Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ City of Dreams ❯ Dream Weaver ( Chapter 13 )

Nodoka looked around the kitchen one last time before turning off the light. She left and walked down the hallway to the dining/living room. She slid the doors to the yard shut and made sure the television was off. As she continued to wander her cousin's house, she thought back on all the memories she had of their time together. They were closer than sisters and it wasn't until they'd met the practitioners of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts did they begin to drift apart. Nodoka sadly reflected that she hadn't seen any of Kimiko's daughters since she attended Kimiko's funeral.

 

After making sure the house was secure for the night, Nodoka went upstairs. Passing the guestroom, she looked down the hall and noticed everything was quiet, although there was a light coming from the gap under Nabiki's door. She idly wondered what the middle Tendo sister was up to at nearly midnight but didn't want to pry, at least not yet.

 

Returning to the guest room, she entered and shut the door behind her. She glanced down at her son who was sleeping on a futon. She idly wondered what was going on wherever his consciousness was and if he was thinking of his mother. She knelt down and brushed his eyes closed as he tended to sleep sometimes with them open.

 

She got up and prepared herself for bed. She smiled at the thought of being a mother again, not just a caretaker for her son, even if it was just until Kasumi turned twenty. She had left a notice for her tenants at the maison that she would be gone for a few weeks but left a number to get a hold of her in case of emergencies.

 

Nodoka finally turned off the light and laid down on her futon. She stared at the ceiling for a moment before closing her eyes.

 

*I wonder what I'll dream about?* she wondered as she slipped into slumber.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Ranma sat frozen, with a cup of tea halfway to his lips. He was sitting with his mother, Hathor, in her garden. He was just about to take his first drink when Hathor had told him her plan.

 

“You're going to what?” He finally managed to ask.

 

“I said I'm going to talk to your real mother. If nothing else, she deserves to tell her side of the story about what happened when you were a child. Then if things go well, I shall allow the two of you to talk and maybe something can be arranged.”

 

“Like letting me go free?” Ranma asked hesitantly.

 

Hathor winced. “Do you really feel that way? Do you feel I'm keeping you trapped against your will?”

 

Ranma panicked. “No! Never! You'll always be my mother and I'd never regret my time spent in the Dreaming. It's just that sometimes, sometimes, I wonder what it's like living in the Blind. It was so long ago I can't really remember.”

 

Hathor nodded. “There is also the girl you met. I'm sure you'd like to meet her in the waking world, wouldn't you?”

 

Ranma's blush was enough of an answer for Hathor. She sighed and rubbed her temples. Her position on the council was becoming tenuous and she could feel some of the other members beginning to circle like sharks closing in for the kill. With the nightmare lords consolidating their power base and her influence in the dreaming beginning to wane, why, just why did Ranma have to start noticing girls now?

 

“Um, mother? What are we going to do about Akane?” Ranma asked after finishing his tea.

 

Hathor sipped from her cup as she contemplated what to tell her son. “She will be all right for a couple of days in the Blind. I will appeal to the council to try and change their verdict. Things are changing Ranma. People don't dream as much as they used to. Nightmares are more prevalent. As you know, my power comes from not only belief but also the power of dreams. Most of the other dream gods have dissipated themselves into the Dreaming or merged with me as the dream power has faded. Unfortunately the Nightmare Lords have grown stronger as a result. I will do what I can for Akane but realize my power is not what it was even ten years ago.”

 

Ranma frowned as he thought on this. Hathor could see the emotions play upon his face. He was always expressive and honest with his feelings. She just hoped he wouldn't do anything stupid.

 

“Mom, I don't know about the council, but I think you have the support of the people. Heck even some of the nightmares I know like you a lot.”

 

Hathor smiled. She knew Ranma liked to move among the people and had quite a following himself. He would know the opinions of the City of Dreams better than herself. It was oddly comforting to know the people still supported her.

 

“Thank you Ranma. I should go, the council will convene soon. Have faith my son,” Hathor stood and erased the tea set before leaving her garden.

 

Unnoticed by either of them, the small shadow flowed out of the garden in another direction to report to its master.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Akane lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. It was nearly midnight and she couldn't sleep. She wondered briefly if it was because she couldn't sleep at all or if she was just scared of not being able to dream.

