancer. Little Kasumi learned of her mother's illness and began to take care of the household chores. A teenage Ranma and Akane made two trips back in time to discover the truth about their parents (as described in the original Ranma-ototo mini-series). At little Akane's sixth birthday party, little Ranma gave Akane a little plastic ring. Everyone laughed at the 'pretend engagement'. Hanaki's health was growing worse and she talked with her oldest daughter Kasumi about handling the house and how to handle Soun. Brave little Kasumi promised to save her mother's family. The teenage Ranma and Akane came back in time again to visit Hanaki. They had apparently been married and were headed to their honeymoon in turn of the century Paris (this time travel trip is from a future Ranma-ototo story, not the original mini-series). Hanaki realizes that they are the grownup Ranma and Akane and tells them to live well. She also tells Kasumi something else she will have to do for the family's sake. The next day, Hanaki loses her battle with cancer and dies in her sleep. Everyone is devastated and Kasumi has to hit Soun just to get him to go to the funeral. At the funeral, the time traveling Ranma and Akane are present and overlook the somber funeral. They leave to say their good-byes to their mother on the day before she died (the appearance described in the previous paragraph). Little Akane and Ranma fight a lot in their grief, Akane isn't happy anywhere but with Kasumi and the other Tendos. She keeps hitting Ranma, so Ranma is staying with Genma... Note: This story has some darker parts, since it deals with some difficult parts of Ranma and Akane's lives. I have tried to keep a good balance of happy and sad moments. ======================================================================= Although the young Ranma and Akane behaved themselves at the funeral, the next few weeks showed that they still couldn't get along together. Attempts by Genma, despite Kasumi's objections, to take Akane home also ended in disaster. One day during another visit by Genma and Ranma, Happosai appeared. "Well, Ranma, lets see if you've gotten rusty while I've been gone," Happosai said, then dragged the reluctant Ranma into the dojo. Genma tried to intervene, but Happosai soon had Genma cowering. Ranma showed little spirit for sparring that day. "My boy, you're going soft in this place. Time to go on a training trip!" Happosai declared. Genma tried to stop him, but was thrust aside easily by his old master. As Happosai left the dojo with Ranma, Genma ran to Soun's room. "Tendo, quick! Happosai is taking Ranma away! We have to battle him now or we'll lose Ranma forever!" Genma shouted at the huddled figure in the room. Soun looked up, blinked a couple times, then said, "Happosai?" "Yes, get up! I can't beat him myself!" "My son... Ranma. He'd be better off without me..." "Father, you must go get Ranma back. Mother would be very disappointed in you right now," Kasumi explained, as she stepped into the room. "Hanaki?" "Father, please." "Tendo, please. Ranma is like a son to me... we must defeat the Master once and for all! Join me!" Genma pleaded, and held his hand out towards his longtime friend. Slowly, with Genma's help, Soun got to his feet. He looked at a picture of his wife and then opened a closet. He stood in front of it for several seconds, then started to don the samurai armor within. He finished by grabbing a large sword. He handed a simpler leather protector to Genma. Genma put on the protector and grabbed another sword from Soun's arsenal. The two warriors left the Tendo house in pursuit of Happosai. "So where do you think he'll go first?" Soun asked. "He headed west when he left..." Genma informed Soun. "West," Soun pondered, then exclaimed, "Ah... ha! The large women's spa in Hoyashi!!!" "Good thinking, Tendo!" They raced down the streets, getting some shocked stares from various people when they passed. This was small peaceful Nerima after all; people running around in Samurai armor was not something that you saw every day. Ranma wiggled into the small window. "Ranma, when you get through, remember to look for the best escape route," Happosai instructed from behind him. "Kay," Ranma replied, then fell into the dressing room. He looked around and spotted the emergency exit door. Happosai dropped down beside him and scanned the room, then said, "Good, no one in here. Collect the bras and panties, but be quick about it!" Ranma opened a locker and scooped up a pair of