Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Past and Future ❯ Chapter Four ( Chapter 4 )

Akane walked up to the door at the end of the hall to gently trace the newly carved letters on the wooden blue duck hanging there. Ranko. . my daughter? Her fingers clasped the doorknob and turned it slowly. The door came open smoothly, no creaks or squeaks, the hinges obviously oiled frequently to guarantee a quiet entry. The room could still catch the sunlight, its rays glinted off the gleaming wood floor. Her formerly yellow room was now done over in blue; soft blue curtains, soft blue throw rugs, and a soft blue coverlet over the small lump on the bed where, instead of a human head peeking out the top, there was the head of a stuffed pig. Akane laughed quietly. I bet my future self got her that. . . The small lump stirred.

"Mommy. . .no. . " a soft voice mewed quietly from its shelter. Akane looked around in a panic, finding herself asking the pig for guidance. What should I do?

"Daddy, Mommy. . ." The lump tossed restlessly. Akane made up her mind, and with a quick, derisive nod to the pig, she walked over to sit on the edge of the bed. She reached over to shakily remove the covers. A small girl, perhaps three or four years old, came into view and Akane's features immediately softened. She's beautiful. . The girl, Ranko, had a slight frown plastered across her face, her nose scrunched up in concern, a faint sheen of sweat covered her forehead under a dark mop a black hair. She whimpered again and Akane's motherly instincts took over. She gently stroked the clammy brow, smoothing back the ruffled hair while murmuring soothing words. Ranko woke with a start and launched herself into Akane's open arms that automatically came up to return the tight embrace.

"Mommy! Mommy! I had the scary dream again!" Her voice was muffled against Akane's shoulder.

"Which dream, honey?" At the sound of Ranko's voice, openly calling her mother, Akane was quickly taken into the spell, the dream of having a child of her own.

"You know, Mommy! The one where that laughing crazy lady tries ta hurt you an' Daddy!" Hmph! That definitely has to be Kodachi. She frowned as she rubbed a comforting hand down her daughter's trembling back.

"Don't you worry, Ranko, your Daddy and I will make sure Kodachi Kuno never comes near you."

"Oh I know that, Mommy, she can't come near us 'cause Uncle Kuno an' Auntie Nabiki got that re-resomthin' order."

"A restraining order?"

"Yup! They're so smart!" That's so perfec-wait a sec, UNCLE Kuno? AUNTIE Nabiki? Before Akane could contemplate the match-up of Kuno and Nabiki any longer, Ranko suddenly leaned back to look Akane in the eye. And above the grinning mouth and pert little nose were a pair of big beautiful blue gray eyes.

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"So, Ukyo, when's the baby due?"

"About a month. . . ohhhh, I'm SO excited!"

"How's Ryoga taking it?"

"Oh, Ranma honey, he doesn't let me go anywhere, clean anything, cook. . . infact, I had to sneak out to visit my darling niece and nephew."

"Sneak out?" ORanma glanced at her in disbelief.

"Well, I didn't really have to sneak out. . .I left while he was looking for the bathroom."

"Haha, so, Porky's pretty protective huh?"

"Ranma!! Prepare to Die!!!"

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"Ranma!! Prepare to Die!!!" Ranko suddenly jumped out of Akane's arms and ran to the window.

"Ooooo! Daddy's gonna spar!" With that, she hopped on the desk and with a rakish grin sent towards her mother, she jumped out the window.

"Come and get me, pig-boy!!" Akane ran to the window in time to hear ORanma's taunt and to see a man with a pigtail catch Ranko. Ranma. . She sighed in relief before her eyes fell more fully on ORanma, automatically noting the changes, the broadness of his shoulders, the now mature contours of his body; and recognized the similarities, the hair, thick and full, the confidence in his smile, the clearness in his blue gray eyes. . . Ranko's eyes. . they're identical, that beautiful color on the sea just before a storm. . The tears began to well up. It's. . .it's just a coincidence. . After taking in a deep breath, she closed the window and walked out of the room.

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"Come and get me, Bacon Breath!" ORanma looked up in time to see Ranko's quickly falling form. "Oh wait, time out, falling daughter."

"Huh?" ORyoga grinned as he saw his biggest rival and oldest friend catch the little girl. "Oh, it's okay, you can prepare to die later."

"Gee, thanks, Ryoga." ORanma laughed and set Ranko down. He then placed a stern look on his face and began to stare down at his daughter. "Now, Ranko, what did your mom and I tell say about jumping out of that window of yours?"

"But Grandfather Soun and Grandpa Genma say you used to jump in and out of that window all the time, Daddy!"

"Yes, Ranko, I did. . but I was sixteen when I did that and you are only three!"

"Almost four," she wiggled four fingers in her father's face.

"Alright, almost four, but almost four is too young to do window jumping."

"But-"

"What did we tell you about it?" Ranko looked down and sniffled. He sighed and hankered down to his knees and reached out to tuck a finger under her small chin, tilting it up to face him. "Ranko?"

"'No jumping out the window till you're older.' I know, Daddy, but I figured it'd be okay since Mommy didn't grab 'fore I did it like she usually does. . . are you mad at me?" Her lower lip began to tremble.

"She let you. . that's weird. . " he then caught sight of her quivering mouth and quickly pulled her into a tight hug, "Nahhh, I'm not mad, Shrimp, I just worry about ya. . If my little girl got hurt, I don't know what I'd do." He placed a warm grip on her shoulders to face her once again, "Just promise you won't do that again and scare your dad like that okay?"

"Okay, Daddy, I promise!"

"Hey, Saotome!"

"Auntie Nabiki!!!" Ranko rushed forward to hug her aunt.

"Hey, Nabiki! Long time no see, you just get back from that business conference? Where's my favorite Shakespeare spouting moron?"

"Pigtailed girl!" Okuno appeared to glomp on male ORanma.

"Hey, get offa me!! What the hell are you Doing?!?!? I'm A GUY!!!" OKuno quickly detached himself from ORanma with a hearty laugh.

"You were right, my fair and beauteous goddess, my dear brother-in-law 'freaked out' just as you had stated." ORanma continued to twitch spasmodically.

"Told you so, Kuno-baby."

"Don't do that ever again, man, I still get nightmares about when you were 'in love with my girl half."

"As do I, Saotome. . as do I."

"Oh my, Nabiki, when did you get home?"

"We got in last night and decided to stop by. And what, may I ask, brings you here, Kasumi?"

"I made extra breakfast this morning but I forgot that Tofu had a medical conference in Tokyo and left for it early this morning, so I thought I'd bring over the extra. Ranma, where is Akane?"

"She was still in bed when I got up, but she must be out by now. I'll go get her for you," and he ran off.

"Hmmm, married for seven years and he still looks for any chance to get her alone, always at it like rabbits."

"Nabiki!"

"Oh my."

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"Half the Future and

Half the Past, They're

Waiting inside your eyes."

James Taylor

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