Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ City of Dreams ❯ Truth Lies and Seppuku Contract ( Chapter 8 )

She spooned another portion of apple sauce into his mouth. Smiling as he took the food and eventually swallowed it she brought up a cup of milk with a straw and put it to his lips. Getting him to use a straw had been difficult but worth it. She gave him the last spoonful of applesauce and let him finish the milk.

 

“Very good son.” She said. She didn't know if he could hear her or not but she liked to think he could. “It's time for your bath now. Come along, who's momma's manly boy?” She led the unresponsive male down the short hallway to the furo.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Akane sat through her math class barely able to pay attention. There had been a lot of speculation among the other students when she had refused to answer any questions about her new house guest. She listened in on the gossip nearby. She wondered if anyone realized she could hear them talking or if they even cared. She sank a little lower as the lesbian lover rumor passed by again. She hoped to the Kami that Nabiki had a backup plan for this disaster that was quickly becoming her life. She overheard Hiroshi or was that Daisuke? She could never remember which was which. He was saying how Ryu was sleeping with all the Tendo daughters and how he had heard from a reliable source that they had orgies every night.

 

She banged her head on her desk until the teacher sent her to the hall. Her life was officially hell. Her only respite was that Ryu had somehow been assigned another class.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Nabiki looked worriedly at Kuno's empty desk in front of her. She knew Kuno tended to hold back in his fights with Akane so she had silently hoped the kendoist would make short work of Ryu. Having him arrive at school as a her not a him seriously screwed that plan. Kuno of course held back against a girl and got his ass handed to him. Watching the fight though, she realized Ryu probably would have won even as a guy. She had done what she could though and made sure Ryu had been assigned to a class other than Akane's or hers. She wasn't sure just how old Ryu was so decided to play it safe and cover her bets.

 

She would have her hands full at lunch. Of that she was sure. Between rumor control and sending out her minions (she always loved that word) to research the Saotome family she wondered if she'd even get a chance to eat.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

“So you see, it's just a weird Chinese curse, OK?” Ryu demonstrated again. “I was born a guy, raised a guy, and even though I change into a girl's body, I'm still a guy. Got it? Cause if any of you go hittin' on my girl side, unless you're a chick, Not only will I bust you up like I did Kuno, I'll tell everyone at school here that you're a fag for hittin' on a guy.”

 

The teacher gulped nervously, “Ah, thank you for that introduction Saotome-san. I'm sure everyone here will do their best to make you feel welcome.” He gestured nervously to an empty seat, “Have a seat and we'll start the day's lesson.”

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Nabiki sighed as she entered her room and closed the door behind her. It had been one of the most exhausting days of her life. Once it had gotten out about Ryu's curse the school had had a field day with the rumors of various sexual exploits and orgies that had supposedly occurred. There had even been rumors of a white slavery ring and bets being placed (outside Nabiki's circle) on which girls were also cursed like Ryu. Nabiki had sold the official version of what had happened (if she'd told it for free people weren't as likely to believe it). She explained that, yes there was a standing agreement for one of the Tendo daughters to marry Ryu, no there had been no decision made on who yet. There were no wild orgies or other sexual activities other than what Ryu did by himself. Nabiki had to phrase the last the way she did when Ryu admitted that women had better orgasms than men. Through the official version the more wild rumors died out leaving things at a more manageable level. She had sent out her minions to the library, the internet and anywhere that they had their particular talent for information gathering.

 

The thick folder of papers she dropped on her desk was the result of calling in almost all her favors from people working for the city, the police and other government agencies. Her level of control in Nerima had dropped as a result but she believed her family was worth it.

 

As she sat down to go through everything, there was a knock at the door. Quickly hiding everything in the false bottom of her desk drawer she got up to answer the door.

 

“Who is it?” She asked.

 

“It's me sis.” Akane answered.

 

Nabiki unlocked the door and let her sister in, closing and locking the door behind her.

 

“Did you find anything?” Akane asked nervously.

 

“I was just about to look. I have a lot of things to go through, it would go quicker with some help though.”

 

Agreeing, the two girls sat down and began to go through the mass of papers together.

 

After about fifteen minutes things had settled into two main stacks of papers, police reports or arrest warrants, and unpaid bills. Akane came to a photocopy of a government document and looked at it curiously.

 

“Hey Nabiki, look at this. These are divorce papers.” She handed the papers to Nabiki.

 

Nabiki scanned the document as Akane continued sorting. “According to this, one Nadoka Saotome divorced Genma Saotome and removed his name from the family register. Damn! That means she was the clan head! You know what this means Akane!?” she exclaimed. “Akane?”

 

Akane however was staring pale and wide eyed at the news clipping in her hands. The headlines read, “Boy Remains Catatonic After Being Mauled By Cats. Father Being Held For Child Abuse.”

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

The woman sighed tiredly. Another long day behind her, it was time to prepare dinner. She entered the small apartment and saw her son sitting exactly where she had left him in front of the television. She reflected back on her decision to sell her house and combine her inheritance from her father to buy this maison. She was able to live comfortably on the rent she collected from the other tenants as long as she could do all the maintenance. It also allowed her to take care of her son without resorting to paying expensive at home nurses to be here while she worked. It wasn't much but it was all she had anymore. For the millionth time she wished her son would look at her and smile the way he used to as a child. Damn her for giving in to that bastard. Her life before hadn't been perfect before but it was something she had cherished.

 

She went over and checked her son. She wrinkled her nose as she got close. He needed to be changed again. Damn it! Her son was sixteen years old! He should be out with his friends or dating pretty girls, not sitting staring at nothing and crapping his diaper. Standing her son up she led him towards the bathroom thinking once again that she should have done more than just divorce that bastard Genma.

 

As they went down the hall they passed a framed piece of paper. On it was some almost impossible to read script signed by one Genma Saotome and smeared with the hand prints of one Ranma Saotome.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Author's Rant:

 

Yup, it's a little shorter than usual for a chapter but I felt it said what needed to be said and I do have another assignment due tomorrow that I haven't started yet. Besides, it's getting closer to the end and I figure no more than four or five chapters will complete this story (We'll see). I would also like to say I'm not against homosexuals, that was Ryu. Hate the character not the author. So no hate mail on that subject please. I also apologize for making the catatonic boy's situation as realistic as I did but I wanted to emphasize certain things for the emotional impact.

 

Ranma entered the dark recesses of Washu's lair. Ignoring some of the larger intricate pieces of machinery he eventually found what he was looking for. Washu was currently bent over some piece of confiscated Borg technology ignoring the pleading sounds coming from the half naked Tenchi being suspended by metallic tentacles.

 

“Hey Tenchi.” Ranma half waved as Tenchi blink blinked at him. “Washu? You got a minute?”

 

-excerpt from Ranma and Tenchi's Excellent Adventure.