Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Herbie's Drive Through Nerma ❯ Reunion time ( Chapter 3 )

*SKREEEEEEEEEEECCCCCCCCCHHHHH*

(SHE WANTS TO DO WHAT?!) Herbie beeped after stopping and hearing what Nodoka would do to Ranma. (Nah. She never mentioned that to…)

"I remember her telling me she did to a former friend." Ranma interrupted. "Let's just say there's a reason she's a former friend."

(And she didn't get the message?) Herbie replied, bewildered.

"Evidently not." Akane replied.

(Take no offense Ranma, but you're lucky you turned out the way you did.) Herbie beeped.

"I'm startin' to think that way." Ranma said.

(But I'm sure she won't do it.) Herbie replied. (She sounded like she loved you.)

"But when she was at my house once, she said she'd carry out the contract." Akane said.

(Uh-oh.) Herbie beeped. (Well, maybe if you went as you and went over the events and saved Jusenkyo for last?)

"Hmmmmmm… that might work." Ranma said. "Ok Herbie, lets do it."

(OK!) Herbie beeped as he drove his passengers to the Saotomae house, which was 6 blocks away

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

(Hello? Anybody home?) Herbie beeped. Nodoka peeked out her window and saw the little car, Akane, and one other person she couldn't make out.

"Hello there. I'll be right down." Nodoka replied.

"Ok!" Akane yelled back when she peaked out the window. She then turned to a very nervous looking Ranma. "I'm sure it'll be fine Ranma. Herbie and I have faith in you."

(Relax. I'm sure it'll be fine.) Herbie beeped.

"You try to relax when a relative of yours has a suicide contract in one pocket and her sword ready to use." Ranma snapped back, causing an angry look from Akane. "Aw geez, I'm sorry. I'm just nervous."

"It's ok." Akane replied. "I'll go out first Ranma, then you can and we'll tell your mom everything." Akane than held Ranma's hand. Herbie replied to that by beeping his best wolf whistle he could. "Don't get any ideas." Akane said.

(Who? Me?) Herbie beeped. Just then, Nodoka came out with her sword in hand as Akane went out her side.

"Hello Auntie." Akane said happily.

"Hello Akane." Nodoka said. "How was your trip?"

"Oh, it was fine. We got our project done." Akane said. "Um… Auntie… We have something to show you."

"That's my cue." Ranma said.

(Good luck.) Herbie beeped.

"Thanks." Ranma said as he opened the door.

"Why is Ranko honking the horn?" Nodoka asked, thinking Ranma is Ranko because Akane was blocking the view of the driver's side.

"Uh… about those, I'll get to the horn later, but about Ranko…" Akane said just as she heard Ranma's feet touch the ground. Akane then moved out of the way so Ranma can greet his mom.

"Uh… hi mom." Ranma said. Nodoka suddenly was over come with joy because right in front of her was the son she hasn't seen in a decade.

"R-Ranma?" Nodoka asked.

"Yeah." Ranma said smiling. "It's me." Nodoka than gave her son a hug that almost killed him.

"OH MY SON! I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN SO LONG!" Nodoka said excitedly.

"Uh… about that…" Ranma said. "I have some things to tell you, but I better tell you this first. Ya see, pop heard and read about this training ground, Jusenkyo, and we went there for our training. Unfortunately, he ain't good in readin' Chinese, otherwise we would have known the springs were cursed."

"Cursed?" Nodoka asked.

"Yeah." Ranma replied, getting a bit nervous. "Whenever splashed with cold water, the curse gets activated. Pop fell into the spring of drowned panda, and I…" Just then, thunder was heard as a freak down pour occurred, turning Ranma into his female form. Just then the rain stops.

"Grrrrrrrrr… it never fails." Ranma said angrily. He then saw the icy cold stare of his mom. Not liking where this is going, Herbie got an idea as he backed up to get some driving room.

"So… you turn into a girl." Nodoka said in an icy tone. "You have lied to me all this time."

"Like you gave me much of a choice." Ranma said. "That damn contract…"

"Will be held up." Nodoka said. "If you can't tell your mom the truth, then you are not a man amongst men."

"WHAT?!" Ranma said, freaked.

"AUNTIE! NO!" Akane said as she was about to take the sword away from her. But then, they heard a noise.