socks and a shirt, then ran and gave them to Happosai. "What? I said bras and panties!" Happosai scolded. "Sorry... what do those look like?" Ranma asked. "Soun and Genma have really neglected the important parts of your training, my boy," Happosai said sadly. In his sadness he missed seeing Soun, who landed a vicious kick to his side. Happosai was sent flying across the changing room, through the wall, and into the large hot pool. As he rose to the surface, he found that he was in heaven. "Hot... cha... cha..." Soun raced into the poolroom and was greeted by a hail of buckets and screams. "Fear not! Fair maidens! I am here to save you from this perverted monster!" Soun declared, only to receive another round of buckets and screams. Soun made a mental note to himself. Genma appeared, Ranma tagging along behind him. "Keep close Ranma, whatever you do don't let Happosai take you away from us," Genma said. He joined Soun in a savage lunge at Happosai, who was glomping a rather well built woman. Soun and Genma tried to slice their Master into several pieces, but Happosai deflected all their blows easily. The women in the pool were still screaming and throwing various buckets, towels, anvils, throwing spatulas, aardvarks, soap bars, and grenades at the fighting men, who mostly ignored them as they waged their battle all over the room. Mirrors were broken, tubs cracked, and water pipes burst. Ranma giggled as the cold water splashed over him. "Weeeeee... I like cold water!" he squealed. Happosai was heading for the exit, but suddenly he found himself smashed flat to the ground by a large spatula wielded by a short rubenesque woman with short black hair. "You monster!" she cried. A little girl was gripping her leg tightly and looking up at her mother with pride and awe. Taking advantage of the dazed Happosai, Soun swung his sword and connected with Happosai's chest. Happosai went flying through the wall, taking in a nice view of the women in the steam room he crashed through it on his way out of the building. Soun looked at his sword and muttered, "Have to remember to keep these things sharpened." Soun and Genma ran out, followed by little Ranma, who looked around and took one last peek at the naked women. After the dust settled, the rubenesque woman stood up and sighed. "I always heard this was a quiet place to relax!" she said. She helped her daughter out of the pool and collected her dropped throwing spatulas. "Well, time for us to go sell some more okonomiyaki on our way back to Kansai, Ukyo." "Okay, Mommy!" the little girl chirped. "Ukyo, I've told you to call me 'Daddy'," the woman scolded. Ukyo was always confused by why they had to pretend they were boys to sell okonomiyaki. "Okay, Daddy." Then she looked at the retreating little boy and smiled. The battle continued outside and slowly headed back towards the Nerima ward of Tokyo. The dust cloud could be seen from anywhere in Tokyo. Soun and Genma finally cornered the old pervert in an alley, which happened to be right by the Tendo house. "Master! We won't let you take Ranma away!" Genma declared. "My son is not to be brought up in your perverted ways! That was my dear wife's wish and I shall make sure it comes true!" Soun shouted, then swung his sword at Happosai's head. It missed but did connect with his shoulder. Blood seeped down Happosai's chest. If it had been sharper, it probably would have sliced Happosai in half. "That was my best shirt! Now you two have gone and made me really angry!" Happosai said as his battle aura grew to ten times his regular size. Genma and Soun held their ground. The battle aura then expanded a hundred-fold. A passing plane veered away from the huge object that had suddenly appeared in it's flight path. Soun and Genma looked at each other. They both collapsed to the ground at Happosai's feet. "We're sorry, Master! We are unworthy of you!" they both exclaimed while groveling at their old master's feet. Happosai nodded, then bellowed, "Of course you are. I'm glad you finally realized that." Genma, still prostrated before Happosai, looked over at Soun and whispered, "Plan B?" Soun nodded. * * * Soun, Genma, and Happosai sat around the table. Kasumi brought out some more sake and Soun and Genma proceeded to pour it down his throat. Truth be told, they tossed some down themselves. When Happosai was good and pickled, they pulled him outside to avoid messing up the house and bent him over a rock. Happosai wiggled a little, as his head started to clear and he