Fruits Basket Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Neko's Healing ❯ Ranma! ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, or Ranma. I don't think they'd want me to own them, either. <eg!>

 

Someone wondered how I was going to connect the Jyuunishi and Jusenkyo curses. ::too-innocent blink:: Why would I wanna do that?

 

Seriously--the Jusenkyo curses really don't have much to do with this story, though I suppose I could get into some interesting interactions; for instance, would Ranma-onna make the Jyuunishi-cursed guys transform? Would picking up Shampoo, mistaking her for a real neko, make Kyo transform? O-o-o-oh, there could be lots'a humor in that!

 

Egads, I could spend a chapter just on that--and this thing's already gone over 90,000 words! ::sweat-drop:: I think I'll save the idea for another story later on.

 

Enjoy!

 

9- Ranma!

 

Kyo-neko fell asleep after a while, shortly after he started purring in Tohru's arms. Yuki helped Tohru get the neko and his clothes up into his room, and stayed to get the exhausted neko settled properly in his futon once he changed back to human. Tohru reluctantly left the room, modesty winning out--barely; she wanted to stay by Kyo's side as much as physically possible, especially now that she knew just how little time he had left before he would be--gone, from her life.

 

As she stood in the hallway, hands and forehead pressed against Kyo's door as she fought back more tears, she heard knocking at the front door. Her head jerked up in surprise, and she stared uncomprehendingly down the hallway for a moment before realizing what the sound was.

 

She quickly scrubbed the tears from her face as she dashed down the hall, and down the stairs to the door, worried about who would be visiting at such a late hour--it was nearly midnight! What if it was Akito-san?! She didn't know what she'd do, then! Maybe she should let Shigure-san get the door...?

 

No!! She couldn't let visitors disturb Shigure-san--he and Kazuma-sensei might be discussing a way to help Kyo-kun! She wouldn't let them be interrupted, if that was the case! It might be Hatori-san; maybe they'd called him to come over, to help them figure out a way to help Kyo--!

 

She paused before opening the door; scrunched her eyes shut and fisted her hands in front of herself, taking a deep breath and holding it as she concentrating on being her normal cheerful self. It wasn't fair to visitors to impose her distress on them, even if they were involved. Blowing her breath out and standing straight, she purposefully smiled and opened the door.

 

“Kon...ban...wa...?”

 

“Konbanwa...I'm Saotome Ranma, and this is my fiancée, Tendo Akane. We're sorry to bother you so late, but I'm here to see a friend of mine, Sohma Kyo. It's--important.”

 

Tohru blinked and looked between the two strangers. The speaker was a handsome, black-haired young man with the most amazingly blue eyes, wearing a bright red Chinese tang over black kung-fu pants, with black slippers. One hand was behind his neck, playing with his pigtail, once he stood straight from his bow.

 

The beautiful, brown-eyed young woman who stood next to him holding his other hand had gorgeous short hair, so black it had blue highlights even in just the light from inside the house. She wore a pale yellow sundress with an unbuttoned, short white sweater over it that complemented her figure nicely, and a wide-brimmed white hat with a bright yellow ribbon that matched her yellow shoes. They both looked to be about Tohru's age, maybe a year older.

 

Tohru blinked, surprised; suddenly remembering her manners. “O--oh--y-yes, Kyo-kun's here...uhm, he's--” She hesitated, reluctant to wake Kyo-kun; but he never had strangers come to see him! And Saotome-san--he'd said he was a friend; and that it was important... “Kyo-kun's sleeping right now; b-but I can--I can wake him for you...?” She ushered them inside, glancing uncertainly between them.

 

Saotome Ranma answered as the two removed their shoes just inside the door, looking embarrassed. “Ah...I really hate to wake him, but...I think you'd better. It--really is important.” His handsome face turned rather grim, blue eyes hardening with determination. Tendo Akane glanced silently at him with worry clear on her face, then turned a solemn look to Tohru, who dipped a quick bow and excused herself to fly up the stairs. She cast one worried glance back at Kyo-kun's visitors from the top of the stairs, before she disappeared down the hallway towards Kyo-kun's room.

 

Yuki was just leaving Kyo's room when Tohru flitted over, wringing her hands in her distress, eyes wide. He paused before closing the door completely, staring at her in surprise.