(GANGWAY!) Herbie beeped as…

*VVVVVVVRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM*

…he drove at a fast speed towards the trio. Ranma pushed the two girls out of the way, but the shock caused Nodoka to loose her sword. As it flew in the air, Herbie opened his trunk, causing the honor blade to land in it. He slammed it shut just as Nodoka got up.

"THE FAMILY BLADE!" Nodoka said. "GIVE ME THE BLADE BACK!" She was furious, yet also startled that a car was not only driving by itself, but taking the blade with him as he backed away from the Saotomae house.

(Gotta catch me first!) Herbie beeped just before he…

*SKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEECH*

…did a standing start wheelie at high speed. As soon as he landed, Nodoka ran after him, and was amazingly catching up.

"COME BACK HERE!" Nodoka yelled. Ranma and Akane looked at the scene and didn't know what to think.

"Well… now we know where part of your girl side's speed comes from." Akane said.

"Yeah…" Ranma replied, but then she remembered what was going on. "Akane, wait here!" She said as she was about to go.

"You're not going after them, are you?" Akane asked.

"Akane, if I don't, my and pop's heads won't be the only ones on the chopping block." Ranma said. "There might be an engine there as well, but don't worry. If Herbie is doing what I think, we'll all be back." He said as he roof hopped to follow the two.

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

Nodoka was barley able to keep up with The Love Bug, but she saw him on the edge of a cliff, with the sound of crashing ocean waves coming from below. She then saw Herbie lift is back end and stand on his two front wheels on the edge of the cliff. She knew what would happen next.

"NO! NOT THE SWORD!" Nodoka yelled. But it was to no avail as Herbie opened the trunk, causing the blade to…

*CRASH*

*SPLASH*

…break on the rocks and the pieces to be lost to the waves below. Nodoka, in shock, fell to her knees. Herbie then put his backside down

"Why?" Nodoka asked. "HOW… HOW DID YOU… WHY DID YOU?!" Nodoka asked.

(Protecting a friend.) Herbie beeped.

"But… you have no driver… HOW?!" Nodoka said as she regained her bearings. Just then, she heard two feet land. It was Ranma, still a girl.

"Looks like what your friend said about Herbie is true." Ranma said. Nodoka just looked at him bewildered.

"How long have you…?" Nodoka asked.

"Yesterday. He kept honking his horn and gave Ryoga a trunk full in the jaw." Ranma replied. "But I didn't believe it until I called him ugly and stupid. The last one was while I was behind the wheel."

"Oh." Nodoka said with her face stained with tears over loosing the blade. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Hopping to talk to you." Ranma said. "I know I lied to you, but if you'll just hear me out…"

"No." Nodoka said. "You lied to me and that's that."

(That's that?) Herbie beeped.

"No, I refuse to believe that." Ranma said. Herbie then opened both doors. "Look, we're a good distance from home, so how about you ride and we talk?" Nodoka than looked around and did indeed see they were far from home.

"Very well. But I doubt you'll change my mind." She said as they got inside Herbie and drove off.

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

After hearing what her own son/daughter had gone through, Nodoka paled. She was shocked that even with the contract, Genma wasn't kept in line and nearly killed Ranma on more than one occasion. Not to mention getting him engaged at least to three women.

"So then there's you." Ranma said. "I had no idea if you were alive or dead and when I heard you were alive, I wanted to see you. But then pop told me about the contract and thus I had to be Ranko."

"The contract…" Nodoka sighed. Nodoka got out and right in front of her son/daughter, she tore it up. Herbie than rolled down his window and she tossed it out. "Thank you."

(No problem.) Herbie happily beeped.

"Mom? Wha…?" Ranma tried to ask, but was interrupted.

"When I originally had you two sign the contract, it was both to keep Genma in line and to make it my only link to you." Nodoka said. "But I missed you so much and was so desperate for you two to come home, that I started think that you would comeback to honor the contract. I started thinking about it so much that it started to affect me. I started taking it seriously and that's why…" It then dawned on her what she was about to do. "Oh Lord… what was I about to do?" She started to sob. Ranma then grabbed her shoulder, and looked right at her.

"It'll be ok, mom." She said. Nodoka than looked at her son/daughter, and saw that she had forgiven her. They then hugged and both of them smiled.

"Thank you, Ranma." Nodoka said. "And you too, Herbie."

(Glad to be of help.) Herbie joyfully beeped as they drove back to the Saotomae home.