realized what was happening. Soun pulled his freshly sharpened sword out and took aim at his soon-to-be-late master. Just as he was about to begin his downward swing, a voice called out. "Please don't hurt the funny old man," Akane pleaded, standing behind them in her pajamas and holding a stuffed pig. "Akane? We're sorry, but he mustn't be allowed to terrorize this family anymore or steal Ranma from us," Genma explained to his daughter. Akane leaped in front of him and cried out. "No!" Happosai had vaguely been aware of events up to this point and looked over to Akane. "Akane? Oh... you're the only one who loves me... Such a sweet little girl, Akane..." Then he passed out again. * * * Soun and Genma trudged up a mountain carrying a large barrel between them and tossed it into a deep cave. They attached a spiritual ward to a large boulder and then rolled it into place. The cave darkened as the moonlight was cut off. "Oh, my sweet Akane..." was heard softly from the barrel. * * * After that, Genma took Ranma on a training trip to the south of Japan. They all hoped that Akane and Ranma would be better after a little time apart. After several months on the road, they happened across a street vendor selling okonomiyaki by the road. Genma instructed Ranma to go and challenge the vendor. If Ranma could get one of the okonomiyaki away from the vendor, they could eat it. Genma's stomach growled to punctuate this. Ranma did so and soon had three okonomiyaki to give to Genma. He was chased by a small boy of about the same age as he was. After a short chase, the okonomiyaki were tossed in the air after the boy tackled Ranma. Not wanting to waste the food, Genma gobbled them down. This scene repeated itself for several days until Ranma and Genma were both caught by the vendor and 'his' child. "You must pay me for all the okonomiyaki you have stolen from me!" 'Mr.' Kuonji explained. "I'm sorry, but I have no money. My son and I are but poor travelers. Only our hunger drove us to appropriate your food. I am sorry," Genma groveled. The vendor thought for a minute, then said, "Son huh? Tell you what, you can have the whole cart if your son marries my daughter." "Daughter?" Genma said, then looked over to where the two kids were playing. Genma convinced himself that he was doing the right thing before accepting. "Great! My family is now assured an heir!" 'Mr.' Kuonji exclaimed. Later that night, Ranma asked, "Why did we leave so fast with the cart, Daddy?" Genma thought, then said, "Oh, it's just time to move on, Son..." * * * "Where did Ranma go, Mo... err... Daddy?" little Ukyo asked. 'Mr.' Kuonji removed her bindings and let her breasts breathe. "Him and his honorless father have stolen our okonomiyaki cart and made us laughing stocks! Ukyo, you must train night and day to seek our revenge on them!" she yelled, pulling off her fake beard. "Kay, but when do I marry Ranma?" Ms. Kuonji sighed. "You don't. You kill both of those honorless males for our revenge!" she exclaimed, then thought to herself, * * * After returning from the training trip, Akane and Ranma still got very upset upon seeing each other. Finally, after several more tries at bringing Ranma back to the Tendo house, Soun, Genma, and Kasumi all sat down and talked. "What are we going to do? Every time we try to get the family back together Akane and Ranma go into tears and start abusing each other," Genma said. "I don't know, Saotome. Up until you came back, Akane was settling down and starting to cheer up again," Soun explained, then asked, "How was Ranma on the trip?" "Fine, he didn't even cry once about his mother. Maybe they are happier like this," Genma suggested. "You aren't suggesting that you keep my son and Akane stays here with us, are you?" "Tendo, at the moment it seems to be the only way they are happy. Maybe in a few years we can bring them together again and it will be less traumatic." Soun considered this for a few minutes, then asked, "Are sure you're not trying to get the son you've always wanted?" "I won't deny that I wanted a son or that Ranma has become like a son to me. I'd miss Akane terribly, but if this is the only way our families can be happy..." Kasumi took this moment to speak up and calmly said, "Father, Mr. Saotome, Mother wanted us to keep this family together and happy. I don't know if she would agree with this plan. Maybe if Ranma and Akane can just spend more time together they will work out their problems." Soun smiled at his oldest daughter, then said, "Kasumi, you