 

“Sohma-kun--I have to wake Kyo-kun, he has visitors; they say it's important!” Wide brown eyes met startled violet-gray. The nezumi hesitated, his hand still on the sliding door, glancing in at the pale face that was all that was really visible of the sleeping neko.

 

Seeing restless movement under the covers decided him. Kyo was obviously not going to be getting a peaceful sleep; it looked like his night would be filled with nightmares, anyway, so it probably wouldn't hurt for him to get up to meet his visitors. Besides, since when did Kyo have friends that Tohru didn't know? Who would come at this late hour, yet!

 

Yuki sighed, softly. He'd just finished wrestling the mostly unconscious neko into his pajamas, too! Kyo had been too tired to do it himself, and apparently been comfortable with letting Yuki manhandle him about.

 

“All right--I'll see if I can wake him, Honda-san, if you can keep his guests entertained. He should be down shortly.” Yuki opened the door farther and slipped back in, closing it behind him. Tohru nodded and went back down to offer tea and snacks to the visitors.

 

Tohru had settled Ranma and Akane at the dining table with fresh-made tea and a plate of cookies she'd baked earlier, when a rather tired-looking Kyo slouched into the room, hands in the pockets of his habitual cargo pants. He'd slipped on a black T-shirt, but no socks. His orange hair was slightly mussed, as if he'd only run his hands through it to straighten it. They all looked up at his entrance, Ranma's blue eyes lighting up.

 

Kyo stopped dead when he saw Ranma, red eyes widening in recognition. His hands came out of his pockets and he took a single step forward as he questioned, incredulously, “Ranma??”

 

Ranma gave a half-smile and stood, hands nonchalantly behind his back, rocking slightly on his feet with contained energy. “Yeah. Long time no see, Kyo!” His face lit with a wholehearted grin.

 

Yuki, who'd followed Kyo down the stairs, stepped around the neko in order to get a better look at these strangers. He nodded politely to the lovely young woman still kneeling at the table, glanced over the handsome young man with the pigtail, and raised an eyebrow at his cousin, clearing his throat softly.

 

Kyo started and glanced at him, then ducked his head and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he set a hand on his hip. He raised his head and rolled his eyes to the ceiling, then proceeded to introduce Saotome Ranma to Yuki. Ranma introduced his fiancée to them both. Yuki was interested to notice Kyo's start at her name, and the way he started eyeing her almost like he would watch Kagura. The nezumi wondered just what about this young woman had his cousin so nervous?

 

Shigure and Kazuma chose that moment to let the young ones know they were present. Further introductions were made all around. Once the obligatory pleasantries were out of the way, Kyo got right to the point. “Ranma. What in hell are you doing here?!”

 

Ranma stepped right in front of him, meeting the neko's glare with his own. “You graduate this year. And...” Those amazing blue eyes darkened, flicking quickly to his fiancée and back. There was a sudden bleakness about them. “I...will be settling all those--problems--Oyaji has stuck me with, over the years...”

 

Tendo Akane suddenly stood and moved to Ranma's side, to grip his hand tightly in both of hers. He started at her movement at first, looking at her with a touch of panic as she approached, before his face softened to sadness. He tentatively raised his free hand to cover hers, as she looked up at him.

 

“Ranma. Trust Nabiki-onee-chan! She'll get everything straightened out,” she whispered, brown eyes intense. Ranma only nodded once, looking tired.

 

The neko had apparently followed the underlying meanings to the couple's words, and his face had a slightly sick look of comprehension. Yuki, completely confused, kept quiet and just watched, as Tohru silently offered him a cup of tea. The nezumi had a feeling there were many interesting secrets being referred to, and his curiosity was piqued.

 

Shigure was also intrigued, eyes narrowing slightly as he silently listened. He and Kazuma exchanged a look, both deciding it was best to let the younger ones talk--and maybe forget the adults were there.

 

Kyo waited for Ranma to look at him before commenting, dryly, “You might as well explain things to everybody.”

 

Ranma winced, then sighed. “This could take a while...we might as well sit.” He looked to Yuki, then Tohru; then back at Kyo. “I know Yuki and Shigure are--your cousins...and, well, Kazuma-sensei...but--Tohru...?”

 

“She knows. They all...know.”