 

*Either way it's the same result,* she thought wryly. She found herself worrying more about Ranma than going insane and dying from being exiled from the Dreaming.

 

She sighed and turned on her side. Ranma was just down the hall she realized, yet he was so far away. He was in a completely different world, a world she couldn't go to anymore. Her search at the library before going to Nodoka's apartment had turned up nothing useful. She wondered briefly what it was like to die from dream deprivation.

 

That was when she noticed everything in her room had taken on a grainy quality as if she was watching it through a television screen. Even the color was washed out as if in an old sixties TV series. She sat up and watched as her room wavered with bursts of static. As she sat up in bed, her door opened. In walked three small gnomes carrying what looked like wands tipped with a large rose quartz crystal.

 

“No, reception's still off!” one of the gnomes yelled out the door. He went to Akane's desk and planted his wand on top of it. Three legs folded out and kept the wand stable. Pushing a button on the wand, the crystal began to glow and the static seemed to lessen.

 

“All right, put one over there and one there,” the gnome commanded, pointing to Akane's closet and dresser. Once the other two wands were set up and glowing, the static had dissipated although everything still had a grainy look.

 

The gnomes filed out of the room as Akane grabbed her robe. She realized she was dreaming but otherwise didn't know what was going on. As she was about to leave, another figure entered her room. Akane was shocked by how much it looked like Marilyn Monroe, except for the beard and claws of course.

 

The blonde pulled out a large cigar and lit it up before speaking. “Yo, name's Zeke. Are you Akane Tendo?” he asked. At her hesitant nod he continued, “Sorry `bout the quality but we're usin' illegal Dreamscape hardware to bring you into the Dreamin'. Bootleg dream mining ain't always top quality but it works.”

 

“Did Ranma do this? Is he here?” Akane asked.

 

Zeke looked at his watch, “He should be here soon. I went ahead and set up this dream chamber so everything would be up and runnin' by the time he gets here.”

 

Akane sat down in her chair. Realizing she was still in her pajamas, she closed her eyes and concentrated. Her clothes shifted and morphed into a blouse and pair of slacks. She opened her eyes and blanched at the color. Zeke noticed her expression and laughed.

 

“Not gonna get the same results as if you was in the Dreamin' girl.”

 

Akane frowned but accepted his explanation. “Can you tell me what's going on in the Dreaming? Is Ranma in trouble?”

 

“I can answer that,” came Ranma's voice from the door, “Thanks Zeke, I owe you big for this.”

 

Zeke shook his head. “Jus' keep yo mamma safe,” he headed for the door, “Don' take too long. Hathor not gonna be in session with the Council forever ya know?”

 

Ranma nodded as Zeke shut the door behind him. He turned back to Akane just in time for her to glomp on to him with tears in her eyes.

 

“Oh Ranma! I was so scared!” she sobbed.

 

“It'll be ok Akane. Mom is talking to the Council right now, trying to overturn their decision to exile you.”

 

They held each other for a few moments until Akane grew quiet in Ranma's arms. She looked up at him to see him smile at her.

 

“I have so much to tell you,” she finally said.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Hathor watched the proceedings in the council chambers as she pondered her course of attack. Over three quarters of the Council were comprised of Nightmares or their allies. She sighed to herself as she glanced at her supporters, minor dream spirits mostly. They only allied with her so that they wouldn't be completely overwhelmed by the superior numbers of the Nightmare Lords. She wished Ranma were more experienced. As popular as he was with the common people living in the City of Dreams, he could easily gain a seat on the Council.

 

Finally, old business was finished and the floor was opened to new proposals. Hathor stood up and waited to be recognized by Morpheus, the current chairman of the council. After almost a full minute, he slowly nodded, granting Hathor the right to speak. Hathor kept her anger in check, losing her temper now would not help Akane.

 

“I present the motion to appeal the exile sentence on one Akane Tendo as I feel it was an unjustified overreaction.” There were hushed whispers and groans from the Nightmare council members.

 

“I second the motion,” Neru, a small Japanese sleep spirit said. She looked at Hathor and gave her a slight nod.

 

Morpheus gave a slight grin that only Hathor could see before speaking. “The motion has been seconded, we shall now call a vote. All in favor of the appeal say aye.”

 

There were various `ayes' from around the room. What shocked Hathor was how many came from the Nightmares and how many voices were silent from her side. She had not thought she would have any support from the dark dreams.