are so mature for your young years." He kissed her gently on her cheek. "Tendo, this won't be permanent. Once they are older will bring them back together when they can understand what is going on," Genma explained. "I see no other way right now. If I agree to this we must formally engage them now, so that if we haven't reunited the families before they are, say, sixteen years old, they can be married and reunite the families that way," Soun decided. Genma shot up and shouted, "Brilliant plan, Tendo!!!" As the two fathers started making plans, Kasumi frowned. She wasn't sure the plan was what her mother would have wanted. Then she thought about what her mother told her the night before she died. Reluctantly, she helped the two fathers carry out the plan. * * * As Genma walked away from the Tendo house with Ranma, who had just turned seven, at his side, he looked back and thought, He wiped the tears out of his eyes and looked down at Ranma. "So, Ranma, are you ready to become the worlds greatest martial artist?" "Kay," Ranma replied. * * * Soun and Kasumi watched Genma walk away with Ranma, both were crying. "Kasumi, it'll be okay... we'll see him again and the families will be reunited for sure when they are sixteen." Kasumi sighed, then said, "If you think this is best, Father, I will do my best to keep this part of our family happy." "That's my big girl, thank you. Your mother would be proud of you," Soun said and hugged his daughter tightly. Tears flowed down his cheeks. Kasumi thought as she made dinner that night. * * * Although Hanaki Tendo was not Akane's real mother, Akane was traumatized by her death. She had come to think of Hanaki as her mother after her real mother, Nodoka Saotome, slipped into a coma after complications arose during childbirth. To lose both of the women she had known as 'Mother' caused her mind to drive the unpleasant memories to the back of her sub-conscious. Since Ranma reminded her of the pain of losing both of her mothers, she started to forget about the little boy she used to be so happy playing with. So as the years passed, Akane grew to regard her adoptive family as her real family. Unfortunately, this left scars that would occasionally manifest themselves with fits of anger. Kasumi and Soun tried to make Akane feel loved and always treated her as part of the family. They avoided mentioning Ranma or Genma, in fear that the pain of Hanaki's death would resurface. Unfortunately, it did resurface in the form of anger towards boys, especially those with pigtails. Ranma had similar problems coping and slowly started to believe Genma was his father. The pain of his mother's death slowly masked his memories of the Tendo family. Somehow, that was the best way for his mind to deal with the loss of his mother. It didn't help that Genma never talked about Ranma's mother or the Tendos as they traveled. Even little Nabiki forgot about her little brother as she tried to cope with her mother's death. She started taking care of the finances for the family, making the money they had go further. The quest to make her own money soon overtook Nabiki's life. The yen she made didn't fill the void left by her mother's death. * * * Nine years after Genma and Ranma had left on their training voyage, Soun was crying joyfully as he read a postcard. "At last, Ranma is coming! How I've waited for this day. And soon, very soon, Ranma will be here." "Kasumi!" Soun said, poking his head into the kitchen. "Yes? What is it, Father?" Kasumi replied, turning away from the food she was cooking. "The time has come at last." Kasumi looked up and thought for a second, then smiled. "Ranma?" Soun nodded, smiling and crying at the same time. "This is what I want to do..." Soun said, then explained his plan. * * * Soun Tendo had called his lovely daughters together for a family meeting. Kasumi was already kneeling at the table as Nabiki and Akane came in and kneeled across from their father. Akane seemed to have just finished exercising and was wiping sweat off her forehead. She also seemed to be a little angry, which was normal for her. "I have good news! Today, one of you will meet your fiancee!" Soun announced with a big smile plastered across his rugged face. "Fiancee?" Kasumi inquired, trying to sound surprised. Nabiki pretended to be shocked as well, but was thinking something different. Akane grew angry. "Yes. The son of a very good friend of mine," Soun informed them. "His name is Ranma Saotome. If one of you three girls were to