 

Ranma started, staring deep into Kyo's serious eyes. Then he nodded, and gestured Akane back to her seat. When they were all settled about the table, he took a deep breath, and proceeded to tell the gathered Sohmas and Tohru a rather incredible tale of a six-year-old boy taken on a ten year martial arts training journey by his baka of a father; culminating in the trip to China that got them both cursed at Jusenkyo.

 

At mention of a curse, Tohru gasped, while Yuki and the adults leaned forward, the better to not miss a word. A grumpy-looking Ranma had to request hot and cold water from Tohru, to demonstrate his curse. Kyo had apparently already heard all about it, but hadn't seen it; he hadn't actually laid eyes on Ranma since before the pig-tailed martial artist left for China, before he was cursed.

 

There was dead silence for all of three seconds when a cup of cold water changed the black-haired young man into an extremely--ahem!--well-built young woman, with flaming red hair.

 

There was a sudden <WHAM!><WHACK!><thump!>, and everyone was sweat-dropping as they stared at a crumpled Shigure; who was sitting on the floor rubbing at two nice, new, large goose-eggs on his head, a furious looking Kyo and Yuki standing over him with their arms still raised from the twin blows that felled him. Yuki's snarl of “Hentai!!” made Ranma and Akane slump in disgusted resignation and roll their eyes, while Tohru let out a nervous giggle. Kazuma just shook his head, trying not to let his lips quirk towards a smile at the antics; Shigure really should have kept control over his drooling appreciation of Ranma-chan's--erm, assets.

 

The beginning of the inu's favorite “High School Girls!!” sing-song hadn't been appropriate, either.

 

Then the neko suddenly lost his furious air, his lips twitching as he looked sideways at Ranma-chan. His shoulders hitched slightly a couple times, a soft, curious-sounding kind of snort escaping him. He finally burst out in uncontrollable snickers when Ranma-chan stared at him, one eyebrow slowly rising. The neko desperately covered his mouth with both hands and turned his back on them all. He didn't quite get to the point of rolling on the floor with laughter--but it was obviously painfully close.

 

Ranma-chan just gave the neko a thoroughly disgusted, flat-eyed Glare, while his--or should that now be her?--fiancée tried to hide an amused smirk with one hand. Her dark brown eyes were sparkling, though--as were Kazuma's, who had not seen Kyo laugh like that anywhere near enough in the boy's short life.

 

When Kyo finally got himself under control and turned back around, with a final, choked-off gasp of a chortle, Ranma-chan was still staring at him.

 

“You done?”

 

Kyo's mouth twitched for a moment. “...Yeah. Sorry `bout that...” Amusement was still dancing in his eyes, but at least he had himself under control. Mostly.

 

Ranma-chan tossed her head as she sniffed, saying in an affected and overly huffy voice, “Well, at least my cursed form is cuter than yours is!”

 

Five sets of eyes blinked at her in shock, as Akane just looked confused. Then Kyo's expression flickered straight through humorous outrage to depression, red eyes suddenly going dead as he dropped his head.

 

Yuki quickly stifled a snicker of his own--until the events earlier that day stole any amusement from him, as well. His face fell and he looked at Kyo in concern, finding the neko's down-turned face mostly hidden by shadows and orange hair. He stood uncertainly at Kyo's side, one hand raised slightly, uncertain...then his expression firmed with determination, and the hand reached out to Kyo's shoulder. A tiny flinch was the only sign Kyo noticed the faint weight.

 

Not getting the outraged argument she'd been expecting, Ranma-chan looked back to Kyo, frowning. She placed both hands on the table and leaned towards Kyo, concerned--especially when she saw Yuki's hand. Ranma knew all about the rivalry Akito wished to exist between the neko and the nezumi, and how Kyo had been trying to feign it. Her voice was soft when she stated, “Something's happened.”

 

At the neko's slight, hesitant nod, Ranma-chan's expression hardened, a fierce anger glinting in her eyes. Kyo wasn't meeting her eyes--a very bad sign. Her voice was full of icy fury when she demanded, “What's that damned Clan Head of yours done to you this time?!”