 

“All opposed?” Morpheus asked.

 

The `nays' were more vocal and Hathor could not tell if there were more voices than before. She waited for the final tally but realized without much hope that she would have to speak to some of the others to bring them to her side before she brought it up before the Council for a vote again.

 

A small imp handed a paper to Morpheus who unfolded, and began to read from it. “Forty-six in favor of appeal, fifty-eight against, and four abstentions. I am sorry, the motion is denied.”

 

Hathor frowned, she hadn't expected an easy victory but it was a closer vote than last time. Perhaps with a little lobbying, she could swing a favorable vote, especially if she threw in some conditions on Akane returning to the Dreaming. She began planning, barely paying attention to the rest of the session.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Nodoka sat on a park bench watching her son play in the sandbox nearby. The sun was high overhead and it was a beautiful spring day. She so content to just watch her boy play that she barely noticed another woman sit down next to her.

 

“He's a fine boy,” the woman says.

 

Nodoka looks over and sees a dark skinned gaijin lady. She nods. “Ranma is the light of my life.”

 

“I think you would be proud of him if you knew what he has accomplished,” Hathor replied.

 

Nodoka sat back and watched the boy play in the sand for a couple of minutes before saying anything else. “Are you Hathor?” she asked, not taking her eyes off the child.

 

“Yes, I am the goddess of dreams. I was contacted on your behalf about Ranma and felt you deserved to at least know what has happened and why.”

 

Nodoka frowned, tears coming to her eyes. “It was the Neko-ken training wasn't it? You saved him by bringing him here. I wasn't a good mother. I should never have let Genma take him away from me.”

 

“Yet, you have taken care of him ever since. You could have left him in professional care.”

 

“After what happened, Ranma deserved more than an impersonal, sterile hospital. I hoped he would wake up someday, look me in the eye and smile like he used to,” Tears now flowed freely from her eyes, “Maybe he would even forgive me, even if I can't forgive myself.”

 

Hathor felt guilt over what she had taken from Nodoka. Even though her original intention was to save Ranma's life, out of her own selfish desire to raise a child, she kept Ranma from a mother that loved him dearly.

 

Hathor placed a hand on Nodoka's shoulder. “I will do what I can for you. At the very least, I can let you see Ranma here in the Dreaming. I will bring him with me next time.”

 

Nodoka looked up at Hathor with renewed hope in her eyes. “I'll finally get to see my baby?”

 

Hathor smiled. “Yes, I promise.”

 

Both women turned upon noticing the boy Ranma from Nodoka's dream and walked up to the pair. It looked up at Hathor with wide blue eyes.

 

“Hathor Goddess of Dreams, you are hereby charged with bring an unauthorized mortal into the dreaming. You are under arrest.”

 

The boy shifted and morphed into a large muscled man with dark features. Five more figures emerged from nearby shadows and surrounded the goddess. The first figure reached out and touched Hathor with a wand. With a jolt of blue electricity the goddess went limp.

 

Nodoka watched in horror as the dreamscape faded.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Nodoka sat up in a panic and quickly went to her son. “Oh Ranma! Something horrible has happened!”

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Author's Rant:

 

Heh, cliffhangers are a bitch, eh? After a long hiatus, I have returned to this story. Things come to a head and should wrap up in one or two more chapters. I also plan an epilogue to finish it up. I figure if I can actually finish one fic, then it will give me the motivation to finish up some other outstanding works plus get started on my own novels. Maybe I should put it to a vote on which fic I should finish next, eh? Also, I'm looking for fanart if anyone is feeling creative. I've been contemplating my own website for a while now and a fan art section would be cool.

 

Later.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

“I'm Ranma Saotome!” he shouted while strumming his guitar loudly and badly.

 

“And I'm Tenchi Masaki!” the other boy kicked in with his own off tune solo.

 

Shouting together, “And we are, WILD STALLIONS! WOOOOOO!”

 

Tenchi stopped playing after a moment and looked at Ranma confused. “Dude, why do we have to name the band after you?”

 

Ranma looked thoughtful for a moment before answering, “because `Heaven and Earth' sounds like a lame seventies rock band, that's why.”

 

“Oh yeah...”

 

-Excerpt from Ranma and Tenchi's Excellent Adventure.