marry him and carry on this training hall, then the Tendo family legacy would be secure." Then he added to himself, "Hey! Wait a minute here!" Akane yelled, quite agitated. "Don't we get to have some say in who we marry?" "Maybe you should wait until you meet him, you never know he might be really cute," Nabiki chided her younger sister. "Right, Daddy?" Soun chuckled to himself, then grew serious. "He'll be here any minute," Soun declared, then rose to his feet. "Ranma and his father have been on a training voyage. Recently they crossed into China." "Wow! China!" Nabiki exclaimed, still trying to make Ranma sound good to Akane. "So, he hiked all the way to China! Big Deal!" Akane exclaimed. "Father, how old is this, Ranma?" Kasumi questioned. "Is he cute?" Nabiki hoped. "Younger men are so... young," Kasumi remarked, sticking to the plan her father had outlined. "Well what kind of guy is he?" Akane asked. Soun laughed. "I don't know," he replied to all the questions. "You don't know?" Nabiki remarked. "I've never met him," he conceded. Playing their parts, both Kasumi and Nabiki looked a little shocked at their father. Akane was near to killing him. Suddenly, they were interrupted by a cry from outside. "Leggo, y' ol' fool!" "Sounds like we have visitors!" Kasumi noticed, then stood up. "Oooooo! It must be Ranma!" Nabiki smiled. She got up and ran towards the front door. Soun followed right behind her. Kasumi and Akane waited at the end of the hallway, both with troubled looks on their faces. A startled scream from Nabiki rang out and then Nabiki and Soun ran back down the hall, with a look of terror plastered across their faces. "Hey! Pop! You're scaring 'em spit-less!" Ranma yelled, as she came around the corner draped over the panda's shoulder. "So, Father, this is your friend?" Kasumi inquired. Kasumi thought, growing very troubled. Soun vigorously shook his head no. "Oh, so this panda just decided to drop in? Is that it, huh?" Nabiki suggested. Soun shook his head no again. The panda set Ranma down in front of him and nudged him forward a bit. Looking at the teenager in front of him, Soun suddenly realized that this might indeed be Ranma. Then he said, "You... wouldn't be..." "I'm Ranma Saotome," Ranma said, then sadly added, "Sorry about this." "At last! You're here!" Soun exclaimed and then hugged Ranma closely. "I'm so glad you're here!" "Oh, he is cute!" Nabiki appraised him. Nabiki thought, then began to think of a way to take Ranma for herself until... Soun's eyes went wide and released the hug he had on his 'son'. He had trouble breathing as he realized what he had just felt. It had been a while, but he did know what breasts felt like. Nabiki noticed her father's reaction and then looked closely at Ranma, particularly 'his' chest. For some reason, she decided she had to fondle the female breast in front of her. Ranma looked awkward, then said, "Um, could you stop that?" Then Nabiki exclaimed, "Ranmas not a guy! He's a girl!" and then squeezed again. Nabiki thought and squeezed one more time. "A g... girl?" Soun gasped, then spun into the abyss and fainted. "Father? Oh my," Kasumi intoned. Internally she raged, She kept the rage inside. * * * Soun and Genma knelt facing each other. Genma finished explaining, "And that's what happened. Your son is still your son, but he may occasionally be more like a daughter to you." Between tears, Soun ranted, "Saotome, how could you do this to my son. To curse yourself is the ultimate stupidity, but to curse my only son..." Soun and Genma went silent as they saw Nabiki walk by. "So that's it," Soun said, flatly, once Nabiki had passed by. "Hmmm," Genma hummed. "The path of a true martial artist is fraught with perils," Soun said, trying to contain his anger. "Yes, there are terrible things out there that man should not tamper with. I am sorry, but now at least we can reunite our families," Genma said. "Did you have to show up as a panda and a girl?" Soun scolded. "Sorry, Tendo." Soun broke down and cried some more. "As long as this is the worse thing you've done to my son, you are forgiven. My dear friend," Soun finally said. Genma suppressed the worried look that flashed across his face, then said, "Thank you, my friend." Controlling his face, he thought, "Now, before Akane finds out herself, we must introduce her to her future husband. As a BOY this time," Soun insisted. "Of course... Sorry, Tendo." That plan was shattered by Akane's piercing scream from down the back hallway. Akane ran by them