 

Yuki stared at Ranma-chan in open-mouthed shock as Kyo shook his head, finally looking up, if not into anyone's eyes. “It--wasn't--Akito.” He drew a deep breath, and glanced at Akane. Realizing she had no clue about the Jyuunishi curse, he sighed. He stepped back to settle himself at the table, then started explaining it to her, as Yuki settled next to him. The nezumi kept his hands folded on the table in front of him, but had decided he'd reach out again if Kyo looked like he could use the support.

 

The nezumi was somewhat amazed at himself, and this sudden, intense need to comfort his cousin. Just that morning, he'd have rather cut his own hand of, than place it anywhere on the `baka neko' in a show of support!

 

-.-.-.-

 

Akane listened raptly to the story of the thirteen animal spirits and their kami, compassion shining in her eyes as she realized how lonely the curse must make the people stricken by it. She almost unconsciously slipped her hand into Ranma-chan's on the table, shivering at the thought of never being able to hug her fiancé--whether she wanted to, or not.

 

Her look turned quizzical as she suddenly wondered--how did Ranma's Jusenkyo curse interact with the Sohmas' Jyuunishi curse? Did it matter to their curse, which form her fiancé was in? She held the question for after Kyo had finished his explanations, unsure if they'd even had a chance to think about it yet. Kyo had obviously never seen Ranma's girl form before.

 

When Kyo told of the fate his Clan Head had in store for him, tears came to Akane's eyes, and she bit her lip as she unconsciously squeezed Ranma-chan's hand tighter for reassurance. Her mind conjured up terrifying images of tiny, pitch black rooms and unending, utter silence.

 

Hearing of his mother's suicide caused her to pale and waver, slightly; no one noticed but Ranma-chan, who surreptitiously freed her held hand to wrap her arm about her fiancée's waist in silent support. Akane was remembering her own mother's death...and trying to understand how any mother could possibly just up and kill herself, when her child needed her so! And to have his best friend's memories of him erased, on top of all that--in such a short period of time?! Never mind having to pretend to be enemies, afterwards!

 

It was no wonder Kyo and Ranma were friends; they had so much suffering in common! They'd both survived such horrible childhoods, with different kinds of abuse; and lost their mothers; and lived daily with so much stress--!

 

Akane snapped her attention back to Kyo as he went on to explain the day's events. She hadn't consciously noticed Ranma-chan's supporting arm yet, but her body leaned into her currently female fiancé in gratitude, anyway.

 

-.-.-.-

 

Yuki was amazed when he realized that Ranma-chan had apparently already known about the neko's healing power, and the price it carried...the pig-tailed martial artist had actually known about Kyo's true form, the one thing Kyo was least likely to speak of--to anyone. The nezumi was watching the red-head's face closely when Kyo spoke of it, and saw no surprise there, at all.

 

A small, niggling touch of jealousy insinuated itself into his heart for an instant, when Kyo paused to mention that he and Ranma had known each other since they were seven years old. Yuki quickly squashed the feeling, embarrassed by his own pettiness. He should be glad Kyo had managed to have any friends, between the Neko's curse and Akito's decrees!

 

Shigure's dark eyes were taking everything in, with a thoughtful look. Kazuma was the only one who noticed; the karate master kept a careful eye on the inu, slightly worried. He knew that for his part, Akito would never hear one word of these two young people knowing about the Jyuunishi curse; and Yuki and Kyo would rather cut out their tongues than tell the Clan Head. But Shigure might well report it.

 

Then again...he might not. To one who knew how to read him, Shigure was obviously shaken. Kazuma decided he'd have to speak privately to the inu, as soon as everyone was done talking that night.

 

When Kyo finished his explanations, everyone sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking; Akane dealing with her shock at what she'd just heard. Then Kyo reminded Ranma-chan that she hadn't told them what happened to him--er, her, after Jusenkyo.

 

Ranma-chan started, and blushed a bit. Then she seemed to realize she was currently a she, and quickly reached for the glass of hot water. A finger dipped into it proved it to still be warm enough to work; she dumped it over her head, and a male Ranma finished telling them how he and his baka father came to the Tendo-ke, and some of the main troubles that had followed them.

 

The gathered Sohmas were straining to follow the tangled mess of engagements and rivalries and challenges and kidnappings that Ranma told of; Tohru's eyes nearly spinning in her head with confusion. Yuki's face lost some of it's stunned blankness as Ranma explained just why he hadn't officially chosen a fiancée yet, going pale and sick instead. Kazuma's expression went stoic, his emotions tightly bound behind his training; Shigure stopped looking highly amused, gaining a very troubled expression.