and seemed to be quite upset. "Too late." "Sorry, Tendo." * * * Later that day, Soun, Genma, and Kasumi were all together. "That went well," Genma insisted. "Well? Well??? How could you do that to Ranma! You'll be lucky if I don't sell you to the zoo! If it wouldn't cause more problems that we have now, I'd throw you out on your furry butt!" "Kasumi, that's not a nice thing to say." "Sorry, Father." "Furry posterior is more polite." "Of course, Father." "Sorry, Kasumi." * * * "Saotome! How could you let MY SON get in a fight with a bunch of crazed Amazons and end up being hunted down by some bimbo?" Soun asked, between tears. "We just needed something to eat." Soun broke down and cried some more. "Sorry, Tendo." * * * "Saotome! How could you engage MY SON to Mr. Daikoku's daughter!" Sound cried out, between tears. "Actually. I didn't. It was just after Akane was born. I was on the road and we were starving. He wanted a son to marry his daughter, so I sort of told him Akane was Ranma," Genma explained. "Okay, we can just explain that to them," Soun insisted, calming down a bit. "Well, then Ranma and Akane would find out our secret." Soun broke down and cried some more. "Sorry, Tendo." * * * "Saotome! How could you train MY SON in such a dangerous technique as Cat Fu?" Soun asked, between tears. "It seemed like a good idea at the time." Soun broke down and cried some more. "Sorry, Tendo." * * * "Saotome! How could you engage MY SON, AGAIN, to some cross-dressing bimbo?" Soun asked. "It was the only way I could avoid being thrown in jail for stealing the okonomiyaki." Soun broke down and cried some more. "Sorry, Tendo." * * * "Saotome! How could you engage my son to some violent girl?" Soun asked. "Um, that one was your idea, Tendo." "Oh... right. Sorry, Saotome." "That's okay, Tendo." * * * Needless to say, Genma had to apologize many more times until the secret of Ranma and Akane's true parentage became known. Then of course, he had to apologize to everyone. "Sorry, Ranma. Sorry, Akane. Sorry, Kasumi. Sorry, Nabiki. Sorry, Tendo. Sorry, Hanaki, I meant well." * * * On the evening of Akane's seventeenth birthday, the Tendo family all knelt around the table and watched Akane blow out her candles on her cake. "What did you wish for, Akane?" Kasumi asked. "Well I've already got everything I could ever want. A loving family and a loving fiancee, what more could I ask for?" Akane replied, smiling. "Akane, ask for cash!" Nabiki remarked. "Akane, I was going to give you your present this morning, but I... err... forgot, here," Ranma said, then gave the small box to her. "Too busy smooching with her?" Nabiki quipped. "What?? How did you..." Ranma said, then shut up fast. "I didn't until now," Nabiki said, grinning. "Nabiki, stop teasing Ototchan." "Okay... I'm sorry, Ranma-ototo," Nabiki apologized, but continued grinning. "Will you stop calling me that Nabiki! It's not the correct usage of ototo!" "Looks like Ototchan needs a spanking," Nabiki quipped. "Hey! That's my job!" Akane insisted, then blushed, but didn't stop smiling. "Now I know that I was better off as a only child!" Ranma spat. "Calm down, Ranma. Akane, open the present please," Kasumi calmly said, which calmed everyone down. "Oh... right..." Akane remembered and opened the little box. She pulled a ring out. "But you already gave me..." Then she gasped, then said, "I liked the first engagement ring better, Ranma. Plastic isn't as nice as gold and diamonds." "A plastic ring?" Nabiki said, something started to dig itself to the top of Nabiki's mind. "Oh my, where did you find that Ranma?" Kasumi gasped. "I've had it ever since Pop and I went training. I thought it was my mother's, but a couple of days ago I remembered giving it to Akane as a kid. So I figured I'd give it back to her today," Ranma explained. "Still kind of a cheap gift," Nabiki appraised. "Ranma, do you remember when you gave that to Akane on her sixth birthday?" Kasumi asked. "Just vaguely." "At the time we all joked that you wanted to marry Akane. Looks like it wasn't a joke," Kasumi explained. "No, it isn't," Ranma said, then kissed Akane. This, of course, produced whistles and call calls form the other people at the table. Akane examined the plastic ring with a smile. She tried to put it on a finger, but it wouldn't fit. Then on an impulse, she took off a necklace she was wearing and threaded it through the ring. She replaced the necklace, then said, "Thank you, Ranma. I do kind of remember this ring and the nasty little boy who gave it to me." Ranma started to protest, but stopped when Akane winked at him. "When are you two getting married anyway?" Nabiki said. Soun and Genma perked up and looked on with interest. "Well... we haven't given it much thought," Akane said, blushing. "We're still pretty young," Ranma insisted. Akane pulled Ranma over and whispered to him. "Really?" Ranma asked her. Akane nodded. "If that's what you want. Akane and I would like to be married on March twentieth, after we're done with the school year." Shouts of joy rang out from everyone. Ranma and Akane just held each other's hands as they were hugged and kissed by the others. "That's so soon. I've got so much to plan," Kasumi explained, starting to make wedding plans in her head. * * * That night Kasumi wrote in her diary: ======================================================================= Dear Diary, Well, Ranma and Akane have finally set the date for their wedding. March 20th. We've decided on a western style wedding. I'm going to make sure that it goes well. I still have to keep my last promise to my mother, after all. I love you, Mother. I'll look after your family. ======================================================================= Kasumi closed her diary and went to sleep smiling. * * * Ranma and Akane lay on the roof, looking up at the stars. "I was surprised you wanted to get married so soon, Akane," Ranma said. "Me too, but why put it off? We love each other, might as well get it out of the way," Akane said, twiddling the plastic ring she had on her necklace. "How romantic," Ranma quipped, although he had thought the same thing earlier. Akane rolled over on top of Ranma and said, "Let's just say that I'm looking forward to the honeymoon, okay?" Ranma blushed, then kissed Akane deeply. They feel asleep in each other's arms... Until they slid off the roof and hit the ground. "Ouch," they both said. Fortunately, no bones were broken. * * * In a run-down convalescent home, a nurse took the pulse of a long time patient. The new nurses-aid next to her asked, "So what's her story?" "She's been here for almost eleven years now. Poor woman had a stroke and lost her baby in childbirth. She came out of her coma, but isn't exactly all there," the nurse explained. "If you know what I mean..." "Oh, poor woman." The two continued on their rounds. After they had left, the woman in the bed awoke and looked around the room. Then she started to cry softly. After several minutes, she muttered, "Akane? Ranma? Where are my darling children?" Nodoka Saotome kept muttering their names until she fell asleep again. [End - Part 3] [Finish - Ranma-ototo: Please save My Family] ======================================================================= Author's notes/ramblings: Well, I wasn't planning on continuing events started in my Ranma-ototo mini-series, but couldn't resist looking back and looking first hand at the events that caused Soun and Genma to swap Akane and Ranma. I gave Mother Tendo a name in this story because events were focused more around her (in the original Ranma-ototo mini-series I referred to her only as Mother Tendo). Hanaki means 'flower spirit'. I thought it appropriate for her. As I reviewed the various Anime episodes, most especially the first TV episode, I was amazed at how easy the altered events in Ranma-ototo could be incorporated. Many of the references in Ranma 1/2 were usually vague enough for me to flex them a little bit. Even Happosai's history was easy to integrate. Having him out of the way for the early years of Soun and Genma's marriages made sense. Then at the ten-year mark before the Anime started, to have him escape an earlier incarceration by Soun and Genma worked well. I was also able to explain why Happosai was looking for Akane after escaping the cave. Even a cameo of Ukyo was made possible. Kasumi's 'h-word' is heck and her 'd-word' is darn, in case you were wondering. She can't even think bad words. There will be another Ranma-ototo story forthcoming. As you've probably guessed it'll deal with Nodoka and the wedding. That's all I'll say. I'd like to thank various FFML members and my pre-readers: David Johnston and Jonathan Ng. Of course in the end, any mistakes and botched characters are my fault. Revision 0.0 - Rough draft (May, 1998) Revision 0.3 - Pre-reader draft (June 6, 1998) Revision 0.4 - Second pre-reader draft (August 16, 1998) Revision 0.5 - FFML draft (August 31, 1998) Revision 1.0 - First RAAC posting (September 15, 1998)