 

When the pig-tailed martial artist finally finished his tale by saying the only solution to the whole mess that he'd been able to find to date was for him to commit seppuku, everyone sat, stunned, in complete silence. It was Kazuma who finally spoke up, glancing with great concern between the two young men. “I don't know which of you has a worse fate looming over your heads--the one facing seppuku, or the one facing permanent confinement...” Troubled charcoal eyes lingered a moment on his son, before dropping to the table in thought.

 

Ranma snorted softly, a sardonic smile flickering across his face for an instant. Then he blinked, those amazing blue eyes going far-away for a moment. When he focused on Kyo again, he looked thoughtful. He glanced to his fiancée, then back to the neko.

 

“I know one way to guarantee that Clan Head of yours won't ever be able to lock you up.” Humor-touched blue eyes met Kyo's sudden, intense stare, amusement dancing in them. “It's selfish of me, though; it would get me out of about my worst problem.” The trademark Saotome Smirk came out, full force, as everyone focused intently on him. “Just beat Shampoo. Cologne would never allow your family to lock you up, after that; and she'd be easy to talk into protecting more than just you. Besides, Amazon lore might even be able to help break your family's curse.”

 

Kyo glared flat-eyed back at him. “That is not funny, Ranma!”

 

Yuki looked between the two, bewildered. “Beat...a hair care product...?” Shigure was chortling in disbelief.

 

Ranma broke down and snickered as Kyo turned and split his glare between his cousins. Akane spoke up before a fight could break out, remembering that Ranma hadn't gone into much detail about the Amazons, earlier--he'd just mentioned he'd run afoul of one of their tribal laws, and now one was chasing after him to marry him. “Shampoo and Elder Cologne are the Chinese Amazons that followed Ranma to Japan. They have this stupid law that says if an Amazon warrior is beaten by an outsider male, she has to give him the Kiss of Marriage; but if she's beaten by an outsider female, it's the Kiss of Death. This baka,” she bopped Ranma lightly on the top of the head; he squawked a protest, “beat her in his cursed form, and got the Kiss of Death--then after she'd chased him all the way to Japan, she finally found out he'd been Jusenkyo-cursed, and was really a guy. Then he had to go and beat her again--“

 

Ranma broke in, indignantly, “Hey! That was an accident; and I was trying to keep her from killing you, at the time!”

 

Akane glared him into silence, and continued, “Anyway, then she gave him the Kiss of Marriage, and she and her great-grandmother, Elder Cologne, have been trying to get him back to their village ever since. The only way we've ever come up with to get him out of it, without Shampoo being locked in her cursed form or executed for her failure, is for some other guy to beat Shampoo, then somehow beat Ranma. Then she'd have to marry the other guy, and Ranma would be off the hook.”

 

Akane's expression was a strange mixture of annoyance, worry, and sadness, as she glanced at a moderately stunned Yuki. Her tone turned decidedly sour as she added, “The hard part is finding somebody to beat Ranma. There's not many who can even give him a good workout.”

 

Kyo, for his part, had suddenly stopped scowling so ferociously and narrowed his eyes, his expression startling into thoughtfulness. He stared quietly off into the distances of his thoughts, his head tilted to the side. He slanted his gaze to Yuki, who was shaking his head, trying to absorb the weirdness that Ranma lived with on a daily basis.

 

Then the neko looked at Tohru, who was watching everyone with a mix of hope and worry on her face. He frowned, then looked down at his hands, flexing them slightly--like he was extending claws.

 

Ranma was watching him, saying nothing. Akane suddenly realized Ranma hadn't uttered a sound when she mentioned the idea of somebody beating him. She turned to stare at him, a frown of puzzlement on her face. She'd have thought that super-huge ego of his would have demanded he protest the impossibility of that ever happening! That was how he got into so much trouble most of the time, after all! Was he feeling ill?

 

-.-.-.-

 

::eyeballing to-date word count:: I just can't do short fics! Oh well. I write for me, first, over anyone else--and I don't really like reading short stuff, either.

 

It's too--short! Heh.